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Two Indian nationals died in an auto accident at Chandrapur-5 in Rautahat on Monday.

Police said that the incident occurred when the tanker (Pradesh 2-03-001 Kha 1927) heading towards Sarlahi from Amlekhgunj hit the auto (Ja 1 Ha 4485) en route to Chandranigahapur from Nunthur last night.

The deceased have been identified as Pinku Singh (35) and Abadesh Jha (22) of Dumari, Sitamadi District, India, the Area Police Office, Chandranigahapur said.

The duo had gone to Nunthar in Chandranigahapur-1 to celebrate the English New Year.

According to police, four persons were injured in the incident. They are undergoing treatment at the Chandrapur Hospital.

Police said that they have arrested tanker driver Prabin Sah (26) of Gangapipara, Durga Bhagwati Rural Municipality-6, Rautahat for investigation.

The largest parties in the ruling coalition— Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Center)—held a discussion on sharing the National Assembly seats.

CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba among other leaders held a meeting at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar this morning.

A preliminary discussion was held on giving how many seats to which party out of 19 seats in the election to be held on January 25, a Congress leader said.

According to a source, there is a possibility that the meeting of the coalition will be held on Wednesday to share the National Assembly seats.

Nepali Congress, Maoist Center, CPN (Unified Socialist), Janata Samajbadi Party, Janamat Party, Democratic Socialist Party and Nagarik Unmukti Party are currently in the ruling coalition.

Though the Rastriya Janamorcha has not joined the government, it has been extending support from outside.

The Congress has claimed 10 seats.

Twelve political parties have applied at the Election Commission to contest the National Assembly election.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 500 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 121, 000 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 120, 500 per tola on Monday.

Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 120, 400 per tola. It was traded at Rs 119, 900 per tola.

Similarly, the price of silver has increased by Rs 5 and is being traded at Rs 1,410 per tola today.

The office of the election officer has been set up in Biratnagar in view of the National Assembly (NA) election scheduled for January 25.

The province election office is established in Biratnagar, which is the voting station for Koshi Province.

Election Officer and District Court Morang's Chief Judge, Durga Prasad Dhungel, inaugurated the election office.

On the occasion, he said all sides would extend cooperation in holding the election in a peaceful manner.

He said that discussions would be held soon with the representatives of the 12 political parties registered with the Election Commission for the purpose of the NA member election.

Election is taking place in Koshi province for two seats in the National Assembly, the upper house of the Federal Parliament.

Three hundred and sixty-seven persons, including 93 Province Assembly members and 274 mayors and deputy mayors of metropolises, sub-metropolises and municipalities, and chiefs and deputy chiefs of rural municipalities, will be voting in the election.

The United States has said that throughout 2023, the superpower worked alongside allies and partners to deliver groundbreaking achievements for peace, stability and deterrence in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III said: “In this decisive decade, 2023 will be remembered as a decisive year for implementing US defense strategy in Asia.

A press release from the Department of Defense states that the US delivered historic achievements with allies and partners to make US force posture in the Indo-Pacific region more mobile, distributed, resilient and lethal. The United States is deploying cutting-edge military capabilities right now, developing the capabilities needed to maintain deterrence in the Indo-Pacific in the future, and supporting allies and partners as they invest in their own capabilities by releasing the most-strategy-driven defense in history.  

The department said it has proposed $170bn for procurement to advance air, sea, and land power; $145bn for research, development, test, and evaluation; and $9.1bn for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative—more than ever proposed for these key lines of effort. The US is joining hands with Indo-Pacific allies and partners in ways that strengthen peace and security across the region, including by operating together like never before, the department said. 

In Nepal, the US objective is to help Nepal to increase its capacity to counter threats to its security interests and become a stable partner in a rule-based regional and international order.

South Korean opposition party leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck on Tuesday while talking to reporters in the port city of Busan, AFP reported.

Lee was walking in a crowd of journalists after visiting the site of a new airport when a man in front of him lunged and struck him in the neck, footage on South Korean television channels showed.

The 59-year-old was seen collapsing to the ground as people rushed to aid him. One man was seen pressing a handkerchief on Lee's neck.

He was "walking to his car while talking to reporters when the attacker asked for his autograph", a witness told local broadcaster YTN, adding that Lee was then struck with what "looked like a knife".

Emergency responders were seen carrying Lee into an ambulance. He was later taken to hospital on a helicopter, according to the Yonhap news agency.

The agency said he was bleeding but conscious as he was transported to the Pusan National University Hospital.

"This is an act of terror against Lee and a serious threat to democracy that should never occur under any circumstances," Kwon Chil-seung, an MP from Lee's Democratic Party, told reporters outside the hospital.

"As to Lee's condition, we are waiting for the medical staff's assessment," he added, demanding a "thorough" police investigation into the attack, according to AFP.

Police in Busan said Lee suffered a "one-centimetre laceration on his neck" and that he "remains conscious and bleeding is minor", according to South Korean news outlet Chosun Ilbo.

TV footage showed police officials wrestling the attacker to the ground. He was seen wearing a hat with Lee's name on it.

Yonhap said the assailant has been arrested.

Presidential contender

Lee lost in 2022 to conservative Yoon Suk Yeol in the tightest presidential race in South Korea's history.

Yoon expressed "deep concern over the safety of Lee Jae-myung upon hearing of the attack", his spokeswoman Kim Soo-kyung said.

 "Yoon emphasised our society should never tolerate this kind of act of violence under any circumstances."

 A former child factory worker who suffered an industrial accident as a teenage school drop-out, Lee rose to political stardom partly by playing up his rags-to-riches tale.

He is widely expected to run for president again in 2027, and recent polls have indicated that he remains a strong contender.

But Lee's bid for the top office has been overshadowed by a string of scandals.

He avoided arrest in September when a court dismissed a request from the prosecution for him to be taken into custody pending trial on various corruption charges.

Lee still faces trial on charges of bribery in connection with a firm that is suspected of illicitly transferring $8 million to North Korea.

He is also accused of breaching his duties, allegedly resulting in a loss of 20 billion won ($15 million) for a company owned by Seongnam city during his term as its mayor.

Lee has denied all allegations against him.

In August last year, he launched a hunger strike against what he called the Yoon government's "incompetent and violent" policies.

He was hospitalized because of fasting-related ailments on September 18 after not eating for 19 days.

An endangered animal, red panda, has been found dead.

The female red panda was found dead at Jaubari of Sandakpur Rural Municipality-5 in Ilam district.

Local Prajjwal Bhattarai informed that they spotted the endangered mammal while fencing the plantation area near Gauribas Road.

Mayor of Sandakpur Rural Municipality, Sabin Bhattarai, said the dead red panda has been sent to the Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Centre in the presence of livestock section of the rural municipality, Sandakpur sub- division Deuraili, Choyatar Community Forest Consumers Committee, Health Post, and the locals.

The locals informed that the open border has fomented poaching of red pandas.

The red panda is found at Jaubari, Jamuna, Choyatar and vicinity.

Although some organizations are active in conservation of red panda, it is yet to be effective, the locals complained.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, Narayan Kaji Shrestha has pledged to take action against anyone found responsible for the Balkumari incident in Lalitpur that resulted in the deaths of two youths and physical loss on Friday.

In a meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, House of Representatives today, the Minister said if anyone is proved guilty in the incident, the government will take actions accordingly.

He apprised the meeting that the government has formed a commission to investigate the incident in accordance with the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 2026 (1969), assuring of impartial and objective investigations.

"The incident is unexpected and regrettable. Anyone found responsible for the incident will be punished. The government is ready and more responsible for not letting such incidents occur," he said.

One million rupees each has been announced for the families of the victims, with efforts underway to provide them additional relief from the EPS Fund and the Foreign Employment Board, according to the Minister who pledges to provide jobs for victim's families as per their competency.