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Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba has urged for the promotion of tourism in Nepal, highlighting its vast potential for the country's development and prosperity. 

She made this statement at a retreat organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Antu and Kanyam of Ilam for the heads of foreign missions in Nepal and representatives of various international organisations. "Nepal's unique culture, heritage and natural beauty are the major attractions to the world, and these invaluable assets are the basis of the country's development and prosperity."

Minister Rana praised Nepal's cultural and natural diversity, as well as its beauty, greenery, biodiversity and heritage, and mountain ranges.

 Explaining the importance of the Ilam region, she described Ilam as a land of tea plantations, mist-covered mountains, and warm-hearted local people, and urged everyone to experience tea gardens, clean air, traditions, and lifestyle of the tourist destination, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She urged the world community to invest in tourism and infrastructure development in Nepal, noting that foreign investment could further unlock the country's potential.

Minister Rana urged the visiting diplomats to become “ambassadors” for the country’s tourism. “I urge you to take the inspiring stories and beauty of Ilam and Nepal as a whole to your countries and people when you return home, and do your best to promote it,” she said to the diplomats.

Also speaking on the occasion, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai requested people to experience and appreciate the unique cultural and natural beauty of Nepal. 

The event was attended by ambassadors from over 15 countries, including the UK, Japan, and Australia, and heads and representatives of various international organizations.

Co-organised by the Nepal Tourism Board and the Suryodaya Municipality of Ilam, the event aimed to showcase Nepal's warm hospitality, and its diversity, rich culture and natural beauty to the world community. 

The program was organized coinciding with Nepali New Year, 2082, seeking to highlight Ilam's significance as a tourist hub by introducing its natural and cultural beauty and locality to promote tourism in Nepal.

A wave of Israeli strikes across Gaza on Sunday hit a hospital and other sites, killing at least 21 people, including children, as Israel vowed to expand its security presence in the small coastal strip, Associated Press reported.

The predawn strike on Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City was the latest of several attacks on northern Gaza’s last major hospital providing critical health care.

Hospital director Dr. Fadel Naim said the emergency room, pharmacy and surrounding buildings were severely damaged, affecting over 100 patients and dozens of staff.

One patient, a girl, died during the evacuation following an Israeli warning because staff were unable to provide urgent care, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. Israel said it struck a Hamas command and control center at the hospital, without providing evidence. Hamas denied the allegations, according to Associated Press.

Al-Ahli Hospital is run by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, which condemned the attack, saying in a statement it happened on “Palm Sunday, the start of the Holy Week, the most sacred week of the Christian year.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for stronger industrial and supply chain cooperation with Vietnam and wider collaboration in emerging fields, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday, amid heightened trade tensions prompted by hefty U.S. tariffs, Reuters reported.

Xi starts a three-nation tour of Southeast Asia this week, beginning his state visits with Vietnam from April 14 to 15.

China hiked its levies on imports of U.S. goods to 125% on Friday, hitting back at U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to single out the world's No. 2 economy for higher duties.

Xi also urged strengthening coordination and cooperation through regional initiatives such as the East Asia Cooperation and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, the ministry said, citing an article by the Chinese leader published in Vietnam media, according to Reuters.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday bore down on his administration's latest message that the exclusion of smartphones and computers from his reciprocal tariffs on China will be short-lived, pledging a national security trade investigation into the semiconductor sector, Reuters reported.

Those electronics "are just moving to a different Tariff 'bucket,'" Trump said in a social media post. "We are taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations."

The White House had announced the exclusions from steep reciprocal tariffs on Friday.

Trump's commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, earlier on Sunday said that critical technology products from China would face separate new duties along with semiconductors within the next two months.

The exclusions announced on Friday were seen as a big break for technology firms such as Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab and Dell Technologies (DELL.N), opens new tab that rely on imports from China, according to Reuters.

Trump's back-and-forth on tariffs last week triggered the wildest swings on Wall Street since the COVIDpandemic of 2020. The benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 index (.SPX), opens new tab is down more than 10% since Trump took office on January 20.