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The United States and Vietnam concluded a second round of tariff negotiations in Washington from May 19–22, making progress but leaving key issues unresolved, Vietnam’s trade ministry said Thursday.

Vietnamese Trade Minister Nguyen Hong Dien and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer led the talks, which identified areas of near consensus and others requiring further discussion, Reuters reported.

Both sides agreed to resume negotiations in early June.

Vietnam, a major exporter to the US, currently faces a 46 percent reciprocal tariff rate, though these duties are paused until July. The US Trade Representative’s office has not yet commented, according to Reuters.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced ongoing work on a draft memorandum for a potential Russia-Ukraine peace agreement, with many details kept confidential. The location for future negotiations has yet to be decided, Xinhua reported.

Meanwhile, Russia is moving to implement a prisoner exchange involving 1,000 captives, following an agreement reached with Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and United States President Donald Trump agreed that Russia would create a peace agreement outlining principles for resolving the conflict, a schedule, and conditions for a temporary ceasefire, according to Xinhua.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, after speaking with Trump, reiterated that Ukraine will not concede territory and stressed that no decisions should be made without Kyiv’s consent.

The National Folk and Dohori Song Foundation Nepal has announced that its ninth general convention will take place on 13–15 Feb 2026. The decision was made during a recent meeting of the foundation’s central committee. Rita Thapa, central chairperson of the foundation, said the meeting also decided to hold the district- and equivalent-level conventions on Aug 30 and the provincial- and equivalent-level conventions on Sept 13.

Shirish Devkota, deputy general secretary of the foundation, said the central committee also agreed that the selection of provincial representatives and general convention delegates would be finalized on the day of the district conventions.

The general convention will elect a new executive committee for a three-year term. The foundation has around 30,000 members, including 3,000 lifetime members. 

The Government of Ireland has announced over $545,000 in funding to support civil society initiatives in Nepal. The announcement was made by Irish Ambassador to Nepal, Kevin Kelly, during a visit to Kathmandu as part of a broader European Union (EU) diplomatic mission involving 21 ambassadors and representatives from EU member states.

The funding will be provided through Irish Aid’s Civil Society Fund, which supports Ireland’s international development efforts. The initiative falls under a wider $8.6m grant allocation announced by Ireland’s Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond TD. Ten Irish NGOs will benefit from this funding, with two organizations implementing programs in Nepal.

Ambassador Kelly emphasized that the funding reflects Ireland’s commitment to inclusive, community-led development and its support for strengthening Nepal’s civil society.

Sindhuredobhan Bagar in Marin Rural Municipality-2 of Sindhuli, once a barren riverbank carved out by the Marin River as it eroded fertile farmland, is now a flourishing agricultural zone. Thanks to seasonal and off-season farming of watermelons, pumpkins, gourds, beans, okra, and more, the once-desolate area has turned lush green.

The riverside farming initiative, carried out collectively by local farmers, has now reached national prominence, even drawing attention in Parliament. The visibility has boosted both income and public recognition. Just a couple of days ago, the chairperson of Marin Rural Municipality, Bimarsh Moktan (Prakhyat), visited Khumaltar and presented melons grown through collective farming to former Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Center) Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Soon after, former Youth and Sports Minister and current Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) MP Biraj Bhakta Shrestha praised the initiative during a parliamentary session. “I would like to speak on a positive note today,” he said while commenting on the government’s policy and program. “Agriculture Officer Prabesh Devkota has already sold 10,000 kg of melons grown through riverside farming in Hariharpur Gadhi. Young entrepreneurs are doing their job. This country cannot be built with old leadership and outdated methods. I want to put on record that young warriors can do good work if not obstructed.”

Indeed, young farmers along the Marin River in Sindhuli have begun producing and selling melons worth millions from over 20 bighas of cultivated land. Besides local markets, melons are regularly sold at the traditional agricultural market in Durbarmarg, Kathmandu. So far, sales have exceeded Rs 1m.

Approximately 13 bighas of land along the riverbanks in Sindhuli Dobhan (Marin-2), Nakhli (Marin-3), and Jayamangal (Marin-7) have been used to cultivate watermelons and vegetables. In Hariharpur Gadhi, four bighas on the banks of the Marin and Bagmati Rivers are also under cultivation.

In Sindhuli Dobhan, 17 farmers have formed the Pashupati Agriculture and Small Enterprise Group to collectively grow watermelons. Meanwhile, in Jayamangal, the Yonjan brothers are leading cultivation efforts, and in Hariharpur Gadhi, 12 farmers have been growing watermelons for the past four years through the Jagaran Agriculture Group.

The rural municipalities have been supporting these efforts by providing financial aid, technical guidance, seeds, and medicine. According to Kamal Bahadur Alemagar, Ward Chair of Marin-2, around 7,000 kilos of melons have already been sold from Sindhuli Dobhan alone.

Initially, farmers were concerned about market access, but their produce is now reaching Kathmandu via Sindhuli, Hetauda, Ramechhap, and Dolakha. Public interest surged after melons were presented to Dahal and mentioned in Parliament.

Over 30 local youths are now engaged in melon and vegetable farming, transforming the once dry riverbank into a productive, income-generating area. In the Marin and Hariharpur Gadhi rural municipalities alone, local youths and the municipalities have produced melons worth about Rs 3m through joint investment. Additional vegetables—pumpkins, gourds, beans, and bitter gourds—valued at over Rs 2m are also being cultivated. Sales began in the last week of April.

With ample water sources nearby, irrigation poses no challenge. If the weather remains favorable, production is expected to increase further. The melons are currently being sold at Rs 50–60 per kilogram.

The US Department of Defense confirmed on Wednesday that it had accepted a $400m Boeing 747 jet donated by Qatar for President Donald Trump's official usage.

The acceptance has sparked widespread criticism on legal and ethical grounds. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer described it as "the largest bribe from a foreign government in American history" and slammed the move as a stain on the presidency, according to Xinhua.

 President Trump dismissed the controversy, calling it "stupid" to reject the jet. Qatar also rejected the concerns.

A Department of Defense official confirmed that security upgrades will be implemented, with experts predicting retrofitting costs in the hundreds of millions, Xinhua reported

A severe earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 shook the Greek island of Crete early Thursday, according to the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences.

The quake struck at 03:19 GMT, and its epicenter was 102.8 kilometers deep. The epicenter's coordinates were 35.46°N latitude and 25.82° E longitude, as reported by Reuters.

There were no early reports of casualties or damage. Authorities are keeping an eye on the situation for any potential aftershocks or new developments.

Iran has agreed to a fifth round of indirect nuclear talks with the US, which will take place in Rome on Friday, following a proposal from Oman, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei disclosed.

Baghaei reaffirmed Iran's commitment to peaceful nuclear energy, including uranium enrichment, and highlighted the country's efforts to secure the lifting of US sanctions.

The previous four rounds, also mediated by Oman, began in April, with the most recent occurring in Muscat on May 11. Tehran has strongly rejected recent US demands to halt uranium enrichment.