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Invasive species have defined themselves as a formidable army that poses a major threat to our  planet’s ecosystem. These species are non-native organisms belonging to other ecosystems and they  can be plants, animals or pathogens. Such species emerge from new environments and cause destructive  consequences in the host ecosystems. They are capable of influencing the local species, altering the environment, and  they may pose health risks to humans and result in economic losses to individuals, communities or nations. Therefore, gaining the knowledge of invasive species and their method of proliferation helps to combat them easily without any loss and also contributes to the conservation of ecosystems. 

Effect on local ecosystem 

Invasive species can cause the devastation of local ecosystems in several ways: 

1. Biodiversity loss: Invasive species compete more effectively for resources such as food, light and space with native species. Such competition results in the elimination or complete extinction of native species. For example, the arrival of brown tree snakes in Guan has eventually caused the loss of several bird species. 

2. Habitat loss: Some invasive species alter the abiotic factor of the ecosystem making it unsuitable for other endemic species. One of the best examples of such species is the freshwater invasive species known as Zebra mussel, which changes the physical properties of water. 

3. Predation and disease: Non-indigenous species are capable of eradicating the indigenous species that have not developed any means of defense to defend themselves against them. Furthermore, Invasive species bring new diseases against which native species possess no immunity. A good example is chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium  dendrobatidis) that caused the disease chytridiomycosis, which caused a disastrous impact on amphibian populations. 

4. Economic impact: The economic loss due to invasive species is very high in current and future scenarios. Invasive species are capable of destroying crops, fisheries and forests. Combating them often requires expensive control mechanisms. For instance, the emerald ash borer alone caused the loss of billions of dollars of North American Ash tree.

How they spread 

Invasive species spread through various means, often helped by human activities: 

1. Global trade and travel: Various modes of transportation such as airplanes and ships unknowingly transport invasive species across borders. For example, the ballast water from the ship is one of the causes of introduction of invasive species in the ocean. 

2. Animals and horticulture: The trade of plants for farming or gardening and animals for pets is also behind the spread of invasive species. 

3. Climate change: The change in climatic conditions create a suitable environment for invasive species helping them to expand their territory. 

4. Human activities: Activities such as construction, deforestation and changes in land use  make the condition suitable for the invasive species to grow and thrive. 

Measures to manage or eliminate invasive species 

This involves a range of strategies, which includes early detection, prevention and long-term management. 

1. Prevention: One of the most effective preventive measures is to prevent the introduction of invasive species. The rules and regulations on importing plants and animals should be tightened and the public should be made aware of the dangers associated with the release of non-native species  

2. Early detection and rapid response: The species should be promptly identified, and  their progress should be stopped. Relevant programs should be introduced to monitor and report  on invasive species.  

3. Methods to manage species: a. Physical control: It involves manual removal like pulling out the invasive plant species or trapping the invasive animal, b. Chemical control: It involves the use of pesticides or herbicides, but it may have adverse effects on the environment, and c. Biological control: It involves the introduction of natural predators of the non-native species but it should be proceeded with caution as it may cause harm to native species also. 

4. Restoration: The best way to respond to the impact of the invasive species is by restoring  native habitat and supporting the native species.  

In conclusion, global biodiversity and ecosystem health are increasingly under threat from invasive  species. Given their widespread, and often severe consequences—in both time and space—they will  continue to require deliberate, sustained mitigation. By learning how they spread, and practicing both preventative and reactive measures, we can work to keep the natural balance of our  ecosystems to continue long into the future.

Saqib Shamim

Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus

‘My heart’ is a huge mass of

Nimbus cloud

Engaged with mixed feelings that

Burst out loud

The combination where

Sorrow, pain, regret and misery meets

The route that swear

To present every life feat

Among the thunder and the storm

It seeks for a placid field.

Even in the tumultuous form

The whisper of hope meant to be healed

Though the sky hides among the mist

And still if the cloudburst,

There always remains a light that exist

Which strengthens to change it first

So, let the pressure, grant the pour

Later when the coast shows it down

It will find a peaceful core

And finally renew the entire town.

Shreya Shrestha

BA Ist Year

Bagiswori College, Bhaktapur

Some say life is great

But others treat life with hate 

Nothing to do as much

Nothing we can enjoy as such

Life isn’t a person and never easy 

So that it like it’s a little baby

Nothing might be of such fun

So don’t let your story be done

Life is what we make

So be as happy as you can be 

Throw your sadness away 

And keep smiling everyday

Life is full of pleasure

So keep hunting the treasure 

Life is full of happiness 

There is no place for sadness

Yavnika Shrestha

Class IX

Kathmandu Pragya Kunja School

Jewish and Arab cultures are antagonistic and are fighting for control over territory, politics, and social spaces in the Israel-Palestine war, one of the bloodiest and longest. When the British seized Palestine from the Ottoman Empire after World War I, tensions between Arab and Jewish populations grew. The UN recommended Jerusalem as an international metropolis and an autonomous division into Jewish and Arab nations in 1947. The 1948 Arab-Israeli War resulted from the Arab leadership's rejection of the Jewish leadership’s acceptance. With the end of the war came the Nakba, or the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs, when Israel was established and the British Mandate was ended.

After the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel captured control of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Later conflicts in 1956, 1967, and 1973 drastically altered the political and geographical conditions in the area. The Palestinians want a state that includes these regions, and Israel is expanding settlements there, which is against the Fourth Geneva Convention. These lands are still crucial to the struggle that has been going on for years. Since 2007, the Gaza Strip has been subject to a blockade that drastically restricts movement and economic activity, resulting in appalling living circumstances. The barrier is partially managed by Israel and restricted by Egypt. International Humanitarian Law prohibits a blockage as a form of punishment (IHL).

Numerous Israeli military operations, including Operation Protective Edge (2014), Operation Pillar of Defense (2012), Operation Cast Lead (2008), and Operation Guardian of the Walls (2021), have caused a great deal of property loss and deaths among civilians. Palestinian negotiations are made more difficult by the ideological divide between Hamas in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank. IHL, which includes the Geneva Conventions, limits specific weapons and strategies and establishes guidelines for the treatment of injured, non-combatants, and prisoners of war. However, because civilian immunity is frequently broken due to the Israel-Palestine conflict, IHL application is complicated. For example, during the Gaza operation in 2014, nearly 2,100 Palestinians, primarily civilians, lost their lives, while Israeli civilians were also targeted by rocket assaults. Human shields have been suspected of being utilized by both sides.

Life in Gaza is badly impacted by problems including poverty, unemployment, and insufficient health supplies. The blockade and shelling of Gaza may be seen as collective punishment, which is prohibited by international humanitarian law. There are administrative and political obstacles in the way of international courts and organizations like the ICC pursuing justice. Along with larger regional crises like those between Israel and Iran, Neighboring nations like Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt which are home to a large number of Palestinian refugees are also impacted.

With Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah in Lebanon backing violent activities and radical organizations in Israel encouraging militant attacks against Palestinians, the conflict’s intensification in the absence of political solutions has resulted in radicalization and terrorism. The effectiveness of international organizations like the UN and ICC in upholding international law and human rights is called into doubt by this circumstance. The US’ support of Israel and the Arab and Muslim world’s backing of Palestine polarize international collaboration on unrelated matters. It requires recognition, negotiations on topics like boundaries, the status of Jerusalem, security, and refugees, as well as assistance from international players like the US, EU, and regional organizations.

In order to provide basic necessities through the UNRWA and restore destroyed areas, humanitarian actions are critical for the suffering people. After 271 days of fighting, Gaza residents still lack access to essential supplies like food and water, as well as their homes and family. A million people in northern Gaza are said to have been ordered to evacuate, and Israel declared more evacuations in Khan Yunas and Rafah.

People who have moved around a lot say they want peace in the middle of all the conflict. Thousands have started to leave Khan Yunas as a result of Israeli military measures, which have affected 250,000 residents in southern Gaza. Even after guarantees regarding the European hospital in Khan Yunas and other declarations from Israeli authorities, medical facilities remain overcrowded and dangerous. Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes and schools, and more than 15,000 children have died as a result of the fighting, which has also destroyed homes, hospitals, and other buildings. Gaza’s infrastructure has been severely damaged by the ceaseless bombing and military operations, which have also killed civilians including journalists and made the humanitarian situation worse.

Israeli officials continue to justify military actions as necessary for dismantling terrorist infrastructure, but the ongoing violence and civilian suffering highlight the need for a humanitarian and political resolution. The UN and international community face challenges in addressing the conflict, with calls for peace overshadowed by the relentless cycle of violence and displacement.

Prabin Kumar Yadav

BA LLB 

Kathmandu School of Law