WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 55 | 10 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 38.4 C 3.0 C Wednesday, April 14, 2021 | 01-01-2078 Bhairahawa Jumla

The Kathmandu Post wishes all Is Dahal headed for its readers, advertisers and well-wishers a healthy and Happy New Year 2078. shedding the Maoist We would like to take this occasion to urge everyone to stay safe and take all necessary precautions against Covid-19. tag for good? Maoist Centre was dissolved after its merger with UML in

Kantipur Media Group May 2018, but it was thrust upon Dahal by court in March. It now appears to have become albatross around his neck.

TIKA R PRADHAN & BINOD GHIMIRE KATHMANDU, APRIL 13

Last year, at Kantipur Conclave, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, tongue-in-cheek, talked about how he over the years had “dissolved” the parties that he led. Responding to a question by Kantipur Editor-in-Chief Sudheer Sharma as to at what point of time he realised that he had had enough of Maoism, Dahal briefly went back to history. “When I became the general secre- tary of the party, the first thing I did was I dissolved the [Communist Party of Nepal] Mashal party. I became the first leader to dissolve my own party,” POST ILLUSTRATION he said. “When we prepared for the “Yes, now it’s the turn of the Nepal people’s war, [there was this party Communist Party (NCP),” Dahal called Unity Centre], I dissolved the responded. Unity Centre and formed the As though he had already foreseen, [Communist Party of Nepal] (Maoist). the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) did One can understand this in this get dissolved, on March 7 this year, POST PHOTO: MANOJ POUDEL series... that I dissolved the around 13 months after Dahal made A girl skipping a rope is silhouetted against the setting sun in Kapilvastu district on Tuesday. Maoist [party]... and also the the statement. CPN-UML, I would rather say.” This time, however, courtesy the It had been a little less than a Supreme Court which ordered revival year since the Nepal Communist of the UML and the Maoist Centre. Party (NCP) was born. UML’s KP That said, the Supreme Court decision INSIDE Sharma Oli and Dahal in May was rather the effect–and not the Higher altitudes beckon 2018 had announced merger to cause. The verdict came after a series form the Nepal Communist of events that unfolded in the Nepal Party. Communist Party (NCP) where Dahal Covid-19 spreading among “Now is it the turn of the was engaged in an intense power more children, government more wildlife in Nepal Nepal Communist Party (NCP)?” struggle with Oli. asked Sharma. >> Continued on page 2 adamant about closing schools KATHMANDU: In the last 24-hours, 48 children under 20 years of age have amid warmer climes tested positive for Covid-19. Of the 517 new cases, five are under 9 years old and 43 are between 10 and 19 Experts and independent studies have assessed warming years, according to the Ministry of Health. “We have recommended that temperatures could be a contributory factor for movement schools be closed for at least three weeks, but the government is not pay- of animals and insects towards higher altitudes. ing any heed to our recommenda- tion,” an official at the Ministry of Health told the Post asking not to be named. “Students are dying in schools but the government is listening only to the suggestions of business people and school operators.” So far, 46 per- sons under the age of 20 have died of the coronavirus infection. (Details on Pg5)

UN fears Myanmar heading towards ‘full-blown’ conflict YANGON: The UN rights chief warned Tuesday Myanmar could be spiralling towards a “full-blown” Syrian-style conflict, after a two-month crackdown that a local monitoring group says has already claimed more than 700 lives. Myanmar is in chaos and its economy has been paralysed since the military seized power from civil- PHOTO COURTESY: NARAYAN PRASAD KOJU ian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on The mountain-dwelling pika is another animal that researchers have found to be moving February 1. Warning of possible upwards. In Langtang, the animal’s habitat has shifted up by 200m in an interval of 46 years. crimes against humanity, the United Nations High Commissioner for MARISSA TAYLOR And the effects of changing climate Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on KATHMANDU, APRIL 13 will be exaggerated for such a geo- Tuesday urged countries to take graphically vulnerable region, espe- immediate action to push Myanmar’s Indra Dhara Bista remembers his cially considering the country’s lack military to stop its “campaign of childhood winters being biting cold. of economic resources and pover- repression and slaughter of its peo- From December to February, the ty-stricken population. ple.” (Details on Pg6) thatched roof of his home in Jomsom, Mosquitoes are not the only species a village in Gharapjhong Rural that are being sighted in altitudes that Municipality in Mustang district, were previously unheard of. Surging coronavirus caseloads would be blanketed by thick snow. A research study titled ‘House Crow dampen New Year sales Livestock would be kept indoors (Corvus Splendens) Heading Upwards KATHMANDU: Megha Khadka of throughout the season; fed stored, in Nepal: Possible Climate Change Baneshwor was going to celebrate sun-dried hay. When the temperature Impact Influencing its Movement’, Nepali New Year’s Day on Wednesday dipped too low, his family would be conducted from 1999 to 2011 on the with her friends, but she suddenly got compelled to migrate down to lower movement pattern of the bird, cold feet after hearing that a second elevation. reveals that the species is moving by wave of the Covid-19 pandemic was “But in the last decade or so, win- an altitude of 136m annually, from sweeping through the country. We ters have become considerably warm- 2,000m to 4,200m, on an average, in had planned to have fun with family er. And only few people move down Mustang. “There have definitely and close friends by having dinner or these days,” says 50-year-old Bista, a been sightings of species at higher going somewhere. But the situation is resident of Jomsom. “Not just temper- altitudes, in Nepal and abroad. Even not looking good,”the 36-year-old atures, but rain and snowfall patterns our research on the house crow housing company employee told the have also become unpredictable in revealed just that,” says Yadav Post. (Details on Pg7) recent years. Even summer tempera- Ghimirey, a conservation biologist tures are rising.” and one of the authors of the report. Accompanying the changes in “Increase in temperature could be a Wandering and wondering weather are the sightings of an insect contributing factor in influencing in spaces within unseen in the area before—the tiny species to adapt to the warming cli- mosquito. mate, forcing them to go upwards to LALITPUR: Beauty in the ordinary is “As a child, I didn’t know what a survive.” often always overlooked. That is why mosquito was. But now there are mos- In another part of the Himalayan structures of homes and the spaces quitoes here in Mustang in the sum- region in Nepal, the mountain-dwell- amid them in Bhaktapur are what mer,” he says. The insect, which ing pika is another animal that Pooja Duwal, a visual artist, chooses has been known to live only at a maxi- researchers have found to be moving to explore—to find innate beauty in mum elevation of 1,500m, is being upwards. A three-year study (2011-13) the ordinary that we often unsee. In sighted in higher elevations, such as conducted by Narayan Prasad Koju, her plein air oil paintings, one can in Jomsom (2,743m). Last year, they PhD programme coordinator, MSc almost hear people’s stories, of them were reportedly sighted in Lo Natural Resources Management, in moving around, waiting for their fam- Manthang (3,840m). Kyanjin (3,900m) in Langtang ilies to come back home, preparing Erratic weather patterns are being National Park shows the lowest eleva- food, or just the quiet of the homes witnessed across the Himalayan tion of pika habitat has shifted up by waiting for everyone to return. region of the country, affecting its 200m in an interval of 46 years, sug- Duwal’s paintings put at rest our delicate ecology and possibly even gesting they are either getting locally busy minds; they feel like images we influencing species’ habitats and bio- extinct or are migrating upwards. have known and felt. (Details on Pg10) diversity, climate change experts say. >> Continued on page 5

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Remote local unit Is Dahal headed for shedding the Maoist tag for good? >> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Dahal’s last bid to get the Nepal in Gorkha enhancing Communist Party (NCP) revived was rejected by the Supreme Court on April 1. Oli is now leading the UML and Dahal the Maoist Centre. public access to Insiders say talks have been going on for a while about changing the name of Dahal’s current party–the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist information Centre). With Oli bent on driving the Madhav Kumar Nepal group into a corner and Dharche Rural Municipality has employed heralds and used in no mood to relent, a possibility of Dahal and Nepal joining forces has radio services to disseminate information in highlands. emerged. “It is just a matter of time. The Madhav Nepal faction will join us HARIRAM UPRETI bandry and government programmes sooner rather than later,” Pampha GORKHA, APRIL 13 through the radio. Bhusal, a Standing Committee mem- “We miss out on important govern- ber of the Maoist Centre, told the Post. The residents of Dharche, a remote, ment grants and plans and policies Bhusal confirmed, but rather far-flung rural municipality in Gorkha because we don’t get the information obliquely, that a change in the name of district, have poor access to informa- on time,” he said. “Radio programmes the party is very likely. tion. The rural municipality is now will help us get timely information.” “No leader from other parties will making efforts to address the informa- The rural municipality also plans to join a party that has the Maoist tag.” tion void created by the absence of run educational as well as entertain- Bhusal said that her party is in information-sharing mediums, espe- ment programmes aimed at herders in negotiations with different parties cially in the highlands where the local the highland areas who spend months and leaders as well. herders spend a majority of their cut off from the outside world. The Maoist Centre started consider- time. According to Gurung, the chairman ing changing the party name immedi- The municipal office, in what it of the rural municipality, telephone ately after the court revived it and the terms the most effective method to services are not available in the high- UML, so as to shed the Maoist tag. engage with the local residents, has land areas as there are no telephone A meeting of the party’s Central launched a campaign wherein one towers installed there. Committee on March 13-14 even dis- herald, also known as village criers, cussed the issue at length. has been employed per village to dis- The way politics has unfolded in seminate information. Seven Katuwals— Nepal over the past few months and as “The slogan for the campaign is ‘Ek a result, if Dahal indeed changes his Wada Ek Katuwal’ translated to one village criers—have party’s name, it would signify the for- POST ILLUSTRATION ward one herald. We provide monthly mal end of the Maoists, or Maoism for achieved without a struggle. the beginning of the end of the Dahal desperately wants to unseat Oli. wages to heralds as an encouragement been employed to that matter, in Nepal, many say. “We have our weaknesses and limi- Maoists in Nepal. Oli has been constantly challenging allowance,” said Santosh Gurung, “We don’t need to use ‘Maoist’ in tations, but we will adopt new ways as However, even after a resounding Dahal to withdraw support. Dahal’s chairman of Dharche Rural spread information. our party’s name any more, as it’s sig- per the changed context, as things victory in the 2008 Constituent apprehension is, according to Maoist Municipality. “People in Dharche do nificance has been over,” said have changed drastically since Mao’s Assembly elections, some, including leaders, Oli could somehow dissolve not speak or understand Nepali. So all Chakrapani Khanal, a Standing time,” Baidya told the Post. Dahal, flirted with the idea of a “peo- the House once again and declare elec- our communication programmes will “Herders have no means to commu- Committee member of the Maoist Some analysts say now even Dahal ple’s revolt”. “State capture” used to tions if the Maoist Centre pulls out its be executed in the local Gurung lan- nicate with the outside world in high- Centre. and his party members don’t see any be the common refrain of the Maoists. support. guage and dialect for the benefit of the land areas. The radio programmes The Communist Party of Nepal significance of carrying the Maoist Dahal’s decision to confront the then If elections were to happen in local people.” will keep them abreast of what’s hap- (Maoist) was born in 1994 under the tag, as they dropped Maoism long ago. Army chief, despite opposition from November this year, instead of The rural municipality has pening in their villages and across the leadership of Dahal. The party fought The party actually had abandoned the some within his party, was the result November-December next year, as per employed seven Katuwals in Uhiya, country while in the highlands,” its “people’s war” under this name. tag in 2018 when it joined hands with of a constant push for “state capture” Oli’s scheme, the Maoist Centre Lapu, Gumda, Kerauja and Kashigaun. Gurung said. Stung by their failure of an urban Oli’s UML, but within the Nepal by a section in the party. appears set for even a bigger setback. Besides employing heralds, the “We have prioritised informa- resurrection in 1983, known as the Communist Party (NCP), a struggle There clearly was a contradiction That’s why, analysts say, Dahal is in rural municipality also plans to use tion-friendly programmes targeting “sector scandal”, the leaders – Dahal was continuing to justify the Maoist on Dahal’s part. By participating in a desperate bid to cobble together an radio services to disseminate informa- both Nepali and Gurung language as well as the verteran communist war. the 2008 election through the mul- alliance with “communist” forces. tion to the public. Last week, the speakers,” said Gurung. “The pro- leader Mohan Baidya – decided to That’s why the Maoist leaders jos- ti-party political competition, an idea Dahal is desperate to accommodate municipal office distributed 20 radio grammes will also benefit senior citi- implement the military strategy tled for adopting “21st century peo- he abhorred, he accepted the leaders from various parties and in sets to cattle herders living in the zens in the villages who do not use developed by the Chinese communist ple’s democracy” as the party’s ideolo- Constituent Assembly and the peace doing so he appears ready to compro- highland areas. Nepali as their primary language.” revolutionary leader Mao Zedong. gy, according to analysts, just as UML process, but he continued to lecture mise on the ideology and the party “There are mobile sheds in high- In the current fiscal year, the rural Dahal’s Communist Party of Nepal leaders made a pitch for continuing his comrades on classical “people’s name, according to Surendra KC, who lands where the herders live most of municipality has allocated Rs 200,000 (Maoist) launched the “people’s war” with their ideology of “people’s multi- revolt and state capture”. holds a PhD in communist parties of the year. We plan to run information for the radio distribution programme. in February 1996. Maoism formally party democracy”. Bhattarai appeared to have been Nepal. programmes on radio networks to “The rural municipal office will evalu- entered Nepal. After 10 years, the war “It does not matter now whether the well aware of the possible ramifica- “With the party’s status reduced to help herders understand the treat- ate the effectiveness of the programme came to an end in 2006. party sheds or keeps the Maoist tag,” tions. He was of the view that the a third force, it does not see much ment available for their livestock,” and decide whether to continue it in In January 2009, after the party’s said Bishwa Bhakta Dulal, usually party should focus on concluding the prospects of faring better in the elec- Thakur Dhakal, chief at the Livestock the next year or not,” said Gurung. merger with Ekatakendra Masal, a known as Aahuti, who was once in peace process, thereby setting the tions,” KC told the Post. “If it fails to Services Unit in the rural municipali- “Besides radio programmes, we also fringe communist force, it changed its Dahal’s Maoist party. “The ideological stage for economic prosperity. form an alliance with other forces, ty, told the Post. rely heavily on heralds to disseminate name to Unified Communist Party of degradation in the Maoist party start- But Dahal had the backing of some like it did in 2018 with the UML, the One of the recipients of the radio information in remote areas.” Nepal (Maoist). Dahal continued to ed with the dissolution of the first hardliners, including Ram Bahadur Maoist Centre will face an existential sets last week was Saila Gurung, a The rural municipality will also remain the party chair. In 2012, a Constituent Assembly in 2012.” Thapa, who has now deserted him to crisis.” resident of Dharche Ward No. 3. Saila run a toll-free line named ‘Hello Gaule group of leaders including Dahal’s According to Dulal, ever since the side with Oli and is currently the To broaden his vote base, Dahal will says he is looking forward to receiving Pramukh’ to receive and provide war-time lieutenants Ram Bahadur party was relegated to the third posi- home minister. have to make concessions and compro- crucial information about animal hus- information to its citizens. Thapa and Netra Bikram Chand, tion in the second Constituent Dahal’s decision to initiate action mise, according to KC. along with his mentor Baidya, decided Assembly election in 2013, it started against then Army chief hence At present, Dahal is on the losing to form their own party, saying Dahal compromising and co-opting. became the cause of the fall of his side. He has lost as many 16 lawmak- had left the “people’s war” halfway “They might have been calling government in 2009, less than a year ers, from the federal parliament to and deviated from the core ideology. themselves Maoists, but they stopped after he became prime minister. provincial assemblies, to Oli. His bid Thapa, however, decided to return being Maoists long ago,” Dulal told the According to Dulal, the Maoist tag to encourage Nepali Congress and to the Dahal camp in 2016. The party Post. actually had turned into the albatross Janata Samajbadi Party to form a coa- was renamed Communist Party of Dahal launched the Maoist war around Dahal’s neck. lition to unseat Oli has not worked. Nepal (Maoist Centre). Chand, who with an objective to bring about “That’s why he was happy to join Analysts say Dahal is clearly in a parted ways with Thapa and Baidya in socio-political and economic transfor- hands with Oli,” he said. “It’s the tight spot and he fears losing political 2016 to launch his own “unified peo- mation in the country, which could be Supreme Court that has once again relevance, hence he would make every ple’s revolution”, formed his own summarised as abolition of the mon- thrust the Maoist Centre upon him.” effort to bring together “like-minded” party named the Communist Party of archy, a constitution drawn up by peo- It was evident from Dahal’s bid to forces and people under a common Nepal, but he decided to shed the ple’s representatives (Constituent get the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) roof at the cost of shedding the Maoist Maoist tag. Assembly) and changing Nepal into a resurrected when he filed a review tag for good. Besides Dahal, Baidya leads a party federal republic. petition that he was not keen on con- “There is no Maoist leadership that today that too has the Maoist tag– The country achieved those formal- tinuing his politics with the Maoist waged people’s war in 1996 now. That Communist Party of Nepal ly on September 15, 2015 with the tag. said, the agenda they had raised con- (Revolutionary Maoist). But it current- adoption of a new constitution. Lekhnath Neupane, a Central tinues to remain,” said Hari Roka, a ly has an insignificant and inconse- But less than two weeks after the Committee member of the Maoist political economist. “Issues of com- quential role in the national politics. “historic” event, Baburam Bhattarai, Centre, said that, in principle, there is mon people like housing, education, Baidya, however, disagrees that the known by many as the Maoist ideo- no meaning in having “Maoist” in the health, unemployment and living significance of Maoism has ended in logue, quit the party. party name when the party does not standards have not been fully Nepal. “The significance of Maoist party espouse the Maoist ideology. addressed yet. So we cannot rule out “If you look at the current political ended [after the constitution promul- According to Neupane, the signing the possibility of some other people situation and the ground reality of the gation]. As a movement, it accom- of the Comprehensive Peace Accord again raising those issues sooner or people, the significance of Maoism is plished its job. I abandoned the party in November 2006 was the first step later.” actually even more,” Baidya told the saying that I should start afresh to towards abandoning Maoism and the For now, according to Roka, the par- Post in an interview. “If the signifi- work towards achieving socialism,” process moved one step ahead when ties with the Maoist tag have ended or cance has ended, it’s of those revision- Bhattarai told the Post. “The Maoist the People’s Liberation Army was dis- are going to end, but a new movement ist leaders who have fallen into the party was successful in bringing solved in April 2012 by the then under any other name could appear, as trap of the traditional parliamentary changes in the country through a Baburam Bhattarai government. the agendas the Maoists had raised system.” revolt, but in the 21st century, things “The party deviated from its core still exist in society. As talks are going on about Dahal have changed. So we need to change principle of Maoism the day it accept- “Have we been able to address the planning to change his party’s name, our ways.” ed multiparty democracy,” said issues of socio-economic and cultural many say there are chances of Baidya When Bhattarai formed his own Neupane. transformation in the country?” he too coming under the “new roof” with- party called Naya Shakti (New Force), Neupane believes that today’s lead- said. “The Nepali Maoists have fallen out the Maoist tag. he was, in effect, making a statement ership lacks conviction and decisions without addressing most of the press- Baidya would not answer if he that he had abandoned the communist are being taken in a haphazard way ing issues.” PHOTO COURTESY: SANTOSH GURUNG would shed the Maoist tag from his ideology altogether. He strived for and that just a few voices within the Ajaya Bhandra Khanal, an analyst The municipal office distributed 20 radio sets to cattle herders last week. party. He, however, said “revolution- “socialism”. party, no matter how feeble they are, who writes on politics and geopolitical ary forces” must come together once In 2019, his party united with are there for rebuilding the party with matters, feels that the [Maoist] again. “And we will work towards that Upendra Yadav’s Sanghiya Samajbadi the Maoist tag. ideology as such will have a space in end. We will form a strong alliance of Forum. One of the reasons Dahal wanted to Nepal until some identified contradic- like-minded forces and people to Dahal and Bhattarai, who once form an electoral alliance with Oli in tions like feudalism and imperialism achieve the goals of the people’s war,” shared a symbiotic relationship, the the lead up to the 2017 elections was he exist. said Baidya. former as a leader of the masses and was not sure how his party would fare. “I don’t think the relevance of Badiya believes that nothing can be the latter as an ideologue, stopped The results proved his apprehensions Maoism has ended, as feudalism has seeing each other eye to eye. right. gained new forms while the increas- Almost six years after the two The UML emerged as the single ing conflict between China and the Maoist leaders parted ways, talks are largest party with 121 seats and the United States is giving grounds for also going around for coming togeth- Nepali Congress as the second largest them,” Khanal told the Post. er, possibly to take the leftist-demo- force with 63 seats. The Maoist Centre Khanal also sees chances of some cratic-socialist path. won 53 seats. old Maoist hands coming together, Many say Dahal and Bhattarai’s It was because of the merger given their penchant for a new revolu- decision to abandon the “people’s between the UML and the Maoist tion or unified revolution. war” to join mainstream politics was Centre that Dahal continued to remain Netra Bikram Chand may have at the centre of national politics, as he announced that he has come over- was the leader of the “governing ground but he has neither given up party”– the Nepal Communist Party arms nor his ideology of a unified (NCP) – and shared the party chair’s revolution, according to Khanal who post with Oli. is also a columnist for the Post. But with the court’s March 7 deci- “There could be a working relation sion, the Maoist Centre is back to the between Chand, Baidya and Gopal House as the third party, minus four Kirati, who could revive the move- members, as they defected to Oli. With ment again,” said Khanal. Oli becoming more powerful by the Bhattarai, however, believes that day, the Maoist Centre’s–and Dahal’s movements are launched under a for that matter– troubles are snowball- name and that such a name may not– ing. and should not become–a brand. Lately, Oli has not missed a single “Parties have become a brand these opportunity to disparage Dahal. days. Parties are not something like, The Maoist Centre has not with- say, Coca-Cola,” said Bhattarai. drawn the support it lent to the UML “Parties are made for a certain period back in February 2018 even though and to fulfil certain objectives.”

C M Y K 03 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021 | 04 OPINION EDITORIAL A lament for lost opportunities No permanent solution The excitement of achievement in 1990 The last thing students want to see turned out to be a rather is another shutdown. short one.

As the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic engulfs Nepal, we seem to be going back to square one. We are still keeping up our CK LAL lackadaisical attitude vis-à-vis prevention and management of coronavirus transmissions, and it may just be a matter of time SOUTH SIDE before public life comes to a complete halt. And it is the educa- tional institutions that are going to feel the heat in the first round, as they have arguably become dreaded coronavirus hot- spots of late. On Saturday, the Ministry of Health and Population recommended that the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre It’s Baisakh once again, the first month enforce a shutdown of educational institutions for at least three of the Bikram Era that usually falls in weeks. That has not gone down too well with students, teachers, April. Yearning for a new beginning, TS Eliot grieves in his most famous parents and educational institution administrators, but their poem: ‘April is the cruellest month, voices may not be heard amidst the cacophony of yet another breeding / Lilacs out of the dead land, lockdown-style offensive against the virus. mixing / Memory and desire, stirring Students and teachers have only just returned to their …’ Wails of the immortal verse reso- SHUTTERSTOCK schools, colleges or universities after a long and tiresome gap. nate with broken dreams and dashed without initiating any new programme. saved him from complete decimation. The last thing they would want right now is the shutting down hopes of common Nepalis over last Diminished dreams The midterm elections of 1994 threw When Nepal went to the polls to form three decades. The excitement of achievement in 1990 up an unusual winner—the Communist the first constituent assembly in its of their classes. They have lessons to finish, exams to take, and The first Jan Andolan in 1989 had turned out to be a rather short one. Party of Nepal (United Marxist- history, it was akin to ‘night-bitten an academic session to complete. Losing a significant part of started on a high note. Though not Besieged with internal contradictions Leninist). Better known by its acronym dawn’ with uncertainties about the the already truncated academic year is not an option anymore. exactly green, the Kathmandu Valley and external machinations, the interim UML, the party was culturally conserv- future of federalism and inclusion. Nine months is how long it took for schools to reopen last time. was still largely clean in the spring of cabinet was unable to exercise its popu- ative, socially revisionist, politically When the Gorkha Earthquakes That is too long a duration for students who need to wrap up 1990. Despite bad roads, inadequate lar legitimacy to initiate the transfor- conformist and economically reform- struck Nepal in April 2015, there was their courses and upgrade to the next level. It is especially pun- water supply, insufficient cooking gas, mation of society and polity. Stalwarts ist. It transformed the political land- hope that the political regime will pri- inefficient garbage collection and of the transitional politics, including scape in Nepal as the nationalism, xen- oritise the rescue, relief and rehabilita- ishing for tertiary level students who have to catch up with their undependable electricity, the air was Prime Minister Bhattarai, lost parlia- ophobia and jingoism of the early-1960s tion efforts above everything else with peers across the world—after all, we are a small and yet signifi- thick with exuberant hope in the mentary elections. made a spectacular comeback. The the help of the international communi- cant part of the global educational system that incentivises Kathmandu Spring. The People’s When Girija Prasad Koirala formed combustible composition continues to ty. The permanent establishment competition and excellence. Movement had just forced king the first elected government after rule the roost in the form of demagogic thought so little of then prime minister To make up for the months-long closure of educational insti- Birendra to restore parliamentary 30-years, hope returned that his party populism to this day. Sushil Koirala that it didn’t deem it fit tutions, the government had, last September, reduced a third of democracy after a hiatus of three dec- will use its popular mandate to com- Almost out of nowhere, a certain to report him of the disaster. He found ades when monarchs had ruled the mence the practice of progressive poli- Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli took the out about the quakes from the Twitter the prescribed contact hours and curriculum at the school level country with an authoritarian hand in tics in a democratic manner. All such centre stage as the Home Minister of post of the Indian Prime Minister and also extended the academic year by two months. School a developmental glove. expectations were soon dashed. With a the minority government in 1994 as an Narendra Modi. authorities say they still have a third of the coursework to fin- The composition of the interim cabi- nudge from the royal palace, the per- associate of the de jure Deputy Prime Meanwhile, the de facto premier Oli ish. But the prospect of yet another closure is already looming net of the restored system had succeed- manent establishment began to assert Minister but de facto executive head had begun to exercise his unofficial large, leaving teachers, students and parents in a quandary: To ed in igniting unbridled optimism. itself. In the name of containing com- Madhav Kumar Nepal. With a combina- authority without legal or moral continue with the physical mode of teaching or not, especially Prime Minister Krishna Prasad munism, international actors began to tion of Stalinist determination, responsibility to prepare the ground Bhattarai had the reputation of being cultivate their loyalists independent of Leninist ingenuity and Chanakyan chi- for the 16-point conspiracy with the because the students, many of whom are below the eligible age an adroit designer of principled com- the government through non-govern- canery, Oli would slowly but surely help of international interlocutors for vaccination, are nowhere close to being immunised. promises. His senior-most cabinet col- mental organisations. outwit Nepali Congress, outfox the from friendly countries. In the middle This concern would not have been so consequential had we league as the Deputy Prime Minister The Marxist-Leninist party in the Maoists, and outmanoeuvre his chal- of the aftershocks, a deal was sealed to been a little more imaginative and enterprising early on. We was Sahana Pradhan, a ‘democratic’ opposition took to the streets within lengers within the UML to capture the junk all the work done by the first con- have been there and done that, and yet we are here, today, won- communist of long-standing in nation- days of the formation of a new govern- state and run it as his fief. stituent assembly and rush a charter dering how we will be able to conduct classes online in the event al politics. ment on flimsy pretexts. The judiciary The Maoist insurgency (1996-2006) dec- through fast-track without any deliber- Prismatic societies on the path of cut the wings of the executive sphere imated all hopes of a peaceful transfor- ation on the basis of party whips. of a shutdown. Once the initial pandemic storm was over, we democracy are saddled with a huge of the state and delimited the govern- mation of the political economy. The All the promises of April 2006 were considered the calm that followed as a permanent solution. The mismatch between their political aspi- ment’s authority of implementing Narayanhiti Massacre of June 1, 2001 buried unsung in the debris of the mas- first wave of the pandemic taught us enough about the imper- rations and social realities. Touted as international agreements without the closed all avenues of retaining the con- sive earthquakes. Had it not been for a manence of the traditional teaching-learning infrastructure. It the best charter in the world, the ratification of the legislature. A ginger stitutional monarchy. All that was left of court ruling, aspirations of federalism taught us that we would have to adopt new technologies to make Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal group of the ruling party began to con- the progressive dream of April 1990 after would have been laid to their final rest- good in a post-pandemic world, and that we would have to bridge 2047 (1990) was aimed at institutionalis- spire for its fall. Hemmed in from all the royal-military coup of February 1, ing place in the cupboards of Singha ing parliamentary democracy with con- sides, Prime Minister Koirala began to 2005 was a republican aspiration. Durbar. the digital divide to provide equal opportunities to every learn- stitutional monarchy. However, unable rely solely upon his kitchen cabinet, When the world was coming to terms er out there. And yet, we were not prepared for a second wave, to establish parliamentary supremacy, most of them unelected busybodies Broken promises with the first pandemic of the century were we? it ended up creating dual centres of with vested interests, for administra- The April Uprising of 2006 could have in April 2020, Supremo Sharma Oli, by Private school and college operators are rightly questioning power. tive advice. It was a sure-fire recipe for led to a genuine Rhododendron then the uncrowned chieftain of the the rationale behind shutting down educational institutions The monarchy retained complete political disaster. Revolution. But politicos that had little dominant Khas-Arya community, was halfway through the academic year. After all, they have fees to control over the national army through A considerable section of the profit or no role in the republican struggle serving homilies instead of leading its dominance over the National sector had prospered in the dying days such as Sushil Koirala and Sher from the front to face the calamity. The collect, salaries to pay, and a timetable that requires them to Defence Council. Recommendations of of the monarchical rule through the Bahadur Deuba along with their con- economy went into a tailspin as disas- move on to the next session. If the institutions are closed, they the cabinet weren’t made sufficiently Structural Adjustment Programme servative coteries in the Nepali ter capitalism spread its fangs. He is cannot do either of these things. The government more or less explicit for the appointment of ambas- (SAP) of international lending agen- Congress began to pull GP Koirala back to peddling mistruths as the sec- left them to fend for themselves. And so they collected whatever sadors. The anachronism of Raj cies. Such beneficiaries of the away from the Maoists. ond wave of Covid-19 takes Nepal in its they could from the parents and paid whatever they could to the Parishad (the Royal Council) was Washington Consensus began to exer- The regressive forces in the UML grip. teachers. Both parents and teachers were thus left unhappy. The retained. The Narayanhiti Palace cise a tremendous influence upon the began to regroup around wily Oli. There isn’t much to be happy about maintained its predominance over the Koirala coterie. A government elected Hubris took over Pushpa Kamal Dahal this Baisakh, but Happy New Year BS institutions will have to bring that same modus operandi to permanent establishment even as the on the promise of introducing a social- as he began to fancy himself as a leader 2078 anyway: May we all have the ener- work once again. And that will not lead to a happy ending cabinet secretariat tried to assert its ist agenda was caught in the web of its bigger than the principal signatory of gy to fight for truth and justice all over yet again. legitimate authority. own contradictions and fell with a thud the 12-point understanding who had again.

Letter to the editor The second wave is knocking on the border

Misleading news The government seems Our attention has been drawn to a news report published to be unconcerned by the Post regarding our operations in Helambu (‘Helambu about a possible renewed administration says Melamchi project didn’t pay promised tax’, March 31). virus outbreak. Quoting the rural municipality, the paper writes, ‘Sinohydro Corporation Ltd, the Chinese contractor company of the project, JAGADISH PRASAD BIST has not paid for the resources—slates, stones, soils and other riverbed materials—used while constructing Ambathan dam and other infrastructures in Helambu Rural Municipality Ward No 1.’ Our main objection goes with this sentence of the news. Sinohydro began completing the uncompleted infrastruc- tures of the Melamchi Water Supply Project after making a As the government dawdles amid polit- ical chaos, the thousands of new Covid- formal agreement with the concerned agencies of the 19 cases in India are likely to trigger Government of Nepal. We have signed the terms and conditions another and more vicious second wave in Nepal. Despite deploying all availa- and we assure you that we abide by the clauses mentioned in the ble resources and taking precautions in agreement. As a construction company, we managed construc- 2020, the virus made its way into Nepal SHUTTERSTOCK tion materials from different legal sources. Some materials and rapidly spread all over the country. being implemented. nificantly. The schools, that were used Vaccination is not sufficient to stamp But this time around, the government Nepal’s vaccination drive has started before as quarantine facilities cannot out the virus. Had vaccination been were imported from foreign countries while some of them were and agencies concerned are exhibiting and the government is planning for the be used unless we go for a nationwide sufficient to contain this virus, vaccine purchased locally and also some of them is recycling of discard- an unconcerned attitude towards this second round of jabs, but the coronavi- lockdown, and Nepal cannot bear a producers like India and the US would ed bulk rock and soil from the tunnel or dam excavation period. looming health crisis. All the transit rus threat is still out there. Even the lockdown again. The economy has not be seeing hundreds of thousands of points on the Nepal-India border are rich countries with all kinds of already been smothered by previous new cases daily. As mentioned in the news, the company used slates, stones, open, and people are moving around resources, vaccine inventories and lockdowns. Therefore, without hamper- It is equally important to understand soil and other riverbed materials in the infrastructure, but all freely and without any precautions or excellent health care facilities—the ing schooling, the government has to that the virus has many variants in tests. United States, European Union, United find proper places for quarantine cen- different countries. It is a matter of these materials were used under construction for three major On top of that, Covid-19 fatigue has Kingdom, Brazil—are still struggling tres so there will be no need to shut concern for us that India has seen some purposes. The first one is aggregate used for mixing concrete set in and the public has become tired to contain the virus. It’s been a year down schools and other educational new variants and variants from the and backfill work which were legally bought from local vendors of following safety protocols. For this and European countries are still under institutions again. UK, Brazil and South Africa. The avail- reason, there has been no let-up in the lockdown, and thousands of new cases If the infection numbers start able vaccines have not been scientifi- and suppliers with fully paid taxes. The second one is backfill caseload. The government still seems are being reported in the US despite all increasing significantly, the country cally tested against these mutants. stone used for gabion wall work. The last one is the hard stone to be unconcerned about a possible the inoculations. Nepal with its dilapi- will have no choice but to go for a lock- Therefore, there is no option but to take renewed virus outbreak even though dated health infrastructure and facili- down. We have examples from some precautions. To this end, the govern- used for laying weir lining. The latter two were recycled exca- the disastrous economic consequences ties is very vulnerable. Therefore, the states in India where lockdown meas- ment has to consult experts and brace vated mucking rock heaped up in the construction field rather of the recent lockdown are still fresh in country needs to act as early as possi- ures are still imposed. Bangladesh for a possible new outbreak. Safety than the river bed materials. everybody’s minds. ble to prevent possible infections. recently announced a nationwide lock- regulations for schools, public trans- The government has lifted restric- First and foremost, the government down for a week. On the other hand, if portation and public places need to be For the aggregate, the company has paid all the vendors and tions imposed on almost all economic needs to alert and reactivate all local, we give it much priority and get things enforced. The required manpower, suppliers for the materials they supplied and we believe that all activities in Nepal. Hotels, restaurants provincial, and federal units to contain done early, we could contain it as quarantine centres, hospitals and test- and clubs, schools and universities, this possible virus crisis. This time, the Bhutan did it previously. ing tools and kits should be arranged. of the vendors and suppliers are satisfied with the company. party palaces, gym centres and movie schools and public transportation need There are also arguments that Covid- Just in case things go out of control, The entire bill, invoices, payment receipts, dispatches and all theatres have reopened. The concerned much attention. They should be made 19 is not as deadly as made out to be, possible lockdown measures should be other documents of transactions and payments concerning the bodies are seemingly confused over to follow preliminary precautions considering the lower death rates in considered; but a lockdown should how to handle the situation. The Health strictly. Tests should be conducted at Nepal and India. For this reason, some never be made the first and easiest local and the foreign vendors and suppliers are transparent, and Ministry has issued statements the border before there is a possible say that public fears should be dis- option as was done previously. are kept safely in the company’s office. The news report is mis- requesting people to wear masks and stampede of people due to increasing missed and things should be taken nor- leading, and should be amended. maintain social distancing. However, cases in India. We need to reinstate mally. But there should be no scope for Bist is a freelance researcher and writes authorities are not following up on quarantines and make them ready just such silly arguments. The govern- on finance, economics and sociopolitical Sinohydro Corporation Ltd, via email their directives to ensure that they are in case infections start increasing sig- ment’s priority should be public health. matters.

C M Y K 05 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021 NATIONAL Covid-19 infecting more children, but government reluctant to close schools Epidemiology and Disease Control Division says the UK variant B.1.1.7. might be responsible for over 60 percent of the new infections in Nepal.

ARJUN POUDEL are becoming coronavirus hotspots in doctors said are the only ways to stem KATHMANDU, APRIL 13 recent days,” Dr Samir Kumar the spread. Adhikari, joint spokesperson for the “What is alarming is that more peo- In the last 24-hours, 48 children under Ministry of Health, told the Post. “The ple are dying at once, and young peo- 20 years of age have tested positive for Ministry of Health has been asking ple and children are becoming seri- Covid-19. Of the 517 new cases, five schools to stop in-person classes for a ously ill,” Dr Anup Bastola, spokes- are under 9 years old and 43 are few weeks but other agencies respon- person at the Sukraraj Tropical and between 10 and 19 years, according to sible for implementing our recom- Infectious Disease Hospital, told the the Ministry of Health. mendations appear unconvinced.” Post. “Coming days will be more chal- “We have recommended that schools Adhikari said that more schoolchil- lenging and tough for us if we do not be closed for at least three weeks, but dren might have been infected, as follow the safety measures.” the government is not paying any identifying infection in children is Doctors say even if we start follow- heed to our recommendation,” an offi- more difficult. ing the safety measures, new cases cial at the Ministry of Health told the “When children exhibit symptoms, will not lessen for a few weeks, as the Post asking not to be named. “Students first of all people ignore it as normal virus might have already taken hold POST PHOTO: HEMANTA SHRESTHA are dying in schools but the govern- influenza or common cold and do not in communities. A peacock dances inside the Bardiya National Park on Tuesday. ment is listening only to the sugges- rush to the hospital,” said Adhikari. “It takes over two months for the tions of business people and school “Secondly taking swab samples— infections to become widespread,” Dr operators.” throat and nasal swabs—from Sher Bahadur Pun, chief of the So far, 46 persons under the children is difficult because if such Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj age of 20 have died of the coronavirus samples are not taken properly, Hospital, told the Post. “We should infection. polymerase chain reaction tests show start case management, as more peo- Janata Samajbadi willing to form Doctors say a sudden spike in new negative.” ple could get serious and need hospi- cases of coronavirus in densely popu- talisation, intensive care unit beds lated areas of big cities suggests that a and ventilator support.” new variant of the Covid-19 has been 46 persons under the The Ministry of Health said 97 new government under its leadership circulating for months. infected people in serious conditions However, they say authorities con- age of 20 have died are receiving treatment at intensive cerned have neither taken necessary care units and 20 others are on ventila- Party leaders say the candidate will be based on a consensus. measures to contain the spread nor of the coronavirus tor support across the country. implemented the suggestions of Meanwhile, the ministry said peo- ANIL GIRI was the part of his desire to become the new government if two other experts, despite knowing that the new infection so far. ple who received their first dose of KATHMANDU, APRIL 13 the prime minister, a leader close to opposition parties do not come for- variant of virus is responsible for a vaccine against Covid-19 in the first Bhattarai said, as Thakur and another ward to shoulder the responsibility.” surge in new cases. phase from January 27 to March 5 will Days after the inter-party talks in senior leader, Rajendra Mahato, are Sources within the party say that “We have recommended a ban on According to the ministry, four be administered the second shot which the Nepali Congress said it was keen to support Oli and his bid to hold Yadav and Bhattarai are ready to sup- gatherings in big cities including Covid deaths occurred in the last 24 between April 20 and April 24. willing to take the lead to form a coali- early elections. port Thakur, but Thakur and Mahato those in the Kathmandu Valley, hours. The number of active cases As many as 438,000 people were tion government with the support of “Bhattarai now wants to stop have been reluctant and are defusing Chitwan, Pokhara, Butwal and stand at 280,984. So far, the country inoculated in the first phase after the the Communist Party of Nepal Samajbadi Party from falling into the agenda of leading the government Birgunj, and that classes be conducted has reported 3,058 deaths across government launched its vaccination (Maoist Centre) and the Janata Oli’s trap,” said the leader on condi- saying that talks with the government virtually,” Dr Krishna Prasad Paudel, the country due to Covid-19. Active drive on January 27 with the 1 million Samajbadi Party, there is a new twist tion of anonymity. on releasing its leaders and cadres director at the Epidemiology and cases stand at 3,608, according to the doses of Covishield, the in the country’s politics. However, Janata Samajbadi Party may be jeopardised. Disease Control Division, told the ministry. Oxford-AstraZeneca type vaccine The Janata Samajbadi Party, the leaders are not opening their cards Besides Deuba, Bhattarai has Post. “We made the recommendations “What can we expect from a govern- manufactured by the Serum Institute fourth force and kingmaker in immediately on leading the new gov- already held talks with Communist along with ample evidence, but they ment that listens more to business- of India, which the Indian govern- Parliament with 32 seats, appears to ernment as the Nepali Congress has Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) chair haven’t heeded.” men than to experts,” an official at the ment had provided to Nepal under want to lead the government. not abandoned its claim and the party Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The division said the UK variant of Department of the Health Services grant assistance. “We are in the process of making itself is currently holding talks with “The party should have one com- the coronavirus known as B.1.1.7. said, asking not to be named. “This Likewise, the government is also ourselves an alternative force, so we the government to get charges against mon candidate for the post of prime might be responsible for over 60 per- government has ignored the experts’ preparing to administer the second are ready to lead an alternative gov- hundreds of its cadres for the last six minister but our leaders have failed to cent of the new infections in Nepal. suggestions since the start of the pan- dose of Covid-19 vaccine from to those ernment too,” Sharat Singh Bhandari, years dropped as well as to secure the reach such an understanding,” Arjun According to scientists, the UK var- demic so the second wave could be who got vaccinated in the second a senior Janata Samajbadi leader told release of one of its lawmaker, Resham Thapa, a central committee iant is 40 to 70 percent more transmis- worse than the first wave.” phase, from May 16. the Post. “When big parties like the Chaudhary, imprisoned for life for his member said. “They have yet to forge sible than the one that caused the On Tuesday 5,203 tests were per- In the second phase of vaccina- Nepali Congress have failed to give an role in the 2015 Tikapur riots in which a consensus.” first wave of coronavirus infection. formed throughout the country. tion—from March 7 to March 15—peo- alternative to the Oli government, if nine people were killed. Some senior Nepali Congress lead- They have also said that the virus is 64 Despite growing risks of spread of ple above 65 years of age were inocu- we stake claim to government leader- ers including Ram Chandra Poudel percent more deadly than the previous new variants, authorities have not yet lated. A little over 1.35 million people ship, it’s but natural.” are also positive about supporting strains. started active case finding and had taken the first dose during that While CPN-UML chair and Prime Talks on forming a anyone from the Janata Samajbadi “Schools and academic institutions resumed contact tracing work, which period. Minister KP Sharma Oli has been Party if Deuba declines to become the trying to rope in the Janata Samajbadi new government prime minister and if that is the con- Party, the Nepali Congress and dition in which Oli can be removed. the Maoist Centre too are seeking its have been going on “Poudel met Thakur twice recently support. in order to seek his support and that Talks on forming a new government since February 24. of his party,” a leader close to Poudel by unseating Oli have been going on said. “Later Poudel briefed Deuba that since February 24, a day after the if needed, and at the cost of removing Supreme Court overturned the House Though the party’s top brass has Oli, Nepali Congress should lend sup- dissolution decision. agreed to lead the next government if port to Thakur for the post of prime Though the party has not discussed the situation permits, the issue of minister.” in earnest who will be the alternative unseating Oli remained a key bone of But whether it will be Thakur or candidate for the post of prime minis- contention among the top leadership Bhattarai that the party will choose as ter, Bhandari said that the party has during the two-day meeting, a central its prime ministerial candidate senior leaders like chair Mahantha committee member said. remains unclear. Thakur, former prime minister and “As usual, Thakurji and senior lead- “The final decision about who will chair of the party’s federal council er Rajedra Mahato were of the view of be the prime minister candidate will Baburam Bhattarai and others who not to tease Oli furthermore as seri- be decided by the party’s central com- can lead the government. ous talks are going on with the Oli mittee meeting,” Keshav Jha, another “We held meetings of party office government at different levels,” said party leader, said, “Talks are ongoing bearers on Sunday and Monday to the central committee member. “But but there is almost some kind of discuss various aspects of the ongoing the party chair Upendra Yadav and agreement inside the party that we talks about new government forma- another senior leader and former should lead the new government if tion and weighed various options,” a prime minister Bhattarai were stead- chance arises.” senior JSP leader said on condition of fast against the continuation of the But the party is in no hurry to make anonymity. “If the Nepali Congress, Oli government as it will be perilous the decision on who should become the natural claimant of the post of to democracy.” the prime minister. Other matters prime minister, does not want to move While earlier it was just Thakur need to be settled first, according to its ahead, why shouldn’t we stake a who had, within the party, put his leaders. claim!” claim to lead the government, now “Nepali Congress has decided to In this regard, Bhattarai, the for- with Bhattarai too making his claim take a lead to form a new government mer Maoist ideologue, held talks with during the party’s meeting on Sunday and that is its decision. That does not Nepali Congress President Sher and Monday, matters have become make much difference to our party. Bahadur Deuba on Tuesday and dis- complicated, according to another But it has failed to create a conducive cussed the prospect of new govern- central committee member of the environment for it,” Jha said. “We are ment formation by convincing Deuba party. also holding talks with the state to to unseat Oli. “Besides Thakur, former prime release and withdraw cases against Despite repeated calls from within minister Bhattarai has also thrown our leaders and cadres. We are wait- his own party and opposition parties, his hat in the ring to become the prime ing for the government’s decision. Deuba has shown disinterest in minister,” he told the post on condi- Therefore we are waiting for the unseating Oli through a no-confidence tion of anonymity. “Earlier, Thakur response from both sides. Once the motion. had been saying that the Janata scene is clear, we will take an appro- POST FILE PHOTO Bhattarai’s meeting with Deuba Samajbadi Party would claim to lead priate decision.” Schools and academic institutions are becoming coronavirus hotspots in recent days. Higher altitudes beckon more wildlife in Nepal amid warmer climes >> Continued from page 1 for years now,” she says. moth and 17 species of butterfly that “We cannot deny the fact that there that need attention,” says Buddhi no idea what the implications will be,” “Either situation could spell a disas- Another study conducted on the have shown “considerable new is a basic warming trend that is being Sagar Poudel, chief of the REDD+ says Koju. ter for the local ecosystem. Pikas are clouded leopard in 2020 in the upward altitude records” in the witnessed across Nepal,” says Dipesh Initiative, a climate change adaptation Back in Mustang, for people like extremely temperature sensitive and Langtang area found the elusive ani- Himalayas with a difference of more Joshi, a climate change expert with initiative under the Ministry of Forest Bista, these changes are already far are non-hibernating species, which mal surviving at 3,498m. The animal than 1,000 metres between their cur- WWF Nepal. “But there are multiple and Environment. “Right now, when it too real. With the emergence of means the slightest alterations in tem- has so far been found only at 2,300m. rent and previously recorded mean factors that could be influencing these comes to climate change, the focus of mosquitoes in mountainous perature can make them extremely And this kind of movement has not habitat altitudes, according to Indian animals to move, such as better habi- the government is more on mitigation regions, there has been an increase in vulnerable,” says Koju. “It is also a just been witnessed in the mountains news reports. tat, human-influenced transportation, and adaptation. We just do not have malaria and dengue cases. A 2016 keystone species and it has an of Nepal. What all these changes mean for easier prey.” the resources to carry out long-term report states that since 1988, a total of immense effect on its surrounding A study led by the University of biodiversity and humanity isn’t easy In the same vein, Ghimire, the con- extensive research work.” 9,836 malaria cases have been report- natural environment.” Colorado, spanning nearly 13 years, to predict. servationist, too believes that it is too But if the climate continues to ed from 13 out of 16 mountain dis- Residents of Kyanjin Gompa, the published in February 2021, has “Species move but they do not move early to make conclusions. “To say warm at its current rate, experts tricts—places where the disease was last village in the Langtang valley, sit- reported that critters such as the gold- at the same time and at the same pace, that climate change is causing upward believe that consequences will be dire. previously unheard of. uated at 3,800m, too feel the effects of en-mantled ground squirrel, a popular meaning all species do not respond to migration without proper, long-term According to the Intergovernmental Changes in the climate directly and a warming climate. sight in the Rockies, are moving up as the same signals,” says Koju. “Some research would be too rash. There is Panel on Climate Change report titled indirectly affect the lives of the people “It is definitely warmer now, in the the mountain range warms. The can move, some can adapt and some much more research needed to ascer- ‘Global Warming of 1.5 degrees who call the mountains their home. summers and winters. We are now report stated that on an average the may die; the response of the species to tain the biological responses towards Celsius’, “twice as many plant spe- “These changes are subtle but they able to grow cauliflowers in green- ranges of the ground squirrel and 46 a changing climate is unpredictable. climate change,” he says. cies–and three times as many insects, are definitely there,” says Bista. “For houses throughout the year. This was other species of small mammals have But any kind of change in natural But research opportunities are hard which are critical to our food people who live in the mountains year- not possible when we were children; it shifted upward by more than 400 feet order or redistribution can have cata- to come by in a poor, under-developed supply–could lose at least half their round, they are much more visible would be too cold to do so,” says since the 1980s. Species living at high- strophic implications on the local nation like Nepal that is always mired habitat under a 2-degree versus a already.” 45-year-old Mangalmu Lama, who er elevations, like the squirrel, have ecology and this will have a chain in political instability. 1.5-degree rise.” runs a lodge in Kyanjin Gompa all moved up by 1,100 feet. reaction.” “Changing climate and biodiversity “Nature is constantly changing, (This story was written and produced year round. “When I was a child, Closer to Nepal, a study by the However, experts also say that there loss are two urgent, global issues, but always evolving–that is a given. But as part of a media skills development Kyanjin would be buried in snow five Zoological Survey of India, released could be other factors at play in the in a developing country like Nepal, changes in the past few decades have programme by Thomson Reuters feet deep. I haven’t seen snow like that in 2019, identified at least 49 species of movement of animals and insects. there are other more pressing issues taken place too quickly, and we have Foundation)

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021 | 06 WORLD BRIEFING India, swamped by Covid-19 surge, Merkel stays out Don’t play with fire on Taiwan, of battle over China warns US BEIJING: China told the United States fast-tracks approval of foreign vaccines who runs for on Tuesday to stop playing with fire over Taiwan and lodged a complaint after Washington issued guidelines India is reporting around double the daily cases of the United States and Brazil, the two other worst affected countries. German leader that will enable US officials to meet more freely with officials from the REUTERS More than 100 tested positive for ASSOCIATED PRESS island that China claims as its own. NEW DELHI, APRIL 13 Covid-19, in random testing of around BERLIN, APRIL 13 The US State Department’s Friday 18,000 attendees testing carried out by decision to deepen relations with self- India is to fast-track emergency authorities, local media said. German Chancellor Angela Merkel ruled Taiwan came amid stepped-up approvals for Covid-19 vaccines that Few at the mass religious gathering said Tuesday she will stay out of a Chinese military activity around the have been authorised by Western called the Kumbh Mela - or pitcher battle in her center-right bloc over island. China urges the United States countries and Japan, paving the way festival - observed precautions such as who should be its candidate to succeed “not to play with fire on the Taiwan for possible imports of Pfizer, Johnson social distancing or mask wearing, her, while the two rival contenders issue, immediately stop any form of & Johnson, and Moderna shots. Reuters witnesses said, and hundreds prepared to take their case to lawmak- US-Taiwan official contacts and not The move, which will drop the need of thousands more are expected to ers. send wrong signals to Taiwan inde- for companies to do small, local safety plunge into the waters in the northern Armin Laschet, leader of Merkel’s pendence forces’, Chinese Foreign trials for their vaccines before seeking city of Haridwar on Wednesday. Christian Democratic Union, and Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said. emergency approval, follows the Similar concerns were sparked by Markus Soeder, the leader of its small- world’s biggest surge in cases in the mass election rallies by the ruling er Bavarian sister party, the Christian country this month. Bharatiya Janata Party and opposi- Social Union, officially threw their US to base additional Vaccines authorised by the World tion parties during polls in four states hats in the ring on Sunday after troops in Germany Health Organization or authorities in and one federally-run region. At one months of shadow-boxing. BERLIN: The United States will ramp the United States, Europe, the United rally in the eastern state of West Germany’s parliamentary election up its forces in Germany amid the lat- Kingdom and Japan “may be granted Bengal, a key political prize, Home on Sept. 26 will determine who est tensions with Russia over emergency use approval in India, Minister Amit Shah posted Twitter succeeds Merkel, who isn’t seeking a Ukraine, abandoning former mandating the requirement of post-ap- pictures of meetings with crowds of fifth term after nearly 16 years in President Donald Trump’s plans to proval parallel bridging clinical trial”, supporters while unmasked. power. withdraw around 12,000 of the 36,000 the health ministry said in a state- The second wave of infections, Laschet and Soeder are the gover- troops from the fellow NATO country. ment. which began in India’s major cities, is nors of Germany’s two most populous “I briefed the minister on our inten- “The first 100 beneficiaries of such REUTERS increasingly spreading into the hin- states, North Rhine-Westphalia and tion to permanently stage an approxi- foreign vaccines shall be assessed for People wearing protective masks stand outside a railway station amidst the spread of the terland, where healthcare facilities Bavaria respectively. Soeder has much mately 500 additional US personnel in seven days for safety outcomes before coronavirus disease, in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday. are often rudimentary. better poll ratings, but Laschet is the the Wiesbaden area as early as this they are rolled out.” In Raipur, the capital of recently elected leader of by far the fall,” US Secretary of Defence Lloyd India, the world’s biggest maker of Chhattisgarh state known for its large bigger party. Austin told at press conference after vaccines, has administered more than tribal population, the main govern- On Monday, Laschet rallied the CDU meeting his German counterpart in 106 million doses of Covid-19 shots, British variant of coronavirus not as ment hospital’s morgue was strug- leadership behind his bid and called Berlin. Last June, Trump had but many regions are now running gling to keep up with the number of for a quick decision. But Soeder resist- announced his intention to cut the US short of supplies as inoculations severe as feared, study finds deaths, said joint director Dr Vineet ed pressure to resolve the matter troop contingent in Germany by expand due to surging cases. Jain. immediately and said it needs to be about a third. India has sold more than 54.6 mil- REUTERS outcomes in patients infected with “All oxygenated and ICU beds are discussed with people beyond senior lion vaccine doses abroad and gifted LONDON, APRIL 13 B.1.1.7 or other variants. The full in our set up,” he told Reuters. party officials, pointing to his superi- more than 10 million to partner coun- researchers found no difference in “Around 50 dead bodies are laying, or poll ratings. Austria’s health minister tries. A highly contagious variant of the risks of severe disease, death, or we have a shortage of space. Some Soeder hopes for support from CDU It is currently using the AstraZeneca Covid-19 first identified in Britain other clinical outcomes in patients private hospitals do not have space to lawmakers who worry about their resigns, saying he’s overworked shot and a homegrown vaccine devel- does not cause more severe disease with B.1.1.7 and other variants. keep the dead bodies so they also send own chances of re-election. BERLIN: Austria’s health minister oped by Bharat Biotech for its own in hospitalised patients, according “Our data, within the context and the bodies to us.” Laschet and Soeder decided to announced his resignation on immunisation drive, and this week to a new study published in the limitations of a real-world study, Vardhan cited several reasons for attend a regular meeting Tuesday Tuesday, saying that he couldn’t con- approved Russia’s Sputnik V shot for medical journal The Lancet provide initial reassurance that the national surge. of the two parties’ joint parliamentary tinue in the grueling job of helping emergency use. Infectious Diseases on Monday. severity in hospitalised patients “There have been elections, reli- group in Berlin, Germany’s dpa lead the country’s coronavirus Since April 2, India has reported the The strain, known as B.1.1.7, was with B.1.1.7 is not markedly differ- gious gatherings, reopening of offices, news agency reported. It wasn’t response because of persistent per- world’s highest daily tallies of infec- identified in Britain late last year ent from severity in those without,” lots of people travelling, attending clear whether and how that sonal health problems caused by over- tions, topping 100,000 last week. It and has become the most common the researchers said in the study. social functions, not following rules, would move things forward; work. Rudolf Anschober, 60, had been reported 161,736 cases on Tuesday, tak- variant in the United States, accord- A separate study published in little mask-wearing in functions like while both men have vowed to health minister since January 2020, ing the total to 13.7 million. Deaths ing to the Centers for Disease The Lancet Public Health concludes weddings, even on crowded buses and reach an agreement on who should when his Green party became the rose by 879 to 171,058. Control and Prevention. that vaccines are likely to be effec- trains,” he told a video conference last run, they haven’t agreed on a proce- junior partner in a governing coali- The jump in infections, for which The study analysed a group of 496 tive against the British variant week. dure. tion under conservative Chancellor Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Covid-19 patients who were admit- since there was no apparent India is currently reporting around Merkel, asked Tuesday whether she Sebastian Kurz. The soft-spoken min- acknowledged widespread failure by ted to British hospitals in November increase in reinfection rate when double the daily cases of the United was worried that the pair’s rivalry ister has been one of the main faces citizens to heed curbs on movement and December last year, comparing compared to non-UK variants. States and Brazil, the two other worst could damage the Union bloc and even of Austria’s coronavirus response, and social interaction as contributory affected countries, though its daily lead to it losing the chancellery, made which has gathered mixed reviews. factors, has prompted calls for the death toll is lower. clear that she has no intention of Wolfgang Mueckstein, a Vienna-based government to cancel huge public devout Hindus are set to bathe in the Nearly a million bathed in the India’s total infections rank after intervening. doctor, was named as Anschober’s events. Ganges river on Wednesday, the third Ganges on Monday in the belief that only the United States, having over- “I wanted, want to and will stay out successor. (AGENCIES) But hundreds of thousands of key day of a weeks-long festival. its waters would wash away their sins. taken Brazil on Monday. of it,” she said. Moscow takes measures in response to ‘threatening’ NATO actions Kiev and its Western allies accuse Russia of sending troops and arms to Ukraine border to support separatists.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE The long-simmering conflict that MOSCOW, APRIL 13 has claimed more than 13,000 lives has escalated in recent weeks, with clash- Moscow has sent troops to its Western es regularly breaking out and under- borders for “training exercises” in mining a ceasefire brokered last year. response to “threatening” NATO Ukrainian President Volodymyr actions, Russia’s Defence Minister Zelensky’s spokeswoman told AFP on Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday. Monday that Russia now has 41,000 The statement comes as Kiev and its troops on Ukraine’s eastern border Western allies have accused Russia in and 42,000 soldiers on the Crimean recent weeks of massing tens of thou- peninsula. sands of troops on its border with Earlier Tuesday NATO Secretary Ukraine, while NATO told Moscow to General Jens Stoltenberg told Russia end its “unjustified” build-up. to end its “unjustified, unexplained “In response to the alliance’s mili- and deeply concerning” military tary activities that threaten Russia, build-up around Ukraine. we took appropriate measures,” In his comments, Shoigu also Shoigu said in televised remarks. accused Washington and NATO of “Over three weeks, two armies and massing troops on Russia’s borders. three airborne units were successfully He said American troops were cur- deployed to the western borders of the rently being transferred from “North Russian Federation in areas for per- America across the Atlantic to forming combat training exercises,” Europe”. AP/RSS he said. He added that “there is movement Muslims pray during the first dawn prayers of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, as they keep social He added that the “troops have of troops in Europe to the Russian distancing to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. shown full readiness and ability to borders. The main forces are concen- carry out tasks to ensure the country’s trated in the Black Sea and the Baltic military security” and that the exer- region.” cises would be completed “within two Turkey on Friday said the United weeks”. States will send two warships through Ukraine has been fighting pro-Rus- the Bosphorous to the Black Sea this sia separatists in its east since 2014 week. UN fears Myanmar heading to ‘full-blown’ conflict when Moscow annexed Crimea. While the Kremlin has said it is not Kiev and its Western allies accuse moving towards war with Ukraine, it AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE flict,” Bachelet said in a statement. to prepare their rice crops because of face three years in jail. Russia of sending troops and arms to has emphasised that it “will not YANGON, APRIL 13 “There are clear echoes of Syria in fears the military would shell them in With violence raging, many in coup- support the separatists, claims remain indifferent” to the fate of 2011,” she warned, referring to the their fields, the aid group said. hit Myanmar are vowing to mark this Moscow denies. Russian speakers in the east. The UN rights chief warned Tuesday start of a civil war that over the past “They are afraid they will have no week’s Buddhist New Year festival Myanmar could be spiralling towards decade has killed nearly 400,000 people rice harvest next fall,” it said in a with protests rather than the tradi- a “full-blown” Syrian-style conflict, and forced more than six million to statement. tional water fights. after a two-month crackdown that a flee the country. Military attacks sent a few thou- Some protesters say it would be dis- local monitoring group says has In recent weeks, several of sand people fleeing into neighbouring respectful to enjoy the Thingyan holi- already claimed more than 700 lives. Myanmar’s ethnic rebel groups in Thailand in recent weeks, but most day period when so many have lost Myanmar is in chaos and its econo- some lawless border territories have have returned to the Myanmar side of their lives and around 3,000 people are my has been paralysed since the mili- stepped up attacks on the military and the border. detained. tary seized power from civilian leader police, raising fears of a broader civil In Yangon, authorities are hunting In parts of Yangon, Monywa and Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1. conflict. those responsible for an underground Bago, protesters observed Thingyan Warning of possible crimes against The military has retaliated with air newsletter titled “Molotov”. by painting pots with pro-democracy humanity, the United Nations High strikes, which the Free Burma The publication was started by a messages Tuesday and placing them Commissioner for Human Rights Rangers—a Christian aid group work- group of young activists to fight ongo- on streets with flowers inside. Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday urged ing in the area—said had displaced ing internet outages and information “Fight for democracy,” a sign stick- countries to take immediate action to more than 24,000 civilians in Karen suppression. “The Molotov journal is ing out of a line of pots said in one push Myanmar’s military to stop its state by Saturday. illegally published,” the state-run Yangon township. “campaign of repression and slaugh- The Rangers, which runs a health Global New Light of Myanmar said, Others said, “Never give up”. ter of its people.” clinic in the state, said air strikes had adding that legal action would be “We are not having normal celebra- Daily rallies across Myanmar have killed at least 20 people and wounded taken against those involved. tions. Even though it is festival time been met with live rounds. At least 710 more than 40. Overnight, the junta announced a right now, we cannot have fun. We will civilians have been killed as of late The area is remote and communica- further 20 people were added to an not be happy until this dictator is Monday, including 50 children, accord- tions are difficult, and AFP has not arrest warrant list of 200 celebrities, overthrown and we will revolt until AFP/RSS ing to a local monitoring group. been able to independently verify the including actors and singers, who are then,” a university student in US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) meets with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro “I fear the situation in Myanmar is deaths. accused of spreading dissent against Mandalay told AFP, speaking on con- Kuleba (L) in Brussels on Tuesday. heading towards a full-blown con- Villagers in some areas were unable the military. If convicted, they could dition of anonymity.

C M Y K 07 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021 MONEY

FOREX US 120.40 Surging coronavirus caseloads dampen New Year sales Euro 143.17 Pound 165.18 A lacklustre customer mood has prevented many companies from launching bumper offers, schemes and discounts. Australian 91.61 KRISHANA PRASAIN “Besides the second wave of Covid- Japanese 11.02 KATHMANDU, APRIL 13 19, I feel that consumers are holding back on spending because of the virus Chinese 18.39 Megha Khadka of Baneshwor was uncertainty,” Byanjankar said. “There Saudi 33.06 going to celebrate Nepali New Year’s is no panic buying as one would expect Day on Wednesday with her friends, following reports of a surge in the Qatari 32.35 but she suddenly got cold feet after caseload.” hearing that the second wave of the Amid the general gloom in the mar- Malaysian 29.12 Covid-19 pandemic was sweeping ket, automobile sales are up, however. Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank through the country. As per Ramesh Danekhu, market- “We had planned to have fun with ing communications manager at family and close friends by having Morang Auto Works, the authorised Shares dinner or going somewhere. But the distributor of Yamaha and Skoda, car situation is not looking good,” the sales have not been impacted by the Nepse 2,714.79pts 0.86% 36-year-old housing company employ- second wave; in fact, dealers are not ee told the Post. “We are not buying able to meet demand due to slowed HIGHEST GAINERS goods and clothes either.” shipments from India. NICLBSL MEN JLI SINDU CHL MLBSL 9.97% 9.89% 9.83% 9.82% 9.80% 8.06% Like Khadka, the second wave of “As Indian passenger vehicle manu- the virus has distressed many Nepalis facturers have slashed production, MODERATE GAINERS STC ADBL NABBC NIBLPF SBI GRDBL across the country. domestic automobile dealers are fac- 1.91% 1.83% 1.71% 1.70% 1.69% 1.64% A lacklustre customer mood has ing an inventory shortage,” he told the

MODERATE LOSERS prevented many companies from Post. Danekhu said that demand for UMRH NIBPO NFS PFL ACLBSL NMBHF1 launching New Year bumper offers, two-wheelers, which started climbing -1% -0.99% -0.95% -0.95% -0.90% -0.85% schemes and discounts. Covid-19 has after the lockdown, was still robust. HIGHEST LOSERS dampened New Year celebrations this “Production has been impacted due to GILB LLBS NRN ILBS SIFC GLBSL year too after the fiasco last year, deal- the second wave of the pandemic in -4.27% -4.27% -3.56% -3.47% -3.38% -3.26% ing a severe blow to consumption pat- India,” he said. terns—a major economic indicator. According to automobile dealers, After the Dashain and Tihar shop- the price of four-wheelers in the ping seasons, consumers wait for the domestic market has increased by PRICE PER TOLA Nepali New Year market to buy goods Rs200,000 to Rs1 million per unit, BULLION ranging from automobiles to consum- depending on the brand and vehicle, er electronics and food products, after the lockdown following a global Fine Gold Rs 89,500 resulting in jam-packed supermarkets shortage of chips and a hike in steel and shopping malls. POST FILE PHOTO prices. Silver Rs 1,260 Traders said that disruptions in the Covid-19 has dampened New Year celebrations this year too, dealing a severe blow to consumption patterns. Mobile phone sales have not seen supply of raw materials were already any notable ups or downs. SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA becoming apparent due to a jump in day in Nepal, five Covid-19 related to buy electronic goods,” he said. freight charges in the global market. “Supply in the domestic market has Covid-19 caseloads in neighbouring fatalities and 460 new cases were “We have a bevy of New Year Along with electronic items, sales been hit as production has slowed due India. reported. A week ago on April 6, the schemes, but no one seems to be inter- of food items and clothing have also to a global shortage of chips,” said GASOLINE WATCH The southern neighbour is Nepal’s daily tally reached 260 coronavirus ested in shopping,” Gyawali told the declined. Sanjay Agrawal, vice-president of the largest trading partner, accounting for infections. Post. Higher prices have also kept “New Year sales have dropped by 25 Mobile Phone Importers’ Association. 61 percent of its total foreign trade. Bishnu Gyawali, assistant general sales down, he added. percent compared to previous years,’’ “The price of mobile phones has Nepal imported Rs735.3 billion worth manager at CG Electronics, said that According to electronics dealers, said Sabindra Byanjankar, sales man- increased by 10-15 percent after the of goods from India in the last fiscal sales of consumer electronics had prices have increased by up to 30 per- ager at Bhat Bhateni Supermarket, lockdown was lifted. Sales are normal year. evaporated amid second wave fears. cent in the local market due to dearer Tripureshwor. “Despite the various and not as they used to be during the On Tuesday, India reported 161,736 “There are no sales. Only a few cus- raw materials like TV panels, copper, offerings and schemes, footfall has not first phase of Covid-19 pandemic with new coronavirus cases. On the same tomers with a great need are coming aluminium and steel and a jump in gone up,” he said. most people already owning a set.” Crypto market worth $2 trillion German investor confidence

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE LONDON, APRIL 13 falls as virus curbs drag on The cryptocurrency market has grown exponentially in 2021 and is AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE “Fears of a stricter lockdown have led to a now worth a staggering $2.0 tril- BERLIN, APRIL 13 decline in expectations for private consump- lion as it increasingly attracts tion,” ZEW President Achim Wambach was interest from big names on Wall German investor sentiment fell in April for quoted as saying in a press release. Street. the first time since November as Europe’s Businesses such as restaurants, leisure As digital currency exchange top economy feels the strain of a relentless facilities and cultural venues have been Coinbase prepares to list third coronavirus wave, data showed closed in Germany since November, joined Wednesday in New York, AFP Tuesday. by non-essential shops from December. Beijing summons takes a look at a sector built from The ZEW institute’s monthly barometer Case numbers began to come down after scratch just 12 years ago. measuring economic expectations fell 5.9 Christmas but have soared again in recent On October 31, 2008, in the wake points month-on-month to a new reading of weeks, with the total number of confirmed 34 tech firms of the financial crisis, one or more 70.7—well below the 80 points predicted by cases passing three million this week. anonymous people, hidden behind Factset analysts. German industrial production dropped the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, Confidence in the eurozone fell by 7.7 for the second month in a row in February after record published the founding white points in April to 66.3 points. after eight months of gains, as the economic paper of bitcoin. ZEW’s assessment of the economic situa- impact of the pandemic began to bite. Alibaba fine The goal was to create a means tion in Germany improved by 12.2 points In a monthly report on Tuesday, the gov- of payment, the security of which compared with the previous month, but is ernment said it expected a drop in GDP AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE would not be overseen by a central SHUTTERSTOCK still deep in negative territory at minus 48.8 during the first quarter of 2021 due to ongo- BEIJING, APRIL 13 bank or financial organisations, value against the dollar in recent social media to espouse the merits points. ing restrictions. but instead regulated by software years, it is claimed that a third of of cryptocurrencies, helping to Chinese regulators have warned 34 with rules almost impossible to inhabitants have used cryptocur- lift interest and prices. technology giants—including Baidu alter. While anybody can “mine” rencies. After bitcoin’s value Numerous cryptocurrencies and Tencent—to “rectify” any for new bitcoins, to do so requires crashed in 2018 it rebounded, and seek to compete with, or comple- anti-competitive measures, a state- giant data centres—leading to has smashed records since late ment, bitcoin. ment said Tuesday, days after e-com- platforms such as Coinbase pro- last year—rocketing from around Number two in the market is merce giant Alibaba was fined nearly viding a way of trading in crypto- $12,000 in October to more than ethereum, which this week hit an $2.8 billion for abusing its dominant currencies. $62,000 on Tuesday. all-time high above $2,000. market position. Banks and payment services Against this backdrop, central The cryptocurrency market as a The move suggests Beijing’s scruti- such as Paypal allow transactions banks and market regulators whole is worth more than $2.0 tril- ny of its most powerful tech firms is in certain digital currencies. warn about the volatility’s lion, according to specialist site far from over, with regulators warn- Almost 18.7 million bitcoins impact—especially on small inves- Coinmarketcap, which lists more ing they will continue to eradicate have been created since the first tors who risk suffering big losses. than 9,000 different cryptocurren- monopoly practices and telling inter- block of 50 in early 2009. But it is clear that some individ- cies. Some are known as “stable- net companies to “heed the warning A limit of 21 million bitcoins uals and companies have made coins” as their value is tied to a of Alibaba’s case.” has been set by Nakamoto. huge gains from bitcoin, while traditional asset such as the dol- Companies summoned by the regu- Despite bitcoin’s volatility and major central banks are working lar, helping to avoid the volatility lator include internet giants Baidu, limitations as a means of pay- on their own potential digital-cur- shown by bitcoin. Tencent and ByteDance, the owner of ment, it is being seen as a store of rency projects. Meanwhile with bitcoin and TikTok. value to rival and even one day Electric car giant Tesla has other cryptocurrencies minted by The 34 firms have been given one potentially surpass gold as a invested $1.5 billion in bitcoin and solving puzzles using powerful month to undergo “complete rectifica- haven investment in the face of in March began accepting the cur- computers that consume enor- tion” after conducting internal checks high inflation for example. rency as payment. mous amounts of electricity, envi- and inspections, the statement said, In Nigeria, where the naira cur- Tesla’s multi-billionaire chief ronmental concerns cast a further and to correct any practices which rency has shed 50 percent of its executive Elon Musk has used shadow. “harms competition.” Unfair competition “hinders inno- vation and development, and harms the interests of operators and con- sumers,” the statement said, telling the companies to give “priority to UK economy advances despite national interests”. The meeting was organised jointly by the antitrust watchdog with the cyberspace and tax regulators. lockdown, as trade picture improves Bloomberg Intelligence senior ana- lyst Vey-Sern Ling said the move was AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE the next few months,” said Capital Economics econo- “positive because (regulators are) giv- LONDON, APRIL 13 mist Thomas Pugh. ing the platform one month to review “Given there was no change in the lockdown restric- their practices, rather than dish out Britain’s economy rebounded slightly in February tions in February, GDP was never going to shoot back fines and penalties without warning.” despite coronavirus curbs while exports of goods to up.” Pantheon Macro economist Samuel Tombs added “They are using Alibaba as an the European Union recovered a bit more, data showed that “the economy continued to adapt to lockdown example to deter misbehaviour from Tuesday, sparking optimism over the outlook. rules in February”. the rest of the industry players.” Gross domestic product rose by 0.4 percent in The Bank of England has forecast that growth will Alibaba was hit with a $2.78 billion February, after shrinking by 2.2 percent in January, recover strongly this year towards its pre-Covid level fine on Saturday after a months- the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a state- owing to the nation’s speedy vaccine programme. long probe. ment, noting a boost in industrial output and consum- The economy had tanked by 9.8 percent last year, The statement also came a day after er spending. Britain’s biggest slump in three centuries—and the fintech firm Ant Group announced it “The economy showed some improvement in worst G7 performance. would comply with an overhaul out- February after the large falls seen at the start of the The ONS added Tuesday that the economy remains lined by regulators and become a year,” an ONS spokeswoman remarked. 7.8 percent smaller than its pre-pandemic level in financial holding company, meaning Activity grew despite England’s latest Covid-19 February 2020. in the future it will be supervised lockdown, which was implemented in early January January’s economic decline nevertheless marked more like a bank. but partially eased this week on the back of a rapid an improvement from the previous estimate of a Tech giants like Alibaba, JD.com vaccination drive. 2.9-percent contraction. and Tencent became hugely profitable From Monday, pubs were allowed to serve drinks The ONS revealed separately that UK exports to the on the back of growing Chinese digi- outside—and non-essential retailers and hairdressers continent rebounded sharply in February. tal lifestyles, relatively lax legislation reopened as well. However, the performance still failed to reverse and the government’s “great firewall” The phased reopening, in tandem with speedy vac- January’s record Brexit-driven slump. which bans some major US competi- cinations, has sparked hopes for a rebound in econom- The value of British goods exported to the EU tors. ic activity in the current second quarter or three jumped by 46.6 percent or £3.7 billion ($5.1 billion, 4.3 But Beijing has been getting tough- months to June. billion euros) from the prior month, driven by cars er on the sector in recent months over “January was probably the low point of the year as and pharmaceuticals. allegations of anti-competitive behav- vaccinations and the reopening of the economy will The nation’s EU exports had nosedived by a record iour and misuse of consumer data. combine to trigger a rapid rebound in activity over 42 percent or £5.7 billion in January.

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021 | 08 SPORTS | MEDLEY BRIEFING Klopp needs to rediscover midas touch once again Leipzig sign Monaco loanee Henrichs on permanent deal If Liverpool are to eliminate Real Madrid and reach the semi-finals, they will need to emulate same feat they did against Barcelona at Anfield two years ago. BERLIN: Bundesliga high-fliers RB AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Leipzig confirmed Monday they have LIVERPOOL, APRIL 13 signed Monaco loanee Benjamin Henrichs on a permanent deal. In need of another famous Champions Henrichs, 24, has spent 2020/21 on League fightback, Liverpool cannot loan in Leipzig, but the German club rely on a wave of passion, colour and has given him a contract until 2025 noise from the stands at Anfield to after he made his 15th appearance inspire a comeback from 3-1 down this season and set up a goal in against Real Madrid on Wednesday. Saturday’s 4-1 thrashing of Werder If the English champions are to Bremen. The transfer fee is reported- reach the semi-finals for the third ly around 15 million euros ($18 mil- time in four years, they will instead lion). He can play as a wing-back on need their manager Jurgen Klopp to the right or slot into the defensive conjure the motivation and tactical midfield and wants to add to his five masterplan to once again eliminate appearances for Germany. Henrichs one of Spanish football’s giants. was part of the youthful German Klopp has earned near God-like sta- squad which won the 2017 tus on Merseyside for delivering a Confederations Cup, but his last sixth European Cup and a first league international appearance was as a title for 30 years to Liverpool. replacement in the 6-0 thrashing by But the charismatic German has Spain last November. been unable to halt the Reds’ fall from grace this season. Medvedev out of Monte Carlo after positive Covid-19 test MONACO: Daniil Medvedev has with- Liverpool lost to drawn from the Monte Carlo Masters after testing positive for Covid-19, the Real Madrid 3-1 in ATP Tour announced on Tuesday. “It’s a big disappointment not to play the quarter-final in Monte-Carlo. My focus is now on recovery and I look forward to getting first leg. back out on Tour as soon and as safe- ly as possible,” the Russian world With seven games to play in the number two said in an ATP state- Premier League, it is already mathe- ment. He has been placed in quaran- matically impossible for Liverpool to tine, “and continues to be monitored retain their title as they lie 22 points by the Tournament Physician and adrift of Manchester City in fifth. ATP Medical Team”, the statement Hopes the Champions League could added. Medvedev, who tested positive prove the salvation of a disappointing on Monday, had a first round bye and season were also dashed as Real ran has been replaced in the singles sec- riot in the first 45 minutes in Madrid ond round. last week to open up a commanding AP/RSS first-leg lead. Jurgen Klopp has been unable to halt Liverpool’s fall from grace this season and with 22 points adrift of Manchester City, their chances to retain their title is already mathematically impossible. China seal Tokyo Olympics spot Liverpool’s deficit is not as steep as when Barcelona visited two years ago in favour of Naby Keita, in just his SUZHOU: China’s women sealed a last- in the semi-finals in what turned out second start since December, for the ditch spot at the Tokyo Olympics foot- to be arguably the greatest of all the first leg last week backfired big time. ball Tuesday by squeezing past South memorable European nights at Sergio Ramos tests positive for Covid-19 Keita was substituted for the Korea 4-3 on aggregate, a thrilling Anfield. Spanish international after just 42 conclusion to a qualifying campaign Depleted by injuries, Klopp’s men REUTERS does mean he will be kept away from minutes with Liverpool 2-0 down and dogged by coronavirus delays. still rolled over Barca’s stellar cast of MADRID, APRIL 13 Real’s training ground until he pro- chasing the shadows of Madrid’s mid- Former Paris Saint-Germain forward star names 4-0 on their way to winning duces a negative test. field trio of Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Wang Shuang scored the winner in the trophy. Spain and Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has played 670 games while Luka Modric. extra time in Suzhou, after South But Klopp hinted that the task may Ramos faced a new setback in a season scoring 101 goals for Real since joining The decision to shunt Fabinho into Korea recovered from a 2-1 first-leg be even greater now in front of the littered with injury problems when from Sevilla in 2005 but has an uncer- central defence to cover for the loss of home deficit. Wang curled the ball sterile atmosphere of an empty stadi- his club said on Tuesday he had tested tain future with the Spanish champi- three centre-backs to season-ending into the bottom corner from just out- um due to coronavirus restrictions. positive for Covid-19. ons as his current contract expires at injuries for much of the campaign side the box in the first period of “If you want to have some emotion- Ramos has been nursing a calf inju- the end of June. also served to destabilise two areas of extra time to torpedo South Korea’s al memories, then you watch the ry since April 1 which led him to miss Real have suffered more injuries the field rather than one. hopes of playing at the Olympics for Barcelona game back and 80 percent his side’s 3-1 win over Liverpool in REUTERS than any other side in La Liga this Thiago and Fabinho are expected to the first time. South Korea, who had of this game was the atmosphere in their Champions League quarter-final Sergio Ramos had already been ruled season but their troubles have not be paired together on Wednesday to never reached the Olympics since the stadium, so yes, we have to do it first leg and Saturday’s 2-1 victory out of the second leg away to Liverpool. affected their form lately. try and wrestle control from Madrid’s women’s football was introduced in without that,” said Klopp after the over rivals Barcelona in La Liga. Zinedine Zidane’s side have won talented triumvirate, but Klopp also 1996, were a threat every time they first leg. The central defender, 35, who under- and is not expected to play again until their last six matches in all competi- has a big decision to make up front. attacked and silenced the home sup- Liverpool can claim to have suffered went knee surgery in February, had the end of the month. tions and Saturday’s win over Barca His patience with the poor form of porters when Kang Chae-rim scored more than most from an entire season already been ruled out of the second His Covid-19 infection is unlikely to took them one point behind leaders Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino has on the half hour. That made it 2-2 on behind closed doors. leg away to Liverpool on Wednesday halt his return to action, although it Atletico Madrid. finally ran out as each has been aggregate but South Korea needed to Prior to January, they were unbeat- benched for one of the past two games. score again and they did so on the en in 68 home Premier League games. With Liverpool in need of goals, stroke of half-time thanks to an own That club-record run was followed by on Saturday snapped that streak, but have also played a major role. Virgil first season at the club has been dis- whoever Klopp puts his faith in along- goal. China, 15th in the FIFA rank- a less treasured one as for the first only served to reinforce that Liverpool van Dijk, Jordan Henderson, Joe rupted by lengthy layoffs. side Jota and Mohamed Salah in ings to South Korea’s 18th, had barely time Liverpool then lost six consecu- are not the force of the past two sea- Gomez and Joel Matip will again be Yet, Klopp has to also take his share attack needs to be clinical if their threatened but substitute Yang Man tive games at Anfield. sons. missing for the visit of Madrid, while of the blame for some of his side’s manager is to rediscover his midas popped up to level the tie 3-3. (AGENCIES) A late winner to beat Aston Villa 2-1 On top of empty stadiums, injuries Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota’s failings. The decision to drop Thiago touch. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) ***** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) **** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) **** This time of year helps you re-establish a con- Your priorities are shifting with the arrival of As a Libra, you’re guided by the enchanting, Things are beginning to lighten up in your nection with your core identity, Aries. You’ve Wednesday’s skies, Cancer. Redirect your values relationship-oriented planet, Venus. Explore world, Capricorn. You’ve been dealing with made great progress so far in refreshing your away from getting ahead with career matters what blockages need to be removed or what some ancient history behind closed doors, as sense of self for the year ahead. Look out for and aim it towards your network of friendships changes need to be made in order for you to form lover Venus has asked you to explore the famil- beneficial opportunities that help boost your and allies. Try to involve yourself in communi- more open, honest connections in relationships. ial projects you paint onto your current partner- finances. ty efforts and widen your social circle. ship stories.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) ***** LEO (July 23-August 22) ***** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) ***** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) *** As a Taurus, you look faithfully to the planet, Big things are about to begin, Leo. It’s an ideal You’ve done good work so far—so much so that It’s been go, go, go for weeks now, Aquarius. Venus, for cosmic guidance. Venus’ stay here time to rebranding yourself, connecting with you’re ready to aim some of your focus toward a You’re beginning to tire of the constant commu- increases your self-confidence and ramps up authorities in your field, or launching personal new destination. Venus’ time here marks the nication and movement, and the cosmos support your personal magnetism, making it the best projects that are aiming for viewership. best time of year to pursue or improve intimate your desire to slow down. This is the best time of time of year to put yourself out there dat- relationships, as she sweetens up romance from year to move or redecorate! ing-wise or make updates to your aesthetic. now through May 8.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) **** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) **** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) **** PISCES (February 19-March 20) **** A shift is stirring in the air today, Gemini. Bond- Your load is beginning to lighten under Your focus is beginning to shift under You’ve been steadily exploring your talents and building Venus is departing from her stay in Wednesday’s skies, Virgo. Lover Venus has been Wednesday’s cosmic landscape, Sagittarius. skills in recent weeks, Pisces. You’re beginning hyper-active Aries. Your values are beginning to down in the trenches of Aries war zones for the Venus’ time in the sign of the Bull brings posi- to believe in your potential ever so slowly, thus shift towards prioritizing alone time, recupera- last few weeks, helping you explore painful but tive implications to your health and is the best the universe is pushing you to the next level. It’s tion, and reconnecting with your own version of important topics around intimacy and shared time to put yourself on the job market. time to bring your ideas to life. spirituality. finances. CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K 09 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021 SPORTS

BRIEFING Sangakkara Everton’s top-four hopes fading away backs Samson Eintracht coach Huetter to take over Gladbach next season The Toffees are in eighth place, four points behind sixth-place Liverpool and seven behind West Ham in fourth. after Rajasthan’s BERLIN: Eintracht Frankfurt coach Adi Huetter will take over Borussia Moenchengladbach next season on a narrow loss three-year contract following the departure of Marco Rose, the clubs REUTERS said on Tuesday. The Austrian has MUMBAI, APRIL 13 enjoyed a successful spell at Frankfurt since taking over in 2018, Rajasthan Royals team director with a Europa League semi-final spot Kumar Sangakkara has given his the following year and the club now backing to captain Sanju Samson after on the brink of securing their first he turned down a single against ever Champions League spot. “It was Punjab Kings on the penultimate ball not an easy decision to start a new to retain strike but failed to hit the chapter,” said Huetter, who had a con- winning runs on the last ball in tract to 2023 with Eintracht. “I had Monday’s Indian Premier League three amazingly successful and game. intense years, which we want to Rajasthan needed five runs crown with the team this season with from the last two balls of the final an extraordinary achievement.” over at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, with Samson unbeaten on a brilliant 119 in their thrilling Colombian club play with chase of 222. 7 players after Covid outbreak Having hit seamer Arshdeep Singh BOGOTA: The owner of a Colombian for a six on the fourth ball of the over, football team forced to play a first Samson refused to take a run on the division match with just seven play- next and sent back a shocked Chris ers after a coronavirus outbreak in Morris, leaving Rajasthan needing the camp, hit out at authorities on five runs to win. Monday. Aguilas had 16 players una- Right-hander Samson then failed to vailable after contracting Covid-19 clear the boundary on the last ball as while another seven were injured, Deepak Hooda took the catch a few meaning they could only field a team yards inside the rope, sparking cele- made up of seven players for brations among his Punjab team Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Boyaca Chico. mates. “They should have accepted the But far from reading Samson the request” to postpone the match, said riot act, Sri Lankan batting great Aguilas owner Fernando Salazar in Sangakkara said he was pleased to see an interview with W Radio. He said him take the responsibility on his the club, from Rionegro in the north- shoulders. west, had sent several requests to “I think Sanju backed himself to get Dimayor, the Colombian football AP/RSS the job done and he nearly did,” league, to postpone the match but Brighton, after holding Everton to a 0-0 stalemate, climbed above Burnley into 15th place in the Premier League standings and are now seven points clear of third-to-last Fulham. Sangakkara told reporters. they were rejected. “He was five or six yards ASSOCIATED PRESS Brighton climbed above Burnley into Sam Allardyce has spearheaded a the gap to Newcastle, who occupy the short of hitting the last ball for a BRIGHTON, APRIL 13 15th place and are now seven points number of unlikely, late-season escape spot above the bottom three, are eight six and sometimes when you know United States women football clear of third-to-last Fulham. acts in the Premier League down the points with seven games remaining. you’re hitting the ball well and you’re Everton failed to keep the pressure on The southcoast team have 33 points years. The fixture schedule certainly isn’t in form and you believe that you team to appeal over equal pay local rivals Liverpool in the race for from 31 games for the third straight Leading West Bromwich Albion to on the side of the man known as “Big can do it, you’ve got to take that LOS ANGELES: The United States wom- European qualification, letting two season. safety this season would be his biggest Sam,” with games still to come against responsibility. en’s football team vowed to press on points slip in a lacklustre 0-0 draw at Everton have been impressive on triumph yet. Leicester, Liverpool and West Ham— “And it was really encouraging to with an appeal in their equal pay law- Brighton on Monday. the road this season, with 29 points It’s improbable but certainly not out teams fighting for Champions League see Sanju do that.” suit on Monday after a federal judge Without top scorer Dominic Calvert- from their 14 away fixtures and their of the question after the team’s second qualification—as well as trips to South African all-rounder Morris in Los Angeles formally approved a Lewin because of a hamstring injury, previous 10 away league matches big win in little over a week, 3-0 over Arsenal and Leeds. had faced just four balls while Samson deal with the US football federation Everton managed just one shot on featuring seven wins and only one Southampton. No team will be scrapping harder had already hit 12 fours and seven over working conditions. US District target—that coming in the 71st min- loss. Make that eight goals in two games than West Brom, though. sixes. Judge Gary Klausner inked a settle- ute—at Amex Stadium. A late chance But the Toffees struggled to impose for next-to-last West Brom, who were Certainly Southampton, whose “We can always talk about ment reached in December that fell to substitute Alex Iwobi, who themselves against a Brighton team coming off a scarcely believable 5-2 players possibly had one eye on a missed single here or there but grants the US women’s team the same blazed over when free just inside the who kept possession well, with centre victory at Chelsea at the start of April. Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against the crucial thing for me is the treatment as their male counterparts area. midfielder Yves Bissouma the most It’s a huge turnaround for a side who, Leicester at Wembley Stadium, players’ belief in attitude and in areas such as flights, hotels, venue The result left Everton on a four- accomplished player on the field. until this recent flurry of goals, were couldn’t cope with Allardyce’s team. commitment and they know what selection and support staff. It fol- game winless run and in eighth place, Brighton lacked a cutting edge, the lowest scorer in the league with Matheus Pereira, from the penalty their strengths are,” Sangakkara lowed an earlier ruling by Klausner four points behind sixth-place though, with Leandro Trossard hav- just 20 from their first 29 games. spot, and Matt Phillips scored in a added. last May in which the judge dis- Liverpool and seven behind West Ham ing a shot deflected just wide and From appearing virtually certain of four-minute span from the 32nd and “... but the next time I’ll believe he’ll missed a claim by the women’s team in fourth. Bissouma’s ambitious overhead kick going down, West Brom suddenly have Callum Robinson added a third in hit it that 10 yards further to win us for pay equality. (AGENCIES) In the battle to avoid relegation, looping onto the roof of the net. a fighting chance of staying up given the 69th. the game.” Sports journalists’ forum Sevilla edge Tokyo sites ready to forge Olympic dreams Celta in 4-3 fetes Rana and Thapa AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE the virus. roof to resemble Mount Fuji. It will also TOKYO, APRIL 13 A ribbon-cutting ceremony was finally host karate in 2020. held in October 2020 at the 15,000-seat It became a renowned concert venue thriller, stay From a state-of-the-art aquatics centre to a venue in the Bay Zone for swimming, div- after the 1964 Olympics and famously historic martial arts arena whose roof ing and artistic swimming events. played host to the Beatles in 1966 when resembles Mount Fuji, Japan’s Olympic The main pool features a movable wall they made their first appearance in Japan. in title hunt sites are ready for action after a year’s allowing the 50m facility to be converted coronavirus delay. into two 25m pools, with the depth also Olympic Village REUTERS The 43 venues are located in two main adjustable. The Olympic Village, which will house MADRID, APRIL 13 areas: the “Tokyo Bay Zone” in the capi- Tokyo hopes to make the most of the athletes and officials from over 200 coun- tal’s busy port district, and the more cen- facility after this summer, aiming to tries, was built on reclaimed land on a Sevilla twice came from behind to tral “Heritage Zone” incorporating sever- attract one million users a year—850,000 huge rectangular site looking out over the claim a 4-3 win at Celta Vigo in a cha- al sites from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. through swimming competitions and water. otic La Liga game on Monday to keep With 100 days until the opening ceremo- roughly 150,000 casual punters. The 21 residential towers have a total their slim hopes of a title push alive. ny for the postponed Games, let’s take a capacity of 18,000 beds during the Sevilla defender Jules Kounde gave tour of the key venues: Sea Forest Waterway Olympics and 8,000 for the Paralympics. the visitors an early lead only for an On a lush artificial island, in the shadow They have been empty for months, but Iago Aspas double to quickly put the Olympic Stadium of the huge Tokyo Gate Bridge, sits the Sea after the Games will be converted into hosts in charge. Sevilla’s Fernando Used for the opening and closing ceremo- Forest Waterway—a two-kilometre basin luxury apartments to buy or rent—with equalised later in the first half before nies, as well as the athletics and some protected from the sea by a dam, where around 900 units already sold before the Brais Mendez restored Celta’s lead. football matches, the 68,000-seater Olympic rowers will glide along eight competition postponement. Ivan Rakitic pulled Julen Stadium in central Tokyo has been built lanes. Lopetegui’s side level on the hour- on the site of the 1964 stadium. Built to seat 24,000 during the Games, Kasai Canoe Slalom Centre mark before substitute Papu The original design, by Iraqi-British the arena’s capacity will be reduced to The first artificial canoe slalom course in Gomez snatched the winner in the architect Zaha Hadid, was jettisoned in 2,000 afterwards when it will host 30 com- Japan has vast concrete basins that slope 76th minute. July 2015 after public outrage over its petitions per year as well as canoeing and at a two-degree gradient. $2 billion price tag—which would have rowing classes. Four pumps will be installed and blocks made it the world’s most expensive placed on the course to create a raging Sevilla have 61 stadium. Ariake Arena current. A slimmed-down, cheaper version was The brand-new Ariake Arena will host The site is intended for a wide range of points, six behind commissioned and the five-floor facility Olympic volleyball and Paralympic bas- watersports and leisure activities after the was unveiled in December 2019, along with ketball, with seating for 15,000. Games. leaders Atletico a host of special features to beat the heat Solar panels on its curved roof were of the Tokyo summer. carefully aligned to avoid reflecting sun- Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium POST PHOTO: KESHAV THAPA Madrid. But how many domestic fans—if any— light into nearby apartments. Japanese authorities have dubbed Tokyo Journalists Ajay Rana (left) and Sanjay Thapa. will be allowed into the stadium during The solar panels, heat sensors and geo- 2020 the “Reconstruction Olympics” and the events is expected to be decided by thermal pumps will reduce carbon dioxide they are determined to show that areas in SPORTS BUREAU the Federation of Nepali A fourth win in five league games organisers this month. emissions. The venue is earmarked for eastern Fukushima have been revitalised KATHMANDU, APRIL 13 Journalists (FNJ) executive took fourth-placed Sevilla on to 61 concerts and sporting events after 2020. since the crippling 2011 earthquake, tsuna- committee. Bikash Karki and points after 30 games, six behind lead- Aquatics Centre mi and nuclear meltdown. Nepal Sports Journalists’ Kriti Bhattarai, who were elect- ers Atletico Madrid. Celta are 10th on The 56.7 billion yen ($516 million) Aquatics Nippon Budokan The venue will be used for baseball, Forum (NSJF) feted senior ed FNJ associate executive 37 points. Centre was completed in February 2020 The famous martial arts arena was first one of Japan’s most popular sports, and sports journalists Ajay Rana members, were also honoured. Sevilla, who beat Atletico 1-0 last but its grand opening was postponed by built for judo in 1964 and boasts a curved softball. and youth sports reporter NSJF members Dhruba week, went ahead in the seventh min- Sanjay Thapa during its 16th Tuladhar and Kushal Timalsian, ute with a towering header from annual general assembly in elected unopposed as treasurer Kounde but soon lost their lead when Kathmandu on Tuesday. and member of the associate the French defender fouled Santi Mina Rana was presented with province respectively, were also in the area and Aspas levelled from sports journalism honour and honoured at the function. the penalty spot. Thapa with Suman Bhomjan Nepal Olympic Committee Aspas struck again three minutes Memorial Youth Sports President Jeevan Ram Shrestha later to complete a quick counterat- Journalism award. Rana got a said that it was high time that tack but Fernando levelled for Sevilla letter of appreciation and check the Ministry of Youth and in the 35th with a shot that took a of Rs25,000 while Thapa Sports and other stakeholders heavy deflection off Celta’s Joseph received a laptop along with an including sports associations Aidoo. appreciation letter. took a collective decision for Spanish forward Mendez put Celta Rana, who started his jour- players as the number of Covid- back in front with a marvellous goal, nalism career in 1981 and 19 victims were increasing winning the ball back from Rakitic retired as an editor of The lately. with a hefty tackle then surging into Rising Nepal in 2017, thanked “The whole sports sector the area to control a through ball from NSJF for recognising his work came to a standstill due to coro- Denis Suarez before coolly lobbing even after his retirement. navirus last year. If the current keeper Bono from inside the box. Thapa, who started journalism situation continues to deterio- Rakitic got his own back by appear- nine years ago said that such rate, the stakeholders must ing unmarked in the box to slot rewards would encourage come up with plans to train Sevilla’s equaliser. youths like him to be more specific players as per the Lopetegui then threw on three active. requirements,” said Shrestha. substitutes including Gomez in search NSJF, the umbrella organisa- Meanwhile, the 16th general of a win and the move paid off when tion of sports journalists, also assembly of the NSJF also the Argentine chased down feted its member Pawan unanimously approved its Celta’s Aidoo and curled the ball high Acharya who was recently progress report and financial into the net just before he stepped into AFP/RSS elected associate secretary of report. the area. The Tokyo Aquatics Centre will host swimming, diving and artistic swimming events of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which are set to start from July 23.

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021 | 10 CULTURE & LIFESTYLE (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 Wandering and wondering in spaces within Wind Horse Gallery’s latest exhibition ‘Spaces Within’ provides a glimpse into the minds of two artists—Pooja Duwal and Diki Yuthok—and what art means for them.

SRIZU BAJRACHARYA presents a milieu that is not main- LALITPUR stream in the depiction of Bhaktapur’s lifestyle. Although eauty in the ordinary her landscapes of houses focus on is often always over- traditional old houses, the lens looked. That is why she provides is simple, with the structures of homes perspective of the structures and the spaces amid when one is viewing it from one them in Bhaktapur position. Bare what Pooja Duwal, a visual But clearly, ‘Spaces Within’ will artist, chooses to explore—to find have different opinions, for it will innate beauty in the ordinary that depend on the subjective experi- we often unsee. In her plein air oil ence of the viewers. The exhibi- paintings, one can almost hear tion will likely speak more to people’s stories, of them moving those who have often lost them- around, waiting for their families selves to these everyday images in to come back home, preparing their own world, in their own food, or just the quiet of the ways. To people who have homes waiting for everyone to observed corners of houses as not return. Duwal’s paintings put at POST PHOTOS: BEEJU MAHARJAN just mere structures but stories rest our busy minds; they feel like The pieces present the idea of ‘spaces’ from two different viewpoints, where one artist looks towards the spaces of nature and the other the spaces created by humans. and experience in themselves. It images we have known and felt. will be most relatable to people In one painting, that depicts life the idleness, of them unattended. ately leave out the noise and focus who take time to sit back and in an alley inside Bhaktapur, a Images of everyday objects, flow- on the nuanced details of houses, watch the world move around woman looks outside her window er pots, buckets to fill water, tank- It’s not too often that an exhibition shadows, sunlight, parked vehi- them. It will most likely even from her home, down to the ers, and chairs in absence of cles, clothes hanging on wires, question them to think why they house’s adjoining pati; another humans who use them, carry a touches you so much in simple ways. and silent alleyways. do what they do, and how they are woman and a man are immersed different kind of wistfulness. Yuthok too presents every not alone to wander aimlessly in in a conversation. There is a per- They feel personal as though they It is surprising and beautiful. detail of the plants, not missing the nature of things. fect symmetry of light and shad- are pockets of our own memories. out on their curls and their buds. If lately you are feeling over- ow cast by the afternoon sun per- They say the most personal One can also feel the weather of whelmed with yourself and of haps of another building. The things are what touches people’s side of the chaos we are living in. also seems to give flowers the the flowers blooming if one takes things happening in your world, painting is simple, and minus the hearts, it is what makes our work It captures just the beauty in the traits of butterflies with popping some time with her artworks. ‘Spaces Within’ is an exhibition busyness of the streets, it feels creative, and Wind Horse ordinary, and without the noise, colours and furls. Her series feels And what’s also refreshing in where you can take a breather. It’s deserted, but yet real. Duwal’s Gallery’s latest exhibition firmly the pieces are soothing and heal- like visiting a floral garden that Duwal’s work is the images of not too often that an exhibition raw earthen strokes on the houses establishes that idea with Pooja ing. And the artists allow viewers wants to allure people to the wil- Bhaktapur, which feel familiar touches you so much in simple make the painting genuine. Duwal and Diki Yuthok’s art- to feel the chemistry and their derness. and unique at the same time. ways. There’s a palpable affinity she works. ‘Spaces Within’ as an exhi- attachment with their art. The Yuthok writes, in her state- Oftentimes, when artists paint draws viewers towards with her bition is surprising, heartwarm- exhibition transports viewers to a ment, she took up painting floras Bhaktapur, it’s usually festivals Spaces Within will be on display series ‘Glimpses of Home’, the ing and beautiful. quiet world and lets them wander and nature years back as a way to or paintings depicting culture until May 9 at Wind Horse Gallery, feeling of home and harmony of Surprising because it looks out- and wonder in spaces captured by heal herself from a severe injury and temples. But Duwal’s series Bhanimandal, Jawalakhel. the artists carefully and effective- she suffered during an accident. l y. At the time, Yuthok remembers Diki Yuthok, who is a visual feeling isolated from the world artist from Gangtok, Sikkim, and for her, these paintings were a shares with viewers flowers and way of filling the void inside her. images of nature, including owls It was an escape. Perhaps that is that have helped her overcome also why her paintings feel poign- her loneliness. Yuthok’s floral ant and personal to viewers. portraits capture not just the ‘Spaces Within’, as an exhibi- beauty of nature, but of growth tion, also provides a glimpse into and strength. Unlike botanical the two artists’ exploration as art- illustrations that seek to educate ists and what art means for them. viewers of flowers, Yuthok’s flow- It juxtaposes the idea of spaces ers speak about the beauty that is within—the life around them— within the ordinary that people from two different viewpoints, overlook. Her paintings do not where one artist looks towards name the flowers, just portray the spaces of nature and the other their radiance. the spaces created by humans. There are paintings of magno- Duwal’s strokes are raw and lia, cherry blossoms, orchids and her colours and shades emotive. rhododendrons that depict their She plays with dark, light and veins, their blooming. In one bright colours to portray the light painting of iris flowers, Yuthok of the day. Her paintings deliber- World’s priciest painting may be a Leonardo after all ‘Salvator Mundi’ was initially bought in 2005 for just $1,175 by a New York art dealer and restored in the United States. ‘Badly damaged’ As The Art Newspaper had earli- er reported, an initial edition of the exhibition catalogue, reveal- ing the positive findings of the analysis, had already been print- ed by the museum and was even sold for one day in its bookshop. But the book was withdrawn, it said, when it became clear that the Saudis would not lend the painting. “Certainly, the Salvator Mundi was badly damaged and a large part was redone by an American restorer, but it is authentic,” art expert Eric Turquin told AFP, adding that he had never heard doubts from his contacts at the Louvre. The museum’s conservators were “strongly opposed” to plac- ing it alongside the Mona Lisa, said Rykner, fearing it would cause too many security problems to have the two most famous

The painting has not been seen in public since it was bought for

: WIKI MEDIA $450 million. P HOTO

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE that the master only “contribut- paintings side-by-side. PARIS ed” to it. “They also thought that, while But after widespread reporting this portrait clearly had its place he world’s most expen- of Vitkine’s claims, other media in the exhibition, there was no sive painting, the have denied his version of events. reason to make it the most impor- “Salvator Mundi”, “The Louvre and the C2RMF tant in the retrospective just for may be the work of (its analysis unit) reached the reasons linked to its auction Leonardo da Vinci opposite conclusion to the docu- price,” he added. after all, with several mentary: for them, the painting is The Louvre has refused to com- Tmedia reports contradicting indeed the work of Leonardo and ment on any of these issues. doubts raised in a French docu- only him. A source with knowledge of the mentary. This information was discussions told AFP this version The painting of Christ has not communicated to the Saudis in of events was closer to reality been seen in public since it was September 2019,” said Didier than that of Vitkine’s documenta- bought for $450 million by the Rykner, editor of magazine La ry. The painting was initially Saudi royal family at a 2017 Tribune de l’Art. bought in 2005 for just $1,175 by a Christie’s auction. The New York Times also New York art dealer and restored “The Savior for Sale”, a docu- reported that version and said the in the United States. mentary by filmmaker Antoine results of the analysis were kept Several British experts authen- Vitkine due to run on French TV secret because of a dispute over ticated the painting as a long-lost this week, claims the Saudis with- how the painting would be dis- da Vinci and it was presented as held the painting from a 2019 exhi- played in the Louvre exhibition, such at London’s National Gallery bition at The Louvre after its with the Saudis reportedly insist- in 2011 before being sold to a experts concluded it was pro- ing that it be hung next to the Russian oligarch for $127.5 mil- duced by da Vinci’s workshop and Mona Lisa. lion two years later.

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