Manange sentenced to five years for murder

The Supreme Court has sentenced Deepak Manange, a member of the Gandaki Provincial Assembly, to five years in prison for murder. The verdict, delivered on Tuesday by the bench of Justices Nahkul Subedi and Tek Prasad Dhungana, upholds a previous ruling by the Patan High Court.

The Patan High Court had sentenced Manange to five years in prison in 2078 BS. In 2061 BS, Manange and his associates were charged with attempting to kill Chakre Milan, leading to this case.

Nepal Airlines to start Bhairahawa-Dubai flights

Nepal Airlines is set to begin Bhairahawa-Dubai flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport starting Friday, Nov 8. According to Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Information Officer Gyanendra Bhul, the airline will operate a Kathmandu-Bhairahawa-Dubai-Kathmandu route, with flights departing from Kathmandu at 9:30 pm on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and from Bhairahawa to Dubai about 30 minutes later.

In addition to Nepal Airlines, three other international carriers—Fly Dubai, Jazeera Airways, and Thai Air Asia—are scheduled to operate flights from Bhairahawa. Thai Air Asia will commence flights on Nov 8, Fly Dubai on Nov 9, and Jazeera Airways on Nov 10.

"Currently, four airlines, including Nepal Airlines, are ready to operate from Bhairahawa," said Bhul, noting that Qatar Airways, Air Arabia, and other international airlines are also preparing to begin services from Gautam Buddha International Airport in the near future.

PM Oli unwell

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is reported to be unwell, according to his secretariat, which confirmed he developed a fever on Tuesday. Prime Minister Oli's Press Coordinator, Ram Sharan Bajgai, stated that blood samples have been sent to the lab for further testing. "After the report comes, the rest will be known," Bajgai told ApEx.

Despite his condition, Prime Minister Oli continued with official duties, holding a meeting with Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal on Tuesday. According to the Prime Minister's Secretariat, the meeting involved discussions on contemporary issues. Further updates on his health are awaited following the lab results.

Court extends Lamichhane's detention by 10 days

District Court Kaski Judge Chandrakanta Paudel's bench on Tuesday ordered Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane, arrested on charges of cooperative fraud on Oct 18 to be kept in detention for 10 more days for investigation, after District Police Kaski had initially requested a 25-day extension.

This marks the third extension in the investigation period for Lamichhane. Previously, the court extended the deadline by six days and then by seven days, with the last deadline set to expire on Oct 30. The additional 10-day deadline, granted today, will be counted from Oct 30.

Lamichhane was arrested at the RSP party office in Banasthali, Kathmandu. RSP leader Deepak Bohora noted that Lamichhane was unable to celebrate Bhai Tika this year while in custody, but received blessings via a photo from two of his sisters and well-wishers.

Bohora also shared that Lamichhane has been occupying his time in detention by reading various books. In the wake of Lamichhane's statement, police are conducting further investigations into other individuals associated with him.

Gold price drops by Rs 2,800 per tola

The price of gold has decreased by Rs 2,800 per tola (11.66 grams) in the domestic market today.

The Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association has determined the price of hallmark gold at Rs 168,200 per tola today. It was Rs 171,000 per tola on Oct 31. 

Similarly, silver is being traded at Rs 2,030 per tola today. Earlier, it was Rs 2,090 per tola. 

Boeing strike ends

Boeing workers have voted to accept the aviation giant's latest pay offer, ending a damaging seven-week-long walkout. Under the new contract, they will get a 38 percent pay rise over the next four years.

Striking workers can start returning to their jobs as early as Wednesday, or as late as 12 November, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) union says. The walkout by around 30,000 Boeing workers started on 13 September, leading to a dramatic slowdown at the plane maker's factories and deepening a crisis at the company.

IAM said 59 percent of striking workers voted in favour of the new deal, which also includes a one-off $12,000 bonus, as well as changes to workers' retirement plans. "Through this victory and the strike that made it possible, IAM members have taken a stand for respect and fair wages in the workplace," union leader Jon Holden said.

The union had previously called for a 40 percent pay increase and workers had rejected two previous offers from the company. "While the past few months have been difficult for all of us, we are all part of the same team," said Boeing's chief executive Kelly Ortberg. "There is much work ahead to return to the excellence that made Boeing an iconic company."

In a sign of how seriously the White House took the strike at one of the country's most important companies, acting US Labor Secretary Julie Su flew to Seattle last month to help with negotiations. Boeing has been trying to shore up its finances and end the strike, which has now cost it nearly $10bn, according to consulting firm Anderson Economic Group.

In October, its commercial aircraft business reported operating losses of $4bn for the three months to the end of September. Last week, the firm launched a share sale to raise more than $20bn. It came after warnings that a prolonged strike could lead to downgrades of Boeing's credit rating, which would make it more expensive for it to borrow money.

Last month, the firm said it would lay off around 17,000 workers, with the first redundancy notices expected to be issued in mid-November.​​​​​​​ The latest crisis at Boeing erupted in January with a dramatic mid-air blowout of a piece of one of its passenger planes.​​​​​​​ Its space business also suffered a reputational hit after its Starliner vessel was forced to return to Earth without carrying astronauts.

Agencies

Two Interpol fugitives arrested in Cambodia, returned to Nepal

Two individuals wanted under Interpol's red corner notice for defrauding over 40 Nepali citizens have been apprehended in Cambodia and repatriated to Nepal, police report.

Binu Shakya of Mankha, Sindhupalchowk, and Sujan Acharya of Triyuga Municipality-10, Udayapur, were accused of swindling Rs 52m by falsely promising foreign employment opportunities in Singapore. Interpol’s Cambodia bureau, in coordination with Nepal Police, facilitated Shakya's arrest, confirmed Deputy Inspector General Dan Bahadur Karki, spokesperson for Nepal Police.

The red corner notice, issued on 2 Feb 2024, following Nepal Police's request, led to the suspects’ detention on Sept 17. Acharya was brought back to Nepal on Oct 25, while Shakya has now been handed over to the Police Circle, Kalimati, for further legal action.

Tear gas fired at RSP protest in Pokhara

Police have fired tear gas at the RSP protest in Pokhara when the cadres of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) tried to break the restriction area.

The cadres of RSP organized a protest while Rabi Lamichhane, the former chief of Gorkha Media Network and Chairperson of RSP, was brought to court for extending remand on Tuesday.

After Lamichhane's arrest, RSP leaders and cadres have been protesting, saying that there is political bias.