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China's birth rates sunk to a record low in 2025, despite the government rolling out a spate of incentives to boost it, as the country's population fell for the fourth straight year, BBC reported. 

Government data on Monday showed that the country's birth rate fell to 5.63 per 1,000 people – a record low since the Communist Party took power in 1949 – while its death rate rose to 8.04 per 1,000 people, the highest since 1968.

Its population fell 3.39 million to reach 1.4 billion by the end of 2025, marking a quicker decline than the previous year, according to BBC. 

Donald Trump has vowed to "100%" follow through on his threat to impose tariffs on European countries who oppose his demand to take control of Greenland, BBC reported. 

European allies have rallied around Greenland's sovereignty. Denmark's foreign minister emphasised the US president cannot threaten his way to ownership of the semi-autonomous Danish territory.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper reiterated the UK's position that the future of Greenland is for "Greenlanders and for the Danes alone" to decide, according to BBC. 

Minister for Communications and Information Technology Jagadish Kharel resigned from his post on Monday. 

He submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Sushila Karki today.

In his resignation letter, Minister Kharel stated that he decided to resign from his post before entering the arena of party politics and considering the independent identity of the current government.

“In view of the current national needs, long-term strengthening of the democratic system and people's expectations, I have now come to the conclusion to play an active and responsible role through party politics. Therefore, I have decided to resign from my post to preserve the independent identity of the current government,” the resignation letter states.

Medical entrepreneur Durga Prasai has been arrested in Pokhara. 

He will be sent to Kathmandu, informed Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office, Kaski, Naveen Karki. 

“Since his case is registered in Kathmandu, he is being sent there,” he said. Earlier, on Sunday, the Election Commission had requested action against Prasai and had communicated with the police cyber bureau for the same. 

It may be noted that a few days ago, Prasai had released a video accusing a faction of Congress’s special convention of submitting Rs 520  to the Commission to get recognized by the constitutional body.

Over the matter, the Commission had directed the police to arrest and investigate Prasai.

Nepali Congress President Gagan Kumar Thapa has said the Sonam Lhosar, celebrated as the New Year by the Tamang community, helps to preserve and promote cultural values.

Issuing a message of best wishes on the occasion of the Sonam Lhosar today, President Thapa expressed belief that the festivals are instrumental in reinforcing mutual harmony, coexistence and fraternity in Nepali society.

Thapa further wished the festival renewed energy and encouragement among all Nepalis living in the country and abroad. 

Rice production is projected to decline by 4.20 percent this year compared to last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. 

The Ministry stated that paddy production is likely to decrease by 250,350 metric tons this year.

According to the Ministry’s Information Officer, Mahananda Joshi, the estimated rice production this year stands at 5,705,126 metric tons, down from 5,955,476 metric tons last year, representing a decline of 4.20 percent.

Last year, paddy cultivation covered 1,420,636 hectares of land, which has decreased by 3.8 percent this year to 1,376,872 hectares.

Factors such as youth migration, a shift toward fruit farming and cash crops, movement of people to urban areas, land industrialization, and the construction of physical infrastructure have contributed to the reduction in paddy cultivation.

In addition, drought during the paddy planting season, particularly in Madhes Province, led to a decrease in the area. Joshi added that despite the availability of hybrid seeds and fertilizers, adverse weather conditions negatively affected the planting season.

Thierno Barry scored a second-half winner as Everton ended title-chasing Aston Villa’s 11-game home winning run with a 1-0 Premier League victory at a wet Villa Park on Jan 18, a result that will be celebrated in North London, Reuters reported. 

Villa stay in third place in the table on 43 points from 22 games, seven points behind leaders Arsenal, who now have a sizeable lead in the title race. Everton climb to 10th place on 32 points.

The visitors took the lead on 59 minutes when Pau Torres’s poor touch was collected by Dwight McNeil and when the latter's shot was parried by Emi Martinez in the home goal, Barry followed up to chip the ball into the net, according to Reuters. 

An Iranian official in the region said on Sunday the authorities had verified at least 5,000 people had been killed in protests in Iran, including about 500 security personnel, blaming "terrorists and armed rioters" for killing "innocent Iranians".

The official, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue, also told Reuters some of the heaviest clashes and highest number of deaths were in the Iranian Kurdish areas in northwest Iran, a region where Kurdish separatists have been active and where flare-ups have been among the most violent in past periods of unrest, Reuters reported. 

"The final toll is not expected to increase sharply," the official said, adding that "Israel and armed groups abroad" had supported and equipped those taking to the streets.