WI THOUT F EAR O R F A V O U R

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 172 | 10 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 34.7 C 14.0 C Monday, August 09, 2021 | 25-04-2078 Dhangadi Jomsom Deuba’s double trouble: timely party convention and managing coalition Pressure building on Nepali Congress president to keep house in order and expand the Cabinet.

ANIL GIRI president again, factionalism has KATHMANDU, AUG 8 deepened in the party. Shashank Koirala, Bimalendra Nidhi and When the Supreme Court installed Prakash Man Singh too are vying Sher Bahadur Deuba as prime minis- for party presidency, but with no deci- ter, ousting KP Sharma Oli over his sion on the general convention, con- misadventures, on July 12, it was by cerns are growing over the party get- and large apparent that the Nepali ting invalidated. All three are sons of Congress president was set for a the party stalwarts—BP Koirala, bumpy ride. Mahendra Narayan Nidhi and Ganesh It has been four weeks since he Man Singh. assumed office, but he has not been On Friday, both Deuba and able to expand his Cabinet, largely Shashank Koirala, the party general because of his struggle to manage secretary, made it clear that the pa ty’s the coalition partners. He is also general convention could be deferred facing a tough time keeping his house and a new timeline announced soon. in order. During a meeting with some leaders Deuba’s indecision could now lead of the party on Friday evening, Deuba to deferral of the party’s 14th general hinted that holding the general con- convention to November. Senior party vention on September 1-4 appears to leaders admit that both the party and be quite impossible and that alterna- government have become hostage to tives need to be discussed with the such indecisiveness and they worry Election Commission as well. that this could fuel frustration not According to Dhan Raj Gurung, only among party workers but also the Deuba told some youth leaders that members of the public. life is more important than the party’s Post Photo: Deepak kc “There is no decision yet on holding general convention so in the midst of Workers are silhouetted against brightly lit clouds at a construction site in Koteshwor, Kathmandu, on Sunday. the 14th general convention. And a pandemic, it may not be a good idea the September 1-4 deadline is almost to hold the convention in September. impossible to meet,” said “But whatever the decision, it will Shekhar Koirala, a senior party be taken on the basis of consensus leader. “It’s high time we started within the party after taking into con- looking at how to address consti- sideration all legal and constitutional Inside tutional issues that are tied to aspects,” Gurung told the Post. Indigenous people our general convention.” The party has yet to hold conven- All elected bodies of the party tions at the ward, district and provin- Covid-19 infection spreads have already completed their cial levels, despite announcing the in hill districts of Lumbini extended terms as well, and as dates several times in the past. The per the party charter and consti- party has not been able to resolve the ARGHAKHANCHI: Authorities have worry hard-won tutional obligations, it must elect issue over the distribution of active begun tightening prohibitory orders new bodies by September 8. membership. Active members are the in various hill districts of Lumbini Since Deuba himself is mak- primary voters during conventions. Province after the region reported a ing a pitch for running for party >> Continued on page 2 rise in coronavirus cases in the last gains may be lost few days. The district administra- tions in Arghakhanchi and Gulmi, where the active number of coronavi- rus cases stand at 757 and 486 respec- Achievements made since 1990 are at risk as secularism tively, have banned the operation of public vehicles since July 31 to curb and federalism are yet to be institutionalised and recent the further spread of the virus. The first and second waves of the corona- court ruling is another challenge, activists say. virus had greatly affected several Tarai districts, including Banke, Dang, Rupandehi and Kapilvastu. The hill districts in comparison were less affected. But the spread of the virus in Arghakhanchi, Gulmi, Palpa, Pyuthan and Rolpa districts indicate the onslaught of coronavirus in these hill districts, say health workers. (Details on Pg 2)

Issuing warnings about third wave not enough, experts say KATHMANDU: A third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is imminent and unavoidable, public health experts, epidemiologists, virologists as well as the Ministry of Health and Population, all agree. And Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is the latest politician to warn the Post file Photo public about the looming third wave. Indigenous rights activists say they need to safeguard the achievements and fight for more. “It seems that we are on the verge of being hit by the third wave of TIKA R PRADHAN said Malla K Sundar, an indigenous the pandemic. The efforts by the KATHMANDU, AUG 8 nationalities leader. “This is the result government alone would not be ade- of the political parties’ utter dishones- quate to control the pandemic,” said Eutai raja, eutai desh, eutai bhasha, ty towards them.” Deuba in a video message posted on eutai bhesh. Or, ‘One country, one The need for indigenous communi- Twitter. “It would require joint efforts king, one language, one culture’ was ties of the world to continue the fight by the government and the people.” the mantra with which the Panchayat for their rights is apparent in the slo- Deuba also requested the public not regime ruled for 30 years until 1990. gan for this year’s International Day to go out unnecessarily, wear a mask It was the democratic constitution for Indigenous Peoples, celebrated properly covering the nose and of 1990 that first recognised Nepal as a every year on August 9: ‘Leaving No mouth, maintain physical distance, multiethnic and multilingual country. One Behind: Indigenous People and frequently wash hands with soap and The achievements of indigenous the Call for a New Social Contract’. water and strictly adhere to all health communities in the last 30 years for In Nepal, Janajatis, as the indige- safety measures. (Details on Pg 3) their rights have been notable as the nous people are called, have taken the census, since 1991, started listing the federalism, secularism and republican different languages spoken by the dif- set-up as their achievements despite Completion deadline for ferent communities in the country the form of the country’s federalism Pokhara international and their populations, reservations not being what they had demanded. have been instituted in bureaucracy, “Actually secularism was not a airport extended political representation has been demand of the political parties but KATHMANDU: The Civil Aviation guaranteed, a federal dispensation, that was the result of our indigenous Authority of Nepal has given the although flawed from their point of nationalities movements,” said Chinese contractor for the interna- view, is in place and a Hindu kingdom Govinda Chhantyal, vice-chairman of tional airport project in Pokhara has become a secular republic. the Nepal Federation of Indigenous another year to complete it in consid- “The indigenous movement started Nationalities. eration of delays caused by the Covid- before the 1990 constitution was prom- But their other demands were 19 pandemic, as per the force majeure ulgated,” said Suresh Ale Magar, the ignored like that of ethnicity-based clause which permits relaxation of founding general secretary of the federalism. obligations in case of events beyond Nepal Federation of Indigenous “Rivers and hills had not demanded the parties’ control. The $215.96 mil- Nationalities. “Thousands of indige- federalism. What is the difference of lion Chinese-funded scheme had been nous people had taken to the streets this federalism compared to the previ- racing ahead of schedule, and was in demanding language rights and secu- ous centralised unitary system with line to open six months before the larism in the new constitution but different zones?” said Suresh Ale planned date of July 10, 2021. But the their demands were ignored.” Magar, founding general secretary of coronavirus threw a spanner in the The 2015 constitution made Nepal a the Nepal Federation of Indigenous works. “As the project developer secular federal republic, the rights of Nationalities. China CAMC Engineering asked for indigenous communities were recog- Like the Madhesi community, indig- extra time, we decided to grant a one- nised and the charter continued the enous nationalities were also not sat- year extension,” said Rajan Pokhrel, guarantees of reservations for minor- isfied with the 2015 constitution. director general of the civil aviation ity groups, first instituted in the inter- Indigenous people had wanted a fed- body. The new deadline is July 10, im constitution of 2007. eralism with as many as 14 provinces 2022. “This extension is based on the But in the brouhaha of a federal named after different ethnic groups Covid-19 pandemic triggered lock- republican set-up, activists worry that like Newa, Tamsaling, Tamuwan, downs and their impact on procure- indigenous rights are being ignored. Limbuwan, Magarat and Tharuwan ment of materials and supply of “State’s psychology now is to gradu- and with autonomy to take all their workers to the construction site.” ally snatch whatever limited rights decisions. (Details on Pg 5) were given to marginalised groups,” >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K MONDAY, AUGUST 09, 2021 | 02 National Covid-19 spreads in hill districts of Lumbini Province Complacency among general public and authorities one of the main reasons behind virus spread, health workers say.

BIRENDRA KC equipped with no ventilator service to ARGHAKHANCHI, AUG 8 handle serious coronavirus cases. They have to refer seriously ill Authorities have begun tightening patients to Butwal or Kathmandu for prohibitory orders in various hill dis- treatment. tricts of Lumbini Province after the In Rolpa, the district health office region reported a rise in coronavirus has intensified mass testing after cases in the last few days. Covid-19 cases were reported in The district administrations in remote rural municipalities like Arghakhanchi and Gulmi, where the Thawang, Sunchhahari and active number of coronavirus cases Paribartan. stand at 757 and 486 respectively, have “There were some cases reported banned the operation of public vehi- from the villages of these rural munic- cles since July 31 to curb the further ipalities so we are conducting as many spread of the virus. tests as possible to identify and isolate The first and second waves of the the infected,” said Nokharaj coronavirus had greatly affected sev- Pokharel, the chief at the district eral Tarai districts, including Banke, health office in Rolpa. “The villagers Dang, Rupandehi and Kapilvastu. The are reluctant to undergo tests for coro- hill districts in comparison were less navirus for fear of the disease. We are affected. trying our best to convince them to get But the spread of the virus in tested.” Arghakhanchi, Gulmi, Palpa, Pyuthan The district currently has 60 active and Rolpa districts indicate the cases. onslaught of coronavirus in these hill Similarly, Dr Sabu Kafle, acting Post Photo: Deepak kc districts, say health workers. chief at Rolpa Hospital, said the num- A woman pushes a cart with her daughter on it at Narephant, Kathmandu on Sunday. Health workers say complacency ber of Covid-19-infected people has among the general public and the increased in the district of late. authorities towards the virus is one of “Many people from the district the main causes of the virus spread- headquarters with symptoms similar ing in these districts. to that of Covid-19 have started visit- “People do not follow health securi- ing the hospital for PCR testing. But Indigenous people worry hard-won gains ... ty protocol. The virus is spreading due testing in the rural areas is still negli- to the utter negligence of the people gible,” she said. and that of the local administration,” Palpa, another hill district in >> Continued from page 1 government scholarships for the peo- been co-opted, Janajati leaders say. Bhattarai says as some well-to-do said Pushkal Shrestha, the coronavi- Lumbini Province, is also not pre- The 2015 constitution gave the pro- ple from different cluster groups “Indigenous nationalities are limit- groups in the target communities rus focal person at the district health pared to handle the possible third vincial assemblies to decide on the based on caste and ethnicity, when the ed to protesting against the govern- have been taking advantage of the office in Pyuthan. “The prohibitory wave of the pandemic. names of the seven provinces and Public Service Commission adver- ment’s move to cut public holidays reservation provision this needs to be orders were relaxed too soon.” Palpa Hospital, Rampur Hospital their capitals. tised 9,061 government positions two during their festivals now instead of revisited. As Pyuthan, Palpa and Rolpa report and other health institutions are still When they named the different years ago, only 2,262 were allocated for the real issues of representation,” “As our constitution has broadened a rise in Covid-19 cases in the past few struggling to manage oxygen and provinces after the 2017 elections, the minority groups rather than 4,022, said Bal Krishna Mabuhang, former the scope saying who all should get days, the respective district authori- enhance health services for critically none of the seven provinces was equivalent to 45 percent. general secretary of Nepal Federation reservations, including the Khas-Arya ties have restricted mass assemblies ill patients. named after any ethnic group. Instead, Another example is the call Nepali of Indigenous Nationalities. people if they come from a poor class, and gatherings. The federal government had the names of the 14 zones named dur- Congress General Secretary Shashank As a result, the indigenous national- we also need to make the reservation “Restrictions should be back in released an Rs 8 million budget to set ing the Panchayat days--Bagmati, Koirala has been making for referen- ities movement has failed to gain provision equitable and focused place because the situation is out of up five High Dependency Unit (HDU) Gandaki, Lumbini and Karnali--were dums on secularism, federalism and momentum of the past. towards its goal,” reads the verdict. hand. People have stopped beds and another Rs 7.5 million to used. Sudurpaschim, the fifth prov- republicanism at different times. The fragmentation of the move- It further said class and caste wearing masks and following health install an oxygen plant in Rampur ince to be named so far, is after a devel- After KP Sharma Oli became prime ment is also blamed for this loss of shouldn’t be taken as criteria for res- safety protocols,” said Padam Subedi, Hospital. But the hospital has yet to opment region of the 1980s. minister following the 2017 general momentum. ervation. a local of Ratamata in Pyuthan install the oxygen plant and set up the When the Communist Party of elections, he time and again sup- Political analyst CK Lal, a column- Not a single political party spoke Municipality-3. HDU beds. Nepal (Maoist) launched a ‘people’s pressed the aspirations of minority ist for the Post on contemporary against the Supreme Court’s verdict Although coronavirus cases are “Work is on to install the plant and war’ in 1996, it had incorporated the ethnic groups, made efforts to derail issues, said there is a need for unified which was against the international increasing in Arghakhanchi as set up HDU beds soon,” said Dr Bijay demands of indigenous people for eth- the federal system refusing to empow- movements of all the marginalized philosophy of inclusion and in favour well, neither its health institutions Pariyar, the acting medical superin- nicity-based federalism with autono- er the local level and provinces, and and disadvantaged groups but that is of marginalised communities, said nor the local units are prepared to tendent at the hospital. my and the right to self-determination. overtly promoted Hinduism to appease difficult as the rulers employ the Malla. tackle the possible third wave of the The interim constitution of 2007 those following the faith. divide and rule policy. “Political parties’ silence is an indi- pandemic. (Shumsher Bikram GC, Madhav included many of the issues regarding Janajati leaders fear that the hard- “It’s a failure of Janajati leadership cation of a nation heading towards The district hospitals in Aryal in Palpa and Kashiram Dangi the rights of the indigenous people. won achievements may be lost. despite having so many scholars,” regression and this is very danger- Arghakhanchi and Gulmi are ill- in Rolpa contributed reporting.) The first Constituent Assembly “Time has come to fight for safeguard- said Lal. “They only theorise the prob- ous,” said Malla. “It’s now a challenge between 2008 and 2013 too had agreed ing our achievements instead of fighting lem but that alone won’t bring change to the indigenous people to preserve on ethnicity-based federalism with for more rights,” said Om Gurung, for- in the ground. We are gradually losing whatever rights they have got.” either 14 provinces or 10+1 provinces. mer general secretary of Nepal the achievements made.” According to Lal it is also telling But the second Constituent Federation of Indigenous Nationalities. The onus of safeguarding their that nobody--indigenous people, Assembly formed in 2013 endorsed “Our movement was in peril but rights and facing new challenges in Madhesi, Dalits or Muslim-- took to only seven provinces. now it is getting more and more com- the way forward falls on the leader- the streets to protest the court’s deci- Despite the deal amongst the major plicated with continuous threat to fed- ship of indigenous groups, according sion to snatch their reservation rights. political parties to address the rights eralism, secularism and proportional to researcher Gautam. “The state has been taking away the of indigenous communities, which representation which are the major “Newer challenges have emerged to rights of the marginalized people in make up 36 percent of the population, achievements till date.” the indigenous communities and instalments one after another so that they have been gradually trying to As per the constitution, under the therefore there should be a review of those who suffer fall into confusion,” revert to the status quo. proportional representation system in previous movements and go for newer Lal said. “The group which was enjoying all the federal parliament and provincial forms of movement,” Gautam said. The need for a new approach to safe- the resources has now started to feel assemblies, minority groups includ- The kind of challenges ahead was guard the rights of indigenous groups that the marginalised groups were ing janajatis must be represented. apparent with last week’s Supreme is not lost on Janajati leaders. given more than they needed,” said One reason that the movement of Court ruling on reservations for mar- “Time has come to revisit our past Bhaskar Gautam, a researcher and the indigenous peoples has not been ginalised groups including indige- movements and prepare for the move- civil society activist. able to move forward is that notable nous nationalities. ment to cater the new challenges as One example of this is although the leaders from indigenous nationalities The verdict of a division bench of well,” said Chhantyal, vice-chairman Post Photo: BIRENDRA KC constitution guarantees 45 percent are affiliated to different political par- Justices Bishowambhar Prasad of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Covid-19 patients get treatment at Arghakhanchi District Hospital. reservation in government jobs and ties and therefore their issues have Shrestha and Ananda Mohan Nationalities.

Briefing Deuba’s double trouble: timely party convention and managing coalition >> Continued from page 1 on Deuba. 260 inmates in Birgunj Prison An official at the Election Shekhar Koirala, another senior taken ill with viral fever Commission, who did not wish to be leader, said that if the government led named, said that some Congress lead- by his party cannot provide business PARSA: As many as 260 inmates have ers had approached the commission to to Parliament, it could be seen as a fallen ill of viral fever in Birgunj know possible legal and constitutional serious sign of failure. Prison for the past one week. consequences if the party can’t hold The House session has been post- According to Deepak Yadav, the its general convention in September. poned until Tuesday for a lack of busi- health unit chief at the prison, the There could be some way out like ness. There, however, are close t0 five inmates as well as prison employees paying a fine of Rs50,000 for the fail- dozen bills pending in Parliament. The have been suffering from the viral ure to hold the convention, according Deuba government itself is fever for the past few days. “A heath to the official. not sure whether it controls enough team is providing treatment to the Dinesh Thapaliya, the chief elec- numbers in Parliament to pass any bill. patients,” said acting jailor Nabaraj tion commissioner, told the Post that The Congress and the Maoist Centre Bartaula. as per the law, the commission has the together have 110 votes in the power to fine up to Rs50,000 to any House. Though all 32 lawmakers of political party and order it to correct the Janata Samajbadi Party had voted Land certificates handed over the mistake within six months. for Deuba during his confidence vote, to landslide-displaced people “We have published a notice in the there is no clarity if the Mahantha KASKI: Waling Municipality in name of political parties to hold elec- Tahkur-led faction, which controls Syangja has handed over land owner- tions of office bearers on time,” said around 10 seats, will vote in case the ship certificates to six landslide-dis- Thapaliya. “We, however, don’t pub- government presents any bill in the placed families of Damaidanda in lish any notice for a particular party House. What will the 22 UML lawmak- Waling-8 on Sunday. The families had or ask any party about their plans to ers do when it comes to voting on the been displaced by a massive landslide elect new committees as everything Deuba-led government’s bills is also last year. “We purchased land plots has been laid down in the law.” not clear. worth Rs 1.4 million for the displaced The faction led by senior leader Deuba’s failure on the governance families after a team of technicians Ram Chandra Poudel has been Post file Photo front may have an impact on elections. recommended the relocation of the demanding that a “special conven- Insiders say Deuba’s indecision on Nepali Congress general convention and failure to expand the Cabinet could tarnish the party’s image. And if the Congress party fails to hold settlement,” said Mayor Dilip Pratap tion” be held, as after September 8, the its general convention on time due to Khand. elected committees’ tenures and man- Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist The Nepal faction itself is divided, and we decide to form our own party.” Deuba, it will raise serious questions dates will be over. There, however, is Centre) and the Janata Samajbadi with some saying it should join the Since the Nepal faction lacks con- over the grand old party’s internal no clarity on the modality of the spe- Party, his two key coalition partners, government and others calling for trol over 40 percent Central Committee democratic processes. Marsyangdi bans use of cial convention–how it should be held he has to manage factions within his UML party unity. and Parliamentary Party members, Analysts say the Nepali Congress and who will be the voters. own party led by Poudel and Krishna Those lawmakers who voted for for them to split the party, the Political should make its position clear both on excavators in monsoon Insiders say Deuba’s indecision on Prasad Sitaula. The ruling coalition is Deuba are interested to join the gov- Parties Act-2017 needs an amendment. general convention as well as govern- LAMJUNG: Marsyangdi Rural general convention and failure to also wondering what to do with those ernment but those members from the Nidhi, the party vice-president, said ance. Municipality in Lamjung district has expand the Cabinet could tarnish the 22 lawmakers from the CPN-UML who faction who are no lawmakers are that the Nepal faction’s indecision “The government’s performance banned the use of dozers, excavators party’s image. had voted for Deuba during his floor making a pitch for continuing strug- also is a reason that the Cabinet has already come into question and and other heavy machinery for con- Deuba, now 75, in the past has led test on July 18. Of them, 14 belong to gle against Oli by remaining within expansion has been delayed. the Congress party is struggling to struction works in the months of coalition governments with a quite the Madhav Nepal faction of the UML, the party, according to a leader close to “It is not Nepali Congress’ exclusive keep its house in order,” said Uddhab June, July, August and September. bloated Council of Ministers. But the which played a crucial role in Deuba’s the Nepal faction. government,” said Nidhi. “A coalition Pyakurel, an associate professor of According to Marsyangdi Chairman existing constitutional provision does ascension to power. “We are still in a dilemma; we have not government is a complicated process.” political sociology at Kathmandu Arjun Gurung, the rural municipali- not allow more than 25 ministers, Nepal is currently in talks with his taken any decision yet,” said the leader But no matter what, according to University. “Deuba should sort out his ty took the decision, as the use of including the prime minister. And party chair Oli and he has not given a who is also a Central Committee mem- Congress leaders, failure to expand party’s issues at the earliest and focus dozers in the rainy season causes there are too many aspirants. word to the ruling coalition on his ber of the UML. “We may join the gov- the government and hold the general on governance. He has already had a floods and landslides. While Deuba has to satisfy the faction’s plan to join the government. ernment if talks with party chair Oli fail convention on time will reflect badly bad start.”

C M Y K 03 | MONDAY, AUGUST 09, 2021 National Issuing warnings about third wave not enough, experts say Doctors suspect that immunisation centres are becoming virus-spreading hubs, as the number of people getting infected after 4 to 5 days of vaccination has increased.

With the authorities lifting most of the restrictions enforced to control the second wave of the pandemic, every- day life has become almost normal. Public transportation services have resumed, markets and offices have reopened and crowds have increased with people behaving as if there is no Post PHOTO: SANJOG MANANDHAR pandemic. A man jumps to avoid stepping in water after a heavy rain at Koteshwor in Kathmandu on Sunday. The more transmissible Delta and Delta Plus variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been responsible for the ongoing surge in new cases. More than 3,000 cases have been reported every day since the past Department of Roads gives details of week or so. ha

est “Every day around two dozen peo-

Shr ple have been dying of the coronavi- t t rus and over 3,000 are getting infected,

man over 150 sick projects to anti-graft body

: He “said Bhandari. “These are not small

OTO numbers given our population size, PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA some projects for possible irregulari- A follow-up report released in and health facilities are already run- KATHMANDU, AUG 8 ties, it had filed corruption cases February 2020, showed some progress

Post PH Post ning in full capacity. Authorities against lawmaker and founder of in the sick projects. As per the report, should inform the people how many The Department of Roads has submit- Pappu Construction Hari Narayan the work in projects related to 618 con- ARJUN POUDEL immunisation centres should not hospital beds have been added and ted details of over 150 roads and bridg- Yadav and his son Sumit Rauniyar on tracts with a combined contract value KATHMANDU, AUG 8 turn into infection hubs, and testing what is the situation of oxygen supply es projects marred by irregularities the charge of building a sub-standard of Rs47.03 billion were completed in a and contact tracing should be and about other preparations to deal and delays to the Commission for bridge over Babai River at Jabdighat year. According to the follow-up A third wave of the Covid-19 pandem- made effective to break the chain of with the third wave.” Investigation of Abuse of Authority. in Bardiya. report, there has been no progress in ic is imminent and unavoidable, pub- infections.” On Sunday, 2,137 people tested posi- The anti-graft body has been show- Likewise, the anti-graft body also projects related to 1,202 contracts with lic health experts, epidemiologists, Doctors suspect that immunisation tive in 9,033 polymerase chain reac- ing concerns over the contracts relat- filed a corruption case against former a combined value of Rs86.44 billion. virologists as well as the Ministry of centres are becoming virus-spreading tion tests, and 411 others tested posi- ed to the construction projects, which minister Bikram Pandey, chairman of Besides, the government’s tendency Health and Population, all agree. hubs, as the number of people getting tive in 2,137 antigen tests performed are worth billions of rupees and are in the Kalika Construction in December of awarding contracts without ade- And Prime Minister Sher Bahadur infected after 4 to 5 days of vaccina- throughout the country. various stages of implementation. 2018, over substandard construction quate preparations including site Deuba is the latest politician to tion has increased. In the last 24 hours, 55 deaths were The department also conducted a of the main canal of the Sikta clearance, giving a large number of warn the public about the looming Experts say that crowds at immuni- reported from across the country and study into the sick projects and came Irrigation Project in December 2018. contracts to a few contractors has third wave. sation centres can be easily managed this is the highest number of deaths up with suggestions for the govern- But, Narayan Prasad Risal, spokes- been blamed as one of the major “It seems that we are on the verge by increasing the number of immuni- since June 12. ment agencies to prevent irregulari- person at the anti-graft body, said that reasons for the delay in the comple- of being hit by the third wave of the sation centres and setting priority for “Government also has its responsi- ties in construction projects. “In late the main motive behind the commis- tion of projects. pandemic. The efforts by the govern- immunisation. They said that author- bilities to protect the citizens from July, we submitted details of the con- sion seeking details about the sick In a speech, the then Prime Minister ment alone would not be adequate to ities concerned should make every infections. For that it has to make tracts related to roads and bridges projects was to facilitate the comple- KP Sharma Oli had told the House of control the pandemic,” said Deuba in effort to immunise the maximum every effort to purchase the vaccine at projects which have turned sick,” said tion of the projects as early as possi- Representatives in February 2020 that a video message posted on Twitter. number of people at the earliest and the earliest and inoculate the people,” Shiva Prasad Nepal, spokesperson at ble. “The commission held discus- just 18 contractor firms control 66.7 “It would require joint efforts by the implement the measures to break the said Dr Bhagwan Koirala, chairman the Department of Roads. “Their sions with stakeholders and made percent of the total contracts related government and the people.” chain of the infection. of Nepal Medical Council, the nation- number is between 150 to 160.” several recommendations on how to to water supply projects. Deuba also requested the public not “The government changed and al regulatory body of medical doctors. On July 9, the anti-graft body had deal with the contracts related to sick The same firms occupied 47.6 per- to go out unnecessarily, wear a mask so did ministers, and the officials “The general public also has certain asked the department to submit a projects,” he said. cent of the road contracts and 44 per- properly covering the nose and mouth, responsible for implementing the responsibilities and they should fol- report on the latest status of construc- He also admitted that the commis- cent of contracts on urban develop- maintain physical distance, frequent- anti-pandemic policies were also low the safety measures properly and tion contracts relating to sick projects. sion has yet to register corruption ment. Officials said that even though ly wash hands with soap and water transferred but the government policy other instructions issued by the health The department was asked to pro- cases related to most of the projects the anti-graft body has not taken and strictly adhere to all health against the pandemic remains the authorities until the risk of the infec- vide details including project’s name, under investigation. “I am not sure action against potential irregularities safety measures. same,” Subedee wondered. tion lessens and the majority of the contract number, site of the project, about to what stage the investigations in the construction projects, its mere Public health experts, epidemiolo- “The new government should pro- population gets the vaccine.” details of completed work, name of have reached,” Risal added. interest has also had a positive impact gists and virologists the Post talked to mote testing, activate mechanisms to Doctors say people who are helpless the contractor(s), contract amount, The commission had started taking on their implementation. said that the appeal by the prime min- make contact tracing effective, make and have been religiously obeying the estimated cost, contract agreement interest in sick projects since the fis- “Some projects have been complet- ister to the public is a good thing but other mechanisms to enforce safety Covid-related instructions of the date, project completion deadline, cal year 2018-19. ed after repeated deadline exten- that alone would not be sufficient to measures and reduce the crowds.” authorities are still suffering due to extended deadline, total expenditure, In February 2019, the anti-graft sions,” said Nepal. lessen the possible losses from the Public health experts say that government inaction. physical progress and whether the body released a report on the status of When the commission released its third wave. increasing testing is the first step to “Authorities need to do something project has been running, completed sick projects which revealed that a first report on sick projects in They asked the government to take know the infection status in communi- visible so that people would believe or contract has been terminated. total of 1,848 projects with a total con- February 2019, work on 906 roads and substantive measures to lessen infec- ties. Through testing, the authorities that the new government is really The commission has sought details tract value of Rs118 billion are incom- bridges were facing chronic delays. tions, purchase vaccines as much as concerned can start other measures working to protect them,” said on sick projects although its investiga- plete and missed their deadlines. Now, the number of such projects possible, inoculate the masses at the of prevention and control, they say Dr GD Thakur, former director tions into other similar projects have Moreover, the deadlines of 1,032 pro- according to the department is just earliest while ensuring that the immu- “The government can promote test- at the Epidemiology and Disease been marred by delays. jects have not been extended. over 150 projects. nisation centres are not crowded. ing by reducing the price of tests or Control Division. Two years ago, the then chief com- The highest number of contracts “The over 300 projects which were “Efforts of the government should through subsidies,” Dr Tulsi Ram “There are several ways to provide missioner Nabin Ghimire had told the related to sick projects were related to on the list of sick projects were com- be reflected in policy and practice,” Dr Bhandari, an assistant professor at relief to the public, win their trust Post that the commission was investi- the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure pleted after the government extended Anup Subedee, an infectious disease Pokhara University, told the Post. “It and take them into confidence. Several gating possible corruption in about and Transport (906), followed by the their deadlines,” said Nepal. expert, told the Post. “There is noth- has been almost a month since the mechanisms can be created up to the 100 contracts, but hardly any corrup- Ministry of Urban Development (442), “About 300 such projects were hand- ing new to recommend. A maximum new government was formed, but we grassroots level to enforce health tion case has been registered at the and the Ministry of Energy, Water ed over to the provinces, about 100 number of people should get the vac- have not heard anything substantive measures, but for this political will Special Court so far. Before the com- Resources and Irrigation (326), accord- contracts were terminated and there cine at the earliest, from it on the pandemic front.” is necessary.” mission initiated investigation into ing to the report. has been no progress on the rest.”

C M Y K MONDAY, AUGUST 09, 2021 | 04 Opinion EDITORIAL Short-term priorities for the economy Wear a mask, or else The focus now should be on executing the The #MaskUpNepal campaign launched by budget and curtailing Deuba is too little and too late. wasteful spending.

Who all need to be told today that a face mask is an essential weapon against the coronavirus? More than a year and a half CHANDAN SAPKOTA after the pandemic began, no one should need a reminder. But sadly, pretty much everyone seems to need to be remind- ed that the pandemic is not over yet, and that a mask is an essential part of our living. That is what Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba did on Saturday while kicking off the mask up campaign a day after the coronavirus death toll in the The current coalition government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba country crossed the 10,000 mark. It doesn’t seem to be an has inherited a challenging economic exaggeration to say that we are in the mediaeval age when it situation that continues to be affected comes to learning about and following minimum safety pro- by the Covid-19 pandemic and related lockdowns. Finance Minister Janardan tocols against the deadly virus. Sharma faces an uphill task to revive On Sunday, Nepal recorded 2,137 new cases and 55 new economic activities, which remain sub- dued with little likelihood of a convinc- deaths, with the total cases reaching 714,877 and the death toll ing rebound beyond the base effect after 10,093. After a great spike in April and May, with daily cases a contraction in fiscal 2019-20. crossing the 9,000 mark, infections came down to the 1,000 Specifically, a short-term economic recovery strategy to reap ‘low hanging mark in mid-June. And that is when we started to become fruits’ has to be rolled out and imple- lenient once again, causing a rise once again. Although the mented in such a way that it does not Shutterstock daily rate of infections stands at around 3,000 at the moment, deviate much from the 2021-22 budget medicines used for the treatment of the by instituting a mechanism whereby ensuring that the existing support ordinance and 15th Five-Year Plan. coronavirus; and widespread vaccina- only well vetted and prioritised pro- measures related to refinancing experts say it can rise dramatically anytime, bringing in an The major constraint here is the tion in the shortest time possible. jects are included in the budget and schemes, subsidised credit and regula- even deadlier third wave, given we still have a positivity rate availability of resources amidst Second, the pandemic-hit industry medium-term plan. This means rework- tory forbearance are not prematurely of 25 percent. That is, if we don’t consider the current scenar- unprecedented expenditure pressure and services sectors need continuous ing on the existing National Project withdrawn. That said, the authorities while the country stares at a third wave support—be it in the form of tax con- Bank, which has guidelines for identifi- will have to carefully rein in excessive io as a third wave already. of the pandemic. The government can- cessions or utility discounts or direct cation, appraisal, selection and priori- credit growth that is not consistent The #MaskUpNepal campaign is too little, too late, but it is not drastically increase expenditure, wage subsidy or social security contri- tisation of projects but are hardly with indicators such as GDP growth both actuals and allocations, due to its bution—until the situation stabilises. adhered to during implementation. and deposit growth. An unjustifiably better than nothing, of course. Deuba’s predecessor, KP implementation capacity and funding A third wave of infections and related This will aid in allocative efficiency of bullish stock market and rising real Sharma Oli, during his prime ministership, caused irrepara- constraints. The latest data shows that mobility restrictions will further affect public spending. estate and housing prices are not good ble damage by promoting pseudoscience, and falsely claim- the government fell short of targets in cash flows. It may actually permanent- On domestic resource mobilisation, signs at the moment for the sound pretty much all fiscal indicators. In ly cut off the struggling small and the bulk of the work needs to be in health of the financial system. ing that Nepalis had strong immune systems that would help 2020-21, while recurrent spending was medium enterprise from production improving revenue administration so them keep the virus at bay. But the fact of the matter is, the about 90 percent of the target, capital networks. This will have long-term eco- that leakages are plugged. Note that new Minimal physical interface virus does not give concessions to anyone based on national- spending was just 65 percent. Tax reve- nomic consequences as gaps in supply policy measures related to revenue are Fifth, external sector needs to be moni- nue mobilisation was about 95 percent chains cannot be filled immediately. So, expected to contribute only 7 percent of tored carefully, especially the direction ity. If there was any doubt that the immunity of Nepalis was of the target, but foreign grants just 34 the government could prop up aggre- the total estimated revenue for this fis- of remittance inflows amidst a decline no better than that of the rest of the world, and that careless- percent. A relatively slower pace of gate demand not only by increasing cal. The rest 93 percent is planned to be in the number of outgoing migrant ness would turn costly, the second wave of the pandemic spending compared to revenue mobili- public spending, but also by supporting generated from existing measures, workers as well as weak demand for sation meant that the fiscal deficit the private sector wade through the which means increasing the taxpayer them in the destination countries. This, should have been enough. Prime Minister Deuba seems to be decreased to 4.8 percent of the gross crisis so that they can achieve at base and improving compliance. along with widening trade and current doing slightly better than Oli on the common sense front, domestic product (GDP) from 5.5 per- least pre-pandemic levels of capacity Harmonisation of IT systems of vari- account deficits, could put external sec- cent in 2019-20. In the 2021-22 budget, a utilisation. ous tax wings, active risk-based audit tor stability at risk. Adjusting import although he has failed to lay out a formidable plan of action large increase in expenditure com- Third, given fiscal and time con- for taxpayer compliance, and a moneti- tariffs and tightening bank financing to against the pandemic. pared to receipts is set to provisionally straints, a supplementary budget or sation strategy for idle public sector dissuade demand for expensive foreign Deuba’s lousy start is evident in his failure to appoint a full widen the fiscal deficit to about 6 per- major amendment to the budget ordi- assets will be helpful. Furthermore, vehicles and gold could be considered. cent of GDP. nance is not ideal. The focus now assisting sub-national governments in Finally, the finance minister can health minister almost a month after he took over. Instead, he should be on executing the budget and, revenue administration as well as pub- push for new measures that could have chose as state minister for health a businessman who is Low-hanging fruits if possible, curtailing some of the lic investment management will also be an immediate impact on struggling known to have multiple conflicts of interest. With Umesh Against the backdrop of slow economic wasteful spending and ad hoc projects important. On deficit financing, since households and businesses, and aid the activities, tight fiscal space, inflation- and programmes included in the the cost of external borrowing is lower recovery process. For instance, a par- Shrestha, the state minister, focusing on gaining popularity ary pressures and deteriorating exter- budget. With earnest efforts, Sharma than that of internal borrowing, the tial credit guarantee scheme with an rather than actual work, there has been no strategic gain in nal sector, the new finance minister could make a difference by prioritising former may be prioritised for the inter- umbrella framework to cover all guar- faces a challenging task of stimulating operation and maintenance of dilapi- im period. However, this will require antees, including credit subsidy to var- our fight against the pandemic. With virtually everything broad-based and inclusive economic dated roads and bridges, water supply sectoral policy and institutional reform ious sectors is helpful. Similarly, digiti- opening up, the risk of infections is only rising each day. And activity. He perhaps wants to deliver and drainage system, electricity distri- commitments, or improved budget exe- sation of public services so that there without a well-coordinated effort, the prevention of new visible results in a short period of time bution lines, school and hospital build- cution capacity. is minimal physical interface between given financing and implementation ings and other public infrastructure. Fourth, fiscal and monetary policies the public and businesses and bureau- transmissions is a chimera, especially with the deadly Delta constraints. Unfortunately, the options These initiatives yield quick, visible have to be synced with an objective to crats is another promising area for version of the ever-mutating virus. The government must are limited. results, and help to enhance productive ensure demand and supply stabilisa- quick results. Addressing youth unem- immediately buckle up and wage a decisive war against the First, ensuring availability of funds, efficiency of public spending. Funding tion, and an eventual economic recov- ployment through reskilling, vocation- as and when needed, to respond effec- for additional operation and mainte- ery. Moderate inflationary pressures al training and temporary employment virus, especially with regard to procuring life-saving vac- tively to the healthcare crisis should be nance expenses could be arranged are okay during the interim period, but guarantee schemes is also going to be cines for everyone at the earliest, apart from running an the utmost priority. The most visible through reprioritising and repurpos- a medium-term plan to tame inflation- fruitful. effective awareness, reward and punishment campaign about outcome for the government right now ing of existing budget allocations. ary expectations, which are trending is an orderly process of testing, tracing The finance minister could also pri- upward, should not be overlooked. Chandan Sapkota is an economist and a following Covid-19 safety protocols. and treatment; availability of vital oritise public investment management There could also be cooperation in senior fellow at Nepal Economic Forum. Banning opinion

Skokie case is still relevant. In 1977, Contest bad arguments the National Socialist Party of America wanted to demonstrate in a and falsehoods with Chicago suburb where many Jews lived, including survivors of the better arguments and Holocaust. Prompted by complaints from the local population, the munici- more accuracy. pal officials tried to stop it. The Nazis claimed their right to free speech, which included waving Swastika Ian Buruma flags. This right was defended by law- yers of the American Civil Liberties Union. The case went all the way up to the Supreme Court, where the right to free speech was upheld. No matter how unpleasant, Swastika flags were deemed permissible, because they did not qualify as “fighting words”—a In May 1980, students in the South narrow category of speech that is Korean city of Gwangju rebelled denied the standard constitutional against the unpopular military protections. regime. Many hundreds were brutally The argument put forward by the murdered by paratroopers sent in to ACLU lawyers—some of whom were quell the uprising. General Chun Doo- Jewish themselves, and none of whom hwan, the leader of the military gov- had any Nazi sympathies—was sim- ernment, claimed that the students ple: if you allow the state to ban opin- were North Korean revolutionary ions you oppose, you make it easier for stooges. the state to ban views you agree with. Over the following two decades, Protecting the right of Nazis to South Korea became a democracy, and demonstrate was seen as a way to pro- Chun was put in prison. While Korean tect the right of others to take very liberals still mourn the students of different views. This argument still Gwangju as martyrs to democracy, holds, even in our digital age. some conservatives believe that Chun But even in the US, which is more was right to see the uprising as a lenient than most countries, the prin- North Korean plot. Now, South Korea’s ciple cannot be absolute. Inciting current liberal president, Moon Jae- imminent violence is not permitted. in, is pushing for laws to ban such Donald Trump’s speech on January 6, views as “historical distortions.” urging the mob to storm the US Denying that the Gwangju uprising Shutterstock Capitol, certainly came close to over- was anything but a quest for freedom also open to interpretation. Bad argu- speech not a little naive in an age ganda to spread in Germany after as 50% of Republicans in the US—say stepping this boundary. It was a clear can now land a person in jail for five ments and falsehoods must be contest- when a US president can spread nox- World War II would have posed an they believe such nonsense. A cult is demonstration that language can be years. Praising aspects of Japanese ed with better arguments and more ious lies to millions of voters via the imminent danger to the country’s not open to arguments; confronting dangerous. What the internet media colonial rule in Korea can lead to an accuracy. internet? Should dangerous conspira- fragile liberal democracy. This was believers with facts would be missing has done is raise the stakes; “fighting even longer prison sentence. That is the ideal case for free speech, cy theories that aggravate a global not an unreasonable assumption. the point. words” are spread around much faster Proponents of such legislation in anyway. In reality, legal and social pandemic or undermine democratic Banning such propaganda made sense Several European countries, as well and more widely than ever before. South Korea point to laws in several constraints exist everywhere, often for institutions be banned from social at the time. as the EU, are working on laws to reg- This will require a great deal of vigi- European countries that prohibit good reason. Inciting hatred and dis- media? Are better arguments and A common practical argument ulate internet platforms. But asking lance, to protect our freedom to denial of the Jewish Holocaust. crimination on the grounds of race, more accuracy enough to stop against outlawing crackpot theories governments or social-media plat- express ourselves, while observing the Opponents, meanwhile, regard such creed, or sexuality is illegal in the these falsehoods from doing serious once held that they were marginal, forms to censor irrational and harm- social and legal bounds that laws as an attack on free speech, argu- European Union. Though the constitu- damage? and thus relatively harmless. Before ful beliefs is unlikely to get rid of stop words from turning into actual ing that governments should not be tion of the United States is less restric- Since I believe in free speech, I don’t the age of internet and social media, them. True believers will only be fighting. allowed to decide what is right or tive, it still bans speech that directs or like laws against Holocaust denial and the idea that Hillary Clinton and strengthened in their conviction that wrong in historical debates. incites “imminent lawless action.” other abhorrent opinions. But this George Soros were running a global they are under siege from a malevo- Ian Buruma is the author, most recent- There are historical facts, of course: Similarly, US courts do not extend position must be tested against the network of cannibalistic pedophiles lent establishment. ly, of The Churchill Complex: The Auschwitz existed, atom bombs free-speech protections to child por- clear risks of letting some of the most would have been limited to a lunatic Even if bad ideas could be curtailed Curse of Being Special, From Winston were dropped, and students nography or defamation. poisonous views circulate. Many peo- fringe. But now, millions of people by censorship, would it be the right and FDR to Trump and Brexit. were killed in Gwangju. But much is Is this enough? Is the ideal of free ple believed that allowing Nazi propa- around the world—including as many thing to do? Here, I think the famous — Project Syndicate

C M Y K 05 | MONDAY, AUGUST 09, 2021 Money Completion deadline for Pokhara international airport extended All tasks including testing of navigation and meteorological equipment may be finished by April 2022, project officials say.

SANGAM PRASAIN price regardless of any possible cost Development Project in Nepal. KATHMANDU, AUG 8 overruns. The government had acquired 3,106 Pokhrel said the project had ropanis of land to build the facility The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal achieved 79 percent physical progress in 1975. has given the Chinese contractor for as of Sunday. “As the Covid-19 In 1988, the Japan International the international airport project in pandemic is still uncertain, we are Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted Pokhara another year to complete it in not sure whether the remaining 20 a review of the new Pokhara Airport consideration of delays caused by the percent of the work can be completed Master Plan prepared by DIWI. Covid-19 pandemic, as per the force in a year.” JICA proposed to implement the majeure clause which permits relaxa- China CAMC Engineering won the project in two phases. The first from tion of obligations in case of events construction contract for the project 1995-2000 at an estimated cost of $40 beyond the parties’ control. in May 2014. million. The second phase from 2001- The $215.96 million Chinese-funded The then prime minister KP 10 was estimated to cost $45 million, scheme had been racing ahead of Sharma Oli had laid the foundation following the completion of which the schedule, and was in line to open six stone of the project, which will serve airport would be able to handle air- months before the planned date of as the gateway to the Annapurna craft like the Boeing 757. July 10, 2021. But the coronavirus region, celebrated as the world’s The runway of Pokhara threw a spanner in the works. POST FILE PHOTO most popular trekking trail, in April International Airport is 45 metres “As the project developer China The $215.96 million Chinese-funded scheme had been racing ahead of schedule, and was in line to open six months before the planned date of 2016. The construction work started in wide and 2,500 metres long, and has an CAMC Engineering asked for extra July 10, 2021. But the coronavirus threw a spanner in the works. July 2017. east-west orientation. It will be able to time, we decided to grant a one-year The government signed a $215.96 handle medium-range commercial extension,” said Rajan Pokhrel, direc- tasks—including installation and test- assessment to complete the project by to 714,877. According to the Health million soft loan agreement with aircraft such as the Airbus A320, tor general of the civil aviation body. ing of the navigation and meteorolog- the extended deadline.” Ministry, 55 people died due to Covid- China EXIM Bank in March 2016 Boeing 737 and Boeing 757. The new deadline is July 10, 2022. ical equipment, and certification of Nepali public health experts have 19 related complications on Sunday, to finance the construction of the The airport will have a 1,200-metre- “This extension is based on the the airport—may be completed by projected that the third wave will hit bringing the countrywide death toll airport. long and 23-metre-wide taxiway con- Covid-19 pandemic triggered lock- April 2022. the country in late August. to 10,093. The selection of the construction necting the runway with the parking downs and their impact on procure- But with over 2,500 new cases daily Prime Minister Sher Bahadur The airport is being built under the site, detailed engineering work and bays, hangars and terminals. ment of materials and supply of work- and a third wave looming, there is Deuba on Saturday, through a video engineering procurement and con- the master plan of Pokhara The main international terminal ers to the construction site.” scepticism that the project will be message, warned people of the third struction model. Under this model, a International Airport was initially building has a capacity to handle 650 He said that work continued during completed by the extended deadline. wave of the coronavirus, and request- single contractor takes responsibility prepared in 1971 by DIWI, a German passengers per hour. The airport will the lockdown last year and this year Pokhrel said that the project devel- ed citizens not to venture out of their for all components like design, consulting engineering firm. have three parking bays for A320-type too, but progress slowed to a crawl as oper had asked for the one-year exten- homes unless absolutely necessary. engineering, construction and pro- This work was performed by the jets with aerobridge facility, and five the project was shorthanded. sion. “We decided the extension based Nepal on Sunday reported 2,548 new curement. The contract binds the con- erstwhile Department of Civil parking bays for ATR-type aircraft. According to project officials, if on their request. It’s their assessment. coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours tractor to deliver the project at the Aviation with an Asian Development There will be a separate terminal and there are no more lockdowns, all We hope they have made a proper taking the nationwide infection tally stipulated time and predetermined Bank loan under the Airport parking bay for domestic flights.

FOREX China’s crude oil New EV battery designs unlikely to Indian bankers US Dollar 118.96 Euro 139.91 imports rebound as in talks as court Pound Sterling 165.04 Japanese Yen 10.79 dampen metals demand, miners say Chinese Yuan 18.35 state refiners return rulings threaten over REUTERS Qatari Riyal 32.48 CALIFORNIA, AUG 8 Australian Dollar 87.50 from overhauls $6 billion in loans Malaysian Ringit 28.20 Mining companies say they do not fear Saudi Arab Riyal 31.72 REUTERS a plan by China’s CATL to make an REUTERS BEIJING, Aug 8 electric vehicle (EV) battery without MUMBAI, Aug 8 Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank lithium or other key metals because China’s crude oil imports rebounded the new design will have a limited Informal talks are taking place to deal Shares in July from a six-month low as state- range and more-powerful rival battery with the fall-out from two rulings by backed refiners ramped up output technologies will gobble up minerals India’s Supreme Court that threaten Nepse 3,108.12pts 0.02% after returning from maintenance, supply in coming years. the repayment of loans totalling near- though independent refineries slowed The industry’s confidence is born ly 500 billion rupees ($6.73 billion) to highest gainers restocking amid probes by Beijing from the rapid rise of the battery to some of India’s largest banks, bankers BLB API UPCL CORBL NGPL ULI 10% 10% 10% 10% 9.99% 9.99% into trading and taxes. power not only transportation, but close to the matter say. China brought in 41.24 million myriad other parts of the global econ- Any failure to recoup the money moderate gainers tonnes of crude oil last month, equiv- omy, an evolution that many industry adds to stress in the banking sector, KRBL CHL BPCL NFS SPDL GLH 9.22% 9.17% 8.96% 8.95% 8.55% 7.66% alent to 9.71 million barrels per day analysts expect to require a massive which is already dealing with an (bpd), data from the General expansion of mining. increased level of bad loans and moderate losers CLBSL PICL PRIN ALBSL BNT NLG Administration of Customs showed The number of global EVs, for reduced profits because of the impact -2.65% -2.67% -2.68% -2.73% -2.73% -2.86% on Saturday. instance, is expected to jump more of the pandemic.

highest losers That compares with 40.14 million than 14 times to 145 million by 2030, Last week, India’s Supreme Court KMCDB MLBSL SABSL JSLBB GHLSL NICD83/84 tonnes in June and 51.29 million according to the International Energy effectively blocked Future Group’s -3.06% -3.18% -3.35% -3.77% -4.08% -7.37% tonnes in July 2020. Agency (IEA). At the same time, utili- $3.4 billion sale of retail assets to In the first seven months of the ties are building out massive fleets of Reliance Industries, jeopardising year, China, the world’s top crude batteries to store electricity.Lithium nearly $2.69 billion the retail conglom- oil importer, took in 301.83 million ion batteries are expected to remain erate owes to Indian banks. tonnes, or 10.39 million bpd, down 5.6 the dominant battery chemistry as the That ruling was delivered days after Price Per tola bullion percent from the corresponding peri- industry burgeons, especially in the Supreme Court rejected a petition od last year. transportation. But CATL said last to allow telecom companies to Fine Gold Rs 90,000 “With state-owned refineries com- month it would develop a sodium ion approach the Department of pleting overhauls, the number of battery that contains no nickel, lithi- Telecommunications to renegotiate Silver Rs 1,240 refineries resuming operation is grad- um or cobalt. outstanding dues in a long-runinng ually increasing,” said analysts It is a less-powerful design and dispute with Indian telecom players. Source: FENEGOSIDA at China-based Longzhong consultan- heavier, making it less than ideal That raises concerns, bankers say, cy, while adding that overall utilisa- for automobiles, a fact that mining over whether Vodafone Idea will repay tion rates have not seen a significant executives said bodes well for tradi- some 300 billion rupees ($4.04 billion) gasoline watch jump. tional EV battery designs and metals REUTERS it owes to Indian banks and billions of Operating rates at independent demand. A file photo of a lithium battery pack being displayed during Auto China in Beijing, China. dollars more in long-term dues to the refiners in refining hub Shandong, “I don’t think sodium ion batteries government. however, showed a clear downtrend in will ease the demand for lithium,” phate (LFP) batteries, which are com- 4.5-fold increase from 2020, while the last month, with the average rate said Paul Graves, chief executive of monly used in buses or large batteries, demand for cobalt, another metal hitting the lowest level this year at 63 lithium producer Livent Corp, which rather than traditional lithium ion used in the manufacturing of EV bat- The banking sector percent in late July. has deals to supply Tesla Inc, BMW batteries, Adamas said. teries, will almost double in the next Analysts had expected that Beijing’s and other automakers. “In fact, “From the standpoint of a lithium ten years. is already dealing crackdown on the misuse of import demand for lithium is going to be con- producer, it’s not a significant threat “The number of new potential mar- quotas and the impact of higher crude strained by supply.” in the foreseeable future,” said Ryan kets for batteries and energy storage with an increased prices could see China’s oil import Some Western automakers are Castilloux, an Adamas managing is growing much faster than compet- growth sink to the lowest in two dec- working to cut reliance on magnets director. Albemarle Corp, the world’s ing technologies to lithium ion,” said level of bad loans ades in 2021. made from rare earth metals as well, largest lithium producer, said large Andrew Miller, an analyst at China in June cut 35 percent though that is because China is their utility batteries could be one promi- Benchmark Mineral Intelligence and reduced profits. of crude oil import quotas to largest producer. While there are nent use for CATL’s new type of bat- (BMI), which tracks the supply chain non-state refiners in a second batch alternatives for some rare earths, lith- tery, but that lithium is the only metal for electric vehicles. “It’s going to of allowances for 2021, in which sever- ium is widely seen as the best metal that can fuel widespread EV adoption. become a much more diverse bat- Two bankers, speaking on condition al small refiners did not receive any for energy density in a battery. “The real key to EV penetration is tery-end market.” Mining giant Rio of anonymity said negotiations were quotas. Sodium ion battery usage could the higher energy lithium-ion bat- Tinto, which produces battery-grade taking place to try to limit potentially Meanwhile, the central government grow to about 15 percent of the global tery,” said Eric Norris, head of lithium at its Boron mine in severe consequences. has been carrying out investigations battery market by 2035, according to Albemarle’s lithium division. California, last month approved a $2.4 Loans to Future worth nearly 200 since April on illicit trading of import estimates from minerals consultancy Commodity research Roskill esti- billion investment for a lithium-bo- billion rupees were restructured earli- quotas, partly to ease a fuel surplus Adamas Intelligence. mates that demand for lithium to rate project in Serbia. er this year, giving it more time to that has hurt state-owned refiners’ That growth, though, should come make EV batteries will rise above 2 Rio declined to comment on CATL’s come up with repayments due over the profits. at the expense of lithium ion phos- million tonnes by 2030, a more than plan. next two years, but that was on the premise that Reliance would bail it out, the bankers said. Future group did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Should Future be taken to a bank- Worst-Case Scenario: Firms wrestle with supply bottlenecks ruptcy court, bankers say they are concerned they will have to take haircuts on the loans of more than 75 ASSOCIATED PRESS factories an ocean away in China. down costs by keeping inventories to percent. WASHINGTON, AUG 8 “I’m willing to make smaller a minimum. “The immediate apprehension is margins,” he said, “if it means less But relying on distant factories that the restructuring deal will fall Toy maker Eric Poses created a card anxiety.” and keeping stockpiles threadbare through for banks by December,” said game last year he called The Worst- Other American companies are is risky. a banker at a public sector bank that Case Scenario, a wry reference to making similar calculations: 52 per- Under pressure from Trump’s trade has lent money to Future. the way the coronavirus had upended cent of the US manufacturing execu- war, importers scrambled to find Future’s leading financial creditors normal life. tives surveyed by the consulting firm alternatives to Chinese factories. include India’s largest lender State He had no idea. Kearney said they have started buying Then came Covid-19. Bank of India, along with smaller In a twist that Poses never could more supplies in the United States in As countries locked down and rivals Bank of Baroda and Bank have predicted, his game itself would response to Covid-related supply dis- families took refuge at home in of India. become caught up in the latest fallout ruptions; 41 percent specifically said February and March last year, Bank of India, the lead bank in con- from the health crisis: a backlogged they wanted to cut their dependence companies slashed inventories and sortium lending to Future, did not global supply chain that means on China. cancelled orders. And the economy immediately respond to an emailed shipping delays and rocketing Companies are also worried about did, in fact, collapse: In the United request for comment. freight costs. becoming caught in the crossfire of a States, it imploded at a record 31.2 Banks have also started discussing Worst-Case Scenario, produced in trade war between the United States percent annual rate from April Vodafone’s debt to lenders of nearly China, was supposed to reach US and China. through June 2020. 300 billion rupees. Top lenders to retailer Target’s distribution centres The conflict dates to President Then something unexpected Vodafone include Yes Bank, IDFC in early June. Instead, the games were Donald’s Trump’s decision to tax happened. First Bank and IndusInd Bank, stuck for weeks at the Port of Seattle $360 billion in Chinese imports to pro- “What nobody knew was that when as well as other private and state- and didn’t arrive until mid-July. AP/RSS test Beijing’s aggressive effort to chal- you send everybody home, the first owned lenders. “You do everything right,’’ said Crew members stand on the bow as the CMA CGM Argentina arrives at Port Miami, the largest lenge American technological domi- thing we all do is shop’’ online, said “Even though banks have the Poses, who started his Miami Beach, container ship to call at a Florida port in Miami. nance. Trump’s predecessor, Joe Lewis Black, CEO of Almonty option of restructuring loans in case Florida-based toy company All Things Biden, appears to be in no hurry to Industries, which mines the rare the company defaults, it will only Equal in 1997. “You produce on time. trouble—rising prices, overwhelmed of the United States to China. It might seek peace. metal tungsten. make sense if there is clear cash You’re psyched about your product.’’ ports, a shortage of ships, trains, make sense, he thinks, to bring For decades, companies have “You had, on one hand, inventories flow visibility, which is not the And then ... unforeseeable disaster. trucks—that will likely into 2022. Now production back—at least to Mexico, piled up profits by moving manufac- being run down and manufacturing case right now,” a senior banker at a Like other importers, Poses is con- he is reconsidering a decision he made if not the United States—to protect turing to China and other low-wage ground to a halt, and on the other, public sector bank said on condition tending with a perfect storm of supply five years ago: to shift production out him from the risks of relying on countries. They have also held people were spending like crazy.’’ of anonymity.

C M Y K MONDAY, AUGUST 09, 2021 | 06 world Taliban seize two more Afghan provincial capitals in northern blitz Kunduz and Sar-e-Pul in the north fell within hours of each other on Sunday, lawmakers and residents confirm.

Agence France-Presse some of the stiffest resistance to mili- KUNDUZ, Aug 8 tant rule in the 1990s. The region remains home to several The Taliban tightened the noose over militias and is also a fertile recruiting northern Afghanistan Sunday, captur- ground for the country’s armed forces. ing two more provincial capitals as “The capture of Kunduz is quite they take their fight to the cities after significant because it will free up a seizing much of the countryside in large number of Taliban forces who recent months. might then be mobilised in other parts The insurgents have snatched up of the north,” said Ibraheem Thurial, four provincial capitals in Afghanistan a consultant for International Crisis since Friday in a lightning offensive Group. Vivid footage of the fighting that appears to have overwhelmed was posted on social media over the government forces. weekend, including what appeared to AP/rss Kunduz and Sar-e-Pul in the north be large numbers of prisoners being Flames approaching at Gouves village on the island of Evia, about 185 kilometres north of Athens, Greece on Sunday. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the fell within hours of each other Sunday, freed from jails in captured cities. sun above Greece’s second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. lawmakers and residents in the cities The Taliban frequently target pris- confirmed, but not without fierce ons to release incarcerated fighters to fighting. replenish their ranks. Pro-Taliban social media accounts On Friday, the insurgents seized explained claimed the insurgents were also close their first provincial capital, Zaranj in to overrunning the provincial capital southwestern Nimroz on the border of Taloqan. In Kunduz, one resident with Iran, and followed it up by taking described the city as being enveloped Sheberghan in northern Jawzjan Beyond Delta, scientists are watching new variants in “total chaos”. province the next day. “After some fierce fighting, the Fighting was also reported on the mujahideen, with the grace of God, outskirts of Herat in the west, and Reuters system less time to respond and change in transmissibility or causing caused a major outbreak, has yet to captured the capital of Kunduz,” the Lashkar Gah and Kandahar in the CHICAGO, Aug 8 mount a defence. Delta also appears more severe disease, but it is still earn a Greek letter name. Taliban said in a statement. south. The pace of Taliban advances to be mutating further, with reports under investigation. Lab studies show The European Center for Disease has caught government forces flatfoot- The continued spread of the SARS- emerging of a “Delta Plus” variant, a it has mutations that resist vaccine-in- Prevention and Control has listed it as ed, but they won some respite late CoV-2 virus has spawned a Greek sub-lineage that carries an additional duced antibodies. a variant of interest, while Public Kunduz is the most Saturday after US warplanes bombed alphabet of variants—a naming mutation that has been shown to Dr Eric Topol, a professor of molec- Health England describes B.1.621 as a Taliban positions in Sheberghan. system used by the World Health evade immune protection. ular medicine and director of the variant under investigation. It carries significant Taliban “US forces have conducted several Organization to track concerning India listed Delta Plus as a variant Scripps Research Translational several key mutations, including air strikes in defence of our Afghan new mutations of the virus that of concern in June, but neither the US Institute in La Jolla, California, said E484K, N501Y and D614G, that have gain since the partners in recent days,” Major Nicole causes Covid-19. Some have Centers For Disease Control and the percentage of new Lambda cases been linked with increased transmis- Ferrara, a Central Command spokes- equipped the virus with better ways Prevention nor the WHO have done so reported to GISAID, a database that sibility and reduced immune protec- insurgents launched person, told AFP in Washington. of infecting humans or evading vac- yet. According to Outbreak.info, an tracks SARS-CoV-2 variants, has been tion. So far, there have been 37 likely Sheberghan is the stronghold of cine protection. open-source Covid-19 database, Delta dropping, a sign that the variant is and confirmed cases in the UK, an offensive in May. notorious Afghan warlord Abdul Scientists remain focused on Delta, Plus has been detected in at least 32 waning. according to a recent government Rashid Dostum, whose militiamen now the dominant variant rising rap- countries. Experts say it is not yet In a recent call with the CDC, dis- report, and the variant has been iden- and government forces were reported- idly around the world, but are track- clear whether it is more dangerous. ease experts said Lambda did not tified in a number of patients in “The mujahideen also captured Sar- ly retreating east to Mazar-i-Sharif in ing others to see what may one day appear to be causing increased trans- Florida. e-Pul city, the government buildings Balkh province. take its place. Lambda—on the wane? missibility, and vaccines appear to be and all the installations there.” Dostum has overseen one of the The Lambda variant has attracted holding up well against it, said Dr. More on the way? Parwina Azimi, a women’s rights largest militias in the north and gar- Delta attention as a potential new threat. William Schaffner, an infectious dis- Dr Anthony Fauci, the White House’s activist in Sar-e-Pul, told AFP by nered a fearsome reputation fighting The Delta variant first detected in But this version of the coronavirus, eases expert at Vanderbilt University chief medical adviser, recently phone that government officials and the Taliban in the 1990s—along with India remains the most worrisome. It first identified in Peru in December, Medical Center who attended the dis- warned that the United States could the remaining forces had retreated to accusations his forces massacred is striking unvaccinated populations may be receding, several infectious cussion. be in trouble unless more Americans an army barracks about three kilo- thousands of insurgent prisoners of in many countries and has proven disease experts told Reuters. get vaccinated, as a large pool of metres from the city. war. A retreat of his fighters dents the capable of infecting a higher propor- The WHO classifies Lambda as a B.1.621—One to watch unvaccinated people give the virus The Taliban had the compound government’s recent hopes that mili- tion of vaccinated people than its pre- variant of interest, meaning it carries The B.1.621 variant, which first arose more opportunity to spread and “surrounded”, said Mohammad tias could help the overstretched mili- decessors. mutations suspected of causing a in Colombia in January, where it mutate into new variants. Hussein Mujahidzada, a member of tary. The government has said little The WHO classifies Delta as a vari- Proponents of greater international the provincial council. about the fall of the provincial capi- ant of concern, meaning it has been distribution of vaccine doses by Kunduz is the most significant tals, other than vowing to retake them. shown capable of increasing trans- rich countries say the same thing Taliban gain since the insurgents That has been a familiar response to missibility, causing more severe dis- could happen as variants emerge launched an offensive in May as for- most Taliban gains in recent weeks, ease or reducing the benefit of vac- unchecked among the populations of eign forces began the final stages of although government forces have cines and treatments. poor nations where very few people their withdrawal. largely failed to make good on promis- According to Shane Crotty, a virol- have been inoculated. It has been a perennial target for the es to retake dozens of districts and ogist at the La Jolla Institute for Even so, a key issue is that the Taliban, who briefly overran the city border posts. Immunology in San Diego, Delta’s current vaccines block severe disease in 2015 and again in 2016 but never Hundreds of thousands of Afghans “superpower” is its transmissibility. but do not prevent infection, said managed to hold it for long. have been displaced by the recent Chinese researchers found that people Dr Gregory Poland, a vaccine scientist The ministry of defence said gov- fighting, and on Saturday, 12 people infected with Delta carry 1,260 times at the Mayo Clinic. That is because ernment forces were fighting to retake were killed when their bus was struck more virus in their noses compared the virus is still capable of replicating key installations. by a roadside bomb as they tried to with the original version of the in the nose, even among vaccinated “The commando forces have flee Gardez in Paktia province. coronavirus. Some US research sug- people, who can then transmit launched a clearing operation. Some “I lost my mother, father, two broth- gests that the “viral load” in vaccinat- the disease through tiny, aerosolised areas, including the national radio ers, two sisters-in-law and other mem- ed individuals who become infected droplets. and TV buildings, have been cleared bers of the family,” said Noor Jan. with Delta is on par with those who To defeat SARS-CoV-2, he said, will of the terrorist Taliban,” it said. The withdrawal of foreign forces is are unvaccinated, but more research likely require a new generation of Kabul’s ability to hold the north due to finish at the end of this month is needed. vaccines that also block transmission. may prove crucial to the government’s ahead of the 20th anniversary of the While the original coronavirus took Until then, the world will remain vul- long-term survival. Northern September 11 attacks. The US-led inva- up to seven days to cause symptoms, REUTERS nerable to the rise of new coronavirus Afghanistan has long been considered sion sparked by 9/11 toppled the first Delta can cause symptoms two to A man wearing a protective face mask walks past an illustration of a coronavirus outside variants, according to Poland and an anti-Taliban stronghold that saw Taliban regime in 2001. three days faster, giving the immune a regional science centre amid the Covid-19 outbreak, in Oldham, Britain last week. other experts.

नेपाल सरकार कृ षि तथा पशपꅍछीु षिकास मꅍरालय Once lagging, Europe catches कृ षि षिभाग के ꅍरीय कृ षि प्रयोगशाला up to the US in vaccinations हररहरभिन, लललतपरु Associated Press The EU’s slow process for approving the BRUSSELS, Aug 8 vaccinations set the bloc back at the begin- ning, but that is now paying dividends बोलपर िीकृ त गने आसयको सचू ना Despite a sluggish start, the European because it is instilling more confidence in Union’s Covid-19 vaccination drive has the rapidly developed formulas, said Dr -० २ ७८/०४/२५ caught up to that of the United States, Peter Liese, a European Parliament memﴃसूचना प्रकाशशत लमलत where the slowdown of the country’s ber from Germany. यस प्रयोगशालाकोे ठक्कां. न NIRTTP/PCO/MOALD/G/NCB₋(132.1 to 132.10) अनसारु प्राप्त बोलपरह셁े म鵍य देहायका once-vaunted campaign has contributed to While the US and Britain issued emer- the virus’s deadly comeback. gency authorizations of vaccines to get बोलपरदाताह셁को बोलपर छनौट गने लन셍णय भएकोले सािणजलनक खररद ऐन, २०६३ को दफा २७ को उपदफा २ को माइेसन सटफकेट हरायो In mid-February, less than 4 percent of shots into arms quickly, the EU went �म�त २०७७/११/०१ गते people living in the 27-nation EU were at through the longer process of granting full प्रयोजनाथण योू सचना प्रकाशशत गररएको छ । वय�ुबाट बालाजु जाँदा मेरो least partially vaccinated against the coro- approvals, putting it weeks behind. navirus, compared with nearly 12 percent “I am convinced that we have a good Slice No. लबिर셍 छनौट भएको बोलपरदाता कबलु गरेको रकम 셁 (म.अ.करु बाहेक) �नन �होरा भएको +2 को माइेसन सट��फकेट हराएको in the US, according to Our World in Data, argument to explain to people still hesitat- an online science publication connected to ing that the vaccine was properly tested BTC Pvt.Ltd,Kupandole, 1,12,80,000/ (एक करोड बाह्र लाख ँदा पाउनुने महानुभावले 1. the University of Oxford. in Europe,” Liese said recently. “Now it Lalitpur न�जकको हरी कायालय वा असी हजार 셁पैया मार)  Now the EU has surpassed the US by that becomes clear that not only the pace of ₋ 9818705494 मा स�क ग�र�दनु same measure, with some 60 percent of the vaccination in the first months but also the Helix Enterprises Pvt.Ltd, 31,05,000/ (एकतीस लाख 2. न अनुरोध गदछ। bloc’s residents receiving at least one dose, long-term strategy is important.” Kupandole, Lalitpur पा更च हजार 셁पैया मार) Name: Shanti Malla versus less than 58 percent of Americans. The turnaround in Spain has been pro- ₋  In Italy, where roughly 63 percent of nounced. In mid-April, when nearly a quar- Registration No.: 632518428 JHS AnalyticTraders, 41,28,000/ (एकचालीस लाख people 12 and older are fully protected, ter of all Americans were fully vaccinated, 3. Symbol No.: 258359 Premier Mario Draghi took a victory lap only 7 percent of Spaniards were similarly Kathmandu अठ्ठाईस ₋हजार ैया셁प मार)  this past week. protected, according to Our World in Data. “I said that I don’t want to celebrate suc- Now, nearly 60 percent of Spain’s roughly M/S Shree Ranisati Trading 43,73,000/ (लरचाललस लाख 4. cesses, but it must be said that Italy has 47 million people are fully vaccinated, Supply, Delivery And Concern, Kathmandu लरहत्तर हजार ै셁पया मार)  inoculated more doses per 100 inhabitants while about half the US is. Installation Of ₋ than France, Germany, the United States,’’ Portugal, with around 10 million people, JHS AnalyticTraders, 36,94,000/ (छत्तीस लाख 5. Laboratory Equipments he said as the country’s vaccine verifica- had fully vaccinated around a third of its Kathmandu चौरान녍बे हजार 셁पैया मार) tion programme went into effect on Friday. population by the end of June. Now offi- ₋  People in Italy must now show proof cials say it is on track to reach 70 percent by JHS AnalyticTraders, 87,22,000/ (सतासी लाख they have had at least one vaccine dose, the end of the summer. 6. Kathmandu recovered from Covid-19 or recently tested Like the American vaccination drive, the बाईस हजार₋ 셁पैया मार)  negative for the virus if they want to European Union effort started around dine indoors, use gyms or go to concerts, Christmas and struggled to meet initial JHS AnalyticTraders, 98,76,045/ अꅍठान녍बे लाख 7. ( theatres, museums and tourist sites such as demand. But it quickly turned into a major Kathmandu छयत्तर हजार पैचाललस 셁पैया मार) the Colosseum. political embarrassment for European offi- ₋ European authorities attribute success cials, as the US and Britain jumped ahead. JHS AnalyticTraders, 20,89,000/ (बीस लाख 8.  in Italy and elsewhere to nationalized The major factor holding back the EU ini- Kathmandu उनान्न녍बे हजार 셁पैया मार) health care and a history of public confi- tially was its decision to purchase vaccines ₋  dence in the safety of immunizations. as a bloc instead of as individual countries.

C M Y K 07 | MONDAY, AUGUST 09, 2021

C M Y K MONDAY, AUGUST 09, 2021 | 08 Sports Briefing USA top table as pandemic-defying Olympics close CAN retires former captain Khadka’s jersey no 77 Gold medals in volleyball, track cycling and basketball on the final day of the Games lift US ahead of China in the standings with 39 gold medals. KATHMANDU: The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has decided to retire Agence France-Presse TOKYO 2020 Medal Count former captain Paras Khadka’s jersey TOKYO, Aug 8 number 77 in recognition of his con- Rank Team/NOC G S B Total tribution to the national cricket team. Eliud Kipchoge produced a marathon The announcement meant, no Nepali masterclass and the USA edged China 1 USA 39 41 33 113 player would wear jersey no 77 dur- at the top of the medals table as The 2 China 38 32 18 88 ing any official international match- Tokyo 2020 Games were declared 3 Japan 27 14 17 58 es. “Honouring the contribution of closed by IOC chief Thomas Bach on 4 Britain 22 21 22 65 Paras Khadka to Nepal Cricket, CAN Sunday, ending the “most challenging 5 Russian Olympic Comittee 20 28 23 71 has decided to withdraw no 77 jersey Olympic journey” after a year’s pan- 6 Australia 17 7 22 46 from use,” reads a Facebook post on demic delay and threats of cancella- the official page of cricket governing tion. 7 Netherlands 10 12 14 36 body. All-rounder Khadka had After Eliud Kipchoge’s marathon 8 France 10 12 11 33 announced international retirement win for Kenya, the United States 9 Germany 10 11 16 37 from cricket on Tuesday. (SB) scored victories in women’s volley- 10 Italy 10 10 20 40 ball, basketball and track cycling to 11 Canada 7 6 11 24 Chitwan Tigers rope in top the tally with 39 gold medals, just one ahead of China. The 339th and 12 Brazil 7 6 8 21 Pakistan’s Danish Aziz for EPL final gold medal went to Serbia’s 13 New Zealand 7 6 7 20 KATHMANDU: Chitwan Tigers, one of men’s water polo team, capping a 14 Cuba 7 3 5 15 the franchisees of the Everest Games that were in serious danger of 15 Hungary 6 7 7 20 Premier League, have enrolled cancellation after they became the 16 Korea 6 4 10 20 first postponed Olympics last year. Pakistani international cricketer 17 Poland 4 5 5 14 Danish Aziz for the Twenty20 cricket Bach called them “unprecedented 18 Czech Republic 4 4 3 11 tournament set to be held from Olympic Games” as he addressed the September 25 to October 9. The 68,000-seat Olympic Stadium, which 19 Kenya 4 4 2 10 25-year-old, who made his One-Day was bereft of fans as Japan battles to 20 Norway 4 2 2 8 International and T20I debut from contain a record coronavirus out- 21 Jamaica 4 1 4 9 break. “In these difficult times we are Pakistan in 2021, was one of the 22 Spain 3 8 6 17 all living through, you give the world standout performers in the National 23 Sweden 3 6 0 9 T20 Cup—a professional domestic T20 the most precious of gifts: hope,” the cricket tournament in Pakistan. “We International Olympic Committee 24 Switzerland 3 4 6 13 are excited to host Danish as our president told athletes at the ceremo- 25 Denmark 3 4 4 11 overseas player for the new season of ny. “And now I have to mark the end of 26 Croatia 3 3 2 8 EPL. He is touted as the future of this most challenging Olympic jour- 27 Iran 3 2 2 7 ney to Tokyo: I declare the Games of Pakistan batting,” said Binita 28 Serbia 3 1 5 9 Chaudhary Bhattarai, operations the 32nd Olympiad closed,” he added. 29 Belgium 3 1 3 7 director of Chitwan Tigers. He is the Thirty-three sports have been con- second big name from Pakistan to tested across 16 days in largely empty REUTERS 30 Bulgaria 3 1 2 6 confirm participation in the EPL stadiums, with fans barred over coro- A general view of fireworks above the stadium during the closing ceremony of Tokyo 2020 Olympics at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday. 31 Slovenia 3 1 1 5 after Shahid Afridi. The six-team navirus risks and athletes living in 32 Uzbekistan 3 0 2 5 strict biosecure conditions. The underway at an Olympic Stadium provided the most jaw-dropping Canadian cyclist Kelsey Mitchell took franchise cricket tournament will 33 Georgia 2 5 1 8 take place at the TU grounds. (SB) Olympics were plagued by low empty of spectators, rounding off an moment when she abruptly pulled out gold in the women’s sprint while Japanese support over fears they extraordinary Games conducted most- of competition over a bout of the Jason Kenny won the men’s keirin to 34 Chinese Taipei 2 4 6 12 would become a super-spreader event ly for a worldwide TV audience of “twisties”, a disorientating mental become the first Briton to win seven 35 Turkey 2 2 9 13 PSG start Ligue 1 season with but officials maintained that a record billions. block. Biles, widely acknowledged as Olympic titles. The Americans started 36 Greece 2 1 1 4 win at promoted Troyes haul of 27 gold medals, putting Japan Fears of a major outbreak among the greatest gymnast in history, recov- the day two golds behind China but 36 Uganda 2 1 1 4 third on the table, has won hearts. the mostly vaccinated Olympic ath- ered sufficiently to return for the final the women’s basketball and volleyball 38 Ecuador 2 1 0 3 PARIS: Defender Achraf Hakimi “We believe our athletes’ earnest letes and officials proved unfounded event, the beam, claiming a redemp- titles and US track cyclist Jennifer scored a debut goal as Paris Saint- spirit and all-out performance moved and 430 cases were picked up tive bronze. Valente’s omnium victory put them 39 Ireland 2 0 2 4 Germain began its bid to wrestle people,” said Tsuyoshi Fukui, chef de during the Games, including 32 Weightlifter Laurel Hubbard top of the final table. 39 Israel 2 0 2 4 back the French league title with a 2-1 mission for the Japanese team. in the Olympic Village. But athletes became the first openly transgender Uzbekistan’s Bakhodir Jalolov beat 41 Qatar 2 0 1 3 win at Troyes on Saturday. Promoted Britain finished fourth with 22 had the added pressure of strict ‘bub- woman to compete at the Games and US fighter Richard Torrez in the 42 Bahamas 2 0 0 2 Troyes stunned PSG by taking the golds and the Russian Olympic ble’ conditions and were instructed Canada’s Quinn became the first open- super-heavyweight boxing final, while 42 Kosovo 2 0 0 2 lead in the eighth minute when Committee, the team for Russian ath- to follow orders to wear masks ly transgender Olympic medallist, Britain’s Lauren Price and Ireland’s 44 Ukraine 1 6 12 19 defender Oualid El Hajjam headed in letes after Russia were banned for unless competing, training, eating or with gold in the women’s football. In Kellie Harrington also boxed their powerfully from a corner. After join- systematic doping, were fifth with 20. sleeping. other highlights, the US men’s team way to gold. The Olympic flag will now 45 Belarus 1 3 3 7 ing from Italian champion Inter A succession of big names have failed Victory celebrations have been low- won their fourth consecutive men’s pass to 2024 hosts Paris. But the 46 Romania 1 3 0 4 Milan for 60 million euros, Hakimi to perform in Japan, where new sports key, with lonely laps of honour and basketball crown and US swimmer Olympic circus will reconvene in just 46 Venezuela 1 3 0 4 equalised with a crisp shot past the skateboarding, surfing, sport climb- sparsely attended medal ceremonies. Caeleb Dressel assumed the mantle of six months when Beijing, faced with 48 India 1 2 4 7 Troyes goalkeeper after breaking free ing and karate have brought young But the emotions of the competitors Michael Phelps with five gold medals boycott threats and a renewed corona- 49 Hong Kong 1 2 3 6 down the right in the 18th before new stars to the fore. have been on full view. in the pool. virus emergency, holds the Winter Mauro Icardi sealed the victory. (AP) Sunday’s closing ceremony got Superstar gymnast Simone Biles Among the final events on Sunday, Games in February. 50 Philippines 1 2 1 4 India showers cash on Biles, Belarus, Barshim and sports drama: golden boy Neeraj Chopra Tokyo Games were full of surprises Agence France-Presse erous official rewards of any country NEW DELHI, Aug 8 for Olympic medals in Tokyo—though REUTERS Singapore led the way among known TOKYO, Aug 8 Indian companies and governments benefits with more than $700,000 for a promised cash and gifts worth more gold medal. India’s cricket board said In an action-packed Tokyo Olympics than two million dollars to javelin star they would give $168,000 to the men’s that were held in the shadow a pan- Neeraj Chopra after he won India’s hockey team for its bronze medal—the demic, the upsets were not just con- first ever Olympic athletics gold first in four decades. And state gov- fined to the stadiums and sports fields. medal. ernments also promised hundreds of The following were some of the big- The 23-year-old, who two years ago thousands to the team. gest surprises in the Tokyo Games: underwent surgery on a career-threat- Wrestler Mirabai Chanu gave India a ening elbow injury, threw 87.58 metres silver on day one of the competition Belarus defection in the Tokyo Olympic stadium on and said she wanted to eat pizza. A well Arguably one of the most dramatic Saturday to send his country into rap- known chain immediately said it moments of the Games was when tures. Chopra led India’s most success- would give her pizza for life. Chanu has Olympic sprinter Krystsina ful Olympics ever with a gold, two sil- male wrestler Ravi Dahiya for compa- Tsimanouskaya refused to board a ver medals and four bronze. He will ny in getting silver while badminton flight home after she was removed also lead a cash bonanza for the win- ace PVSindhu, wrestler Bajrang Punia, from the Games and taken to the air- ning athletes. boxer Lovlina Borgohain and the hock- port against her wishes. The 24-year- The government in his home state ey team won bronzes. old athlete was granted a humanitari- of Haryana said it would give a 60 The medal count and stacks of cash an visa from Poland after she publicly million rupee ($800,000) bonus to is a dramatic turnaround for Indian criticised the national coaching team Chopra. Other state governments sport. India won just two silvers at the of negligence. Speaking in Poland, offered another $400,000 between them 2016 Rio Olympics and athletes have Tsimanouskaya said her family had and a leading education company long complained about the lack of been afraid that if she had returned to promised $270,000. resources put in to their training. Belarus she would be sent to a psychi- India had to make its athletes Many former sports heroes fell into atric ward. “heroes so that we transform our- poverty after finishing their athletic selves from a sport loving nation to a career and have needed help from Biles out sport-playing nation,” said Byju foundations such as one run by crick- US gymnast Simone Biles dropped out Raveendran, owner of the Byju’s edu- et icon Sunil Gavaskar. of the women’s team event after a sin- ap/rss cation tech company. The Indian Keshav Chandra Datt, a double gle vault at the Tokyo Olympics, only Momiji Nishiya, 13, became the youngest Japanese gold medallist after she won the women’s street skateboarding event. cricket board, the BCCI, and the Olympic hockey gold winner who to return after battling a case of “the Chennai Super Kings Indian Premier recently died aged 95, was one of 19 twisties” to win a bronze on the bal- Japan medal haul earned by 18-year-old Ahmed Hafnaoui their overall medals total above the League team vowed to give $135,000 former sports internationals given ance beam. The 24-year-old American The host nation smashed its own of Tunisia, who stunned swimming previous record of 36 at the 1960 Rome each and Chopra will also get $100,000 monthly cash allowances by had come to Japan eyeing a record records for medals in Tokyo. Japan superpowers with victory from lane Games. Lamont Marcell Jacobs deliv- from the Indian Olympic Association. Gavaskar’s The Champs Foundation. haul of six golds, but shocked the won 58 overall, the fifth highest count, eight in the men’s 400m freestyle. “It’s ered probably the biggest shock win in Other firms offered free air travel, The former India captain told AFP sports world when she pulled out of with 27 golds - behind only the United a dream and it became true - it was my the history of the 100 metres when he luxury cars and cash gifts that took the 22-year-old foundation provides the opening event after just one vault. States and China - in sports ranging best race ever,” Hafnaoui said in an took gold. “Italy keeps on dreaming ... Chopra’s bonus over two million and assistance to “Indian internationals Biles returned to the competition, from skateboarding to wrestling. Olympic-level understatement after we’re the fastest in the world,” more was expected before he returns who after retirement are struggling to extolling the importance of prioritis- he held off heavily fancied Australian read the headline of daily Corriere to India. All of the medal winners can get on in life. We get to know about ing mental health. “I did it for me and Falling and rising Jack McLoughlin and American della Sera after Italy then added a sur- expect big cash rewards for their these athletes through media or word I was just proud of myself for being Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan was una- Kieran Smith despite qualifying slow- prise 4x100 metres men’s relay gold return, with the IOA offering $53,750 of mouth and then reach out to them able to compete one more time,” she ble to realise her dream of winning an est for the final. Hafnaoui received the beating Britain by one-hundredth of a for a silver, and $33,500 for a bronze. while keeping their identity hidden,” said. Olympic treble even after her surprise ultimate validation as American second. India offered some of the most gen- he said. recovery in the 1,500m heat, where she medal machine Michael Phelps, the Can we have two golds? tumbled and fell. In a remarkable feat, greatest swimmer in history, labelled Women in the games Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim, 30, and Hassan recovered and ran through the his performance an “unbelievable Some of the most dazzling and dra- Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi, 29, had field to win the heat and advance to swim”. matic moments of the Games came been neck and neck in the men’s high the semi-finals. In the end, Hassan had from women. American Raven jump competition when they were to settle for bronze although she Osaka’s exit Saunders made a protest from the offered a jump-off to decide the win- bounced back to add the 10,000m gold Days after lighting the Olympic caul- podium and Kiwi Laurel Hubbard ner. Instead, Barshim asked: “Can we to the 5,000m she had already secured. dron, Japanese superstar Naomi became the first openly transgender have two golds?” In an image that Osaka exited the tennis competition Olympian to compete in a different became one of the most memorable of Victory for the teacher in the third round. The world number gender category to that assigned at the Tokyo Games, the official nodded, Little-known Austrian amateur wom- two was knocked out by Czech Marketa birth. ‘The Duel in the Pool’ between and the two athletes clasped hands en’s cyclist Anna Kiesenhofer, a full- Vondrousova in her first tournament American Katie Ledecky, the domi- and whooped for joy. time teacher, made an audacious solo since pulling out of the French Open nant woman in swimming at the 2016 breakaway in the road race and some- in May, when she said she had been Rio Games, and Australian Ariarne Teen revolt how stayed clear to cross the line look- suffering from depression for almost Titmus was one of the most exciting The Tokyo Olympics marked the ing absolutely incredulous. “I am three years. “I definitely feel like there of the Games. launch of new youth-centric sports, happy that I was not too scared and I was a lot of pressure, this time Titmus, dubbed ‘The Terminator’, with surfing and skateboarding in just went for it,” said Kiesenhofer around,” Osaka said. “I think it’s took Ledecky’s crown in 200m and particular capturing new audiences. after winning Austria’s first cycling maybe because I haven’t played in an 400m freestyle while Ledecky proved Teens and tweens were centre stage in gold since the inaugural Games of Olympics before and for the first one untouchable in the longer distances skateboarding, where at 13, Momiji 1896. to be here was a bit much.” winning gold in the 800m and 1,500m. Nishiya became the youngest Another Australian, Emma McKeon, Japanese gold medallist after she won Tunisia stuns Italian dreamin’ made history by becoming the first ap/rss the women’s street skateboarding Perhaps no medal of the Games will Italians rejoiced after their athletics woman swimmer to win seven medals Haryana State Government have declared to give $800,000 to Neeraj Chopra. event. be celebrated more wildly than that team won their fifth gold, pushing in a single Games, four of them gold.

C M Y K 09 | MONDAY, AUGUST 09, 2021 Sports | Medley Focus switches to Paris Saint-Germain as Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge Messi confirms he is leaving Barcelona cements legacy as greatest The 34-year-old Argentine who stayed at the club for 21 years has won 35 trophies including four Champions Leagues marathon runner and 10 league titles while his 672 goals are a record for any of the top five European leagues. REUTERS athons. Kipchoge said last month that TOKYO, Aug 8 winning this gold medal would be his greatest achievement - a big statement About 30 kilometres into the men’s for an athlete who already has an marathon in Sapporo on Sunday, Olympic gold, holds the world record Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge pulled away and is the only man to have ever run from the pack and began running his the marathon in under two hours. own race, chasing immortality. “Today I lived my Olympic dream,” Kipchoge looked like a man deter- he said. “I always say that sport is like mined to run towards his legacy of life, whereby you can win and lose. greatness. He took a peek behind him But today was a day where I won and at one point and there was no one get to say I successfully defended my there. He was all alone - the greatest Olympic title.” marathon runner in history and one The marathon and the Tokyo of the greatest Olympians. Olympic Games at large were about “I wanted to create a space to show more than just sports for Kipchoge, the world that this is a beautiful race,” they were about the endurance of the Kipchoge said after winning gold. He human spirit. They represented hope began to smile as marathon-mad after a year of human suffering and Japanese fans, who defied Olympic deaths due to the global pandemic, he organisers’ request to stay away due said, the mask-wearing crowds along to Covid-19, lined up the streets of the marathon route a stark reminder Sapporo and cheered him on to the that Covid-19 was still raging on. finish line. Kipchoge was about to His win on Sunday held more signif- become only the third person ever to icance than just the gold medal he retain their Olympic marathon title, wore around his neck after the race. and cement his legacy. Smiling was “It means a lot for me, especially at his way of enjoying the race, he said this time,” he told reporters later, say- later. ing the past year had been “really “That smile is the happiness,” he hard” particularly with the postpone- said. He waved at the fans as he came ment of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The through the tape, slapped his chest fact that the Games went ahead was and pumped his fist into the air. “I important to show that life will return have fulfilled the legacy by winning to normal one day, he said. the marathon for the second time, “It is a sign that shows the world we back-to-back. I hope now to help are heading in the right direction - we inspire the next generation,” he said. are on the right transition to a normal AFP/RSS Doubts crept in about his ability to life,” he said. Fans outside the Nou Camp stadium where Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi held a press conference in Barcelona on Sunday. retain Olympic title he won five years Asked in July whether the race in ago in Rio, after he suffered a rare Sapporo would be his last, Kipchoge Agence France-Presse net—but financial observers of the was signed on the back of a restaurant crown. They have already added defeat in October’s London marathon. said that he still has the competitive BARCELONA, Aug 8 Spanish game estimate he pulled in napkin for want of anything else to defender Sergio Ramos from Real The 36-year old had previously won 10 spirit to go on. “The end of my career around twice as much in commercial seal the deal on. Madrid, where he won four Champions straight races and his eighth place will come automatically that’s for An emotional Lionel Messi confirmed revenue, accounting for almost one- Stressing no deals had been done, League crowns of his own as well as finish sparked rumblings that he may sure, that’s in front of my mind, but Sunday he is leaving Barcelona after third of total incomings and eight in Messi did concede that joining PSG Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnaru- have started to fade. He allayed those for now I still want to compete more,” 17 trophy-laden years, with Paris ten shirt sales. was a “possibility” as the Qatar-owned mma—likewise on a free transfer. concerns after a win in the Netherlands he said. “I still want to go around the Saint-Germain his likely next port of Messi tried to engineer his depar- club consider a move. “There have Messi—who would likewise not in April. And after his victory on world and run, inspire people.” call for a career swansong. ture last year, fed up with some under- been lots of rumours. Lots of things command a transfer fee, being out of Sunday, in what could be his last On Sunday, he was still non-commit- “I have still not come to terms with whelming recent Champions League are being said,” said PSG coach contract, would be the cherry on the Olympic Games, any questions about tal, saying he would take it one step at the reality of leaving this club now—I showings. But he stayed and stressed Mauricio Pochettino on Friday. cake and happy to meet up again with his abilities were put to rest. a time. “I’m going back now, (will) talk love this club,” said a suited Messi, on Sunday that he and his family had After Messi’s emotional conference former Barca clubmate, Brazil super- He clocked 2:08:38 to win the race, with my coach, see what are the oppor- who several times wiped away tears wanted to continue in Catalonia rath- there was little immediate reaction star Neymar—who has long made no and now holds two of the top five fast- tunities in the world,” he said. “Now I before a squadron of reporters at the er than embark on a likely reunion from Barcelona with fans and players secret of wanting a reunion. est times ever posted in Olympic mar- want to enjoy winning here in Tokyo.” club’s Nou Camp ground who gave with former clubmate Neymar at alike still drinking in the news of the Messi would also team up with his him a standing ovation. PSG—ostensibly the only club that reality of his departure. Barca’s Dutch Argentina colleague Angel di Maria Messi, widely considered the most can afford him with Manchester City coach Roland Koeman, whose goal as well as Kylian Mbappe, the 22-year- gifted player in the history of the having already said they will not make won Barca their first European Cup in old tipped to succeed him as the best game, has won 35 trophies at the club a move for his services. 1992, tweeted Saturday it was “still player in the world. An added attrac- which he joined as a 13-year-old— “I would’ve liked to have won anoth- hard to understand that you will not tion at the Parc des Perinces is that including four Champions Leagues er Champions League,” said Messi. “I play for @FCBarcelona anymore,” Pochettino, like Messi, started his and 10 league titles while his 672 goals don’t regret anything, I tried to give while saluting Messi’s “work ethic career at Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario, are a record for any of the top five my best and I’m ending my career and desire to win.” Argentina. Pochettino was actually on European leagues. Despite offering to here with a good number of titles”. Former Barcelona teammate Cesc the pitch playing for Espanyol when a cut his salary by half to seal a new He also said he had been completely Fabregas also posted a warm tribute. teenage Messi made his Barca debut. deal with a club carrying debts of 1.2 transparent throughout the saga “You leave as the best player of all As PSG mull their move fans and billion euros and player had agreed regarding his intentions. “I gave time. It will never be the same to see media alike are counting down to on, the agreement foundered on everything for this club from the first Barca without you. Thank you, thank what many see as inevitable, now Spanish League salary restrictions. day that I arrived right to the last. I you and thank you for everything you Messi has cut the Catalan cord. Barca president Joan Laporta said never imagined having to say goodbye. have given,” he tweeted. Sports daily L’Equipe reported he could not “mortgage” the club’s I’m not ready for this,” he said, again Now it falls ostensibly to PSG to add Messi would receive a three-year future on any player—not even Messi. choking back tears as thousands of the final piece to their multi-million “record contract” with various reports Previously Messi had been earning fans waited outside to salute their jigsaw as the capital club seek to land saying he stands to earn 35 million AFP/RSS over 70 million euros ($82.3m) a year icon, whose first contract 21 years ago an elusive maiden Champions League euros a season. Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge defended his marathon gold clocking 2 hour 8 minute 38 second. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) *** CANCER (June 22-July 22) ** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) ** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) ** Monday’s skies start the week off in a considerable Your mind may feel like it’s playing tricks You’re likely to find yourself steeped in a world You’re likely to be craving a fantastical haze, Aries. Bond-building locks into a tense oppo- on you today, Cancer. Magnetic Venus falls into a of fantasy, Libra. Your ruling planet, magnetic adventure out into greener pastures today, sition with reality-bending Neptune, twisting sleepy opposition with dream-maker Neptune, cre- Venus, slips off into a dream world, as she oppos- Capricorn. You may find yourself searching for truths on the work front. ating a hazy, but deeply inspired mental atmos- es ethereal Neptune. foreign rentals or dreaming up a new life all phere. together.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) *** LEO (July 23-August 22) *** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) *** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) ** Everything is not what it seems beneath Monday’s Be mindful of where you spend your money Monday’s skies make it hard to see straight, This isn’t the easiest time of year for your skies, Taurus. Your ruling planet, romance-craving today, Leo. You’re prone to excess when it comes to Scorpio. Relationship-building Venus drifts off relationships, Aquarius. You’re undergoing some Venus, finds herself under a dizzying spell, as she getting what you want today, as value-defining into a dreamworld escape, as she opposes reali- major transformations in that arena, as you deepen dances with ethereal Neptune. Venus locks into an opposition with mystifying ty-bending Neptune. your connection to your own concept of commit- Neptune. ment and intimacy.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) *** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) *** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) ** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** It’s easy to get swept up in a whirlwind of nostalgia As a Virgo, you function at your best when the things Be mindful of who you’re choosing to incorporate You tend to find yourself enmeshed in today, Gemini. Bond-building Venus falls into a diso- are straightforward and authentic. Monday’s skies into your career path today, Sagittarius. Bond- romantic relationship matters this time of year, rienting opposition with reality-dissolving Neptune, throw a wrench into this narrative, as lover Venus building Venus locks into a disorienting opposition Pisces. Monday’s skies bring this to a new level, as creating a hazy atmosphere around home and family locks into a dizzying opposition with reality-dissolv- with slippery Neptune, creating confusion around lover Venus locks eyes with reality-bending matters. ing Neptune. values and allies on the work front. Neptune. Crossword Sudoku

Yesterday’s Solution

C M Y K MONDAY, AUGUST 09, 2021 | 10 Culture & Lifestyle (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 Reservation Dogs smashes stereotypes of Indigenous people The half-hour comedy is the first show on cable TV in which all the writers, directors and regular characters are Indigenous.

SEAN MURPHY “There have been so many years TULSA and instances of invisibility, mis- characterization and misappropri- wo Indigenous film- ation of Native culture in film and makers are smashing movies.” the caricatures and ste- “This is a welcome change,” he reotypes of Native said. Americans, who since Like many of the 39 federally the earliest days of film recognised tribes in Oklahoma, Tand TV have often played support- the Muscogee Nation has been ing roles or been portrayed as diversifying its economy with the bloodthirsty killers standing in the help of an infusion of cash from way of white, westward expansion. tribal gambling approved by vot- Sterlin Harjo, a Seminole and ers in 2004. The US Supreme Court Muscogee filmmaker from also upheld the boundaries of the Oklahoma, teamed up with Taika Nation’s reservation—3 million Waititi, a Maori director from acres (12,100 square kilometres), New Zealand, on “Reservation including most of the city of Dogs,” a new series debuting Tulsa—in a landmark decision Monday on FX on Hulu that fea- last year on tribal sovereignty. tures four rough-and-tumble teen- The show’s production in agers who cuss, fight and steal Oklahoma comes at a time when their way toward adulthood in a the film and television industry is rural Oklahoma town. Filmed booming in the state. The entirely on the Muscogee Nation Oklahoma Film and Music Office reservation in eastern Oklahoma, estimates the 33 film and televi- the network says the half-hour sion productions, including comedy is the first show on cable “Reservation Dogs,” that qualified TV in which all the writers, direc- for a state rebate on qualifying tors and regular characters on the expenditures in the last year had a series are Indigenous. direct fiscal impact of more than “To be able to tell a real story $161 million. Other films shot in about real people through comedy, Oklahoma include Martin it’s about time,” Harjo, who direct- Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower ed “Mekko” and “Barking Water,” Moon,” “Stillwater” starring Matt said during a premiere of the Damon and this year’s Academy series this week in Tulsa. “There’s Award-winning film “Minari.” been 130-something years of cine- Oklahoma Governor Kevin ma and we’re finally showing our- Stitt, himself a citizen of the selves as human beings, which Cherokee Nation, signed into law shouldn’t be radical, but it is pret- earlier this year a bill that increas- ty radical today.” es the cap on the film rebate from Devery Jacobs, a Mohawk actor $8 million to $30 million annually, from Quebec, Canada, who plays which is expected to draw more one of the show’s lead characters, productions, diversify the state’s said working on a set with so workforce and beef up its film many Indigenous actors and the infrastructure. crew was a breath of fresh air. That’s welcome news for “On a lot of projects, I was the Ap/rss Oklahomans who work with the only Indigenous person for miles,” Sten Joddi (left), who plays Punkin Lusty, and D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, who plays Bear, in the new series ‘Reservation Dogs,’ pose for pictures during the premiere of the show at film industry, said Shane Brown, Jacobs said. “Stepping on the set Circle Cinema in Tulsa, Okla. freelance photographer and video- of ‘Reservation Dogs’ and seeing grapher from Tulsa who was hired my community around me, a com- refer to the continent. whose credits also include “Thor: beyond Indigenous communities Although the characters aren’t to work on “Reservation Dogs.” munity of fellow Indigenous folks Waititi and Harjo, longtime Ragnarok” and the TV series “What and small towns, Waititi and Harjo identified as members of a specif- Brown, who is also doing photo from different backgrounds, it was friends collaborating for the first We Do in the Shadows.” said. ic Native American tribe, the and video work for a couple of truly being welcomed home. time, said the series arose out of “We weren’t entirely sure where “The idea of just wandering Muscogee Nation was heavily documentaries, said he’s so busy “I’d never experienced it before, discussions about the kind of show it would be and then it just struck around the suburb or a small com- involved in helping to scout loca- he had to turn down job offers for and it just meant so much to me, they’d like to see, and before they us that setting it here would be munity with nothing to do, won- tions, and a public premiere at its work on other film productions. and I know it’s going to mean so knew it had “come up with this idea perfect.” dering what the hell’s out there for River Spirit Resort and Casino in “Everybody is busy,” Brown much to audiences across Turtle about these kids who had turned Filmed mostly in the small east- me and what am I going to do with Tulsa drew close to 2,000 people. said. “All of these independent, Island and beyond,” she said, into vigilantes and wanted to clean ern Oklahoma town of Okmulgee, my life,” Waititi said. “That’s the “The real value in this show and freelance positions, just whatever using a term many Indigenous up their community,” recalled where the Muscogee Nation is heart of what drives these kids ... the representation is the authen- you need to crew up a film, every- people, mainly in the northeast- Waititi, the Oscar-winning writer headquartered, the show’s restless a lot of teenagers all over the ticity of it,” said Jason Salsman, a body seems to have work.” ern part of North America, use to and director of “Jojo Rabbit,” young characters are familiar world, they feel like that.” Muscogee Nation spokesman. — Associated Press

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