Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Nepal&rsquo;s spring Everest season has opened under the shadow of a major rescue-fraud scandal that investigators say exploited trekkers, insurers and the country&rsquo;s mountaineering industry. Police allege that trekking guides, helicopter operators, hospitals and agents worked together to stage or exaggerate medical emergencies, trigger unnecessary evacuations and submit inflated insurance claims worth nearly $20 million, local media reported on Friday. The case centres on what Nepal Police&rsquo;s Central Investigation Bureau says was a years-long racket embedded in the trekking business. According to recent reporting, investigators found 317 fake rescues between 2022 and 2025 out of 2,320 helicopter operations, with fraudulent claims totalling about $19.65 million. Authorities have said the matter is now before the Kathmandu District Court, with 32 accused in the case, while some reports have described the action as 33 charges, reflecting different snapshots of the proceedings.&nbsp; Investigators say the scam followed a repeatable script. Trekkers were allegedly frightened into believing they were too ill to continue, or were made to appear sick, and were then flown to Kathmandu by helicopter. Once there, hospitals allegedly created false or inflated admission records, treatment notes and billing documents to support large insurance claims. Reporting also says that even when several trekkers shared one helicopter, each could be billed as if they had taken a separate full-fare flight.&nbsp; Some of the most disturbing allegations involve the deliberate creation of symptoms. Recent accounts citing police findings say certain trekkers were allegedly given substances such as baking soda or excessive Diamox with water to mimic altitude sickness and justify evacuation. Those claims remain allegations under investigation rather than court-established fact, but they have become the most alarming part of the case.&nbsp; The scandal is not entirely new. The Kathmandu Post first exposed Nepal&rsquo;s fake rescue network in 2018, prompting a government inquiry and a lengthy report, but the problem allegedly persisted and worsened. Officials now fear the case could damage Nepal&rsquo;s image just as climbers prepare to arrive for the main Everest window from late April through May.&nbsp;

Nepal

Nepal’s Everest season begins amid a massive rescue scam, with police claiming 317 staged evacuations, nearly $20 million in fraudulent claims, and trekkers manipulated or sickened for profit.

Nepal Everest season opens amid $20 million rescue scam

ISLAMABAD: Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal on Saturday said he looked forward to &ldquo;enhancing bilateral ties&rdquo; and &ldquo;exploring further avenues for cooperation&rdquo; between Pakistan and Nepal, according to a post on X.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2037706888197046511&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=fd25b5b85ace2f874ce6272131a6b0e4c68e6067&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 552px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2037706888197046511">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;Nepal deeply values its friendship with Pakistan. I look forward to working closely with you,&rdquo; Khanal posted on X, while replying to Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who had congratulated him earlier on taking office. The minister also emphasized cooperation between both countries to &ldquo;achieve shared goals of peace and prosperity.&rdquo; Khanal, who assumed office on Friday along with members of his Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) after taking oath, said both countries should work together to &ldquo;achieve shared goals of peace and prosperity.&rdquo;

Foreign Affairs

Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal says he looks forward to “enhancing bilateral ties” and “exploring further avenues for cooperation” between Pakistan and Nepal, on a post on his X account.

Nepali foreign minister eyes stronger ties with Pakistan   

KATHMANDU: Nepal&#39;s former prime minister KP Sharma Oli and ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested Saturday morning over their alleged involvement in a deadly crackdown on protestors in September, police said. &quot;They were arrested this morning and the process will move forward according to the law,&quot; Kathmandu Valley police spokesman Om Adhikari told AFP. The detentions come a day after Prime Minister Balendra Shah and his cabinet were sworn in after the first elections since the 2025 uprising that toppled Oli&#39;s government. At least 77 people were killed in the anti-corruption youth uprising on September 8 and 9, which began over a brief social media ban, but tapped into longstanding fury over economic hardship. At least 19 young people were killed in a crackdown on the first day of protests. The unrest spread nationwide the following day as parliament and government offices were set ablaze, resulting in the government&#39;s collapse. A Nepal government-backed report into the deadly uprising has recommended the prosecution of 74-year-old Oli and other officials. The report said that it was &quot;not established that there was an order to shoot&quot;, but said that &quot;no effort was made to stop or control the firing and, due to their negligent conduct, even minors lost their lives&quot;. &quot;No one is above the law... This is not revenge against anyone, just the beginning of justice. I believe, now the country will take a new direction,&quot; newly appointed Home Minister Sudan Gurung, who was a key figure in the protests, posted on Instagram.

Former Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, along with other officials, attends the inaugural session marking the launch of the high-definition versions of four Nepal Television (NTV) channels on its 34th anniversary, January 30, 2019. (File photo: The Hi

Nepal's former prime minister KP Sharma Oli and ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested Saturday morning over their alleged involvement in a deadly crackdown on protestors in September, police said.

Nepal's ex-PM arrested over alleged role in protest crackdown

Web Desk/AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday congratulated Nepal&rsquo;s new Prime Minister Balendra Shah on winning the national elections, according to a post on his official X account. &ldquo;I congratulate Balen Shah on assuming office as the Prime Minister of Nepal after a landslide victory of Rashtriya Swantatra Party,&rdquo; PM Sharif added, &ldquo;Pakistan deeply values its longstanding and friendly relations with Nepal and looks forward to working closely.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2037435610689130669&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=ad3b4609defee31047de59400e5fe272e1548027&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>Rapper-turned-politician Shah was Kathmandu&rsquo;s mayor before he challenged and defeated the veteran Marxist leader KP Sharma Oli, the 74-year-old four-time ex-premier, in his own seat. Shah not only unseated Oli, but his Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) party secured a landslide parliamentary majority, securing 182 of 275 seats in the lower house of parliament. He gave his victory speech in a rap song ahead of being sworn into office on Friday, where he sang &quot;unity is my national power&quot;. Born in Kathmandu in 1990, he was a schoolboy during Nepal&#39;s 1996-2006 Maoist civil war, which killed thousands and eventually ended the monarchy. Shah trained as a civil engineer but first gained national attention through Nepal&#39;s underground hip-hop scene, releasing songs that railed against corruption and inequality. His music, which has drawn millions of views online, helped him cultivate a devoted following on social media -- a platform he continues to favour over traditional outlets for communicating with supporters. That popularity translated into a political shock in 2022, when Shah became the first independent candidate elected mayor of Kathmandu, stunning Nepal&#39;s entrenched political establishment.

Shehbaz Sharif congratulates Balendra Shah on becoming Nepal’s prime minister after a landslide election victory, pledging to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.

Pakistan's PM Sharif congratulates Nepal’s newly elected prime minister

KATHMANDU:&nbsp;<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: source-sans-pro, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" id="isPasted">Nepal&#39;s rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah held an unassailable lead against ousted prime minister KP Sharma Oli in the highly contested face-off in Nepal&#39;s southeastern district of Jhapa, according to data by the Election Commission. The high-stakes parliamentary election on Thursday came six months after deadly anti-corruption protests toppled the government, with at least 77 people killed. The September 2025 youth-led demonstrations, under a loose Gen Z banner, began over a brief social media ban but quickly tapped into broader grievances over corruption and a struggling economy. According to early trends issued by the Election Commission Saturday, 35-year-old Shah&#39;s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was on track to win a majority in the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament. &quot;Looking at the trend, the Rastriya Swatantra Party has taken the lead in many places and has won several seats,&quot; commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai told AFP. If the trends are confirmed by the vote count, 35-year-od Shah&#39;s victory over a veteran Marxist leader -- and his rise from city mayor to potential prime minister -- would mark one of the most dramatic results in recent Nepali politics. &quot;This is heading to a landslide victory -- this reflects the frustration that has been building up,&quot; said Chandra Dev Bhatta, a political analyst. &quot;It is actually the people&#39;s revolt against the established political parties,&quot; he added. &quot;The people understand that the new do not really have strong agendas, but it is a punishment to the parties for their decades-long poor governance.&quot; &nbsp;&#39;A day will come&#39; By Saturday morning, on the second day of counting, there were only 34 declared results -- RSP took 27, Nepali Congress won four, and the Marxist party of ousted prime minister KP Sharma Oli was trailing with one. Former Maoist guerrilla commander Pushpa Kamal Dahal has one seat for his party. But trends showed that Shah&#39;s RSP was also leading in 90 of the 165 constituencies in the direct elections. It had secured comfortably more than half of votes so far counted in the proportional representation vote, which determines a further 110 seats via party lists. Bhattarai said results from direct elections would be ready by Monday, but longer for full results to be ready. &quot;According to our plan, it will take at least a week to count the proportional votes, after which the election will go through the official process,&quot; he added. He said that vote counting was &quot;going smoothly&quot; across the Himalayan nation, from snowbound high-altitude mountain regions to the hot plains bordering India. On Friday, Shah&#39;s party loyalists danced on the streets of Kathmandu in celebration -- even though votes counted remain low, and final results could take days. DP Aryal, RSP deputy chairman, issued a message urging supporters to hold back on celebrations. &quot;Once we work, a day will come for us to celebrate,&quot; he said in a post on social media late Friday. Shah has also taken a commanding lead in the seat he is contesting -- a head-to-head contest against the 74-year-old ousted prime minister Oli, symbolising the clash between the old guard and a youth-driven call for change. Better known as Balen, Shah first leveraged his music fame and strong social media following to become Kathmandu&#39;s first independent mayor in 2022. Nepali Congress, the largest party in the past coalition government, saw its new leader Gagan Thapa trailing in his own constituency. &quot;This is even a bigger upset than we expected -- it underscores the level of public disenchantment with the old parties for under-performance, as well as anger over the events of September,&quot; said Kunda Dixit, publisher of the weekly Nepali Times. In Jhapa, soldiers with armoured trucks manned barbed wire barricades around the counting centre. Yagya Prasad Adhikari, a 49-year-old businessman who travelled from Kathmandu for the vote, said he supported the calls for calm before full results were ready. &quot;We want someone who works, not someone who talks,&quot; he said. &quot;We support Balen not celebrating.&quot; Meanwhile, the burnt-out ruins of Oli&#39;s home in Jhapa -- torched during the unrest, like hundreds of other buildings, including parliament -- serve as a reminder of the deadly violence that occurred last year. Dharmakala Gautam, 74, who watched the house burn, said she was tired of promises by politicians that never materialised. &quot;When the Maoists came to rule, we hoped for change -- but not much happened,&quot; she said. &quot;I will keep some hope this time too.&quot;

Election trends show rapper-turned-politician Balendra “Balen” Shah’s centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party heading for a landslide and possible majority in Nepal’s 275-seat parliament, six months after deadly anti-corruption protests. 

Nepal's Balendra Shah holds unassailable poll lead for seat: Commission figures

KATHMANDU: Counting was underway in Nepal on Friday, after a high-stakes parliamentary election to reshape the country&#39;s leadership following 2025 protests that toppled the government. Key figures vying for power include Marxist leader KP Sharma Oli, the ousted four-time prime minister, rapper-turned-mayor Balendra Shah, bidding for the youth vote, and the newly elected leader of the Nepali Congress party, Gagan Thapa. In Kathmandu&#39;s tea shops and city squares, people were glued to their phones, checking results as early trends flashed up -- suggesting Shah&#39;s centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was ahead. Prakash Nyupane, a spokesman for the Election Commission, said that counting was ongoing &quot;in a peaceful manner&quot; across the Himalayan nation, from snowbound high-altitude mountain regions to the hot plains bordering India. Voters have chosen who replaces the interim government in place since the September 2025 uprising, in which at least 77 people were killed, and parliament and scores of government buildings were torched. Youth-led protests under a loose Gen Z banner began as a demonstration against a brief social media ban, but were fed by wider grievances at corruption and a woeful economy. &quot;This is even a bigger upset than we expected -- it underscores the level of public disenchantment with the old parties for under-performance, as well as anger over the events of September,&quot; Kunda Dixit, publisher of the weekly Nepali Times, told AFP. &#39;Fate of the country&#39; The polls are one of the most hotly contested elections in the Himalayan republic of 30 million people since the end of a civil war in 2006. All eyes are watching the results in the key head-to-head battleground constituency of Jhapa-5, a usually sleepy eastern district, where 35-year-old Shah challenged directly the veteran Oli, aged 74. Shah, better known as Balen, snappily dressed in a black suit and sunglasses, has cast himself as a symbol of youth-driven political change -- and early trends suggested he was in the lead. Soldiers with armoured trucks manned barbed wire barricades around the counting centre in Jhapa. &quot;I hope this result changes the fate of the country for the better,&quot; Bhagawati Adhikari, 38, told AFP, who was among a crowd of dozens at Jhapa gathered outside the security cordon. &quot;The country should be peaceful and secure, youth should get opportunities, corruption should stop -- that&#39;s my appeal.&quot; &#39;Better path&#39; More than 3,400 candidates ran for 165 seats in direct elections to the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, with 110 more chosen via party lists. Turnout was 59 percent. Some results are expected later Friday, but full nationwide tallies could take several days. Even then, negotiations to form a government may drag on if -- as many analysts predict -- no single party secures an outright majority. But Dixit raised the possibility that Shah&#39;s RSP could stage a dramatic win. &quot;If RSP hits the magic 138 seats, Balen will become prime minister -- and hopefully a cabinet of technocrats,&quot; added Dixit. Sushila Karki, the interim prime minister, praised the peaceful conduct of a vote she has said was critical in &quot;determining our future&quot;. The challenge that Karki -- a 73-year-old former chief justice who reluctantly left retirement to lead the nation -- now faces will be managing the reaction to results. The election saw a wave of younger candidates promising to tackle Nepal&#39;s dismal economy, challenging veteran politicians who have dominated for decades and argue that their experience guarantees stability and security. Mira Ranjit, 49, who voted in the capital, Kathmandu, clapped as ballot boxes were collected under heavy guard and taken to counting centres late on Thursday. &quot;A new leader should emerge who can guide our country and show a better path for the nation, so that the Gen Z protest achieves its goal,&quot; she said. &quot;We don&#39;t need anything more than this. Many mothers lost their children, and their demands should be fulfilled.&quot;

Vote counting is underway in Nepal for the first election since youth led protests toppled the government in 2025

Nepal counts votes after key post-uprising election

KATHMANDU: Nepal voted on Thursday for a new parliament in a high-stakes showdown between an entrenched old guard and a powerful youth movement, six months after deadly anti-corruption protests toppled the government. Key figures contesting for power include the Marxist former prime minister seeking a return to office, a rapper-turned-mayor bidding for the youth vote, and the newly elected leader of the powerful <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nepals-gen-z-pins-hopes-on-postuprising-elections" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nepali Congress party</a>. &quot;Nepalis have been waiting for change for so long, from one system to another,&quot; said Nilanta Shakya, 60, a retired engineer, who was among the first to vote at a college in the capital, Kathmandu. &quot;I hope there is a meaningful change this time,&quot; she added. Nearly 19 million voters are choosing who replaces the interim government in place since the September 2025 uprising, in which at least 77 people were killed, and parliament and scores of government buildings were torched. Youth-led protests under a loose Gen Z banner began as a demonstration against a brief social media ban, but were fed by wider grievances at corruption and a woeful economy. Sushila Karki, the interim prime minister, urged a &quot;peaceful election&quot;, saying the vote was critical in &quot;determining our future&quot;. The polls, which close at 5:00 pm (1115 GMT), are one of the most hotly contested elections in the Himalayan republic of 30 million people since the end of a civil war in 2006. Thousands of soldiers and police have been deployed at polling centres. The election has seen a wave of younger candidates promising to tackle Nepal&#39;s woeful economy, challenging veteran politicians who have dominated for decades and argue that their experience guarantees stability and security. &quot;Today feels like a day of celebration,&quot; said Nirmala Bhandari, 50, a housewife, who danced in the street with friends for a video for social media, after casting her vote in Bhaktapur district, outside the capital. &quot;I am hopeful that the country will get new leaders and that we will build a better nation.&quot; &#39;Blood will bring change&#39;&nbsp;Helicopters have flown voter materials to snowbound mountain regions across Nepal, home to eight of the world&#39;s 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest. But all eyes will be focused on the hot farming plains south of the capital, where all three prime ministerial hopefuls are contesting seats -- a departure from past elections that focused on the capital. KP Sharma Oli, the 74-year-old Marxist leader ousted as prime minister last year and seeking a return to power, is being challenged in the usually sleepy eastern town of Jhapa by former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician. The Jhapa-5 constituency, with around 163,000 voters, will determine whether Oli secures his seat or whether Shah enters parliament. Shah, from the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), who queued to vote in Kathmandu dressed in a black suit and sunglasses, has cast himself as a symbol of youth-driven political change. Also in the race as aspiring prime minister is Gagan Thapa, 49, the new head of the country&#39;s oldest party, Nepali Congress, has said he wants to end the &quot;old age&quot; club of revolving veteran leaders. After casting his vote, Thapa told AFP that it is &quot;the duty of the leaders&quot; not to let events of September 2025 occur again. On social media, voters shared images of their ink-marked thumbs -- alongside photographs of the September protests. &quot;At the Gen Z protest, people died -- and their blood will bring change, we hope,&quot; said Tek Bahadur Aale, 66, who voted in Jhapa. &quot;We hope a government with good governance, no corruption, comes this time.&quot; More than 3,400 candidates are running for 165 seats in direct elections to the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, with 110 more chosen via party lists. Analysts say the vote is unlikely to deliver an outright majority for any party. Some early winners are expected to be published by Friday, but full results, including those under the proportional representation system -- crucial if a coalition government has to be formed -- may take several days.

Asia

Nearly 19 million voters are choosing who replaces the interim government in place since the September 2025 uprising, in which at least 77 people were killed, and parliament and scores of government buildings were torched.

Nepal votes in key post-uprising polls

JHAPA: Nepal&#39;s election campaign entered its final day on Monday, six months after deadly anti-corruption protests toppled the government, with rival leaders making a last push in a tightly contested race. The Himalayan republic will elect a new parliament on Thursday, replacing the interim government that has led the country of 30 million people since the September 2025 uprising in which at least 77 people were killed. Sushila Karki, who is serving as interim prime minister until the March 5 vote, has said the election will &quot;draw the future of the country&quot;. Two weeks of campaigning have showcased a wave of younger candidates promising to tackle Nepal&#39;s woeful economy, challenging veteran politicians who have dominated for two decades and argue that their experience guarantees stability and security. Among the key figures is KP Sharma Oli, the 74-year-old Marxist leader ousted as prime minister last year. He faces a high-profile challenge in his home constituency from former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician widely known as Balen. Their constituency of Jhapa-5 -- a mix of towns and farming settlements in Nepal&#39;s eastern plains, with the world&#39;s highest peaks on the horizon -- has emerged as a crucial battleground. A local defeat for either man would likely end his bid to become prime minister. &#39;Old age&#39; club&nbsp;&quot;We have had a difficult few years with old leadership, and we need new energy,&quot; said 50-year-old bus driver Pawan Jha told AFP, who attended Shah&#39;s rally in Jhapa. &quot;The protests were important to bring about change.&quot; Shah, dressed in a sharp-cut black suit and sunglasses, waving from a car he was driving himself through the farmlands of Jhapa, arrived at his rally to cheers, whistles, and thumping music. Oli, speaking to AFP, blamed &quot;anarchic forces&quot; for the violence that led to his removal and denied ordering security forces to kill protesters during the unrest. Shah, from the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has cast himself as a symbol of youth-driven political change. &quot;Gen Z&#39;s number one demand is good governance, because there is a high level of corruption in the country,&quot; Shah told AFP. But he is not the only one wooing the youth vote. Aspiring prime minister Gagan Thapa, 49, the new head of the country&#39;s oldest party, Nepali Congress, told AFP he wanted to end the &quot;old age&quot; club of revolving veteran leaders. Thapa, a former health minister who took charge in January, said he offers voters the &quot;right mix of energy and experience&quot;. The last day of campaigning coincides with Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, with some candidates combining celebrations with their rallies. &#39;Without any fear&#39;&nbsp;Nearly 19 million registered voters will elect 275 members of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament -- 165 directly, with a further 110 chosen via a party-list proportional representation. Analysts say the vote is unlikely to deliver an outright majority for any single party. More than 3,400 candidates are competing in the direct vote, 30 percent aged under 40. The youth-led protests in September were triggered by a brief social media ban, but were fuelled by anger at economic stagnation and an ageing elite seen as out of touch. The World Bank estimates 82 percent of Nepal&#39;s workforce is in informal employment, with GDP per capita at $1,447 in 2024. Millions are forced to seek work abroad -- and their remittances make up the equivalent of around a third of Nepal&#39;s GDP. &quot;Unemployment is a big issue that needs to be resolved,&quot; &nbsp;said shopkeeper Mamata Devi Goswami, 49, who said she would vote for change. &quot;The youth should work here and earn their living, rather than go out of the country.&quot; Over two days in September, 77 people were killed, scores were injured, hundreds of buildings set on fire -- including parliament, courts, and a Hilton hotel. It was the country&#39;s worst violence in a decade since the civil war ended in 2006. Karki, a former chief justice, has said her government &quot;will leave no stone unturned to conduct the election in a clean, fair, fearless, and peaceful manner&quot; and has urged &quot;all citizens to exercise their voting rights with confidence and without any fear.&quot;

 Supporters waving flags attend a campaign rally of Nepali Congress party president and election candidate Gagan Thapa in Kathmandu on March 1, 2026 ahead of parliamentary elections in Nepal. (Photo by Prabin RANABHAT / AFP)

Heading to parliamentary elections after deadly anti-corruption protests, veteran leader KP Sharma Oli is facing a strong youth challenge from Balendra Shah, as economic frustration and demands for political renewal shape a closely fought contest.

Nepal rivals rally on final day of election campaign

Reuters

SHANGHAI: Rescue efforts were underway on Sunday to clear access to campsites on Tibet&#39;s eastern slope of Mount Everest, where nearly 1,000 people have been trapped by a blizzard that has blocked roads, according to Chinese state media reports.&nbsp;Hundreds of local villagers and rescue teams have been deployed to help remove snow blocking access to the area, which sits at an altitude above 4,900 metres,&nbsp;according to a report in Jimu News.&nbsp;Some tourists on the mountain have already been brought down, it added.&nbsp;The snowfall began on Friday evening and continued throughout Saturday, according to notices on the official WeChat accounts of the local Tingri County Tourism Company, which said ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from late Saturday.&nbsp;Just across the border in Nepal, heavy rains triggered landslides and flash floods that have blocked roads, washed away bridges and killed at least 47 people since Friday, police said.&nbsp;Thirty-five people died in separate landslides in the eastern Ilam district bordering India. Nine people were reported missing after being swept away by floodwaters and three others were killed in lightning strikes elsewhere in the country.

 Mountaineers and trekkers head towards the Everest base camp from Lobuche in the Solukhumbu district, also known as the Everest region, Nepal April 12, 2025. (Reuters)

Nearly 1,000 people are trapped by a blizzard on Tibet’s Everest slope, where rescue teams are working to clear snow. Meanwhile, landslides and floods in Nepal have killed 47 and severely damaged roads and bridges.

Almost 1,000 trapped on Tibetan side of Mount Everest by blizzard

KATHMANDU: A two-year-old girl chosen as Nepal&rsquo;s new living goddess was carried by family members from their home in a Kathmandu alley to a temple palace Tuesday during the country&#39;s longest and most significant Hindu festival. Aryatara Shakya, at 2 years and 8 months, was chosen as the new Kumari or &ldquo;virgin goddess,&rdquo; replacing the incumbent who is considered by tradition to become a mere mortal upon reaching puberty. Kumaris are chosen from the Shakya clans of the Newar community, indigenous to the Kathmandu valley, and revered by both Hindus and Buddhists in the predominantly Hindu nation. The girls are selected between the ages of 2 and 4 and are required to have unblemished skin, hair, eyes and teeth. They should not be afraid of the dark. During the Indra Jatra festival earlier this month, the former Kumari was wheeled around on a chariot pulled by devotees. The Kumari always wears red, pins up her hair in topknots and has a &ldquo;third eye&rdquo; painted on their forehead. The weeklong Indra Jatra festival was the first of a series of celebrations including Dashain, the main festival, and Tihar or Diwali, the festival of lights, in October. Tuesday marked the eighth day of Dashain, a 15-day celebration of the victory of good over evil. Offices and schools were closed as people celebrated with their families. Family, friends and devotees paraded the new Kumari through the streets of Kathmandu before entering the temple palace which will be her home for several years. Devotees lined up to touch the girls&rsquo; feet with their foreheads, the highest sign of respect among Hindus in the Himalayan nation, and offered her flowers and money. The new Kumari will bless devotees including the president on Thursday. &ldquo;She was just my daughter yesterday, but today she is a goddess,&rdquo; said her father Ananta Shakya. He said there were already signs she would be the goddess before her birth. &ldquo;My wife during pregnancy dreamed that she was a goddess and we knew she was going to be someone very special,&rdquo; he said. The former Kumari Trishna Shakya, now aged 11 years old, left from a rear entrance on a palanquin carried by her family and supporters. She became the living goddess in 2017. Families of the Shakya clan who qualify for this prestigious seat compete to have their daughters selected. The family of the Kumari gains an elevated position in society and within their own clan. But Kumaris live a sequestered life. They have few selected playmates and are allowed outside only a few times a year for festivals. Former Kumaris face difficulties adjusting to normal life, learning to do chores and attending regular schools. According to Nepalese folklore, men who marry a former Kumari will die young, and so many girls remain unmarried. Over the past few years, there have been many changes in tradition and the Kumari is now allowed to receive an education from private tutors inside the temple palace and even have a television set. The government also now offers retired Kumaris a small monthly pension of about $110 which is slightly above the minimum wage fixed by the government.

Nepal crowned two-year-old Aryatara Shakya as the new living goddess Kumari during Dashain festival. Carried to Kathmandu’s temple palace, she replaces the former goddess, revered by Hindus and Buddhists, and will live sequestered while blessing devotees.

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