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Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s announcement to rejoin active politics has raised widespread concerns about the impartiality and integrity of the presidency. Political leaders and experts argue that her decision undermines Nepal’s nascent republic, which is already facing challenges from royalist forces.

Former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai criticized the move, stating that it contradicts the CPN-UML’s professed ideology of multiparty democracy, as championed by Madan Bhandari. “Bhandari’s return to active politics is not just an internal party matter. It has serious implications for national interests, the spirit of the federal republic, and governance,” he said.

Nepali Congress (NC) leaders warned that Bhandari’s political reentry could intensify attacks on the republic and erode public trust in the presidency. Over the past year, Bhandari has been conducting parallel party activities and has openly declared her ambition to lead the UML and eventually become prime minister.

In contrast, former President Ram Baran Yadav (2008–2015) has refrained from active politics, focusing instead on social work. While former Vice President Nanda Kishor Pun joined Maoist politics, observers note that the roles of president and vice president carry vastly different symbolic weights, making Bhandari’s case more contentious.

Political analysts warn that if Bhandari resumes active politics, the presidency may no longer be seen as an impartial institution, weakening the republican system. Past decisions by both Yadav and Bhandari have already faced public scrutiny. Yadav clashed with non-NC prime ministers, while Bhandari was accused of favoring the UML during her tenure. Her latest move reinforces the perception that presidents prioritize party interests over national ones. Unlike in democracies where former heads of state typically engage in philanthropy, Bhandari’s decision sets a concerning precedent.

Prime Minister and UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli has opposed Bhandari’s return, calling it detrimental to both the country and party unity. He noted that the UML supported her presidency assuming she would adhere to constitutional norms barring former presidents from active politics. “Her plan to rejoin politics is alarming, given her former role as head of state, supreme commander of the Nepali Army, and a symbol of the republic,” Oli said.

Bhandari is pressuring the party to clarify her position, reportedly seeking senior leadership status before next month’s statute convention. However, the UML has delayed renewing her ordinary membership, citing ongoing review. Senior leader Surendra Pandey claims her membership was renewed two years ago, but the party has not officially confirmed this.

Meanwhile, Bhandari has been expanding her influence through the Madan Bhandari Foundation, a think tank named after her late husband, and touring provinces to bolster her support base.

As Bhandari maneuvers for a comeback, the UML is preparing amendments to allow Oli a third consecutive term as chairman and abolish the 70-year age limit, a move opposed by Vice-chairperson Ishwar Pokhrel but met with silence from other senior leaders. Leaders like Pokhrel, Ananda Pokhrel, Karna Bahadur Thapa and Gokul Banskota have openly backed Bhandari, while top figures remain noncommittal.

Amid rising tensions, Oli and Bhandari held a one-on-one meeting at the UML headquarters on Sunday, signaling unresolved negotiations over her political future.

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has obtained the final investigation report on the fatal accident of a Saurya Airlines CRJ-200 aircraft (tail number 9N–AME) that crashed shortly after departure from Tribhuvan International Airport on 24 July 2024 claiming the lives of 18 people.

The report was formally presented to Minister Badri Prasad Pandey by Ratish Chandra Lal Suman, chairman of the government-appointed inquiry commission. Minister Pandey, at the handing-over ceremony, assured that the ministry would take action based on the report’s findings and confirmed that the inquiry was conducted independently and without the influence of any external party.

What, when and where?

On July 24 morning, a Saurya Airlines Bombardier CRJ-200, on a non-commercial ferry flight to Pokhara for routine maintenance, crashed seconds after lifting off from runway 02 of Tribhuvan International Airport. There were 19 people on board, including cockpit and engineering staff.

Shortly after takeoff at 11:11 am, the plane made a sudden rightward bank and plunged near runway 20, bursting into flames upon impact. Emergency responders—including airport firefighters, police, and the military—were deployed swiftly. The accident claimed 18 lives and temporarily shut down airport operations, delaying multiple domestic and international flights. Only the captain survived.

The incident prompted an immediate government response, and a five-member investigation commission was formed in an emergency Cabinet meeting. The team, which was headed by Ratish Chandra Lal Suman, former director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), also included Captain Dipu Jwarchan, engineering professors Kuldip Bhattarai and Sanjay Adhikari, and CAAN air traffic controller Mukesh Dangol.

Their finished report outlines the crash’s causes and provides recommendations for preventing such an incident from recurring.

What went wrong?

Preliminary reports suggest a number of operational failures. One of the most significant was incorrect weight distribution; bags were not properly stowed and may have shifted on takeoff. The crew also used takeoff speeds that did not match guide figures from the plane manual, resulting in unstable flight dynamics.

The report highlights that the pitch rate during takeoff was as high as 8.6° per second—nearly three times higher than that specified by the manufacturer—making the aircraft uncontrollable seconds after rotation. Furthermore, the ferry flight had been cleared without due supervision from CAAN, bypassing critical safety checks.

The aircraft had not been operated for over a month and was heading to Pokhara for base maintenance. Despite holding a valid airworthiness certificate and having undergone minimum return-to-service inspections, the report states that more thorough maintenance tasks had been deferred.

The captain, with over 6,000 hours of flight time—much of it on the CRJ-200—was accompanied by a far less experienced co-pilot. The technically competent crew, it is reported, failed to take into account critical parameters like proper trim settings, load balancing, and correct speed selection.

The aircraft was full of 19 individuals and approximately 600 kg of baggage, bringing its total takeoff weight to over 18 tons. The investigators found that proper load-securing measures, such as cargo nets and straps outlined in the airline’s Ground Handling Manual, were not followed.

It is estimated that the unsecured load created an aft center of gravity, which, in combination with an improper stabilizer setting, might have led to an uncontrollable nose-up pitch during climb-out—aerodynamically stalling.

The investigation also revealed procedural deficiencies at CAAN. The ferry flight was approved despite missing or incomplete documentation, contrary to the requirements of CAAN’s own 2015 Flight Permission Manual. The regulator was chastised by investigators for allowing a potentially non-compliant aircraft to fly without invoking appropriate safety checks.

The commission called for urgent overhaul of CAAN procedures for approving non-scheduled and ferry flights.

Both Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) were recovered and analyzed in Singapore with international help. Data revealed that both engines were functioning normally throughout the flight.

However, pitch rate data and audio transcripts revealed a series of stall warnings (stick shaker activations) seconds into the takeoff. The plane rolled uncontrollably as the pilot fought to regain control—first to the right, then left, and once again right—before the crash. It all took place in under 20 seconds, which reflected the rapidity with which events unfolded.

The investigation commission also issued a series of interim safety recommendations directed to airline operators and the CAAN. Among the significant directives was the revision and updating of takeoff speed charts and Reduced Takeoff Weight (RTOW) data with immediate effect so that they align with the aircraft manufacturer’s official manuals.

The commission demanded rigorous enforcement of baggage and cargo handling rules, with proper weight distribution and load securing using nets or straps to prevent load shifts during flight. It also called for the complete overhaul of CAAN’s flight authorization process, particularly ferry and chartered flights, to close oversight loopholes and improve compliance with established safety procedures.

In 2013 the European Union, citing safety issues, banned airlines licensed in Nepal from flying the European airspace.

Saurya Airlines will do “everything possible” to implement and adhere to the recommendations, operation manager Bivechan Khanal told Reuters. The crash highlighted the poor air safety record of landlocked Nepal, which depends greatly on air connectivity.

The private sector accounts for more than 80 percent of the national economy, according to the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).  According to the apex body of the Nepali private sector, the number of private sector establishments surged from 28,600 in 1983 to 923,356 in 2018.

This growth accelerated after Nepal adopted liberal economic policies and embraced privatization in the early 1990s. The 1990 constitution, one of South Asia’s most progressive charters at that time, created an enabling environment for private sector investment, including in the media industry. In the years that followed, the private sector boomed which strengthened the economic health of private media houses. From the late 1990s through 2015, many media houses thrived financially, fueled largely by advertising from both the private sector and government. However, some also collapsed due to economic instability.

During the Maoist insurgency and the transition to the 2015 constitution, donor funding became another key source of income for Nepali media. Many outlets received substantial support to produce content aligned with the interests and agendas of international donors. In recent years, however, such funding has come under criticism, with concerns that it influenced politics and public policy in problematic ways. These funds are now in decline, leading to the shutdown of many legacy media outlets, particularly private and community radio stations that had played a critical role in informing and empowering rural communities. 

Following the promulgation of the new Constitution in 2015, and even before that, many donor organizations began shifting their focus to other regions, particularly in Africa and other conflicted-hit areas. In response, the Biden administration allocated support for independent media, including Nepal. But with the return of Donald Trump to the US presidency and the subsequent dismantling of USAID programs, media outlets that depended on American funding are now facing a deepening crisis. Across Asia and Africa, dozens of USAID-funded media organizations are on the brink of collapse. In Nepal too, media revenues from advertising are falling and international support is drying up.

Given this context, the time has come for Nepal’s private sector to step in, not as an act of charity, but as a commitment to safeguarding democracy. The private sector bears a huge responsibility that goes beyond profit-making. While some business houses with political connections may continue to benefit in the short term, a truly strong and sustainable private sector can only flourish in a democratic environment.

Around the world, there are examples of the private sector and middle class investing in the independent media to counter partisan journalism and to support civil society movements.

In their recent opinion piece, prominent scholars Semuhi Sinanoglu, Lucan Way and Steven Levitsky argue that a healthy private sector and a strong middle class form the backbone of a robust independent media. They have cited the example of Malaysia’s popular newspaper Malaysiakini, which, supported by the private sector and a growing urban middle class, broke the political monopoly over the media landscape.  They also highlighted several other cases where the private sector has stepped in to support independent journalism, ultimately contributing to the strengthening of democracy.

According to a 2023 study by Center for International Media Assistance, case studies in Czechia, Romania and Serbia show that the private sector can and does play a meaningful role in protecting information integrity.  While most of these efforts are modest in scale, they demonstrate the potential for private sector engagement in addressing information disorder and the wider challenges facing independent media in the region, the study states.  

In India, too, the private sector has backed some independent media platforms practicing free and fair journalism. For instance, individual investors have supported ‘The Print’, an online portal led by veteran journalist Shekhar Gupta. The portal has publicly disclosed the names of its backers.

In Nepal, however, beyond advertisement, there have been few initiatives where the private sector has provided direct funding to independent media houses, enabling them to report without business or political interference. One exception, though still debated, is Ukaalo.Com, which focuses on investigative reporting. Since its launch, questions have been raised about its funding model and sources. While the outlet positions itself as a not-for-profit entity and maintains no affiliation with political or corporate groups, there is speculation that Buddha Air provided seed funding, along with other private sector individuals. However, the media house has not made its funding details public, limiting open discussion on the issue. 

There are no major initiatives in Nepal where the private sector is supporting independent journalism for the sake of strengthening democratic discourse. The issue is not about private media houses funding outlets to serve their own business interests. Rather, it is about the private sector contributing to media that can produce genuinely independent content, countering politically and commercially influenced narratives, and tackling misinformation and disinformation.

This is undoubtedly a difficult period for Nepal’s private sector. But some business houses have seen remarkable growth and are in a position to provide seed funding for new independent media ventures. The middle-class could also step in to support such initiatives.

Now, more than ever, the private sector is becoming the victims of misinformation and disinformation. In private conversations, top business leaders have expressed concern that they are being targeted by false or misleading narratives, often amplified by certain media outlets. The most effective way to counter this is through investment in independent media for fact-checking initiatives. 

Major media organizations throughout the world have begun creating dedicated departments to counter misinformation and disinformation. In Nepal, however, effective efforts on this front are lacking. The private sector should consider investing in this area, as information integrity is vital for the business to grow.

However, the private sector is hesitant to openly support independent journalism. Many fear backlash from political parties or the government. Even those few business leaders, who have recognized the importance of independent media, choose to remain silent out of fear that any critical reporting on those in power could result in retaliation under various pretexts.

Compounding the issue is the lack of trust and communication between independent media outlets and business houses. Many business leaders feel that their issues are not adequately represented in the mainstream media. One top businessman recently told me that the media only reached out for collaboration after a crisis had already hit. This means, there is a clear need for more dialogue and consultations between independent media houses and the private sector. 

At the same time, it is important to acknowledge that the private sector has not turned its back on independent media entirely. Despite the challenges, some businesses are still providing financial support. They deserve credit for recognizing the role of independent journalism in upholding democracy.

The private sector must fully understand why independent media is essential to democratic governance and why a healthy democracy is, in turn, necessary for sustainable private sector growth. There has been little public discussion about the private sector’s role in strengthening civil society and supporting free and fair journalism. If the private sector wants unbiased, balanced and trustworthy information in the public domain, now is the time to invest in independent media that can operate freely and fearlessly without political or corporate interference.

A tsunami warning has been issued after three earthquakes, one with a magnitude of 7.4, were recorded off the Pacific coast of Russia, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Aljazeera reported.

The epicentre of a series of earthquakes – the others measuring 6.7 and 5.0 – on Sunday was around 140km (87 miles) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, capital of Russia’s Kamchatka region, which has a population of over 160,000 people.

According to the USGS, the three quakes occurred in the same area off the coast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky within a span of 32 minutes, according to Aljazeera.