SEARCH, RESCUE OF INJURED MISSING CLIMBERS RESUMES ON MANASLU Kathmandu, 24 Sept A search and rescue mission by helicopter resumed Monday morning after one of the worst accidents in the Nepal Himalaya and the first of the current autumn climbing season killing at least nine European and Nepali climbers Sunday. Bad weather aborted the mission Sunday after three in the afternoon when bad weather set in on the 8163 meters high Mount Manaslu where they were smothered by an avalanche as climbers were preparing to launch a summit bid from beyond 7000 meters second camp. Nine bodies were recovered and others have been sighted by helicopter pilots. Eighteen climbers were rescued and brought to base camp and the capital. Several climbers are still missing. MORE FORMER KING VISITING TANAHU Kathmandu, 24 Sept.: Early morning visit of former King Gyanendra was aborted Monday by a district bandh called by ruling and opposition parties who is a statement Sunday warned hisnot to engage in ‘anti-republic’ activities. The then king has received tumultuous and spontaneous welcome from people as he visited districts of Dhaulagiri and Gandak anchals demonstrating he still has a popular base He’s on a tour of six districts of the anchals. nnnn PRACHANDA AND WIFE SITA IN POKHARA Kathmandu,24 Sept.: Maoist Chairman Prachanda, accompanied by wife Sita, arrived announced in Pokhara Sunday evening. They’re staying in a hotel. The reason for their sudden visit wasn’t immediately known. nnnn PRESIDENT OBAMA GAINS ADVANTAGE AFTER A LONG FREEZE Kathmandu, 24 Sept.: In a presidential race seemingly frozen in place for months, the advantage has shifted towards President Barack Obama after a series of miscues by Mitt Romney, punctuated by the Republican challenger’s comments about people who pay no income tax, AP reports from Des Moines, USA.. Despite a continuing gray economic sky and unrest in the Mideast, the president has edged ahead of Romney in polls in some of the most competitive states, including Iowa and Virginia, and forced Romney to redouble efforts in Florida and Ohio, without which he has little chance of becoming president. The president is chosen not by popular vote but through state-by-state contests, making these battleground states especially important in a tight election such as this one. With about six weeks left before Election Day and early voting under way in some states, Romney faces a problematic map, a ticking clock and a campaign demeanour that has failed to click with many voters. Obama’s momentum did not come overnight. It built over several weeks in which Romney hit some potholes while the president made few errors and benefited from previously unseen advantages in advertising strategy and fundraising. Weeks of campaigning remain, and the three debates, starting on October 3, are the kind of events that could change the momentum again. But the race has bent towards Obama at a pivotal moment, according to public and internal campaign polls as well as interviews with leading Democratic and Republican strategists in the most closely contested states. “Months of paid media about Romney not caring about people, being out of touch ... it came into complete focus with Romney making the case against himself,” Democratic strategist Tad Devine, a top aide to past Democratic nominees Al Gore and John Kerry, said about a video that surfaced last week of Romney speaking at a private fundraiser in May. The polls show trouble rising for Romney almost everywhere he looks. He has fallen dangerously behind in Virginia and Ohio, and his ability to close in on Obama in Iowa and Wisconsin is now in doubt. The polls suggest that Romney must do more than inch his way up in a handful of states. He must win overwhelming shares of undecided voters, maximise the Republican Party’s turnout, and suppress Obama’s turnout where he can. Republican officials say it’s too early to count Romney out. “Maybe he can’t wait forever. But, today, a strong Romney effort offering good policy as opposed to the awful, failed policies of Obama ... will prevail,” said former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, a past national Republican chairman. “It’s our election to win, and stakes are too high to let it get away.” nnnn