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Lumbini Lions have entered the Qualifier 2 of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) 2025, defeating Kathmandu Gorkhas by four wickets.

In the eliminator match held at TU International Cricket Ground earlier today, Lumbini surpassed the victory target of 112 runs set by Kathmandu in 17.4 overs at the loss of six wickets.

For Lumbini's victory D'Arcy Short scored 33 runs off 34 balls, followed by Sundeep Jora who scored 23 runs off 23 balls. Likewise, Captain Rohit Paudel and Niroshan Dickwella scored 18 and 14 runs respectively.

For the bowling side, Santosh Yadav took two wickets, while Karan KC, Sunny Patel, Shahab Alam and Rashid Khan claimed one wicket each.

Earlier, batting first after winning the toss, Kathmandu Gorkhas were able to score only 111 runs in 19.1 overs, losing all their wickets.

Santosh Yadav top-scored with 23 runs off 17 balls while John Simpson and Mohammad Aadil Alam scored 18 runs each. Bhim Sharki contributed 14 runs off 16 balls.

In restricting Kathmandu to a meagre total, Sher Malla took three wickets in his full quota of four overs, giving away 22 runs. This feat also earned him the player-of-the-match award. 

Captain Rohit Paudel also took three wickets while Ruben Trumpelmann took two wickets.

With the win today, Lumbini Lions will face Biratnagar Kings in the second qualifier to be held at the same ground tomorrow. 

Biratnagar lost to Sudurpaschim Kings by 77 runs in the Qualifier 1 held on Tuesday.

After defeating Biratnagar in Qualifier 1, Sudurpaschim have booked a place in the final, and will play the winner of tomorrow's match. 

The final is scheduled to take place at the same venue on Saturday.

Non-life insurance companies have so far paid out only 18.7% of the total claims filed for losses arising from the Gen Z protests of September 8 and 9, according to updated figures from the Nepal Insurance Authority (NIA). 

The two days of violent unrest, marked by arson, vandalism and clashes between security forces and protesters, resulted in extensive damage to public property, business establishments, vehicles and private homes.

Of around 3,300 claims amounting to approximately Rs 23.44 billion received by insurers, companies have made advance and parietal payments totaling Rs 4.38 billion to policyholders, the NIA said.

Property insurance has accounted for the largest share of losses. Out of 710 property claims worth Rs 19.88 billion, insurers have so far settled about Rs 3.21 billion. Similarly, out of 2,308 motor insurance claims valued at Rs 3.47 billion, payments totaling Rs 1.08 billion have been made as of December 3..

Engineering and contractor’s risk policies have seen 225 claims worth Rs 555.5 million, of which insurers have settled Rs 68.1 million. Transport insurance accounts for 12 claims valued at Rs 16.8 million, with payouts of Rs 6.6 million. Under the “other” category, insurers have paid Rs 4.9 million against 45 claims totaling Rs 384 million.

According to the NIA, 1,984 of the total claims are linked directly to arson and vandalism in Kathmandu and several districts. Seventy-four people were killed in the protests, which escalated after police used excessive force to disperse crowds. Hotel Hilton Kathmandu alone reported damages of around Rs 8 billion, making it one of the largest individual losses.

All fourteen non-life insurance companies and four microinsurers have reported exposure to losses from the protests. Seven companies have liabilities exceeding Rs 1 billion each.

Oriental Insurance has received the highest claim totaling Rs 5.14 billion from 40 policies, followed by Siddhartha Premier Insurance with Rs 4.93 billion across 258 claims. Shikhar Insurance ranks third in terms of claim value, with 366 cases totaling Rs 2.39 billion. IME Prudential Insurance has 24 claims worth Rs 1.59 billion, while Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance has reported 233 claims amounting to Rs 1.47 billion.

Boosting tourism collaboration between China and Nepal can help strengthen mutual exchanges in various other fields, including economy, trade and culture, bolstering bilateral ties and advancing people-to-people bonds, Nepali experts said.

According to the latest statistics released by the Nepal Tourism Board, or NTB, the Himalayan nation recorded over 1 million foreign tourist arrivals in the first 11 months of 2025. The country welcomed 1,060,269 foreign tourists from January to November, compared with 1,055,520 visitors in the corresponding period last year.

India retained the top spot among the source markets for foreign tourists during the period, followed by the United States, while China ranked third with 86,800 arrivals recorded during the 11 months.

The robust volume of Chinese tourists in Nepal came as 2025 was designated as "Visit Nepal Year in China". The year also marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two neighbors.

"It is very important to keep enhancing people-to-people friendship through tourism, art performances, educational cooperation," said Harish Chandra Shah, president of the Nepal China Cultural and Educational Council.

He said Nepal and China enjoy common cultural affinity, social linkages and familial relations, but they also have different, diverse cultures and traditions.

Shah said that efforts have been underway in the recent past to boost cooperation and exchanges between the two sides. Among such initiatives, a conference was held in Kathmandu in May this year to promote collaboration between China and Nepal in the fields of cultural tourism and road-rail transport. The event led to the signing of agreements on tea trade and cultural tourism exchange.

Suresh Man Maharjan, founder and CEO of Himalayan Legends, a tour operator based in Kathmandu, said Nepal has particular charm for Chinese tourists, due to the vast diversity of landscapes as well as a wide range of activities that the landlocked nation offers, including exploring its folk culture and arts, ancient civilization, learning about its exotic flora and fauna, taking part in hiking and trekking, and enjoying adventure sports such as paragliding and river rafting.

Immersive travel

He said apart from the traditional mode of tourism, a new mode of immersive travel has been fostering closer ties. Here, primary and middle school students are offered an opportunity to experience Nepali folk music, or enjoy homestays in Nepal's villages.

"The latter can help young students from China gain an idea of the authentic lifestyle of the local villagers who live at the foot of the Himalayan mountains so they can understand each other's culture and customs," said the Nepali travel expert.

"This new mode of experience-based tours will become increasingly popular in future as participants can actively pursue knowledge about Nepal rather than just go sightseeing."

China and Nepal have enjoyed good connectivity, said experts in the travel industry. Himalaya Airlines, a China-Nepal joint venture based in Kathmandu, has been operating direct flights between Kathmandu, Nepal's capital city, and Lhasa, the capital city of China's Xizang autonomous region, and between Kathmandu and Southwest China's Chongqing.

Earlier this year, the carrier started the first-ever direct commercial flights between Lhasa and Pokhara, Nepal's second-largest city and a popular tourist attraction.

Prakash Pun, a tourism promoter in Hong Kong for Nepal's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, said that tourism can help bridge the gap or narrow differences between people and cultures.

"It will lead to more frequent commercial activities and diplomatic exchanges between the two sides," he said. Source: China Daily

A right that lives only in writing is not a right at all. Without sincere enforcement, even the finest laws become empty promises. As the world marks Human Rights Day on December 10—commemorating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) of 1948—it is worth asking: are we genuinely upholding these rights, or merely celebrating them in speeches and documents?

The UDHR, with its 30 articles, protects basic freedoms such as the right to life, liberty, equality, speech and expression. These rights are also guaranteed by Nepal’s 2015 Constitution. However, guaranteeing rights and ensuring people enjoy them,in true and material sense, are two different things.

Rights on Paper

Human rights violations continue around the world. Children, women, and workers still face mistreatment. Even basic rights like clean air and safe public spaces are not fully protected. In Nepal, the Constitution promises dignity for all, but dignity requires respect, equality, and real opportunities.

Developing countries like Nepal often struggle to implement fundamental rights, which increasingly appear dependent on economic capacity. As a result, their enforcement begins to resemble the fate of Directive Principles—lofty aspirations constrained by limited resources.

When states, in practice, start placing fundamental rights and directive principles on the same footing solely because of economic inadequacy, it leads to undemocratic governance and systematic human rights violations. Every individual is entitled to enjoy these rights fully by virtue of being human. It is high time for the states to assume collective responsibility in combating discrimination and safeguarding human rights. After all, the mere enactment of laws carries little value without meaningful enforcement.

Governance Matters

Good governance is essential for protecting rights. Nepal’s Constitution emphasizes rule of law, transparency, inclusion, and welfare. Global thinkers—from Locke to Gandhi—have long linked justice and governance. Nepal’s own history, including Prithvi Narayan Shah’s Dibya Upadesh, stresses fairness and preventing injustice.

The Good Governance (Management and Operation) Act of 2008 is a specific law aimed at promoting good governance by ensuring public administration accountable, transparent, inclusive, and participatory. This Act emphasizes values like the rule of law, corruption-free administration, financial discipline, and efficient public service. Section 17 mandates for the basis and reason to be mentioned in decision. 

Other relevant statutory measures, such as the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Act (1991), Prevention of Corruption Act (2002), the Public Procurement Act (2007), and the Right to Information Act (2007), further reinforce Nepal’s commitment to ensuring good governance.

The Supreme Court in the case of Gopal Guragain on behalf of Communication Corner Pvt. Ltd. v. Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Singhdurbar, Kathmandu (N.K.P., 2067, Vol.1, Decision Number. 8299) held that transparent governance helps reduce corruption, delays, and red tape.

The UN lists eight pillars of good governance, including accountability, participation, and equity. Without these, rights cannot flourish.

Poor Economy 

Many fundamental rights remain unfulfilled because of weak economic conditions. Pollution violates environmental rights. Unemployment pushes thousands of youths abroad for survival. Social inequality, political favoritism, and digital gaps deepen discrimination.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar famously argued that political democracy cannot survive without economic democracy. Rights become empty promises when the state lacks the resources to enforce them. Perhaps the world needs a new global commitment to support poorer nations in fulfilling human rights obligations.

Way forward 

Education should promote peace, equality, justice, and respect. Legal knowledge alone is not enough; people must learn empathy, fairness, and non-violence.

Human rights should not depend on a country’s wealth. Nor should they remain limited to paper or be treated merely as a topic for university curricula. Instead, they must be taken seriously as a matter that demands genuine, practical implementation. 

It is time for nations to work together to uphold human rights in practice—not just in speeches and documents. Laws have value only when they are implemented, and every person deserves to enjoy their rights fully, simply by being human.

“To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity,” rightly said Nelson Mandela. It’s high time we acknowledged his words and implemented our human rights-friendly laws in true and material sense.  

Authors are faculty members in Law at Manmohan Technical University (MTU), Biratnagar, Nepal