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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held talks in Beijing on Tuesday, reaffirming their countries strategic partnership and agreeing to deepen cooperation in multiple sectors.

Marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the leaders emphasized advancing a “China-Brazil community with a shared future.” Xi advocated for coordinated development policies and increased collaboration in infrastructure, agriculture, energy, aerospace, the digital economy, and artificial intelligence. He also emphasized the importance of enhancing exchanges in education, culture, and local government, according to Xinhua.

Xi addressed the need of reciprocal support for fundamental interests and urged greater international cooperation to uphold multilateralism, develop global governance, and resist protectionism and unilateralism.

President Lula assured Brazil's commitment to aligning its development program with China's Belt and Road Initiative. He stood for more collaboration in trade, finance, science, and technology. Lula also supported joint initiatives to elevate the voice of the Global South and promote fairness in global development, Xinhua reported.

The leaders witnessed the signing of 20 cooperation agreements in crucial areas such as agriculture, science, digital economy, and media. They also issued joint statements on bilateral cooperation, multilateralism, and the Ukraine crisis.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that he will only attend Thursday's peace talks in Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin attends, accusing him of avoiding direct negotiations.

The Kremlin has not confirmed Putin’s attendance. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated an announcement would be made if the president decides to go, Reuters reported.

Zelensky is advocating for a 30-day cease-fire as a step toward ending the war, which is currently in its third year.

US President Donald Trump is sending Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, to the meetings. Trump additionally pledged to attend personally, according to Reuters.

Russian airstrikes continue, with three people reported killed in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region on Tuesday.

Wildlife victims in Mustang are still waiting for compensation for livestock losses, even two years after submitting application recommendation letters to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) office. Despite completing the required process, many farmers have yet to receive any relief. The ongoing human-wildlife conflict, particularly with snow leopards, is putting Mustang’s traditional livestock farming under serious threat. Farmers say the main challenge is finding a balance between conserving wildlife and sustaining their livelihoods.

While the government does provide compensation for wildlife-related livestock damage through designated agencies, the process is lengthy and burdensome. Farmers have voiced frustration over the delay in receiving relief payments.

Sakendra Gauchan, a farmer from Thasang-2, Naurikot, said he has not received compensation for two goat kids lost in fiscal year 2023/24. “It would have been better if we could get compensation shortly after the incident,” he said. Likewise, Purna Bahadur Nepali from Gharapjhong-4, Jomsom, reported that he has been waiting for over two years for compensation despite submitting all necessary documents to the ACAP office.

It has emerged that most livestock farmers in Mustang have not received any compensation for damages caused by wild animals over the past two fiscal years. The ACAP Mustang office acknowledged that while all damage reports have been forwarded to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation for approval, the government has not yet released the corresponding funds.

In total, 280 livestock from 76 households were reported as damaged by wild animals in fiscal years 2023/24 and 2024/25. Of these, 119 livestock from 39 households were reported under the Jomsom office and 161 from 37 households under the Lomanthang office.

According to Rajesh Gupta, Chief of the ACAP Jomsom Office, 56 livestock from 27 households were lost to wildlife in 2023/24, and 63 from 12 households in 2024/25. This year alone, households in Jomsom (six), Muktinath (one), Kobang (one), Kunjo (one), Marpha (one), and Kagbeni (two) have suffered livestock losses. A total of 54 yaks, eight buffaloes, and one horse were killed. Gupta added that in the previous fiscal year, 30 yaks, two horses, 19 more yaks, and five chickens were also lost to wildlife attacks across 27 households in Kobang, Marpha, Muktinath, and Kagbeni.

The Jomsom office did distribute Rs 550,000 to 12 households last year for 31 livestock losses incurred in fiscal year 2022/23. However, no funds have been received for claims filed for the last two fiscal years. Similarly, in the Lomanthang area, no compensation has been provided for two consecutive fiscal years. Umesh Poudel, Chief of the ACAP Lomanthang Office, confirmed that 27 households had submitted relief applications for livestock damages in 2023/24.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged member states to increase financing for peacekeeping missions, describing them as a crucial symbol of international collaboration, Xinhua reported.

He emphasized the need for more adaptable and resilient operations at the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin, as global conflicts and displacement continue to escalate. Guterres also paid respect to the 4,400 peacekeepers who lost their lives while on service.

"We are now facing the highest number of conflicts since the foundation of the United Nations, and record numbers of people fleeing across borders in search of safety and refuge," Guterres said as stated by Xinhua.

The two-day forum gathered representatives from around 130 countries to shape the future of UN peacekeeping.

An Israeli air strike on the European Hospital in Khan Younis killed 28 people and injured dozens, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency.

BBC said six bombs struck the hospital compound, leaving deep craters and burying vehicles.

The Israeli military claimed it targeted a Hamas command center beneath the hospital in a “precise strike.”

Drones were reportedly seen hovering over the region, causing rescue efforts to be delayed. Two civil defence officers were injured by a quadcopter drone during the response, BBC reported.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 500 per tola in the domestic market on Wednesday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 185, 300 per tola today. It was traded at Rs `84, 800 per tola on Tuesday.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1, 970 per tola today.

A woman died in a fire that broke out at a house in Makhantole, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-24 on Wednesday.

Police said that the fire erupted due to cooking gas leakage.

Kathmandu District Police Range spokesperson Apil Raj Bohara said that the blaze broke out at a four-storey house belonging to Dayaram Shrestha.

The identity of the deceased person has not been ascertained yet.

Bohara said that efforts are underway to put off the fire.

The fire also spread to the neighboring house, according to police.

The International Nurses Day is celebrated on May 12 every year to mark nurse’s contribution to society. In Nepal, we often get to hear that nurses aren’t paid well and are thus generally vying to go abroad. ApEx spoke to three nurses to find out where they think the problem lies and what can be done to secure their future in their own country.

Rachana Suwal, 35

In Nepal, nurses face numerous struggles, including low salaries, long working hours, inadequate benefits, and limited career growth opportunities. The challenges are even worse in public hospitals, where understaffing forces nurses to work long shifts without proper compensation. Most nurses in Nepal are underpaid.There is no proper overtime pay and many hospitals don’t follow labor laws regarding overtime, leave, and bonuses. Countries like the USA, UK, Australia, and Gulf nations offer five to ten times higher salaries than Nepal. There, nurses get better facilities, structured shifts, and professional growth opportunities too. Nepal lacks specialization opportunities, while foreign countries provide advanced training and promotions. Nepal must value nurses as essential healthcare pillars. Better pay, working conditions, and career opportunities can stop the brain drain and strengthen Nepal’s healthcare system. Otherwise, the exodus of skilled nurses will continue, harming the nation’s medical services. 

Rabina Kawan, 35

Nurses in Nepal face several struggles in their profession, including issues of payment, understaffing, and an imbalanced patient-to-staff ratio, leading to shift duty challenges and excessive workload. Many are forced to work long hours, especially during night shifts, in unsafe environments. Despite holding bachelor’s degrees in nursing, many nurses are undervalued and underpaid, often treated as volunteers or dominated by other professionals in healthcare settings. Inappropriate job placements that don’t match their qualifications or experience further demotivate them. To address these issues, the government must develop and implement better policies that include fair salary scales, job security, paid benefits, and opportunities for professional growth. Eliminating unpaid volunteer roles, ensuring appropriate staffing, and involving nurses in policy-making and leadership decisions are essential. Creating a positive image of the nursing profession through recognition, appropriate appraisal, and specialization opportunities in areas like ICU, OT, and cardiology can help retain talent. Celebrating nursing contributions and ensuring dignity and respect for their work are key to uplifting the profession in Nepal.

Jamuna Kafle, 38

I have been working in this field for 12 years and I believe I have been doing great at my institution. Many nurses at different hospitals complain about low salaries though they work hard, oftentimes clocking in long hours. Nursing is a job that isn’t valued properly by people and patients too, with most just looking to point out our mistakes. It’s the same everywhere and that can be disheartening. Students pay a lot to study nursing but in the end they don’t get good jobs and are forced to go abroad for better opportunities. I think the government rules on salary structure and working hours also need to be implemented in the private sector. Most private hospitals pay nurses very little and it’s not enough for them to look after their families. I believe low salary is one of the main reasons why nurses choose to go abroad.