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Russian energy giant Gazprom says it will once again drastically cut gas supplies to the EU through its main pipeline due to maintenance work, BBC reported.

Gazprom said stopping another turbine at the Nord Stream 1 pipeline would cut daily gas production to 20%, halving the current level of supply. 

The German government said there was no technical reason to limit gas supply. 

It is likely to make it more difficult for EU countries to replenish their stores of gas before winter.

The Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which pumps gas from Russia to Germany, has been running well below capacity for weeks, and was completely shut down for a 10-day maintenance break earlier this month.

Russia supplied the EU with 40% of its gas last year, and the EU has accused Russia of using energy as a weapon. 

The European Commission has urged countries to cut gas use by 15% over the next seven months after Russia warned it could curb or halt supplies altogether.

Under the proposals, the voluntary target could become mandatory in an emergency. 

European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has said the prospect of Russia cutting off all supplies to the EU is a "likely scenario".

On Tuesday energy ministers will meet in Brussels in an attempt to sign off the plans.

But numerous opt-outs are expected amid resistance from some member states, according to BBC. 

Wholesale gas prices have soared since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, with a knock-on impact on consumer energy bills.

Reacting to Gazprom's announcement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this was "an overt gas war that Russia is waging against a united Europe - this is exactly how it should be perceived".

Gazprom said the latest reduction in supply would begin at 04:00 GMT on Wednesday due to the "technical condition" of one of the last two operating turbines. 

But a German economy ministry spokeswoman told AFP news agency: "According to the information we have there is no technical reason for a reduction of deliveries."

The Kremlin maintains that it is a reliable energy partner, and blames Western sanctions for the recent disruption of gas supplies to the EU. 

Gazprom says the delayed return - because of sanctions - of equipment serviced in Canada has forced it to keep the gas flow through Nord Stream 1 to just 40% of capacity.

"Our product, our rules. We don't play by rules we didn't create," Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller has said, BBC reported.

The continued reduction in gas supply through Nord Stream 1 is likely to make it more difficult for countries to replenish their stores before winter, when gas usage is much higher.

Gazprom has cut gas supplies altogether to Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Poland, over their refusal to comply with aKremlin order to pay their bills in roubles, instead of euros or dollars.

A gunman killed two people and injured two others during an early morning shooting spree, police in the Canadian province of British Columbia have said, BBC reported.

Emergency alerts issued shortly after 06:00 local time (13:00 GMT) warned of "multiple shooting scenes" in downtown Langley, a city about 25 miles east of Vancouver.

Police confirmed a lone suspect had been shot dead on the scene.

He is believed to have been targeting homeless people in the area.

The suspect and his victims will not be publicly identified until police have notified next-of-kin.

Sergeant David Lee, a spokesman for the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, said the series of incidents began at midnight and continued until early morning.

He said the attacker was an individual known to the police, but it was "too early" in the investigation to identify a motive.

Among the injured, a woman is in critical condition while a man sustained a serious injury to his leg. Both have been taken to Langley Memorial Hospital.

Earlier on Monday, police issued public service alerts to Langley residents - for only the second time ever - about "multiple reports of shots fired" in the city's downtown area as well as its neighbouring township.

Homicide investigators were dispatched to the scene, and police were seen setting up a forensics tent near a white vehicle that had cardboard covering up its license plate.

An unmarked black SUV riddled with bullet holes was also spotted near the shooting site, according to BBC.

Police said the gunman also appeared to have fired into buildings that were closed and unoccupied at the time.

"We had a tragedy this morning in our neighbourhoods," Mayor Val van den Broek said at a news conference.

She claimed the problem of homelessness was worse in British Columbia than other provinces, calling on elected officials at all levels to "do more" to address it.

Local homeless advocate Kim Snow told the Global News outlet that the victims were "suffering souls".

"They are just people that need a place to live," she said. "They need chances. They are not on the street by choice."

Nepal imported goods from 164 countries during the fiscal year 2021-22.

According to statistics unveiled by the Department of Customs today, Nepal imported goods worth over Rs 1,920 billion from those countries last fiscal year. The statistics show that Nepal purchased goods worth over Rs 1,200 billion from India alone while the export was worth Rs 155 billion.    

It means the country's trade deficit with India alone was over 1,044 billion in the last fiscal year.

After India, China is the second largest supplier to Nepal. Nepal imported goods worth over Rs 264 billion and the export goods worth Rs 887 million, resulting in a trade deficit of worth around Rs 264 billion.   

Trade deficit goes up

The country's trade deficit is increasing year by year. The figure of trade deficit increased by 23 percent in the last year compared to the previous fiscal year.

According to the Department, the trade deficit had reached over Rs 1,720 billion in the last fiscal year and it was over Rs 1,398 billion in the previous year.

In one year, Nepal saw foreign trade of worth over Rs 2,120 billion and this was more by 26.15 percent than of the previous year. In the fiscal year 2020-21, the country's foreign trade transactions were worth around Rs 1,681 billion.

Nepal reported 468 new Covid-19 cases and one death on Monday.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 3, 084 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 453 returned positive. Likewise, 1, 716 people underwent antigen tests, of which 115 were tested positive.

As of today, there are 3,534 active cases in the country.