Submit your Article

U.S. immigration agents shot and killed a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis on Saturday, officials said, sparking fierce protests and condemnations from local leaders in the second such incident this month, Reuters reported. 

The Department of Homeland Security characterized the incident as an attack, saying a Border Patrol agent fired in self-defense after a man approached with a handgun and violently resisted attempts to disarm him.

But bystander videos from the scene verified by Reuters showed the man, identified as 37-year-old Alex Pretti, holding a phone in his hand, not a gun, as he tries to help other protesters who have been pushed to the ground by agents, according to Reuters. 

Donald Trump has praised UK soldiers who fought in Afghanistan after his claim that allied forces avoided the front lines prompted criticism from veterans and politicians, BBC reported. 

Earlier this week Trump angered US allies by downplaying the role of Nato troops in the war and doubted whether the military alliance would be there for the US "if we ever needed them".

Trump's words drew condemnation from international allies, while Sir Keir Starmer called them "insulting and frankly appalling".

The UK prime minister spoke to Trump on Saturday, after which the US president used his Truth Social platform to praise UK troops as being "among the greatest of all warriors".

European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be chief guests at India's Republic Day celebrations next Monday, BBC reported. 

Besides state banquets and the ceremonial pomp of the event, the two leaders will have a more pressing item on their agenda - advancing free trade talks with Asia's third largest economy. This comes at a particularly trying geopolitical moment for Europe, with President Donald Trump first threatening to escalate his trade war with European allies for opposing a US takeover of Greenland and then backing off.

The choice of guests also carries an important diplomatic message from India - Delhi is accelerating strategic and trade ties with the rest of the world as the impasse over Washington's 50% tariffs on India spills over into the new year, according to BBC. 

The government has decided to accept a grant assistance equivalent to USD  two million from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for the Improvement Project of the Siddhartha Highway (Butwal-Pokhara). 

A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Thursday took a decision to this effect, Government spokesperson and Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal shared this at a press meet on Friday. 

Similarly, the meeting agreed to remove a ceiling on foreign investment under an automatic route in the determined enterprises/business. 

As per the meeting's permission, Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Rajendra Parasad Mishra will attend the 'First South Asian Agroforestry and Trees Outside Forecast Conference' to be held in New Delhi of India from February 5 to 7. 

The meeting has decided to endorse the Foreign Minister's visit to Bangladesh, attending the funeral ceremony of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia last month. 

The government decided to give permission for the construction of an office building of the Province Public Health Laboratory on its five ropani of land in Bhaktapur district, according to Minister Aryal.  

Likewise, as per the cabinet decision, Water Supplies and Sanitation Division 3, Sindhupalchowk is allowed to use one ropani of land owned by the government in Kavre. 

Furthermore, the cabinet has decided to give an approval to a notice in the Nepal Gazette (Extraordinary Issue) regarding the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which was endorsed by the House of Representatives on March 11, 2025.

Forty-nine candidates across the country have withdrawn their nominations filed for the first-past-the-post elections to the House of Representatives scheduled for March 5, according to the Election Commission (EC).

At a weekly news conference organized by the EC today, EC Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai shared that 49 candidates withdrew their candidacies from different constituencies so far. The EC is getting more information on this. 

He opined that the final name list of candidates towards FPTP elections has been released through 77 offices of chief returning officers and 88 offices of election officers across the country.

These offices would provide election symbols to candidates of political parties as well as independent candidates from 4 pm-7 pm today itself, said EC's Joint Spokesperson, Kul Bahadur GC.

Two persons died when two motorcycles collided with each other in Patharatol-1, Rajdevi Municipality of Rautahat on Friday. 

The motorcycle (PR 2-03-018 P 3346) heading towards Gaur from Gangapipra collided with an Indian motorcycle (BR 30AF 2370 this morning, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Bishnu Pradeep Basyal of the District Police Office.

The deceased have been identified as bike rider Ashok Mahato (30) of Pipra Bazaar, Durgabhagwati Rural Municipality-2, Rautahat and another bike rider Arbinda Mahato (29) of Hajmini, Rajdevi Municipality-2, Rautahat. 

Newly elected Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa assumed office on Friday. 

Thapa, who previously served as the General Secretary of the party, was unanimously elected as the President during the second special general convention held in Kathmandu on January 15. 

The first meeting of the newly elected working committee is taking place at the party's central office in Sanepa today. 

Rights organizations have called on all to fully comply with the election code to conduct the House of Representatives elections scheduled for 5 March in a clean, fair, and fear-free manner. 

In a statement issued by Indra Prasad Aryal, President of the Nepal Human Rights Organization, and Bijayaraj Gautam, President of the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC), stakeholders were urged to effectively follow the election code of conduct to make the upcoming elections in clean, fair, and credible manner. 

All concerned parties involved in the elections, including political parties, candidates, government bodies, security personnel, media, and voters, have been called to strictly adhere to the election code of conduct.

"Clean, fair, and fearless elections are the foundation of strengthening democracy," the statement said. "The campaign expresses a commitment to actively engage in continuous monitoring, cooperation, and civic awareness to make elections clean and trustworthy." 

The two organizations urged security agencies to perform an impartial and professional role in maintaining peace and security throughout the election period, and the media to deliver responsible, factual, and balanced news. 

They also requested voters not to be influenced by any kind of inducement, pressure, or misinformation and to exercise their voting rights freely.