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More than 50,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the war began, the territory's Hamas-run health ministry has announced, BBC reported.

That number - 50,021 - equates to about 2.1% of the 2.3 million pre-war population of the territory, or around 1 in 50 people. 

A total of 113,274 others had been injured in the same period, the health ministry said. 

Figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health (MoH) have been widely used in times of conflict and are seen as reliable by the United Nations (UN) and international institutions. But Israel has consistently refuted data published by Gaza's authorities, according to BBC.

Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that there is no possibility of the return of monarchy in Nepal.

Speaking at a program organized by the Training Department of the Nepali Congress Bagmati Province Committee here today, party President Deuba, hinting to the activities of the pro-monarchists since some days back, said former King Gyanendra Shah could not be a constitutional king.

"There is no possibility of the return of monarchy in Nepal. Gyanendra is not even a person worthy of becoming a constitutional monarch. Rather the Rastriya Prajatantra Party will make Gyanendra the party president,” he said, addressing the inauguration of a training programme for the office-bearers and members of the NC Province Working Committee here today.

The Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister suggested former King Gyanendra to open a political party if he really was interested in politics.

"Better open a party if you really want to do politics! But those joining that party will suffer a lot," he said and directed the leaders and cadres to work unitedly in favour of the republic.

NC Bagmati Province Vice-President and Province Training Department Chief Chandra Maharjan presided over the training program which was attended by party spokesperson Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, NC Bagmati Province President Indra Bahadur Baniya, Director of the party's Central Policy, Research and Training Academy Dr Krishna Prasad Poudel, Treasurer of Bagmati Province Dr Bhadra Parajuli Bhandari, Executive Director of the Central Policy Research and Training Department Dr Buddhiman Shrestha, among other leaders and office-bearers of the party.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru thumped Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets at the Eden Gardens in the IPL season opener on Saturday with fifties from Virat Kohli and Phil Salt lighting up a flawless chase. Skipper Rajat Patidar also chipped in with a brisk knock before Liam Livingstone sealed the chase with a couple of quick hits, The Indian Express reported.

A superb bowling performance led by Krunal Pandya’s 3/29 and Josh Hazlewood double strikes helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru restrict Kolkata Knight Riders to 174/8 after opting to bowl at the Eden Gardens on Saturday. 

While Ajinkya Rahane lit up Kolkata with a 25-ball fifty on his captaincy debut alongside Sunil Narine in a century partnership, RCB clawed back into the game with the slower bowlers gaining momentum through the middle-overs.

The pesticide examination laboratory set up in Harre of Bheriganga Municipality-4, Surkhet to test the quantity of pesticide residue in vegetables and fruits entering Karnali Province has been left abandoned. The laboratory remains unused as the provincial government has not managed the required funds and human resources for its operation.

The Karnali Provincial Government had constructed a building to house the pesticide testing laboratory six years ago at a cost of about Rs 7 million. However, the building has not been used yet due to lack of sufficient funds to purchase the necessary equipment for the staff and laboratory. 

According to Senior agricultural economist Chitra Bahadur Rokaya,  the Chief of Integrated Agricultural Laboratory of Karnali Province, although the laboratory building was constructed six years ago it has not been operational due to lack of budget and human resources. He said that the office has requested the line ministry to manage funds and human resources but it has not been managed so far.

The ministry has allocated only Rs 2.9 million for the operation of the laboratories in Harre and Kapurkot, Salyan. Rokaya said a budget of Rs 6.5 million was sought but less than fifty per cent was received, which is not sufficient to procure the necessary equipment and goods for the laboratories.

The office had also requested at least six employees each for the laboratories in Harre and Kapurkot but they have not been available so far.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives of Karnali Province is working to transfer funds from other headings to address the lack of funds for the operation of the laboratories, said the ministry's spokesperson, Agricultural Extension Officer Dhan Bahadur Kathayat.

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.

The weather is partly to generally cloudy in the hilly regions of the country including Koshi, Bagmati and Madhes provinces and clear the rest of the country. 

However, light rain with thunder and lightning is occurring at one or two places in Koshi and Madhes provinces. This is because the country is currently under the partial influence of a westerly low-pressure system as well as local winds, says Meteorological Forecasting Division.

Later this afternoon, the weather will remain partly to generally cloudy in Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati and Gandaki provinces and clear in the remaining provinces. There is a possibility of light rain with thunder and lightning at some places in Koshi and Bagmati provinces and at one or two places in Madhes and Gandaki provinces. There is also a possibility of light snowfall at one or two places in the high hilly and mountainous parts of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki provinces.

Tonight, the weather will remain partly cloudy in Koshi province and clear in the rest of the country. There is a possibility of light rain with thunder and lightning at one or two places in Koshi Province, as well as light snowfall at one or two places in the high hilly and mountainous regions.

The World Meteorological Day is being observed by organising a variety of activities across the world, including in Nepal. 

The day is observed at the initiative of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) commemorating the coming into force of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization on 23 March 1950. It showcases the essential contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to the safety and wellbeing of society and is celebrated with activities around the world. 

The theme for World Meteorological Day 2025 is "Closing the early warning gap together".

Issuing a statement President of WMO, Dr Abdulla Al Mandous has urged all WMO Members to intensify their efforts and achieve significant progress in closing the early warning gap together. "Through enhanced collaboration, innovation, and commitment, we can build a safer and more resilient world for all," reads the statement.

Climate change is a real and undeniable threat to our entire civilization. The effects are already visible and will be catastrophic unless we act now. Early warnings for all make economic sense. On a global scale, every US dollar invested in early warnings is estimated to result in 9 US dollars in net economic benefits, says the WMO. 

It may be noted that the WMO recently confirmed that 2024 was the hottest year on record. Changes in our environment are driving more extreme weather events. Rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones, devastating rainfall, storm surges, flooding, deadly droughts, and wildfires are on the rise. Sea levels are increasing, exposing densely populated coastal areas to coastal inundation and ocean wave impacts. The societal effects of these events continue long after the headlines fade.