News from January 24, 2025 at 2 PM

A fire broke out at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Turkey's Kartalkaya ski resort in the mountainous Bolu Province in the early hours of January 21. The local prosecutors' office announced on Wednesday that the death toll, following DNA tests, had risen to 79. Earlier, the Turkish Health Ministry reported that 51 people were injured in the fire, with 39 of them already discharged from hospitals. The hotel was accommodating 238 people at the time of the tragic incident. Turkey declared January 22 as a national day of mourning.

The Nepali government announced that it will significantly increase the climbing permit fees for the southern slope of Mount Everest starting September 1, 2025, marking the first adjustment in nearly a decade. The fee for spring climbing will rise from $11,000 to $15,000, for autumn from $5,500 to $7,500, and for winter and monsoon seasons from $2,750 to $3,750, representing a 36% increase. The permit validity will be shortened from 75 days to 55 days. The move aims to protect the Everest ecosystem, though specific plans have not been disclosed. Climbers have noted environmental changes on Everest, which experts believe may be linked to global warming.