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Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Maeda Toru hosted a send-off party at his Residence for Nepali students who will be studying in Japan under the Japanese Government Scholarship granted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan.

The Government of Japan grants this scholarship to international students who want to pursue higher studies in Japan for undergraduate, graduate, specialized training college students, and teachers. Japan started selection of Nepali students in 1957, just one year after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

This spring, six Nepali students in total - three for master’s, two for undergraduate and one for specialized training college – will go to Japan to obtain their degrees and specialized skill, reads a statement issued by the Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu.

On the occasion, Ambassador Maeda congratulated the successfully selected scholarship students and expressed his hope that they would make their best efforts in a good learning environment in Japan.

The Ambassador also encouraged the students to venture out of the school to experience various aspects of Japanese culture, and make Japanese friends. He stated that he believes that with the knowledge and experience thus acquired, the students will contribute to Nepal's development and play an important role in Japan-Nepal relations in the future.

Dr Sunil Babu Shrestha, president of Japanese Universities Alumni Association, Nepal (JUAAN) also offered valuable advice to the students about life and university in Japan, as he himself had experienced them, according to the statement.

The Embassy is confident that these young scholars will serve as an important bridge between Japan and Nepal and contribute to further strengthening mutual understanding, friendship, and cooperation between the two countries.

The CPN (Unified Socialist) has said that it will provide all possible support to all programs held in favor of a federal democratic republic.

Accordingly, the party has directed its subordinate committees and organizations to actively participate in demonstrations, public meetings and protests carried out in favor of the republic to defeat those who are engaged in anti-republic activities.

The party has issued a circular to all its committees to generate public opinion in favor of the republic by uniting leftist forces with common political principles and collaborating with change advocates, said Deputy Chief of the Central Publicity Department, Damodar Aryal.

Meanwhile, the party has also requested all party members to make the protest and mass meeting to be organized by the Socialist Front in Kathmandu on March 28 a success.

He informed that the party, which has launched a socialist campaign across the country by prioritizing good governance, job creation, economic prosperity and social transformation, is working to expand its membership.

Sir Keir Starmer's plan for an international force to support a ceasefire in Ukraine has been dismissed as "a posture and a pose" by Donald Trump's special envoy, BBC reported.

Steve Witkoff said the idea was based on a "simplistic" notion of the UK prime minister and other European leaders thinking "we have all got to be like Winston Churchill".

In an interview with pro-Trump journalist Tucker Carlson, Witkoff praised Vladimir Putin, saying he "liked" the Russian president.

"I don't regard Putin as a bad guy," he said. "He's super smart."

Witkoff, who met Putin ten days ago, said the Russian president had been "gracious" and "straight up" with him. Putin told him, he added, that he had prayed for Trump after an assassination attempt against him last year. He also said Putin had commissioned a portrait of the US president as a gift and Trump was "clearly touched by it".

During the interview, Witkoff repeated various Russian arguments, including that Ukraine was "a false country" and asked when the world would recognise occupied Ukrainian territory as Russian, according to BBC.

Witkoff is leading the US ceasefire negotiations with both Russia and Ukraine but he was unable to name the five regions of Ukraine either annexed or partially occupied by Russian forces.

Israel has carried out multiple air strikes on Lebanon after several rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel, in the worst violence since a ceasefire came into effect in November, BBC reported.

The Israeli military said it had hit dozens of rocket launchers and a command centre belonging to Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia and political group, in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon's health ministry said seven people, including a child, were killed and 40 injured in the air strikes.

Several armed groups operate in Lebanon, including Hezbollah and Palestinian factions, and no-one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Hours after the first set of strikes, a second wave of attacks were carried out at night on targets that included what the Israeli military described as command centres, infrastructure sites and a weapons storage facility in Lebanon.

Saturday's rocket attack from Lebanon came days after Israel reinforced its offensive against Hamas, a Hezbollah ally, in Gaza, according to BBC.

The Israeli military said it had intercepted three rockets in the northern Israeli town of Metula, and there were no casualties.

Hezbollah said it had no involvement, and it remained committed to the ceasefire.