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Vol XXX No. 28 | 8 pages | Rs.5
Friday, March 18, 2022 | 04-12-2078
37.7O C 4.4O C
Dharan Jumla

Maoists’ dilemma:
They need Congress
but can’t fully trust it
Dahal says option of joining hands with the UML open if
electoral alliance with coalition partners is not possible.
TIKA R PRADHAN (Maoist Centre) and the CPN (Unified
KATHMANDU, MARCH 17 Socialist).
And two of the splinter parties–the
With the May 13 local level polls less Maoist Centre and the Unified
than two months away, the Communist Socialist—last year helped Nepali
Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), which Congress President Deuba to return to
sees its prospects grim without an power by ousting the government led
electoral alliance, has started pressing by UML chair KP Sharma Oli.
the ruling coalition leader Nepali Back in 2017, during the first phase
Congress to go to the election jointly. of the local polls, Congress had forged
But Congress remains non-commit- an electoral alliance with the Maoist
tal, as voices within the party are get- Centre as they had run the govern-
ting louder against poll alliance with ment together, but Dahal reached out
any of the coalition partners–the to the UML saying the electoral
Maoist Centre, the CPN (Unified alliance could not be fruitful as
Socialist) and the Janata Samajbadi Congress voters didn’t vote for Maoist
Party. candidates.
Nonetheless, leaders of the Maoist This time also, Dahal, who sees no
Centre and the Unified Socialist on hope of the party that had won 116
Thursday also demanded that Prime local levels retaining its local govern-
Minister and Congress President Sher ment seats without an electoral alli-
Bahadur Deuba make good on his ance, has asked Prime Minister Deuba
commitment for an electoral alliance to officially announce an electoral alli-
with coalition partners. ance for local elections or else the
“The prime minister has agreed to Maoist party would start talks with
form a mechanism down to the local the UML.
POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI level for an electoral alliance,” Though UML leaders including
Revellers dance to the music during a Holi festival concert at Kathmandu Durbar Square on Thursday. While Nepal’s hill districts celebrated Holi said Ramesh Malla, chief per- party chair Oli and General
on Thursday, the Tarai region will celebrate the festival a day later on Friday. sonal secretary of Maoist Centre Secretary Shankar Pokhrel have been
chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal. ruling out the possibility of an elec-
Some Congress leaders say toral alliance with the Maoist Centre–
they would win most of the local Maoist chair Dahal and some other

Inside How a Buddhist centre in government seats even if they

contested the elections sin-
gle-handedly because the com-
leaders including Barshaman Pun
have been saying that the possibility
of the Maoists forging an electoral

Poland became a refuge

munist forces are divided and alliance with the UML cannot be ruled
weaker. The Nepal Communist out.
Nepal celebrates Holi with Party (NCP) formed in May 2018 Some see this as a mere tactic of the
gusto after Covid hiatus has split into three different par- Maoists to pressure Deuba.

for Nepalis fleeing war

ties–the CPN-UML, the CPN >> Continued on page 2
Kathmandu: Throughout Thursday,
major junctions of the city–
Shahidgate to Nepal Airlines,
Ratnapark to Old Buspark–were

omegawatches.com
packed with foot traffic and vehicles
alike. Last year during Holi, only Between March 2 and 11, Benchen Karma Kamtsang
Basantapur Durbar Square and its
surrounding areas had seen revellers Centre in Grabnik, Poland provided shelter to 43 Nepalis.
in large numbers despite a govern-
ment ban on public gatherings. On
Wednesday, the District
Administration Office, Kathmandu
had issued a public notice asking peo-
ple to celebrate the festival in a
‘responsible manner.  (Details on Pg 3)

E-commerce going strong

despite reopening of markets
Kathmandu: Nepali consumers had
e-commerce thrust upon them by the
Covid-19 crisis, as they had no choice
but to buy things online during the
months-long lockdown. During those
depressing days, internet stores pro-
vided a vital service by making home
deliveries, and people fell in love with
the new style of shopping. The habit Photo courtesy: Benchen Karma Kamtsang Centre, Grabnik.
stuck. With the coronavirus on the The Benchen Karma Kamtsang Centre in Grabnik is the branch of the Kathmandu-based
way out, the street markets are return- Benchen Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery.
ing to their usual bustle as movement
restrictions have been lifted, but Tsering Ngodup Lama them safe shelter and food,” said Lama
online sellers are not dispirited. Kathmandu, March 17 Rinchen. “That day, we brought 23
E-commerce entrepreneurs say that Nepalis to stay at Grabnik’s BKKC.”
online sales of household goods have At 9pm on March 1, Waldemar Zych, a The following day, 20 more Nepalis
declined some but demand for non-es- Polish citizen who’s popularly known who had recently fled Ukraine arrived
sential goods is high.  (Details on Pg 5) by his Buddhist name Lama Rinchen, at Grabnik’s BKKC. One of them was
was getting ready for bed. Since the 37-year-old Pacheeta Sherpa from Jiri,
next day was the first day of the Dolakha. Sherpa had arrived in
Cheap Turkish drones bolster Tibetan New Year, Lama Rinchen, the Ukraine on January 24 on a work visa.
Ukraine’s defences head priest of Benchen Karma
Kamtsang Centre (BKKC) in Grabnik,
Exactly a month later, on February 24,
Russian President Vladimir Putin
Ankara: Despite three weeks of Poland, had been busy the whole day authorised what he called “a special
Russian bombardment, Ukraine has performing Buddhist rituals and pre- military operation” in Ukraine.
kept up a stiff defence of its cities by paring for the festival. The Russian invasion prompted
using Turkish-made drones to carry “Before going to bed, I was going many—Ukrainians, foreign nationals
out pop-up attacks on the invaders through my phone, and an article pub- and Nepalis—to flee the war.
with a lethal effectiveness that has lished by a major Polish news outlet After waiting for two days, on
surprised Western military experts. caught my attention. The article stat- February 26, Sherpa decided to leave
The Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial ed that a Polish journalist had come Ukraine. C O N S T E L L AT I O N S M A L L S E C O N D S
vehicles, which carry lightweight, across a group of Nepalis who had fled “It wasn’t an easy decision to make.
laser-guided bombs, normally excel in Ukraine and were now stranded at I had taken a loan of Rs800,000 to come
low-tech conflicts, and Turkey has sold Warsaw Central Station,” said Lama to Ukraine, a country where I hoped to Born in 1952 as a symbol of precision, the OMEGA Constellation continues its
them to more than a dozen countries, Rinchen, who is now in Kathmandu work so that I could provide a better
including Azerbaijan, Libya, Morocco legacy of excellence with this 34 mm model in stainless steel and 18K Sedna™
for a few days. “The article said that future for my family back home,” said
and Ethiopia. The drones have carried the journalist decided to let the Sherpa, a father of two, in a phone Gold. With a subtle yet sparkling Small Seconds display on the white mother-
out unexpectedly successful attacks in Nepalis take shelter at his company’s interview from Portugal. “Leaving of-pearl dial, the Co-Axial Master Chronometer model is also certified at
the early stages of Ukraine’s conflict office.” Ukraine was the last thing I wanted to
with Moscow.  (Details on Pg 6) As someone who has deep ties with do, but I had no other option.” the highest level by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) to
Nepal, Lama Rinchen knew he had to On the morning of February 26, guarantee more accuracy, reliability and supreme resistance to magnetism.
do something to help the stranded Sherpa put a change of clothes in a
Nepal face in-form UAE today Nepalis. He had first visited Nepal in small backpack and left his hostel in
Kathmandu: Nepal take on in-form 1989 and has since been to the country Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. He took a
hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) in many times. Grabnik’s BKKC, the train to Lviv, where he reached at 3am
their second UAE Triangular Series organisation Lama Rinchen heads, the next morning. At 9am, Sherpa and
of the ICC World Cup League 2 match also has a special connection with four other Nepalis boarded a taxi and
in Dubai on Friday. Both the sides Nepal. Established in 1995, the centre headed to the nearest Polish border.
come at the ICCA Academy Ground is the branch of the Kathmandu-based Just 15km into the journey, the taxi
with victories over Papua New Benchen Monastery, a Tibetan got stuck in a massive traffic jam of
Guinea (PNG) in their first games of Buddhist monastery. The centre con- motorists heading to the Polish bor-
the Series being played in double ducts seminars on Tibetan Buddhism, der. Sherpa and his friend ditched the
header format. While the UAE regis- meditation practices, and classical taxi and decided that it was best to
tered a thumping seven-wicket win Tibetan Buddhists texts. make the remaining journey—around
over PNG in their opening match on “The night I came across the news 80km—on foot.
Tuesday, Nepal snatched a hard- of the stranded Nepalis, it was already “We walked nonstop for 22 hours AVAILABLE AT:
earned four two-wicket win over the 9pm. But the very next day, I got in and finally reached the Polish border. REGENCY WATCH: Annapurna Arcade, Durbar Marg
same opponents on Wednesday. touch with the media company and There were thousands of people wait- 1 Durbar Mall , Thamsherku Center, Durbar Marg • MGA International Pvt Ltd
Nepal are sixth in the seven team drove to Warsaw, which is 40km from ing in line in the hopes of entering
standings with 10 points after nine our centre. I realised the best way to Poland,” recalled Sherpa.
games.  (Details on Pg 7) help the Nepalis was by providing >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K
 FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022 | 02

National

How a Buddhist centre in

Poland became a refuge ...
>> Continued from page 1 tre provided us with everything we
“The situation was grim. We waited needed, we got plenty of time to focus
for another 22 hours and managed to on getting all the information required
get into Poland. We were cold, scared, to decide which country to go to next,”
and had very little to eat,” he said. “By said Sherpa, who is now in Portugal’s
the time we reached Poland, I didn’t Lisbon. “I got in touch with my friends
have a single penny, but fortunately, a in Portugal and decided to head
group of Non-Resident Nepalis (NRN) there.”
had arranged a bus to take Nepalis to The staff and volunteers at
a hotel in Warsaw.” Grabnik’s BKKC, said Lama Rinchen,
But after two days, Sherpa said, closely coordinated with the Nepalis
they learned that hotels in the city to help arrange the logistics for their
were giving more priority to next European destinations.
Ukrainians fleeing the country over “Of the 43 Nepalis who stayed with
other nationalities. us, we were able to book and pay for
“It was then we were told that a bus tickets for 39. The remaining four
Buddhist centre in the nearby town of had already booked their tickets,” said
Grabnik would house us. When I Lama Rinchen.
reached the centre on March 3, several When Sherpa told the centre’s staff
Nepalis were already staying there,” that he wanted to go to Lisbon, the
he said. staff, he said, booked him a bus ticket
Shiva Pariyar, a resident of to Paris in France and then another
Bardibas, also arrived at the centre on ticket from Paris to Lisbon.
the same day as Sherpa. “The centre’s staff even dropped us
Like Sherpa, Pariyar left Ukraine to the bus station, and one of them
with just his passport, a pair of handed the four of us who were leav-
clothes, and whatever little money he ing that day for Portugal 100 Polish
had. złoty each,” said Sherpa. “They had
“It took me seven days to reach the already done so much for us so we
Polish border. We walked for over refused the money but she insisted
100km. We were so scared,” said that we keep it, saying we could use
Post Photo: Anish Regmi Pariyar. “When I arrived at the centre, the money to buy food and water dur-
A child enjoys a dolly cart ride at Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu on Thursday. it was the safest I felt since I left ing the 50-hour bus journey. The kind-
Ukraine. I ended up staying at the cen- ness and thoughtfulness with which
tre for 10 days. As someone not used to the centre treated us have left a deep
being treated like family by foreigners impression on me.”

Palpa’s Amar Narayan Temple in disrepair

in a place so far from home, the stay at Pariyar, one of the last ones to leave
the centre felt kind of surreal.” the centre, is now in Tavira, Portugal.
According to Lama Rinchen, some “I had to stay for many days at the
of the Nepalis who arrived at the cen- centre because it took me a while to
tre told him that they had walked decide where to head next. But not

The locals allege that the repair work done on the temple four years ago was not up to the standards. more than 150km to reach the Polish
border.
once was I made to feel that I had over-
stayed my welcome,” said Pariyar.
“Some people told me that they had “The centre also asked us what we
MADHAV ARYAL British War in 1806. Thapa had Since the collapse of a part of the engineer at the Department of been drugged and robbed on their way needed the most and bought them for
PALPA, MARCH 17 brought craftsmen from Kathmandu structure on Wednesday, the temple Archaeology, the records of the wreck- to the border. One of them had walked us. For me, they bought a pair of
to build the temple. has been closed to the public. age have been kept in a safe place. so much that his legs were swollen shoes, a set of clothes, and a suitcase.”
The roof of Amar Narayan Temple at “The Amar Narayan Temple was “The western and northern side of “The temple contains valuable wood- when he arrived at the centre. Many According to Lama Rinchen,
Narayansthan in Tansen renovated by the Department of the temple are also at risk of collaps- en materials and ancient carvings,” were so exhausted that after arriving the centre was able to fund the expens-
Municipality-2, Palpa collapsed last Archaeology from 2015 to 2018 under ing. We can’t allow the public to enter he said. here, they slept for two to three days, es by using the cash donations devo-
Wednesday. The three-storied temple the supervision of Tansen the temple premises since it is risky,” Meanwhile, the locals allege that only waking up in between to eat and tees had given to the centre over the
had undergone repair works only four Municipality. During the renovation, said Pokharel. the temple’s roof collapsed as the to use the washroom,” said Lama years.
years ago. the uppermost roof was covered in Chief District Officer Jagannath repair work done four years ago was Rinchen. “We believe that help should “When word got around that our
“The extended roof of the first floor brass and the Gajur in gold. The old Pant and Tansen Mayor Ashok Kumar not up to the standards. be given where it is needed the most, centre was providing shelter to
on the south and east side of the pago- worn out woods were replaced while Shahi visited the temple to inspect the “A complaint has been lodged with and we are so glad that Grabnik’s Nepalis fleeing the war in Ukraine,
da-styled temple collapsed with a loud the damaged ones were repaired,” damage. The Department of the concerned authority against the BKKC could do its part in helping many of our friends and well-wishers
noise,” said Uma Shankar Pokharel, said Pokharel. Archaeology was also informed about construction company for carrying Nepalis who were fleeing the war.” also offered help. On the day the first
the priest of the temple. According to locals, the temple, the collapse and two engineers from out substandard work,” said Varun Apart from serving as a place to rest batch of Nepalis arrived, a nearby
The Amar Narayan Temple was which survived the earthquake of Kapilvastu, Lumbini carried out the Regmi, ward chairman of Tansen and recuperate, the centre also served Vietnamese Buddhist centre sent a car
built by Kaji Amar Singh Thapa about 1934, has wooden carvings of archaeo- survey on Thursday morning. Municipality-2. as a safe space for the many Nepalis full of rice, lentils and fruits,” said
two centuries ago during the Nepal- logical significance. According to Bishnu Pathak, an “At the time of the reconstruction, like Sherpa and Pariyar to plan where Lama Rinchen. “On March 11, the last
the locals had complained to the to head next. Nepali taking shelter at our centre
stakeholders about the poor quality According to Sherpa and Pariyar, left, but our centre still remains open
of work being done by the contractor,” the Polish immigration officials at the to Nepalis fleeing the war in Ukraine.”
said Narayan Prasad Koirala, border told Nepalis that they’ll have to The majority of the 43 Nepalis who
chairman of the temple management leave Poland within 15 days. But many stayed at Grabnik’s BKKC are now in
committee. “The municipality, Nepalis who arrived at the centre, said Portugal. Sherpa and Pariyar told the
Department of Archaeology, and the Sherpa, had no concrete plans on Post that they are waiting to apply for
consultant engineer had ignored us where to head next. temporary residency in the country.
back then. There was sheer negligence Poland is where a majority of “At a time when it felt like there was
and ignorance on the part of the Nepalis studying or working in nothing but darkness around us, the
authorities.” Ukraine ran to after the Russian Buddhist centre in the middle of
Maheshwar Shrestha, a local resi- attack. According to Nepal’s embassy nowhere in Poland brought
dent, said, “The temple has historical in Germany, which is accredited to much-needed light into our lives,” said
and archaeological significance and it look after Ukraine affairs, there were Sherpa. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able
is important to take the local people’s around 1,000 Nepalis, mostly students, to forget the kindness, compassion,
input but the concerned authorities in the eastern European country when and humanity that we received at the
did not listen to us.” the war began. centre.”
The renovation work of the temple As of March 12, around 580 Nepalis
was done at a cost of Rs.30 million had reached several European coun- If you know of any Nepalis
with loan assistance from the World tries like Poland (466), Slovakia (87), who have fled Ukraine and are in
Bank. The maintenance work was con- Romania (28), and Hungary (8), accord- need of a safe place to stay in
tracted to Prakritik Construction ing to the embassy. Warsaw, Poland, call Grabnik’s BKKC
Private Limited, Rupandehi. “Since the staff at the Buddhist cen- at +48-885-108-002.

Maoists’ dilemma: They need Congress ...

>> Continued from page 1 geois parties could rule the country by the two parties.
“I don’t think the Congress would turns,” Dahal said at the political Some Maoist Centre leaders even
decide against an electoral alliance training in the Capital on Wednesday. said their party would face a moral
with the coalition partners,” said “Whether it is local, provincial or crisis if they decided to forge alliance
Post Photo: MADHAv ARYAL Haribol Gajurel, a senior Maoist lead- federal election, each one will be a life for elections with the UML because
The temple that was built two centuries ago has wooden carvings of archaeological significance. er, close to Dahal. “They know what and death battle for us.” Maoist Centre leaders have accused
happened [Congress fared poorly] in In the Nepali Congress, Prime the UML of attempting to derail the
the last polls when we joined hands Minister Deuba and leaders close to constitution by dissolving parliament
with the UML, although no official him have been maintaining that the twice.
discussions have been held with the party is committed to continuing with “Since we would face some moral
main opposition yet.” the coalition until the polls and the issues if we joined hands with the
Gajurel, however, said informal dis- party will take an official decision on UML, our priority will be to continue
cussions with UML leaders were going electoral alliance from its central the existing ruling coalition until the
on but refused to elaborate. Even the working committee meeting sched- elections. But the Maoist Centre is
party chair Dahal has also said no uled for next week. still capable of contesting the elec-
formal discussions with UML have The UML, ousted from power by a tions without alliance because ours is
been held of late. five-party coalition and shunted to the party that brought change to the
Dahal seems to have been offended opposition benches, is poised to con- country,” said Shakti Basnet, a senior
by the statements of some Congress test the local elections with all its leader of Maoist Centre. “We are the
leaders like General Secretary Gagan might and has already started cam- only force that can give a way out to all
Thapa and senior leader Shekhar paigning after settling all issues relat- the problems of the country and this
Koirala who are vehemently opposed ed to its party organisation. is what we are telling the people in the
to the idea of electoral alliance with elections.”
the coalition partners. There are lots of difficulties for
“Though we have not started discus- Analysts say Dahal’s Congress to forge an electoral alliance
sions [for poll alliance] with the UML with the communist parties also
yet, we cannot rule out the possibility suggestion is just because there is no guarantee of
if the Congress attempted to push us Congress voters following the party’s
away by coming under the influence a tactic to pressure decision. Also the grand old party has
of some of its hardline leaders,”
Dahal told reporters at the press meet
Dahal and Congress a large number of aspirants for
office and leaders fear that those
organised by Press Centre Nepal at
Butwal on Thursday. “Nothing is
leaders. denied election tickets could
campaign against the party’s official
impossible in politics.” candidates.
Of late, realising that a nationwide “Since our relationship with the Political analysts say Dahal’s sug-
electoral alliance among the coalition Madhav Nepal-led party remains bit- gestion Thursday that he would start
partners was not possible, Dahal has ter, I don’t think we will consider them exploring the possibility of a poll alli-
been directing his party cadres to [for poll partnership] even if they ance with the UML is just a tactic to
make preparations to fight and win approach us, but with regard to the pile psychological pressure on Deuba
the elections single-handedly. Maoist Centre, it will be premature to and Congress leaders.
On Thursday, Dahal also said say anything because they have been “I don’t think the Congress would
there could be electoral partnership vacillating,” said Subas Nembang, not go away from an electoral alli-
among coalition parties for some deputy leader of the UML ance,” said Jhalak Subedi, a political
particular local level seats, but a Parliamentary Party. commentator who has followed left
nationwide alliance is not possible. “Our priority will be to fight the politics for decades. “But voters of
During a training for his party polls alone. Also electoral alliance local levels prefer the alliance of UML
workers in the Capital on Wednesday, depends upon the situations in specif- and Maoist Centre.”
Dahal said the upcoming polls, wheth- ic election districts.” According to Subedi, there is no
er they be local, provincial or federal, He, however, said there have not guarantee if a Congress leader will
would be a life and death battle for his been any discussions, formal and vote for an alliance member not from
party. informal, between his party and the the party.
“There is a conspiracy to wipe out Maoist Centre on elections. ‘If the party decides to go for an
all revolutionary and pro-people par- Malla, the chief personal secretary electoral alliance, its voters may not
ties that fight for rights and identity to Dahal, also confirmed that there obey the party’s decision in all local
of the people, so that just two bour- have not been any discussions between seats,” said Subedi.

C M Y K
03 | FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

National

Supreme Court Nepal marks Holi with zest after Covid hiatus
delays passing Despite government’s request to people to follow Covid safety protocol, a majority of Holi revellers in public places were maskless.

verdicts after giving ANUP OJHA

KATHMANDU, MARCH 17
today I had so much fun with my friends
that I will remember this day for years
to come.”
that was the only area where people gath-
ered for the festival. But this year the cele-
brations are taking place in most pockets of

interim orders
Fifty-year-old Hira Basnet and her two Phagu Purnima, like most other festivals, the city. I am amazed to see such a big crowd
grandsons aged 11 and nine were among the had remained a sombre affair for the past here in Tundikhel,” said Jha, who is origi-
sea of colourful faces celebrating Holi, the two years because of the coronavirus out- nally from Bara district and runs a cosmet-
Hindu festival of colour and celebration of break across the world. But this year after ic business at Asan.
the triumph of good over evil, at Basantapur the country battled the third wave, the Throughout Thursday, major junctions
Experts say cases on which temporary Durbar Square on Thursday. Covid-19 situation has let up with a decrease of the city–Shahidgate to Nepal Airlines,
“I came here to be a part of the festivi- in the daily caseload. Most businesses and Ratnapark to Old Buspark–were packed
orders have been issued must be cleared ties,” said Basnet, a retired government marketplaces have opened their doors as with foot traffic and vehicles alike.
officer. “The festival reminds me of the the government lifted the pandemic restric- Last year during Holi, only Basantapur
swiftly by conducting the final hearing. times when I used to accompany my father tions. Festivals and public events are Durbar Square and its surrounding areas
to Basantapur every Holi as a young girl.” widely attended, raising concerns among had seen revellers in large numbers despite
BINOD GHIMIRE This year she has come to Basantapur to the medical fraternity since the risk of a government ban on public gatherings.
KATHMANDU, MARCH 17 reminisce about her time with her father transmission of the Covid-19 virus is still On Wednesday, the District
who passed away two years ago with Covid- considerable. Administration Office, Kathmandu had
On June 6, 2019 the then KP Sharma Oli government decid- related complications. On Thursday, Nepal reported 27 new issued a public notice asking people to cele-
ed to merge Sagarnath Forest Development Project with the The pandemic had confined Basnet inside cases of Covid-19, with no casualties in the brate the festival in a ‘responsible manner,’
Timber Corporation of Nepal. The government of Madhes her home for more than two years; she felt past 24 hours. According to the Health and had prohibited unlawful activities such
Province, earlier Province 2, challenged the decision at the cut off from the world, she says. “I am glad Ministry, 961,781 infected people have recov- as smearing colours forcibly on people and
Supreme Court, arguing that the federal government had I came here today. I feel happy being among ered from the disease so far. The number of throwing water balloons at people without
breached the constitutional jurisdiction of the province. the cheerful people,” said Basnet, taking active cases stands at 4,376. their permission.
The provincial government said the federal government her two grandsons by their hands. The public open spaces at Jawalakhel, Although the authorities had asked peo-
had no authority to take any decision on the forest project Basnet, a resident of Baneshwar, was New Baneshwar, and Basantapur Durbar ple to celebrate the festival by following
as it came under its jurisdiction. The Constitutional Bench infected with Covid-19 twice during the first Square, including many restaurants, pubs Covid safety protocol, a majority of people
of the court on August 30 that year issued an interlocutory wave of the pandemic in 2020. She got POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI and corporate houses on Thursday hosted in the crowd were maskless.
interim order against the federal government, asking it not infected again during the third wave last An elderly man is being smeared with colours musical events. Almost all the venues were “Although a larger number of people are
to implement the decision. Again on December 11 that year, year. “When the pandemic was peaking, I during the Holi festival celebrations at Kathmandu packed with Holi revellers enjoying the day vaccinated against Covid-19 compared to
it issued an interim order, continuing the earlier order. had given up but coming here today made Durbar Square on Thursday. out with their family and friends. the last two years, there still remains the
Even more than two and a half years after the first order, me realise that I am still hopeful of the days Tundikhel, the largest public open space danger of the vaccinated transmitting the
the Supreme Court, however, has not passed its final ver- to come.” all of his friends after two years of Covid in Kathmandu, was also filled to the brim virus to their unvaccinated friends and rel-
dict. It was the first petition by any provincial government The grandsons with matching white restrictions. with people enjoying the festival. atives,” said Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, chief of
against the federal government, challenging the latter’s t-shirts and their grandmother walked “My parents didn’t allow me to partici- “I had never seen such a massive crowd the Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj
decision. into the crowd of people smeared with Holi pate in festivities with my friends here in Tundikhel,” said Dharmendra Jha, Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital
“The Madhes Province hasn’t been able to use the forest colours. because the risk of getting infected with who was busy selling colour powders at the in Teku.
as the final verdict is yet to come,” Gyanendra Yadav, a for- For 21-year-old Prasant Prasain, an engi- Covid-19 was high,” said Prasain. “It western gate of Tundikhel. “The situation has somewhat improved
mer minister for internal affairs and law of the Madhes neering student from Thapathali, celebrat- was suffocating to stay inside all the “During the past two Holis, I kept stalls but people should not neglect health safety
Province, told the Post. “The provincial government is yet ing Holi this year meant hanging out with time with no permission to socialise. But selling Holi essentials at Basantapur since measures in public spaces,” he added.
to get the full authority to utilise the resources from the
forest. It cannot take any decision regarding the forest with-
out the consent of the federal government.”
The petition, which is crucial to settle the jurisdiction
row between the federal and provincial governments, has
failed to get priority at the Supreme Court.
In yet another incident, on June 29, 2018, the Oli govern-
ment announced Maitighar Mandala as a no-protest zone
from July 15 onwards. Senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi
challenged the decision in the Supreme Court which on July
6 that year asked the government not to implement its deci-
sion to ban peaceful protests at public places, including
Maitighar Mandala. It gave continuity to its interim order
on July 13.
It’s close to four years, but the court has yet to pass the
final verdict.
“Though the court intervention was good, as it stopped
the government then from implementing its decision, it is
wrong that the final verdict has not been issued yet,”
Tripathi told the Post. “It didn’t need the Constitutional
Bench or the full bench to decide on the matter.”
Had the Supreme Court passed the final verdict on his
petition, it could have set a precedent so that no govern-
ments could take decisions against peaceful protests,
according to Tripathi.
Tripathi said there are dozens of cases on which the final
verdicts have not been passed despite the issuance of inter-
im orders.
“At least half a dozen petitions that I have filed are
awaiting final verdicts for the last two years,” Tripathi
told the Post.

Professor Bipin Adhikari says

it is unfair to keep the cases
on hold for years after issuing
interim orders.

An interim order is a provisional or temporary order that

is put into effect pending a final hearing and judgment.
Interim orders are usually issued to maintain the status
quo—asking parties to continue or halt an action—until the
final decision is reached.
Legal experts say although there is no timeframe as to
when the court should issue final verdicts on cases for
which interim orders have been issued, it is not a good prac-
tice to keep the cases pending for years.
“An interim order by its name is a short-term order which
shouldn’t be continued for years,” said Raju Prasad
Chapagain, a former chairperson of the Constitutional
Lawyers’ Forum. “The court must be sensitive about
such issues.”
Rule 49 of the Supreme Court Regulations says the inter-
im order is issued whenever there is a possibility that the
petitioner might face severe loss until the final verdict or it
is necessary to stop an attack on the fundamental right (of
somebody).
Officials at the Supreme Court say there is no deadline on
final hearings in the cases in which interim orders have
been issued.
“The cases are prioritised based on urgency. We are aware
that the very purpose of having the court will be defeated if
justice is delayed,” Bimal Poudel, a spokesperson at the
court, told the Post.
Yadav, the former minister from Madhes, however, doesn’t
buy the argument, saying the conflict over the jurisdiction
between different tiers of government must be a priority.
“It seems the tenure of the provincial government will be
over before the verdict is given,” he said.
The rate of passing the verdicts by the court is not
encouraging.
According to the annual report of the court from fiscal
year 2019-20, as many as 35,981 cases were in the Supreme
Court in the year including 24,180 from the previous year.
The court could clear only 31.2o percent cases leaving a
baggage of 24,756 cases for the following year. As many as
2,058—around nine percent of the cases—are more than five
years old. The case clearance rate in the Constitutional
Bench, like the one filed by Madhes Province, is even low
with just 25 percent of the petitions finalised in the fiscal
year 2019-20.
“The Supreme Court must set a timeline. The cases in
which the interim orders have been issued must be a prior-
ity,” said Chapagain.
Experts say while prioritizing cases for final hearing, the
court should also pay attention to the kind of cases. In cases
of public interest litigations, like the one Tripathi
filed against the decision to restrict protests in
Maitighar, an interim order has worked fine. But, according
to experts, in cases like the one filed by Madhes Province
against the federal government, the provincial government
is facing problems because the court has not passed the
final verdict.
Bipin Adhikari, a professor and a former dean at
Kathmandu University School of Law, said it is unfair to
keep the cases on hold for years after issuing interim
orders.
“As interim orders are generally issued without listening
to the defendants, it is wrong to keep the cases on hold for
years,” said Adhikari. “There has to be reasonable timing to
start the final hearings in the cases where interim orders
have been issued.”

C M Y K
 FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022 | 04

Opinion

EDITORIAL New ways of seeing

Season of fire New realities–and ways of
We must work sincerely towards ensuring that seeing–impress upon us the
fire incidents come down in the days to come. need to constantly ‘rewrite
the books of the past’.
Spring is here, and with it, the fear of incidents of wildfires
throughout the country returns again. As the Post reported
AMISH RAJ MULMI
on Thursday, various places in Taplejung and Panchthar
have already reported several fire incidents in human settle-
ments and community forests. In the past seven days alone,
the Home Ministry recorded 61 fire incidents. As the Post
reported last year, between April 8, 2020 and April 7, 2021, the
Home Ministry recorded a total of 2,765 fires across the coun-
Inclusion and representation: Few
try. A total of 99 people died and 342 were injured in those ideas have polarised Nepali society in
incidents. As fire ravaged forests and human settlements, the the past few decades as these. The con-
servative blowback against them was
government and the people had to wait desperately for rain most visible during the framing of the
as there were too little resources available for too many inci- 2015 Constitution. And as often as folks
dents occurring simultaneously. like to say they are for a more inclusive
Nepal, inevitably the debate centres
And yet, governments across all three tiers have yet to around its implementation. How does
show what they have done in the past one year to ensure pre- one make for a more inclusive, a more
representative Nepal? There are far too
vention and control of fire incidents. Even today, a vast
many ideas, but little that has actually
majority of local units lack fire brigades, which means that translated into reality.
there is little chance of sending proper help during fire inci- The Kathmandu Art Triennale,
which is currently exhibiting in five
dents. What is more, there are no proper roads outside cities different venues across the valley,
and major towns, which severely limits access to fire bri- seems to have given us an answer: That
gades. It is, therefore, not only a problem of the fire depart- if one were only to think beyond preva-
lent ideas and notions (and intellectual-
ment alone; it is a general lack of common sense in infra- ism), and that if one were to conscious-
structure development that plagues the country. A general ly acknowledge the marginalisation of
communities in our society, inclusivity
lack of sensitivity among the public about the need to Post File Photo
is possible. All one needs to do is care
take extreme precautions to prevent fire incidents is not about the idea to start with. Berger. In life, as in art, they seem to be tive work, then, turn into “art” only sumer goods that had made their way
helping either. What constitutes “Nepali art”, to saying, perspective is important. when it is gentrified? Is creativity sub- down the pass.
begin with? For most outsiders famil- ject to the approval of those in power, The floor above had a massive
A majority of the time, fire incidents happen due to imme- iar with the country–and for many What makes art? even as the art itself is sometimes triptych titled “Nepali Power”, a collab-
diate human actions, such as negligent use of fire. Now that Nepalis, too–the idea of Nepali art is Folklore and religion have influenced explicitly posited as an act of resist- oration between Turkish and Nepali
we have caused some irreversible damage to the earth, located in the three Durbar Squares, human art forms across the world. So it ance (one need look no further than the artists Koken Ergun and Tashi Lama,
the exquisite sculptures of deities, and has been in Nepal too. One is, thus, example of the pseudonymous but which depicted Nepali dreams of devel-
scientists say, climate change-induced fire incidents are only the latticed woodwork and pagodas that pleasantly surprised to find terracotta super-popular–and super-expensive opment and prosperity as a result of
going to rise in the near future. As the government fails to dominate old architecture within the Ghorwa horse sculptures that bring to street artist Banksy, or the current the fabled train from Tibet and invest-
valley. These ideas shape what we life the Tharu lore of their clans Maoist displeasure over the song Pir)? ment in hydropower. Next to it were
provide enough fertiliser in time, farmers across the country imagine to be “Nepali art”, and for descending from four ancestral broth- By incorporating these diverse art two works by Uma Shankar Shah, both
resort to the traditional practice of stubble burning, which good reason, for their motifs are bor- ers. Similarly, the Lhokor Chungni forms, the curators of the Triennale, in depicting how intricately connected
often gets out of hand and results in widespread fire inci- rowed, morphed, or highlighted over sculptures, made by Sindhupalchok turn, force the ordinary viewer to the historic Nepal Railway once was to
and over–not just in popular culture, artist Chenda Singe Lama, capture acknowledge Nepal’s many people, the people and their lives.
dents. Those traditions do not go away easily unless there is but in the arts too. within them the 12 animals that make breaking existing notions of what con- Between these three, all of which
a large-scale concerted effort to educate the farmers about Consider the paubha: The traditional up the Tibetan calendar and encom- stitutes “art”. Their careful selection find inspiration in the land itself, inan-
Newar painting style has transcended pass the cosmos itself. The relation of Mithila women’s art, the incorpora- imate objects such as borders, dams, or
the hazards such practices pose to humans, livestock
its religious connotations to being con- between healers and art is once again tion of Tharu women’s tattoos that trains, and intangible processes such
and property. The authorities also need to support them by sidered a prime example of Nepali art. highlighted in the paper amulets made both showcase the body as a “transcen- as dreams and desires are brought
providing them with easier alternatives. The only way we But what happens when Lok Chitrakar, by Nuwakot healer Chija Lama, who dental” canvas and as a traditional alive. The evolution of a border post
among the most well-known living etches mantras into wood blocks and “tether to matrilineal bonds”, and a over the years is a testament to con-
can reduce fire incidents, then, is to work more actively than paubha artists today, draws a “healing” prints amulets for ailments such as firmly anti-colonialist worldview sumerism’s great reach as well as a
ever before. singha (lion) around a boil or a shingle insomnia and for protection. The reflected in the works of many artists record of the very process of state-mak-
But what we need is an integrated approach rather than on someone’s back, as was done in Triennale explains, “The process from across the world, are all instances ing and development in our part of the
Newar households once upon a time not only involves Lama as an amu- of how inclusivity can be actually world. And then, of course, was the
ad-hoc solutions. There is a need to build sturdy mechanisms (including in mine)? Does the body let-maker but also as an advisor, exam- implemented in real life and not just be very act of introducing this new world
in advance so that we will not remain mute spectators during turn into a canvas? Let’s consider one iner, and listener.” restricted to words. to a group of young people, who lis-
more element: That the caste of One cannot also miss the delicate tened attentively.
times of crises. This calls for greater coordination between Chitrakars, or those who dabbled in irony in Bhakta Bahadur Sarki’s wood- The land as art These new realities–and ways of
the administration and the communities in training and such creative realms, were traditional- en sculptures, which were once com- One Friday afternoon, I listened quiet- seeing–impress upon us the need to
resource management vis-à-vis fire incidents. Without a con- ly considered to be lower in the overall missioned by upper-caste households ly as a Triennale volunteer explained constantly “rewrite the books of the
Newar hierarchy. So does the act of (the Triennale exhibit is called anthropologist Nyima Dorje Bhutia’s past”, as Borges once said was the
scious effort towards preventing and controlling fire inci- becoming a “healer” for a Chitrakar, as “Mukhiya and Mukhiyani”) in the exhibit on the evolution of cross-bor- duty of each generation. The only
dents, we might yet again be condemned to watch helplessly the Triennale explains, subvert “pre- Karnali region. Sarki’s work brings der trade in the Walung region of east- boxes are of our own making;
scribed caste roles” that accorded the another perspective to “art” as we ern Nepal to a group of school chil- sometimes, a sharp paper cutter and
and wait desperately for rain as wildfires spread in jungles
healing profession to Vaidyas? know it. Historically, in our part of the dren. Inside a glass, case lay specimens will are all that is required to push
and human settlements. We cannot continue to face signifi- By incorporating Chitrakar’s heal- world, while the art itself has been of border citizens’ passes required for past supposed boundaries. So, it is with
cant losses of life, property and livestock each year. Instead, ing lions within the same exhibit as his commissioned and patronised by eco- trade, an old LP record, and a transis- the Triennale, which sends out a
more popular paubhas, the Triennale nomically well-off or socially higher tor amid a plethora of other objects. On message of inclusivity that all of us
we must work sincerely towards ensuring that fire incidents and its curators are challenging our groups, those who make the art are the walls were photos of Walung over could do by incorporating within our
come down in the days to come. “ways of seeing”, to borrow from John mostly rendered invisible. Does a crea- the years, and a collage of Chinese con- own lives.

Shielding poor children from food crisis

Additional increases in the prices are high and the gains from
optimizing existing resources can

cost of food could lead be limited. Poorly targeted interven-

tions can leave a program’s intended

children to suffer significant beneficiaries even further behind.

Moreover, attempts to expand school

nutritional losses. meals programs too quickly can end

up straining financial and organisa-
tional capabilities, undermining
existing operations.
BINIAM BEDASSO Encouraging governments to
improve their school-meals programs
should be matched with support from
development partners to provide
financial relief, especially in light
of the looming debt crisis threatening
a number of countries. Currently,
many LMICs’ national budgets are
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine threat- burdened by debt-service payments,
ens to cause more disruption to which in some cases consume close to
the global food system by dramatically half of the total government reve-
increasing the cost of staple foods nues. In these circumstances, pro-
and the energy required to transport grams such as school meals often are
them. The Black Sea region is respon- the first to be eliminated or down-
sible for the export of at least 12 per- sized. For example, mounting debt
cent of global food calories, so cutting recently forced Ghana to suspend a
off access to it will have far-reaching planned expansion of its school-meals
effects. program.
Food prices already were soaring as One way for the international com-
a result of post-pandemic market munity to help countries grappling
imbalances and supply-chain pres- with the twin crises of food inflation
sures, together with climate-related and excessive debt is to promote
output losses. By the end of last year, debt-for-development swaps such as
the crunch in the global market for the one the World Food Programme
wheat and maize had driven up food brokered between Mozambique and
inflation in Sub-Saharan Africa by 11 Shutterstock Russia in 2017. Although the process
percent. Now, poor countries face devastating consequences. global food prices soared in the wake the private purchase of food items. can take to stabilise and potentially of negotiating these swaps is too slow
another shock at a time when they Fortunately, most countries have a of the 2008 global financial crisis. Countries exposed to the negative expand school meals programs is to to meet needs in an emergency, they
have little room to accommodate it. tried-and-tested tool to protect their Over the past decade, a growing num- effects of the current turmoil in food improve efficiency and ensure can be a powerful tool to facilitate the
Even before the economic crisis most vulnerable children in these cir- ber of LMICs have incorporated and energy markets must work to accountability in existing schemes. long-term allocation of more resourc-
caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, vul- cumstances. School-meals programs school meals into their national budg- strengthen such programmes. But Developing countries have experi- es to school-meals programs in highly
nerable households in developing are considered the largest social safe- ets as a cost-effective way to enhance delivering nutritious school meals to a enced many noble public-sector initia- indebted countries.
countries committed a large share of ty net in the world. Before the pan- schoolchildren’s health and education significant portion of the student pop- tives that began with great promise, As geopolitical crises and climate
their budgets to food. Additional demic, such programs reached 388 outcomes. ulation consistently can nonetheless only to succumb eventually to mis- disasters dominate the headlines, an
increases in the cost of food could million children in 161 countries. In the context of rising food and be prohibitively expensive for coun- management and eroded public trust. entire generation of poor and vulner-
lead children in these households to There is extensive evidence that fuel prices, the bulk purchase of tries with limited resources. A rough School-meals programs involve able children in places far from the
suffer significant and irreversible provision of school meals is an impor- food and preparation of meals at a calculation based on data from extensive public procurement, an area spotlight risks falling through the
nutritional losses. They could go to tant tool to keep poor and vulnerable school can potentially generate the Global Child Nutrition Foundation in which many developing countries cracks. Keeping these children in
school hungry or even drop out to help children in the classroom in food-inse- economies of scale and efficiency that indicates that to broaden the coverage have substantial weaknesses. To help school and well-nourished is the least
supplement their families’ income. cure areas. This is true even during contribute to overall cost reductions. of school-meals programs in LMICs maintain organisational and financial the global community can do to pre-
Given the massive learning losses systemic shocks such as droughts that A recent study based on the National to the current global median level integrity, therefore, officials should pare them for an uncertain future.
children in low- and middle-income may affect overall food supplies. Many School Lunch Program in the United could require the equivalent of 5 per- commit to subjecting such programs
countries (LMICs) suffered due developing countries recognized the States shows that school-based nutri- cent of a country’s overall education to routine independent audits. Bedasso is a senior research associate
to pandemic-related school closures, value of school-based meals as a tion programs contribute to lower budget. Effective targeting is also crucial, at the Centre for Global Development.
any additional disruption could have social-protection instrument when prices at grocery outlets by reducing One of the first actions countries particularly at a time when global  — Project Syndicate

C M Y K
05 | FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

Money

E-commerce going strong despite Covid curbs at Chinese

reopening of street markets ports threaten global
Entrepreneurs say that online sales of household goods have declined some, but demand for non-essential goods is high. supply chains
KRISHANA PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, MARCH 17
Congestion is building up at ports and some container
Nepali consumers had e-commerce
ships are re-routing to avoid expected delays.
thrust upon them by the Covid-19 cri-
sis, as they had no choice but to buy REUTERS to an average of seven last year.
things online during the long months SINGAPORE, MARCH 17 Charter rates per 40-foot container
of the lockdown. remain close to all-time highs across
During those depressing days, The queues of container ships outside major global shipping routes, trading
internet stores provided a vital ser- major Chinese ports are lengthening at around $16,000 on the China-U.S.
vice by making home deliveries, and by the day as Covid-19 outbreaks in West Coast route and nearly $13,000
people fell in love with the new style manufacturing export hubs threaten from China to Europe, according to
of shopping. The habit stuck. to unleash a fresh wave of global sup- Freightos shipping index.
With the coronavirus on the way ply chain shocks, ship owners, logis- Similar Covid lockdowns last year
out, the street markets are returning tics firms and analysts say. saw operations at Yantian cut to one-
to their usual bustle as movement China is experiencing its biggest third of capacity, leading to a bigger
restrictions have been lifted, but spike in Covid-19 infections since an disruption of global shipping than the
online sellers are not dispirited. initial outbreak in the central city of one caused by the closure of the Suez
E-commerce entrepreneurs say that Wuhan was contained in early 2020. Canal for six days last year after the
online sales of household goods have The spread of the highly-infectious Ever Given container vessel ran
declined some, but demand for non-es- Omicron variant this month has led to aground, a director of Maersk, the
sential goods is high. movement controls across China, world’s largest container liner, noted
Since March 5, all Covid-19 related including in key manufacturing hubs last year
restrictions in Kathmandu Valley  SHUTTERSTOCK of Shenzhen and Dongguan, paralys-
have been removed following a steep According to Nepal Rastra Bank, Rs349 million worth of online payments were made using cards to e-commerce platforms during the ing factories making goods from flash
drop in infections. On Wednesday,
Nepal recorded 82 new coronavirus
month-long period from mid-December to mid-January. drives to car parts.
While China’s main ports remain
Shipping lines are
cases, down from a high of more than then the number of online shoppers rising prices of everything due to terms of online access. A Nepal open and vessels are continuing to also contending with
12,300 on January 20. has been on a rising trend,” said increased transportation charges fol- Telecommunications Authority report dock, congestion is building up and
With nearly 64 percent of the Nepali Nischal Niroula, co-founder of lowing a jump in fuel costs had hurt shows that internet penetration had some container ships are re-routing to the possibility of a
people fully vaccinated, the valley’s Doormeet.com. sales in the past few weeks. reached 119.49 percent of the popula- avoid expected delays, according to
shops and restaurants are filling “We have been receiving 60-70 “Sales are not as expected in recent tion as of mid-December last year. ship owners, analysts and supply escalation of Covid
up again like during pre-pandemic orders on a daily basis with the same times compared to the same period The report said that e-commerce is chain managers.
times. But e-commerce firms say they translation of around Rs100,000 daily. last year,” Shahi said. “The cash related to a country’s level of develop- Charter rates are expected to ramp cases in China.
are not worried about online shopping The volume of orders and transac- crunch in the market is being felt ment, partly explaining the poor per- up, while delays to shipping freight
slowing down. tions are, in fact, the same as during in sales. Inflation has hit consumer formance of the least developed coun- grow longer, they said.
Ritik Shahi, head of marketing at the pandemic,” he said. buying behaviour, reducing the shop- tries (LDCs). The survey revealed that Container loading is “decreasing Although supply chain experts say
internet store Sastodeal.com, said “But there is one change,” said ping trend.” even among countries with higher massively” at Shenzhen’s Yantian that Chinese ports are more resilient
they were observing a 20 percent Niroula. “Sales of once fast selling E-commerce entrepreneurs say that internet penetration, awareness of port, the world’s fourth largest con- now to staff shortages and transport
month-on-month growth in demand groceries are down, but buyers are demand for online sales were higher e-commerce platforms is low in LDCs tainer terminal, as port workers, disruptions, there remains the fear
compared to the pandemic days. shifting to other segments.” during the second lockdown than last like Nepal. One challenge they face in truckers and factory workers stayed at that Yantian may have to shut if infec-
“In fact, online shopping is getting During the pandemic, orders for year because people had become more e-commerce development is lack of home, said Jasmine Wall, Asia-Pacific tions and restrictions spread. “If the
better than during the pandemic,” edible oil, pulses, rice and legumes confident about the service provided online shops. manager at SEKO Logistics. [Yantian] port does close, then the
Shahi said. “People have now become were very high. “Now, most of the by e-retailers. The rise in the use of E-commerce is among the few sec- “This implies that it will become whiplash effect when it reopens
habituated to buying goods online to orders we are receiving are for books, smartphones, increasing internet tors with the potential to add value, difficult to get cargo to and from the will lay waste to all the progress made
save time and be free of hassles.” cosmetics, bakery items and home access and the government’s encour- helping these countries to diversify ports and hence whether the termi- in the US,” said Bjorn Vang Jensen,
The number of e-commerce users décors,” said Niroula. aging the use of electronic payments their economies and graduate from nals are open or not becomes a moot vice president at consultancy Sea-
started picking up after the first E-retailers say that demand for gro- also boosted online shopping. the LDCs group. point,” said Lars Jensen, CEO at Intelligence. Even if ocean freight ter-
lockdown imposed on March 24, 2020. ceries spikes whenever there is a pan- According to Nepal Rastra Bank, As per the United Nations Vespucci Maritime, a container ship- minals remain open, the lack of truck
The second lockdown which started demic. For Sastodeal, its grocery items Rs349 million worth of online pay- Conference on Trade and Development ping advisor. drivers and warehouse operators
on April 29, 2021 too brought more helped in attracting more customers ments were made using cards to (UNCTAD) Business-to-Consumer “It will have a disruptive impact on means there will be delays in filling
people online. With the Covid situa- to the platform. e-commerce platforms during the E-commerce Index 2020, Nepal ranked the supply chain—in turn prolonging shipping containers and taking them
tion dissipating, people are diversify- “People entered the grocery seg- month-long period from mid-Decem- 113th with 72 percent efficiency which the current supply chain crisis.” to port.
ing into different segments besides ment online due to the pandemic ber to mid-January. refers to the country’s performance in Currently there are 34 vessels off Shipping lines are also contending
grocery items—one of the segments which helped in creating new custom- According to the Connectivity relation to its national resources. Shenzhen waiting to dock, compared with the possibility of a rapid escala-
showing the highest sales during the ers. They have now started buying in the Least Developed Countries The research finding implies that to an average of seven a year tion of Omicron variant Covid cases
pandemic, e-retailers said. other goods also,” Shahi said. Status Report 2021, Nepal’s perfor- countries cannot be expected to per- ago, according to Refinitiv ship track- in China, which could result in more
“The business has not declined with Sastodeal is seeing a rise in the mance in e-commerce is still very form better in e-commerce until their ing data. At Qingdao, an eastern widespread disruptions and have
the improvement in the virus situa- number of consumers buying elec- poor despite the country’s having productive capability improves, the Chinese port city, there are around implications for already rising global
tion. The country is fully open, even tronic goods. But Shahi added that taken a giant leap forward in the report said. 30 vessels waiting to dock compared inflation.

FOREX
US Dollar 121.58
Egyptians count rising bread costs Indonesia to replace palm oil
Euro
Pound Sterling
Japanese Yen (10)
134.18
160.10
10.26
as Ukraine war disrupts supply export curbs with levy
Chinese Yuan 19.14 Global prices of crude palm oil have surged to historic highs this
year amid rising demand and weak output from top producers.
Qatari Riyal 33.27
Australian Dollar 89.05
Malaysian Ringit 28.98 REUTERS Indonesia uses for cooking oil, have surged
Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank JAKARTA, MARCH 17 to historic highs this year amid rising
demand and weak output from top produc-
Indonesia will remove export volume ers Indonesia and Malaysia, plus Indonesia’s
restrictions on palm oil products and raise export limits.Indonesia first restricted
gasoline watch its export levy instead, its trade minister exports after prices of cooking oil—made
said on Thursday, in a surprise policy U-turn from refined crude palm oil—rose more than
just a week after it shocked markets by fur- 40 percent at the start of the year amid a
ther tightening its curbs. surge in global prices.
The world’s biggest exporter of the edible Despite export curbs, consumers com-
oil has required companies to sell 30 percent plained that cooking oil was not available at
of their planned export volume of palm oil many retailers across the country.
products, up from 20 percent imposed in Indonesia Palm Oil Association (GAPKI)
January, under a so-called domestic market said removal of the curbs was welcomed but
obligation (DMO) aimed at ensuring local the group was still awaiting details of the
supply amid soaring cooking oil prices. export levy increases, secretary general
In a parliamentary hearing, Trade Eddy Martono said. Some lawmakers at the
Minister Muhammad Lutfi said those policy hearing on Thursday criticised the Trade
had resulted in supply scarcity and the DMO Ministry for haphazard policymaking, and
would be withdrawn. The regulations were said the frequent changes to its palm oil
agreed and approved on Thursday. policies resulted in market volatility.
Instead, the ceiling of palm export tax and “Since January up to today, there were
levy would be raised, he said, from a com- already at least six ministerial regulations
bined maximum of $375 per tonne to $675 being issued regarding cooking oil and not
REUTERS per tonne. The maximum CPO tax would be one of them had positive impact on the wel-
An Egyptian worker carries loaves of bread at a bakery in Cairo’s southeastern Mokattam district, as the prices of basic goods in applied when prices reach $1,500 per tonne. fare of the people,” parliament member
Egypt have risen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in Egypt, on Wednesday. “This is the market mechanism, and hope- Mufti Aiman Nurul Anam said.
fully this can maintain supply stability for The government this week removed price
REUTERS buys eight small flat loaves instead has shrunk. An attempt to raise the people,” Lutfi said. caps on packaged cooking oil while provid-
CAIRO, MARCH 17 of 10. “Sometimes we cook a good the price of Egypt’s subsidised Global prices of crude palm oil, which ing subsidy for bulk cooking oil.
meal every three days, and the bread in 1977 sparked riots while
From his job as a Cairo doorman, rest of the week we just eat some- former President Hosni Mubarak
Mahmoud Farag earns 1,500 thing like bread and cheese.” faced unrest in 2008 over wheat

India’s Reliance may Egyptian pounds ($95) each month

but it’s no longer enough to ade-
quately feed his family of five.
Egypt is typically the world’s
largest wheat importer, buying
more than 60 percent of its wheat
shortages. The leading chant of
the uprising that toppled him
three years later was “Bread, free-

avoid Russian fuel Food prices in Egypt were

already climbing before Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine. Now bread, a
from abroad. Russia and Ukraine
accounted for some 80 percent of
those imports last year.
dom and social justice”.
International organisations
such as the World Bank are now

after sanctions politically symbolic staple on

which many Egyptians are heavi-
ly dependent, is also getting costli-
Now traders are scrambling to
source supplies from elsewhere as
fighting in Ukraine and sanctions
warning that soaring energy and
food prices could trigger similar
social unrest in North Africa and
reuters er as Black Sea wheat exports are on Russia block shipments. the Middle East.
NEW DELHI, March 17 disrupted and global prices surge. “If I want to find an alternative, The government has tried to
That is piling financial pres- prices will be vastly different,” reassure Egyptians in recent
India’s Reliance Industries Ltd, opera- sure on families who have already said one trader in the region, weeks that existing wheat reserves
tor of the world’s biggest refining endured years of austerity, in a pointing to volatility in the and local crops will meet demand
complex, may avoid buying Russian country where nearly a third of futures contracts that underpin for the heavily subsidised bread
fuels for its plants following Western the 103-million population live the market. available to around two-thirds
sanctions on Moscow over its invasion below the official poverty line and The contract for May delivery of the population for at least eight
of Ukraine, a senior company official many more struggle to get by. wheat on the Paris-based futures months.
said. Shoppers say the cost of a pack- market is up almost 50 percent It has also raised the amount it
“Even if we can source some of the et of unsubsidised loaves has from its February lows. will pay farmers for their wheat to
feeds [from Russia], probably we will risen by a quarter in the three Recent price increases could secure more of the local crop and
be out of it because of the sanctions,” weeks since Russia’s invasion of also nearly double annual state says it is budgeting for more
Rajesh Rawat, senior vice president its neighbour, while prices of oil, spending on wheat imports to $5.7 expensive grain imports, despite
and business head cracker, told an eggs, pasta and other widely con- billion from about $3 billion, growing pressure on public
industry event on Wednesday. sumed foods are also climbing. according to a study this week by finances.
Reliance buys Urals crude and Flour prices have risen by up to the International Food Policy Officials have said subsidy
straight run fuel oil for its refineries 15 percent, said Attia Hamad of Research Institute, an amount the reforms could be included in the
from Russia. The private refiner the Cairo Chamber of Commerce. government could find it hard to 2022/23 budget, due to be
mostly buys its petrochemical feed- “I eat less so my kids don’t get recoup as the cost of subsidised announced this month, though
stock from the Middle East and the hungry,” said Farag, 52, whose bread has not changed since the the extent of any reform remains
United States. daily budget for bread currently 1980s—although the size of a loaf unclear.

C M Y K
 FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022 | 06

world

Briefings Russia bogged down, blasting Ukrainian Technical fault halts

Polish railways, a key
cities as war enters fourth week
Germany’s Scholz signals
support for Finnish NATO bid
BERLIN: German Chancellor Olaf
Scholz said on Wednesday he wel-
Ukraine exit route
REUTERS
comed any interest shown by Finland
in joining NATO, a question that has Although both sides have pointed to limited progress in peace talks this week, Putin shows little sign of relenting. WARSAW, MARCH 17
gained more urgency since Russia
invaded Ukraine. The war in Ukraine REUTERS Railways ground to a halt in many
has prompted a public debate in neu- KYIV/LVIV, MARCH 17 places across Poland on Thursday, dis-
tral Finland, which shares a long rupting an important means of trans-
land border with Russia, on whether Russian forces in Ukraine are blasting port for Ukrainian refugees after what
to join the US-led NATO alliance. cities and killing civilians but no the transport minister said was a traf-
Asked at a news conference with the longer making progress on the fic control system outage impacting
Finnish prime minister whether ground, Western countries said on several countries.
Germany would support Finland if it Thursday, as a war Moscow was Infrastructure Minister Andrzej
decided it wanted to join the defence thought to have hoped to win within Adamczyk said that identical faults in
alliance, Scholz said there was days entered its fourth week. the traffic control systems, which are
already cooperation between Local officials said rescuers in the produced by a unit of French train
Finland and NATO. “The wishes that besieged southern port of Mariupol maker Alstom, had also appeared in
Finland brings to us and the alliances were combing the rubble of a theatre India, Singapore and possibly
that we are involved in are always where women and children had been Pakistan.
very welcome,” said Scholz, adding sheltering, bombed by Russian forces “The cause is still being deter-
nothing more concrete. the previous day. mined,” Adamczyk wrote on Twitter.
“The bomb shelter held. Now the “[Railway operator] PKP PLK is work-
rubble is being cleared. There are sur- ing non-stop to minimise the effects of
Emirati-flagged cargo ship vivors. We don’t know about the [num- the outage, which has affected about
ber of] victims yet,” mayoral adviser 80 percent of rail traffic in Poland.”
sinks in Persian Gulf off Iran Petro Andrushchenko told Reuters
DUBAI: An Emirati-flagged cargo ship, by phone.
longer than a soccer field, sank in
stormy seas off Iran’s southern coast
Russia denied striking the theatre,
which commercial satellite pictures
Similar faults in
in the Persian Gulf on Thursday,
authorities said. Rescuers were try-
showed had the word “children”
marked out on the ground in front
the traffic control
ing to account for all of the vessel’s 30
crew members. Capt. Nizar
before it was blown up. systems had
Mariupol has suffered the worst
Qaddoura, operations manager of the humanitarian catastrophe of the war, appeared in India,
company that owns the ship, told The with hundreds of thousands of civil-
Associated Press that the Al Salmy 6 ians trapped in basements with no Singapore as well.
encountered treacherous weather. food, water or power for weeks.
The choppy waters forced the vessel Russian forces have begun letting REUTERS
to list at a precarious angle and with- some people out in private cars this Residents return to a damaged residential building that was hit by a missile in Kyiv, Ukraine on Thursday.  Slawomir Cyza, the chief executive
in hours fully submerged the ship. week but have blocked aid convoys of Alstom in Poland, told Reuters by
Emergency workers dispatched from from reaching the city. and said the Russian people would spit and Russian forces were suffering from Crimea. email that the outage had resulted
Iran successfully saved 16 crew mem- Viacheslav Chaus, governor of the them out like gnats. heavy losses from a staunch and Northeastern and northwestern from a data coding flaw.
bers, Qaddoura said, and civilian region centred on the frontline north- Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of well-coordinated Ukrainian resist- suburbs of Kyiv have been reduced to “Alstom is aware of a time format-
ships had been asked to help with the ern city of Chernihiv, said 53 civilians Putin’s security council, said the ance. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr rubble by heavy fighting, but the capi- ting error that currently affects the
rescue efforts. had been killed there in the past 24 United States had stoked “disgusting” Zelenskiy addressed the German tal itself has held firm, under a curfew availability of the rail network, and
hours. The toll could not be inde- Russophobia in an attempt to force Bundestag by video link, pulling no and subjected to deadly nightly rocket thus rail transport in Poland,” Cyza
pendently verified. Russia to its knees: “It will not work - punches in a speech that invoked the attacks. said, adding passenger safety was not
US weighs dropping Iran’s In the capital Kyiv, a building in the Russia has the might to put all of our Holocaust and the Berlin Wall, and Amid the unrelenting fighting, both compromised and that the company
IRGC from terrorism list, Darnytsky district was extensively brash enemies in their place.” seemed intended to shame pro-Rus- sides have spoken of progress at talks. had implemented a plan to restore
damaged by what the authorities said Kyiv and its Western allies believe sian politicians in Moscow’s main Ukrainian officials have said they traffic.
source says was debris from a missile shot down Russia launched the unprovoked war energy buyer. think Russia is running out of troops Almost 2 million people have fled to
WASHINGTON: The United States is con- early in the morning. to subjugate a neighbour Putin calls “Every year politicians repeat to keep fighting and could soon come Poland, and with free rail tickets on
sidering removing Iran’s As residents cleared glass and car- an artificial state. Moscow says it is ‘never again’,” said Zelenskiy, who is to terms with its failure to topple the offer for refugees, the network has
Revolutionary Guards from its for- ried bags of possessions away, a man carrying out a “special operation” to of Jewish heritage, citing a slogan Ukrainian government. Moscow has become a key means of transport for
eign terrorist organisation blacklist knelt weeping by the body of a woman disarm and “denazify” Ukraine. used to mark the Holocaust. “And now said it is close to agreeing a formula those travelling to stay with friends
in return for Iranian assurances which lay close to a doorway, covered Heavily outnumbered Ukrainian we see that these words are simply that would keep Ukraine neutral, long and family around the country.
about reining in the elite force, a in a bloody sheet. forces have prevented Moscow from worthless. In Europe a people is being one of its demands. “Regarding the transport of refu-
source familiar with the matter said Although both sides have pointed to capturing any of Ukraine’s biggest destroyed, they are trying to destroy Moscow said peace talks resumed gees, which has been the key task of
on Wednesday. The source said limited progress in peace talks cities so far despite the largest assault everything that is dear to us, what we on Thursday by videolink for a fourth the railway over the past few days, we
Washington had not decided what this week, President Vladimir Putin, on a European state since World War live for.” straight day, discussing military, polit- are in full coordination of the process
might be an acceptable commitment who ordered Russia’s invasion on Two. More than 3 million Ukrainians Russia has assaulted Ukraine from ical and humanitarian issues. A top together with the ministry of infra-
from Tehran in exchange for such a February 24, showed little sign have fled and thousands of civilians four directions, sending two massive aide to Zelenskiy said Ukraine still structure ... so that the process is not
step, which would reverse former US of relenting. and combatants have died. columns towards Kyiv from the north- maintained its core demand, that it halted and can be carried out to the
President Donald Trump’s 2019 black- In a vituperative televised speech, British military intelligence said in west and northeast, pushing in from retain sovereignty over areas occu- extent possible,” PKP PLK deputy
listing of the group and draw sharp he inveighed against “traitors and an update on Thursday that the inva- the east near the second biggest city pied since 2014 by Russian and chief executive Miroslaw
Republican criticism. (AGENCIES) scum” at home who helped the West, sion had “largely stalled on all fronts”, Kharkiv, and spreading in the south pro-Russian forces. Skubiszynski told reporters.

Cheap Turkish drones bolster Ukraine’s defences

The drones have carried out unexpectedly successful attacks in the early stages of Ukraine’s conflict with Moscow.
ASSOCIATED PRESS He said Ukrainian forces “have destroyed Russian military vehicles. “destabilising.”
ANKARA, MARCH 17 been essentially flying in at a low-level “Masallah” or “Praise be” he wrote Turkish officials have refused to
and then coming up and raiding in a caption on one of the videos. disclose details of the drone sales to
Despite three weeks of Russian bom- with them. So striking targets of A video using a song titled Ukraine, including how many were
bardment, Ukraine has kept up a stiff opportunity.” “Bayraktar” with sounds of explo- involved and whether Kyiv is being
defence of its cities by using Turkish- Over time, as the Russians get more sions timed to coincide with the beats resupplied. Independent estimates put
made drones to carry out pop-up organised and push out their air has been uploaded on YouTube and the number of TB2s in Ukraine at
attacks on the invaders with a lethal defences, Watling said “the freedom to played on Ukrainian radio. between 20 and 50.
effectiveness that has surprised employ those drones is diminishing. The drones priced under $2 million
Western military experts. And so what we are now seeing is that each according to estimates, are pro-
The Bayraktar TB2 unmanned
aerial vehicles, which carry light-
the Ukrainians are having to be care-
ful as to when they commit them.”
Turkey has sold duced by the Baykar defence company,
which belongs to the family of Selcuk
weight, laser-guided bombs, normally In a briefing to Parliament on them to more than Bayraktar, the son-in-law of Turkish
excel in low-tech conflicts, and Turkey March 9, British Defence Minister President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
has sold them to more than a dozen Ben Wallace praised the drones, along a dozen countries, Bayraktar is Baykar’s chief technical
countries, including Azerbaijan, with other weapons donated to officer. The TB2 has been credited
Libya, Morocco and Ethiopia. Ukraine by the West. including Libya with helping tip the balance of con-
The drones have carried out unex-
pectedly successful attacks in the
“One of the ways they are deliver-
ing close air support or actual fire in and Ethiopia. flicts in Libya, as well as to Turkey’s
ally Azerbaijan in fighting with
early stages of Ukraine’s conflict with depth is through the Turkish TB2 Armenian-backed forces in the disput-
Moscow, before the Russians were able UAVs, which are delivering munitions ed Nagorno-Karabakh region in 2020.
to set up their air defences in the bat- onto their artillery and indeed their “So as long as they still fly in, as Ankara has also used the drones
tlefield, said Jack Watling of the supply lines, which are incredibly long as they’re still armed, they will against Kurdish militants in Turkey
London-based Royal United Services important in order to slow down be useful. They will mostly be useful and northern Iraq as well as against
Institute. or block the Russian advance,” for the propaganda side,” said Aaron Kurdish fighters in Syria.
“The [TB2s] shouldn’t be making a Wallace said. Stein, director of research at the Such less-expensive drones are like-
meaningful impact because they are The drones also have scored success US-based Foreign Policy Research ly to have a lasting impact on warfare
medium altitude, slow-flying aircraft on social media. Their aerial video of Institute. “The videos have enrap- as a useful tool of attrition, as well as
with a large electromagnetic signa- the destruction of Russian armoured tured people because you can see an being able to draw in the attention of
ture and a large radar cross-section. vehicles has become a key tool for airstrike in high definition.” more expensive enemy jets, Stein said.
And the Russians have very capable Ukraine’s information war. Turkey began selling the TB2 “I’d call it the Toyota Corolla of
air defence systems, so they should be Vasyl Bodnar, Ukraine’s ambassa- drones to Ukraine in 2019, and Kyiv drones. ... It doesn’t do everything
being shot down. The terrain is very dor to Turkey, shared videos of drone used them in fighting Russian-backed that your high-end sports car does,
AFP/RSS open and gives good radar coverage,” attacks on Twitter, including one that separatists in the eastern Donbas but it does 80 percent of that, right?”
Tourists take pictures under yellow trumpet tree blossoms in Xinpu township in Hsinchu. Watling added. appeared to show a convoy of region—a move that Moscow called he said.

Cleanup begins after 7.4-magnitude quake shakes north Japan, killing 4

The region is part of an area devastated by a deadly 9.0 quake and tsunami 11 years ago that caused nuclear reactor meltdowns, spewing massive radiation.
ASSOCIATED PRESS trying to evacuate, and a man in his was broken, front door thrown out of Japan’s Nuclear Regulation
TOKYO, MARCH 17 70s panicked and suffered a heart place, and dishes were broken, employ- Authority said a fire alarm went off at
attack, Kyodo News reported earlier. ees were starting to clean up. the turbine building of number 5 reac-
Residents in Fukushima and Miyagi The Japan Meteorological Agency “I don’t even know where to start,” tors at the Fukushima Daiichi but
were cleaning their homes after a early Thursday lifted its low-risk advi- hotel president Mineyuki Otake there was no actual fire. Water pumps
sleepless night following a powerful sory for a tsunami along the coasts of told NHK. for the spent fuel cooling pool at two
7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures. NHK footage showed broken walls of the four reactors at Fukushima
off the northern Japanese coasts, Tsunami waves as high as 30 centime- of a department store building that Daini briefly stopped, but later
smashing furniture, knocking out tres (11 inches) reached shore in fell to the ground and shards of win- resumed operation. Fukushima Daini,
power and killing four people. Ishinomaki, about 390 kilometres (240 dows scattered on the street near the which survived the 2011 tsunami, is
The region is part of an area devas- miles) northeast of Tokyo. main train station in the inland pre- also set for decommissioning.
tated by a deadly 9.0 quake and tsuna- The agency upgraded the magni- fectural capital of Fukushima city. More than 2.2 million homes were
mi 11 years ago that caused nuclear tude of the quake to 7.4 from the ini- Roads were cracked and water poured temporarily without electricity in 14
reactor meltdowns, spewing massive tial 7.3, and the depth from 60 kilo- out from pipes underground. prefectures, including the Tokyo
radiation that still makes some parts metres (37 miles) below the sea to 56 Footage also showed furniture and region, but power was restored at
uninhabitable. kilometres (35 miles). appliances smashed to the floor at AP/RSS most places by the morning,
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Residents in hard-hit areas found apartments in Fukushima. Cosmetics A partially derailed express train sits following an earthquake in Shiroishi, Miyagi prefecture, except for about 37,000 homes in the
Matsuno told reporters on Thursday new damages in daylight on Thursday, and other merchandise at convenience northern Japan on Thursday. hardest hit Fukushima and Miyagi
morning that four people died during cleaning their homes, putting fallen stores fell from shelves and scattered prefectures, according to the Tohoku
the quake and the cause of their furniture and appliances back into on the floor. In Yokohama, near Tokyo, where the cooling systems failed after water were out of alignment due to Electric Power Co, which services
deaths are being investigated, while place and scooping up broken dishes an electric pole nearly fell. the 2011 disaster, said on Thursday the rattling, and what could be a steel the region.
107 others were injured. A man in his and windows. The Tokyo Electric Power Company that workers at the site—which is beam fell from a roof of the number 4 The quake shook large parts of east-
60s in Soma city died after falling from At a hotel in Yabuki town in the Holdings, which operates the being decommissioned—found some reactor building, which has no fuel ern Japan, including Tokyo, where
the second floor of his house while Fukushima prefecture, where its wall Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant tanks holding treated radioactive inside. buildings swayed violently.

C M Y K
07 | FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

Sports | Medley

Nepal face in-form UAE today Liverpool sink

Arsenal to boost
Juventus fail again in
Both the sides come on the back of wins over Papua New Guinea in their first matches. title hopes Champions League
Agence France-Presse
LONDON, March 17 A 4-1 aggregate loss to Villarreal means the Old Lady have
Jurgen Klopp urged Liverpool to fin- exited in the last 16 for a third consecutive season.
ish the job as they moved within one
point of Premier League leaders
Manchester City after Diogo Jota and
Roberto Firmino inspired a crucial 2-0
win against Arsenal on Wednesday.
Klopp’s side took advantage of
City’s goalless draw against Crystal
Palace on Monday thanks to their
smash-and-grab raid at the Emirates
Stadium.
Arsenal enjoyed a sustained period
of pressure that could easily have
yielded the opening goal, but Alisson
Becker made a superb save to deny
Martin Odegaard and Liverpool capi-
talised to steal the points.
Liverpool, chasing an unprecedent-
ed quadruple, have won nine succes-
sive league games, scoring 23 goals
and only conceding twice. Having
trailed City by 14 points on January
15, Liverpool have hunted down the
champions impressively, putting the
race in their own hands as they eye a
second title in three seasons.
A victory against Watford in their AFP/RSS
next league game on April 2 would set Allegri’s Juventus lost the second leg match 3-0 at the Allianz Stadium on Wednesday.
the stage for a seismic showdown with
Pep Guardiola’s team at the Etihad Associated Press the last eight.
Stadium on April 10. ROME, March 17 Juventus sorely missed captain
“We’ve obviously had a good period. Giorgio Chiellini, who never left the
It’s what we need. We’re one point With three different coaches in three bench following an injury layoff, and
behind, but it’s still the same. We have seasons, the result remains the same fellow centre back Leonardo Bonucci,
to win football matches,” Klopp said. for Juventus: three straight elimina- who was still out injured.
Liverpool struck in the 54th tions at home in the Champions The Bianconeri were eliminated by
Photo Courtesy: CAN minute. Thiago’s precise pass behind League round of 16. Lyon and Porto at Allianz Stadium the
Nepal are sixth with 10 points after nine matches in the seven-team standings while the UAE sit second with 18 points from 15 matches.  Cedric Soares sent Jota sprinting Europa League champions last two years under Maurizio Sarri
into the Arsenal area, but the Portugal Villarreal scored three second-half and Andrea Pirlo, respectively.
SPORTS BUREAU Nepal and the UAE have played four es with the local teams. Though they forward’s low shot should have goals in a 3-0 win on Wednesday to With Massimiliano Allegri having
KATHMANDU, March 17 one-day internationals in the past and won three among them, Nepal’s been saved by Aaron Ramsdale, advance to the quarter-finals for the returned as coach this season, the
both the sides have won two games batting woes were evident. Nepal who let it squirm past him at the first time in 13 years. trend was expected to be broken. But
Nepal take on in-form hosts United each. In their last two games, Nepal failed to play for 50 overs in all four near post. Substitute Gerard Moreno convert- after a strong first half, Juventus
Arab Emirates (UAE) in their second defeated the UAE by four wickets and practice matches. Liverpool went for the knockout ed a penalty in the 78th minute to were broken down midway through
UAE Triangular Series of the ICC then by 145 runs in January 2019. Against PNG as well, Nepal strug- blow and Firmino delivered it in the break the deadlock following a 1-1 the second half.
World Cup League 2 match in Dubai gled with the bat before pulling off 62nd minute. Andy Robertson was the draw in the first leg. Then Pau Torres The penalty was awarded after a
on Friday. victory in the last over thriller. Nepal’s catalyst with a brilliant piece of tenac- was left unmarked to redirect in a cor- VAR ruling determined that Juventus
Both the sides come at the ICCA
Academy Ground with victories over
The top three unpredictable opening and top order
batting has been the main concern.
ity as the Scot saw his shot blocked,
then chased to the touchline to steal
ner before Arnaut Danjuma added
another spot kick as Villarreal
defender Daniele Rugani fouled
Francis Coquelin. Juventus goalkeep-
Papua New Guinea (PNG) in their finishers will book Openers Kushal Burtel and Aasif possession before surging forward to advanced 4-1 on aggregate. er Wojciech Szczesny has saved three
first games of the Series being Sheikh departed for just one run and send in a cross that Firmino converted “For 75 minutes the squad did well,” straight penalties in Serie A and got
played in double header format. While their places in World 16 runs while No 3 and No 4 batters with a deft finish. Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri his gloves on Moreno’s kick but
the UAE registered a thumping Gyanendra Malla and Dipendra Singh said. “Then a single episode changed couldn’t stop it. Torres netted from
seven-wicket win over PNG in their Cup Qualifiers. Airee could only manage four and Record-breaking Kane the match. These things happen in close range in the 85th after a corner
opening match on Tuesday, Nepal eight runs respectively. Harry Kane created Premier League football and we have to accept this was flicked on. Then a handball from
snatched a hard-earned four two-wick- Nepal are likely to give continuity history with his goal in Tottenham’s heavy loss.” Matthijs de Ligt in stoppage time set
et win over the same opponents on But the UAE are recently at their to the same opening pair of Bhurtel 2-0 win at Brighton. Allegri returned to Juventus this up Danjuma’s spot kick.
Wednesday. best form. They were the major hurdle and Sheikh against the UAE. Middle After Cristian Romero deflected season after Maurizio Sarri and With the away goals rule no longer
UAE are second in the seven team in Nepal’s ambition of realising World order batsman Rohit Paudel is likely Dejan Kulusevski’s effort into the net Andrea Pirlo coached the Bianconeri in use, both teams needed to win to
standings with 18 points from 15 T20 dream. The UAE defeated Nepal in to replace Malla, who has been con- in the 37th minute, Kane entered the during defeats to Lyon and Porto at advance.
games while Nepal are sixth with 10 the semi-finals by 68 runs that ended sistently struggling with the bat, at record books just before the hour. His this stage over the last two seasons, Juventus had several chances early
points after nine games. PNG, the Rhinos’ hopes of reaching top order. All-rounder Dipendra blistering finish from Rodrigo respectively. Including a quarter-final on, including when Dusan Vlahovic
without a win after 14 matches, sit the World Cup finals for the first time Singh Airee, Arif Sheikh, Bhim Bentancur’s pass made it 95 away defeat to Ajax in 2019, it’s the fourth hit the crossbar with one touch follow-
rock bottom. since 2014. Shakri and Karan KC are among other goals in the Premier League for Kane, straight time that Juventus have ing a cross from Mattia De Sciglio, and
Oman lead the standings with 36 The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is batters likely to get their place in the more than any other player. been knocked out after a home a header from Alvaro Morata. Giovani
points from 28 matches. Scotland are scheduled to be played in October and starting XI. The England striker also moved second-leg match. Lo Celso curled wide in Villarreal’s
third with 16 points from 12 games, November in Australia. Captain Sandeep Lamichhane will above Frank Lampard in the list of In Wednesday’s other match, best chance of the first half.
Namibia are fourth on 14 points from Nepal, meanwhile, have struggled spearhead Nepal’s bowling attack. Premier League all-time scorers, defending champions Chelsea At the start of the second half, it
as many games and the United States, for consistency especially in the bat- Pacer Sompal Kami, who claimed going into fifth with 178 goals. advanced 4-1 on aggregate after a 2-1 appeared that Villarreal were content
also with 14 points, are fifth from 16 ting department in the long format of three wickets against PNG, and Antonio Conte’s seventh-placed side win at Lille. to sit back and defend and try to get
matches. The top three teams at the the game in the past couple of months. Bikram Sob will likely start against remain in the race for a top-four fin- Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Real take the game to extra time and a
end of the league will book their plac- In their Sri Lanka tour before leaving the UAE. ish, sitting three points behind Madrid, Manchester City, Atletico shootout. But when Moreno came on,
es in World Cup Qualifiers. for the UAE, Nepal played four match- The match will kick off at 11:15 NST. Arsenal, who have a game in hand. Madrid and Benfica also advanced to the momentum shifted.

HOROSCOPE
ARIES (March 21-April 19) **** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) *** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) ****
Today’s vibes will create a romantic ambiance New structures could manifest within your relation- Use today’s energy as an excuse to lean into the soft- Don’t be afraid to talk about your wants and needs
throughout the day, making it a good time to get a ships. This energy is perfect for dreaming of a er side of life, choosing love and beauty over conflict today. These vibes will encourage you to tap into
little flirting in with that special someone. Lean into brighter future with your significant other. Use this or drama. This cosmic climate will also ask you to your personal power to elicit any change you seek.
change, especially if you’re not totally satisfied with cosmic climate as an opportunity to recharge on a prioritize your health, making it important to nur- These vibes are perfect for getting ahead around the
your current job title. physical and emotional level. ture yourself. office without making any waves.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) *** LEO (July 23-August 22) *** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) *** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) ***
The day helps you scratch past the surface within If you’ve been wanting to embrace change by adapt- These vibes pushes you to express yourself through A sense of peace and inner security will find you
your blooming friendships while allowing you and ing new routines and healthier habits, today is your art. This lunar placement will act as a blessing if today. Lean into these vibes by allowing yourself to
your companions to bond on a more profound level. day. These vibes will encourage you to let go of any you’ve been staying on top of your self-care. Under let go of hurts from the past. Tap into the beauty that
The day can also help motivate you on a professional behavioral patterns that aren’t contributing to your today’s skies, take enough time out for relaxation surrounds you, and you’ll soon find a world that’s
level. wellbeing. and rejuvenation. filled with blessings.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) **** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) **** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) *** PISCES (February 19-March 20) ***
Don’t be afraid to advocate and negotiate for yourself Feel free to dedicate most of your time and energy to You’ll be more sensitive to the thoughts and feelings You’ll discover a profound appreciation for your
today. The cosmic alignment will ask you to tap into fun and love. These vibes will encourage you to blow of those around you today. Unfortunately, this energy friends today. These vibes can help you feel more
your personal authority so that you can seize the off some steam with your nearest and dearest, espe- can throw you off your game if you find yourself in connected to your nearest and dearest without sacri-
opportunity while making headway within your pro- cially if you haven’t been feeling like your normal the company of tense or negative people. ficing your own identity, allowing you to feel support-
fessional goals. self recently. ed and loved.

Crossword Sudoku

Yesterday’s Solution

C M Y K
 FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022 | 08
(C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053

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