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The Kremlin said on Friday that some progress had already been made in talks about a possible peace settlement to end the war in Ukraine but that contacts were rather complicated with the United States.

"Contacts are quite complicated, because, naturally, the topic is not an easy one," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"Russia is committed to resolving this conflict, ensuring its own interests, and is open to dialogue. We continue to do this."

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he wanted to achieve a peace deal quickly, but could not be involved in the search for a settlement indefinitely "if one of the two parties makes it very difficult".

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking earlier in Paris after meeting European and Ukrainian leaders, said the sides had just days to show progress or Washington would abandon its efforts.

Asked if the United States could withdraw from the search for a peace settlement in Ukraine, Peskov said that was a question for Washington.

"We believe that some progress can already be noted," Peskov said, citing a temporary moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure, though he said Ukraine had not adhered to it.

"Therefore, certain developments have already been achieved, but, of course, there are still many complex discussions ahead."

Peskov, when asked if the energy moratorium was over, said that it had already been a month but that no orders from the president had been received to change Russia's position.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia's Security Council and a representative of Russian hawks, expressed approval for the US remarks on the X social media platform.

"American officials have said that if there is no progress on the Ukrainian case, the United States will wash its hands of it. Wisely," Medvedev wrote in English. "And the EU should do the same. Then Russia will figure it out faster."

Reuters

US President Donald Trump discussed bilateral trade, Ukraine peace talks and regional security in the Middle East in a call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday, the White House said in a statement.

The number of people found dead after a boat accident in Congo has risen to 148, Sky News reported on Friday, citing officials.

Officials said hundreds are still missing after a motorised wooden boat caught fire and capsized on Tuesday in the Congo River, the report added.

Reuters

Nepal’s first recycling plant capable of processing green PET plastic bottles has been inaugurated in Bharatpur. The facility was launched under Project CAP (Collaborative Approach for Preventing Plastic Leakages in Rivers of Nepal), as part of broader efforts to improve plastic waste management in the country.

The project is part of the regional PLEASE (Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia) initiative, which is implemented by the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) with support from the World Bank and UNOPS. The inauguration event was organized by CREASION, the lead implementing organization for Project CAP.

According to CREASION, nearly 20,000 tons of plastic enter Nepal’s rivers every year. The new facility aims to address this issue by enabling the recycling of green PET bottles, which are often excluded from conventional recycling systems.

The launch event was attended by several officials, including Norbu Wangchuk, Director General of SACEP; Komal Karki, Country Director of UNOPS Nepal; and Joseph Ese Akpokodje, Task Leader of the PLEASE Project and Senior Environmental Specialist at the World Bank. Also present were government officials, environmental specialists, and members of the local community.

CREASION’s Founder and President Aanand Mishra, who chaired the program, said the facility is a step toward expanding Nepal’s recycling capacity and reducing plastic pollution at the source.

US air strikes on a key oil terminal on Yemen's Red Sea coast controlled by the Houthi movement have killed at least 58 people and wounded 126 others, Houthi-run, BBC reported.

The US military claimed to have bombed Ras Isa "to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue."

The Houthi-led administration in northwestern Yemen stated that the terminal was a civilian facility and that the strike was a "full-fledged war crime".

It was one of the bloodiest events since President Donald Trump directed US forces to ramp up their bombing campaign last month in response to Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping and Israel tied to the Gaza conflict, according to BBC.

Several hours after the strikes on Ras Isa, the Israeli military said that it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.

In response to the U.S. governments upcoming port fees for Chinese-built and operated vessels, set to take effect in mid-October, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian emphasized on Friday that such measures could be detrimental.

According to Global times, he stated that imposing fees and additional tariffs on cargo handling equipment would not only elevate global shipping costs but also disrupt supply chains and exacerbate inflation in the United States, ultimately harming American consumers and businesses without reviving the domestic shipbuilding industry.

Lin encouraged the United States to follow known facts and international rules, calling for an urgent halt to these activities. He also stated that China would take the appropriate precautions to preserve its lawful rights and interests in light of the situation.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that anti-constitutional activities are not acceptable.

Inaugurating the Gandaki Province-level security seminar in Pokhara today, he said that anti-constitutional activities and instability in the name of former monarchists or any other name would not be forgiven in any condition.

Minister Lekhak said that everyone should be ready to defend the present Constitution obtained through long struggle and sacrifice.

Stating that seven Constitutions have been framed in a span of seven decades in Nepal, he opined that the present Constitution is the world's most advanced democratic Constitution and it is possible to solve every problem through it.

"Criticism, evaluation and various activities can be carried out remaining within the Constitution. Anarchic activities such as promoting murder and violence through anti-constitutional activities cannot be carried out. Action will be taken as per law if such activities are carried out," the Home Minister said.

Stating that protecting the Constitution is the need of the hour, he said, "It is 10 years since the current Constitution was promulgated. Efforts will be made to further improve the Constitution carrying out an assessment of this period and by making amendments based on the need through consensus with all concerned.”

The Home Minister said the government is continuously working towards solving all the problems such as the increasing drug abuse, suicide, vehicle accidents, cybercrime, and natural disasters among others which have emerged as challenges in recent years.

Meanwhile, he stressed on the need for the government bodies to make their service delivery more effective and efficient.

Home Minister Lekhak pointed out the need for the Office of the Chief District Officer, as the representatives of the federal government, to be active to make service delivery effective by coordinating among the federal, provincial and local levels, and others in the districts.

A parliamentary subcommittee investigating the construction of the Pokhara Regional International Airport has concluded that irregularities and corruption worth Rs 10bn (approx) occurred during the construction phase. The subcommittee, formed under the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and led by Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) President Rajendra Lingden, has prepared a draft report highlighting discrepancies under 11 different categories. The draft has been signed by several members and circulated to other lawmakers for review.

According to reports, the irregularities in the airport construction could be among the largest corruption scandals in Nepal’s history. The initial project cost, estimated at Rs 14bn, was suspiciously inflated to Rs 22bn. The report points to widespread malpractice across nearly all areas of the project, raising concerns about both quality and compliance. It further states that tax exemptions were provided in violation of the original contract, leading to significant revenue losses. A new implementation agreement was signed to repeatedly grant a total of Rs 2.22bn in tax waivers, which the report describes as deliberate financial misconduct.

Taking to Facebook, Lingden posted that the subcommittee also noted that irregularities began as early as the bidding process and continued throughout the construction phase, both financially and technically. It accuses that a three-member task force was strategically formed to legitimize cost escalations, bypassing public procurement laws and established norms. In addition, the report mentions that the Ministry of Finance failed to provide some critical information, implying that the actual scale of corruption could be even higher.

Based on these findings, the subcommittee has proposed that the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) be instructed to investigate and take legal action against those involved. It also recommends that the government conduct a comprehensive legal and technical review of the project and ensure that the airport becomes fully operational and commercially viable. The subcommittee expressed its appreciation to all involved members and secretariat staff for their active participation in the investigation process.