OCT 28: 6 things to know by 6 PM today
Trishuli death toll rises to 30 (Update)
The death toll of Dhading bus accident has reached to 30. Nine women, 11 men and six children are among the dead, according to SP Dhruba Raj Raut of Dhading District Police Office. The ill-fated bus, Na 4 Kha 1467, was heading to Kathmandu from Rajbiraj of Saptari, skidded off and plunged into the Trishuli River at 6 am today. The police have recovered identification of 12 dead. According to area police office Gajuri, 14 among those injured are undergoing treatment at Gajuri Hospital while two others have been hospitalized at Trauma Center in Kathmandu. The rescue work is still underway.
Left alliance against democracy, country: NC leaders
Senior leaders of ruling Nepali Congress have said that the recently forged alliance of leftist parties was against the democracy, country and Nepali Congress. Speaking in a program organized by the Nepali Congress Kaski district committee to welcome newcomers to the party on Saturday, NC leaders argued that the alliance was formed to impose communist dictatorship in the country. Prime Minister and NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba addressing the program urged all democratic forces for unity to overcome challenges facing democracy.
Just weekend things
Upcoming elections likely to cost between Rs. 20 - 25 billion
Upcoming elections are likely to cost between Rs. 20 to 25 billion, former Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Shanta Raj Subedi said. The amount is thrice as much as what the government spent in local level polls. During local polls divided into three phases, the government spent more than Rs. 6.5 billion. The Election Commission said that most of the amount goes into security management.
Home Ministry urged to provide one million rupees to bereaved family
The Home Ministry is to be requested to immediately provide cash compensation of Rs one million to the family of Naresh Thapa of Arjundhara-11 Jhapa who was killed in police firing Friday. An all-party meeting held today over the death of the 30-year-old Thapa in the firing agreed to request the Home Ministry for the compensation. As per the agreement of the meeting, the Birtamod Municipality and the District Coordination Committee, Jhapa will provide Rs 25,000 each to the bereaved family while the family will receive Rs 10,000 from the Birtamod Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Spain takes over Catalonia, fires defiant separatist leaders
Spain took formal direct control of Catalonia on Saturday, on paper firing the region’s defiant separatist government a day after lawmakers passed a declaration of independence for the prosperous northeastern region. But there was no immediate sign if top Catalan officials were intending to obey or if they would resist the sacking and throw the region into further turmoil by prolonging a month-long standoff with central authorities. The move came after one of the most tumultuous days in the country’s recent history, as the national parliament in Madrid approved unprecedented constitutional measures to halt the secessionist drive by the regional parliament in Barcelona.
