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Haiti’s government announced Saturday that it is implementing a three-month state of emergency in the country’s central region as gang violence surges, Associated Press reported.

The measure will cover Haiti’s West, Artibonite and Center departments “to continue the fight against insecurity and respond to the agricultural and food crisis,” according to a government statement.

The region — known as Haiti’s rice basket — has been under attack in recent years, with gangs killing farmers or forcing them to abandon their fields as they raze nearby communities, according to Associated Press.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night to oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to escalate the nearly two-year Gaza war, demanding an immediate end to the campaign and for the release of the hostages, Reuters reported.

A day earlier, the prime minister’s office said the security cabinet, a small group of senior ministers, had decided to seize Gaza City, expanding military operations in the devastated Palestinian territory despite widespread public opposition and warnings from the military the move could endanger the hostages.

"This isn't just a military decision. It could be a death sentence for the people we love most," Lishay Miran Lavi, the wife of hostage Omri Miran told the rally, pleading to U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene to immediately end the war, according to Reuters.

Iran threatened on Saturday to block a corridor planned in the Caucasus under a regional deal sponsored by U.S. President Donald Trump, Iranian media reported, raising a new question mark over a peace plan hailed as a strategically important shift, Reuters reported.

A top Azerbaijani diplomat said earlier that the plan, announced by Trump on Friday, was just one step from a final peace deal between his country and Armenia, which reiterated its support for the plan.

The proposed Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) would run across southern Armenia, giving Azerbaijan a direct route to its exclave of Nakhchivan and in turn to Turkey, according to Reuters.

European leaders on Saturday welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump'splans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the war in Ukraine, while stressing the need to keep pressure on Moscow and protect Ukrainian and European security interests, Reuters reported.

Trump plans to meet Putin in Alaska on Friday, saying the parties, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, were close to a deal that could resolve the three-and-a-half-year-old conflict.

The U.S. president is open to a trilateral summit with Putin and Zelenskiy, but for now the White House is planning a bilateral meeting as requested by Putin, a White House official said. Russian and Ukrainian officials could not immediately be reached for comment on the prospects of a trilateral meeting, according to Reuters.

Over a period of four months (mid-April to mid-August), the country recorded a total of 2,675 disaster-related incidents. The number of households affected by such incidents stands at 4,725.

According to updates from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), these incidents resulted in 117 human casualties and 564 injuries.

The segregated data shows that there were 198 flood-related incidents, resulting in 16 deaths and 21 people reported missing. Floods alone affected 1,313 households.

There were 281 reported cases of landslides, resulting in 13 deaths and 17 injuries. In addition, 174 incidents were attributed to heavy rains, 244 to lightning strikes, and 74 to snakebites. Fire-related incidents totaled 1,066, including 158 wildfires.

Likewise, there were 276 windstorm incidents, followed by 153 animal attacks, 41 cases of high-altitude sickness, and five earthquake-related events. Overall, these disasters affected 4,725 households, with 22 people reported missing.

Furthermore, on August 9 alone, the country recorded 35 disaster-related incidents. Of these, the highest 13 cases were due to landslides, followed by five from continuous rainfall, two cases of altitude sickness, and one each from a lightning strike and an animal attack. These incidents caused six injuries.

Continuous rainfall over the past few days has led to a significant rise in the water level of the Saptakoshi River. With this development, 28 out of 56 sluice gates at the Koshi Barrage have been opened.

According to the Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal No. 4 Headquarters, the water flow at the Koshi Barrage was recorded at 200,430 cusecs (cubic feet per second) at 9 pm on Saturday.

A red warning light has been activated, as the water flow exceeded the danger threshold of 150,000 cusecs.

Security officials have confirmed that, so far, no water-induced damage was reported in the area until last night.

A monsoon trough is presently located near its average position.

According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division under the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the weather will remain generally cloudy across the country this afternoon. 

Moderate rainfall is expected in some areas of the hilly parts of Koshi, Bagmati, and Gandaki Provinces, as well as in some areas of the hilly and Tarai regions of Madhesh Province and other provinces. Similarly, heavy rainfall is likely at one or two places in the hilly areas of Koshi and Gandaki Provinces.

Likewise, the weather is expected to remain generally cloudy across the country tonight, with a forecast of moderate rainfall in some areas of the hilly regions of Madhesh, Koshi, Bagmati, and Gandaki Provinces, as well as in parts of the hilly and Tarai regions of the remaining provinces. Heavy rainfall is also likely at one or two locations in the hilly areas of Koshi, Bagmati, and Gandaki Provinces.

Gaijatra, a cultural festival of the Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the country, is being observed today with various programs filled with fun, humor, and satire.

The eight-day festival typically begins on the first day of the waning moon in the month of Bhadra (Bhadra Krishna Pratipada) and concludes on Ashtami, according to the lunar calendar. 

Gaijatra is dedicated to commemorating those who have passed away within the one year. 

The tradition involves cows or people dressed as cows parading through the streets. 

Observers offer them milk, fruits, beaten rice, traditional bread, curd, grains, and money. 

It is believed that such rituals help the deceased in their 'heavenly' journey. 

The origin of the festival dates back to the reign of King Pratap Malla. Following the death of his son during a smallpox epidemic, the king initiated Gaijatra to console his grieving queen. He encouraged his citizens to engage in humor and satire and public performances throughout the city so as to make her realize that such loss is a universal human experience.

Over time, Gaijatra evolved as a means of satirical expression, often targeting political and social anomalies and malpractices.

The festival was banned following the royal 'coup' in 2017 BS but was revived in 2033 BS by the then Nepal Royal Academy (now Nepal Academy).

In addition to the three cities of the Kathmandu Valley, Gaijatra is also observed in Banepa, Dhulikhel, Panauti, Barhabise, Trishuli, Dolakha, Khotang, Bhojpur, Chainpur, Dharan, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Hetauda, and Pokhara, particularly by members of the Newar community.

The government has announced a public holiday in the Kathmandu Valley today on the occasion of the Gaijatra.