WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 111 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 37.6 C 9.6 C Wednesday, June 09, 2021 | 26-02-2078 Bhairahawa Jumla As vaccination resumes, questions arise over equitable distribution Experts say frequent changes in decisions by officials in Kathmandu are confusing and they also increase the risk for those in rural areas where the virus is raging.

ARJUN POUDEL lic health expert, told the Post. “But KATHMANDU, JUNE 8 how can the authorities give priority only to the Valley every time? Aren’t “Immature planners in the health sec- the people residing throughout the tor; the frequent changes in age country equal to the government?” groups for immunisation is just an Although the number of cases example,” Dr Guna Raj Awasthi, chief across the country and in Kathmandu of the Sudurpaschim provincial Valley has been coming down as pro- health directorate, wrote on his hibitory orders have been in place Facebook page on Tuesday. “How since April 29, the number of cases in many times do we have to lie to the rural Nepal has been increasing, people in the community?” according to doctors. Awasthi was referring to the On Tuesday, Nepal reported 3,870 announcement by the Ministry of new infections from 12,065 polymerase Health and Population on Monday chain reaction tests. The Health evening about inoculating people with Ministry also reported 1,283 positive the 1 million doses of the Chinese vac- cases from 5,611 antigen tests conduct- cine. Revising its earlier decision, the ed largely in rural Nepal. Despite the ministry said that in Kathmandu rise in number of cases in rural Nepal Valley, people aged 60-64 would be vac- of late, the government focus contin- cinated, but elsewhere, those between ues to be on Kathmandu Valley. POST PHOTO: PRAKASH CHANDRA TIMILSENA 62 and 64 years would get the jabs. And this is not the first time that Passengers who arrived from Doha, Qatar on Tuesday wait for the medical clearance at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. After the government reopened limited number of Last week the government had the government has prioritised the international flights after a month last week, 10 regular weekly flights have been permitted including the two weekly flights between Kathmandu and New Delhi that had not been restricted. announced that all Nepalis aged 60 to Valley for Covid-19 vaccination over 64 would be given the Sinopharm the rest of the country. Most of the shots that China donated. 800,000 doses of Sinopharm’s BBIBP- Public health experts have criti- CorV vaccines that China donated in cised the government decision to focus March were also given to the people on Kathmandu Valley as inequitable. residing in Kathmandu Valley, besides INSIDE With politics a preference in provinces, “Vaccinating people of Kathmandu businesspeople and truck drivers Valley was fine earlier, as the infection from Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Kavrepalan- was spreading fast and all three dis- chok and Sindhupalchok districts as Ban on yarsagumba collection tricts of the Valley are densely popu- they made frequent trips to China. worries Karnali residents pandemic has become a non-issue lated,” Dr Binjawala Shrestha, a pub- >> Continued on page 2 JAJARKOT/MUGU: Under normal cir- cumstances, Ram Bahadur Singh of Chief ministers are so busy saving their chairs that they Nayakbada in Barekot Rural Municipality, Jajarkot, would be busy have failed to make the fight against the coronavirus, collecting yarsagumba in the high- lands of Dolpa district at this time of which is spreading fast in rural Nepal, their priority. the year. But with Covid-19 restric- tions in place, he may not be able to collect yarsa, the caterpillar fungus (Cordyceps sinensis), this season. “My family survives on the money I make from collecting yarsagumba. This year, I could not go to the high- lands to collect yarsa. I don’t know how to feed my family without the cash I get from yarsa picking,” Singh says. Yarsagumba is the main source of income for many families in the districts of Karnali. (Details on Pg 2)

Bench-hunting sets a bad precedent for the judiciary, experts say POST FILE PHOTO KATHMANDU: A week after the dissolu- The participation of a faction of the Janata Samajbadi Party in the federal government has led tion of the House of Representatives, to a change in political equation in Province 2. a Constitutional Bench was constitut- ed on May 28 to start hearing on the ANIL GIRI & TIKA R PRADHAN ernments have already faced their writ petitions against the dissolution. KATHMANDU, JUNE 8 own crises, and politicians from there But two weeks since its constitution, appear to be more interested in poli- the bench hasn’t formally started When Nepal voted in 2017 to elect tics in Kathmandu rather than gov- hearing the petitions. The discus- three tiers of government as guaran- ernance. sions in the bench are hovering over teed by the constitution adopted in While Oli has been blamed for its composition. When the bench was 2015, the goal was to usher in political creating confusion, a faction of his constituted, the plaintiff ’s lawyers stability and take the country on the own party led by Madhav Nepal and questioned the impartiality of path of democratisation. Four years Dahal’s Maoist Centre too are Justices Tej Bahadur KC and Bam on, everything seems to be unravel- responsible for making provincial Kumar Shrestha in the five-member ling. governments a failure when it comes bench, led by Chief Justice While in Kathmandu Prime to fighting the pandemic, according to Cholendra Shumsher Rana. They Minister KP Sharma Oli has triggered analysts. argued that Shrestha was one of the yet another political confusion by dis- Analysts say this is not the time to justices on the bench that on March 7 solving the House of Representatives engage in petty party politics when passed a verdict which invalidated for the second time in six months, the virus is making people sick and the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) provinces are engaged in similar killing them. After the 2017 elections, and revived the CPN-UML and the games, as chief ministers are busy six of the seven provincial govern- Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist pulling up tricks to save their chairs. ments were led by the Nepal Centre). (Details on Pg 3) Analysts say the country is current- Communist Party (NCP), which was ly facing threats of the coronavirus born of a merger between Oli’s CPN- and a political pandemic. UML and Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s Shoppers throng state-owned “Provincial governments are facing Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist stores for groceries crises one after another, largely due to Centre) in May 2018. It, however, did KATHMANDU: On Monday morning, Prime Minister Oli, who is responsi- not take long for cracks to appear in Surendra Shrestha stood in line out- ble for splitting the party and destroy- the Nepal Communist Party (NCP). side the Salt Trading Corporation ing the system,” said Khim Lal By July 2020, it had become impossi- outlet at Kalimati for nearly three Devkota, an expert on federal affairs ble for Oli and Dahal to continue in hours to buy food items at discounted who was recently elected to the the same party. And on December 20, prices. Crowds had gathered in front National Assembly. Oli dissolved the House, in a move that of the state-owned store after the The pandemic has failed to become would ultimately lead to the invalida- budget statement for the upcoming provincial governments’ focus, as tion of the Nepal Communist Party fiscal year 2021-22 promised relief to political complications unleashed by (NCP) and revival of the UML and the consumers. “I was happy with the Oli have created instability. Maoist Centre. budget announcement, but the distri- On Tuesday, the Sudurpaschim “Provincial governments were bution process is so weak,” said the chief minister was seeking a vote gradually trying to stand on their own 33-year-old Shrestha. (Details on Pg 5) of confidence in the Provincial feet. In their first year in office, they Assembly. In Gandaki, Chief Minister largely coped with staff management Prithvi Subba Gurung has said issues,” said Devkota. he will go for a floor test on “As laws were being formulated, Thursday. If he fails the trust federalism was gaining momentum. vote, the province is likely to go But all of a sudden the division in the for mid-term polls. ruling party in Kathmandu had an In Lumbini, four parties boy- impact on the provinces.” cotted the government’s policies Since Province 2 was governed by and programmes, demanding the Janata Samajbadi Party, it did not Chief Minister Shankar Pokhrel face much of a problem. But after the seek a floor test. second House dissolution on May 21, In Province 2, Chief Minister Oli now has roped in a section of the Lalbabu Raut on Sunday relieved Janata Samajbadi Party, creating four ministers of their offices. instability in Province 2. Province 1 and Bagmati gov- >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, JUNE 09, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Ban on yarsagumba collection worries Karnali residents Authorities have prohibited people from picking the precious fungus in light of the second wave of the pandemic that has gripped the country.

lands due to adverse climate and rough terrain. So we pick and sell yarsagumba for a living. But now, with the ban in place, we don’t know how to manage food for our families,” said Pema Gurung, a resident of Dolpobuddha Rural Municipality. Only potato, wheat and uwa can be grown in Upper Dolpa—a remote region in the Karnali Province that is not connected with the road net- work—and the local food production is not enough to feed the villagers. According to Karma Lama, the ward chairman of Dolpobuddha-5, the local agricultural production can hardly last for six months for the vil- lagers. PHOTO COURTESY: PEMA GURUNG “The local people cannot survive if POST PHOTO: ANGAD DHAKAL Yarsagumba picking is the main source of income for many families in the mountain districts. they are deprived of foraging and sell- People queuing up for Covid-19 jabs wait in the shade by placing personal items like sandals and umbrellas in the queue to avoid the mid-day ing yarsagumba,” said Lama. sun at the vaccination centre at Bhaktapur Multiple Campus on Tuesday. The government has started vaccinating 60-64 year olds in BHIM BAHADUR SINGH IN JAJARKOT $100 per gram in the Chinese market, The local residents of Dolpa had Kathmandu Valley and 62-64 year olds outside the Valley with the Chinese-donated Vero Cell vaccine. RAJ BAHADUR SHAHI IN MUGU making it more expensive than gold, requested government authorities to HARI GAUTAM IN RUKUM (WEST) according to reports. The herb is used allow them to collect yarsagumba this JUNE 8 to cure anaemia, chest and lung infec- year. As per their request, the meeting tions, tuberculosis, Hepatitis B and of the District Covid-19 Crisis Under normal circumstances, Ram kidney and liver diseases. Management Centre held on April 30 Bahadur Singh of Nayakbada in In Dolpa, around 20,000 to 30,000 decided to allow the collection of yar- As vaccination resumes, questions arise Barekot Rural Municipality, Jajarkot, individuals used to climb up the high- sagumba from May 24. But the deci- would be busy collecting yarsagumba lands in search of yarsagumba every sion was withdrawn, citing an increas- in the highlands of Dolpa district at year. This year, the highland was ing number of coronavirus cases in over equitable distribution this time of the year. But with Covid- opened for yarsa collection from April the district. 19 restrictions in place, he may not be 23. However, the government authori- “The risk is too high so we had to >> Continued from page 1 have to be implemented by those in residents,” Dr Mingmar Gyelgen able to collect yarsa this season. ties later imposed a ban on herb col- impose a ban on yarsagumba collec- Students studying in China were the field, they face the brunt of fre- Sherpa, former director general at the “My family survives on the money I lection as the country was gripped by tion,” said Ganesh Bahadur Shahi, the also given the jabs. quent changes in plan. Department of Health Services, told make from collecting yarsagumba. the second wave of the pandemic. mayor of Thulibheri Municipality in Nepal was among the first countries “Health workers in our province the Post. But this year, I could not go to the “The pandemic has put our liveli- Dolpa. in South Asia to start the immunisa- have reached every community and Before Tuesday, just over 2.1 million highlands to collect yarsa. I am very hoods at risk,” said Singh. In Jajarkot, many people are plan- tion drive against Covid-19. But right invited them to come to the immunisa- people had been immunised. Of them, worried. I don’t know how to feed my Pratap Chunara, a resident of Katke ning to go to India for work as they from the start its vaccination pro- tion centres for inoculation,” Awasthi only around 700,000 have been given family without the money I get from in Ward No. 3 of Nalgad Municipality, could not pick yarsagumba in the gramme has not been up to the mark. told the Post over the phone from both doses. yarsa picking,” Singh says. says the villagers can neither highlands this season. The government initially Dhangadhi. “What will they tell the But many above 65 are still to get Yarsagumba picking is the main go to India for jobs nor can they collect “After things get back to normal, I announced that health workers and people coming with hopes of getting the first dose. source of income for many families in yarsagumba this season due to the will go to India and find a job since I other frontline workers at risk of the vaccine? It is very easy to issue a All those above 65 did not take the the mountain districts of Karnali. pandemic. could not earn any money from being infected like cleaners and Nepal circular from Kathmandu but very jabs due to various reasons like vac- However, since last year, when the “None of my family members has a yarsagumba sales this year,” said Army soldiers handling the bodies of difficult for those working at the cine hesitancy, limited immunisation first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic job. The Covid-19 pandemic has great- Chunara from Nalgad Municipality in Covid-19 victims would be inoculated health facilities.” centres, lack of proper and sufficient hit the country, people in Karnali ly affected us,” said Chunara. Jajarkot. with the 1 million doses of Covishield Health Ministry officials had awareness drive, and lack of access to Province have been unable to collect People from Mukot, Dho, However, despite the ban on yarsa- vaccines that India donated in an excuse for the sudden change in immunisation centers, Health the precious herb and this has put Phoksundo, Tinje, Kharka, Saltang gumba collection, there are reports of January. To that, it later added jour- age groups eligible for the Chinese Ministry officials said. their livelihoods in jeopardy. and Mijer of Upper Dolpa collect yar- some people reaching the highlands nalists and staff at diplomatic mis- vaccine. “Only those who are aware of the Yarsagumba is harvested before the sagumba for a living. Schools are by hoodwinking the security person- sions based in Kathmandu Valley. “Due to the ongoing pandemic, risk took the jabs. A significant num- monsoon season, between May and closed and students and teachers alike nel and the people’s representatives. Inclusion of journalists and staff of demand for vaccines is very high,” Dr ber of people above 65 years missed June, at elevations between 3,000 and climb up the highlands to pick yarsa “We have been notified about the diplomatic missions had met with a Jhalak Gautam, chief of National vaccination due to various reasons,” 5,000 metres in the Himalayan foot- every year during the harvest season. issue. We will take action against any- fair share of criticism from some Immunisation Programme, told the Dr Anup Subedee, an infectious dis- hills of Dolpa, Mugu, Bajhang and Most of the families used to make any- one found flouting the rules,” said quarters. Later elected officials and Post. “Another reason for changing ease expert, told the Post. “Even all other districts of the western region. where between Rs 60,000 to Rs 600,000 Chhiring Kyapne Lama, the chairman staff and local governments as priority groups is that it is not feasible health workers who were on the first It is the world’s most expensive medic- through yarsagumba sales. of Mugumkarmarong Rural well as parliamentarians were also for the preloaded vaccines to be sent to priority list have not taken jabs.” inal fungus and can fetch as much as “Agriculture is difficult in the high- Municipality in Mugu. given the jabs. the districts as they take up more stor- But officials say that they cannot do When Nepal received the delivery age space.” anything about the targeted groups of 1 million doses of Covishield Of the 1 million vaccines that China not getting vaccinated. bought from the Serum Institute of donated, 800,000 came from Beijing Asked about the mismanagement of India in February, the Health Ministry and 200,000, donated by the Tibet the vaccination programme with even said all above 55 years would be inocu- Autonomous Region of China, came those not on the priority list taking lated. Later, it revised the priority in syringes from Kunming. the jabs, Gautam of the National group and decided to give the jabs to Health Ministry officials last week Immunisation Programme said that those above 60, but finally only those had, however, said health workers the priority list was made based on above 65 years were inoculated would be trained on using them risk assessment and it is not possible between March 7 and March 15. through a virtual orientation pro- to monitor that every dose is adminis- Altogether 1.4 million are yet to get gramme. tered to the intended person. the second dose and it is unclear when Officials had also said that they But the risk of the pandemic now they will get them as the government would be able to inoculate all those has spread to the villages, and the gov- has not procured additional doses of between 60 and 64 with two doses even ernment’s priorities are misplaced, Covishield, the AstraZeneca type of though they estimated there are experts say. vaccine, although the gap between the 850,000 people in this age group. “Infections have been exploding in two doses has been increased to 12 to Gautam told the Post last week that the rural areas, and the authorities 16 weeks from 8 to 12 weeks. The with 100,000 of the 800,000 China are still prioritising Kathmandu Serum Institute has yet to deliver 1 donated earlier in March still in stock Valley,” said Shrestha, the public million doses of vaccines that Nepal there would be enough for both doses health expert who is also an assistant has already paid for. as many of the 60 to 64 year-olds would professor of Community Medicine at “Only after wide discussions should not turn up for immunisation. Many the Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan programmes be finalised,” said of them from the mountain districts University. “People residing in the Awasthi in his Facebook post, “and had taken their jabs when those above rural areas are at high risk. They are not change them immediately after- 65 were given the jabs in March. not getting vaccines and there is no wards.” “Immature decisions of the author- easy access to health facilities. Nor As decisions made by officials at the ities only increase the risk of a con- are there enough health workers to Ministry of Health and Population flict between health workers and local provide treatment.”

With politics a preference ... BRIEFING

>> Continued from page 1 is currently being examined by In recent months, chief minis- the Supreme Court. Amid this, Oli Indian man held on charge of ters have been busy counting has expanded his Cabinet, which vandalising ATM heads, wooing assembly members too was challenged in the court. and reshuffling Cabinets so as to The Supreme Court on Tuesday UDAYAPUR: An Indian national has been save their chairs. issued a show cause notice to arrested on the charge of vandalising an “Effects of politics in the government and sought writ- automated teller machine (ATM) of Nabil Kathmandu are being seen in ten clarification from it within 15 Bank at Gaighat, the district headquarters of provinces,” said Hari Roka, a polit- days besides inviting both the par- Udayapur district, on Tuesday. According to ical analyst. “Just like Oli has ties on June 22 to discuss the peti- the District Police Office, Bibhesh Sharma of failed in running the federal gov- tioner’s demand for an interim Madhubani in India, who works at a furni- ernment, chief ministers have order. ture factory in Gaighat, has been arrested in failed to steer the respective prov- Experts say the stability dream connection with the vandalism. DSP Bed inces.” has been shattered now and Oli Prasad Gautam said, “Sharma was arrested According to Roka, Oli was has thrown the country into a seri- as per the record of the ATM booth’s CCTV.” never committed to federalism ous political and constitutional and now it has become clear that crisis, whose effects are now being chief ministers and politicians in seen in provinces. Ramechhap records 34 cases of provinces have also failed in Oli as the prime minister of sexual violence in a year strengthening the system. federal republic Nepal should have RAMECHHAP: As many as 34 cases of sexual The constitution has defined helped enable provinces, but he violence were reported in Ramechhap in the specific roles for provinces and instead tried to treat sub-national past year. According to the District Police vested powers in them, but those governments as administrative Office, 21 rape cases, eight attempted rape who led the provincial govern- units of the federal government. cases and five cases of sexual harassment ments barely worked independent- Chief ministers of those provinc- against children were reported since March ly. Most of the decisions, including es where the UML had a majority last year. “Thirty people were arrested in the naming of provincial capitals, acted as Oli’s cadres. connection with the incidents. Incidents of were decided by the leadership in Experts say just like the federal sexual violence are rising in the district,” Kathmandu which experts have government, provincial govern- said Police Inspector Shrishankar Shrestha. time and again said was against ments too have been bogged down the principle of federalism. by partisan politics, failing to When infighting was at its peak channelise their focus on the fight Three illegally operated health in the then Nepal Communist against the pandemic. Party (NCP), chief ministers were Chandra Kanta Gyawali, a sen- institutions closed travelling to Kathmandu holding ior advocate who specialises on RUKUM (WEST): The district administration discussions with their political constitutional law, said the federal office in Rukum (West) has closed three pri- masters, putting their primary job government hobbled the provin- vate health institutions that were established of serving the people on the back- cial governments also by not without meeting the due process and stand- burner. implementing the required laws to ards. Following complaints, a monitoring “Now when the pandemic is hit- fight the pandemic. team led by assistant Chief District Officer ting hard, provincial chief minis- “Instead of focusing on con- Pramesh Shiwa closed the health institu- ters are busy saving their chairs,” trolling Covid-19 in coordination tions on Tuesday. “A private hospital in said Roka. “Provincial govern- with the federal government,” said Sanibheri Rural Municipality and a clinic ments have utterly failed in per- Gyawali, “almost all provincial and a pharmacy in Banphikot Rural forming their duty.” governments are embroiled in Municipality were closed,” said Raj Kumar Oli’s May 21 House dissolution party politics.” Bhujel, a doctor at the district hospital.

C M Y K 03 | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 09, 2021 NATIONAL Bench-hunting sets a bad precedent for the judiciary, according to experts Crucial time of the Supreme Court is being wasted on unnecessary things, they say.

BINOD GHIMIRE Wednesday; however, it would depend than just making requests, to recom- KATHMANDU, JUNE 8 how defendant lawyers take their pose the bench. positions. Adhikari, the former dean at the A week after the dissolution of the “It is unfortunate that the parties to Kathmandu University School of Law, House of Representatives, a the dispute are being allowed to said the way Badal presented himself Constitutional Bench was constituted choose the justices,” Bipin Adhikari, a in the court shows he was a personal on May 28 to start hearing on the former dean at Kathmandu University lawyer to Oli as an individual not a writ petitions against the dissolution. School of Law, told the Post. “This is a prime minister. But two weeks since its result of mediocrity in the court’s He said Badal, the chief of a state’s constitution, the bench has not leadership. constitutional body, seeking removal formally started hearing the petitions. He says raising unnecessary suspi- of a justice isn’t a common incident in The discussions in the bench are hov- cion on the Supreme Court and allow- a functioning democracy. ering over its composition. ing the parties to the dispute to choose “Badal is a representative of the When the bench was constituted, justices is yet another step towards state. His job is to defend the govern- the plaintiff ’s lawyers questioned polluting the judicial system. ment based on the constitutional pro- the impartiality of Justices Tej Experts say by heeding the demands visions,” said Adhikari. “He has Bahadur KC and Bam Kumar Shrestha of the plaintiff ’s lawyers, Rana had set demeaned his position by demanding in the five-member bench, led by a negative precedent whose conse- the justices of his choice.” Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher quences were seen immediately. Some judicial experts say the cur- Rana. They argued that Shrestha was rent controversy over the integrity one of the justices on the bench that and impartiality of the justices is a on March 7 passed a verdict which The situation arose worrying sign of declining public invalidated the Nepal Communist trust in the judiciary. Party (NCP) and revived the CPN- because the Judicial They say the situation arose because UML and the Communist Party of the Judicial Council failed to perform Nepal (Maoist Centre), while KC was Council failed to its job right from the selection to the on the Rana-led bench that refused to scrutiny. review the decision of NCP invalida- perform its job, The council has the authority to tion. pick justices for the Supreme Court The plaintiff ’s lawyers argued that judicial experts say. and judges for the lower courts. the current dissolution of the House “When factors other than competen- was a result of the court’s move to cy and integrity count in the appoint- invalidate the NCP. Justices Deepak They say in the judicial system the ment process, the impartiality of the Kumar Karki and Ananda Mohan discretion to whether to remain on the court will always come into question,” Bhattarai were other members of the bench or rescue from it should be Prakash Wasti, a former justice at the constitutional bench formed to given to the respective justices. Supreme Court, told the Post. “The conduct hearings on the 30 writ peti- However, despite KC and Shrestha council also has failed to scrutinise tions challenging the May 22 House willing to remain on the bench, they the justices.” dissolution. were removed. The council headed by the chief The bench was reconstituted on Balaram KC, a former justice at the justice, has law minister, a seniormost Sunday replacing KC and Shrestha Supreme Court, said many cases in justice from the apex court, and one with Justices Mira Khadka and the courts are connected, the justice each recommended by the govern- Ishwar Khatiwada. process would be further delayed if ment and the Nepal Bar Association But now it was the turn of the justices are asked to leave the bench as members defendant’s lawyers to question the even in the cases that are not directly Wasti said the failure of the council composition. Attorney General interlinked. in performing its constitutional Ramesh Badal and former Attorney “The crucial time of the court is duties—selecting judges in a fair man- General Agni Kharel, among others, being wasted on unnecessary things,” ner and rewarding and taking action defending Prime Minister KP Sharma KC told the Post. “This is a result of as per their performance—is largely POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI Oli’s House dissolution move, said the lack of assertiveness in the chief responsible for the present mess in the A woman winnows mustard seeds at a mill in Khokana, Lalitpur on Tuesday. they were not convinced of the impar- justice.” judiciary. tiality of Justices Karki and Bhattarai, He said Chief Justice Rana should As the chief of the judiciary, it is who had said they wouldn’t be the part have exercised prudence while consti- the responsibility of Rana to intro- of the bench if KC and Shrestha didn’t tuting the bench or at least shown spect what is going wrong, say judicial recuse themselves. resolve to defend his decision, but he experts. Badal and Kharel on Sunday said failed on both counts. “He should be evaluating his Public response to antigen testing poor the court should treat the plaintiffs Experts on judicial and constitu- leadership and the performance of his and defendants equally and revisit the tional affairs say it is not that the fellow colleagues,” said Adhikari. “It composition. plaintiffs and defendants cannot ques- is definitely not a good sign for the The proceeding scheduled for tion the presence of any justices on a judiciary and the state as a whole that Monday was deferred as Chief Justice bench. questions are being raised over the in Kathmandu Metropolitan City Rana was taken ill. In the current case, both the sides competency and integrity of the jus- The hearing is expected to start on are pressuring the judiciary, rather tices and the court.” Fear of stigmatisation and lack of awareness blamed for poor public participation.

ANUP OJHA chief of the Public Health Division at with a huge number of people and KATHMANDU, JUNE 8 the City. He blamed the ongoing pro- those employed in the informal sector hibitory orders which are in place have not come for tests,” said Shakya. As part of the government’s plan to since April 29 for the poor public He blamed fear among the public of limit the Covid-19 spread through participation in the antigen testing testing positive for their poor partici- mass antigen testing across the coun- campaign. pation in the testing campaign. In his try, Hiradevi Pokhrel, a member of the The City’s data show that it carried ward, 82 people have come for the test Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s Ward- out a total of 6,450 antigen tests—3,460 so far and seven were found infected 32 asked ward officials to carry out the on males and 2990 on females—in all with Covid-19. tests on all vegetable shop owners at its 32 wards by Monday. Among them Kathmandu district has been the Koteshwar. But as the officials visited 551 persons tested positive for epicentre of coronavirus infections the area early in the morning on May Covid-19. during the ongoing second wave of the 28 and set up the testing camp, the “The test is free and we had even pandemic with the Kathmandu vegetable vendors closed their shops organized an awareness campaign in Metropolitan City reporting a total of and went home. the City, but people were still reluctant 64,732 infections since last year. The “None of them showed up for the to get tested,” said Kunwar. active case count as of Monday stood test,” said Pokhrel. “Maybe because Among the 32 wards of the City, at 7, 993 with 7,443 persons living in they fear testing positive as they will ward 19 saw the lowest number of home isolation. Chandra Mani Bhattrai, joint coor- dinator of the Covid-19 Support Centre of the Federation of Nepali Journalists blamed the city’s lack of mechanism to reach out to its resi- dents for the poor response to the antigen testing campaign. “The City attempted to impose the tests on the working class people. And the awareness campaign was limited to pasting notices and miking on the streets. They should have used social media, which is a more effective medi- um of communication,” said Bhattarai. He also said many people still don’t trust antigen tests because they are not as accurate as the polymerase reaction tests. “Also after undergoing antigen testing, people are not provid- ed a documented proof, which is nec- essary for taking up employment abroad,” said Bhattrai. Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, chief of the Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease SHUTTERSTOCK Hospital said people didn’t come for be out of business for several days in people, just 24, turning up for the tests. tests because of the City’s inability to that case,” said Pokharel. The same Of the 24, six people tested positive. make the public understand the thing happened when the officials vis- Ward 19 Chairperson Sashilal importance of testing. “Another thing ited Koteshwar again on Monday. Shrestha said they failed to convince is that people feel nothing has hap- Her ward, which includes people to opt for the tests. “I think pened to them until they become seri- Koteshwar and Jadibuti areas, is one people didn’t trust the antigen tests. ous. Also, if they were certain about of the most Covid-19-affected places On the other hand if polymerase getting treatment easily at hospitals among the City’s 32 wards. Until chain reaction tests were free then in the event of testing positive, they Monday 483 antigen tests were carried many people would have come,” sur- would have come for tests,” said Pun. out in the ward and 44 cases turned mised Shrestha. His ward covers the Pun advocates mass antigen testing positive. Currently, the tests are being western part of the Kathmandu saying it is the best way to know the conducted at the ward offices. Durbar Square including Maru nature and spread of the virus in com- In May last week, the City had Ganesh and Maruhiti areas. munities. The City had announced announced plans to set up antigen Authorities estimate that 80 percent plans to carry out antigen tests on testing camps in all 32 wards aiming of the asymptomatic infected people, symptomatic patients and also those to test 10,000 people per day and a total whose conditions are not severe, are who came in contact with them. of 50,000 in five days. However, the not being tested and this is one reason The city has been conducting the mass testing campaign has received a for the coronavirus to have penetrated antigen tests with the kits provided by poor response from the public alleged- deep into society. the government, which last month ly due to fear of stigmatisation and Nilkaji Shakya ward 25 chairperson dispatched a total of 1.7 million kits to lack of awareness. The City had shares the same problem as in all the provinces. The test kits were launched the campaign on May 28. ward 32. received in donations from various “We failed to garner public support “Mainly those who run vegetable countries with Switzerland alone pro- for the campaign,” said Hari Kunwar, shops in our area who come in contact viding 1.1 million.

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, JUNE 09, 2021 | 04 OPINION EDITORIAL Paradoxical powerlessness of the Supremo That’s the way to do it The anti-Maoist elements of civil society have made Oli Court order unbanning online delivery an icon of Khas-Arya services is a relief. ethnonationalism.

The Supreme Court’s interim order asking the government not to stop online delivery of essential items amidst Covid-19 CK LAL restrictions has come as a relief for many who have become increasingly dependent on the benefits brought about by e-com- SOUTH SIDE merce. The top court rightly observed that e-commerce has played an important role in delivering essential services during the pan- demic, also pointing out the absurdity of the government’s After every crisis, Supremo KP Sharma move to restrict private e-commerce service providers while Oli appeared to have come out stronger allowing state-owned Food Management and Trading Company and ready to wage another battle at a to take home delivery orders. time and place of his choosing. When he lost the trust vote in the reinstated Authorities have at times been exhibiting highhandedness as House, it seemed for a while that his well as an utter lack of sensitivity while restricting the services downward spiral had begun. But he of online delivery platforms. They went to the extent of detain- looks to have weathered the storm. The ing promoters and staff of some Kathmandu-based online deliv- Pratinidhi Sabha stands dissolved once again and the fate of the House hangs ery services during the lockdown last year. In restricting the in balance at the Constitutional Bench services of e-commerce platforms, what the authorities fail to of the Supreme Court. understand is that these portals have come to the rescue of not Confident of his longevity as the only the people who fear going to brick-and-mortar shops to caretaker prime minister, the Supremo came up with a full-fledged budget make their purchases, but also Covid-19 patients who cannot through finance ordinance and reshuf- POST FILE PHOTO step out of their homes to buy food and other essential items. fled his cabinet to suit his convenience. the de facto chief executive during the The opposition alliance has gone to become justly ‘famous’ within a few Online shopping is still at a nascent phase in Nepal, but it has By keeping the charge of seven impor- premiership of the late Sushil Koirala. the extent of asking state organs not to decades. great scope for expansion in the near future. In the past few tant ministries with himself, he may be He spends much of his time these days implement his supposedly ‘unconstitu- First as home minister and then as looking forward to luring some more of running between his official residence tional’ directives. It’s difficult to foreign minister, Oli succeeded in culti- years, various e-commerce sites have drawn the young, tech-lit- his critics. and the presidential palace even for the imagine a greater ignominy for an vating an internal as well external erate crowd, providing them with a range of services, particu- In his capacity as the chairperson of resolution of internal conflicts of the elected head of government. support base independent of the party. larly gadgets, food items and apparels. However, a lack of multi- the ruling party, he recently dangled a ruling party. Any reasonable occupant with some Now that their man is in control of the ple options in payment gateways and banking credit facilities, carrot to the dissidents with the prom- Socio-political power is also sense of honour would have immedi- country, it’s logical that they wouldn’t ise of accommodating them in their described as the capacity of influenc- ately vacated the chair to protect the let him leave the chair at his own sweet coupled with fraud and poor customer support services by previous positions. The rider of the ing the emotions of the masses and dignity of the office. Oli is busy devis- will. online shopping platforms, have often kept online consumers at proposition is a tough one—Messrs directing their behaviour towards the ing political and legal schemes instead. The anti-Maoist elements of the b a y. Madhav Nepal and his comrades have desired direction. Soon after his elec- The determination and deviousness White Shirt variety in civil society That is exactly where the government should step in. The to eat crow and withdraw the support tion as the de jure prime minister, the to remain in the chair forever has been have made Sharma Oli an icon of Khas- that they had extended to the rival palanquin press had paraded him as widely debated in the public sphere. Oli Arya ethnonationalism. They equate government’s task is not to restrict online shopping but to regu- claimant. the saviour of national honour. Former is a pragmatic politician and is com- political stability with the continuation late it so that it provides a hassle-free shopping experience to By all accounts, it would appear as if admirers of the ethnonational chief- pletely free of any ideological convic- of their ethnonational chieftain in consumers and ease of business to entrepreneurs. The govern- the Supremo is in full control of the tain routinely deride him nowadays. tion. He can swing from left to right in office and are his most ardent apolo- ment should set up institutions that address the grievances of situation. Appearances, however, can The third and perhaps the most a jiffy—or remain at the centre of the gists. The Supremo can ill-afford to sometimes be deceiving. Unsure of the important dimension of power is the ideological spectrum to establish his leave his nationalistic proponents in consumers and help entrepreneurs prosper while being respon- fate of the House, he needed to cobble a competence of creating a lasting lega- democratic credentials. the lurch. sible to their customers. The right approach is to build a sturdy discordant coalition in advance by cy. His spectacular failure in living up But there must be some compulsion Paradoxical as it may seem at first infrastructure and consumer rights protection laws to facilitate inducting Madhesh-based politicos into to the modest expectations of the popu- that makes the Supremo swallow all glance, a section of the Indian estab- and regulate, and not restrict, online shopping. the cabinet. lation will probably rank him as one of self-respect to retain his shaky posi- lishment would perhaps like to see Oli No debate on the finance ordinance the most uninspiring occupants of tion. Could it be that he is so indebted at the helms until he is so discredited Some recent studies have shown that the Covid-19 pandemic is possible due to the absence of Baluwatar. to the forces that helped him be what he that he would have to fall under the has had a definitive impact on shopping behaviours of people Parliament, but it has kicked up so Oli has failed on every front of gov- is that he has no courage left to think of cumulative weight of his own failures. globally, more so in emerging economies. While the pandem- much controversy that its implementa- ernance. The perception of corruption his legacy? The spectre of being record- The progenitor of the goat-tailed map ic-induced restrictions and lockdowns have been a boon for tion is not going to be easy even for a during his regime has reached an all- ed as the prime minister who did maxi- and simhaev jayate taunt has suddenly deal-maker of Finance Minister Bishnu time high. Even according to official mum damage to the national interest is become indispensable for New Delhi. internet stores, consumers have also increasingly found online Paudel’s calibre. figures, the economy has gone into a too stark to ignore even for someone as The radical right-wingers of the shopping more suited to the changed scenario where, for the Oli was idolised as the ethnonational tailspin under his watch. The constitu- vainglorious as Oli. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh variety past year and a half, stepping out has been a luxury. chieftain of Khas-Arya largely because tion that he was instrumental in prom- perhaps want Oli to build that Ram With the internet penetrating remote corners of the world, of his strident anti-Madhesi rhetoric. It ulgating through the fast-track lies in Vested interests Temple at Madi and turn Nepal into a must not have been easy for a populist tatters. His handling of the pandemic The Supremo has come a long way theocratic Hindu state. There is no and with digital literacy accelerating quickly, the transition to demagogue to ignore xenophobia, swal- has been disgraceful. since spending a 14-year jail term as a other reason for the glee that they dis- online shopping is inevitable. Notwithstanding the fact that the low his jingoistic pride and accept The diplomatic disaster of oscillat- murder convict. He was catapulted to play at every failure of the combined change has come as a result of a dramatic turn of events glob- Rajendra Mahato as the Deputy Prime ing between Xi Jinping Thought and the centre stage after the accidental opposition in ousting the current occu- ally in the wake of the pandemic, buying things on the internet Minister. the Hindutva doctrine has turned death of charismatic UML ideologue pant of Baluwatar. Nepal into an untrustworthy state. The Madan Bhandari, who had come up For the permanent establishment of is now expected to be a permanent phenomenon. And why Circumstantial authority implementation of MCC, as well as the with the nebulous concept of janata ko Nepal, Oli’s utility isn’t yet over. He will would it not? For, more often than not, online shopping enhanc- Legitimate authority is the power to BRI, has been unnecessarily delayed. bahudaliya janabad (meaning people’s be prompted to further fragment the es the shopping experience of individuals ranging from give orders and enforce obedience. If The foreign and health ministers had multiparty communism). communist party and destroy the left- extremely busy professionals to home makers and persons with power is defined as the ability to do to go in the recent reshuffle due to their Multiparty communism is an oxymo- wing politics from within before being something or act in a particular way inability to benefit from the vaccine ron, but it looked revolutionary in the put out to pasture. Strange as it may disabilities. In that sense, online shopping is an enabler, as it without facing much resistance, diplomacy race, but the failure was that 1990s and became a convenient smoke- seem, the Supremo is stuck in the quag- ensures accessibility for those who, for various reasons, cannot Supremo Sharma Oli seems to have lost of Oli’s leadership rather than his cab- screen to hide the crony capitalism of mire of his own making and there is no shop the traditional way. much of it since the days he acted as inet colleagues. the UML for which the party would escape in sight for him—and from him. How to manage health supplies

has hardly improved today. looks archaic and non-functional. The The pandemic has small-scale initiatives undertaken by Possible remedies individuals in the private sector thoroughly exposed the Mobilising and utilising the services regarding data management need of interns and students in their fourth encouragement and support from the hollowness of our data year pursuing an MBBS degree under government. The resolution of issues the supervision of a senior retired and solutions for problems during management system. medical professional to take care of pandemic times warrant the needed Covid-19 patients can be a viable solu- technical support and IT platforms. tion to resolving the issue of inade- Reliable data which can be timely ROSHEE LAMICHHANE quate doctors. This can be done by accessed can be vital in overcoming allotting an open dedicated area with most Covid-19-centric challenges. the necessary infrastructure, such as mobile toilets and tents used during Local production the earthquake. Such an alternative in The worldwide shortage of PPE kits the form of makeshift hospitals can be and especially the clarion call by the built instead of treating patients in World Health Organisation to ramp up crammed regular hospitals. For their production by 40 percent to meet At a time when the nation is going instance, the United Kingdom convert- growing global demand suggest that through the second wave of the Covid- ed an exhibition centre into a tempo- we rely on local innovative solutions. 19 pandemic, news about deaths most- rary hospital in just nine days. To become self-reliant, local manufac- ly attributable to a paucity of oxygen, Timely procurement of the required turers need to be motivated and incen- ventilators and intensive care unit medicines by setting up the necessary tivised. At present, low-cost PPEs (ICU) beds has a telling effect on the infrastructure is preliminary. Should made by local garment houses are mental, psychological and social Nepal be receiving overseas vaccines providing some protection to Covid-19 well-being of people. Of late, health- like Pfizer in the form of a grant, their warriors. Despite the fact that they care supply chain bottlenecks, among storage and supply would be another may not meet international standards, others, has emerged as one of the challenge. Effective inventory man- domestic innovations in the produc- most critical challenges. Nepal is agement demands timely initiatives. tion of gloves, face masks, face shields, struggling to grapple with the pan- Diversifying the sourcing of vaccines N-95 respirators and gowns besides demic due to perennial challenges is desirable as there is a possibility of PPE kits are praiseworthy. such as the non-availability of quali- donor countries stopping supply To contain Covid-19 effectively, fied healthcare professionals and either on account of capacity con- there has to be proper coordination other personnel in adequate numbers, straints at their end, vaccine national- and alignment of the efforts put in by and strained health infrastructure ism or vaccine geo-politics. the state and local government units due to lack of beds, hospitals, modern The pandemic has thoroughly and agencies to rule out fragmented technology and medical equipment. exposed the hollowness in our data efforts in ordering and procuring Undoubtedly, Covid-19 has exposed management system. Until some health-related supplies. The creation the vulnerabilities of our over- entrepreneurs started an online data of a Covid-19 fund by the government stretched healthcare system and the management system, there was no at the provincial and local levels to disaster seems to be looming large mechanism to track the availability of systematise the entire gamut of activ- every passing day. However, such a the number of beds, ventilators and ities under logistics management precarious situation could have been ICU beds in hospitals. Neither is there would be a step in the right direction. averted had there been a robust sup- any mechanism to estimate the Effective testing, tracking and treat- ply chain with efficient management required personal protective equip- ment of infected people bear results of medical logistics. Faced with simi- ment (PPE) kits for medical person- only when the data management sys- lar breakdowns, countries have come nel, paramedical staff, ambulance tem is maintained efficiently at all up with innovative solutions. Failure drivers and those involved in clearing SHUTTERSTOCK levels. These testing times do call for to learn a lesson from the first wave is and carrying dead bodies, nor any with proper database governance plies like PPE, gloves and oxygen and as a deterrent to potential offenders. maintaining transparency in the proving costly. The government has means to estimate the usage and need leading to better logistics manage- panic buying could have been averted. A well-designed data management existing centralised supply system as not succeeded in assessing the need for oxygen cylinders in hospitals. Had ment of Covid-19 and health-related Any unauthorised and unverified use system will help in coordinating the well. Adequate preparations on all for building a viable and sustainable such mechanisms been in place, the supplies are the need of the hour. of oxygen cylinders for individual initiatives and interventions on the fronts is the need of the hour to keep healthcare system. The shortage of oxygen used for industrial and other Monitoring of medical supplies in the purposes at homes should be tracked part of the government, hospitals and the country ready to deal with a poten- doctors and nurses is acute as is evi- commercial purposes could have been market such as PPEs, sanitisers, to ensure their equitable distribution private businesses. The way the tial third wave. denced by the fact that they are availa- diverted for the timely treatment of masks and gloves need to be done on a among the needy. News about people Health Management Information ble in the ratio of 0.17 and 0.50 respec- patients. regular basis. By designing and insti- convicted of selling adulterated sani- System appears on the website of the Lamichhane is an assistant professor tively per 1,000 population as It is important to revamp the exist- tuting proper control mechanisms, tisers and engaging in black market- Department of Health Services within at the Kathmandu University School per the 2013 data, and the situation ing health care supply chain. Experts hoarding and misuse of medical sup- ing need to be publicised so that it acts the Ministry of Health and Population of Management, Lalitpur.

C M Y K 05 | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 09, 2021 MONEY

FOREX Samsung bets US 116.93 Shoppers throng state-owned stores Euro 142.45 on 5G orders Pound 165.3 to grow network Australian 90.47 for groceries at discounted prices Japanese 10.68 equipment Chinese 18.28 Customers said they saved money, but there was risk of infection due to lack of social distancing. Saudi 31.18 KRISHANA PRASAIN business Qatari 32.11 KATHMANDU, JUNE 8 REUTERS Malaysian 28.38 On Monday morning, Surendra SEOUL, JUNE 8 Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank Shrestha stood in line outside the Salt Trading Corporation outlet at Samsung Electronics is banking on Kalimati for nearly three hours to buy Europe to maintain growth momen- Shares food items at discounted prices. tum in its network equipment busi- Crowds had gathered in front of the ness, a senior executive said, as 5G Nepse 2,960.14pts 1.84% state-owned store after the budget rollout widens and industry leader statement for the upcoming fiscal year Huawei Technologies of China focus- HIGHEST GAINERS 2021-22 promised relief to consumers. es on its domestic market. MNBBL GUFL GRDBL SIFC SADBL HGI 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% “I was happy with the budget Although the South Korean tech announcement, but the distribution company is global No. 1 in memory MODERATE GAINERS GIC LBBL EICPO MDB PRIN SGI process is so weak,” said the 33-year- chips and smartphones, in 5G network 7.08% 6.58% 6.54% 6.53% 6.40% 6.35% old Shrestha who works as a tourist equipment it ranks fifth behind

MODERATE LOSERS guide. Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia and ZTE JSLBB GLH SDLBSL PRVU WOMI SKBBL He had left home early in the morn- based on the latest four quarters, with -0.28% -0.26% -0.24% -0.21% -0.18% -0.18% ing with his shopping list of cooking a 10-15 percent market share in the HIGHEST LOSERS gas, edible oil, flour and lentils. first quarter of 2021, according to mar- MERO HDHPC SLBSL MLBBL ICFCD83 NICD83/84 “It is useless to stand in line for so ket research firm Dell’Oro Group. -2.85% -2.82% -2.61% -2.07% -1.94% -1.94% long in the sun just to get a few prod- But as Samsung landed a $6.6 billion ucts,” he said. deal with US telecoms company “The corporation provides only POST PHOTO: SANJOG MANANDHAR Verizon in September, followed by a small quantities of food items which People flock to a Salt Trading Corporation depot at Soaltee Mode in the Capital to buy daily essentials at discounted rates last week. deal with Japan’s NTT Docomo in PRICE PER TOLA will not last more than a week as there March, “impressions have changed”, BULLION are six members in my family,” said Company is providing a 20 percent icised the relief programme as being of outlets,” he said. Woojune Kim, executive vice presi- Shrestha who lives in a rented flat at discount on seven types of rice and conducted without proper planning Kumar Rajbhandari, chief execu- dent of Samsung’s networks business, Fine Gold Rs 94,100 Kalimati. “How long will a litre of oil Karnali beans. The company has set a and homework. It has failed to provide tive officer of Salt Trading told Reuters in an interview on Friday. last when it has to be used twice a quota of 30 kgs of rice and 2 kgs of relief to consumers because of mis- Corporation, said that from Friday till Samsung is currently conducting Silver Rs 1,355 day?” he asked. Karnali beans per family. Consumers management in the distribution sys- Monday, nearly 2,200 people had bene- 5G trials with European telecom com- “I am not going to shop there again need to show their identity card while tem with limited outlets, they said. fited from the relief programme panies such as Deutsche Telekom in SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA as there is a very high risk of catching shopping at the company stores. People are not allowed to go outside launched by the government. “Nearly Czech Republic, Play Communications the infection and it lacks proper man- The discount scheme is available at their homes because of the lockdown, 800-900 people are buying the subsi- in Poland and another major European agement for distribution,” Shrestha Food Management and Trading so the relief programme is only a cha- dised groceries daily, and the number firm, Kim said. Besides Europe, GASOLINE WATCH told the Post. Company’s outlets at Thapathali and rade. Those in need have not been able is rising,” he said. Samsung is also looking to expand in “With only two attendants serving Ramshah Path in Kathmandu, Nakhu to get the essential items at discounted The corporation said that it had markets such as India, Australia and customers, it takes time and there is in Lalitpur and Suryabinayak in prices, according to the consumer slashed the opening hours to 7 to 9 am Southeast Asia, he added. always a long queue,” he said. Bhaktapur and in different districts rights activists. from Tuesday as per the order of the The network equipment business is As the tourism industry is flat on outside the valley. “The small rations of food items, chief district officer due to large small currently for Samsung, which the ground, Shrestha says he is Salt Trading has set a quota of 2 kgs discounted prices of cooking gas for crowds at the outlets and increased had revenue of 236.8 trillion won having a hard time managing the fam- of flour, 1 litre of soya bean oil, one STC brand only and the requirement risk of spreading the infection. The ($212.50 billion) for 2020. It does not ily expenses with his income sources cylinder of cooking gas, sugar and salt to submit a photocopy of the citizen- outlets were previously open from 10 announce separate numbers for the cut off. for a family of five. Shoppers need to ship certificate to get the discount am to 3 pm. business and most analysts don’t have The budget statement for the fiscal bring a photocopy of their citizenship is impractical amid the pandemic,” “We have enough salt for nine estimates for it. year 2021-22 had said a 20 percent dis- certificate. said Madhav Timilsina, president of months, around 550 tonnes of sugar Samsung said since the 5G network count would be provided on rice, flour, The corporation sells flour at Rs44 the Consumer Rights Investigation and regular supply of edible oil and rollouts began in 2019 in various coun- lentils, iodised salt, edible oil, sugar per kg, sugar at Rs63 per kg, salt at Forum. other essential food items, so there is tries, it has seen the number of new and cooking fuel at stores maintained Rs16 per kg, soya bean oil at Rs188 per “The targeted consumers like peo- no problem on the supply front,” clients for its 5G equipment and sys- by Food Management and Trading litre and cooking gas at Rs1,120 per ple who have lost their jobs, minimum Rajbhandari said. tems rise by 35 percent a year on aver- Company and Salt Trading cylinder. income earners, and poor and margin- Shrestha said he saved around age. In addition to 5G rollouts, US Corporation under a relief subsidy The fuel is sold in Kathmandu alised people have not come to benefit Rs150 by buying groceries at the gov- pressure on its allies to exclude and economic revival programme for Valley only and buyers have to from the relief provision,” Timilsina ernment store at discounted prices. Huawei from 5G systems has provided the duration of the pandemic. exchange an empty STC cylinder for a said. But he had to take the risk of getting opportunities for its competitors to Accordingly, the two govern- full one. “Consumers have had to return infected as there was no social dis- expand market share. read more ment-owned companies have been Salt Trading maintains outlets at empty-handed after standing in line tancing, he said. Samsung is touting its software that issuing the groceries at discounted Koteshwor, Patan, Satungal, Kalimati for a long time, and the relief pro- On Monday, early birds had started allows telecom companies to freely prices from their outlets in the valley and Bhaktapur in the valley and in gramme has not been able to benefit queuing up at the store from 8 am even use off-the-shelf network equipment and across the country since Friday. Narayanghat outside the valley. even those living in central though the opening time was 10 am, in various combinations to connect Food Management and Trading Consumer rights activists have crit- Kathmandu due to the limited number and Shrestha was one of them. users to networks. Joe Biden’s Stocks edge lower as investors administration Retailers shine a spotlight on sets up ‘strike seek direction amid recovery Black-owned beauty brands ASSOCIATED PRESS Health care companies also fell. Johnson & WASHINGTON, JUNE 8 Johnson slipped 1.6 percent. force’ to go after A variety of companies that rely on direct number of Black-owned brands to Stocks edged lower in morning trading on consumer spending made solid gains. 26 by year-end, but that will only Wall Street on Tuesday while investors con- Domino’s Pizza rose 3.2 percent and Gap rose China on trade get the penetration to 5 percent, tinue to search for direction as the economy 2.2 percent. The stock of Fastly, an internet REUTERS says its chief merchandising recovers from its pandemic slump. cloud services provider, was 4.1 percent high- NEW YORK, JUNE 8 officer Monica Arnaudo. Ulta and The S&P 500 fell 0.4 percent as of 11:26 am er after the company said it had addressed an Sephora say they want to make Eastern. The Dow Jones Industrial Average internal problem that caused dozens of web- The United States will target China sure the brands are financially fell 163 points, or 0.3 percent, to 34,466 and sites around the globe to go down briefly, with a new “strike force” to combat successful. the Nasdaq fell 0.3 percent. including the home page of Britain’s govern- unfair trade practices, the Biden Black entrepreneurs also argue Banks were among the biggest drag on the ment and The New York Times. administration said on Tuesday, as they continue to be pigeon-holed market as bond yields, which banks rely on “We’re kind of stuck in the summer lull,” it rolled out findings of a review of US by retailers and investors who to charge more lucrative interest rates on said Megan Horneman, director of portfolio access to critical products, from think their products are only for loans, slipped. The yield on the 10-year strategy at Verdence Capital Advisors. semiconductors to electric-vehicle women of colour. And beauty Treasury fell to 1.53 percent from 1.57 per- “Week by week we’re going to go through batteries. brands catering to women of col- cent late Monday. Bank of America fell 1.1 periods where people are waiting for the lat- The “supply chain trade strike our continue in some cases to be percent and Citigroup fell 1.7 percent. est economic data report.” force,” led by the US trade representa- locked up in stores—even after a tive, will look for specific violations number of stores including that have contributed to a “hollowing Walmart, CVS Health and out” of supply chains that could be Walgreens pledged last year they addressed with trade remedies, includ- would end that practice. ing toward China, senior administra- AP/RSS Taydra Mitchell Jackson is the tion officials told reporters. In this photo taken on May 7, products from makeup brand Pat McGrath are on marketing director of The Lip Officials also said the Department display inside a Sephora store in New York. Bar, a Black-owned brand based of Commerce was considering initiat- in Detroit, Michigan that’s now in ing a Section 232 investigation into the ASSOCIATED PRESS More than 20 companies includ- more than 1,200 stores including national security impact of neodymi- NEW YORK, JUNE 8 ing Sephora and most recently Target and Walmart. She says INVITATION FOR SEALED QUOTATION um magnet imports used in motors Ulta Beauty have signed onto a retailers have to be careful not to and other industrial applications, When Rose Ingleton launched her nationwide campaign called 15 think of adding merchandise which the United States largely sourc- own namesake skincare line two percent Pledge, which aims to from Black owners as just a token es from China. years ago, she couldn’t break into have companies from all indus- gesture. President Joe Biden ordered the the big chains and was forced to tries commit at least 15 percent of “Merchandising is critical, but review of critical supply chains in use her own funds and get finan- their products on their shelves to messaging and how I feel when I February, requiring executive agen- cial help from family and friends. Black-owned businesses—in line walk in the store are just as cies to report back within 100 days on But things changed after the with the US Black population. important,” Jackson said. Training Packages risks to US access to critical goods like nationwide Black Lives Matter Plenty more have not yet signed She noted some social media those used in pharmaceuticals as well protests last year. Ingleton, a it, but some are forging their own influencers complaining about • as rare earth minerals, for which the Manhattan-based Black dermatol- path. Target, for instance, said it Lip Bar items being locked up at • United States is dependent on over- ogist with more than 20 years of currently has 50 Black-owned and Walmart, “creating a feeling of • seas sources. experience, reconnected with Black-founded beauty brands, being inferior.” The brand is fol- Though not explicitly directed at beauty chain Sephora and now with plans to continue increasing lowing up with the company. China, the review is part of a broader her products can be found on the that number as part of its broader Walmart responded that it does Biden administration strategy to retailer’s website as well as at commitment to add more than 500 “not tolerate discrimination of shore up US competitiveness in the Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Black-owned brands by the end of any kind at Walmart. We serve Eligibility Criteria face of economic challenges posed by Avenue. 2025. Retailers can’t afford to millions of customers weekly, • the world’s second largest economy. “There was this sudden aware- ignore this lucrative segment. crossing all demographics, and • “Semiconductors are the building ness,” Ingleton said. “I am now at Last year, Hispanic consumers are focused on meeting their blocks that underpin so much of our the top food chain. I’m now get- spent 6.1 percent more on beauty needs while providing the best Documentation Requirement: economy, and are essential to our ting ready to approach deeper and other items compared with shopping experience at each • national security, our economic com- pocket investors.” 2019, while Blacks spent 5.4 store.” The problems facing • petitiveness, and our daily lives,” US As corporations continue to percent more, according to Black-owned brands are not new. • Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo face a racial reckoning, the beau- NielsenIQ. That pace exceeded the Beauty brands for Black women • said in a statement. ty industry is trying to address 3.5 percent increase for the total have been around for years, but • Other top US economic officials are the criticism that it centres too US population. they’ve struggled to get shelf • scheduled to address reporters at the many of its products around And while NPD Group Inc. space in stores, says Tiffany Gill, • White House at 1 pm. whiteness by pushing more items found that Black-owned brands an associate professor of history The United States faced serious onto store shelves that better rep- represent just 4 percent of sales at Rutgers University who wrote a challenges getting medical equipment resent the diverse women they in prestige makeup, they per- book called “Beauty Shop Politics: during the Covid-19 epidemic and serve. formed 1.5 to 4 times better in African American Women’s now faces severe bottlenecks in a num- Retailers from Sephora to May, June and July 2020—during Activism in the Beauty Industry.” ber of areas, including computer Walmart and Target have focused the peak months of the Black “The fantasy of beauty has chips, stalling production of goods on increasing their offerings of Lives Matter movement—than often been constructed around a such as cars. Black-owned brands across all the rest of the market, reversing celebration of white bodies,” Gill US agencies are required to issue categories as a key strategy to their declines and reflecting a said. “And to even have makeup more complete reports a year after combat racial bias. They’re also consumer appetite to support for darker skinned women or to Biden’s order, identifying gaps in developing entrepreneurship pro- such businesses. put them in campaigns in visible domestic manufacturing capabilities grams and trying to create a pipe- Still, overall progress has been ways means to undermine whole and policies to address them. line of new talent. slow. Ulta wants to double the foundation of the industry.”

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, JUNE 09, 2021 | 06 WORLD BRIEFING Women falling behind in India’s Myanmar junta Death toll rises to 65 in Pakistan train collision coronavirus vaccination drive defends response to GHOTKI: The death toll from a horrific collision of two trains in southern Pakistan rose to 65 on Tuesday after India has so far administered 233.7 million doses, the most in the world after China rescuers pulled 15 more bodies from crisis amid criticism crumpled cars a day after the crash, and the United States, but two doses to only about 5 percent of its adult population. government officials said. The colli- REUTERS REUTERS election commission had ignored its sion took place on a dilapidated rail- BENGALURU, JUNE 8 YANGON, JUNE 8 complaints of fraud. way track in Ghotki, a district in the The junta has failed to impose southern Sindh province, when an Many more men in India have received The Myanmar junta’s foreign minister control since ousting Suu Kyi, who is express train barrelled into another Covid-19 vaccines than women, gov- had defended its plan for restoring among more than 4,500 people that had derailed minutes earlier ernment data showed on Tuesday, democracy, state media reported on detained since the coup. before dawn on Monday. Most of the highlighting gender disparity in the Tuesday, after a meeting at which The security forces have killed at passengers were asleep when the country’s immunisation drive that Southeast Asian counterparts pressed least 849 protesters, a rights group Millat Express, traveling between the has also disadvantaged the rural the army to implement a regional says, though the army disputes that southern port city of Karachi to population. agreement meant to end turmoil. figure, and insurgencies in several Sargodha in eastern Punjab province, India has partly or fully vaccinated The junta has paid little heed to regions have flared. derailed and many of its cars over- about 101 million men, nearly 17 per- demands from the Association of Alarmed by the turmoil, several turned. As passengers scrambled to cent more than women. Men account Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to members of ASEAN have called get out, another passenger train, the for 54 percent of the total number of respect a “consensus” agreed in late for the release of political detainees, Sir Syed Express, crashed into the people inoculated, according to the April to end violence and hold an end to the violence and for derailed coaches. Rescue work contin- data. political talks with its opponents. Myanmar’s rivals to hold talks on ued throughout the day Monday, over- Many federally administered Southeast Asian foreign ministers ending the crisis - calls reflected in the night and into Tuesday. regions, the capital Delhi, and big expressed disappointment at the ASEAN “consensus”. states such as Uttar Pradesh have seen meeting in China on Monday at the But in the only reference to the some of the worst inequities. Only “very slow” progress made by ASEAN proposal, the Myanmar min- New Belarusian law threatens Kerala in the south and Chhattisgarh Myanmar on its proposal for ending ister was cited as saying “discussions protesters with years in prison in central India have vaccinated more the turmoil since the army overthrew were made cordially” on it during a KYIV: Belarus’ authoritarian president women than men. elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi on visit last week by two ASEAN on Tuesday signed a law that threat- “We are noticing that men, especial- February 1. envoys—who had also called for the ens demonstrators with years in pris- ly in towns and villages, prefer to take REUTERS State media cited junta-appointed release of political prisoners. on—the latest move in a relentless the vaccine before women as they A man receives a Covid-19 vaccine at a vaccination centre in New Delhi, India, on February 13. foreign minister Wunna Maung Lwin Opponents of the junta have shown crackdown on protests against his have to travel for work, while women as telling the ASEAN-China foreign increasing frustration at ASEAN’s rule. The law envisages a prison sen- are relegated to domestic chores,” said ministers’ meeting that the military inability to press the junta and its tence of up to three years for the par- Prashant Pandya, medical superinten- WTO panel considers easing protections had made progress on its own five-step failure to include other political ticipants in unsanctioned protests dent at a big government hospital in roadmap for the country unveiled stakeholders, particularly the ousted who had faced sanctions for joining the western state of Gujarat. on Covid-19 vaccines after its coup. government. The junta has branded them on at least two occasions over a Health officials say rumours about “The minister apprised the meeting its opponents “terrorists”. year. Previously, taking part in unau- vaccines disrupting women’s men- GENEVA: Envoys from World Trade states oppose the idea, and the EU that the only way to ensure the demo- China’s state-run Global Times thorised demonstrations was punish- struation cycle and reducing fertility Organization member nations are on Friday offered an alternative cratic system that is disciplined and newspaper has quoted junta leader able by fines or brief jail terms rang- have also contributed to the skewed taking up a proposal to ease patents proposal that relies on existing genuine was through the five-point Min Aung Hlaing as telling the ing from several days to two weeks. data. The government has rejected the and other intellectual property pro- World Trade Organization rules. future programme that was declared Chinese ambassador that Myanmar President Alexander Lukashenko has concerns. tections for Covid-19 vaccines to The 27-nation bloc said those rules in February,” the Global New Light of was willing to coordinate faced months of protests fuelled by “The government will have to ramp help developing countries fight the currently allow governments to Myanmar reported. implementation of the consensus. his reelection to a sixth term in a up awareness programmes in rural pandemic, an idea backed by the grant production licences—such as The minister had said that most of After Monday’s meeting, Indonesia’s vote last August that was widely seen India to ensure women understand Biden administration but opposed for Covid-19 vaccines or therapies— these points had been met including Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said as rigged. The Belarusian authorities the importance of vaccines and prior- in other wealthy countries with to manufacturers in their preventative Covid-19 measures and Chinese help would be “highly have responded to demonstrations itise themselves in this race to secure strong pharmaceutical industries. countries without the consent of setting up a new election commission appreciated as this will contribute to with a fierce crackdown that saw the two shots,” said Sudha Narayanan, On the table for a two-day meet- the patent holders in times of emer- to look into alleged fraud during a achieving a peaceful solution”. more than 35,000 people arrested and a former bureaucrat who worked in ing of a WTO panel opening is a gency. November election swept by Suu Kyi’s A shadow government formed by thousands beaten by police. the health ministry in New Delhi. revised proposal presented by India At stake in the meeting is wheth- party, the paper said. anti-coup opponents criticised China’s Women will have to step forward to and South Africa for a temporary IP er the various sides can move The military defended its seizure of embassy in Myanmar for calling the get vaccinated or the divide will rapid- waiver on coronavirus vaccines. toward drawing up a unified text, a power after a decade of tentative steps junta chief the “leader” of Myanmar Ghana court denies bail for ly widen, Narayanan added. The idea has drawn support from key procedural step that could towards democracy saying the old on a posting on its website. India, with a population of 1.3 bil- more than 60 countries, which now unlock accelerated negotiations. 21 detained LGBT activists lion, has about 6 percent more men include the United States and Inside observers cautioned, howev- HO, Ghana: A Ghanaian court on than women. China. er, that a major breakthrough was Tuesday denied bail to 21 gay rights A spokesperson for the federal Some European Union member not expected. (AP) activists arrested nearly three weeks Ministry of Health and Family ago for what police described as an Welfare did not respond to unlawful gathering, their lawyer said. Reuters’ questions about the gender ment has so far resisted calls for door- all adults starting June 21. The gov- The 16 women and five men were told disparity. to-door immunisations given that the ernment will also facilitate to reappear in court on June 16 for Some women in the rural parts vaccines have only been authorised more walk-in inoculations after com- their next hearing. Some were seen of Gujarat and neighbouring for emergency use and recipients need plaints about the online registration weeping after the ruling in the south- Rajasthan state have urged the author- to be monitored for a short period for process. eastern city of Ho. LGBT people face ities to deliver vaccines at their door- any adverse reactions. India has so far administered 233.7 widespread persecution in the West step, saying they are unable to travel Urban Indians are also getting million doses, the most in the world African nation, where gay sex is pun- to hospitals leaving their children Covid-19 shots much faster than the after China and the United States, but ishable with up to three years impris- behind. hundreds of millions of people given the necessary two doses to only onment. Ghana has not prosecuted “I don’t know how to read and living in the countryside, government about 5 percent of its estimated 950 anyone for same-sex relations in write...how will I register for the vac- data has shown. That is partly due to a million adults. years, but the LGBT community has cine,” said Laxmiben Suthar, a mother policy that helped richer cities buy India has the world’s second-largest reported a crackdown by authorities of four in the town of Vadnagar in more vaccine doses than rural dis- number of coronavirus infections in recent months. The activists were Gujarat. “The government must send tricts. after the United States, with total arrested on May 20 at a hotel, police the medicine to us.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi on cases at nearly 29 million, according to said in a statement at the time of India’s vaccination policy has Monday reversed the policy and said health ministry data. The country has REUTERS their arrest. (AGENCIES) evolved fast but the federal govern- vaccines will be offered at no charge to suffered 351,309 deaths. Protesters flash the three-finger salute in Yangon, Myanmar, on June 3. Spy phones ‘in gangsters’ France’s Macron back pockets’ betray slapped in face hundreds to police during walkabout REUTERS PARIS, JUNE 8 REUTERS access to a smartphone that he had CANBERRA/AMSTERDAM, JUNE 8 customised, on which he was install- French President Emmanuel Macron ing ANOM, a secure encrypted mes- was slapped in the face on Tuesday by A global sting in which organised saging app. The phones were then sold a man in a crowd of onlookers while crime gangs were sold encrypted to organised crime networks through on a walkabout in southern France, phones that law enforcement officials underworld distributors. video of the incident showed. could monitor has led to more than 800 The FBI helped to infiltrate 12,000 Macron’s security entourage quick- arrests and the confiscation of drugs, devices into 300 criminal groups in ly intervened to pull the man to the weapons, cash and luxury cars, offi- more than 100 countries, Calvin ground and move Macron away cials said on Tuesday. Shivers of the FBI’s Criminal from him. Two people were arrested The operation by the US Federal Investigative Division told reporters in connection with the incident, Bureau of Investigation, Australian in The Hague. broadcasters BFM TV and RMC radio and European police ensnared sus- In a pattern repeated elsewhere, one reported. pects in Australia, Asia, Europe, Australian underworld figure began French Prime Minister Jean Castex South America and the Middle East distributing phones containing the said the incident was an affront to involved in the global narcotics trade, app to his associates, believing their democracy. the officials said. communications were secure because The incident took place while Millions of dollars in cash were the phones had been rebuilt to remove Macron was on a visit to the Drome seized in raids around the world, all capabilities, including voice and region in south-eastern France, along with 30 tonnes of drugs includ- camera functions, apart from ANOM. where he met restaurateurs and stu- ing more than eight tonnes of cocaine. As a result, there was no attempt to dents to talk about how life is return- Australian Prime Minister Scott conceal or code the details of the mes- ing to normal after the Covid-19 epi- Morrison said the operation had sages—which police were reading. demic. “struck a heavy blow against organ- “We have been in the back pockets In video circulating on social media, ised crime—not just in this country, of organised crime,” Australian Macron, dressed in shirt sleeves, could but ... around the world”. Federal Police Commissioner Reece be seen walking towards a crowd of Operation Greenlight/Trojan Kershaw said. well-wishers who were behind a metal Shield, conceived by Australian police The phones were such a hit that barrier. and the FBI in 2018, was one of the Italian mafiosi, Asian triads, biker gangs The French president reached out biggest infiltrations and takeovers of and transnational drug syndicates all his hand to greet one man, in a green a specialised encrypted network. began using them, providing the FBI T-Shirt, with glasses and a face mask. It began when US officials paid a and its partner forces around the world The man could be heard shouting convicted drug trafficker to give them with a trove of 27 million messages. out “Down with Macronia” (“A Bas La Macronie”) and then he delivered a slap to Macron’s face. Two of Macron’s security detail tackled the man in the green T-shirt, while another ushered Macron away. But Macron remained in the vicinity of the crowd for a few more seconds, and appeared to be talking to someone on the other side of the barriers. The presidential administration said there had been an attempt to strike Macron, but declined further comment. The identify of the man who slapped Macron, and his motives, were unclear. While slapping the president, he could be heard shouting “Montjoie Saint REUTERS Denis,” which was the battle cry of A person is detained by Australian Federal Police after its Operation Ironside against the French armies when the country organised crime in this undated handout photo released on Tuesday. was still a monarchy.

C M Y K 07 | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 09, 2021 SPORTS | MEDLEY Jordan dent Nepal’s bid to progress further Nadal, Djokovic The 3-0 defeat at the Al Kuwait Sports Club leaves the South Asian side with an almost impossible task of defeating Australia enter quarter-finals in their next match to keep afloat their faint hopes of securing a direct berth into the third round of Asian Cup qualifiers. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE consecutive sets won in Paris to PARIS, JUNE 8 35. The 35-year-old Spanish world number three is seeded Novak Djokovic survived a five- to face Djokovic in the set scare while Rafael Nadal semi-finals. shone in the Paris sun as the “I started well but was a little two Grand Slam heavyweights too defensive. I gave him the reached the French Open quar- chance to come inside the court ter-finals for the 15th time, stall- and play his best shots. That ing the advance of tennis’s next was a mistake,” said Nadal generation. after reaching a 44th Slam last- World number one Djokovic eight. “I broke back at 5-4 in the stayed on course to become the first set and the match changed first man in over 50 years to after that. I played at a great win all four Slams twice but level.” only after fighting back from Nadal hit 31 winners while two sets down to see off 19-year- the Italian claimed just 10 old Lorenzo Musetti. points in the third set. Nadal, the 13-time champion Schwartzman, the 10th seed, and bidding for a record 21st reached his third French Open major, claimed his 104th win in quarter-final with a 7-6 (11/9), Paris by beating another Italian 6-4, 7-5 win over Germany’s 19-year-old, Jannik Sinner in Jan-Lennard Struff. straight sets. Gauff swept to an impressive Meanwhile, in the women’s 53-minute, 6-3, 6-1 win over draw, Coco Gauff, Barbora Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur. At just Krejcikova and Maria Sakkari 17, she is the youngest woman all reached the quarter-finals of to reach the last eight of a Slam a Slam for the first time while since Nicole Vaidisova at the defending champion Iga 2016 French Open. Swiatek cruised through. In a composed performance Musetti, ranked 76 and mak- on Court Philippe Chatrier, the ing his Grand Slam debut, was American teenager, seeded 24, poised to condemn Djokovic to broke her Tunisian opponent his earliest exit in Paris since three times without facing a 2009 when he captured the first break point. “I am super happy two sets, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/2). But to reach my first Grand Slam Djokovic levelled by taking the quarter-final. I played really next two, 6-1, 6-0 before Musetti, well,” said Gauff. who had needed a medical time- Gauff, who famously raced to out, retired at 4-0 down in the the Wimbledon fourth round in decider suffering from cramps 2019 as a 15-year-old qualifier, PHOTO COURTESY: NSJF and a back injury. faces Krejcikova for a place in The second loss against Jordan left Nepal unchanged at fourth with six points in the five-team Group ‘B’ and also effectively ended their chances of advancing into the third round of the joint qualifiers. “I like to play young guys in the semi-finals. The 33rd-ranked the best of five because even at Czech also reached her first SPORTS BUREAU direct berth into the third round of Asian first time in the defence line-up along in the 30th minute by Sunil Bal after he two sets down, I feel I still have Grand Slam quarter-final KATHMANDU, JUNE 8 Cup qualifiers as one of the best four with Ananta Tamang and Rohit Chand. picked up an injury. my chances,” said 18-time with a 6-2, 6-0 win over 2018 fourth-placed teams from all eight groups. However, the changes could not make Suleiman came closer to scoring in the major winner Djokovic. “I feel runner-up and former US Nepal’s ambition for a direct entry into The Nepal-Australia match is set to much difference as Nepal came under first half injury time as he dribbled past physically fit, I have won most Open champion Sloane the next round of Asian Cup Qualifying take place on Friday and, for Nepal, it is pressure from the outset and the ball was three Nepali defenders but fired above of my five-setters and that expe- Stephens. But Krejcikova got a huge blow after they lost 3-0 against an almost impossible task to beat the played in the Nepal’s half for most of the the bar. rience helps.” admitted she almost didn’t Jordan for the second time in their Group opponents who had edged them 5-0 in the time. The only positive aspect was Nepal Seif doubled the advantage four min- It was the fifth time in his make it to the court. ‘B’ joint qualifiers match of the World first leg in October 2019 in Canberra. tried to build their match with short pass- utes into the second half with a 35-yard Grand Slam career that 34-year- “Half an hour before the Cup 2022 and Asian Cup 2023 in Kuwait Along with victory over Australia, the es even at their own half and around freekick at the far post leaving goalie old Djokovic has come back match, I didn’t even want to on Monday. South Asian minnows also need to hope their own area. “I will never stay in the Limbu stunned. from to sets down. Djokovic, the step on the court,” said the Forward Baha’ Faisal Seif struck twice for favourable results in other groups for box as we wanted to play balanced foot- Nepal made three replacements in the 2016 champion and chasing a 25-year-old. “I had to lock including a penalty goal for the dominant a direct entry into the third round of the ball. We tried our best today but we made 58th minute bringing in forward Nawayug 19th major, reeled off 53 of the myself in the physio room and I West Asian side who sit 76 places above Asian qualifiers or else they will have to one mistake conceding a penalty. The Shrestha, midfielders Bishal Rai and last 61 points as he made a had to talk to my psychologist. I Nepal in the FIFA world rankings. go through playoffs. outcome would be otherwise if they had Arik Bista in places of Pujan Uprekoti, quarter-final at the majors for was actually crying.” Defender Yazan Alarab netted the third at Nepal struck with their offensive for- not got the penalty,” Almutairi said at the Santosh Tamang and Dinesh Rajbanshi. the 49th time. Last year’s runner-up Sofia the Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium in mation of 4-3-3 but never produced any post match conference. Jordan netted their third goal in the “I was not able anymore to Kenin, the fourth seed, was Kuwait City to replicate the same score- real threat at the opponents’ post. Nepal’s custodian Limbu survived a 67th minute when defender Yazan Alarab win a point, and so I decided to knocked out by Sakkari 6-1, 6-3 line victory of the first leg played in Defender Rohit Chand was at fault for the scare in the 14th minute when he made a made a bouncing header capitalising on a retire,” said Musetti. “But it as the Greek reached her maid- October 2019 in Amman. opening goal while goalie Kiran Limbu diving save to palm away Mousa freekick. was a fantastic experience for en Slam last-eight. The world The outcome left Nepal unchanged at conceded a 35-yard freekick for the sec- Mohammad Suleiman scorcher from out- Jordan coach Vital Borkelmans ques- me. I was playing my best ten- number 18 will face next reign- fourth position in the five-team group ond goal. side the box. Jordan broke the deadlock tioned the quality of the pitch and said: nis.” ing champion Swiatek who with six points after identical 2-0 victo- Nepal’s Kuwaiti coach Abdullah in the 24th minute with a penalty after “We deserved more goals today. I give big Third seed Nadal downed clinched a 6-3, 6-4 victory over ries over Chinese Taipei in both legs and Almutairi deployed Avishek Rijal in the defender Chand fouled Suleiman inside compliments to my team. They worked 18th-seeded Sinner 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 Ukrainian teenager Marta also effectively ended Nepal’s mathemati- attack for the first time pairing him with the area prompting the referee to point hard and created lots of chances.” and goes on to face Diego Kostyuk. The eighth seed from cal chances of qualifying for next stage of Anjan Bista and promoted midfielder towards the spot. Forward Seif converted It was the third defeat for Nepal against Schwartzman of Argentina Poland has won 22 straight sets World Cup qualifiers. Suman Lama up front while resting the resulting penalty with a powerful Jordan in their four meetings. Nepal had who he defeated in the semi-fi- at Roland Garros. Swiatek, 20, Nepal must beat leaders Australia, who Nawayug Shrestha and Aashish Lama. drive. gone down 9-0 in their first ever meeting nals in 2020. Nadal has now won is aiming to become the first have maintained a perfect record and are Defender Suman Aryal was paired with In the first leg as well, Jordan had in July 2011 in Amman during the 2014 104 matches at Roland Garros woman to defend the title in already assured of World Cup Qualifiers Pujan Uprakoti and Santosh Tamang in opened the scoring with a penalty in their World Cup qualifiers, but five days later against just two defeats since Paris since Justine Henin won third round, in their last group match to the midfield. Aryal started with Bikash capital city. they held Jordan to a 1-1 draw at home in his 2005 debut while Monday’s the tournament three times in a keep afloat their faint hopes of securing Khawas and Dinesh Rajbanshi for the Nepal’s defender Khawas was replaced Kathmandu. victory extended his run of row from 2005 to 2007. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) **** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) *** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) **** Bring things to completion under Wednesday’s skies, As a Cancer, you regularly need to withdraw into Your career path is of utmost importance this time Don’t overdo it today, Capricorn. While you’re likely Aries. The moon tiredly wanders through her wan- your shell to recover your serenity. Pull away from of year, Libra. In order to find your next step, it’s to be feeling inspired to tackle your to-do list, be ing phase in reflective Gemini, lowering energy lev- everyone’s needs and focus on quietly healing your- important to keep stretching your possibilities. Aim mindful about overextending your energy. els and prompting you to find closure on topics that self today. Give yourself permission to walk away to bring any undertakings that have emerged in the Accomplish what you can, but don’t strain yourself ! have emerged over the past month. and retreat if you’re feeling totally drained. last month to completion today.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) *** LEO (July 23-August 22) *** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) *** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) *** As a Taurus, you need to see tangible progress Take it easy today, Leo. The cosmic fuel tank is run- Wednesday’s skies help you rebalance yourself emo- Direct your focus towards your creative endeavours, unfolding in your life to feel satisfied. The universe ning low, as the heady Gemini moon marches through tionally, Scorpio. The moon floats tiredly through Aquarius. Where can you bring things to completion is working to open that door today, as the moon floats her waning phase and begins to prepare for tomor- reflective Gemini, preparing to close shop for tomor- in that arena? The reflective Gemini moon encourag- through mentally sharp Gemini and forms a sup- row’s eclipse. It’s an ideal day to bring things to con- row’s powerful eclipse. Use today’s energy to go deep es you to release uncertain confidence around your portive link with self-disciplined Saturn. clusion and find closure. within and sort out what needs releasing. skills.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) **** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) **** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) *** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** Listen to your body today, Gemini. You tend to Big things are coming your way on the work front, Hone in on your close relationships, Sagittarius. Spend the day away from the noise, Pisces. You’re become totally immersed in your mental world, so let Virgo. To make room for them, aim to release nag- Something needs to be released in order for new ready to release some ancient baggage around your the moon’s nurturing presence in your sign work to ging or outgrown elements of your current job cir- growth to emerge. The waning Gemini moon sug- family story, as tomorrow’s potent eclipse begins to reacquaint you with your physical needs. Today, ener- cumstance today. Today set boundaries and define gests a low-energy day focused on the completion stir feelings around this arena. Today it’s important gy levels are likely to be running low. what you need work-wise. and closure of the last month’s main engagements. to prioritise rest and release. CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, JUNE 09, 2021 | 08 CULTURE & LIFESTYLE (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 A journey back through the Kardashians as their TV show ends With five sisters and a brother, along with the Kris and Caitlyn drama, the years have taken us through a myriad of love tangles.

BY LEANNE ITALIE 2013, culminating in an appearance by Kanye NEW YORK West and his reveal of the first photos of North. The Fox network did not offer her a t’s almost time for all those famous second season. Kardashians to shuffle off to Hulu and After Caitlyn came out, she got her own new projects as their 20-season reality show: ‘I Am Cait.’ It was a serious dive into her TV mainstay comes to an end. transition and whether she was up to being a But before they do, here’s a journey role model as new friends educated her on back through the tears, tantrums and issues facing the trans community. It was can- Itogetherness that propelled the ‘Keeping Up celled after two seasons amid low ratings. with the Kardashians’ clan to superstardom: ROBBERY, NUDITY AND MORE MOMENTS THE MEN & THE MARRIAGES Perhaps the scariest of all developments was With five sisters and a brother, along with the Kim’s 2016 armed robbery in a luxury Paris flat Kris and Caitlyn drama, the years have taken during fashion week. Season 13 of the series us through many a man, a woman or two, and took on the case and the emotional aftermath. a myriad of love tangles. And the action start- She has openly discussed her terror at being ed at the get-go. The very first episode referenc- tied up at gunpoint and robbed of her jewels. es the sex tape with Brandy brother Ray J that Kim said she thought she was going to die. launched the show and their mega-careers. Among their far happier moments: All those Before that, there was Kim’s first husband, over-the-top birthday bashes, lavish weddings music producer Damon Thomas, followed by a and baby showers, let alone the weddings 72-day marriage to second husband, basketball themselves. player Kris Humphries, and a third trip to the Two of Kim’s weddings were on air and in altar with Kanye West. All three unions ended the news. Khloe’s 2009 wedding with Odom a in divorce. month after they met was featured on Season 4. Kim’s divorce from Humphries dragged on After the Khloe-Lamar nuptials, the two bought far longer than the marriage, threatening to a dream house while Kim was still in a condo. keep her legally tethered to Humphries at the Just sayin’. Mansion is now Kim’s middle birth of her first child, with West. That didn’t name. happen. North West was born two months after The sisters are also fond of posing for photos mom’s second divorce was finalised in 2013. sans clothing, though Kim wasn’t always com- And that’s just one sister! fortable with the idea. There’s Kourtney’s on-again, off-again rela- Soon after turning that sex tape into gold, an tionship and three kids with Scott Disick, who up-and-coming Kim had a Playboy magazine makes his first appearance in Kardashian TV moment, appearing on the cover of the land on Episode One. The two never married December 2007 celebrity issue. After an initial

amid his alcohol and drug abuse scandals, but AP/RSS photo shoot, Playboy’s Hugh Hefner came back they co-parent and he’s a die-hard on the for more. series. Disick has become a fan favorite to to have a child with Blac Chyna, who just hap- Chicago and Psalm. Oldest sister Kourtney has were driven by Ryan Seacrest Productions and “Does she have to take her clothes off,” Kris some as the K family has embraced him as one pens to have a child with Kardashian bro Rob. three with Scott: Mason, Penelope and Reign. the E! network. asks Hef in the show’s first season. of their own. Does your head hurt yet? There’s also Khloe’s True, Kylie’s Stormi and The first was ‘Kourtney & Khloe Take “Oh yes,” he responds. Sister Khloe married basketballer Lamar Chyna and Rob had a tailspin of their own, Rob’s Dream. Miami’ in 2009. It morphed into ‘Kourtney & They compromised: Kim posed naked, stra- Odom in 2009 and filed for divorce in 2013, but leading him to post revenge porn on Instagram Some of the Kardashians brought viewers Kim Take Miami’ after Khloe spun herself tegically draped in long strands of pearls. she withdrew the papers after Odom suffered a that got him banned from the platform. along while giving birth, and we’ve been treat- back into real life to do other work. There was Kylie also landed on the cover of Playboy, in drug overdose and went into a coma for several Kardashian stepparent Caitlyn Jenner is OG ed over the years to home movies showing Kris a plethora of bikinis and big boats as the ladies 2019 wearing nothing more than a cowboy hat days. He was found slumped on the floor of a ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ and contin- bringing children into the world. A 12-year-old sought to broaden the reach of their boutique with a shirtless Travis in jeans. Nevada brothel. The divorce was finalised in ued to appear after her divorce from Kris. She’s Kendall watched herself being born. Recently, Dash with new locations. And then there’s Kendall. She has taken her late 2016. the parent with Kris of Kylie and Kendall. Kris during the final season, 11-year-old Mason True fans, especially Scott watchers, will share of nudes and has weathered a few scan- Khloe never married the father of her filed for divorce before Caitlyn became Caitlyn. watched his mom pull him into the world her- remember the 2013 web series ‘Lord Disick: dals of her own, though her love life has been child—another basketball player, Tristan Caitlyn publicly came out as transgender in self. Lifestyles of a Lord’ that was shown weekly in on the down-low in comparison to her siblings. Thompson. He cheated on her while she was a Diane Sawyer interview in April 2015. the third season of all that Miami taking. Scott There was her ill-fated Pepsi commercial in pregnant—and again with her younger half-sis- SPIN-OFFS OF SPIN-OFFS bought himself the royal title in 2012 while on 2017. The imagery was bashed as stolen from ter Kylie Jenner’s best friend, Jordyn Woods. NAME THOSE CHILDREN They’re in LA. They’re in Miami. They’re in a trip to London and showed off his high-life the Black Lives Matter movement. It was But Khloe and Tristan are now more than a The Kardashian-Jenner clan has oh so many New York. No, wait, the Hamptons. trappings like fleets of fancy cars while offer- pulled and Kendall sobbed an apology on air. little friendly and co-parenting three-year-old kids, and they’re creative name-pickers. Part of keeping up has been chasing all the ing tips on how we, too, can live like lords. Kylie and Kendall were accused of exploita- True, even quarantining together during the Caitlyn has six children with three succes- spin-offs. Is there a record number? It depends In 2011, ‘Khloe & Lamar’ began as the two tion the same year for superimposing their pandemic. sive wives, including Kylie and Kendall with on how spin-off, franchise and canon are tried to figure out married life. And there were faces onto images of Tupac, Notorious B.I.G. Are you keeping up? Kris. Kris had four children with her first hus- defined. three seasons of the fitness fest ‘Revenge Body and a host of other music icons for a line of Let’s not forget Kylie’s relationship with band, the late O J Simpson attorney Robert But it certainly is a lot in the reality TV with Khloe Kardashian’ after the marriage $125 T-shirts. They pulled the merch. rapper Travis Scott. They never married but Kardashian before she divorced him, too: genre, and several had various sisters ‘taking’ didn’t work out. Khloe also had a short-lived Fans need not worry. The series is ending, also have a child together. And there was Kourtney, Kim, Khloe and Rob. various cities. In all, there were 11 spin-offs on talk show, ‘Kocktails with Khloe.’ but this famous family isn’t going anywhere. Kylie’s romance with Tyga, who just happens Kim had three kids following North: Saint, TV—many short-lived. Like the show, they Kris briefly had an eponymous talk show in —Associated Press

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