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The Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES) staged a protest in front of the President’s Office on Monday, in a bid to prevent the abuse of presidential powers to grant reprieve to criminals under Article 276 of the Constitution. The demonstrators demanded a serious investigation to check if financial manipulations influenced the process of granting presidential pardons.

Article 276 of the Constitution states that the President may, in accordance with law, grant pardons, suspend, commute or remit any sentence passed by any Court, judicial or quasi-judicial body or administrative authority or body.

President Ramchandra Paudel, acting on a recommendation from the Council of Ministers, had remitted the term of Yograj Dhakal ‘Regal’, a murder convict doing a 20-year term, on the occasion of the Constitution Day. 

Recent presidential moves, including this particular pardon, have raised concerns among the public, including human rights campaigners. 

The protesters displayed placards pointing out that the recent pardon was an act of injustice against the victim and the family. They also wanted to know if the high office wants to boost public faith in the democratic republic or spread hatred through such moves. 

The placards also displayed messages calling one and all not to glorify murder and violence and to expose crimes that the state has committed in the name of granting amnesty. Through their placards, the protesters also sought to drive the point home that there can be no amnesty for heinous crimes, including murder.

From among the protesters, police arrested 11 people—founder president of HURPES Krishna Pahadi, president Ramkrishna Baral, advisor Uttam Pudasaini, general secretary Renuka Paudel, treasurer Kiran Dhakal, secretary Chandramani Banjara, central member Diwakar Pudasaini, Kathmandu Branch president Bhagwan Pudasaini, rights activists Rita Adhikari, Madhu Pudasaini and Lakshman Pudaisaini.

An alleged gangster and the then president of Tarun Dal Banke-3, Regal used to ‘extort transporters’ operating buses between Nepal and India. Regal had killed Chetan Manandhar at a hotel in Surkhet Road area on 13 July 2015, per court verdicts. On 24 April 2018, a bench of Banke district court judge Bishnu Subedi had convicted Regal as the mastermind behind the crime and sentenced him to 20 years behind bars.

Regal, at large after the murder, had surrendered before the court after police launched a series of encounters against gangsters.

Manandhar’s family had objected to the presidential move and his wife, Bharati Sherpa, had moved the apex court stating that convict Regal’s release against the Constitution.

The Supreme Court then had ordered the government to furnish written clarifications within seven days regarding the case.

The Office of the President, Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, Ministry of Home Affairs and District Administration Office, Banke have been made the defendants in the case.

Responding to a writ from Bharati Sherpa, the victim’s wife, a bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma had ordered the government to provide security to the victim’s family and the authorities to submit to it copies of all relevant decisions related to the case and ordered the Attorney-General to appear in the court in person on the day of the hearing.

Minister for Foreign Affairs NP Saud has urged people not to visit Israel individually or politically except in case of official decisions at the political level.

His statements come in the wake of wars between Hamas and Israel.

The minister made this statement while informing the Foreign Relations and Tourism Committee of the House of Representatives about the attacks in Israel by Hamas and the situation of Nepalis in war-torn Israel.  

Saying the situation in Israel is sensitive following Hamas attacks, he urged people not to politicize this situation.

"The situation is sensitive. So, people are requested not to visit Israel at person or political levels except in case of political decisions. We should not politicize this situation."

In the meeting, lawmakers praised the Government of Nepal for its rescue of Nepali people trapped in Israel. They also suggested the government continue rescue efforts.

Foreign Minister NP Saud has said that continuous efforts are being made to keep Nepalis, who are at risk in Israel, in a safer place.

During a meeting of the International Relations and Tourism Committee of the House of Representatives held in Singha Durbar on Tuesday morning, Minister Saud said that 55 Nepalis have been relocated to a safer place with the help of Israel government on Monday.

He said that initiatives are being taken to keep other students, who are at risk, in a safer place.

Minister Saud said that 55 Nepalis—32 of Sudurpaschim University and 23 of Agriculture and Forest Science University—who have been taking refuge in a risky area in comparison to the southern part of Israel, have been relocated to a safer place.

He said that arrangements have also been made to keep some Nepalis, who are staying in the farm houses in the northern region, in the bunkers in a safe way.

Minister Saud further said that online registration has been started to collect details of the Nepalis, who want to return to Nepal, from the Nepali Embassy and more than 200 have been received so far.

The Minister said the aircrafts of Nepal Airlines and Himalaya Airlines are on standby to carry out rescue operations.

According to Minister Saud, coordination and facilitation are being made with the government of Israel to identify the actual situation of Nepalis and to rescue them.

Around 4,500 Nepalis are currently employed as caregivers in Israel. Additionally, there are 265 Nepali students studying there as part of the ‘Learn and Earn’ program of the Israeli government, Foreign Minister Saud had said in the Parliament meeting on Sunday.

Ten Nepali students enrolled in educational institutions in the southern region of Israel have lost their lives in the attack by Hamas on Israel.

According to Nepali Ambassador to Israel Kanta Rijal, the deceased have been identified as Narayan Prasad Neupane and Ashish Chaudhary of Kailali, Ganesh Kumar Nepali of Bajhang, Dipesh Raj Bist and Lokendra Singh Dhami of Darchula, Anand Sah of Dhanusha, Rajesh Kumar Swarnkar of Sunsari, Rajan Phulara of Doti, Padam Thapa and Prabesh Bhandari of Salyan.

Dhan Bahadur Chaudhary from Tikapur, Himanchal Kattel from Gorkha, and Bidhan Sejuwal from Salyan were injured in the attack. They are receiving treatment at a local hospital. Reports suggest that one of the injured is in a critical condition. A person is still missing.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 300 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 108, 900 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 108, 600 per tola.

Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 108, 400 per tola. It was traded at Rs 108, 100 per tola.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1, 340 per tola.

Two infants died after being stung by hornets at Dhaune Village in Kushe Rural Municipality-1, Jajarkot.

The deceased have been identified as nine-month-old Nirjala and three years old Sushmita, the daughters of Bir Bahadur Singh.

Bijuli Singh, the grandmother of the two, was injured in the hornet sting, chief of Talegaun Health Post Sher Bahadur Basnet said. 

According to Basnet, Nirjala died on the way to the health post on Monday while Sushmita breathed her last on Sunday evening.

The trio were stung by the hornets while they were heading towards the field.

The Socialist Front Nepal has decided to organize cadres' assemblies in all 11 districts of Gandaki Province.

A meeting of the Front's Province Coordination Committee held on Monday decided to form the District Coordination Committees within a week and organize the assemblies to disseminate Front's messages. The Coordination Committee shall have two leaders from participating parties, CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (Unified Socialist), Janata Samajwadi Party and Nepal Communist Party.

Maoist Center's Gandaki Province Committee Chairperson and Front's Gandaki Province Coordinator Gayatri Gurung said that the Maoist Center would take a lead for the assemblies in Gorkha, Syangja, Myagdi and Manang districts. 

Likewise, CPN (Unified Socialist) will coordinate the assemblies to be held in Kaski, Mustang and Parbat while Janata Samajwadi is responsible for such meetings in Nawalpur and Lamjung districts.

Gurung said that the Party and Nepal Communist Party will coordinate the meetings to be organized in Baglung and Tanahun districts.

Likewise, the Front's meeting has expressed grief over the demise of Nepali students in Israel and has asked the government to ensure speedy rescue and relief to the stranded ones.

At the invitation of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres is arriving on a four-day official visit to Kathmandu on October 13.

It has been learnt that Secretary General Guterres will fly directly to China from Nepal on October 16.

During his stay in Nepal, he is scheduled to call on President Ram Chandra Paudel and Prime Minister Dahal. He will also hold meetings with leaders of various political parties.

According to a source, he will also hold a meeting with conflict victims.

The world record climber and mountain guide, Tenzen Sherpa (Lama), has gone missing in an avalanche at Mt Shishapangma (8,027 meters) of Tibet, China.

American national Gina Marie Rzucidlo has also gone missing along with Sherpa in the avalanche that occurred on Saturday in Shishapangma, the world's 14th tallest peak, according to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

Issuing a press release today, the Ministry said that the whereabouts of both climbers is still unknown.

Similarly, information was received that Karma Gyalzen Sherpa, Mitra Bahadur Tamang and Kami Rita Sherpa, have been critically injured in the avalanche, reads the statement.

The Ministry has been taking necessary efforts to carry out a search for the missing ones and some of the climbers were rescued and are receiving treatment.

The Ministry and the entire mountaineering sector are shocked from the news about the missing of the renowned world record keeper climber Sherpa and the American climber.

According to the Ministry, guide Mingmar Sherpa and US national Anna Gutu were found dead in the avalanche, who went missing in the avalanche on October 7, on the same day.