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Kathmandu Valley recorded 125 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 100 cases were reported in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur and Lalitpur logged seven and 18 cases respectively in the last 24 hours. 

As of today, there are 694 active cases in the country.

Nepal reported 206 new Covid-19 cases today. 

According to the Ministry, 2, 082 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 177 returned positive. Likewise, 1, 093 people underwent antigen tests, of which 29 were tested positive.

The Ministry said that no one died of the virus in the last 24 hours. The Ministry said that 45 infected people recovered from the disease.

As of today, there are 1, 005 active cases in the country.

A book titled “Rana Tharu Samudayama Prachalit Lokkatha Ra Mithak” written by journalist Indra Chaudhary was launched amidst a function in the Capital on Monday.

The investigative book was published by Nepal Pragya Pratisthan.

The book was mainly focused on the popular folk stories and myths of Rana Tharu Community who live only in Kailali and Kanchanpur districts in the far-western region of Nepal.

“Folklores are the traditional stories created by the community,” writer Chaudhary said, adding, “It has direct influence on faith, belief, culture and society.”

The knowledge and experience of one generation are passed on to another generation through this type of stories, he said. That is why, in order to safeguard the existence of human civilization and community, it is necessary to preserve it in writing, Chaudhary further said.

Though he was born in the Dangaura Tharu Community, Chaudhary said that he grew up with the people of Rana Tharu

“I got an opportunity to understand the culture, tradition, customs and rituals of Rana Tharu closely. But, the folk traditions have been vanishing at present with the influence of modernization. That is why, I think all these things should be preserved and I started collecting the folk stories,” he said.

The book has the collection of 12 stories like “Karmuo Aur Sapano,” “Sadasurka Aur Sadabircha,” “Soratha,” among others.

Likewise, the various castes, sub-castes popular in Rana Tharu Community and myths are also included in the book.

Sri Lanka's political and economic crisis escalated as protesters stormed the prime minister's office on Wednesday, demanding the country's leaders step down after President Gotabaya Rajapaksafled to the Maldives without resigning, CNN reported.

Rajapaksa had been expected to formally resign Wednesday but instead left the crisis-hit nation and appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as its acting leader, citing a section of the constitution that allows a prime minister to "discharge the powers, duties and functions of the office of president" when the president is ill or "absent" from Sri Lanka. 

Wickremesinghe was also due to formally resign "to make way for an all-party government."

The move further enraged protesters, who want both leaders to vacate their roles as the country's 22 million people struggle to buy basic goods, fuel and medicine.

Hundreds of demonstrators breached the compound of the prime minister's office in Sri Lanka's largest city Colombo on Wednesday and entered the premises, according to footage from the scene and local witnesses. 

The grounds have now been taken over by protesters who are gathering in celebration, following a standoff with armed police at the gates of the property.

People could be seen on the balcony of the property, lighting firecrackers and waving the Sri Lankan flag, according to witnesses.

Demonstrators outside demanded that neither the President nor the Prime Minister "be spared."

This follows months of escalating anger over the economic crisis, with Rajapaksa accused of high-level corruption and mismanagement that ultimately bankrupted the country.

As demonstrators took to the streets, acting President Wickremesinghe appointed a committee of senior armed forces commanders headed by the Chief of Defense Staff Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva to "restore law and order" in the nation, a high-ranking military official told CNN Wednesday, according to CNN.

Wickremesinghe declared a state of emergency across Sri Lanka and a curfew on Wednesday only to later cancel both orders, according to the prime minister's office. 

In Colombo, a handful of protesters also entered the premises of state broadcaster Sri Lanka Rupavahini on Wednesday, negotiating a "deal" with broadcast staff to not give airtime to politicians such as Wickremesinghe.

At the prime minister's office, demonstrators waving the Sri Lankan flag thronged the building and celebrated on the balcony of the property after a standoff with the police, according to eyewitnesses and footage from the scene, CNN reported.

Nepal reported 125 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday.

In the last 24 hours, Kathmandu recorded 100 cases and Bhaktapur and Lalitpur reported seven and 18 cases respectively.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 2, 082 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 177 returned positive. Likewise, 1, 093 people underwent antigen tests, of which 29 were tested positive.

The Ministry said that no one died of virus in the last 24 hours. The Ministry said that 45 infected people recovered from the disease.

As of today, there are 1, 005 active cases in the country.

A massive fire broke out at Bhrikutimandap in Exhibition Road, Kathmandu on Wednesday.

According to Dinesh Mainali, spokesperson at the District Police Office, Kathmandu, the fire broke out at a godown of wheelchairs this afternoon.

"The fire broke out at 3 pm. Fire engines of Lalitpur and Kathmandu are trying to extinguish the fire," he said.

The reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 59. 54 points to close at 1,986.82 points on Wednesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index plunged by 12. 42 points to close at 381.37 points.

Meanwhile, a total of 5,787,126 unit shares of 225 companies were traded for Rs 2. 04 billion.

In today’s market, all sub-indices saw green. Life Insurance topped the chart with 170. 34 points.

Meanwhile, Nepal Finance Limited and Reliance Finance Limited were the top gainers today, with their price surging by 10 percent. Everest Bank Limited Con. Pref was the top loser as its price fell by 9. 99 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalisation stood at Rs 2. 83 trillion.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba completed his one year in office on Wednesday.

On the occasion, the government made public the list of achievements it made in one year.

He was appointed the Prime Minister on July 13, 2021 by the mandamus order of the Supreme Court which overturned then KP Sharma Oli’s decision to dissolve the House.

The Prime Minister’s Secretariat has made public 42 achievements that have been accomplished by the Deuba government in his one year.

The government has become successful in ending political instability and misgovernance, in taking the country ahead in a democratic method, holding the local level elections on time and administering Covid-19 vaccines to all eligible citizens, the Secretariat said.

In the report released on the occasion of its 100-days, the government said that it adopted a foreign policy based on national interest to strengthen ties with all the countries and made an arrangement for the treatment of those injured in the various movements.

Similarly, the Secretariat said that the government has announced a monthly allowance of Rs 5, 000 to patients with kidney and spinal injuries and decided to provide a one-time payment of Rs 10,000 each for 500,000 poor house households.

Likewise, the government has endorsed the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), decided to provide old age allowance under the social security program from the age of 68, started farmers' pension program, decided to provide 98 types of medicines free of cost to the people under the poverty line and increase salary of civil servants by 15 percent.

The government said that it decided to withdraw the State Partnership Program (SPP) and started selling electricity to India among others.