Namaste, diaspora family! This has been a week of high stakes on every front. The US is preparing the largest-ever single deportation flight of Nepalis—121 people on one chartered plane—while back home, nearly 339,000 security personnel have deployed across the country one month before the March 5 elections. On a brighter note, Nepal’s men’s cricket team swept both T20 World Cup warm-ups ahead of their historic England opener this weekend. Let’s get into it. 🌍 Diaspora & Globalisation US Prepares Largest-Ever Deportation Flight of 121 Nepalis The United States is preparing to deport 121 Nepali nationals on a single chartered flight scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu on February 21—making it potentially the largest mass deportation of Nepalis in history. According to NepYork’s exclusive reporting, most deportees entered the US via the Mexico border without visas, having paid smugglers between $60,000 and $75,000 each. The previous largest single charter carried 80 deportees. During the first year of the current administration, 583 Nepalis were deported in total, and the Nepali Embassy in Washington issued 407 travel documents in 2025—394 of them for ICE deportees. The flight underscores the increasingly harsh reality facing undocumented Nepalis in the US and has sent shockwaves through diaspora communities. (NepYork) UAE Pardons 267 Nepali Prisoners in National Day Amnesty In a welcome piece of good news for Nepali migrant workers and their families, the UAE granted amnesty to 267 Nepali citizens serving prison sentences, marking the occasion of its 54th National Day (Eid Al Etihad). Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed gratitude, calling it “a gesture of friendship, goodwill, and humanitarian consideration.” The pardons came after sustained diplomatic efforts by the Nepali Embassy in Abu Dhabi. Analysts estimate the early releases could restore approximately $1.5 million per year in lost remittances, and more importantly, reunite hundreds of families. The UAE has recently overtaken Malaysia as the top destination for Nepali workers, making this diplomatic relationship increasingly vital. (The Himalayan Times) In Brief: The diaspora faces challenges on multiple fronts this week. * The Nepali Embassy in Washington issued a pointed public notice urging US-based Nepalis to avoid misusing government welfare programs, warning that dependence on subsidized healthcare and housing can directly jeopardize visa and green card status—a move linked to Nepal’s recent inclusion on the US visa bond list. (The Himalayan Times) * The 12th NRNA World Conference is set for March 14–16 in Kathmandu—just nine days after the elections. A high-level organizing committee has been formed under Foreign Minister Balananda Sharma, and the government has proposed conducting NRNA leadership elections via an online system. (Review Nepal) * Myanmar authorities sentenced 18 Nepalis to one year in prison for involvement in online scamming operations in the Myawaddy region. Over the past three years, 365 Nepalis have been brought home from Southeast Asian scam centres—a sobering reminder of the trafficking risks facing migrant workers. (Nepal News) 🏛️ Politics & Governance Nearly 339,000 Security Personnel Deploy as Election Countdown Begins With exactly one month until the March 5 parliamentary elections, Nepal began its largest-ever election security mobilization on February 4. The official tally is eye-catching: 338,890 security personnel assigned to guard 10,967 polling stations across all 165 constituencies. But here’s the important context—nearly half are temporary hires. The breakdown: 79,727 Nepal Army, 75,497 Nepal Police, 34,576 Armed Police Force, roughly 149,000 temporary “election police” recruited specifically for the vote, plus intelligence officers. The government determined it needed 350,000 personnel but standing forces could only provide 190,000, hence the massive temporary recruitment. The Election Commission has classified 3,680 stations as “highly sensitive”—up 268 from 2022—reflecting heightened concerns following last September’s Gen Z protests and hundreds of weapons still unaccounted for after the unrest. After briefly suggesting the election might be split into two phases due to mountain weather, PM Sushila Karki confirmed firmly on February 5: the vote will proceed in a single phase as planned. (Kathmandu Post | Rising Nepal Daily) TikTok Signs MoU with Election Commission to Fight Misinformation In a landmark move, Nepal’s Election Commission signed a memorandum of understanding with TikTok to combat election misinformation—making Nepal one of the first South Asian countries to formalize such an arrangement. Under the deal, TikTok will launch an in-app Election Centre, label election-related content and AI-generated material, and deploy more than 20 fact-checking partners. The platform claims 98.5% of harmful election misinformation is removed before being reported. The EC separately identified 120 content creators involved in spreading harmful election content and set up a dedicated monitoring centre. The move comes as CPN-UML raised formal concerns about deepfakes and AI-generated content targeting its leadership and election symbol. (Rising Nepal Daily) In Brief: Campaign season intensifies across the country. * Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ categorically ruled out any electoral alliance, telling his NCP central leaders: “No electoral alliance or coordination with any party, anywhere, in this election.” The NCP has fielded candidates in all 165 constituencies and released a 27-point manifesto. (Khabarhub) * Heavy snowfall has cut off villages in Mustang, Manang, Gorkha, and Jumla, complicating both campaigning and logistics. The EC plans to use Nepal Army helicopters to transport ballot materials to five remote districts starting February 8. (Asia News Network) * The EC published the final proportional representation candidate list: 3,135 candidates from 63 parties will compete for 110 PR seats. All financial transactions exceeding Rs 25,000 during the campaign must now go through bank accounts. (Nepal News) 💸 Economy & Development Remittances Shatter Records—Rs 1.06 Trillion in Six Months Nepal Rastra Bank’s half-yearly macroeconomic report delivered a staggering headline: remittance inflows reached Rs 1.06 trillion (approximately $7.5 billion) in the first six months of FY 2025/26—a 39.1% surge year-on-year, up dramatically from 4.2% growth in the prior period. January 2026 alone brought Rs 192.62 billion. The surge pushed gross foreign exchange reserves to a record $22.47 billion, covering an extraordinary 21.4 months of merchandise imports. The balance of payments recorded a surplus of Rs 501.24 billion. Yet the familiar paradox persists: banking deposits grew Rs 417 billion while private credit increased by only Rs 197 billion, and average lending rates fell to 7.12% with few takers. For the diaspora, the message is clear—our money is flowing home at record rates, but the domestic economy still can’t translate that liquidity into productive investment. (Khabarhub | Rising Nepal Daily) World Bank Approves $95 Million for Nepal’s Financial Inclusion The World Bank Board approved a $95 million Sustainable and Inclusive Finance Project aimed at expanding access to finance for over 100,000 small and medium enterprises in Nepal. The project will strengthen the Deposit and Credit Guarantee Fund, introduce new guarantee products targeting women-led businesses, and modernize the Credit Information Bureau through alternative data integration. This is significant for diaspora members exploring investment channels back home—improved financial infrastructure means better access and transparency for everyone, from small remittance recipients to NRN entrepreneurs looking at business opportunities. (World Bank) In Brief: Economic signals are mixed as the election approaches. * Government revenue collection missed its mid-year target by Rs 129.8 billion, hitting Rs 581.4 billion. Capital spending remains dismal at just 11.66% of the annual budget—the perennial gap between allocation and actual development work. (Nepal News) * Nepal welcomed 92,573 international tourists by air in January 2026—a 15.7% jump over the same month last year. India led arrivals at 26,624, followed by China (9,101) and the USA (8,406). (Travel and Tour World) * Some relief at the pump: Nepal Oil Corporation cut petrol prices by Rs 3 per litre (now Rs 156), with diesel and kerosene reduced by Re 1 each. (Nepal News) ⭐ Social & Cultural Nepal Sweep T20 World Cup Warm-Ups—England Awaits on Saturday Nepal’s men’s cricket team delivered two commanding performances in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up matches in Chennai, building serious momentum ahead of the main tournament. On February 3, Nepal beat the UAE by 7 wickets with 18 balls to spare. Two days later, they chased down Canada’s 161 with 6 wickets in hand, powered by Aasif Sheikh’s 58 and Sundeep Jora’s 44, while Sandeep Lamichhane claimed key wickets. Now comes the biggest match in Nepali cricket history: Nepal opens Group C against England at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on February 8, followed by Italy (Feb 12), West Indies (Feb 15), and Scotland (Feb 17). CAN President noted that Nepali fans are expected to form the largest travelling contingent after India and Pakistan. For the diaspora, this is a rare moment to rally behind the national team on the biggest stage. (ICC Cricket) Nepal Music Festival Comes to London Mark your calendars, UK-based diaspora! Kutumba, Nepal’s celebrated folk instrumental ensemble, and Bipul Chettri & The Travelling Band will headline the inaugural Nepal Music Festival 2026 at The Troxy in London on February 28. A 16-member delegation is travelling from Nepal for the performance. And if that’s not enough, a larger Joon Festival has been annou
