Underneath the Headlines

With all the recent news coverage on the Charlie Kirk shooting and the aftermath, other stories have been brushed to the side of the spotlight. So… let’s dive deeper into the issues below the headlines. 

Nepal Social Media Ban

Earlier this month, a violent protest erupted due to an attempt to ban social media in Nepal. The Nepali government made a decision to ban 26 social media platforms including Instagram and WhatsApp. The ban was framed as a regulatory issue, but many believe that the ban’s true purpose was to silence and hide criticism of the government. Protesters and critics of the ban began to fight against the government's attempt to silence them, leading to additional social and political unrest in Nepal. More than 30 people were killed in conflicts with the police during youth-led protests. Following these protests, the Prime Minister of Nepal, Khadijah Prasad Sharma Oli, resigned. Until the March 2026 elections, former Chief Justice Sushuka Karki who was appointed as the interim Prime Minister will oversee the country. After the collapse of the government, the military enacted a curfew across Kathmandu, the capital, and restricted large gatherings. With such restrictions and uncertainty of who will lead the country next, Nepalis have hopped onto Discord, a popular platform often used by gamers, using it as a digital parliament. This ban was lifted to prevent more lives from being sacrificed as the protests and violence were getting out of hand. As for the next leader of Nepal, you will have to keep up with the news to find out. 

Evergreen Highschool Shooting

On September 10th, 2025, a 911 call was dispatched reporting a school shooting at the Evergreen Highschool in Colorado. The suspect was identified as 16-year-old Desmond Holly. Even though deputies arrived at the scene in under 3 minutes, the shooter fired multiple rounds, even injuring a student. The suspect shot another student and proceeded to shoot himself, taking his own life. As investigators tried to identify the suspect’s motive for the shooting, they later found an online account linked to the shooter. It was established that the shooter had been sharing code words and symbols that extremists often use, and often referred to past school shooters. According to senior vice president of Counter-Extremism and Intelligence for the ADL Oren Segal, the user of the account seemed to be someone who was fascinated with mass shooters and expressed neo-Nazi views. He was even active on a violent site that previous school shooters had been active users of. While it is still a question of how Holly got his hands on the weapon, many have expressed deep sympathy for victims, their family, and the students and staff of the Evergreen Highschool.