How America Can Beat COVID-19

Published On: March 9, 2020 11:00 AM NPT By: James K Galbraith

AUSTIN – When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the United States was surprised and unprepared, but it was quickly freed of its illusions. The same does not hold true for the COVID-19 epidemic. The attack is underway and our defenses are down—but so far our illusions remain intact.

Hope and expectation

Published On: March 9, 2020 09:30 AM NPT By: Rishi Dhamala

The newly appointed Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Vinay Mohan Kwatra has arrived in Kathmandu. He was leading the Indian diplomatic mission in France when the Indian government handed him the Nepal job. He boasts more than a three decade long experience in the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). He was serving as the head of Americas Division in the Foreign Ministry where he dealt with India’s relations with the United States and Canada when Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power.

Dangerous confession

Published On: March 9, 2020 09:10 AM NPT By: Mandira Sharma

In January 2020, in a festival to mark Tharu culture, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ made what by any standards is an unusual statement.  He rejected the idea that the 17,000 deaths from decade-long conflict could be blamed on him.  But he readily accepted responsibility for 5000 deaths.  Certainly some organisations have clearly been responsible for many more deaths than this.  In the case of the Nazis and Khmer Rouge, to name but two, they were responsible for millions of innocent deaths.  But this sort of perverse number game does nothing to diminish the significance of Prachanda’s admission.

Celebrating the heroes

Published On: March 8, 2020 10:25 AM NPT By: Ushma Rebel

Who comes to your mind when you think of influential, inspirational people? How many actually think of women trailblazers? And are those inspiring women internationally or nationally known? Celebrities? Writers? Pop stars? Political leaders? Media personalities ? I know, majority will answer that with an affirmative nod.

Empowerment vs Commodification

Published On: March 8, 2020 09:15 AM NPT By: Mohan Nepali

Corporate pressures have nurtured an environment in which the objectification of women as market commodities to cater to lustful desires of men has harmed women’s dignity beyond imagination. Visible media portrayals of women across the globe supply numerous examples of how women are being commodified as mere industrial objects. No matter how overwhelmingly images of beauty myths are used worldwide as tools to commodify women, their ground realities are extremely different. Nepal can be no exception to this reality. Far removed from this truth are lustful and money-mongering lunatics who fail to recognize the dignity of women.

THE GENDER POWER GAP

Published On: March 8, 2020 08:20 AM NPT By: António Guterres

Gender inequality is the overwhelming injustice of our age and the biggest human rights challenge we face. But gender equality offers solutions to some of the most intractable problems of our age.

Learning through simulation

Published On: March 7, 2020 11:11 AM NPT By: Dr. Asmita Acharya

I still remember my internship days in 2009 at Mayo Hospital: a 2400-bed hospital with high bad occupancy in Lahore, Pakistan. I visualize my senior teaching me intubation in the emergency room, saying “the patient is deteriorating, put in the laryngoscope, visualize vocal cords and intubate quickly.” Unfortunately, my first attempt at intubation on the patient failed and my senior had to reintubate the patient.

Partnership for a cause

Published On: March 7, 2020 10:46 AM NPT By: Simone Galimberti

Let me start with a little exercise in imagination and think of a scenario that could happen to everybody, given the disproportionately high number of accidents happening in the national roads.  Following a really bad spinal injury you are now bound in a wheelchair.  You are lucky that the country has some good rehabilitation institutions like the Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Center (SIRC) funded by the civil society activist and intellectual Kanak Mani Dixit.

Back to the woods

Published On: March 7, 2020 10:31 AM NPT By: Devendra Gautam

Finding it hard to understand human behavior? Tired of the urban jungle? In dire need of some peace of mind? Need some inspiration to write something creative? Or simply need some fresh air?

Second chance

Published On: March 5, 2020 08:57 AM NPT By: Republica

In two years since he assumed office, Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada has maintained a mixed legacy. He was instrumental in making the Investment Summit 2019 successful.  The Summit, which was held in Kathmandu in March, 2019 had ended with signing of 15 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with various investors, in addition to investment commitments to 17 various projects. Khatiwada, when he was the governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, was known for maintaining financial discipline.