"High-level Political Forum"

#13104292

17 December 2025

The distinctive exterior of the Europa Building serves as the seat for the European Council and the Council of the European Union in Brussels, Belgium, on December 16, 2025.

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#13104293

17 December 2025

The distinctive exterior of the Europa Building serves as the seat for the European Council and the Council of the European Union in Brussels, Belgium, on December 16, 2025.

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#13104294

17 December 2025

The distinctive exterior of the Europa Building serves as the seat for the European Council and the Council of the European Union in Brussels, Belgium, on December 16, 2025.

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#13104295

17 December 2025

The distinctive exterior of the Europa Building serves as the seat for the European Council and the Council of the European Union in Brussels, Belgium, on December 16, 2025.

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#13104296

17 December 2025

The distinctive exterior of the Europa Building serves as the seat for the European Council and the Council of the European Union in Brussels, Belgium, on December 16, 2025.

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#13104297

17 December 2025

The distinctive exterior of the Europa Building serves as the seat for the European Council and the Council of the European Union in Brussels, Belgium, on December 16, 2025.

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#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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#12926411

30 October 2025

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with Polish PM Donald Tusk at the Prime Minister's Chancellery in this file photo taken in Warsaw, Poland on March, 2025.

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#12926406

30 October 2025

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with Polish PM Donald Tusk at the Prime Minister's Chancellery in this file photo taken in Warsaw, Poland on March, 2025.

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#12926407

30 October 2025

Polish PM Donald Tusk is seen during a press conference with NATO secretary Mark Rutte at the Prime Minister's Chancellery in this file photo taken Warsaw, Poland on March, 2025.

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#12926408

30 October 2025

Polish PM Donald Tusk is seen during a press conference with NATO secretary Mark Rutte at the Prime Minister's Chancellery in this file photo taken Warsaw, Poland on March, 2025.

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#12926409

30 October 2025

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with Polish PM Donald Tusk at the Prime Minister's Chancellery in this file photo taken in Warsaw, Poland on March, 2025.

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#12926410

30 October 2025

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with Polish PM Donald Tusk at the Prime Minister's Chancellery in this file photo taken in Warsaw, Poland on March, 2025.

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#12926400

30 October 2025

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with Polish PM Donald Tusk at the Prime Minister's Chancellery in this file photo taken in Warsaw, Poland on March, 2025.

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#12926401

30 October 2025

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with Polish PM Donald Tusk at the Prime Minister's Chancellery in this file photo taken in Warsaw, Poland on March, 2025.

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