WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 60 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 36.5 C 2.5 C Monday, April 19, 2021 | 06-01-2078 Dhangadi Jumla In MCC, Oli sees a chance to play domestic and geopolitical games The prime minister is using the American aid not only to rein in opponents in his party but also to curry favour with international power centres, analysts and insiders say.

ANIL GIRI & PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA him, were forced to return to the UML KATHMANDU, APRIL 18 after the court’s March 7 decision. Amid the fluid political situation in Last year, the Millennium Challenge Nepal, Oli has now suddenly brought Corporation’s Nepal Compact became up the MCC compact. After insinuat- the top agenda item at the Central ing that House Speaker Agni Sapkota Committee meeting of the then Nepal is to blame for the MCC not moving Communist Party (NCP), with a forward in the House on Wednesday, majority of members voicing their Oli on Saturday, at an all-party meet- opposition to endorsing the pro- ing, again accused the Speaker of dil- gramme in its current form. ly-dallying the American programme. Those objecting to the United States Oli even threatened to seek an alterna- programme under which Nepal will tive to Sapkota if he fails to present the receive a $500 million grant were some MCC to vote in Parliament by Tuesday. CPN-UML leaders and a majority of Why Oli is suddenly making a push the Communist Party of Nepal for the MCC now, however, has (Maoist Centre) leaders. The two par- intrigued many. ties had united in May 2018 to form the According to analysts, Oli seems Nepal Communist Party (NCP). to be trying to use the American POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC But the Supreme Court on programme for his convenience in A woman writes a message on an art installation by Rabindra Shreshta at Maitighar in Kathmandu on Sunday to express solidarity with the March 7 this year scrapped the domestic politics and to reassure democratic movement against the brutal military crackdown in Myanmar. Shrestha sourced the boat from Nagdaha, Lalitpur and decorated it Nepal Communist Party (NCP) international power centres of his with paint and flowers as condolence for the hundreds who have lost their lives in the Southeast Asian country since the February 1 coup. and revived the UML and the allegiance to them. Maoist Centre. With the Maoist “Oli has been pushing for the Centre yet to withdraw the sup- endorsement of the MCC for his own port it lent to Oli in February gains in domestic politics by taking 2018, Oli is comfortably leading advantage of the geopolitical situa- the government. tions–the antagonistic relationships INSIDE Vaccination rate dismal even Oli’s opponents like Madhav between China and the US and China Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath and India,” said Hari Roka, a political Khanal, who had sided with economist. Thunderbolts getting as cases are surging with only Pushpa Kamal Dahal to unseat >> Continued on page 2 deadlier each year as country remains unprepared KATHMANDU: On Thursday, an elderly 100,000 taking Chinese shots woman at Shadananda Municipality in Bhojpur was critically injured by a lightning strike. The 60-year-old Poor planning on accessibility, target groups, and awareness succumbed to her injuries at a local health facility. On the same day, a campaign; and vaccine hesitancy cited as reasons. nine-year-old girl from Asine village of Chhathar Rural Municipality-6 in Tehrathum also died after being hit by lightning. On Friday, a man in his forties was struck by a lightning bolt at Tarakhola Rural Municipality in Baglung district. These are the three casualties reported by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority in the period of 24-hours between Thursday and Friday. The Authority also reported several lightning-related incidents across the country including the Kathmandu Valley. (Details on Pg 3)

Telemedicine service benefits Karnali folk BIRENDRANAGAR: Two weeks ago, POST PHOTO: BEEJU MAHARJAN People line up at a hospital in Lalitpur for Covid-19 jabs on Sunday. 12-year-old Basun Rokaya of Tripurasundari Municipality Ward ARJUN POUDEL No. 6 in Dolpa got his hand fractured. here either.” KATHMANDU, APRIL 18 His parents were worried about his It is not that Nepal has run out of treatment, as the Dolpa District vaccines. Hospital does not have an orthopae- On Sunday 57-year-old Dibya Devi Although Nepal began its vaccina- dic specialist. But the hospital suc- Kshetri reached Nepal Police Hospital tion campaign on January 27 with ceeded in treating the boy through at Maharajgunj in Kathmandu to get Covishield [AstraZeneca] vaccine telemedicine services. Dr Subodh vaccinated against Covid-19. manufactured in India, with its stock Shrestha, orthopaedic specialist at The line of people waiting to get depleted and no certainty when the the Provincial Hospital in Surkhet, inoculated was a long one. After she additional doses will be available instructed the health workers at the waited for several hours in the queue, again, it stopped vaccinating people Dolpa hospital with the help of elec- staff at the hospital told her and the with the AstraZeneca vaccine, and tronic communications and treated others not to wait, as the hospital did began using the 800,000 doses of the boy. Telemedicine services were not have sufficient doses of the Covid-19 vaccine provided by China introduced in the District Hospital of Chinese vaccine to inoculate them. under grant assistance from April 7. Dolpa a month ago. Before the intro- “I waited more than three hours for But only around 100,000 of the duction of the service, people in far- the vaccine and then they said that we Chinese vaccines had been used as of flung villages were compelled to visit should not wait for the jabs,” Kshetri Sunday, according to Jhalak Gautam, city areas to seek medical help, as the complained. “I would not have come chief of the National Immunisation district hospital did not provide spe- and waited for hours had they Programme. informed me that they did not have “Despite having thousands of doses cialist services. (Details on Pg 2) sufficient doses.” of vaccine in stock, we have not been And then the hospital administra- able to immunise our people,” Dr GD US, China agree to cooperate tion asked over 300 people, who Thakur, former director at the reached the hospital seeking immuni- Epidemiology and Disease Control on climate crisis with urgency sation, to wait. It sent hospital staff to Division, told the Post. “What could be SEOUL: The United States and China, the central vaccine storage site at a shameful failure than this. It is not the world’s two biggest carbon pollut- Teku to bring more vaccines and final- because we do not have vaccines, ers, agreed to cooperate to curb cli- ly inoculated them. capacity and human resources but mate change with urgency, just days Kshetri was one of them but people in authority are not taking the before President Joe Biden hosts a others elsewhere had to return home risk seriously.” virtual summit of world leaders to without getting immunised against The reason for such a low intake discuss the issue. The agreement was Covid-19 from centres like Om although this phase of the vaccination reached by US special envoy for cli- Hospital, Kathmandu and Nepal campaign ended Sunday seems to be mate John Kerry and his Chinese Mediciti Hospital, Lalitpur because of inadequate planning by authorities. counterpart Xie Zhenhua during two lack of vaccines there unless they The government first targeted all days of talks in Shanghai last week, persisted and went around looking essential workers, who the govern- according to a joint statement. The where they could get immunised. ment defined as postal and telephone two countries “are committed to coop- “My husband and I waited hours service providers, public transport erating with each other and with at Nepal Mediciti Hospital to get a workers; water supply and distribu- other countries to tackle the climate coupon to get inoculated,” a woman in tion staff; tourism sector—hotels and crisis, which must be addressed with mid-30s, who is pursuing higher edu- restaurants—employees, and workers the seriousness and urgency that it cation in China, told the Post, asking engaged in production, sale and distri- demands,” said the statement, issued not to be named. bution of medicines, electricity sup- on Saturday evening US time. But when they couldn’t get a cou- ply, storage and transportation of con- Meeting with reporters in Seoul on pon, they tried their luck elsewhere. sumer goods; businessmen and truck Sunday, Kerry said the language in “We came to Police Hospital, as we drivers who need to travel to China the statement is “strong” and that the could not get a coupon at Mediciti frequently; and Nepali students pur- two countries agreed on “critical ele- since the queue was too long and peo- suing higher education in China but ments on where we have to go.” ple started to quarrel,” she said. stuck in Nepal due to the pandemic. (Details on Pg 6) “But it was not easy to get shots >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL BRIEFING Telemedicine service benefits Karnali folk Vaccination Missing man’s mobile found Residents of remote villages can easily access specialist services after the service was launched in 42 health institutions. rate dismal ... SINDHUPALCHOK: Police have detained CHANDANI KATHAYAT ing specialist services these days, as “Specialists and health workers can Care” has been developed to keep a a man from Kavrepalanchok to inves- >> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 tigate the whereabouts of Pujan Rai, BIRENDRANAGAR, APRIL 18 telemedicine service was launched in discuss the health issues and solve record of the patients in the province. a Bhojpur resident who has been 42 health institutions of six districts them. Telemedicine service helps in According to the Provincial Hospital, It then included people between 40 missing from Chaku Bazaar in Two weeks ago, 12-year-old Basun of Karnali Province. providing specialist treatment in the employees of the respective health and 59 years of age from March 12. Sindhupalchok for the past five Rokaya of Tripurasundari Currently, district hospitals and remote areas.” institutions receive certain communi- According to sources within the months. Police said the man was held Municipality Ward No. 6 in Dolpa got health posts in Jajarkot, Humla, Dr Prasanna Karki of Dolpa cation expenditures for making tele- Ministry of Health, reasons included on Saturday after he was found carry- his hand fractured. His parents were Mugu, Surkhet and Dolpa are provid- Hospital said that doctors at the health communication possible. only 23 immunization centers operat- ing Rai’s cell phone. The man, howev- worried about his treatment, as the ing telemedicine services. institution have gained new knowl- Karnali Provincial Government has ed to administer the Chinese vaccines. er, claimed that he had found the Dolpa District Hospital does not have Health workers say that in a country edge and skills after the introduction also made a separate directorate for There was also confusion about who phone on the bank of Bhotekoshi an orthopaedic specialist. But the hos- like Nepal, where ensuring affordable of telemedicine service. the operation of telemedicine service. are essential workers and who are not, River. Investigation officers had pital succeeded in treating the boy and accessible community health care “The specialist doctors regularly According to Dr KC, the service is lack of awareness drive, and hesita- recovered Rai’s motorcycle and shoes through telemedicine services. is a major challenge, telemedicine ser- provide consultations and we keep going to be launched in all health tion among the public about the effica- from Sindhupalchok a month ago. Dr Subodh Shrestha, orthopaedic vice could be a game changer. Doctors them informed about patients’ medi- institutions of Karnali. cy and safety of the Chinese vaccine. specialist at the Provincial Hospital in deployed at telemedicine centres would cal state on a daily basis,” Karki said. “We are trying to manage the inter- “Failure to immunise more people Surkhet, instructed the health work- collect cases, which would be moni- A telemedicine operator section has net service and computers in all is a management issue and reasons Province 1 winter session ers at the Dolpa hospital with the help tored by specialists. The specialists also been established at the Provincial health institutions of the province,” behind it can be answered by Health of electronic communications and would then advise doctors serving in Hospital. he said. Ministry officials only,” Dr Shyam Raj prorogued treated the boy. remote districts on medication and “Internet, computer and android So far, around 400 Covid-19 patients Upreti, coordinator of Covid-19 MORANG: The winter session of Telemedicine services were intro- treatment of patients through electron- systems have been installed for the in home isolation and 447 other Vaccine Advisory Committee, told the Province 1 assembly has been pro- duced in the District Hospital of Dolpa ic communication means. operation of telemedicine service,” patients have received consultation Post. rogued amid protest from the opposi- a month ago. Before the introduction “Skin diseases, health problems in said Narendra Chand, a health assis- through the telemedicine service in Upreti is a retired civil servant but tion parties. Provincial chief of the service, people in far-flung vil- women and children, emergency preg- tant. “Health institutions make a tele- Karnali Province. is in the committee the ministry Somnath Adhikari prorogued the ses- lages of the district were compelled to nancy complications and orthopaedic phone call in the operator room or in “Telemedicine service was also formed. sion on the recommendation of the visit city areas to seek medical help, as cases, among other health issues, can my mobile phone. I call the concerned effective during last year’s pandemic,” Experts have said that inactivated provincial executive on Sunday. The the district hospital did not provide be addressed by telemedicine service doctors after diagnosing the illness said Dr KC. BBIBP-CorV vaccine, developed by assembly meeting was held eight times specialist services. through video conferencing,” said Dr and start a video conference for the In 2009, the telemedicine service Sinopharm, an affiliate of the Chinese during the winter session and ended But the residents of remote villages Nawaraj KC, the provincial coordina- treatment of patients.” was launched in Nepal from 25 state-backed pharmaceutical giant without tabling even a single bill. in Karnali Province are easily receiv- tor of telemedicine service. A separate software named “Karnali districts. Sinopharm, is safe and well tolerated as reported in The Lancet. Last December, Sinopharm announced the vaccine’s efficacy is 79 percent. But Nepali authorities seem not to have publicised these facts. According to Gautam, immunisa- tion with Chinese Covid-19 vaccine was slow, as people did not seek immu- nisation in the initial days. “In the beginning people did not come and waited for others to take the jab first and now when the programme is going to end, a lot of people are seeking the jabs,” Gautam told the Post. As for the reason why it was not administered from more centres, Gautam said that the vaccine could not be provided from many centers, as a decision was made to inoculate from hospitals only. “We will continue the programme from some centers and resume after April 24,” he said. While the government has not been able to make use of the vaccines at its disposal, the number of Covid-19 cases has been rising. The Ministry on Sunday said 1,096 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, the first time since December 11 that the number crossed the 1,000 mark. More worryingly, the case positivity rate was 19 percent on Sunday. Anything more than five percent is a cause for concern, according to doc- tors. Of the total infected people, 435 are from the Kathmandu Valley. The num- ber of active cases across the country stands at 6,290. According to data pro- vided by the Ministry, of the total infected in the last 24 hours 112 are POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI under 20 years of age. A Buddhist monk circumambulates the Swayambhu stupa in Kathmandu on Sunday. Nepal has so far reported 284,673 cases of coronavirus infections and a death toll of 3,083. Doctors say that a lot more people might have been infected and the virus has spread in society several fold more than the daily case count, as evidenced In MCC, Oli sees a chance to play domestic and ... by the growing pressure on hospital beds and on intensive care units. >> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 move the MCC for voting in the Insiders and analysts say Oli is well force led by senior leader Khanal to the grant under the programme is Parliament at this time is meant to put aware of the fact that the US-India study the US programme and make Nepal’s choice, the embassy said that “Both India and the US have their the Nepal faction under pressure. backing, more than China, is crucial recommendations. tangible, near-term steps in Nepal are own interests in Nepal. Oli is an old *** for his politics. The task force had recommended necessary to ensure the continued via- 1,096 Covid-19 cases ally of India and now with the MCC The MCC compact doesn’t say it “He cannot afford to antagonise the that it found that some provisions bility of the programme. endorsement, he wants to demon- needs to be ratified by Nepal’s United States and India,” said the needed to be revisited. A UML Standing Committee mem- were recorded strate that he is not going to antago- Parliament. UML leader. “In the past, despite being “We studied the provisions of the ber said that Oli knows well how to nise the US in the context of the However, the text of the agreement a pro-MCC leader, Oli was not able to MCC thoroughly and found some seri- use geopolitical factors in his favour. across the country US-India alliance.” says that provisions in the compact make a push for the American pro- ous issues which need corrections,” “For quite a while, Oli has been on Sunday. Signed in September 2017 when the will prevail over Nepal’s existing laws gramme because he was facing a huge Khanal, the convener of the task force, making attempts to appease India and Nepali Congress and the Maoist in case of conflicts, which requires opposition within the then Nepal told the Post after submitting the the US,” the member told the Post Centre had a coalition government led parliamentary ratification, according Communist Party (NCP).” report to the party leadership. “This requesting anonymity. “Now he can by Congress President Sher Bahadur to the Nepal Treaty Act. As per the Those opposed to the MCC see it as agreement cannot be implemented use the MCC against his opponents in “We have only three intensive care Deuba, the MCC Nepal Compact grad- legal opinion given by the law minis- Washington’s bid to expand its influ- without correcting those provisions.” the party as well as to curry favour unit beds vacant for additional ually emerged as a divisive issue in try, this agreement can be endorsed ence in the region and counter China’s Rawal, a strong critic of the MCC with the US.” patients,” Dr Achyut Raj Karki, Covid- the Nepali political landscape. with simple majority in the lower Belt and Road Initiative. The MCC who was a member of the task force, Oli returned to power in February 19 focal person at Bir Hospital, told the Oli himself, however, has never house, to give it the status of a law, told the Post last week that his opposi- 2018 riding on his nationalistic plank Post. “The remaining three beds will been opposed to the American aid pro- according to an official of the tion to the American programme con- which had built during his earlier be occupied until the evening.” gramme, while the Congress has Millennium Challenge Account, Oli finds the MCC as tinues to be there. stint by standing against the Indian After that the hospital will have to always been in favour of its ratifica- Nepal, a government body formed to “Despite our recommendations, no blockade. He signed a slew of agree- turn back patients. It has a total of 10 tion. Oli in the past too has spoken on implement the MCC Compact yet another tool he changes have been made to some of ments with Beijing in an attempt to intensive care unit beds allocated for record that the previous House Programmes. the provisions, which we find prob- end Nepal’s near-complete depend- Covid-19 patients. Speaker, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, The MCC is an aid agency under the can use against the lematic,” said Rawal. “If the MCC is ence on India, earning praises. According to Karki, even beds in the did not take initiatives to move the bill US government and the MCC compact ratified through the House, it will be a With Chinese interest to expand its general wards are getting occupied by forward in the House. is a large, five-year grant programme Nepal-Khanal group. great disservice to the nation.” influence in the region, and also in infected patients of late. After Mahara was forced to resign under which the fund is provided to The MCC, technically, should have Nepal, growing, Beijing invested in The story is similar at the over attempted rape allegations, Oli the countries that pass the MCC’s eli- been endorsed by the Parliament by bringing the two big communist forc- Tribhuvan University Teaching and Dahal, who then led the Nepal gibility criteria including democracy opposers even say the MCC is part of September 2019. Later, the Nepal gov- es–Oli’s UML and Dahal’s Maoist Hospital, Maharajgunj. Of the 12 Communist Party (NCP) jointly, were and transparency. the United States’ Indo-Pacific ernment and the MCC had set a new Centre–together. intensive care unit beds allocated for engaged in an intense power struggle. The government plans to imple- Strategy and thus the compact’s par- deadline of June 20, 2020 for the par- However, infighting started to grow Covid-19 patients only four remain Finally, Dahal had managed to have ment two 400KV transmission line liamentary ratification would drag liamentary ratification. in the Nepal Communist Party (NCP). unoccupied. the upper hand in extracting the projects—Lapsephedi-Ratmate- Nepal into a military alliance with Following the intense debate over Beijing could not save it from split- “If the trend goes like this, all the Speaker’s post for Sapkota. Hetauda and Lapsephedi-Ratmate- America. the MCC in the then Nepal Communist ting. As the Dahal-Nepal faction con- beds will be occupied within the next Now with the Nepal Communist Damauli with the funding from the Besides some politicians, including Party (NCP), media and civil society, tinued to push Oli into a corner, he couple of days,” Dr Niraj Bam, an Party (NCP) scrapped and the UML MCC. Bhim Rawal, a key leader in the Nepal- the US Embassy in Kathmandu in was left with no option than to mend associate professor at the Institute of and the Maoist Centre revived, Oli is Minister for Law, Justice and Khanal faction, there are some voices January last year issued “top 10 facts” fences with India with which Nepal’s Medicine, told the Post. trying to drive the Madhav Kumar Parliamentary Affairs Lilanath in society also that object to the MCC. on the programme, stressing that relations had gone from bad to worse He said that the hospital has allocat- Nepal-Jhala Nath Khanal faction into Shrestha last week told reporters that So divisive the American pro- there “is no military component to the over border issues. ed 60 general beds for Covid-19 patients a corner. The Nepal-Khanal faction the government would move forward gramme became last year that a public MCC.” The Indian rapprochement then and over half of them are currently had joined hands with Dahal against the MCC Bill in the House for its rati- sentiment against it started to build “In fact, US law prohibits it,” said came in the form of a visit by Samanta occupied. Oli when the Nepal Communist Party fication. and it now has reached the grassroots the embassy. Kumar Goel to Kathmandu in the According to the data provided by (NCP) was intact. “The prime minister has already level too, largely due to massive dis- The embassy said that the $500 mil- third week of October last year. What the Ministry of Health, 116 infected Oli now suddenly finds the MCC as directed us to move the MCC Bill for- cussions on social media and YouTube lion is a grant, with no strings exactly Oli and Goel discussed was people whose conditions are serious, yet another tool he can use against the ward and I will discuss the matter comments. attached, no interest rates, and no never made public, but their meeting are receiving treatment in intensive Nepal-Khanal faction. with the Speaker,” said Shrestha. “We “There is still a chance that street hidden clauses. opened the door for more high level care units of various hospitals across While by putting the MCC Bill to will try our best to make it the House’s protests might erupt against the MCC “Nepal does not need to ‘join’ or exchanges from the south. the country and 46 others, whose con- vote in the Parliament, the prime min- business next week.” as it has been heavily politicised,” ‘sign up’ for anything in order to par- Now that Oli finds himself comfort- ditions are critical, have been placed ister wants to rein in his detractors in At Saturday’s all-party meeting, said an official at the Millennium ticipate in the MCC,” said the embas- able with Delhi, he is trying to demon- on ventilator support. the party and by getting it passed, he which was boycotted by the Maoist Challenge Account, a government sy. “All Nepal has to do is commit to strate his allegiance to Washington, But those coming to hospitals could wants to show that he does not have Centre and the Nepal faction as well body formed to implement the pro- spend the money, transparently, for analysts say. only be the tip of the iceberg. any intention to antagonise the United as some Janata Samajbadi Party lead- jects under the MCC, on condition of the projects that have been agreed “India does not have any reserva- “More people might have been States, leaders say. ers, Oli sought support from the anonymity because he feared getting upon.” tions over US presence in Nepal and infected in society and the infection A UML leader from the Nepal fac- Congress and Janata Samajbadi for dragged into controversy. But that did not seem to be assuring its neighbourhood. So I think Oli is might have been spreading more rap- tion said if the MCC is put to vote in the MCC’s approval from the According to the official, Oli may to the detractors in Nepal. not pushing for MCC’s endorsement idly than we think,” said Bam. the Parliament, it will create a dilem- Parliament. have been making a push for the early A day before the June 30, 2020 dead- just for the sake of cornering the According to him, a lot of people, ma for leaders opposed to Oli. A UML Standing Committee mem- ratification of the project, but wheth- line, the US Embassy in a statement Nepal faction,” said Roka, the political with cough, common cold, sore throat “Oli will definitely issue a whip ber said Oli knows very well how er he will indeed do so will depend on said that delaying the MCC’s ratifica- economist who also writes on contem- and fever are at home thinking that it asking the party’s Members of Nepal’s domestic politics collides with whether he could make political gains tion is delaying the benefits of more porary political issues in the Post’s is only a common cold they are suffer- Parliament to vote in favour,” said geopolitics and now by making a pitch out of this. jobs and increased economic growth sister paper Kantipur. “He clearly ing from. Bishnu Rijal, a Central Committee for the MCC suddenly, he is trying to *** for nearly 23 million Nepalis. seems to be using the MCC for geopo- “Both severity and death rate will member of the UML. “If we defy the curry favour with power centres. After strong voices within the then Stating that availability of the fund- litical as well as domestic political rise in coming days if we fail to take whip, Oli could initiate action against Oli who once was never tired of Nepal Communist Party (NCP) ing under the Millennium Challenge reasons. The MCC, however, can be a preventive measures, increase hospi- us.” ratcheting up anti-India rhetoric has against the MCC, the party last year Corporation Compact Programme is good ammunition for him against his tal beds and make other prepara- According to Rijal, Oli’s plan to now made peace with New Delhi. had constituted a three-member task not open-ended and whether to accept opponents.” tions,” Bam said.

C M Y K 03 | MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021 NATIONAL ‘Strategic plan’ hints federal civil service law will be delayed by around two years In the absence of the law, provinces have been unable to recruit staff since 2017.

PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA motion and retirement among other endorsement is several stakeholders KATHMANDU, APRIL 18 things, of their staff. wanted to have their issues addressed Province 2 has introduced its own in the bill.” Introducing the new Federal Civil civil service law but some of its provi- The bill faced delays also after Service Act remains one of the top sions are not consistent with the exist- Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli decid- priorities of the federal government ing Civil Service Act-1993. For exam- ed to suddenly prorogue the House on but the Ministry of Federal Affairs ple, the 1993 Act has fixed the retire- July 2 last year. And 13 days before the and General Administration on ment age for civil servants at 58 years start of the winter session, the prime Friday indicated that it could take but the Province 2 government has minister on December 20 dissolved the another two years for the law to come extended the limit to 60 years. House. Although the Supreme Court into force. Some Provincial Public Service on February 23, scrapped the prime In its 10-year strategic plan unveiled Commissions have run staff recruit- minister’s decision and restored the POST PHOTO: KESHAV THAPA Friday, the ministry has listed the ment drives for the provincial and House, these all delayed the parlia- Workers install a golden pinnacle on the under-construction Dharahara tower at Sundhara, Kathmandu on Sunday. The new introduction of the bill as number one local governments based on the mentary process and several crucial tower has been erected beside the original nine-storey Dharahara, which collapsed in the 2015 earthquake. priority but set a deadline of two Employees Adjustment Act-2017, bills. years for the implementation of law, which allows them to recruit staff “We continue to hear complaints while it remains uncertain when based on the existing civil service law. about manpower shortages from the would the parliament endorse the bill. provincial and local government offi- Although the federal government cials at various review meetings,” said had registered the Federal Civil Adhikari. Service Bill at the Parliament The Bill faced delays Lately, Provincial Public Service Thunderbolts getting deadlier each Secretariat in February 2019, there after Oli prorogued Commissions of Lumbini and has not been a desired progress Bagmati have started processes for towards its passage. the House on July 2. staff recruitments. Early this month, the parliament’s But the Lumbini Province’s move to year as country remains unprepared State Affairs and Good Governance recruit 125 staffers in October last Committee had tabled a report on the “We have started the process for year landed in court as some govern- bill at the lower house. The bill needs hiring staffers for the Lumbini pro- ment employees moved the High The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology admits it has not been able to fully to be approved by the lower house and vincial offices and local governments Court, Butwal, and the Supreme Court then tabled at the upper house, the by attaching a condition that the new with writ petitions. utilise the only weather radar to its potential. National Assembly, for deliberations. recruits’ perks and benefits would be The plaintiffs argued that the Once both the houses endorse it, the adjusted later in line with the upcom- vacancy announcement should have CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL also totalled over Rs 7.2 million. Meteorology. bill receives a seal of approval from ing provincial civil service law,” said been for sixth-level civil servants not KATHMANDU, APRIL 18 “In 2019, casualties due to thunder “We have just started collecting the president and becomes law. As Dilaram Bhattarai, chairperson of seventh level, although both are gazet- strikes were the highest for the year,” lightning data. Hopefully, we can do a things stand, the lower house has yet Provincial Public Service Act, ted third class positions. They have On Thursday, an elderly woman at said Adhikari, an engineering geolo- trend analysis and also make predic- to pass the bill. Lumbini. demanded that the commission fill the Shadananda Municipality in Bhojpur gist who is also an assistant professor tions based on the data in the next few “Since the bill remains stuck in the He said given the complications, seventh-level vacancies through pro- was critically injured by a lightning at the TU’s Institute of Engineering, years.” lower house, we pragmatically set the provincial governments have not been motions and an open competition. strike. The 60-year-old succumbed to Pulchowk. For minimising losses to various two-year deadline for its implementa- making active efforts to recruit staff- The Lumbini Provincial Public her injuries at a local health facility. Government data show that around disasters, including lightning strikes tion,” said Basanta Adhikari, spokes- ers despite facing severe manpower Service Commission had issued a On the same day, a nine-year-old girl 100 people lost their lives every year in and making weather prediction more person at the Ministry of Federal shortages. vacancy announcement notice for sev- from Asine village of Chhathar Rural lightning strikes during the past dec- accurate, the state has been working Affairs. Even though officials at the minis- enth-level officers but the centre’s Municipality-6 in Tehrathum also ade. Casualties due to lightning/thun- to install at least three weather radars. The Ministry set the ‘pessimistic’ try point to the parliament for the Federal Affairs Ministry last year had died after being hit by lightning. der strikes in Nepal have often sur- Of the three planned, just one has deadline at a time when the provincial delay in introducing the crucial law, issued a vacancy notice for sixth-level On Friday, a man in his forties was passed that of other disasters like been installed in Surkhet. But this and local governments, since their officials at the parliament’s State officers for deputation to the local struck by a lightning bolt at Tarakhola landslides and floods. also goes out of order every now and election in 2017, have been complain- Affairs Committee where the bill was governments. “The employees saw the Rural Municipality in Baglung. Seven years’ data between 2011/12 then, according to officials. ing about delay in introducing the law, stuck for two years argue that the bill ‘discrepancy’ in the vacancy notices These are the three casualties and 2018/19 have attributed 773 deaths Lightning detection centres, togeth- which is crucial for smooth function- demanded a vigorous debate hence the as a problem and took the issue to the reported by the National Disaster Risk and 1,695 injuries to thunder strikes, er with weather radars, enable now- ing of the provincial bureaucracies. delay in endorsement. court. So the recruitment drive Reduction and Management Authority making the phenomenon the second casting, provide real-time data on In the absence of the law, provinces “The committee held around 63 remains stalled,” Rajendra Thapa, sec- in the period of 24-hours between deadliest catastrophe in the country cloud movements and other atmos- have largely been unable to recruit meetings, an unusually high number, retary at Chief Minister’s Office, Thursday and Friday. after the 2015 earthquakes that killed pheric activities, and this all makes it new staffers. to deliberate on the bill,” said Babita Lumbini Province had told the Post The Authority also reported several nearly 9,000 people. possible to predict lightning strikes a Also, in the absence of the federal Mishra, secretary at the committee. last month. lightning-related incidents in differ- During the seven-year period, other few hours in advance and save lives. law, most provincial governments “This shows the committee has He assigned the Lumbini recruit- ent parts of the country including the disasters like landslides and floods Despite these technologies being have not prepared their own laws gov- given high priority to the bill. But, I ment problem to the absence of the Kathmandu Valley. claimed 730 and 665 lives, respectively. available in Nepal, the country has erning the recruitment, transfer, pro- think one reason for the delay in its Provincial Civil Service Act. Lightning is one of the deadliest Despite such devastation, light- continued to lose lives and suffer dam- age as they aren’t fully functional, as Post reported last year. Nothing much has changed this year either. “We brought the technology like advanced weather radar, but we still do not have the necessary human resources to operate the technology and extract its benefits in early warn- ing system,” said Adhikari. “The radar that scans the whole sky and tracks the movement of clouds and other activities in the atmosphere could be helpful.” The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology also admits that they have not been able to fully utilise the POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC weather radar to its maximum Every year, scores of people are killed by lightning strikes in Nepal. potential. “There are several complexities in natural disasters in Nepal. Every year, ning/thunderbolt has received less utilising the new technology. There several dozens of people are killed by attention from the state and the coun- are challenges in terms of human lightning strikes during the pre-mon- try remains ill-prepared to minimise resources and infrastructure. We are soon season. the associated losses. trying our best to bring them into A study published earlier this “The reason behind lightning disas- operation,” said Zoowa. “Even the month has shown that 1,927 people lost ters, despite being a leading hazard, radar in Surkhet is not fully function- their lives and 20,569 others were not getting adequate attention is al. We are trying to identify the prob- affected— injuries or property dam- because it doesn’t cause mass casual- lems. All we can say is the technology age—to lightning strikes in Nepal ties like other disasters,” said has not been in smooth operation.” between 1971 and 2019. Adhikari. “While floods and land- Zoowa said the department was The findings of the study published slides can engulf entire villages, leav- planning to install the remaining two in Weather, Climate and Society, a ing behind trails of destruction, light- radars in the next fiscal year while journal published by the American ning kills people by ones and twos— other works like building access roads Meteorological Society, analysed light- for example, a farmer working in the to the radar sites are ongoing. ning fatality events, fatality rates, and field. Although it claims a significant “But there are challenges ranging economic loss from 1971 to 2019, rely- number of lives, lightning occurs in from managing human resources to ing on data collected from the UN’s isolated and small patches hence it is using the available resources for mak- DesInventar dataset and the Disaster not in the priority of the authorities.” ing the technology fully functional,” Risk Reduction portal of the Nepal According to Adhikari, the report- said Zoowa. government. ing of lightning incidents and fatali- Before the government upgrades its The analysis revealed that the over- ties due to thunder strikes have early warning system, Adhikari, the all countrywide lightning fatality rate increased over the years with better researcher, says there are a number of of the entire period was 1.77 per mil- access to communication technology. things that the government can do for lion per year. Yet, the parallel development has not protecting lives and property from “This means, in every million peo- been witnessed in the early warning lightning strikes. ple, there are two deaths attributed to system and preparedness for prevent- The Nepal National Building Code lightning in the country,” said Basanta ing damages. has mentioned the need for installing Raj Adhikari, the researcher involved “Our level of preparedness against lightning protection devices in new in the study. lightning strikes through early warn- buildings, but the provision is not The report found that the district ing system is almost nothing,” said implemented strictly, according to lightning fatality rates range from 0.10 Adhikari. “All we have is nine light- Adhikari. to 4.83 per million people per year. The ning detection systems at different “The provision should be made fatality rate was high in Dolakha dis- airports.” mandatory for all new buildings or at trict (4.83) followed by Okhaldhunga In 2017, the Department of least educational institutions like col- (4.72), Ramechhap (4.69), Nuwakot Hydrology and Meteorology has leges and schools where mass gather- (4.62), and Makawanpur (4.62). installed lightning detection network ings take place. Such buildings should Likewise, the fatality rates were lower sensors at nine places: Tribhuvan install lightning arresters,” said in Baitadi (0.10), Dang (0.16), International Airport, Tumglintar Adhikari. “Besides, the lightning Kathmandu (0.24), and Surkhet (0.51). Airport, Biratnagar Airport, Simara detection system should be strength- The fatality rate in Dolakha district Airport, Bhairahawa Airport, ened and its coverage expanded across was the highest where the population Pokhara Airport, Nepalgunj Airport, the country.” is relatively small (0.2 million). With Surkhet Airport, and Attariya in The public should be made aware of 94 deaths, the largest number record- Kailali district. This network collects the effects and ways to remain safe ed during the period, Makwanpur dis- lightning data, location, and time, from lightning. The 30-30 rule for stay- trict was the most affected district in which are very useful for the analysis ing safe from lightning outdoors can Nepal. However, Bhaktapur district of past events and future possibilities. be useful, according to Adhikari. has the highest fatality density (0.067). However, these stations have not As per the rule, once one sees light- In 2019 alone, a total of 2,884 people been of full assistance in lack of ade- ning, start counting to 30. If the per- were affected with a loss of over quate data on thunder strikes across son hears thunder before s/he reaches $110,00, and the fatality was the high- the country. 30, the person should go indoors and est (94) in reported lightning events “We could provide a trend analysis suspend activities for at least 30 min- since 1971. of lightning incidents in the country utes after the last clap of thunder. The latest data with the National only when we have enough historical “Besides, mass media and public Disaster Risk Reduction and data. As it has been only two years hoarding boards should be used for Management Authority showed at since these stations were installed, we reaching out to the public,” said least 70 people and 717 cattle were do not have enough data for such anal- Adhikari. “Protecting the public from killed in 247 lightning incidents in the ysis,” said Bikram Shrestha Zoowa, lightning strikes is crucial as they not last one year (April 13, 2020 to April 13, an information officer with the only kill people but also leave them 2021). Property losses due to lightning Department of Hydrology and with life-long injuries.”

C M Y K MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021 | 04 OPINION EDITORIAL The elusive no-confidence motion Prevent second wave Physical distancing and use of face masks can avert a large second wave of new infections.

Will there be a lockdown? Are we running out of hospital beds? Are children and the working-age population more susceptible to the new variant of the coronavirus circulating in the coun- try? Is it safe to send children to school? Are there new hotspots emerging? Why is there no sufficient testing and tracing? These are burning questions with Covid-19 infections in the country surging for three weeks straight. Still, neither the Oli administration nor the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre seems to have any answers to contain the second wave and avert any disastrous situation. On Saturday, a meeting of the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre discussed containment measures like shutting schools and introducing restrictions on night businesses, restaurants and public transport. The meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokhrel failed to make any decisions needed to break the chain of transmission. Meanwhile, the worst fears of epidemiologists and infectious FILE PHOTO COURTESY: PRIME MINISTER’S SECRETARIAT disease doctors are coming true. Pressure on hospitals has leaders erupted with Oli on one side Parliament and the power and privileg- length to stay in power, even to the What are the and the duo of Dahal and Nepal on the es it brings. Dahal is on his own when extent of tampering with the constitu- increased as doctors report more seriously ailing patients. other. When it looked like he was losing it comes to moving the no-confidence tion. Cases are rising among children and the working-age popula- options to replace ground, Oli dissolved Parliament to motion. tion. At the same time, life continues in the country as if there avert a threatened no-confidence Judging from the makeup of Agenda-based agreement Oli and restore sanity in motion from the rival camp. Nepal’s Parliament, Nepali Congress leader Recent reports suggest Deuba is warm- is no pandemic despite several warnings by the Health Ministry constitution became a hostage to Oli’s Sher Bahadur Deuba is the most likely ing up to working with the Maoists. that we need to continue practising physical distancing and Nepal’s politics? wily ways. candidate for the next prime minister. Unless Oli allies with smaller parties to wear face masks amid a fragile situation. Dahal had made overtures to Deuba for upend the no-confidence motion or if Back to mother parties If 2020 has taught us anything, we cannot prevent a second an alliance. According to reports, he continues to stymie the House to NARESH KOIRALA The dissolution of the House riled Oli’s Deuba was non-committal. This was force an early election, a no-confidence wave unless we significantly reduce the frequency of contact, opponents in the Nepal Communist about three weeks ago. Deuba’s reluc- motion with Deuba as prime minister increase testing and tracing, and ensure that suspects and those Party and the opposition parties. The tance is understandable. He knows may hit the halls of Parliament soon. infected are properly quarantined or isolated. These are essen- Supreme Court ruled the dissolution Dahal cannot be trusted. He was con- Two questions arise. How should the unconstitutional and ordered its rein- spiring with Oli to form the Nepal new Congress-Maoist dispensation tial measures to break the chain of transmission and save lives, statement. Less than a month later, Communist Party when the look like, and is Deuba capable of pro- especially when it is crystal clear that the fast-spreading United ruling on a case that questioned the Maoist Centre was still the Nepali viding the leadership the country Kingdom variant of the coronavirus is responsible for the legitimacy of the Nepal Communist Congress’ coalition partner in govern- demands? There is no ideological con- It has been almost six weeks since the Party, the court voided it and ordered ment; after the formation of the gruence between the Congress and the recent spike in new cases. Therefore, the Oli administration Supreme Court restored Parliament. its members to go back to their mother Nepal Communist Party, he started Maoists. Add to the series of Dahhal’s must mobilise the state machinery to speed vaccine deals, and Had Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli parties. Nepal and his followers conspiring with Nepal against Oli; past betrayals. This should rule out foremost, put epidemiologists and infectious disease doctors in followed the universally accepted ethi- returned to the UML, still headed by going further back, when the king abdi- sharing the government with the cal boundaries of democratic their nemesis Oli. Dahal was back as cated and the country was declared a Maoists in any shape or form. charge of managing the current wave and saving lives. politics, we would have had a new the head of the Maoist Centre; his min- republic, in his own words, he reneged However, Congress could have an Given our fragile situation, it will take both the government prime minister by now. Oli would have ions followed. on his promise to support Girija anti-corruption and develop- and the public to avert a large second wave of new infections, resigned soon after the court’s ruling. One would have thought that, upon Koirala to become president. I could go ments-based agreement with the But our politicians have never allowed reinstatement of Parliament, the on. He is allegedly one of the most cor- Maoists and form a single-party minor- which can jeopardise our economy and social fabric. We are all ethics to frustrate their lust for power Dahal-Nepal group would rush to regis- rupt politicians in the country. Nepali ity government, with the Maoists act- in this together, and each one of us has a significant role to play. and money. Oli is no different. ter a no-confidence motion. Yet, that is Congress will have a lot of explaining ing as their supporters outside the gov- The government must urgently communicate the grave risks Predictably, he did not step down. not happening. What is holding to do if it forms a government with the ernment. Single party minority gov- Instead, he is taunting his opponents to them from tabling the motion? What Maoists. ernments are fairly common in Canada. and the devastating consequences a second wave can bring. It defeat him in a no-confidence motion in are the options to replace Oli and For the last 70 years, Congress has Our constitution also allows them as needs to ensure that the safety protocols are strictly adhered to, Parliament. ‘If I am defeated, I will restore sanity in Nepal’s politics? For led every major change and managed long as the Prime Minister has the con- or the virus will circulate swiftly and overwhelm our poor resign,’ he says, as if the defeat in court the motion to secure a majority vote in every major crisis in the country. It led fidence of the house. meant nothing. Parliament, it will have to be supported to the 1950 revolution and ushered in Nepali Congress should not delude health systems. Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav by the second-largest party, Nepali democratic polity in the country. It itself into thinking its ascent to power The public also needs to understand that our situation will Kumar Nepal, Oli’s nemeses in the erst- Congress, and at least one smaller fought the king’s dictatorship for 30 will earn it the people’s trust. It is a only worsen if we do not practise safe behaviour and continue while Nepal Communist Party, spent party. And this is not all. According to years and drove the multi-party alli- party in disarray, and its performance the last year trying to rein in Oli. The the constitution, the next prime minis- ance that restored democracy. It fought as official opposition has been more to be callous when wearing masks and practising physical dis- Nepal Communist Party was formed ter must be named in the no-confidence the Maoist insurgency, initiated the than dismal. Deuba’s past performance tance. No one is safe unless we are all vaccinated and the vac- about three years ago by merging the motion. negotiations with the Maoists, and as prime minister was less than inspir- cines, too, are only capable of preventing severe or life-threaten- CPN-UML led by Oli and the Communist The UML leaders who had opposed convinced them to give up violence and ing. His leadership comes with a huge Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) led by Oli when they were in the Nepal accept multiparty democracy. It will be baggage of incompetence and failures. ing cases. Studies have shown that implementing public safety Dahal. Oli and Dahal had initiated the Communist Party appear to be running irresponsible for Congress to be indif- If Congress forms the government, protocols can avoid the need for lockdowns, and the lifting of merger. They celebrated the union as away from the idea of a no-confidence ferent to the current state of the coun- managing Deuba and earning the peo- temporary restrictions should be gradual and guided by epide- the ‘greatest communist unity in the vote, because, they argue, this will for- try and let Oli continue as prime minis- ple’s trust will be the party central world’. In less than two years, the mally break the UML. This is a ruse to ter. Oli’s administration is not only one committee’s challenge. miological data. A large second wave is preventable. Let’s not much-vaunted unity started to unravel. protect themselves from being expelled of the most corrupt Nepal has ever ignore science and worsen our situation. Factional fights driven by the egos and from the party by Oli. Should that hap- seen, but the events of the last three Koirala is a geotechnical consultant in competitive ambitions of the party pen, they will lose their seat in years have shown that Oli will go to any Vancouver, Canada.

The key to beating Covid-19

Canada completes its review of vac- The only way we cine candidates, and as we confirm the deployment of vaccines in Canada. can beat Covid-19 Regardless of when we reach a sur- plus, we will work closely with our is to defeat it international partners—including other countries, Gavi, COVAX, and everywhere. vaccine manufacturers—to explore all possible options for delivering doses to those who need them. It will take KARINA GOULD time to vaccinate the entire global population. COVAX has already secured more than two billion doses for 2021, but we now need to muster the same spirit of global cooperation to ensure that this supply continues to increase, so that no vulnerable popula- tions are left behind. It has been a year since the coronavi- We can take heart in knowing that rus pandemic started dominating we are not starting from square one. headlines and our lives. For so many Canada has been funding global health here in Canada and around the world, projects in developing countries for it has been a period of unprecedented decades, and we will continue to do so. stress and grief. We have all been wait- These investments are aiding the fight ing to heave a sigh of relief once our against polio, HIV, tuberculosis, families, friends, and communities malaria, and Ebola, and they have receive their vaccines. proved critical in helping countries It is only natural that we would respond to the Covid-19 crisis with focus on the health of our loved ones. proven, adaptable public-health But we must not forget that the virus responses, such as mass testing and observes no borders. Focusing solely contact tracing. on our domestic responses is not If this crisis has taught us any- enough. At the same time that we thing, it is that we must maintain the focus on vaccinations for high-risk capacity to adapt to fast-changing con- Canadians, we must also ensure that ditions. Less than a year after the the rest of the world is on track to World Health Organisation declared being vaccinated, too, and that every- Covid-19 a pandemic, we had devel- one has access to safe and effective oped and approved safe and effective tests and treatments. Beating this vaccines, which are now reaching the virus anywhere requires beating it people who need them most. everywhere. The importance of the COVAX facil- Fighting a virus on a global scale is ity cannot be understated. It is a daunting task, but there is much one of the signal achievements cause for hope. We cheered in SHUTTERSTOCK of the current era. For the first time December, when a personal Ghana and Ivory Coast, healthcare Covid-19 vaccines and ensure equita- more than 90 percent of the global tion campaign, while doing our part ever, the world has come together to support worker in Toronto received workers and high-risk populations ble delivery. The facility was created population, and can command far globally. ensure equitable, universal vaccine Canada’s first Covid-19 vaccine. But were among the first to be vaccinated to guarantee access to a wide variety more purchasing power than most Complementing our own procure- access. now that the global rollout of vaccines with COVAX doses, and similar cam- of vaccines, and to put smaller and countries could on their own. ment efforts, Canada has launched Our global and domestic responses through the Covid-19 Vaccines Global paigns are now proceeding in Nigeria, poorer countries on a more equal foot- Moreover, when COVAX was created, investments that will also help to to the coronavirus are inextricably Access (COVAX) facility is well under- Jamaica, and Albania. We are witness- ing vis-à-vis larger and wealthier no one knew which vaccines would make vaccines, therapeutics, and linked, which is why COVAX is our way, we have even more reason to cele- ing the global response at work, and ones. By purchasing in bulk, COVAX work, or which would be approved diagnostics affordable and accessible best bet for overcoming the pandemic. brate. we should recognise it for the impor- can spread doses around the world in first. That is why Canada called upon globally. Owing to our various advance When international cooperation suc- Since February 24, tens of millions tant milestone that it is. the fairest and most cost-effective way COVAX to procure some of its own purchase agreements, we could even- ceeds, we all succeed. of doses have been delivered to over 70 Canada joined COVAX last possible. doses. Our agreement with COVAX tually end up with a surplus of vac- countries around the world, making September because we believed whole- COVAX was designed as a truly complemented our other contracts, cine doses. Precisely when that might Gould is Canada’s Minister of this the largest and most rapid global heartedly in its mission to accelerate cooperative partnership. With 190 par- and increased our chances of carry- happen will be determined in the com- International Development. vaccination campaign in history. In the development and manufacture of ticipating countries, it represents ing out a successful domestic vaccina- ing weeks and months, as Health — Project Syndicate

C M Y K 05 | MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021 MONEY

FOREX US Dollar 119.27 ‘Little evidence’ of in-flight Covid-19 transmission Euro 142.95

Pound Sterling 164.99 Officials say carriers saw an all-time monthly high in passenger numbers in March 2021 and private airlines are looking to cash in on the boom.

Japanese Yen 10.96 SANGAM PRASAIN ‘buy one, get one free’ offer,” he said. Chinese Yuan 18.29 KATHMANDU, APRIL 18 Basnet said that they hoped the upcoming two new international air- Qatari Riyal 32.75 There is little evidence to show ports in Pokhara and Bhairahawa Australian Dollar 92.24 in-flight transmission of the coronavi- would fuel fresh demand for connec- rus, officials said amid public tivity. “We will require more planes to Malaysian Ringit 28.91 anxiety about possible infection when operate out of these airports.” crowding into the confined space of According to him, flying is no more Saudi Arab Riyal 31.80 an aircraft. a luxury. “Rising disposable incomes Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank Airline passenger numbers too and overheated competition that have have been hitting record highs since reduced ticket prices have been a domestic flights reopened last major factor for attracting passen- Shares September, the statistics revealing gers,” Basnet said. unexpected trends. “The cost of an air ticket, which is Nepse 2,699.51pts -1.31% Nepali domestic airlines say that now almost the same as the bus fare, occupancy has remained robust will remain low for the next few HIGHEST LOSERS throughout the pandemic period after years,” he said. GFCL KRBL SADBL JBBL MPFL GRDBL -5.09% -4.63% -4.45% -4.26% -4.24% -3.92% they resumed operations. The Civil Aviation Authority In March 2021, the carriers saw an of Nepal has also proposed increasing MODERATE LOSERS all-time monthly high in passenger the airport service charge to fund LGIL GMFIL STC BNT CGH NBB -3.59% -3.54% -3.49% -3.32% -3.25% -3.23% carriage. As per the figures released its ambitious regional air connectivi- by the Civil Aviation Authority of ty scheme that aims to connect MODERATE GAINERS NICGF LEMF HIDCL KKHC UNHPL AKPL Nepal, 346,471 passengers took to the unserved and under-served routes in 2.4% 2.58% 2.93% 2.99% -2.99% 4.46% air last month which is an unprece- all seven provinces with their respec-

HIGHEST GAINERS dented number. tive capitals. JOSHI NRN NHDL DHPL JLI MLBSL Even in March last year, when the SHUTTERSTOCK The aviation body currently charg- 5.07% 5.86% 9.03% 9.45% 9.91% 9.93% aviation sector suffered its worst days Nepali domestic airlines say that occupancy has remained robust throughout the pandemic period after they resumed operations. es Rs200 per domestic passenger as with the government declaring a com- airport service fee except at remote plete lockdown from March 24, there in-flight Covid-19 transmission is said Birendra Bahadur Basnet, man- Beechcraft 1900D in October 1997, cur- airports. The authority has recom- were 213,770 domestic passengers. extremely rare. aging director of Buddha Air. rently has 14 aircraft in its fleet--nine mended raising the service fee that is PRICE PER TOLA The number of passengers in March Since the start of 2020, there have From May 1, the carrier said it ATR 72, three ATR 42 and two added to the cost of a ticket to Rs300 BULLION 2019 reached 264,545 even as airlines been 44 confirmed or possible cases of would begin trial operations on the Beechcraft. per passenger. engaged in an airfare war. In March Covid-19 associated with a flight. Over Pokhara-Simara, Pokhara-Biratnagar, ATR, short for Aerei da Trasporto The civil aviation body has recom- Fine Gold Rs 90,700 2018, they flew 236,022 travellers. the same period, some 1.2 billion pas- Pokhara-Nepalgunj and Bharatpur- Regionale in Italian, is a twin-engine mended to the government to increase “The airlines mandated masks, sengers have travelled. That equates Bhairahawa routes using its two turboprop, short-haul regional airlin- the airport fee by Rs100 per person, Silver Rs 1,300 boosted cleaning procedures and to one case for every 27 million travel- 19-seater Beechcraft aircraft. er developed and produced in France and use the money to provide viability revised boarding protocols. So, there lers, the International Air Transport It currently operates services on the and Italy. gap funding for airlines to offset the SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA has been little evidence to date of Association said. Tumlingtar-Biratnagar, Pokhara- “In the next two to three years, we high cost of operating such services, onboard disease transmission,” said With passenger numbers rising, pri- Bhairahawa and Bhairahawa- aim to boost our ATR fleet to 20,” particularly in remote airfields. Raj Kumar Chhetri, spokesperson for vate carrier Buddha Air is seeking to Bharatpur routes. Basnet told the Post. “We foresee According to officials, the price of GASOLINE WATCH the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. cash in on the boom. It has purchased “Based on demand, we will mobilise passenger demand exploding in the an air ticket on a flight operated from “The second factor attracting pas- two ATR aircraft and plans to add one the ATRs on these routes and conduct coming years.” the provincial capital lasting up to 30 sengers is obviously the low cost. Air more next month. The carrier aims to daily flights,” said Basnet. “As there is In South Asia, India Indigo is the minutes will be capped by the govern- tickets are available at the price of become one of the largest ATR air- intense competition on the existing largest ATR aircraft operator with 25 ment to make it affordable. surface transport.” craft operators in South Asia in the routes, we decided to explore alterna- aircraft in its fleet. They said that all locations served The International Air Transport near future. tives,” he told a press meet on Sunday. “Covid-19 was challenging for all, by an airport are linked by motorable Association, a trade association of the “We want to add more planes for “We will keep on continuing to search and for us too. But we turned it into roads too, but the drive takes 6 to 7 world’s airlines, released its report in our ambitious regional air network for new markets.” an opportunity because aircraft hours. Air services will cut that travel November last year which says connectivity--linking cities to cities,” The carrier, which began with one prices dropped steeply. It was like a time to 30 minutes. From Moscow to New York, fast delivery takes off amid pandemic AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE services boomed, said Maxim MOSCOW, APRIL 18 Avtukhov, chief financial officer and chief commercial officer at Yandex. Like millions of people around the Lavka, which was founded in 2019. Pandemic destroyed world, Yuri Nekrasov stopped going to “It was a game changer,” Avtukhov the grocery store every day last year told AFP. when authorities in Moscow enforced “Before the pandemic we were fewer US businesses a coronavirus lockdown. an amusing toy. The pandemic But even after restrictions were lift- changed everything, especially in the ed, Nekrasov has stuck to his new beginning when people were gripped than feared: Study routine, ordering groceries online by panic.” from rapid delivery companies The company, which also offers a REUTERS that promise everything from milk restaurant food delivery service, relies WASHINGTON, APRIL 18 and eggs to toilet paper in as little as on an army of bicycle couriers 15 minutes. and multiple warehouses known as Fewer than 200,000 businesses in the “We now only go to a real supermar- “dark stores”. United States may have failed during ket once a week or once every two On average it takes two minutes to the first year of the Covid-19 pandem- weeks,” the 32-year-old finance lawyer put together an order, Avtukhov said. ic, a lighter toll than initially feared told AFP. The service, which has a limited and one that may have had relatively Rapid grocery delivery services assortment of goods and prices gener- little impact on unemployment, have recently boomed in Russia, ally higher compared to supermar- according to Federal Reserve research. reflecting a global trend that has seen kets, has targeted young, middle-class The figure contrasts with the early similar businesses winning custom- professionals. forecasts that the pandemic would ers in Europe and the United States. Mary Levocz, a 34-year-old English leave America’s”Main Street” deso- teacher in Moscow, said she started late as well as with polls that continue using Yandex’s 15-minute delivery ser- to show large percentages of US small Over $14 billion has vice in early winter to avoid going out business owners are worried about in the cold and lugging around heavy their survival. been invested in items such as bottled water. Perhaps 600,000 businesses, most of “I use it because it’s the most con- them small firms, fail in any given grocery delivery venient option for ordering very ran- year, and US central bank researchers dom or small items,” Levocz told AFP. estimated that from March 2020 services worldwide In the fourth quarter of 2020, the through February of this year the fig- rapid delivery business brought in ure has been perhaps a quarter to a since early 2020. more than 4 billion rubles ($52 mil- third higher. lion), or 18 percent of Yandex’s taxi That included 100,000 “excess” fail- and food delivery services. ures among firms engaged in More than $14 billion has been Lavka operates across several major close-contact services such as barber invested in grocery delivery services Russian cities and also in Tel Aviv, shops and nail salons, a sector worldwide since early 2020—most of it where Yandex has been present since described by the Fed research group this year—according to PitchBook, a 2014. This week the company said it as the sector hardest hit by the eco- financial data provider. was gearing up to launch operations nomic fallout from the pandemic. Russians have embraced e-com- in Paris and London. While potentially devastating for merce later than other countries, but “There were lots of orders in win- the owners and employees of those the world of online shopping has ter,” Kutman Kanatbek Uulu, a firms, “relative to popular discussion recently seen explosive growth. Yandex.Lavka courier, told AFP after ... our results may represent an opti- While many retailers offer online delivering two orders to Moscow cus- mistic update to views about pandem- delivery services, companies like tomers from a nearby windowless ic-related business failure,” the Lavka (small shop) run by tech giant warehouse. authors wrote. Offsetting the hit to Yandex—which Nekrasov’s family “We deliver about 40-50 orders a those services-oriented businesses, uses—and Samokat (Scooter) seek to day,” the 18-year-old from Kyrgyzstan they noted, carry-out restaurants, gro- carve out a niche as ultra-fast online said, adding that he can earn around cery stores and outdoor recreation convenience stores. 3,000-5,000 rubles ($39 to $65) a day. companies seemed to suffer fewer fail- During Russia’s strict coronavirus Across the Atlantic, a warehouse of ures than usual, with the net result quarantine demand for grocery deliv- a New York fast delivery start-up in being a smaller-than-anticipated blow eries spiked, overwhelming some the family-friendly Brooklyn neigh- to the overall economy. retailers. Overloaded platforms were bourhood of Park Slope is also a bee- “Many industries have likely seen unable to service customers and some hive of activity. lower-than-usual exit rates, and exit- chains experienced delivery delays of A delivery man with a bright blue ing businesses do not appear to repre- up to several days. and white backpack rushes with an sent a large share of US employment,” As established market players buck- order to a customer two streets away, the researchers wrote. led under the pressure, rapid delivery then returns a few minutes later. France to aid farmers hit by frost

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE of hectares of crops and vines in 10 of the MONTAGNAC, APRIL 18 country’s 13 regions. “An exceptional situation, exceptional French Prime Minister Jean Castex on measures. I have just announced a signifi- Saturday pledged more than one billion cant effort on the part of the state of over euros in aid for farmers and winemakers one billion euros as the situation justifies reeling from the worst frost in decades. it,” Castex told a meeting of farmers’ repre- Across France, agriculturists are count- sentatives and local elected officials in ing their losses after the freeze—which fol- southern France. He said emergency aid lowed a period of unseasonably warm would be given “in 10 or 15 days” to local weather—affected hundreds of thousands officials to help the worst-affected farmers.

C M Y K MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021 | 06 WORLD Myanmar shadow Russia says it’ll retaliate government wants US, China agree to cooperate ASEAN talks invite on climate crisis with urgency hard against Czechs over AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE YANGON, APRIL 18 It’s unclear how much Kerry’s China visit would promote US-China cooperation on climate. diplomat expulsions Myanmar’s shadow government on ASSOCIATED PRESS Sunday urged Southeast Asian lead- SEOUL, APRIL 18 REUTERS Minister Jan Hamacek said on public ers to give it a seat at the table during MOSCOW/PRAGUE, APRIL 18 television investigators believed the crisis talks next week, and not to rec- The United States and China, the 2014 blast was meant to target an arms ognise the military regime that seized world’s two biggest carbon polluters, Russia said on Sunday Czech accusa- shipment due to leave the depot, and power in a February coup. agreed to cooperate to curb climate tions that Russian spy services were to occur after it was gone, likely to Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing is change with urgency, just days behind an explosion in an ammuni- Bulgaria. expected to join a special ASEAN sum- before President Joe Biden hosts a tion depot were unfounded and absurd He said police had later identified mit on Myanmar on Saturday in virtual summit of world leaders to and it would retaliate for Prague’s two suspects as the same Russian mil- Jakarta—his first official overseas discuss the issue. expulsion of 18 Russian embassy staff. itary intelligence officers--Alexander trip since the putsch that ousted civil- The agreement was reached by US The Czech Republic said it had Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov--wanted ian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. special envoy for climate John Kerry informed NATO and European Union by Britain for the poisoning of former The army has moved to quell mass and his Chinese counterpart Xie allies about suspected Russian Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his protests against its rule, killing at Zhenhua during two days of talks in involvement in the blast, which killed daughter with the nerve agent least 730 people according to a local Shanghai last week, according to a two people, and the matter would be Novichok in the English city of monitoring group. joint statement. addressed at an EU foreign ministers’ Salisbury in 2018. Min Aung Hlaing’s invitation to the The two countries “are committed meeting on Monday. Petrov and Boshirov are believed to meeting of the 10-country Association to cooperating with each other and The expulsions and allegations be aliases used by the Skripals’ attack- of Southeast Asian Nations has drawn with other countries to tackle the cli- by the Czechs have triggered its big- ers, who remain at large. The Kremlin scorn from activists who have urged mate crisis, which must be addressed gest dispute with Russia since the denied involvement in the incident. foreign leaders not to formally recog- with the seriousness and urgency that 1989 end of Communist rule, when Hamacek said Prague would ask nise the junta. Moe Zaw Oo, deputy it demands,” said the statement, AP/RSS Prague was under Moscow’s domina- Moscow for assistance in questioning minister of foreign affairs for the issued on Saturday evening US time. In this photo provided by US Embassy Seoul, US special envoy for climate John Kerry speaks tion for decades. them but did not expect it to cooper- “national unity government”—formed Meeting with reporters in Seoul on during a round table meeting with the media in Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday. The incident also poured more fuel ate. The Czech investigative weekly on Friday by ousted lawmakers mostly Sunday, Kerry said the language in the on the worst Russian-Western ten- Respekt reported on Saturday that the from Suu Kyi’s party, as well as eth- statement is “strong” and that the two tion between China and the United for trade barriers,” the official Xinhua sions since the Cold War, stirred in arms shipment was for a Bulgarian nic-minority politicians—said ASEAN countries agreed on “critical elements States on climate change issues.” Su News Agency reported. part by Russia’s military build-up on arms trader who was believed to be had not reached out to them. on where we have to go.” said the two countries reached a con- On whether Xi would join the sum- its Western borders and in Crimea, supplying Ukraine at a time when “If ASEAN wants to help solve the But the former secretary of state sensus on key areas for future cooper- mit, Le said “the Chinese side is which Moscow annexed from Ukraine Russian-backed separatists were fight- Myanmar situation, they are not going said, “I learned in diplomacy that you ation on climate issues. actively studying the matter.” in 2014, after a surge in fighting ing Ukrainian government forces in to achieve anything without consult- don’t put your back on the words, Biden has invited 40 world leaders, The joint statement said the two between government and rebel forces the country’s east. ing and negotiating with the NUG, you put on actions. We all need to see including Chinese President Xi countries “look forward to” next in Ukraine’s east. Respekt and Czech public radio which is supported by the people and what happens.” Jinping, to the April 22-23 summit. week’s summit. Kerry said Sunday The Czech Republic kicked out the named a Bulgarian arms dealer who has full legitimacy,” he told Voice of China is the world’s biggest carbon The US and other countries are expect- that “we very much hope that (Xi) will Russian embassy staff on Saturday they said Russian agents had tried America’s Burmese service. emitter, followed by the United States. ed to announce more ambitious take part” in the summit but it’s up to after saying investigations had linked and failed to kill. News website “It’s important that this military The two countries pump out nearly national targets for cutting carbon China to make that decision. Russian intelligence to the blast in the Seznamzpravy.cz said the arms ship- council is not recognised. This needs half of the fossil fuel fumes that are emissions ahead of or at the meeting, Biden, who has said that fighting ammunition depot some 300 km east ment may also have been destined for to be handled carefully.” warming the planet’s atmosphere. along with pledging financial help for global warming is among his highest of the capital Prague. Syrian rebels. Unrest continued across the coun- Their cooperation is key to the suc- climate efforts by less wealthy nations. priorities, had the United States rejoin Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the Czech police said they were search- try on Sunday, with protesters rallying cess of global efforts to curb climate It’s unclear how much Kerry’s the historic 2015 Paris climate accord Czech accusations were absurd as ing for two men who carried passports in Mandalay, Meiktila, Magway and change, but frayed ties over human China visit would promote US-China in the first hours of his presidency, Prague had previously blamed the in the names of Petrov and Boshirov Myingyan, showing support for the rights, trade and China’s territorial cooperation on climate issues. undoing the US withdrawal ordered blast on the depot owners, and Moscow and were in the Czech Republic in the national unity government. claims to Taiwan and the South China While Kerry was still in Shanghai, by his predecessor Donald Trump. would hit back hard. days before the arms depot blast. At Palaw in the country’s south, Sea have been threatening to under- Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Major emitters of greenhouse gases “We will take retaliatory measures On Sunday, the EU’s executive com- demonstrators brandished banners mine such efforts. Yucheng signalled on Friday that are preparing for the next UN climate that will force the authors of this mission confirmed that the Czech row that read: “Military dictators should Noting that China is the world’s China is unlikely to make any new summit taking place in Glasgow, UK, provocation to fully understand their with Russia would be addressed dur- not be allowed to rule. The dictator- biggest coal user, Kerry said he and pledges at next week’s summit. in November. The summit aims to responsibility for destroying the foun- ing a previously scheduled EU foreign ship will be uprooted. Support the Chinese officials had a lot of discus- “For a big country with 1.4 billion relaunch global efforts to keep rising dation of normal ties between our ministers’ video conference on national unity government.” sions on how to accelerate a global people, these goals are not easily deliv- global temperatures to below 1.5 countries,” a ministry statement said. Monday. The United States and Britain Young demonstrators also staged energy transition. “I have never shied ered,” Le said during an interview degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees “This hostile move was the continu- offered full support to the Czech motorbike rallies while carrying flags away from expressing our views with The Associated Press in Beijing. Fahrenheit) as agreed in the Paris ation of a series of anti-Russian Republic, a NATO ally, in its dispute in Hpakant and Sagaing. The previous shared by many, many people that it is “Some countries are asking China to accord. actions undertaken by the Czech with Russia. night, there were violent clashes in imperative to reduce coal, every- achieve the goals earlier. I am afraid According to the US-China state- Republic in recent years. It’s hard not British Foreign Secretary Dominic the central gem-producing city of where,” he said. this is not very realistic.” ment, the two countries would to see the American trace [here],” it Raab said on Twitter the Czechs Mogok when security forces cracked Su Wei, a member of the Chinese During a video meeting with enhance “their respective actions and said, accusing Prague of “striving to “have exposed the lengths that the down on protesters. According to a negotiation team, told state broadcast- German and French leaders Friday, Xi cooperating in multilateral processes, please the United States against the GRU will go to in their attempts to video, soldiers crouched on a street as er CCTV on Sunday that a major said that climate change “should not including the United Nations backdrop of recent US sanctions conduct dangerous and malign opera- their commanding officer shouted accomplishment of the talks was become a geopolitical chip, a target for Framework Convention on Climate against Russia”. tions,” referring to Russia’s military that he wanted “deaths”. “restarting the dialogue and coopera- attacking other countries or an excuse Change and the Paris Agreement.” Czech Interior and acting Foreign intelligence agency.

BRIEFING Pakistan, Indian ministers Deadly clashes after Islamists take Bangladesh cracks down on in crossover visits to UAE police hostage in Pakistan’s Lahore Islamists after Modi protests AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE DHAKA: Hundreds of hardline DUBAI, APRIL 18 REUTERS Islamists have been arrested by The Gulf nation LAHORE, APRIL 18 Bangladesh police over the past week, The foreign ministers of India and officials said on Sunday, after deadly Pakistan made crossover visits to the has been mediating Police in Pakistan said a hardline protests against the visit of India’s United Arab Emirates this weekend, between the hostile Islamist group had taken six security Hindu-nationalist leader. At least 13 after it was revealed the Gulf nation personnel hostage at its headquarters protesters died during the days-long has been mediating between the hos- neighbours. in Lahore on Sunday after a week of demonstrations in late March over tile neighbours. violent clashes following the arrest of Indian Prime Minister Narendra “Good to be in the #UAE,” Pakistan’s the group’s leader. Modi. The protests across several dis- Shah Mahmood Qureshi tweeted a role “in bringing the Kashmir The Tehrik-i-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) tricts in Bangladesh were mostly led late Saturday, after announcing escalation down and created a cease- group had given the government an by the hardline Islamist group a three-day trip which ends fire, hopefully”. April 20 deadline to expel the French Hefazat-e-Islam, whose members on Monday. “They might not, sort of, become ambassador over the publication of accused Modi of stoking communal His Indian counterpart best friends but at least we want to cartoons in France depicting the violence against Muslims in India. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited get it to a level where it’s functional, Prophet Mohammad. Police said Mamunul Haque, 47, the the emirate of Abu Dhabi on where it’s operational, where they The authorities responded by firebrand joint secretary of Hefazat, Sunday, a spokesman for New are speaking to each other... that’s arresting its leader, prompting sup- was detained on Sunday after a top Delhi’s ministry of external affairs our goal,” he added, in an online porters to hold protests and sit-ins Islamic seminary in the capital tweeted. talk with Stanford University’s across Pakistan. At least four people Dhaka was raided. “He was arrested Pakistan’s foreign ministry said Hoover Institution. were killed, hundreds injured, and REUTERS over charges of violence by Hefazat-e- there was no scheduled meeting Kashmir has been divided between thousands arrested. Pakistan banned Supporters of the banned Islamist political party Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan with sticks and Islam,” police spokesman Ifetkharul between the two ministers. India and Pakistan since their acrimo- the group after the violence. stones block a road during a protest in Lahore, Pakistan on Sunday. Islam told AFP. Islamabad suspended trade and dip- nious separation in 1947. The region A senior police officer and two lomatic ties with India in 2019 after has been a cause of two of their three paramilitary were among the six Amini told Reuters four supporters Still, supporters of TLP have been New Delhi revoked the special wars since then. being held by supporters of (TLP), had been killed on Sunday by police sharing videos on social media of Daughter of Kremlin critic status of the part of divided Kashmir A 2003 ceasefire has prevented Lahore police spokesman Arif Rana and several others were wounded. what they said were clashes on Sunday Navalny says he needs a doctor that it rules. another full-blown war from erupting told Reuters. Pakistani news channels have been with police, and hashtags supporting MOSCOW: The daughter of hun- But in February, Islamabad and but has largely failed to quell the “The TLP activists have two fuel barred from providing coverage of the the group were trending in Pakistan ger-striking Kremlin critic Alexei New Delhi pledged to end all firing skirmishes. tankers containing thousands of litres group since it was banned last week, on Sunday. Navalny called on Russian authori- along the disputed frontier, after Further signs of rapprochement of petrol. They are throwing petrol and on Sunday mobile and internet The videos, which Reuters could not ties on Sunday to allow a doctor to months of violence between the nucle- include an exchange of letters between bombs and stones at security officials, services were down in the area where independently verify, showed thou- treat her father in prison, a day after ar-armed rivals. Indian Prime Minister Narendra and also shooting bullets as the result clashes were taking place. sands of protesters clashing with a group of medical professionals Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE’s Modi and his Pakistani counterpart of which 11 officials are injured,” Roads leading to the headquarters police in riot-gear, as clouds of tear warned he is at risk of kidney fail- envoy to Washington, confirmed last Imran Khan, who have both called for Rana said, adding the operation was of the group, in Lahore’s Chowk gas hung in the air and the crackle of ure. Navalny, a fierce opponent of week that the Gulf nation had played peaceful relations. ongoing. TLP spokesman Shafiq Yateemkahan, have been blocked. gunfire could be heard. Russian President Vladimir Putin, started refusing food on March 31 in protest at what he said was the refus- al of prison authorities to provide him with proper medical care for acute back and leg pain. Prison ‘A very good weird’: Israel drops outdoor Covid mask order authorities say they have offered Navalny proper medical care but that the 44-year-old opposition politician REUTERS from the coronavirus,” Prime kept at home or attended class spo- has refused it and insisted on being JERUSALEM, APRIL 18 Minister Benjamin Netanyahu radically returned to pre-pandem- treated by a doctor of his choice from told reporters. “[But] we have still ic schedules. outside the facility, a request they Israelis went about barefaced on not finished with the coronavirus. Teachers were instructed to con- have declined. Sunday after the order to wear It can return.” tinue ventilating classrooms and masks outdoors was rescinded The police-enforced wearing of to maintain social distancing in in another step towards protective masks outdoors, lessons and breaks. Extra- Sinn Fein ‘sorry’ for IRA relative normality thanks to ordered a year ago for non-exer- curricular activities such as chil- the country’s mass-vaccination cise activities, was scrapped. But dren’s theatres remain off-limits. murder of Prince Philip’s uncle against Covid-19. the Health Ministry said the “This is still a non-vaccinated LONDON: The leader of Ireland’s Sinn With about 81 percent of citi- requirement still applied for population [children under the Fein party, once the political wing of zens or residents over 16—the age indoor public spaces and urged age of 16] that we want to safe- the Irish Republican Army (IRA), on group eligible for the Pfizer/ citizens to keep masks to hand. guard,” Health Ministry official Sunday apologised for the group’s BioNTech vaccine in Israel—hav- “Breathing Freely,” read the Sharon Alroy-Preis told Israel’s killing of Prince Philip’s uncle Louis ing received both doses, conta- cover headline of the mass-circu- Army Radio. Mountbatten. The IRA killed Philip’s gions and hospitalisations are lation daily Israel Hayom. Israel counts East Jerusalem mentor in 1979 as part of a dec- down sharply. “Being without a mask for the Palestinians among its 9.3 million ades-long conflict waged between But entry by foreigners is still first time in a long time feels population and has administered Irish republicans and those who limited and non-immune Israelis weird. But it’s a very good weird,” the vaccines there. wanted Northern Ireland to remain who return from abroad must Amitai Hallgarten, 19, said The 5.2 million Palestinians in British hands. Mary Lou self-isolate, due to concern virus while sunning himself at a park. in the occupied West Bank and McDonald’s comment came a day variants could challenge the vac- “If I need to be masked indoors to the Islamist Hamas-controlled after the husband of Queen Elizabeth cine. The Health Ministry said it finish with this—I’ll do everything Gaza Strip have been receiving II was laid to rest, following his death had detected seven cases of a new I can.” limited supplies of vaccines at the age of 99 on April 9. “Of course Indian variant in Israel, whose With Israeli kindergarteners, provided by Israel, Russia, the I am sorry that happened, of course REUTERS potency was being assessed. elementary and high school United Arab Emirates, the global that is heart-breaking,” McDonald Pedestrians walk on a boulevard as Israel rescinds the mandatory wearing of face masks outdoors in the “We are leading the world right students already back in class, COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme told Times Radio. (AGENCIES) latest return to relative normality, boosted by mass vaccination against Covid-19 in Tel Aviv on Sunday. now when it comes to emerging middle school pupils who had been and China.

C M Y K 07 | MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021 SPORTS | MEDLEY O’Dowd record century secures Flick set to walk away Messi double fires Barcelona first win for the Netherlands as one of Bayern’s most to Copa title The opener scores an unbeaten 133 to become the first Dutch player to hit a T20I century. REUTERS successful coaches SEVILLE, APRIL 18

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona BERLIN, APRIL 18 thrashed Athletic Bilbao 4-0 in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday to win Hansi Flick wants to walk away from the trophy for a record-extending 31st Bayern Munich after an 18-month time with all the goals coming in the odyssey saw him go from interim boss last half an hour. to Champions League and treble-win- Antoine Griezmann put a dominant ning head coach, yet looks likely to Barca side ahead on the hour when he end amidst bitter acrimony. turned in a cross from Frenkie de Flick’s bombshell announcement Jong, who doubled the Catalans’ lead on Saturday that he wants to termi- three minutes later. Messi suffered nate his contract comes just eight some rough tackles from Athletic but months after Bayern beat Paris Saint- got his revenge with a spectacular Germain in last season’s Champions goal in the 68th, tearing his way League final. “It was important for me through the defence down the right to tell the team, because we have wing and combining with De Jong worked together successfully for before dancing around another almost two years now,” a tense-looking defender to slot home. Flick said after a 3-2 win at Wolfsburg. Barca’s captain struck again four His drawn demeanour was a far cry REUTERS minutes later in his 10th Copa final from the intense celebrations in the Flick won Champions League last season. when he met a low cross from Jordi Bayern camp after Flick mastermind- Alba and fired the ball into the bottom ed a jaw-dropping 8-2 thrashing of Bayern fans will be furious that Flick corner, his shot proving too powerful Lionel Messi’s Barcelona in last sea- wants to leave, even after the holders for Athletic keeper Unai Simon. son’s Champions League quarter-fi- exited the Champions League quar- Griezmann thought he had grabbed nals. Under Flick, Bayern had already ter-finals on Tuesday at the hands of Barca’s fifth goal in added time but his secured the Bundesliga and German Paris Saint Germain. In a poll by effort was ruled offside after a VAR Cup before their sixth triumph in Munich-based paper TZ, 89 percent review. Europe’s premier tournament. want treble-winning coach to stay on. “It’s very special to lift this Cup as After winning the Champions Flick insists his future next season captain of this club, it’s a very happy League, Bayern swept up all before is unclear, but Saturday’s announce- day for this group,” said Messi. “We them, adding the German Super Cup ment makes him the favourite to knew Athletic would play as they did and UEFA Super Cup, before lifting replace Joachim Loew as Germany and we had to be patient with the ball POST PHOTO: HEMANTA SHRESTHA the Club World Cup title in Doha last head coach after the Euro 2020 finals. and try to create space. We were all The Netherlands’ Max O’Dowd eclipsed previous best individual T20I score of 107 runs at Kirtipur set by Nepal captain Gyanendra Malla. February. Flick’s rise was all the more Flick’s rise to become one of the most over them in the first half and in the stunning as he was only initially successful coaches in Bayern’s histo- second they dropped off.” SPORTS BUREAU Electing to bat first, the Netherlands ball. But he was caught in the next ball appointed caretaker coach when Niko ry reads like a fairytale, but he had The Argentine hoisted the trophy KATHMANDU, APRIL 18 lost their first wicket for 17 runs after by Tobias Visee as Malaysian fight- Kovac was sacked in November 2019. already won football’s biggest prize. for a seventh time while Dutch coach Tobias Visee was bowled for one run by back hopes evaporated with a score It was the 56-year-old’s first job as a During his 18 months in charge, Flick Ronald Koeman earned his first piece A record century from opener Max Pavandeep Singh in the first ball of the of 169-8. Bundesliga head coach. has put into practice what he learnt of silverware as Barca coach to add to O’Dowd gave the Netherlands a 15-run third over. Wicketkeeper batsman Scott Apart from Singh, Sharvin “We can all be happy that we chose in eight years as assistant coach to the glut of honours he won as a player win over Malaysia in the Tri-Nation Edwards contributed 31 runs off 23 Muniandy and Aminuddin Ramly Flick and put our trust in him,” said Loew until walking away after the with the the club, including a Copa Series T20 cricket tournament at the deliveries before he was trapped leg were the other two major scorers with club chairman Karl-Heinz Rumme- national team won the 2014 World Cup triumph in 1990. Koeman also won the TU grounds in Kirtipur on Sunday. before by Anwar Rahman. Ben Cooper 28 runs and 26 runs respectively in nigge after Bayern won the Champions in Brazil. Copa in charge of Valencia in 2008. Opener O’Dowd scored an unbeaten hit an unbeaten 20 runs from as many their kitty. Muniandy faced 20 deliver- League final in Lisbon. “He’s returned At Bayern, Flick finally stepped out There was a strong sense of deja vu 133 runs for the Dutch team as they deliveries and also shared a not out 125- ies and Ramly 15 balls before their that trust a hundredfold.” of Loew’s shadow, stamping his mark for Athletic, who have now lost four posted a mammoth total of 191-2 run stand for the third wicket with dismissal. Yet things have unravelled behind and quickly correcting things where Copa finals to Barca since 2009, with before restricting Malaysia at 176-8. O’Dowd. The Netherlands bowlers Aryan the scenes in the weeks since Bayern Kovac had stumbled. His masterstroke Messi scoring each time. The Basques The 28-year-old right handed batsman, The man-of-the-match O’Dowd Dutt, Bas de Leede and Braat all were crowned club world champions was returning Thomas Mueller to the have lost their last six appearances in dismissed for 10 runs in their opening reached 50 runs from 38 balls and grabbed two wickets each. Braat con- as tensions simmered between Flick starting line-up. The 31-year-old the final and only two weeks ago were match against Nepal, cracked 15 raced to his century milestone facing ceded 50-run in his four-over bowling and sports director Hasan responded with a Bundesliga record beaten 1-0 by Real Sociedad in the boundaries and six sixes in his 73-ball 59 deliveries. while Dutt conceded 14 runs in his Salihamidzic. Disagreements about 21 assists last season and provided the rescheduled 2020 showpiece, which knock. The Malaysian run chase received two-over spell. Leede gave away 15 player recruitment and squad plan- sort of service which saw Robert was also played at an empty La Cartuja O’Dowd also set numerous records an early jolt as they lost three wickets runs in his two overs. ning took a toll. Tensions boiled over Lewandowski score a total of 55 goals stadium in Seville. for the Dutch side who also registered in quick succession with just 20 runs Malaysia captain Ahmad Faiz rued after Salihamidzic confirmed Jerome as Bayern won the treble. Athletic had beaten Barca 2-1 after their first victory in the Series. He on board. Openers Syed Aziiz and having conceded too many runs in the Boateng will not be kept on next sea- Flick had spells coaching low- extra time in January’s Spanish became the first Dutch player to hit a Anwar Arudin were dismissed for first innings. “We did give away too son. Flick made it clear he wanted to er-league clubs after injuries forced Super Cup final but showed little T20I century and surpassed the previ- seven and six runs while skipper many runs in the first innings and keep the 32-year-old centre-back. the former Bayern and Cologne mid- ambition here and had only one ous highest score of 86 runs set by his Ahmad Faiz was out for a duck. that cost us today,” said Faiz. A barrage of questions about his fielder to retire from playing at 28. His attempt in the first half, when defend- captain Pieter Seelaar against Ireland But Virandeep Singh, who came to Regarding Singh’s innings, he said, dealings with Salihamidzic resulted break was landing the plum job as er Inigo Martinez prodded just wide in September 2019. He also eclipsed bat at number four, consolidated the “Virandeep has been our main bats- in a four-minute monologue last Loew’s assistant with the Germany of the near post following a free kick. the previous best individual T20I innings scoring 87 runs from 53 deliv- man and we are looking forward to Friday from an exhausted-looking team after the 2006 World Cup. After Athletic keeper Simon pulled off score of 107 runs at the Kirtipur eries. He smashed six fences and as doing better in the next match. We will Flick, who first hinted he was consid- helping mastermind Germany’s 2014 three impressive saves in quick suc- grounds set by Nepal captain many sixes. He even gave a scare to go with optimism with the objective of ering leaving. Flick’s patience was so World Cup triumph, Flick then cession early in the opening period, Gyanendra Malla in December 2019. the Dutch side before he was victory in our next matches.” stretched that he insisted on replying became sports director of the German using his left leg to thwart Griezmann He became the fifth highest T20I run dismissed in the fourth ball of the Nepal will vie against Malaysia in “Next question” whenever asked FA until 2017. and then Sergio Busquets from point- scorer overall. 19th over. their second match on Monday. While about Salihamidzic. He joined Bayern as Kovac’s assis- blank range while also keeping out a “It is a very special moment and As Malaysia required 37 runs for Nepal have won the opening match of Sky pundit Lothar Matthaeus has tant in July 2019 and the rest is histo- driven shot from Pedri. amazing to be the first T20I century victory from the last two overs, Singh the Series against the Netherlands by repeatedly predicted Flick would ry after landing the treble for only the Griezmann finally got the better of maker for the team,” said O’Dowd after hit two sixes to Sebastiaan Braat in nine wickets, the Malaysian side will leave at the end of the season because second time in the club’s proud histo- Simon to break the deadlock and once the match. “I just played with freedom the first two deliveries of the 19th over be looking for their first victory when his working relationship with ry after Jupp Heynckes achieved the Barca were ahead they showed and with belief in what I can do.” and collected two from the following they lock horns against Nepal. Salihamidzic is no longer “fixable”. feat in 2013. no mercy. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) **** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) *** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) **** After weeks of firming up your identity and embrac- You’ve been forging ahead with your ambitions. The You’re being called to do some deep inner work, As a Capricorn, you don’t usually welcome any desta- ing a sense of individuality, you’re ready to deepen universe is calling for you to slow down and branch Libra. You will lean into a more psychologically open bilizing emotions. Monday’s skies bring a welcome your connection to your confidence. The sun and back out with the important people in your world. headspace in weeks to come—one that ultimately transition, as the sun and Mercury move forward into Mercury’s time in steady Taurus links you up with This transition sees you redefining your long-term helps you deal with difficult intimacy issues in a peace-seeking Taurus. This places your focus on crea- your finances, skills, and feelings of self-worth. goals and reconnecting with the community. courageous fashion. tive activity, romance, and play in the weeks ahead.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) *** LEO (July 23-August 22) *** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) *** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) *** The wait is over, Taurus! It’s finally your time to You’re moving into a peak time of year, Leo. Don’t As a Scorpio, you’re no stranger to encountering pow- After weeks of restlessness and social exchanges, shine. The past month has seen you shedding and stop pushing forward! After weeks of exploring new erful emotional experiences in the relationship realm. you’re ready to root down into your home and family releasing outgrown elements of yourself that no avenues that offered opportunities for self-expansion This is a key time of year for you to explore the stories life. The month ahead sees you pouring energy into longer live up to your new standards. You’re ready and a refreshed perspective, you’re ready to conquer stirring around your relationships; it’s also the best unraveling your past and laying down new founda- for the next phase. new terrain. time of year to re-enter the dating scene! tions.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) **** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) **** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) *** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** You will move away from a restless mode of action Monday’s skies bring a welcome sense of emotional Monday’s skies arrive with an important transition, Things are beginning to kick into high gear, Pisces. into a more withdrawn, solitude-seeking place. The alleviation, Virgo. The weeks ahead see you leaning Sagittarius. In recent weeks, you’ve reconnected You’ve spent the past month reconnecting with your weeks ahead see you bravely exploring and releasing into self-expansion through educational endeavors, with the activities in life that bring joy and room for skill and shoring up your self-confidence. Today, psychological baggage you’ve gathered and are ready travel, or ways to refresh your life perspectives. creative self-expression. You may have found your- re-evaluate your earning potential and establish a to let go of. self slipping into bouts of overindulgence too! better relationship with your finances. CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021 | 08 CULTURE & LIFESTYLE (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 Fashion industry evolves, as virus forces a rethink Many had predicted devastation for the industry, but fashion houses have proved surprisingly resilient.

THOMAS ADAMSON & FRANCOIS MORI engine of growth in the luxury indus- said that the industry has been seri- PARIS try before the pandemic. It’s quicker ously questioning the relevance of containment of the virus will leave it Luxury in Europe seasons “even before COVID,” as cli- he pandemic has torn a in an even stronger position. has rebounded mate change has sadly highlighted multibillion-dollar bite “In the next 50 years money will how absurd it is. out of the fabric of come from the East as it has been but it’s only because “There was a moment at the begin- Europe’s fashion industry, (coming) in the last 50 years from the ning of lockdown—in the sky there stopped runway shows West,” said Long Nguyen, chief fash- it’s globalised, were no aeroplanes, you could hear and forced brands to show ion critic of The Impression. only because of birds,” McCartney said. “Everyone Ttheir designs digitally instead. This could see a designer aesthetic was talking about nature reclaiming Now, amid hopes of a return to that panders more to Chinese tastes. its rightful place,” she added, express- near-normality by the year’s end, the Another trend that’s been strength- Asian buyers. ing frustration with the industry’s industry is asking what fashion will ened during the pandemic is the deci- lifestyle that requires thousands of look like as it dusts itself off and sion to forgo the frenetic pace of run- kilometres of travel per year. struggles to its well-heeled feet again. way calendar shows. tively and financially. Saint Laurent McCartney said that across the Answers vary. Some think the As the virus tore across the globe started the trend last year, drawing industry now there is a sense that Fashion Week format, in use since the from East to West, these morphed headlines for quitting Paris Fashion brands must embrace sustainability 1940s, will be radically rethought. overnight from a live, in-person, sen- Week to “take control of its pace.” “in order to survive,” especially to Others believe Asia will consolidate sory experience to a pre-taped digital The advantage for these brands is to attract the young, more environmen- its huge gains in influence. Many see display released online. Many predict- set dates on their own terms, with col- tally conscious consumer. brands seeking greater sustainability ed devastation for the industry, but lections that don’t compete with others One example of such eco-thinking to court a younger clientele. houses have proved surprisingly resil- for attention at the same time. Yet is in reducing waste in collections. “The impact of the pandemic will ient. That’s because the system was many nostalgic critics, buyers and con- Luxury giants have been criticized in be unquestionably to increase the already overdue a shift. sumers argue that nothing can replace the past for burning unused or unsold importance and influence of Asia on Since the advent of social media, the physical runway experience. luxury goods. fashion,” said Gildas Minvielle, an brands have become much less reliant AP/RSS “Brands have been deciding more And McCartney also doesn’t seem economist at the Institut Francais de on traditional advertising outlets such Model Kate Moss (left) and her daughter Lila Grace Moss wear a creation for Fendi’s and more when their optimal time to to think that this will be the end of the la Mode in Paris. as fashion magazines. Now, they cre- Spring-Summer 2021 Haute Couture fashion collection presented in Paris. show is... They want to control their runway show. “Luxury in Europe has already ate their own online channels, circum- business more and that is their right,” “I don’t think we will throw away rebounded but it’s only because it’s venting the glossies, to get their ment stores. question “whether fashion shows Pascal Morand, Paris fashion federa- where we are today and I don’t think globalised, only because of Asian buy- designs out. Some houses have done better than were really necessary” in the first tion Executive President. we’ll dismiss where we were yester- ers,” Minvielle said. “They spent on “Each brand is a media entity unto expected with the new digital format. place. “But this is not the end to Fashion day,” she said. “It took me a while, but European brands.” itself,” Nguyen said, calling the way Smaller brands, in particular, have The virus saw many brands, includ- Week. No matter what people say they I miss the energy at the end of the Asian buyers are still considered a the industry operates “obsolete.” welcomed the break from staging run- ing Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen are all awaiting a return to the run- show, the engagement with my com- largely untapped market, yet their Moreover, as buyers themselves way shows that can be astronomically and Bottega Veneta of French luxury way and to come back to the physical munity, I miss seeing clothes in real wealth has recently tipped over that of move online, houses have necessarily expensive—for relatively little return. giant Kering, tearing up the tradition- experience.” life and moving, expressions of the Westerners. China, in particular, was become much less dependent on tradi- Paris couture designer Julien al calendar to show their new collec- Stella McCartney, who unveiled her models, the sound. That is the art.” already considered the worldwide tional sales outlets such as depart- Fournie said the virus has led him to tions when it suits them—both crea- fall collection off-schedule last month, — Associated Press The Templar legacy lives on in Cyprus The Templars, an international army of elite warriors, were set up to guard European pilgrims travelling to Jerusalem.

PETER MARTELL LIMASSOL

ables of the Knights Templar are legend, but deep beneath a castle on Cyprus—an island once owned by the Crusader brotherhood—lies a lega- cy historians say still resonates today. Down steep, narrow and uneven stone stairs in the fort of Limassol is a low-vaulted room lined Fwith tombstones of medieval knights. This is the chapel where England’s King Richard the Lionheart is believed to have been married, en route to the Holy Land in 1192. “The architecture and the artefacts here reflect the broad history of Cyprus,” said Elena Stylianou, a government archaeologist, brandishing a long Crusader- era sword, rusted and chipped but still sharp. “Cyprus was a place that many outsiders wanted to capture and own.” Richard, the first of so many British visitors to the island, celebrated his wedding night downing wine—before spending his honeymoon laying waste to the countryside, burning, looting and adding Cyprus to his possessions. After the defeated Cypriot ruler surrendered, the English king swiftly sold Cyprus to the Templars. The Cyprus Medieval Museum, now housed in the Mediterranean port

AFP/RSS Crusader tombstones are pictured on the site where a chapel of the Knights Templar was built at the Limassol medieval castle, now housing the Cyprus Medieval Museum in the coastal Cypriot city.

city’s fort, says that while the castle walls date from the 16th century Ottoman period, they sit on far older foundations. The vault is “probably a chapel of the primary fortifica- tions of the Knights Templar” on Cyprus. The Templars, an international army of elite warriors set up to guard European pilgrims travelling to Jerusalem, used the island as their headquarters to fight military cam- paigns authorised by the pope in the Holy Land, just over 100 kilometres (65 miles) to the southeast. Cypriot medieval historian Nicholas Coureas said the Crusades were a key step in forging the island’s national character. “The most lasting consequence of the conquest of Richard is that although Cyprus would change hands several times, it still has a European orientation... and most Cypriots identify more with Europe than say they do with Asia and Africa,” Coureas said. And the echoes of Crusader history even stretch to wine: the island’s sweet “Commandaria” red, named by the knights, is the oldest manufactured wine. Its label bears the word “Crusaders”. While the Templars owned Cyprus for only eight months before selling it to the French, the order maintained castles on the island. And, after they were final- ly chased out of the Holy Land, the Templars made Cyprus their headquarters in 1291. Myths tell of how the Templars hid their wealth—includ- ing, according to novels and films, the Holy Grail—when the order was damned as heretical in 1307 and the knights burned at the stake. The Templar fortune may have long vanished, but Stylianou hopes the ancient sites might help draw visitors back to Cyprus, whose vital tourism industry has been dev- astated by coronavirus restrictions. Cyprus is dotted with castles and ruins left by the Crusaders, including the castle of Kolossi, once a key base of the Knights Hospitallers, and the dramatic fortress of Saint Hilarion. Perched on a mountain ridge above the northern port of Kyrenia, it looks like it inspired Walt Disney’s fairytale castle. “When people can, I think they will come,” Stylianou said. “Because when you are stuck at home, you miss some- thing... and these sites bring you closer to your past.” — Agence France-Presse

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