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Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have announced they will immediately withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), labelling it an "instrument of neo-colonialist repression".

The three military-led countries issued a joint statement, saying they would not recognise the authority of the UN-backed court, based in The Hague, BBC reported.

"The ICC has proven itself incapable of handling and prosecuting proven war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of genocide, and crimes of aggression," the three leaders said.

The court has not yet responded to the decision by the three countries, all of which with close ties to Russia whose leader Vladimir Putin has been subject to an ICC arrest warrant, according to BBC.

Nasa has said it hopes to send astronauts on a ten-day trip around the Moon as soon as February, BBC reported.

The US space agency had previously committed to launching no later than the end of April but said it aims to bring the mission forward.

It's been 50 years since any country has flown a crewed lunar mission. Nasa will send four astronauts there and back to test systems.

The Artemis II mission is the second launch of the Artemis programme, whose aim is to land astronauts and eventually establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface, according to BBC.

Two people have died in eastern Taiwan and scores more are trapped or missing after a super typhoon caused a mountain lake to burst its banks, fire officials said, BBC reported.

The barrier lake, formed by previous landslides, broke on Tuesday afternoon, sending water surging into the nearby township of Guangfu in Hualien county.

Rescuers from across Taiwan are heading to the area. Super Typhoon Ragasa is the strongest storm of 2025 and is now bearing down on China's southern coast. 

It is due to make landfall in Guangdong province on Wednesday, where some 370,000 people have been evacuated, and many schools and businesses shut. Hong Kong has upgraded its typhoon warning to level 10, the maximum level, according to BBC.

US President Donald Trump has said Kyiv can "win all of Ukraine back in its original form", marking a major shift in his position on the war with Russia, BBC reported.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, he said Ukraine could get back "the original borders from where this war started" with the support of Europe and Nato, due to pressures on Russia's economy.

His comments came after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, held after Trump had addressed the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to end the war, but has previously warned that process would likely involve Ukraine giving up some territory, an outcome Zelensky hasconsistently rejected, according to BBC.

Election Commission (EC) officials called on Prime Minister Sushila Karki today to discuss preparations for the upcoming election.

The meeting took place at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar. Discussions focused on the election of the House of Representatives, scheduled for March 5, 2026, following the dissolution of the House of Representatives effective from midnight on September 12.

During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on necessary legal amendments, election management, resource mobilization, and other related issues. 

The EC delegation was led by Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari.

Minister for Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, Anil Kumar Sinha, who also attended the meeting, said discussions centered on identifying and addressing any issues that could hamper election preparations.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, EC Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai described it as a preliminary dialogue with the government. 

He said more discussions would be held. Both the government and the EC agreed that the fresh election must be conducted as mandated. He added that the EC is committed to holding a free and impartial election while maintaining cost-effectiveness.

The EC has requested the government to amend the Voter Registration Act, 2073 BS, and ensure resources necessary to conduct the election on the announced date.

As of now, the number of people who complete 18 years by November 1, 2025, stands at 18,168,230.

Earlier, on September 18, the EC held discussions with Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal regarding the upcoming election. 

Voter registration had been suspended since June 30, 2025, due to the previously announced by-election. 

However, with the announcement of the midterm election for March 5, 2026, legal provisions must be made to reopen voter registration. 

Discussions are underway to amend Subsection 2 of Section 4 of the relevant Act through an ordinance.

During the September 18 discussion, Home Minister Aryal also raised the issue of ensuring voting rights for Nepalis living abroad in the pretext of the Supreme Court's verdict towards that end. In response, the EC has consulted legal experts.

The interim government, led by former Chief Justice Karki, was formed following recent Gen-Z protests, with the mandate to hold fresh elections in March.

British Ambassador to Nepal Rob Fenn paid a courtesy call on Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Kulman Ghising.

During the meeting held at the Energy Ministry today, Ambassador Fenn congratulated the newly appointed Minister Ghising and extended best wishes for his successful term.

Discussion was held on various issues including friendship and collaboration between Nepal and the United Kingdom, UK's support in energy sector, possibility of investment in infrastructure sector and necessary support for the measures to minimize problems surfaced due to climate change, according to the Ministry.

On the occasion, Minister Ghising shared that reconstruction of damaged structures, election and good governance are the major priorities of the government formed after the Gen-Z protest.   

Lauding the UK's support in Nepal's economic development, Minister Ghising opined that the UK's support for the establishment of charging stations to increase the use of electric vehicles in order to reduce carbon emissions and reach net-zero has become effective.   

Similarly, Ambassador Fenn stated that the UK is the old friend of Nepal and there would be continued support of the UK in Nepal's success and economic transformation, according to Minister Ghising's Secretariat.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 58. 63 points to close at 2, 683. 25 points on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 9. 08 points to close at 464. 36 points.

A total of 11,353,148-unit shares of 328 companies were traded for Rs 5. 29 billion.

Meanwhile, Saptakoshi Development Bank Ltd (SAPDBL) and Joshi Hydropower Development Company Ltd (JOSHI) 

were the top gainers today, with their price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise,Prabhu Smart Fund (PRSF) was the top loser as its price fell by 4. 30 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 48 trillion.

The government has transferred three secretaries.

A Cabinet meeting held on Sunday decided to transfer Home Secretary Gokarnamani Duwadi, Defense Secretary Rameshwor Dangal and National Planning Commission Secretary Suman Raj Aryal.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Dangal has been transferred to the Home Ministry while Aryal to the Defense Ministry and Duwadi to the National Planning Commission.

Although the Cabinet meeting on Sunday decided to transfer three secretaries, the Prime Minister's Office authenticated the transfers only on Tuesday, a source said.