Nepal has sent diplomatic notes to India and China protesting the reopening of the Lipulekh corridor for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. It claims sovereignty over the area, whose borders date back to colonial times. The Nepali government claims it was not consulted and accuses India of unilateral actions, while China, although remaining on the sidelines, has so far effectively backed India's position.

Sudan Gurung is the second cabinet minister to leave within a month of the new government taking office. At the centre of the case are his holdings in insurance companies. The minister resigned to allow independent audits and avoid conflicts of interest. Prime Minister Balendra Shah is taking on the Home Affairs post until a new appointment is made, while the government emphasises its commitment to fighting corruption.

The arrest of former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and former Home Affairs Minister Ramesh Lekhak reopens the question of responsibility for the repression of the Gen Z-led protests in September 2025 that left at least 76 people dead. While the new government led by Balendra Shah launches a recovery plan, tensions and fears remain high in the country over restrictions of civil rights.

Following elections that saw a resounding defeat for traditional parties, Nepal is now reeling from the death of a 16-year-old girl who died as a result of rape. This horrific story brings women’s issues back into the spotlight in a country where women make up just 8% of the newly elected parliament and have little protection in the workplace.

While former rapper and Kathmandu mayor Balendra “Balen” Shah seems destined to become the new prime minister, Apostolic Administrator Fr. Silas Krishna Bogati asks the future government to focus on fighting corruption, employment, and political stability, expressing hope that the protection of religious freedom for minorities will continue.

Partial results in Nepal’s election to the House of Representatives clearly show the victory of the party led by a 35-year-old rapper, a former mayor of the capital. Voter turnout was low. Both the Communist Party and the Congress Party suffered a heavy defeat. After the Generation Z revolution, the vote suggests a compromise between stability and change.