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US President Donald Trump and his intelligence chiefs have played down a security breach that saw a journalist invited into a Signal group chat where he reported seeing national security officials plan airstrikes in Yemen, BBC reported.

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe denied at a Senate hearing that any classified information was shared in the message chain.

But Democrats on the panel rebuked the cabinet members as "incompetent" with national security.

Over at the White House, Trump was joined by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who was at the centre of the leak. The president stood by him and insisted the incident did not affect the military operation, according to BBC.

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a naval ceasefire in the Black Sea in separate deals with the US, after three days of peace talks in Saudi Arabia, BBC reported.

Washington said all parties would continue working toward a "durable and lasting peace" in statements announcing the agreements, which would reopen an important trade route.

They have also committed to "develop measures" to implement a previously agreed ban on attacking each other's energy infrastructure, the White House said.

But Russia said the naval ceasefire would only come into force after a number of sanctions against its food and fertiliser trade were lifted, according to BBC.

The country currently has witnessed partial influence of westerly winds and local winds. 

According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, the weather is partly cloudy in the hilly regions and fair in the rest of the country today. 

Light rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at one or two places of the hilly regions of Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces and light snowfall at one or two places of the high hilly and mountainous regions. 

Similarly, the weather will be partly cloudy in the hilly regions of Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces tonight. 

With chances of light rain accompanied by thunder and lightning at one or two places of the hilly regions of Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces and light snowfall at one or two places of the high hilly and mountainous regions in the next 24 hours, the Division has urged all concerned to adopt alert measures. 

Granting permits has begun for spring mountaineering this year. 

According to the Department of Tourism, a total of 58 people, including 18 women and 40 men, from eight mountaineering groups have obtained permission for climbing various peaks, including the Annapurna-1. 

Climbers from 24 countries, including Nepal, have so far taken permission for mountaineering this season. 

Department Director Liladhar Awasthi informed that granting permission for climbing during the season has begun. 

"Permission will be given for scaling the world's highest peak, Mount Everest soon", he said. 

The climbing companies are engaged in the preparation to manage Everest climbing. 

"There has been an increase in climbing related activities in the Mount Everest region lately. The climbing companies have stepped up their preparation for climbing management here", the Department director further informed. 

Spring season is considered an ideal time for climbing peaks, including Everest. A significant number of foreigners turn up here to climb the world's summit this season. 

The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) has deputed an 'icefall doctor' to make way for climbing Mount Everest in the spring season. 

The SPCC has deployed a 10-member team to construct the road from the base camp to the second camp of Mount Everest. 

Similarly, skilled climbers have recently been deployed for 'rope fixing' from the second camp to the summit of Mount Everest. 

The Mountaineering Operators' Association has deputed 10 Sherpa climbers led by Ashok Lama to fix the rope to the summit. 

IME Group and IXI Corp have jointly established the Kathmandu Technical School (KTS). The school is brought into operation with an objective of producing skilled human resources in the job market. 

Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Sharat Singh Bhandari, inaugurated the school amidst a programme organized at Dhumbarahi today. 

On the occasion, Minister Bahndari said the government has put partnership with the private sector in priority as problems of unemployment and poverty would be resolved only from the fusion of skill, employment, entrepreneurship and capital. 

"Producing technical human resources is the government's priority. The government is ready to collaborate with the private sector in skill development and producing technical human resources", he asserted.   

Similarly, President of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and IME Group Chair Chandra Prasad Dhakal said with the operation of the school, the IME Group has been moving ahead for producing technical human resources. 

He expressed the belief that the school would play a significant role to make thousands of youths self-employed. "The school was established with a target of starting a new era in technical and vocational education in Nepal. We expect that the school will have a positive contribution in employment, education, society and overall economy", mentioned Dhakal.  

Likewise, Chairperson of Kathmandu Technical School, Manoj Poudel, shared that the school would help the government's objective of producing more than 100,000 human resources in the next 10 years. 

The school would impart training related to hospitality, culinary arts, caregiving,  as well as other employment-oriented and self-employment categories.

Japan's ambassador to Nepal, Maeda Toru, today paid a courtesy call on Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Devendra Dahal. 

During the meeting held at the Minister's office in Singha Durbar, the Minister congratulated the newly-appointed ambassador Maeda for assuming the office.

He acknowledged Japan's grants, loan, multilateral assistance and technical support to Nepal for its infrastructure and human resources development, and in the conservation of environment as well as in the development of health, education and agriculture sectors.   

"We acknowledge the support and cooperation from the Japanese government, citizens, non- government organisations and universities during the natural disasters including the 2015 earthquake," the Minister said, adding that bilateral relations and cooperation with Japan is always the top priority of Nepal.  

He added that Nepal longed for taking benefits from Japan's experiences, knowledge, skills and technologies in their efforts for development in various sectors including infrastructure, industry, agriculture and hydropower.

On the occasion, the exchange of high-level visits between the two countries was recalled.

The Minister urged Japan's investors to explore opportunities in Nepal as well, pledging the security of their investment. 

He highlighted that the year 2026 will mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Nepal and Japan, and in the same year, Nepal will graduate from the category of a least developed country to a middle-income developing nation. 

Minister Dahal also expressed gratitude to the Japanese government for providing scholarships to Nepal’s government officials each year under the Japan Development Scheme (JDS). Additionally, Nepal has benefitted from Japan's Colombo Plan.

An online system has been launched to make the justice system more simple and convenient. 

The online system that is used to send notice about the hearings assigned to offices of Chief Attorney in all seven provinces by the Supreme Court and take action on special nature of complaints by District Courts was launched today.

Launching the online system, Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut shared that the justice system must be reformed and for that improvement in technology was essential.

"The justice system will be reliable, trustworthy and transparent once the online system is launched. It will also help remove irregularities and aberrations," he argued. Digitalization in the justice system was the need of the hour, CJ Raut added. 

The Supreme Court has been giving priority to the use of information technology with an objective of making judicial service easy, smooth and effective as well as to develop court as a paperless institution.

Chandra Bahadur Thapa Chhetri has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Health Insurance Board.

Minister for Health and Population Pradip Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly-appointed Chairperson Thapa at the Ministry today. He was the Board member for three years before this.

Newly appointed Chairman Thapa said that there is a plan to include all the citizens by reviewing and reforming the health insurance policy to improve health insurance.

He pledged to make the insurance claim payment process faster and transparent and to manage the insurance fund transparently and effectively, to take initiative for the approval of the permanent organization structure of the Health Insurance Board, to launch an awareness campaign about the importance of health insurance and to make the insurance programme effective by collaborating with the government, the private sector and international organizations.