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Saeed Almemari, an accomplished adventurer from the United Arab Emirates, has successfully summited Mt. Kanchanjunga—the world’s third-highest mountain at 8,586 meters.

The ascent, completed on Saturday, May 10, 2025, marked the first successful climb of the season, setting a powerful tone for the spring expedition window in Nepal. The summit was reached at 2:15 PM, after an arduous 20-hour push from Camp IV, under extreme conditions at high altitude.

Almemari, a well-known voice for sustainability and youth empowerment through adventure, called the summit experience “spiritually powerful and physically humbling.” For him, this climb wasn’t just a personal victory—it was a message to the world.

“Standing atop Kanchanjunga is not about conquering nature, but about learning from it,” he shared. “The mountain teaches your patience, purpose, and respect.”

More than just a mountaineer, Almemari has built a reputation as a climate advocate who uses his expeditions to champion environmental awareness and responsible exploration. His feet on Kanchanjunga serves as a symbolic call to action for youth across the Arab world to embrace sustainability, resilience, and global challenges.

Almemari was part of a diverse climbing team that included mountaineers from Kosovo, the UK, and Iran, supported by elite Nepali Sherpas—among them Lhakpa Temba Sherpa, Phur Sona Sherpa, and Ngima Dorchi Sherpa. The expedition was organized by Nepal’s renowned Seven Summit Treks.

“Saeed’s spirit, discipline, and respect for the mountains inspired everyone,” said Thaneshwor Guragain, expedition manager at Seven Summit Treks. “He reflects the new generation of global adventurers—resilient, collaborative, and grounded in purpose.”

A 'Trauma & Emergency Centre' is to be constructed in Dhulikhel Municipality-6, Dhulikhel. 

In this connection, Dhulikhel Hospital and Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a memorandum of understanding on the initiative of the Nepal government. 

The Japanese government would provide an additional grant of 573 million Yen for the Trauma & Emergency Centre Improvement Project in the hospital. 

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel and Japan's Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ikuina Akiko, signed the grant aid agreement at the Ministry of Finance on May 16. 

Although a grant assistance of up to 3.29 billion yen from the Government of Japan was signed in 2023 for project implementation, due to inflation and other reasons leading to financial shortages, additional grants have now been made available, as informed by the Japanese embassy in Nepal. 

The embassy stated that due to the increase in the number of patients with diseases, including those suffering from strokes and heart diseases, as well as rising use of transportation and expansion of road networks, hospitals in Nepal are facing a shortage of beds and medical equipment, leading to the provision of this assistance. 

It has been indicated that such assistance will strengthen Nepal's medical services by constructing trauma and emergency centres and related equipment in Dhulikhel, improve the quality of health and medical services, and contribute to economic growth. 

The final agreement for the construction of a 100-bed trauma center in Dhulikhel has been completed between the government and the Japanese government in the fifth phase.

Israeli airstrikes killed at least six Palestinians guarding aid trucks against looters, Hamas officials said on Friday, as the head of the United Nations warned that only a "teaspoon" of aid was getting in following Israel's 11-week-long blockade, Reuters reported.

The Israeli military said 107 trucks carrying flour and other foodstuffs as well as medical supplies entered the Gaza Strip from the Kerem Shalom crossing point on Thursday, for a total of 305 since Monday when the blockade was relaxed.

But getting the supplies to people sheltering in tents and other makeshift accommodation has been fitful and U.N. officials say at least 500 to 600 trucks of aid are needed every day.

So far, an umbrella network of Palestinian aid groups said, 119 aid trucks have got past the Kerem Shalom crossing point and into Gaza since Israel eased its blockade on Monday in the face of an international outcry, according to Reuters.

Despite the relaxation of the blockade, distribution has been hampered by looting by groups of men, some of them armed, near the city of Khan Younis, an umbrella network representing Palestinian aid groups said.

Four regular flights will operate weekly from Phaplu Airport in Salleri, the headquarters of Solukhumbu, to Kathmandu. 

Nepal Airlines has started operating four weekly flights on the route. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) informed that Nepal Airlines has run flights services on every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. 

The Phaplu-Kathmandu air services that had been halted for a protracted time due to technical glitches with the aircraft, are now back in operations. 

According to senior official of CAAN in Phaplu, Bhanu Bhakta Acharya, the resumption of flights has been made possible after the maintenance of the aircraft. 

The flight that was in operation once a week was 'grounded', which resulted in suspension of Phaplu-Kathmandu services for a long time. 

According to station chief of the Nepal Airlines in Phalpu, Tenzing Sherpa, flight services on this route had remained completely disrupted since mid-December 2024 through mid-April 2025. 

Mahesh Adhikari, a local businessperson from Salleri, said, "With the resumption of regular flights, the compulsion to travel the disaster-torn 'BP Highway' to get to Kathmandu has ended. Yet, the air service must be regular and reliable, not just temporary". 

In the past, the disruption of flights caused several complications for travel, business, emergency treatment, and essential tasks. 

Karma Sherpa, senior vice president of the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), mentioned that tourism business operators are elated about the resumption of flights in the tourist district.