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Five people have been killed in two separate explosions in Iran which local officials and state media say were caused by gas leaks, BBC reported. 

One person was killed and 14 injured in a blast at a residential building in the southern city of Bandar Abbas on the Gulf coast, a local official told Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency.

Another explosion killed four people in the south-western city of Ahvaz, the state-run Tehran Times reported, according BBC. 

More than 200 people have been killed in a mine collapse in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, rebel authorities have said, BBC reported. 

The mine, in the town of Rubaya, gave way on Wednesday due to heavy rains, Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesman for the North Kivu region's rebel governor, told reporters. At the time, the death toll remained unclear.

Women and children were among those mining coltan - a mineral used to manufacture electronics such as smartphones and computers - at the time, according to BBC. 

At least 32 people have been killed in a wave of Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, according to local authorities, BBC reported. 

The civil defence agency, which is operated by Hamas, says children and women were among those killed. It added that in one attack, helicopter gunships hit a tent sheltering displaced people in the southern city of Khan Younis.

Palestinians have described these strikes as the heaviest since the second phase of the ceasefire, brokered by President Trump in October, came into effect earlier this month, according to BBC. 

A second woman is alleging that she was sent to the UK by Jeffrey Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, her lawyer has told the BBC.

The encounter allegedly occurred at the former prince's residence, Royal Lodge, in 2010. The woman, who is not British, was in her 20s at the time, according to BBC. 

The woman's lawyer, Brad Edwards from the US firm Edwards Henderson, said that after spending the night with Andrew, she says she was also given a tour of Buckingham Palace and tea.

Simrik Air has added a new helicopter to its fleet.

The company said that it has added an Airbus H125 (AS350 B3E) helicopter to its fleet to further strengthen its operational capabilities in high mountainous and remote regions. 

The company stated that the helicopter with call sign 9N-AOO will officially begin operations from January 30, 2026.

With the latest addition, Simrik Air’s fleet now comprises four helicopters, including three Airbus H125s and one Bell 505 Jet Ranger X.

According to the company, the expanded fleet will enable the company to provide effective services to government agencies, tourism and trekking companies, diplomatic missions, non-governmental and international organizations, private sector, and emergency service providers, including hospitals with the addition of the new helicopter. 

An unidentified person shot dead a man near a postal highway in Siraha on Friday afternoon. 

The deceased has been identified as Premnath Yadav (40) of Siraha Municipality–1.

Yadav was killed while working on his farm that lies about 1.5 kilometers away from the district headquarters. 

The police said he sustained a gunshot wound to the chest and died on the spot.

Spokesperson of the District Police Office, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramesh Bahadur Pal said that a police team immediately reached the scene after receiving information about the incident, and an investigation is underway. Yadav was engaged in agriculture.

Police have not yet identified the assailant or determined the motive behind the killing. 

According to police, the attacker fled the scene following the incident.

Security has been heightened along border areas in Siraha and at major checkpoints. 

The lifeless body has been kept at Province Hospital, Siraha, for postmortem.

Over 400, 000  people across 12 local levels in Sarlahi district will be given medicines to prevent elephantiasis following a rise in infection in the area.

The District Health Office, Sarlahi aims to provide anti-elephantiasis drugs to a total of 430,941 people, covering about 80 percent of the total population in the 12 affected local levels. 

The District Health Office, Sarlahi has launched a special campaign after the lymphatic filariasis infection was found to be spreading rapidly in several local levels. 

The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division at Teku, Kathmandu, in coordination with the World Health Organization had conducted the test last October by dividing 20 local rural municipalities of the district into two groups.

Balara Municipality, Ramnagar Rural Municipality, Dhanakaul Rural Municipality, Basabariya Rural Municipality, Chakraghatta Rural Municipality, Godaita Municipality, Bishnu Rural Municipality, Koudena Rural Municipality, Malangawa Municipality, Brahmapuri Rural Municipality, Parsa Rural Municipality and Haripurwa Municipality were put into a group and testing was conducted.

Out of 300 samples collected from local levels such as Balara, Chakraghatta and Brahmapuri, 28 cases of elephantiasis were confirmed.As the infection continues to spread, the local public health authority decided to administer preventive medication. 

Earlier last Wednesday, the Office organized an interaction program as a part of its special campaign on elimination of elephantiasis.

Dr Sashi Badel of the Division said although elephantiasis can cause serious damage to the body, it can be preventable if medicines are taken regularly on time.

President Ram Chandra Paudel is embarking on an official visit to Japan from February 1-4, leading a Nepali delegation.

He will leave for Japan on a Nepal Airlines plane on February 1 and is visiting Japan at the invitation of the Japanese government on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Nepal-Japan diplomatic relations, said Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai.

The President is scheduled to return home on February 4. 

During the visit, President Paudel is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Japan's Emperor Naruhito at Tokyo-based Imperial Palace on February 3. 

Similarly, President Paudel and Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae will hold a meeting on the same day, added Rai.

President Paudel will participate in the special welcome program to be organized by the Japanese government in the context of celebrating the 70th anniversary of establishment of Nepal-Japan diplomatic relations on February 2.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Horii Iwao, will pay a courtesy call on President Paudel.

President Paudel is also scheduled to participate in a meeting with the Japanese Business community.  

According to the Foreign Ministry, the President will attend a reception to be organizes in his honour by Nepali Embassy in Japan. 

President Paudel will be accompanied by his spouse Sabita Paudel and high-level government officials.