KP Oli dissolved parliament unconstitutionally in December 2020 and he had the audacity to repeat the same mistake with the help of the President Bidya Devi Bhandari in May 2021. He was unconditionally supported by a President who in a midnight political drama dissolved the house and called for elections in November 2021 even after the Supreme Court had already declared this move to be unconstitutional.

Due to continuous cultivation of modern high yielding hybrid varieties and GM crops, there may be chances of genetic erosion resulting in the loss of our heirloom indigenous seeds. This may have a negative effect more on countries like Nepal where people practice informal seed systems that mainly depend upon the seeds produced on their own farms from the previous year.

There has been a paradigm shift in the understanding of disaster risks, exposures, vulnerabilities, and their management. Disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, and mitigation are getting more attention than the traditional rescue, relief, and rehabilitation with the former one the cost-effective and efficient measures to save lives and properties in the aftermath of a disaster.

The crux of the COVID-19 employment impact lies in underemployment, which globally has contributed more to estimated job losses (in work hours) than unemployment and whose impact is potentially longer term. Given our pre-existing problem of underemployment, especially among youth in the 25-39 age group, this represents an unprecedented employment challenge considering that we are right in the middle of our demographic dividend.

The CPC derives its legitimacy from its history and its central role in improving the living standard of a billion people. Now, growth will not be the same as it once was when China was just starting. There is no electoral mandate. The judiciary and the army are the arms of the party. It also means that there is no institution to ‘check and balance’ the party.

Apart from the environment-based argument and identification of the perceived rent-seeking political economic incentive behind the new budgetary policy raised by various media outlets, there are least spoken but vital arguments that either challenge the premise behind the proposed policy or observe likely chances of the policy to encroach upon sub-national jurisdiction in the governing transactions of sand, gravel, and stones.

Farmers in Nepal are mainly involved in subsistence production for maintaining both economic and social demands. Limited food grains and livestock are sold for cash income. Off-farm income opportunities are limited. Therefore, all household members are involved in farming activities.

In the Nepali language, the two terms deshbhakti (patriotism) and rastrabhakti (nationalism) have been used interchangeably, but people are slowly differentiating between them. Patriotism is the love of the land: a yearning for soil's sound, sight, and smell. When we feel nostalgic for our own patch of land, music, food, dress, and tradition, we are becoming patriotic. In contrast, nationalism is devotion to the state or polity and far more ideologically driven than patriotism.

Irrespective of the changes in the international landscape over the past many years, Nepal and China have shown the friendliest behavior toward each other. They have supported each other and carried out development cooperation for mutual benefit.

Two upcoming key global summits should be adequately prepared with a strong inclusive public engagement at home and smart diplomacy around the world.