Nepal hit by twin temblors, 10 injured
Kathmandu, Oct 3: At least 10 persons were injured and several houses damaged when two successive earthquakes measuring 5.3 magnitude and 6.3 magnitude respectively hit the western parts of Nepal on Tuesday, authorities said. The first earthquake measuring 5.3 magnitude was recorded at 2:40 p.m. and another 6.3 magnitude quake at 3:06 p.m. in Bajhang district, 700 km west of Kathmandu, the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre said. Later, aftershocks ranging from 4 to 5 magnitude hit the Bajhang district six times between 3 pm and 5.38 pm, the National Seismological Centre said. Tremors measuring 5.1 magnitude at 15:13 p.m., 4.1 at 15:45 p.m, 4.1 at 16:28 p.m., 4.3 at 16:31 p.m., 5 at 17:19 p.m. and 5 at 17:38 p.m. hit the sparsely populated mountainous region, the agency said. Nine persons, including four students, were injured in the Bajhang district and one person was injured in neighbouring Achham district, according to officials. One of the students panicked and jumped from a two-story building and sustained injuries. (PTI)
Judge fixes fact on fraud trial faced by Trump
New York, Oct 3: A New York judge indicated on Tuesday that he’s not embracing former President Donald Trump’s view that most claims in his civil business fraud trial are too old for court, as the defense had hoped the judge would after the trial’s first day. With Trump voluntarily in court for a second day, Judge Arthur Engoron set the record straight about a comment that the ex-president had claimed as an important victory. The issue: Engoron had suggested on Monday that testimony about Trump’s 2011 financial statement might be beyond the legal time limit applicable to New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit, which alleges that Trump and his business chronically lied about his wealth on financial statements given to banks, insurers and others. The relevant statute of limitations bars claims related to activities before a date in 2014, and Trump’s legal team has argued that the time limit cuts off most of the case. (AP)
Sunak says hopes to get FTA with India done
London, Oct 3: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has reiterated his commitment to closer India-UK ties across different sectors, including a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries. Addressing a reception by the diaspora group Conservative Friends of India (CFIN) on the sidelines of the ongoing Conservative Party conference in Manchester on Monday evening, the British Indian leader began by reflecting upon his “successful” first visit to India as Prime Minister for the India-led G20 Summit last month. “I’ve just come back from my first trip to India as Prime Minister and that was very successful,” said Sunak. “Everybody here already knows just how strong the relationship between our two countries is. At the G20, we really saw a glimpse of what the future of that relationship can be, with closer cooperation on absolutely everything from trade to defence, innovation, security, research, and I hope. a free trade deal, and we can get it done,” Sunak said. (PTI)