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After the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic across the globe, news related to the virus were published on the basis of various assumptions. The media around the world published various stories about the development of the coronavirus, the way it infects people, and the effects it has on the infected. Some of the news were true, while others were confusing. For the first time in Nepal, the infection was confirmed in a student on January 24, 2020. According to the updated statistics of the Ministry of Health and Population, 12,000 people have died in Nepal due to Covid-19. Similarly, the infection has been confirmed in around 1.3 million. When the virus spread, I studied the news related to corona published in the print media of Nepal like Gorkhapatra Daily, Annapurna Post Daily, and Naya Patrika Daily to study the impact of Covid-19 on all sectors. A total of 369 news related to Covid-19 were published in those newspapers in a period of 61 days, from December 16, 2021, to February 12, 2021. During the study, an analysis of news published in newspapers, surveys, and interviews with relevant agencies was conducted. Out of the published news, it seems that Gorkhapatra Daily has published 234 stories related to the virus. Similarly, Naya Patrika Daily published 68 news items, and Annapurna Post Daily published 67 news items. Out of the published news, 247 are incident-oriented, while 122 are investigative. Out of the total studied news, 83 were published on the first page, 81 on the second page, and 73 on the third page. Similarly, 132 news items have been published on other pages. The placement of news in terms of columns is as follows: 47 one-column, 39 two-column, and 40 three-column news stories were published in Gorkhapatra Daily. Similarly, 108 news articles were published on other pages. Naya Patrika Dainik published 16 one-column, 24 two-column, and 18 three-column news articles. Similarly, 10 news articles were published on other pages. Annapurna Post Daily published 20 one-column, 18 two-column, and 15 three-column news stories. Similarly, 14 news articles were published on other pages. While studying the news, it was found that the news were published in a way that would help and encourage the healthcare workers and volunteers who are at the forefront. It seems that the print media plays a role in preventing the infection from spreading further and reducing the unnatural discrimination that may occur in communities or areas that are more infected. The government issued guidelines related to Covid-19, including standards related to isolation centers for infected people. The criteria set by the Ministry of Health are not inappropriate because of the influence of the news in the print media. In some news stories, it was found that the news was published without mentioning the source. Even though the source was cited in the news, it was also seen that the news value was questioned when the actual source was not mentioned. News published by national media can reach a large number of readers, and the news content can spread rapidly through social media. The editorial team should always be aware of the fact that false and misleading information could confuse the readers. Likewise, a survey was also conducted during the study. A questionnaire was prepared focusing on 10 questions, with 30 people focusing on the effectiveness of the news related to Covid-19 published in print media. Questions were asked of civil society, doctors, and those who have recovered from Corona infections. They were questioned, focusing on the place given by newspapers to the news related to Corona, the impact of the news on society, the role played by the news in policy formulation, the source of the news, etc. Interviews were also conducted during the study. The role played by the media in the prevention of Corona, the value of the news published in the media, and its impact were discussed with nine people. Interviews were conducted with 10 people affected by Corona, officials of the Ministry of Health, the Minister of State for Health, journalists, and others. In the interviews, they said that the media has played a leading role in giving a voice to the Corona victims to constantly inform the government. It seems that during the corona period, the media mainly played an important role in conveying awareness to the general public about informational messages, prevention, and pre-preparation.

Helsinki and Stockholm’s applications of May 2022 to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) marked the end of neutrality and the policy of non-alignment in Europe.  Finland formally became a member of the bloc on 4 April this year, whereas Sweden joined the Partnership for Peace on 9 May 1994 and Riksdag approved it as part of the political and military structure. Historically, these moves did not destabilize the neutral states of the region.  These moves are a pointer to growing realignment of countries toward two rival blocs vying for global supremacy.  Non-Alignment Policy (NAP) and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) can surely benefit a neutral and mostly underdeveloped world if it manages to forge a united front. Global diplomacy is shifting with a divide between the East and the West, challenging the existing monetary system and strengthening the defense capability of the East. The five founding nations of NAM—Egypt in the Middle East, Ghana in West Africa, India in South Asia, Indonesia in Southeast Asia and former Yugoslavia in Europe—are bolstering their presence in global politics, thanks to the emergence of a formidable Sino-Russian front.  Evolving national security strategies of the US and its allies, particularly Japan and South Korea, should be read against the backdrop of new threats to the US and democracies in Asia. The strategies will seek to keep Chinese power in check while their earlier versions were meant to reduce Soviet power during the Cold War.  The economic success of China over the past 30 years or so has given it strong enough influence to lead the Asian continent by consequently weakening the customary US geopolitical objective and challenging India’s intents of ensuring that the South Asian amphitheater remains free of hegemonic control.  As far as South and Southeast Asia are concerned, NAM encompasses all 10 member-states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) apart from all 10 member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as 10 non-government organizations. It will be contextual to draw from the NAM summit held in Baku (Azerbaijan) on October 25-26, 2019. The summit stood for “Upholding the Bandung principles to ensure a concerted and adequate response to the challenges of the contemporary world”, recognizing that history reoccurs but with different undertones in a new geostrategic environment. The Baku declaration is likely to resonate at the 2023 summit to be held in Uganda, at a time of increased confrontations between Asian powers China and India and competition for supremacy between the US and China, marking a tectonic shift in geopolitics to the Indo-Pacific Region. Europe played a key role in the Cold War, while in Cold War 2.0, Asia will helm a similar role. In its earlier edition, the US-Soviet contest and European-Soviet played out, while Cold War 2.0 will see Sino-US competition and Sino-Indian dissension. Amid an unprecedented security scenario in Europe, where neutrality is becoming a thing of the past, smaller nations of the continent seem to be repositioning themselves. There was a time when smaller nations in Asia were part of the NAM. With global power shifting in the Indo-Pacific Region, their respective neutral stances may become a thing of the past.  What’s more, this shift from neutrality is happening simultaneously in Europe and Asia, giving rise to the question: “Will Asia’s challenges be Europe’s and vice-versa?” Europe neutral no longer Sweden’s 200-year-long policy of non-alignment, that outlasted both World Wars, is now history. Sweden and Switzerland have not been in a state of war internationally since 1815 and 1814, respectively. Another European country, Finland, adopted a policy of neutrality after World War II, recognized first through a treaty between Finland and the USSR in 1948 (the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance).  The Finnish and Swedish departures from neutrality indicate growing military-political polarization and tensions in Europe. History seems to be repeating as confrontation tends to spread and exert pressure on multiple states, including those not actively involved in “taking sides”, to join one or the other side even as Austria, Ireland and Switzerland continue to remain neutral.  What prompts nation states to officially align with or against any major power bloc? Their own defense and security.    An illustration is the ongoing war in Europe where the two neutral states—Finland and Sweden—had to take cover for their very own security.  That is why Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden signed a Nordic unified air defense agreement aimed at countering Russia’s rising threat by operating jointly to neutralize threats. As per the new scheme of things, NATO will find an alternative corridor through the Baltic Sea for Nordic countries, given the high possibility of Russia sealing the existing Suwalki Gap, a narrow corridor separating Kaliningrad and Lithuania, in the event of increased hostilities.  Relevance of Asia’s neutrality Despite a shift from neutrality to non-neutrality in Europe, non-alignment is very much alive in Asia as India, Indonesia, Thailand and other middle powers have shown. Chances are that neutrality will get a boost once again, with Asia leading it. A 40-year-long ideological conflict established NAM during the Cold War. Today, 120 countries (mostly from Africa and Asia) are on board as its members, 19 nations as observers along with 10 organizations. Together, NAM accounts for 60 percent of the UN.  It all began in April 1955, when government representatives from 29 Asian and African nations took part in what is known as the Bangdung Conference under Indonesian President Sukarno to discuss peace and the role of the Third World in the Cold War, economic development and decolonization. Political self-determination, mutual respect for sovereignty, non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, and equality were the guiding principles of this landmark arrangement also known as ‘Panchsheel’ (five restraints) that Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and his Indian counterpart Jawaharlal Nehru had adopted to govern Sino-Indian relations. NAM primarily gained prominence during the Cold War; these days, the Global South (GS) is hogging the limelight in the wake of a growing opposition against the US-led West and the Sino-Russian clique. The main global challenges of the present—the Covid-19 pandemic, Ukraine crisis, the Sino-American rivalry and the Sino-Indian competition—have made NAP more relevant.  GS can be a powerful platform to raise common concerns and interests of ‘swing states’, amid global conflicts, particularly between the two emerging Asian powers—China and India.  The two countries will surely compete for GS leadership. India’s relatively tensions-free ties with the West and China’s growing diplomatic reach worldwide means the two countries will affect global power dynamics significantly. In this context, it will be relevant to recall part of Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar’s speech made in January regarding his country’s G20 presidency and GS leadership: “Today, developing countries are worried over issues like rising prices of oil, food and fertilizers. They are also concerned about mounting debt and worsening economic conditions. Thus, it is our duty to become the voice of such countries, known as the GS in diplomatic terms”.  Also, India convened a virtual meeting on January 12-13 themed “Voice of the Global South Summit: for Human-Centric Development” with the participation of 120 leaders and ministers. The virtual session raised issues like global economy and climate change, rising inflation, energy, food issues and debt problems. China did not participate in the event.  More importantly, India held the 18th summit of G20 consisting of neutral countries as well as countries from the rival blocs—the US-led West and the Sino-Russian bloc. India’s growing influence comes at a time when China’s signature project of global significance—the Belt and Road Initiative—seems to be losing steam with debt problems afflicting many developing countries that have become part of the project.  As the Ukraine war rages on, China is seeking a peaceful settlement between Russia and Ukraine, at a time when its ties with the US are at an all-time low. India’s relations with the West are not as hostile as China’s. This means the US-led West may be comfortable with New Delhi leading the GS instead of Beijing, with US foreign policy priorities toward India covering security, defense and technology acting as a bridge between the US and the GS. With more than 1.4bn people, India has become the world’s most populous nation by taking over China for the first time. In terms of the economy, though, India is at a disadvantage as it is just one-sixth of China’s 2022 nominal GDP. GS should not be politicized and focus should be on economic development and improving livelihoods. Receiver-sought assistance for lower-income nations should be a priority. Whoever lands GS leadership will have a greater chance of leading NAM as well, so the race for GS leadership is quite important.  Conclusion Neutralism, also called nonalignment in international relations, meant staying out of the war and all sorts of ideological or political interpretations during the Cold War from 1945 to 1990. US Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson had first pursued this isolationist policy during the European wars between France and Great Britain after the French Revolution that followed the peace of 1815. It is more or less like the 20th century policy of neutralism that came as a distinct policy post-World War II. Recently, on February 23, one year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UN General Assembly, in its 11th special emergency session, adopted a resolution calling for Russia’s immediate withdrawal in line with the UN Charter. Altogether 141 states stood for the resolution, seven (Belarus, Democratic Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria) stood against it while 32 states, including China, India and Pakistan, abstained. For the US and Europe, ‘abstaining’ can also mean neutrality, offering a dissimilar dimension of neutrality when it comes to the world body’s perception. As a concept that aims to foster an independent foreign policy and peaceful co-existence, NAM is still relevant despite the end of the Cold War.  As in the past, NAM is likely to find it hard to chart out united strategies on many issues arising due to shifts in global geopolitics. GS is essentially developing nations of Asia, Africa and South American countries, a region caught between a rising China and the US as well as its allies that are seeking to curb this rise. President Xi Jingping is likely to court the GS against the US, while India, with its multi-aligned foreign policy, is likely to do its bit to make smaller nations follow its path.  All in all, neutrality is likely to be more relevant in a rapidly-changing world, especially for smaller nations. The author is a Strategic Analyst, Major General (Retd) of the Nepali Army, and is associated with Rangsit University, Thailand

Efficiently managing personnel has become crucial for organizations to gain a competitive edge. In developed economies, businesses and institutions have made substantial advancements by implementing effective HRM practices and strategies.  However, in Nepal, the HR ecosystem is still in its nascent stages, lagging behind in terms of development and implementation. Employee management in Nepali organizations was traditionally overseen by administration departments until the 1990s. In addition, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) enforced the requirement for commercial banks to establish dedicated HR departments. Subsequently, the period after 2000 marked the initiation of sound HR practices in banking and financial institutions (BFIs). Over the past decade, numerous business schools have introduced BBA and MBA programs specializing in human resource management.  As a result, it has been effectively generating a competent workforce to meet the needs of various institutions. Over the years, the HR dynamics in Nepal has evolved, adapting to the changing needs of organizations and the workforce. In the past, HR practices in Nepal were primarily focused on administrative tasks such as attendance management, payroll processing, and employee record maintenance. The HR department was often seen as a support function with limited involvement in strategic decision-making. However, with globalization and the increasing complexity of business operations, organizations in Nepal realized the importance of aligning HR practices with their overall objectives. Today, the HR dynamics in Nepal has shifted toward a more strategic and holistic approach. HR departments are now actively involved in talent acquisition, performance management, employee engagement, and learning and development initiatives. They are recognized as crucial drivers of organizational success, responsible for attracting, developing, and retaining top talent.  In the past, nepotism and favoritism have significantly influenced career progression within the Nepali organization. But, in the current scenario HR departments are practicing the performance appraisal (PA) for actual performance measurement. Basically, PA refers to a system or a process that aligns employees to the mission, vision and goals of the organization. Different PA tools are popular in the world and some of them are highly used in the Nepali organization too. Tools like Self Evaluation, 360° Feedback, Rating Scale are widely used in Nepali organizations. Organizations have been employing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which serve as benchmarks, to evaluate the performance of individuals. Despite these positive developments, HR departments in Nepal still face several challenges. One significant issue is the lack of qualified HR professionals. Many organizations struggle to find HR experts who possess the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate the changing HR landscape. This shortage of skilled professionals often leads to inefficient HR practices and limits the department's ability to contribute strategically to the organization. Another challenge is the absence of standardized HR processes across industries. While some progressive organizations have implemented modern HR practices, many others still rely on outdated methods. This inconsistency in HR practices makes it difficult to benchmark and compare HR performance across organizations. To address these challenges, many organizations in Nepal have started adopting HR software solutions for performance evaluation. These software applications enable systematic tracking of employee performance, goal management, and feedback collection. They provide real-time insights into individual and team performance. It helps in facilitating informed decision-making and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Some popular HR software used in Nepal include BambooHR, Darwinbox, and Zoho People. At present, biometric systems have been installed in almost every private sector; even public sectors are widely using it. Furthermore, recruitment agencies play a vital role in supporting HR practices in Nepal. These agencies specialize in sourcing and screening candidates for various job positions. They employ effective recruitment strategies, including talent mapping, candidate profiling, and skill assessments. At present, digitization and use of HR software are useful tools for organizations to reduce the paper-work and manual hassles. Job portals like merojob.com, growthsellers.com, froxjob.com, jobsnepal.com, kantipurjob.com, ramrojob.com and kumarijob.com are providing recruitment services to a large number of employers of different sectors.  The recruiters carefully scan the profile of job applicants and match jobs accordingly, thus also increasing the employability of talented jobseekers. In addition to job portals, employers and recruitment agencies in Nepal utilize social media and personal networks for recruiting purposes. LinkedIn, a professional networking site, has emerged as a prominent platform for finding suitable candidates. Moreover, headhunting and employee poaching are prevalent methods to fill crucial vacancies. If we track the last few decades’ data, it is found that there has been a significant increase in the allure of overseas job opportunities. It can result in higher employee turnover rates and present even greater challenges for employee retention. In the current scenario, freshers want independence in the workplace and decision making process. They are more guided by financial benefits and search for better opportunities. It has created a headache for Nepali organizations to retain its employees. While Nepal has made significant strides in its HR practices, there are valuable lessons to be learned from countries like the USA, the UK, and other European nations. These countries have advanced HR frameworks that emphasize employee empowerment, workplace diversity and inclusion, and robust talent management strategies.

The cases of fraud have been rising since the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic. Law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies worldwide are grappling with financial crimes. In this situation, there is also a need to be cautious and think of possible fraud risks associated with supply chain disruption, which has surrounded the global economy for the last three years. It has become important for the government and agencies concerned to pay attention to the unforeseen consequences of such crimes with the right set of priorities for supply chain and resource control. Past lessons on business resilience have shown that supply chains need to be planned tactfully to stay effective within the current business context, but there is also a need to effectively manage the risks. It is important to understand handling the challenges in order to avoid significant financial impacts as well as hassles due to supply chain disputes. Nepal has a very unique transit mechanism and proper trading terms set by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) are not followed here. Further, the custodian right of goods produced in Nepal is in the hands of Indian clearing agents authorized by exporters and importers with the power of attorney by the importers' respective banks, be it for letters of credit (LC) or the Telegraphic Transfer (TT) based exports and imports. More importantly, there is no liability transfer law nor there is a provision to cover multimodal insurance. Random LC terms are used which are beyond normal practice in international trade and the provision of control of import and export at Kolkata are for Nepalis only. The chances of goods being diverted within India and only documents arriving at the border could be one of the cases. All formalities at border points are carried out with the arrival and exit of trucks recorded and taxes paid, but there are some cases of goods being diverted elsewhere than the destinations that we have been hearing recently. Supply chains are inherently susceptible to fraud due to several factors mentioned below:

1. There are several actors and several activities within and beyond borders with different legal provisions. Various means of transport are used, and each has different responsibilities, liabilities, and standards that need to be complied with.
2. The complexity of the operating environment, including the mandatory involvement of third-party logistics service providers, is beyond control due to provisions set in the bilateral agreements and treaty between Nepal and India.
3. The volume and scale of transactions vary from less than a container to huge volumes in containerized or bulk and break-bulk movements and rotating L/C are in use. Additionally, the present volatility in supply and demand for goods and services arising from the Covid-19 pandemic are constraints in mobility. The situation pushes for scaling back costs as businesses are faced with unprecedented challenges of shipment delays with a monopoly in the hands of shipping liners.

We need to be aware that links in the supply chain create chances for financial fraud and foster corruption leading to disruption in the risk management system. There have been rampant cases of uncontrollable fraud attempts related to Covid-19 trade disruptions and this trend is expected to rise even if the situation is back to normal. While preparing the business community to respond to such risks, one needs to closely see the fraud, bribery, and corruption risks within the trade processes and documentation provisions. The fraud losses could cost organizations more in the long run. Past instances show that seemingly small supply chain frauds will go on while controls are weakened and can grow to a significant amount of losses over time. A majority of supply chain fraud cases involve unlawful behavior of indoor sources and frequent involvement or collusion with a third party. Such practices stem from the current supply shortages, reduced morale of labor, weak supervision, sluggish approval processes and low economic productivity. Therefore, supply Chain fraud requires a deeper understanding of the flow of goods, information and money along with the documentation processes. The transfer of cost, liability and responsibility of each stakeholder along the chain needs to be worked out carefully. Only a very effective digitized and automated system can help overcome this problem. Some measures like inspection of all connections of the supply chain including suppliers, subcontractors, dealers, distribution companies, agents, and brokers alongside regular risk assessment could help to check the fraud. Without internal assistance, supply chain theft often fails. Therefore, it is important to manage the risk posed by the low morale of staff of companies involved in trade and transportation. There needs to be a good level of cooperation with the sourcing and management teams to identify the threats and find ways to eliminate them. There are some techniques such as the temporary fraud risk assessment to identify weaknesses in the existing control framework and seek ways to strengthen the controls. Similarly, understanding the vendor risk management (VRM) plans, vendors' honesty and accountability are also some factors to be considered in this regard. To reduce the risk of supply chain fraud, it is a must to check the end-to-end supplier network to ensure that the company's supply chain stays intact. This can be possible only with an integrated tracking and tracing automated digitalization system. Leveraging digitalization to optimize and reduce costs while improving processes and customer service has become necessary. It has become important to work closely with national logistic service providers and enable them full control over supply chain activities and hold them liable with legal provisions based on international best practices. Equally important is to be able to settle disputes within the country as per the legal arrangements rather than taking disputes across borders. The author is a logistics expert and a consultant