The soft pastels and whimsical background looked like a moment stolen from a <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=15283">Hayao Miyazaki</a> film. The thrill on my niece’s face was palpable as she shared her first Ghibli-style portrait earlier this month. This surge in the latest generative <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/ayo-ai">AI tool</a> can transform personal photographs into Studio Ghibli-inspired artwork. It is dubbed ‘Ghiblification’ and has captured the global imagination.&nbsp; But danger lurks.The playful trend masks serious hazards. Every image can be retained and repurposed as training data, jeopardising privacy and creating fresh pathways for<a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/bal-mandir-rape-allegations,1495"> child sexual abuse</a> material, sextortion, bullying, and hate speech. A recent study by our ChildSafeNet with UNICEF Nepal on generative AI and <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/to-the-point/keeping-children-safe">child safety </a>reveals that over 60% of young people in Kathmandu have experimented with <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/kathmandu-valley-to-silicon-valley">generative AI</a>, often oblivious to the hidden costs. Every time a photograph is uploaded to create AI-generated artwork or submitted to an app like Dreamify, the user is giving away more than just pixels: they are entrusting their likeness, metadata, and private spaces to an opaque system. The image may be stored indefinitely and woven into the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/people-power/nepal-as-an-ai-power-bank">AI model’s training data</a>.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025042915040_4f5bcc3d8307c72a3b98db91adb69499ab1cb8831c8f06adec2089b4897a42d2.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="2025042915040_4f5bcc3d8307c72a3b98db91adb69499ab1cb8831c8f06adec2089b4897a42d2" data-rendition-name="original" width="1024" height="1536" loading="lazy" alt="Ghiblification is more than cute pixels"> </figure>  Distinctive facial features, location metadata, or even background details can be memorised and later reproduced in outputs for other users, violating privacy and breaching confidentiality. Even heavily edited or filtered images can leave a digital fingerprint that sophisticated models can reproduce. OpenAI, the company that owns generative AI models like <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/chatgpt-news-about-nepal">ChatGPT</a> and DALL·E, uses the images shared by users as training data to refine the model, unless the user opts out. However, the potential for misuse is great. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/artificial-censorship">Artificial censorship</a>, Vishad Raj Onta Viral adoption of<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/what-to-expect-from-ai-in-2024-ue5btyc7?amp=1"> AI-generated imagery</a> makes people inclined to upload personal images, including those of families and minors. These images contain rich personal information, and serve as a significant source of data for companies, allowing <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/digital-path-to-social-buffers-in-nepal">technology firms </a>to collect valuable insights into facial features,<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/nepal-is-turning-into-a-nation-of-hybrid-identities"> social dynamics, and cultural nuances</a>.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025042915040_b1d85cc2bc13f09acd35462a302a8e9f561d14aa3e3ba7528283d9214c3a9cce.jpg" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="2025042915040_b1d85cc2bc13f09acd35462a302a8e9f561d14aa3e3ba7528283d9214c3a9cce" data-rendition-name="original" width="1536" height="1024" loading="lazy" alt="Ghiblification is more than cute pixels"> </figure>  “Such visually appealing images can be easily misused for generating seemingly credible imagery for <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/online-trolls-bots-snoopers-imperil-democracy">spreading misinformation </a>and reinforcing cultural stereotypes,” says computer scientist Dovan Rai with Body and Data. “Children are particularly vulnerable, as sexualised deepfake content can be generated with ease.” Most platforms that provide AI image-generation tools do not transparently disclose how they handle uploaded content. When children's photos are ingested, the model internalises these features, which can later resurface in contexts no one intended, creating an ethical time bomb. “Children’s likenesses could also appear in unexpected contexts, such as advertisements, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/no-comment">memes, or controversial content</a>, all without their families' knowledge,” Rai warns. The Internet Watch Foundation recently identified over 3,500 AI-generated child sexual abuse material in one month on encrypted forums — some grotesque deepfakes superimposing children’s faces onto sexual content. While those examples were not in the Ghibli style, they demonstrate how any benign filter can be twisted into a tool for exploitation. On the other hand, AI tools have even begun to produce deepfake videos of child rape and torture by superimposing victims’ faces onto pornographic content. Such material can normalise sexual violence, facilitate grooming, enable sextortion, and serve as instruments of bullying and hate speech.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025042915044_d5a12a9b45c04446c731e84b97042c259c2c16160dde783e8b78321ecd07283e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_15" data-image-id="2025042915044_d5a12a9b45c04446c731e84b97042c259c2c16160dde783e8b78321ecd07283e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="1265" loading="lazy" alt="Ghiblification is more than cute pixels"> </figure>  The risks associated with generative AI have already begun to emerge in countries like Nepal, says Superintendent Deepak Raj Awasthi at the Nepal Police Cyber Bureau. “We are investigating cases involving the use of AI-generated images and videos for defamation and the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and hate against teens and young people,” Awathi says. “We have also received complaints regarding AI-generated deepfake videos aimed at defaming politicians and celebrities.”&nbsp; Parents should be concerned about how AI-generated imagery may affect children’s safety as well as creativity. Over-reliance on AI tools could diminish traditional creative skills like drawing and painting, among others. Says Kabindra Napit of Smart Parents Nepal: “Parents must<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/educating-girls-to-break-cycle-of-poverty"> educate their children</a> about associated online risks and stay updated on emerging threats.” <h2>Tips to protect the young</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025042915044_74cf15146be367c7d4f213c5b73896da525eb4d133ad8d2b5e0e58945048582d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_17" data-image-id="2025042915044_74cf15146be367c7d4f213c5b73896da525eb4d133ad8d2b5e0e58945048582d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="1463" loading="lazy" alt="Ghiblification is more than cute pixels"> </figure>  <h2> </h2> Safety-by-Design: Technology companies need to prioritise safety for children and vulnerable groups, from the very beginning of product and service development using the Safety-by-Design approach, developed by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner. Consent and Transparency: Every AI art application should provide clear disclosure that submitted images may be used as training data, offering users an easy option to opt out. Stronger Moderation: Technology companies must combine automated detection with human oversight to intercept and prevent the spread of harmful content, blocking any prompts or requests for sexualised imagery of minors and swiftly remove harmful content. Watermarking or ‘fingerprinting’ systems will help trace and block harmful AI-generated images. Legal Protection: Laws must criminalise the creation, distribution, and use of AI-generated child sexual abuse material, enhancing international collaboration will be crucial for tracking and prosecuting offenders. Multi-stakeholder Collaboration: Technology companies, law enforcement agencies, educators, and NGOs must collaborate to share knowledge and resources. Digital Literacy: Develop digital literacy skills among children so they can distinguish between fantasy art and reality, and recognise risks. Clear and confidential reporting channels must be established to report harmful content. Parental Support: Establish open and trusted communication with children about the potential dangers of AI is crucial. Parents and carers can also implement age-appropriate filters and monitoring tools to enhance safety. Support Services: Service providers need to provide child and young people-friendly counselling and legal support. Anil Raghuvanshi is the founder of <a href="http://www.childsafenet.org/">ChildSafeNet</a>. Reach out to him at <a href="mailto:anil.raghuvanshi@childsafenet.org">anil.raghuvanshi@childsafenet.org</a>

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Ghiblification is more than cute pixels

The bewildering speed with which generative artificial intelligence developed in just one year dominated the news in 2023. This set off both alarm and excitement: how <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-in-the-decade-of-ai">AI innovation</a> offers solutions to everyday chores, while taking us into dangerous new terrain. Geeks and tech freaks like me watched fascinated as AI applications accelerated in the past year. It was only in March 2023 that I got hooked into AI apps and wrote the front page report in Nepali Times titled Ayo AI. Last week, this paper carried an AI-assisted artwork by digital artist Ashim Shakya (pictured below), showing the enormous possibilities in enhancing existing creative processes.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231223031244_c50108558fee57438989879fe5e8d7f4674979947cd989c8772c6b5cfb248c83.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20231223031244_c50108558fee57438989879fe5e8d7f4674979947cd989c8772c6b5cfb248c83" data-rendition-name="original" width="629" height="916" loading="lazy" alt="NT 1191"> </figure>  When I began to grasp AI knowhow, I never expected to continue using generative AI apps but was hooked into it. From Open <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/chatgpt-news-about-nepal">AI’s ChatGPT</a> 3.5 and two other image generators, I have now tried out over 1,000 apps. Even that is just a drop in the ocean of AI apps available today. &nbsp; In May, when <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/ayo-ai">Ayo AI was featured in this paper</a>, there were about 640 AI apps. There were 10,842 relevant AIs to 9,000 tasks as we went to press on Thursday. It could impact 5,000 job sectors if these AIs are directly embedded into their workflows.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023123003124_c7a93663335a91461f5e1cee7503dd13c06119e354a29ba282ace94a7837dc60.png" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="2023123003124_c7a93663335a91461f5e1cee7503dd13c06119e354a29ba282ace94a7837dc60" data-rendition-name="original" width="752" height="1140" loading="lazy" alt="AI in Nepal"> </figure>  So far, there is no evidence of this happening yet. According to the world’s number one AI aggregator, ‘There is an AI for that’ among job holders, 98% of those impacted will be the communications managers and others in this sector. But that is just an opinion, not yet a fact. For content creators, 2023 has been a great year with generative AI app for almost every task. These can be done with just a few text prompts to generate ideas, stories, voiceovers, images, illustrations, websites, infographic designs, animations, music and videos.&nbsp; ChatGPT is no longer the dominant chatbot, but is still one of the best. It was my favourite until I started using Anthropic’s Claude-2 that was released in July. It gives 200,000 tokens, which means that we can upload large documents up to 75,000 words and have it summarised in bullet points simplifying the text. I could use it to synthesise this review, but am doing it the old fashioned way. &nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231230021236_ee9a91549eee9027c52b23401f43642bbdc849cdcb188ab71db889240ce428ae.png" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20231230021236_ee9a91549eee9027c52b23401f43642bbdc849cdcb188ab71db889240ce428ae" data-rendition-name="original" width="2100" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="AI in 2024"> <figcaption>High resolution AI-generated image of a Nepali child walking with baby rhino. The only problem is that AI didn't seem to be able to tell the difference between an Asiatic and African rhino. All prompts: NARESH NEWAR</figcaption> </figure>  <div class="embed-block"><iframe width="700" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EAbk6H0_Qb4?si=dpyFkgb84WpAopMD" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> The biggest sensation is Gemini AI, considered the most capable AI model developed by Google DeepMind, able to communicate and generate human-like texts. Gemini Pro Vision can interpret any image through its image reasoning task, and has the ability to describe the image and write captions. Its most significant feature is to identify if a photograph or artwork is original or AI-generated. AI-powered image generators have advanced a lot and taken such a huge leap in creating realism in photos and art. Videos have advanced to another level. InVideo, for example, can produce a whole video with just a text prompt: from writing a complete script, a voiceover, and creating visuals selected from its 9 million video stock. A major milestone in generative AI is the Runway, which generates amazing visuals with just a text prompt.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231230021240_46a18d9e0b1af7a67499b5d39a180688e0d887f91b8c096f7a2fde388b89c68d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20231230021240_46a18d9e0b1af7a67499b5d39a180688e0d887f91b8c096f7a2fde388b89c68d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1344" height="896" loading="lazy" alt="AI in 2024"> <figcaption>Water colour of rural Nepal, showing how AIs now have perfected hues and textures without the need for colour correction.</figcaption> </figure>  Another new addition that could be Runway’s biggest competitor is Pika, its web-based version is now available but has a long waitlist. (I finally managed to get access after a two week wait.) It blew me away with its features: from text to video, video to video. And users can upscale the video, add duration, have out-painting, in-painting and a canvas feature. AI-generated music is also gaining momentum as part of the audio-generation tools and platforms and being hugely invested by some of the biggest tech companies. Suno AI is considered the best music app so far, and was started by a group of musicians in partnership with AI experts in Cambridge, Massachusetts.&nbsp; <div class="embed-block"><iframe width="700" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/10p5ckFlnBU?si=2dIOLkpv0duXpVwS" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> In December, it partnered with Microsoft, which has integrated Suno AI in its Copilot as a plugin. Facebook and Google are also partnering with other music companies to create their own AI music audio generation apps. AI is not hype anymore, it is a reality. This is the right time to be in the business. For content creators with technical knowledge and skills for design software like the Adobe products or Affinity, it enriches their work and makes them more productive, cost-effective and enhances inventiveness. Warning: it takes time to master the technique and perfect content.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231230021240_7200af85f6f326a078b5c26c0c7e99c7a21528a263f8f74c987e54cb5fb5d038.png" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20231230021240_7200af85f6f326a078b5c26c0c7e99c7a21528a263f8f74c987e54cb5fb5d038" data-rendition-name="original" width="1024" height="1024" loading="lazy" alt="AI in 2024"> <figcaption>Snow leopard in the Nepal Himalaya.</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231230021244_401ddc826e5a58ae32e44079ef369bfd3c9f926a103eb6cae627858c5371ee10.png" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20231230021244_401ddc826e5a58ae32e44079ef369bfd3c9f926a103eb6cae627858c5371ee10" data-rendition-name="original" width="2100" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="AI in 2024"> <figcaption>3D image of an animated frog. Now AIs can create super high resolution 3D animated images.</figcaption> </figure>  &nbsp;But AI-generated content is still not as lucrative as people have been led to believe. Customers still prefer original writing and art, photography or videos. YouTube, the biggest platform for creators, encourages original content. &nbsp; YouTube users are often critical of AI-generated content as they do not want to spend time watching fake content created with AI. I tried that once with my own YouTube channel and many wrote angry messages and they felt offended.&nbsp; So far, the only AI content that really sells well on YouTube is news about latest AI updates, videos with clickbait titles about how to generate income using AI, or those showcasing new AI apps, interviews with AI experts, and especially scaremongering news about AI destroying humanity. Instagram has been a popular platform for original and creative content creators and is now crowded with millions of them. However, their AI-generated content do not get as good a response as original posts.&nbsp; There is fear mongering about how AI could destroy the careers of people in the creative fields, but AI generative tools have not ruined professional content creators like the designers, content writers, photographers, videographers and paint artists.&nbsp; It is true that the evolution of the AI generative tools has been speeding up, and we can predict even more advanced generative AI apps. The age of content creation is here and AI apps may be commercially viable and socially acceptable if used ethically and with transparency.&nbsp; For hardworking creative professionals, technology transformation has never been a threat or a challenge to their artistic creations. This argument, or rather assumption, about generative AI being a threat is exaggerated. A lot of creative people have joined the AI revolution, enhancing their original pieces of artistic creations. &nbsp;&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231230021248_354194b90332a9d05ecca9ad294eb4b0030705f3f7c65b105e6e49bceffe9e4c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_11" data-image-id="20231230021248_354194b90332a9d05ecca9ad294eb4b0030705f3f7c65b105e6e49bceffe9e4c" data-rendition-name="original" width="1024" height="1024" loading="lazy" alt="AI in 2024"> <figcaption>Urban sketch of imaginary Asan bazar. AIs are now able to generate images relevant to local cultural context. Nepal is now largely in the AI datasets.</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231230021248_dc93e7c3e11ca13971cbc48cedf7248aa1ae2305c875e78abc5355ad7b6a9fd4.png" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="20231230021248_dc93e7c3e11ca13971cbc48cedf7248aa1ae2305c875e78abc5355ad7b6a9fd4" data-rendition-name="original" width="2100" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="AI in 2024"> <figcaption>Manga art of a young Nepali girl watching iceless mountain witnessing the impact of climate change. AIs have perfected generating digital painting.</figcaption> </figure>  &nbsp;

What to expect from AI in 2024

As dusk fell over Kathmandu, the thunderstorm continued unabated. It had been raining continuously for 18 hours, and the forecast said it would keep raining at least till 8am on Sunday. The Bagmati roared through Chobhar Gorge in awesome rapids – the only drainage outlet for the entire Kathmandu Valley. By evening, 120mm of rain had fallen in 18 hours, more than the average for the whole of October.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004161016_99ad9098124bec91da71ac42bbe889981fe64dda2dd3012b8bb289cf78ba4c54.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20251004161016_99ad9098124bec91da71ac42bbe889981fe64dda2dd3012b8bb289cf78ba4c54" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu floods 2025"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004161016_59b97f3a3b2af91d3876b298963b3e68395c8b388aba6d9972c9bde1f668608d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20251004161016_59b97f3a3b2af91d3876b298963b3e68395c8b388aba6d9972c9bde1f668608d" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu floods 2025"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004161016_1715f4d6ff1ee87302b697d3c95df36486bea71ed279852ef606c8f5dc68439b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20251004161016_1715f4d6ff1ee87302b697d3c95df36486bea71ed279852ef606c8f5dc68439b" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu floods 2025"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004161016_ecd3dec69270afbd5a5c71dfa71780b6f8982984a95f3fbb83f23ee594451224.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20251004161016_ecd3dec69270afbd5a5c71dfa71780b6f8982984a95f3fbb83f23ee594451224" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu floods 2025"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004161016_53e47ae222c9f4397bcdad6d8021a711a5671fd45373fb3df2ed5c6413d58359.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20251004161016_53e47ae222c9f4397bcdad6d8021a711a5671fd45373fb3df2ed5c6413d58359" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu floods 2025"> </figure>  Settlements along the banks of Bagmati and Vishnumati in Kathmandu have been evacuated and affected families will be temporarily sheltered in schools across the capital.&nbsp; Bagmati Province has set up a Unified Command Team for disaster management while the Home Ministry has instructed CDO and security personnel to be on duty 24/7.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004171048_7e5d10f8e0042190e54e6db6cddbd51ed9d6d9dbc0cdb087d7af3207c9eaa2d0.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20251004171048_7e5d10f8e0042190e54e6db6cddbd51ed9d6d9dbc0cdb087d7af3207c9eaa2d0" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="888" loading="lazy" alt="heavy rain in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>Friday's satellite precipitation forecast for Sunday morning at 0600 showing heavy rainfall along the Chure Hills and Madhes Province south of Kathmandu. </figcaption> </figure>  The torrential rain has obstructed several highways as well as caused infrastructure damage, but no human casualties have been reported so far. Many had feared a repeat of the deadly flashfloods on 28 September 2024 in which 200 people were killed and half of Nepal's hydropower generation capacity siped out. The government has declared 5 and 6 October as a public holiday to prevent people from travelling during the Dasain festival, and to reduce risk. All highways in and out of Kathmandu closed till Monday. Flood-prone river corridor roads in Kathmandu have been closed after 6PM on Saturday. Meanwhile, all domestic flights were suspended from Kathmandu and other airports from 2PM Saturday, and most inbound international flights were diverted from 3PM onwards. Rerouted flights started arriving in kathmandu late Saturday as the core of the storm system moved east.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004151056_bad029b05dbfda622986270a798edc6efcc2791ff34f53b9d1283554ac72c39a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20251004151056_bad029b05dbfda622986270a798edc6efcc2791ff34f53b9d1283554ac72c39a" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="heavy rainfall in Kathmandu 2025"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004151052_9e740929c7ef0899b0f397195695b873bba45b089bb1e11cf37dbe125d0cd60d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20251004151052_9e740929c7ef0899b0f397195695b873bba45b089bb1e11cf37dbe125d0cd60d" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1363" loading="lazy" alt="heavy rain in Kathmandu 2025"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004151056_2b75c2ea57df76dae1c470f0e460720b7d258868258789729e491ab93cb41ebd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20251004151056_2b75c2ea57df76dae1c470f0e460720b7d258868258789729e491ab93cb41ebd" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="heavy rainfall in Kathmandu 2025"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004151056_6c045ac30e50710bcf3ca7b6ca4ac9c45e8d8881ed39f522779c860b0d3f15c3.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20251004151056_6c045ac30e50710bcf3ca7b6ca4ac9c45e8d8881ed39f522779c860b0d3f15c3" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="heavy rainfall in Kathmandu 2025"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004151052_9ef160b8403764495b86159661cc9a11d9d7d3b848686a631e5ec8cff0c4c38f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20251004151052_9ef160b8403764495b86159661cc9a11d9d7d3b848686a631e5ec8cff0c4c38f" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="heavy rain in Kathmandu 2025"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004151052_e5825bcc6666e5235d9db2d4854a19cd6536335ebaf4cd65413acc601ceee3b5.jpg" data-media-id="editor_11" data-image-id="20251004151052_e5825bcc6666e5235d9db2d4854a19cd6536335ebaf4cd65413acc601ceee3b5" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="heavy rain in Kathmandu 2025"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004151056_097077400e96f571f4418cd7b57c082045d86dd9035c31c5acd7ede2bfc54349.jpg" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="20251004151056_097077400e96f571f4418cd7b57c082045d86dd9035c31c5acd7ede2bfc54349" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="heavy rainfall in Kathmandu 2025"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004151056_30a4da8f384f6fe1a862e775124ae08ccf51c1db60e71e7e2d683e0f25f33546.jpg" data-media-id="editor_13" data-image-id="20251004151056_30a4da8f384f6fe1a862e775124ae08ccf51c1db60e71e7e2d683e0f25f33546" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="heavy rainfall in Kathmandu 2025"> </figure>  Madhes, Bagmati and Kosi provinces are the worst hit with Maheshpur in Rautahat district recording 270mm of rain as of 3PM on Saturday. Similarly, Gaur received 243.6mm, Kalaiya in Bara 200.6mm and Birganj 221.4mm. The Department of Meteorology did not blame climate change, but said the unusually heavy precipitation at a time when the monsoon is supposed to have ended was caused by the head-on collision between moisture-laden westerlies with the retreating monsoon.

More dark clouds over Nepal

Kathmandu: A Reader, the latest publication from Martin Chautari, is an anthology of anthropological essays exploring Kathmandu through various lenses across the 21st century. This compilation is edited by Benjamin Linder and attempts to bring modern discourses on Kathmandu and its urbanity together, in a single volume. The book is divided into three sections: the physical form of the city, the imprints it bears from past political upheavals, and the complexity in the lives of its people. The book examines these diverse aspects, leaving readers who have just witnessed the momentous events of September with anxiety, and perhaps a greater understanding of Kathmandu’s context. Urban planning expert Biresh Shah’s discourse on the Valley’s urban sprawl and its landmarks is insightful, but also prophetic when he warns about seismic risk.&nbsp; Jan Brunson’s chapter on female mobility in Kathmandu via scooters is more optimistic, suggesting small-scale, daily-life movements in Kathmandu transform the city for its various demographics — in this case young women.&nbsp; Linder himself contributes with a discourse on the toponymy of Thamel, close-reading Kathmandu’s tourist hub through the usage and understanding of its name over the ages. MYTHBUSTERS The book is a collage of pieces held together by a thread that runs through the chapters of a vibrant, bustling image of the Valley. One common theme is Linder’s attempt to expand on common understandings and urban myths about Kathmandu. Readers who have spent time in the city will relate to the many anecdotes. for example, Niels Gutschow bringing up the lack of open spaces, or Mark Liechty mentioning restaurants in Kathmandu being melting pots of cultures and castes.&nbsp; The essays here further extend these urban legends by giving historical and anthropological contexts. In-migration and the rise in land prices have led to shrinking open spaces, the creation of cosmopolitan food outlets, and even hubs for sex workers. The Bagmati cleanliness campaign extends to a past understanding of the Bagmati Civilisation. Urban myths become puzzles to be solved by connecting the various threads of discussion across the book. The sections in Kathmandu: A Reader are all by experts in their various fields and present a holistic, well-rounded picture. Yet, it is obvious there is still more ground to cover, more themes to explore — perhaps by more Nepali scholars.&nbsp; In his introduction, Linder admits that due to practical reasons, ‘many wonderful works were left on the cutting room floor’. That is a pity. Indeed, there could have been more discourse on the changing ethnic composition of Kathmandu. A close-read into the lives of people termed as ‘outsiders’ but forming a growing slice of the population would be important to also chart future trends. &nbsp; The religious importance of Kathmandu as a unique civilisational alloy forged by melding the Hindu and Buddhist faiths can be explored more too. One can imagine a future edition including an examination of the post-Covid era Kathmandu valley.&nbsp; This need to broaden the ethnographic literature on Kathmandu becomes more apparent because 11 out of the 15 essays here are written by non-Nepali scholars, including the entire section focusing on urban cultural politics. Linder explains in his introduction that this was largely due to the community of academics in Nepali urban studies being fairly small. Kathmandu: A Reader then becomes even more integral as a gateway for new authors looking to work in the space of urban research on the Valley — undergraduates in the humanities for future theses and research ideas.&nbsp; In a time when Kathmandu is littered with new exam coaching centres for medical and engineering students, an anthology like this helps remind young scholars that there is plenty of scope for qualitative research in the social sciences. Sabin Ninglekhu’s discourse on the sukumbasi and aesthetics in Kathmandu are reminders that stories and academic journeys can be inspired from one’s surroundings. Kathmandu: A Reader has a good balance between academic and lighter readings, and is almost encyclopaedic in nature. There is even content about Kathmandu’s gangsters and scooty girls — allowing readers to venture deeper into their milieu.&nbsp; Kshitiz Pratap Shah is a recent graduate in English from Ashoka University.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251002051016_c8ce28ecfd0dde4986023822b3d40360ead97d29b7f186f6494d8da67021c5a5.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20251002051016_c8ce28ecfd0dde4986023822b3d40360ead97d29b7f186f6494d8da67021c5a5" data-rendition-name="original" width="1136" height="702" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmanu a reader"> </figure>

A reader for Kathmandu

One is an archipelago, the other is landlocked. But the Philippines and Nepal have a lot in common: both are disaster-prone, their economies dependent on overseas migrant workers, both went though Maoist insurrections that failed to replace a feudal order dominated by political dynasties. And both countries suffer from rampant corruption. Twelve days after <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/nepal-s-new-normal" target="_blank">deadly protests toppled Nepal’s government</a> tens of thousands of Filipinos, many of them youth, also poured out into the streets demanding transparency and better government. Cars were set on fire, and more than 200 people were arrested, nearly half of them minors. The ‘Trillion Peso March Against Corruption’ was fuelled by <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/21/world/asia/manila-philippines-rally-protest.html" target="_blank">anger over embezzlement</a> by politicians and their <a href="https://pcij.org/2025/08/31/5-reveals-from-the-flood-control-data/" target="_blank">crony contractors</a> estimated to top $17 billion in flood control infrastructure that were either never completed, or non-existent.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025100411108_85daed60ed5599f53235312e5b33703244bbac8640dbaf5161f90e5abe83f7eb.png" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2025100411108_85daed60ed5599f53235312e5b33703244bbac8640dbaf5161f90e5abe83f7eb" data-rendition-name="original" width="2326" height="1366" loading="lazy" alt="Phillipines anti-corruption protests"> </figure>  “We learnt from Nepal and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/world/anime-protests-flag-moldova-nepal-indonesia-gaza.html" target="_blank">Indonesia</a> how to deploy social media as a tool to spread information, we are digital natives and well connected within the country and across borders,” said <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuri-lemana-68322b183/?originalSubdomain=ph" target="_blank">Yuri Lemana</a> of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FOIYouthPH/" target="_blank">Youth Alliance for Freedom of Information</a>, and a part of the GenZ protests.&nbsp; “The system has failed us, unemployment is on the rise, there are shrinking opportunities for youth, and we face environmental threats. There is a realisation that our future is at stake,” Lemana added. Online groups started highlighting bribery and kickbacks in July after President Ferdinand (Bongbong) Marcos Jr himself brought up corruption in the infrastructure budget in his annual address to the nation, and launched a probe.&nbsp; The protests gained traction after powerful visuals of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/international-spotlight-on-nepal" target="_blank">rallies in Indonesia and Nepal</a> circulated on digital platforms. Filipino journalists also exposed the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f0MFz3vmfE" target="_blank">high-flying lifestyle of contractors</a> involved in siphoning off the infrastructure budget.&nbsp; As in Nepal, the youth protests were joined in by various radical groups. In Manila they reportedly included supporters of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte who is currently on trial at the <a href="https://www.icc-cpi.int/philippines/duterte" target="_blank">International Criminal Court (ICC)</a> in the Hague for extrajudicial killings during his ‘war on drugs’ 2011-2019. Duterte still has a lot of support, especially in the Filipino diaspora, for being tough on crime. Duterte was allied with Marcos in the 2022 elections, and his daughter Sara Duterte is currently vice-president. But the two families had a massive falling out, and the Supreme Court annulled the Lower House’s attempt to impeach the vice-president. This week in Manila, a remarkably well-informed Grab driver replayed TikTok videos of Kathmandu’s burning Parliament building to a passenger from Nepal. After his garment factory was driven out of business by cheap Chinese imports, he started driving a ride-hailing cab and was livid with successive governments not providing opportunities to ordinary people like him. Traffic was gridlocked because of flooded streets, and the driver vented out his anger: “Look at this. The streets are always flooded because of corruption. We should have done here what you did in Nepal.” Even before the protests, Senate President Francis Escudero and House Speaker Martin Romualdez had both resigned over the 'Floodgate Scandal'. Romualdez is Marcos’ cousin and is now said to be in Madrid, where his every movement is being tracked by Filipino diaspora in social media posts. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure has issued subpoenas to probe corruption in flood control projects. As in Nepal and Indonesia, much of the anger was over the offspring of politicians extravagantly flaunting their ill-gotten wealth on Instagram and TikTok. In the Philippines, the outrage is also over political clans passing on electoral seats to offspring. The 21 September protests were centred around Rizal Park and the EDSA Intersection in Manila — both symbolic for previous people’s movements against the Spanish colonialists and the 1986 uprising against the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos (father of the present president). “People here had seen what happened in Nepal, and were asking why we weren’t as angry as people there? Why not show our anger, too?” said one reporter who covered the protests. But, he added: “Let’s not be naive. It may have started with youth anger, but there were also people who were paid to infiltrate and instigate. We were also wary that things should not get out of hand like in Nepal.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025100411104_2c02ece56d29b2d8222433572d75c2dcc9bc2f3425d277a0056f393b521eecd0.png" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="2025100411104_2c02ece56d29b2d8222433572d75c2dcc9bc2f3425d277a0056f393b521eecd0" data-rendition-name="original" width="1550" height="996" loading="lazy" alt="Phillipines youth protests"> <figcaption>An Instagram post of the protests in Manila with a comment relating it to the Nepal unrest two weeks earlier.</figcaption> </figure>  Seventy percent of Filipinos are Millennials and GenZ of voting age, and they were impatient with a rigged electoral system. In a clear parallel to what happened in Kathmandu two weeks earlier, radical groups, political rivals, and the general public furious with the system all joined in the protests. Catholic priests, people from all generations and professions had participated in the EDSA Uprising against Marcos in 1986. This time, it was the youth who took the lead. Joseph Francisco Ortega of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nationalyouthcommission/" target="_blank">Philippine National Youth Commission</a> said he understands the frustration among the youth that fuelled the unrest. The discontent is also because despite there being young legislators, they are either party-affiliated or scions of political dynasties. “If we can convince young politicians to do the right thing, then we have won half the battle,” Ortega said. “If we want to rebuild quickly and for the long term, we have to change the system from within. There is a constructive way to do this, while exercising the right to non-violent protest.” CROSS-POLLINATION The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w8monPKdrc" target="_blank">violence in Manila streets</a> on 21 September was nowhere near the scale of what happened in Kathmandu on 8-9 September, but both transcended GenZ to be an outlet for pan-generational rage much like 1986 in the Philippines.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251004111012_e9cf9abfa8e35f3c074506dfdf94a262b5b311da6863cc2ec7bc3458a983df71.jpg" data-media-id="editor_13" data-image-id="20251004111012_e9cf9abfa8e35f3c074506dfdf94a262b5b311da6863cc2ec7bc3458a983df71" data-rendition-name="original" width="6566" height="4377" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal GenZ protests"> <figcaption>Angry crowd torched Parliament building among others during the 8-9 September GenZ protests in Nepal. Photo: AMIT MACHAMASI</figcaption> </figure>  “With due respect to the youth, it is not about age but about technology,” explained journalist Malou Mangahas of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/R2KRN/" target="_blank">Right To Know, Right Now Coalition</a> who participated in the 1986 uprising against Marcos. “We were all young and angry once. We are older, but still angry, and demanding good governance, transparency and accountability.” Just like in Nepal, young Filipinos rallying against corruption were also wary of infiltration, and it was clear from the anti-Marcos graffiti who the instigators of violence were. The GenZ were mainly wearing white while the pro-Duterte crowd <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w8monPKdrc" target="_blank">are seen in videos</a> in black.&nbsp; The minors seem to have just joined in the melee from their street-side settlements. Rights groups have called for their release, accusing police of rough interrogation and ‘red-tagging’ as Communist provocateurs. Much of the transboundary cross-pollination of anti-government protests across Asia last month used gaming characters, memes, and anime personas like the manga cartoon One Piece flag depicting a grinning skull in a straw hat which became an icon of youth protests.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025100411100_2d09f075663678fe92d4e4dcc631ee6ad1aa8a99996f4c4a3649e4bf4d85132f.png" data-media-id="editor_16" data-image-id="2025100411100_2d09f075663678fe92d4e4dcc631ee6ad1aa8a99996f4c4a3649e4bf4d85132f" data-rendition-name="original" width="810" height="1208" loading="lazy" alt="One Piece"> <figcaption>The One Piece Flag flying during protests in Manila on 21 September. Photo:  CYBERNETICBOYLOL / WIKIPEDIA</figcaption> </figure>  Yuri Lemana adapted a saying of gaming character <a href="https://www.warhammer.com/en-WW/shop/mechanicum-archmagos-prime-2024?srsltid=AfmBOorpYg8Zk5G5WiPUS9SXTampX969gMw79sP7ZzkE1G6H5pICR4PW" target="_blank">Archmagos Cortiko</a> in <a href="https://start-warhammer.com/" target="_blank">Warhammer 40,000</a>: “Prayer has its power, but fury also has its uses. If the government tries to hide things from us, we will find a way. Fury will find a way.” Kunda Dixit is the Publisher of Nepali Times, and was a foreign correspondent based in Manila in the early 1990s.

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