News updates: Nepal ends solo expeditions on Mt Everest, other 8000-metre peaks

Catch all the latest news updates from around the world here

9:43 PM

PM on two-day visit to Assam from Feb 24: Himanta

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive here on a two-day visit to Assam from February 24, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday.

The PM will arrive at 5 pm to witness the record creating Jhumur dance performance by 8,000 artistes. He will also attend the inaugural session of the Advantage Assam Summit the next day, the CM said. Sarma said he was recently in the national capital to finalise the PM's visit to the state along with meeting other Union ministers to invite them for the investment summit.

9:32 PM

Argentina says it will withdraw from World Health Organisation

President Javier Milei has ordered Argentina's withdrawal from the World Health Organisation due to profound differences with the UN agency, a presidential spokesperson said Wednesday.

 

Milei's action echoes that of his ally, US President Donald Trump, who began the process of pulling the United States out of WHO with an executive order on his first day back in office on January 21.

 

Argentina's decision is based on profound differences in health management, especially during the (COVID19) pandemic, spokesperson Manuel Adorni said at a news conference in Buenos Aires.

6:48 PM

Nepal ends solo expeditions on Mt Everest, other 8000-metre peaks

The Nepal government has formally ended solo expeditions on Mt Everest and other mountain peaks above 8,000 metres by making one mountain guide mandatory for two climbers, according to revised mountaineering regulations.

 

The sixth amendment to the Mountaineering Regulation came into force on Tuesday after it was published in the Nepal Gazette, the government's official publication.

 

The revised regulations require a high-altitude support staff or mountain guide to be assigned for every two climbers for peaks above 8,000 metres, including the 8,849 metres tall Mt Everest.

 

For other mountains, the rule requires at least one guide per group, according to a notice published in the Nepal Gazette.

 

Under the previous rule, one mountain guide was sufficient for a group of climbers scaling mountains above 8,000 metres.

 

The government has made guides mandatory to ensure the climbers' safety on the mountain, said Arati Neupane, Director at the Department of Tourism. The amendment was made to minimize the risk associated with mountain climbing, she added.

6:47 PM

Sikkim govt committed to providing essential services to people: Governor

Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur on Wednesday asserted that the state government is committed to providing essential services such as roads, electricity and water to the people.

 

He was giving the inaugural address during the day-long session of the Sikkim Assembly.

 

"The government is working full-time to provide essential services such as roads, electricity and water on a priority basis to the people of the state," he said.

 

The state government has the best interest of the people in mind and various development and welfare measures are being implemented to improve the quality of life of the residents, Mathur said.

 

The governor also took the opportunity to wish Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, who turned 57 on Wednesday.

 

Mathur prayed for a long and healthy life of the chief minister and offered him sweets on the occasion.

6:47 PM

Milkipur bypoll: Over 65 per cent voter turnout till 5 pm

More than 65 per cent of the total 3.70 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm in the bypoll to the Milkipur Assembly constituency of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.

 

The voting began at 7 am and continued till 5 pm, officials said, adding those who queued up outside poll booths before that will be allowed to vote.

 

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav alleged "fake voting" and rigging by officials, but senior police officers rejected the charge and said voting is going on peacefully at all polling stations.

 

According to the Election Commission (EC), 65.25 per cent votes were cast till 5 pm, and the final poll percentage can go up with people still queued up outside booths after 5 pm.

 

The Milkipur bypoll has turned into a prestige battle between the Samajwadi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party as the seat is part of the politically significant Ayodhya district.

 

SP chief Yadav alleged that presiding officers are "fulfilling the target of fake voting" in the constituency asked the Election Commission and the Supreme Court to take cognisance of the "enemies of democracy".

6:46 PM

UK PM says Palestinians 'must be allowed home' in Gaza

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday that Palestinians "must be allowed home" in Gaza after President Donald Trump suggested the United States should take over the war-ravaged territory.

5:00 PM

Terror funding from proceeds of narcotics trade has to be curbed with rigour, says Home Minister Amit Shah

Ecosystem of terror in J-K has been weakened due to Modi government's sustained and coordinated efforts, says Amit Shah

4:38 PM

Karnataka HC issues notice to banks on Vijay Mallya's plea seeking loan recovery details

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to banks in response to a petition filed by fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya. The petition seeks a statement of accounts detailing the amounts recovered from him, United Breweries Holdings Limited (UBHL, now in liquidation), and other certificate debtors.

4:29 PM

Finance Ministry directs officers not to use ChatGPT, DeepSeek, other AI models flagging data risk concerns

The finance ministry has directed its officers not to download or use AI tools and apps such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek in office computers and devices, saying they pose confidentiality risks to data and documents. In a communication last month to all its departments, the ministry said AI tools/AI apps in office devices may be strictly avoided.

3:35 PM

Three workers die as wall at under-construction building collapses in Hyderabad

Three construction workers died and another was injured after a wall collapsed on them at an under-construction site here on Wednesday, police said. The accident occurred when the labourers were digging in the cellar of an under-construction commercial building. 

3:25 PM

US has frozen funding for UN-backed mission to quell gangs in Haiti, UN says

The US has notified the United Nations that it is freezing funding to a UN-backed mission in Haiti tasked with fighting gangs trying to seize full control of the country's capital, the UN said Tuesday. The US has been the biggest contributor to the mission led by Kenyan police, which was launched last year and is struggling with a lack of funding and personnel. The halt will have an “immediate impact” on the mission, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

3:02 PM

Majhi launches 'Bikashita Gaon, Bikashita Odisha' scheme

 Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday launched the 'Bikashita Gaon, Bikashita Odisha' (BGBO) scheme for rural infrastructure developmental projects in the state. He said the implementation of the scheme will end the divide between villages and towns and people in rural areas will get all facilities that are available in the urban areas.The chief minister launched the scheme at Jankia village, about 30 km from the state capital.

2:33 PM

Congress slams govt over 'thoughtless clearance for Teesta dam rebuild'

The Congress has opposed the Centre's reported nod to building a dam for the Teesta III hydel project in place of the dam washed away in 2023's glacial lake flood, claiming it was a "thoughtless clearance" as the threat of disaster continued to persist at the dam site. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared on X a media report that claimed the BJP's Sikkim unit chief would meet Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav later this month to raise its pitch over safety concerns surrounding the clearance to build a dam for the Teesta III hydel project.

2:22 PM

Want to see Dalits, weaker sections assume leadership position in every institution: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during an address at the birth anniversary function of freedom fighter and Dalit icon Jaglal Choudhary here, also alleged that the BJP and RSS were against the Constitution as it guarantees the rights of Dalits and the downtrodden. “There is no participation of Dalits and the downtrodden in the present power structure and institutions of the country... There is a need for a caste census across India to identify the exact number of Dalits, minorities and weaker sections of society,” he said.

1:53 PM

News update: US plane bringing back undocumented Indians lands in Amritsar

1:18 PM

Nobody paid anything to work with us: Zomato CEO's hiring update on Chief of Staff post

Zomato Founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal, who recently faced online outrage for the eligibility criteria for a Chief of Staff vacancy, said on Wednesday that the company received over 18,000 applications, with 30 candidates offered various positions. He also clarified that "nobody paid anything to work with us.

1:04 PM

Eknath Khadse meets Maharashtra CM Fadnavis

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Eknath Khadse met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the latter's residence here, a source said on Wednesday. The meeting took place at `Sagar', Fadnavis's current official bungalow in south Mumbai, on Tuesday night.

12:21 PM

Protests against Trump, Project 2025 planned in cities across US

A movement to oppose the early actions of President Donald Trump's administration is taking off online, with plans to protest across the US on Wednesday. The movement has organised under the hashtags #buildtheresistance and #50501, which stands for 50 protests, 50 states, one day. Many of the protests are planned at state capitols, with some in other cities. The movement has websites and accounts across social media. Flyers circulating online decry Project 2025, a hard-right playbook for American government and society, and include messages such as “reject fascism” and “defend our democracy.”

12:14 PM

Nearly 30% turnout recorded till 11 am in Milkipur bypoll

Nearly 30 per cent votes were cast in the first two hours of polling for the bypoll in Milkipur Assembly constituency of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 5 pm, officials said. According to the Election Commission (EC), 29.86 per cent votes were cast till 11 am.

 

12:04 PM

Erode east bypoll: Around 11 percent voting in 2 hours

 Around 11 percent of voters cast their votes in first two hours of polling in the Erode east Assembly constituency bypoll on Wednesday, an official said.

11:38 AM

Maha Kumbh 2025: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju takes dip at Triveni sangam in Prayagraj

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju takes dip at Triveni sangam in Prayagraj, says 'don't do politics on historic moment'.

11:29 AM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes holy dip at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj

PM Narendra Modi takes a holy dip at Triveni Sangam during Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.

10:55 AM

Erode east bypoll: Around 11 percent voting recorded in first 2 hours

Around 11 percent of voters cast their votes in first two hours of polling in the Erode east Assembly constituency bypoll, an official said. The polling began at 7 am and by 9 pm 10.95 percent of voters exercised their franchise, said District Collector and District Election Officer Raja Gopal Sunkara, in a press note. The election officials said a good number of men were seen in the first two hours of polling which was peaceful and without any incidents.

10:44 AM

Delhi's air quality worsens to 'very poor' category; fog, light rain expected

Delhi's air quality worsened to 'very poor' on Wednesday after seeing some improvemets in the last couple of days. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was 311 today, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Delhi's weather is expected to remain 'partly cloudy' today, according to the India Meterological Department (IMD). The day's forecast indicates a minimum and maximum temperature of 14.07 degrees Celsius and 23.41 degrees Celsius, respectively.

10:21 AM

Four-member panel set up to probe into lighting tower collapse in Ranchi

The district administration of Jharkhand's capital Ranchi has set up a four-member committee to probe into the collapse of a high mast lighting tower, resulting in the death of two women, an official said. Two women died and five others were injured after the high mast lighting tower fell on an auto-rickshaw near Ranchi.

10:20 AM

Maha Kumbh 2025: Olympian Badminton player Saina Nehwal arrives in Prayagraj

Olympian Badminton player Saina Nehwal says, "I have come to the Triveni Sangam and it is a huge festival. I am fortunate that I got the opportunity to come here. I am happy that everyone became united and showed how strong we can be.

9:57 AM

Over 3.7 million devotees take holy dip in sacred Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj today

The sacred Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj is witnessing an unceasing wave of devotion as Mahakumbh progresses with an overwhelming influx of pilgrims, saints, and Kalpvasis. By 8 a.m today, over 3.748 million devotees had taken a holy dip in the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mystical Saraswati, increasing the deep spiritual fervor surrounding the grand religious congregation. This includes more than 10 lakh Kalpvasis and 2.748 million pilgrims who arrived in the early hours to seek divine blessings.

9:42 AM

Delhi's air quality worsens to 'very poor' on poll day; fog, rain likely

Delhi is set to vote amidst the 'very poor' air quality for the Assemly elections on February 5. Delhi's air quality worsened to 'very poor' on Wednesday after seeing some improvemets in the last couple of days. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was 311 today. 

9:35 AM

After bird flu outbreak, Maharashtra village, nearby areas declared 'alert zone'

The Chandrapur district administration in Maharashtra has declared Mangli village and areas falling within a radius of 10km from it as an 'alert zone' to prevent the spread of bird flu, official sources said. The collector and chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Monday issued an order in this regard, outlining steps to prevent the spread of bird flu, they said. The movement of live and dead hen, eggs, chicken, bird feed, ancillary materials and equipment have been prohibited in the zone.

9:19 AM

Stampede in Mahakumbh caused by officials' negligence, says Yati Narsinghanand

Yati Narsinghanand Giri, the Peethadheeshwar of Shiv Shakti Dham Dasna and Mahamandaleshwar of Shri Panchdashnam Juna Akhara, on Tuesday blamed official negligence for the Mauni Amavasya stampede at the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh. He said he has written a letter in blood to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath under the banner of Shri Panchdashnam Juna Akhara. In the letter, he wrote, "The inhumane behaviour of your shameless, corrupt and insensitive officials towards Hindus on Mauni Amavasya has compelled me to write this letter."