Nepal reports 221 new Covid-19 cases on Monday
Nepal reported 221 new Covid-19 cases on Monday. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 1, 519 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 122 returned positive. Likewise, 2, 539 people underwent antigen tests, of which 99 were tested positive. The Ministry said that no one died of virus in the last 24 hours. As of today, there are 2, 444 active cases in the country.
Nepalgunj detects dengue case
A dengue case was detected in Nepalgunj Sub Metropolitan City, according to the sub metropolis officials. A person residing in the Bus Park area in Nepalgunj was tested positive for the mosquito-borne viral disease. Following this, the sub metropolis has come up with a decision to launch a campaign to destroy mosquitoes, said Ram Bahadur Chand, chief of the health division, Nepalgunj sub metropolis. Similarly, an all-party meeting also decided to launch an awareness campaign and a drive to destroy mosquitoes from Monday. Chairperson of the sub metropolis-4 Gopal Pun stressed the need for creating awareness about the disease.
Two held with undeclared Rs 1 million from Jhapa
Police have arrested two persons in possession of Rs 1 million undeclared money from Jhapa. The suspects have been identified as Apsara Khatun (30) and Mohammad Mosad (43) of Nilkothi, Mechinagar Municipality-15. They are brother and sister in relation. Acting on a tip off, a joint team of the Area Police Office, Dhulabari and the Drug Control Bureau, Kakarbhitta had reached the house of Apsara to search for brown sugar. Inspector Kailash Adhikari of the District Police Office, Jhapa said that though the team did not recover the drugs, they found two sets of brown sugar measuring digital scales and Rs 1. 82 million from the house. Police said that they are looking into the case.
Germany announces €65bn package to curb soaring energy costs
Germany has announced a €65bn (£56.2bn) package of measures to ease the threat of rising energy costs, as Europe struggles with scarce supplies after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, BBC reported.
The package, much bigger than two previous ones, will include one-off payments to the most vulnerable and tax breaks to energy-intensive businesses.
Energy prices have soared since the February invasion, and Europe is trying to wean itself off Russian energy.
Ukraine has urged Europe to stand firm.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was trying to destroy the normal life of every European citizen. In his nightly address on Saturday, he said Russia was preparing a "decisive energy attack on all Europeans", and only unity among European countries would offer protection.
And in a BBC interview broadcast on Sunday, his wife Olena said that if support for Ukraine was strong the crisis would be shorter. She reminded Britons that while rising living costs were tough, Ukrainians were paying with their lives.
According to website Politico, European Union officials have warned there is likely to be a crunch point in the coming months when countries start to feel acute economic pain while also still being asked to help the Ukrainian military and humanitarian effort.
Meanwhile, several hundred protesters gathered at Lubmin in north-eastern Germany, the terminal of the Nord Stream gas pipeline from Russia, according to BBC.
They were calling for the commissioning of Nord Stream 2, a new pipeline which was about to go online but was blocked by the German government after the invasion.
Two days ago, Russia said it was suspending gas exports to Germany through the already operating Nord Stream 1 pipeline indefinitely.
The stand-off with Russia has forced countries like Germany to find supplies elsewhere, and its stores have increased from less than half full in June to 84% full today.
He said the government would make one-off payments to pensioners, people on benefits and students. There would also be caps on energy bills.
Some 9,000 energy-intensive businesses would receive tax breaks to the tune of €1.7bn.
A windfall tax on energy company profits would also be used to mitigate bills, Mr Scholz said, BBC reported.
