UN alarm as Ukraine nuclear power plant shelled again
More shelling of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been reported, with Ukraine and Russia again blaming each other for the attack, BBC reported.
Each side said there were 10 hits on the office and fire station of Europe's biggest power plant on Thursday.
At a meeting of the UN Security Council called to discuss the situation, the head of its nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, warning it was a "grave hour".
UN Secretary General António Guterres also said it could "lead to disaster".
China and the US both called for UN experts to be allowed to urgently visit the plant, but similar demands in the past have so far not been acted upon.
Earlier, the US also called for a demilitarised zone to be established around the plant: "Fighting near a nuclear plant is dangerous and irresponsible," a state department spokesperson said.
However, Russia's UN representative said demilitarisation was not an option, suggesting that it would make the plant more vulnerable to "provocations" and "terror attacks".
The facility and its surrounding area in central-eastern Ukraine saw shelling last week, with Russia and Ukraine also accusing each other over that attack.
Ukraine says Russia has turned the site into a military base, launching attacks from there knowing that Ukrainian forces are unlikely to retaliate, according to BBC.
Moscow denies the claim.
In a statement on Thursday, Ukraine's nuclear agency Enerhoatom said that "Russian invaders again shelled the Zaporizhzhia plant and territories near the nuclear facility".
It said an administrative office near the welding area was hit and several radiation sensors were damaged. There was a small fire on some nearby grass, but no injuries.
Enerhoatom added that the fire station located near the plant was also targeted.
Because of the shelling, it was impossible to change the personnel after their shift, so they had to continue work overtime.
But the situation was currently under control, Enerhoatom said, BBC reported.
Donald Trump: Mar-a-Lago search warrant could be unsealed
The US Department of Justice is asking a Florida court to unseal the warrant that let FBI agents search former President Donald Trump's home, BBC reported.
If granted, the rare request would make the documents available to the public.
Attorney General Merrick Garland also revealed he personally approved the warrant, which was executed at Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago property on Monday.
The justice department has so far not revealed the reason for the search - but the unsealed warrant could.
Mr Trump has until Friday to object to the unsealing - or could release details of the warrant himself.
Monday's FBI search is believed to be connected to an investigation into whether the former president removed classified records and sensitive material from the White House.
According to the Washington Post, citing anonymous sources, documents relating to nuclear weapons were among the items FBI agents were looking for at Mar-a-Lago.
The sources did not tell the newspaper whether the information involved US weapons or some other nation's.
Mr Trump argued on Thursday on his Truth Social platform that there was no need for the raid since he said his lawyers had been "co-operating fully" and "the government could have had whatever they wanted, if we had it".
He also alleged that the federal agents had rummaged through former First Lady Melania Trump's closet and personal items, according to BBC.
Until now, the justice department has followed its normal practice of remaining silent during an active investigation - and documents such as search warrants traditionally remain sealed during a pending investigation.
But Mr Garland said he was asking a court to make documents connected to the search warrant publicly available, in the public interest.
He said his decision was also influenced by Mr Trump publicly announcing the search had taken place.
"The public's clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favour of unsealing," justice department lawyers said in a motion filed in federal court on Thursday.
Monday's search was the first time in American history that a former president's home has been searched as part of a criminal investigation. Mr Trump and other Republicans have condemned the move as politically motivated.
But speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Mr Garland defended FBI agents and justice department officials.
"I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked," the attorney general told reporters.
He also said the decision to execute the search warrant was not taken lightly. "Where possible it is standard practice to seek less intrusive means," he said.
Lindsey Halligan, an attorney for Mr Trump, said his legal team is weighing whether to release the warrant before the judge makes a ruling, BBC reported.
They are also considering disclosing photos and video of the search.
FBI agents at Mar-a-Lago had requested that CCTV cameras be switched off, but the Trump team refused to comply, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.
Armed man shot dead after trying to 'breach' Ohio FBI office
An armed man clad in body armour was killed after he tried to "breach" an FBI building in Ohio, officials say, BBC reported.
The suspect fled the scene in Cincinnati and was shot by police after an hours-long standoff in a rural area.
Law enforcement officials told US media they are examining whether the man - whom outlets named as Ricky Shiffer, 42 - had any ties to far-right groups.
The head of the FBI said violence and threats against the agency "should be deeply concerning to all Americans".
Police have not formally identified the suspect killed in Ohio on Thursday, and did not comment on his motive during news briefings.
Unnamed law enforcement officials told US media the suspect may have been present at the Capitol building in Washington on the day of last year's riot by Trump supporters, although he was not charged with any crimes in connection to the disorder.
The Ohio incident comes as US officials warn of increased threats against law enforcement after the FBI executed a search warrant on Monday at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Police said the suspect tried unsuccessfully to breach a visitor security screening area at the FBI office in Cincinnati at around 09:15 (13:15 GMT).
He fled the area, but was spotted about 20 minutes later by a police officer, Ohio State Highway Patrol spokesman Nathan Dennis told a news conference.
A chase ensued until the suspect stopped and exchanged gunfire with officers before fleeing into a cornfield, according to BBC.
After an hours-long standoff, he raised a weapon towards officers and was killed by police around 15:00 local time, said Mr Dennis. No police were injured in the shootout.
According to NBC News, the man fired a nail gun at the FBI building and was also armed with a semi-automatic rifle.
There are two social media accounts in the reported name of the suspect, according to the BBC's disinformation reporter Shayan Sardarizadeh.
Most of the tweets were about the 2020 election, saying it had been stolen from Mr Trump. The posts also included calls for violence against Democrats, the FBI and the Supreme Court.
At least two posts on the Twitter account - including one saying "I was there" - suggest the person attended the Capitol riot.
On Truth Social, the website owned by Mr Trump, an account in the name of one Ricky Shiffer posted earlier on Thursday, calling for Americans to "be ready to combat", adding: "I am proposing war."
One post appeared to have been made after the incident at the FBI office in Cincinnati.
FBI Director Christopher Wray, who was appointed by Mr Trump in 2017, said in a statement that "unfounded attacks on the integrity of the FBI erode respect for the rule of law and are a grave disservice to the men and women who sacrifice so much to protect others, BBC reported.
"Violence and threats against law enforcement, including the FBI, are dangerous and should be deeply concerning to all Americans."
In a speech to FBI field agents in the state of Nebraska on Wednesday, he called online threats to officials "deplorable and dangerous", adding: "Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who you're upset with."
Lebanon man hailed hero for holding Beirut bank hostage over savings
An armed man who held a bank hostage for more than six hours in Beirut because he could not withdraw savings has been hailed a hero by the public, BBC reported.
Banks in Lebanon have put tight rules on how much money people can access, amid a deep economic crisis.
The suspect entered the bank with a rifle, poured petrol and demanded his money for hospital bills, AFP reported.
His actions captured public support - with cheering crowds gathering outside and chanting: "You are a hero."
The stand-off eventually ended peacefully with no injuries, after negotiators struck an agreement allowing the suspect to receive $35,000 (£29,000) of his savings upfront, LBC TV channel reported.
Police escorted the hostages and suspect away from the Federal Bank branch near Hamra Street, in the west of the city. Officials have not yet said whether the man will face charges.
According to LBC, the suspect's family were in dire need of their savings, with some family members in hospital.
The suspect's brother told journalists: "My brother has $210,000 in the bank and wants to get just $5,500 to pay hospital bills."
And his wife and brother, who were outside the bank, said that "everybody should do the same" to get access to what is "rightfully theirs".
There has been widespread anger in Lebanon over the strict controls over people's bank accounts, which came into force in 2019. There are also restrictions on transfers of money abroad, according to BBC.
The country is in the midst of one of the world's most severe economic crises in modern times - and its impact is being felt even more as the cost of living spirals and there are shortages of wheat and medicines.
Outside the branch, protesters had chanted: "Down with the rule of the banks".
"Similar incidents keep happening," George al-Hajj, who heads Lebanon's bank employees' union, told AFP. In a separate incident in January, an angry customer took dozens of hostages at a bank in the Bekaa valley, demanding to be able to take his money out in US dollars.
"Depositors want their money, and unfortunately their anger explodes in the face of bank employees because they cannot reach the management," he added.
Lebanon's local currency has lost more than 90% of its value since the onset of the crisis - and the UN says four fifths of the population are living in poverty, BBC reported.
Nepal records 815 new Covid-19 cases, five deaths on Thursday
Nepal recorded 815 new Covid-19 cases and five deaths on Thursday.
According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 2, 411 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 465 returned positive. Likewise, 2,123 people underwent antigen tests, of which 350 tested positive.
As of today, there are 5, 869 active cases in the country.
Nepse plunges by 18. 96 points on Thursday
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 18. 96 points to close at 2,037.92 points on Thursday.
Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 4. 08 points to close at 391. 67 points.
A total of 6,298,638 units of the shares of 223 companies were traded for Rs 1. 76 billion.
Meanwhile, Himalayan Hydropower Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9. 99 percent. Likewise, Unilever Nepal Limited was the top loser with its price dropped by 8. 23 percent.
At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 91 trillion.
Indian companies swap dollars for Asian currencies to buy Russian coal
Indian companies are using Asian currencies more often to pay for Russian coal imports, according to customs documents and industry sources, avoiding the US dollar and cutting the risk of breaching Western sanctions against Moscow, Reuters reported.
Reuters previously reported on a large Indian coal deal involving the Chinese yuan, but the customs data underlines how non-dollar settlements are becoming commonplace.
India has aggressively stepped up purchases of Russian oil and coal since the war in Ukraine began, helping to cushion Moscow from the effects of sanctions and allowing New Delhi to secure raw material at discounts compared to supplies from other countries.
Russia became India’s third-largest coal supplier in July, with imports rising by over a fifth compared with June to a record 2.06 million tonnes. In June, Indian buyers paid for at least 742,000 tonnes using currencies other than the US dollar, according to a summary of deals compiled by a trade source based in India using customs documents and shared with Reuters, equal to 44% of the 1.7 million tonnes of Russian imports that month.
Indian steelmakers and cement manufacturers have bought Russian coal using the United Arab Emirates dirham, Hong Kong dollar, yuan and euro in recent weeks, according to the customs documents separately reviewed by Reuters.
The yuan accounted for 31% of the non-US dollar payments for Russian coal in June and the Hong Kong dollar for 28%. The euro made up under a quarter and the Emirati dirham around one-sixth, the data from the trade source showed.
India’s Ministry of Finance, which administers the customs board, did not respond to emails seeking comment confirming the documents. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry declined to comment.
Community forest users stage protest in Kathmandu demanding annulment of Forest Regulation 2079 (In pictures)
The Federation of Community Forest Users Nepal, the umbrella organization of community forest users' groups, on Thursday staged a demonstration in Kathmandu demanding annulment of Forest Regulation 2079.
Saying that the Regulation was against the constitution, federalism, Forest Act 2076, community forest rights and women rights, the federation staged the demonstration at Maitighar in Kathmandu demanding annulment of the Forest Regulation 2079.
Federation Chairman Bharati Pathak said that they were compelled to stage the protest after the government brought the Regulation to put the community forest consumers, who contributed to the forest sector, in difficulty.
The federation has been staging demonstrations in district, province and central level to mount pressure on the government to scrap the Regulation.












