WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 35 | 10 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 36.4 C 5.0 C Thursday, March 25, 2021 | 12-12-2077 Janakpur Jumla Which party those elected under Nepal Communist Party now represent? Analysts say they have freedom to choose between the UML and Maoist Centre but don’t rule out complications.

BINOD GHIMIRE spokesperson for the Parliament KATHMANDU, MARCH 24 Secretariat. The March 7 court decision to On March 20, when Prime Minister revive the UML and the Maoist Centre and CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli has led to political complications and called a meeting of the Parliamentary one of them is the status of those who Party, some members like Bamdev were elected under the Nepal Gautam from the National Assembly Communist Party (NCP) ticket. POST PHOTO: DIPENDRA ROKKA and Bidhya Bhattarai from the House Passing a verdict on an almost three- A section of the under-construction Tika Bhairav-Lele road at Faidol in Lalitpur. of Representatives were present. year-old case, the Supreme Court Earlier this week, Narayan Kaji scrapped the Nepal Communist Party Shrestha, a member of the National (NCP), saying a party with a similar Assembly was present in the meeting name was already registered with the of the Parliamentary Party of the Election Commission, and revived the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist UML and the Maoist Centre. Vaccines from Bahrain likely to be used along with China-gifted jabs Centre). The court had also ordered the Ever since the Supreme Court Election Commission to initiate the decided to scrap the Nepal Communist process of merger between the two Nepal is bringing Sinopharm vaccines, the same one the Bahraini prince brought, next week. But reports suggest three Party (NCP) and revive the UML and parties, if they wish to merge, within the Maoist Centre, both have been 15 days, in such a way that no existing doses might be needed because the Chinese shots in some cases have not generated enough protective antibodies. holding the meeting of their parlia- laws are violated. mentary parties separately. >> Continued on page 2 ARJUN POUDEL ried around 2,000 doses of coronavirus approval to the Sinopharm vaccine, arrive on Monday, as the government There, however, is confusion KATHMANDU, MARCH 24 vaccine, which were said to be admin- but not a single dose had arrived in has decided to send a plane to China about some members like istered to locals of Samagaun, a vil- the country so far until it was revealed on Sunday to fly them in. Gautam, Bhattarai and Shrestha, After weeks of confusion over the lage in Gorkha district. that what the Bahraini prince carried The officials told the Post on and 16 others as there is no coronavirus vaccines, around 2,000 But the Department of Drug to Nepal was of that type. China has Wednesday that plans are afoot to use clarity as to which party they doses, brought to Nepal from Bahrain, Administration launched a probe into committed to providing 800,000 the vaccines brought to Nepal by the actually represent in the federal the government is mulling over using how the vaccines, which were said to Sinopharm vaccine doses to Nepal. Bahrain prince when they start parliament, as they were elected them when it starts administering the be the AstraZeneca type, arrived in “The vaccines [from Bahrain] are administering the Chinese vaccines. on the Nepal Communist Party jabs provided by the Chinese govern- Nepal without permission. Just as the with us. We will use them along with It, however, is not clear whether the (NCP) ticket. ment under grant assistance. investigation was ongoing, it was other doses provided by China,” Dr vaccines brought by the Bahraini “Deciding the status of law- Bahraini prince Mohamed Hamad found that the vaccines were from Roshan Pokhrel, chief specialist at the prince would be administered to the makers who won as Mohamed al-Khalifa and his retinue China—the BBIBP-CorV vaccine Health Ministry, told the Post. people of the village in Gorkha as the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) landed in Nepal on March 15 for an (CoronaVac) developed by Sinopharm. Officials at the Health Ministry royal family member wished to. candidates is a complex Everest expedition. The prince car- Nepal has granted emergency use have said the Chinese vaccine will >> Continued on page 2 task,” said Rojnath Pandey,

C M Y K THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Pregnant women in rural areas are risking their lives with home births Home deliveries are still a popular option in the rural areas of Baglung due to a lack of awareness among the local population, health officials say.

PRAKASH BARAL rescue pregnant women from reported in the local body. BAGLUNG, MARCH 24 Badigad to well-facilitated hos- “It is difficult to bring all pitals,” said Mehar Singh Paija, pregnant women to birthing Last month, a 35-year-old post- chairman of Badigad Rural centres due to geographical partum woman and a newborn Municipality. remoteness. So health workers died in Badigad Rural In the current fiscal year, the should launch a door-to-door Municipality due to delivery rural municipality rescued campaign to save the lives of complications. seven pregnant and postpartum newborns and postpartum In January, a 31-year-old preg- women from the rural munici- mothers,” said Kandel. nant woman from Tamankhola pality after they faced delivery In accordance with the deci- Wad No. 2 died after getting an complications. sion of the local unit, health abortion in a private medical. In January, 35-year-old workers have launched an Another 40-year-old pregnant Pushpa Shreesa of Badigad-8 awareness campaign across the woman from Dhorpatan also lost her child to delivery rural municipality. Gyanu Municipality Ward No. 8 also complications at home. Rana, an auxiliary health work- died of complications in home “Home births are still com- er at Ranasinkiteni Health Post, delivery. mon in rural areas. To end the said that health workers visit According to the District practice, we have started collect- pregnant women at their door- Health Office in Baglung, it ing the names of pregnant steps and advise them to get faces challenges when it comes women. We advise them to visit institutional delivery at the to bringing rural women to health institutions for pregnan- nearest health institution. health posts for pre-and post-na- cy check-ups,” said Chudamani The District Health Office has tal care and for institutional Kandel, chief at the health sec- established 54 birthing centres deliveries. tion of the rural municipality. across Baglung. Of them, 10 On Sunday, Badigad Rural Badigad Rural Municipality birthing centres are in Badigad. Municipality issued a public has identified 46 expecting “We can easily save the lives POST PHOTO: BEEJU MAHARJAN notice following an increase in mothers who are due before of pregnant women who visit A man pumps water into a tanker at Chobhar, Kathmandu before delivery to various parts of the Valley. the number of maternal and mid-July. Health workers have birthing centres for delivery. neonatal deaths in the local been instructed to visit them on However, we need to bring about unit. In the notice, the rural a regular basis to avoid any more awareness so that women municipality has requested the unforeseen pregnancy compli- don’t hesitate to visit these public to take pregnant women cations. birthing centres,” said Ganesh to health institutions for regu- Pregnant women in rural Baruwal, manager of the com- lar pregnancy check-ups and areas mostly opt for home births munity health reform project. Karnali Academy of Health have their delivery at birthing since they do not have access to “Home deliveries are still a centres. health institutions due to geo- popular option in the rural “The rural municipality in graphical remoteness. areas of Baglung due to a lack the current fiscal year has According to Kandel, a few inci- of awareness among the local Sciences starts MD course already spent Rs 1.5 million to dents of negligence were also population.” However, the launch of MBBS classes at the academy is still uncertain despite the institution’s claim that it has completed the necessary preparations. Vaccines from Bahrain likely ... >> Continued from page 1 convince the people to take the Chinese vaccines LP DEVKOTA “The government will decide where the doses amid reports that people might need to take even JUMLA, MARCH 24 [from Bahrain] will be used,” Pokhrel told the Post. the third dose of Sinopharm, unlike in the case of “The vaccine can’t be provided to a particular vil- the AstraZeneca vaccine which should be adminis- Karnali Academy of Health Sciences in lage just because it has been chosen by the donor tered twice in a span of 8 to 12 weeks. Jumla has started conducting classes for the [prince al-Khalifa].” According to reports in The Washington Post postgraduate (MD) degree under medical The vaccines arriving from China could be a and Wall Street Journal, the United Arab Emirates, sciences. shot in the arm for Nepal which has been forced to which was among the first countries to adopt The Medical Education Commission has suspend its vaccination drive, which started on Sinopharm vaccines, the Chinese shot is not ade- allocated five quotas for the programme that January 27, after the supplies stopped. quately generating antibody response after two started on March 14. Nepal so far has vaccinated a little over 1.7 mil- doses. “There are three quotas in general prac- lion people and the government says it currently Despite Nepal not having a huge vaccine hesi- tice medicine and one each in anaesthesia has around 600,000 doses in its stock. tancy, the first phase of the immunisation drive critical care and paediatric,” said Dr Niresh Nepal as of now has relied on the Oxford- was not as encouraging. Officials, however, were Thapa, the rector of the academy. AstraZeneca vaccine to inoculate its population upbeat about the second phase when the elderly According to him, the Nepal government and it has been using Covishield, which is manu- took the jabs easily. has provided scholarships in all five quotas. factured by the Serum Institute of India. While issues have emerged regarding the Currently, three medical students have POST PHOTO Nepal had received 1 million doses of Covishield AstraZeneca vaccine, with reports of blood clot joined the MD course while two others are The academy, which was established nine years ago, has 75 specialist doctors. vaccine on January 21 from India under a grant following the immunisation, doctors raising con- yet to arrive for classes, said Thapa. assistance, with which it launched its vaccination cern about Sinopharm vaccines could make it dif- Dr Lalit Singh Dhami of Darchula says he provincial assembly. the government agreed to address most of drive, targeting the frontline workers. A Cabinet ficult for Nepal which has a long battle to win feels happy to be a student of the first batch “The sons and daughters of Karnali do his demands related to medical education, meeting on February 16 approved an advance pay- against the coronavirus, just as a second wave of MD class conducted in the remote region not have to go to other places for medical including running MBBS classes at the ment to procure 2 million doses of Covishield with looms. of Jumla. Dhami, who studied MBBS under education any more. It is a matter of happi- Karnali Academy of Health Sciences. In the the Serum Institute. According to The Washington Post, Walid Zaher, a scholarship provided by the government, ness for Karnali residents,” said Shrestha. agreement, the government had agreed to But Nepal has received just a half of the amount the chief researcher for G42 Healthcare, which has previously worked in Kailali and The academy, established nine years ago, start MBBS and other courses at the Jumla- it has paid for. Around 348,000 doses of the distributes the Sinopharm vaccine in the UAE, Darchula districts for two years. has brought many changes in the health based academy from the academic session AstraZeneca vaccine have been delivered to Nepal told Dubai Eye radio that a study was underway to “I want to work in the remote parts of the sector of Karnali. Gone are the days when of 2021. under the COVAX facility. Nepal’s plan to buy 5 give some people third doses. G42 Healthcare is the country after completing my MD,” Dhami the local people died for want of treatment The fifth senate of the academy had decid- million doses from the Serum Institute has been in company that coordinated Sinopharm’s Phase 3 said. for minor illnesses. The academy now has ed to run MBBS classes in principle three limbo. clinical trials in the UAE and elsewhere in the Dr Bed Kumar Chaudhary, a doctor from all modern health amenities with a total of years ago. The sixth and seventh senates After conducting the second phase of the vacci- Middle East. Kapilvastu who has come to Jumla to join 75 specialist doctors. held in 2018 and 2019 respectively also con- nation campaign, targeting people above 65 years According to the Wall Street Journal, G42 the MD course, is hopeful that the start of Meanwhile, the operation of MBBS class- tinued the decision. According to Kafle, the of age, from March 7 to March 15, the drive Healthcare has said a “select group of people are medical education will help reform the es in the academy is still uncertain despite academy has already constructed infra- remains halted, with no clarity when it can being administered a third shot to observe the health sector in the region. the institution’s claim of completing the structures, managed human resources and resume. immune system response” as part of a scientific “The health sector in Karnali is in a sorry necessary preparation for the same. set up a basic science laboratory with an Officials hope that they could start the vaccina- study. Nepali officials, however, said they will state. I want to work in Karnali after com- “We have made all needed preparations to investment of Rs 20 million for the initiation tion drive once they receive the 800,000 Sinopharm decide on administering the [Chinese] vaccines pleting my postgraduate studies in Jumla,” start MBBS classes. But the Medical of the course. doses from China and the jabs from Bahrain can once they arrive. said Chaudhary. Education Commission is yet to monitor and As per the act prepared by the academy to also be used during the campaign because they are The Health Ministry on Wednesday directed the With the initiation of the postgraduate approve the course,” said Bishworaj Kafle, operate MBBS classes, 45 percent of seats the same type. Family Welfare Division to decide who should be course in Jumla, the residents of Karnali registrar at the academy. have been allocated to students from Jumla, “We will soon decide who should be adminis- getting the vaccines to be brought from China. won’t have to spend millions of rupees to get Dr Govinda KC had launched his 19th Humla, Dolpa, Kalikot, Mugu, Jajarkot, tered the Chinese vaccine,” said Pokhrel. “People “We will hold a meeting with experts,” said Dr medical education in other parts of the hunger strike in Jumla in September 2020. Bajura, Bajhang and Achham districts. with comorbidities or high-risk groups such as Samir Kumar Adhikari, joint spokesperson for the country or abroad, according to Dinbandhu The sexagenarian orthopaedic surgeon had Students from across the nation can com- teachers could be the priority.” Health Ministry, “and take a decision on the prior- Shrestha, a member of the Karnali ended the 28-day-long strike in October after pete for the remaining seats. Officials, however, might have to work hard to ity group, accordingly.” Which party those elected under Nepal Communist Party now represent?

>> Continued from page 1 now. On Tuesday, Khagaraj Adhikari, October 2019 after he was embroiled in National Assembly from the Nepal advocate who specialises on constitu- maker elected as an independent can- The Election Commission had a UML member in the lower house and an attempted rape case. Communist Party (NCP) quota, Bedu tional law, said it was the responsibili- didate chooses to join any party, they asked the two parties--the UML and Central Committee member of the Oli in the past had expressed his Ram Bhusal, Indira Gautam, Devendra ty of the Supreme Court to provide a will automatically be considered a the Maoist Centre--if they could party, asked from which party Agni grievances about Mahara’s non-coop- Dahal, Bhagwati Neupane, Bimala solution, as this problem was bound to member of the Parliamentary Party approach it within 15 days if they Sapkota was elected to the post of eration to his government. Ghimire, Gopal Bhattarai, Sumitra arise after it ordered the revival of the of the respective party. wished to unite again. Neither showed Speaker. Adhikari put forth the ques- Pandey, the spokesperson for the BC and Sharada Bhattarai are from UML and the Maoist Centre. “Anyway, as natural persons, the interest. The deadline has elapsed. tion while addressing a meeting of the Parliament Secretariat, however, does the UML. They have been attending “When the court scrapped the merg- representatives have the right to make Officials at the Parliament House of Representatives. not see a problem in deciding from the meeting of the UML Parliamentary er of the UML and the Maoist Centre, their choices,” said Radheshyam Secretariat wonder how such mem- Sapkota had won the 2017 general which party Sapkota was elected to Party. Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Gopi it should have been able to foresee this Adhikari, a National Assembly mem- bers elected neither as UML nor as elections from Sindhupalchok the Speaker’s post. Acchhami, Radheshyam Pashwan, situation,” Gyawali told the Post. “As ber from the Nepali Congress. “Laws Maoist Centre candidates are sup- Constituency 1 on the Maoist Centre “We know which party the Speaker Ganga Belbase, Jag Prasad Sharma far as I understand, these elected rep- don’t define or guide everything. The posed to react when it comes to party ticket. belonged to before he was elected to and Ganga Belbase are from the resentatives will most probably get representatives at the federal parlia- whips. But when he was elected Speaker in the post,” Pandey told the Post. “Since Maoist Centre. independent status. However, I see ment and local governments should be The UML and the Maoist Centre the third week of January last year, he he was known as a Maoist Centre Bamdev Gautam is vice-chair of the complications if they are allowed to allowed to choose the party.” had formed a “left alliance” to contest was fielded by the Nepal Communist member in the House until his party UML and was nominated to the upper choose either of the parties on their According to Adhikari, if there is the 2017 elections. The UML won 121 Party (NCP). merged with UML in May 2018, it is house on September 17, last year. own.” objection from one party for choosing seats and the Maoist Centre 53 in an Determining the party from which understood that he came from the Bidhya Bhattarai won the by-elec- Gyawali’s assumption stems from the other or if there are other contro- overwhelming victory for the two the Speaker is elected holds signifi- Maoist Centre.” tion from Kaski Constituency 1 held in the fact that cadres and members of versies, the issue will ultimately reach communist parties to form a strong cance because the constitutional pro- The lower house has met five times December 2019. Her husband, both the UML and the Maoist Centre the court. government. visions call for electing Speaker and ever since it convened first on March 7 Rabindra Adhikari, who had won voted, say in case of Bidhya Bhattarai, “The Supreme Court will have to With the Maoist Centre’s support, deputy Speaker from two different after the Supreme Court reinstated it from the constituency, died in to ensure her victory. If Bhattarai is intervene if such controversies arise,” Oli was elected prime minister in parties. by overturning Oli’s decision to dis- February 2019 in a helicopter crash. given independent status and then said Adhikari. February 2018. In May that year, both The question as to which party solve it. Apart from 18 members of the feder- allowed to choose a party; and if she But the Supreme Court will do what parties merged to form the Nepal Sapkota represented to assume the Though it has not undertaken any al parliament including Gautam, over chooses the UML, which is most it needs to when the matter reaches Communist Party (NCP). Speaker post comes at a time when Oli concrete business so far, the status of two dozen representatives have been likely, Maoist members could ask what there, but in case of party whips, there Over the three years until Oli dis- is trying to cultivate the Janata those elected under the Nepal elected to the local governments on about their votes that contributed to could be some confusion, some legal solved the House on December 20, as Samajbadi Party to stay in power. A Communist Party (NCP) could result the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) her win. experts say. many as 16 leaders were elected to the power-sharing deal between Oli and in some complications at some point tickets. According to Gyawali, even legal Chief whips on occasions issue upper house and one to the lower the Janata Samajbadi Party is likely of time and hence it’s better to “One of the possible scenarios is issues could arise because if those whips to their party lawmakers, ask- house on the Nepal Communist Party to entail, among other things, the post sort the matter out at the earliest, that those elected as Nepal Communist elected under the Nepal Communist ing them to be mandatorily present in (NCP) ticket. of deputy Speaker to the party. observers say. Party (NCP) could be given the status Party (NCP) are asked to choose a a certain House meeting or vote in “It is up to the Election Commission Ever since Shiva Maya While the Parliament Secretariat of independent members,” said party, it could be tantamount to favour of or against a bill. There is no to decide which party these members Tumbahangphe, also a UML member says it is the Election Commission Shrestha of the election commission. defection. clarity as to how these lawmakers who represent in the federal parliament,” in the lower house, resigned in that will decide on the status of those “They could be then allowed to make a Clause 32 (2) of the Political Parties don’t have a party should react. said Pandey. January, no deputy Speaker has been elected under Nepal Communist Party choice whichever party they want to Act says that a group can split a party “The Election Commission in con- The federal parliament currently elected. Though Oli has tried to justify (NCP), officials at the poll body say join.” Legal experts say there is no and form a new party only when they sultation with the parties and the recognises only those who were elect- that the House has become irrelevant, they have not looked into the matter proper law to resolve the issue of command the support of at least 40 Parliament Secretariat should resolve ed either as UML candidates or Maoist if he manages to cling on to power, he yet. those elected under the Nepal percent members of the Parliamentary the matter at the earliest,” Mohan Lal Centre candidates, as the court had could try to push for a Speaker from “This is not just a legal issue; it’s Communist Party (NCP), as such a Party and the Central Committee, said Acharya, an advocate and a former explicitly said both the parties were his own party. rather a political issue,” said Raj development was unprecedented. Gyawali. adviser to the Constituent Assembly, back to their pre-merger stage. There Before Sapkota, Krishna Bahadur Kumar Shrestha, spokesperson for the There is no legal solution to this par- But some say Clause 29 of the told the Post. “Yes, failure to sort the is no party called Nepal Communist Mahara, a Maoist Centre lawmaker, commission. ticular issue, according to them. Political Parties Act could be invoked issue out will mean it will ultimately Party (NCP) in the federal parliament was the Speaker until he resigned in Of the 16 members elected to the Chandra Kant Gyawali, a senior to settle the issue, as it says if a law- reach the court.”

C M Y K 03 | THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021 NATIONAL

BRIEFING No-confidence motions

Province 1 government decides to bear medical cost of Timsina against Rai and Poudel MORANG: The Province 1 government has decided to bear the medical to be withdrawn cost of Durga Prasad Timisina from Mai Municipality in Ilam district who was released from Dum Dum The positions of Province 1 and Bagmati chief ministers Central Correctional Home in Kolkata on Saturday. Minister for were challenged after Prime Minister Oli dissolved the Internal Affairs and Law Hikmat Karki said, “The ministry will bear House of Representatives on Decmber 20 last year. the entire cost of Timsina’s medical treatment on the request of The District Administration Office in DEO NARAYAN SAH Oli. As many as 37 Provincial Ilam.” According to Karki, the BIRATNAGAR, MARCH 24 Assembly members led by Indra provincial government will also Bahadur Aangbo of the erstwhile coordinate with the Indian govern- Provincial Assembly members from Nepal Communist Party (NCP) had ment to provide compensation for the Madhav Kumar Nepal-Jhala Nath moved the motion against Chief Timsina. Khanal faction of CPN-UML in Minister Rai on December 27 last year. Province 1 and Bagmati have decided Similarly, 45 members of Bagmati to withdraw the no confidence motions Provincial Assembly had registered a Hunting opened in Dhorpatan they had registered against the chief no confidence motion against Poudel BAGLUNG: Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve ministers of the two provinces. on December 25. The motions were has announced open season for the According to Rajendra Kumar Rai, filed after the falling out between Oli current fiscal year. According to a leader of the Nepal-Khanal faction and Dahal after the former dissolved Birendra Prasad Kandel, the chief and a Provincial Assembly member of the House of Representatives on conservation officer, eight foreign Province 1, an agreement was reached December 20. nationals have received permission to among the top leaders at the central The court overturned Oli’s decision hunt eight blue sheep and four level three days ago to withdraw the of dissolving the House of Himalayan tahrs. The hunting will no confidence motions against Representatives on February 23. begin from Thursday. Province 1 Chief Minister Sherdhan Rai and Bagmati Province Chief Minister Dor Mani Poudel. Safe women campaign launched “The decision comes following a A UML leader says KANCHANPUR: The District Police party meeting after the top leaders Office in Kanchanpur has initiated reached an agreement,” said Rai. “We the indecision on a ‘Safe Women’ campaign to keep have started collecting signatures of the part of Nepali in check any incidents of gender those lawmakers who had signed in violence in the district. “We will favour of the motion. We will with- Congress also led launch an awareness programme draw the proposal within four-five and provide self-defence training to days.” to the decision. girls in schools. Such programmes Rai informed that the faction also will be launched across the district decided to withdraw the decision due in coordination with all nine local to the indecision on the part of Nepali units,” said Superintendent of Congress. With the UML and Maoist Centre Police Uma Prasad Chaturbedi. “The Provincial Assembly has not revived, politics in Kathmandu has According to the District Police commenced any meeting for the past become complicated. As the Maoist Office, 96 incidents of rape were four months, and since the Nepali Centre has not withdrawn support it reported in the district in the past Congress has not come up with a deci- lent Oli back in February 2018, Oli three years. sion, there is a confusion as to when does not face any immediate crisis. this issue will be settled,” said Rai. Oli has been trying to cultivate the “That is why we have decided to with- Janata Samajbadi Party in the event Feasibility study to establish draw the proposal.” the Maoist Centre decides to withdraw Musk deer breeding centre The Nepal-Khanal faction is facing its support to his government. a tough time ever since the Supreme The Nepal-Khanal faction, mean- KASKI: The Gandaki provincial Court on March 7 scrapped the Nepal while, is left with little option to coun- government has initiated a feasibility Communist Party (NCP) and revived ter Oli’s manoeuvring, with the Nepali study to establish a musk deer the UML and the Maoist Centre. The Congress deciding to stay neutral–dis- breeding centre in the province. no confidence motions against Rai inclined to file a no confidence motion According to the Provincial Forest and Poudel were filed when the Nepal against Oli and to take the initiatives Directorate under the Ministry Communist Party (NCP) still existed to lead a new government by forging of Industry, Tourism, Forest and and the court had not yet overturned an alliance with the Maoist Centre Environment, authorities have Oli’s House dissolution decision. At and the Samajbadi Party. been conducting a feasibility that time, Nepal and Khanal were “We’ll take our decision depending study in Kaski, Manang, Mustang, with Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who was upon how the situation unfolds and Gorkha and Myagdi districts for then another chair of the Nepal what strategy our leadership at the the last one and a half months. Communist Party (NCP) along with central level devises,” said Rai.

C M Y K THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021 | 04 OPINION EDITORIAL Cosmopolitan vs parochial India’s tug-of-war between Get thee to work its liberal intellectuals and Lawmakers should understand that their Hindutva leaders holds a primary role is making laws. lesson for all.

When Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in a drastic move decided to dissolve the House of Representatives on December 20, a fac- PRAMOD MISHRA tion of his own party, then the Nepal Communist Party, led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal; the Nepali CROSSROADS Congress; and the Janata Samajbadi Party reacted fiercely. All accused Oli of making an unconstitutional move, attacking democracy and attempting to subvert the system and political gains. All these parties opposing Oli’s decision took to the streets and held demonstrations demanding the reinstatement The Indian political scientist and com- of the House. mentator Pratap Bhanu Mehta’s resig- Civil society leaders, constitutional experts and even former nation from Ashoka University in India has foregrounded the impediments in Supreme Court justices were of the view that Oli had breached building institutions of higher educa- constitutional provisions in dissolving the House. A little over tion in the non-Western world. The two months later, the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Mehta controversy also raises ques- Court on February 23 decided to overturn Oli’s move, calling it tions about the nexus between business unconstitutional. It also ordered a meeting of the House within tycoons and Hindutva forces in India in 13 days. building or undermining institutions. India’s most recent academic misstep President Bidya Devi Bhandari then summoned the House has lessons for its neighbours and session for March 7 as per the government’s recommendation. beyond, because India is not a dictator- But hours before the House meeting, the Supreme Court on ship and boasts of being the largest March 7 passed yet another verdict, taking everyone by sur- democracy. The question before India is prise. The court not only scrapped the Nepal Communist Party whether it can build world-class insti- altogether, deciding on an almost-three-year-old case but also tutions. Ashoka University near Delhi was PHOTO COURTESY ASHOKA UNIVERSITY/S WEBSITE revived the CPN-UML and the Communist Party of Nepal conceived by a group of business these premier private universities have their liberal arts secular conscience And these new tycoons of new tech- (Maoist Centre). tycoons, some from traditional Jain religious denominations only in name, seems to be in constant conflict with nology, confused about their conflicting It has been more than two weeks since the reinstated House families, others as products of new some still maintain their active faith- their Hindu-Jain souls. Modi-led pres- desires (at once Hindu nationalist and convened its first meeting. But it has been utterly dysfunctional. entrepreneurship from India’s IITs based orientation. However, in India’s sure on Ashoka University’s founders world-class cosmopolitans) have run As many as eight ordinances introduced by the government (Indian Institute of Technology) and case, except for the founding fathers of to toe his line can be seen in this into the whirlwind of a paradox and were to be presented before the House on the first day of the IIMs (Indian Institute of Management). the republic, such as Nehru, Gandhi, respect. bowed to the pressures of the Modi Inspired by patriotism and motivated Ambedkar and Tagore, those who get Nehru wanted India to be modern in government. Mehta resigned from his meeting. But that could not happen due to obstructions by the to do something for their country that educated in the Euro-American univer- science and technology and secular in Ashoka University position because opposition parties—the Nepali Congress and the Janata would measure up to Oxbridge and the sities have not been able to be political matters of religion. He founded the IITs these founding tycoons let him know Samajbadi Party. The Maoist Centre boycotted the first meeting. Ivy League, these founders conceived a rulers and those who become rulers do that are devoted to technology educa- that he had become ‘a political liability’ As political uncertainty continues, with politicians back to premier university that would provide not have that deep education back- tion. Later, in the 1960s, Jawaharlal for the university as a result of his their partisan games, the House has no business. The opposi- a liberal arts education in the arts, ground, whether from the West or Nehru University was founded to focus writing against the Modi government’s tion parties have accused the government of not providing humanities and sciences. But the South Asia. on the sciences, humanities and arts. growing intolerance of critical Mehta controversy shows that a pre- With the emergence of new technolo- This division between science and tech- voices and practices of different business and undermining the House while Oli is making every mier university needs funds to run; gy and globalisation, IIT and IIM grad- nology and the humanities in establish- faiths. But a few days after Mehta attempt to justify his argument that the existing Parliament has business tycoons may be Ashoka’s uates of India—some even getting their ing institutions of higher learning was wrote an open letter to the students, become irrelevant and the parties should seek a fresh mandate founders, but such a university must undergraduate degrees and MBAs from a flawed concept. They should have the University coaxed Mehta and from the people. Five meetings of the House have been held not be run by business tycoons because American universities—became suc- been combined in one institution to his colleague who had also resigned since March 7, all of them without any substantial business to they possess narrow interests and nar- cessful entrepreneurs and made big produce scientists and entrepreneurs in support of Mehta to issue a joint deal with. rower visions when it comes to higher money. And they were the ones who who would be equally immersed in the statement acknowledging the ‘lapse’ in education. Otherwise, they will founded Ashoka University as a model humanities. A new leadership with a the process and affirming AU’s com- The Maoist Centre wants Oli to step down, but it is reluctant destroy their creation. Because such of a world-class educational institu- scientific mind and a humanist soul mitment to academic freedom and to withdraw the support it lent him back in February 2018. The founders would not only view their tion. But Indian politics, since the days may have emerged. But it didn’t autonomy. Congress, the primary opposition, has decided to stay silent—it university as a corporate product for of its enlightened leaders, has both happen. This development may be viewed as is neither interested in forming an alliance with the Maoist monetary profit but, in India’s case, democratised and descended into the So, India has seen a clash between an example of growing pains, but also Centre and the Samajbadi Party to lead a new government nor like to shape it in their or their rulers’ hands of Hindu nationalists like the PB Mehta personality with the can be seen as the result of clashing filing a no-confidence motion against Oli. The Samajbadi Party, narrowmindedness. Narendra Modi and Amit Shah and Modi personality. These are two per- worldviews and values between the It is not to say that American and Laloo Yadav. And that’s the paradox of sonalities with two different orienta- political class of India and its intellec- which currently has 32 seats in Parliament, is trying to strike a British universities didn’t have wealthy Indian progress—one step forward, one tions and grooming. One has become tual class, the former the product more deal with Oli. But the party has also kept the option of joining donors and religious affiliations. In step backwards. academic and intellectual and the other and more of Hindu and local values hands with the Congress and the Maoist Centre open. fact, most of these premier universities To understand the nexus of business controls the masses. Nehru’s vision and the latter Anglophone, Western When Oli prorogued the House on July 2 in the face of a crisis were founded originally by people who and orthodox religion, we need to look was right, but the way he went about and cosmopolitan. In Nepal, too, we looming over his head, more than four dozen bills were pending. made their wealth in all kinds of ways at the current ruling party of India, executing his vision and laying the have seen time and again the conflict Ever since the House was reinstated, it has not been able to do through slave labour and colonial Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Its par- foundations to realise that vision between the nationalist locally-educat- enterprises, and were initially founded ent party was called Janasangh, a gath- turned out to be flawed. People like ed home or prime minister and the its primary job of processing the bills and enacting laws. to train the clergy of one Christian ering of India’s traditional business Mehta, educated in institutions with St well-educated academic and intellectu- Lawmakers from across the spectrum have hardly tried to inter- denomination or another. But, in time, groups and staunch Hindutva prefixes, such as St Edward, St Xavier’s, al class in making university appoint- nalise the fact that their primary role is making laws. they amalgamated the best values of believers. Prime Minister Modi and and St John’s (at Oxford), and Princeton ments and running Nepal’s universi- It’s a given that every political party has its own ideology and their Judeo-Christian, Greco-Roman his right-hand man Amit Shah embody have received liberal arts education ties. As long as this cosmopolitan intel- principle, but it’s the sacred halls where they should gather to past, including those of the this dual identity, derided in the past that has helped cultivate a cosmopoli- lectual class doesn’t teach itself to work in the best interest of the country and people. The House Renaissance, Reformation and the but now very successful in India’s body tan, secular outlook while Modi and speak like Modi and get into Enlightenment. Even then, they con- politics. On the other hand, the new Shah, raised in the sakhas of the RSS politics, and as long as the Mehtas do cannot be held hostage because of the parties’ petty interest. It’s stantly refined their workings in all tycoons are products of India’s and in the principles of Hindutva ideo- not replace the Modis in politics, also incumbent upon the speaker, as the presiding officer of the aspects—governance, curriculum and IITs and IIMs with a slapdash educa- logues have ingrained in them a paro- India’s woes will continue—and not House, to keep it vibrant and functioning. co-curricular offerings. While most of tion at American universities, but chial worldview. just in higher education.

The UK’s Hard Brexit choices have arrived

sen to be outside the EU’s customs Germany’s goods exports to China in The country faces a growing union and single market, while the 2019 totalled 96 billion ($115 billion), Republic of Ireland (an EU member the UK’s amounted to just £25.1 billion number of tough choices state) remains in both. So, the only ($35 billion). And while UK exports to way to avoid re-establishing a border China have increased by an annual that it will not be able to between the Republic and Northern average of 3.7 percent in real terms Ireland (which would undermine the since 1980, China’s exports to Britain avoid for much longer. 1998 Good Friday Agreement that have grown by over 9 percent per year brought peace to the UK province) is in the same period, according to the for Northern Ireland to remain in the International Monetary Fund. CHRIS PATTEN customs union with a border of some Stronger UK-China trade ties would sort between it and the British main- present Johnson with another hard land. choice. Will Britain continue to stand Johnson signed up for this—some- with other liberal democracies like thing that his predecessor, Theresa the United States, Canada, Australia, May, refused to do—and then denied and Japan in trying to contain the that there would be such a border. threat that China poses to its region Now, his European minister, David and the international rule of law? Or Since the United Kingdom left the Frost (who is to diplomacy what a will it kowtow whenever President Xi European Union, relations with its chainsaw is to origami), has Jinping’s regime stamps its feet? continental neighbours have gone announced that the UK will ignore the Those of us urging the UK to make a from bad to worse. On both sides, a Withdrawal Agreement until it gets choice in this regard are not calling toxic blend of distrust and national- what it wants. This stance confounds for a cold war with China, as Johnson ism increasingly infuses almost every patient efforts to find ways to ease the suggests, but rather for stewardship contentious issue. inevitable problems that will arise of our relationships with all those On the EU side, both the European from having a border in the Irish Sea. who want to constrain China’s cruel, Commission and several member So, what should have been a quiet brutish, and untrustworthy behav- states have woefully mishandled the period of nurturing post-Brexit iour. rollout of the bloc’s Covid-19 vaccina- UK-EU relations has turned into a Besides cake-ism, the government’s tion program. The EU has directed its barroom brawl. Meanwhile, Johnson’s policy review reflects another charac- threats of vaccine protectionism prin- government recently spelt out how the teristic Johnsonian feature: a chasm cipally at the UK, whose vaccination UK will use its supposed freedom out- between aspirations and reality that campaign has so far gone well, while side the Union in a policy document cannot be bridged by make-believe individual European governments that attempts to flesh out the concept and mendacity. The paper calls for the have damagingly criticised the effica- of ‘Global Britain’—as if the country UK to become a global leader in sci- cy of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. had not had global interests and influ- ence and technology, for example. But The complaints about the vaccine, ence for centuries. on the same day that the government developed by world-renowned experts It is an elegantly written essay, shot announced this goal, British universi- at the University of Oxford, fly in the through with well-known Johnsonian ties expressed deep concern about pos- face of objective scientific evidence, traits. For example, it faithfully sible cuts in research funding, not thus inevitably raising suspicions of reflects his predilection for attempt- least in science, owing partly to Brexit, anti-British sentiment. Moreover, they ing to have his cake and eat it—and which forced these institutions to have made some Europeans reluctant thus avoid hard choices. But with leave EU research programs. to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca almost all serious economists and So, the UK’s tough choices accumu- vaccine and stirred up anti-vaccine business leaders expecting slower eco- SHUTTERSTOCK late, and the problems lurking around sentiment more generally, thereby all nomic growth for the foreseeable cent in January—immediately after around such problems by finding new currently risks losing in Europe. the corner look menacing. Britain will but guaranteeing further avoidable future (as a result of Britain having new trading rules between the UK and markets in Asia. Johnson’s policy There is no tunnel between Folkestone have to make the best of Brexit. But it Covid-19 deaths. Many European gov- left its main export market), hard the bloc came into force. Obviously, paper suggests that the UK is shifting and New Delhi, and there are not will be a long, hard struggle, all the ernments took too long to come to choices will not avoid the UK. It is not some of this decrease was due to the its trade and security focus eastward. 10,000 goods trucks a day shuttling more so with an evasive fabulist in their senses and restart their rollout surprising that the government has pandemic, teething problems with Having spent a significant part of my between Dover and Shanghai. Despite charge. of the vaccine with the full backing of not released an official projection of new UK-EU border controls, and end- life working in Asia and on relation- spectacular improvements in technol- health regulators. Brexit’s economic impact; if the fig- of-year stockpiling. But no one will be ships with Asian countries—notably ogy, countries invariably trade more Patten, the last British governor of The UK government, for its part, ures were good, they would be pub- surprised if the trend continues. India, China, and Japan—I am well with their close neighbours than with Hong Kong and a former EU has again deliberately breached the lished in bold. While ministers hunt for excuses, disposed to the idea in principle. But faraway friends. commissioner for external affairs, Withdrawal Agreement with the EU Although few think that the UK businesses face higher costs, more red what does it mean in practice? Moreover, EU membership did not is Chancellor of the University that Prime Minister Boris Johnson economy will fall off a cliff, goods tape, and delayed supplies. New business in Asia cannot possi- stop the UK from doing business with of Oxford. signed early last year. The UK has cho- exports to the EU declined by 40 per- ‘Global Britain’ will apparently get bly replace all the business the UK Asia in the past. But whereas — Project Syndicate

C M Y K 05 | THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021 NATIONAL Tiger escapes from cage. It’s uncertain what it will do next The animal is unlikely to attack people or cattle soon as it is deep inside the sanctuary, national park officials and experts concur.

CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL walking towards the north, whereas the KATHMANDU, MARCH 24 buffer zone is on the southern side. Nearby human settlements are far. Therefore, there Just days after its capture in Bardiya, where is unlikely that it will attack locals or cat- it had been causing havoc lately, the male tle.” tiger made a dramatic escape from Banke Shrestha, the chief warden of Bardiya National Park, leaving authorities uncer- National Park, also assumes that the proba- tain of its actions. bility of any tragic incident is unlikely but The male tiger was captured last week if the tiger causes any trouble again it RSS from Khata Corridor, an important biologi- needs to be managed. People coming to Nepal from India being screened at Birgunj-Raxaul border point for fever on Wednesday as part of measures to contain the spread of cal corridor that connects Bardiya National “As per its nature, the tiger has returned Covid-19 following reports of a surge in infections in various states of neighbouring India. Park with the Katarniaghat Wildlife to its habitat into the wilderness,” said Sanctuary in India. Shrestha. “Since it has already attacked A team of wildlife technicians and people and livestock, it might change its experts from the Department of National behaviour. But if it wanders to human set- Park, National Trust for Nature tlements, then it could be captured again.” Conservation, and the Divisional Forest According to Shrestha, Banke officials Office, Bardiya, along with Nepal Army have been tracking the pugmark of the tiger Kathmandu Metropolitan City unprepared to personnel, had been able to capture two for its movement. problem-causing tigers from Geruwa and “But the onus lies on the locals. While we Khata areas of Bardiya, on Wednesday and can’t change wild animals’ behaviour, peo- Thursday, respectively. ple should change their behaviours for min- deal with potential second wave of Covid-19 The tiger captured and evicted from the imising such losses as tiger attacks have Khata area last Thursday was transferred taken place only in forests,” said Shrestha. ANUP OJHA Population said on Wednesday that Last year, the government seeking relief materials and hospi- to a tiger holding centre, a rescue facility of “With three tigers captured, such incidents KATHMANDU, MARCH 24 145 new cases were reported in the announced a months-long nation- tal beds in the city, Mayor Shaka Banke National Park that adjoins Bardiya are unlikely to take place in Bardiya, but we country with total infection reach- wide lockdown, but the city didn’t had tested positive for Covid-19 in National Park. are still monitoring tigers at several plac- Following a surge in Covid-19 cases ing 276,389. make use of the time to prepare late August. He was found to have “We have been told that the tiger which es.” in neighbouring India, the Ministry City officials have neither dis- quarantine and isolation centres isolated himself at a five-star hotel was captured from the Khata area has Following the escape, Banke Park has of Home Affairs on Monday cussed nor made plans to contain for its public. in Kathmandu. escaped from the cage,” Bishnu Prasad swung into action for monitoring the tiger. evening issued a circular to all the the virus, which has already start- Deputy Mayor Hari Prabha Now, six months later, doctors Shrestha, chief conservation officer at Park authorities have alerted residents rid- district administration offices and ed a second wave of infections in Khadgi said it was a grave mistake have been alerting city officials to Bardia National Park, told the Post. ing two-wheelers along the East-West local governments to keep isolation India. on the part of the mayor and to make it compulsory for members “After recent incidents of attacking peo- Highway that traverses via the protected and quarantine centres on standby “As the number of cases is stead- ignore the threat of the disease. of the general to wear masks and ple and killing livestock in the area, we had area to travel only in groups and warned and follow all health protocols. ily going up in India, Nepal, espe- “This time also, the mayor seems avoid large gatherings. The govern- placed a camera trap. Since the tiger was people not to go to the forest area. The circular came a day after the cially authorities in Kathmandu, reluctant to act. Realising his past ment has urged people to avoid frequently recorded on the camera, we had According to Rabin Kadariya, a wildlife Ministry of Health issued a notice should be more cautious as the city mistakes, he should have convened mass gatherings, but core city targeted that particular male tiger and relo- expert who was also part of the team that asking members of the public to had become a hotspot a few months a meeting with experts, but he has areas such as Ason, Indra Chowk, cated it.” captured the tiger, the animal was not strictly follow precautionary meas- ago,” said Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, not done anything yet,” said and Jamal are brimming with peo- However, on Tuesday morning, the tiger radio-collared, making it difficult to track ures and not organise gatherings chief of the Clinical Research Unit Khadgi. ple and public vehicles are carry- made a valiant escape from the iron cage at its movement. and formal events. It said that those at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious “I had personally requested him ing passengers beyond their seat Khairi Post of the park, leaving park offi- “But there is nothing to panic about as of who don’t follow health protocols Hospital. to prepare an isolation and quaran- capacity. cials and wildlife authorities anticipating now. It will only come out if it cannot adapt such as wearing masks or main- Last year, Kathmandu’s Mayor tine centre, but he wouldn’t listen. According to the Metropolitan its next move. to the new habitat,” said Kadariya, project taining physical distance will be Bidya Sundar Shakya, also the This time I am going to insist that Traffic Police Division every day, in-charge at Bardia Conservation punished as per the Infectious chairperson of the Valley Mayors’ we prepare such centres,” said 37,000 people enter the Kathmandu Programme under the National Trust for Disease Act 2020. Forum, had announced plans to Khadgi. Valley from various entry points of Nature Conservation. However, cities such as build integrated isolation facilities Even ward chiefs were not happy the Valley. Officials at the division “In the Khata area, villages were nearby. Kathmandu, the biggest metropolis for 5,000 people. But his office with the way the city chief became said they haven’t started screening Although it was not confirmed that the in the country with over 1.6 million hasn’t taken any steps to do so. passive when the metropolis was people who enter the Kathmandu same tiger had killed people, the tiger used population and a past hotspot of City Spokesperson Ishwor Man witnessing a surge in Covid-19 Valley from outside. to be frequently sighted at human settle- Covid-19 transmission look unpre- Dangol said officials are consulting cases last year. When the Post contacted ments. Therefore, it had to be evicted.” pared to deal with a potential surge the federal and government to take “Last year the issue of Covid-19 Madhyapur Thimi Municipality This is not the first time, however, that a in Covid-19 cases. precautions against Covid-19. “But was politicised, there was no good Mayor Madan Sundar Shrestha, tiger has escaped from the rescue facility. In When the pandemic struck the we haven’t come up with a decision communication between local, fed- also the secretary of Kathmandu 2014, a tiger captured from the Triveni area city last year, 254 people had died yet,” said Dangol. eral, and central government, and Valley Mayors’ Forum, he said the of Chitwan National Park broke free from a 24,662 people were infected with the Doctors and virologists have it’s because our mayor was not forum hasn’t convened to take deci- cage built at Kasara, the park’s headquar- coronavirus. Twelve percent of the been saying that authorities should active,” said Nilkaji Shakya, chair- sions on precautions ahead of a ters. During its escape, the tiger had also people infected in the country were let go of their reactive mindset and man of Kathmandu’s Ward 25. possible second wave of infections. killed Hari Chandra Bot, who worked for residents of Kathmandu. take proactive measures to fight At a time when people were “We are preparing to talk,” said the Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre. The Ministry of Health and the virus. forced to live on an empty stomach, Shrestha. According to Baburam Lamichhane, a wildlife researcher, the tiger making an easy escape is unfortunate. “The tiger in Chitwan had climbed the tree inside the cage and jumped out of the cage that was open above. Later, the cell was covered from above with nets,” said Lamichhane, chief of the Biodiversity Conservation Centre, Sauraha, under the Nature Conservation Trust. “This is not unusual but should be con- sidered a mistake too. In Banke’s case, it seems we are not even serious about such confinement facilities. As such set-ups are mostly built on tender, no one gauged the strength of the iron rods, which proved inefficient to hold the tiger under control.” Lamichhane, who has conducted several pieces of research on tigers, feels that the chances of the same tiger attacking locals would be less but it cannot be ruled out entirely. “At a new place, it might not go near SHUTTERSTOCK human settlements. Also, the area has fewer Most tiger attacks have taken place on the Khata tigers and the fewer interactions with other Corridor, where at least six people have died. tigers could force the tiger to move on,” said Lamichhane. “Also, the psychological factor Shyam Shah, chief conservation officer that it was already captured and relocated at the Banke National Park, says the chanc- for attacking people and cattle might deter es of the tiger attacking locals or cattle in it from doing the same in Banke. It could Banke are slim. stay in its new territory.” “The cage from where it escaped was However, what could force the tiger to placed in the core area of the park. The wander into nearby human settlements tiger has marched deep inside the national once again is the lower availability of prey park. Since there are no human settlements inside the Banke National Park. The park and movements [in the middle], any nega- and its adjoining forests are home to a total tive interactions between locals and the of 21 tigers as per the latest count of 2018. tiger are unlikely,” Shah told the Post. “The The same census, which also measured tiger had attacked locals in Bardiya forests the available prey base in protected areas where they had come face-to-face with it.” sheltering tigers, showed that Banke In Bardiya, tigers have already killed National Park has the lowest prey presence nine people in different parts of the dis- among other tiger-bearing parks. The prey trict, causing massive havoc and fear among base in Banke had shrunk to 8.1 animals locals this fiscal year. Three deaths have per square km from 10.27per square km been recorded in March alone. since the 2013 census. Dalli Rawat, 62, of Mohnapur, “The park having the lowest prey availa- Thakurbaba Municipality, was the latest bility can force tigers to come out. Although victim of a tiger attack in Bardiya. She was attacking people is more accidental, the killed on Tuesday when she had entered tiger can still attack livestock, fuelling neg- deep inside the protected area in search of ative interaction with locals,” said fiddlehead ferns. Lamichhane. Most incidents of tiger attacks have taken “Argument that a tiger does not reach place along the Khata Corridor, where at least nearby human settlements just because it is six deaths this fiscal year have been reported deep inside the forest is not always true. from the area, according to officials. Studies have shown that tigers can cover The two tigers, including the one that several kilometres in one night.” escaped, were suspected to have taken the lives of some seven to eight per- sons and devoured dozens of livestock before their capture, according to the National Trust for Nature Conservation. Despite their suspected involvement in such attacks, park officials from Bardiya and Banke believe that the tiger is most likely to remain inside the pro- tected area. “The tiger will slowly adapt to the new habitat,” said Shah. “It has been

C M Y K THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021 | 06 WORLD BRIEFING India reports new virus variant, Myanmar’s junta frees No clear winner in Israel polls JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin hundreds of prisoners Netanyahu failed to secure a solid daily deaths at year’s high parliamentary majority in Israel’s election on Tuesday but a potential Yangon remains shut amid a silent strike against coup. deal with a rival rightist could make Several states announce ban on large gatherings ahead of Holi festival this weekend. him the eventual winner, TV exit polls showed. Not even a campaign in REUTERS Reuters that a seven-year-old girl had which Netanyahu showcased Israel’s REUTERS YANGON, MARCH 24 died of bullet wounds in the city - the world-beating Covid-19 vaccination NEW DELHI, MARCH 24 youngest of about 275 people killed in rollout could break through two years Myanmar’s junta freed hundreds of the bloody crackdown, according to of political deadlock underscored by India has detected a new “double demonstrators arrested during its the AAPP. four elections. Israel’s centre-left mutant variant” of the novel corona- brutal crackdown on protests on Soldiers shot at her father but hit made a better showing than expected, virus, the health ministry said on Wednesday, while many businesses in the girl who was sitting on his lap according to the exit polls, after high- Wednesday, adding to concern as the Yangon remained shut and streets inside their home, her sister told the lighting longstanding corruption alle- government struggles with the high- were deserted after anti-coup activists Myanmar Now media outlet. gations against Netanyahu and accus- est single-day tally of new infections called for a silent strike. Two men were also killed in the ing him of mishandling the pandem- and deaths this year. Several buses full of prisoners district, it said. ic. But like Netanyahu’s traditional Genome sequencing and analysis of drove out of Yangon’s Insein jail in the The military had no immediate bloc of right-wing and Jewish reli- samples from Maharashtra state morning, said witnesses, who includ- comment on the incident. gious parties, it also came up short of found mutations in the virus that do ed lawyers for some inmates. The Myanmar office of the United a governing majority in the 120-mem- not match previously catalogued “var- There was no immediate word from Nations children’s agency said “the ber parliament. iants of concern” (VOC), the ministry authorities on how many prisoners continuing use of force against chil- said in a statement. were freed. dren, including the use of live ammu- Maharashtra is one of India’s A spokesman for the military did nition, by security forces is taking a Dubai deputy ruler dies worst-affected states but the ministry not answer calls. devastating toll on children in DUBAI: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al said it was not clear if the new variant “All the released are the ones arrest- Myanmar.” Maktoum, Dubai’s deputy ruler and was causing an upsurge there or in ed due to the protests, as well as night for decades one of the most influen- other states. arrests or those who were out to buy tial figures in international horserac- “Though VOCs and a new double something,” said a member of a legal Among those freed ing, has died, Dubai’s ruler said on mutant variant have been found advisory group who said he saw Wednesday. Sheikh Hamdan, 75, was in India, these have not been detected around 15 buses leaving. was a journalist for the brother of Dubai’s current ruler, in numbers sufficient to either The Assistance Association for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid establish a direct relationship or AP/RSS Political Prisoners (AAPP) activist the Associated Press Artists make murals of characters wearing masks to spread awareness for the prevention of al-Maktoum. He had been unwell for explain the rapid increase in cases in group says at least 2,000 people Covid-19 in Mumbai on Wednesday. months and had surgery abroad in some states,” the ministry said in a have been arrested in the military who was arrested October. Sheikh Hamdan established statement. crackdown on the protests against last month. his first racing stable, Shadwell It did not elaborate. the Feb. 1 coup. Racing, in the UK in the 1980s and India has already reported several Capitalism, greed gave Britain its Among those freed on Wednesday, built it into a racing empire with his cases of a variant first detected in was Thein Zaw, a journalist for The horses in blue and white silks win- Britain, as well as ones first found in vaccine success, Johnson says Associated Press who was arrested UNICEF said in a statement that ning major international races. South Africa and Brazil. last month, AP reported, citing him since the crisis started at least 23 chil- On Wednesday, India reported 47,262 saying the judge had dropped the dren had been killed and at least 11 new infections over the previous LONDON: Capitalism and greed gave asked lawmakers repeatedly to “forget charges because he was doing his job others seriously injured. Taiwan to ration water for 24-hour period, the highest since early Britain its success in vaccinating its I said that”. at the time of his arrest. The junta has faced international November, taking its overall tally to population, Prime Minister Boris Britain has so far mounted the fast- Many businesses were closed condemnation for staging the coup 1 million households 11.7 million. Only the United States Johnson told lawmakers in a closed est Covid-19 vaccine programme of in Yangon, and few vehicles were that halted Myanmar’s slow transition TAIPEI: Taiwan will from next month and Brazil have higher caseloads. meeting, a remark that could rile up any big country. But it now finds its seen on the road in the country’s to democracy and for its lethal ration water for more than one mil- The number of deaths from Covid- Brussels at a time when Britain faces programme threatened by the EU, biggest city, witnesses said, after a suppression of the protests that lion households because of a drought, 19 in India in the previous 24 hours an EU threat to block vaccine imports. which has been far slower in rolling call by pro-democracy activists for a followed. Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua rose to 275, the most this year, “The reason we have the vaccine out vaccines and faces a third wave of silent strike. It has tried to justify the takeover by said on Wednesday. Sub-tropical taking the total to 160,441, government success is because of capitalism, infections. The European Commission “No going out, no shops, no work- saying a Nov. 8 election won by Aung Taiwan is experiencing its worst data showed. because of greed my friends,” The is expected on Wednesday to extend ing. All shut down. Just for one day,” San Suu Kyi’s National League for drought in half a century, after Several states announced a ban on Sun newspaper quoted Johnson as powers to block exports, a move that Nobel Aung, an illustrator and activ- Democracy (NLD) was fraudulent - an rain-soaking typhoons failed to make large gatherings ahead of the Hindu telling Conservative lawmakers on a could hit supply of doses bound for ist, told Reuters. accusation the electoral commission landfall last year, with shortages most festival of Holi this weekend. Zoom meeting on Tuesday evening. Britain. Johnson’s remarks come after “The usual meat and vegetables has rejected. Military leaders have severe across a swathe of western The health ministry said states Johnson then tried to row back and a week in which British ministers vendors on the street didn’t show up,” promised a new election but have not Taiwan, where most people live. were “strongly advised” to restrict said: “Actually I regret saying it” and have tried to calm the row. (REUTERS) said a resident of the city’s Mayangone set a date and have declared a state of Wang told reporters that from April 4, public observation of festivals. district. “No car noises, only birds.” emergency. water supplies in parts of Taichung “Any laxity at this point in ensuring A teacher in the Kyauktada district Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said and Miaoli would be cut for two days strict adherence ... to contain the Alarmed by the surge, the federal Total vaccinations in India, rank said the roads were deserted. “There on Tuesday 164 protesters had been every week, with water tankers spread of Covid-19, may result government has announced it was as world’s third highest, behind aren’t many people in the streets, only killed and expressed sadness at the being sent out to supply residents as in losing the impetus and benefits that expanding its nationwide inoculation the United States and China, but water delivery men,” the resident deaths, a day after the European needed. The government hopes the our country has gained so far in man- campaign to include everyone above its ranking is lower on a per said. Union and the United States imposed “plum rains” season will help replen- aging the virus,” the ministry said in the age of 45 years, and appealed to capita basis, the website Our World in The strike comes a day after staff at more sanctions on groups or individu- ish reservoirs. (AGENCIES) a statement. people to get vaccinated. Data showed. a funeral service in Mandalay told als linked to the coup.

Haunted by mass violence, Colorado confronts painful history

ASSOCIATED PRESS in the nation, in the same tier as far point in this country, so it makes sense DENVER, MARCH 24 larger states like California and that, in Columbine’s backyard, you’d Florida, according to Jillian Peterson, see more of them,” Peterson said. Dawn Reinfeld moved to Colorado 30 a criminology professor at Hamline The attack was nearly a generation years ago to attend college. Enchanted University in Minnesota. ago—the man police named Tuesday by the wide-open spaces, she stayed. But it is indelibly associated with as the gunman in the Boulder massa- But, in the ensuing decades, dark some of the most high-profile shoot- cre, Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, was born events have clouded her view of her ings. The massacre at Columbine three days before the Columbine adopted home. The 1999 massacre at High School is now viewed as the shooting. Columbine High School. The 2012 mas- bloody beginning of a modern era of Like many young Coloradans, sacre at the Aurora movie theater. On mass violence. Esteban Luevano, 19, only learned Wednesday, Reinfeld was reeling from And there are others with less about Columbine in school, as a trage- the latest mass shooting even closer to national prominence. In 2006, a gun- dy that occurred before he was born. home, after authorities say a 21-year- man killed a 16-year-old girl after But its long shadow terrified him as a old gunned down shoppers at a local storming a high school in the moun- child who wondered whether gunmen grocery store. tain town of Bailey. The next year, a could storm his school, too. “I could see at some point leaving gunman killed four people in two sep- Then, when Luevano was 11, anoth- because of all this,” said Reinfeld, a arate attacks on evangelical Christian er gunman opened fire at a movie gun control activist. churches in suburban Denver and theater near his house in Aurora, east Colorado has long been defined by Colorado Springs. Three people died of Denver and on the opposite side of its jagged mountains and an outdoor during a 2015 attack on a Planned the metro area from Columbine’s leafy lifestyle that lure transplants from Parenthood clinic in Colorado suburbs. Twelve people were killed around the country. But it’s also been Springs. In 2017, three people were and 70 wounded. haunted by shootings that have helped killed at a Walmart by a shooter whose The theatre has since been torn define the nation’s decades-long strug- motives were never known. In 2019, down and rebuilt. It sat empty on gle with mass violence. The day after 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo was Tuesday, shuttered during the pan- the latest massacre, many in the state killed fending off an armed attack by demic, as snow began to swirl and were wrestling with that history— two classmates at a suburban Denver Luevano bundled up to head into a AP/RSS wondering why the place they live high school. mall across the street. He was still A cargo ship, named the Ever Green, sits with its bow stuck into the wall on Wednesday after it turned sideways in Egypt’s Suez Canal, blocking seems to have become a magnet for The search for answers leaves reeling from the idea that the latest traffic in a crucial East-West waterway for global shipping. An Egyptian official warned it could take at least two days to clear the ship. such attacks. Why here—again? no easy explanations. Despite its Colorado community to join the grim “People now say, ‘gee, what is it Western image, Colorado has a fairly brotherhood was the tony, college about Colorado?’” said Tom Mauser, typical rate of gun ownership for the town of Boulder. whose son Daniel was killed at country, and its populated landscape Colorado has taken some action to Columbine High School in 1999. has more shopping centres than shoot- restrict access to guns. Mauser, now a gun control advocate, ing ranges. After each of Colorado’s biggest Sri Lanka faces scrutiny over war crimes was fielding phone calls in the wake Peterson, who has written about massacres, the local gun control move- of the new attack—among them was a mass shootings as a viral phenome- ment has gained heartbroken new panicked call from a friend whose non where one gunman is inspired by recruits. Survivors of Columbine and REUTERS capital Colombo, Foreign Minister daughter was shopping in the super- coverage of other attacks, says the family of the victims there helped GENEVA/NEW DELHI, MARCH 24 Dinesh Gunewardena said the market and just escaped the shooting. Columbine attack may be one reason push a ballot measure that required The UN vote was 22 resolution lacked authority as more Colorado isn’t the state with the Colorado has suffered so much. background checks for guns pur- UN human rights boss Michelle nations voted against or abstained most mass shootings—it ranks eighth “Columbine was the real turning chased at gun shows. Bachelet received a mandate on in favour with 11 than in favour. Those measures led to the recall of Tuesday to collect evidence of crimes against, including “The resolution was brought by two state senators, but the laws during Sri Lanka’s long civil war, countries supported by Western pow- endured. After the 2018 Parkland which ended in 2009 with the defeat of China and Pakistan, ers that want to dominate the Global shooting in Florida, the Colorado the separatist Tamil Tigers and an South,” he said. Sri Lanka’s UN envoy, Legislature passed laws allowing for upsurge of civilian deaths. and 14 abstentions. CA Chandraprema, called the text the confiscation of guns from people The UN believes 80,000-100,000 peo- “unhelpful and divisive”. engaged in threatening behaviour. ple died in the 26-year conflict, in Bachelet had in January urged Three years ago, the city of Boulder which the rebels sought to carve out a and there is no real hope that victims states to impose sanctions on former went further and banned assault separate state for the Tamil minority. will access justice,” she told Reuters. Sri Lankan military commanders, weapons. It has accused both sides of war The Geneva-based rights council including the current army chief, sus- Still, the appetite for gun rights sup- crimes. In the final months, the army adopted a resolution, spearheaded by pected of links to atrocities during the porters has not dissipated completely. pinned the Tigers into a tiny strip of Britain, giving Bachelet’s office new latter part of the war. Coloradans last year also elected northeastern coast in a ferocious staff, powers and a $2.8 million budget Rajapaksa, who served as the coun- Lauren Boebert, a Republican from a offensive, where the government says to look at Sri Lanka’s war, with a view try’s wartime defence chief, has main- rural district who said she wanted to the rebels kept thousands of civilians to future prosecutions. tained his innocence, and the case was carry a firearm on the floor of the as human shields, exacerbating the The vote was 22 in favour, with 11 withdrawn after he attained immuni- House of Representatives. death toll. against including China and Pakistan, ty on becoming president in 2019. Not all touched by the state’s histo- “It is hugely significant for vic- and 14 abstentions including neigh- The UN forum’s resolution also ry of massacres have become gun tims,” said Yasmin Sooka, a rights bouring India. “Impunity has become expressed alarm at new signs of dete- control backers. Brian Rohrbough, lawyer involved in a civil prosecution more entrenched, progress in emblem- riorating rights in Sri Lanka. These whose son Daniel was killed at against Sri Lanka’s current President atic cases has stalled,” British ambas- included putting military officers in Columbine, said he gets frustrated Gotabaya Rajapaksa for alleged war sador Julian Braithwaite said, pre- charge of civilian government every time political activists pick up crimes, after the U.N. Human Right senting the text for a group including functions, an erosion of judicial the issue after massacres. Council resolution. Canada, Germany, Malawi, independence, and impunity and AP/RSS “We’re reaping what we’ve sown “It really is a recognition that at the Montenegro and North Macedonia. political obstruction of accountability A woman walks by an anti-gun sign on the way to leave flowers for her friend who was killed at because we’re afraid, as a state, as a domestic level, processes have failed At a press conference in Sri Lanka’s for crimes. the Boulder King Soopers shooting on Monday. country, to call evil evil,” he said.

C M Y K 07 | THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021 MONEY

FOREX US Dollar 116.40 Proposed Kathmandu-Raxaul Indian IPO fundraising Euro 137.74 Pound Sterling 159.84 at 13-year peak Japanese Yen 10.71 rail project moves a step ahead Chinese Yuan 17.85 REUTERS major countries in Asia. The line will cost $3.15 billion and link the Capital with the Indian railway network. BENGALURU, MARCH 24 After surging 31 percent from Qatari Riyal 31.97 November 2020 through mid-February Australian Dollar 88.73 Indian fundraising via IPOs is at a 2021, India’s main NSE Nifty 50 PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA 13-year high as a flood of foreign stock index has corrected slightly in Malaysian Ringit 28.18 KATHMANDU, MARCH 24 money and unprecedented interest March and some analysts have from mom-and-pop investors spur raised concerns over high valuations, Saudi Arab Riyal 31.04 Nepal and India have moved ahead to more listings, making India one of the but companies filing for IPOs appear Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank prepare a detailed project report for a hottest IPO markets in 2021. unfazed. broad-gauge rail line between Indian companies have raised $2.2 “There is a strong momentum in the Shares Kathmandu and Raxaul that will link billion through initial public offerings IPO markets, and we are seeing an the capital with the Indian railway (IPOs) so far this year, the highest increased interest from companies Nepse 2,570.25pts 1.63% network and provide access to all amount since 2008, Refinitiv data across sectors looking to raise capital Indian cities showed. That follows $9.2 billion last in the near term,” said Sandip Khetan, HIGHEST GAINERS A cabinet meeting on March 9 gave year, the third biggest behind the a partner at consultancy EY in STC HIDCL CGH RSDC MHNL KPCL 10% 9.97% 9.95% 9.94% 9.92% 9.76% an in-principle approval to the United States and China, thanks to a Gurugram, India. Ministry of Physical Infrastructure POST FILE PHOTO flurry of listings in late 2020. Many technology-based Indian MODERATE GAINERS and Transport to sign a memorandum The Indian side has proposed to build four lines to connect Raxaul with Kathmandu. Heavy foreign investor flows into startups, backed by marquee global CLBSL NRN WOMI NIFRA RHPC FMDBL 8.22% 8.2% 8.06% 7.59% 7.45% 7.26% of understanding with India to shares, massive federal spending and investors, could also go public in the create a plan for the proposed $3.15 Kumar Bhattarai, spokesperson for connecting Raxaul and Kathmandu. strong corporate earnings have driven near future, which would only attract MODERATE LOSERS NHDL MEN SFMF EICPO JFL AHPC billion project. the ministry. “Once this railway is As per the joint statement issued at Indian markets to record highs this more foreign investors, Khetan added. -1.3% -1.4% -1.44% -1.5% -1.54% -1.58% The train link to the Indian border constructed, goods can be transported that time, the objective of construct- year, encouraging more firms to tap Record levels of participation from

HIGHEST LOSERS town of Raxaul, which will be 136 km directly to Kathmandu from India and ing the railway is to expand connectiv- public markets. Indian individual investors, particu- AKJCL JOSHI KKHC UPPER SJCL RRHP to 198 km long, is seen as New Delhi’s third countries.” ity to enhance people-to-people linkag- “If you want to be in Asia, but don’t larly in public listings, has also -1.96% -2.29% -2.34% -2.88% -3.21% -3.6% attempt to counter Chinese influence Currently, shipments originating es and promote economic growth and want all your eggs in one basket, the propped up IPOs. in Nepal. The cabinet meeting also overseas are brought to the inland development. China basket, India is the easiest New investors, as measured by decided to delegate authority to the container depot in Birgunj by rail and In August 2018, the two sides option to go for. It’s large, liquid, and so-called “demat” investor accounts, PRICE PER TOLA director general of Nepal’s transferred to Kathmandu and other exchanged a memorandum of under- got a low correlation with China,” reached a record 51.5 million in BULLION Department of Railway to sign the locations by road. standing to carry out a preliminary said Herald van der Linde, head of January, rising by roughly 1 million memorandum with its Indian counter- According to the Department of engineering-cum-traffic survey of Asia equity strategy at HSBC. every month from the 39.5 million Fine Gold Rs 86,700 part, the head of India’s state-owned Railway, the Chinese side has also the broad-gauge line. India had The stimulus unleashed by central in January 2020, according to data Konkan Railways Corporation. been working on a detailed feasibility designated Konkan Railway banks globally in response to the from the Securities and Exchange Silver Rs 1,240 Konkan Railways Corporation has study for the proposed Rasuwagadhi- Corporation to undertake the study. Covid-19 pandemic also has driven Board of India. already prepared a pre-feasibility Kathmandu railway remotely due to The railway company has completed a flows from foreign investors into “What you’re seeing is local compa- SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA study of the proposed broad-gauge the coronavirus pandemic. preliminary survey. many emerging market shares, par- nies are being bought by local inves- railway project. Indian broad-gauge After the Indian blockade in 2015-16, Konkan has signed a contract agree- ticularly India, where they have tors. You could say ‘India is buying tracks have a width of 1,676 mm. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had ment with Nepal’s Department of invested $6.1 billion in January- India’. That’s a healthy trend for GASOLINE WATCH “Once the Indian government made an attempt to improve connec- Railway to supply two 1600 HP DEMU February, the highest among seven IPOs,” van der Linde said. approves the draft of the memoran- tivity with China. On a visit to China (diesel electric multiple unit) train dum of understanding, the two rail- in March 2016 during Oli’s first stint sets. They will run between Kurtha, way departments will sign a formal as prime minister, Nepal had request- Nepal and Jayanagar, India. agreement to seal the deal,” Keshav ed the northern neighbour to provide As per the survey report, construc- Kumar Sharma, chief of the develop- financial and technical support to pre- tion of the proposed railway will need ment assistance coordination and pare a feasibility study and detailed an investment of $2.66 to $3.15 billion, quality department at the Ministry of project report for the Rasuwagadhi- in addition to land acquisition, taxes Physical Infrastructure and Kathmandu and Kathmandu-Pokhara- on imports of various technical and Transport, told the Post. Lumbini railway projects. other materials. “The detailed project report is When Chinese President Xi Jinping The Indian side has proposed to expected to take around one and a half visited Nepal in October 2019, China build four lines to connect Raxaul years to complete.” According to him, had agreed to prepare a detailed pro- with Kathmandu. The construction is the Indian government will bear the ject report for the Rasuwagadhi rail- expected to take five years after clear- cost of preparing it. way. With China prioritising connec- ance of the land from the Nepal side. After China moved to help Nepal tivity with Nepal under its Belt and According to a report prepared by build a Rasuwagadhi-Kathmandu rail- Road Initiative, India also initiated a Konkan Railway Corporation, four way in a bid to enhance cross-border number of connectivity projects like different alternative lanes have been connectivity, India responded with a railways, waterways and roads and proposed to be built. Their lengths proposal for the Kathmandu-Raxaul proposed to build the Kathmandu- range from 136 km to 198 km. railway project, analysts said. Raxaul railway. After finishing the detailed project “India has shown interest in devel- During Oli’s state visit to India in report, the Indian company will pro- oping this project and Nepal also April 2018, the two neighbours had vide recommendations on which route needs the link to improve our trans- agreed to construct a new electrified will be most feasible and suitable for REUTERS port infrastructure,” said Deepak rail line with Indian financial support investment. A man wearing a protective mask walks past the Bombay Stock Exchange building in Mumbai. BIZLINE India to launch drive for Groups push US to eliminate travel curbs Nabil Bank launches ASSOCIATED PRESS vaccinated against Covid-19 to be More than 1 million people have US dollar ‘Nabil iCard’ WASHINGTON, MARCH 24 exempt from testing requirements passed through US airport check- electric vehicle players before entering the United States. points each of the last 11 days, with Airlines and other tourism-related They also want the US Centres for Sunday’s total topping more than 1.5 REUTERS nies will be able to apply for incen- businesses are pushing the White Disease Control and Prevention million for the first time in more than NEW DELHI, MARCH 24 tives from April 1, the sources said. House to draw up a plan in the next to say that vaccinated people can a year. Passenger traffic is still below Companies will receive 4-7 percent five weeks to boost international trav- travel safely. 2019 levels, however. India plans to offer fresh incentives to government cashbacks on the eligible el and eliminate restrictions that were The groups say those and other The organizations calling for relax- companies making electric vehicles sale and export value of vehicles and imposed early in the pandemic. steps will speed up the recovery of the ing international restrictions include (EVs) as part of a broad auto sector components, but for EVs and their More than two dozen groups made travel and airline industries, which the chief trade group for the nation’s scheme it expects to attract $14 billion components there is an additional 2 their request in a letter to the White have been devastated by a plunge in largest carriers, Airlines for America, of investment over five years, accord- percent as a “growth incentive” to House on Monday. travel during the pandemic. the US Travel Association and the US ing to industry sources and a docu- promote electric mobility, according They want people who have been US air travel is already picking up. Chamber of Commerce. KATHMANDU: Nabil Bank has launched ment seen by Reuters. to the draft policy document seen a new international card called Nabil The country’s efforts to promote by Reuters. iCard that lets you pay in Rupees for EVs to reduce its oil dependence and Elon Musk’s Tesla Inc is already transactions in Dollars from Nepal in cut pollution have been stymied so far gearing up to enter India while rivals line with the recent circular issued by a lack of investment and weak including Ford, Volkswagen and by the Nepal Rastra Bank regarding demand, as well as the patchwork India’s Tata Motors and Mahindra & international prepaid card. This card nature of existing incentives that vary Mahindra also have plans to invest enables general customers with from state to state. billions of dollars in EVs to meet active Nabil savings/current The new automotive sector scheme, stricter global emissions regulations. accounts and PAN card to avail US however, has been under discussion Automotive component manufac- Dollar Nabil iCard of up to $500 per since mid-2020 to provide a more turers in India must be ready to pivot year, reads the press release issued by focused approach, industry sources their product offerings to cater for the the bank. With the help of Nabil close to the matter told Reuters. The shift towards EVs, the document said. iCard, customers will be able to pay plans envisage $8 billion of incentives The automotive incentive scheme is for a host of international e-com- for carmakers and suppliers over a part of India’s broader $27 billion pro- merce transactions around the world five-year period to drive large invest- gramme to attract manufacturers (except India). The payments can be ment in the sector. from the likes of China and Vietnam made for either products or services Final details of the scheme are to capture a bigger share of the global as per the customer’s needs. expected within a month, but compa- supply chain and exports. Locked-down Europe: Cash to spend, nowhere to spend it

REUTERS euro zone economy from about now, BERLIN/PARIS, MARCH 24 kickstarting a local recovery that is It is unclear when already expected to lag well behind Only a few weeks ago, many European that of the United States. countries were hoping their more and if record levels But new restrictions such as those affluent citizens would by now have of private savings in Germany and France, the euro started spending nest eggs built up zone’s two largest economies, cloud during the pandemic to trigger a con- will convert into a such hopes. The French Finance sumer-led recovery in the region’s Ministry believes new month-long economy. spending boom. measures announced last week target- But with the spread of Covid-19 ing non-essential retail in Paris and prompting new lockdowns across the parts of the north will have minimal continent and vaccine campaigns While the pandemic has either impact on the economy. behind schedule, it is still unclear threatened or destroyed the liveli- But private sector economists are when—or indeed if—record levels of hoods of millions, those lucky enough less optimistic, with credit insurer private savings will finally convert to have kept working have in many Euler Hermes trimming its 2021 into a much-needed spending boom. cases bolstered their savings growth forecast by half a percentage Daniel Krupka, managing director accounts as national restrictions point to 5.4 percent. of a technology think tank based in deprive them of opportunities to “If the latest health measures don’t Berlin, is a case in point. After spend their cash. exceed the 4 weeks currently planned, Germany on Monday extended its In Germany, savings as a proportion we can expect a big catch-up effect in lockdown, he cancelled a one-week of disposable incomes rose to a record the second quarter which would help family holiday on the Baltic Sea island 16.2 percent last year compared to 10.9 offset the impact of the new lock- of Hiddensee booked for April. percent in 2019. In France, that rate downs,” Euler Hermes France econo- “We probably would have spent up stood at 22.2 percent in the fourth mist Selin Ozyurt said. to 2,000 euros, but this won’t happen quarter of last year, second only to a The same holds true in Germany, now,” Krupka said. record 27.5 percent in the second quar- where the Bundesbank in December “Maybe we can spend a week on ter. Savings in Italy and Spain have predicted the economy would grow 3 Hiddensee later in the year, but I’m also risen strongly. percent this year based on the assump- also thinking about using the money Forecasters and policymakers had tion that containment measures would now for bringing down our mortgage hoped this reserve of enforced savings be loosened in spring as more and with an extra repayment to the bank.” would start to be unleashed on the more people received a vaccine.

C M Y K THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021 | 08 SPORTS | MEDLEY BRIEFING Nepal eye full points against Kyrgyzstan youth team Iachini returns to Fiorentina MILAN: Giuseppe Iachini has been The hosts axe team regulars, including Nawayug Shrestha and George Prince Karki, from the final squad as they start the Three Nations Cup journey today. named as Fiorentina coach just over four months after being sacked fol- lowing the surprise resignation of NEPAL SQUAD Cesare Prandelli, the Serie A club announced on Wednesday. Prandelli Goalkeepers: Kiran Kumar Limbu (Captain), took over in early November from Bikesh Kuthu, Deep Karki 56-year-old Iachini who had been in Defenders: Ranjit Dhimal, Nishan Khadka, Rohit the post less than a year. “(Iachini) Chand, Ananta Tamang, Dinesh Rajbanshi, Ajit will direct training and will resume Bhandari, Biraj Maharjan, Tshring Gurung contact with the team this morning,” Midfielders: Tridev Gurung, Sujal Shrestha, the Tuscany outfit said. La Viola Tej Tamang, Arik Bista, Sanjog Rai, Bishal Rai, dropped two places under Prandelli Sunil Bal, Rabi Shankar Paswan and are 14th, seven points above the Forwards: Anjan Bista, Darshan Gurung, relegation zone, with their next game Abhishek Rijal, Bharat Khawas at Genoa on April 3. Prandelli stood down on Tuesday with the former Italy coach explaining in a letter he qualifiers against Jordan, Chinese was unable to follow the current Taipei and Australia.” rhythm of football. “I came here to “This is just a friendly event and the give 100 percent, but as soon as I had new players named in the squad are the feeling that this was no longer technically and tactically sound as possible, for the good of all I decided well as hard working,” added to take my step back,” the 63-year-old Maharjan, who expects playing at the said. “I am aware that my coaching home turf will offer the team advan- career can end here.” Ex-Fiorentina tage over the rivals. player Iachini has managed Italian As Kyrgyzstan could make an early teams including Sampdoria, Palermo, exit with a defeat and Bangladesh Sassuolo and Udinese. being in a comparatively comfortable situation after a win in the first match, Mahrajan said his side were also in Poland midfielder Klich tests pressure. “There is pressure in every match. positive for coronavirus Right now we should focus on the next WARSAW: Leeds’ Poland midfielder match rather than Bangladesh,” said Mateusz Klich has contracted corona- Maharjan. virus, the Polish Football Association It will be the first occasion that the (PZPN) said on Wednesday, on the eve full strength national side will be play- of a World Cup qualifier against ing at the Dasharath Stadium after Hungary. “Mateusz Klich has tested more than six years as it was being positive,” PZPN spokesman Jakub POST PHOTO: HEMANTA SHRESTHA restored after the 2015 earthquake. Kwiatkowski said on Twitter. “The Former national team captain Biraj Maharjan (right) is set to announce his retirement from international football during the Three Nations Cup football tournament. National captain Kiran Kumar player feels well and shows no symp- Limbu said that his side was excited to toms of the disease, but his trip to SPORTS BUREAU final. The top two teams in the and midfielders Tridev Gurung and Bharat Khawas in the attacking play at the Dasharath Stadium after a Budapest is ruled out,” he said. KATHMANDU, MARCH 24 round-robin league will play the title Sanjog Rai making it in the national department. long time and with spectators at the Thursday’s match will be the first for decider on Monday. team for the first time. Some of the first-team regulars stands. Speaking about the new make- Poland’s new coach Paulo Sousa. As Nepal embark on their journey of Maharjan noted that the Central Former captain Biraj Maharjan has have been left out from the squad. up of the team, he said, “It was really They will host Andorra in Warsaw on the Three Nations Cup with a match Asian youth side were in a do-or-die also been included in the team for Those players include forwards tough for the coach because it is a Sunday before playing England at against Kyrgyzstan U-23 team on situation and they will try to come up what is to be his final match in the Nawayug Shrestha and George Prince challenging job to finalise the squad. Wembley on March 31. Klich has had Thursday, national team head coach with their best performance. national jersey. The veteran defender, Karki and Ashish Lama; midfielders The team is balanced and best among a strong season in the Premier Bal Gopal Maharjan said that his side “Though they could not play to our who is returning to the national outfit Santosh Tamang and Hemanta Thapa; the best have made the cut.” League scoring three goals so far. will play with a singular objective of expectations in the opening match after almost a year, will announce his defenders Palsang Lama, Suraj BK Kyrgyzstan coach Zholdoshov taking points. against Bangladesh, we will not take retirement after the tournament. and Bikash Khawas; and goalkeepers Nurbek said his side would come up “We should not lose points while them lightly. Maybe it was their first Injured defender Ananta Tamang Bishal Shrestha and Bishal Sunar. with improved performance against Italy striker Kean out of World playing against Kyrgyzstan. Our match and they could not adjust prop- has returned to the team but whether Defending his decision to axe star Nepal after facing defeat against effort will be to grab the full three erly. But if we play to our potential, we he will get the playing time is still forward Nawayug Shrestha, coach Bangladesh. Cup qualifiers due to fatigue points and if not, we must secure at could get the results in our favour,” uncertain. Maharjan said: “The selection was “The players failed to believe in MILAN: Italy striker Moise Kean has least one point,” said Maharjan. said Maharjan. Star midfielder cum defender Rohit made after judgment of their perfor- their capability in the first half been ruled out of upcoming World Kyrgyzstan, who lost the kick-off Maharjan has announced a 23-mem- Chand is expected to spearhead the mance of last three months training. against Bangladesh but they played Cup qualifiers because of “fatigue”, match 1-0 against Bangladesh on ber final squad for the tournament, defence line with Ranjit Dhimal and The new players were selected keep- better in the second half. We will try to the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) Tuesday, must beat Nepal or play a with goalie Deep Karki, defenders Dinesh Rajbanshi supporting him. ing in view of the upcoming matches give our best against Nepal and get announced on Wednesday. The draw to keep their hopes alive for the Nishan Khadka and Chhiring Gurung Anjan Bista is likely to pair up with of the World Cup and Asian Cup joint results in our favour,” he said. 21-year-old Kean, who is on loan this season at Paris Saint-Germain from Premier League side Everton, has been released to return to the French club. “Kean has suffered from a state of fatigue that makes him unavailable FIFA hands former president Blatter new ban over bonuses for the next matches of the national team against Northern Ireland, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE suspension extended by the same Blatter, who is 85, received 23 mil- Valcke, the 60-year-old Frenchman Blatter was forced to stand down as Bulgaria and Lithuania,” the FIGC LAUSANNE, MARCH 24 amount. lion Swiss francs ($24.6 million, 20.7 who was Blatter’s right-hand man dur- FIFA president in 2015 and was origi- said in a statement. “For this reason, The new bans will only come into million euros) in “extraordinary ing his 17-year reign at the head of nally banned by FIFA for eight years, Kean was excluded from the list of FIFA banned its former president force when the current bans on Blatter bonuses” linked to the 2010 World Cup football’s world governing body, later reduced to six, over ethics the Azzurri squad and this morning Sepp Blatter until 2028 on Wednesday and Valcke for corruption, which last in South Africa and the 2014 World received 30 million Swiss francs over breaches when he was found to have he will return to his club Paris Saint- after handing him a new suspension till October this year and October Cup in Brazil as well as the the same period, the committee said. authorised a two-million-euro “disloy- Germain.” Italy play Northern of six years and eight months for 2025, end. Confederations Cup tournament in FIFA said Blatter and Valcke had al payment” to former UEFA presi- Ireland in Parma on Thursday, fol- receiving huge bonuses. FIFA’s Ethics Committee said it had Brazil that preceded it, the Ethics violated the Code of Ethics by “offer- dent Michel Platini. Valcke was ini- lowed by Bulgaria three days later Former FIFA secretary-general also fined each man one million Swiss Committee said in a summary of its ing and accepting gifts or other bene- tially banned for 12 years but it was and Lithuania on March 31. (AGENCIES) Jerome Valcke also had his existing francs. decision. fits” and through “abuse of position”. reduced to 10 years on appeal. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) ***** CANCER (June 22-July 22) **** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) ***** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) *** Finally, peace returns with Thursday’s cosmos, You possess a wealth of skills that you As a Libra, you naturally invite social interac- Capricorn people aren’t always willing to deal Aries! The moon spends the day prowling forget to activate in your day-to-day, Cancer. tion. Sometimes you do this without even mean- with their messier emotions. It’s easier for you through playful Leo, focusing your energy on You’re ready to revisit those precious inner ing to! Wednesday’s skies encourage you to to stow them away, hoping they’ll simply disap- any creative passion projects you’ve left on the resources and figure out how to use them more actively involve yourself with your allies, your pear. Thursday’s skies encourage you to sit with back-burner. effectively. social network, and your group of friends. your feelings and reach a deeper understanding.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) ***** LEO (July 23-August 22) **** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) **** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) **** As a Taurus, part of your life’s work is learning Today, Leo the moon cruises through your sign You’re getting closer to your calling, Scorpio. Thursday’s skies offer some welcome relief after not to over-complicate things. Simplicity is with little opposition, helping smooth over any For the time being, you’re asked to look deep a difficult week, Aquarius. The moon roams restorative, and Thursday’s skies gently remind rough patches that emerged in the last few days. within before you can enjoy the flourishing through romantic-connoisseur Leo all day, con- you of that. The day will be imbued with an It’s an ideal day for pampering and nurturing fruit above ground. Today you will focus your tinuing to direct your attention towards your uplifted sense of faith towards your highest yourself—however you see fit. attention on your current career trajectory. most intimate one-on-ones. aspirations.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) *** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) *** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) ** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** It’s easy to slip into a state of mental overload It hasn’t been an easy week thus far, Virgo. Today you need regular departures from the You’re likely to be deeply aware of any imbal- today, Gemini. This is a tendency you’re already Fortunately, Thursday’s skies are something of familiar to feel sane. You may feel deeply aware ances in your life today, Pisces. It’s an ideal day used to wrestling with, but try to be extra on top a soothing balm for the rough patches of your current emotional state under this to sync back up with your body and curb any of it today to avoid burnout. Today you will you’ve had to endure. The moon meanders influence. You can find an outlet for these feel- overindulgences. Today you will deepen your dream big and explore new visions. through lazy Leo, encouraging solitude, medita- ings by getting out of the ordinary. connection to your current emotional state. tive practices. CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K 09 | THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021 SPORTS England win ‘one of the sweetest’ for Kohli Fernando leads Sri Lanka India defeated England by 66 runs in Pune in the first one-day international to lead the three-match ODI series 1-0. fightback in first Test

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE NORTH SOUND, ANTIGUA, MARCH 24

Oshada Fernando and Lahiru Thirimanne led a Sri Lankan fight- back as the tourists reached 255 for four in their second innings, a lead of 153, at close of play on the third day of the first Test against the West Indies in Antigua on Tuesday. With the other Fernando in the team, fast-medium bowler Visha, doing just what was required in the taking the last two West Indies first innings wickets at the start of the day to dismiss the home side for 271, it was the fluent middle-order batsman Oshada who starred with an innings of 91 in a 162-run second wicket part- nership with Thirimanne. Fernando, in just his eighth Test, came to crease in the fifth over of the innings when his captain Dimuth Karunaratne, failed for the second time in the match, driving loosely at Kemar Roach to give John Campbell a straightforward catch at third slip. The 28-year-old Fernando was given a life on 17 when he was dropped at leg-slip by Jason Holder off off-spin- ner Rahkeem Cornwall but looked assured throughout his innings which spanned 149 deliveries and included 11 fours. Fernando appeared destined for a second Test hundred until West Indies AP/RSS skipper Kraigg Brathwaite, in what Prasidh Krishna (third left) returned ODI figures of 4-54 on his debut and Shardul Thakur bagged 3-37 to bowl out England, who were chasing 318 for victory, for 251 in 42.1 overs. was either a moment of inspiration or AFP/RSS desperation, brought on Kyle Mayers Oshada Fernando scored 91 to help Sri AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Prasidh Krishna, who returned ODI deserved to win,” said England cap- Stokes struck first with his pace as his seventh bowler of the innings. Lanka fight their way back and finish the PUNE, MARCH 24 figures of 4-54, a best by an Indian on tain Eoin Morgan. “Being able to take bowling, claiming Rohit Sharma The occasional medium-pacer met third day against the West Indies on 255-4. debut, and fellow quick bowler the attack to the opposition is some- caught behind for 28. He returned fig- with instant success as Fernando India skipper Virat Kohli said Shardul Thakur shared seven wickets thing that we pride ourselves on. We ures of 3-34 from eight overs. pushed at his first ball, a full-length “I think this is a good batting pitch Tuesday’s 66-run win over England between them and turned the game on want to continue to push the envelope Dhawan put on 105 for the second delivery just outside off-stump, and because it has flattened out nicely,” was “one of the sweetest” after his its head after the Bairstow-Roy blitz. in that regard. It’s better for us to lose wicket with Kohli. He made his 31st edged a catch to wicketkeeper Joshua said Mayers in assessing the day’s toil, bowlers hit back following a Krishna broke the stand to send like this than losing by 20 runs.” ODI fifty with a six off leg-spinner Da Silva. even with his double-strike. batting onslaught in the first one-day back Roy for 46 and then struck in his The away side have fitness worries Adil Rashid. Mayers then removed Dinesh “They had the upper hand today but international. next over with the key wicket of Ben after Sam Billings “sprained his collar Kohli reached a run-a-ball fifty but Chandimal in almost identical fashion the game is still evenly poised. Chasing 318 for victory, the tourists Stokes for one. He nearly got his third bone joint” and skipper Morgan need- fell for 56 to pace bowler Mark Wood. two overs later. “We just need to pick up two early were bowled out for 251 in 42.1 overs on the next ball when Morgan edged ed four stitches on the webbing “If I had stayed with Shikhar When Roach returned for another wickets (on the fourth day) and things despite Jonny Bairstow’s 94 and his his first ball to Kohli at slip but the between his thumb and index finger. around that 40-over period we could spell and bowled the obdurate can look very differently.” opening stand of 135 with Jason Roy India captain dropped the catch. On the injuries Morgan said, “we have got 350,” said Kohli. “England hit Thirimanne for 76 to follow his first Earlier, West Indian hopes of to trail the three-match series 1-0. Thakur soon took over from are going to wait 48 hours, see how it some amazing shots, and scores will innings top score of 70, Sri Lanka extending their 99-run overnight lead Shikhar Dhawan hit 98 while KL Krishna to deny Bairstow his hundred is. Give them as much time as needed be high scoring moving forward, and were wobbling at 189 for four. ended in the second over of the day Rahul, 62 not out, and Krunal Pandya, after getting the opener caught at deep to hopefully be available for Friday we’ll look to get bigger scores moving Just when the West Indies might when Vishwa Fernando bowled unbeaten 58 off 31 balls, steered midwicket.He then struck twice in his (second ODI). “When you have a split forward.” have sensed a chance to sweep away Cornwall for a top score of 61 and then the hosts to 317-5 after being put into next over to send back Morgan, for 22, webbing fielding is a concern and Dhawan, who hit 11 fours and two the rest of the Sri Lankan batting, trapped last man Shannon Gabriel bat first. and Jos Buttler, lbw for two, as with Sam obviously landing while he sixes in his 106-ball knock, fell short Dhananjaya de Silva and debutant leg-before without scoring. “This is one of our sweetest victo- England slipped further to 176-5. is fielding.” of his hundred after he mistimed a Pathum Nissanka featured in an Suranga Lakmal missed out the tail ries in the recent past,” skipper Virat Moeen Ali made a fighting 30 before For India, left-hander Pandya, who pull off Stokes. unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of but ended with career-best Test Kohli said in the post-match presenta- falling to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who played alongside his younger brother Pandya completed his 50 in 26 balls 66 and will resume on the fourth innings figures of five for 47, an tion. “It is right up there purely combined with Pandya and Krishna to Hardik Pandya, put on an unbroken to record the fastest fifty for an ODI morning seeking to extend their over- improvement on the fast-medium because from 135-1 getting nine wick- wipe out the tail. stand of 112 with wicketkeeper-bats- debutant and later choked up with all lead beyond 250 to give themselves bowler’s previous best of five for 54 ets is simply outstanding. I am a real- “We need to execute better than we man Rahul as India finished with a emotion while dedicating the innings a fighting chance of pulling off a against New Zealand in the Boxing ly, really proud man right now.” did today. India did really well and flourish. to his father who died in January. come-from-behind victory. Day Test in Christchurch in 2018. Nagarkoti and Tamang share lead

PHOTO COURTESY: NPGA Thirteenth South Asian Games gold medallist Niraj Tamang (pictured) is jointly on top with Nepal number one golfer Bhuwan Nagarkoti.

SPORTS BUREAU back nine, he made birdie on 10th hole against bogey on the 10th hole for DHARAN, MARCH 24 but dropped shot on the 14th and suf- one-under 33. fered double-bogey on the 17th hole for Jayaram scored two-over 38 on the Bhuwan Nagarkoti and Niraj Tamang two-over 36. front nine with birdies on first, shared lead after the first round in the Thirteenth South Asian Games gold second, third and ninth holes, he Dharan Open Golf Tournament at the medallist Tamang made birdies on dropped shots on fourth, fifth, sixth, Par-70 Dharan Golf Club, in Dharan fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth holes eighth and double bogey on seventh. on Wednesday. for four-under 32 on the front nine. On On the back nine, he carded birdie Both Nagarkoti and Tamang fired the back nine, he made birdies on 12th on 13th and eagle on 18th against three-under 67 on the open- drop shot on 11th hole for ing day of the second event two-under 32. under the Surya Nepal Golf A total of 43 golfers, includ- Tour 2020-21. ing 32 professionals and 11 Bal Bhadra Rai, Sukra amateurs, are taking part in Bahadur Rai, and Jayaram the event. Cut will be applied Shrestha shot even-par 70. after 36 holes of play, top 21 Surya Prasad Sharma card- professionals and ties along ed one-over 71. Deepak with top 6 amateurs and Acharya, Sanjay Lama, those who survive the profes- Krishna Man Rajbahak, and sional cut will play the final Amateur Yubraj Bhujel scored two- and 16th holes but made bogeys 18 holes. over 72. Rabi Khadka and Dinesh on 13th, 17th and 18th holes for The tournament, part of the Surya Prajapati carded three-over 73. Deepak one-over 35. Nepal Golf Tour, is sponsored by Magar, Rame Magar, and Pashupati Another South Asian Games gold Dharan sub-metropolitan city and Sharma were at four-over 74. medallist Rai one-over 37 on the front supported by the Himalayan Reserve, Nepal number one Nagarkoti card- nine with birdies on fifth and sixth RC Cola, and Magic Footwear. The ed five under 31 on the front nine with holes against bogeys on first, fourth event is managed by Professional the help of birdies on second, fifth, and ninth holes. On the back nine, he Golfers Association Nepal and Dharan sixth, seventh and ninth holes. On the made birdies on 11th and 12th holes Golf Club.

C M Y K THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021 | 10 CULTURE & LIFESTYLE (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 An artist preserves Wuhan’s Covid memories A year on, Yang Qian is channeling memories of the pandemic into her artwork to preserve the memory of the central Chinese city’s 76-day lockdown that upturned the lives of some 11 million people.

AP/RSS Chinese artist Yang Qian uses dots to recreate an aerial view of Wuhan, China, under lockdown at her studio in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei province.

EMILY WANG FUJIYAMA myself. I also hope that much of the histo- willing to accept the pair, but was told virus. In tears, she went to a hospital to of the pandemic,” said entrepreneur and WUHAN ry should not be forgotten,” Yang said. that no ambulances were available. get tested and began writing her will. friend Michael Liu. A painter by trade, she felt helpless in With public transportation closed, the After what she calls the longest hour of “Unifying art and thoughts, and taking cribbled instructions for incom- the face of an unknown virus ravaging only solution was to bicycle to the hospi- her life waiting for the results, she was action, is something that many of us can- ing patients plastered on the her beloved hometown in January 2020. tal, with Yang leading the way. given the all-clear. not do,” he said. window of a silent hospital Fear gripped the city as authorities At the reception desk, she saw instruc- One year on, Wuhan has largely Yang is currently working on a wall- reception counter. A lone worker abruptly shut its residents in their homes tions for new patients haphazardly taped returned to normal, its streets bustling size aerial view of Wuhan under lock- in a hazmat suit, steadily spray- and froze transport links on January 23. on its window, some scribbled by hand. with shoppers, its nightclubs throbbing down, with individual residents repre- ing disinfectant in an empty hos- Two days later, she began volunteering Stretched to their limit, hospital staff until dawn and pensioners dancing to a sented by black ink dots. It’s an expres- Spital hallway. with a group delivering protective cloth- would point to the window instead of Chinese rendition of a Katy Perry song sion of their unity in pulling through the Such scenes from the height of the ing, masks and other supplies around answering questions. along the neon-lit Yangtze River. Only the crisis, as well as unseen pain. coronavirus pandemic in Wuhan— hospitals. Over the course of four months, “It made me feel a kind of oppression, a face masks that residents dutifully wear She senses that pain still in speaking moments of fear and desperation as well she and a fellow volunteer delivered some kind of fear,” Yang said. “Everyone, espe- provide a visual reminder of the pandem- with residents and survivors who have as unity and resilience—are etched in the 90,000 sets of protective clothing and cially the doctors, are spending time only ic’s impact. become depressed or retreated from mind of artist Yang Qian. around 450,000 face masks. to rescue patients.” “What I see is the unity of our city, our social life. One year on, she is channeling those As she made her rounds, she took on She meticulously reproduced the scene nation. I find that I am really very proud “Some people are slowly trying to memories into artwork to preserve the requests from residents and strangers, in an oil painting, right down to its torn of being a Chinese” Yang said, expressing recover, just to come out of this shadow. memory of the central Chinese city’s delivering much needed supplies from papers and scribbled notices. a widely held sentiment that has been Then there are some who can’t get out, 76-day lockdown that upturned the lives medicine and disinfectant to food. Sleep A second oil painting followed based on strongly encouraged by the government, because this virus and disaster really of some 11 million people. In a way, that’s was at a premium as deliveries at times a photograph of a worker disinfecting a which some have accused of mishandling took away those closest to them,” Yang an extension of her work as a volunteer ran into the early morning hours. hospital hallway, rendered in shadowy the initial stage of the outbreak and said. delivering vital supplies to hospitals and Her first post-pandemic artwork, hues of deep blue and black. allowing it to spread around the world. For now, she is focused on making up residents during the traumatic period, “Reception,” grew out of the experience of “It is in such a severe situation (but) An exhibition she organized last year for the pandemic’s lost time, working on while also reflecting the pride many resi- accompanying a mother and daughter to a even in this atmosphere, there are still at a gallery she runs brought together 23 her painting, managing her gallery and dents take in having weathered the out- hospital in early February. The two had people who stand up for us and protect artists with 60 pieces of artwork related preparing for upcoming exhibits. The break and draconian measures taken to developed Covid-19 symptoms after the us,” Yang said. to the coronavirus. pandemic, she said, is a reminder of how bring it under control. father died at home from the disease and, Soon after sending the mother-daugh- Her efforts have won plaudits from precious that time can be: “Life is really “To express what I’ve seen in a realistic desperate, took to social media for help. ter pair to hospital, Yang came down with Wuhan media and residents. The exhibi- very fragile and small.” way, this is the responsibility I’ve given Yang saw the post and found a hospital a fever and cough and feared she had the tion “crystallized every touching moment — Associated Press Banksy painting for UK health service sells for record £16.75 m The proceeds of the painting, titled Game Changer, are going to benefit state health service staff.

ANNA MALPA “Thanks for all you’re doing. I ute to those who continue to turn LONDON hope this brightens up the place a the tide of the pandemic”. bit, even if it’s only in black and “As an artwork, however, it will painting by the white,” he wrote. remain forever a symbol of its British street artist Proceeds from the auction will time: a reminder of the world’s Banksy sold for a go to NHS charities and a repro- real game changers, and of the record £16.75 mil- duction of the piece will continue vital work they perform,” the lion ($23.1 million, to hang at the Southampton hos- international art seller said. 19.4 million euros) pital. The painting may also have a onA Tuesday, with proceeds going The auctioneer hailed Banksy’s political subtext though, as it was to benefit state health service “incredible gesture” in donating donated shortly after Prime staff. the work. Minister Boris Johnson told the The painting, “Game Changer”, “It is a Game Changer in every public antibody tests could be a sold to an unnamed buyer for sense,” he said of the painting. “game changer” in the pandemic £14.4 million plus costs—the high- The auction price swiftly —only to have experts quickly est ever for a Banksy painting— exceeded the pre-sale estimate of pour cold water on the idea. after fierce bidding at Christie’s between £2.5 million ($3.5 million, Speaking in a video shared by auction house in London. 2.9 million euros) and £3.5 mil- Southampton Hospitals Charity The signed oil painting by the lion. earlier this month, staff at the elusive artist shows a boy holding Masked intermediaries talking Southampton hospital thanked aloft a nurse doll while Batman into mobile phones relayed bids Banksy for the painting and and Superman figures are con- from around the world during the shared their enthusiasm for the signed to a bin. nail-biting sale. work. It first appeared at Southampton The previous record auction Steph Gurney, a senior nurse General Hospital on England’s price for a Banksy work in with the hospital’s Acute Medical south coast, during the first wave October 2019 was nearly £9.9 mil- Unit, said the appearance of the of the global coronavirus crisis in lion at Sotheby’s auction house painting had come as a “real May last year. for “Devolved Parliament,” a shock and a surprise” and that it AP/RSS The artist—who first emerged painting showing parliament pop- “meant so much that a world-re- In this file photo, a member of staff has their photograph taken in front of the artwork painted by Banksy during lockdown, out of Bristol’s graffiti scene in ulated by chimpanzees. nowned artist would want to entitled ‘Game Changer’, at Southampton General Hospital in Southampton, England. southwest England in the 1990s— Christie’s said in a statement donate a piece of work to our left a note with the painting the painting was a departure from hospital”. In July 2020, disguised as a clean- face masks on the London under- sneezing on the side of a house in thanking hospital staff for their Banksy’s usual irreverent style Banksy has continued to create er, he spray-painted a series of ground transport system. Bristol. work battling the pandemic. and was instead “a personal trib- other works during the pandemic. rats encouraging people to wear In December, he drew a woman — Associated Press

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