Russia starts first Moscow-Pyongyang passenger flights in decades

Russia will launch direct passenger flights from Moscow to North Korea's capital Pyongyang on Sunday, Russian authorities said, as the two former communist bloc allies move to improve ties following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Reuters reported.

The start of regular flights between the capitals for the first time since the mid-1990s, according to Russian aviation blogs, follows the resumption of Moscow-Pyongyang passenger rail service, a 10-day journey, in June.

The first flight will leave Sheremetyevo airport at 7 p.m. (1600 GMT), according to the airport's timetable.

The eight-hour flight will be operated by a Boeing 777-200ER with a capacity of 440 passengers, Russia's RIA state news agency said on Sunday. It said tickets started at 44,700 roubles ($563), and the first flight quickly sold out, according to Reuters.

UK working to get aid dropped into Gaza, Starmer says

Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK is working with Jordan on plans to drop aid into Gaza by air,after more than a third of MPs signed a letter calling on the government to recognise a Palestinian state, BBC reported.

A small team of British military planners and logisticians is being made available to help Jordan get aid into the territory.

On Friday, Israel said it would allow foreign countries to deliver air supplies in the coming days amid mounting international concern about humanitarian conditions in the territory.

However, the UN and aid groups have consistently said airdrops will not get sufficient supplies into Gaza, while the falling crates can cause injury and chaos on the ground, according to BBC.

Dhorpatan receives 23,000 tourists in a year

The number of tourists visiting Dhorpatan, Nepal's only hunting reserve area, has been increasing annually. 

According to the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve Office in Baglung, the number of domestic tourists here rose by 8,000 in a year. 

Ranger Sagar Subedi of the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve Office said that 23,692 tourists visited Dhorpatan in the fiscal year 2024/25 while such number was 15,573 in the previous fiscal year. 

Among the visitors, only 12 were the citizens from the SAARC member states and 213 were the nationals from other countries while the rest of them were the domestic tourists. 

Subedi further explained that the rise in the tourist numbers is due to increased promotion of Dhorpatan and improved tourism infrastructures. He added that the increase in tourists has also boosted revenue. 

Nepali tourists visiting Dhorpatan should pay Rs 100 as an entry fee. 

More than two million rupees in revenue was collected from the entrance fees in the last fiscal year. 

The growth in tourists is also due to popular trekking routes, said Subedi. 

While foreign tourists come mainly for hunting, the domestic tourists have been visiting to explore the hunting reserve area, Dhorpatan Valley, Niseldhor, Dhorbarah Temple, Bukipatan, Jaljala, and other sites. 

Ram Bahadur Gharti, operator of Dhorpatan Community Homestay, shared that about two dozen hotels and homestays are now offering services to the visitors in Dhorpatan Valley, and tourists can conveniently reach the area by buying tour packages too.

 

Haridwar stampede: Huge crowd gathers at Mansa Devi Temple; 8 dead

At least eight people were killed and several injured in a stampede at Haridwar's Mansa Devi temple on Sunday, following a large crowd gathering at the shrine, The Economic Times reported.

The incident took place around 8.30am after a rumoured snapping of an overhead power line, which allegedly fell onto a crowded section of the walkway, triggering panic among pilgrims.

"We received reports of some people being injured, following which the police took immediate action. Around 35 people were brought to the hospital and 6 have been confirmed dead. The rest are undergoing treatment," Haridwar SSP Pramendra Singh Dobal said.

"Prima facie, the stampede was triggered by a rumour of an electric shock on stairs 100 metres down the temple route. We are investigating further," he added, according to The Economic Times.

Israel announces humanitarian pause in parts of Gaza

The Israeli military announced on Sunday a daily pause of its operations in parts of Gaza and the establishment of new aid corridors, after months of international pressure over a worsening hunger crisis spreading in the Palestinian enclave, Reuters reported.

The military said it would cease activity in Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah and Gaza City from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (0700-1700 GMT) until further notice, areas where it had not renewed ground operations since March, when it resumed its Gaza offensive.

Designated secure routes for convoys delivering food and medicine will also be in place permanently from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m., the military said.

The Egyptian state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV said on Sunday that aid started moving towards Gaza from Egypt. Hours earlier Israel began aid airdrops in what it described as an effort to ease the humanitarian conditions in the enclave, according to Reuters.

Eleven injured in stabbing at Michigan Walmart, authorities say

At least 11 people have been injured in a stabbing at a Walmart supermarket in Michigan, authorities say, BBC reported.

One suspect was in custody following the incident in Traverse City, authorities confirmed.

A nearby hospital said it was treating 11 victims. "As a result, our Emergency Department is currently experiencing a higher-than-usual volume of patients," Munson Medical Centre said on social media. Local media reports said three people were undergoing surgery.

Footage posted online shows multiple police and ambulance units in the carpark of the Walmart, according to BBC.

Dry landslide obstructs Beni-Jomsom road section

The Beni-Jomsom road section that connects Mustang district to the national highway has been obstructed due to a dry landside on Sunday. 

Vehicular movement has come to a standstill following the dry landslide that took place at Ghoptebhir area, the border of Annapurna Rural Municipality in Myagdi district and Thasang Rural Municipality in Mustang district.

Efforts are underway to resume the traffic by clearing the landslide debris, said Tej Bahadur Kumal, the Chief of the Sapma Police Post, Ghansa. 

Following the road obstruction, the direct transport network of Mustang district has been disconnected. 

Locals as well as tourists visiting Mustang district and returning from Mustang have been affected due to the road obstruction. 

People heading towards Mustang have been stopped at Kavre of Myagdi while those arriving at Myagdi from Mustang at Ghansa.

 

 

Bailey Bridge installed over Lotikhola connecting Humla and Mugu

The construction of a Bailey bridge was completed over Lotikhola in Changkheli Rural Municipality in Humla. 

The installation of the Bailey bridge was completed at a cost of around Rs 50 million. 

Formal inauguration of the bridge would be held on Tuesday. 

According to Naresh Raj Jaisi, Chief Engineer of the Infrastructure Development Office, the 42-meter-long bridge has three panels and three decks, and is situated 10 meters above the Karnali River. 

With the completion of the bridge, the local communities in Mugu and Humla districts have largely benefitted, mostly during the rainy season.

As the water level receded during winter, the heavy vehicles used to cross the river without a bridge, while a wooden bridge was built for the light vehicles. However, the people were forced to use hanging ropes (known as tuin) to cross the river after the flood in the river washed away in the monsoon. 

The new Bailey bridge has not only connected the two districts but also facilitated the mobility of people there to visit the headquarters of Changkheli Rural Municipality. 

With the installation of the Bailey bridge, the residents of three wards in the rural municipality will not have to use the tuin to cross the rivers for visiting the center of the rural municipality, said Pyarilal Shahi, Chairperson of Changkheli Rural Municipality.

She expressed satisfaction for the timely construction of the Bailey bridge thanks to the continuous efforts of the stakeholders. 

The pilgrims visiting Kailash Mansarovar from Mugu, Jumla and other districts as well as the people visiting Rara Lake from Humla now won't have to travel along Bajura district after the installation of the bailey bridge. 

The Infrastructure Development Office under the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development of the Karnali Province constructed the project in a short span of five months following an agreement in December 2024.