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The African swine fever outbreak in pigs in three different wards of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City has been brought under control.

The swine fever has been brought under control after the Livestock Services Office, Hetauda, carried out pest control, sanitation, stricter transportation of pigs from the affected areas and other awareness-raising programs in the affected wards said Dr Brajkishore Thakur, Chief of the Office.

More than 200 pigs raised by farmers in ward 1, 11 and 17 of the sub-metropolis had died from swine fever in the past four months.

Similarly, the Livestock Services Office has vaccinated 300,000 sheep and goats with the PPR vaccine. Under the PPR vaccination program conducted by the office in all 10 municipalities of Makawanpur from January, 300,000 sheep and goats were vaccinated, said Thakur.

The vaccination campaign was implemented in accordance with the instructions of the provincial government to control and prevent PPR disease in sheep and goats.

Likewise, 8,000 cows and buffaloes raised by farmers in Makawanpur were vaccinated against lumpy skin disease. According to Dr Bijay Poudel, veterinarian of the office, 8,000 cows and buffaloes in various municipalities of the district, including Hetauda, have been vaccinated against lumpy skin.

Under the vaccination program, more than 6,000 cattle heads have been vaccinated against foot and mouth disease in Hetauda Sub-metropolitan corporation-9, 12 and 15 and Manahari Rural Municipality-6 and 7.

Similarly, 1,000 stray dogs and cats in the district have been vaccinated against rabies.

As we celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day on March 8 under the theme, ‘For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,’ female participation in Nepal’s government agencies and public bodies remains significantly low. While some progress has been made, women remain underrepresented in key decision-making roles.

Security forces reflect a stark gender gap, with women making up only 10.5 percent of the Nepali Army, 12.2 percent of Nepal Police, and just 9.4 percent of the Armed Police Force. In the civil service, women hold 28.2 percent of positions, indicating a slightly better, yet still unequal, representation.

Local bodies fare comparatively better, with 40.96 percent female representation, but the numbers decline sharply in diplomatic and constitutional roles. Out of 33 ambassadors, only three are women. Constitutional commissions also show a male-dominated trend, with bodies such as the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission and the Muslim Commission having no female representation at all.

Parliamentary representation remains uneven, with women making up 33.4 percent of the House of Representatives and 37.2 percent of the National Assembly. While some political parties have higher female participation, others, like the CPN (Unified Socialist), have no women in their parliamentary ranks.

These figures highlight the persistent barriers women face in public service, underscoring the need for stronger policies to ensure more equitable gender representation in governance.

Many students today feel immense pressure to balance academics, extracurricular activities, and personal life, often leading to stress and burnout. How can they develop effective time management strategies while also prioritizing self-care?

Answered by Rika Rijal, consultant psychiatrist

Balancing academics, extracurriculars, and personal life can be overwhelming, especially for students who feel pressure to excel in everything. Modern world can be challenging with the pressure to balance personal life and career and this constant juggling can create lots of pressure and undue stress.

But self care is important. Encourage prioritization and time management. Help her/him identify priorities and focus on the most important tasks. Introduce them to time-blocking or planner apps to create a structured schedule. Suggest the Pomodoro technique (work in focused intervals with short breaks) to boost productivity.

Setting realistic expectations may help. Remind them that perfection isn’t necessary—it’s okay to do her best without overburdening themselves. Encourage them to celebrate small wins rather than fixating on flaws. Promote self-care and breaks. Encourage adequate sleep, a nutritious diet, and physical activity to support mental well-being. Remember to take short, intentional breaks during study sessions. Introduce stress-relief activities like meditation, journaling, or listening to music.

Be a support system. Offer to help with tasks (e.g., quiz her for an exam, proofread an essay, or just listen). Remind them that it’s okay to ask for help from teachers, friends, or counselors if needed. Make sure they make time for fun activities and socializing to avoid burnout. Encouraging them to pursue hobbies that make her happy outside of academics may be beneficial too.

If they are overcommitting, remind them that it’s okay to say no to some activities to prevent exhaustion. Helping them assess whether every extracurricular is truly beneficial or just adding unnecessary stress. Lead by example. Show how you manage stress in a balanced way—this can be motivating. Offering emotional support and reminding her that success is not just about grades but also well-being can make a huge difference.

Pavit Nanda Anand is Communication Lead for the Asia Pacific (APAC) region at inDrive, a global mobility and urban services platform headquartered in Mountain View, California. With over 15 years of experience in public relations and communications, she has been instrumental in launching and expanding inDrive’s services across multiple countries, including Nepal, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Excerpts:

What safety measures does inDrive have in place to ensure passenger and driver security during rides?

inDrive places a strong emphasis on safety and maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy against any offensive or unlawful behavior by users, strongly condemning inappropriate conduct. User safety and satisfaction, particularly women's safety, are among our top priorities to ensure a secure and comfortable ride experience. To achieve this, inDrive has implemented various safety features. The safety button, represented by a shield icon on the main screen, allows users to quickly contact support, call the police, or request an ambulance. The trusted contact feature enables users to save the phone number of a trusted person for quick access in emergencies, even during a ride. 

Additionally, both passengers and drivers can share their ride details with friends or family, providing real-time updates on the route, driver or passenger information, and vehicle details. Users are also encouraged to rate their driver or passenger after each trip, with the option to contact support if any concerns arise. By integrating these features, inDrive ensures that all users—whether passengers or drivers—feel safe and confident while using the platform.

Does inDrive have partnerships with local insurance companies to provide coverage?

Yes, inDrive collaborates with Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company Limited (SALICO) to offer accident coverage to its users in Nepal. By partnering with reputable insurance companies, inDrive ensures that passengers and drivers have access to reliable financial protection in case of accidents. These partnerships enable a seamless claims process, allowing affected individuals to receive compensation without unnecessary delays. The collaboration also helps inDrive maintain high safety and service standards, reinforcing its commitment to user well-being. Such partnerships are vital in Nepal’s growing ride-hailing sector, as they enhance trust between inDrive and its users. By working with well-established insurance providers, inDrive ensures compliance with local regulations while offering comprehensive coverage tailored to the needs of its driver-partners and passengers.

What type of accidental insurance coverage does inDrive provide for passengers and drivers?

inDrive provides accidental insurance coverage to both passengers and drivers to ensure their safety and financial security in case of an accident. This coverage includes compensation for death, permanent disability, and medical expenses resulting from an accident during a ride booked through the inDrive platform. In the unfortunate event of death or permanent total disability of a passenger or driver, a compensation amount of Rs 800,000 will be provided. If the accident leads to injuries requiring medical treatment, inDrive offers reimbursement of up to Rs 80,000 for medical expenses.

For minor passengers, the compensation amount will be 50 percent of the insured amount, ensuring adequate financial support for their families. This insurance service is a significant step towards enhancing trust and confidence among users, ensuring they feel safe while using inDrive’s ride-hailing services.By providing financial protection, inDrive aims to create a secure environment where both drivers and passengers can focus on their journeys without concerns about potential risks.

How does inDrive handle emergency situations, and is there an SOS button or emergency contact feature in the app?

Yes, inDrive has multiple safety measures to handle emergency situations, with the Safety Button (shield icon) being one of the key features designed to assist users during critical moments. If a passenger or driver faces an emergency, they can quickly tap the shield icon to reach inDrive’s 24/7 support team for immediate assistance. This feature also allows users to directly contact local emergency services, such as the police or an ambulance, ensuring swift response in urgent situations.

Additionally, inDrive provides an extra layer of security through the trusted contact feature, enabling users to assign a family member or friend for quick access during emergencies. These measures ensure that inDrive users have reliable and immediate access to help when needed, reinforcing trust and safety within its ride-hailing network.

Vinisha Shrestha is a seasoned banking professional with over 28 years of experience at Nabil Bank, where she currently leads as the Head of the Treasury Department. Her journey in banking began unexpectedly, initially intending to pursue higher studies abroad, but her dedication and passion for the field kept her engaged, propelling her to a leadership role. Excerpts:

How would you define your banking career, from starting as a junior staff to becoming the head of a department, especially as a woman?

I began my journey in banking somewhat unexpectedly, as I originally planned to pursue higher studies abroad and took the job to gain some workplace experience utilizing my free time. However, I started to enjoy my banking job and found myself continuing till now. It has been more than 28 years since I joined Nabil Bank. My journey with the bank had its fair share of opportunities as well as challenges. I had always been a dedicated and hard working person but despite hard work and best efforts, sometimes results did not come in my favor. It’s human nature to feel disappointed in such a situation and I was no different. However, I kept my spirit high and always gave my best to the organization and when next opportunities came I tried harder and today I am in the position of leading a department.

How do you manage to balance your professional responsibilities and personal life?

Managing professional and personal responsibilities and maintaining a balance is definitely a challenge, especially for a woman in a patriarchal society like ours where a woman is expected to take on more family responsibilities. While you cannot compromise on professional responsibilities, you are expected to manage household chores, kids, family and other social responsibilities as well. These things add an extra layer of pressure to perform your professional duties. Fortunately, I have a very understanding, supportive and encouraging support system at home, which makes it easier for me to balance my professional and personal life. I think it is a matter of firm self-determination toward your career goal and setting clear boundaries where sometimes you need to learn to say “no” as well.

Given that women are underrepresented in senior banking positions, what steps do you think should be taken to address this gap?

It is not just in banking, women are underrepresented in senior positions across all professions. Generally speaking, despite having the same education and skills, women often face barriers like unconscious bias, societal expectations and a lack of mentorship and adequate opportunities that hinder their career progression. In order to address this, there should be policy level interventions to promote equal opportunities, implement flexible work policies to support work-life balance, encourage mentorship from senior leaders and provide training to prevent unconscious gender biases. 

Women themselves should also not lose their focus toward their career goal and remain driven and determined to achieve their career dreams. 

In many cases it can be observed that women become submissive to societal pressures and give up on their career dreams and remain content after reaching a certain level. Why I am saying this is because at entry and mid levels, women outperform their male counterparts however they are left behind in the race to top management positions which proves that it is not because of lack of capability but due to lack of determination and drive to succeed professionally.

What is your advice for young women who aspire to build a successful career in banking?

Young people should understand that there is no alternative to hard work and there are no shortcuts for success. Young women aspiring to build a successful career in the banking sector need to be ready to work hard and continuously invest in gaining relevant qualifications and skills. The world around us is extremely competitive. Gaining advanced degrees or certifications alone won’t be enough to get success, you need to have required soft skills like communication, networking, rapport build up and must have a learning attitude. Challenges and setbacks are a part of the journey so you need to stay resilient and never give up on your goals. 

Article 18 (1) of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015 states: All citizens shall be equal before law. No person shall be denied the equal protection of law.

Article 38 of the charter states that no physical, mental, sexual and psychological or other any type of violent act or exploitation shall be inflicted against women on the ground of religious, social, cultural traditions, practices or on any other grounds. In particular, clause 4 of that article gives women the right to participate in all bodies of the State on the basis of the principle of proportional inclusion, clause 5 grants them the right to obtain special opportunity in education, health, employment and social security on the basis of positive discrimination whereas clause 6 gives the spouse the equal right to property and family affairs. 

While our modern laws “guarantee” equal rights, roles and opportunities for women in every walk of life, even scriptures offer their utmost respect to women and girls while likening the male and the female to the wheels of a chariot. They argue that gods become happy where there’s respect for women.

Despite such guarantees and sweet words, women and girls remain far from the forefront in every walk of national life, though there are some exceptions. After the promulgation of the 2015 constitution, the country has got, apart from a head of the state, more women representatives in the parliament, in state assemblies and at local levels. These positives notwithstanding, things have not changed much for women and girls in our country. These days also, women and girls remain unsafe in urban spaces as well as in villages. For them, educational and career opportunities are still few and far between. What’s more, the exodus of men and boys has put heavier burdens on women and girls. 

National gender equality policy (2077) describes changing social structure and mindset, increasing decisive role of women leaders, gender mainstreaming in the state's public policy, increasing access to justice by eliminating gender violence, eliminating harmful customs and traditions, internalization and institutionalization of gender issues at federal, provincial and local level, balancing women's natural, professional and social roles, benefitting particular target groups, social transformation including gender equality by eliminating all kinds of discriminations against women and adolescents through development of gender-responsive governance as the challenges (in bringing about gender equality).  

A pretty long list of challenges, isn’t it?

Overcoming these challenges and having women and girls in the driving seat is a tough challenge that will require our talking heads to walk the talk. 

Relentless pressure from the society, including independent media, will be necessary to make them deliver on their promises and guarantees. Let the International Women’s Day (March 8) inspire us all to march into a future where equality is the norm, not the exception.

Holi, the festival of colors, began with the installation of a 'Chir' (bamboo pole) decorated with colorful strips of clothes at Hanumandhoka Durbar Square in Basantapur on Friday.

The ‘Chir’ was erected at 8: 33 am today. Erection of the pole in Basantapur marks the beginning of the festival which lasts for a week.

Holi will be celebrated in Kathmandu valley and hilly districts on March 14 and in Tarai on March 15.

 The ‘Chir’ will be erected in Patan and Bhaktapur also.

Following the completion of the Holi festival, people would collect the pieces of cloth from the Chir and keep it in their homes with a belief that it will bring good luck for them. 

The Chir will be dispersed in local Tundikhel.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that he would travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday for a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman ahead of diplomatic-level talks later in the week with US officials, Hindustan Times reported.

“Next week, on Monday, my visit to Saudi Arabia is planned to meet the crown prince. After that, my team will remain in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners. Ukraine is most interested in peace,” Zelenskiy said.

US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said earlier on Thursday that a meeting with the Ukrainians was planned for next week in Saudi Arabia. He also said discussions were underway with Kyiv for a peace agreement framework and an initial ceasefire.

Witkoff said that Trump was pleased by Zelensky's letter after last Friday's disastrous meeting in the White House. “He felt that Zelensky's letter was a very positive first step. There was an apology. There was an acknowledgement that the United States has done so much for the country of Ukraine and a sense of gratitude,” he said, according to Hindustan Times.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others are expected to depart for Riyadh on Tuesday to attend the meeting, which will include Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski, Reuters reported.

Trump confirms Saudi visit

Donald Trump said he would visit the Kingdom probably over the next month and a half but did not mention a date.

“I'm going to Saudi Arabia. I said, I'll go if you pay a trillion dollars, $1 trillion to American companies, (spreading) the purchase over a four-year period, of a trillion dollars. They've agreed to do that, so I'm going to be going there,” Trump said, suggesting a major investment deal with Saudi Arabia.