No More Delay In Justice Delivery

Another life lost. The rape and murder of 17-year-old Bhagirathi Bhatta in Baitadi district has once again shocked our collective conscience and infuriated our communal compunction. Yet, the number of sexual assaults only seems to be going up. At least seven cases of rape are reported daily in Nepal. According to the Nepal Police, 2,144 cases of rape and 687 cases of attempted rape were lodged last year. And this is just the tip of the iceberg considering a 2020 report by the non-governmental organisation--...

What Is COVAX?

Amidst all the political hyperactivity in the background of a continuing pandemic, Nepal received some good news on Thursday – the country will receive about 2,256,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine before the end of February under the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s COVAX Facility.

Admission season puts pressure on students

With the high school (10+2) exam results out, the season of college and university admissions has begun. And with it, psychological pressure on students has too, said Saurav Poudel. Poudel, who is now preparing for the Institute of Medicine’s MBBS entrance examination following the publication of his results on Monday, said that he and his friends were reeling under the burden of their own

Nepalis in America optimistic about Biden presidency

America is now 10 days into the Biden presidency and Nepali-Americans and Nepalis residing in the United States of America (USA) seem to be optimistic about his election. “Biden’s victory is a remarkable achievement for the entire Nepali-American community,” stated Harry Bhandari, state delegate representing Maryland District 8 Baltimore County in a press release issued by the pro-Biden volunteer organisation Nepalese Americans for Biden on November 7.

The Potential For Change

COVID-19 has made one thing blindingly clear. The path of “development” that humans are on is unsustainable. Nature has started hitting back. The coronavirus might only be the first in an apocalyptic series. The pandemic has also exposed just how fragile this “development” is. All it took was a few months of stagnation to undo years and even decades of work. To use a car metaphor, our economies seemingly had no suspension system, nothing to cushion the blows. It was driving nicely as long...

Treacle Of Optimism

Light a lamp, any lamp. Light it bright and see it illuminate the entire room. But look right underneath it and you will find darkness. The space closest to the source of the light is pitifully also the space that is the darkest. But Ashbinkumar Pudasaini says that it need not be. He rejects this pessimistic reality and presents a hopeful and positive outlook on life through his book aptly titled Battimuni Ujyalo (Brightness Under the Light). The book officially descri

Ainaa aims to hold a mirror to society

‘Satyamev Jayate’ was an influential TV show in India that brought burning issues to the attention of the general public. A few years ago, Radha Krishna Dhital got a chance to meet and interact with the show’s team in India and that gave him the idea of running a similar show in Nepal. Dhital cultivated that idea for more than a year and a half and is now ready to present it as ‘Ainaa’. “We want to bring in ground-level issues which have the most impact on people’s lives but have not...

Caring For The Carers

The COVID-19 pandemic made heroes out of health workers. They always deserved that status but had never got it. But during the contagion, people all around the world saw just how important doctors and nurses were and how dedicated they were to their patients. Healthcare workers were showered with admiration on social media, likened to superheroes and cheered and applauded on the media. Of course, all of that was well-intentioned and meant to show genuine appreciation to our “frontliners” and...

Five years of reconstruction, and those left out

Lali Maya Shrestha was 82 when the earthquake struck on April 25, 2015 and gave way the top floor of her three-storeyed mud house in Bholo, Lalitpur Metropolitan City – 9. The technicians who came to survey the area after the quake declared her eligible for the reconstruction grant. But, of advanced age and living alone, Shrestha could not go to her ward office to sign the reconstruction agreement which is mandatory to receive the Rs. 300,000-grant. According to her neighbours, representatives...

COVID restrictions prove a boon for garments sector

While the COVID-19 restrictions have been painful for many businesses, they have actually helped boost the domestic garment industry. The restrictions, and the border closure they entailed, cut down on foreign imports and led to an increase in the consumption of domestically produced clothing, according to Chandi Prasad Aryal, president of Garment Association Nepal (GAN). “Imports of clothes decreased by around 36 per cent in the first four months of the current fiscal year because of various...