"27 October"

#13031735

27 November 2025

Former Nepali House Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara is escorted in a police van from the central jail in Kathmandu, Nepal, to the district court following a court order to release him on bail in a gold smuggling case on November 27, 2025. Former Speaker and CPN (Maoist Centre) Vice-chair Krishna Bahadur Mahara is arrested by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in connection with a gold smuggling case. The Patan High Court orders his release on a bail amount of NRs 2 million. Mahara is arrested on October 12, 2025, following fresh instructions from the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which conducts an inquiry into his alleged involvement in smuggling gold concealed inside electronic cigarettes (vapes) in collaboration with a Chinese organized group. According to police, the CIAA seeks his detention to move forward with a renewed probe into his role in facilitating the entry of smuggled gold through the vape-import channel. Mahara is questioned by the CIAA only days earlier, on October 9, 2025. Although his name surfaces in the gold smuggling case three years ago, both the District Government Attorney's Office and Nepal Police previously free him during earlier rounds of investigation. Authorities now allege that Mahara uses his political influence to help a smuggling racket bring gold into Nepal in 2022, an operation that also leads to the arrest of his son, Rahul Mahara, on suspicion of involvement. In March 2024, Mahara is arrested from Kapilvastu and brought to Kathmandu for questioning related to the case. The Kathmandu District Court later remands him to custody, but he is allowed to stay at Norvic Hospital citing health complications. A high-level government commission led by former High Court Chief Judge Dilli Raj Acharya earlier criticizes the CIB for ''intentionally avoiding'' a full investigation into Mahara and other senior officials allegedly linked to large-scale gold smuggling.

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#13031738

27 November 2025

Former Nepali House Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara is escorted in a police van from the central jail in Kathmandu, Nepal, to the district court following a court order to release him on bail in a gold smuggling case on November 27, 2025. Former Speaker and CPN (Maoist Centre) Vice-chair Krishna Bahadur Mahara is arrested by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in connection with a gold smuggling case. The Patan High Court orders his release on a bail amount of NRs 2 million. Mahara is arrested on October 12, 2025, following fresh instructions from the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which conducts an inquiry into his alleged involvement in smuggling gold concealed inside electronic cigarettes (vapes) in collaboration with a Chinese organized group. According to police, the CIAA seeks his detention to move forward with a renewed probe into his role in facilitating the entry of smuggled gold through the vape-import channel. Mahara is questioned by the CIAA only days earlier, on October 9, 2025. Although his name surfaces in the gold smuggling case three years ago, both the District Government Attorney's Office and Nepal Police previously free him during earlier rounds of investigation. Authorities now allege that Mahara uses his political influence to help a smuggling racket bring gold into Nepal in 2022, an operation that also leads to the arrest of his son, Rahul Mahara, on suspicion of involvement. In March 2024, Mahara is arrested from Kapilvastu and brought to Kathmandu for questioning related to the case. The Kathmandu District Court later remands him to custody, but he is allowed to stay at Norvic Hospital citing health complications. A high-level government commission led by former High Court Chief Judge Dilli Raj Acharya earlier criticizes the CIB for ''intentionally avoiding'' a full investigation into Mahara and other senior officials allegedly linked to large-scale gold smuggling.

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#13030902

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts dress the elephants at the nearby Territorial Defence Command in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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#13030909

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts pay respects to the late Queen Mother Sirikit in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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#13030910

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts pay respects to the late Queen Mother Sirikit in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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#13030911

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts dress the elephants at the nearby Territorial Defence Command in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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#13030912

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts dress the elephants at the nearby Territorial Defence Command in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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#13030916

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts pay respects to the late Queen Mother Sirikit in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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#13030919

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts pay respects to the late Queen Mother Sirikit in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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#13030927

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts pay respects to the late Queen Mother Sirikit in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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#13030930

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts pay respects to the late Queen Mother Sirikit in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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#13030931

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts pay respects to the late Queen Mother Sirikit in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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#13030932

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts pay respects to the late Queen Mother Sirikit in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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#13030903

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts participate in a parade to honor the late Queen Mother Sirikit in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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#13030904

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts participate in a parade to honor the late Queen Mother Sirikit in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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#13030905

27 November 2025

Elephants and mahouts participate in a parade to honor the late Queen Mother Sirikit in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27, 2025. Thai Queen Mother Sirikit dies at the age of 93 on October 24, 2025.

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