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The advanced course on national security, organized by the Ministry of Defense and the Nepali Army, concluded on Friday. The 16-day training, which started on March 13, had 29 participants from various ministries, Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, National Investigation Department, and media.

During the closing event at the Shivapuri-based Command and Staff College of the Nepal Army, Minister for Defense Hari Prasad Upreti emphasized the importance of security to a country’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. He stressed that ensuring a fear-free environment for citizens is crucial for the country’s existence.

“Protecting and promoting national security and welfare is the major responsibility of every Nepali citizen,” said Upreti, emphasizing the necessity for dialogue, coordination, and collaboration among state bodies to formulate a unified concept for a robust national security.

Expressing his belief that effective implementation of the national security policy would strengthen both internal and external security, the Defense Minister noted Nepal’s unique challenges and geopolitical significance in terms of national security.

He emphasized the importance of addressing existing national security challenges by leveraging economy, diplomacy, communication, information, and military capabilities in the country’s favor. 

Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Prabhuram Sharma stressed the need for cooperation, collaboration, and integrated approaches among state agencies to foster a safe and prosperous Nepal.

“The scope of national security has broadened with globalization and the development of information technology. Further study and analysis of the positive and negative aspects of artificial intelligence should be conducted,” he said.

Throughout the two-week training, discussions focused on diplomacy, economy, national security policy, geopolitics, foreign policy, climate change and its security implications, strategy and plan formulation, humanitarian assistance, disaster management, and civil-military relations.

As part of the training, a one-day seminar on the impact of climate change on national security was also held on March 22, with the participation of 100 individuals, including experts and media personnel. Kamal Dev Bhattarai, Editor of The Annapurna Express also shared his views on the US Indo-Pacific Strategy and its implications for South Asia and Nepal. 

The ninth edition of this high-level national security training commenced in 2016 and has trained 222 people to date.

‘Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun’ is the third book in the Finlay Donavon series by Elle Cosimano. Whether it’s the final book perhaps depends on the popularity of the series but I think it’s time to end it. I enjoyed ‘Finlay Donovan Is Killing It’ and ‘Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead’ but the story feels a little stretched out by the third book.

Here, Finlay and Vero are trying to reveal the identity of EasyClean who is the hitman hired on an Internet forum to kill Steven, Finlay’s husband. Russian mob boss Feliks, to whom Finlay owes a favor, is behind bars but he wants Finlay to do something for him. She is to find and identify the contract killer before the cops do. But the killer might be a police officer.

Luckily, Nick, a cop who has feelings for Finlay, has just been tasked with starting a citizen’s police academy. Finlay and Vero see this as a perfect chance to do some digging without raising suspicions and join the group. To make matters worse, Finlay has a deadline to meet and she can’t seem to rewrite the parts her editor wants her to change. Vero’s past is coming back to haunt her. The two find themselves in a precarious situation and they, as always, make it worse just by trying to dodge it.

I love Finlay and Vero. They make a nice team. Vero is a great wing woman for Finlay, dealing with her ex-husband, handling her children, and generally egging her on. She is a character you enjoy reading out and getting to know more than the protagonist in Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun. But the same antics get boring after a while. I searched high and low for the book but now after having read it, I realize I wouldn’t have missed out on much even if I hadn’t found it. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it. Just not as much as I enjoyed the first two parts of the series.

In the third book, something is amiss right from the start. A lot of time goes into reintroducing characters. The buildup is slow. The sense of urgency that made the earlier books work is largely missing in the latest installment. It lacks fun. It lacks adventure. Incidents feel pointlessly drawn out. But I can also understand why it would appeal to some readers. It has fewer of the outlandish moments of the earlier two parts. The things that happen feel more real. Even though nothing much happens, it’s a light read for when you want something to take your mind off things.

Thriller | Mystery

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun

Elle Cosimano

Published: 2023

Publisher: Headline Review

Pages: 297, Paperback

YouTube is a great place to learn about so many things as well as pick up new skills. Want to learn DIY? There are hundreds of great videos on it that teach everything from mending a tear to making a side table from discarded pieces of wood. Wondering how to get rid of that stubborn stain on your carpet or that yellow splatter on a white wall? Many channels offer great cleaning tips and tricks. Thinking of starting a kitchen garden? Get all the information you need from experts around the world. There is no dearth of amazing content on YouTube but sometimes it becomes a little difficult to dig out the good stuff. Here, we recommend some of our all-time favorites.

Gittemary Johansen

If you want to learn about sustainability and zero-waste living, you needn’t look anywhere beyond this channel. It has over 700 videos on how to get started on your zero-waste journey and inspiration to reuse things and reduce consumption. Most of the videos are informal, it almost feels like you are listening to a friend talk. There is more than enough content here to inspire you to live consciously and be mindful of what you use and how.

The School of Life

‘Self-understanding, calm, and emotional maturity’ reads the tagline of this YouTube channel with over 8.8m subscribers and nearly a thousand videos. The School of Life was founded in 2008 by a group of academics, including author Alain de Botton. It publishes various materials dealing with the topics of anxiety management, emotional intelligence, relationships, work, creativity, and spirituality. We guarantee that you will learn a lot from The School of Life—things that will help you be more mature, content, and patient.

Tweak India

Founded by author and actor Twinkle Khanna, Tweak India is a media company that primarily focuses on women’s issues. It covers a range of topics including parenting, love, relationships, wellness, career, mental health, books, etc. It’s a space for women to challenge old ideas and discover new ones. There are interviews with phenomenal women like Supriya Pathak, Ratna Pathak Shah, Sharmila Tagore, Shabana Azmi, Sushmita Sen, and many others. Some fun segments include women’s morning rituals and beauty hacks. This YouTube channel is inspiring and fun.

Garden Up

Run by Ekta, a researcher and an entrepreneur in Mumbai, India, Garden Up has many videos on gardening tips and how to convert your home into an oasis of calm. From cultivating vegetables and growing herbs to taking care of your indoor plants, this can easily be your go-to channel to nurture your green thumb. The owner/host arms you with some excellent tips to take care of your jade plant, how to prepare soil mix for indoor plants, and how to grow curry leaves in apartments among others. The videos are aesthetic and thus soothing to watch.

Clean My Space

With over 2.2m subscribers, Clean My Space is run by Melissa Maker who shows you how to clean better, faster, and get great results in a short time. Maker runs a cleaning business in Toronto, Canada, which she started in 2006. In 2010, she along with Chad Reynolds, started uploading cleaning videos on YouTube. You will find bathroom cleaning tips, rules for a cleaner home, hacks to get soap scum off showers and glass doors, and recipes for DIY cleaning products among other interesting tips and tricks for a sparkly, clean home.

Kenny Sebastian

Want to laugh till your belly hurts? Head to the YouTube channel of Kenny Sebastian, an Indian stand-up comedian. The 33-year-old rose to prominence through YouTube where he has uploaded over 300 videos to date. From figuring out fatherhood to dating rules guys need to follow, Sebastian will tickle your funny bones like no other. His wit, charm, and nonchalant attitude make his dialogue delivery even funnier. You can also relate to many of his woes. Overall, this YouTube channel will make you temporarily forget your problems.

Click for Taz

Taz Alam is a British content creator best known for her hugely popular YouTube channel that was launched in 2015. She grew up in Cardiff, Wales, and graduated with a law degree. She has also published a book on spoken-word poetry titled ‘It’s Fine, It’s Fine, It’s Fine’. Her channel, which was initially dedicated to spoken-word poetry, now has lifestyle and travel vlogs as well and they are hugely entertaining. No wonder her videos have garnered tens of millions of views. She’s your quirky 20-something young adult who is a delight to watch on screen.

The newly-formed five-party coalition has outlined its policy priorities across various critical areas such as the economy, service delivery, federalism implementation, job creation, transitional justice and foreign policy. The document known as common resolution has aptly highlighted the growing pessimism among the youth who are increasingly becoming more belligerent toward the government and political parties.  However, past experience suggests that governments struggle to translate such lofty ideals and visions into tangible outcomes. Over the past year, little progress has been made in areas such as service delivery and improving the country’s economic landscape. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s decision to change coalition partners under the pretext of overcoming obstacles posed by the Nepali Congress does not align with ground reality. Dahal has paid little attention or no attention to the pressing issues facing the nation. He has dedicated his time to attending public events, like book launches and inauguration of infrastructure projects, rather than focusing on governance.

Soon after assuming office after forming a new coalition, Dahal issued extensive directives. Interestingly, his tenure has been marked by frequent transfers within the bureaucratic ranks. He consistently said that he would reshuffle the cabinet to improve service delivery, but ended up changing the coalition. There has been a glaring lack of seriousness in addressing the grievances of victims of loan sharks and microfinance institutions, as well as in addressing the challenges facing provincial governments.  During this period, dissent against the prevailing political system has gained traction, yet the Prime Minister has taken no substantive measures to defend it. Instead, some of these measures have boosted the activities of political forces who want to overthrow the current political system.

Admittedly, Prime Minister Dahal appears to have acknowledged the existence of serious challenges that demand attention. His inclusion of the CPN-UML, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Janata Samajbadi Party in the government reflects a desire for improvement. While Dahal may not be able to bring the desired changes, we should give him the benefit of the doubt and wait for a few months. Dahal may have counted his ability to lead the government, juggling between NC and UML, despite being the third-largest party with just 32 seats in Parliament. But his true success now lies in delivering tangible outcomes. Dahal knows that his ministers cannot deliver. That is why he is now banking on the performance of RSP ministers who are smart enough to brainwash the people even if they cannot offer much substance.

Rising out-migration of youth is becoming a big concern for Nepal. Youths are seeking opportunities abroad, whether through student visas or work permits. While government statistics and economists indicate that Nepal is in a position to benefit from a demographic dividend over the next 15-20 years, the ongoing mass exodus of youth paints a contrasting picture. Nepal is gradually losing this opportunity. The concerning reality of 2,000 youths leaving the country daily should serve as a wake-up call for political parties. However, it appears that this critical issue has yet to resonate with our politicians. Therefore, the first and foremost priority of the government should be to bring a long-term plan aimed at creating employment and other opportunities for the youth population.

Not only the youths, everyone, from ordinary citizens to prominent businessmen and politicians, are grappling with mounting pressures. Common individuals, including farmers and employees, are finding it difficult to make ends meet and support their families. Similarly, businesses, whether small or large, are facing challenges in operating smoothly and meeting their financial obligations including bank loans. While some prominent businessmen may have engaged in tax evasion or other misconduct, the government's response seems disproportionate. There have been complaints of politically-motivated systematic attack on a certain group of businesspersons, which has led to increased capital flight from the country.

Youth politicians from major political parties are particularly feeling the strain due to the increasing unpopularity of their parties and leaders. They recognize that public dissatisfaction, including within their own ranks, has reached a critical juncture. The plight of victims of loan sharks and cooperatives underscores the broader societal discontent. These people embarked on a long march to Kathmandu, demanding justice. But the government is cheating them by pledging to form a commission or something else. Their demands are not getting addressed. The only difference is that some parties are resorting to deceitful tactics, while others are exhibiting a harsher behavior.

The excessive politicization of governmental functions from the central to local levels has facilitated widespread corruption and exploitation of local resources. This exploitation has fostered a perception among the populace that the political system primarily serves the interests of a select few. At the same time, certain regressive elements are trying to capitalize on public sentiment against the current political system. If the existing system fails to demonstrate improvement, it will not only jeopardize its own stability but also undermine the very foundation of democracy itself.

Politicians cannot evade this reality by attributing it to the actions of certain political forces trying to sow pessimism and anarchism in society. This situation did not arise overnight but is rather the result of a cumulative effect stemming from the poor governance of major political parties that have held power since 1990. Instead of shifting blame onto others, political parties must engage in introspection and undertake necessary reforms. PM Dahal, who has successfully navigated between the NC and UML to maintain his hold on power, does not have much time to revel in this situation. Since UML has given him a free-hand in running government as well as key ministries, he will have no other parties to serve as scapegoats, as he previously did with the NC, should he fail.