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The International Olympic Committee has praised the creation of a US government task force to support the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, calling it vital for smooth operations and full participation.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the White House task force, which he will chair alongside Vice President JD Vance and key cabinet members. The group will focus on security, transportation, and visa processing for athletes, officials, and media, according to Xinhua.

In a statement, the IOC said the move reflects strong cooperation between the Organizing Committee and federal agencies, essential for delivering an inclusive and seamless Games. Los Angeles previously hosted the Olympics in 1932 and 1984; LA28 will be the first Summer Games in the US since Atlanta 1996.

Mozambique has opened its first forensic DNA laboratory in Maputo to boost crime-solving and paternity case investigations, Xinhua reported.

SERNIC Director General Nelson Rego said the facility will help identify individuals, link suspects to crime scenes, and resolve complex cases through analysis of biological materials such as saliva, blood, and hair.

Built with state funding of about 150m meticais (US$2.35m), the lab can process up to 200 samples daily and will support the judiciary and law enforcement in criminal investigations and paternity disputes, according to Xinhua.

The US government has demanded UCLA pay $1bn to settle antisemitism allegations, offering to restore $584m in frozen federal grants. A draft deal would require payments in installments, a $172m victims’ fund, and new oversight measures, Al Jazeera reported.

UC President James B. Milliken warned the payment would cripple California’s public university system, while Governor Gavin Newsom called the proposal “extortion” and vowed to fight it, accusing President Donald Trump of attacking academic freedom.

The freeze follows a Justice Department finding that UCLA ignored harassment of Jewish and Israeli students during 2024 campus protests. UCLA recently paid $6.45m to settle a related lawsuit, as over 60 US universities face similar federal probes, Al Jazeera reported.

Three people were wounded in a shooting at New York’s Times Square early Saturday, police said. All are in stable condition in hospital, according to Xinhua.

A 17-year-old suspect is in custody and a firearm has been recovered. The shooting happened around 1:20 a.m(local time) at 44th Street and Seventh Avenue, a busy tourist area.

Social media footage showed crowds fleeing as police surrounded a vehicle and aided the injured. The incident follows last month’s deadly Manhattan office tower shooting that killed four.

Former State Minister for Health Khadga Bahadur Bashyal has passed away on Friday.

Bashyal has served as former chairperson of the Nepal Dalit Federation, member Constituent Assembly of 2064 (BS) and 2070 (BS), former member of the Nepali Congress District Working Committee of Surkhet, and central member in the Nepal Democracy Fighters Association (NDFA)

Bashyal, a resident of Tatapani, Birendranagar Municipality-3, Surkhet, suffering from cancer, passed away at his residence today.

Nepali Congress said that with his death, the party has lost a senior and experienced leader.

President of the Nepali Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba expressed grievances over the demise of Bashyal.

Deuba said, "The news of the passing of former State minister for Health and member of Constituent Assembly has made me saddened, devasted and heart-rent."

President Deuba also said that the late Bashyal's leadership role in building the Nepali Congress organization and his role in Nepal's democratic movements will always be remembered in the party.

Paying heartfelt tributes to him, President Deuba expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved family on behalf of the party and myself, praying for the eternal peace of his soul. (RSS)

A person died and three others were injured in a landslide at the construction site of the Super Nyadi Hydropower Project in Lamjung on Saturday.

The project with a capacity of 40.27 MW is under construction in Lamjung.

According to Ramesh Bohora, Deputy Superintendent of Police of the District Police Office, Lamjung, the landslide occurred this afternoon buried 44-year-old Lagan Dhowj Gurung to death. He was temporarily residing in Besisahar Municipality-8 in the district.

Similarly, the injured have been identified as 21-year-old Biraj Gurung of Dordi Rural Municipality-5 and 35-year-old Pritam Lama of Madhya Nepal Municipality-7 from Lamjung district, and 25-year-old Bikash Bista of Jhimruk Rural Municipality-6 of Pyuthan District.

The injured are receiving treatment at the Provincial Hospital in Bensisahar. According to the police, the landslide occurred during the lunch hour.

A total of 40 workers were residing at the camp near the construction site, the police said. (RSS)

TikTok announced the rollout of a new search guide in Nepal aimed at providing timely help and critical support to users who may be at risk of, or impacted by, sexual abuse in Nepal.

The new feature is part of TikTok’s wider safety initiative to ensure that the platform remains a space where users feel safe, supported, and informed.

Users in Nepal who search for terms with keywords related to sexual abuse, such as sexual assault, abuse hotline, MeToo, among others, will now be shown a dedicated banner connecting them to local helplines and TikTok’s Sexual Abuse Support page within the platform’s Safety Centre. This page provides educational content, external reporting pathways, and direct links to professional support services.

“At TikTok, user safety is our highest priority,” said Waskito Jati, Outreach and Partnership Manager, Trust and Safety, at TikTok. “We know that many users turn to online platforms during difficult times. By proactively surfacing support options and credible resources, we hope to guide people towards professional help and reinforce our zero-tolerance policy towards sexual abuse in any form.”

The Sexual Abuse Support page within the Safety Centre educates users on the different forms of sexual abuse—such as child sexual abuse material (CSAM), grooming, sexual harassment, and non-consensual sexual acts—and offers guidance on how to report such content. It also strongly discourages interacting with harmful material and emphasises TikTok’s confidentiality in handling user reports.

In addition to TikTok’s in-app reporting features, users are informed about available external reporting options. The support page also makes it easier for survivors and their supporters to locate professional help. It includes access to a searchable database of local organisations and international support providers who specialise in survivor care, trauma response, and legal assistance. For those seeking community and empowerment, TikTok also highlights relevant hashtags and content created around healing and recovery.

This initiative builds on TikTok’s ongoing efforts to improve digital safety and well-being through community guidelines enforcement, educational partnerships, and platform-level interventions. TikTok continues to collaborate with experts, survivor advocacy groups, and mental health organisations to ensure users are protected and empowered. (RSS)

Zelensky insists peace talks excluding Ukraine will fail, ahead of US-Russia talks on Friday. Ukraine is unlikely to accept any deal without its involvement, BBC reported.

A senior White House official told CBS News Zelensky might still participate in some way.

The UK will host a meeting Saturday with US, Ukrainian, and European advisers to pursue a just and lasting peace.

Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine reported drone strikes on residential areas, with Moscow claiming control of a Donetsk settlement. Russia holds about 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory, according to BBC.