November 15, 2024: Snapshot of today's main news

Kathmandu, November 15 — 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.

Darchula jeep accident claims eight lives

A jeep accident in Darchula has claimed the lives of eight people.

The incident occurred at 4:00 AM today in the Sirad Khola area of Shaileshikhar Municipality-5 while the jeep, bearing the registration number MA1JA 338, was en route from Malikarjun to Gokuleshwar.

According to Yagya Raj Joshi, the Chief District Officer of Darchula, six people were confirmed dead at the accident site, two more died while being treated and five others have sustained serious injuries.

President Paudel returns from COP-29 in Azerbaijan

President Ram Chandra Paudel has returned to Nepal after participating in the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP-29, held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Led by President Paudel, the Nepali delegation departed for Baku on November 10 at the invitation of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev. 

After attending the conference, President Paudel and his delegation arrived back in Nepal on Friday morning, via Doha, Qatar.

Prachanda warns against efforts to lead Nepal back to anarchy and authoritarianism

Pushpakamal Dahal 'Prachanda', the chairman of the CPN (Maoist Centre) and former Prime Minister, has stated that efforts are being made to push society back toward anarchy and authoritarianism. He made these remarks at an event held in Kathmandu on Friday.

Prachanda emphasized that anyone within their ranks who attempts to backtrack from the values and principles of the federal democratic republic they established should not be allowed to succeed.

Minister Pandey files complaint against leader Bajgain for discipline violation

Nepali Congress Deputy General Secretary and Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Pandey, has filed a complaint against Rajendra Bajgain, party leader and lawmaker from Gorkha-1, for acting contrary to party discipline.

Minister Pandey has lodged the complaint with both the party's disciplinary committee and the parliamentary party.

MP Bajgain had previously made allegations on social media, accusing the minister of receiving millions in bribes from the operator of Royal Tiger Recreation in exchange for a casino license.

Parliament begins discussion on amending CIAA Act

Discussion has begun in Parliament’s State Affairs and Good Governance Committee on the bill to amend the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) Act, 1991.

During the discussion, Minister of State for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, Purna Bahadur Tamang suggested that a photocopy of the complainant's citizenship should be mandatory when filing a complaint with the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).

Govt amends passport rules, adds AIGs to list of eligible recipients

The Additional Inspector Generals (AIGs) of the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force are now eligible to receive diplomatic passports (red passports).

The government has amended the Passport Rules, adding AIGs to the list of individuals eligible for passports. This list now includes the Additional Chief Director of the National Investigation Department and the Major General of the Nepal Army as well.

Dengue kills eight in Gandaki

Dengue has been confirmed in 18,339 people in Gandaki province in the last 10 months. The Ministry of Health of the provincial government stated that eight people died due to the disease. The first casualty of dengue was a 48-year-old man from Tanahu who died on July 25, 2024.

Since then, a 40-year-old male died due to dengue on August 6 a 52-year-old woman died on August 15 in Kaski while a 61-year-old male died in Myagdi on September 4. Similarly, four women, aged 81, 70, 75 and 26 died due to dengue in Kaski on September 6, September 18, September 30 and October 20, respectively, the Ministry stated.     

KMC demolishes unauthorized structure in Gaushala

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has used a bulldozer to demolish an unauthorized structure in the Gaushala area, located along the Ring Road.

On Friday, a team from the Metropolitan Police, along with a bulldozer, arrived at Gaushala to remove locals who had encroached upon land meant for the expansion of Ring Road and the footpath.

During the operation, there was a brief period of tension between the locals and the Metropolitan Police.

African Swine Fever confirmed in pigs in Lalitpur

 African Swine Fever has been confirmed in pigs in Lalitpur.

The Lalitpur Metropolitan City issued a statement on Friday, confirming the outbreak in pigs in the Chunikhel and Nakkhu corridors.

According to the statement, the disease was confirmed through a PCR report from the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Tripureshwar on November 10.

NOC hikes diesel and kerosene prices

The prices of diesel and kerosene have been raised.

The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) announced a price hike of 3 rupees per liter for both fuels, effective from Saturday night.

As a result, the price of diesel and kerosene will be 153 rupees per liter in Kathmandu and Pokhara, 152 rupees in Dang and Surkhet, and 150.50 rupees in other areas.

However, the prices of petrol, LPG gas, and aviation fuel remain unchanged.

Nepal begins electricity export to Bangladesh

Nepal has officially started exporting electricity to Bangladesh. Today, on November 15, the export of 40 megawatts of electricity from Nepal to Bangladesh was inaugurated.

The inauguration of the electricity export was conducted virtually by the energy ministers of three countries. With this, 40 megawatts of electricity will be exported from Nepal to Bangladesh until midnight tonight, marking the formal beginning of electricity trade between Nepal and Bangladesh.

Next phase in SEBON chair selection, unresolved by Oli and Prachanda

The government has called for interviews with three candidates for the position of Chair of the Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) on November 24.

These interviews were initially scheduled for October 4, but had to be postponed after Dr. Shiva Raj Adhikari, the convenor of the recommendation committee, fell ill.

Sri Lankan President Dissanayake's leftist coalition wins a landslide in snap election

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's leftist coalition won a landslide victory in snap legislative elections, results showed Friday, as voters repudiated establishment parties blamed for triggering an economic crisis.

Dissanayake, a self-avowed Marxist, swept September presidential elections on a promise to combat graft and recover stolen assets, two years after a slow-motion financial crash imposed widespread hardships on the island nation.

Trump picks vaccine sceptic RFK Jr for health secretary

Donald Trump has picked vaccine sceptic and former independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr as his health secretary, as the president-elect continues to build his new administration.

Kennedy, commonly known by his initials RFK Jr, has a history of spreading health information that scientists say is false.

If his nomination is ratified by the Senate, he will lead a huge agency overseeing everything from food safety to medical research and welfare programmes.

Ten dead in fire at Spanish retirement home

At least 10 people have been killed and others hurt in a fire that broke out at a retirement home near Zaragoza in north-eastern Spain, emergency services say.

The fire broke out in the town of Villafranca de Ebro early on Friday morning and local officials said more than 80 people were living in the home at the time.

The centre opened 16 years ago as a retirement home, according to local reports, but has since specialised in care for residents with mental health problems.

Tim Southee to bow out of Test cricket at end of England series

Tim Southee, New Zealand's legendary seam bowler, has announced that he will retire from Test cricket on his home ground in Hamilton next month, at the conclusion of England's tour of New Zealand.

Southee, 35, has claimed 385 Test wickets in 104 appearances to date, second among New Zealanders behind Sir Richard Hadlee (431), and is set to bring his career full circle, having debuted against England as a 19-year-old in Napier in March 2008. He will, however, make himself available for the World Test Championship final at Lord's in June if New Zealand qualify.

World Cup qualifying: Messi, Vinicius have frustrating nights as Argentina loses and Brazil draws

 Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Brazil’s Vinicius Júnior had frustrating nights in South American World Cup qualifying.

While Messi could not help his team avoid a 2-1 defeat at Paraguay, Vinicius Junior missed a second-half penalty as Brazil was held to a 1-1 draw at Venezuela on Thursday.

Argentina will remain on the top of the 10-team round robin competition with a 22 points in 11 matches, Brazil is provisionally in third place in the standings with 17 points.