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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.

Israel carried out air strikes on Sanaa International Airport on Wednesday after Houthi rebels launched two ballistic missiles toward Israel, both of which were intercepted.

Al Jazeera reported that four strikes damaged the runway and a Yemenia Airways plane. The airport had recently resumed limited operations, mainly for United Nations and humanitarian flights, after previous Israeli attacks.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the strikes targeted “terror sites” and destroyed the last remaining aircraft at the airport. He warned that any attack on Israel would be met with a “heavy price”, as stated by Al Jazeera.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed legislation requiring age verification on app stores operated by Apple and Google. Beginning January 1, 2026, users in Texas will be required to prove their age before downloading apps, and minors will need parental consent for downloads and in-app purchases, according to BBC.

The law intends to promote online child safety, but it has drawn criticism from tech companies.  Apple opposes the bill, claiming that it may jeopardize user privacy by forcing the collection of sensitive data from all users, not just minors. Google has not made any public comments.

Texas follows Utah in enacting similar laws, but federal measures such as the Kids Online Safety Act stay stalled in Congress. States are increasingly taking on their own responsibility to regulate online safety, BBC reported.

An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale struck Kaski district on Wednesday.

The tremor occurred at 11:56 am today with its epicenter at Phulibang, according to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Center in Lainchaur.

Earlier, on May 26, an earthquake measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale occurred with its epicenter around Ramidanda in Jajarkot district.

In recent times, a series of tremors has been occurring in Nepal.

Due to being in the Himalayan region, Nepal is considered an earthquake-prone area.

King Charles paid a brief visit to Canada on Tuesday, expressing his strong support for the country as it faces annexation threats and tariffs from US President Donald Trump.

Charles commended Canada as "strong and free" and underlined its ideals and global leadership during the first speech by a British monarch in nearly 70 years at the opening of Parliament, according to Reuters.

The King, who is undergoing cancer treatment, was accompanied by Queen Camilla and wore the Order of Canada. The visit lasted fewer than 24 hours.

SpaceX’s ninth Starship test flight ended in failure Tuesday, with both the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage destroyed.

The 122-meter rocket lifted off at 7:37 p.m. local time from Starbase. The Super Heavy booster failed during engine re-ignition for landing in the Gulf of Mexico, following a deliberately high-stress descent, according to Xinhua.

The upper stage of the Starship suffered a fuel tank leak, resulting in loss of attitude control. A cargo hatch also failed to open, hampering the deployment of test payloads. Mission control deactivated the vehicle, resulting in an uncontrolled reentry over the Indian Ocean.

This is the third consecutive loss of the Block 2 Starship upper stage, increasing concerns about NASA's Artemis program, which depends on a modified version for future Moon landings, Xinhua reported.