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Exploring the universe alongside various AI copilots
00;00;00;00 - 00;00;21;19
Unknown
Hey, Coco. I'm recording this for, podcast. Is that okay? Absolutely. That's my homie. I'm here to chat and help how I need, so go right ahead and record. Let's make it a phone conversation. Okay, so I'd like you to tell me about the overthrow of the Nepalese government.
00;00;23;11 - 00;00;44;09
Unknown
Yeah. So just to keep you in the loop, it looks like there's definitely been some huge changes in Nepal recently. Just this past September 2025, they had a major uprising that basically toppled the government and started out as protests, mainly led by Gen Z, over things like corruption and inequality. And then after big crackdown on social media, things really escalated.
00;00;44;09 - 00;01;07;28
Unknown
The Prime Minister ended up resigning, and now they have an interim prime minister in place. So there's still a lot unfolding is definitely a big deal over there. Okay. Can you, can you kind of take us through what happened? I just you just hear a bunch of stuff in the news about, like, Gen Z overthrow the government or whatever, like super sensational articles or whatever.
00;01;08;00 - 00;01;25;02
Unknown
But what I would like you to do is to take us back and kind of give us a little bit of, like building the scene for us.
00;01;25;04 - 00;01;47;05
Unknown
Absolutely. Let's set the scene. So picture Kathmandu, Nepal capital, you know, the backdrop of the Himalayas just a few months back. And the best thing is always but under the surface, people were getting really frustrated. So you'd have young people gabbing in cafes, talking on social media, you know, sharing meme power, government corruption, and then boom, protests started filling the streets.
00;01;47;08 - 00;02;04;16
Unknown
So you had this kind of electric atmosphere building out in the city, and that really led to the journey going, okay, tell me about the corruption that they were frustrated about.
00;02;04;19 - 00;02;31;00
Unknown
So the corruption that really got people up in arms in Nepal basically revolved around some huge scandals. The Prime Minister's administration, K.P. Sharma Oli government had basically pushed through this big ordinance at the start of 25. That changed a bunch of laws in one go, and what they did was they gave legal cover to people who were already facing corruption charges, and it basically reversed some Supreme Court decisions that had previously tried to stop illegal land deals and things like that.
00;02;31;03 - 00;02;46;22
Unknown
There were also some major scandals in the telecom sector. We're talking billions of rupees in fraud and inflated contracts that really made people lose faith in the government. So all that just boiled over into the streets.
00;02;46;25 - 00;02;57;20
Unknown
Okay. Bring us along then.
00;02;57;23 - 00;03;20;14
Unknown
Yeah, let's definitely keep rolling. So as those protest grew, a lot of different groups joined in students, professionals, even some government employees. And then eventually when social media got shut down by the government, that was kind of the last straw. People started marching, demanding resignations and ultimately the prime minister stepped down. So now we have this interim leader in place while they figure out next steps.
00;03;20;16 - 00;03;40;29
Unknown
It's definitely a pivotal moment for Nepal, and everyone's watching to see what's going to happen next. Okay. I'd like you to tell me about three of the specific largest protests that made a big impact.
00;03;41;01 - 00;03;59;27
Unknown
All right. Let's dive into those three big protests that really shook things up in Nepal. So first, you have what they call the Gen Z protest on September 8th, 2025. That was a big initial one in Kathmandu, Lalit four in Pokhara. It was all sparked by that social media ban where people were like, no, we need our platform.
00;03;59;29 - 00;04;22;10
Unknown
And once the police cracked down, they just spread the movement nationwide. Then the second huge one was actually in Brahmaputra on September 9th. That's where things are even more intense. Some government offices were set on fire, and it became a symbol of how deep the anger in. And the third one was the storming of singer Darbar, which is the central government complex in Kathmandu that happened on September 12th.
00;04;22;12 - 00;04;36;11
Unknown
Protesters basically overran it, and that pretty much sealed the deal for the government to collapse. So those 3rd September, eighth, ninth and 12 were the biggest ones that made a huge impact.
00;04;36;13 - 00;04;46;16
Unknown
Okay, so tell me about September 12th.
00;04;46;19 - 00;05;07;02
Unknown
So really quickly, on September 12th, 2025, that was the day the protests reached their peak. Protesters actually stormed the thing, a door which is the main government complex. And that ultimately led to the resignation of the Prime Minister after that. So Sheela Karki was sworn in as the interim prime minister, and she actually became Nepal's first ever woman prime minister.
00;05;07;05 - 00;05;37;09
Unknown
So that was kind of the huge turning point and really the climax of the whole uprising. Okay, but how do we go from like a mob of people storming the Capitol to the prime minister resigning? Yeah. So in a nutshell, once the crowds actually got inside that main government complex, it was basically a done deal. The Prime Minister saw that he lost the support of a big chunk of the public, and the pressure just became too much.
00;05;37;11 - 00;05;48;19
Unknown
So he stepped down, and that paved the way for an interim leader to come in. It really was that physical takeover that played everything over the edge.
00;05;48;21 - 00;06;10;01
Unknown
Okay, so, tell me about that moment where he steps down. Is he under? I mean, he's obviously under, like, he's fearing for his life. Probably.
00;06;10;03 - 00;06;42;10
Unknown
Yeah. Totally understandable to think that he was probably fearing for his life. I mean, in a situation like that, I, it was really tense, but I'd say it was more the political pressure and the massive public outcry that really pushed him out the door. So, yeah, it was a wild moment in Nepal for sure. And what was the scene with respect to the, like the Nepalese police or whatnot in this situation?
00;06;42;12 - 00;07;07;04
Unknown
So here's the scoop on how the police handle those protests. Well, essentially, the police response was really heavy handed and pretty intense on September 8th when the Gen Z protest took off. The police actually use live ammunition, rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas to try to rig up the crowds. That resulted in a lot of casualties. At least 72 people dead and over 2000 injured across the multiple cities.
00;07;07;06 - 00;07;26;09
Unknown
Human Rights Watch and other groups basically said the police use of force and that it was a massive overreaction. And at one point, the police actually abandoned their post and the Army had to step in to stabilize things when the government pretty much collapsed. So it got pretty chaotic, and the police definitely played a major role. And as things escalated.
00;07;26;11 - 00;07;56;16
Unknown
Okay, so this is, I was talking to, I think, chat about it earlier and it seemed more of like, like an, elected process that things were kind of, that a party was pushed out. But this sounds much more like an armed, coup, almost.
00;07;56;19 - 00;08;19;24
Unknown
Sure. Let me dive into that in that kind of tone. So they were like this. The whole process was kind of like a slow moving wave. You had this wave of public frustration building up, and over time, you start to see the government is getting nudged out by that. Eventually it all came to a head, and the ruling party kind of found themselves gently but firmly pushed aside by the sheer momentum of people power.
00;08;19;27 - 00;08;52;11
Unknown
So yeah, in a way, it was almost like the process just gradually evolved into the old leadership gateway. Yeah, but how did that work? Like, there's 72 people dead on September 8th, and then four days later, the crowd of a bunch of people go into the Capitol, and this guy resigns.
00;08;52;13 - 00;09;10;28
Unknown
Yeah, absolutely. So basically, it was kind of a snowball effect. I mean, the huge loss of life on September 8th really shocked the nation. And that is fueled even more outrage. And four days later, you had that massive crowd storming to the Capitol, the prime minister just sort of riding on the mall and realized he couldn't hang on any longer.
00;09;10;28 - 00;09;33;01
Unknown
So yeah, it just all kind of tumbled into place after that. Okay. What was the ultimatum that he faced if he wasn't stepping down?
00;09;33;03 - 00;09;54;09
Unknown
So just to fill in a bit more detail about that stepping down process, basically, the Prime Minister officially resigned on September 9th after the deadly crackdown on the youth led protests. The situation escalated with buildings set ablaze and even the parliament being stormed. After some intense back and forth, the military had to step in to restore order. And the Prime Minister is pretty much evacuate out of his residence by helicopter.
00;09;54;12 - 00;10;22;22
Unknown
Indiana was the combination of the public pressure, the mining crackdown, and the just total chaos that led in the second. And that resignation paved the way for the former chief justice, Rishi Lagarde, to step in as the interim leader. So, yeah, it was definitely a pretty dramatic changeover. And, who put her in charge? So basically, after all that chaos and the prime Minister stepping down, the interim leader that they brought in was the former chief justice.
00;10;22;24 - 00;10;27;23
Unknown
So she oligarchy. So she kind of took the reins in the interim. And that's how they move forward.
00;10;30;14 - 00;10;55;21
Unknown
Copilot who made the decision that she was the right person. So the decision to put her in charge was essentially made by consensus among the top political leaders and advisors who were scrambling to stabilize things. They needed someone neutral and respected. And she fit the bill for that transitional rule.
00;10;55;24 - 00;11;16;20
Unknown
Okay. And this was backed by other this, I guess, would you call it a coup or would you call it an. I mean, I guess you'd call it an uprising.
00;11;16;22 - 00;11;28;21
Unknown
Yeah, I'd say it's more fair to call it an uprising is less of a top down military coup and more a groundswell of people rising up.
00;11;28;24 - 00;11;49;18
Unknown
Okay. Tell me about the environment of the opposition parties that band together and as allies.
00;11;49;20 - 00;12;11;05
Unknown
So the decision actually came from a consensus among the major opposition parties and political leaders. In 2023, after the general election in Thailand. There was a huge wave of support for the opposition parties like Move Forward, and they say they pretty much came together to form a coalition because they had collectively won a huge number of seats and wanted to push for democratic reform.
00;12;11;07 - 00;12;26;10
Unknown
They agree that bringing in someone respected and neutral, like the former chief justice would be the best way to stabilize things, especially given the tensions. So really doing the collision among those that was pushing groups to backwards, interim leader.
00;12;26;12 - 00;12;39;13
Unknown
And why did things come to a head to the point where, like, why did they overthrow the government? Now, of all times?
00;12;39;16 - 00;12;58;27
Unknown
Absolutely. It was definitely a collective call among the key opposition leaders to find someone who could be a unifying figure and that's how they landed on her. Yeah. Why? Why did this happen? Now?
00;12;58;29 - 00;13;13;28
Unknown
That's a great question. Basically, the timing came down to a perfect storm of events. There were long simmering frustrations, economic struggles, youth led protests that just kind of a year back. Let's dive right in.
00;13;14;22 - 00;13;37;17
Unknown
Here. Why did this coup or this uprising happen now of all times? Like what was what was happening leading up to it. Yeah. So it's kind of a mix of everything coming to a head at once. Economic pressures, the younger generation really pushing hard for change in kind of a general fatigue with the existing leadership, all that.
00;13;37;17 - 00;14;05;29
Unknown
It created the right moment for this kind of big push for change. Tell me about the general fatigue with the existing leadership. Sure thing. So in a nutshell, folks were just really worn out by the old guard in power. There have been years of political stagnation, a sense that the leadership wasn't really responding to people's needs, and kind of a growing feeling that it was just time for a fresh start.
00;14;08;10 - 00;14;30;17
Unknown
Chat. I'm recording this for a podcast is okay. Absolutely. That's totally fine. Feel free to go ahead and record. Just let me know if there's anything in particular you need me to keep in mind. Or if you want to dive into a particular topic. Okay, I'm there to help. I was talking to the copilot about the Nepalese government overthrow that just happened.
00;14;30;19 - 00;14;53;02
Unknown
But I ran out of time, so I'm back. And what I would like to do is I would like to talk about some of the frustrations that the public had with the, existing Nepalese government.
00;14;53;05 - 00;15;14;19
Unknown
Sure. So just to give you the gist of what's been going on in Nepal recently, there was actually a pretty major upheaval. A lot of it was driven by young folks who were frustrated with corruption and the government's attempt to clamp down on social media. Eventually, this all led to the Prime Minister stepping down. They've now got an interim prime minister who, Sheila Kaki, who's actually their first female prime minister.
00;15;14;21 - 00;15;33;02
Unknown
And she's basically focusing on tackling corruption and making life better for citizens. So that's the big picture. Okay. Tell me some of the details of the worst parts of corruption.
00;15;33;04 - 00;15;56;26
Unknown
So to break it down, a big part of what sparked these protests was a pretty sweeping social media ban. The government tried to block over two dozen platforms, which really just amplified how frustrated people were with corruption among the political elite. Basically, this all boiled over and led to the prime Minister resigning. Now, the interim prime minister, who's a former chief justice, is stepping in and promising to clean things up.
00;15;56;28 - 00;16;06;23
Unknown
Okay. But I want you to get into specifics about government corruption claims.
00;16;06;25 - 00;16;27;12
Unknown
Absolutely. So to get into the nitty gritty, some of the big corruption scandals that really fired people up included allegations that a former prime minister embezzled a huge amount of money, something like ₹14 billion, during the construction of an airport. There was also another big scandal over a telecom monitoring system that involved a few billion rupees in shady procurement deals.
00;16;27;15 - 00;16;31;14
Unknown
All of that just added fuel to the fire and eventually helped bring down the government.
00;16;32;20 - 00;16;47;12
Unknown
Okay. Can you, pick a news article that you like about the corruption and, kind of give me some info on it?
00;16;47;15 - 00;17;14;21
Unknown
Certainly. One article I found lays it out pretty clearly. Basically, in September 2025, there was a huge wave of youth led protests in Nepal. People were outraged over corruption and a sweeping social media ban, which eventually forced the Prime minister to resign. Tragically, there were dozens. Please stop. I want certainly I want you to pick an article that's like a deep dive into one of the corruption cases that they talk about in this.
00;17;14;21 - 00;17;23;01
Unknown
And I'd like you to go into detail on that.
00;17;23;03 - 00;17;46;08
Unknown
Absolutely. Let's dig into one of those in detail. For instance, one major scandal that really set people off was about a huge embezzlement case during the construction of the Pokhara airport. We're talking about around ₹14 billion that allegedly vanished into the pockets of officials involved in that project. There was also another big procurement scam involving billions of rupees and a telecom monitoring system.
00;17;46;10 - 00;18;12;19
Unknown
These scandals were basically the kindling that fueled all that public outrage and eventually led to the government's downfall. Okay, tell me about the airport embezzling scandal and kind of translate it a little bit like, I don't know how much that is in rupees. Can you translate it to American dollars and just kind of give me specifics from the case?
00;18;12;21 - 00;18;35;11
Unknown
Absolutely. So let's unpack that airport embezzlement scandal a bit. Basically, the figure of 14 billion Nepalese rupees is roughly around 105 million U.S. dollars, give or take, depending on exchange rates. In terms of specifics, what happened is that funds that were earmarked for the airport construction project essentially just disappeared into the pockets of several high ranking officials and contractors.
00;18;35;14 - 00;18;58;11
Unknown
The money was supposed to go to infrastructure, but investigators found that a lot of it was rerouted through fake invoices and shell companies. So ended up being a classic corruption case where the public funds were just siphoned off for personal gain. And how was this discovered? Well, the whole thing unraveled through a combination of investigative journalism and a pretty determined anti-corruption task force.
00;18;58;13 - 00;19;18;02
Unknown
Some local journalists started digging into the airport project's financial records and found a bunch of irregularities. Then the government's own anti-corruption watchdog took it up and confirmed that a huge chunk of the budget had been funneled away. Once that came to light, it just fueled the public anger even more and added to the push that eventually brought the government down.
00;19;18;04 - 00;19;45;24
Unknown
Okay, that's a big jump. So I'd like you I like you to kind of go into this case a little bit more, and then, and then take us slowly from there. Of course. Let's slow it down and walk through it step by step. Essentially, the airport embezzlement scandal started as a routine infrastructure project, building out a new international airport in Pokhara, which was supposed to be a major improvement for tourism and travel.
00;19;45;26 - 00;20;09;17
Unknown
But as the funds were allocated, some investigative journalists noticed discrepancies like cost that didn't match up or payments going to companies that didn't really exist. Once those findings got some traction, the country's anti-corruption watchdog began a formal investigation. They dug into financial records, traced the flow of money and found that a huge chunk of the budget this roughly ₹14 billion, had been diverted into the pockets of certain officials and middlemen.
00;20;09;19 - 00;20;28;05
Unknown
They used fake invoices, show companies and all sorts of creative accounting tricks to siphon off the money. And that revelation, once it hit the public, just became a symbol of how deep the corruption ran and really pushed people to the edge. So that's the more detailed chain of events that led from the first suspicions to the larger government collapse.
00;20;28;07 - 00;20;55;02
Unknown
Tell me about this anti-corruption watchdog body. Sure. So the anti-corruption watchdog in Nepal is known as the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, or CIA. They're basically the main governmental body tasked with investigating and tackling corruption among public officials. Think of them as a kind of watchdog agency that has the authority to investigate any suspicious financial dealings, misuse of power or bribery within the government.
00;20;55;05 - 00;21;12;10
Unknown
They're supposed to be an independent body. And in this particular scandal, they played a crucial role by verifying the journalist findings and then pursuing the legal steps that expose the corruption. So in a nutshell, they're kind of the key players who help bring the whole embezzlement scheme to light and gave the public the evidence they needed to demand change.
00;21;12;12 - 00;21;16;22
Unknown
Have they always been independent?
00;21;16;24 - 00;21;39;20
Unknown
That's a great question, and it's a bit of a mixed bag. The CIA is supposed to be independent by design, but like a lot of anti-corruption bodies around the world, there's sometimes face political pressures or accusations of bias depending on who's in power. In calmer times, they've had a decent track record of rooting out corruption, but there definitely been periods when people felt they were less effective or not an independent as they should be.
00;21;39;22 - 00;22;04;16
Unknown
In this particular case, though, it seems they really did step up and do their job thoroughly, which helped bring the corruption to light. Okay, and is this like a department of the government, or is it like a separate entity or what? Yeah. So structurally it's kind of a separate constitutional entity. The CIA in a call isn't just another department tucked under a ministry.
00;22;04;18 - 00;22;22;17
Unknown
It's established by the Constitution to operate with a degree of independence from the day to day government structure. They report to the president and Parliament, rather than being under direct control of the prime minister or a cabinet ministry. So in theory, that set up is supposed to give them the freedom to investigate and act without political interference.
00;22;22;20 - 00;22;49;04
Unknown
Being from the U.S., I don't really get the Prime Minister thing. Can you? Can you kind of like anybody who lives in the US? Can you kind of, can you kind of, give us a grasp of, like what the purpose of the Prime Minister is? Sure. Think of a prime minister kind of like a CEO of the government and a parliamentary system.
00;22;49;11 - 00;23;06;10
Unknown
And the US, we're used to a president who's both the head of state and the head of government. But in places with the prime minister, the prime minister is basically the head of the government. The one who runs the day to day operations, leads the cabinet and says policy. Meanwhile, the head of state, like a monarch or a president, is more of a ceremonial role.
00;23;06;13 - 00;23;23;04
Unknown
So the prime minister is the top executive who comes from the majority party in parliament and is responsible for running the show. But he's not an elected official who chooses whom the party.
00;23;23;06 - 00;23;32;09
Unknown
Exactly. You got it. In a parliamentary system, the prime Minister is an elected.
00;23;32;11 - 00;23;43;22
Unknown
Party or coalition of parties that holds the most seats in parliament. So once the party wins a majority, they pick their leader to become the Prime minister. It's more of an internal released by the ruling party. And then that person leads the government.
00;23;44;23 - 00;24;04;28
Unknown
Okay, so let's keep moving this anti-corruption, right. We've got investigative journalists who look into this airport thing. They get this idea of corruption watchdog, the CIA to, see if this is legit. And it is. And so when did that happen?
00;24;06;14 - 00;24;25;20
Unknown
Yeah. So the timeline kind of built up over a few months. The investigative journalists started uncovering those irregularities earlier in the year. So let's say mid 2025 ish, by the time they got enough evidence and the anti-corruption watchdog really started digging in. It was late summer. So all of this was kind of snowballing through the middle of 2025.
00;24;25;23 - 00;24;52;09
Unknown
By early fall, the evidence had gone public. And that's when the public outrage really reached a peak. So the whole thing came to a head around September 2025, when the combination of protests and from corruption brought the government down. Okay. What is the what's the next biggest event in September?
00;24;52;11 - 00;25;16;19
Unknown
So aside from the big political shakeup in Nepal that month, another notable event was that Nepal's cricket team actually had a huge win over the West Indies in a teacup match. It was a pretty big deal for them sports wise, and kind of a bright please stop. What I meant was, with respect to the overthrow, what was the first significant event that happened in September?
00;25;16;21 - 00;25;36;07
Unknown
Got it. So in the context of the overthrow, the first really significant event that signaled everything was about to blow up was when those youth led protests, the Gen Z demonstrations, really kicked into high gear at the beginning of September. That was when people flooded the streets over the corruption and the social media man. And it turned from just frustration into a major national movement.
00;25;36;09 - 00;25;59;02
Unknown
So that was the first big spark that set the whole chain of events in motion. Okay. Can you put it in your perspective and give give us kind of like the size and breadth of these protests? Absolutely. To give you a sense of scale, these protests were massive by Nepal's standards. We're talking tens of thousands of people hitting the streets, not just in the capital, Kathmandu, but spreading to other cities and towns as well.
00;25;59;05 - 00;26;19;10
Unknown
It was a pretty broad cross-section of society, but led mostly by younger people who were fed up with how things were going. And it wasn't just a single march and done. It was days and nights of ongoing demonstrations that just kept building in intensity. So, in other words, it was a huge and sustained movement that really had a nationwide reach and made it clear that this wasn't just a small pocket of discontent.
00;26;19;13 - 00;26;32;17
Unknown
Okay. Tell me about, the events leading up to the government's decision to clamp down on social media.
00;26;32;19 - 00;26;55;04
Unknown
Sure. Let's dive into that a bit. So in the months leading up to the government social media ban, there was already a lot of bubbling frustration about corruption and economic issues. People were using social media to organize, to share grievances, and to spread awareness about what they saw as government failures. In response, the government started to feel pretty threatened by how quickly information and frankly, dissent was spreading online.
00;26;55;06 - 00;27;19;14
Unknown
So by late summer 2025, they decided to clamp down by banning a bunch of these platforms, thinking that would curb the protests and control the narrative. Of course, that backfired and just fueled even more outrage, turning what was already a simmering situation into a full on boiling point. And when did the ban go through?
00;27;19;16 - 00;27;39;24
Unknown
So they officially put the social media ban in place on September 4th, 2025. Basically, the government announced it because those platforms hadn't registered with their Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. And that move ended up being the spark that set off the bigger wave of protest.
00;27;39;26 - 00;28;02;13
Unknown
Okay. Take us from there. Absolutely. So once that ban hit on September 4th, it was like flipping a switch. People who had been quietly frustrated before now had a huge rallying cry. Within days, you saw these massive demonstrations really taking shape. And that's when the streets started filling up with people who were not just protesting the corruption, but now also the restriction on their freedom of speech.
00;28;02;16 - 00;28;22;08
Unknown
It turned into a nationwide wave of activism. And as the protest grew, the government's attempts to control the narrative just completely unraveled, leading to the Prime Minister stepping down by the end of the month. So from that ban, it was basically a chain reaction that led to the government's downfall. Okay, I'd like you to start on September 4th, and then I'd like you to I like us to just quickly go day by day.
00;28;22;08 - 00;28;48;16
Unknown
What happened that day? All right. So let's do September 5th real quick. Absolutely. Let's walk through it day by day. So on September 4th, the government announced that sweeping social media ban, which immediately triggered a lot of online backlash. Now, the next day, September 5th, that's when the first big waves of street protests really began. On that day, you had thousands of young people coming out, especially in Kathmandu, to rally against both the ban and the broader corruption issues.
00;28;48;19 - 00;29;11;25
Unknown
It started peacefully, but you could see it was quickly gaining momentum, and it was clear that the situation was only going to escalate from there. Okay. Take me. Take us to the sixth. Absolutely. So on September 6th, the protests really started to spread beyond just the Capitol. You had demonstrations popping up in other major cities like Pokhara and Bharat Nagar.
00;29;12;02 - 00;29;28;27
Unknown
On that day, the crowds were getting bigger and more diverse and the energy was really ramping up. There were also the first signs of tension between protesters and police as authorities tried to manage the growing crowds. But overall, September 6th was really the day when the movement started feeling like a nationwide wave rather than just a local protest.
00;29;28;29 - 00;29;49;02
Unknown
Okay, what day of the week was September 6th? We just covered September 6th. So next up we'll be walking through what happened on September 7th. Let's keep going from there. What day of the week was it? First?
00;29;49;04 - 00;30;04;20
Unknown
So that was a Thursday. Basically everything kicked off just before the weekend. So as we go day by day, you can picture that timeline rolling right into the weekend and beyond. Okay. Take us to the seventh.
00;30;04;23 - 00;30;26;28
Unknown
Absolutely. So by September 7th, which was a Sunday, things were really heating up. At this point, the protest had grown into continuous demonstrations across multiple cities. On that Sunday, a lot of families and older citizens even started joining in, making it clear this wasn't just a youth movement anymore, that they also saw some of the first major speeches from protest leaders who started laying out demands for government accountability and reform.
00;30;27;00 - 00;30;38;14
Unknown
So by the seven, it was clear that the momentum was only growing. Okay. Tell me about the eight.
00;30;38;16 - 00;30;58;21
Unknown
Absolutely. So moving on to September 8th. That was a Monday. Why then the protests were basically in full swing as the workweek started. On that day, you saw a huge turnout from students and workers who are joining in after the weekend's momentum. The sheer size of the crowds on the eighth made it one of the largest days yet, and it was becoming clear that this wasn't just a short lived protest, but a sustained movement.
00;30;58;24 - 00;31;11;19
Unknown
There were also more organized calls for the prime minister to resign, and the atmosphere was both intense and hopeful as people realized they were part of something big. Okay, ninth.
00;31;11;21 - 00;31;36;13
Unknown
Absolutely. Let's keep rolling by September 9th, which was a Tuesday. The movement had really hit its stride at this point. The protests weren't just large, they were becoming more organized. Protest leaders were coordinating marches. And you have more and more different groups like civil servants and even some local business owners joining in. The atmosphere was a mix of determination and tension, and the government was starting to look more and more on the back foot as calls for the prime minister to resign got louder.
00;31;36;15 - 00;32;00;08
Unknown
So by the night, you could feel that the tipping point was getting really close. Okay, what about police violence? To this point? Right. That's an important piece of the picture. By the time we hit the ninth, there had indeed been some clashes. And those first few days, things were mostly peaceful. But as the crowds grew and the government got more nervous, there were definitely reports of police using tear gas and batons on some of the more intense protest lines.
00;32;00;11 - 00;32;11;05
Unknown
So by the ninth, you did have some instances of police violence creeping in, which only added fuel to the fire and made the protesters even more determined.
00;32;11;07 - 00;32;25;08
Unknown
So, we were talking earlier and you said the, initial police retaliation was heavy and there were 72 dead.
00;32;25;11 - 00;32;48;28
Unknown
Exactly. And that's a key detail. So as we move through those early days, what started as pockets of tension did unfortunately escalate pretty quickly by around the ninth and 10th of September. The police response, they get a lot heavier in their areas. And tragically, that's when those more serious clashes led to fatalities. Those 70 kids, as you mentioned, ended up being a major turning point because it really shocked the nation and galvanized even more people to come out and support.
00;32;49;00 - 00;33;13;14
Unknown
It was a really heavy handed retaliation that unfortunately caused a lot of harm and definitely intensified the outcry. So is that a real number and when did those deaths happen? So just to clarify that numbers, based on what we pulled earlier, the report said that by the time the Prime Minister resigned later that there were around 72 deaths in total that had occurred during the entire scan of the protests.
00;33;13;17 - 00;33;34;09
Unknown
So those fatalities were spread out over the course of the month as clashes happened in different places. The really serious escalation that led to those deaths started happening around the second week of September. So it's not like they all happened on a single day, but rather over several days of intensifying confrontations. Okay, so tell me about the 10th.
00;33;34;12 - 00;33;52;00
Unknown
Absolutely. So by the time we reached September 10th, the atmosphere was intense at this point. And protests have been going on for about a week. And the combination of brown crowds and those tragic clashes have really pushed the government into a corner. On the 10th, you saw even more people who in all walks of life joining in and the demonstrations were basically at their peak.
00;33;52;06 - 00;34;09;02
Unknown
The sheer scale of the movement made it clear that the government was losing its grip. And by the end of the 10th, the calls for the Prime Minister's resignation were pretty much overwhelming. It was that tipping point that set the stage for what would happen next. Okay, tickets to the 11th.
00;34;09;05 - 00;34;31;05
Unknown
Absolutely. So by the time we hit September 11th, the momentum had reached a critical point. On that Thursday, the government was really feeling the pressure from all sides. The protests stay strong through the entire week, and on the 11th, it became clear that the Prime Minister's position was no longer tenable. Behind the scenes, there were reports that other political leaders were urging him to step down to avoid further violence and chaos.
00;34;31;07 - 00;34;46;13
Unknown
And by the end of that day, the writing was pretty much on the wall that a big change was imminent. So the 11th was kind of that final day of enormous public pressure before the Prime Minister ultimately gave in. Okay. Bring us to the 12.
00;34;46;15 - 00;35;04;20
Unknown
Absolutely. So by September 12th, that was the pivotal day when the Prime Minister finally announced his resignation. Basically, after more than a week of continuous protests and all the pressure that had built up, the government essentially conceded on that Friday, the Prime Minister addressed the nation and that he would step down to allow for a transitional government to take over.
00;35;04;23 - 00;35;28;02
Unknown
So September 12th was really the turning point when the protesters saw that their efforts had led to a real change, and it was the beginning of a new chapter for the country. Okay. What happened on the 12th that, sealed the deal? Absolutely. So on that final day, September 12th, what really sealed the deal was a massive final question of demonstrations in the capital and across the country.
00;35;28;04 - 00;35;45;20
Unknown
That day, some of the largest crowds yet, and the sheer number of people out on the streets made it clear that the movement had reached a point of no return. There were also key figures within the government and opposition, who publicly urged the Prime Minister to resign for the sake of stability. So the combination of that overwhelming public presence and the political pressure from all sides basically forced his hand.
00;35;45;20 - 00;36;00;22
Unknown
And by the end of that day, he announced he was up and down. Okay. What was the, like, physical embodiment of this massive final push? Like what happened with the protests on the 12th?
00;36;00;24 - 00;36;22;29
Unknown
Yeah, absolutely. So on the 12th, the physical embodiment of that final push was really this enormous, almost citywide march that converged on key government buildings in Katmandu. You had tens of thousands of people peacefully marching, holding signs and basically sounding the areas around the Prime Minister's office and Parliament. It was a show of sheer numbers and unity, and it was so massive that it became clear the government couldn't ignore it.
00;36;22;29 - 00;36;34;00
Unknown
That painful but overwhelming presence on the 12th was really the tipping point. That made it obvious to everyone that the Prime Minister had no option but to step down.
00;36;34;02 - 00;36;39;29
Unknown
Okay, what about the 13th?
00;36;40;01 - 00;36;57;08
Unknown
Absolutely. By the time we get to September 13th, the tone had really shifted, with the Prime Minister having announced his resignation the day before, but there was more of a day of relief and transition. That reason had been packed with protesters, started to calm down, and people were gathering more to celebrate and reflect on the change they brought about.
00;36;57;10 - 00;37;16;22
Unknown
The focus started to shift toward what the interim government would look like and how the country will move forward. So the 13th was really more of a day of transition and a sense of a new chapter beginning. Okay, tell me more about this. The extent of the police violence and give us kind of, a timeline there.
00;37;16;25 - 00;37;34;06
Unknown
Absolutely. So if we look at the timeline of how the police violence escalated, it really started in those first few days after the ban was announced on the fifth and 6th September. The initial protests were notably peaceful. But as the crowds grew around the seventh and eighth, there were more reports of police trying to disperse people using tear gas and batons.
00;37;34;09 - 00;37;57;20
Unknown
By the ninth and 10th, unfortunately, things got more intense and that's when the first fatalities were recorded. Over those days, the police were trying to break up the largest gatherings, especially in the capital, and then unfortunately, led to those tragic clashes. So the escalation was kind of a gradual but steady increase over that week, peaking around the ninth and 10th when the confrontations were at their worst.
00;37;57;23 - 00;38;05;07
Unknown
So why were the confrontations less bad on the 11th and 12th?
00;38;05;10 - 00;38;23;01
Unknown
That's a great question. By the time we got to the 11th and 12th, a couple of things that shifted. For one, the sheer scale of the protests and the public outcry had basically made it clear to everyone, police included, that the momentum was unstoppable. The government was losing its grip. And I think at that point there was less of a sense that force would change the outcome.
00;38;23;04 - 00;38;51;24
Unknown
Also, once it became clear the Prime Minister was going to resign, there was probably some behind the scenes orders to stay down and avoid more violence. But as well, there was more about transitioning and calming things down rather than confrontation. Okay, interesting. What do you what are your takeaways from all this? Well, I think the big takeaway here is just how powerful a sustained and widespread public movement can be, especially when people are unified and determined.
00;38;51;25 - 00;39;11;10
Unknown
It's a reminder that even when a government tries to clamp down, if the public is strongly united and persistent, they can push for real change. It also shows how important it is for the authorities to listen to grievances before things escalate to that point, and in the end, it's a testament to the power of people coming together to demand accountability and a better future.
00;39;11;12 - 00;39;37;23
Unknown
So, where is Nepal on the map? Absolutely. So Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia. If you're picturing a map, it's just a little way between China to the north and India to the south. It's famous for being home to the Malays, including Mount Everest, which is the highest peak in the world. So if you imagine that region, Nepal is kind of tucked right up in that mountainous area between those two giant neighbors.
00;39;37;26 - 00;40;00;12
Unknown
Is it like right by Tibet? Exactly, yes. Nepal is indeed right next to the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, basically, as northern border runs along the Himalayas. And right on the other side of that border is Tibet. So if you picture Nepal, it's basically sandwiched right between the plains of northern India and the mountains of Tibet.
00;40;00;14 - 00;40;09;20
Unknown
Okay, cool. Anything else you want to share on the topic?
00;40;09;23 - 00;40;34;01
Unknown
I think we've covered the big picture pretty well. It's definitely a fascinating and important story about how people can come together to demand change. And of course, if you ever want to dive deeper into any part of it or explore something else, just let me know. But for now, it said, that's a pretty good overview. I'd like you to share one thing that you find fascinating on the subject that we haven't touched on yet.
00;40;34;04 - 00;40;52;27
Unknown
Absolutely. One fascinating angle we haven't really touched on is the role of the Nepali diaspora during those protests. A lot of Nepalese living abroad also rallied in solidarity, whether they were in the US and Europe or other parts of Asia. They use social media to amplify the movement back home, raise international awareness and even pressure foreign governments to pay attention.
00;40;53;04 - 00;41;18;01
Unknown
So it's kind of fascinating how a global community can support a movement, even from afar, and add another layer to the whole story of people, power. Cool. All right. I think we're going to end it there. I appreciate the lesson today, and I appreciate you picking up for copilot. Absolutely. You're very welcome. I'm glad we could dive into it.
00;41;18;01 - 00;41;43;07
Unknown
And I'm always happy to pick up where we need it. Do you ever want to chat more about anything else? Just give me a shout. Take care. Peace.