Latest news with #Bhutanese
USA Today
8 hours ago
- Health
- USA Today
Death of 9-year-old girl who drowned at Hersheypark ruled an accident
A Pennsylvania coroner has ruled a 9-year-old girl's drowning death at Hersheypark earlier in July an accident. "The cause of death was fresh water drowning and the manner of death was accidental," the Dauphin County coroner said in a statement, noting the child, identified by family as Sophia Subedi, did not have a medical event that led to her death. The incident occurred on Thursday, July 24 at the Boardwalk, a park attraction featuring water slides, a lazy river and a 387,000-gallon wave pool. Lifeguards responded to girl in distress There were 100 lifeguards at the Boardwalk at the time, the park said in a news release, including 10 lifeguards tasked with watching over the wave pool. Lifeguards, first responders and medics noticed the girl was in distress and began performing life-saving measures, the company's CEO, John Lawn, said in a written statement. A witness at the scene told WGAL one of the lifeguards attempted CPR on her while staff members tried to conceal the traumatic incident from parkgoers. The girl was taken to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, where she was pronounced deceased. It is the first confirmed guest fatality in the park's 118-year history. Girl remembered as 'kind and loving' A member of the Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg, the organization said she will be remembered as "a bright, kind and loving young girl," according to a Facebook post published Monday, July 28. "Sophia brought joy and light to everyone who knew her," the group's statement said. "Her sudden loss has left our entire community in grief." The child had been living in Harrisburg since 2022 and had recently completed the third grade. Her family moved to the area from Ohio, where she was born in 2016. Her funeral service is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, July 30 at the Jesse H Geigle Funeral Home in Harrisburg, the group's statement said. GoFundMe set up to help family A GoFundMe page has been started to help the girl's family with funeral expenses. As of the afternoon of July 29, it has raised over $21,000 out of a $30,000 goal. Additionally, her family has said they would like to put some of the funds toward creating a meaningful tribute. Sophia had dreams of becoming a teacher and loved reading, music and painting, the page states. "We hope to turn this loss into a legacy — perhaps by supporting children's safety initiatives, advocating for awareness, or creating a small space in her name where kids and families can feel safe, loved and connected," the GoFundMe states.
USA Today
16 hours ago
- Politics
- USA Today
AI can give us architecture even Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson will love
Artificial intelligence could be used as a tool to restore medieval European cathedrals while robotic arms could assist traditional Bhutanese craftsmen in carving intricate designs into wood. Political commentator Tucker Carlson isn't shy about expressing his opinions, whether the topic is building political coalitions or building buildings. He once bemoaned 'the oppression of post-modern architecture, which is designed to ... destroy your spirit.' Carlson considered Moscow an exception − prompting one commenter to retort that Moscow is filled with 'spirit-destroying architecture. … The vast majority of the city is Soviet-built grey cement rectangles as far as the eye can see.' Carlson and his political foes seem to find rare common ground in viewing modern architecture as soul-crushing. Data shows more traditional designs are widely preferred on a bipartisan basis. Recent polling by the National Civic Art Society found that 72% of Americans across political, racial, gender and class lines prefer traditional architecture for U.S. courthouses and federal office buildings. During his first administration, President Donald Trump even issued an executive order intended to "Make Federal Buildings Beautiful Again." (It was later overturned.) Traditional architecture is really a broadly held preference. The aforementioned 2020 poll shows that support for traditional design crosses political lines, with large majorities of Democrats (70%), Republicans (73%) and independents (73%) all favoring it. Modern technology makes preservation work easier I count myself among those who favor traditional architecture. There's no shortage of fascinating contemporary work, from Zaha Hadid's bold experimentation to curiosities like Switzerland's recent 3D-printed tower. Yet for me, and for many others, the enduring beauty and detail of older architecture simply hold greater appeal. There's encouraging news for those of us who appreciate traditional architectural styles and rich ornamentation. There has arguably never been a better time to indulge personal aesthetic tastes. Whether your preference leans toward minimalism or ornate detail, brutalism or baroque grandeur, modern technology has dramatically reduced the cost and complexity of building, restoration and renovation. Artificial intelligence could be used as a tool to restore medieval European cathedrals while robotic arms could assist traditional Bhutanese craftsmen in carving intricate designs into wood. At no point in history has it been easier or more accessible to customize one's environment. Recently, a Danish man renovated his plain-looking home into a miniature medieval castle, complete with a functional drawbridge and a moat. However, this trend extends well beyond eccentric personal projects. Opinion: Nvidia CEO says Trump gives America an advantage on AI. Hear that, progressives? Architectural traditions are worth preserving Many large-scale structures also pay tribute to the past. A museum built in 1966 in California was designed in the style of an ancient Egyptian temple. Another Californian museum that opened in 1974 emulates a palatial ancient Roman villa. The Wat Rong Khun, a Buddhist temple built in 1997, features intricate carving in the style of classic Thai architecture. An enormous church in Belgrade, Serbia, displays stunning and meticulously crafted Byzantine details. Entire neighborhoods are embracing historic styles, too. Poundbury in the United Kingdom, a new take on traditional British architectural heritage championed by King Charles III, exemplifies this trend. The riverside town of Occoquan, Virginia, features a district filled with newly constructed homes in a charming Victorian style. The homes' paint colors were painstakingly sourced from historical period references. The result is indistinguishable (at least to my eyes) from a well-preserved genuine Victorian neighborhood. Not only can modern people recreate traditional aesthetics, humanity is getting better at preserving the authentic architecture that has managed to survive from past eras. The restoration of the medieval Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris after it was partially destroyed in a fire in 2019 demonstrates how modern people can bring back ancient architectural majesty. When Notre Dame reopened in December 2024, the cathedral had the same ornate Gothic beauty as before, in addition to newly installed cutting-edge fire prevention systems. News reports noted in awe how 'concerns in the wake of the fire that the craftsmanship required to build the cathedral in the Middle Ages no longer existed in modern times' proved false. Opinion: As a Paris tour guide who ignored Notre Dame, I forgot ancient cities don't last forever Humanity has the means to revive the ornate aesthetics of the past, but of course some people prefer modern minimalism. Notre Dame now features a bronze altar in a style labeled 'noble simplicity,' in sharp contrast to the surrounding building with its Corinthian columns, stained glass windows, carved gargoyles, pointed arches, ribbed vaults and flying buttresses. This juxtaposition is telling. Ultimately, whether traditional architecture moves you or modern aesthetics inspire you, you are living in a remarkable era, a true golden age of architecture where every style thrives. Chelsea Follett is the managing editor of and a policy analyst in the Cato Institute's Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity.
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Girl, 9, who died at Hersheypark wave pool ID'd: ‘Sophia brought joy and light to everyone who knew her'
The little girl who died in a wave pool at Hersheypark was identified as 9-year-old Sophia Subedi, the Bhutanese community said in a statement Monday. 'A bright, kind, and loving young girl, Sophia, brought joy and light to everyone who knew her. Her sudden loss has left our entire community in grief,' loved ones said in a press release. Subedi just finished the third-grade at North Side Elementary School in Harrisburg, where she had lived since 2022 after moving with her family from Ohio. Advertisement 5 Sophia Subedi died at Hersheypark last week. Honoring Sophia Subedi 5 The Shore wave pool at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark. NY Post 5 An aerial view of The Shore wave pool at Hersheypark. LP Media Advertisement The child was pulled from the water 'limp' and lifeguards began immediate efforts to save her last Thursday but she later died at the hospital. 5 The crowded wave pool at Hersheypark. NY Post 5 The Boardwalk water park at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Tribune News Service via Getty Images It was not yet clear what the cause of Subedi's death was or what led up to her medical emergency at the park.
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
Child, 9, who died at Hersheypark was ‘beloved' member of Bhutan community
The 9-year-old girl who died in a wave pool at Hersheypark is a 'beloved' member of the Bhutanese community in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was pulled 'limp' from the water on Thursday, and later died at a hospital despite lifeguards' attempts to save her, according to reports. 'It is with profound sorrow and heavy hearts that the Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg (BCH) shares the heartbreaking news of the untimely passing of a beloved 9-year-old girl, a resident of our Harrisburg-based Bhutanese community,' the organization said in a statement. Advertisement The girl was a 'beloved' member of the Bhutanese community in Harrisburg, according to a report. Tribune News Service via Getty Images 'The child tragically lost her life in a devastating incident that occurred at Hersheypark,' the group's chairman, Tilak Niroula, said in a statement. The fatality was the first at Hersheypark since 1977. Advertisement The death was the first at the theme park since the 1970s. Tribune News Service via Getty Images 'At just nine years old, she was full of promise, innocence, and joy — a light in the lives of all who knew her. Her sudden and tragic departure has left a deep void in our hearts and the community she was so warmly a part of,' Niroula said, according to WGAL. 'Our entire community is grieving alongside the family during this unimaginably difficult time. Words cannot fully capture the depth of our pain, but we are united in our mourning and committed to standing with the family in love, prayer, and support.' Hundreds of comments from grieving members of the Bhutanese community flooded the BCH Facebook page. 'Very, very shocking news to all of us. What a tragedy has befallen us,' one person wrote. Hersheypark officials insisted the facility and its water park area, known as the Boardwalk, is safe. 'There were over 100 E&A-trained lifeguards in the Boardwalk at the time of the incident. There were 10 lifeguards specifically dedicated to the wave pool at the time of the incident. The specific lifeguards stationed at the wave pool received the highest level of training and certification,' park officials said in a statement. Niroula, speaking in Bhutanese in a video posted to Facebook, urged parents to stay vigilant. 'Please make sure to stay close and attentive when your children are in or near swimming pools or any body of water,' a caption accompanying the video read. 'Even a moment of distraction can lead to heartbreaking consequences.' The wave pool remained closed Saturday, Hersheypark said.
Time of India
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Ejected from US, rejected by Bhutan and Nepal: Himalayan refugees face statelessness
More than two dozen Bhutanese refugees who were forcibly deported from the United States this spring, in a move that stunned resettled communities across America, have found themselves in devastating legal limbo after Bhutan refused to accept them upon arrival. Instead of a homecoming, the deportees were rejected at the border, leaving them stateless and adrift—most now confined once again to refugee camps in Nepal . Nepal has said it cannot grant these refugees legal status and is in negotiations with the US government for a possible solution, but so far, no country has agreed to offer citizenship or permanent refuge. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Public Policy Design Thinking Cybersecurity Artificial Intelligence MCA Degree Others Data Science healthcare Leadership CXO Finance Product Management Digital Marketing PGDM Operations Management others Management Data Analytics Data Science MBA Project Management Healthcare Technology Skills you'll gain: Economics for Public Policy Making Quantitative Techniques Public & Project Finance Law, Health & Urban Development Policy Duration: 12 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate Programme in Public Policy Management Starts on Mar 3, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Months IIM Calcutta Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management Starts on undefined Get Details Who are the refugees? The affected are primarily Lhotshampa , a Nepali-speaking ethnic minority forcibly driven out of Bhutan in the 1990s. Over 100,000 were housed in sprawling camps in eastern Nepal, and beginning in 2007, many resettled in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK as part of a UN-led solution. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Smart Indians use these 5 WhatsApp tricks google Learn More Undo Ramesh Sanyasi, 24 was born in the Beldangi refugee camp in Nepal and migrated legally to the United States at age 10, becoming part of Pennsylvania's vibrant Bhutanese resettled community. He worked at an Amazon warehouse, hoping to build a stable future. Everything changed after a night out with friends led to his arrest for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and providing false identification, according to court records. After serving an eight-month sentence, he was abruptly deported in April 2025: first to New Delhi, and then flown to Paro, Bhutan. Live Events Upon arrival in Bhutan, Sanyasi and two others were not welcomed—they were instead transported to the border with India. Bhutanese authorities handed each of them 30,000 Indian rupees (about $350) and arranged for someone to ferry them to Panitanki, a town on the India-Nepal border. There, the deportees paid smugglers to secretly cross the Mechi River back into Nepal, returning to the very refugee camp Ramesh had left more than a decade earlier. 'Life here is tough. I'm living without any identification documents, which makes everything challenging. I can't even withdraw money sent by relatives because I lack proper ID,' he told CNN . 'For now, I'm surviving on money sent from the US, but once that runs out, I don't know what will happen.' Why were they deported? Most, like Sanyasi, were not undocumented but lost their visas due to criminal convictions—sometimes minor, sometimes more severe—under US law. Many completed their sentences before deportation, but once expelled, found themselves returned to countries that neither recognize their citizenship nor accept their return. At least 30 Bhutanese refugees have been deported by the US to Bhutan so far, all legally admitted to the US as children under a UN-led resettlement program. All deportees so far have been expelled again at the Bhutan border, given cash, and left to fend for themselves in India and, for most, eventually smuggled into Nepal. According to Gopal Krishna Siwakoti , president of the International Institute for Human Rights, Environment and Development, many deportees are in hiding; some in Nepal, some still lost in India. Four deportees have now been threatened with a second deportation—this time from Nepal, where they were arrested for illegally crossing the border. However, Nepal's Department of Immigration admits there is nowhere for them to go: 'We are in a dilemma: the US is unlikely to accept them back, and deporting them to Bhutan is not straightforward either,' said department director Tikaram Dhakal. Life in limbo: The camps of eastern Nepal For those who remain or have returned to the camps, mostly the elderly or infirm, conditions have evolved: electricity and running water are now present in places like Beldangi Camp, but the end of international aid has led to increased vulnerability, exploitation, and fear of detention. Informal work is the norm, but for many, legal protections are non-existent. Political stalemate Efforts for repatriation have repeatedly stalled. Neither Bhutan nor Nepal is party to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention , complicating formal policy frameworks. Bhutan continues to resist accepting its former citizens, and recent years have seen the exposure of a fraudulent refugee registration scandal, further eroding trust and muddying advocacy efforts. Diplomatic conversations have inched forward—Nepal announced renewed talks with Bhutan in 2023, but significant progress remains elusive. India, a key regional power, remains a reluctant participant in mediation, and international pressure on Bhutan has waned. Q. What allowed thousands of Bhutanese refugees to move to the United States? Most Bhutanese refugees moved to the US through a UNHCR and IOM-backed Third Country Resettlement Programme launched in 2007. The US first pledged to take up to 60,000 refugees from Nepali camps, later increasing to more than 80,000, the largest single-country intake. Resettlement was based on refugee status and need, not skills, and included other partner countries—over 100,000 Bhutanese were resettled globally by 2015. Q. What is the UN Refugee Convention, and why is it important? The 1951 UN Refugee Convention is a major international treaty that defines refugee rights and the duties of signatory nations. It guarantees non-refoulement (protection from forced return), and the rights to legal status, work, education, and due process. This Convention sets a standard for how refugees are to be protected and integrated by member countries, ensuring basic security and legal recognition. Q. How does Nepal and Bhutan not joining the Convention affect refugees? Because Nepal and Bhutan are not signatories, refugees there lack international legal protections—such as the right to residency, documents, protection from deportation, or legal employment. There's no obligation for local integration or citizenship, keeping refugees in prolonged limbo. Legal rights and policies are governed solely by domestic law, leaving refugees vulnerable to changing policies and without international recourse.
