Author: BLMS MEDIA
Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters — Nepal will issue Everest permits only to climbers with experience of scaling at least one of the Himalayan nation’s 7,000-meter (22,965 ft) peaks, according to the draft of a new law aimed at reducing overcrowding and improving safety. Nepal, which is heavily reliant on climbing, trekking and tourism for foreign exchange, has faced criticism for permitting too many climbers, including inexperienced ones, to try to ascend the 8,849-meter (29,032 ft) peak. This often results in long queues of climbers in the “Death Zone,” an area below the summit with insufficient natural oxygen for survival. Overcrowding has…
April 29, 2025ISLAMABAD – THE breakdown of ties between Pakistan and India could also be felt at the main border crossing between the two countries, as troops from both sides skipped their traditional handshakes and the ‘Friendship Gate’ mostly remained shut, even as a scaled-down beating the retreat ceremony was held on Sunday evening.But despite this, a number of citizens were seen crossing the border back into Pakistan while preparations for the ceremony were underway, something of an anomaly as crossings usually end well before the retreat ceremony begins.Following the cancellation of visas on both sides, Indian and Pakistani nationals…
WASHINGTON (AP) — An Atlanta woman whose house was wrongly raided by the FBI will go before the Supreme Court on Tuesday in a key case over when people can sue to try to hold federal law enforcement accountable. Trina Martin’s lawyers are asking the justices to revive the lawsuit she filed after agents broke down her door before dawn in 2017, pointing guns at her then-boyfriend and terrifying her 7-year-old son.The FBI team had meant to raid a different house down the street. They apologized and left, with the team leader later saying that his personal GPS had led…
The bill, backed by First Lady Melania Trump, received overwhelming bipartisan support.A ban on deepfake and revenge pornography passed the House with near-unanimous support on April 28, clearing its final congressional hurdle.The Take It Down Act passed in a 409–2 vote, with just two members voting against it.It now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk, where it is expected to collect his signature.The bill aims to criminalize the publication of nonconsensual intimate imagery, often called revenge porn, which is increasingly being generated through artificial intelligence (AI).The resulting images and videos, although fake, can appear deceptively authentic.The measure would give online…
April 29, 2025DHAKA – Amid escalating violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, Rohingyas are trespassing into Bangladesh every day, crossing the border allegedly to escape the brutality of Myanmar’s rebel group, the Arakan Army (AA).Rohingya sources said back in Rakhine State, they faced killings, enforced disappearances, torture and forced recruitment into the rebel group as human shields against junta forces and were used as forced labourers for construction works.Md Mizanur Rahman, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), said, “Currently, a large number of Rohingyas are fleeing from Rakhine State and taking shelter in various refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. Since November…
April 29, 2025BEIJING/SHANGHAI – Japanese automakers announced plans to introduce the latest Chinese technologies into their models at the Auto Shanghai motor show held in Shanghai, aiming to regain lost ground in China where electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly becoming the norm.On Wednesday, Toyota Motor Corp. announced its new “bZ7” electric vehicle (EV) will be equipped with an operating system from Chinese company Huawei. Toyota is developing the new model with an aim to launch it within a year. The automaker also unveiled a plan to appoint young Chinese people to chief engineer positions in charge of developing models for…
Steve Chen had never been in love. Last spring though, it happened. The 25-year-old met his first girlfriend in a way he couldn’t have imagined before: a livestreamed video chat.Frustrated with traditional dating and using the apps, Chen jumped on a new trend among young, single people in China. Those looking for love go into video chatrooms hosted by what’s called a “cyber matchmaker,” all while thousands of viewers watch and comment in real time.The number of single people in China over 15 reached a record-high of 240 million in 2023, according to government data. Facing a plummeting birth rate…
LONDON (AP) — President Donald Trump is pushing Ukraine to cede territory to Russia to end the war, threatening to walk away if a deal becomes too difficult — and causing alarm bells in Europe about how to fill the gap. Ukraine’s European allies view the war as fundamental to the continent’s security, and pressure is now mounting to find ways to support Kyiv militarily — regardless of whether Trump pulls out. Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of prolonging the “killing field” by pushing back on his demand that Ukraine hand over occupied…
KATHMANDU – In the heart of the Himalayas, where dreams soar as high as the mountains themselves, Nepal is drawing a new line in the snow.No longer will just any climber with ambition and a permit be able to attempt the world’s highest peak—Mount Everest. A new draft law says: Prove yourself first.The 8,848.86-metre Everest is about to get a stricter gatekeeper.According to the Integrated Tourism Bill registered in Nepal’s upper house of Parliament on April 18, any climber wishing to set foot on Everest must first have conquered a mountain over 7,000 metres.This isn’t the first time Nepal has…
Sunset view of Yarra river and Melbourne skyscrapers business office building with evening skyline in Victoria, Australia.Prasit Photo | Moment | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets traded mixed Tuesday tracking Wall Street after U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration said that it would move to reduce the impact of auto tariffs, while investors also assessed company earnings.Europe’s largest lender HSBC’s first-quarter results beat estimates on the back of robust performance of its wealth business as well as strength in its corporate and institutional banking segment.Market watchers were also closely monitoring developments surrounding trade deal negotiations between the U.S. and countries in the region.Mainland…