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Interpol said on Wednesday that a six-day international police operation against human trafficking had led to more than 2,500 arrests and the rescue of over 3,000 potential victims. The operation, called ‘Liberterra II’, took place between Sept 29 and Oct 4 and was the largest-ever operation against human trafficking and people smuggling by the global law enforcement organization. People rescued included minors forced to work on farms in Argentina, migrants in nightclubs in North Macedonia, people forced into begging in Iraq or to serve in private households across the Middle East, Interpol said.

Raids led to the rescue of “3,222 potential victims of human trafficking and identified 17,793 irregular migrants,” it said. In addition to police raids, authorities also reinforced strategic border points, monitored nearly 24,000 flights and deployed officers to known trafficking and smuggling hotspots, said the organization based in Lyon, France.

Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the US Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.

With a win in Wisconsin, Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency.

The victory validates his bare-knuckle approach to politics. He attacked his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, in deeply personal—often misogynistic and racist—terms as he pushed an apocalyptic picture of a country overrun by violent migrants.

The coarse rhetoric, paired with an image of hypermasculinity, resonated with angry voters—particularly men—in a deeply polarized nation. As president, he’s vowed to pursue an agenda centered on dramatically reshaping the federal government and retribution against his perceived enemies.

“It’s a political victory that our country has never seen before,” Trump told a victory party in Florida.

Vice-president Kamala Harris, who only entered the race in July after President Joe Biden dropped out, ran a centrist campaign that highlighted Trump’s inflammatory messaging and use of openly racist and sexist tropes.

But his apocalyptic warnings about immigration and championing of isolationism found their mark with voters battered by the post-Covid economy and eager for a change from the Biden years.

The campaign pointed to a nail-bitingly close contest, but the results came surprisingly fast, delivering a crushing victory that included wins in the swing states of Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Trump is the first president in more than a century to win a non-consecutive second term.

He is also the only person to be elected as a convicted felon—he will face sentencing in a New York court for fraud on Nov 26.

Already 78, Trump is on course to break another record as the oldest-ever sitting president during his four-year term. He will surpass Biden who is set to step down in January at the age of 82.

The US dollar surged and bitcoin hit a record high while most equity markets advanced, with traders betting on a victory for Trump as the results rolled in.

But turmoil likely lies ahead.

Trump’s victory comes with his promise of radical policy shifts—not just at home but also abroad, where his unrestrained isolationist and nationalist ‘America First’ stance is likely to have enormous consequences.

He has repeatedly suggested he would end the conflict in Ukraine by pressuring Kyiv to make territorial concessions to Russia, and his threat of mass deportations of illegal immigrants has stirred deep concern in Latin America.

He also returns to the White House as a climate change denier, poised to dismantle his predecessor Biden’s green policies and jeopardize global efforts to curb human-caused warming.

Even before Trump’s stunning victory was fully confirmed, foreign leaders rushed to send congratulations.

AFP

All 2024 election polls are now closed, leaving voters to wait and see whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris will win a historic presidential election.

By winning North Carolina, Trump could reach the 270 electoral vote threshold by carrying Georgia and Pennsylvania or by carrying Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin. He also can win by carrying Wisconsin and Arizona, as well as other combinations involving Nevada.

As midnight approached on the East Coast, the Harris campaign turned off its projected broadcasts of CNN at its election night watch party at Howard University. Instead, various high-energy remixes blared from speakers alongside floodlights flickering in tempo to hype the crowd.

The cheers in the crowd had become less frequent as more results came in from battleground states showing a tight race or victories for Trump.

Some attendees began leaving the event though the vast majority of rallygoers remained. It is unclear if Harris will make an appearance at her alma mater.

AP

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 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.

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.

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.

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.