October 14, 2024: Snapshot of today's main news

Kathmandu, October 14 — 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.

Grand welcome for record-setting climbers

Nima Rinji Sherpa, who set a rare record in mountaineering, received a grand welcome at Tribhuvan International Airport. At just 18 years old, he achieved a remarkable feat by climbing all 14 mountains in the world that are over 8,000 meters tall.

He was welcomed at the airport upon his return to Kathmandu after climbing a peak in China. His journey to set a world record began in September 2022 when he climbed Manaslu, which stands at 8,163 meters.

A grand welcome was also given to Dawa Yangzum, the youngest Nepali woman to climb all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters.

Tika and Jamara rituals ongoing even today

On the day of Ashwin Shukla Dwadashi (12th day of waxing moon in the month of Ashwin), the tradition of receiving the Tika and Jamara as blessings from elders continues. 

The practice of worshiping the Navwdurga begins from Ashwin Shukla Pratipada (1st day of waxing mooin in the month of Ashwin) and continues until Nawami (ninth day of waxing moon), culminating in the Tika and Jamara ceremony that starts on Bijayadashami (10th day of waxing moon).

Relatives who live far away often visit homes to receive blessings from Bijayadashami until Ashwin Shukla Purnima (full moon day).

People's movement, traffic increasing in Kathmandu Valley after Dashain

The movement of people and vehicular traffic is gradually increasing in Kathmandu Valley with the conclusion of the Bijaya Dashami festival. The people's movement and traffic had decreased since October 10, the seventh day of the 10-day Dashain festival, the main festival of Nepalis. 

Today also, people are seen travelling to their relatives' homes to receive the Dashain tika and jamara from elders. So there is increased movement of people and vehicular traffic on the street, said Superintendent of Police Nawaraj Adhikari, the spokesman for the District Police Range Kathmandu.

According to SP Adhikari, there is more traffic on Kathmandu's roads today compared to the last few days.

30 injured in bus-truck collision in Makwanpur

A traffic accident in Manahari, Makwanpur, has left 30 people injured. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon when a passenger bus collided with a truck on the East-West Highway in Chaukitol, Manahari Rural Municipality-6.

According to the District Police Office in Makwanpur, the bus with the registration number Na 7 Kha 3120 was coming from Chitwan towards Hetauda, while the truck with the registration number Na 6 Kha 3119 was heading from Manahari to Chitwan.

Among the injured, 13 were taken to Old Medical College in Chitwan, 13 to New Medical College in Chitwan, and 4 are receiving treatment at Hetauda Hospital. The condition of all the injured is reported to be stable.

Large vehicles to operate on BP Highway starting Monday evening

Large vehicles are set to begin operating on the BP Highway from Monday evening, including trucks, following the repair work due to monsoon damage.

Bhaktapur Road Division has informed that after allowing small vehicles to ply for several days, starting today, large vehicles have been permitted to operate on the road.

Chaukidanda and Mamti Kola areas, where movement was restricted even after the road was opened, have undergone improvements until this evening, with all types of vehicles now allowed to operate, according to the division.

Contempt case against Nepal Bar President Ghimire set for October 17

A hearing date has been set for October 17 in the contempt of court case filed against Gopal Krishna Ghimire, the president of the Nepal Bar Association.

The Supreme Court has initiated this case for the first time against the Bar president through the registrar, creating a dispute between the Bar and the bench.

After the contempt case was filed, the Bar convened a meeting of its advisory committee and publicly declared its support for President Ghimire.

Following Ghimire's statement alleging that Chief Justice Bishwambhar Prasad Shrestha appointed judges through transactions at the time of retirement, the registrar of the Supreme Court, Govinda Prasad Ghimire, prepared a report citing that this statement amounted to contempt of court.

On October 1, a full meeting of the Supreme Court discussed Ghimire's statement. On that same day, a contempt case was registered based on his statement.

US-based Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson win 2024 Nobel economics prize

Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James Robinson have won the 2024 Nobel Prize in economics “for studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity”, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences says.

The award, formally known as the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, was awarded on Monday in Stockholm. It is the final prize to be given out this year and is worth 11 million Swedish kronor ($1.1m).

“Reducing the vast differences in income between countries is one of our time’s greatest challenges,” Jakob Svensson, chairman of the Committee for the Prize in Economic Sciences, said in a statement.

“The laureates have demonstrated the importance of societal institutions for achieving this,” Svensson added.

All three winners work in the United States. Acemoglu and Johnson work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology while Robinson conducts his research at the University of Chicago.

International flights to resume at Gautam Buddha Airport after long hiatus

More than three international airlines are set to operate flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa, which is the second international airport in the country.

Following the completion of construction, Gautam Buddha International Airport has been unable to host commercial international flights for a long time. However, international airlines are now preparing to begin operations.

According to the airport's General Manager, Pratap Babu Tiwari, Kuwait's Jazeera Airways, Dubai's national carrier Fly Dubai, and Thailand's Thai AirAsia are planning to operate flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport.

All three airlines have already received flight approval from the regulatory body, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. The airport has confirmed that flight schedules have been prepared accordingly.

Manakamana Cable Car to close for three days for maintenance

The Manakamana Cable Car will be closed for three days. It will be shut down for maintenance from October 15 to October 17.

Ujjwal Sherchan, the Deputy Manager of Manakamana Darshan Pvt. Ltd., stated that the closure is necessary for repairs and to reduce the cable car's sway. The cable car is scheduled to resume regular operations on October 18.

Prior to this, it was also closed for two days on October 12 (Tika) and October 13 (Ekadashi). Today, the cable car is operating for one day.

Moon race, private competition in focus as space powers gather in Milan

The world's space agencies are meeting in Milan this week as geopolitical rivalry fuels a new global race in Earth's orbit and on the moon, with heavy involvement from a private sector toiling to keep pace with Elon Musk's dominant SpaceX.

The International Astronautical Congress (IAC) since 1950 has been a venue for the scientists, engineers, companies and political leaders of spacefaring nations to discuss cooperation, even in times of heightened tensions among world powers.

This year's conference will put the space minds of two top rivals - the U.S. and China - under one roof. But Russia's space agency Roscosmos, a storied power now isolated from the West after Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, will have no official presence, highlighting the latest fault lines in space cooperation.

Israeli shelling of Gaza school kills dozens

An Israeli attack on a school used to shelter displaced Palestinians has killed at least 15 people in central Gaza, officials say.

Gaza's Hamas-run Civil Defence Agency said the site in Nuseirat camp was struck by a volley of artillery on Sunday, killing entire families and wounding dozens more.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it was looking into the reports.

Earlier, five children were reportedly killed by a drone strike while playing on a street corner in northern Gaza.

A civil defence spokesman said the attack on al-Mufti school, where hundreds of displaced people from around Gaza were sheltering, had injured at least 50 people and more than a dozen were killed.

Chinese PLA conducts joint drill surrounding Taiwan

On Monday, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command is dispatching its troops of army, navy, air force and rocket force to conduct joint military drills code-named Joint Sword-2024B in the Taiwan Straits and areas to the north, south and east of Taiwan island.

The drill serves as a stern warning to the separatist acts of “Taiwan Independence” forces, Senior Captain Li Xi, spokesperson of the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement released early Monday morning.

With vessels and aircraft approaching Taiwan island in close proximity from different directions, troops of multiple services engage in joint drills, focusing on subjects of sea-air combat-readiness patrol, blockade on key ports and areas, assault on maritime and ground targets, as well as joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, so as to test the joint operations capabilities of the theater command’s troops, Li said.

The drill serves as a stern warning to the separatist acts of “Taiwan Independence” forces. It is a legitimate and necessary operation for safeguarding state sovereignty and national unity, said the spokesperson.

Pakistan capital in lockdown ahead of regional leaders' meeting

Pakistan's capital was under strict security lockdown as Chinese Premier Li Qiang landed in the city on Monday ahead of a heads-of-government gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation this week.

Li's visit is the first by a Chinese premier to Pakistan in 11 years, Pakistan's Prime Minister's Office said. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received Li at the airport.

The government has announced a three-day public holiday in Islamabad, with schools and businesses shut and large contingents of police and paramilitary forces deployed.

Pakistan army troops will be responsible for the security of the capital's Red Zone, the location of the parliament and a diplomatic enclave and where most of the meetings will take place, according to the interior ministry.

The threat alert has been high in the South Asian nation ahead of the SCO summit, especially after the killing of two Chinese engineers and shooting to death of 21 miners.

Nigeria set to boycott Afcon 2025 qualifier in Libya

Nigeria will boycott their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Libya on Tuesday after their players were left stranded at an airport overnight.

The Super Eagles squad were due to land in Benghazi on Sunday but their plane was instead diverted to Al Abraq, which is about 230km (143 miles) away from their intended destination.

A Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) official told BBC Sport Africa the travelling contingent were “completely abandoned” and then locked inside the airport building after making arrangements to leave.

Captain William Troost-Ekong said the squad had decided not to play the game and called on his country's government "to intervene and rescue us".

Nigeria's minister of sports development senator John Owan Enoh said the main concern was the safe return of the team.

The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) said it was "deeply concerned" by reports about the situation experienced by the travelling side but denied suggestions of foul play.

Yamal leaves Spain squad with muscle strain, will miss game against Serbia

Teenage standout Lamine Yamal has left Spain’s squad after he strained a muscle in his left leg.

Yamal will miss Spain’s Nations League home game against Serbia on Tuesday.

A day after the 17-year-old forward helped Spain beat Denmark 1-0, the Spanish soccer federation said Sunday that tests indicated the Barcelona star had strained a leg muscle and was being sent back to his club to avoid “the risk of injury.”

Yamal was a key player in Spain’s triumph at this year’s European Championship.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente called up Atletico Madrid player Rodrigo Riquelme in Yamal’s place.

Barcelona’s next game is at home against Sevilla on Oct. 20 in the Spanish league.

De Decker stuns Humphries to win World Grand Prix

Mike de Decker caused a huge upset as he beat defending champion Luke Humphries 6-4 to win the World Grand Prix title.

The Belgian, a 200-1 outsider before the tournament, withstood a fightback from the world number one to triumph in his first major final.

Englishman Humphries was seeking his fifth televised ranking tournament since his first major victory, on this stage in Leicester a year ago.

But De Decker, 28, surged into a 4-1 lead and kept his cool after world champion Humphries levelled to clinch the £120,000 first prize.