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Social media companies have defied the Nepal government’s request to get registered in Nepal if they want to operate in Nepali territory. Nepal’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology had issued a notice asking them either to get registered or face a ban in the country. However, till date, social media giants such as Meta and X have not approached the ministry.

Companies, institutions or persons who are operating or plan to operate social media platforms in Nepal were asked to get enlisted. In addition, platforms must establish a point of contact, name a resident grievance handling officer and an officer for monitoring compliance.

Till date, only Viber, TikTok and Weetok have registered with the ministry. It has been two months since we notified Meta about the registration, but we have not received any response, Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung said. 

Addressing a program in Rupandehi recently, the minister had said the government would ban the platforms by Chaitra-end (April 13) if they did not register with the government by then. Apart from issuing a public notice, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology had sent separate letters to Facebook and X asking them to come with necessary documents for the registration but there was no response from them.

Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp operate under the Meta and all three apps are very popular in Nepal. Mainly, Facebook is doing a big business in Nepal but it is not paying any taxes to Nepal, violating Nepal’s law. If they are registered in Nepal, officials say, they will be under government scrutiny.

Similarly, government officials say, if they establish an office or contact person in Kathmandu, it will be helpful to fight misinformation and disinformation that is happening through these platforms. Last year, the government banned TikTok for one year which ultimately forced the social media giant to register with Nepal authority and work under Nepal’s rule. 

The directive issued by the government makes a distinction on social network platforms based on the number of users, classifying those with fewer than 100,000 users as “small” platforms and those with more than 100,000 users as “large” platforms. This classification has significant implications, particularly for the larger platforms. Specifically, large-scale social network platforms are mandated to establish a residential “point of contact” and officials inspect compliance of self-regulation.

Two people were killed in an excavator accident at Chankheli Rural Municipality-2, Humla on Sunday.

The deceased have been identified as Parbal Kami (45) and Arjun Kami (31) of Chankheli Rural Municipality-2.

DSP Shankar Pokharel of the District Police Office, Humla, said that the incident occurred when the excavator (Province 2-03-001 Ka 975) fell some 100 meters down the road last night.

He informed that Parbal and Arjun, who were critically injured in the incident, breathed their last during the course of treatment.

Police have impounded the excavator and arrested its driver for investigation.

The excavator belongs to one Nandalal Baduwal of Chhayanath Municipality-14, Mugu.

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Hanoi on Monday to pay a state visit to Vietnam.

Vietnamese President Luong Cuong arrived at Noi Bai International Airport to greet General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, as well as a high-level Chinese delegation.

Two hundred members of the Drum Art Troupe welcomed the high-ranking Chinese delegation with special drum performances. There were also welcoming dances performed by 54 young women in traditional Vietnamese clothes, Xinhua reported.

This is Xi's fourth State visit to Vietnam as General Secretary and President of China; more importantly, it is the second visit by a Chinese leader to Vietnam in the same term.
The visit occurs in the backdrop of 2025 being a significant year, commemorating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries (January 18, 1950 - January 18, 2025).

This visit contributes to strengthening and deepening the framework of the Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, while the Vietnam-China Community of Shared Future has strategic significance, elevating the two countries' relationship to new heights.

Vajra Books, a Kathmandu-based publishing business, has released a new book titled Guilt and Glory (Climbing with Sherpa), which explores into the lives of Sherpas in Nepal, emphasizing their critical role in high-altitude expeditions.

The book, written by Jon Gangdal, analyzes the mountains' historical and spiritual significance to the Sherpa community, as well as the developing incentives that drive them to embark on such dangerous expeditions. Gangdal illuminates the complicated interplay between economic necessity, cultural beliefs, and the pull of mountaineering, providing readers with a complete picture of the Sherpas' life.

Gangdal honors the Sherpa people via vivid storytelling and personal observations, emphasizing their tenacity and the great hardships they confront. This piece is both a tribute and a critical assessment of the dynamics between climbers and the Sherpa community.

This is a beautiful and multilayered story—both spiritual and human. It weaves together the apparent and intangible weights that Sherpas bear on risky climbs, including not only physical risk but also a metaphysical cost that many outsiders are unaware of. The idea that dying below the snow line risks rebirth as a preta—an emaciated entity doomed to perpetual hunger—is disturbing. It captures a spiritual gravitas that is typically absent from mainstream mountaineering stories.

The 15th edition of the Bindabasini Music Awards held at the Rastriya Nach Ghar featured awards in 17 competitive categories, five special honors, and 10 musical performances.

Folk singer Arjun Sapkota bagged the Best Folk Singer (Male) award for his song ‘Basyau Alakkai’, while lyricist Santosh Sapkota won the Jury Award for Best Song for ‘Dukha Satmala’, marking some of the major highlights. The song ‘Jun Maya’ was declared the Best Song of the year. In the Sugam Sangeet (contemporary music) category, Raj Singdel won Best Male Singer for ‘Hridayama’, Usha Gajurel was awarded Best Female Singer for ‘Mausam Aaula’, Shridhar Adhikari bagged Best Music Composer for ‘Chhau Ni Timi Aaha’, while Baikuntha Mahat and Benisha Poudel won Best Duet for ‘Pirim Gadi’. Binod Shrestha and Usha Subedi were honored as Best Model Duo for the song ‘Bidaai 2’.

In other folk categories, Kabita Khatri received Best Folk Singer (Female) for ‘Namaste Dhogdiyaa’, Khem Pun was awarded for Best Folk Tune with ‘Marne Sui Laideu’, Narayan Gyawali received Best Folk Lyrics for ‘Kanya Rashi’, and Nishan Baniya won Best Folk Video Director for ‘Bhagyamai Runa Lekheko’. 

Bishal Ghimire won Best Modern Video Director for ‘Meri Bathi Maya’, Amrit Chapagain won Best Video Editor for ‘Mayalu’, and Pawan Susling was honored as Best Cinematographer for ‘Mayalai Panko Paat’. Prem Sapkota Sonu received the New Singing Talent Award for ‘Aru Ta Ke Bhanu Mayalu’. Juna Bishwakarma received the Public Choice Award for ‘Maya Aune Bus’, while Anil Poudel won the Popular Song Award for the same track.

Jury Awards were also presented during the ceremony. Smriti Timilsina won Best Director for ‘Nepalma Rail Kahile Aaulaan’, Sanjay Devkota was awarded Best Male Singer for ‘Kura Bujhideu’, while Bikram Budhathoki and Elina Rayamajhi received the Best Acting Duo award for ‘Hare Maile Mayama’. Khem Century was honored as Best Music Composer for ‘Tallo Bato’.

The economy is in shambles, the citizens are crying out, and the ones in power are stuffing their ears with wads of cash. The recession currently faced by the nation is the result of decades of corruption, inefficiency, and misplaced priorities. It is also the result of low aggregate demand and low aggregate supply. The situation is further worsened by Nepal being on the Graylist, meaning it would be hard for Nepal to get foreign aid, and as USAID has been stopped, Nepal will be seeing some tough times in the future. For a country blessed with enormous and strategic geographical locations, the current situation stands as an example of neglect. The stagnation acts as a nudge for the nation to shutter its doors and start making decisive changes before it reaches a point of no return.

Recession: The price of neglect

For the first time in a while, Nepal has “officially” stepped foot into a recession. The Covid-19 pandemic triggered a worldwide financial crisis. In Nepal’s case, political instability, bolstered by further unnecessary bureaucracy and a lack of economic insight globally, slowed down progress and entrenched the problem of economic stagnation. 

Nearly half a decade has passed since the outbreak of the pandemic, and a significant number of nations have regained their positions, with states in the Global South, including Nepal, being the exception. Supporting evidence can be found in inflation rates soaring to numbers like 5.41 percent in Jan 2025 and the value of the Nepali currency dwindling to $0.0073 per rupee. 

Tourism and agriculture: Squandered opportunities

The tourism sector, which accounts for around 6.7 percent of Nepal’s GDP, remains below pre-pandemic visitor numbers, according to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation data from 2024. According to NTB data, Nepal welcomed approximately 1,147,024 foreign tourists in 2024, marking a around 13.1 percent increase compared to the previous year. This figure is close to the pre-pandemic record of around 1,197,191 tourists in 2019, which shows that Nepal is progressing but not at a rapid pace. Dependence on tourism as the primary economic driver without a solid plan for economic diversification will lead to an inevitable catastrophe. Major tourist sites not only face inadequate connectivity issues but also lack standard facilities and insufficient global platform promotion due to ongoing infrastructure weakness.

Recent statistics show that agriculture employs about 67 percent of the workforce and contributes approximately 24.5 percent to the GDP. It is still primitive, as 75 percent of farmers use traditional farming. It is almost impossible to think of a nation that lacks food products and imports said products worth over Rs. 340bn annually, but Nepal does (Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, 2024). The situation with climate change is affecting productivity, but prospering in harsh conditions leads to not having an adequate policy focused on it. The sponsorship in mechanization and the latest techniques of farming is not up to mark, and thus the farmers suffer due to the unpredicted rainfall, the high cost of energy, and so forth. 

Remittance dependency: A national shame

Nepal’s economy depends on remittance. Remittance inflows increased 16.5 percent to Rs 1445.32bn during 2023/24 compared to an increase of 23.2 percent in the previous year. In US dollar terms, remittance inflows increased 14.5 percent to $10.86bn in the review year compared to an increase of 13.9 percent in the previous year, as stated by Nepal Rastra Bank. This stream of money keeps Nepal running but causes high social and economic costs. The country does not create enough local jobs, and thus, the dependence on remittance leaves Nepal vulnerable to changes in other countries, as shown during the pandemic when remittance inflows dropped by 4.2 percent (Nepal Rastra Bank, 2024). The slow global economy in the Middle East and Malaysia—two main places for Nepalese workers—brings real risks to remittance flows in the coming years (International Monetary Fund, 2024). These statistics are not up to par, as this does not include India, where we have an open border system and who has the highest number of Nepali workers.

The recovery illusion

International organizations together with the government present GDP predictions for 2024 at 3.9 percent, but this information remains deceptive, as the Asian Development Bank notes in 2024. The growth rates of 5.8 percent in Bangladesh and 8.2 percent in India exceed Nepal’s tepid performance in 2023, where Nepal had a growth rate of two percent. Developing nations must view minimal economic growth as unsuccessful efforts that society perceives as advancement. Financial stability remains threatened because non-performing loans (NPLs) within the banking sector have reached around 5.8 percent, according to Nepal Rastra Bank (2024).

The clock is ticking

Nepal faces an important choice that will determine whether it will adopt bold economic reforms that lead to growth or continue its decline towards insignificance. All attempts at implementing fragile or shallow changes have become outdated. The country needs complete systematic changes such as:

• The government must reform its governance system to eradicate corruption while enhancing bureaucracies’ performance quality.
• We should promote industrial incentives to cut down the nation's dependence on foreign imports and migrant worker money transfers.
• We should work to establish modern agricultural methods that will bring Nepal to food production autonomy.
• There must be economic expansion past tourism and remittance by making substantial investments in manufacturing alongside adopting new technology.
• Education improvement initiatives will lower youth employment rates while stopping professionals from migrating abroad.
• Financial institution stability increases through enhanced banking rules and better credit mechanisms, which benefit small organizations and startup ventures.

All citizens of Nepal share responsibility for securing the future because this battle will determine what Nepal becomes in the coming years. Our leaders need to push for increased performance in our country. The current situation requires immediate action because the potential consequences bear too much weight. The future of Nepal demands change as time presents itself to create a positive transformation.

Ujain Shrestha

A Levels

Islington College, Kamalpokhari

A Russian strike on Sunday killed 32 people, including two children, and injured many more in the city of Sumy in northeastern Ukraine.

Ukraine said Russia launched ballistic missiles on Sumy's city Centre on Palm Sunday.

The attack came two days after US ambassador Steve Witkoff visited Russia to speak with its leader, Vladimir Putin, and despite US President Donald Trump's calls for Moscow to cease the war, according to AFP.

Sumy is on the Russian border and has been under increasing pressure in recent weeks.

Rescuers said the strike hit the city centre "right when there were many people on the street."

It is one of the deadliest attacks by Russia in Ukraine in recent months as Moscow pushes on with its more than three-year-long invasion of its neighbor, AFP reported.

Moscow has not yet commented on the strike.

US President, Trump has reiterated his stance that he won't be attending the G20 Summit in November, which is set to be hosted by South Africa in November.

His comments on social media exacerbated tensions between the two countries and drew censure from South African political parties, according to the New York Post.

In an article on Truth Social, Trump reiterated controversial allegations on purported anti-white violence in South Africa, such as that white farmers were being violently persecuted and having their land taken in what he called a "genocide."

Trump asked, “Is this where we want to be for the G20? I don’t think so!”

South Africa currently holds the presidency of the G20, which brings together leaders from the world’s major economies for discussions on global issues, New York Post reported.

At a Group of 20 summit, leaders of state will discuss issues such as handling world hunger, addressing climate change, tackling the impact of tariff wars between powerful nations, and reforming international institutions.  

The gathering will be the first G-20 summit ever held on the African continent.