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A fire that tore through a shopping centre in the Iraqi city of Kut has left dozens dead and injured, state media has reported, BBC reported.

The blaze at the mall, which had reportedly opened five days ago, broke out on Wednesday night and has since been brought under control.

Medical officials quoted by news agency AFP said 55 people died in the fire, with rescuers still looking for missing people.

"A tragedy and a calamity has befallen us," regional governor Mohammed al-Miyahi said, adding that legal action would be brought against the shopping centre's owner, according to BBC.

The Kavrepalanchowk road section along the BP Highway is to remain closed for 12 hours at night for a month.

The District Administration Office, Kavrepalanchowk has confirmed the closure of traffic from Kavrebhanjyang to Nepalthok, the border with Sindhuli, for one month, bearing in mind the increased risk of landslides and floods during the active monsoon season.

The closure will be enforced from 5 pm to 5 am, said Chief District Officer of Kavrepalanchowk, Umesh Kumar Dhakal.

Previously, a meeting of the inter-district coordination committee of Kavrepalanchowk, Sindhuli, and Ramechhap districts had decided to close the highway from 6:30pm to 5 am, beginning on June 21.

In the past week alone, floods and landslides have already disrupted this section four times.

The devastating flooding caused by unseasonal downpours in September 2024 had significantly damaged the BP Highway, particularly from Chaukidanda of Kavrepalanchowk to Barshekhola of Sindhuli. An eight-kilometre section was swept away by the flood.

Of the total 160-km highway, 34 kilometres on the third section from Khurkot to Nepalthok of Sindhuli and 50 kilometres on the fourth section from Nepalthok to Dhulikhel of Kavrepalanchowk were damaged at various locations.

Contracts have begun for restoring the highway in four sections, it has been said.

As the shortest route connecting the Kathmandu Valley with eastern Nepal, the highway sees the movement of thousands of vehicles each day.

Tikapur Municipality has prohibited the use of plastic bags effective from today.

Mayor Ram Lal Tharu said they were active in the campaign of making the municipality a plastic- free zone for the past two months. He urged the local political parties, business community, different organizations, journalists and social workers to prohibit the use of plastic products.

Mayor Tharu shared that Rs 1,000 will be fined against the seller of plastic bags and against those violating the municipality's decision for the first time, Rs 3,000 for the second time and Rs 50,000 for the third time.

Similarly, for the first time, Rs 10 would be fined against those using plastic bags, Rs 50 for the second time and Rs 100 for the third time.

Likewise, the municipality would fine Rs 2,000 for the first time against those producing plastic bags, Rs 4,000 fine for the second time and Rs 6,000 for third time.

Mayor Chaudhary expressed commitment to strictly implement this decision.

A convicted prisoner was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Thursday morning in Patna, police said. The assailants barged into the private hospital and shot dead the convicted prisoner, Hindustan Times reported.

The incident took place in the Shastri Nagar police station area near Raja Bazar, where the assailants entered the victim’s private room and fired multiple bullets before fleeing the scene.

Patna SSP Kartikey K Sharma confirmed that the deceased has been identified as Chandan Mishra alias Chandan Singh, a history sheeter of Shahabad range-cum-gold robbery. The police have recovered multiple bullet shells from the crime scene, according to Hindustan Times.