Namaste, lovely people!

Although it would be perfect to start every newsletter with "What a f**ing week!", we thought it would be best to switch things up a bit. So instead, we suggest grabbing a drink (it's never too early, trust us), taking a deep breath, and getting ready to tackle this wild ride. Together, we'll try to make sense of all the craziness going on out there, but no promises - we can barely make sense of our own lives! So buckle up, hang on tight, and let's hope for the best (or at least something entertaining).

La Eta Hernus

Government

There’s so many switcheroos in the government, it’s starting to look like a M. Night Shyamalan movie. K P Oli (and his party, the UML) have pulled out of the government. Here’s a refresher on how we got here.

Why are grandpas fighting? Before the elections, the Maoists and the Nepali Congress (NC) formed a coalition. Come election time, the NC got the most votes, the UML second, and the Maoists were third. Rabi dai's RSP came in fourth place. But soon after the elections, KP Oli did what he’s best at doing and went to Prachanda, saying, "Hey yo, you ditch Sher Bahadur, you become the PM for the first 2.5 years, I’ll take over for the latter 2.5 years, and let’s have a president from the UML." Prachanda was like, "Aight, I’m in." Sher Bahadur was like, "WTF? I trusted you, Prachanda!" But then presidential elections come around, and Prachanda is like, "Remember what I told Oli a month ago that I’d support his UML candidate (Subash Nemwang) for president? Well, I’ve changed my mind. I’m going to support Ram Chandra Paudel (the NC and Sher Bahadur’s pick instead).” Oli is obviously furious, so he pulls out of the government. The presidential elections are on March 9. It looks like Ram Chandra Paudel is going to win. The old coalition is broken; a new one is formed, but Prachanda has to secure a vote of confidence as Oli, Lingden, and others have left the government. Prachanda is in charge of 16 ministries at the moment. We haven’t fact-checked this but could this be a world record? Y’all know how much us Nepali folks love world records.

Looking forward What’s there to look forward to?

Tech

A 19-year-old Pakistani woman, Iqra Jeewani, was deported by India on Sunday after authorities were able to locate her in Bengaluru. Jeewani had eloped with an Indian man and had been living in the city for four months, but was discovered when Indian authorities traced her WhatsApp calls to her family in Pakistan. The incident has raised concerns among cybersecurity experts, who suspect that WhatsApp's metadata is being used for mass surveillance, despite the messaging platform's encryption of user communication. The case highlights the risk to user privacy as governments gain the ability to effectively monitor and track users' online activity.

Proud Gorkhali Moment

Last month, Professor Andrew Pollard, Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, gave an interview to the BBC with a Nepali map hanging in the background. The sight of the map has caused excitement and pride in the Nepali community, who have taken to social media to celebrate the momentous occasion. Many are hailing it as a sign of recognition for Nepal's contributions to global health, and are calling for a national celebration with firecrackers. The gesture has also sparked conversations about the importance of representation and visibility in the global health community.

Kahi Nabhayeko Jaatra

Fatafat

Stat: Nepal’s economy expanded by only 0.8% in the first quarter of the 2022/23 fiscal year, a slight decrease from 0.9% during the same period in 2020/21, according to the National Statistics Office. Limited growth in the construction and mining sectors, as well as agriculture and manufacturing, contributed to the overall economic slowdown.

Quote: “Rastriya Swatantra Party Nepal ko laagi ghaado bhayo”

We tried translating this but how do you translate “ghaado?” Anyways, it was Madhav Kumar Nepal who said this in a press conference, highlighting how RaSwaPa came in with a lot of promise but has failed to deliver on most of their agendas. MaKuNe stays relevant, but it’s easy with a name like that.

Listen to: Sagun (link to spotify). Pretty dope lo-fi stuff.

Three news briefs and a lie

Three of these news briefs are real, and one is faker than than that “bujhenaaa?” dude on that cupid show. Can you spot the odd one out? (Scroll all the way to the bottom for the answer).

1. In a bizarre incident in Tilottama, a man seeking to buy land was left puzzled when a jagga dalaal showed him his own property and claimed it belonged to someone else. The man was left scratching his head, wondering whether he was suffering from amnesia or whether the realtor had simply lost his marbles. It seems that in the world of real estate, truth can be stranger than fiction.

2. In a scene reminiscent of a Bollywood action movie, two Nepali men in New South Wales are facing jail time after they attacked each other with a pressure cooker. The brawl reportedly started over a $800 debt, which escalated into a heated exchange and ended with the kitchenware flying. The incident has left many scratching their heads, wondering if the pressure cooker is the new weapon of choice in Nepali feuds.

3. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Ganesh Prasad Timilsana, has cracked down on noisy parliamentary sessions by mandating that all MPs keep their mobile phones on silent mode during meetings. Sources say the move was prompted by the overwhelming beeps and boops of mobile phones ringing during sessions, which were causing major distractions.

4. Three Nepali protestors arrived at Maitighar to protest Prachanda's Janayudha Diwas holiday but accidentally joined a climate change rally since they misread the time of the event on facebook. When asked for comment, one of the protesters shrugged and said, "Eh, climate change is important too."

Together with Strong and Lean by Rosetta

Hey ladies, tired of feeling self-conscious at the gym? Fear not, because Strong and Lean by Rosetta is here! It's a women-only training studio run by a certified fitness specialist. Here are five things you won't find here:

1. Men (yup, no more hogging the weights)

2. Judgmental stares from strangers who think they know what's best for your workout

3. Strong odors from sweaty guys who forget to use deodorant (gross!)

4. Awkward conversations with strangers about the weather (kasto chiso aaja ta hiu parcha jasto cha)

5. That one guy who always grunts loudly while lifting weights (we all know who he is)

According to Roshita, the owner of the studio, the fitness industry for women is too focused on appearance. But her approach emphasizes overall health and well-being. Roshita's goal is to teach people the importance of movement and exercise, so you can discover what your body needs to feel better. And when you start feeling comfortable in your own skin, that's when she feels accomplished. When asked about the most touching testimonial she had received, Roshita mentioned that while she appreciates when clients thank her for improving their physical health, she is particularly encouraged when they share how working with her has helped improve their mental health and overall well-being.

So, get ready to crush your fitness goals and join Strong and Lean by Rosetta today! Here’s a link to their insta page (note the discounts going on for International Womens’ Month!)

Update

An initial investigation into the crash of Yeti Airlines Flight 691 in Pokhara on January 15th has confirmed that both propellers of the plane were feathered before it crashed.

What is a “feathered propeller”? So, you know how a plane moves forward in the sky, right? Well, it's all thanks to something called a propeller. It's made up of a few blades connected to the engine, and when the engine starts turning, the blades spin around and create something called "thrust." Think of it like the wings on a plane, but instead of lifting the plane up, the propeller pushes it forward through the air.

In simple terms, a “feathered propeller” is when the blades of an airplane propeller are turned so they don't create any forward movement or engine power. This is usually done when there's a problem with the engine. In the case of the Yeti airline crash, the engines weren't providing enough power and the plane slowed down and crashed. But investigators still don't know why one of the pilots turned the propellers like that, so they're still figuring out what caused the crash.

Eta pani Hernus

• The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday issued an order allowing rape-accused cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane to travel abroad to play cricket matches.A joint bench of justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Kumar Chudal overturned the earlier verdict of Patan High Court.

• Actor Paul Shah has been cleared of child sex abuse allegations by the Pokhara High Court. The verdict was delivered by a joint bench of acting chief judge Dilliraj Acharya and judge Shreedhara Kumari Pudasaini, citing insufficient evidence to support the charge against him.

A request

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(Answer to three newsbriefs and a lie: The fourth one is false.)