👀 Deshbikash ko arko Shrinkhala

Namaste! Remember when Oli ba almost put the brakes on Nepal's iconic truck sahitya? Luckily, that plan fizzled out, much to our collective relief. Lately, we've been all aboard the truck sahitya train, musing over its mysterious origins. Who's the wordsmith behind these mobile musings? At what stage do trucks get their literary tattoos? Legend has it that back in the day, truckers, while clocking miles and battling boredom, found solace in these rolling rhymes. Rumor has it, a certain scribe from Malekhu, known for his spicy contributions to magazines like Satyakatha and Tathyakatha, might have penned most of these vehicular verses. Do you know him? We're on a mission to track down this literary legend – fingers crossed he's still out there, penning his next highway haiku.

La Eta Hernus

Desh

Lit Festival: Pokhara is abuzz with the Nepali Lit Festival, where the air is rich with the scent of books, not blunts. The intellectual elite, including Swarnim Wagle and Shrinkhala Khatiwada, are sparking debates and doling out wisdom. Shrinkhala, however, ignited a controversy on Twitter with her perspective on Nepal's future, as highlighted in a festival tweet.

Critics were quick to point out that her privileged viewpoint might not reflect the average Nepali's experience, especially considering her background as a Pulchowk and Harvard alumna, not to mention her recent marriage into media royalty. Despite the uproar, Shrinkhala asserted that her comments were misinterpreted.

As the debate continues, it's worth remembering that Twitter's outrage is as short-lived as our collective attention span. Today's firestorm is tomorrow's forgotten news. Still, out of context tweet official Nepali Lit Festival account le kina tweet garya? Twitter estai ho. Ek dinner ma 15k drop garne haru ra ek mahina ma 15k kamayera ghar kharcha dhanne haru basera Nepal ko priorities ko kura garchan, ani arko side le kura bujhena bhanchan. Khair, hajoor kasko side ma? Twitter or Shrinkhala? Send us a DM and let us know.

What do you Min? In the latest chapter of the Lalita Niwas land grab drama, a slew of folks just got slapped with convictions. Picture this: a crafty crew flipping government land into personal treasure troves, as only the pros do in Nepal. Topping the guilty list is none other than Min Bahadur Gurung, the retail kingpin behind Bhat-Bhateni Supermarket. Uncle Min's looking at a two-year vacation behind bars and a hefty fine of 50 lakhs. But wait for the plot twist: the political bigwigs, including NC's own Bijay Kumar Gachhadar and other ex-ministers, waltzed away untouched, shielded by the "policy makers are untouchable" mantra.

Progress/Congress: A feisty faction within the Nepali Congress is stirring the pot with a campaign to bring back the "Hindu State" vibe. Spearheaded by the spirited Shankar Bhandari and backed by 22 committee comrades, they're all set to pitch this blast from the past at the upcoming Mahasamiti meet. Despite some party poopers and a previous cold shoulder in 2018, Bhandari's gang is rallying support, claiming even the big boss Deuba and some rivals are nodding along.

Meter byaaz: In a dramatic trek for justice, victims of loan sharking have descended on Kathmandu from all corners, marching on foot to voice their demands. Nearly 3,000 sufferers have made their way, with some journeying for six days from Muglin, determined to shake the government into action over unaddressed grievances. Amidst their peaceful protest plans, tensions flared in a roadside clash, leaving 17 injured, showcasing their relentless fight against exploitation.

Tech 

Sora barshe joban: Meet Sora, OpenAI's latest party trick that turns your text dreams into one-minute video reality! Sam Altman, the big boss, turned X users' wild ideas into mini-movies, from spell-casting wizards to cyberpunk city tours. Sure, Sora might get a bit dizzy with the laws of physics, but hey, who needs gravity when you've got imagination? Now, OpenAI's handing out exclusive backstage passes to the cool kids of creativity for a test drive, while Google's Lumiere lurks in the background, waiting to crash the video party.

Too tall to ride: Nepal's ride-sharing scene just had the ultimate makeover! After cruising in the grey area for seven years, the government finally swiped right on ride-sharing, giving it the official "It's Complicated" to "In a Relationship" status under the Industrial Enterprises Act 2020. Now, with some fresh guidelines on the horizon (because who doesn't love a bit of paperwork?), our ride-hailing heroes are gearing up for a legal joyride.

Unban TikTok: TikTok's playing pen pal with the Nepali government again, sliding into the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology's DMs on February 11, pleading for a ban lift. They're promising to be good this time, swearing to vibe by Nepal's rules and even setting up shop locally as per the new social media guidelines. It's their latest charm offensive since getting the cold shoulder back in November for allegedly stirring up social drama.

Fatafat

Stat: The latest National Living Standard Survey scoop is in, and it's telling us that poverty in Nepal took a dive from 25.16% back in 2010/11 to a cooler 20.27% in 2022/23. And get this – you're officially not in the poverty club if you're splurging more than NRs 72,908 a year. That's a step up from the old threshold of NRs 42,845. Looks like the bar for living the good life (or at least escaping the poverty line) is climbing higher. Keep those wallets padded, people!

Quote:

We're staying neutral (lol) on these Oli ba gems because, well, it's just Oli ba doing his thing. But hey, remember that wild tale from our childhood about Pele's brother being an ace goalie? And how Pele's fierce shot supposedly hit his bro during a penalty, leading to the poor guy's death? Seriously, who dreams up this stuff, and why did we all buy into it? Let’s all think about this for five minutes.

Reading List: 

1. I took my case to Nepal’s highest court to improve conservation (Saugat Bolakhe, Nature)

2. How Narendra Modi became India’s influencer-in-chief (Barkha Dutt, restofworld)

3. Why Americans Suddenly Stopped Hanging Out (Derek Thompson, The Atlantic)

4. 'There To Die': Nepali Mercenaries Fight For Russia In Ukraine (Paavan Mathema, Barrons)

A Request

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Kahi Nabhako Jaatra

Oli ba rolled into Rautahat and was greeted with a whopping 101-kilo garland. I mean, who even thinks, "Yes, a 101-kilo garland sounds about right"? And the real head-scratcher: how do they even get this botanical behemoth from point A to B? Are we talking a flatbed truck situation, or maybe a small army of folks lugging it around? We're dying to get a behind-the-scenes look at this floral logistics feat. Got any insider footage of this epic garland journey or, you know, just some adorable puppy videos? Slide into our Instagram DMs!

Sports

Rubina Chhetry, Nepal's cricket dynamo, has been smashing records and leading the women's team with a bat of steel and a heart full of fire. Recently, she turned the pitch into her own blockbuster, belting out a historic 118 runs against the Maldives, marking her as the first Nepali woman to score a century in style. Even after handing over the captain's armband, Chhetry's been on a roll, proving leadership is more than just a title; it's about setting the ground ablaze, whether you're leading the charge or backing up the squad. With her eyes on the ball and her fitness game strong, Chhetry's showing no signs of slowing down, folks. Watch out, cricket world, Nepal's got a powerhouse!

Three news briefs and a lie

Three of these news briefs are real, and one is faker than everyone on twitter who claims they don’t have generational wealth. Can you spot the odd one out? (Scroll all the way to the bottom for the answer).

1. Five Indian nationals got busted in Kathmandu for blending trash collection with daylight robbery, thinking they'd found the perfect disguise. Turns out, their heist hijinks were no match for the local cops, who quickly turned their trashy treasure hunt into a teachable moment.

2. In a tragic twist of fate in Rautahat, a simple chore of ironing clothes turned deadly due to an electric shock, claiming the life of a 25-year-old. Just as he was prepping for a visit to his sasuraali, the unsuspected current struck.

3. A woman in Ramechhap was sentenced to 3 months in jail for claiming widow benefits by declaring her very much alive husband dead. Nirmala Khatri, caught in the act after enjoying 12 months of the single woman's allowance, found herself in hot water when the truth came to light. Meanwhile, the former ward secretary, who played a part in this deception, also faced the music with a similar sentence.

4. Nuwakot's pulling out all the stops for their Mahotsab - swing by and they'll treat you to a glass of milk and two eggs, because nothing says "party" like breakfast essentials!

Eta Hernus Quiz

Can you finish these Nepali ukhaans?

भैंसी नुहाएर गाई हुदैन…

आकाश को राहु, पातलको केतु…

पैसा न कौडी…

नङले चिमोटे हुनेलाई…

खसी जोख्‍नु सय चोटि…

Bidesh Tira Hernus

Russia, again: Alex Navalny, Russia's headline-grabbing rebel with a cause, took his final curtain call under mysterious circumstances during a leisurely jaunt in his Arctic "time-out" spot. After a 2020 poison plot twist and a German health retreat, he made a bold return to the Motherland, only to be greeted with iron bars for his troubles. Fast forward, and the global stage is buzzing: Biden's throwing shade at Putin's crew, calling foul play on Navalny's exit, while Yulia Navalnaya's getting standing O's for her defiance. Meanwhile, Russia's playing the "too soon to tell" card, brushing off the West's side-eye.

Good news: Greece just scored a historic goal by becoming the first majority-Orthodox country to say "I do" to same-sex marriage, leaving other Orthodox nations peeking over the fence. While the Eastern Orthodox VIPs haven't exactly RSVP'd yes to this party, Greece is out here doing the conga line into modernity, upgrading from same-sex unions to full marital bliss. Meanwhile, the Orthodox world is giving us mixed signals, with some countries eyeing the EU and thinking, "Maybe it's time to change our relationship status?" So, as Greece takes the plunge, the rest of the Orthodox squad is left swiping left or right on the idea of civil unions.

America, again: Just when Kansas City Chiefs fans were hitting peak celebration vibes for their Super Bowl win, a shooting turned the party sour, leaving one person dead and over 20 injured, with kiddos among them. Amidst the sea of about a million fans, the chaos unfolded near Union Station, where the team was having a moment.

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Best of Twitter/Switter

Sanam Chitrakar, an entrepreneur, threw a curveball on Twitter, asking peeps to spill the tea on any workplace wrongs they've endured. And boy, did the internet deliver – the stories are off the charts! Swing by his feed for a dose of solidarity, or if you're hunting for yet another reason to jet off overseas, despite Shrinkhala's wise words to the contrary.

Proud Gorkhali Moment

Answers

Answer to three newsbriefs and a lie: The last one is a lie, you only get one egg if you go to the Nuwakot Mahotsab, not two.

Answer to Eta hernus Quiz:

भैंसी नुहाएर गाई हुदैन, भाई मोटाएर दाई हुदैन ।

आकाश को राहु, पातलको केतु, एक पटक नपरी कसरी चेतु ?

पैसा न कौडी बजार बजार दौडी ।

नङले चिमोटे हुनेलाई बन्चरो किन लगाउने ?

खसी जोख्‍नु सय चोटि, मान्छे जोख्‍नु एक चोटि ।

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