October 13, 2024: Snapshot of today's main news

Kathmandu, October 13 — In this section, we present the key headlines of the day. If you've been busy and missed the news, we’ve got you covered. Here are the highlights.

Dashain travelers begin returning to Kathmandu

Those who left Kathmandu to celebrate Dashain have started returning gradually.

The usual quietness of Kathmandu, which is deserted from Fulpati onward, is beginning to show signs of life.

Transportation operators had estimated that around 2 million people would leave Kathmandu this year, but only about 1.3 million have actually done so.

On Sunday, at the New Bus Park in Balaju, people who had left Kathmandu for Dashain were seen returning to the capital as soon as the Tika concluded.

Araniko Highway reopens for one-way traffic

The Araniko Highway at 50 Kilo in Panchkhal Municipality-8, Kavrepalanchok, has been reopened for one-way traffic following a landslide caused by dry debris that previously blocked the road.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Min Bahadur Ghale from the Kavrepalanchok District Police Office confirmed that the road has been operational since 9 AM today.

The road was initially blocked in both directions due to the landslide, but with coordination from local authorities and the road department, and with the help of a JCB, the debris was cleared, allowing for one-way traffic.

Dhaulagiri mishap: Bodies of five Russian climbers still unrecovered

The bodies of five climbers who lost their lives during the ascent of Dhaulagiri mountain have still not been recovered after a week.

The bodies of the five Russian climbers were found at an altitude of 7,100 meters, but retrieving them has proven difficult due to adverse weather conditions and challenging geography. Bharat Shrestha, Deputy Superintendent of Police at the Myagdi District Police Office, informed that attempts to bring the bodies down from Dhaulagiri have been unsuccessful.

"There were five bodies found in a location where helicopters cannot land and where it is difficult for people to reach," he said. "Due to the bad weather and challenging terrain, our efforts to collect and retrieve the bodies from the site have not succeeded."

Tika and jamara offerings continue on Papankusha Ekadashi

The tradition of receiving the tika and jamara (barley sprouts) as offerings from elders continues today on the day of Papankusha Ekadashi, the 11th day of waxing moon in the month of Ashwin.

From Ashwin Shukla Pratipada (1st day of waxing moon) to Nawami (9th day of waxing moon), the worship of Nawadurga was performed, and the process of applying tika and jamara, which began on Bijaya Dashami (yesterday), continues till Kogajrat Purnima (full moon day).

Relatives living far away often return home to receive blessings during the period.

Dengue and viral fever surge in Tanahun

The number of patients suffering from viral fever and dengue has risen in the Byas Municipality area of Tanahun. Patients are being treated on the floor of the hospital due to a lack of beds.

In this hospital, which has a capacity of 15 beds, around 400 patients with fever come for treatment daily. Shanti Raman Wagle, chairman of the Damauli Hospital Management Committee and head of the District Coordination Committee in Tanahun, reported that the increase in patient numbers has resulted in a shortage of beds.

“We have to treat patients on the floor; due to the lack of space, we cannot admit them properly. The number of dengue patients has increased unexpectedly,” he stated.

Nepal receives only 1.5 trillion of 4 trillion foreign investment commitments

Over the past 15 years, Nepal has received foreign investment commitments exceeding NPR 4 trillion, yet only NPR 1.5 trillion has been realized. From the fiscal year 2008/09 to 2023/24, the total commitment amounted to NPR 406.49 billion.

According to data from Nepal Rastra Bank, only 37.01% of these commitments have materialized as actual foreign investment. 

The highest investment commitments during this 15-year period occurred in the fiscal year 2014/15, while the lowest commitments were recorded in 2011/12, despite a substantial amount of investment being realized that year. In 2011/12, commitments totaled NPR 7.38 billion, with actual investment reaching NPR 9.1954 billion, equivalent to 128.8%.

In 2014/15, the investment commitment was NPR 67.455 billion, but the actual investment that year was only NPR 4.3826 billion, representing just 6.5% of total commitments.

SpaceX arms catch Starship rocket booster back at the launch pad

SpaceX pulled off its boldest test flight yet of the enormous Starship rocket on Sunday, catching the returning booster back at the launch pad with mechanical arms.

Towering almost 400 feet (121 meters), the empty Starship blasted off at sunrise from the southern tip of Texas near the Mexican border. It arced over the Gulf of Mexico like the four Starships before it that ended up being destroyed, either soon after liftoff or while ditching into the sea. The last one in June was the most successful yet, completing its flight without exploding.

This time, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk upped the challenge and risk. The company brought the first-stage booster back to land at the pad from which it had soared seven minutes earlier.

The launch tower sported monstrous metal arms, dubbed chopsticks, that caught the descending 232-foot (71-meter) booster.

“The tower has caught the rocket!!” Musk announced via X. “Science fiction without the fiction part.”

Israeli bombardment in northern Gaza; UN peacekeepers attacked in Lebanon

 Palestinians in northern Gaza described heavy Israeli bombardment Saturday in the hours after airstrikes killed at least 22 people, as Israel warned people there and in southern Lebanon to get out of the way of offensives against the Hamas and Hezbollah militant groups.

In Lebanon, the U.N. peacekeeping force said its headquarters in Naqoura was hit again, with a peacekeeper struck by gunfire late Friday and in stable condition. It wasn’t clear who fired.

It occurred a day after Israel’s military fired on the headquarters for a second straight day. Israel, which has warned peacekeepers to leave their positions, didn’t immediately respond to questions.

Bangladesh records highest daily spike of 9 dengue deaths this year

Bangladesh on Saturday reported nine more deaths from dengue, the highest daily spike this year, bringing the death toll to 210 since January.

The deaths include 47 so far this month after 80 in September.

The country's Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) also reported 915 new confirmed cases of dengue in the last 24 hours till 8:00 a.m. local time Saturday, raising this month's total tally to 10,872.

The DGHS has recorded 41,810 dengue cases so far this year.

Djokovic denied 100th title as Sinner wins in Shanghai

Novak Djokovic missed the opportunity to claim the 100th title of his stellar career as Jannik Sinner won a high-quality Shanghai Masters final.

World number one Sinner, 23, continued his dominant form this season with a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 victory over the 37-year-old Serb.

Djokovic was aiming to become only the third man - after Jimmy Connors (109) and the watching Roger Federer (103) - to chalk up a ton of titles.

"I have got to keep striving to make it happen somewhere in the near future," said 24-time major champion Djokovic, whose only title this year has been the Olympic gold which had been eluding him.

"It's not a live-or-die type of goal for me, I think I've achieved all of my biggest goals in career.

"Right now it's really about Slams and about seeing how far I can kind of push the bar for myself."

Pakistan drop Shaheen, Naseem alongside Babar for next two Tests

Pakistan have made big changes to the squad for the second and third Tests against England. In addition to Babar Azam - whose omission ESPNcricinfo reported on Sunday - Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah are also out. A PCB statement said it had "taken into account the current form and fitness of key players" before leaving out the three players for the remaining two Tests.

The decision to leave out arguably Pakistan's three highest-profile players is little short of stunning. Pakistan's chastening innings defeat after the first Test - following which captain Shan Masood criticised the bowling performance - was expected to result in several changes, though Masood and head coach Jason Gillespie called for continuity and asked players to be backed. However, the newly formed selection committee, announced on Friday, has gone the other way.