👀 The Madness Continues

Namaste! Every headline these days feels like it’s been churned out by some alternate reality where every global leader is auditioning for a Fox News gig. Trump is plotting annexations, and Zuckerberg’s embracing “masculine energy.” It’s as if the world collectively decided to lean into the chaos—and here we are, bored but pretending not to be.

Don’t worry, though, winter is almost over. Soon, we’ll have something new to complain about, like Falgun weddings or how expensive chamsur has gotten. For now, let’s wade through the madness together.

La Eta Hernus

Desh

Rabi dai: So, Rabi dai secured bail from the Kaski District Court, got out for a day, chilled with his RaSwaPa homies, but then landed in custody the next day in Kathmandu over another cooperative fraud case. This time, it's about alleged fund embezzlement from Swarnalaxmi Cooperative, with Rabi dai accused of funneling nearly Rs 58 million into Gorkha Media Network, where he was managing director. The Kathmandu District Court cited "time constraints" in starting the remand hearing and handed him over to the police instead. Meanwhile, Rabi dai’s legal team, over 10 lawyers strong, is gearing up for a showdown in court. With allegations of systematic fraud across multiple cooperatives, it seems Rabi dai’s legal battles are just heating up—and his political career might be in for a bumpy ride. If you’ve read our newsletter before, you know our take on this. We won’t repeat it. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Ordinance season: The government decided to pull a Friday night ordinance marathon, issuing five new ones to tweak laws on IT, land, foreign investment, and public services. Unsurprisingly, opposition parties are not amused, calling it a blatant bypass of Parliament. (Zoomers, an ordinance is when you just declare a law without getting the votes of the lawmakers.) Critics, including RSP’s Sumana Shrestha, slammed the government’s midnight maneuver as “ordinance rule,” accusing it of sidelining democratic norms (duh!). Meanwhile, the government says it’s all about speeding up reforms, like streamlining service delivery through the Nagarik App and making it easier for Nepali IT companies to go global. The debate’s heating up, with the opposition crying foul and the ruling side defending the ordinances as necessary for progress—but everyone seems to agree that Baluwatar’s midnight sessions are becoming a habit. Meanwhile, Nepali Congress, who were vehemently against Oli passing ordinances when NC wasn’t in government, seem fully supportive of his ordinances now that they are in power. Politics is like Tinder—you can’t trust anyone.

Earthquake, again: A devastating 7.1-magnitude earthquake rocked Tibet this week, claiming at least 126 lives and leaving thousands homeless. With over 14,000 rescue workers on the ground, operations are battling icy -16°C nights near the epicenter, just 50 miles from Everest. Tremors were felt as far as Nepal and India, though Nepal reported only minor damages—thankfully avoiding a repeat of the 2015 tragedy. In Tibet, over 3,600 buildings collapsed, displacing more than 30,000 people, while locals described homes "made of dirt" crumbling in seconds. Meanwhile, Beijing’s tight grip on information leaves much of the quake's aftermath shrouded in state-controlled updates. Rescue drones and blankets are out, but Everest tours are canceled—safety first, sightseeing later.

Tech

Zuck dai: So Zuck dai went wild this week. His "free speech" pivot at Meta is making waves, with sweeping changes like ditching third-party fact-checkers for Community Notes and loosening restrictions on political content. While Zuck courts controversy on Joe Rogan’s podcast, advertisers are eyeing these changes nervously. Some marketing leaders warn that the shift could threaten Meta’s $40.6 billion ad empire if unchecked fake news or hate speech undermines brand safety. Others argue Meta’s unmatched ad performance will keep marketers loyal. With Community Notes still facing scrutiny over speed and reliability, it’s a bold gamble for a company betting big on ads to fund its metaverse dreams.

Cook bhaisaab: Apple has reportedly fired several Indian-origin employees in the US for allegedly exploiting its matching grants program, which pairs employee donations to approved charities. According to reports, some employees fabricated donation records in cahoots with certain charities, redirecting Apple’s matching funds back to themselves. The Telugu Association of North America (TANA) is now under investigation, with the FBI, IRS, and DOJ scrutinizing its financial practices. A subpoena has been issued to TANA, demanding detailed records of donations and financial transactions from 2019 to 2024. While the scope of the investigation is unclear, this incident highlights the need for stricter oversight of corporate charity programs. Apple has yet to comment officially.

Sports

Fatafat

Stat: Nepal Customs seized vapes worth a whopping 3 million trying to sneak past the border. Apparently, the next big black-market item isn’t gold or electronics—it’s bubblegum-flavored fog machines for Zoomers. Pro tip: maybe put down the vape, pick up a skill, and learn to adult for once?

Watch: Seto Surya (White Sun)

Seto Surya (White Sun) is Deepak Rauniyar’s poignant exploration of the scars left by Nepal’s civil war. Centered on a former Maoist fighter returning to his village for his father’s funeral, the film unpacks personal and political tensions that echo a nation’s fractured history. Catch this beautifully layered story on YouTube.

Reading List:

1. The Anti-Social Century (Derek Thompson, The Atlantic)

   Americans are now spending more time alone than ever. It’s changing our personalities, our politics, and even our relationship to reality.

2. The Most Polarizing Thing on Wheels (S. C. Gwyne, TexasMonthly)

   A year after its debut, the Cybertruck has come to embody Tesla’s infamous CEO, with critics suggesting it’s as defective and unreliable as Elon Musk himself.

3. Movie stars, matchmakers, and aunties: How WhatsApp became an unstoppable cultural force (Sonia Falerio, restofworld)

   The world’s most popular messaging platform is synonymous with the internet for millions of people.

Kahi Nabhako Jaatra

Three Newsbriefs and a Lie

Three of these news headlines are real, and one is faker than a waiter’s insistence that you must drink the restaurant-provided bottled water on your table instead of asking for jaar ko paani. If you click on a true headline, the link will take you to the news article. If you click on the fake one, you’re in for a surprise!

1. साइड नदिएको भन्दै भकुण्डेबेँसीमा गाडी तोडफोड – Road rage reached peak drama in Bhakundebesi as an argument over "sides" escalated into full-on car smashing. Priorities, anyone?

2. कर कार्यालयमा पैसाको सट्टा आइफोन घुस – Forget cash—bribes at the tax office have reportedly gone digital, with iPhones now being the corruption currency of choice. Talk about staying on trend!

3. राम मन्दिरमा मोबाइल र क्यामेरा निषेध, तर जयकुमारले स्मार्ट चस्माबाट तस्बिर खिचे – Move over, smartphones—smart glasses are the new way to break temple rules.

4. LA ससुरालीको जग्गा विवादमा मोहीलाई तर्साउन पूर्वउपरथी पाण्डेले सेना र गाडीको दुरुपयोग गरेको आरोप – Ex-General Pandey allegedly pulled a power move, using army vehicles to intimidate in-laws over a land dispute. Talk about family drama with military-grade flair.

Eta Hernus Quiz

What word or phrase did the Oxford University Press declare as their Word of the Year for 2024?

Best of Twitter/Switter

Proud Gorkhali Moment

Bidesh Tira Hernus

LA Aaglaagi: Wildfires have scorched over 25,000 acres in Los Angeles County, forcing nearly 100,000 residents to evacuate. Hurricane-strength Santa Ana winds are fueling the chaos, with gusts reaching up to 100 mph in some areas. The Palisades fire alone has destroyed over 1,000 structures, making it the most destructive wildfire in LA’s history, while damages across the county are projected to top $50 billion. Recovery efforts are struggling, with firefighting crews overwhelmed and water-dropping aircraft grounded until winds ease. Even Hollywood is hitting pause, with TV productions and award shows postponed until the flames subside.

Trump baaje: In the lead-up to his return to the White House, Donald Trump has been focused on a wildly ambitious "annexation agenda," proposing to acquire Greenland, reclaim the Panama Canal, and even absorb Canada into the United States. Trump has floated using military or economic pressure to achieve these goals, all while poking fun at Canada’s Justin Trudeau by calling him “Governor Trudeau.” Critics say much of this is trolling—like the idea of renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America”—but Trump’s allies insist he’s serious about Greenland and the Panama Canal, citing national security concerns over China’s influence in the Western Hemisphere. Meanwhile, Fox News and other conservative media are hyping his plans, dubbing them the “Donroe Doctrine.”

Republicans in Congress are already drafting bills to support parts of the agenda, like reacquiring the Panama Canal, while Democrats, caught flat-footed, are struggling to counter. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sarcastically offered to negotiate renaming the Gulf of Mexico—if Trump helps lower costs for Americans. Yet, some Democrats worry that flashy moves like annexation, even if unrealistic, will overshadow their policy wins, leaving voters dazzled by Trump’s theatrics. For Trump, it’s all part of a strategy: bold, headline-grabbing ideas that demand attention, even if they leave his critics scrambling.

Answer to Eta Hernus Quiz: Oxford University Press has declared "brain rot" as its Word of the Year for 2024. The term describes the perceived mental decline resulting from excessive consumption of trivial online content, just like this newsletter.

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