Trump says he will meet Putin in Hungary for Ukraine talks after 'very productive' call
US President Donald Trump says "great progress" was made during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, with the pair agreeing to face-to-face talks in Hungary, BBC reported.
He said the call, the first with Putin since mid-August, was "very productive", adding that teams from Washington and Moscow will meet next week.
Trump did not confirm a date for his meeting with Putin in Budapest. The Kremlin said work on the summit would begin "immediately" after the "extremely frank and trustful" call, according to BBC.
KMC intensifies market monitoring
The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has accelerated the market monitoring during the festival period.
KMC and the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control started market monitoring.
In the course of monitoring the small hotels and restaurants operated in New Baneshwor, the joint team found most of the business operated against the standard, according to the KMC.
Departmental Chief of KMC Agriculture and Livestock Department, Nur Nidhi Neupane, said directives were issued for the business houses running illegally to follow the rule, adding action would be taken against them as per the law if they do not follow the directives.
It was the responsibility of entrepreneurs to pay attention to hygiene as infection of different diseases might spread from a tiny negligence, added Neupane.
KMC Food Hygiene and Quality Program Advisor Santosh Giri mentioned that the KMC has now given priority to empowerment, market monitoring and regulation.
The KMC will take action against those who do not follow the directives and run their business without meeting the standards, he added.
Three girls drown in Jhapa river
Three girls drowned while fishing in the Sisne Khola in Gauradaha Municipality-9, Jhapa.
According to police, the deceased have been identified as seven-year-old Sushma Magar and nine-year-old Swikriti Magar, daughters of local Anju Magar and 11-year-old Roshni Pariyar, daughter of Nirmala Pariyar.
The District Police Office, Jhapa has reported that the girls drowned in the river while fishing.
An investigation into the incident is underway, police said.
Nepse plunges by 18. 40 points on Thursday
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 18. 40 points to close at 2, 487. 17 points on Thursday.
Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 1. 73 points to close at 435. 29 points.
A total of 7,643,635-unit shares of 311 companies were traded for Rs 1. 41 billion.
Meanwhile, Himalayan Power Partner Ltd. (HPPL) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9. 93 percent.
Likewise, Samaj Laghubittya Bittiya Sanstha Limited (SAMAJ) was the top loser as its price fell by 10. 00 percent.
At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 1. 41 trillion.
Zelenskyy goes to Trump for more support as Ukraine war escalates
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets Donald Trump on Friday to push for more military support at a time when Kyiv and Moscow are escalating the war with massive attacks on energy systems and NATO is struggling to respond to a spate of air incursions, BBC reported.
Since Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in August failed to yield a breakthrough in the US peace push, Kyiv has been hammering Russian oil refineries with drones while Russian strikes have caused major power outages across Ukraine.
NATO’s eastern flank is also on edge after Poland and Estonia said Russia had violated their airspace with drones and jets last month, eliciting denials from Moscow. There have since been other drone incidents in Germany and Denmark, according to BBC.
Trump says he authorised CIA in Venezuela as Maduro says 'no to regime change'
US President Donald Trump has confirmed a report he authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, provoking outrage from the South American nation's leader, BBC reported.
US forces have already conducted at least five strikes on suspected drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean in recent weeks, killing 27 people. UN-appointed human rights experts have described the raids as "extrajudicial executions".
Speaking at the White House, Trump said the US "is looking at land" as it considers further strikes on drug cartels in the region, according to BBC.
LaLiga match in United States a reward for fans, says RFEF president
LaLiga's decision to stage a match in Miami later this year is good for football and a reward for the international supporters who pay to watch the league from afar, the Spanish soccer federation's (RFEF) president Rafael Louzan said, Reuters reported.
European governing body UEFA has approved a LaLiga match and a Serie A game to be played abroad, with a fixture between Barcelona and Villarreal taking place in Miami, while AC Milan's meeting with Como will be held in Perth, Australia.
The LaLiga match, scheduled for December 20 at Hard Rock Stadium, will mark the first time that an official European league match will be played abroad, according to Reuters.
Qatari side Al-Sadd sack Sanchez after slump; Alegre named interim coach
Qatar champions Al-Sadd have parted ways with coach Felix Sanchez by mutual agreement, the club announced on Wednesday, ending a tenure that began with high expectations but delivered mixed results, Reuters reported.
Assistant coach Sergio Alegre will assume interim charge starting today, the club said in a statement posted on X.
Sanchez, 49, took over in July 2024 after several years with the Qatar national team, overseeing their historic 2019 Asian Cup title win and their debut World Cup campaign on home soil in 2022, according to Reuters .
