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Nepal

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Nepal. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Kathmandu

Head of State

President Ram Chandra Poudel

Head of Government

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli

Sanju endured months of exploitation and hardship as a domestic helper in Hong Kong before seeking help. Photo: Edmond So

Hong Kong society

Silent suffering: how a domestic helper’s Hong Kong dream became a nightmare

Nepalese helper came to city in search of better life, only to find exploitation, exhaustion and abuse behind closed doors.

4 hours ago

History

Unearthed temple in Nepal sheds new light on Buddha’s early life

21 Feb 2026 - 3:00PM

Protests around the world

Nepal starts campaign for first election since deadly anti-corruption protests

16 Feb 2026 - 12:19PMvideocam

Foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Li Ka Shing Foundation gifts 5,000 Disneyland tickets to domestic helpers

Expanded charity scheme will treat workers from six nations to free day at the theme park with meals and transport covered.

10 Feb 2026 - 4:24PM

The Li Ka Shing Foundation and the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort are providing 5,000 domestic helpers with a free visit to the theme park. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong’s Miss Nepal hopeful follows in mother’s pageant footsteps 32 years on

Hong Kong-born Deepmala Kharel Dhakal’s national crown bid highlights pride and spirit of city’s Nepalese community.

8 Feb 2026 - 12:00PM

Tourism

‘Tip of the iceberg’: arrests in Nepal over fake mountain rescues welcomed

The suspects are believed to be among a network of scammers who have cheated insurers by staging fake rescue operations for years.

7 Feb 2026 - 4:00PM

India

India’s trade blitz seeks to keep afloat a sinking global order

‘Jolted out of its slumber’ by US tariffs, New Delhi is aggressively diversifying trade alliances to act as a bridge in a polarised world.

10 Feb 2026 - 8:54PM

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (centre) with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (right) and European Council President Antonio Costa at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on January 27. Photo: European Council/dpa

Belt and Road Initiative

China to step up investment in Nepal’s hydropower sector: Nepalese official

China has ‘already proposed some projects’ in Nepal, as it looks to tap the country’s huge hydropower resources and sell power to India.

31 Jan 2026 - 10:30AMvideocam

India

Nipah cases in India raise regional anxiety but experts say escalation unlikely

The virus’s high fatality rate has prompted precautionary measures across Asia, even as analysts say the outbreak remains limited.

28 Jan 2026 - 8:08PMvideocam

Singapore

Viral lies: AI deepfakes hijack reality in Nepal’s election run-up

From fake fist-fights to made-up arrests, AI-generated clips are confusing voters in a nation where just 31 per cent are digitally literate.

24 Jan 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

A still from an AI-generated video recreated from a news conference shows communist leader Pradeep Gyawali crying. Photo: Handout

Video | Nepali village hosts festive bullfighting event

Although the bullfight forms a significant part of the tradition, animal rights activists are urging the community to abandon the use of animals in festival celebrations.

19 Jan 2026 - 7:48PMvideocam

Religion

Video | Nepali village hosts festive bullfighting event

Although the bullfight forms a significant part of the tradition, animal rights activists are urging the community to abandon the use of animals in festival celebrations.

19 Jan 2026 - 6:24PM

My Life

Barrister by day, jazz singer by night – and that’s only half the story

The British barrister tells of his years in the Gurkhas, long career in law, and singing at Ned Kelly’s in Tsim Sha Tsui.

19 Jan 2026 - 3:00PM

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police arrest another man with knife, 2 days after earlier case at mall

Police subdue man with knife near McDonald’s outlet in Tsuen Wan, two days after shooting dead another attacker who took woman hostage at mall.

17 Jan 2026 - 5:24PM

Hong Kong police have arrested a man wielding a knife near a McDonald’s branch in Tsuen Wan. Photo: Handout

United States

US halts visas for 75 countries indefinitely; China not on the list

Trump administration pauses immigrant visa processing from January 21, affecting applicants worldwide while exempting key visa categories.

15 Jan 2026 - 3:43AM

The pause on visa processing will begin on January 21, and will continue indefinitely. Photo: Reuters

Protests around the world

Nepal’s ex-king voices concern after protests as supporters rally

Gyanendra Shah was deposed in 2008 in a democratic uprising after he suspended the constitution and dissolved parliament in 2005.

11 Jan 2026 - 7:59PM

Protests around the world

Opinion | From memes to the streets: Gen Z’s fight back against corruption

Youth-led movements are too often treated as fleeting emotional outbursts, even though they express structured political demands.

10 Jan 2026 - 4:00PM

Protests around the world

Nepal’s ex-PM questioned over protest crackdown which led to overthrow

Nepal’s former prime minister KP Sharma Oli had said he would not submit to questioning, accusing the investigation of lacking a ‘constitutional basis’.

4 Jan 2026 - 11:12PM

Former Nepali Prime Minister and newly elected leader of the Communist Party of Nepal - Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), KP Sharma Oli (left) looks on during the party’s 11th general convention in Kathmandu on December 18 last year. Photo: AFP

SCMP Highlights

China’s record hypergravity machine, Nepal’s ‘bride buying’ probe: 7 highlights

From Beijing defending Taiwan drills to a Chinese snack stall drawing crowds of support, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

2 Jan 2026 - 12:12PM

Protests around the world

Ex-rapper to run for Nepal PM after youth-led protests

Two popular leaders form an alliance ahead of Nepal’s March 5 elections.

29 Dec 2025 - 1:36PM

Human trafficking

Nepal probes illegal matchmaking as China cautions citizens over ‘bride buying’

Officials say online brokers are promoting Nepali women to Chinese men, prompting detentions and official warnings.

29 Dec 2025 - 12:25PMvideocam

Thamel, a commercial neighbourhood in Kathmandu, Nepal, is a hub for tourism in the capital. Photo: Shutterstock

Extreme weather

Asia’s year in extreme weather and natural disasters, from earthquakes to floods

From the deadly earthquake in Myanmar to tropical cyclones in the Philippines, Asia went through its share of natural disasters in 2025.

23 Dec 2025 - 3:00PM

Residents inspect the collapsed Maha Myat Muni Pagoda in the city of Mandalay, Myanmar, following a devastating earthquake. Photo: EPA-EFE

Mount Everest

Nepal’s plan to tackle uphill task on Mount Everest: clean up waste

Over the years, the authorities have removed a mountain pile of trash and the bodies of climbers on the world’s highest peak.

23 Dec 2025 - 12:30PMvideocam

Tourism

Nepal rolls out delayed tourist tracking system to keep tabs on foreign visitors

Starting next year, hotels and travel companies must begin automatically reporting visitor locations to a central government database.

17 Dec 2025 - 5:10PM

Corruption in Asia

Nepal charges Chinese contractor with corruption over airport deal

A watchdog alleges the company colluded with ex-ministers to inflate costs and siphon off US$74 million from the Pokhara airport project.

9 Dec 2025 - 4:00PMvideocam

Staff members wait for the arrival of passengers at Pokhara International Airport in December last year. Photo: China News Service/VCG/Getty Images

SCMP Highlights

Singaporean Chinese ‘least attractive’, Philippines cyclones: 7 Asia highlights

From a viral image prompting a beauty debate to Chinese marriage brokers eyeing Nepal, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

9 Dec 2025 - 12:30PM

Satellite imagery taken by the US’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Super Typhoon Fung-wong approaching the Philippines on November 9. Photo: NOAA/NESDIS/AFP

Human rights

‘Like a market’: Chinese marriage brokers hunt for brides in Nepal

China’s bachelor crisis meets Nepal’s poverty in a trade that blurs the lines between arranged marriage and coercion.

9 Dec 2025 - 2:36PM

Tourism

Last frontier: Nepal slashes pricey permit, but will it boost tourism, economy?

Upper Mustang residents worry that they will not be able to reap the benefits from the cheaper permit and instead be like ‘animals in a zoo’.

30 Nov 2025 - 4:25PM

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Nepal

Silent suffering: how a domestic helper’s Hong Kong dream became a nightmare

Nepalese helper came to city in search of better life, only to find exploitation, exhaustion and abuse behind closed doors.

Unearthed temple in Nepal sheds new light on Buddha’s early life

Nepal starts campaign for first election since deadly anti-corruption protests

Hong Kong’s Li Ka Shing Foundation gifts 5,000 Disneyland tickets to domestic helpers

Expanded charity scheme will treat workers from six nations to free day at the theme park with meals and transport covered.

Hong Kong’s Miss Nepal hopeful follows in mother’s pageant footsteps 32 years on

Hong Kong-born Deepmala Kharel Dhakal’s national crown bid highlights pride and spirit of city’s Nepalese community.

‘Tip of the iceberg’: arrests in Nepal over fake mountain rescues welcomed

The suspects are believed to be among a network of scammers who have cheated insurers by staging fake rescue operations for years.

India’s trade blitz seeks to keep afloat a sinking global order

‘Jolted out of its slumber’ by US tariffs, New Delhi is aggressively diversifying trade alliances to act as a bridge in a polarised world.

China to step up investment in Nepal’s hydropower sector: Nepalese official

China has ‘already proposed some projects’ in Nepal, as it looks to tap the country’s huge hydropower resources and sell power to India.

Nipah cases in India raise regional anxiety but experts say escalation unlikely

The virus’s high fatality rate has prompted precautionary measures across Asia, even as analysts say the outbreak remains limited.

Viral lies: AI deepfakes hijack reality in Nepal’s election run-up

From fake fist-fights to made-up arrests, AI-generated clips are confusing voters in a nation where just 31 per cent are digitally literate.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Video | Nepali village hosts festive bullfighting event

Although the bullfight forms a significant part of the tradition, animal rights activists are urging the community to abandon the use of animals in festival celebrations.

.css-rcruog{color:#C79A00;}Video | Nepali village hosts festive bullfighting event

Although the bullfight forms a significant part of the tradition, animal rights activists are urging the community to abandon the use of animals in festival celebrations.

Barrister by day, jazz singer by night – and that’s only half the story

The British barrister tells of his years in the Gurkhas, long career in law, and singing at Ned Kelly’s in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Hong Kong police arrest another man with knife, 2 days after earlier case at mall

Police subdue man with knife near McDonald’s outlet in Tsuen Wan, two days after shooting dead another attacker who took woman hostage at mall.

US halts visas for 75 countries indefinitely; China not on the list

Trump administration pauses immigrant visa processing from January 21, affecting applicants worldwide while exempting key visa categories.

Nepal’s ex-king voices concern after protests as supporters rally

Gyanendra Shah was deposed in 2008 in a democratic uprising after he suspended the constitution and dissolved parliament in 2005.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | From memes to the streets: Gen Z’s fight back against corruption

Youth-led movements are too often treated as fleeting emotional outbursts, even though they express structured political demands.

Nepal’s ex-PM questioned over protest crackdown which led to overthrow

Nepal’s former prime minister KP Sharma Oli had said he would not submit to questioning, accusing the investigation of lacking a ‘constitutional basis’.

China’s record hypergravity machine, Nepal’s ‘bride buying’ probe: 7 highlights

From Beijing defending Taiwan drills to a Chinese snack stall drawing crowds of support, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

Ex-rapper to run for Nepal PM after youth-led protests

Two popular leaders form an alliance ahead of Nepal’s March 5 elections.

Nepal probes illegal matchmaking as China cautions citizens over ‘bride buying’

Officials say online brokers are promoting Nepali women to Chinese men, prompting detentions and official warnings.

Asia’s year in extreme weather and natural disasters, from earthquakes to floods

From the deadly earthquake in Myanmar to tropical cyclones in the Philippines, Asia went through its share of natural disasters in 2025.

Nepal’s plan to tackle uphill task on Mount Everest: clean up waste

Over the years, the authorities have removed a mountain pile of trash and the bodies of climbers on the world’s highest peak.

Nepal rolls out delayed tourist tracking system to keep tabs on foreign visitors

Starting next year, hotels and travel companies must begin automatically reporting visitor locations to a central government database.

Nepal charges Chinese contractor with corruption over airport deal

A watchdog alleges the company colluded with ex-ministers to inflate costs and siphon off US$74 million from the Pokhara airport project.

Singaporean Chinese ‘least attractive’, Philippines cyclones: 7 Asia highlights

From a viral image prompting a beauty debate to Chinese marriage brokers eyeing Nepal, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

‘Like a market’: Chinese marriage brokers hunt for brides in Nepal

China’s bachelor crisis meets Nepal’s poverty in a trade that blurs the lines between arranged marriage and coercion.

Last frontier: Nepal slashes pricey permit, but will it boost tourism, economy?

Upper Mustang residents worry that they will not be able to reap the benefits from the cheaper permit and instead be like ‘animals in a zoo’.

Video | Nepali village hosts festive bullfighting event

Video | Nepali village hosts festive bullfighting event

Opinion | From memes to the streets: Gen Z’s fight back against corruption