Around 1,500 soldiers on standby for deployment to Minneapolis, officials say
Soldiers are on standby for possible deployment to Minneapolis, a US defence official has told CBS News, the BBC's US partner, BBC reported.
The official said the 1,500 soldiers, currently in Alaska, are an option for US president Donald Trump if he decided to use active duty military personnel, as anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demonstrations continued in the city on Saturday.
No decision has yet been made on whether to deploy the soldiers from Alaska, the official said, according to BBC.
Nasa's mega Moon rocket arrives at launch pad for Artemis II mission
Nasa's mega rocket has been moved to the launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, as the final preparations get underway for the first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years, BBC reported.
Over almost 12 hours, the 98m-tall Space Launch System was carried vertically from the Vehicle Assembly Building on the 4-mile (6.5km) journey to the pad.
Now it is in position, the final tests, checks - and a dress rehearsal - will take place, before the go-ahead is given for the 10-day Artemis II mission that will see four astronauts travel around the Moon, according to BBC.
Three National Assembly members resign
Three members of the National Assembly resigned on Sunday.
According to the Parliament Secretariat, Nepali Communist Party leaders Narayankaji Shrestha, Bandev Gautam and CPN-UML leader Bhagwati Neupane submitted their resignations to National Assembly Chairman Narayan Prasad Dahal today.
Shrestha, Gautam and Neupane tendered their resignation to become the candidates for March 5 House of Representatives elections.
National Assembly's 19th session begins
The 19th session of the Upper House began at the old building of the National Assembly located at the Federal Parliament Secretariat premises, Singha Durbar.
Announcing the commencement of the 19th session, NA Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal welcomed the members.
On the occasion, NA Chair Dahal read the letter sent from the Office of the President regarding commencement of the session. Soon after it, one minute of silence was observed to pay tribute to martyrs who sacrificed their lives for democracy.
The NA meeting also passed a condolence motion in the demise of its member Baldev Bohara.
Born in 2008 BS, Bohara of Kanchanpur passed away on January 14. He was a Constituent Assembly member in 2070 BS and was elected as NA member in 2080 BS.
The election for 19 new members is taking place on January 25.
The NA will meet next on January 22.
Gold price increases by Rs 600 per tola per tola on Sunday
On Sunday, the first trading day of the week, the price of gold increased in the domestic market. However, the price of silver has decreased today.
According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association, the gold is being traded at Rs 277,800 per tola (11.66 grams) today against Rs 277,200 on Friday. The price of the yellow metal has gone up by Rs 600 per tola today.
Similarly, the Federation has fixed the price of silver at Rs 5,625 per tola today. It has decreased by Rs 20 per tola. The silver price was Rs 5,645 on Friday.
According to the Federation, the price of gold and silver in the domestic market has been affected due to the fluctuation of the price in the international market, dollar exchange rate and geopolitical uncertainty.
As per the international media, gold is being traded at USD 4,596 per ounce and silver at USD 90 per ounce.
Snowfall likely in high hill and mountainous areas of Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces
At present there is a partial influence of westerly winds in Nepal.
According to the Weather Forecasting Division, this afternoon there will be mist/fog in some parts of the Tarai region.
There will be partial clouds in the hilly and mountainous areas of Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpashchim Provinces, as well as in Gandaki Province, while the rest of the areas will have clear weather.
There is a possibility of light rain and snowfall in one or two locations in the high hilly and mountainous areas of Karnali and Sudurpashchim Provinces.
Tonight, there will be mist in some parts of the Tarai region. The hilly and mountainous areas of Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpashchim Provinces, including Gandaki Province, will have partial cloud cover, while the remaining areas will mainly experience clear weather.
There is a possibility of light rain and snowfall in one or two locations in the high hilly and mountainous areas of Karnali and Gandaki Provinces.
Integrated diplomacy stressed for Nepal’s tourism promotion
Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs jointly organized a workshop on 'Partnership for Nepal Promotion'.
The workshop was organized with an aim to strengthen the common commitment to promote Nepal in an integrated manner through public, economic and cultural diplomacy.
Addressing the workshop, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai said that tourism is the key to Nepal’s development, underscoring that confident, coherent and authentic 'story-telling' is indispensable for branding Nepal to the world.
He believed that tourism and public diplomacy will contribute to national dignity, international reputation and prosperity.
Also speaking at the program, Nepal Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Deepak Raj Joshi mentioned that public diplomacy is important in tourism promotion, expressing the opinion that it is necessary to strengthen institutional coordination and cooperation.
He added that Nepal can be established as a strong tourism destination in the long term if government agencies, diplomatic missions, private sector and policy research institutes move ahead with common goals.
Bangladesh Medical Education Fair–2026 held in Kathmandu
The Bangladesh Embassy in Kathmandu, in collaboration with the Bangladesh Private Medical College Association (BPMCA), organized the Bangladesh Medical Education Fair–2026 in Kathmandu to promote medical education opportunities in Bangladesh among Nepali students.
Twenty private medical colleges from Bangladesh participated, providing information on admissions, curriculum, tuition fees, scholarships, and student life.
During the inauguration, the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Nepal highlighted the long-standing friendly relations between Bangladesh and Nepal and underscored the growing cooperation between the two countries in the field of education, particularly medical education.
He noted that Bangladesh has emerged as a trusted destination for international medical students due to its quality education, extensive clinical training, affordable tuition fees, modern medical facilities with the use of technology, and internationally recognized degrees. He stated that the course curriculum and system of examination in Bangladesh is based on the Canadian system which is better than any other South Asian country.
He added that the similarities in language and social environment of Bangladesh and Nepal makes Nepali students more comfortable in Bangladesh while pursuing higher education.
He further emphasized that the students get the opportunity to examine varieties of diseases which ultimately gives them good clinical knowledge.
He pointed out that a significant number of Nepali doctors have received medical education from Bangladesh and are making valuable contributions to Nepal’s healthcare sector. Especially, the quality of post-graduate doctors is best and it’s valued all over the world. The Ambassador reiterated the Embassy’s commitment to promoting educational cooperation and enhancing people-to-people connectivity between the two friendly countries.
The fair attracted over 500 Nepali students, offering a direct platform for interaction with college representatives. On the sidelines, the BPMCA delegation met Dr. Bikash Devkota, Secretary (Health), Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal and Acting Chairman of the Nepal Medical Council.
