CAMBRIDGE – Many Americans say they want a moral foreign policy, but disagree on what that means. Using a three-dimensional scorecard encourages us to avoid simplistic answers and to look at the motives, means, and consequences of a US president’s actions. Consider, for example, the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and the two George Bushes. When people call for a “Reaganite foreign policy,” they mean to highlight the clarity of his rhetoric in the presentation of values. Clearly stated objectives helped educate and motivate the public at home and abroad.

On a bike ride to my room from office, I encountered a tourist bus at Tripureshwor. Some unmasked Chinese faces were peering outside. I sped up and overtook the bus. Once far from it, I released my breath. Initially, it felt strange but after a short contemplation, I discovered that I was consumed by the fear of coronavirus epidemic. My experience is an example of how coronavirus in mind is far more terrorizing and threatening than coronavirus infecting the body. The fear is even more intense in densely populated city like Kathmandu. Should we run away from people whom we suspect of being infected or should the government as well as non-government actors initiate awareness programs to fight against the debilitating effects of the virus in the public psyche?

Most international relations theories view the world and the politics that surrounds it through materialistic Eurocentric lens. They measure the politics and foreign policy of global south in the standard set by the Euro-centric discipline and keep politics, foreign policy choices and the worldview of smaller states under the shadowed corner of global political calculations. Realistic school of International Relations led by Kenneth Waltz, John Mearsheimer and Randall Schwedler argues that small nations like Nepal would either bandwagon or balance against the powerful neighboring states.  But the history and politics of South Asian countries show a different trajectory.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.