Ukraine denies drone attack on Putin's residence

President Volodymyr Zelensky has denied allegations by Russia that Ukraine launched a drone attack on one of President Vladimir Putin's residences, and accused Moscow of trying to derail peace talks, BBC reported. 

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed Kyiv had launched an attack overnight using 91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on Putin's state residence in Russia's northwestern Novgorod region.

Russia said it would now review its position in peace negotiations. It is not yet clear where Putin was at the time of the alleged attack, according to BBC. 

Ujyalo Nepal Party merges with RSP, Kulman Ghising to be appointed as Vice President

In a significant political development, the Ujyalo Nepal Party led by Energy Minister Kulman Ghising has merged with the Rastriya Swatantra Party. 

Ghising will remain in second place as the Vice President of the Rastriya Swatantra Party. 

The agreement was reached following a meeting between Rastriya Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane, Ghising and Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah today.

Lamichhane, Shah and Ujyalo Nepal Party Chairman Anup Kumar Upadhyay signed the agreement.

Govt unveils consolidated financial statements

The Office of the Auditor General has released the consolidated financial statements for the federal, provincial, and local governments for the fiscal year 2081/82 BS. 

Auditor General Shobhakanta Paudel presented the report today to Finance Minister Rameshwor Prasad Khanal and Comptroller and Auditor General Toyam Raya. 

The Office of the Auditor General is tasked with the preparation and presentation of the consolidated financial statements and reports regarding the operations of the federal consolidated fund across all three levels of government.

“In the fiscal year 2081/82 BS, while the consolidated fund for the federal, provincial, and local governments recorded a negative balance of Rs 108.99 billion, the cash position remained favorable at Rs 104.1384 billion," the press release from the office said. 

"Considering the balances of various extra-budgetary funds from the federal, provincial, and local governments, the cash and bank balances have stayed positive at Rs 188.9458 billion." The report, which adheres to the Nepal Public Sector Accounting Standards sanctioned by the Government of Nepal and the accounting format approved by the Auditor General, also encompasses details mandated by existing laws for the federal, provincial, and local governments, along with extra-budgetary entities, as stated.

 

NA Chair Dahal pays courtesy call on PM Karki

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Narayan Prasad Dahal held a meeting with Prime Minister Sushila Karki at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar on Monday. 

Matters related to the upcoming elections to the House of Representatives and National Assembly members, and recent activities of the NA among others were discussed on the occasion, the PM secretariat said. 

Chairperson Dahal urged the PM to summon the session of the NA and not to cut the perks and benefits of the NA members, it has been learnt. 

 

 

Former Home Minister Lekhak denies ordering force in GenZ protests

Former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that he did not give any written or verbal order to use force in the GenZ protests held on September 8 and 9.

Talking to the media today after recording his statement before the inquiry commission formed to investigate the damages caused during the GenZ protest, he said that the decision to use force or not is the responsibility of the security officials deployed at the time as per the law. “There is no legal provision for the minister or the prime minister to issue the order to use force,” he clarified. 

Former Minister Lekhak informed the media that he submitted his views and details in writing to the commission.

According to former Minister Lekhak, a meeting of the Central Security Committee was called on September 7 after receiving prior information from the security agencies and the home administration about the demonstration of the GenZ group to be held a day later. The meeting analyzed the information collected by the security agencies and stated that the organizers had reported that the demonstration would be peaceful.

Clarifying that no decision or plan was made in the meeting regarding use of force, he said that it was concluded that law and security arrangements would be made by coordinating among all the security agencies. Former Home Minister Lekhak mentioned that formal discussions were held with the then Prime Minister in Baluwatar after the Central Security Committee meeting and that emphasis was placed on ensuring that there were no human casualties there as well.

Lekhak said that he resigned on the same day on moral grounds. "I considered it a moral duty to resign from my position after the death of persons," he said.

Minister Lekhak said that the incidents that took place after his resignation have seriously damaged the country's self-respect, democratic values, and constitutional institutions. 

He said that the damage to constitutional organs and public property of the state such as Singha Durbar, Rastrapati Bhawan, and Supreme Court was against the core spirit of the GenZ movement. 

Informing about personal losses, former Home Minister Lekhak said that his two houses in Mahendranagar were destroyed in a fire, his residence in Kathmandu was damaged beyond habitability, and that a serious situation arose while trying to save his mother from an attack by protesters, and that his mother later passed away. 

 

Actor Vijay announces retirement from acting

South Indian actor Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, known as Vijay, announced his retirement from acting. After a career of 33 years in the film industry. He started his career at a very young age as a child artist in the Tamil film at the age of 10 and at 18, he resumed acting with the film Nalaiya Theerpu (1992). He made the announcement on Saturday during the audio launch of director H. Vinod’s film ‘Jana Nayakan’ in Malaysia. He is currently 51 years old and ‘Jana Nayakan’ will be his last film.

He formed his political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam last year and now his party is able to contest the Tamil Nadu assembly elections in 2026. Addressing the fans, Vijay said, “Only one thing is important to me. People come to the theatre and stand in line for me. So I want to stand for them for the next 30-33 years. I am retiring from cinema for these fans.”

He said that he had to face all kinds of criticism from the first day of his career. Despite this, his fans were always with him. He said that he would never forget the love and support he received in the last 33 years.

Nepal Police collects Rs 400 million revenue in a month

The Nepal Police has collected Rs 402. 5 million in revenue in the month of Mangsir (November 17 to December 15) of the current fiscal year 2025/26.

This amount of revenue was collected in connection with law enforcement and various actions.

According to the Central Police Spokesperson, Deputy Inspector General of Police Abhi Narayan Kafle, the police have collected revenue of Rs 179.5 million from the seizure of illegal goods, Rs 123. 8 million from the implementation of court rulings, Rs 71. 5  million from traffic fines, and Rs 8. 94  million from the seizure of illegal gold and silver.

Spokesperson Kafle said that Rs 6. 44 million was seized from those involved in 'Hundi' or illegal transfer of money, Rs 8. 90 million from unaccounted sources, Rs 2. 76 million from illegal extraction of riverine construction materials, Rs 287 thousand from seized illegal timber, and Rs 702 thousand from those trading in illegal livestock and birds.

 

 

 

JSPN Chair Upendra Yadav, JSP Co-Chair Renu Yadav sign unification deal

Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav and Janata Samajbadi Party Co-Chair Renu Yadav signed a party unification agreement on Monday. 

Earlier on Sunday, an understanding had been reached between the Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party and Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal to move forward with unification. 

The leaders agreed to unite the parties to protect and promote the federal democratic republic and safeguard the rights of the Madhes region and the Madhesi people.

Majority of central committee members of Janata Samajbadi Party would join the party led by Upendra Yadav, said a leader Pradeep Yadav of JSP Nepal. 

He opined that the unification was announced keeping the wish and expectation of Madhesi people in mind, as unity between the JSP Nepal and Janata Samajbadi Party was indispensable in the changed political context.