Nikesh Chapagain

Senior Contributor
Nikesh Chapagain is a Texan native who has spent over five years as a journalist and political analyst. He graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas and has since been published by the Texas Observer, the Dallas Morning News, the Dallas Business Journal, and many other outlets. His first book is The People’s Candidate.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant has the world's largest installed capacity.

Japan Brings Worlds Largest Nuclear Plant Back Online Amid Fukushima Concerns

Japan has just restarted operations at the world’s largest nuclear power plant — a first since the 2011 Fukushima disaster shut down all reactors. But does this move signal a new era of energy independence, or a risky leap back into the unknown? Reactor No. 6 at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, northwest of Tokyo, was brought back online

The incident has sparked calls for a review of the country's waste management system.

Deadly Landslide In Philippines Claims 11 Lives

How does a pile of garbage turn deadly? In Cebu City, central Philippines, a landslide at the Binaliw landfill last week has claimed 11 lives and left more than 20 people missing. Over 100 workers were on site when the disaster struck, and rescuers have pulled 12 injured from the rubble so far. Cebu City

Bluefin tuna fetches record $3.2m at Tokyo auction.

Bluefin Tuna Breaks Records With $3.2 Million Sale In Tokyo Auction

What’s a new year in Tokyo without a little jaw-dropping drama — and a very expensive fish? At dawn on Monday, a massive bluefin tuna stole the spotlight at Toyosu fish market. Selling for a record-smashing 510.3 million yen (about $3.2 million), yes, for a single tuna. The 243-kilogram giant was snapped up by Kiyomura

Woman killed in suspected mountain lion attack in US.

Suspected Mountain Lion Attack Leaves Woman Dead In US

What began as a quiet hike in Colorado’s backcountry may have ended in a rare and chilling tragedy. Wildlife officials say a woman is believed to have been killed by at least one mountain lion on a remote trail north of Denver. If confirmed, the incident would mark the state’s first fatal mountain lion attack

Arkansas ticket scoops $1.8 billion in Christmas Powerball jackpot.

Arkansas Ticket Wins $1.8 Billion Christmas Powerball Jackpot

Talk about a Christmas miracle. Somewhere in Arkansas, one ticket just turned into a $1.8 billion surprise. And yes, it’s one of the biggest lottery wins the US has ever seen. After Monday’s Powerball draw produced no winner, the jackpot ballooned fast. By Wednesday night, fueled by last-minute hopefuls, it hit a staggering $1.817 billion.

Trump expands access to cannabis in a major shift in drug policy.

Trump Expands Cannabis Access In Major US Drug Policy Shift

Is the US finally turning the page on cannabis? President Donald Trump thinks so — and he’s just taken a big step to prove it. With a stroke of a pen, Trump signed an executive order directing the justice department to downgrade cannabis from a Schedule I drug — alongside heroin. It was moved to

Search for long-missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 to resume.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 Search To Restart

More than a decade later, the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is set to resume on 30 December. Can we finally get answers about what happened to the Boeing 777 that vanished with 239 people on board in 2014? The renewed 55-day hunt was initially launched in March but had to be paused due

Trump backs Cuomo for New York City mayor and threatens to cut funding if Mamdani wins.

Trump Backs Cuomo, Warns NYC Could Lose Funds If Mamdani Wins

So, Donald Trump just threw his weight behind Andrew Cuomo in the New York City mayoral race — or did he? The president took to Truth Social, urging voters, “Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. He is capable of it. Mamdani is not!” Cuomo, running as an Independent

North Korea using crypto, IT workers to dodge UN sanctions: report.

North Korea Uses Crypto, IT Workers To Evade UN Sanctions, Reports Say

How do you fund a weapons program when the world’s watching your every move? If you’re North Korea, the answer seems to be: go digital. A new report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) reveals Pyongyang has turned cryptocurrency into a lifeline. It has also turned covert IT work into one. These have become

Trump administration starts laying off thousands of workers.

Trump Administration Lays Off Thousands Amid Shutdown Standoff

What happens when a political standoff turns into a pink-slip parade? The Trump administration has begun laying off thousands of federal employees. Critics say it is weaponizing the government shutdown to pressure Democrats. “The RIFs have begun,” declared White House budget chief Russell Vought on X, using the bureaucratic term for “reductions in force.” His

Storm kills two in France; strong gusts hit coast.

Two Dead As Storm Batters France’s Coastline

Northern France is being battered by Storm Amy — a powerful system sweeping in from the British Isles. It’s already claimed two lives and left thousands without power. Meteo France issued an orange alert on Saturday, warning of “strong gusts of wind” hitting coastal and inland regions near the English Channel. Gusts reached a fierce

After fatal crash, Sikh truck drivers in the US fear blowback.

US Sikh Truck Drivers Brace For Backlash After Fatal Crash

Highway 99 in California hums with big rigs. Many of those rigs are driven by turbaned Sikh men whose dashboards carry portraits of Sikh Gurus and Punjabi pop stars. Sikhs from India’s Punjab region now power a massive slice of America’s trucking industry, hauling everything from strawberries to steel. But one deadly crash in Florida