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One of my friends recently graduated with an engineering degree but dreams of becoming a writer. His family insists he should get a secure job in his field, but he feels his creativity and passion are stifled and can’t tell his parents about it. How can young professionals navigate the conflict between following their passions and meeting societal or family expectations for a stable career?

Answered by Aditya Dangol, mental health professional

The argument of whether it is right for parents to decide their children’s career path has been historically controversial. Nepal is a collectivist society. It values keeping harmony, making collective decisions that benefit the group, and having a high regard for older generations. Unfortunately, many families may hold these values strongly to the extent that individual desires and choices are overlooked. This culture is heavily reflected in parental influence on an individual’s career choices. Families may attempt to convince their members to pursue career options such as engineering, medicine, and aviation which promise, real or perceived, economic security, and high social recognition. In many instances, individuals conform to the expectations of their family members over pursuing their desired career paths. Although people tend to succeed in sectors their families pushed them into, many accounts of resentment and frustration toward their families have been reported.

Your friend can’t seem to choose between following their passion and meeting family/societal expectations. Depending on what’s important for you as an individual, whether you follow your passion or fulfill your ‘responsibilities’ towards your family, both are ideal scenarios. However, being in the latter position seems to have become more of an unpleasant experience. In such scenarios, consider these questions: “Would it be possible for me to invest some time into writing while I’m pursuing engineering?”, “Do I want to pursue writing as a full-time career or be more flexible with it?”, “Is there a possibility of either of your choices to be sustainable for you, in the future? 

Navigating yourself in conflicts of career choices or any value clash between family members can be tricky. It might be difficult and even scary to communicate your choices that deter from or even oppose your family’s values. However, difficult conversations are important. It provides a space for members to understand and empathize with one another. What we can work on is how we have those conversations. Generally, it’s suggested that such interactions are most effective when done one-on-one rather than addressed to a group. Equally important is to ensure that all parties involved are in an emotionally relaxed state. Emotionally charged conversations cause more unhealthy conflicts. If you plan on having this difficult conversation, preparing yourself by discussing it with a trusted one can help you feel ready. I must be honest, there is still a chance of conflict even if all these rules are followed. However, understand that conflicts can be healthy and help solve ‘hushed’ problems.

Setting boundaries or asserting yourself could be perceived as disrespectful by family members, leading to conflict. While we must stay respectful, healthy conflict between members is a natural and necessary part of any relationship. Most conflicts arise due to the clash of individual values and perspectives, which likely have never had the chance to surface. Avoid arguments when emotionally charged (leave the room or space if you have to). Have a one-on-one conversation after things have calmed down (prevents interference from other members). Don’t bring old issues and, if needed, discuss it with a trusted individual beforehand.

The National Youth Federation Nepal recognized four outstanding individuals for their contributions to inspiring Nepali society across various fields. The honors were presented during a national cadre gathering held in Kathmandu on Saturday.

The recipients were Shishir Pachhai, CEO of Kantipur Television; cricketer Paras Khadka; taekwondo player Palesha Govardhan; and IT entrepreneur Asgar Ali. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli presented them with certificates of honor and dosalas.

Speaking at the event, the federation’s central vice president, Krishnahari KC, highlighted the significance of the honorees’ achievements. “In times when despair is being cultivated systematically in Nepali society, these creative individuals have demonstrated that it is possible to succeed in Nepal. Their message is clear—initiatives by the youth can make a difference,” he said.

Commercial banks expanded their deposits by 10.28 percent to Rs 558bn over the past year. By mid-Jan 2025, 20 commercial banks in the country had total deposits of Rs 5,987bn compared to Rs  5,429bn in mid-Jan last year, data provided by the Nepal Bankers’ Association (NBA) shows. However, loan disbursement during the period grew by only 7.06 percent to Rs 317bn. Total loan investments of commercial banks reached Rs 4,815bn in mid-Jan this year, compared to Rs 4,498 a year ago.

Slow credit disbursement by commercial banks due to persisting economic slowdown has further aggravated liquidity situation, driving interest lowers and hitting their profitability. Loans demands have not picked up due to declining confidence among entrepreneurs and businesspeople. There, however, are some signs of recovery particularly from hydropower and tourism sectors, bankers say.

Four commercial banks saw their lending decline over the past year. NIC Asia Bank saw its total lending fall by the highest 13.72 percent Standard Chartered was next with a decline of 3.75 percent followed by Prabhu Bank (3.32 percent) and Himalayan Bank (1.03 percent). Except for NIC Asia Bank, all commercial banks reported deposit growth in the review period. According to the NBA, NIC Asia’s total deposits fell by 17.7 percent to Rs 313bn. Conversely, Rastriya Banijya Bank Ltd recorded the highest deposit growth among commercial banks in the country during the one-year period. The state-owned bank’s deposit increased by 32.58 percent to Rs 446bn in mid-January.

As at mid-Jan, Global IME Bank has the biggest credit portfolio of Rs 430bn among 20 commercial banks in the country. Nabil Bank and Nepal Investment Mega Bank Ltd are next with total lendings of Rs 409.11bn and Rs 355.42bn, respectively. These three banks also have the highest deposits of Rs 534.07bn, Rs 489.13bn and Rs 445.14bn, respectively. Commercial banks extended Rs 94bn in credit and mobilized Rs 51bn in deposits in the sixth month of the current fiscal year (mid-Dec to mid-Jan) alone.

Total Deposits of Commercial Banks

Despite the government’s policy of retaining youth within the country, the number of young people going abroad for employment has continued to increase.

A total of 393,067 youths left for foreign employment in the first six months of the current fiscal year alone - up 14.46 percent from 343,405 that left for foreign job destinations in the same period of the previous fiscal year. This number excludes an additional 4,814 that left for Israel and South Korea under government-to-government arrangements during the review period. According to the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), 225,625 obtained new labor permits, while 162,628 obtained re-entry approval. About 11 percent of these youths, or 7,105, are women.

Data provided by the DoFE shows an average of 360,000 youths have left for foreign job destinations in the first six months of the past fiscal years. This implies that more than 700,000 youths are leaving the country for foreign employment annually.

Data shows 59,575 youths left the country for employment in the first month of the current fiscal year i.e. mid-July to mid-August. Likewise, 57,493 left the country in mid-August to mid-Sept, 53,525 in mid-Sept to mid-Oct, 70,990 in mid-Oct to mid-Nov, 84,226 in mid-Nov to mid-Dec and 67,258 in mid-Dec to mid-Jan. An average of 65,500 youths are leaving the country in search of employment every month.

Surya Bahadur Khatri, the director general of DoFE, said youths are leaving the country primarily due to lack of employment opportunities and the prospect of better earnings in foreign job destinations. “Despite relatively good conditions in Nepal, many are leaving the country in search of even better opportunities,” Khatri said. “Migration is not just happening in Nepal but is a global phenomenon. People from the US are also moving to Japan, Canada and Australia. Similar migration trends can be seen globally.”

Khatri claimed that the workforce going abroad is gradually becoming more skilled compared to earlier. “Those going to good countries are learning languages and some skills. Particularly, they are gaining knowledge in hospitality, cooking, waiting and packing, and receiving training from various training centers,” he added. He claimed that remittances entering the country have increased due to the growth in the skilled workforce. 

UAE Most Preferred Employment Destination

DoFE’s data shows that UAE has remained the most popular destination for Nepali youths. In the month of mid-Dec to mid-Jan, 21,121 youths, including 2,412 women, obtained labor permits for the Gulf country. Saudi Arabia was next, receiving 13,642 Nepali workers, followed by Qatar (11,983), Kuwait (6,050), Malaysia (3,175), Japan (1,946), Romania (1,743) and Croatia (1,134).  According to DoFE, Nepali youths obtained labor permits for 100 countries between mid-Dec and mid-Jan.

Wildfires have been raging at a community forest in Thamlek, Kavre district, since Tuesday afternoon. Together with local people, security personnel have been trying hard to extinguish the blazes, to little avail.

While blazes occur during the dry season in Nepal without fail, all three tyres of the government—local, provincial and federal—appear ill-prepared to deal with the disaster. Ill-equipped communities and security personnel try to douse the blazes, literally with bare hands, in a desperate bid to save lives and properties, often with little success.

Data speak for themselves. According to the Global Forest Watch, from 2001 to 2023, Nepal lost 7.05 kilo hectares (kha) of tree cover from fires and 48.6 kha from all other drivers of loss. The year with the most tree cover loss due to fires during this period was 2009 with 1.33 kha lost to fires—24 percent of all tree cover loss for that year.

The average annual loss of lives and properties from these blazes paints a very alarming picture. On an average, 77 people lose their lives in wildfires and other incidents of fire every year, according to government statistics.

Data from the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Authority show that 18,772 fire incidents took place in Nepal from 2014 to mid-March 2023, killing 769 people, leaving 2,548 injured and causing a total financial loss of over Rs. 22.23bn. 

A question arises: What (or more exactly who) causes wildfires in Nepal? A June 2022 study titled Status and Practical Implications of Forest Fire Management in Nepal, published in the Journal of Forest and Livelihood, seeks to tackle this question. The study shows that 58 percent of forest fires are a result of deliberate burning on the part of grazers, poachers, hunters and non-timber forest product collectors, 22 per cent due to negligence and 20 per cent by accident. 

Online data from the Global Forest Watch (2021) show that more than 80 percent of forest fires occur in March and April, with about 60 percent forest fires occurring in April alone. 

A walk into the forests located not so far away from our settlements generally shows gross negligence in the management of forests. Firebreaks are rare and so are forest guards while dry leaves and grasses are everywhere. In such a situation, all it takes is a live cigarette butt, a live matchstick and a criminal or negligent mindset to set the woods—and nearby settlements—on fire. 

The Thamlek incident should open the eyes of our authorities and local communities, prompting them to do some serious homework to save lives and properties from fires and other disasters, both manmade and natural.   

The Westerly low-pressure system has its influence in the western region of the country at present. 

The weather is partly cloudy in the hilly region of Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces, and fair in the rest of the country with the occurrence of fog in most of the parts of Tarai region, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. 

Meteorologist Pratibha Manandhar said that foggy weather will continue in the Tarai region throughout the coming week and it will disappear gradually after that.

The temperature has also started to gradually increase in the Kathmandu Valley. The minimum temperature in the Valley was 6.1 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning and it is the same this morning as well. The Department has forecast the maximum temperature between 21 and 23 degrees Celsius in the Kathmandu Valley today. 

The weather will be partly cloudy in the hilly region of Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces, and mainly fair in the rest of the provinces this afternoon. There is a possibility of light snowfall at one or two places of the high hilly and mountainous region of Karnali Province today.

Similarly, the weather will be partly cloudy in the hilly regions of Koshi and Karnali Provinces tonight and mainly fair in the rest of the country.

In the next 24 hours, there is a possibility of light snowfall in one or two places of the high hilly and mountainous region of Karnali Province.

The Department has urged all concerned to remain alert as there is a possibility of fog in many places of the Tarai on Saturday morning, which may affect daily life, agriculture, health, transport and civil aviation.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire has said that Nepal has been adhering to the 'one China' principle with strong commitment.

The Speaker said this while addressing a program organized by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China on Thursday evening, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and China and the Chinese New Year 2025.

On the occasion, he said that China has been a reliable and important development partner of Nepal for a long time.

"Nepal and China have age-old, close, friendly and cooperative relations. Our relationship is cordial, harmonious and multifaceted, built on a strong foundation of mutual trust. Geographical and cultural commonalities as well as people-to-people ties have further strengthened our bilateral relations," the Speaker said.

He said such programs would contribute a lot in further strengthening the existing economic, social and cultural ties between the two countries.

Stating that this year is the Year of Snake as per Chinese tradition, he expressed the belief that this New Year would bring more happiness, progress and prosperity to the Chinese friends.

On the occasion, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song said that China has made excellent progress in the last year facing various challenging situations.

Ambassador Chen said that under the central leadership of the Communist Party of China, especially under the guidance of Chairman Xi Jinping, China has ensured its economic development in the midst of a complex international situation.

He said that during the visit of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to China, the Cooperation Framework Agreement was forwarded to jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative to take ahead the China-Nepal Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

The Chinese Ambassador said that this has taken the strategic partnership of long-term friendship between Nepal and China towards development and prosperity to a new height.

"The development of a three-dimensional connectivity network between the two countries is gaining momentum, 14 traditional border trade points have been fully operational and 48 direct flights are operating in a week," he said and expressed pleasure to see friends of the two countries visiting each other for tourism, more Chinese entrepreneurs coming to Nepal to invest and do business in Nepal and export of more and more Nepali goods to China.

One hundred and seventy-four out of 292 vehicles have failed the pollution test conducted by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

The number of vehicles failing in the pollution test is 60 percent of the total vehicles subjected to the test.

Of these, 14 failed when 71 petrol-powered vehicles were tested and 160 failed when 221 diesel-run vehicles were subjected to the test.

According to KMC, 160 of the 221 diesel-run vehicles have failed the pollution test.

KMC Assistant Spokesperson Dhurba Kumar Kafle said the vehicles have been checked as per the Environment and Natural Resources Act, 2077 BS, the Pollution Control Standards, 2081 BS and Waste Collection and Transportation Procedure, 2081 BS.

KMC has been checking vehicles lately to reduce the impact of vehicular pollution. Owners of vehicles failing the pollution test have been suggested to repair their vehicles within a certain time period and operate them as per the standards.

Preparations are being made to gradually bring the vehicles that do not meet the criteria under the purview of action and stop their operation after giving them an opportunity, through the awareness program started from January 13, to make improvements.

So far, petrol and diesel- run vehicles plying through Koteshwor, Durbarmarg, Chakrapath Balkhu, Babarmahal, Teku, Sukedhara, Sinamangal, Panipokhari and Jamal have been tested.

Among the vehicles found to have failed in the pollution test are buses operating for public transport services, school buses, jeeps operated by government offices, trucks, among others.

KMC's Department of Environment Management is carrying out the pollution checking of vehicles in collaboration with the Department of Environment, the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office and the Metropolitan Police Force.