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

Kathmandu, November 18 — 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.

Former Speaker Dhungana laid to rest

Former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana was laid to rest at Pashupati Aryaghat on Monday.

The 83-year-old, who had been undergoing treatment for liver-related issues, passed away on Sunday afternoon at the Frontline Hospital in Baneshwar.  

Dhungana is remembered as a significant figure in Nepal's political history for his contributions to democracy and the peace process.

PM Oli and Congress President Deuba meet

A meeting has taken place between the top two leaders of the ruling party.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba met on Monday evening at the Prime Minister's residence in Baluwatar.

The Prime Minister’s press advisor, Ramsharan Bajgain, has stated that the meeting was a regular one.

Twelve organizations announce protest to abolish "Koshi" name

Twelve indigenous organizations have announced a movement demanding the abolition of the name "Koshi."

At a press conference held in Biratnagar today, they unveiled various protest programs, including some aggressive measures.

The groups reiterated their previous stance to bar 85 provincial lawmakers involved in endorsing the name "Koshi" and pressurize their relatives to withdraw their signatures supporting the decision.

Additionally, they declared intentions to take action against office heads who use the name "Koshi" in official documents.

26-year-old dies from electric shock in Kalikot

A person died this morning due to an electric shock in Rara village, located in Shubakalika Rural Municipality-4 of the district.

The chief of the district police office, Deputy Superintendent of Police Tek Bahadur Rawat, informed that 26-year-old Birendra Chaulagain died from an electric shock while climbing a pole at around 8 a.m.

Rasuwa Congress leader involved in kidnapping of container driver over missing smuggled gold

A Nepali Congress district leader from Rasuwa has been found involved in the kidnapping of a container driver after gold smuggled from the Kerung border went "missing" on the way. The driver was kidnapped by a group that included Nurpusingi Tamang, the treasurer of the Nepali Congress in Rasuwa. He was arrested by the Valley Crime Investigation Office.

Nurpu, 38, is from Gosainkunda Rural Municipality-1, in Rasuwa. He, along with three others, kidnapped container driver Ram Krishna Waiba and his maternal cousin Nima Chiring Tamang, took them to Shailaja Resort in Budhanilakantha, and assaulted them. Investigators have confirmed Nurpu's presence at the crime scene.

KMC to implement waste segregation and management across all wards

Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has announced plans to implement waste segregation and management in all 32 wards of the city.  

According to the KMC's Environment Department, the decision comes in response to growing pollution at the landfill site in Bancharedanda. Transportation costs for waste collection and disposal have also risen. As a result, KMC plans to manage only segregated waste.  

To make this happen, the department will hold waste producers more accountable.

Satyaman Lama arrested for banking offense; sentenced to 2 years in prison

Police have arrested Satyaman Lama, who was sentenced to 2 years in prison for a banking offense. Lama, originally from Ward No. 6 of Temal Rural Municipality in Kavre and residing in Baluwatar, was apprehended, according to SP Nawaraj Adhikari of the Kathmandu District Police Range.  

The Kathmandu District Court had sentenced him to 2 years in prison and imposed a fine of NPR 3 million following a complaint by Ram Kumar Tiwari. The verdict was issued on April 9, after which Lama had been abscondin

Minister Shahi stresses on Nepal-Bangladesh collaboration in climate change issues

Minister for Forests and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi and Bangladesh's Minister for Forests, Environment and Climate Change, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, held a meeting here at the COP29 venue today.

During the meeting, discussions were held on various aspects of mutual interest and cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh, including in collaboration on tackling climate change issues, Under-Secretary at the Ministry, Deepa Oli said.

Earth may have had a Saturn-like ring over 400 million years ago, scientists say

Famously known for its extensive ring system, Saturn is one of four planets in our solar system that have the distinctive feature. And now, scientists hypothesize that Earth may have sported its own ring some 466 million years ago.

During the Ordovician Period, a time of significant changes for Earth’s life forms, plate tectonics and climate, the planet experienced a peak in meteorite strikes.

Nearly two dozen impact craters known to occur during this time were all within 30 degrees of Earth’s equator, signalling that the meteoroids may have rained down from a rocky ring around the planet, according to a study published September 12 in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters.

Delhi shuts schools because of smog

India's capital New Delhi switched schools to online classes Monday until further notice because of worsening toxic smog, the latest bid to ease the sprawling megacity's health crisis.

Levels of PM2.5 pollutants -- dangerous cancer-causing microparticles that enter the bloodstream through the lungs -- were recorded at 57 times above the World Health Organization's recommended daily maximum on Sunday evening.

They stood around 39 times above warning limits at dawn on Monday, with a dense grey and acrid smog smothering the 

Sri Lanka's new cabinet sworn in

Twenty-one cabinet ministers were sworn in before Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Monday morning at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

Deputy ministers will be sworn in later, it was announced at the event. After Dissanayake won the Sept. 21 presidential election, he governed with a cabinet composed of Harini Amarasuriya and Vijitha Herath.

The new cabinet ministers were chosen among the 159 members of parliament from the National People's Power (NPP) elected in the Nov. 14 parliamentary election. This is the first time a political party has won two-thirds of the majority in parliament since the introduction of the proportional representation syste

Zampa, Stoinis trounce Pakistan to seal clean sweep

Australia 118 for 3 (Stoinis 61*, Inglis 27, Afridi 1-14) beat Pakistan 117 all out (Babar 41, Hardie 3-21, Zampa 2-11) by 7 wickets

Australia signed off their T20I series against Pakistan as they played the rest of it: with a decisive seven-wicket win that also sealed the series 3-0. Pakistan limped to 117 before being bowled out in 18.1 overs, losing their last nine wickets for 56 runs.

Adam Zampa ran rings around them after the Powerplay, his 2-11 in four overs the catalyst for their collapse. Babar Azam - who top-scored with 41 off 28, had led Pakistan to a good position in the first six overs; by that time, the visitors sat relatively pretty at 58 for 1.

'The emotions will be for the end' - Nadal

Retiring superstar Rafael Nadal says he will not be distracted by emotion as he aims to help Spain win the Davis Cup in the final tournament of his illustrious career.

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, will retire from tennis after representing his nation at the men's team event in Malaga.

Spain play the Netherlands in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, but it remains unclear if 38-year-old Nadal will be fit enough to play a significant part.

The former world number one has played only seven tournaments this year after battling various injuries over the past couple of seasons.