October 26, 2024: Snapshot of today's main news

Kathmandu, October 26 — In this section, we present the key headlines of the day. If you have been busy and missed the news, we have got you covered. Here are the highlights.

Prachanda issues stark warning to government from the streets

The CPN (Maoist Centre), the main opposition party, demonstrated its power in Kathmandu, delivering a warning to the government. On Saturday, during a street demonstration, the Maoist Centre critiqued the government's actions and sought to clarify its own policies.

Following the protest, party leaders addressed a rally where the chief speaker, party chairman Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda, discussed the backdrop of the current coalition government, its ties to corruption, business interests, and intermediaries, as well as the future policies of his party.

 He condemned the Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) as corrupt, expressing regret for past collaborations with those parties and stating that in future elections, the Maoist Centre would proceed independently.

Bhattarai questions Balen Shah's true identity amid political speculation

Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, former Prime Minister and Chairman of the Nepal Samajwadi Party (Naya Shakti), has expressed doubts regarding Balen Shah, the Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. Despite ongoing speculation that Balen may establish a political party ahead of the upcoming elections in 2027, Bhattarai admits he struggles to grasp the true nature of Balen's popularity.

“I have yet to understand who Balen really is. He appears to be a rather enigmatic figure,” Bhattarai remarked during a discussion with editors and journalists of major media outlets in the capital on Saturday. “While his image is prominent on trucks and he enjoys considerable popularity on social media, in the context of our complex geopolitical landscape, a lack of clarity regarding his true intentions could prove perilous.”

RSP forms dialogue committee to engage with government

The Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has established a dialogue committee led by party Vice-President Swarnim Wagle to engage in discussions with the government. This decision was made during the party's central committee meeting held on Saturday.

The meeting also resolved to form a main committee to lead movements, chaired by Vice-President Dol Prasad Aryal, which will include party presidents from all seven provinces.

Additionally, the meeting condemned the government's actions against party President Rabi Lamichhane, who is currently in custody, alleging that his detention is politically motivated and aimed at exerting mental pressure under the guise of an investigation. The party has demanded his immediate release from the government.

191 people killed in natural disaster in three months

A total of 191 people have died in 10 districts of Bagmati province except the valley during the three months of the current fiscal year 2081/82 due to disasters such as floods, landslides, inundation and fires.    

According to Bagmati Province Police Office in Hetauda, of them 177 people died due to floods, landslides and inundation triggered by the heavy rainfall that took place on September 27 and 28 alone. Office spokesperson Superintendent of Police Durgaraj Regmi said 157 people died from landslides, 11 people were washed away by floods and nine people drowned in the first three months of the current fiscal year 2081/82.    

Two killed and three injured in Dang road accident

Two persons were killed and three others injured in a road accident that took place this morning in Sattale of Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City-3.

The accident took place when a passenger jeep (Ra. 1 Ja. 822) heading towards Tulsipur from Salyan fell some 300 meters below the road.

The deceased have been identified as 22-year-old Hiramani Budhamagar of Baibang in Dangisharan Rural Municipality-4 and 19-year-old Suresh Khadka of Kapurkot Rural Municipality-6 of Salyan.

Middle East latest: Israeli airstrikes hit military sites in Iran

Israel unleashed a series of pre-dawn airstrikes against military sites in Iran on Saturday, saying it targeted facilities used to make the missiles fired at Israel and surface-to-air missile locations.

The attack risks pushing the archenemies closer to all-out war at a time of spiraling violence across the Middle East, where militant groups backed by Iran — including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon — are already at war with Israel.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says the total toll over the past year is over 2,600 killed and 12,200 wounded. The fighting in Lebanon has driven 1.2 million people from their homes, including more than 400,000 children, according to the United Nations children’s agency. Israeli strikes have killed much of Hezbollah’s top leadership since fighting ramped up in September.

Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed over 42,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, who do not differentiate between militants and civilians. The Israel-Hamas war began after Hamas-led militants on Oct. 7, 2023, blew holes in Israel’s security fence and stormed in, killing some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting 250 others.

Pakistan turn it around to clinch series 2-1 after Sajid, Noman special

Pakistan 344 (Shakeel 134, Sajid 48*, Noman 45, Rehan 4-66, Bashir 3-129) and 37 for 1 (Masood 23*) beat England 267 (Smith 89, Duckett 52, Sajid 6-128, Noman 3-88) and 112 (Root 33, Noman 6-42, Sajid 4-69) by nine wickets

The wait is finally over. For the first time since 2021, Pakistan have won a Test series at home, coming back from 1-0 down to confirm a 2-1 success over England.

A comprehensive nine-wicket win on day three of the third and decisive Test in Rawalpindi arrived before lunch, achieved with so little fuss that England's victory by an innings in the opening match feels like it belongs in a different series altogether. It is only the second time Pakistan have come from behind in a series and the first time they have done so at home.

Santner takes 13 to hand India their first home Test series defeat since 2012

New Zealand 259 (Conway 76, Ravindra 65, Washington 7-59, Ashwin 3-64) and 255 (Latham 86, Phillips 48*, Washington 4-56, Jadeja 3-72) beat India 156 (Jadeja 38, Santner 7-53, Phillips 2-26) and 245 (Jaiswal 77, Jadeja 42, Santner 6-104) by 113 runs

Mitchell Santner, never more than three wickets in an innings or six in a match, bowled New Zealand to a historic win in Pune with match figures of 13 for 157, the third-best by any visiting bowler in India. He bowled 29 overs on the trot for six wickets in the second innings to go with his unbroken spell of 19.3 overs in the first innings for 7 for 53 to give New Zealand their first series win in India and India their first home series defeat since 2012.