Nepal’s government has lifted a social media ban that was imposed following protests that led to the deaths of 19 people, a government minister said on Tuesday. Cabinet spokesperson and Communications and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung confirmed that the government had rolled back the ban which was implemented last week. The decision came after 19 people were killed and more than 100 were injured in the “Gen Z” protests on Monday, which were sparked by the ban and focused on widespread corruption. “We have withdrawn the shutdown of social media. They are working now,” Gurung told Reuters. Meanwhile,…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Nepal’s Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, resigned on Tuesday, a decision made as anti-corruption demonstrators defied an indefinite curfew and clashed with police. This followed a day of violent protests triggered by a social media ban that had resulted in 19 deaths. Oli’s government lifted the ban after the protests intensified on Monday, with police using tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters who tried to storm parliament. The unrest on Monday killed 19 people and injured more than 100. However, the protests continued unabated on Tuesday, ultimately forcing Oli to step down and plunging Nepal into renewed political uncertainty.…
Haunted by the fear that aftershocks could send boulders crashing down from the mountains, Afghan earthquake survivors are refusing to return to their destroyed villages. Instead, they are camping in fields and along riverbanks, despite lacking proper tents for shelter. “We have no shelter, not even a tent,” said Adam Khan, a 67-year-old farmer, standing outside his ruined home in Masud village, located in Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province, which was flattened by the recent quakes. “It rained last night, we had no place to take cover. Our biggest fear is the big rocks that could come down at any moment.”…
Media reports indicate that there are growing calls to move the United Nations General Assembly session from New York to Geneva after the United States denied visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation. Important decisions regarding the recognition of Palestine are expected to be made at the session. According to media reports, high-level debates are scheduled from September 23 to 27, with the session concluding on September 29. The Trump administration refused visas to approximately 80 Palestinian officials. This follows a precedent from 1988, when the U.S. also barred PLO leader Yasser Arafat from traveling to New York.…
According to the European global warming monitor, this past August—the world’s third-hottest on record—with its devastating wildfires and intense heatwaves, highlighted the urgent need to address climate change and prepare for its deadly effects. Southwest Europe endured its third summer heatwave, while fires ravaged Spain and Portugal. Simultaneously, many parts of Asia experienced above-average temperatures during a scorching month that neared all-time highs. The world’s oceans, which help regulate the Earth’s climate by absorbing excess heat, also approached record-high temperatures for the month. Hotter seas are linked to more severe weather extremes. “With the world’s oceans also remaining unusually warm,…
Nepal’s Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, resigned on Tuesday after anti-corruption demonstrators defied an indefinite curfew and clashed with police, a day after 19 people were killed in violent protests triggered by a social media ban. Oli’s government had lifted the ban after protests intensified on Monday, with police firing tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters attempting to storm parliament. The unrest on Monday resulted in 19 deaths and over 100 injuries. However, the protests showed no sign of letting up on Tuesday, ultimately forcing Oli to quit and plunging Nepal into renewed political uncertainty. This unrest marks the…
French police launched an investigation on Tuesday after nine pig heads were discovered outside several mosques in the Paris region, according to the city’s police chief, who added that further finds were possible. “Every effort is being made to find the perpetrators of these despicable acts,” Paris police chief Laurent Nunez wrote on X. The heads were found on public roads in Paris and three nearby suburbs, local authorities reported. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau condemned the actions, calling them “outrageous” and “absolutely unacceptable.” He stated, “I want our Muslim compatriots to be able to practice their faith in peace.” Chems-Eddine…
Nepal’s Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, resigned on Tuesday, an announcement made just hours after the country reversed a social media ban that had triggered deadly anti-corruption protests. At least 19 people were killed on Monday as security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters. Here is a summary of the events. Why did protests erupt? The catalyst for the demonstrations was the Nepalese government’s decision to block access to several social media platforms that had failed to meet a registration deadline. The government, in announcing the ban last week, said it was a measure to combat…
Pakistan has vehemently condemned Israel’s recent airstrike in Doha, which targeted Hamas leaders, labeling it a “most dangerous provocation” that endangers regional peace and stability. In a statement on X, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the attack as “unlawful and heinous,” as it jeopardized the lives of innocent civilians by striking a residential area in the Qatari capital. “This act of aggression by Israel is totally unjustified, a brazen violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar, and constitutes a most dangerous provocation that could imperil regional peace and stability,” he stated. Expressing solidarity with the Qatari leadership, he…
A new study published in the medical journal Thorax has revealed that children exposed to their parents’ cigarette smoke may unknowingly pass on lung damage to their own children and grandchildren, increasing the risk of chronic respiratory diseases. The research highlights the intergenerational harm of passive smoking, urging fathers in particular to avoid smoking around their children. Key Findings The study found that exposure to cigarette smoke in childhood is not limited to immediate health risks but can impair lung function in future generations. Children and grandchildren of smokers were shown to have a higher likelihood of developing Chronic Obstructive…
