Submit your Article

Gold pushed through $4,000 an ounce to hit a record on Wednesday, driven by investors seeking safety from mounting economic and geopolitical uncertainty, alongside expectations of further interest rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve, Reuters reported.

Spot gold was up 0.9% at $4,017.16 per ounce by 0442 GMT. U.S. gold futures for December delivery gained 0.9% to $4,040 per ounce.

Traditionally, gold is seen as a store of value during times of instability. As one of the best-performing assets of 2025, spot gold is up 53% year-to-date after rising 27% in 2024, according to Reuters.

A paramotor attack on a festival and protest in central Myanmar has killed at least 24 people and wounded 47 others, a spokesperson from the exiled National Unity Government told BBC Burmese.

Around 100 people had gathered at Chaung U township on Monday evening for the Thadingyut festival - a national holiday with Buddhist roots - when a motor-powered paraglider dropped two bombs over the crowd, a local official under the anti-junta People's Defence Force said, BBC reported.

The event was also a candlelight vigil protesting junta policies.

Myanmar has been at civil war since its military seized power in a 2021 coup. The UN estimates that the conflict has killed more than 5,000 civilians, according to BBC.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will join Gaza peace plan talks between Israeli and Hamas negotiators in Egypt on Wednesday, BBC reported.

Their arrival comes as a second day of indirect talks on Tuesday ended without tangible results, a senior Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations told the BBC.

Trump struck a positive tone as Israelis marked the second anniversary of the 7 October Hamas-led attacks on their country, saying "there's a possibility that we could have peace in the Middle East".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not comment on the status of the talks, but told Israelis they were in "fateful days of decision," according to BBC.

Belgian forward Leandro Trossard said there was never any question of him leaving Arsenal at the start of the season, despite speculation about a transfer away from the club, Reuters reported.

Trossard joined the London club in 2023 from Brighton & Hove Albion and has played 97 Premier League games for them, scoring 21 goals.

"There are always rumours like that. Leaving has never really been an option. I feel very good at Arsenal," he told a press conference on Tuesday as Belgium began their preparations for a World Cup qualifier at home to North Macedonia on Friday, according to Reuters.

Columbus Crew midfielder and four-time MLS Cup champion Darlington Nagbe will retire at the end of the season, the player and club announced Tuesday, Reuters reported.

Nagbe, 35, ranks fifth in MLS history with 444 regular-season matches and has tallied 38 goals and 48 assists since being drafted No. 2 overall by the Portland Timbers in 2011.

"After years of incredible memories, I'll be finishing my career at the end of this season. I'm more than grateful for my family, for all my teammates, coaches, teams, staff members, supporters and friends that have helped me along this journey," the Crew captain shared on social media, according to Reuters.

Striker Mexx Meerdink has withdrawn from the Netherlands squad for this week’s World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Finland, the Dutch football association said on Tuesday, after he suffered an injury two days into his first call-up, Reuters reported.

The 22-year-old from AZ Alkmaar will not be replaced, it added, even though Memphis Depay was late arriving from Brazil after his passport went missing.

Coach Ronald Koeman has already said Depay would not start against Malta away on Thursday, leaving Donyell Malen as the likely first-choice striker for the game at Ta’Qali, according to Reuters.

England's golden generation failed to live up to their potential because they were "egotistical losers" who fostered an unfriendly environment and were unable to work together, former Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard said, Reuters reported.

In the 2000s, big things were expected from an England squad that included the likes of Gerrard, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard but the team never progressed past the quarter-finals at a major tournament.

"I think we were all egotistical losers. I watch the telly now and I see (Jamie) Carragher sitting next to (Paul) Scholes on this fan debate and they look like they've been best mates for 20 years," ex-England captain Gerrard said on a podcast with Ferdinand, according to Reuters.

Continuous rainfall on Oct 4 and 5 inflicted widespread damage to major highways, bridges and culverts across eastern and central Nepal, severely disrupting transportation and connectivity.

According to the Department of Roads (DoR), the Mechi Highway of Koshi Province and BP Highway of Bagmati Province have suffered the most extensive damage due to floods and landslides. “Four bridges and dozens of culverts  have been destroyed by floods and landslides triggered by heavy downpour,” said Engineer Prabhat Kumar Jha, spokesperson for the DoR. 

He added that more than 250 landslides have been recorded along 80 major highways so far. “Even if funding is made available today, it will take at least two to three years to stabilize these slopes and rebuild the damaged infrastructure,” he said, estimating a cost of around Rs 20bn for the restoration work.

While a full assessment is still underway, preliminary reports show that a permanent bridge and two bailey bridges along the Mechi Corridor, an under-construction bridge over the Sanomai River on the Mechi Highway, and one bridge along the Hulaki Highway were either swept away or critically damaged.

Apart from Mechi and BP highways, several other major roads—including the Prithvi Highway, Hulaki Highway, Mid-Hills Highway, Kanti Highway and Araniko Highway in Koshi and Bagmati provinces, have sustained partial or complete damage. Some sections are operating one-way, while others remain completely blocked.

“The immediate focus is on reopening roads and ensuring movement of vehicles,” Jha said. “Reconstructing permanent bridges and restoring roads to their original condition will take time.”

The DoR has requested the Ministry of Finance for emergency funds to clear debris and start temporary restoration. It also plans to seek the release of money from the Road Board, where over Rs 100bn remains unspent. The department intends to use Rs 20 billion from that amount specifically for landslide prevention and highway stabilization projects. “We face the same problems every monsoon. Without proper preventive measures, the damage will only worsen in the coming years,” Jha said.

Finance Minister Rameshwor Khanal said that the government would mobilize its own resources and, if necessary, seek international assistance for reconstruction and rehabilitation. The government is also preparing to install about 10 new bailey bridges in critical sections to restore connectivity in the short term.