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The government has started issuing mountaineering permits to expeditions to climb Mt Everest, the world's highest peak, in the spring season this year. According to the Department of Tourism, so far 17 women and 60 men from seven groups of climbers have taken permission to climb Mt Everest (Sagarmatha).

Department's Director Liladhar Awasthi said permission has been granted to the mountaineering teams to climb Mt Everest and 29 other smaller mountains till date.

He said that the climbers who have got permission are heading towards the destination. A total of 198 climbers from different countries, including Nepal, have so far obtained permission to climb Mt Everest, according to the department's data.

A total of 66 climbers from six groups have taken permission for Annapurna-1 and eight from one mountaineering group for Annapurna-5.

A total of 15 climbers from one mountaineering group and 15 from one mountaineering group in Lhotse have got permission to climb Makalu.

The route to the second camp of Mt Everest is currently being opened and fixed. It has been difficult to prepare the route due to strong winds in the Sagarmatha region for the past two days.

According to the Department, the icefall doctors are waiting for favorable weather as the wind is blowing at a speed of 35 kilometers per hour till last evening and pieces of ice continue to fall.

Likewise, work is currently underway to fix a ladder in the Khumbu Icefall area and hooks in Hanging Air. "Four ladders and 12 hooks and nails have already been fixed in the icefall area," said Director Awasthi. So far, 1,100 meters of route has been constructed. The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) has deputed an icefall doctor to open the mountaineering route from the Base Camp to the second camp of Mt Everest.

A 10-member team has been deployed for this season, the SPCC said. Both teams will make a safe passage for Everest climbers. The climbers who open the route to Khumbu icefall are called the 'icefall doctors'. The Mountaineering Expeditions Operators' Association will carry out rope-fixing work from the second camp to the summit only after the route to the second camp of Mt. Everest is ready. An eight-member team led by Ashok Lama has already been deputed for the purpose.

The association has given the management responsibility of fixing ropes and making way for climbing Mt Everest this season to 8K Expedition Company. Spring season is considered to be the best season for climbing mountains including Mt Everest. A significant number of foreigners come to climb Mt Everest this season.

At least 46 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza over the last 24 hours. Ninteen people have been killed in Khan Younis this morning alone, including a Palestinian journalist.

New video of an Israeli raid in Gaza that killed 15 medical personnel shows soldiers shooting at rescue personnel wearing fluorescent vests inside vehicles with obvious markings, sparking outrage, Al Jazeera reported.

Israel has arrested and deported two British lawmakers who were in the country as part of a parliamentary delegation, in accordance with the United Kingdom.

As stated by Gaza's Health Ministry, Israel's war on Gaza has resulted in at least 50,669 documented Palestinian deaths and 115,225 injuries. The Government Media Office said that thousands of people who went missing beneath the debris are thought to be dead, updating the death toll to over 61,700, according to Al Jazeera.

At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks and more than 200 were taken captive.

Flights have resumed at Suketar Airport in Taplejung from today after a hiatus of about four months.

Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national flag-carrier, which had been operating regular flights to Suketar, suspended its flights since the second week of December 2024 after two of its aircraft were out of order.

A plane that came here from Kathmandu with five passengers on board has left for Kathmandu with two female and four male passengers today, Suketar Civil Aviation Office stated.

The domestic and foreign visitors as well as the general people were deprived of air travel due to the halt in air service for a long time.

Sita Air and Tara Air used to operate flights to this airport during the main tourism season until a few years back. These two private airlines no longer operate flights to this airport.

Two people died and two others were injured in a road accident in Malarani, Arghakhanchi.

The accident took place early this morning when a jeep (Lu 2 Cha 2990) heading towards Khandaha from Lutipokhari lost control and fell some 200 meters down  the road in Malarani Rural Municipality-3.

The deceased have been identified as the driver of the jeep Dilip Khanal (22) and Balkrishna Rijal ( 21) of Malarani-4, according to Chief of the District Police Office, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Chakra Bahadur Malla.

The injured are 17-year-old Bhuwan Pokharel and Basanta Pokharel (17) both of Malarani-4. They are undergoing treatment at Lumbini Provincial Hospital, Butwal. 

An investigation into the incident is underway, said District Police Office Chief Malla.