WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 53 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 37.2 C 6.3 C Saturday, April 18, 2020 | 06-01-2077 Dhangadi Jumla With 14 new cases, Nepal’s Covid-19 tally doubles in a single day Twelve cases in Udayapur and two in Chitwan mark a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections, bringing country’s total to 30.

ARJUN POUDEL and send the patients to the KATHMANDU, APRIL 17 isolation ward at Koshi Hospital,” said Pahadi. Fourteen new Covid-19 cases were Public health experts said that the confirmed on Friday in Udayapur and virus could have spread to nearby Chitwan districts, nearly doubling communities and stressed active case Nepal’s tally to 30. finding, which has not yet started. According to the Health Ministry, 12 “We can assume that the disease Covid-19 cases were confirmed in has spread in the community at some Udayapur and two in Chitwan via the level by the pattern in which it has polymerase chain reaction method. spread in countries across the globe,” Of the 14 new patients from both Dr Anup Subedee, a consultant infec- districts, 13 are males between the tious disease physician, told the Post. ages of 20 and 40 while one is a 63-year- “We have to strengthen our surveil- old woman. lance system and start active case An official at the Health Ministry finding.” said that among the 12 patients infect- The government has not yet started ed with the coronavirus in Udayapur, active case finding, which entails test- a majority are Indian nationals. Their ing all suspects, including those with samples were first tested in Birgunj on symptoms of Covid-19 and randomised POST PHOTO: PRAKASH CHANDRA TIMILSENA Thursday. testing at the community level. Freshly planted rice terraces in Dhading. Despite the nationwide lockdown enforced to stem the spread of Covid-19, farmers are carrying on with agricultural activities in ways that are possible. After they showed positive results, The Health Ministry had earlier the samples were dispatched to the decided to mobilise female communi- National Public Health Laboratory in ty health volunteers to look for possi- Kathmandu, which confirmed the ble coronavirus patients but due to the presence of the coronavirus. indecision of the government to start All 12 patients had been residing in active case finding, these volunteers Government deal to procure medical equipment via three a mosque, according to Dr Basudev have not been able to report cases of Pandey, director of the Epidemiology fever and persistent cough to higher and Disease Control Division. authorities. private companies raises questions over Nepal Army’s role Samples of two patients, a mother “Active case finding must be started and son, from Chitwan were also test- immediately,” said Subedee. ed and confirmed at the National “Otherwise, we cannot control the out- Health department officials say they were unable to wait any longer for the Army to procure urgently required supplies. Public Health laboratory. The duo had break. We don’t have much time.” returned home from the United Positive results on the rapid diag- Kingdom, according to Pandey. nostic test but not on the polymerase ANIL GIRI & BINOD GHIMIRE contract to procure medical equip- ernment assigned the Army in the medical equipment even after weeks. Dipak Kumar Pahadi, the Udayapur chain reaction method confirms that KATHMANDU, APRIL 17 ment to a private company ran into first place. The department on Thursday Chief District Officer, said that pre- more people have already contracted controversy, with two Cabinet minis- Officials at the Department of signed three separate agreements liminary information showed that the the virus, say doctors. Two weeks since the Nepal Army was ters accused of corruption, the gov- Health Services said that since several with Om Surgical, Hamro Medi 12 patients had all arrived in Udayapur “Those infected might have passed mandated to procure medical equip- ernment had asked the Nepal Army to government hospitals are either run- Concern and Lumbini Health Care to from Biratnagar via Saptari. They are it on to others before getting cured,” ment needed to fight Covid-19 through do the job. ning out or facing an acute shortage import the medical goods. believed to have visited Bodebarsain Dr Baburam Marasini, former a government-to-government deal, the But two weeks later, the Army has of medical equipment, the Health “We are aware of the past contro- Municipality in Saptari to participate director of the Epidemiology and national defence force has yet to make yet to bring in the first consignment. Ministry was under pressure, as the versy so we met all requirements in a religious conference held on Disease Control Division, told the any progress. Private companies And the government has now signed country has started seeing a rise in while handing over the responsibility February 15-17, he said. Post. “Every policymaker and expert meanwhile are preparing to bring in agreements with three private firms the number of Covid-19 cases. A sen- for importing the medical goods to Police have meanwhile cordoned in the Health Ministry knows this, but medical equipment within a week’s to import emergency medical sup- ior official at the department told the private firms,” said Mahendra off the mosque and the surrounding has not bothered to start active case time, according to the Department of plies, including personal protective Post that the deals with the private Bahadur Shrestha, director-general of areas, and restricted people’s move- findings.” Health Services. equipment, N95 masks and gloves, firms were signed on short notice, the Department of Health Services. ment. Dilli Ram Khatiwada contributed After an earlier decision to award a raising questions as to why the gov- after the Army failed to import the >> Continued on page 4 “We are planning to seal the area reporting from Udayapur. The lockdown is turning people into couch potatoes Stuck inside home, many are spending hours on the couch and in front of screens, increasing the risk of various health issues.

ELISHA SHRESTHA heading to work, I used to KATHMANDU, APRIL 17 go for a walk,” he said. “However, the pandemic Ever since the lockdown and the confinement meas- was implemented, Hari ures have disrupted my Shakya hasn’t left his home routine and, unknowingly, unless it’s for something I have turned into a couch essential, such as getting potato. As a result, I’ve medicine for his diabetes been suffering from consti- or for food. At home, the pation.” 50-year-old spends most of The Covid-19 pandemic his time in front of the lap- has thrown everyone’s life top, working from home or into disarray, and as a watching movies. When he means to control the spread is not in front of the com- of the disease, the public puter, he is on the couch, has been requested to stay either eating or watching at home. But being stuck at television. home for prolonged periods For the past three weeks, of time has not only dis- Shakya’s daily routine has rupted lives and schedules become pretty much the but also given rise to seden- same: spending excessive tary behaviours. As a amounts of time lying result, doctors are con- down, moving from bed to cerned about the negative desk to couch. Only recent- effects that low levels of ly has Shakya started to physical activity and a sed- realise that being stuck at entary lifestyle can have on home might be taking a toll the health and well-being on his health. of individuals. “Every morning, before >> Continued on page 4

C M Y K SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2020 | 02 MEDLEY

Inside the Post Quote of the day

Government deal to procure medical equipment via three private National companies raises questions over Nepal Army’s role, Page 1 Hundreds of Nepali workers are likely to be deprived from the general amnesty scheme announced by the Kuwait government to illegal expatriates. The scheme exempts illegal immigrants from the penalty of overstaying in Kuwait and also “We are aware of the past controversy offers free air tickets if residency rule violators agree to join the amnesty. so we met all requirements while handing over the responsibility for Money Debt-ridden Nepal Airlines is pleading with the Civil Aviation Ministry to help importing the medical goods to save it from going under amid Covid-19 losses. The airlines has written to its line ministry asking for a complete waiver of interest on its loans for six months. private firms.” Mahendra Bahadur Shrestha, director-general of the Department of Health World Services, on contracting private firms to import medical equipment. At least 50 percent more people died in China’s virus epicenter of Wuhan than previously counted, with state media on Friday attributing the initial undercount to how overwhelmed the health system was coping with thousands of sick patients. Most read online Sports Qatar used coronavirus pandemic as a ruse to expel Nepali La Liga has been on hold since March 10 due to the pandemic although president Javier Tebas has said matches could start up again on either May 29, June 7 or migrant workers, Amnesty International says June 28, most likely without spectators. The Qatari authorities used the global health pandemic of Covid-19 as a cov- er-up to expel Nepali migrant workers illegally, according to Amnesty International. The human rights advocacy group has accused the Qatari author- Books ities of rounding and expelling dozens of migrant workers after telling them Sudheer Sharma’s ‘The Nepal Nexus: An Inside Account of the Maoists, the that they were being taken to be tested for Covid-19 in March. Durbar and New Delhi (2019)’ reinforces Kubrick’s almost epitaph:“The great nations have always acted like gangsters, and the small nations like prostitutes.” Many in Kathmandu Valley can neither stay here nor go home There have been numerous reports of people leaving the Kathmandu valley in droves to get back to their homes. Without public transportation, many are mak- ing journeys that are hundreds of kilometres long on foot. Images have News Quiz appeared on social media of people carrying babies, clad only in slippers, and laden with possessions, all walking home.

1. Which country has used the b. Rs10.88 billion POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI Covid-19 pandemic as a cov- c. Rs5.36 billion Government takes decisions unrelated to Covid-19, A man transports food items on a cycle at Satdobato, Lalitpur, on the 25th day of er-up to expel Nepali migrant d. Rs 3.28 billion the nationwide lockdown on Friday. drawing criticism from all quarters workers according to Amnesty After the medical equipment purchase fiasco earlier this month, the KP Sharma International? 5. Hit by the global coronavirus cri- Oli administration decided to terminate a deal with a private company and bring a. Saudi Arabia sis, how many of the Formula 1 in the Nepal Army to do the job. It has been two weeks since the national defence b. Oman races have been cancelled so far? force was entrusted with the task of signing a government-to-government deal to c. Bahrain a. 10 On this day in history import medical equipment to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. d. Qatar b. 9 c. 7 2. Which of the following movies is d. 6 European bank sought for spending details Nepal Army contacting people who bought SIM cards recently directed by Bong joon-ho? The Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre under Nepal Army has started contact- a. Train To Busan 6. Image of uprising from which LONDON – The 56 countries and international agencies which own the European ing people who have bought new SIM cards recently to track people who may b. Snowpiercer African country won the pres- Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have asked the bank for a have returned home from abroad recently. A team of 20 army personnel have c. The Handmaiden tigious World Press Photo of detailed breakdown of how it spent 55.5 million pounds (83.25 million dollars) on been assigned to call up people who recently bought SIM cards. d. The Man from Nowhere the Year Award? furnishing and equipping its offices, a press report said on Saturday. a. Sudan The 23 directors of the bank, which represent these countries and agencies, 3. A 99-year-old World War II vet- b. Nigeria have also asked for proof that “proper procurement policies” were followed and eran of which country has c. Chad that the bank received the best prices for the construction, the Financial Times raised a fund of more than $15 d. Cameroon reported. million for healthcare staff ? EBRD President Jacques Attali and the bank have been the target of outrage a. England in Britain this week as a result of reports that the bank had spent twice as Corrections b. France much on establishing itself as on funding development projects in eastern c. Russia Europe. Our reporters and editors do their best to make sure our reporting is free from d. America errors. But when we make mistakes that warrant correction, we will be transparent The Kathmandu Post and clarify at the bottom of the specific article. 4. What amount of revenue was April 18, 1993 If you believe we have got something wrong and it requires correction, please collected at the Birgunj email us at [email protected] with “correction” in the subject line. Integrated Check Post between Answers to News Quiz: 1(d), 2(b), 3(a), 4(c), 5(b), 6(a) For the most recent corrections, visit kathmandupost.com/corrections. March 14 and April 11? a. Rs15.67 billion AFP HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) CANCER (June 22-July 22) LIBRA (September 23-October 22) CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) *** *** *** ** Today should be a good day, so why not go out- Your co-workers are in your life to help you in It’s been quite a while since you pursued some- The idealistic side of you will engage in battle doors and enjoy some fresh air? Wide-open your career, not your personal life. Be very wary thing purely for its intellectual value, so why with your more jaded other half when you’re spaces will help to open your mind and freshen of the relationships that veer away from profes- not work on that? You’ll have plenty of opportu- stuck between doing what is right and what you your attitude about an issue that has been frus- sional and into private. This isn’t to say that you nities to do so. Smart people are ready to talk, know is good enough. Will you help build your trating you lately. All that oxygen will give you can never be friends (or even more than friends) and they’re ready to talk about some very inter- reputation as someone who always gets things new ideas, and it might even help you think up with a co-worker. You can. But you need to be esting topics that you’ve been wondering about done right or as who gets things done fast but a few new ideas. mindful of the difference. yourself. sometimes has to go back and fix a few things?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) LEO (July 23-August 22) SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) ***** *** ** ***** Today it could really open a lot of exciting doors Something has ignited your wanderlust, Are you getting too focused on immediate grat- If one or two social connections are fading away, for you, especially if you’re going to be dealing whether it’s a book or article you just read, ification right now? Do you really have to have don’t worry about it. Just because you haven’t with people from other cultures. Sure, there foreign film you just saw, or travel website you whatever it is right this instant? It’s important seen them in a while doesn’t mean that you can’t might be a little bit of a communication gap just found. Planning your next vacation is to practice patience and learn the value of sav- call them up to chat or even ask for some advice. initially, but you’ll have a way of overcoming it a great way to spend whatever free time ing up for something you want to buy for your- The relationships you’ve built are based on with a smile. You’re in an excellent position to you have, although this may not be the best time self in the future. Delayed gratification is respect, and these people respect you. They’d affect your travel in the future. for it. where it’s at. love to hear from you!

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) VIRGO (August 23-September 22) SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** **** **** *** You’re to be commended for trying to see things If your patience for a fickle friend is running You might not think that you can compromise Today a sweet gift may land right in your lap, from all possible angles. Your gift for compas- thin, contact them today and let them know that what you want in order to meet someone else’s and it might seem like there are no strings sion and empathy is unusual, and it has helped you aren’t going to stand for this much longer. demands right now, but you’re wrong. Try attached. But look more closely. Pay attention to earn you a reputation for being fair and consid- You might have to force yourself to be this harder to let your generosity do the negotiat- how the person who gave you the gift is acting. erate. But right now, you might need to stop direct, but being vague or beating around the ing. Put yourself in their position, and you’ll Do they expect something from you in return? looking at all the angles in order to act more bush will only give them permission to continue suddenly be a lot more sensitive to what they’re Does accepting the gift make you complicit in quickly. their erratic behavior. asking for. something that you’re not comfortable with?

CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K 03 | SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2020 NATIONAL Illegal Nepalis in Kuwait could be deprived of amnesty as Nepal is under lockdown Kuwait has offered a general amnesty for undocumented workers, allowing them to leave the country without costs.

CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL Separate time-frames have been set KATHMANDU, APRIL 17 for undocumented expats from vari- ous countries to apply for the amnesty Hundreds of Nepali workers are likely programme. Immigrants from the to be deprived of the general amnesty Philippines could apply from April 1-5 scheme announced by the Kuwait gov- and Egyptians from April 6-10, while ernment to illegal expatriates. Bangladeshi can apply from April The scheme exempts illegal immi- 11-15, Indians from April 16-20, Sri grants from the penalty of overstay- Lankans from April 21-25 and other ing in Kuwait and also offers free air nationalities, including Nepali work- tickets if residency rule violators ers, from April 26-30. The Arab nation agree to join the amnesty. hosts over 70,000 Nepali migrant work- However, there is an uncertainty ers, regarding illegal Nepali workers bene- According to Suman Ghimire, a fiting from the amnesty, as their home spokesperson with the Labour country remains under lockdown at Ministry, Nepali embassy in Kuwait least until April 27 and incoming has been facilitating Nepali citizens to international flights suspended till make use of the scheme. April 30. “The time slot offered for various According to Kuwaiti government countries is for registration. So there estimates, 7,000 Nepalis are either will be time for repatriation,” said undocumented or have overstayed in Ghimire. Kuwait. According to Maskey, nearly 3,000 “Unlike previous amnesties, the Nepalis are estimated to join the gen- current one is a unique one as those eral amnesty. leaving the country can come back “The Nepal Embassy has said that again later and will not have to bear they will be on the ground during the any fines for breaching the visa rules. registration process so that Nepali POST PHOTO: ANISH REGMI Also, Nepal doesn’t have to send any workers do not have to visit the embas- Army personnel in protective gear decontaminate themselves with disinfectants as part of a drill for Covid-19 response at the Nepal Army Ranger Regiment in Chhauni, Kathmandu, on Friday. flights since the Kuwaiti government sy for completing other procedures,” will be chartering the flight to send said Maskey. “However, there is no back the undocumented and overstay- formal notice from them as of now ing expatriates,” said Suraj Maskey, a and there is not much time left. Also, Nepali migrant worker from Kuwait. these workers will not be sent back “However, it looks like Nepalis cannot haphazardly but only after proper test- utilise the amnesty as lockdown and ing here.” Oli directs high-level Covid-19 committee banning of international flights is The Non-Resident Nepali still on. The government, including Association (NRNA) Kuwait Chapter, the labour minister, has said Nepali in its statement, had drawn the atten- workers could not be brought home tion of the Nepal embassy in Kuwait from Gulf countries.” to prioritise the return of those to strictly implement stay-at-home order Kuwaiti government’s general par- Nepalis who have been languishing don has come in the light of the excep- due to the lockdown over those who Home Ministry to stop people walking long distances wherever they are, and send them to the nearest quarantine. tional circumstances when the Gulf have regular jobs. country is going through a tough time Nepal diaspora group has said the trying to combat the spread of the Nepal government asking Nepali citi- TIKA R PRADHAN ment the lockdown,” said Law Today’s meeting concluded that the novel coronavirus in the country. zens abroad to stay safe wherever they KATHMANDU, APRIL 17 Minister Shiva Maya following the government’s response to the global Since the Covid-19 pandemic has are at this time might sound logical meeting. “The local governments con- The committee coronavirus outbreak has been satis- engulfed the world, Nepali migrant for documented workers, but spells Hours after the Supreme Court cerned will arrange necessary food factory, and therefore the lockdown workers have been languishing in var- trouble for undocumented Nepalis, as ordered officials to ensure that people and shelter wherever people heading meeting concluded should be strictly implemented, espe- ious labour destination countries, they could be liable to legal actions going home by walking long distances home have reached.” that government’s cially after 14 cases were reported in mainly in the Gulf states, Malaysia once the amnesty period is over. get free transportation, the govern- Foreign Minister Pradip Gyawali, the country on Friday alone. Prime and South Korea. “Regular workers like me will get ment has decided not to allow people who also attended the meeting, response so far has Minister Oli is learnt to have told The general amnesty will benefit back to work once the crisis is over. to move from one place to another on said that the home ministry will members of the committee that vari- expatriates who do not have valid res- But the opportunity like the amnesty foot. send people heading home to the been satisfactory. ous people have been plotting to show idency permits or have overstayed in will not come again for illegal work- During a meeting with members of nearest quarantine and keep them that the government has failed to man- the country. The scheme, in place from ers,” said Maskey, who is also an hon- the High-level Coordination there safe in cooperation with the pro- age the crisis. April 1 to April 30, allows illegal immi- orary member of NRNA International Committee to combat Covid-19 vincial and concerned local govern- to their city/ village wherever possi- During the course of the meeting, grants to leave the country without Coordination Council. “Nepal has and the Covid Crisis Management ments. ble. the prime minister also briefed com- paying any fines and also allows re-en- recently accelerated rapid tests and Centre in Baluwatar on Friday, Prime “To stop people from heading home “As there could be protests from mittee members about his discussions try later with valid documents. there is a slim chance of lockdown Minister KP Sharma Oli directed on foot, the home ministry will make local governments, the government with officials from countries includ- According to Kuwaiti authorities, air- ending anytime soon. Even if the lock- authorities to implement the lock- provisions for food and shelter,”said has not taken a concrete decision. But ing India where Nepalis remain lines will be allowed to operate out- down and travel restrictions are in down to contain the outbreak “more Gyawali. the understanding is to ensure those stranded. bound flights from Kuwait to several place, Nepal should take back these strictly”. However, sources at the home going on foot reach their local level According to Gyawali, the govern- destinations to ferry these illegal workers and keep them in quaran- “During today’s meeting the prime ministry told the Post that the govern- (municipalities) safely,” said a home ment has also started observing the immigrants. tine.” minister directed all to strictly imple- ment will try to send stranded people ministry official. situation of the Nepalis living abroad. Becoming enterprising when businesses are shut Northern Humla braces Some people in Kathmandu have started to sell vegetables to keep their income rolling during the lockdown. for food shortage ANUP OJHA snacks in the evenings; these days I KATHMANDU, APRIL 17 come here to buy fresh vegetables,” Humla saw a prolonged snowfall this winter and the Roy told the Post. Until last month, Dhan Bahadur Gurung said he buys vegetables route to Taklakot was closed before the pandemic. Gurung had a hectic schedule. His worth around Rs10,000 every morning small restaurant in Kupondole would and sells them with a certain profit see a steady flow of customers from as margin. CHHAPAL LAMA people hoard food that would last early as nine in the morning. By the Restaurants in Kathmandu were HUMLA, APRIL 17 them for a year. This year, we couldn’t time he closed, it used to be around the first casualty of the Covid-19 do that.” 10pm. Then suddenly came the lock- pandemic, as they stopped seeing With the border points to China closed It takes two days to travel to the down, beginning March 24. customers long before the lockdown. indefinitely to prevent the spread of district headquarters of Simikot from “It meant a complete restriction of With tourist arrivals suddenly Covid-19, Namkha Rural Municipality Chala and four days from Limi, movement and gathering of people. dropping, eateries in Kathmandu in northern Humla has been grap- according to Lama. And mine is a business where people were already without customers. Long pling with a food shortage. The rural The crisis is further exacerbated by sit together, eat and drink,” he said. before the government announced municipality shares its border with a sketchy communication network, Gurung was forced to pull the shut- lockdown, it cancelled all China, from where the local unit said Ganesh Rokaya, the in-charge of ters of his restaurant, MoMo Mania, international flights. would import daily essentials prior to the Chala Health Post. like thousands of other eateries in the Nepal so far has reported 30 the pandemic. “Most of the locals are borrowing Valley. Covid-19 cases, but globally infections Nearly a dozen villages in the local and exchanging food with each other,” “I was out of business,” said the and death toll are rising. unit are facing a food shortage, accord- he said. 46-year-old from Dhading. His two Though the current lockdown is ing to Paljor Lama, a local of Muchu, employees had nothing to do. applicable until April 27, there are one of the many villages that depend After a week at home with no work, chances that it could be extended upon imported goods from China. Local food output he started getting restless. further. Neighbouring India has Due to unfavourable climate and Gurung then realised that there are extended the lockdown until topography, Humla, especially its barely lasts three certain essential things that people May 3 and according to officials, Nepal northern front, struggles with food cannot do without, for example vege- may not lift the lockdown until India shortage every year. months in the tables. lifts it, given the chances of spread of “This year, the crisis is getting “Earlier I used to go to the Balkhu the virus through the open border. worse, with the coronavirus pandemic mountain region, vegetable market to buy what I needed “I have to pay Rs18,000 a month as showing no sign of ending soon,” villagers say. for my restaurant. Now I bring vegeta- rent for this room which I have con- Lama said. “With lockdown in place bles in bulk,” said Gurung. POST PHOTO verted into an eatery which has been and shut borders, we can’t travel to For the last two weeks, Gurung vis- Dhan Bahadur Gurung operates a vegetable stall outside his restaurant in Kupondole, Lalitpur. closed for the last three weeks,” said Taklakot, the nearest town in China, its the Balkhu vegetable market as Gurung who has been operating the to import food.” The nearest local unit from Namkha early as 4:30 in the morning, and by 6, er and plumber. With the lockdown, In Kupondole, customers come to restaurant for the last nine years. “I Humla saw a prolonged snowfall is Sarkegad, which has a stock of 300 he sets up a shop in front of his restau- there is no work. Mahato’s wife, his Gurung to buy vegetables while in the don’t know when the lockdown is this winter and the route to Taklakot quintals of food, according to Joshi rant, the shutters still down. Behind two sons and two daughters left for Bafal area, Mahato goes door to door. going to be lifted. This vegetable busi- was closed even before the pandemic, Dhami, deputy chair of the rural the shutters, on his restaurant tables their home village in Rautahat The government last week extended ness is not only helping me make Dorje Lama, a local from Chala, said municipality. are an array of a variety of vegeta- just before the prime minister the lockdown until April 27, calling for some money, it is also keeping me over the phone. “The stock will barely be enough for bles. announced suspension of all long- a more strict implementation. busy.” “Many were of the mind that they Sarkegad, and some villages have “My income is not as much as it haul transport. However, people like Gurung and Anthropologists call people switch- would hoard essentials once the snow already reported food shortages,” used to be from the cafe but something “I was also planning to go. But I got Mahato take advantage of the morn- ing to new business models as a cleared, but then the pandemic ensued Dhami said. is better than nothing,” said Gurung. stuck,” said Mahato who lives in ing hours, when people are allowed to rational behaviour. soon afterwards,” Lama said, adding In the Simikot-based depo of the “Of course I will go back to my Bafal. “I thought the lockdown would buy essentials. “I guess this crisis will help people that the locally produced food doesn’t Nepal Food Corporation, there are own restaurant business once the be lifted soon but it did not. There was Majority of those who buy vegeta- become more self-dependent and even last for three months. 5,300 quintals of food stock, according lockdown is over, but what I am doing no work. I was running out of money.” bles from Gurung are his restaurant self-reliant also,” said Dambar In the four villages of Til, Jang, to Ram Bahadur Bista, chief of the right now will help tide me over Mahato pays Rs4,000 for a small customers from the locality. Chemjong, head of the central depart- Halji and Chal in the Namkha Rural depo. The depo has started importing during the crisis.” room in Bafal. “I was afraid of getting Rakesh Roy, 43, a creative director at ment of anthropology at Tribhuvan Municipality, there are 204 house- more foodstuff via air, he said. Gurung is among few who have evicted if I failed to pay rent.” an advertising agency, calls Gurung’s University. “Even if the state does holds. The villages harvest local pro- “We are concerned about the report- been locked down in the Valley to Mahato too decided to sell vegeta- switch to selling vegetables a smart nothing for its citizens, people find a duce only once a year. ed shortage of food in Namkha,” he have switched their businesses, albeit bles.“I save up to Rs700 a day by sell- move. way out. Humans have a tendency to “The food crisis is perennial, given said. “If the situation persists, we temporarily. ing vegetables for hours in the morn- “I am a regular at his restaurant. I find solutions to their problems by the difficulty to transport goods to the plan to deliver goods to the local units Amber Mahato, 35, works as a paint- ing in the locality,” said Mahato. used to visit for quick drinks and themselves.” villages,” Lama said. “So most of the that report a shortage.”

C M Y K SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2020 | 04 NATIONAL Families of daily wage earners, impoverished Government deal to Dalits in Province 2 deprived of relief procure medical Most of the local federal units are yet to implement the budget released by the provincial executive equipment via three ... for relief distribution even after three weeks of the nationwide lockdown. >> Continued from page 1 firms to address the crisis.” “All of these firms are experienced The decision to bring in the Army in importing medical goods.” ran into controversy the moment it PROVINCE 2 BUREAU These three firms will provide per- was made, with many asking if the KP JANAKPUR, APRIL 17 sonal protective equipment and N95 Sharma Oli administration was allow- masks, among other medical equip- ing the national defence force to turn Jagadish Mahato of Gair in Kabilasi ment, within two weeks, said Shrestha. into a business firm. There were also Municipality, Sarlahi, is the sole bread The government plans to import questions regarding transparency, earner for his 12-member family—his medical equipment worth Rs300 mil- given that the previous tender with wife and 10 children. The nationwide lion through these three firms from Omni Business Corporate lockdown has put him out of work for China. International was annulled after alle- the past three weeks. His savings, in According to officials, the first con- gations of corruption. cash and kind, is already spent. signment will arrive in a week’s time, The decision was made public in “I’ve been borrowing food and cash by Wednesday. such a way that it appeared to have from local shopkeepers, neighbours The department had issued a short been made after the deal with the and relatives,” said Jagadish. “But notice earlier this week asking for Omni was scrapped. But later, it came how long can this go on for?” suppliers to import medical equip- to light that the Cabinet had decided to Hundreds of families from impover- ment within 15 days. Five firms had get the Army for the job days before ished communities in several districts applied and three were selected, the deal with the Omni was scrapped. of Province 2 are hit hardest by the according to officials. The Post’s sister paper Kantipur, how- protracted lockdown enforced to pre- “We were not sure when we were ever, reported on March 29 that the vent the outbreak of Covid-19. The getting medical equipment under the agenda was not discussed at the breadwinners of these families are government-to-government arrange- Cabinet meeting and that even minis- daily wage workers and they have lost ment. But we are fast running out,” ters were unaware of the plan, with their source of income due to the lock- said Bhogendra Dotel, director of the the decision taken solely at the behest down, making it difficult for them to Department of Health Services, who of the prime minister. make ends meet. signed the agreements with the three The authorities concerned are yet POST PHOTO firms. “We had no option than to to reach out to these settlements with Hundreds of families from impoverished communities in several districts of Province 2 have been hit hardest by the protracted lockdown. invite the private firms.” Government plans reliefs. The Nepal Army said it will require To provide relief to the families hit without any government help. each affected household in the first have shown poor management and at least another week to bring in any to import medical hardest by the lockdown, the provin- There are a total of 136 local phase. leadership qualities in these difficult medical equipment. cial government had provided Rs 1 units, including a metropolis, in the “The packages could not be distrib- times,” said Raj Kumar Raut Kurmi, a “We will be able to import 120 types equipment worth million to Rs 2.5 million to each local province. uted as the ward chiefs failed to sub- civil society leader in Siraha. of medical equipment from China and unit for the procurement and distribu- Officials at Kabilashi Municipality mit the list of the beneficiaries on In Aahale of Siraha, there are 21 India within a week once the money is Rs300 m from China. tion of relief. However, it has been in Sarlahi have admitted to the delay time,” he said. impoverished families of landless dispatched to the respective suppli- more than three weeks since the lock- in relief distribution. In Rautahat, Chandrapur Musahars, and none of them has ers,” Brigadier-General Bigyan Dev down started and most of the local “We are still assessing data of the Municipality has decided to provide received any relief from the govern- Pandey, the Nepal Army spokesper- Oli, however, in his address to the bodies are yet to implement the needy families to distribute relief. We 20 kg rice along with other essentials ment so far. Sixty-year-old Sudawa son, told the Post. “We are expecting nation on April 7 tried to make light of budget. have been unable to work efficiently to each household of daily wage work- Musahar and his wife Devi, daily the Finance Ministry to release the the controversy saying that the gov- “I am more worried about how to due to a lack of employees in the ers and impoverished Dalits. But the wage workers, said they haven’t had budget latest by tomorrow [Saturday].” ernment had taken right decisions to fill out stomachs than contracting the municipality,” said Mayor Kaushal municipality has so far distributed work since the lockdown started and Pandey said that state-owned fight the disease. disease right now. I heard the govern- Kishwor Yadav. relief at ward No. 3 only. are running out of food and essentials. Chinese companies will be supplying Pandey, the Army spokesperson, ment is providing relief through the Janakpur Sub-metropolitan City, “The relief distribution got halted “We are managing food by borrow- 67 types of testing reagents and attributed the delay in procurement to local bodies, but nobody has come to the provincial capital, has also yet to because people from well-to-do fami- ing from neighbours but if the lock- protective gear while India-based procedural issues. our settlement so far,” said Mahato. begin relief distribution. According to lies also came forward claiming the down continues, we might face starva- manufactures will supply 53 types of “It takes time when the due process Most of the local units in all eight Gopal Regmi, the chief administrative relief package. We will soon finalise tion,” Sudawa told the Post. medicines. is followed. The government has districts of the province have spent officer of the sub-metropolis, only 12 the list of beneficiaries and start dis- The Army last week had written to approved every decision regarding the last three weeks assessing data of wards of a total of 25 have sent their tribution again,” said Sanjaya Kafle, (Om Prakash Thakur in Sarlahi, five countries—China, India, Israel, procurement,” Pandey told the Post. those in need of government relief. list of beneficiaries so far. He said the chief of ward No. 5 in the municipali- Bharat Jarghamagar in Siraha, Singapore and South Korea—asking if “The Army’s procurement unit, which Incidents of irregularities and biases sub-metropolis has decided to provide ty. “The local units should work Shyam Sundar Shashi in Janakpur they could supply the medical equip- is led by a major general with the par- in relief distribution are frequently a relief package of 15 kg rice, 1.5 kg promptly in distributing relief to the and Shiva Puri in Rautahat reported ment. The Chinese and Indian govern- ticipation of officials from the Health reported, leaving the destitute people pulses, 3 kg potatoes and 1 kg salt to needy. But the people’s representatives the story) ments had responded that they were and the Defence ministries, is looking ready to supply the required items after the procurement process.” under a government-to-government Officials with experience in govern- deal while the South Korean govern- ment-to-government deals say it ment said that Nepal could get the should not have taken more than a required equipment through private week for the first consignment to Udayapur bans entry Province 1 to help stranded companies. Israel and Singapore did arrive, at least from China, as the not respond. Chinese market, despite being under Since the Army was handed the pressure, has Nepal’s requirements people reach their homes task of importing medical equipment ready. to forest areas to keep under a government-to-government According to officials familiar with MADHAV GHIMIRE on foot,” Karki said. “Our aim is to deal, Foreign Minister Pradeep developments, it took the Army two MORANG, APRIL 17 ease their travel back home.” Gyawali has held two rounds of tele- weeks to prepare the paperwork for check on illegal activities Meanwhile, the provincial govern- phonic conversation with Chinese the government-to-government deal, People from Province 1 who have been ment has also made provisions for Foreign Minister Wang Yi, asking hence the delay. stranded in different parts of the people from other provinces stuck in China for the necessary equipment. “That’s too late,” said Shanta Raj country will be quarantined and test- Province 1. “Local units and respec- At least two government officials Subedi, a former finance secretary. The office took the decision in the wake of increased ed for coronavirus before they are sent tive provinces will have to bear the who did not wish to be identified said “Government-to-government deals home, spokesperson for the provincial cost of their travel, but we will man- they were not aware of the reasons are meant to hasten the process.” incidents of bushfire, tree felling, timber smuggling government said on Friday. age transportation facilities to send behind the delay in procuring the According to Subedi, since govern- The stranded will be sheltered at them home,” said Karki. equipment under a government-to-gov- ments are involved in such deals, and hunting of wild animals during the lockdown. various quarantine centres across the The decision comes amid wide- ernment deal, which is expected to be there should not be an issue of trust province and they will be sent home in spread criticism of the federal govern- a faster process, compared to competi- or payment. coordination with local governments, ment for failing to address the prob- tive bidding. “We have our embassy in Beijing so said Hikmat Kumar Karki, provincial lems of people wanting to go home “We waited two weeks for the sup- it can follow up on the procurement minister for internal affairs and law. during the lockdown. On Friday, the plies to arrive, to no avail,” an official process. Since this is not a normal “The government is working closely Supreme Court issued an interim at the Health Ministry told the Post time, we should expedite the process,” with the local units to identify people order directing the federal government requesting anonymity because he Subedi told the Post. “Spending two who stranded people across the coun- to rescue people stranded in vulnerable feared retribution. weeks on paperwork means we do not try and those who have been travelling conditions amid the lockdown. “We then decided to go for private recognise the urgency.” The lockdown is turning people into couch potatoes

>> Continued from page 1 like we are living in a hostile environ- er brings me food every three hours there are different forms of exercise Physical inactivity has always been ment and as a result, I don’t feel like and I find myself eating everything,” that can be done at home. regarded as the greatest public health doing anything,” he said. said Thapa, who works in an IT com- The World Health Organisation has problem, even before the quarantine. Anxiety and stress have not only pany. recommended a number of activities The World Health Organisation esti- made the people inactive but also A 2018 research paper shows that that can be done at home and which mates that globally, 23 percent of excessive overeaters. sedentary behaviour, low physical require no special equipment--danc- adults and 81 percent of adolescents “Since people are at home, they can activity level and unhealthy dietary ing, playing with children and per- aged 11-17 years were already insuffi- easily access the kitchen at all times. patterns are risk factors for obesity. forming domestic chores such as ciently inactive, but new reports have Many people are also coping with anx- Although the quarantine can cause cleaning and gardening. Walking in shown that more people are likely to iety, stress and boredom by eating stress and difficulties in being active, the house, chair squats, sit-ups embrace sedentary lifestyles while in more than they usually do, and as a both Khanal and Maharjan said that and push-ups, lifting and carrying quarantine. The Washington Post result, gaining excessive amounts of this should not prevent them from groceries can also help ensure physi- found that people are often spending weight,” said Maharjan. exercising. cal activity. as much as eight hours on their mobile Sofia Thapa said that since the lock- Exercise has been shown to have Doctors also recommend eating phone while in quarantine. down, she has put on three kilograms. both physical and mental health bene- more fruits and vegetables while lim- “With nowhere to go and nothing to “When I went to office, I used to be fits for individuals. Although there is iting the intake of salt, sugar and fat POST PHOTO: DILLIRAM KHATIWADA do, it is easy to get tempted to just curl diet conscious. But at home, my moth- a restriction on people’s movement, in order to maintain healthy lifestyles. Udayapur district has a forest cover of 145,496 hectares. up on the couch with a mobile device or to just read a book the whole day,” DILLIRAM KHATIWADA religious forests in Udayapur. “The said Vijaya Khanal, an associate pro- UDAYAPUR, APRIL 17 prohibition has been enforced as per fessor at the BP Koirala Institute of the Forest Act 2019,” said Paudel, add- Health Sciences. “However, these hab- The Division Forest Office in ing that any individual violating the its can be dangerous.” Udayapur has imposed a ban on all restriction shall be fined up to Rs 1,000 Various studies have found a locals from entering the forest areas or imprisoned for one month or both. correlation between prolonged in the district from Friday onwards. According to Jageshowr Sah, infor- sedentary behaviour and health The office took the decision in the mation officer at the office, forest complications. A 2016 research paper wake of increased incidents of bush- users can enter the forests but only for found that a sedentary lifestyle fires, trees felling, smuggling of woods conservation works such as construc- was associated with a decline in and hunting of wild animals across tion of fire lines and for the conserva- immune functions in males while a the country. tion of plants and animals. 2015 study found that physical inactiv- Two weeks ago, a forest patrol team “We have directed sub division for- ity is one of the leading risk factors had foiled a suspected poacher from ests and community forest groups to for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and starting a fire in the Belakatari forest take initiatives in forest conservation death. area while the Area Police Office in works,” said Sah, adding that the for- According to Jamuna Maharjan, a Beltar had arrested two poachers est office will grant permission letters clinical psychologist at the with a musket from Basaha to the forest users to enter forests to Transcultural Psychosocial area in Chaudandigadhi Municipality conduct conservation works. Organization, the psychological a week ago. Kushalbabu Basnet, chairman of impact of self-quarantine can be Ambika Prasad Paudel, the division the Federation of Community Forest behind people’s sedentary behaviours. forest officer, said the forest office was Users Udayapur, said they had request- “As the corona pandemic and quar- compelled to impose the restriction ed community forest groups to patrol antine are unusual phenomena, peo- because smugglers and poachers were the forest areas in coordination with ple are dealing with their surround- cutting down trees and hunting ani- security personnel to prevent timber ings according to their mental state,” mals taking advantage of the lock- theft and smuggling of wildlife. said Maharjan. “Since people are down. “We have done this to save our “Forests are being set on fire and stressed, they prefer to get peace of precious medicinal herbs, trees and poaching and smuggling have emerged mind by doing nothing.” wild animals,” said Paudel. as major problems during the lock- Like many others, Shakya also said Udayapur has 1,45,496 hectares of down. We have started to make fire that he is suffering from stress and forest cover. According to the forest lines in the forests and have also anxiety. office, the ban is applicable to all formed firefighters’ groups to control “When I watch news channels, national, community, leasehold and wildfires,” said Basnet. everything is about Covid-19. I feel SHUTTERSTOCK

C M Y K 05 | SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2020 MONEY

FOREX Oil rises as Trump US Dollar 122.53 Nepal Airlines pleads for bailout as virus Euro 132.89 plans to ease Pound Sterling 152.86 Japanese Yen 11.37 losses eat into cash reserves lockdown Chinese Yuan 17.32 REUTERS The debt-ridden carrier has to fork out around Rs 1.13 billion in interest and instalment payments every quarter. LONDON, APRIL 17 Qatari Riyal 33.65

Australian Dollar 77.81 POST REPORT Oil prices rose on Friday as President KATHMANDU, APRIL 17 Donald Trump laid out plans to Malaysian Ringit 28.04 ease the US coronavirus lockdown Debt-ridden Nepal Airlines is plead- and on reports, later played down, Saudi Arab Riyal 32.61 ing with the Civil Aviation Ministry to that a drug may potentially help Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank help save it from going under amid treat COVID-19. Covid-19 losses. Brent rose by 54 cents, or 1.9 per- The state-owned carrier has cent, to $28.36 a barrel by 1133 GMT, PRICE PER TOLA formally written to its line ministry and US crude CLc2 for June was up 4 BULLION asking for a complete waiver cents, or 0.2 percent, at $25.57. of interest on its loans for at least The less active US crude contract Fine Gold Rs 77,000 two instalment periods, that is six CLc1 for May tumbled by $1.59, months. or 8 percent, to $18.28, attributable Silver Rs 720 “The Nepal Airlines board decided to the imminent expiry of the con- to seek a waiver of interest as we are tract, on April 21, and fast-filling SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA in no position to generate any revenue crude storage. currently,” said Ganesh Bahadur “As the oversupply is more a topic Chand, acting managing director of for right now, the May contract trades GASOLINE WATCH the national flag carrier. at a deep discount to June,” UBS ana- Interest and instalment payments lyst Giovanni Staunovo said. amount to around Rs1.13 billion per Investors pinned their hopes on trimester. plans to ease lockdown measures after Trump laid out new guidelines for US states to emerge from a corona- virus shutdown in a staggered, three- The airline is SHUTTERSTOCK stage approach. seeking a bailout Nepal Airlines Airbus A320 prepares to land at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. “If more of the global economy enacts plans to reopen and restores fund of Rs 20 billion more than Rs1 million monthly,” said During that time, its two A330 jets Association, around Rs50 billion in some sense of normality, that could Chand. were in the air for less than seven revenue will be wiped out and 175,000 help oil prices find a firmer floor in from the Finance Since the beginning of the autumn hours daily, less than half the people rendered jobless in Nepal’s avi- May, aided by the OPEC+ supply cuts travel rush in October, full-fare pas- required flight time needed to gener- ation industry due to the Covid-19 kicking in,” said Han Tan, market Ministry. sengers had been filling its flights ate a decent profit. outbreak. analyst at FXTM. which pulled the company back from Subsequently, the cash-strapped The estimate is based on a scenario The Organization of the Petroleum the brink of bankruptcy. The autumn corporation started defaulting on where severe restrictions on travel are Exporting Countries (OPEC) and pro- “Tourism Secretary Kedar Bahadur earnings allowed the teetering nation- loans. It was the first time the airline lifted after three months. ducers including Russia, a grouping Adhikari has informed us that the al flag carrier to repay creditors had defaulted on a debt payment even Nepal is expected to see passenger known as OPEC+, agreed on produc- interest waiver proposal has been sent breathing down its neck. though it has a long history of poor demand fall by 39 percent tion cuts of nearly 10 million bpd last to the finance minister,” Chand told It paid Rs572 million to the Citizens financial performance in the past sev- year-on-year, translating into losses of weekend after an earlier oil supply the Post. Investment Trust and Rs440 million to eral years. 2.6 million passengers in both pact collapsed. Nepal Airlines currently has the Employees Provident Fund in The airline has been seeking a bail- domestic and international sectors Oil prices were also boosted by a around Rs300 million in cash reserves January, after having missed three out fund of Rs20 billion from the this year alone. report of encouraging partial data which is enough to pay the staff sala- quarterly instalments. Finance Ministry. Currently, the cor- Last year, Nepal’s international and from trials of US company Gilead ries for at least three months, he said. In November 2018, Nepal Airlines poration’s loans from various institu- domestic air passenger traffic crossed Sciences’ experimental drug remdesi- “Revenue has not dried up entirely as had announced that it was running tions stand at Rs37 billion, and this 7.32 million, with more than 20,000 vir in severe COVID-19 patients, we have been operating some charter out of cash and close to translates into Rs3.66 billion in inter- travellers taking to the skies daily. although the company cautioned that flights,” he said. bankruptcy, less than four months est payments annually. The International Air Transport full data would need to be analysed to Boeing restarting The carrier employs around 1,400 after making the largest jet purchase Aviation is one of the worst hit Association is urging countries in draw any conclusion. Both oil bench- people. “In order to cut expenses, we in the history of Nepali aviation in a sectors. Asia and the Pacific to take urgent marks are still heading for a second have given unpaid leave to a number bid to reclaim its long-lost glory with a According to an estimate by the action to provide financial support to consecutive week of losses, with US commercial airplane of highly paid pilots, those who earn determined fleet expansion plan. International Air Transport their airline industry. oil prices at 18-year lows. production next week

REUTERS WASHINGTON, APRIL 17 Europe car sales tank Boeing Co said it will resume commer- cial airplane production next week in Washington state after suspending 55 percent in March operations last month in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and the company’s chief executive told ASSOCIATED PRESS European consumers are facing eco- employees the aerospace industry MILAN, APRIL 17 nomic uncertainty due to the public will need financial help from the health crisis that has triggered a dra- government. European car sales tanked last matic decrease in national wealth, “Our industry will need the govern- month amid strict lockdown measures industrial production and commerce ment’s support, which will be critical to contain the coronavirus that deemed non-essential. All that is hav- to ensuring access to credit markets shut down dealerships for at least half ing a knock-on effect on employment and likely take the form of loans ver- of March and dried up consumer and salaries, even with short-term sus outright grants,” Boeing Chief spending. unemployment schemes being activat- Executive Dave Calhoun told employ- The European carmaker’s associa- ed in most countries. ees in a letter seen by Reuters. “Our tion, ACEA, said Friday that new car Auto industry production shut- team continues to focus on the best registrations “recorded a dramatic downs have affected 1.1 million jobs ways to keep liquidity flowing through drop” of 55 percent to 567,308 units. and reduced production by at least 1.2 our business and to our supply chain The drop is worse even than during million vehicles through the end of until our customers are buying air- the 2008-9 global financial crisis, last month, according to ACEA statis- planes again,” it said. which triggered a six-year slump in tics. Auto industry revenues account About 27,000 Boeing workers in the car purchases. The steepest losses for 7 percent of EU GDP. Puget Sound area will return to RSS during that financial crisis occurred Italy, the first country to be hit by production of the 747, 767, 777 and 787 Empty boats are seen in the Lakeside area of tourist hotspot Pokhara. Due to the extended lockdown, all tourism hubs have in January 2009, when sales fell 27 the virus in Europe, suffered the worst jet programmes. become deserted. The government has also cancelled its ambitious Visit Nepal 2020 campaign, which was launched in percent. drop at 85 percent, with just 28,326 new January with the goal of attracting 2 million foreign tourists. During the coronavirus emergency, cars registered in March. China suffers historic contraction as virus paralyses economy

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ing work and production,” NBS it can maintain stability and steer the BEIJING, APRIL 17 spokesman Mao Shengyong told a country through the health crisis press conference. while other countries struggle. China’s economy shrank for the Full-year GDP growth expectations “I think that’s a very important set first time in decades last quarter as have fallen to 1.7 percent, according to of achievements which the party is the coronavirus paralysed the AFP’s poll, in what would be the worst going to promote in order to remain REUTERS country, in a historic blow to the annual performance since 1976. legitimate,” Cabestan said. A worker leaves the Boeing Everett Factory, Communist Party’s pledge of contin- But the International Monetary Despite travel restrictions being amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, in ued prosperity in return for unques- Fund, which has pegged China’s 2020 eased and businesses stirring Everett, Washington, US. tioned political power. full-year expansion even lower at 1.2 again, Friday’s data showed a 1.1 Gross domestic product in the percent, is predicting a strong rebound decline in Chinese industrial output Employees in the Puget Sound for world’s second-largest economy fell 6.8 to 9.2 percent growth in 2021. for March as factory shutdowns lin- the 747, 767 and 777 will return start- percent in January-March from Mao said only that if the pandemic gered, and retail sales also plummeted ing April 20, while employees on the a year earlier, according to can be brought under control, “the 15.8 percent as consumers played it 787 programme will return April 23 or government figures—a stunning turn- second half of the year should be bet- safe at home. April 24. about for a generation of Chinese ter than the first”. More pain is expected, according to In January, Boeing halted produc- consumers raised on super-charged Capital Economics chief Asia econo- tion of the 737 MAX after two fatal growth rates. mist Mark Williams. crashes in five months. Employees on The National Bureau of Statistics Fears of a second “Public records suggest that at the 737 programme in Puget Sound (NBS) data marked the first contrac- least half a million firms were dis- are returning to work starting April tion since the government began log- outbreak are also solved in the first quarter and more 20 as they resume working toward ging quarterly performance in the are likely to close shop,” he wrote in a restarting MAX production, the com- early 1990s, and a sharp reversal from dragging on efforts report this week. pany said. the six-percent expansion during the Williams added that surveys point- Boeing, which said around 200 fourth quarter of 2019. to fully fire up ed to more layoffs in March, unem- employees globally have tested posi- The figure beat an 8.2 percent ployment will likely remain tive for the coronavirus, is instituting decline forecast by an AFP poll of ana- China’s economy. higher in coming months, and a series of safeguards including stag- lysts before the news was released. depressed overseas demand could gering shift start times, adding floor But economists have long har- reduce Chinese exports—which markings and signage to create physi- boured suspicions that official The economic figures are deeply account for 15 percent of national cal distance and requiring face cover- Chinese economic data is massaged significant in China due to the tacit GDP—by as much as half. ings for employees at company sites in for political reasons. political compact between the Shrinking export demand may have Washington. “The actual contraction in the first Communist Party and the country’s shaved 1.8 percentage points off real Boeing is asking employees to per- quarter, especially in March, could be 1.4 billion people. GDP growth in the first quarter, form self-health checks before coming worse than headline numbers sug- More than four decades since Nomura’s chief China economist Lu to work and to stay home if ill. It will gest,” Nomura analysts said Friday. Beijing abandoned radical Maoism Ting had said earlier. conduct employee wellness checks Experts warn that growth is unlike- in favour of authoritarian Nomura expects a “large stimulus before every shift and voluntary tem- ly to rebound soon, with depressed capitalism—achieving spectacular package” consisting of financial perature screening at many manufac- demand for Chinese goods in overseas growth—Chinese citizens have largely relief targeted at businesses, banks turing locations. markets that are also grappling with acquiesced to the party’s monopoly and households. Beijing already has A Boeing spokesman declined to say the pandemic. on power, in exchange for continued ramped up stimulus for smaller enter- whether the company would seek gov- Fears of a second outbreak are also prosperity. prises and low-income individuals. ernment assistance. dragging on efforts to fully fire up China analyst Jean-Pierre Cabestan Wuhan, the central Chinese city Boeing said last month it wanted China’s economy, a major engine of of Hong Kong Baptist University said where the coronavirus outbreak was the government to “ensure a mini- global growth. the current situation puts a nail in the first detected, announced Friday it mum of $60 billion in access to public “We are now facing rising pressure coffin of the party’s stated goal of would begin handing out vouchers and private liquidity, including loan in the prevention of imported doubling GDP from 2010-2020. worth 500 million yuan ($70 million) to guarantees, for the aerospace manu- epidemic infections, as well as new But he saw no immediate peril for boost consumption in the city of 11 facturing industry.” difficulties and challenges for resum- the all-powerful regime, especially if million people, state media reported.

C M Y K SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2020 | 06 WORLD

BRIEFING Facebook to warn users who ‘liked’ Africa could see 300,000 deaths this year coronavirus hoaxes JOHANNESBURG: Africa could see 300,000 deaths from the coronavirus ASSOCIATED PRESS even under the best-case scenario, WASHINGTON, APRIL 17 according to a new report that cites modelling by the Imperial College Facebook will soon let you know if London. Under the worst-case you shared or interacted with danger- scenario with no interventions ous coronavirus misinformation on against the virus, Africa could the site, the latest in a string of aggres- see 3.3 million deaths and 1.2 billion sive efforts the social media giant is infections, the report by the UN taking to contain an outbreak of viral Economic Commission for Africa falsehoods. says. Even with “intense social The new notice will be sent to users distancing” under the best-case sce- who have clicked on, reacted to, or nario the continent could see commented on posts featuring harm- more than 122 million infections, ful or false claims about Covid-19 after the report says. they have been removed by modera- tors. The alert, which will start appearing on Facebook in the Iran parades medical coming weeks, will direct users to a gear for Army Day site where the World Health DUBAI: Iran on Friday paraded disin- Organization lists and debunks virus fection vehicles, mobile hospitals and myths and rumours. other medical equipment as it Facebook, Google and Twitter are marked its national Army Day, to introducing stricter rules, altered underscore the military’s role in bat- algorithms and thousands of fact tling the coronavirus pandemic checks to stop the spread of bad misin- which has hit the country hard. formation online about the virus. The small “Defenders of the Challenges remain. Tech platforms Homeland, Helpers of Health” have sent home human moderators parade, held at a training centre who police the platforms, forcing them before a group of commanders in face to rely on automated systems to take masks, was a far cry from the typical down harmful content. They are also Army Day parades, which normally up against people’s mistrust of feature marching infantry, missiles, authoritative sources for information, submarines and armoured vehicles, such as the WHO. with warplanes flying overhead.

Bolsonaro fires health minister Facebook, Google BRASILIA: Brazilian President Jair and Twitter are Bolsonaro fired his health minister on Thursday after clashing with him introducing stricter over how to fight the new coronavi- rus, and again called for states to end REUTERS rules and thousands Magician Rajkumar performs for people at a sports complex turned into a shelter after India extended a nationwide lockdown to slow down the spreading of coronavirus, stay-at-home orders that he said were in New Delhi, India, on Friday. hurting the economy. Few global lead- of fact checks. ers have done more than Bolsonaro to play down the pandemic, which has “Through this crisis, one of my top killed nearly 2,000 Brazilians. He has priorities is making sure that you see called the virus “a little flu” and criti- accurate and authoritative informa- cized state governors for imposing tion across all of our apps,” Facebook restrictions supported by health CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote on his experts and the popular outgoing Trump gives governors options Facebook page Thursday. minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta. The company disclosed on Thursday Brazil’s Bolsonaro accuses house that it put more than 40 million warn- speaker of trying to remove him ing labels in March over videos, posts from office In televised remarks on how to reopen the economy or articles about the coronavirus that met with pot-banging protests in sev- fact-checking organizations have eral major cities, Bolsonaro said determined are false or misleading. Mandetta did not fully appreciate In phase one, for instance, the plan recommends strict social distancing for all people in public. The number includes duplicate the need to protect jobs and he claims–the labels were based on 4,000 called again for a resumption ASSOCIATED PRESS restrictions has led to a resurgence in fact checks. of business in Brazil, Latin America’s WASHINGTON, APRIL 17 virus cases. In other parts of the coun- Facebook says those warning labels largest economy. (AGENCIES) try, or if virus cases pick up, it could have stopped 95 percent of users from President Donald Trump has given be substantially longer. clicking on the false information. governors a road map for recovering The guidelines also include general “It’s a big indicator that people are from the economic pain of the corona- recommendations to businesses as trusting the fact checkers,” said virus pandemic, laying out “a phased they plan for potential reopenings, Baybars Orsek, the director of the Chinese epicentre and deliberate approach” to restoring suggesting temperature-taking, rapid International Fact-Checking Network. normal activity in places that have Covid-19 testing and widespread disin- “The label has an impact on people’s strong testing and are seeing a fection efforts in workplaces. information consumption.” Wuhan raises decrease in Covid-19 cases. Those most susceptible to the res- But Orsek cautioned that the data “We’re starting our life again,” piratory disease are advised to remain Facebook provided should be reviewed Trump said during his daily press sheltered in place until their area by outside editors or experts, and number of virus briefing. “We’re starting rejuvenation enters the final phase–and even then called on the historically secretive of our economy again.” are encouraged to take precautions to company to release regular updates He added, “This is a gradual avoid close contact with other people. about the impact of its fact-checking dead by 1,290 process.” Governors, for their part, have been initiative. The new guidelines are aimed at moving ahead with their own plans Orsek’s organisation is a nonprofit ASSOCIATED PRESS easing restrictions in areas with low for how to safely revive normal activi- that certifies news organisations as BEIJING, APRIL 17 transmission of the coronavirus, ty. Seven Midwestern governors fact checkers, a requirement to pro- while holding the line in harder-hit announced Thursday they will coordi- duce fact-checking articles for At least 50 percent more people died in locations. They make clear that the nate on reopening their economies. Facebook. Facebook has recruited China’s virus epicentre of Wuhan return to normalcy will be a far longer Similar pacts were announced earlier dozens of news organizations around than previously counted, with state process than Trump initially envi- in the week in the West and Northeast. the globe to fact check bad informa- media on Friday attributing the initial sioned, with federal officials warning Two in three Americans expressed tion on its site. The Associated Press undercount to how overwhelmed the that some social distancing measures REUTERS concerns that restrictions meant to is part of that program. health system was coping with thou- may need to remain in place through A nurse wipes away tears as she stands outside NYU Langone Medical Center on 1st Avenue in slow the spread of the virus would be Facebook will also begin sands of sick patients. the end of the year to prevent a new Manhattan as New York Police Department Mounted Police and other units came to cheer and eased too quickly, according to a Pew promoting the articles that debunk The addition of 1,290 victims raised outbreak. And they largely reinforce thank healthcare workers at 7pm during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in New York. Research Center survey released Covid-19 misinformation, of which Wuhan’s death toll to 3,869, the most in plans already in the works by gover- Thursday. More than 30,000 people there are thousands, on a new infor- China, and may confirm suspicions nors, who have primary responsibility es and schools. In phase one, for normalcy for most Americans, with a in the United States have died from mation center called “Get The Facts.” that far more people died in the city for public health in their states. instance, the plan recommends strict focus on identification and isolation the virus. Putting trustworthy information in where the illness began than has been “You’re going to call your own social distancing for all people in pub- of any new infections. Former Vice President Joe Biden, front of people can be just as useful, if previously announced. shots,” Trump told the governors on lic. Gatherings larger than 10 people Trump said recent trends in some Trump’s likely opponent in not more, than simply debunking The total confirmed cases in the Thursday afternoon in a conference are to be avoided, and nonessential states were so positive that they could November’s presidential election, said falsehoods. city of 11 million people also increased call, according to an audio recording travel is discouraged. almost immediately begin taking the on Thursday evening that Trump Still, conspiracy theories, claims by 325 to 50,333, accounting for about obtained by The Associated Press. In phase two, people are encouraged steps laid out in phase one. “kind of punted.” about unverified treatments, and mis- two-thirds of China’s total 82,367 “We’re going to be standing alongside to maximize social distancing and At the earliest, the guidelines sug- “We’re not going to be able to really information about coronavirus vac- announced cases. of you.” limit gatherings to no more than 50 gest, some parts of the country could make significant changes in the three cines continue to pop up on the The revised Wuhan figures raised Places with declining infections and people unless precautionary measures see a resumption in normal commerce phases the president’s talking about site daily–sometimes circumventing China’s death toll to 4,632, up from strong testing would begin a three- are taken. Travel could resume. and social gatherings after a month of until we’re able to test much more the safeguards Facebook has 3,342 announced by the National phase gradual reopening of business- Phase three envisions a return to evaluating whether easing up on broadly,” Biden said on CNN. implemented. Health Commission on Friday morning. The official Xinhua News Agency quoted an unidentified official with Wuhan’s epidemic and preven- tion and control headquarters Unsafe abortions could skyrocket as coronavirus closes clinics worldwide as saying that during the early stages of the outbreak, “due to the insuffi- ciency in admission and treatment THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION these types of impacts.” Countries capability, a few medical institutions WASHNGTON, APRIL 17 should make sure sexual and repro- failed to connect with the disease pre- ductive health services are essential vention and control system in time, Clinic closures due to coronavirus in and staffed, make contraceptives while hospitals were overloaded and developing countries could lead to mil- available without a prescription and medics were overwhelmed with lions of unsafe abortions and thou- explore innovative models of care patients. sands of maternal deaths if nothing is such as telemedicine, the report “As a result, belated, missed and done, researchers said on Thursday. recommended. mistaken reporting occurred,” the The pandemic is decreasing wom- The International Planned official was quoted as saying. en’s access to sexual and reproductive Parenthood Federation (IPPF) report- The new figures were compiled by health care worldwide as supply ed last week that more than 5,600 of its comparing data from Wuhan’s epi- chains are disrupted, transport is clinics and care providers—represent- demic prevention and control system, restricted and services deemed ing 14 percent of the total—had closed the city funeral service, the municipal “non-essential” are shut down, said because of the outbreak across 64 hospital authority, and nucleic acid the Guttmacher Institute, a reproduc- countries. testing to “remove double-counted tive health think tank, in a report. Countries particularly affected by cases and fill in missed cases,” the Just a 10 percent decline in access to closures included Pakistan, El official was quoted as saying. care in low- and middle-income coun- Salvador, Zambia, Sudan, Colombia, Deaths occurring outside hospitals tries would result in an additional 15 Malaysia, Uganda, Ghana, Germany, had not been registered previously million unintended pregnancies, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, said IPPF. and some medical institutions had 28,000 maternal deaths and 3 million Charity Marie Stopes International confirmed cases but reported them unsafe abortions, the study showed. (MSI), which provides contraception late or not at all, the official said. That is a conservative estimate for and abortion services in 37 countries, Questions have long swirled around what might happen in reality, with has estimated 9.5 million women and the accuracy of China’s case report- some experts predicting a decline of girls would lose access to its services ing, with Wuhan in particular going up to 80 percent, said Elizabeth Sully, in 2020 due to the pandemic. several days in January without senior research scientist at In Nepal, where it performs more reporting new cases or deaths. That Guttmacher. “There’s a lot to suggest than 75 percent of all safe abortions, has led to accusations that Chinese that we could see this and we could see MSI was forced to shut down services officials were seeking to minimize the something worse,” Sully told the due to the lockdown on March 24, it impact of the outbreak and wasting Thomson Reuters Foundation. said. It has since been able to reopen REUTERS opportunities to bring it under control “We need to take action now in a 12 of its 36 clinics at limited capacity A health worker (left) speaks to patients during a visit by Netherlands Minister for Trade and Development Cooperation Lilianne Ploumen in a shorter time. preventative way before we start to see but said it is far from meeting need. at a Family Health Options clinic in the Kibera slums in Nairobi, Kenya.

C M Y K 07 | SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2020 SPORTS BRIEFING Setien not convinced by plans to restart La Liga UEFA executive committee to meet as uncertainty continues BERN: UEFA will hold a meeting of its Top four will earn decision-making executive committee on April 23 with discussions likely to centre on how, when and if the European berths European football season will be able to resume amid the coronavirus out- break. The sport has been brought to even if season is a standstill by the outbreak with the Euro 2020 competition postponed abandoned until next year and both national leagues and continental club competi- REITERS tions on hold. Football associations, LONDON, APRIL 17 leagues, clubs and players around Europe are debating how to complete If the La Liga season is cut short or their seasons. UEFA, European abandoned due to the coronavirus football’s governing body, has made pandemic, the four teams on top of the it clear that it wants its member most recent completed round of stand- associations to complete their ings will qualify for next season’s domestic seasons rather than aban- Champions League, the Spanish don them. Football Association (RFEF) said. With all teams having played 27 matches before the RFEF suspended Turkmenistan league set to play on March 12 due to the outbreak resume despite virus threat of the novel coronavirus, Barcelona, ASHGABAT: Turkmenistan in Central Real Madrid, Sevilla and Real Sociedad Asia is set to resume its football sea- are the four teams that will go through son with spectators at the weekend, to Europe’s premier club competition making it only the second country in if no more action is possible this the world to let fans attend matches season. as the new coronavirus shuts down “The RFEF wants to have done its almost all of world football. Belarus homework in case, in the event of a is the only other country letting fans suspension of competitions, it attend matches at the moment. The receives the request from UEFA Turkmenistan Football Federation regarding the Spanish clubs that suspended its eight-team domestic would have access to European compe- league on March 24 but gave no titions next season,” RFEF general official reason for its decision. secretary Andreu Camps said in a Its football championship will statement on Thursday. “Thus... it has restart after a three-week hiatus been agreed in the RFEF Delegate on Sunday when Ashgabat-based Commission to make a plan in order to Altyn Asyr face local rivals give certainty in an extreme scenario, Kopetdag. such as not being able to finish the competitions, so that all the clubs know the new scenario they are Australian board furloughs REUTERS facing.” A file photo shows Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrating after scoring a goal against Real Sociedad during their La Liga match at Nou Camp in Barcelona. After the last round of games were majority of staff completed on March 10, Barcelona MELBOURNE: Cricket Australia (CA) REUTERS ing and matches once given the green not happen until the health authori- be done. There will be too many topped La Liga with 58 points, two said on Thursday it has decided to BARCELONA, APRIL 17 light by health authorities recom- ties can guarantee that there will be problems.” ahead of Real Madrid. Sevilla are furlough the majority of its staff on mends that clubs hold training camps no problems,” Setien told Catalan La Liga declined to comment on third on 47, with Real Sociedad a point reduced pay until the end of the Barcelona coach Quique Setien is pes- at their training grounds or hotels for radio station RAC1 on Thursday. Setien and Busquets’ comments further back in fourth. The teams in financial year to cope with the chal- simistic that the Spanish top flight a two-week period before matches can “I have read the protocol and the although a source close to the matter fifth and sixth place - which are cur- lenges posed by the Covid-19 pandem- season will be able to be completed start again. reality is I don’t know if it can be car- said stakeholders were continuing to rently Getafe and Atletico Madrid - ic. The global health crisis has halted and has called La Liga’s conditions for Only first team players, coaching ried out as it is written, I think it’s discuss a plan to return to matches will also qualify for the Europa professional cricket around the the campaign recommencing “a staff and a small number of other unworkable, I think it’s very difficult along with the association of League. world, leaving most boards bracing non-starter” due to the continued staff would be allowed to access the logistically.” European leagues. “The objective of The result of the Copa Del Rey final, for significant revenue reductions. threat of the novel coronavirus. facility, with everyone at the training Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets La Liga is to create a protocol of the if that is contested, could impact “We have made the decision during La Liga has been on hold since camp being subjected to two Covid-19 also expressed doubts about the highest possible standard that can which team grabs the final Europa this period of isolation, where activi- March 10 due to the pandemic tests before accessing the site. Testing feasibility of clubs holding training allow return to training and get us in League spot. With Copa Del Rey final- ty has naturally been reduced, to although president Javier Tebas has would continue to take place during camps. “We can start training again a good, healthy, way to the light at the ists Real Sociedad already in the top stand down our people on reduced said matches could start up again on the camps, added the protocol. little by little but it will be difficult end of this dark tunnel,” added the four, their opponents Athletic Bilbao pay (with the exception of a skeleton either May 29, June 7 or June 28, most But Setien, whose Barca side held a once everyone comes together and the source. (10th in the league) are in pole posi- staff) effective 27 April ...” CA said in likely without spectators. Tebas has two-point lead over Real Madrid at the competition starts again and teams More than 19,000 people have died tion for the third Europa League spot a statement. “We will continue to estimated Spanish clubs would lose top of the standings when the cam- start travelling,” he told Spanish radio from the coronavirus in Spain unless they have climbed into the top seek advice from medical experts around one billion euros ($1.09 billion) paign was indefinitely postponed, stations Onda Cero and Cadena Cope. although this week the government six by the time the final league stand- and relevant government agencies ..... if the season is not completed. does not think it is so simple. “I have heard that La Liga wants loosened the terms of a strict ings are decided. Should that occur, and to return to business as A draft of the league’s protocol, “Everyone wants to be ready for when teams to concentrate for a few months, lockdown to allow some businesses the final Europa League spot will go to soon as possible.” (AGENCIES) seen by Reuters, for returning to train- the season starts again but that can- I think that’s too much and it cannot back to work. the seventh-placed team in La Liga. Leeds great Hunter dies of coronavirus Sri Lanka offers to US Open unlikely without host suspended REUTERS the PFA Players’ Player of the Year LONDON, APRIL 17 award in 1974. fans, says USTA head “He leaves a huge hole in the Leeds cash-rich IPL Former Leeds United and England United family, his legacy will never be REUTERS defender Norman ‘Bites Yer Legs’ forgotten and our thoughts are with NEW DELHI, APRIL 17 Hunter has died at 76 after contracting Norman’s family and friends at this the new coronavirus, the very difficult time,” Leeds said. This year’s Indian Premier League Championship (second-tier) club said The Professional Footballers (IPL) was officially postponed until on Friday. Association (PFA) said the game had further notice because of the Covid-19 “Norman was taken to hospital last lost a legend. Former England team pandemic on Thursday but the Indian week after being diagnosed with mate Alan Mullery remembered a cricket board believes it can find a Covid-19 and despite continuing to man who never lost his competitive “safe” window later for the lucrative battle and the best efforts of NHS spirit, even when on holiday. “We used Twenty20 tournament. staff, he sadly lost his fight earlier this to go on cruises together,” he told Sky The eight-team league, originally morning,” Leeds said on their web- Sports television. scheduled from March 29, was initial- site. Hunter made 726 appearances for “I remember we were on a trip once ly suspended until Wednesday even as Leeds in 15 years at the Yorkshire club and we were playing the crew and I India entered a three-week lockdown and earned his fearsome nickname for was the referee and he was playing. last month. With the lockdown being his tough tackling. And he’s hit this fellow in a 50-50 tack- extended until May 3 and travel and He won two top-flight league titles, le and this fellow did three somer- other restrictions in place, a second an FA Cup and a League Cup with saults and landed on his backside. I postponement was inevitable. Leeds and played in their 1975 said to him ‘Norman, these passen- With health concerns and lockdown European Cup final defeat by German gers have paid a lot of money to come measures in mind, the IPL Governing side Bayern Munich. He was also part on it.’ And he said ‘We’ve still got to Council decided to suspend the 2020 of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning win, Alan. We can’t let them win. To season until further notice, Board of squad, without playing, and came on talk about him as a footballer, he was Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as a substitute in the 3-2 defeat by West probably one of the hardest football- secretary Jay Shah said in a state- Germany in the 1970 World Cup quar- ers you would ever come up against. ment. “The health and safety of the REUTERS ter-final. Hunter, who won 28 caps for And off the field he was absolutely nation and everyone involved in our Norman Hunter England, was also the first winner of gentle.” great sport remains our top priority...” Shah said. “...the BCCI along with the franchise owners, broadcaster, spon- sors and all the stakeholders acknowl- REUTERS edge that the IPL 2020 season will only A file photo shows Bianca Andreescu of Canada with the US Open championship trophy after commence when it is safe and appro- beating Serena Williams of the USA in the 2019 women’s singles final. Graeme Smith made permanent priate to do so.” The confirmation came a day after REUTERS Jean King National Tennis Center, key franchise officials told Reuters LONDON, APRIL 17 which is the home of the US Open, has that the eight-team league had been even been turned into temporary hos- director of Cricket South Africa indefinitely postponed. “BCCI will The organisers of the US Open said on pital to help in the battle against the continue to monitor and review the Thursday a decision on whether to coronavirus. REUTERS also wanted to have the opportunity to situation regarding a potential start hold the Grand Slam this year amid Last year’s US Open drew an all- CAPE TOWN, APRIL 17 see if the partnership can work. I’m date in close partnership with all of the coronavirus outbreak will be made time attendance record of nearly not sure if anybody’s career can start its stakeholders...” Shah added. in June, and playing it without fans is 740,000 fans and the event is the engine Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirmed with so many challenges and what The number of confirmed coronavi- on the table but highly unlikely. that drives the USTA, which is on Friday they had made former Test will be a new way of looking at rus infections in India has jumped to The US Open, which is scheduled to governing body for the sport in the skipper Graeme Smith’s tenure as cricket.” 12,380, including 414 deaths, as of run from August 31 to September 13, is country. The French Open, the director of cricket permanent, keep- Smith appointed former team mate Thursday. both the largest and loudest of the first Grand Slam to be hit by the ing him in the role until March 2022. Mark Boucher as head coach of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has offered four Grand Slam events on the tennis spread of the coronavirus, moved the Smith, the most successful Test cap- national team and started with a 3-1 to host the tournament. “It looks like calendar and United States Tennis claycourt event to September 20 to tain in history, has been in the role in home Test series loss to England, but Sri Lanka will be clear of the corona- Association (USTA) chief executive October 4 from its traditional May an acting capacity since December. ended the 2019/20 season with a 3-0 virus before India,” SLC president Mike Dowse does not anticipate that start while the Wimbledon champion- CSA acting chief executive Jacques One-Day International whitewash of a Shammi Silva told Reuters in changing. ships, set to begin in late June, were Faul told a media conference strong Australia side. Colombo. “If so, we can host the tour- “Playing without spectators, we’re cancelled. that Smith had impressed since in the “There is a lot of work that still nament here. We will be writing to the not taking anything off the table right “Time is on our side at this point,” position. needs to be done, not just at interna- Indian cricket board soon,” he added. now, but to be honest and open, I think said Dowse. “Obviously our ambition “Graeme has made a huge impact tional level but throughout our pipe- Indian media speculated on a possi- that’s highly unlikely,” Dowse said on is to run the tournament.” Dowse said with his energy, expertise, hard work line development pathways as well but ble window for the IPL in September- a conference call. “That’s not really in the USTA will make a decision on ethic and characteristic determina- I am determined to get South African October, before this year’s Twenty20 the spirit of the celebration of tennis. whether it is safe to stage the US Open tion and passion he has brought to the cricket back to where it belongs as one World Cup in Australia. The uncer- It also goes back to the health and after consulting doctors. “Things are position,” said Faul. “Although there of the world leaders at international tainty is a big setback, particularly for well-being of not just the spectators fluid. If the medical experts come is certainly a great deal of work to be AP level,” Smith, 39, said. the 62 cricketers bought for a collec- but of our players and support staff back and say here is a foolproof way done, as reflected by the performances Graeme Smith The former opening batsman played tive $18.34 million at the players’ auc- that help run the tournament.” of running a very safe tournament, of our various national teams, he has 117 Tests, leading South Africa in 108 tion in December. Australian Pat The US Open is held annually in unfortunately it has to be without certainly put our cricket on an upward be a turbulent time for the game due of those and winning 53. South Africa Cummins became the IPL’s most New York City, which is the hardest fans, we may reconsider and look at it trajectory that provides light at the to the Covid-19 pandemic. “We wanted are due to tour Sri Lanka for a limited expensive overseas buy ever when the hit US city in the coronavirus pan- at this point,” said Dowse. “Today it’s end of the tunnel.” to appoint him permanently from the overs series in June but that looks Kolkata Knight Riders paid a stagger- demic and this week revised its offi- just too early to kind of speculate Faul added they were pleased to tie word go, but there was a lot of uncer- increasingly unlikely due to the global ing $2.18 million for the fast bowler in cial Covid-19 death toll sharply higher on what the exact specifics will be at Smith down ahead of what is likely to tainty at the time,” Faul said. “Graeme health crisis. the auction in Kolkata. to more than 10,000. The USTA Billie that time.”

C M Y K SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2020 | 08 AS IT IS (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 The Tinkerbell problem Three days into isolation, I had realised I wasn’t who I thought I was. This was a crisis.

SHEFALI UPRETI his stethoscope into my back and com- manded me to inhale and told me I was day before the lockdown, I fine. began to cough. A forebod- I told him I needed something to make ing little tickle settled in me alert and happy. He told me to take a my throat that evening and shower. by morning the cough was It took eight days for my body to shake dry and constant. It the cough off well enough for me to leave alarmedA everyone. I was immediately my bedroom. I emerged like a wild animal sealed inside my bedroom, sitting alone exiting a cave. The prospect of the great on my bed and coughing to myself in my outdoor—the roof—caused me great anxi- own quarantined air. ety, like a slimy cryptid recoiling from The cough didn’t alarm me: I hadn’t fresh air. Yet there was nothing I wanted touched anyone or been near enough any- more than to find a good patch of direct one; and for two weeks I had washed my sunlight, somewhere people could look at hands with Dettol until they had become me and I could look at them, and look at marbled with flaking red skin. The isola- them looking at me. I needed to be able to tion didn’t alarm me either: I was thrilled perform in the eyes of others, just to feel about being by myself in the quiet. My like myself again. mother slipped me meals and slipped The hours it took me to repair myself away before she could no longer hold her SHUTTERSTOCK after eight days in isolation are unbeliev- breath; my father stepped in once he got point in looking in the mirror at myself, hours of autopilot action that allows our able. It wasn’t just my knotted hair, which home from work, wearing his white either—I had read that young women brain to keep ticking along without hav- took four hours and a great deal of upper- gloves and the scent of hospital rubbing never saw themselves accurately when Limbs ponderous, I ing to focus or talk or listen. We consider arm strength to fix, or my splotchy face, alcohol, to listen to my lungs with his they looked in the mirror, anyway. I ourselves constantly, our bodies and our my cracked lips or the blue rings stamped ice-circle stethoscope. As long as I required someone else to look at me and lay in bed in a sweaty ideas and how we appear to those we want around my eyes that needed attention. coughed, I would be excluded from all to react to me, no matter how unkempt I fugue with no memory to talk to or work with. We think we know During lows in real life, I have conscious- family drama. When I heard shouting, I was, so that I would know what to feel ourselves, and we perform who we are, ly sacrificed how I look to conserve ener- had permission to plug in my headphones about myself. My hair grew wilder, and I of ever going to sleep even in silence. gy for the tasks that are binding—like and daydream. I had thought this would grew restless, and all online contact Solitude left me with no one to think going to work and crossing things off my be, spoiled and obnoxious as it is, a meant nothing. I felt as though I had or waking up. about myself through, and I had forgotten list of tasks and forcing down at least one recluse’s heaven: left alone, not having to begun to blur. any other way of thinking about myself. of three meals. In a single week of isola- perform orderliness or feign interest for I realised in solitude that like Without minute to minute impressions tion life, by not knowing how to ready anybody. It turns out I, spoiled and obnox- Tinkerbell, from Peter Pan, I couldn’t window at the fixed, white and leafy guiding me, I was lost. As my sense of myself for myself, it was as though I had ious as I am, was not a touch equipped for exist without attention. It was vital for façade of my neighbour’s house, self distorted until I had recreated a tricked my body into a leaden slump I isolation. my well-being. Without validation, I was with the abnormally loud birds, or with a minor but eerie cult horror in my head, would have to work methodically to get Three days into isolation, I had realised just a strange body housing a thousand grisly line-up of American cult horror. my energy levels plunged, lower than the out of. I wasn’t who I thought I was. This was a scattered thoughts. But the betrayal of myself would drowsiness that the doses of prescribed Since I’ve been let out, I’ve relied on the crisis. I was no recluse: I hated being The realisation of this chimeric self always return and I would have nowhere codeine warranted for. Limbs ponderous, routine of readying myself for the eyes of alone and dishevelled. I hated being una- rolled me down a slow, paranoid spiral. I to go, feeling like an imposter in my own I lay in bed in a sweaty fugue with no others to ground myself amidst the ble to offer input, no matter how stupid or would sit alone inside my body and won- body and not knowing to whom I should memory of ever going to sleep or waking heart-pounding terror of being an contrived, on the conversations I heard der for hours who I really was and what I apologise for it. Besides, my cough was up. I dreamed that the neighbour’s dogs unknowable stranger in a body whose through the walls, no matter how stupid really wanted from myself and how I worsening. climbed the trees in the night and inner workings are a mystery. Who is it or hysterical. I especially hated that no could ever truly know. I would distract I had known that the isolation would be perched at my window, and when I and what ails it and what does it want? one was looking at me. I took a disgrace- myself by plodding along with work, with self-revelatory—solitude always is. It’s awoke to their barking I wasn’t sure that Perhaps future days of solitude will tell, ful number of pictures of myself in vari- Jeanette Winterson—whom I’d started not just a matter of being left alone with it had been a dream. When I lay awake for but for now, I take refuge in what I know ous textures of light and was too ashamed reading out of pure luck and who talks our thoughts in the silence. We experi- too long, my arm moved by itself and will work: allowing others to pay to post them online, where everyone had about so many separate selves with so ence silence every day, hours of it— frightened me awake. A slight fever came me attention and create for me my sense become didactic and grim. There was no much confidence—with staring out my through the night, on the commute, in the and left and came back. My dad pressed of self. BOOKS The Indian Nexus The Nepal Nexus, the updated, translated version of Prayogshala, is an accomplished piece, but it lacks depth in the demystification of events post 2015 constitution.

ACHYUT WAGLE

he great nations have always acted like gangsters, and the small nations like prostitutes.” This highly political quote“T doesn't come from a political scien- tist or politician but from a legendary Hollywood film director, Stanley Kubrick. This rather blunt observation—emanated more from experience than theory— reflects perhaps the truest account of the generic trait of relationships between large and small countries. Of course, there are several seminal theories related to the variation of policy behaviour of the larger and smaller nation-states (see for example, the article by Maurice A. East, 1973, Size and Foreign Policy Behavior: A Test of Two Models, World Politics, Vol. 25, No. 4), but the fate of smaller states barely seems to have altered for centuries despite the rise of many facets of equality narratives in global diplomacy. The predicament of the smaller ones appears more pronounced when they are adjacent to relatively very powerful neighbours. Journalist and editor Sudheer THE NEPAL NEXUS: AN INSIDE Sharma's latest book, The Nepal Nexus: SHUTTERSTOCK ACCOUNT OF THE MAOISTS, An Inside Account of the Maoists, the Nepal's internal politics whereas in peace process that followed and their democratic dogma of the monarchy. THE DURBAR AND NEW DELHI Durbar and New Delhi (2019), only rein- many other cases, shown how futile mainly political fallouts (as the book is Similarly, India's abandonment of two-pil- forces Kubrick's almost six decade old RAW's own conclusions and strategies not directly focused on social, economic lar policy of supporting the constitution- Author : Sudheer Sharma epitaph. The book alludes that the main have proven to be. and other ramifications of the insurgen- al monarchy and multi-party democracy Publisher : Penguin Random vantage point for all observations con- Second, the book has presented facts cy and ensuing machinations). in apparent favour to Maoist agenda and House tained in the book effectively is New with verifiable authenticity since, bar- As the title of the book suggests, it paradigm shifts of the latter from 'expan- Pages : Rs 1,120 Delhi, not Kathmandu. And except from ring a few exceptions, the actors, charac- dwells on the chessboard like moves and sionist India to ally in making Nepal a limited alliterative aesthetics, one won- ters and interviewees of the author are strategies of four major political players republic' bring sheer opportunistic poli- ders why the title is ‘The Nepal Nexus’ as still active in their respective fields. Also, in Nepal then: the monarchy under two tics sans ideology to the fore. The book— and breadth of research and inferences opposed to ‘The Indian Nexus', as it would this phenomenon is vindicated by the fact different Kings, Birendra and his brother with details of dozens of encounters of seem little diluted compared to the origi- have been a better suited title. The author that during the last seven years since the Gyanendra, the Maoists in rebellion, high-ranking RAW officials with Maoist nal version. The dynamics of role and baptises it as the book of 'politics and publication of Prayogshala, not even a RAW and mainstream parliamentary supremo Pushpa Kamal Dahal and a few expectation of Indian establishment, spe- geopolitics' and acknowledges that the single Nepali politician, security forces party, Nepali Congress in particular. The others—unveils not only close contacts cifically RAW, after six years of Bharatiya English edition is an outcome of 'modi- and/or RAW operatives came out to refute book exposes a number of antithetic between the two but also the treacheries, Janata Party in power in Delhi, and stra- fied, updated and translated' version of the claims made regarding their role as developments during the period. King tactics and tantrums Maoists customised tegic rise of Chinese influence in Nepali his earlier book in Nepali, the Prayogshala mentioned in the book. The detailed facts Birendra's refusal to allow the mobilisa- after each of these crucial meetings. In politics undoubtedly deserved more (2013), but how much so is debatable. of the incidents and published references tion of Nepali army to crush the Maoists addition, the book also validates the detailed treatment which is clearly only The work is undoubtedly an accom- presented with due credit make the work despite recommendation of elected RAW's keen interest and visible involve- suboptimal. plished product of the author's hard work not only a collection of placid journalistic Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala ment in shaping and extending the Sharma's somewhat sweeping conclu- and is a very systematic presentation of reportage but also a valuable academic for the same and then constantly Madhes movements of 2008 and 2015. sion that India is hardly willing to change researched material. He must be praised product that is in compliance with the circulating hypothesis of impending coup Although, the author at the very outset and maintains the tendency 'to indulge in for at least three distinct characteristics global tradition of knowledge creation. d'état allegedly contemplated by the king claims that the book is an updated ver- one experiment after another in Nepal, at of the exposition. First is the boldness Third, a systematic chronology of help explain why the democracy could not sion of the Prayogshala, the rigour and the heart of which lies its desire to have a and courage with which Sharma has political events of the last three decades take roots under the constitutional mon- depth in coverage and demystification of state of 'controlled instability', where no brought out information, particularly on in Nepal with exact dates, locations and archy. the events that unfolded after Nepal single force is decisive, so that Nepal's Nepal-related activities, engagements parties involved makes the book an In later years of insurgency, as revealed promulgated the 2015 constitution seems dependence on its neighbour persists and and movements of India's international important and citable historical docu- by the book, the Maoists and monarchy lacking. One of rationale of the new edi- it can guide the country where it sees fit' intelligence agency Research and ment. It has a lot of flesh for those will- worked to come together and strategise to tion of the book beyond catering the same (page 471). This 'experimentation' per- Analysis Wing (RAW) officials. The book ing, specifically, to understand origin, send the leaders of parliamentary parties Prayogshala content to the English read- haps is unlikely to last very long as rapid- in many instances has evidenced and culmination and effective dissolution of behind the bars (page 117). Such an indus- ers is the update of the developments that ly changing geopolitics of the region is established many incessant hearsays Nepal's Maoist insurgency, counter-insur- try for collusion between two ideological took place after the publication of the making a transformation from 'controlled' surrounding the RAW's influence, med- gency measures adopted by the govern- extremes unmasks both; the republican Nepali version. Chapters 23 to 27 touch to 'competitive' a new imperative even for dling and/or micromanagement into ments of different political ideologies, the hypocrisy of the Maoists leaders and the upon this critical period, but the depth India.

Published and Printed by Kantipur Publications Pvt. Ltd., Central Business Park, Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal, P. B. No. 8559, Phone: 5135000, Fax: 977-1-5135057, e-mail: [email protected], Regd. No. 32/049/050, Chairman & Managing Director: Kailash Sirohiya, Director: Swastika Sirohiya, Editor: Sanjeev Satgainya