High level delegations from Nepal are regularly visiting India and China and similar types of delegations from India and China are also regularly visiting Nepal. But the outcome of such visits and discussion at a high level have been hardly in favor of Nepal.

As part of the green economy, Nepal has adopted the Green, Resilient, and Inclusive Development (GRID) approach to address slow domestic job creation, high vulnerability to climate change and environmental degradation, low rates of inclusion, and large infrastructure gaps for long-term green growth, climate action, and sustainable development for all.

It is necessary to connect our education system with the labor market needs, which could support the employability of the educated and trained people,  reduce skills imbalances and improve the resilience of the workforce to future changes in labor market demand. This  is also known as responsiveness of the education system.

The global economy devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia Ukraine war was somehow recovering since the beginning of this year. However, the unexpected recent fallout of the Israel-Hamas war could become more severe on the global economy if the conflict spreads to the rest of the Middle East. It would severely affect inflation, remittance, trade , oil prices and the global market.

Nepal has historically strong relations with China. In fact, many Nepalis have little knowledge about Nepal’s relation with Tibet and that it was easier and safer compared to travel towards the south, at least until the 19th century.

The Nepalese bureaucracy embodies a blend of traditional and modern features, with traditional elements still holding more sway than modern ones. Despite numerous reform efforts in the past, the Nepalese bureaucracy has garnered a reputation as one of the world's weakest and least efficient systems.

Globalization is a "process" of integration with the world economy; liberalization is the "means" of such a process and growth is the "end" of both liberalization and globalization. Globalization is the growing unification of global economies and societies through unhindered movement of goods, services and people and information across national borders.

Bangladesh is scheduled to hold the general elections by January 2024.The Awami League (AL) won the 2018 general elections and formed the government. The question has been raised again about the fairness of the upcoming general elections as a result of high controversies in previous elections.

I remember those days of three decades ago, when one of my Brahmin friends of western Nepal married a Dalit girl of Kathmandu by confronting the intense resistances from his family members and society as well.

The world renowned magazine "The Economist" in its July 4th 2023 issue, published an article entitled "Why China should be friendlier to its neighbors". The article categorized China’s neighbors into three broad camps : fragile or failing states (Afghanistan, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea and Pakistan), frenemies that have close ties but fear Chinese domination (Mongolia, Russia and Central Asian states), and places with either defense treaties with America or military ties to it (India, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) organized the second edition of the Prof Yadu Nath Khanal Lecture Series on June 25, 2023, focusing on the theme "Safeguarding Nepal's National Interests: Foreign Policy Choices in the Changing International Environment." Late Khanal is often regarded as the great pioneer who formulated Nepal's foreign policy. He served as an advisor to the government on external affairs from the time of Late King Mahendra to Late Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.

As the monsoon rain has started in Nepal, it would be a boon for agriculture especially for paddy plantation. Moreover , people would somehow get relief from the extreme heat with the onset of rainfall. These are the good news of monsoon rain and the bad news is that the damage and destruction of road and bridges, landslides in hills and inundation in agricultural lands, and human settlements and loss of human life and property would last for at least the coming three months.

During the official visit of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to India, from 31st May to 3rd June 2023, the unsettled matter of receiving the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) report by the Indian Prime Minister was not included in the official agenda of discussion at the highest-level meeting. The EPG India and Nepal report has been gathering dust for many years, after India declined to receive it. During the recent visit, there was no substantial progress to receive the report.

Finance Minister Dr Prakash Saran Mahat presented the budget for the upcoming fiscal year in the parliament on 29th May 2023, with promises to lift the descending economy and to accelerate development activities. The budget with an economic growth rate of six percent to be achieved in the next fiscal year expects to tame the inflation rate at 6.5 percent.

A society, where exploitation and inequality are at its highest level and unemployment is a major problem, can hardly appeal to the people to stay within the country with a hungry stomach and under such conditions. They would certainly try to migrate to other countries in search of a better life.

As the preparation for the federal budget for the next fiscal year is under full swing, the Ministry of Finance has concluded deliberations with the line ministries, business and industrial organizations, corporate houses and other concerned stakeholders to include appropriate suggestions to give final shape to the budget. The pre- budget discussion is underway in the parliament and thereafter the budget will be presented in the parliament on 29th May 2023 as per the constitutional provision.

The film, ''Seven Years in Tibet,'' (1997) was based on an autobiographical account by Heinrich Harrer, the Austrian, now 84, about his escape from a British internment camp in India and his trek across the Himalayas to Tibet, where he tutored the 11-year-old Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader.

Balen Shah, the mayor of Kathmandu, raised the matter in question through his Tweet to move Kathmandu to another location expressing his dissatisfaction with the federal government in some issues.

The organization of civil society in Nepal began with the Arya Samaj in 1909 to awaken the people from blind faith, prejudice and conservative thinking as well as to abolish child marriage, promote widow remarriage and initiate social reforms.

The then US President Richard Nixon’s attempt to dash communism and a complete ban on marijuana in the 1970s, wrecked a Himalayan hippie Shangri-La in Nepal. Two years after President Nixon announced an international ‘war on drugs,’ Vice President Spiro Agnew visited Nepal. Months later, Nepal enacted the first anti-drug laws.