VIENNA: Austria on Thursday announced it will soon ban social media for children up to the age of 14, saying it spawned addiction, glorified violence, spread misinformation and set unrealistic beauty standards.&nbsp;&quot;It is almost impossible for parents to control their children&#39;s consumption&quot; on these platforms, which are designed to make them &quot;deliberately dependent,&quot; Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler told a press conference.&nbsp;The country of 9.2 million hopes to be able to present the new law &quot;as early as this summer&quot; so it can enter into force &quot;as quickly as possible,&quot; he said.&nbsp;Babler said Austria will target platforms using &quot;algorithms that create addiction, generate profits and have harmful effects&quot;.&nbsp;Babler said children were &quot;left to their own devices in a world where they are confronted, for example, with unrealistic beauty ideals, the glorification of violence, disinformation, and where they are also manipulated.&quot;&nbsp;But he said there was still no consensus among the three parties in the ruling coalition regarding the verification method that will be put in place.&nbsp;A three-week &quot;no mobile phone&quot; experiment, led by the education ministry and involving 72,000 pupils and their families, has just ended in Austria.&nbsp;&quot;The feedback we have is that this has been a kind of withdrawal experience for the pupils and that they are aware of the harmful effects of their excessive consumption,&quot; Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr told the news conference.&nbsp;In addition to the ban itself, the Austrian government plans to introduce a new compulsory subject in schools called &quot;Media and Democracy,&quot; intended to help pupils distinguish truth from falsehood and recognize anti-democratic attempts at influence.&nbsp;The far-right FP&Ouml; party, which came first in the 2024 legislative elections without managing to form a government, denounced the move as a &quot;frontal assault on freedom of expression&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;Now that critical voices, alternative media and patriotic forces are gaining reach on social networks, they suddenly want to impose bans and censorship measures,&quot; FP&Ouml; MP Katayun Pracher-Hilander said.&nbsp;Several European Union countries have announced their intention to introduce a digital age of majority for social networks, such as France, Spain and Denmark, while others are actively considering it.&nbsp;In the United States, Meta and Google were found liable on Wednesday for contributing to a teenage girl&rsquo;s depression via Instagram and YouTube by a Los Angeles civil court, which also ruled that the two California giants were responsible for not sufficiently warning young users about the risks of overconsumption, even though they were aware of this danger.&nbsp;On Tuesday, a jury in Santa Fe in the United States found Meta liable for endangering underage users of Facebook and Instagram.

Artificial Intelligence

Austria plans to ban social media for children under 14, citing addiction, misinformation, and harm. The government will introduce new laws, education measures, and age checks, though critics warn it threatens free expression.

Austria to ban social media for children under 14

HELSINKI: Heavy social media use is undermining youth wellbeing in many countries, according to a UN-sponsored report published Thursday that put Finland at the top of its &quot;happiness&quot; index for the ninth year running. This year&#39;s World Happiness Report highlighted the impact of social media as many countries impose or mull legislative restrictions on social media use for young people. &quot;Dramatic declines&quot; in happiness were recorded among under 25s in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and &quot;especially among girls&quot;, the report said. By contrast, young people in other parts of the world felt better about their lives. &quot;Most of the world&#39;s young people are happier today than they were 20 years ago, and that&#39;s a trend that deserves attention,&quot; Jon Clifton, chief executive of Gallup which contributed to the report, said in a statement. Social media has a &quot;complex&quot; affect on wellbeing, the report noted. Impacting factors included time spent on social media sites, the type of platform, how it was used, as well as demographic factors such as gender and socio-economic status. &quot;Heavy usage is associated with much lower wellbeing, but those deliberately off social media also appear to be missing out on some positive effects,&quot; said Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, one of the report&#39;s editors and an economics professor at Oxford University and director of its Wellbeing Research Centre. Among 147 countries listed, the lowest levels of life satisfaction were reported from war-torn Afghanistan, where Taliban rulers, who returned to power in 2021, have been accused of human rights violations and mistreatment of women. Based on a three-year average, the happiness index considers six factors: GDP per capita, life expectancy, social support, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. Nordic nations continue to dominate the rankings, with Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway joining Finland in taking five of the top six spots this year. Costa Rica ranked fourth, entering the top five for the first time and the highest ranking ever for a Latin American country. &#39;Pristine nature&#39;&nbsp;Finland kept its top position with a score of 7.764 on a 10-point scale. Juho Saari, a social and healthcare policy professor at Tampere University, noted that Finland had challenges with record high unemployment and large cuts of social and welfare benefits but said &quot;despite of all this, we are still the happiest country in the world&quot;. &quot;It tells us that politics do not matter that much,&quot; he added, explaining that people&#39;s private lives were more important in determining happiness. Known for its thousands of lakes, sauna culture and extensive welfare system, the country&#39;s 5.6 million inhabitants generally report a high level of trust in authorities and low levels of inequality. &quot;We have pristine nature, and the peace and quiet here is probably our trump card for why it&#39;s nice to be here,&quot; said 30-year-old Karolina Iissalo who spent her birthday at a public sauna in downtown Helsinki.

This image shows a number of social media platforms on a phone screen. (X/@AFP)

Fact Check

"Dramatic declines" in happiness were recorded among under 25s in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and "especially among girls", the report said.

Social media impacts youth wellbeing: UN happiness report

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Tumblers have existed for decades, but Stanley&rsquo;s Quencher turned a simple water bottle into a viral phenomenon that still remains relevant today. The company single-handedly redefined the meaning of quiet luxury consumerism, driving the brand&rsquo;s sales from $73 million in 2019 to $750 million by 2023, a figure widely quoted by international media. Once primarily marketed to blue-collar workers and campers, Stanley built its reputation on durability, offering a product backed by a lifetime guarantee. The brand then supercharged its growth by appealing to a demographic it had largely overlooked in its first century: women. Where it all began: the social media crazeSpeaking of durability, the tumbler&rsquo;s rise to fame began with a single viral moment in 2023. A TikTok video showing a woman&rsquo;s car completely destroyed in a fire, with only her Stanley tumbler left untouched, quickly captured the internet&rsquo;s attention. Stanley&rsquo;s president responded with a video offering to replace her car, a gesture that humanized the brand and amplified the story. On TikTok alone, the clip garnered more than 7 million views.<div class="fr-embed"><blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;"><a target="_blank" title="@stanleybrand" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@stanleybrand?refer=embed" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">@stanleybrand</a><a title="stitch" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/stitch?refer=embed" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">#stitch</a> with @Danielle&nbsp;<a target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - Stanley Brand" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7302186693531159339?refer=embed" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">♬ original sound - Stanley Brand</a></blockquote></div> Long before this moment, however, the groundwork had already been laid by &ldquo;The Buy Guide,&rdquo; a group of lifestyle influencers who began promoting the Quencher back in 2019. Their endorsements introduced the tumbler to a largely female audience and helped spark the initial wave of interest. Once the fire video reignited attention, the social media wave intensified. TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms flooded with user-generated content: unboxing videos, color-collection hauls, morning and gym routines, and durability tests. Influencers and everyday users alike shared their Stanley stories, creating a network of authentic promotion no traditional ad campaign could replicate. The Stanley effect: the power of marketing&nbsp;Stanley did not miss the opportunity and turned it into a marketing masterclass that will be studied for years to come. Instead of reinventing the product, the brand focused on expanding its appeal. Limited-edition colour drops, seasonal launches, and coordinated influencer partnerships drove demand and created urgency. The Quencher became an accessory for the &ldquo;clean girl&rdquo; aesthetic. Each new release triggered waves of online content, and &ldquo;fear of missing out&rdquo; (FOMO) led to people lining up at stores and a robust resale market. Sellouts happened within minutes. Stanley quickly joined the ranks of status-driven products, comparable to other popular products like&nbsp;Hydro Flask, Yeti, Owala, and Starbucks&#39; seasonal cups, but its widespread online presence and collectible appeal stood out and outperformed these established premium companies. Terence Reilly, who previously led the viral rise of Crocs, became Stanley&#39;s global president in 2020 and doubled down on this new direction. &ldquo;In 2022, we experienced record-breaking business growth and renewed brand awareness. With this success comes the opportunity to further invest in things we care about: delivering more sustainable products, building inclusion into everything we do, and supporting our employees and communities,&rdquo; said Reilly in the official Stanley impact report 2023. What do the numbers say?Stanley&rsquo;s parent company, Stanley Black &amp; Decker, reported full-year net sales of $15.78 billion in 2023, with the Tools &amp; Outdoor segment, which includes Stanley drinkware, accounting for $13.37 billion. The fourth quarter of 2023 alone saw Tools &amp; Outdoor net sales of $3.15 billion, with a segment margin of 9.3 %, up from 0.1 % in Q4 2022. Free cash flow for the year was $853 million, and inventory was reduced by $1.1 billion versus the end of 2022. These figures show how the Quencher&#39;s viral popularity boosted Stanley&#39;s sales while also contributing to the parent company&#39;s overall growth and profitability. Infiltrating the Pakistani market: The knock offs&nbsp;In Pakistan, Stanley emerged as a niche yet visible trend, particularly among urban millennials and Gen Z consumers. &nbsp;While Stanley does not yet have a large official retail presence, tumblers are available through specialty importers, online stores, and personal shoppers from the UAE and US via Instagram and Daraz. Prices for authentic 40 oz Quenchers range from Rs 4,000&ndash;20,000, depending on the seller and edition. Limited stock and social-media-driven hype have created an active market which has fueled a knock off market. There is a thriving market for replicas and &ldquo;inspired by&rdquo; designs, most of which are locally imported from China. These tumblers closely mimic the original in shape, color, and branding, though they are generally made with lower-grade materials. Knock-offs sell for PKR 1,000&ndash;3,000, making the trend accessible to a wider audience while maintaining the visual appeal and aspirational value of the Quencher. Stanley&rsquo;s rise from a rugged, utilitarian brand to a global lifestyle icon is a case study in how storytelling, community-driven marketing, and cultural relevance can transform even the simplest product.&nbsp;What began as an unassuming tumbler evolved into a symbol of identity, aspiration, and modern consumer behavior, fueled not by traditional advertising, but by authentic digital advocacy and strategic brand agility.&nbsp;Even in markets like Pakistan, where official retail presence is limited, the Quencher&rsquo;s appeal has seeped into daily life through imports, influencers, and an inevitable wave of knock-offs. In the end, Stanley&rsquo;s success reveals a deeper truth about today&rsquo;s consumers: they don&rsquo;t just buy products. They buy stories, status, and a sense of belonging.&nbsp;

Viral

Stanley’s Quencher turned a century-old tumbler into a global viral phenomenon, driving sales from $73 million in 2019 to $750 million in 2023. Its marketing strategy, blending social media, influencers, and limited-edition releases, will be studied for years to come.

How a 113-year-old water bottle became a pop culture status symbol 

Reuters

FILE PHOTO: US. flag, H-1B visa application form and displayed company logos are seen in this illustration taken September 26, 2025. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic)

Americas

Labor unions filed a lawsuit against the US government on Thursday, alleging that the Trump administration violated the First Amendment rights of people who are legally in the United States by searching their social media for specific viewpoints, including criticism of Israel.

Labor unions sue US over monitoring social media of visa holders

Romesa Umar

<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Nepal enforced a citywide curfew in Kathmandu on Wednesday as soldiers patrolled streets and armored vehicles guarded parliament after protests left at least 22 people dead and more than 600 injured.&nbsp;<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli stepped down after youth-led protests over a government move to block major social media platforms.<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">&ldquo;In view of the adverse situation in the country, I have resigned effective today to facilitate the solution to the problem and to help resolve it politically in accordance with the constitution,&rdquo; Oli wrote in a letter to President Ramchandra Paudel.<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">The protests began in early September as a Gen Z-led online campaign targeting the lavish lifestyles of political elites&rsquo; children, known as &ldquo;Nepo Kids.&rdquo;<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">This comes amid deep economic challenges in Nepal, with more than 20% of the population in poverty and youth unemployment exceeding 22%, according to the World Bank.&nbsp;<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Transparency International ranks Nepal 107 out of 180 in its Corruption Perceptions Index.<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">The movement spilled into the streets after the government blocked platforms including Facebook, citing the spread of fake news.&nbsp;<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Activists accused officials of attempting to silence an anti-corruption campaign, Reuters reported.<h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Street violence</h3><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Crowds of students, some in school uniforms, joined demonstrations that spread across Kathmandu and other cities.&nbsp;<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Protesters reportedly entered the parliament complex, set fire to an ambulance and damaged government buildings, including the President&rsquo;s Office.&nbsp;<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">A Gen Z protestor spoke to Pakistan TV to explain that they were protesting peacefully.&nbsp;<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">The protester claimed that &ldquo;some third party who are politically involved&rdquo; &nbsp;started &ldquo;destroying public property&rdquo;.&nbsp;<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">They claimed that there is &ldquo;video footage where you can see people over 40+ age, they were not allowed in the protest.&rdquo;<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Burnt vehicles and smoke filled the streets as authorities deployed water cannons, batons and rubber bullets to contain the crowds.<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">BBC also reported that amid the turmoil, authorities reported that 900 inmates broke free from two prisons located in Nepal&rsquo;s western regions.<h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Army warnings and appeal for calm</h3><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">The Nepali Army warned on X that groups were committing looting and arson and said it would remain &ldquo;steadfast&rdquo; in controlling the situation.<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel appealed to demonstrators to end the violence and join talks.&nbsp;<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">The Nepali Army issued a statement on X warning of further intervention if violence continues: &ldquo;Some groups are causing extensive damage, looting, and arson to civilians and public property&hellip; all security agencies, including the Nepali Army, will remain steadfast in their primary responsibility to control the situation.&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-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" 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=1965437953297277361&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=374227bbfb47cc7875cf1710ca27e8f36a375704&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 801px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> <h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Airport disruptions</h3><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kathmandu&rsquo;s international airport was partially closed due to disruptions, the Civil Aviation Authority confirmed, based on local Nepal media outlets.&nbsp;<iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1965728467678564838&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=374227bbfb47cc7875cf1710ca27e8f36a375704&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 777px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe><div class="fr-embed"> </div><h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Voices from the streets</h3><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Sandip, a social media influencer who uses one name, said he had made several online appeals, some using virtual private networks to evade the ban, but didn&rsquo;t expect such a large turnout in Kathmandu..<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">&quot;Every single citizen of Nepal was done with the corrupt government of Nepal,&quot; said the 31-year-old, based in the Lalitpur district near the capital, Reuters reported.<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">The protests included slogans and banners of &ldquo;Youth against corruption&rdquo; and &ldquo;We pay, you flex&rdquo;.&nbsp; Handmade protest placards in English and Nepali lie on the ground in Kathmandu during youth-led demonstrations, Sept. 9, 2025. Photo courtesy of a protester. <span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Local political opposition&nbsp;<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/a8de291d-1dc7-432b-8c4a-467431496125.png" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> <span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Balendra Shah, the mayor of Kathmandu wrote after the resignation: &ldquo;Dear Gen Z, your murderer has resigned. Now be patient!!&rdquo;

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