ЁЯСА Freedom of the Press

And Squats

Namaste! Hey folks, last week was World Press Freedom Day (and no, Aayush, it's not about benchpressing). It got us thinking about the press in general. While it's true our press is freer than it used to be, journalists often work for free тАУ but that's not exactly what 'free press' means. We also work for free (seriously, help us find revenue sources). As AI-generated texts and videos rise, the conversation around press freedom keeps evolving. How do we regulate it? Can we say anything we want? Well, in this newsletter, we sure do. Check out this week's highlights!

La Eta Hernus

Desh

Wildfires: If you looked through Nepal's mainstream media last week, you'd think it's just about investment summits, by-elections, and the latest drama involving Rabi dai and Kailash Sirohiya. However, a massive crisis is raging with barely a whisper about it: forest fires have been ravaging Nepal for over a month, devastating the economy and choking the air with pollution. Despite the severity, the government seems unfazed, leaving the public in the dark about the disaster's scale. In reality, prolonged drought and widespread deforestation have turned Nepal into a tinderbox, with out-of-control fires laying waste to the countryside and sending smoke spiraling into the already polluted air.

Rabi dai, Nepali politics: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) congratulated CPN-UML candidate Suhang Nembang for winning the Ilam-2 by-elections, admitting that the results highlight areas they need to improve. General Secretary Dr. Mukul Dhakal mentioned that a thorough review of the election will be done soon. The RSP expressed gratitude for their supporters' efforts and pledged to continue respecting the democratic process despite the unfavorable outcome.

That's the "Nepali samaachaar" version of things. RaSwaPa must be questioning their strategies, especially in Ilam, where they gave a ticket to a guy who used to be a Maoist. They also seem to have relied a bit too much on social media hype and Rabi dai's popularity, which they will likely reflect on in the future. Another loser in this election is the Nepali Congress, which seems happier about RaSwaPa's loss than upset over their own. Rumor has it that the Nepali Congress only saw RaSwaPa as their opponent, which they'll probably reflect on too. CPN-UML's win in both elections is noteworthy as well, they're clear winners. Are you bored yet?

Laalpurja: Let's say you have a house built on 8 aana of land. One fine day, you decide, "You know what? I'm going to create a new map of this property," and you grab a chart paper and draw a map, adding an extra aana from your neighbor. Your and your neighbor's laalpurjas remain the same, and the baando that separates your houses is intact. However, your sons get ecstatic over that chart paper drawing and start clapping for you. Your wife tells the neighbor's wife about the map you've drawn, and the neighbor's wife says, "Oh, not cool!" Nothing changes.

In other news, Nepal has decided to replace the Nepali map on the hundred-rupee note with a chucche naksha.

A Request

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Tech 

Routine of Internet Banda: So last Thursday was National Communication and Information Technology Day. How did we celebrate? By losing access to the internet. Everything is just irony in this country. Broadband internet took a hit after Indian vendors cut off service due to unpaid bills from Nepali private operators. The state-run Nepal Telecom held firm, but private ISPs scrambled to explain that their sluggish speeds were due to not getting foreign currency access for payments. Wlink Communications, Nepal's largest ISP, squarely blamed the government for the mess, claiming they canтАЩt pay up until they get foreign exchange clearance.

Nepal Telecom seized the opportunity to criticize other providers and advertise its own products in a brilliant marketing move.

Image: @ratasate (X)

The Networking Game: LinkedIn is spicing things up with three new games: Queens, Crossclimb, and Pinpoint, all designed to challenge your wordplay and trivia prowess. Imagine Wordle, but on LinkedIn! Available globally, these games aim to connect users in a playful way, allowing them to share scores and challenge first-degree connections. The games are short, limited to once a day, so you wonтАЩt get lost in the sauce. Queens plays like Sudoku with crowns, Crossclimb tests your word grid skills, and Pinpoint dares you to find hidden connections. So, if your LinkedIn feed needs a little zest, these games might just keep you hanging around.

EditorтАЩs note: I don't know why we are including this as news. I hate that app with a passion. Even if you like LinkedIn, who needs games on LinkedIn? Like, who goes, 'Let me send my resume to this employer, but after a quick round of sudoku?' Why does every app need stories and games?

Fatafat

Madhav Kumar Nepal canтАЩt become the prime minister so heтАЩs gasping like an asthma patient. - K P Oli

"I said I'd only do good deeds, but I've exceeded thatтАФI've done deeds that history will remember!" - Prachanda

We don't have any takes on these. DV bharnubho? Paryo?

The fields of the hamlet of Samdzong in Nepal were washed away by the river. The inhabitants had to leave and build a new village from scratch in Namasung. As they start a new life in the new settlement, climate change is increasing the risk of floods and drought in the region, and they pray to be safe.

Reading List:

  1. Why Tupac Never Died (Hua Hsu, The New Yorker)

    ItтАЩs because the rapperтАЩs life and work were a cascade of contradictions that weтАЩre still trying to figure him out today.

  2. NepalтАЩs Media Industry Is Facing a Severe Financial Crisis (Mahabir Paudyal, The Diplomat)

    Nepali journalists say they frequently go months without pay. The hollowing out of the Fourth Estate leaves the country vulnerable to disinformation at a critical time.

  3. How Far Trump Would Go (Eric Cortellessa, TIME)

    In exclusive interviews with TIME, Donald Trump lays out a second-term agenda that would reshape America and its role in the world.

Proud Gorkhali Moment

Sports

The cricket team has been doing fairly well recently, rubbing shoulders with the West Indies and all. Last week, our squad for the T20 World Cup in the USA was announced, and Sandeep Lamichhane didn't seem thrilled. He was convicted of rape by the district court and sentenced to 8 years in prison, but has appealed to the Patan High Court. Lamichhane claimed on social media that the entire case is a conspiracy against him, which he's free to say, as vile as the case is. But here's the kicker: Paras Khadka, former cricketer and current Secretary of the Cricket Association of Nepal, invited Sandeep to bid farewell to the national team headed to the USA. Even if you're firmly against the district court's decision, who in their right mind thinks this is a good idea?

Three news briefs and a lie

Three of these news headlines are real, and one is faker than Manchester United fans who say, тАЬThis year, things are going to be in our favor!тАЭ If you click on the headlines that are true, the links will take you to the news articles. If you click on the fake one, you'll be surprised!

  1. рд╕рд░реНрд▓рд╛рд╣реАрдорд╛ рдкреНрд░рдзрд╛рдирдордиреНрддреНрд░реАрд▓рд╛рдИ резрежрез рдХрд┐рд▓реЛрдХреЛ рдорд╛рд▓рд╛

  2. рд╕рдЧрд░рдорд╛рдерд╛ рдмреЗрд╕рдХреНрдпрд╛рдореНрдкрдорд╛ рд▓реБрдбреЛ рдЦреЗрд▓реЗрд░ рд╡рд┐рд╢реНрд╡ рдХреАрд░реНрддрд┐рдорд╛рди рдмрдирд╛рдЙрди рднрд╛рд░рддреАрдп рдЯреЛрд▓реА рдиреЗрдкрд╛рд▓рдорд╛

  3. рдмрд╛рд▓реЗрдирдХреЛ рдлреЛрдЯреЛ рджреЗрдЦрд╛рдПрд░ рдкреНрд░рдЪрд╛рд░ рдЧрд░реНрдиреЗ рдбреЛрдЬрд░рдЫрд╛рдк рдЙрдореНрдореЗрджрд╡рд╛рд░рд▓реЗ рдЕрд╣рд┐рд▓реЗрд╕рдореНрдо рдкрд╛рдП реирео рдордд

  4. рдЖрдпрд╡реГрджреНрдзрд┐рдорд╛ рд╕рдШрд╛рдЙрди рдПрдХрд▓ рдорд╣рд┐рд▓рд╛рд▓рд╛рдИ рдмрд╛рдЦреНрд░рд╛ рд╡рд┐рддрд░рдг

Eta Hernus Quiz

Image: @misrimisery (X)

Weekly Rashifal

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18): рдорд┐рдареЛ рднреЛрдЬрди рдХреЛ рдпреЛрдЧ рдЫ, you may also find money (4/5 stars)

Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20): рдкреЗрдЯрдорд╛ рдЧрдбрдмрдбреА рд╣реБрдиреЗ рдпреЛрдЧ рдЫ (No stars)

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19): рдЖрджрд░реНрд╢ рдмреНрдпрдХреНрддрд┐рдХреЛ рд╕рд╣рдХрд╛рд░реНрдпрд▓реЗ рдирдпрд╛рдБ рдЕрдиреБрднрд╡ рдорд┐рд▓реНрдиреЗрдЫ ред You might run into Rabi dai in the streets (5/5 stars)

Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20): Stop blocking/unblocking that situationship every 3 days and touch some grass (1/5 stars)

Gemini (May 21 - Jun 20): рдирдпрд╛рдБ рдкреНрд░реЗрдо рд╣реБрдиреЗ рдпреЛрдЧ рдЫ, also stop trying to be the center of attention everywhere (2/5 stars)

Cancer (Jun 21 - July 22): Definitely invest in that cryptic crypto your cousin told you about (2/5 stars)

Leo (July 23 - Aug 22): рдЖрдЬ рдЬрд┐рджреНрджреАрдкрдирд╛рд▓реЗ рдЧрд░реНрджрд╛ рдХрд╛рдо рдмрд┐рдЧреНрд░рдиреЗ рдбрд░ рдЫ ред рд╕реМрдиреНрджрд░реНрдпрддрд╛рдорд╛ рдзрди рдЦрд░реНрдЪ рд╣реБрдиреЗрдЫ ред TEXT THEM! (4/5 stars)

Virgo (Aug 23 - Sep 22): рд▓реБрддреЛ рд▓рд╛рдЧреНрдиреЗ рдпреЛрдЧ рдЫ (5/5 stars)

Libra (Sep 23 - Oct 22): You might get to meet Balen sir so stay vigilant on the streets (4/5 stars)

Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21): рдЬреЛрд╢рдЬрд╛рдБрдЧрд░ рд░ рд╣рд┐рдореНрдордд рдмрдвреНрдиреЗрдЫ, also check your DV results (hint: pardaina) (5/5 stars)

Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21): Your week will be as amazing as your life has been thus far, just stay humble (5/5 stars)

Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19): рдЖрдлрдиреНрддрдХреЛ рдкреНрд░рдЧрддрд┐рдорд╛ рдорди рд░рдорд╛рдЙрдиреЗрдЫ ред рдирдпрд╛рдБ рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рди рд╕рд┐рдХреНрдиреЗ рдореМрдХрд╛ рд░ рд░реЛрдЬрдЧрд╛рд░рдХреЛ рдЕрд╡рд╕рд░ рдкрдирд┐ рдорд┐рд▓реНрдиреЗрдЫред You will run into your high school ex so donтАЩt go out this week (2/5 stars)

Bidesh Tira Hernus

Protests in Amrika: Protest encampments are cropping up on college campuses nationwide as students rally against Israel's military actions in Gaza, demanding their universities divest from companies linked to Israel. At Yale, protesters are urging divestment from defense manufacturers supplying Israel, while Columbia activists target tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft for their contracts with the Israeli government. Inspired by past divestment movements, activists believe cutting financial ties sends a strong moral message. While no school has committed to divestment yet, the controversy has sparked debate on campuses about their investment strategies and ethical responsibilities.

Canada/India: Three men have been arrested in Canada over the murder of prominent Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a case tied to the Indian government that sparked diplomatic tension. The suspects, identified as Karanpreet Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karan Brar, face charges for allegedly conspiring to kill Nijjar and using a firearm to commit first-degree murder. Authorities are investigating their connections to the Indian government as part of an ongoing inquiry. This case has intensified the diplomatic drama between Canada and India, adding fuel to the ongoing intrigue surrounding Sikh separatist movements worldwide.

Nepalis in Russia: The Ukrainian Defense Ministry reports that Nepali mercenaries are deserting the Russian army en masse, citing brutal treatment, heavy losses, and unfulfilled payment promises. The Russian military is actively searching for these deserters, particularly in the Luhansk region, but with little success. The Russian army has claimed the desertions are due to a supposed earthquake, but returning to Nepal from occupied Ukraine is no easy feat, leaving the mercenaries stuck in a dire situation.

Best of Twitter/Switter

Eta Pani Hernus

ThereтАЩs hungry kids in America!: In Kathmandu, agricultural economist Dr. Devendra Gauchan reveals that an average Nepali wastes around 93 kilos of food annually, largely due to lack of awareness and inefficient farming and distribution practices. This waste is not just a blow to farmers and investments, but also contributes to 8-10% of greenhouse gas emissions. Experts suggest better packaging, storage, and transportation to tackle the issue, alongside boosting public awareness to change wasteful habits. A call for stronger strategies, investment, and research is also emphasized to safeguard food and improve the overall supply chain efficiency.

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