Submit your Article

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the US wants the war with Russia to end by June, adding both sides had been invited to the US for talks next week, BBC reported. 

"America proposed for the first time that the two negotiating teams – Ukraine and Russia – meet in the United States of America, probably in Miami, in a week. We confirmed our participation," he said.

There was no immediate comment from Washington or Moscow, but US President Donald Trump has been pushing for an end for the conflict since he took office again more than a year ago, according to BBC. 

Financial crime prosecutors in France say they have opened a preliminary inquiry into former Culture Minister Jack Lang over his links to Jeffrey Epstein, BBC reported. 

Lang, a major figure in French socialist governments between the 1980s and 2000s, is being investigated for suspected "laundering of tax fraud proceeds". 

It follows the US Department of Justice's release of the Epstein files, which have documented links between the Lang family and the late American sex offender, according to BBC. 

Millions in Japan are voting in a snap election called by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, whose coalition is predicted to clinch a decisive win, BBC reported. 

Just months after she was elected by lawmakers, Takaichi decided to go to the pollsto seek the public's mandate.

Polls show her Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) coalition with the populist Japanese Innovation Party could bag up to 300 of the 465 seats in the Lower House, marking a turnaround for the LDP which lost control of both chambers of Japan's parliament last year, according to BBC. 

Donald Trump has endorsed Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ahead of a snap election in her country on Sunday, BBC reported. 

Takaichi has "already proven to be a strong, powerful, and wise leader... one that truly loves her country," the US president wrote in a Truth Social post on Thursday, adding: "She will not let the people of Japan down!"

While it is rare for US presidents to publicly back candidates in foreign elections, Trump has done so before, endorsing Argentina's Javier Milei and Hungary's Viktor Orban most recently, according to BBC. 

The Election Commission (EC) is to depute volunteers in all wards across the country for voter education. 

The election to the House of Representatives is taking place across the country on March 5. 

According to the EC, volunteers are going to be deputed in all 6743 wards of the country through the District Election Offices.

Assistant Spokesperson of EC, Kul Bahadur GC, said experienced child development facilitators, women health volunteers and community service center operators would be appointed for voter education. 

The process for appointing volunteers has begun, he added.

The EC has already approved the voter education related program on February 2 for this purpose. Preparation has been made to impart orientation on February 15 in all seven provinces by appointing volunteers for voter education.  

The volunteers would be deputed in all 6,743 wards of 753 local levels from mid-February, added EC.

At least 18 miners have died and one is severely injured after an explosion at an illegally-operated coal mine in India's northeastern state of Meghalaya, police say, BBC reported. 

Rescue operations are on and some people are still feared trapped, police say, adding that the blast occurred around 11:00 local time (5:30 GMT) on Thursday in the East Jaintia Hills of the state.

Superintendent of the state police Vikash Kumar told reporters that the accident happened due to rat-hole mining - a hazardous method which involves the use of dynamite to break open narrow tunnels through which workers crouch to extract coal, according to BBC. 

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 4, 200 per tola in the domestic market on Friday.  

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 291, 000 per tola today.  It was traded at Rs 295, 200 per tola on Thursday. 

Similarly, the price of silver has dropped by Rs 270 and is being traded at Rs 4, 710 per tola.

Ademola Lookman starred on his debut for Atletico Madrid, scoring and assisting in a 5-0 demolition of Real Betis on Thursday to seal a place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, Reuters reported. 

The 25-year-old Nigerian international, who signedfrom Serie A side Atalanta earlier this week, delivered a confident performance as Atletico ran riot at Seville's La Cartuja Stadium.

Goals from David Hancko, Giuliano Simeone, Antoine Griezmann, Thiago Almada, and Lookman consigned Manuel Pellegrini's Betis to a humiliating defeat in front of their home fans, according to Reuters.