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Colombia's military says 57 soldiers have been kidnapped by civilians in the country's south-western Micay Canyon area, BBC reported.

It says 31 soldiers were seized on Saturday while the rest were abducted on Sunday by a group of more than 200 people. 

The military says the civilians are acting under pressure from dissidents of the Farc rebel group which agreed a peace deal with the government in 2016.

The mountainous region is a key zone for cocaine production and remains one of the most tense in the country's ongoing conflict with rebel groups, according to BBC.

The world grappled Sunday with the United States inserting itself into Israel’s war by attacking Iranian nuclear sites, an operation that raised urgent questions about what remained of Tehran’s nuclear program and how its weakened military might respond, Associated Press reported.

Experts warned that worldwide efforts to contain the spread of nuclear weapons by peaceful means would be at stake in the days ahead, while fears of a wider regional conflict loomed large. The price of oil rose as financial markets reacted.

Iran lashed out at the U.S. for crossing “a very big red line” with its risky gambit to strike the three sites with missiles and 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs, according to Associated Press.

Iran’s U.N. ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council that the U.S. “decided to destroy diplomacy,” and that the Iranian military will decide the “timing, nature and scale” of a “proportionate response.” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi flew to Moscow to coordinate with close ally Russia.

The State Department has doubled the number of emergency evacuation flights it is providing for American citizens wishing to leave Israel, ordered the departure of nonessential staff from the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon and is stepping up travel warnings around the Middle East because of concerns Iran will retaliate against U.S. interests in the region for the weekend strikes on its nuclear facilities, Associated Press reported.

In an alert sent to all Americans worldwide and posted to its website on Sunday, the State Department warned all U.S. citizens abroad to exercise caution.

“The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East,” it said. “There is the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution,” according to Associated Press.

A Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine’s capital overnight killed at least four people and injured others, according to Ukraine’s emergency services, as rescue workers and firefighters sought to remove people they believed trapped under debris in a partially collapsed apartment building, Associated Press reported.

The strikes came nearly a week after a combined Russian attack on Ukraine last Tuesday killed 28 people in Kyiv, 23 of them in a residential building that collapsed after sustaining a direct hit by a missile. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called that attack one of the biggest bombardments of the war, now in its fourth year.

In the early hours of Monday, drones and missiles hit residential areas, hospitals and sports infrastructure in numerous districts across Kyiv, emergency services said, with the most severe damage occurring in the Shevchenkivskyi district, where one section of a five-story apartment building collapsed, according to Associated Press.

The alternative route in Dumkibas area of Nawalparasi (Bardaghat-Susta East) along the Butwal-Narayangadh road stretch has also been completely obstructed. 

With the rain-triggered flood sweeping away the bridge in Binayi Triveni Municipality-1 Dumkibas, road transportation was managed through a diversion. 

After the diversion was also taken away, traffic had to be routed through an alternative road, which has now been completely blocked since this morning. 

Due to the flood-fed Kharange stream in Binayi Triveni-3, the alternative route has been completely obstructed, informed Superintendent of Police at Nawalpur Police, Yadav Dhakal. 

With this, vehicles are not in a position to move along the Dumkibas section. Continuous rain has led to an increase in the water current, which washed away the temporary diversion placed over the Binayi River along the East-West Highway. 

It may be noted that small and medium vehicles (up to 12 wheels) that were put on hold were being allowed to pass through the alternative inner route using the Hongsigate, Sardi, and Jyamire highways. 

SP Dhakal stated that all transportation has been brought to a complete halt. Due to the flow of water in the rivers and streams with rain and the lack of reliable arrangements for the temporary diversion, travelers are facing difficulties. 

The Press Council Nepal held a discussion with a team of visiting Chinese journalists about the possibility of jointly resolving the problems seen in journalism.

Representatives from the Tibetan Cultural Center and the Federation of Journalists from Xizang Province (Tibet) held a meeting at the office of the Council on Sunday.

During the meeting, they discussed promoting the customs, culture and traditions of the two countries in each other's countries, as well as taking joint initiatives to solve problems seen in journalism along with digital communication.

On the occasion, Council member Bijay Raj Adhikari welcomed the visiting team and said that they can move forward by strengthening mutual goodwill and relations.

He informed the visiting team about the work, duties, and media monitoring of the Press Council Nepal.

Jhabindra Bhusal, Chief Officer of the Council, gave a presentation on the state of Nepali media, legal system, and opportunities and challenges of digital media.

Similarly, the head of the visiting Chinese team urged the Council to make arrangements for Nepali journalists to visit Tibet, saying that seeing once is more effective than hearing thousand times.

He pointed out the need for adequate exchange of visits between Nepal and China through the media sector.

Saying that China has made a great success in digital transformation in recent years, he said that cooperation can also be made in Nepal.

Stating that a conference on digital media management is going to be held in October in Tibet, the visiting team has urged the Council to coordinate for the participation from Nepal.

Thirty-five youths from various districts of Nepal held captive under the lure of jobs have been rescued from Kashipur, Uttarakhand, India.

The Nepali Embassy in New Delhi has stated that they were rescued as per the directives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after receiving information that they were held captive, beaten and tortured and extorted money under various pretexts. 

The embassy rescued them Thursday with the help of Uttarakhand Police and a community-based organization called KIN India.

The Uttarakhand Police has arrested some people related to the incident and is conducting further investigation, the Embassy stated.. 

The rescued ones will be sent to Nepal after completing the due legal process.

One of the most renowned British Officers in the history of the Brigade of Gurkhas Lieutenant Colonel J P Cross OBE has reached 100 years of lifetime and the extraordinary occasion was marked with a fervent celebration at the British Gurkhas Nepal camp in Pokhara. 

Lieutenant Colonel John Philip Cross OBE, popularly known as JP Cross, served together with the Gurkhas in the British Army for nearly 40 years, when he earned legendary respect because of his experience, leadership and devotion to his units. 

Following retirement from a very rich service accounting numerous deployments, he has been living in Nepal for the last 49 years, the latter years as an official Nepali citizen. Now fond of being called a ‘Nepali born in Britain’, the retired Officer recalls his first arrival in Nepal with the British Army 80 years ago at the age of 21. 

He has authored 19 books on his lifelong military service and knowledge and in his remarks and recollections, has always held the Gurkhas in high esteem. His passion for Nepal, its people and the Gurkhas has cemented his name in Nepal and the Gurkha community, while his knowledge expressed in his writing has gained good recognition in the wider military world.

Addressing the event attended by Mrs Julia Fenn, wife of the British Ambassador to Nepal, Gurkha veterans and serving officers and staff, Colonel Dan Rex MVO, Commander British Gurkhas Nepal urged all to reflect how the milestone celebration resonated beyond the camp in Pokhara to all of the Brigade of Gurkhas and British Army. “It is also a moment being closely watched and related by many Nepalis who are proud of their association with JP Saheb,” he said. 

In addition to his distinguished career as an officer and author, Lt Col (Retd) J P Cross OBE is recognised as an expert in jungle warfare and counter-insurgency, with experience as a police officer, defence attaché, and Gurkha recruitment officer. He is also a highly skilled linguist, fluent in Nepali and its dialects. His military service spans Burma, Indo-China, Malaya, Borneo, Pakistan, India, Hong Kong, and Nepal, among other regions. He now lives a settled life in Pokhara, Nepal—the home of Gurkha recruitment—with his godson and family. Back when 93 years, with his sharp sense of humour, he had quipped: "Call me old when I am 100." Maybe it’s time to dig more humour out of J P Saheb