WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 128 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 34.5 C 13.0 C Saturday, June 26, 2021 | 12-03-2078 Dipayal Jomsom Opposition alliance builds pressure on Oli, but it too faces questions galore The group with five former prime ministers also has answers to provide to the public and come up with what exactly it is aiming for, analysts say.

ANIL GIRI contemporary politics” and solicit KATHMANDU, JUNE 25 journalists’ views. Deuba and Dahal, four- and two- Of the many political events Prime time prime ministers, explained the Minister KP Sharma Oli, also the objective of the opposition alliance. chair of the CPN-UML, has set in The opposition alliance consists of motion over the past few months, one the Nepali Congress, the Communist stands out. In what may easily be Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), a described as an unprecedented politi- faction of the UML led by Nepal and cal shift and a massive polarisation, Khanal, a faction of the Janata five former prime ministers—Sher Samajbadi Party led by Bhattarai Bahadur Deuba, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and Upendra Yadav and Janamorcha Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhala Nath Nepal. Khanal and Baburam Bhattarai—have The alliance has even filed a peti- come together to form what is the tion at the Supreme Court, with signa- “opposition alliance”. tures of 146 lawmakers from the dis- Ever since Oli dissolved the House solved House, against President Bidya of Representatives on May 21, the five Devi Bhandari’s moves of rejecting former prime ministers have issued at Deuba’s claim for the prime minister least three joint statements. In the post and dissolving the House. POST PHOTO: BEEJU MAHARJAN first statement, issued on June “We have constituted a front of five Vehicles drive past a falling electricity pole supported by bamboo posts at Bosigaun in Chandragiri Municipality, Kathmandu on Friday. 12 , they even warned of foreign political parties for the protection of interference, without naming national interest, the constitution of names, but it was not difficult for Nepal, democracy, and Parliament,” even a layman to guess they were said Debua. referring to India. In other state- “We are also committed to saving ments, they have appealed to the the lives of people from the pandemic INSIDE President’s actions can state machinery not to cooperate and natural calamities. Welfare of the with Oli and called on the public people, strengthening the federal Riverbank settlements in to unite against “Oli’s shenani- democratic republic and inclusive gans”. democracy and ensuring social Bardiya at high risk of floods be subject to judicial On Thursday, they held an justice and the rule of law are our BARDIYA: Prahlad Bhatta, a resident interaction with editors of vari- common goals.” of Tihuni in Ward 3 of Rajapur ous media outlets to “discuss >> Continued on page 2 Municipality, has not had a day’s rest since the rains began early June. review, lawyers argue Bhatta’s house is close to the Karnali river and at risk of inundation in case of floods in the river. “I go to the Advocates pleading on behalf of petitions against House riverbanks every night with a torch in hand to check the water level in dissolution wind up their arguments, bringing the Head the river,” he said. “The river has caused great damage to our village of State’s role and intentions under scrutiny. in the past. This year too, it is threat- ening to breach its embankments and flood the village.” Like Bhatta, Suresh Chaudhary of the same vil- lage also walks to the riverbanks every day to check the water level. “I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since the monsoon began. The con- struction of the embankments is still not complete, which makes me very anxious,” Chaudhary said. (Details on Pg 2)

Construction workers step up demand for social security KATHMANDU: Informal sector workers have demanded their enrolment into the Contribution-based Social Security Scheme, which has been only providing coverage to employees from the formal private sector so far. Informal sector workers, mainly con- struction workers, have demanded that the government make arrange- ments for registering them into the POST ILLUSTRATION social security scheme so that they BINOD GHIMIRE Nepali Congress President Deuba can also access various benefits KATHMANDU, JUNE 25 on May 21 had presented his claim for promised under the scheme for for- the prime minister’s post with the mal private sector employees. In its written clarification presented signatures of 149 lawmakers of the “Construction workers are the first to the Supreme Court on June 17, the dissolved House of Representatives. group of workers who have been Office of the President had argued In addition to 61 lawmakers from the demanding social security cover for that the actions of the President can- Nepali Congress, Deuba was support- several years. These are the most vul- not be subject to judicial review. ed by 49 from the Communist Party of nerable group of workers,” Naranath It said that as the President takes Nepal (Maoist Centre), 26 from the Luitel, president of the Central Union decisions based on the government’s Madhav Nepal faction of CPN-UML, of Painters, Plumbers, Electro and recommendations or the role defined 12 from the Upendra Yadav faction of Construction Workers-Nepal, told the by the constitution, it cannot be Janata Samajbadi Party and one from Post. (Details on Pg 3) reviewed by the judiciary. the Rastriya Janamorcha. However, the lawyers pleading on As on the first and second days of behalf of the writ petitioners the hearing, the lawyers of the plain- Milk worth Rs118 million challenging the May 21 dissolution of tiffs on Friday focused their argu- wasted during lockdown, the House of Representatives on ments on questioning the role of farmers say Friday argued that the President’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari and actions are very much open to judicial interpreting Article 76 (5) of the the CHITWAN: Disruptions in the supply review. Constitution of Nepal. chain caused by the second wave of On the third day of the hearing on “The constitution doesn’t allow the the coronavirus have resulted in the House dissolution case, advocate President to test the authenticity of thousands of tonnes of fresh milk Tika Ram Bhattarai said the Office of the claims presented for prime minis- valued at Rs118 million being wasted the President presented unconstitu- ter’s position,” said senior advocate in just one and a half months, dairy tional arguments saying the Shree Hari Aryal. farmers in Chitwan said on Friday. President’s moves are above legal pur- “Her role is to appoint a prime min- Schools, restaurants, hotels and uni- view. “Except for the issues the consti- ister based on the claims; it’s the versities were ordered closed to pre- tution clearly says cannot be reviewed, Parliament where the appointee needs vent the virus from spreading, and all others fall under the scope of judi- to secure the trust vote.” this wiped out much of the food ser- cial review,” said Bhattarai. He claimed that the President had vice market that makes up a big Bhattarai even claimed that if the refused to appoint Deuba as prime chunk of the dairy business. Farmers President fails to perform the respon- minister with a mala fide intention to and cooperatives have been forced to sibility assigned by the constitution s/ give continuity to KP Sharma Oli as dump milk and even finished milk he can be impeached. prime minister. Aryal said that even products such as ghee and milk pow- “The President cannot shirk her kings consulted experts and stake- der as there are no buyers. Trucking constitutional responsibilities. By holders before taking decisions on companies have been scrambling to refusing to appoint Nepali Congress grave issues like House dissolution. find drivers to transport dairy prod- President Sher Bahadur Deuba prime When prime minister Surya ucts to market as few want to go back minister, the President failed to per- Bahadur Thapa had recommended to work and risk catching the virus. form her constitutional responsibili- dissolving the House of Sales to major dairies in urban mar- ty,” he argued. “She cannot say, ‘I Representatives in 1998, King Birendra kets have dried up as the food service won’t appoint’. It was her responsibil- refused to do so, after consulting the sector has largely shut down. ity to appoint Deuba who had the sup- Supreme Court. (Details on Pg 5) port of 149 lawmakers.” >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Riverbank settlements in Bardiya at high risk of floods Lack of permanent embankments on river is giving sleepless nights to residents.

KAMAL PANTHI ry orders put all construction works to rescue and relief. Floods and inunda- BARDIYA, JUNE 25 a stop,” said Sunar. tion are recurring problems and it According to the project office, 43 needs intervention from the federal Prahlad Bhatta, a resident of Tihuni kilometres of embankment need to be level,” he said. in Ward No. 3 of Rajapur Municipality, constructed in Karnali and Geruwa In Banke, settlements in Rapti Bardiya has not had a day’s rest since river bank areas. Thirty kilometres Sonari, Daduwa and Narainapur the rains began early June. of embankment is to be constructed in rural municipalities are also at risk of Bhatta’s house is close to the Karnali and 13 kilometres in Geruwa floods. Karnali river and at risk of inunda- river areas. “The construction work “Five years ago, the flooded Rapti tion in case of floods in the river. started seven years ago but there has river displaced over 300 families “I go to the riverbanks every night been no progress,” said Shankar in Holiya of Daduwa Rural with a torch in hand to check the Tharu, a local resident of Rajapur. Municipality. The displaced families water level in the river,” he said. “The Dharma Kumar Neupane, chief of are still living under huts near the river has caused great damage to our the project, cites budget shortage as riverbank area. They are unwilling to village in the past. This year too, it is the main reason for the delay. move from the site,” said Pateshwor threatening to breach its embank- The estimated cost of the project is Kurmi, ward chairman of Daduwa ments and flood the village.” around Rs 11 billion. Ward No. 1. Like Bhatta, Suresh Chaudhary of Some villages in Nawalparasi According to the office of Daduwa the same village also walks to the (West) are also at risk of inundation Rural Municipality, it has built a riverbanks every day to check the and flooding as the Narayani river and building for the displaced families to water level. other streams in the district are all take shelter in. “I haven’t had a good night’s sleep rain-fed and gaining strength. The settlements in Narainapur since the monsoon began. The con- Jitendra Harijan, a resident of Rural Municipality are also at risk of struction of the embankments is still Palhinandan Ward No. 1 in flooding due to the rain-swollen Rapti not complete, which makes me very Nawalparasi (West), said, “My house river. Laxmi Kanta Mishra, an official anxious,” Chaudhary said. was inundated last week. All of the at the Disaster Management According to the villagers, they are food grains have gone to waste. Committee in the rural municipality, preparing to move to a safe location We are looking at more difficult days said, “People living near the river- since floodwaters have started seeping ahead.” bank areas of wards 1 to 5 are at high into the village. “There is a high risk Over 50 houses in the settlement risk of floods. We have established of inundation so some of us are pre- face inundation every monsoon. shelters for the flood victims in paring to move away,” said Bhatta. “However, none of the concerned three different places of the rural The flooded Karnali river has authorities has taken initiatives to municipality.” already swept away some gabion boxes address our issue,” said Harijan. On Thursday, a team of officials POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC filled with stones that were installed A Musahar settlement in Pratappur from the District Administration Farmers work in a field at Taudaha, Kirtipur on Friday. earlier this month to stop the floodwa- Rural Municipality gets waterlogged Office, District Police Office and the ters from eroding the riverbank area. every monsoon but little has been local units inspected the flood-affected Bhojraj Joshi, a local resident of done over the years to mitigate the areas in Banke district Rajapur Ward No. 1, also a former risk of flooding. “Settlements in Narainapur, member of the District Development “Our settlement gets inundated Daduwa and Raptisonari are at high Committee in Bardiya, said, “People every monsoon, as there is no proper risk of flooding. It has been estimated President’s actions can be subject living near the riverbank areas in drainage system to let the floodwaters that at least 10,000 individuals Rajapur Municipality and Geruwa pass,” said Rabindra Chaudhary, a will be affected by floods and inunda- Rural Municipality are in direct local resident of Pratappur Ward tion during this monsoon in Banke,” threat of floods and inundation. There No. 6. said Rupan Gyawali, an official from to judicial review, lawyers argue are no embankments in these areas.” The settlements of Shankarpur, the team. For the last one month, the local Rampur Khadauna and Maheshpur in According to Shivalal Gelal, chief administration has been pressuring Panlinandan Rural Municipality; district officer of Banke, his office has >> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Pradhan. In its final verdict against the Karnali River Management Office Pusauli and Bhujahawa in Sarawal raised awareness on the threat of “The President could have held a dis- the December 20 dissolution, to carry out construction works on the Rural Municipality; and wards. 3 and floods in riverbank settlements. cussion with the prime minister or Both sides presented the Constitutional Bench of the embankment. But since the rains hav- 4 in Pratappur Rural Municipality and “We have advised them to stay alert used a third eye to review the matter. Supreme Court had said the lower en’t let up, construction work hasn’t Susta Rural Municipality also get and safe. Authorities have also been But she didn’t deem it necessary,” their legal briefs house can only be dissolved after gained pace, said Santa Bahadur waterlogged every year in monsoon. advised to make preparations for the Aryal said. “She endorsed whatever and arguments to exhausting the four options for gov- Sunar, chief district officer of However, Baiju Prasad Gupta, management of possible disasters,” the prime minister recommended.” ernment formation envisioned by the Bardiya. chairman of Panlinandan Rural Gelal said. The advocates on Friday also said the Constitutional constitution. Article 76 (1) allows for- “We had asked the Karnali River Municipality, says the local level does the President’s interpretation of mation of the government by the lead- Management Project to speed up the not have the capacity to initiate flood (Nabin Paudel in Parasi and Article 76 (5) was extra-constitutional Bench on Friday. er of the party that has a majority in construction of embankments. But control measures by itself. Madhu Shahi in Banke contributed as she gave the decision of the party the House, Article 76 (2) allows a coali- then the pandemic and the prohibito- “We have only been able to manage reporting.) equal weightage as that of the individ- tion government, and Article 76 (3) ual lawmakers. dence as only 93 lawmakers of the allows the formation of a minority They argued that as the Article was dissolved House stood by him. When government by the leader of the introduced to give individual lawmak- no other parties could cobble up a coa- largest party in the House. Article 76 ers autonomy to decide on forming a lition government as per Article 76 (2), (5) allows any lawmaker who can government and the President had three days later President Bhandari potentially prove a majority to lead a had no authority to entertain the appointed him prime minister of a government. claim by the prime minister, who pre- minority government as per Article 76 With just a few of the 23 lawyers of sented the decisions of the CPN-UML (3) as the leader of the largest party in the plaintiffs left to make arguments, and Janata Samajbadi Party. Parliament. lawyers advocating on behalf of the While Deuba had presented the sig- However, instead of seeking a trust defendants will present their argu- natures of 149 members of the vote in the lower house as mandated ments starting Sunday. 275-member House of Representatives, by the constitution, on May 20 Oli rec- Both sides presented their legal Oli had staked his claim with his par- ommended that the President call for briefs to the Constitutional Bench ty’s decision of the support of its 121 the formation of a new government on along with their arguments on Friday. lawmakers and the Janata Samajbadi the basis of Article 76 (5). The Office of the President, the Party’s support of its 32 lawmakers. Before the House dissolution, the Office of the Prime Minister and Former attorney general Mukti President had invalidated the claims Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Pradhan, who is also a senior advo- put forth by both Deuba and Oli say- Oli and the Speaker of the dissolved cate, claimed that Oli didn’t have the ing that they were “insufficient”. Soon House of Representatives Agni authority to dissolve the House. afterwards, the House was dissolved Sapkota are the defendants. “Only a prime minister appointed and midterm polls announced for While Oli in his written clarifica- as per Article 76 (5) can dissolve the November 13 and 20. tion on June 17 said that the appoint- House, after failing to get the trust “The bench [Constitutional Bench] ment of prime minister is a political vote,” he said. “However, Oli wasn’t should issue an order to appoint issue and not a matter for the court to POST PHOTO: NABIN PAUDEL the prime minister as per the Article.” Deuba as prime minister while also decide, the Speaker said that the disso- Several settlements near rivers and streams get inundated during the monsoon season every year. Oli on May 10 failed a vote of confi- reinstating the lower house,” said lution was unconstitutional. Opposition alliance builds pressure on Oli, but it too faces questions galore

>> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 to pull the rug from under the carpet him for his prime ministerial bid. But with the press, Nepal though was crit- cannot be ruled out. questions, as this is the party which What Deuba said resonates well of Oli, Deuba and Dahal fell out with President Bidya Devi Bhandari dis- ical of Oli, he did leave some room for Many have even asked what the alli- once propped up Oli and is now schem- among those who oppose Oli for his each other when the Maoist chair missed Deuba’s bid on May 21. rapprochement with Oli. “If Oli ance’s objective is–unseating Oli or ing his fall. series of actions that have been tram- decided to merge his party with Deuba is also now left with no alter- mends his ways and corrects his mis- saving democracy. “It’s true that we are confronted pling upon the federal system, democ- the UML. native than to keep the alliance intact, takes, we must also give him some On Thursday, Dahal made attempts with questions regarding the future of racy, constitutional principles and the In September 2015, days after the as other parties rallied behind him space… you see Deubaji,” said Nepal, to assuage such concerns, saying the the alliance, but I can certainly say rule of law. constitution promulgation Bhattarai when he went to the court to demand as he appeared to strike a conciliatory alliance is not just meant to unseat that this is not a short-term coopera- But there already are questions severed his ties with Dahal. Both led that the House be restored and he be note. Bhattarai was not present at the Oli. tion [among parties],” said Narayan galore. Many look askance at the alli- the “people’s war” together. appointed prime minister. More than interaction. Nor was Jhala Nath “It’s a fight to save democracy,” said Kaji Shrestha, spokesperson for the ance led by the former prime minis- Nepal and Khanal sided with Dahal Dahal, Bhattarai and Yadav, Deuba’s Khanal because he is currently in Dahal. “We too have made mistakes in Maoist Centre. “This alliance will ters who, according to critics, have in the then Nepal Communist Party immediate challenge is to ensure India for his treatment. the past, but we will move ahead by continue its fight until democracy already been tried and tested in the (NCP), formed in May 2018 after the that the Nepal-Khanal group remains At present, the Congress appears to correcting those.” and constitution are brought back past. Detractors also doubt if the alli- merger between the UML and the with him. be trying to maintain the alliance Analysts say the question is not just on track.” ance indeed is for the rule of law, con- Maoist Centre, after Oli drove them Despite making disparaging until the House is restored. about the alliance’s durability; the Shrestha admits the ideological dif- stitutionalism and the system or if into a corner. Nepal and Khanal remarks against Nepal and Khanal, A Congress leader ruled out any major issue is what its long-term ferences of the parties in the alliance. they have just banded together to are not considered adversaries per se, Oli has not shut the door for them pre-poll alliance among the parties. goal is when it comes to protecting “But everyone needs to understand unseat Oli to serve their personal but they come from the same party– completely. Nor has he fired them “There is no understanding or constitutionalism, bringing the sys- that at this point, we have a common and political interests. There are the UML. from the party. agreement among the parties to hold a tem back on track and upholding the goal–saving democracy and the consti- also questions about the alliance’s Ideologically also, these politicians The Oli camp is well aware of the pre-poll or post-poll alliance,” said rule of law. tution,” Shrestha told the Post. “It longevity. are poles apart. fact that the opposition alliance’s fate Bishwa Prakash Sharma, spokesper- “There is no doubt that these par- would be wrong to say that we have In a nutshell, this is an alliance Oli, however, has brought them depends on the Nepal-Khanal faction. son for the Nepali Congress. “This ties in the alliance are trying to come joined hands just to topple Oli. We formed out of compulsion, said together, and the alliance is now even A Standing Committee member of alliance will surely remain intact back to power. But is their return to have a broader framework.” Krishna Khanal, a professor of politi- considering continuing the associa- the UML, who is close to Oli, said that until the House is restored. But power a solution to the present cri- But analysts like Khanal and cal science at the Tribhuvan tion until elections next year, as the opposition parties have reached a ten- after that the situation might sis?” said Daman Nath Dhungana, a Dhungana are sceptical. According to University. opposition leaders appear confident tative agreement to forge a pre-elec- change. If Deuba becomes prime former House Speaker and prominent Khanal, instead of repeating democra- “Dahal is left with no option; he had the House would be restored and snap tion alliance so as to drive a wedge minister, Dahal and Nepal will civil society member who has been cy and constitution, the alliance must to find something to lean on to fight polls in November this year won’t hap- between Nepal and Oli. definitely have their own agendas to part of various movements for democ- be able to say explicitly what remedies against Oli,” Khanal told the Post. pen. “We have information that some deal with.” racy and rule of law. “The alliance it has to bring the country back from Madhav Nepal’s other leg is in the “But do you think the Nepali leaders within the alliance have divid- Analysts say those who face a polit- needs to find out why this constitution the edge of the abyss. UML, his mother party. The Janata Congress will continue this alliance ed 100 electoral constituencies for the ical crisis are Dahal and Nepal rather has become irrelevant within six “Most importantly, the Nepali Samajbadi Party is a divided house.” with other parties and go for elec- Congress and the rest 65 for the Maoist than Deuba. years of its adoption.” Congress should have been taking the According to Khanal, the Congress tions?” said Khanal. Centre, the Nepal faction, the Yadav An early poll is not something the Dhungana minced no words that lead in the alliance and it should set party can lead an agenda-driven move- Congress leaders themselves are group and Janamorcha Nepal led by Congress party is entirely averse to. the parties in the opposition alliance the agenda,” said Khanal. “But Dahal ment but its leadership is not ready. not sure for how long this alliance is. Chitra Bahadur KC,” the member told The Congress party did not whole- are equally responsible for bringing seems to be in the driving seat, which “We can assume some kind of coop- After failing to form a government the Post, requesting anonymity. “We heartedly oppose Oli’s December 20 the country to such a pass. is bizarre.” eration and collaboration among the under Article 76 (2) following Oli’s have also heard that Dahal has given House dissolution also. For the party, “They are trying to extricate the Dhungana finds yet another thing constituents of this alliance but for May 10 defeat in the confidence words to both Nepal and Yadav that which faced a drubbing, snap polls country from a situation but the coun- bizarre that the alliance is often reac- how long it will last is questionable,” motion, Deuba was under pressure. together they can form a new force of would be godsend. This time, Deuba is try is in such a situation also because tive, with no proactive approach to said Khanal. His bid failed because the Nepal- like-minded people.” vehemently opposed to Oli’s House of them,” Dhungana told the assert its commitment to saving For those following Nepali politics Khanal faction and the Mahantha A “socialist force” has been the con- dissolution because his prime minis- Post. “Oli is largely responsible for democracy and constitution. even for the last one decade, it is not Thakur-Rajendra Mahato group of the stant refrain of Dahal, Bhattarai and terial bid was blocked by the President, creating this mess, but should not the “Once Oli is unseated, Deuba might very difficult to figure out that all Janata Samajbadi Party refused to Yadav of late, though none has made it and has taken that as a personal Congress, the Maoist Centre and oth- take over. But is that the solution to all these former prime ministers–or poli- extend support. yet clear what exactly it would look affront, insiders in the party say. ers admit that they too have played the problems that the country is fac- ticians leading various parties–are When Oli prodded the President to like. Analysts say questions over the alli- complicit roles?” ing?” said Dhungana. “The alliance like chalk and cheese. All of them invoke Article 76 (5), Deuba managed “Of course we want to pre-empt any ance members’ commitment to democ- What can pose a major challenge to must be able to convince people have had their own fights against each to shore up support from the Nepal- possible political accident that may racy and rule of law are justified the parties in the alliance is their ide- that the change will be for the better, other in the past. Khanal faction too, as 26 of lawmakers befall our party,” said the member. because by and large their contribu- ological differences. And the Maoist not to start yet another game of shuf- Despite forming an alliance in 2016 provided their signatures backing On Thursday, at the interaction tions in destroying the system also Centre, in particular, is facing tough fling cards.”

C M Y K 03 | SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2021 NATIONAL BRIEFING 10,000 health workers being Embossed licence plate Four dengue cases reported in Myagdi district trained on paediatric care as compulsory for all vehicles from mid-July threat of third virus wave looms Transport operators call it a desperate attempt to collect Officials say children could be at risk if a third coronavirus wave strikes since children revenue in the time of Covid-19 pandemic. do not follow safety measures properly and have not been vaccinated yet.

ARJUN POUDEL could affect children more. Finance Ministry has endorsed the KATHMANDU, JUNE 25 “It is good that the government has proposal to protect children from the SHUTTERSTOCK decided to provide paediatric training potential third wave. MYAGDI: Four Covid-19 suspects in Amid speculations that the third wave to health workers and set up infra- According to the Health Ministry, Beni Hospital, Myagdi have been of the Covid-19 pandemic may affect structure,” Dr Sujit Shrestha, a con- 195 intensive care unit beds meant for found suffering from dengue, a mos- the children more, over 10,000 health sultant paediatrician, serving at Om children will be added in federal gov- quito-borne disease. Prakash Sharma, workers including consultant doctors, Hospital told the Post. ernment-run hospitals such as Kanti spokesperson of the hospital, said, medical officers, paramedics and In the first wave of the pandemic last Children’s Hospital, Sukraraj Tropical “Four dengue cases were reported at nurses will be provided with paediat- year, elderly people were more affected and Infectious Disease Hospital, Bir the hospital in the last two weeks. ric training to deal with the third and during the ongoing second wave Hospital, Patan Hospital and The patients had arrived at the hospi- wave of the pandemic. more youths have been infected. Bharatpur Hospital among others and tal with symptoms similar to that of Child health experts, however, said Officials at the Health Ministry say the rest of the beds will be added at Covid-19. Campaigns must be there is no proof or study report to children could be at risk if a third provincial and district hospitals. launched to destroy breeding grounds substantiate the claim that the third wave strikes as children do not follow “The Finance Ministry has for dengue-carrying mosquitoes in wave of the pandemic will affect chil- safety measures properly and have not approved a budget of Rs330 million for the community.” dren more, but said preparing for any been vaccinated yet. procuring the intensive care unit such eventualities is good. “Moreover, more children in South beds,” said Giri. “We are preparing to impart train- Asia are malnourished and assump- The Health Ministry has also Narayani Hospital to have ing to over 10,000 health workers tions might have been made that if assured funds to the hospitals for pro- separate Covid-19 hospital including doctors and paramedics they get infected with the coronavirus curing intensive care unit and high PARSA: A 66-bed Covid-19-dedicated from next week,” Dr Prakash they could suffer more,”Dr Ram Hari dependency unit beds. hospital is going to be established at Budhathoki, senior consultant at Chaulagain, treasurer of the Nepal Dr Guna Raj Lohani, chief of policy, the Birgunj-based Narayani Hospital. Curative Service Division of the Paediatric Society, told the Post. “ But planning and monitoring division at Dr Birendra Pradhan, medical super- Department of Health Services told there is no scientific evidence that the Health Ministry said that the min- intendent of the hospital, said, “The the Post. “The World Health children will suffer more in the third istry has instructed government-run federal government has allocated Organisation Nepal will provide tech- wave of infection. Children will defi- hospitals to make necessary prepara- Rs30 million for setting up a Covid-19- nical support to the government to nitely suffer but around the same pro- tions to add intensive care unit and POST FILE PHOTO dedicated hospital. We have also impart the training.” portion as other age groups.” high dependency unit beds for chil- Embossed number plates were first introduced in 2017. started the tender process to con- The training will be imparted virtual- In Nepal’s case, the number of chil- dren with finding assurance. struct the hospital. The hospital will ly for 10 days to the health workers serv- dren affected during the second wave “The beds will be added in the pedi- ANUP OJHA ation. “One can make a hand-painted be built soon.” ing in both state-run and private health was more compared to the first wave. atric wards of the hospitals,” he said. KATHMANDU, JUNE 25 number plate by paying Rs 100 but facilities. It will include basic training to But the rise in infections among chil- “We have asked them to ready the beds they charge a huge amount for the manage infected children. Health work- dren was attributed to the government’s by mid-July.” The Department of Transport new number plates. How can we pay Province 2 reports poor ers can participate in the training from reluctance to close schools on time. Krishna Prasad Paudel, spokesper- Management has announced that such sums when we have been forced their respective health facilities. Last year, the entire country went son at the Health Ministry told the embossed number plates will be made to keep our vehicles off the road for a capital spending “Health workers will be provided into a lockdown quite early–from Post last week that besides the fact mandatory for all vehicles starting long time now,” argued Karmacharya. JANAKPUR: In the 11 months of the training on the use of paediatric March 24 when there was just one that children are more vulnerable to July 16. For an embossed number plate, the current fiscal year 2020-21, the health equipment and medicines active case. The lockdown continued Covid-19 infection as they are not vac- While new vehicles imported from department charges two wheelers Province 2 government has spent just among other things,” said Budhathoki. until July 21. But schools did not open cinated, the country lacks enough July 16 will be issued only embossed Rs2,500; three-wheelers (tempos) 29.23 percent of the funds allocated Even though new coronavirus cases immediately, as the number of cases health facilities dedicated to children. number plates , existing vehicles will Rs2,900; light four-wheelers including for capital expenditure. According to have receded in recent days, a group had crossed the 17,000 mark despite the “So far, most of the Covid-19 related be required to install the new number car, jeep, van and tractor Rs3,200; and the Provincial Treasury Controller of experts in India have said a third lockdown. After the infections peaked to health facilities have been prepared plates before applying for renewal of heavy vehicles Rs3,600. Office in Janakpur, only Rs5.68 bil- wave is imminent. in October, the country, however, start- by targeting the adult population,” their registrations. This means the There are around 300 transport lion of the total Rs19.45 billion allo- According to Budhathoki, secretary ed to witness a dramatic decline in the said Paudel, who is also director at the existing vehicles can wait until their organisations under the federation cated for the year has been spent by at the Ministry of Health Laxman number of new daily cases. Epidemiology and Disease Control respective vehicle registration across the country. The federation mid-June. The office estimates that Aryal called officials at the Curative Meanwhile, the government has Division. “So, besides arranging beds, renewal dates. oversees the operation of around another 10 percent of the funds will Service Division and directed them to approved a proposal to add 260 intensive efforts have been made to procure med- Transport entrepreneurs have 400,000 public vehicles. Karmacharya be spent in the last month of the fis- make preparations for the training. care unit beds at central, provincial and ical equipment, which are compatible criticised the decision as a desperate even wondered how can the depart- cal year. The total spending, includ- Earlier, on June 5, the Health district hospitals across the country for children, such as ventilators and attempt of the government to raise ment issue embossed number plates ing both capital and recurrent Ministry had issued a circular direct- targeting children aged below 18 years. equipment that help deliver oxygen.” revenue at a time when the entire when the names of Province 1 and expenditures, in the 11 months is just ing all hospitals across the country to According to Phanindra Giri, an country is reeling under the Covid-19 Province 2 are still undecided. Until 31.47 percent of the allocation, said reserve 20 percent of their beds for official at the information technology (Prithvi Man Shrestha pandemic. now the government has finalized the the office. children, saying that a third wave section of the Health Ministry, the contributed reporting.) “After several rounds of discus- names of five provinces only— sions, we had decided to implement Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali the embossed number plates system and Sudurpaschim. from January but that could not hap- “We also oppose the use of English pen due to the Covid-19 pandemic. alphabets on the embossed number From next month it will be made com- plate. They should use the Devanagari pulsory for all types of vehicles,” said script,” said Karmacharya. Namaraj Ghimire, director general at In late 2017, the government had the department. begun the process to distribute He said around 1,900 vehicles embossed number plates to vehicles including government vehicles on the basis of provincial structure already have embossed number plates. against the existing zonal format. Government agencies own an estimat- Later, in February in 2018, the ed 40,000 vehicles. “Within two and a Supreme Court issued an interim half years we will install embossed order to stop issuing embossed num- number plates on all 2.5 million vehi- ber plates. A single bench of Chief cles in the country,” said Ghimire. Justice Gopal Prasad Parajuli had An embossed number plate is cam- issued an interim order in response to era-readable and contains a micro- a petition filed by environmentalist chip, which is connected to the vehi- Bharat Basnet. In the petition, Basnet cle’s GPS system so that the vehicle had demanded that Devanagari font can be located in the event of theft or be used on the number plates. He had accident. It also helps prevent number also stated that the chip on the num- plate duplication. ber plates could be used for spying and However, the Federation of Nepalese breaching national security. National Transport Entrepreneurs But on December 23, 2019, the has criticised the government’s new Supreme Court vacated its stay order decision as impractical and accused paving the way for the resumption of the government of trying to collect embossed number plates distribution. revenue from vehicle operators who “Two years ago the court already are already facing huge losses due to paved the way for implementing the the pandemic-induced restrictions. embossed number system, so we will “The government has not notified start enforcing it from mid-July,” said us of its new decision. The govern- Director General, Ghimire. ment is only interested in collecting “Some people may protest but this POST PHOTO: BEEJU MAHARJAN revenue,” said Yogendra is the most scientific way to regulate Vehicles seen on the Swayambhu section of Ring Road on Friday. Vehicular traffic in Kathmandu Valley has increased with the relaxation of prohibitory orders. Karmacharya, chairman of the feder- vehicles,” he added. Construction workers step up demand for social security As per labour rights groups’ estimates, there are nearly 2.5 million construction workers in the country working in unsafe conditions and without social security.

CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL forest-based enterprises. at, which manages the fund and is as well as contract-based temporary KATHMANDU, JUNE 25 “Nearly 85 percent of the country’s responsible for the implementation of workers at government offices can total workforce is employed in the the scheme, said that the government register with the scheme.” Informal sector workers have demanded informal sector, but this sector has has already started internal prepara- In February, the government also their enrolment into the Contribution- been left out of the social security tions on how the informal sector and made massive changes to the Social based Social Security Scheme, which has scheme. The government must work self-employed population can be Security Scheme Operating been only providing coverage to employ- to include the sector in the scheme, brought under the scheme. Procedures, 2018 to widen the scope of ees from the formal private sector. which will provide them financial “The Contribution-based Social coverage for beneficiaries making it Informal sector workers, mainly con- security during difficult times,” said Security Scheme has envisaged that easier to access the benefits available struction workers, have demanded that Luitel. the entire labour sector, be it informal under the scheme. the government make arrangements for Under the social security scheme, or formal or government or private, As of Wednesday, 14,544 employers registering them into the social security an amount equivalent to 31 percent of will be brought under the scheme in a and 249,277 employees from the formal scheme so that they can also access var- the worker’s basic salary—11 percent phase-wise manner. For now, the private sector have registered with the ious benefits under the scheme for for- deducted from the worker’s monthly scheme has been made mandatory for social security scheme which requires mal private sector employees. salary and 20 percent contributed by the formal private-sector workers,” monthly contributions from both “Construction workers are the first the employer—must be deposited to Bibek Panthee, a spokesperson with employers and employees. group of workers who have been the social security fund every month. the Social Security Fund Secretariat, According to Luitel, tens of thou- demanding social security cover for For their monthly contribution, told the Post. “Last two budgets have sands of construction workers will several years. These are the most vul- workers are offered financial security also talked about bringing the infor- enrol in the scheme if the government nerable group of workers,” Naranath under four categories—medical treat- mal sector and self-employed groups makes required arrangements. Luitel, president of the Central Union ment, health protection, and materni- POST FILE PHOTO under the scheme.” “Construction sector workers are of Painters, Plumbers, Electro and ty plan; accidents and disability plan; Labour rights activists have long been demanding that the social security scheme should According to Panthee, a committee among the most vulnerable people, Construction Workers-Nepal, told the dependent family plan; and old-age also include the informal sector and self-employed workers. has been formed and it is already who work in unsafe working environ- Post. “Now that the government has security plan. working out plans and guidelines for ments. Every day, there are workplace implemented the scheme by introducing Labour rights activists have long been “Then, the government should construction sector in the country. including informal sector workers and accidents happening which leave legislation and included only the formal demanding that the social security declare a package for informal sector “There are discrepancies in the self-employed groups in the scheme. them with serious injuries and diseas- private sector workers, we want inclusion scheme, which is in its third year of imple- workers in the annual budget, number of construction sector work- “The committee headed by a joint es,” said Luitel, the president of the of the construction workers as well.” mentation, should also include the infor- announcing that the 20 percent ers in the country. Therefore, system- secretary of the Law Ministry has construction workers group. “If they According to Luitel, nearly 2.5 mil- mal sector and self-employed workers. amount, which is being paid by employ- atic registration of such workers been consulting other stakeholders in are registered under the scheme, they lion workers are employed in the con- “First of all, the government should ers, will be borne by the government.” should be started at the local level, this regard. Draft guidelines have can get medical treatment and pen- struction industry. They include peo- announce that the informal sector, Construction worker groups have also which is not a difficult thing,” said been shared among other stakehold- sions among other benefits. The gov- ple employed in private housing, roads which is the largest employer in demanded that the government should Luitel. “Besides, the workers should ers for their feedback,” said Panthee. ernment should create a situation for and other infrastructure development Nepal, will also be enrolled under the also collect and maintain data on the be provided social security cards.” “From the next fiscal year, informal attracting them by making necessary projects, brick kilns, crusher plants and scheme,” said Luitel. total number of workers employed in the The Social Security Fund secretari- sector workers, self-employed groups policy changes.

C M Y K SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2021 | 04 WORLD BRIEFING Third wave hits Africa as vaccination slows Myanmar India’s IT minister slams The Delta variant, first detected in India, has so far been reported in 14 African countries, according to the WHO. security forces Twitter for denying access NEW DELHI: India’s technology minis- AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE seize arms cache ter slammed Twitter on Friday for JOHANNESBURG, JUNE 25 denying access to his account for almost an hour amid growing ten- Africa is facing a vicious coronavirus near Mandalay, sions between the US company and resurgence, with unprecedented hos- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pital admissions and fatalities push- administration over compliance with ing health facilities to the brink as the state media says new IT rules. Ravi Shankar Prasad continent falls far behind in the global said in a thread on Koo, a home- vaccination drive. REUTERS grown rival to Twitter, that the com- With just under 5.3 million reported MANDALAY, JUNE 25 pany had denied access on the cases and around 139,000 deaths grounds he had violated the US among its nearly 1.3 billion people, Myanmar security forces seized a Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Africa is still the world’s least-affected large cache of weapons on a truck subsequently restoring access. Prasad continent after Oceania, according to bound for Mandalay this week, after said Twitter had violated India’s new an AFP tally. arresting insurgents following a fire- IT rules, which became effective in So far African nations have been fight in the country’s second-biggest May and mandate that an intermedi- spared disasters comparable to Brazil city, state media reported on Friday. ary or a host of user content must or India. Since seizing power from the elect- inform a user of the grounds for But the pandemic is resurging at an ed government of Aung San Suu Kyi its action. alarming rate in at least 12 countries, on February 1, the military junta has with continental cases expected to hit sought to stamp out dissent and killed a record peak in around three weeks. or arrested hundreds of protesters. Respect LGBT rights or leave “The third wave is picking up speed, Opponents of the coup have EU, Hungary’s Orban told spreading faster, hitting harder,” responded by forming militias though BRUSSELS: Respect LGBT rights or World Health Organization Africa they have generally been lightly leave the European Union, Dutch director Matshidiso Moeti warned armed with attacks focused in rural Prime Minister Mark Rutte told his Thursday. “The latest surge threatens areas or smaller cities. Hungarian counterpart as the bloc’s to be Africa’s worst yet”. The state-run Global New Light of leaders confronted Viktor Orban over Africa Centres for Disease Control Myanmar newspaper carried a a law that bans schools from using and Prevention (Africa CDC) director photograph of four arrested people in materials seen as promoting homo- John Nkengasong on Thursday front of a weapons cache. It reported sexuality. Several participants spoke described the third wave as “extreme- security forces had seized more than of the most intense personal clash ly brutal” and “very devastating”. 100 firearms, 10,000 bullets, 499 gre- among the 27 EU leaders in years on And Liberia’s President George AFP nades, along with bombs and detona- Thursday night. “It was really force- Weah has warned the wave is “far Less than one percent of the continent’s population is fully vaccinated, according to the WHO. tors. ful, a deep feeling that this could not more alarming than a year ago” as The report said arrested members be. It was about our values; this is hospitals overflow in his country. reported an “unprecedented” number September. of almost 100,000 Chinese-made vac- of the People’s Defence Force (PDF), what we stand for,” Rutte told report- Compounding Africa’s third wave of Covid-19 deaths piling pressure on “We are running a race behind time, cines expiring in July. the armed wing of the National Unity ers on Friday. “I said ‘Stop this, you are immunisation hitches, the spread mortuaries while Africa CDC said the the pandemic is ahead of us. We are A surge in coronavirus cases in Government opposed to military rule, must withdraw the law and, if you of more transmissible virus variants country was “overwhelmed”. not winning in Africa this battle India, the world’s main AstraZeneca had confessed to receiving training don’t like that and really say that the and winter temperatures in the With similar trends in Uganda, against the virus,” said Africa CDC’s supplier, has delayed Covax deliveries and obtaining the arms from the European values are not your values, Southern Hemisphere. Health Minister Jane Ruth Acheng Nkengasong. to Africa. Kachin Independence Army (KIA), then you must think about whether to The Delta variant, first detected in blamed highly infectious variants for “It’s frightening what is going on on Malawi exhausted its stocks last one of a string of ethnic armed groups remain in the European Union’.” India, has so far been reported in 14 the new spread, “different from the the continent,” he added. week, just as thousands were due for fighting the army in border areas. African countries, making up the bulk second wave” with a large number of A recent pledge by Western leaders their second shot. The newspaper said the arrests of new cases in the Democratic young people hospitalised. to donate one billion vaccine doses to And hundreds of frustrated were made after a clash with the Fire at China martial arts Republic of Congo and Uganda, Uganda is one of the countries fac- poorer countries has been widely crit- Zimbabweans protested last month newly formed Mandalay PDF on according to the WHO. ing reported oxygen shortages, icised for being too slow. after Harare’s main vaccination cen- Tuesday in which it said eight militia school kills 18, mainly children Doctors in South Africa, which although Acheng denied civil society Cases are “outpacing vaccinations”, tre ran out of jabs. members were killed and eight BEIJING: At least 18 people died and 16 accounts for more than 35 percent of groups’ claim that the shortfall Moeti said. “Africa urgently needs a South Africa says it has secured detained. were injured in a fire at a martial all cases recorded on the continent, amounts to 24.5 million litres per day. million more vaccines. We need a enough Johnson & Johnson and Spokespersons for the Mandalay arts school in central China in the are struggling with an unprecedented Governments are again tightening sprint”. Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines to immu- PDF and the KIA did not answer calls early hours of Friday. Local media influx of patients. restrictions, including a new nation- Several countries have failed to nise 67 percent of its 59 million inhab- seeking comment. reported that most of the victims Unlike past waves, this time “the wide lockdown in Uganda and a tough- administer jabs from the UN-backed itants. The Manadalay PDF was quoted by were boarding pupils aged between hospital system is not coping,” said er curfew in 13 Kenyan counties. Covax scheme before their use-by date But the rollout has been hit by set- the Khit Thit news portal on Thursday seven and 16. The fire had been extin- doctors’ association chief Angelique At the same time the pace of vacci- because of logistical failures and vac- backs and only 2.2 million people— as denying that one of its members guished and authorities were investi- Coetzee. nations is struggling to get off the cine hesitancy. healthcare workers and over 60s— Tun Tauk Naing, named in the state gating the cause of the blaze, the South Africa’s average new daily ground. Malawi destroyed almost 20,000 have received a jab so far. media report, had been arrested. statement from Zhecheng county gov- infections have increased 15-fold since According to the WHO, about one expired AstraZeneca doses in May, “The lack of vaccines in a region The United Nations Office for the ernment said. There were 34 boarding early April, with hospital admissions percent of the continent’s population while the DRC and South Sudan have with high levels of poverty and ine- Coordination of Humanitarian students on the premises when the rising around 60 percent. is fully vaccinated—the lowest ratio returned more than two million shots quality means many people feel they Affairs (OCHA) on Thursday fire broke out, according to local gov- Namibia and Zambia are also see- globally—and 90 percent of African to the UN to avoid a similar scenario. are just waiting to die,” said Amnesty estimated 230,000 people have ernment staff quoted by Beijing ing steep infection curves. nations will miss a target to inoculate Authorities in Congo-Brazzaville International’s regional director been displaced by fighting in Myanmar Toutiao News. (AGENCIES) Zambia’s health ministry has a tenth of their populations by are concerned over the slow take-up Deprose Muchena. and need assistance. China dismisses concern for Hong US to keep about 650 troops in Kong freedom after tabloid closure Afghanistan after withdrawal

ASSOCIATED PRESS fears that the Afghan government and Biden at the White House. The two REUTERS WASHINGTON, JUNE 25 its military could collapse in a matter Afghan leaders also are to meet at the HONG KONG, JUNE 25 of months. Pentagon with Defence Secretary Roughly 650 US troops are expected to Officials have repeatedly stressed Lloyd Austin and possibly other China’s foreign ministry on Friday remain in Afghanistan to provide that security at the Hamid Karzai administration officials, the Pentagon rejected comments by US President security for diplomats after the main International Airport in Kabul is a announced. Joe Biden that the closure of Hong American military force completes its critical requirement to keeping any Getting most troops out by early Kong’s Apple Daily newspaper sig- withdrawal, which is set to be largely US diplomatic staff in Afghanistan. July had been in doubt because of nalled intensifying repression by done in the next two weeks, US offi- Still, the decision to keep additional complications including an outbreak Beijing in the semi-autonomous city. cials told the Associated Press. troops there for several more months of COVID-19 at the US Embassy and Also on Friday, China approved the In addition, several hundred addi- makes it more complicated for the the push to get Afghan interpreters promotions of two officials in a move tional American forces will remain at Biden administration to declare a true and others who helped the US out of that critics said would further tighten the Kabul airport, potentially until end to America’s longest war until the country. Officials said US com- Beijing’s grip. September, to assist Turkish troops later this fall. And it keeps the embat- manders and NATO allies in Hong Kong’s security secretary providing security, as a temporary tled country near the forefront of US Afghanistan have been able to over- John Lee was appointed chief secre- move until a more formal Turkey-led national security challenges, even as come logistical hurdles that might tary—the first time a security special- security operation is in place, the offi- the White House tries to put the have prolonged the withdrawal pro- ist has taken the number two position cials said Thursday. Overall, officials 20-year-old war behind it and focus cess. But they also warned that plans in the territory since its handover said the US expects to have American more on threats from China and in place for the final stages of the US from British to Chinese rule in 1997. and coalition military command, its Russia. military withdrawal could change if Biden said on Thursday that Apple leadership and most troops out by In a statement on Thursday night, airport security agreements fall Daily’s demise was a “sad day for July Fourth, or shortly after that, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby through or there are other major, media freedom”. Other foreign offi- meeting an aspirational deadline that said that as Biden has ordered, the US unforeseen developments. cials also expressed concern that it REUTERS commanders developed months ago. will complete the withdrawal by early As recently as last week, there was represented a further stifling of free- People queue to buy copies of the final edition of Apple Daily in Hong Kong. The officials were not authorized to September. “Nothing has changed discussion of possibly extending the doms in Hong Kong, a trade gateway discuss details of the withdrawal and about that goal.” Kirby said. “The sit- US troop presence at Bagram Airfield, and international financial centre. Beijing is denying basic liberties and including colluding with a foreign spoke to the AP on condition of ano- uation is dynamic, and we review our north of Kabul, but officials said the Apple Daily had been a thorn in assaulting Hong Kong’s autonomy and country and is already serving nymity. progress daily. Speculation by US presence at the base is expected to Beijing’s side, mixing pro-democracy democratic institutions,” he said. several sentences for taking part in The departure of the bulk of the unnamed sources about potential end in the next several days. discourse with celebrity gossip and Apple Daily had been “a much-needed unauthorized rallies. more than 4,000 troops that have been changes to that timeline should not be The roughly 650 US troops that are investigations of those in power. It bastion of independent journalism in British foreign minister Dominic in the country in recent months is construed as predictive.” planned to be a more permanent force was forced to end a 26-year run after Hong Kong,” Biden said in a statement. Raab called on China to respect unfolding well before President Joe On Friday, Afghan President Ashraf presence in Afghanistan will provide authorities froze the company’s funds. “Through arrests, threats, and forc- its commitments to free media under Biden’s Sept. 11 deadline for with- Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, chair security for the US Embassy and some Its closure follows the imposition of ing through a National Security Law an agreement with Britain over drawal. And it comes amid accelerat- of the High Council for National ongoing support at the airport. a national security law last year in that penalizes free speech, Beijing has how Hong Kong would be ruled ing Taliban battlefield gains, fuelling Reconciliation, are meeting with Officials said the US has agreed to response to huge pro-democracy pro- insisted on wielding its power to sup- after 1997. leave a C-RAM — or Counter-Rocket, tests in 2019. press independent media and silence In anticipation of big demand for its Artillery, Mortar system — at the air- Hundreds of loyal readers lined up dissenting views,” he said, vowing final print run, the Apple Daily print- port, as well as troops to operate it, as at newsstands across the city to buy continued US support for the people ed one million copies, or more than 10 part of an agreement with Turkey. last editions. of Hong Kong. times its usual. The US also plans to leave aircrew for “I hope reporters can stay true to China’s foreign ministry spokes- “(After) today, there is no press free- helicopter support at the airport. their faith and keep working hard,” man Zhao Lijian dismissed the criti- dom in Hong Kong,” said Dickson Ng, According to the officials, Turkey said Tse, 60, a former medical worker, cism at a news conference in Beijing 51, a designer at the paper. “I feel very has largely agreed to provide security as she queued for a paper. on Friday. disappointed and angry.” at the airport as long as it receives Biden called on Beijing to stop tar- “The US leader’s position is factual- Last week, 500 officers raided the news- support from American forces. US and geting the independent press and to ly baseless,” Zhao said. paper’s headquarters, sifting through Turkish military officials are meeting release detained journalists and Officials in Hong Kong and China reporters’ notes and other material. in Ankara this week to finalize media executives. have repeatedly said media freedoms Five executives were arrested, and arrangements. “People in Hong Kong have the right are respected but not absolute, and two—chief editor Ryan Law and On Wednesday, Army Gen Mark to freedom of the press. Instead, cannot endanger national security. Cheung Kim-hung—were charged with Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs shutdown deals the most serious conspiracy to commit collusion with a of Staff, said there is not yet a blow yet to Hong Kong’s media free- foreign country and denied bail. On written agreement with Turks doms and could potentially destroy Wednesday, a columnist for the paper on airport security. He said he did not the city’s reputation as a media hub, was arrested under the security law. want to speak about specifics before advocacy groups say. In the reshuffle, Police Chief Chris there is a final agreement, but added, UN human rights chief Michelle Tang took over John Lee’s position as “I feel very comfortable that security Bachelet on Thursday criticised the security secretary following Lee’s pro- at the Kabul airport will be main- detention of Apple Daily owner motion to chief secretary. tained and the Turks will be a part of Jimmy Lai. Known for his hawkish stance, Lee that.” Speaking to the 2021 Society of had spearheaded the city’s discipli- The US troop departure, which Publishers in Asia press awards nary forces, including the police, in began with Biden’s announcement in ceremony held in Hong Kong, Bachelet the crackdown that has seen mass April that he was ending US military said the security law was leading jour- arrests of democratic activists and involvement in Afghanistan, is ramp- nalists to self-censor to avoid clashing politicians. ing up just as the administration with “vaguely formulated offences”. “The promotion of John Lee and moves ahead with plans to evacuate Lai has been in jail since December Chris Tang completes the swift and tens of thousands of interpreters and over unauthorised rallies during the total transformation of Hong Kong AP/RSS others who worked with American pro-democracy protests. He is facing into a police state,” said Samuel Chu Afghan militiamen join Afghan defence and security forces during a gathering in Kabul, forces during the war and now fear for three national security charges, of the Hong Kong Democracy Council. Afghanistan on June 23. their safety.

C M Y K 05 | SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2021 MONEY Milk worth Rs118 million wasted due Facebook rejects talks to supply disruptions, farmers say with Australia publisher, Lockdown forces farmers and cooperatives to dump milk as ghee and milk powder could soon expire for lack of buyers. may test online law RAMESH KUMAR PAUDEL According to Sapkota, he has stored CHITWAN, JUNE 25 15 tonnes of ghee—5 tonnes at a stor- REUTERS planning a separate initiative “to sup- age facility in Kathmandu and 10 SYDNEY, JUNE 25 port regional, rural and digital Disruptions in the supply chain tonnes at the cooperative. “I am wor- Australian newsrooms and public-in- caused by the second wave of the coro- ried because it is not easy to sell it.” Australia’s competition watchdog is terest journalism in the coming navirus have resulted in thousands of The association claimed that pri- looking into a claim that Facebook Inc months”, without giving details. tonnes of fresh milk valued at Rs118 vate dairies were charging their cus- refused a publisher’s request to nego- “If Google’s done a deal with them, million being wasted in just one and a tomers high prices but paying the tiate a licensing deal, the regulator I can’t see how Facebook should argue half months, dairy farmers in farmers little while their milk went to told Reuters, setting the stage for the that they shouldn’t,” Rod Sims, the Chitwan said on Friday. waste. first test of the world’s toughest online chair of the Australian Competition Schools, restaurants, hotels and “The price of animal fodder has content law. and Consumer Commission (ACCC), universities were ordered closed to increased. The price offered by the The Conversation, which publishes said in an interview. prevent the virus from spreading, and Dairy Development Corporation is current affairs commentary by aca- “The question of designation might this wiped out much of the food ser- also low, but private dairies were col- demics, said it asked Facebook to need to come into play,” he noted, vice market that makes up a big chunk lecting milk from farmers at Rs40 per begin talks as required under new using the term for assigning an of the dairy business. litre taking advantage of the pandem- Australian legislation that requires arbitrator. Farmers and cooperatives have ic,” said Bagale. the social media firm and Alphabet Under the law, the decision to desig- been forced to dump milk and “Even the cooperatives were forced Inc’s Google to negotiate content-sup- nate a Big Tech firm for intervention even finished milk products such as to sell their milk cheaply to private ply deals with media outlets. was made by the treasurer, which is ghee and milk powder as there are dairies.” He said that private dairies Facebook declined without giving a advised by the ACCC, noted Sims, but no buyers. had cheated both consumers and reason, The Conversation said, even “an absolute ‘no’ for an organisation Trucking companies have been farmers. “The government should though the publisher was among the that should be getting a deal is some- scrambling to find drivers to trans- look into this issue.” first in Australia to secure a similar thing we’ll look into.” port dairy products to market as few During the first lockdown last year, deal with Google in the lead-up to the The Conversation was “exactly want to go back to work and risk the Nepal Dairy Association, the apex law in 2020. what we had in mind with the Code”, catching the virus. Sales to major POST PHOTO: RAMESH KUMAR PAUDEL body of dairy producers in Nepal, The knockback could present the he said, although the situation had dairies in urban markets have dried A cooperative collects milk from farmers in Chitwan. estimated that the four-month-long first test of a controversial mecha- some way to play out before any fur- up as the food service sector has large- stay-home order resulted in losses nism unique to Australia’s effort to ther action would be taken. ly shut down. eratives were fully open during the try to stay open, vehicles transporting totalling Rs20 billion to the dairy claw back advertising dollars from Governments around the world are “Altogether, 2,090 tonnes of milk lockdown period,” he said, adding that milk were permitted to pass, and industry. Google and Facebook: if they refuse to introducing laws to make the tech have gone wasted since April 29 when dairy cooperatives were open for 15 dairy shops were allowed to operate The dairy sector accounts for 9 per- negotiate licence fees with publishers, giants compensate media companies Chitwan enforced prohibitory orders,” days on average. “As the cooperatives for limited hours, but there simply cent of the agricultural gross domes- a government-appointed arbitrator for the links that drive readers—and said Kishore Bagale, secretary of the refused to accept the milk produced by was no demand. A few cooperatives tic product. There are 500,000 farmers may step in. advertising revenue—to their plat- Chitwan Milk Producers Cooperative the farmers, we had to write off inven- collected milk from the farmers to engaged in the sector, and it provides In a statement responding to forms. But Australia is the only coun- Association. tory worth millions.” make butter and ghee. But that too jobs to 30,000 people directly, accord- Reuters questions, Facebook’s head of try where the government may set the The value of the loss has been The dairy business was hit harder remained unsold. ing to the association. news partnerships for Australia, fees if negotiations fail, a factor that calculated on the basis of the mini- and earlier than other farm sectors Sapkota, who owns Ganganagar The association said that the coun- Andrew Hunter, said the company drove Facebook to block newsfeeds in mum price of Rs53 per litre which because milk is highly perishable as it Milk Cooperative, said he collected try’s dairy farmers produce 6.2 mil- was “focused on concluding commer- the country just before it was passed. state-owned Dairy Development can’t be frozen, like meat, or stored in milk from the farmers and produced lion litres of milk daily during normal cial deals with a range of Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who Corporation pays to farmers, he said. warehouses like grain. 9,000 bags of milk powder. Each bag times. More than 3 million litres publishers”. earlier this year negotiated with There are 110 cooperatives associated Krishna Prasad Sapkota, vice-presi- contains 25 kg of milk powder. The used to be shipped to market and the Hunter did not answer specific Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg with the association in Chitwan. dent of the association, said the gov- expiry date of the product ranges farmers would keep the rest for their questions concerning The over the laws, was not immediately “As per our records, only two coop- ernment had allowed the dairy indus- from eight to 18 months. own use. Conversation, but said Facebook was available for comment.

FOREX UK to publish plans to lift India’s digital database for farmers US Dollar 119.03

Euro 142.15 Pound Sterling 165.50 travel curbs for vaccinated stirs fears about privacy, exclusion Japanese Yen 10.75 REUTERS Chinese Yuan 18.45 LONDON, JUNE 25 The government is Qatari Riyal 32.69 Britain will next month publish plans under pressure to Australian Dollar 90.34 to allow fully vaccinated people to travel unrestricted to all countries ease restrictions Malaysian Ringit 28.64 except those with the highest Covid-19 risk, in a boost for a travel industry ahead of the peak Saudi Arab Riyal 31.74 wrecked by the pandemic. Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank Airlines welcomed the move and holiday season. they were further cheered by news late on Thursday that Britain will add PRICE PER TOLA BULLION Malta, Spain’s Balearic Islands and other workers from the travel indus- the Portuguese island of Madeira to try held protests on Wednesday, call- Fine Gold Rs 90,500 its “green list” for safe travel spots ing on the government to open up from June 30. more routes, while BA, easyJet and Silver Rs 1,300 “Thanks to our successful vaccina- TUI backed a court case questioning tion programme, our intention is that the government’s travel rules. SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA later in the summer UK residents who Britain has one of the fastest vacci- are fully vaccinated will not have to nation programmes in the world but isolate when travelling from amber so far the government has effectively REUTERS GASOLINE WATCH list countries,” Transport Minister prevented travel to most countries A file photo shows farmers harvesting paddy crops on the outskirts of Srinagar, India. Grant Shapps said. through quarantine and testing “We’ll set out further details next rules, prompting the industry to warn REUTERS platform for farmers to provide them About two-thirds of India’s 1.3 bil- month,” he tweeted. of multiple business failures and MUMBAI, JUNE 25 end to end services across the agricul- lion population relies on farming for a “The Department for Transport job losses. ture food value chain,” authorities living, but a majority are small and declined to say if the easing of restric- “We celebrate that the government’s A plan by India to build digital data- have said, amid a broader push to dig- marginal farmers with limited access tions for fully vaccinated travellers work has borne fruit and Britain has bases of farmers to boost their itise data in India, from land titles to to advanced technologies or formal would take place in a matter of weeks valued the Balearics’ excellent health incomes has raised concerns about medical records. credit that can help improve output or months. situation to open it as a safe destina- privacy and the exclusion of poor But the project is being rolled out and fetch better prices. “We cannot afford another missed tion for its citizens,” Spanish Tourism farmers and those without land titles. without consultations with farmers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, summer,” said British Airways chair- Minister Reyes Maroto tweeted. Tech firm Microsoft will run a pilot and with no legal framework to pro- who has vowed to double farmers’ man and chief executive officer Sean Eritrea, Haiti, Dominican Republic, for the agriculture ministry’s tect their personal data, according to incomes by 2022-23, last September Doyle in a statement. “There are jobs Mongolia, Tunisia and Uganda AgriStack in 100 villages in six Indian more than 50 farmers’ groups and passed three new laws that seek to at stake, Britons separated from will be added to Britain’s red list for states to “develop [a] farmer interface digital rights organisations that have deregulate and modernise agricul- family members and we cannot afford the most severe travel restrictions, for smart and well-organised agricul- criticised the proposal. ture. Farmer groups have opposed the to allow the success of our vaccine Shapps said. ture” aimed at improving efficiency “These developments ... seem to be laws, saying they will only programme to be wasted.” Israel will be added to the green and reducing waste. taking place in a policy vacuum with benefit large private buyers at their EasyJet said the reopening fell watchlist—meaning it could be Each farmer will have a unique dig- respect to the data privacy of farm- expense. short of a safe and sustainable easing downgraded to an amber list country ital identification that contains per- ers,” they said in a statement. “Such Digital farming technologies and of restrictions promised by Britain’s that means travellers must isolate sonal details, information about the an approach may fail to solve structur- services, including sensors to monitor government. The government has on return. land they farm, as well as production al issues and instead gives rise to new cattle, drones to analyse soil and apply come under increasing pressure to Any wider reopening of travel from and financial details. Each ID will be problems.” pesticide, can improve yields and sig- ease restrictions as the peak July and the UK faces a new challenge as linked to the individual’s digital A spokesman for the agriculture nificantly boost farmers’ incomes, August holiday season approaches. European destinations could start to national ID Aadhaar. ministry did not respond to a request according to a study by consulting Pilots, cabin crew, travel agents and restrict entry. AgriStack will create “a unified for comment. firm Accenture. UNESCO watching as Venice grapples with over-tourism

ASSOCIATED PRESS world heritage site. Citing overtour- pers, boosting permanent residents, sustainability capital,” and hopes to Venice in 10 years will be a desert, plans to introduce a day-tripper tax VENICE, JUNE 25 ism, UNESCO took the rare step this encouraging startups, limiting the tap some of the 222 million euros ($265 where you turn the lights on in the last year on visitors who sleep else- week of recommending Venice be stock of private apartment rentals million) in EU recovery funds to morning, and turn them off in the where—80 percent of the total tourist Away from the once-maddening placed on its list of World Heritage in and gaining control over commercial help hard-hit Italy relaunch from the evening,’’ said Nicola Pianon, a Venice footfall. crowds of St Mark’s Square, tiny Danger sites. A decision is expected zoning to protect Venetian artisans. pandemic. native and managing director of the Some 19 million day-trippers visited Certosa island could be a template for next month. The proposal, submitted in “Venice is in danger of disappear- Boston Consulting Group whose stra- in 2019, spending just 5 euros ($6) to 20 building a sustainable future in After a 15-month pause in mass March, aims to make Venice a “world ing. If we don’t stop and reverse this, tegic plan for Venice informed the euros each, according to Boston Venice as it tries to relaunch its tour- international travel, Venetians are region’s proposal. Consulting. On the other side of that ism industry without boomeranging contemplating how to welcome The proposal responds to Venetians’ equation, the 20 percent of tourists back to pre-pandemic day-tripping visitors back to its picture-postcard urgency to reclaim their city from the who spend at least one night in Venice hordes. canals and Byzantine backdrops with- mass tourism that peaked at some 25 contribute more than two-thirds of all Private investment has converted out suffering the past indignities of million individual visitors in 2019, tourist revenue. the forgotten public island just a crowds clogging narrow alleyways, and stanch the exodus of 1,000 A reservation system with an access 15-minute waterbus ride from St. day-trippers picnicking on stoops Venetians each year. It envisions fee is expected to launch sometime in Mark’s Square into a multi-faceted and selfie-takers crowding the Rialto investments of up to 4 billion euros to 2022 to manage day visitors. urban park where Venetians and Bridge. attract 12,000 new residents and create With an eye on monitoring daily Venice conoscenti can mix, free The recommendation by UNESCO’s 20,000 new jobs. tourist arrivals, the city set up a state- from the tensions inherent to the World Heritage Centre took into As much as Venetians groan at the of-the-art Smart Control Room near lagoon city’s perennial plague of mass account mass tourism, in particular huge tourist flows, the pandemic also the main railroad bridge last year tourism. the passage of cruise ships through revealed the extent to which the rela- that identifies how many visitors “This is the B-side of the Venetian the historic US, a steady decline in tionship is symbiotic. are in Venice at any moment using LP,” said Alberto Sonino, who heads permanent residents as well as gov- Along with lost tourist revenue, cell-phone data that also reveals the development project that includes ernance and management problems. Venetians suffered a drastic reduction their country of origin and location in a hotel, marina, restaurant and wood- “This is not something we propose in public transport, heavily subsi- the city. land. “Everyone knows the first lightly,’’ Mechtild Roessler, director of dized by tourist traffic. Even city The technology means that future song of the A-side of our long-play, the World Heritage Centre, told AP. “It museums could not afford to reopen to reservations can be monitored with almost nobody, not even the most is to alert the international communi- residents when lockdowns eased. QR codes downloaded on phones, expert or locals, know the lagoon ty to do more to address these matters “Venice without tourists became a without the need to set up check as an interesting natural and cultural together.” city that could not serve its own citi- points. Pianon said the plan is feasible environment.’’ Veneto regional officials have sub- zens,’’ said Anna Moretti, an expert in in a city like Venice, which has a lim- It may be now or never for Venice, mitted a plan for relaunching the tour- destination management at Venice’s ited number of access points and is whose fragile city and lagoon environ- ism-dependent city to Rome that calls AP/RSS Ca’ Foscari University. just 5 square kilometres (2 square ment alike are protected as a UNESCO for controlling arrivals of day-trip- Tourists enjoy a Venetian gondola tour, in Venice, Italy. The pandemic paused the city’s miles) in area.

C M Y K SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2021 | 06 SPORTS | MEDLEY

BRIEFING England edge Uruguay claim first win, Bolivia crash out Sri Lanka in second Nepal to wear Kelme kits in Tokyo Olympics The third straight defeat confirms Bolivia finish at the bottom of group behind Argentina, Paraguay , Chile and Uruguay. T20, clinch series KATHMANDU: Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) has roped in AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Kamaru Trading Pvt Ltd, the author- CUIABA, JUNE 25 GROUP A STANDINGS CARDIFF, JUNE 25 ised distributor of international Teams P W D L GF GA PTS sports kits Kelme in Nepal, as kits Edinson Cavani scored his 52nd goal England overcame a batting slump to sponsor for Tokyo Olympics 2020 set for Uruguay on Thursday in a 2-0 Copa Argentina 3 2 1 0 3 1 7 defeat Sri Lanka and clinch series in a to be held from July 23 to August 8. America victory over Bolivia, who Paraguay 3 2 0 1 5 2 6 rain-affected second Twenty20 inter- Kamaru will provide 13 different became the first team eliminated from Chile 4 1 2 1 3 4 5 national at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff sports kits including tracksuits, the competition. Uruguay 3 1 1 1 3 2 4 on Thursday. training dress, sports shoes, caps and Bolivia goalkeeper Carlos Lampe Bolivia 3 0 0 3 1 6 0 England appeared to have the game other accessories to all the players, scored an unlucky own goal to open sown up after holding Sri Lanka to 111 coaches and officials. NOC president the scoring but at times almost sin- right and a sliding Jairo Quinteros, in at Glamorgan’s headquarters. But Jeevan Ram Shrestha and Kamaru’s gle-handedly kept his side in the game. trying to prevent either of the veteran they collapsed to 36-4 in the face of managing director Pradip Neupane Paraguay went second in group A forwards converting a simple tap-in, some spirited Sri Lanka bowling chas- inked the deal at Satdobato on Friday. behind Argentina with a 2-0 win over deflected the ball off Lampe and into ing 112—a target reduced to 103 from According to Neupane, Kamaru will Chile, who dropped to third with his own net on 40 minutes. 18 overs following a rain delay. provide sports kits worth Rs 2 mil- Uruguay fourth. The result left Bolivia Lampe was in the thick of things But Sam Billings (24) and Liam lion. Five Nepali players have unable to catch any of the teams above after the break, making a reaction Livingstone (29 not out) steadied the acquired wildcards for the Games. them, who have all qualified for the save from Cavani’s poke from seven innings. Billings fell shortly before the There will be 33 different events in quarter-finals. yards, tipping a fierce drive from finish but Sam Curran (16 not out) the Games and players will vie for a “The appearance of Covid weak- Rodrigo Betancur over the bar, and helped England to a five-wicket win total of 339 gold medals. (SB) ened us. We’ve played well, we tried to scampering backwards to parry a with 11 balls to spare as the world’s play without making mistakes but we Suarez lob from close to halfway. top-ranked T20 side went 2-0 up in this didn’t have any luck,” complained His opposite number, Fernando three-match series. Judoka Bhatta gets wildcard Bolivia coach Cesar Farias. Muslera was rarely called into action Earlier, a fine collective effort in the for Tokyo Olympics A first-half header from Braian but he did have to tip a long-range field saw Sri Lanka held to a meagre KATHMANDU: Judoka Soniya Bhatta Samudio and second half Miguel strike from Ramiro Vaca over the total, with 111 the fewest number of became the fifth Nepali player to get a Almiron penalty gave Paraguay a sec- woodwork. runs England have conceded when wildcard for the Tokyo Olympics set ond victory in three matches. Having earlier header over when bowling their full 20 overs at this level. to be held from July 23 to August 8. With one match left, Argentina, well placed, Manchester United’s Fast bowler Mark Wood (2-18) and Nepal Judo Association president Paraguay and Uruguay can still win Cavani finally ended Bolivia’s resist- leg-spinner Adil Rashid (2-24) led the Deepak Harsha Bajrachaya said that Group A, while Brazil, who controver- ance 11 minutes from time, converting way as England avoided conceding a they received confirmation for her sially beat Ecuador 2-1 on Wednesday, a cross from Facundo Torres, who put boundary in the powerplay for the participation on Thursday. Bhatta is have already wrapped up top spot in in a lively cameo off the bench, twice first time in a T20 international. Kusal the bronze medalist of the 13th South Group B. Colombia have also qualified firing narrowly wide. Mendis (39) and Kusal Perera (21) pro- Asian Games in U-48 kg held in for the quarter-finals but one of Peru, In Brasilia, Samudio rose above two vided the only meaningful resistance Kathmandu in December 2019. Ecuador and Venezuela will miss out. defenders to power a header from with the bat. Earlier swimmers Gaurika Singh and Uruguay thoroughly deserved their AP/.RSS Almiron’s corner into the top corner But England, without Jos Buttler Alex Shah, shooting’s Kalpana first victory of this year’s tournament Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani netted his 52nd international goal to give his side first victory as on 33 minutes, leaving goalkeeper due to a calf problem following the Pariyar and marathon runner Gopi as they dominated throughout in they beat Bolivia 2-0 in their Copa America match on Thursday. Claudio Bravo rooted to his line. opener’s 68 in Wednesday’s 1st T20 in Chandra Parki have received wild- Cuiaba, registering 22 shots to Chile’s hopes of getting back into Cardiff, saw Jonny Bairstow bowled cards for the Games. Para taekwondo Bolivia’s four. Suarez—the two most prolific for- Arrascaeta had fired over while the match suffered a blow when Gary for a duck by paceman Binura player Palesha Goverdan have recei- “The scoreline doesn’t reflect our wards in Uruguay’s history—were a Lampe had rushed out quickly to Medel was penalized for clambering Fernando at the start of their chase. ved wildcard for Paralympics set to dominance but we’re satisfied,” said menace to the Bolivian backline smother a Suarez effort. all over Carlos Gonzalez in the box, Dawid Malan then fell for his sec- be held in August and September. (SB) Uruguay’s 74-year-old coach Oscar throughout the match, even if they Rodrigo Ramallo had Bolivia’s best allowing Almiron to send goalkeeper ond single figure score of the series, Tabarez, who added “we didn’t make didn’t always have their shooting first half chance, getting in behind the Claudio Bravo the wrong way from the lbw to Dushmantha Chameera. any mistakes in defense.” boots on. At one point, the pair some- Uruguayan backline before fizzing a penalty spot on 58 minutes. The dangerous Jason Roy was dis- Giorgi knocks out top seed “Bolivia didn’t have any clear how contrived to make a mess of shot inches wide from an angle. Moments later it looked as if missed for 17 when he holed out to chances so we’re happy. It’s nothing to two-on-one situation, delaying shoot- Suarez hit the side-netting with a Paraguay would have a second penalty long-on with Morgan (11) also falling Sabalenka at Eastbourne celebrate but we’re satisfied with the ing opportunities and allowing Lampe header and Lampe dived full stretch to when Pablo Galdames appeared to cheaply. LONDON: Italian qualifier Camila way we played and controled the to come out and swat the ball off tip his freekick around the post. rugby tackle Almiron, but incredibly But, with such a small target to Giorgi knocked out top seed Aryna match.” Cavani’s toes. In between, Uruguay took the lead it wasn’t given, even after a VAR chase, one decent partnership was Sabalenka in the quarter-finals of the Uruguay’s star veterans Cavani and By then Uruguay’s Giorgian De as De Arrascaeta crossed from the check. always likely to be enough for England. Eastbourne grasscourt event on Thursday with a three-set victory as compatriot Lorenzo Sonego reached the last four of the men’s event. A tight first set went to a tie-break before Giorgi recovered from a sec- Defending champion Halep pulls out of Wimbledon, Djokovic faces Draper ond-set whitewash to win 7-6 (7/5), 0-6, 6-4 in two hours and 18 minutes. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Monday after they were cancelled last opens her campaign against Spain’s in the first round and could play One more major for the 34-year-old In the semi-finals, Giorgi will face LONDON, JUNE 25 year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Carla Suarez Navarro, who is playing German Angelique Kerber, to whom Serbian, who has won Wimbledon five Anett Kontaveit, who came back from “I can honestly say that I’m really her final Wimbledon before retire- she lost in the 2018 final, in the third times, would pull him level with the brink of defeat against qualifier Defending champion Simona Halep down and upset about having to take ment after recovering from cancer. round. Federer and Nadal. Viktorija Golubic to win 2-6, 7-6 (7/2), pulled out of Wimbledon with a calf this decision,” said the world number French Open champion Barbora The men’s draw is also missing Federer, who is set to play experi- 7-5 after Golubic served for the match injury as Novak Djokovic learned three. “This period has been difficult Krejcikova takes on Dane Clara some big names, with two-time win- enced Frenchman Adrian Mannarino at 6-5 in the second set. Jelena Friday he will face Britain’s Jack but to miss the last two Majors has Tauson, with the Czech star bidding to ner Rafael Nadal and US Open cham- in the first round, is seeded sixth this Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open Draper at the start of his quest for a made it even more challenging men- win the one Grand Slam singles title pion Dominic Thiem also absent. year but has avoided Djokovic’s half champion, booked her place in the 20th Grand Slam title. tally and physically.” her late former coach and idol Jana Eight-time winner Roger Federer, of the draw. The Swiss master looks last four after recovering from a woe- Romanian Halep, who beat Serena Halep’s withdrawal follows that of Novotna won, in 1998. beaten in the 2019 final by Djokovic, vulnerable after losing second round ful first set to beat Daria Kasatkina. Williams in the final in 2019, tore her four-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams is seeking to equal and two-time champion Andy Murray of Halle, his traditional Wimbledon Ostapenko won just one game in a left calf muscle in Rome last month Naomi Osaka, who pulled out of the Margaret Court’s Grand Slam record are in the draw but there are fitness warm-up tournament, which he has first set where her serve was broken and was forced to miss the French French Open after citing struggles of 24 Grand Slam singles titles after doubts over both players. won 10 times. four times but came back to win 1-6, Open. She travelled to London earlier with depression and anxiety. World missing out on equalling the mark on World number one Djokovic arrives Britain’s Murray, who only returned 7-5, 6-2 . She will now play Elena this week but announced her with- number one Ashleigh Barty, who multiple occasions in recent years. at the All England Club after winning to singles play last week at Queen’s Rybakina, who defeated Anastasija drawal minutes before the draw for retired from her second-round match The 39-year-old American, seeded his 19th Grand Slam at Roland Garros after a three-month, will play 24th Sevastova 2-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/5). (AFP) the championships, which return on at Roland Garros with a hip injury, sixth, takes on Aliaksandra Sasnovich and will first face 19-year-old Draper. seed Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) **** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) *** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) **** Things are beginning to brighten up, Aries. Romance- You’ve got what it takes to make things happen, As a Libra, you’re cosmically guided by the jewel of Your intimate partnerships are beckoning you in for connoisseur Venus dances into playful Leo today, Cancer. You just need a significant confidence boost the heavens, Venus. Saturday’s skies find Venus on a closer look, Capricorn. Romance-hungry Venus where she’ll happily remain until July 21. This tran- to put you back on track. The universe is working to the move, as she abandons her post in initiative-hun- moves forward into heart-centred Leo today, where sition brings a powerful boost to your dating life, make that happen today, opportunity-attractor Venus gry Cancer and prowls forward into playful Leo. It’s she’ll stay until July 21. Use this emotionally rich making it an ideal time to put yourself out there. moves forward into self-expressive Leo. an ideal time to rebuild broken bonds. period to deepen bonds.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) *** LEO (July 23-August 22) *** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) *** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) *** Taurus, Saturday’s skies find Venus on the move, as The universe is bringing you a major cosmic perk, Don’t miss your opportunity to step out into the Things are about to get a whole lot sweeter in the she departs from the weepy waters of Cancer and Leo. Magnetic Venus prowls forward into your sign limelight, Scorpio. Magnetic Venus moves forward romance department, Aquarius. Magnetic Venus prowls forward into Leo’s fiery plains. It’s an ideal today, where she’ll remain until July 21. This wel- into show-stopping Leo today, heralding the best time moves forward into your opposite sign of show-stop- time to withdraw from the world and work on heal- come transition works to boost your image and of year for you to enjoy career perks. It’s an ideal ping Leo today, where she’ll remain until July 21. Use ing family bonds. attractiveness in the eyes of others. time to share a personal passion project. this time period to date around.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) **** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) **** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) *** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** Gemini people often come equipped with a charis- Something within you is seeking withdrawal today, The universe is easing up on the intensity you’ve Your work life is receiving a welcome pick-me-up matic charm. The universe is dialling that natural Virgo. Lover Venus departs from connection-centred been courageously navigating, Sagittarius. Lover today, Pisces. Magnetic Venus moves forward into ability all the way up today. It’s an ideal time to devote Cancer and moves forward into me-first Leo today. Venus departs from the overly sensitive waters of expressive Leo today. Venus’ time here works to energy to a writing project, take a class, or heal shaky Use this period to prioritise release and renewal Cancer and marches forward into the self-expressive attract positive circumstances to your work life, bonds with siblings. when it comes to bonds. plains of Leo. So, plan for new ventures. organisational flow, and co-worker connections. CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2021 | 07

Italy becoming the team to fear at Euro 2020 Euro 2020 shows VAR The Azzurri have become one of the tournament favourites after winning all three of their group matches scoring seven and conceding is working, UEFA none and are only one clean sheet shy of matching the record of 12 consecutive games without conceding, set between 1972 and 1974. refereeing chief claims

REUTERS Scotland as an example of MANCHESTER, JUNE 25 not punishing “marginal” or slight contact. UEFA’s head of refereeing The Italian praised the defended the high number use of VAR in the tourna- of penalty kicks awarded at ment which European soc- Euro 2020 so far and said cer’s governing body UEFA they were the result of effec- says has been quicker and tive use of VAR technology less disruptive than in some rather than generous competitions. awards. “We know very well the The group stage produced strength but also the limits 14 penalties which is two of the project. We know it’s more than in the entire 2016 not an easy project. We tournament. know what happened in “There is more accuracy some countries from a not for sure and before the VAR correct use of this project,” project there were many, he said, adding that the sys- many fouls in the penalty tem needed “top and expert area missed by referees,” pilots”. said Roberto Rosetti, UEFA’s One innovation in this chief of refereeing. “Now it tournament has been the is impossible to miss these addition to the VAR team of (such as) a clear step on the a dedicated offside VAR foot in the penalty area and assistant, which UEFA with VAR it is very easy to believes has helped speed up assess,” he added in a brief- decisions. ing with reporters. So far the system has AP/RSS Rosetti said that a step on made 12 corrections of deci- Roberto Mancini’s men are only one match away from overtaking two-time World Cup winning coach Vittoro Pozzo-led side’s all-time Italian record of 30-match unbeaten streak set in the 1930s. the foot, which has been sions—seven direct correc- punished in several cases in tions, five on-field reviews— ASSOCIATED PRESS Wembley Stadium. Insigne—considered the team’s most tal- mance, as we have always done until now.” the tournament, was a foul and has undertaken 179 LONDON, JUNE 25 Besides the unbeaten streak, Italy will ented player—on the bench. “Our strength is that we don’t change but former Serie A and ‘VAR checks’. UEFA says also be trying to set another record. The Insigne has formed a strong partnership our nature ever. Austria run a lot and cre- international referee Rosetti on-field decisions have been Italy’s unbeaten streak won’t last forever, team have not conceded a goal in 11 match- with Ciro Immobile, who has finally been ate pressure, we’ll study our opponents but said that officials wanted to 91.6% correct. and Austria coach Franco Foda is plotting es, a total of 1,055 minutes. If Austria fail to able to translate his scoring success in we will prepare for the match thinking have a high bar for penalty “We need to find the cor- to be the one to stop it. score, Italy will surpass the record of 1,143 Serie A to the international stage. about what we have to do.” awards. “The penalty is rect balance.... our target is The Italians have become one of the minutes set between 1972 and 1974. “It’s the first time that I’ve played in such Italy are playing with such spirit that the something important in to keep football like it is - we favourites at the European Championship For a team that failed to qualify for the an important event at this level, in such an buzzword among the Azzurri players is football, a serious moment cannot, it is not acceptable, after winning all three of their games in 2018 World Cup, Italy’s recent results are important role,” Insigne said. “In the past fairytale. in football, we don’t like soft to increase... to study all the the group stage, scoring seven goals and quite remarkable. other coaches have used formations that No one embodies that more than Giacomo penalties, we want clear minor pushing or pulling, conceding none. Those three victories at “It’s something that makes us proud, were less compatible with my style of play, Raspadori, a 21-year-old Sassuolo forward penalties , we want to see a or minor and marginal con- Euro 2020 extended the team’s unbeaten especially considering what they thought although I have always made myself who hadn’t even played a game for Italy clear action of the defender, tacts in the penalty (area),” streak under coach Roberto Mancini to 30 of us before the tournament started,” Italy available.” when he was named in the 26-man squad clear fouls from the defend- he said. games—matching the previous record set forward Lorenzo Insigne said. “But we have “Now, Mancini is using a system of play for the tournament. Raspadori was brought er,” he said. “The laws of the game are in the 1930s. to stay focused, calm and think about our- that is more suited to me and to other play- on as a substitute in Italy’s final group Rosetti highlighted the clear. We want minimum “Initially it seemed to be an insurmount- selves. We haven’t done anything yet. Our ers’ characteristics.” match against Wales, making only his sec- decision not to award a pen- interference for maximum able and impossible challenge for us, objective is to go all the way, it wasn’t just Insigne already has experience scoring ond appearance for his country. alty for a slight step on the benefit. We want to inter- because they haven’t lost for an eternity,” to get through the group stage.” at Wembley, in a 1-1 draw against England “This is all a fairytale, for the team and foot of Raheem Sterling in vene for clear and obvious Foda said. “But sooner or later even The 30-year-old Insigne embodies Italy’s in a friendly in 2018. for me,” Raspadori said. “In four months so England’s match with mistakes.” Mancini’s team will lose.” transformation under Mancini. “It was only a friendly but it was incred- many things have changed.” Austria, who have reached the round of The previous coach, Gian Piero Ventura, ible,” Insigne said. “I think it’s everyone’s “Those who are now my Italy teammates 16 at the tournament for the first time, will lost the squad’s support during a World dream to score in such a stadium. We will were who I saw as sporting idols a short Today’s Fixture get their chance on Saturday at the Cup playoff loss to Sweden when he left try to go to London and give a great perfor- while ago.”

Players to Watch Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy) David Alaba (Austria)

Considered to be the best young The 28-year-old set up a goal against goalkeeper in the world, the 22-years- North Macedonia but had a night to old helped Italy make it 11 straight forget against the Netherlands when victories without conceding a goal he played at the heart of a back and could overtake Walter Zenga’s three. But coach Franco Foda’s deci- record of the second-longest run sion to deploy him to left wing has Wales vs Denmark without conceding - 936 minutes - on allowed the defender to run freely. He Saturday. Donnarumma’s greatest created four chances and set up a 21:45 NST, Saturday strengths are his shot stopping, his goal in a 1-0 win over Ukraine. He is Italy vs Austria decision making and the speed he noted for his versatility around the 00:45 NST, Sunday comes from his line. defensive areas of the pitch. Danes favourites against Wales in Amsterdam AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE side in the world, should be favourites and has helped propel his country AMSTERDAM, JUNE 25 against Wales as they look to go as far back to the forefront of the interna- as possible for Eriksen, who spent six tional game. Gareth Bale and Wales may have been days in hospital after his collapse, Scorer of three goals on their run to the neutrals’ favourites during their undergoing surgery to have a defibril- the semi-finals in France five years rousing run to the semi-finals of the lator implanted. ago, this time Bale has skippered last European Championship, but as When the teams met twice in the Wales through Group A, although he they prepare to face Denmark in the Nations League in late 2018 Denmark missed a penalty in their crucial win last 16 in Amsterdam on Saturday the won on each occasion, including a 2-0 over Turkey in Baku. goodwill is likely to all be for their home victory in which Eriksen scored “Watching him for years and being opponents. twice. lucky enough to play with him now, I The Danes managed to qualify for know Gareth can do whatever he the knockout phase in second place in wants on the pitch,” said Joe Rodon, their group despite the enormous Denmark beat Wales his teammate at Spurs as well as with emotional impact of Christian Wales. Eriksen’s cardiac arrest during their twice in the Nations There will be club teammates in opening game against Finland in each goal on Saturday: Denmark’s Copenhagen. League in late 2018. Kasper Schmeichel will come up After the trauma of seeing their against Danny Ward, who is very star player require CPR on the pitch, much his understudy at Leicester City Kasper Hjulmand’s team lost 1-0 to Locals going to the game in but the number one for Wales. their Nordic neighbours and then Amsterdam will certainly have It hints at the challenges facing went down 2-1 to Belgium, but a thrill- Eriksen on their minds—the playmak- Robert Page’s side, who will also be ing 4-1 win over Russia was enough for er made his name at Ajax after joining denied a proper travelling support in them to advance. them as a fresh-faced teenager. He Amsterdam with fans barred from And so they come to the Netherlands made his first-team debut for the entering the Netherlands from the with the aim of winning a knockout Dutch giants prior to turning 18 and United Kingdom. tie at the European Championship for won three Eredivisie titles before Welsh media reports have picked up the first time since they stunned the being sold to Tottenham Hotspur on fans making it to Amsterdam hav- continent to win the trophy itself in in 2013. ing come from watching the team play 1992, defeating Germany in the final Eriksen, who left London for Inter in Azerbaijan in the group stage— in Gothenburg having famously only Milan in January last year, arrived as without returning to Britain—only to qualified because war-torn Yugoslavia part of the wave of signings made by be turned away at Schiphol airport. disintegrated. Spurs in the same summer they sold The travel ban does not apply to Saturday marks exactly 29 years Bale to Real Madrid. supporters coming from Denmark, AP/RSS since that game, and this time the Bale went on to experience the high- which like the Netherlands is in the Players of Wales stretch during the training of the Wales team at Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, Danes, now ranked as the 10th-best est of highs at club level in Madrid European Union. Russia on Friday, ahead of their Euro championship 2020 round of 16 match against Denmark.

C M Y K SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2021 | 08 CULTURE & LIFESTYLE (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 Travails and ruminations of a senior bureaucrat In his book ‘Anubhab Ra Chintan’, Damaru Ballabh Bhattarai provides readers with an insider’s perspective of Nepal’s civil service.

MADAN KUMAR BHATTARAI senior civil servants for their ants, he has, however, singled out an increase of posts in secretari- allegedly negative advice with Damodar Prasad Gautam, former al ranks. Whether this has any- amaru Ballabh regards to the Tanakpur chief secretary and ambassador thing to do with the flurry of Bhattarai has Agreement. He also alleges that to the United States, for his severe activity this office has undergone brought out an the government destroyed the strictures. While admitting that with the translocation of many important publica- fabric of Nepal’s civil service. He Gautam belonged to a category of departments and offices there in tion that essential- has also mentioned the names of studious, intellectual, balanced recent years is not clear. ly presents an two top administrators Kul and amiable bureaucrats enjoy- Some other incidents that the Dodyssey of Nepal’s civil service Sekhar Sharma and Dirgha Raj ing high respect, loyalty and con- author refers to in his most read- from an insider’s perspective. The Koirala, who are said to have fidence in the government, able book include the granting of book titled ‘Anubhab Ra Chintan’ resigned from their positions in Bhattarai accuses him of what he citizenship to Dhirendra Shah can roughly be translated as protest against the move. calls lack of accommodation in after he relinquished his status ‘Experiences and Contemplations’. The second chapter gives a terms of civil servants who were as a royal family member. With a rich experience of both good account of his family, par- summarily dismissed and waited With all these positive descrip- districts and central administra- entage and his childhood days in for placements for long even after tions, the book suffers from some tion, the author has divided his Taplejung district. He also deals their acquittals by the judiciary. inherent weaknesses. First and work into 39 brief chapters detail- with the trends of migration of Since the writer himself was a foremost is the author’s clear ing his long tryst with Nepal’s people towards district headquar- victim forced to fight a rigorous reluctance to write anything on civil service. ters, Terai region, Kathmandu In his three and a half decades Valley and even abroad. of administrative career, Subsequent chapters deal with Bhattarai is frank in admitting Bhattarai held many responsibil- his education and search for ities. He served as a chief district employment that ultimately land- that the career of a bureaucrat officer for 13 years and later went ed him in the civil service. on to hold the position of secre- The book covers many political involves both positive and tary. As the top district adminis- stalwarts and administrative trator, Bhattarai served in seven brains who dominated our coun- negative points. districts—Panchthar, Mahottari, try for a long time. Bhattarai has Jajarkot, Sankhuwasabha, named most of the top political Dhading, Salyan and Kathmandu. leaders who came to power legal battle for reinstatement, his stint as the Election As a senior bureaucrat, he seems including some members of the this can also be taken as natural Commissioner despite the fact to have worked closely with at legislature in places where he ventilation of his grievance. that the tenure passed through a least seven prime ministers. served as an administrator. The book laments Nepal’s fail- difficult period of political tumult Bhattarai is frank in admitting Among political people, he has ure to develop despite several and systemic change. The other is that the career of a bureaucrat reserved admirations for people plans and programmes, especial- a lack of coherence in the case of involves both positive and nega- like Man Mohan Adhikary, who ly taking into account the ram- many chapters. Despite these tive points and he has no hesita- was keen that King Birendra pant poverty, backwardness, and minor lapses, Bhattarai has ren- tion in accepting full responsibil- should be sent to represent Nepal ecological decline seen in most dered a great contribution in high- ity for all his deeds. He cherishes in some major UN functions, and parts of the country. The author lighting so many facets of Nepal’s the good memories of his fruitful Pradip Kumar Nepal, who helped seems worried over the prevail- civil administration and deserves interactions with what he calls Bhattarai—who was relieved of ing political divide. He has also kudos for his endeavours. duty-bound, energetic and his post by the government even given a stagnating picture of the thoughtful colleagues that he though the court scrapped the Melamchi drinking water pro- Bhattarai is a former Foreign encountered at both central and government’s decision—get rein- ject. Secretary and author involved in district levels of our bureaucracy. stated in the civil service. He belittles the post of the study of Nepal’s foreign rela- The author starts the first Bhattarai has named four Secretary to the Prime Minister tions from a historical perspective. chapter that can be taken as a administrators whose memoirs and claims the role is without He is available at kutniti@gmail. summary of his nearly four dec- inspired him to write the book. a long time with the United General Kshetra Bikram Rana any real worth. it to a woman com. ades of association with Nepal’s They are Himalaya Shumsher, Nations after a decade-long asso- (also ambassadors to India and staying idle in Chhaupadi, an iso- civil service. Bhattarai minces no Rebati Raman Khanal, Durga ciation with Nepal’s civil service China respectively after their lated hut where women, in some words, albeit indirectly, in accus- Prakash Panday and Khem Raj as the finance secretary and retirements from the civil ser- parts of the country, are still ANUBHAB RA CHINTAN ing the first elected government Nepal. Apart from Khanal, a legal Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank. vice). Some diplomats mentioned forced to stay during menstrua- Damaru Ballabh Bhattarai (DB) of Nepal after the restoration of brain and prolific writer who Panday had a six-year stint as the in a rather passing reference tion. But the most interesting the multiparty system. He accus- served in the Royal Palace, the consul general of Nepal in include Narendra Bikram Shah thing is that despite such a vivid Publishers: Pairabi Book es the government headed by rest of the administrators who Kolkata. and Badri Prasad Khanal. caricature of the lack of any House, Kathmandu, 2021 Prime Minister Girija Prasad inspired Bhattarai retired as sec- Bhattarai has cited with While the author seems very worthwhile job for the top civil Pages: 216 Koirala for indulging in a system- retaries to the Government of acclaim chief secretaries like conscious not to pass any unfa- servant there, the Prime Minister Price: Rs 375 atic retaliatory action against Nepal. Himalaya Shumsher spent Krishna Bam Malla and Major vourable judgment on civil serv- Office, in recent years, has seen

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JAKE COYLE NEW YORK

he Academy Awards will pres- ent Elaine May, Samuel L Jackson and Liv Ullmann with honourary Oscars and Danny Glover with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the T12th Governors Awards in January. The film academy announced the hon- orary awards on Thursday. Once a regu- lar feature of the Academy Awards tele- cast, the honourary Oscars will be doled out in a separate, untelevised ceremony on January 15 in Los Angeles. “Sam Jackson is a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across gen- res and generations and audiences world- wide, while Elaine May’s bold, uncom- promising approach to filmmaking, as a writer, director and actress, reverberates

as loudly as ever with movie lovers,” said AP/RSS David Rubin, academy president. “Liv Ullmann’s bravery and emotional trans- and sciences, or for outstanding service to like ‘A New Leaf,’ ‘The Heartbreak Kid’ actress: Ingmar Berman’s ‘Face to Face’ starred in ‘The Color Purple,’ ‘To Sleep parency has gifted audiences with deeply the academy. None of the recipients have and ‘Mikey and Nicky.’ (1976) and Jan Troell’s ‘The Emigrants’ With Anger,’ ‘A Rage in Harlem’ and the affecting screen portrayals, and Danny previously received an Academy Award. Jackson, 72, was nominated for sup- (1971). The Norwegian Ullmann began on ‘Lethal Weapon’ series. He has also been Glover’s decades-long advocacy for jus- May was nominated twice for writing porting actor for 1994’s ‘Pulp Fiction.’ In the stage before beginning one of the a tireless activist in his native San tice and human rights reflects his dedica- 1978’s ‘Heaven Can Wait,’ with Warren an explosive, often brilliantly foul- movies’ great actor-director partnerships Francisco, a Civil Rights advocate, a UN tion to recognising our shared humanity Beatty; and 1999’s ‘Primary Colors’. The mouthed career, Jackson’s films have with the Swedish filmmaker Bergman. Goodwill Ambassador and a father-figure on and off the screen.” 89-year-old made up half of the legend- accounted for some $27 billion in box She starred in 10 of his films, including to a new generation of filmmakers, The honourary awards are given to ary comedy team Nichols and May, with office. They include ‘Do the Right Thing,’ ‘Persona,’ ‘Cries and Whispers’ and appearing in recent films like ‘The Last honour extraordinary distinction in life- Mike Nichols, before embarking on a ‘Jurassic Park,’ ‘Django Unchained’ and ‘Autumn Sonata.’ Black Man in San Francisco’ and ‘Sorry time achievement, exceptional contribu- trailblazing career as a filmmaker— ‘Die Hard With a Vengeance.’ Glover hasn’t been nominated by the to Bother You.’ tions to the state of motion picture arts writing, directing and acting in comedies Ullmann was twice nominated for best academy. The 74-year-old actor has — Associated Press

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