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Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has claimed that he has no involvement in the visit visa scandal.

Organising a press conference at Lhotse Hall of the Federal Parliament building on Wednesday, he said that the allegations of his involvement in the visit visa scam were false.

“The allegations levelled against me are completely baseless. I have no involvement in this. I have been attacked in a premeditated way. This attack is driven by political bias,” the Home Minister said.

Saying that his political and personal life is public, he said that everyone is watching him publicly.

Home Minister Lekhak organised a press conference to make his opinion public after the opposition parties prevented him from speaking in the Parliament.

Earlier, the Parliament meeting held today was postponed following the obstruction from the opposition parties.

The opposition parties have been obstructing the Parliament for the past few days demanding resignation of Home Minister Lekhak.

Moscow announced on Tuesday that it will soon send a draft peace memorandum to Ukraine, detailing key principles for a potential settlement. The document is expected to cover the terms of a ceasefire, the timing of a possible peace agreement, and other crucial points, according to Xinhua.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova claimed that Russia is currently finalizing the proposal and expects a response draft from Ukraine.

The move comes after a recent phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, in which both leaders agreed that Russia would draft the inaugural peace memorandum for Ukraine, Xinhua reported.

Ireland is advancing draft legislation to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, following its official recognition of a Palestinian state last year.

Prime Minister Michael Martin urged the international community to put pressure on Israel to cease the humanitarian crisis immediately. Foreign Minister Simon Harris acknowledged that the measure would prohibit imports from the settlements while possibly excluding services. The legislation will be reviewed by a parliamentary committee in the coming weeks before a final vote, according to Xinhua.

As Israel escalates its military campaign in Gaza, an increasing number of European nations are voicing strong criticism and demanding concrete measures in response.

US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R Thompson called on Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka in Singha Durbar today.

On the occasion, they discussed various aspects of energy cooperation between the two countries and the implementation of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) project.

During the meeting, Energy Minister Khadka stated that although the projects being carried out under the MCC project are progressing, the MCC has been on hold for some time, which has created some uncertainty.

He expressed the confidence that the MCC project would be continued and expected US's additional assistance in the energy sector.

In response, US Ambassador Thompson said the United States will continue to support and cooperate in Nepal's energy sector. He mentioned that all possible initiatives and efforts are being made to advance the MCC project.

He urged for the support that needs to be provided by the Government of Nepal to continually advance the projects being carried out under the MCC.

As per an agreement signed under the MCC, the US is supposed to invest 500 million dollars while Nepal would spend 197 million dollars for the MCC-funded MCA project.

Under this project, the construction of the 400 kV transmission line and associated substations will take place from Lapsiphedi–Ratmate, Ratmate–Damauli, Damauli–Butwal, and Butwal to the Nepal–India border (Gorakhpur).

Representatives of MCC and the MCA as well as the Ministry's senior officials were present at the meeting.

EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas has condemned Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, calling it a “disproportionate use of force” and “intolerable.” She urged an immediate ceasefire to enable hostage releases and support a lasting peace, according to Xinhua.

Kallas criticized strikes against civilian infrastructure and highlighted that aid for humanity should not be politicized. She advocated for the immediate and unrestrained delivery of aid to Gaza. She also denounced rising settler violence in the West Bank and attacks on Palestinians during Jerusalem Day marches, urging Israel to hold perpetrators accountable.

The Israeli offensive follows the October 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and led to the ongoing bombardment of Gaza, where over 54,000 have been killed, Xinhua reported.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today laid a foundation stone for a new building to be constructed for trauma and emergency services of the Dhulikhel Hospital in Kavrepalanchowk.

The facility is going to be constructed on the financial support of the Japan Government. The government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had signed an agreement in this regard.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister stated that development is a gradual process, requiring integrity and continuous effort to turn dreams of transformation into reality. "Those who envisioned an advanced healthcare facility here many years ago have contributed to making it a reality today," he said.

He also praised the local community for contributing land for the hospital’s construction and expressed hope that the hospital would leave no stone unturned in delivering quality services to those in need.

As per the latest agreement reached between the two sides on May 16, the Government of Japan will provide an additional grant of 3.02 billion yen for the improvement project of the Trauma and Emergency Centre (internal grant), according to the hospital.  The agreement for the grant assistance was signed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel and Japan’s Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ikuina Akiko.

Although a grant agreement of 3.02 billion yen had already been signed between the two sides in 2023 for the implementation of the project, the additional grant was ensured as the initial budget had been insufficient to implement the project due to price rise and other financial issues.

As per the agreement, Japan shall bear 60% of the cost for the building and 40% for all sorts of medical devices. The facility will have a five-story building with three levels of basements, a parking lot, ICUs, three operation theaters, HDUs, laboratories, a pharmacy, waste management, and all other necessary service mechanisms.

Health and Population Minister Pradip Paudel was also present on the occasion.

ASEAN, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and China conducted their first trilateral meeting in Malaysia, where they agreed to boost economic ties and promote free trade.

In a joint statement, the three countries pledged to complete the GCC-China Free Trade Agreement and upgrade the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area to benefit their respective populations, according to Al Jazeera.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the combined GDP of the three blocs is $24.87trn, with a population of 2.15bn, offering vast potential for investment and innovation. He stressed ASEAN’s commitment to balanced ties with all major powers, including the US.

Experts noted the meeting highlighted China’s growing role as a global power, particularly in forums where the US is absent, Al Jazeera reported.

French President Emmanuel Macron underlined his commitment to resolving the Israel-Palestinian problem through a two-state solution on Wednesday, stressing that France's Middle East policy maintains no double standards, according to Reuters.

Speaking in Indonesia, Macron indicated that France is leaning towards recognizing a Palestinian state, a decision that could upset Israel and deepen divisions within the Western alliance.

 “Only a political solution will make it possible to restore peace and build for the long term,” Macron said.

He also announced plans to co-organize a conference with Saudi Arabia in New York. The event aims to advance the recognition of both the Palestinian state and Israel’s right to live in peace and security in the region, Reuters reported.