Kathmandu, Sep 9: Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has resigned amid widespread youth-led protests and a rapidly collapsing government, prompting a wave of mixed public reactions ranging from anger to relief.
Many citizens accused Oli of leading a corrupt and oppressive regime, with some declaring that “Oli’s ego has turned into ashes.”
The resignation follows days of intense civil unrest, led largely by GenZ protesters demanding accountability for corruption, poor governance, and a controversial social media ban.
Protesters across the country stormed government buildings, burned political offices, and torched Prime Minister Oli’s residence in Bhaktapur.
Parliament and the administrative centre, Singh Durbar, were also set ablaze.
Oli tendered his resignation to President Ram Chandra Poudel, citing the “abnormal situation” in the country.
In his letter, he invoked Article 77(1) of the constitution, claiming the move was necessary to resolve the ongoing crisis.
Oli had been elected in July 2024 through a coalition with the Nepali Congress, but the alliance disintegrated rapidly under public and internal party pressure.
The protests, which turned violent after police fired on demonstrators on Monday—resulting in 19 deaths—intensified further on Tuesday.
Protesters declared they had no faith in the government, with many saying they had “burned the Parliament” and would continue to target the homes of corrupt leaders.
Public anger was fueled further by mass resignations within Oli’s Cabinet.
Over 42 ministers stepped down, including key figures from the Nepali Congress, such as General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma.
Both leaders had earlier demanded Oli’s resignation, arguing that the political agreement between the ruling coalition partners had collapsed.
Videos circulated on social media showing the torching of government buildings and offices across the country.
Protesters also defaced party headquarters and stormed the main government complexes, despite curfews being imposed.
Some reports suggest Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah could be considered as interim Prime Minister, though the political future remains uncertain.
Lawmakers from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Nepal’s fourth-largest party, also resigned en masse, calling for an interim government.
With the traditional parties in disarray and Gen Z rising as a dominant force, residents say a generational power shift is underway.
“Gen Z is awake 24/7. The next government will be under our control,” one protester declared. (IANS)

MOSCOW, Sep 9: Russia is closely monitoring the situation in Nepal, its embassy in Kathmandu said on Tuesday as it advised its citizens to observe caution in the wake of massive anti-government protests in the Himalayan nation.
Violent protests by youths in Kathmandu and a few other places against a government ban on social media sites on Monday left at least 19 people dead and over 300 others injured.
Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli resigned on Tuesday in the face of massive anti-government protests with the demonstrators attacking private residences of several high-profile leaders, headquarters of political parties and even vandalising the parliament.
The Russian Embassy in Kathmandu said it is constantly monitoring the situation, adding that its citizens are safe, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
The embassy is geared to arrange the safety of its citizens, it said. However, there are no plans to evacuate its diplomatic staff, it added.
According to the state-run VestiFM radio “India’s reaction is awaited on the developments in Nepal as it is considered the big brother for the Hindu majority nation”.
India on Tuesday said it is deeply saddened by the loss of many young lives during protests in Nepal and hoped that the issues will be resolved through peaceful means.
“We are closely monitoring the developments in Nepal since yesterday and are deeply saddened by the loss of many young lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
“As a close friend and neighbour, we hope that all concerned will exercise restraint and address any issues through peaceful means and dialogue,” the MEA said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Chief of Russian Tourism Union Natalia Osipova said there were about 200 Russian tourists in Nepal, while TASS reported there were in all not more than 400 Russian tourists in various parts of the country.
According to the Russian Federation of Mountaineering, many of its members are in Nepal. The Russian Embassy has told them to stay put in the mountains and not to travel to Kathmandu, the main scene of rioting, it said. (PTI)

BEIJING, Sep 9: Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli resigned amid massive anti-government protests, with demonstrators attacking high-profile leaders’ residences and vandalizing parliament.
Oli’s resignation followed a visit to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit and the Chinese military parade commemorating China’s victory over Japan in World War II. He is the second South Asian leader to quit amid a riotous situation after their visits to China.
China sees Oli’s exit as reminiscent of the fall of the Rajapaksa family rule in Sri Lanka, where the entire Rajapaksa family bore the brunt of the riots. Oli’s recent visit to China attracted strong criticism for attending the V-day parade and his endorsement of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative. (PTI)

KYIV, Sep 9: A Russian glide bomb struck the village of Yarova in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on Tuesday, killing at least 21 people and injuring 21 others as they stood in line to collect their pensions, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and regional officials.
The victims, mostly elderly, had gathered outside a post office in a rural area with limited access to digital banking or ATMs.
President Zelenskyy condemned the strike as “frankly brutal” and called for stronger international action. “The world should not remain silent,” he wrote on Telegram. “The United States needs a reaction. Europe needs a reaction. The G20 needs a reaction.” He urged for additional sanctions to economically pressure Russia over its continued invasion of Ukraine.
Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin labeled the attack “pure terrorism,” emphasizing that the victims were unarmed civilians, not combatants. Emergency services responded to the scene.
The deadly strike came amid a broader escalation of Russian aerial attacks, including a massive drone and missile barrage on Kyiv just days earlier—the largest since the war began in February 2022. With peace talks stalled, Russia has increasingly used retrofitted Soviet-era glide bombs in its assaults, some now weighing over 1,360 kilograms, causing widespread destruction in eastern Ukraine.
The village of Yarova, located less than 10 kilometers from the front lines, was occupied by Russian forces in 2022 but was later reclaimed by Ukrainian troops during a counteroffensive that same year.
As the death toll of Ukrainian civilians surpasses 12,000 according to UN estimates, U.S. and European officials met in Washington to consider imposing new sanctions and tariffs on Russian oil to increase economic pressure on Moscow. Talks on further punitive measures are expected to continue.
The attack highlights the continued toll on Ukraine’s civilian population in the third year of war. (AP)

DIER AL-BALAH, Sep 9: Israel has warned Gaza City residents to evacuate ahead of a planned offensive targeting Hamas’ last stronghold, where hundreds of thousands face famine.
This marks the first full evacuation order for Gaza City, signaling an intensified military campaign. Hours later, Israel struck Hamas leaders in Qatar, complicating ceasefire talks.
Long lines of Palestinians fled from northern to southern Gaza despite exhaustion and uncertainty about safety. Around 1 million Palestinians live in northern Gaza, half the territory’s population. Humanitarian groups tracked about 50,000 movements southward, though many remain hesitant due to overcrowded displacement sites and high evacuation costs exceeding $1,000. The UN reports over 86,000 tents and aid supplies await clearance to enter Gaza.
Israel has demolished 50 high-rise buildings in Gaza City, accusing Hamas of using them for military purposes. Prime Minister Netanyahu described this as the start of a major ground operation. Civil defense teams rescued survivors from rubble, while others remain trapped. Israel urged civilians to move south for safety, but few complied.
In Gaza City, medical staff protested the evacuation warnings, vowing to stay and protect residents despite increasing pressure. Hospitals remain operational amid rising tension.
Meanwhile, families of hostages held by Hamas urged Israel to seek negotiated releases instead of a military offensive. Since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, over 64,000 Palestinians have died, many civilians, with widespread destruction and displacement affecting 90% of Gaza’s population.
In the West Bank, two Palestinian teenagers were killed by Israeli soldiers during a military closure in Jenin. An investigation continues into a separate deadly attack in Jerusalem, where two Palestinians killed six civilians. Hamas claimed responsibility, though Israeli security agencies say the attackers had no known militant ties. In response, Israel imposed sanctions on relatives and canceled work visas of residents from the attackers’ towns. (AP)

DUBAI, Sep 9: Israel launched a strike on Hamas’ leadership in Qatar as they considered a US proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip
The strike on Qatar’s territory marked a stunning escalation and risked upending talks aimed at winding down the war and freeing hostages
Qatar, an energy-rich US ally hosting thousands of American troops, has served as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas for several years, even before the war.
It condemned what it referred to as a “flagrant violation of all international laws and norms” as smoke rose over its capital, Doha.
It was not immediately clear if anyone was hurt in the strike.
Hamas has survived numerous assassinations of top leaders and is still intact in Gaza, despite having suffered major blows since the outbreak of the war triggered by its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The future of the long-stalled ceasefire talks was more uncertain, as Israel gears up for a major offensive aimed at taking over Gaza City.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, saying “all parties must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, not destroying it.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the strike, saying: “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it and Israel takes full responsibility.”
The military said it used “precise munitions and additional intelligence” in the strike, without elaborating. An Israeli official confirmed the strike targeted Hamas.
US President Donald Trump said he was giving his “last warning” to Hamas regarding a possible ceasefire, as the US advanced a new proposal that Arab officials said included the immediate release of all the hostages.
Hamas has said it will only release the remaining 48 hostages, around 20 of them believed to be alive, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. (AP)

Lesbian couple win parental rights in Hong Kong ruling

HONG KONG, Sep 9: A Hong Kong judge ruled on Tuesday in favour of a lesbian couple seeking legal recognition as joint parents of their son, in a landmark case for LGBTQ+ rights in the city.

The couple, referred to as B and R, underwent reciprocal in vitro fertilisation (IVF) in South Africa in 2020 after getting married there. An egg from R was fertilised with donor sperm and implanted in B, who gave birth to the child in Hong Kong in 2021. Despite both women being involved in the process, only B was listed as the child’s mother on the birth certificate.
Judge Russell Coleman ruled that parts of Hong Kong’s Parent and Child Ordinance “significantly impede” the child from being able to represent R as his parent. He stated the law failed to strike a reasonable balance between societal interests and the individual rights of the people involved.
“The constitutional challenge is made good,” he wrote, though he stopped short of issuing an immediate directive, pending further arguments on what form legal relief should take.
The case marks a major step forward for LGBTQ+ families in Hong Kong, which does not legally recognise same-sex marriages but has seen incremental progress through the courts in recent years.
In a related 2023 ruling, Judge Queeny Au-Yeung declared that R could be recognised as the boy’s parent under common law, although she did not fall under the statutory definition of a parent. The couple are also recognised as parents under South African law.
While it’s unclear how many couples might benefit from this ruling, it sets a potential legal precedent for future parental recognition cases involving same-sex couples in Hong Kong.
Similar progress has been seen in parts of Europe. In 2021, the European Court of Justice ruled that EU nations must recognise same-sex parents acknowledged in another member state.
In May 2025, Italy’s Constitutional Court allowed two women to be listed as parents on a birth certificate despite tight national restrictions on IVF and surrogacy.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong lawmakers are debating a bill to allow overseas same-sex unions to be registered locally. If passed, the law would grant limited rights, though strong political opposition remains. (AP)

Afghan quake destroyed 5,230 homes; UN can’t reach 362 villages

UNITED NATIONS, SEP 9: The United Nations has assessed the impact of Afghanistan’s recent earthquake, which killed at least 2,200 people and affected up to 500,000 people, with over half of them children and some Afghans forcibly returned from neighboring countries. The earthquake struck on August 31, killing at least 2,200 people, and the UN estimates the quake has affected up to 500,000 people, more than half of them children. The UN team has faced difficulties in reaching the remote villages, as damaged roads in the country’s rugged and mountainous east have made it difficult to assess the impact. The region is facing overwhelming needs, including clean water, food, tents, latrines, and warm clothing. The UN will issue an emergency appeal for funding to help quake survivors, and Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban authorities have taken the lead in search and rescue operations. The UN is ensuring that women are part of health teams and aid distribution operations, as their activities are drastically curtailed by the Taliban. (AP)

Khalistani acts in Canada spark free speech debate

OTTAWA, Sep 9: A report in ‘Khalsa Vox’ has highlighted the need for Canada to reconsider the boundary between free speech and public safety. The report cites a wave of Khalistan-linked displays in Ontario, where a trucker carrying a poster of “Human Bomb Dilawar Singh” depicts him as a martyr rather than a terrorist, highlighting the glorified nature of terrorism in the country. New Delhi has expressed concerns over pro-Khalistan activities in Canada, particularly when they involve direct threats to Indian diplomats. The report argues that the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations obligates host countries to protect foreign envoys from attacks on their person, freedom, or dignity. The report emphasizes that persistent public glorification of suicide bombers normalises political violence as a legitimate tool and contravenes Canada’s obligations under international law. (IANS)

At least 60 killed in rebel attack in eastern Congo

GOMA, Sep 9: At least 60 people were killed in an attack by rebels in eastern Congo affiliated with the Islamic State group, the Allied Democratic Force (ADF), in Ntoyo, North Kivu, after residents gathered at a burial. The attack was carried out by the ADF, which operates in the border region between Congo and Uganda. The region is plagued by complex conflicts, including an increase in attacks by the ADF, which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2019. Despite joint operations by both Congo and Uganda to target the rebel group, the ADF continues to attack civilians. The attacks worsen the situation in the eastern region, where several other conflicts are unfolding, including a major conflict between Rwanda-backed M23 rebel groups and the central government. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the ADF had “taken advantage of the security vacuum.” (AP)