Covid in China: Chengdu lockdown after outbreak
Chengdu has become the latest Chinese city to be locked down as Beijing continues to pursue its controversial "zero-Covid" policy, BBC reported.
Around 21 million people have been ordered to stay indoors, with just one person per household allowed out for essential shopping.
On Thursday, the city recorded 157 new infections, including 51 asymptomatic.
China's Covid policies require cities to enter strict lockdowns - even if just a handful of cases are reported.
However, Beijing's drive to ensure "zero Covid" has been accused of stifling economic growth, and has prompted rare public dissent from citizens.
Chengdu's residents, asked to stay at home from 18:00 local time (10:00 GMT) on Thursday, will all be tested over the coming days, but it was not clear when restrictions would be lifted.
State media also reports that the start of schools' autumn term has been postponed and flights have been grounded, according to BBC.
Other restrictions are currently in force elsewhere in China, including in Shenzhen in the south and Dalian in the north-east.
The country has deployed a range of city-specific Covid prevention measures after the initial wave of the virus hit Wuhan in 2019.
China is the world's last major economy attempting to entirely stamp out Covid outbreaks, claiming this is necessary to prevent wider surges of the virus which could overwhelm hospitals, BBC reported.
Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant: UN experts make first inspection
UN nuclear experts have made their first inspection of the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia power plant in Ukraine and are to maintain a presence there, BBC reported.
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said the "plant and physical integrity of the plant" had been "violated several times".
The inspectors were accompanied to the plant by Russian soldiers after a risky journey delayed by shelling.
Russia and Ukraine accused each other of trying to sabotage the mission.
Zaporizhzhia, in southern Ukraine, is Europe's largest nuclear plant. It was occupied by Russia soon after it invaded Ukraine in February.
Ukrainian staff who continue to operate the plant say Russian troops have used it as a military base and that workers are in effect held at gunpoint.
"We are not going anywhere. The IAEA is now there, it is at the plant and it is not moving - it's going to stay there," Mr Grossi said, once he had crossed back into Ukrainian-held territory.
But he did not specify how many people would be staying and for how long.
The inspectors hope to assess the state of the plant and talk to Ukrainian workers under Russian control.
Mr Grossi said that battles taking place near the plant were "not going to stop" the inspection.
"There were moments where fire was obvious, heavy machine gun, artillery mortars, at two or three times [it was] really very concerning, I would say, for all of us," he said, according to BBC.
During his nightly address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he hoped the inspectors would "draw objective conclusions," but lamented the absence of international journalists among the delegation.
"We have clear evidence that Russia did a lot of cynical things to deceive the mission," he added. "The occupiers forced people to lie to the IAEA representatives - to hand over some papers, sign something, say something."
Meanwhile, Mr Zelensky's chief of staff accused Russia of trying to "wreck" the mission by shelling the nearby town of Enerhodar, which is under Moscow's control, and the facility.
"Criminals must be stopped," Andriy Yermak wrote on Telegram, accusing Russia of acting like a "terrorist state".
Russia refuted this, stating that 60 Ukrainian "saboteurs" who attempted to recapture the plant by crossing the river on Thursday morning were killed.
While recent fighting in the area has caused some damage to the plant, so far there has not been any recorded increase in radiation levels in the area.
Around 300, 000 security personnel to be mobilized for upcoming elections
Around 300, 000 security personnel will take up security responsibilities during the elections of the House of Representatives (HoR) and Province Assembly. The government has announced to hold the elections in a single phase and the voting for the twin elections will be taking place on coming November 20. The Nepal Police has planned to mobilize 71, 693 police personnel and 115, 000 temporary police for the elections while the Nepali Army and Armed Police Force are preparing to mobilize 71,000 and 35,000 personnel. Similarly, over 200, 000 will be there in the election from the National Investigation Department. In total, 294, 000 is the tentative number of security forces to be mobilized for the election purposes. However, the number could slightly change in accordance with the election's Central Security Plan according to security officials. It may be noted that the Home Ministry is yet to give a final shape to the election's Central Security Plan.
Nepal reports 269 new Covid-19 cases, one death on Thursday
Nepal reported 269 new Covid-19 cases and one death on Thursday. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 1, 732 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 180 returned positive. Likewise, 1, 835 people underwent antigen tests, of which 89 were tested positive. The Ministry said that 215 infected people recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours. As of today, there are 3, 158 active cases in the country.
