Social distancing for family socialization

Published On: March 21, 2020 12:42 PM NPT By: Usha Pokharel

I have been reading newspapers and come across the following headlines: People asked not to make movements outside the home except when it is absolutely essential, gatherings of more than 25 persons at party venues, temples, mosques, monasteries and other public places banned, cinema halls, cultural centers, stadiums, gyms, health clubs, museums, swimming pools, entertainment spaces, dance bars and clubs to remain shut till April 30, regular classes and examinations of academic institutions suspended till April 12.

Toxic masculinity

Published On: March 21, 2020 10:53 AM NPT By: Arya Kiran KC

Toxic masculinity promotes the idea that men are better than women. Those that don’t abide by the patriarchal rules of what defines a man are often called “girls”

Diary of a commitment-phobe

Published On: March 21, 2020 10:45 AM NPT By: Devendra Gautam

I don’t clearly know where I am headed (I feel out of this world, but I am not drugged), but I am sure I will find my way, my destiny, my destination. One thing is clear, though: I am leaving this city at least temporarily because it reminds me of so many things. You see, loads of memories are not a good thing when you are in an unenviable situation. On a pilgrimage?

Your ‘rightful’ place

Published On: March 19, 2020 09:39 AM NPT By: Pranab Kharel & Gaurab KC

Division along ideological lines is one of the important markers in contemporary Nepali society. People often box each other under various groups based on party, caste, ethnic, regional and gender lines. Along with these, people are also categorized under professional categories such as the generic terminology of technocrats. It is interesting to note the conspicuous absence of independent or autonomous individual/s or groups. If someone claims to be so, s/he could become a matter of laughing stock.

Silent hero of coronavirus crisis

Published On: March 19, 2020 09:24 AM NPT By: Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg

NEW HAVEN – Not to diminish the superhuman efforts of nurses, doctors, and health-care workers worldwide, but sometimes, no matter how hard one tries, and no matter how selflessly one sacrifices, one stands no chance against a more powerful enemy. The new coronavirus, COVID-19, has proved to be such a foe. Were it not for technology, the battle against it would have been lost by now.

Rely on soaps

Published On: March 19, 2020 09:20 AM NPT By: Biranchi Poudyal/Bibhuti Poudyal

In the wake of COVID-19 epidemic with several thousand infections and thousands of deaths, sanitation alert, particularly hand washing awareness, has sharply increased. Hand-sanitizers have become the buzz words as it’s believed to be one of the crucial defence mechanisms against coronavirus. In Nepal too, due to increasing threat of coronavirus and unquestionable trust toward sanitizer, people are buying it at double price amid shortage. But it’s a surprising fact that the cheap soaps, which are easily available in our local market, are actually the most effective weapons against COVID-19.

Cycle of discrimination

Published On: March 18, 2020 10:22 AM NPT By: Sarans Pandey

A year before Parasite, an American biographical comedy-drama directed by Peter Farrelly won the Academy awards for best picture. The movie follows the concert tour by the distinguished African American pianist and a jazz composer, Don Shirley, through the deep south sometime in 1962. To put this date in perspective, this was before Martin’s Luther King’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which outlawed discrimination.

Combating misinformation

Published On: March 18, 2020 10:16 AM NPT By: Saugat Gautam

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11 after over 118,000 cases of coronavirus were detected in over 110 countries. Though there has not been an outbreak of coronavirus in Nepal, Nepal will face challenges in containing the outbreak, if it occurs. Densely populated cities, inadequate health infrastructure and very few public health initiatives from concerned stakeholders are some of the challenges. Since Nepal does not have adequate health technology to combat the virus, it can create a huge panic if it enters Nepal.

All Eyes on South Korea

Published On: March 18, 2020 09:49 AM NPT By: Jim O’Neill

LONDON – South Korea is all the rage these days. Earlier last month, Parasite, from the South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Having read the reviews and seen the film a few days earlier, I was not surprised. Still, for the uninitiated, it is worth noting that this was the first time that a foreign-language film took home the top Oscar. Now, many around the world are eagerly searching for more examples of South Korean coolness—from K-pop to cutting-edge fashion designers.

Fatal Digital Addiction

Published On: March 17, 2020 09:35 AM NPT By: Krishna P Bhandari

In a 2018 paper published by International Society for Neurofeedback Research (ISNR), Erik Pepers and Richard Harvey have described various symptoms of digital addiction in a sample of undergraduate students. Identified based on the self-declaration based data of the students, the symptoms include increased loneliness, anxiety and depression.