Nepal

Political parties hiding information, violating law: Ex‑Chief Election Commissioner Thapaliya

Summary:
Former Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya said political parties are flouting the Political Parties Related Act by hiding information and not implementing required rules. Speaking at a Kathmandu interaction on the 10-year review of constitution implementation, he criticized parties for failing to submit asset declarations: central party office-bearers must file property statements within 60 days of election, but none of the parties have enforced this provision. He added that parties send letters to the Election Commission claiming they filed declarations, yet the commission has no right to access party offices to verify. Thapaliya warned that such evasions harm national development, good governance and institutional progress. He urged finalizing and passing the pending law so debates can move from creating rules to enforcing them, stressing that strong, institutionalized parties are essential for the country’s prosperity.

Archive: https://archive.md/dx6sy

Summary:
The Nepal Supreme Court rejected a petition seeking to bar naked Naga sadhus from entering the Pashupatinath temple area during Mahashivaratri, ruling that nudity in religious devotion is not automatically obscene. The bench held that nudity and obscenity are distinct: obscenity is judged by context, purpose and social acceptability, and nudity tied to religious, artistic or medical contexts is not obscene. The court found no legal rights violations and noted longstanding tradition of naked ascetics at Pashupatinath; it added that existing laws can address any illegal acts. The petition’s complaint about public resources spent on hosting sadhus was also dismissed as not a sufficient legal ground.

Archive: https://archive.md/4JlMX

Summary:
Vintage Himalayan Bar & Restaurant opened on South Broadway in Denver in the former Gennaro’s Cafe Italiano space; owners emphasize Nepali identity and will serve Nepali-focused dishes alongside some Indian, Himalayan and American bar-food items (burgers, wings). They expect the large bar to draw longtime neighborhood patrons once the liquor license is fully active.

The piece situates Vintage Himalayan in a broader local trend: more restaurants in the Denver area are explicitly branding as Nepali rather than lumping themselves under “Indian.” Examples mentioned include Mantra Cafe (Broadway/Golden Triangle), Nepali Spice (Aurora), Gundruk (Lafayette), and Rocky Mountain Momo (Englewood).

The article explains why the distinction matters: many Americans historically conflated South Asian cuisines, but growing Nepali immigration and community organization in Colorado has increased awareness of Nepal’s distinct culinary and cultural identity. Colorado’s Nepali population and other Nepali-speaking communities (including Bhutanese refugees and Tibetan/Sherpa-linked groups) help boost visibility.

Nepali dishes highlighted that differ from typical Indian fare: momos (steamed/fried dumplings), chow mein prepared with Nepali spices, mustang allo (garlic-herb potatoes with timur/Nepali Sichuan pepper), and other regional specialties often absent from Indian-dominant menus.

Community leaders like Binisha Shrestha have worked to raise Nepali cultural presence via museum exhibits and public programming, contributing to the shift toward restaurants explicitly identifying as Nepali.

Archive: https://archive.md/8xH5m

Summary:

• Nepal and Vietnam marked 50 years of diplomatic relations during a visit by Vietnamese Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan to Kathmandu.
• President Ramchandra Paudel and Vice President Xuan discussed expanding economic, cultural and technological ties, highlighting opportunities in trade, tourism, investment, agriculture, manufacturing and hydropower. Paudel noted Buddhism as a strong cultural link and Lumbini’s importance for Vietnamese pilgrims.
• Xuan urged building a broader cooperation framework through 2030, aligning with Nepal’s middle-income goal for 2030 and Vietnam’s high-income target for 2045. She praised Nepal’s role on peace and climate issues.
• Leaders agreed to soon hold the first Bilateral Consultation Mechanism to discuss trade, investment, connectivity and possibly a direct air link. Nepal’s foreign minister and other officials sought Vietnamese support to initiate flights to Gautam Buddha International Airport (Bhairahawa) and Pokhara International Airport.
• The visit included meetings with President Paudel, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav; Xuan returned to Hanoi the same day. Both countries emphasized continued cooperation in multilateral forums like the Non-Aligned Movement and Group of 77.

Archive: https://archive.md/b9PJm

Summary:
Schools in many rural districts of Nepal are facing a severe shortage of subject teachers—especially in mathematics, science and English—forcing schools to rely on underqualified or lower-level teachers to cover higher-grade classes. Repeated vacancy announcements in places such as Gulmi, Kapilvastu, Bardiya and remote Karnali districts often draw no applicants; some schools advertised the same post up to 15 times with no success.

Consequences:

• Lower teaching quality and increased workload for existing staff.
• Students’ performance suffers (large numbers failing SEE, with math a major problem).
• Federal grants meant for hiring remain unused in some schools.

Causes:

• Few graduates choose teaching careers after studying technical subjects; many seek jobs abroad or in urban government posts.
• Licensing requirements (BEd/teaching license) and preference for urban postings deter applicants for rural positions.
• Even when candidates are hired, retention is low as teachers move to better posts.

Officials’ data and remarks:

• Teachers Service Commission data show low pass rates in subject recruitment exams (very low for science, English, maths).
• Education officials and school leaders report attempts to recruit through extra pay, volunteer posts, borrowing teachers from nearby schools—often temporary and unreliable.

Impact:

• Widening rural–urban education quality gap, increasing parental anxiety about children’s futures.
• Persistent vacancies at primary, lower-secondary and secondary levels threaten long-term educational outcomes in remote areas.

Archive: https://archive.md/mKG61

Summary: Deaths & cases: Three people died (found dead on arrival) and rapid tests confirmed 93 cholera cases; about 300 people sought treatment at various health facilities, with many seriously ill and roughly two dozen in intensive care.

Locations affected: Cases concentrated in Birgunj Metropolitan City—especially wards 3, 11, 12, 13 and 16. Narayani Hospital and Terai Hospital reported 32 cases combined; National Medical College reported 12. Several private clinics and hospitals also treated patients.

Likely causes: Health officials attribute the outbreak to contaminated drinking water and poor sanitation, worsened by prolonged water scarcity and drought; unsafe water sources and inadequate hygiene infrastructure are recurring problems linked to diarrhoeal outbreaks.

Disease severity & response advice: Cholera is highly infectious and can cause severe diarrhoea and vomiting leading to rapid dehydration and death if untreated; experts stress patients must seek hospital care immediately rather than trying home remedies.

Public-health implications: The outbreak highlights gaps in government preparedness and long-term neglect of water, sanitation and hygiene. Authorities call for awareness campaigns, improved water and sanitation management and early treatment. The report notes this is the country’s largest cholera outbreak since the Jajarkot incident.

Archive: https://archive.md/iKikY

"Thousands of Nepali engineers in Japan"

Summary:

• A Japanese citizen, Yositaka Izumi, has been honored by Nepalese ministers (Deputy PM & Minister for Urban Development Prakashman Singh and Minister of Labour Sarata Singh Bhandari) for his contribution in bringing Nepali engineers to Japan and providing training and employment.
• Izumi’s company, iMac Engineering in Tokyo, started recruiting Nepali engineers about 13 years ago; the total number of Nepalis sent to Japan for work and training has reached about a thousand.
• He brings Nepali engineers without charging them any fee; instead, he provides airfare and necessary support. He avoids taking engineers who pay to go, believing paid placements increase financial stress and harm work performance.
• Nepalis are favored by Japanese employers because they learn Japanese quickly, respect Japanese culture, and are seen as loyal and hardworking; Japan faces labor shortages and low birth rates, increasing demand for foreign technical workers.
• Starting with the first recruit Danny Shakya, the program expanded as more Nepalis proved capable and committed. iMac also opened an Engineering Service Center in Kathmandu to create opportunities for returned workers and to transfer skills back to Nepal.
• Entry-level engineers in Japan can earn around NPR 224,000 monthly, with better pay and benefits as experience grows; those who perform poorly risk deportation, but diligent workers find many opportunities.
• At 75, Izumi is influenced by Switzerland’s industry and believes Nepal has potential beyond tourism—technology and industry can grow if trained Nepali engineers bring skills back.
• Officials praised Izumi’s vision and commitment, saying these opportunities help build Nepal’s future workforce and support national development.

Archive: https://archive.md/p2cAi

How the State contributes more to the deaths of kidney patients than the illness itself

Summary:

Article context: Interview-based feature about Dhirendra Sinal’s book Bhuktamaan, which documents his and his family’s struggles with Nepal’s healthcare system after his wife died from kidney disease.

Core message: Nepal’s healthcare system is failing patients — especially those needing long-term, high-cost care like kidney disease — and the state’s policies and practices contribute to avoidable suffering and deaths. Sinal says it’s not just the illness but the state that is killing kidney patients.

Why he wrote Bhuktamaan: As a journalist and rights activist, Sinal wanted to question state accountability and highlight gaps between promised services and what ordinary citizens actually receive. The book title (Bhuktamaan) reflects people’s lived suffering under state inaction.

Main themes in the book:

• Health system bias: Services favor policymakers and elites; claimed “free” services are often inaccessible in practice.
• Financial burden: Even when services are nominally free, indirect costs (travel, tests, delays) push patients toward expensive private care or cross-border treatment (India).
• Centralization: Specialized services (nephrology, dialysis) are concentrated in Kathmandu; many regions lack specialists despite having machines.
• Bureaucracy and gatekeeping: Needing multiple recommendations/clearances (ward, district health, administration) delays care; limited dialysis slots create long waits and deaths.
• Provider behavior and management: Poor attitudes and weak management undermine available free services.
• Gender disparity: In kidney transplants, roughly 80% of recipients are men while donors are mostly women; women get lower priority for receiving organs.
• Regional inequity: Patients from far districts face heavy non-medical costs that make the “free” promise hollow.
• Systemic critique: The state both collects taxes and charges patients, functioning like a trader rather than a service guarantor.

Personal angle: The book interweaves Sinal’s personal grief, the emotional difficulty of writing about his wife’s illness and death, and his long process of drafting and revising the manuscript over about a year.

Expected impact: Sinal doesn’t claim the book will immediately change policy but believes literature can spark debate, create ideas, and act as a mirror to society’s health-sector failures.

Archive: https://archive.md/kmThP

Summary:
A Kathmandu Post article (Aug 24, 2025) documents how denial of birth registration in Nepal is blocking thousands of children from basic rights and opportunities.

Key points:

• Cases: Teenagers like Rabindra (17) and Hikmat (22) were denied school admission and jobs because they lack birth certificates and citizenship, after parents who migrated and died never registered vital events.
• Causes: Administrative rigidity and bureaucratic hurdles at local ward offices; officials often insist on documentary proof of parental origin or fear legal repercussions, despite laws and regulations allowing local officials to act as informants when parents are absent.
• Legal context: Nepal’s constitution and international commitments guarantee every child the right to registration and identity. The National Identity Card and Civil Registration Act and related regulations include provisions to register children even without parents’ documents, but practice is inconsistent.
• Scale: Rights advocates estimate thousands—possibly several hundred thousand historically—lack citizenship; the National Child Rights Council has hundreds of pending applications alone. Past studies and reports (FWLD 2013; US State Dept 2023) show millions lack citizenship documents.
• Consequences: Without registration/citizenship people are excluded from education, higher studies, voting, jobs, financial services, land rights, social protection, and disaster relief; statelessness perpetuates across generations.
• Proposed responses: Activists call for a systematic, empathetic approach: clearer Cabinet/agency directives, a national database of undocumented people, proactive registration at place of birth, training for local staff, and policy changes to end legal ambiguity. Authorities acknowledge problems and say orientations are underway but note implementation challenges at local levels.
• Urgency: Achieving SDG 16.9 (legal identity for all by 2030) and national targets requires changing bureaucratic mindsets, eliminating ambiguity, and ensuring every child born in Nepal receives immediate registration.

The article highlights the human cost—young lives curtailed by lack of documentation—and urges the state to translate constitutional and international commitments into consistent, accessible practice.

Archive: https://archive.md/0IGYE

National Assembly Unanimously Passes Citizenship Amendment Allowing Descent Through Mother

Summary:
Rastriya Sabha (National Assembly) passed the Nepal Citizenship (Second Amendment) Bill unanimously after receiving it with message from the House of Representatives. Key points:

• The bill, introduced earlier by Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, was passed in the National Assembly and will be returned to the House of Representatives with a message before being sent to the President for certification.
• After presidential certification and publication in the gazette, the law will come into force.
• The amendment allows children to obtain citizenship using the mother's name as the lineage basis (previously, legal gaps made this difficult). The Home Minister described this as a historic step that recognizes the mother as lineage and ensures no citizen is deprived of citizenship.
• The bill was first registered in the House on Magh 15, 2081 BS and passed by the House on Asar 14, 2082 BS. Lawmakers discussed and supported the changes; several MPs (including Krishna Bahadur Rokaya, Renu Chand, Gopal Bhattarai, Puja Chaudhary and others) participated in the debate.
• Under the new provision, children may obtain citizenship certificates using either the mother’s or father’s name, in line with constitutional intent not to deprive any citizen of citizenship.

(Article published on Bhadra 6, 2082.)

Archive: https://archive.md/oxrJh

Cooperative Bank Board Members Found Violating Law; NRB Conducts On-site Inspection

Summary:

• Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) conducted an on-site inspection of National Cooperative Bank and found that five directors were holding positions in violation of the Cooperative Act, 2074.
• Last year NRB intervened and reduced the bank’s board size from 13 to 7 members. Despite that, several directors were serving on more than one cooperative board at the same time, which the law forbids.
• The specific directors named as violating the Act are former chair Ramesh Prasad Pokhrel and members Vishwanath Mandal, Parvati Thapa Magar, Vijaya Dhital, and Kalibahadur Mahtara. Pokhrel has been remaining as “outgoing” chair even after two changes of chairpersons.
• The Act’s clauses cited: Section 41(5) (one person cannot be director of more than one cooperative at the same time) and Section 44(g) (a person serving as director of another cooperative cannot remain in office).
• NRB’s inspection is nearly complete; the inspection team will finalize a report after queries with the bank. NRB officials say the violations will be corrected through the inspection process and subsequent instructions.
• The article notes ongoing governance and irregularity concerns at the cooperative bank, and NRB’s continued supervisory interventions (including the earlier board-size reduction). The inspection report is expected within the coming month.

Archive: https://archive.md/ZoQ76

Summary:

• On March 21, 2007, violent clashes at Rice Mill Ground in Gaur, Rautahat, between supporters of CPN (Maoist) and the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) left 27 Maoist cadres dead (including five women) and 42 injured.
• The confrontation began after Maoist supporters found the Forum’s stage destroyed; Forum cadres had earlier marched into the town with bamboo sticks.
• Survivors, like 50‑year‑old Tribhuvan Sah, suffered severe injuries and have endured long-term physical and financial hardship while seeking justice—Sah spent 18 years petitioning officials and hospitals for care.
• Families and survivors repeatedly petitioned authorities; over the years 24 different chief district police officers have led the district, none pursuing the culpable homicide case, often citing lack of higher orders.
• The National Human Rights Commission recommended a government probe in January 2023. Survivors’ families filed petitions to the Supreme Court on June 1, 2023.
• The Supreme Court has now ordered investigations into 130 individuals, including prominent leaders such as then‑MJF chairman and Janata Samajbadi chair Upendra Yadav.
• Victims’ families received Rs 1 million in compensation. Nearly two decades after the massacre, survivors feel the court-ordered probe offers the first real hope for accountability.

Archive: https://archive.md/UEwpI

Summary:
Koteshwor Underpass project: key points

• Scheduled completion: Nepali year 2090 BS (target date 15 Bhadra 2090 BS — about August 2023 CE in the article’s timeline).

• Funding: Loan from the Japanese government of nearly NPR 30 billion; loan agreement finalized in September (year not specified).

• Timeline and process:- JICA selected the consultant; consultant prepared a preliminary survey report.

• Detailed Project Report (DPR) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) were planned for Chaitra (March 2024); assessments expected to take about one year.

• Tender to select construction company to follow; contract signing aimed for April 2028.

• Construction period planned for 52 months.

• Major components:- 664-meter flyover at Tinkune (near Tribhuvan International Airport).

• 700-meter tunnel inside the airport area.

• 238-meter flyover connecting Tribhuvan International Airport to Manohara via Jadibuti.

• Current status (at time of reporting): JICA had selected a consultant and the Department of Roads announced a preliminary survey report; DPR and EIA were upcoming steps.

Archive: https://archive.md/IeVkf

Summary:

• Erratic and deficient rainfall this year, combined with shrinking groundwater, has triggered drought conditions in Madhesh province (southeastern Terai), according to a joint ICIMOD–Ministry of Agriculture study.
• The study mapped 21 southern districts, highlighting gaps in water-supply infrastructure (irrigation networks, canals, household hand pumps) that make the region highly vulnerable to acute water crises.
• The government earlier declared the province “drought–stricken” and allocated about Rs 170 million (~US$1.2 million) for small irrigation systems and shallow tubewells using suction-lift pumps.
• Paddy transplantation fell to 51.8% in July versus 92% last year; a rice shortfall of about 450,000 tonnes (roughly a 10% drop in national rice supply) is expected, threatening food affordability, nutrition and long-term food security for vulnerable households.
• The report links groundwater decline to degradation in the Chure hills and warns of cascading downstream risks; restoring nature-based solutions (springs, wells, ponds) and sustainable mining practices in the Chure are recommended.
• Short-term advice includes shifting to less water-intensive crops and establishing early-warning advisories; long-term recommendations stress watershed management and integrated planning across land, water and resources to bolster resilience, especially for women, children and marginalized communities.

Archive: https://archive.md/Hd1ME

Summary:
The Kathmandu Post reports the country’s truth and disappearance commissions received over 11,000 new complaints from victims of the Maoist insurgency after new commissioners took office in May.

Key points

• On May 18, when new commissioners assumed office, a three-month window opened allowing victims who had missed earlier deadlines to lodge claims under an amended Transitional Justice Act.
• The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) logged about 11,000 complaints (roughly 7,000 at the Kathmandu central office and the rest at district offices). The Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons received 48 complaints.
• Many of the new filings relate to conflict-era sexual violence; previously only 314 of the TRC’s 63,718 registered complaints involved rape/sexual violence. Large numbers of survivors who earlier refused to register—citing confidentiality and mistrust—now filed complaints or had details collected by advocacy groups.
• The National Association of Conflict Rape Victims and a network of survivors submitted sealed application packets (claiming around 3,800 cases themselves and 794 sealed applications to the commission) on condition that victims’ identities be kept confidential and that special procedures and units be set up to handle sexual-violence cases.
• Some victims remain distrustful: several have challenged the amended Act and recent appointments in the Supreme Court and asked that the new commission leadership be revoked. Critics warn that some political actors may be collecting complaints, casting doubt on credibility and inflating numbers.
• Commission spokespeople and victim-advocates say many survivors are now willing to participate; officials expect the total could exceed 15,000 as districts finish reporting.

Archive: https://archive.md/KvPZ7

Social media misuse to pump share prices, influencers outside SEBON regulation

Summary:
Nepal’s securities regulator (SEBON) has largely ignored social‑media influencers who promote buying and selling of specific company shares, pushing prices up or down and creating unnatural market moves. Influencers use platforms like WhatsApp, Clubhouse, Facebook and Viber to organize campaigns, guarantee price targets, and urge followers to buy during trading—putting ordinary investors at risk. Experts urge SEBON (or the government) to define and regulate influencer activity, possibly licensing advisors and coordinating with cyber authorities, since existing securities law already bans market‑manipulating encouragement but enforcement has been weak.

Key points

• Influencers on social platforms actively promote and coordinate purchases to inflate company share prices (examples include City Hotel and past cases like Nepal Finance).
• Such campaigns mislead retail investors and create artificial market volatility and losses.
• Securities law forbids activities that encourage buying/selling to affect market prices, with penalties (fines or imprisonment), but enforcement by SEBON has been limited.
• Experts recommend clear legal definitions, licensing of advisory activities, and stronger regulatory action or a new structure within SEBON (or coordination with cyber bureau) to control influencers.

Archive: https://archive.md/Li3ef

Only 42 percent of work completed in 8 years on the fast track; Defence Minister tells the army — more effort needed

Summary:
The Kathmandu-Tarai/Madhesh Fast Track highway project has made only 42.13% physical progress in eight years. The Defence Ministry says the project is stalled mainly due to unclear start-point decisions and land acquisition problems in Package 11 (first 6.5 km). The Nepal Army, assigned the work in 2074 BS, achieved 67.5% of last year’s target and blames heavy rains and lack of skilled contractors for delays. The project (70.977 km) now targets completion by Chaitra 2083 BS. Defence Minister Manbir Rai urged increased effort; senior army officials attended the review meeting.

Key points

• Only 42.13% of the 70.977 km fast-track completed after 8 years.
• Major bottlenecks: unresolved start point and land acquisition issues (notably Package 11, first 6.5 km).
• Nepal Army responsible for construction since 2074 BS; recent physical progress was 67.5% of target.
• Causes cited: heavy rains requiring redesign, insufficient skilled contractor workforce.
• New completion target: by Chaitra 2083 BS; Defence Minister calls for intensified work.

Archive: https://archive.md/66d8h

Summary:

• India and China agreed to reopen border trade through Lipulekh Pass, along with Shipki La and Nathu La, according to a joint communiqué from talks between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during Wang’s visit to India (Aug 18–19, 2025).

• The Lipulekh Pass lies inside the area Nepal claims as part of its western frontier (Limpiyadhura–Kalapani–Lipulekh). Nepal has long contested Indian control of the area; in 2019 India published a new political map including the territory and Nepal issued its own revised map in 2020.

• A similar 2015 India–China agreement to expand trade via Lipulekh had provoked strong protests from Nepal, which formally objected then for not being consulted. Nepal’s official map continues to show Lipulekh within its territory.

• The reopening comes as India and China seek to improve ties after the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. The announcement precedes Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s planned attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China (Aug 31–Sept 1) and a subsequent official visit to India (from Sept 16).

Archive: https://archive.md/LEVW7

Summary:
The Supreme Court of Nepal has issued an interim order banning the removal and storage of women’s eggs until clear legal rules are in place. Key points:

• The order came from a single bench (Justice Tek Prasad Dhungana) on August 19, 2025, after a writ petition filed by three advocates (Nirav Gyawali, Dhruva Bhandari and Ankita Tripathi) on August 17.
• Petitioners argued that egg extraction and storage are being done without a proper legal framework, leaving room for abuse and exploitation.
• The court acted after allegations that Hope Fertility Diagnostic Pvt Ltd (Babarmahal) illegally extracted eggs from teenage girls and sold them, which caused public outrage.
• The court directed the Office of the Prime Minister, Ministries of Home Affairs and Health, and Nepal Police to submit written replies and to ensure strict monitoring and regulation of fertility clinics.
• Until legislation or regulatory clarity is provided, no institution is permitted to remove or store women’s eggs.

Archive: https://archive.md/LRmoq

Summary:

• Investigations and prosecutions of rape in Nepal often disadvantage adult survivors involved in intimate relationships because police and courts over-rely on visible physical evidence and assume consensual sex when partners are known to each other.
• The article follows Binu Yadav’s case: after an ectopic surgery in 2019 she says her then-partner raped her while she was incapacitated. Police delayed registering her complaint, questioned her judgment and motives, and she later faced threats, coercion to withdraw the complaint, forced marriage and further abuse; one accused was an influential police officer. Her attempts for justice included filing further charges, a suicide attempt, and prolonged court battles with acquittals and delays.
• Officials say police registered 2,454 FIRs for rape in 2024–25 and prosecutors pursue nearly all registered cases, but convictions remain low — about 55% of verdicts last year were convictions. Adult-victim cases have lower conviction rates than cases involving minors, partly because consent is irrelevant for minors and because physical evidence is more commonly sought in adult cases.
• Survivors routinely face insensitive, judgmental questioning (e.g., about clothing, relationship, timing) and inconsistent use of trauma-informed, psychosocial, or circumstantial evidence. Training exists, and some police report improvements such as gender-responsive curricula and more female officers, but many investigators still lack sensitivity and proper investigative approaches.
• Advocates stress that rape is often not overtly violent, that absence of visible injuries does not mean no crime occurred, and that police’s first contact with survivors is crucial—insensitive treatment drives many to abandon cases. Some survivors do report positive police responses, especially when officers are trained or known to the family.

Archive: https://archive.md/stZ3e

Kuwait Alcohol Poisoning Incident: 12 Nepalis Dead, Survivors Face Blacklist and Deportation

Summary:

• Incident: Illegal homemade alcohol laced with methanol killed 23 people in Kuwait; 12 of the dead were Nepalis.
• Injuries and treatment: Over 40 Nepali workers fell ill; 26 Nepalis remain hospitalized, 11 in ICU or on ventilators. Hospitals treated and discharged several survivors.
• Authorities’ response: Kuwaiti Interior Ministry arrested 67 people linked to illegal production/distribution; suspects include Nepali, Indian, and Bangladeshi nationals. Some detainees may face murder charges.
• Action against survivors: Kuwaiti media and security sources report that survivors and those arrested are being held for investigation, may be deported, and placed on blacklists preventing future re-entry or employment.
• Nepali community response: Nepal’s embassy in Kuwait is coordinating with families and assisting injured workers. NRN (Kuwait) president said preliminary info indicates two Nepalis were involved in production.
• Toxicology: Methanol is highly poisonous; even a small amount can be fatal, causing metabolic acidosis, respiratory/cardiac and organ failure, blindness, severe pain, unconsciousness, and death within 12–24 hours.
• Wider concern: The case highlights risks migrant workers face seeking cheap alcohol; experts urge safer social practices and warn against consuming illicit spirits.

Archive: https://archive.md/j1ABE

Summary:
The Supreme Court of Nepal has ordered a formal investigation into the 2007 Gaur massacre in Rautahat, where clashes on March 21, 2007, between the Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (led by Upendra Yadav) and CPN (Maoist) supporters at the Rice Mill ground resulted in 27 deaths and many injuries. A division bench (Justices Til Prasad Shrestha and Nityananda Pandey) issued a mandamus directing authorities to proceed with investigations named in a complaint that includes over 113 individuals — among them Janata Samajbadi Party chair Upendra Yadav, former lawmaker Baban Singh, and ex-provincial assembly member Babulal Sah. Victims’ families, who previously received compensation of Rs 1 million each, and rights groups have long demanded accountability, arguing state agencies repeatedly failed to act despite recommendations. The court’s directive aims to move those stalled inquiries forward.

Archive: https://archive.md/wA55Y

Summary:
WHO has verified that Nepal has eliminated rubella as a public health problem (announced 18 August 2025).

Key points:

• Verification: The South-East Asia Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella (SEA-RVC) reviewed Nepal’s data at its July 2025 meeting and recommended verification of rubella elimination.
• Significance: Rubella (German measles) is especially dangerous in pregnancy because it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth and congenital defects; elimination is a major public‑health achievement.
• History of efforts: Nepal introduced rubella-containing vaccine nationwide in 2012 (with a campaign targeting ages 9 months–15 years). A routine second dose was added in 2016. National vaccination campaigns were held in 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024.
• Coverage and strategies: By 2024, at least 95% of children had received one dose of rubella vaccine. Strategies included an “immunization month,” outreach to reach missed children, incentives for districts to become “fully immunized,” and strong community engagement.
• Surveillance and lab work: Nepal recently implemented a robust laboratory testing algorithm—the first in the WHO South‑East Asia Region—to strengthen rubella surveillance.
• Context and partners: Nepal is the sixth country in the WHO South‑East Asia Region to eliminate rubella. WHO and partners (including Gavi) supported the national programme. Authorities urged continued support to sustain the achievement and prevent resurgence.

Archive: https://archive.md/WHoQp

Summary:
Kathmandu, Aug 17 — Between mid-April and mid-August this year Nepal experienced 2,853 disaster incidents. Those events killed 126 people, injured 585, left 23 missing and affected 5,041 families. Major incident types included floods (216), landslides (317), heavy rains (221), lightning (245), fires (1,114), wildfires (158), storms (277), wild animal attacks (172), snakebites (77), plus earthquakes, boat capsizes and hail. On Aug 16 alone there were multiple incidents (including seven fires and eight landslides) that caused one death. Estimated damage over the period is about Rs 3.84 million, per the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

Archive: https://archive.md/JS5bA

Summary:
Gaming in Nepal is shifting from a stigmatized pastime to a growing competitive industry. Mobile gaming dominates because of affordability and power constraints. Nepali teams and players — especially in PUBG Mobile — have earned significant international prizes, proving gaming can be a viable career if addiction and other risks are managed. More local support, organization, and changing social attitudes are needed to sustain growth.

Key points

• Cultural stigma persists (laziness, addiction), but moderation and discipline make gaming beneficial for mental health, socializing, and potential careers.
• Mobile gaming leads the market due to lower cost, portability, and unreliable electricity/expensive PCs; secondhand phones are common.
• Most-played mobile titles in Nepal: PUBG Mobile (top), Free Fire, and Mobile Legends (survey by Nepal Esports Association).
• Nepali players/teams have won over $1.5M internationally, with PUBG contributing most; top teams include Horaa Esports and DRS Gaming; Shahas “KillerYT” Bhandari is a top earner (~$1M+).
• Needed next steps: more events, talent management, community and government support, and shifting public perception to treat gaming as a legitimate career option.

Archive: https://archive.md/Pfy8o