October 18, 2024: Snapshot of today's main news

Kathmandu, October 18 — 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.

RSP President Rabi Lamichhane arrested

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane has been arrested by the police. The president of the Rashtriya Swotantra Party was apprehended by a team from the Crime Investigation Bureau (CIB) at the party's headquarters in Bansthali.

His arrest follows the Kaski District Court granting police permission to investigate allegations of embezzlement related to the Surya Darshan Cooperative.

Lamichhane is being investigated for allegedly collaborating with Gitendra Babu (GB) Rai, the founding chairman of the Surya Darshan Cooperative, to misappropriate funds through the Gorkha Media Network.

Government is dead, I am mourning: Rabi Lamichhane

Rabi Lamichhane, president of the Rashtriya Swotantra Party (RSP), has claimed that the government is dead and he is mourning its death.

Following the issuance of an arrest warrant by the Kaski District Court, he expressed his sentiments in a Facebook post, stating that the government’s ineptitude has led to his predicament.

In his post, he questioned Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, asking, “You possess a watch worth millions gifted by a smuggler, while I am left with handcuffs? You enjoy lavish spectacles and shoes for serving intermediaries, yet I must bear the burden of legal battles?”

Opposition plans memorandum and special session over government's failure

The government has been accused of lacking seriousness regarding relief and rehabilitation for flood and landslide victims, prompting a decision to call a special parliamentary session if necessary.

During a joint meeting of opposition parties held at the Parliament building in New Baneshwor on Friday, it was resolved to submit a memorandum to the government and to convene a special session should there be no response.

Leader of the main opposition party, Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda, provided a briefing on the current political situation, the government's performance over the past three months, and the damages caused by natural disasters. Shakti Basnet, Deputy General Secretary of the Maoist Centre, stated that the meeting concluded the Oli government has been wholly unsuccessful over this period.

Nationwide Vitamin A and Deworming campaign scheduled for today and tomorrow

The Ministry of Health and Population has announced that it will administer vitamin A capsules along with deworming medication across the country today and tomorrow. This initiative is part of the national nutrition programme aimed at providing essential medicines to children.

Furthermore, the ministry encourages parents to ensure that any routine vaccinations missed within the first 15 months are received. Parents of children under the age of five are urged to visit their nearest health facility to catch up on any missed immunizations.

For additional information, the ministry advises contacting female community health volunteers, local health institutions, or the ward office.

Kulekhani–Phakhel and Sisneri–Dakshinkali roads to close for three days

The Kulekhani–Phakhel and Sisneri–Dakshinkali roads will be closed for three days. 

Deputy Superintendent of Police Shyam Aryal has announced that the closure is necessary for the installation of a hum pipe at Simkhola in Indrasarowar Rural Municipality-2, starting today. 

He has advised motorists to utilize alternative routes, namely the Hetauda–Bhainse–Palung–Kathmandu and Kanti Lokpath–Hetauda–Thingan–Kathmandu roads during this period.

Bailey bridge connecting Khurkot and Manthali nears completion

Following the flooding that swept away the bridge connecting Khurkot in Sindhuli and Manthali in Ramachhap, the installation of a Modular Panel Bridge (MPB) has reached 80% completion.

The technical team from the Nepal Army's 14th Brigade based in Gauchhar, Kathmandu, has stated that only 20% of the work remains for the installation of the temporary Bailey bridge.

The incessant rainfall during the second week of Ashwin caused flooding that partially washed away the permanent motorable bridge over the Sunkoshi River, which links Golanjor Rural Municipality-7 in Sindhuli and Ward 6 of Manthali Municipality in Ramachhap.

On Wednesday, the Nepal Army installed an MPB to reconnect Sindhuli and Ramachhap districts.

Increased demand for Platelet-Rich Plasma amid rising dengue cases

With the rising cases of dengue, a nationwide shortage of blood has begun to manifest. The Nepal Red Cross Society has stated that factors such as flooding, landslides, dengue, and the festive season are contributing to this shortage across the country, including in the valley.

Pawan Kumar Gupta, Director of the Central Blood Transfusion Service at the Nepal Red Cross Society, noted that the demand for blood has diminished in comparison to previous periods due to the Dashain and Tihar festivals.

He indicated that, due to the current surge in dengue cases, there has been an increased demand for platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Although the need for platelets is steadily growing, the influx of people returning home for the festivals has hindered blood collection efforts, making it challenging to meet the demand.

He assured that the Red Cross has an adequate supply of red blood and whole blood. However, he emphasized the necessity of fresh blood for PRP, citing a shortfall in donors.

Nepal's gold market sees record pricing

The price of gold has surged by 2,000 rupees in a single day.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers Association, the price of hallmark gold has been set at 164,400 rupees per tola (11.66 grams) today.

On Thursday, the price was 162,400 rupees. The current rate is the highest recorded to date.

Additionally, the price of silver has been fixed at 1,980 rupees per tola, up from 1,950 rupees on Thursday.

Government prepares to resume operations at Tikapur Airport

The government is preparing to resume operations at the Tikapur Airport in Kailali. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation has stated that the government is fully ready to reactivate the airport.

In a letter, the ministry has urged Tikapur Municipality to ensure proper cleaning arrangements and to close the road on both sides for the operation of the airport.

The letter, signed by Section Officer Anisha Acharya, requests the municipality to arrange for the road closure necessary for the maintenance of the airport.

Netflix raises prices as password boost fades

Netflix is starting to raise prices in some countries as growth spurred by its crackdown on password sharing starts to fade.

The film and TV streaming giant said it had already lifted subscription fees in Japan and parts of Europe as well as the Middle East and Africa over the last month.

Changes in Italy and Spain are now being rolled-out.

In its latest results, Netflix announced that it had added 5.1 million subscribers between July and September - ahead of forecasts but the smallest gain in more than a year.

The company is under pressure to show investors what will power growth in the years ahead, as its already massive reach makes finding new subscribers more difficult.

How Israel found and killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar

The Israel Defense Forces says a unit from its 828th Bislamach Brigade was patrolling Tal al-Sultan, an area of Rafah, on Wednesday.

Three militants were identified and engaged by the Israeli troops - and all were eliminated.

At that stage nothing seemed particularly remarkable about the firefight and the soldiers did not return to the scene until Thursday morning.

It was then, as the dead were inspected, that one of the bodies was found to bear a striking resemblance to the leader of Hamas.

The corpse however remained in situ due to suspected booby traps and instead, part of a finger was removed and sent to Israel for testing.

His body was finally extracted and brought to Israel later that day as the area was made safe.

Daniel Hagari, the IDF's spokesman, said his forces "didn't know he was there but we continued to operate".

He said his troops had identified the three men running from house to house, and engaged them before they split up.

The man since identified as Sinwar "ran alone into one of the buildings" and was killed after being located with a drone.

N Korea sends troops to fight with Russia: Seoul

North Korea has started sending troops to fight with Russia in Ukraine, South Korea's spy agency has said as Seoul warned of a "grave security threat".

The allegation comes a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he believed 10,000 North Korean soldiers could join the war, based on intelligence information.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called for a security meeting on Friday and said the international community must respond with "all available means".

According to the spy agency, 1,500 troops have already arrived in Russia - with anonymous sources telling South Korean media the final figure could be closer to 12,000.

Sandeep Lamichhane granted US visa

In a significant development, Sandeep Lamichhane, the prominent Nepali cricketer, has obtained a US visa, allowing him to participate in the upcoming League 2 cricket tournament.

The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) confirmed that Sandeep will depart for the United States on Friday night.

The League 2 cricket matches are set to commence on October 25.

Despite facing serious allegations of raping a minor, Lamichhane was declared not guilty by the court, which has cleared the way for his participation in the league. 

Noman Ali eight-for seals Pakistan's first home win since 2021

Pakistan 366 (Ghulam 118, Ayub 77, Leach 4-114) and 221 (Salman 63, Bashir 4-66) beat England 291 (Duckett 114, Sajid 7-111) and 144 (Noman 8-46) by 152 runs

It had been a long time coming for Pakistan, but the conclusion was swift. Noman Ali and Sajid Khan combined for the second time in the match to bowl out England and seal Pakistan's first win in a home Test since 2021. Eight wickets fell in less than two hours as England went down in a flurry of sweeps and reverse-sweeps.

Noman claimed seven of them himself to finish with 8 for 46 and 11 for 147 in the match. With Sajid, who took 7 for 111 in the first innings, picking up the other two, they became the first pair to take all 20 wickets in a Test since Dennis Lillee and Bob Massie in 1972.

Nepal draws against Bhutan in SAAF Women’s Championship

Nepal shared points with Bhutan in its first match of SAAF Women’s Championship held at Kathmandu.

The game played at Dasarath Stadium ended in a goalless draw.

 Both sides could not find the net despite multiple attempts. It is a frustrating result for the five-time runner-up Nepal.

It is the first draw for Nepal against Bhutan in the history of the tournament.