Onlineparasi.com: October 2019

Thursday 31 October 2019

Donald Trump, lifelong New Yorker, declares himself as resident of Florida

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Impact of monsoon rains: Lessons to be learned

National climate assessments predict increased climate variability. Agricultural productivity is declining due to degradation in soil fertility, raising the importance of conservation agriculture, about which farmers are unaware.

Nepal just went through a disastrous situation because of the unprecedented monsoon rains or, let’s say, precipitation of high intensity and low frequency, a scenario which is considered to be an impact of global warming and climate change.

Rivers as well as major cities, including the capital, Kathmandu, were flooded, and people, livestock and even standing crops were swept away by the floods. Although it was the monsoon rains, why did they create such havoc? Along with the fact that Nepal is highly vulnerable to natural disasters like floods, landslides and earthquakes because of its mountainous and fragile geology, recent incidences are, in fact, a clear case of natural-induced disasters with humans making some contributions.

Floods depend on many things, such as climate, nature of the stream, soil, vegetative cover, amount of snow melt and overall rainfall. It is important to understand the reasons behind the floods so as to mitigate the impact and plan management strategies for the future.

The first thing to understand is the ever increasing population and its pressure on the natural resources. The valleys of this mountainous country are already crowded with the ever-increasing population, making it difficult to find open spaces to house the people. The latest floods are the indirect cumulative impacts of environmental issues.

Since one of the main causes of a flood is poor natural drainage, unplanned urbanisation where construction activities have a feeble drainage system causes flooding in the cities. Unplanned land use change and improper infrastructure development have led to soil erosion and landslides.

Besides, the atmosphere is getting highly polluted. Global warming and climate change have great impact on developing nations, and Nepal ranks fourth in terms of climate vulnerability. Although it contributes negligible amounts of green house gases (GHGs), the risk of severe impacts is high because Nepal is a mountainous country with low mitigation capacity.

National climate assessments predict increased climate variability and frequency in disaster incidents. Agricultural productivity is declining due to degradation in soil fertility, raising the importance of conservation agriculture, about which most farmers are unaware. Every environmental issue has a number of direct and indirect impacts, which need to be identified before the implementation of any proposed project, but that is found to be overlooked in the Nepali context.

As during every monsoon, this time also the villages along the Nepal-India border got inundated, creating loss of many lives and submerging large tracts of land. However, the issue becomes a matter of serious concern only when the floods are at their peak of destruction, but once the rains stop, the concern fades away. Despite some existing plans, policies and committees on disaster management, the government does not seem to be bothered about finding a lasting solution. Since it is the inhabitants along the border who must suffer, both the Nepali and Indian governments should find a concrete way out of the disaster.

Disaster preparedness has become a national priority with execution of the early warning system (EWS), especially in the case of floods: a system to alert the communities living near the rivers by sounding an alarm about the rising water levels in the rivers. It has been found to be effective in the major rivers to some extent. Coordination among the stakeholders, from government officials to the rural people, plays a major role in setting up an effective working mechanism for EWS. There must be a provision for monitoring and evaluating the works to be carried out by every responsible stakeholder. We must now try to set up an EWS in the smaller rivers too so as to make every vulnerable community safe and secure.

Since rains trigger landslides, and Nepal being a country of hills and mountains, incidences of landslides are common here. And cumulative impacts of floods and landslides have multiplier effects on every component of the environment, ranging from soil to human life and the economy. So with the start of the monsoon or in the pre-monsoon phase, the government must carry out the required trainings and create awareness among the people who are vulnerable. The government could mobilise different government and non-government organisations in all parts of Nepal so as to make the community disaster-resilient.

To be safe and secure during the monsoon and manage flood events, the necessary actions should be accomplished during the pre-monsoon stage. Do the government and organisations working in this sector implement actions this way? Has the hydro meteorological data been used for flood forecasting activities on a regular basis? Or is there a dearth of experts in disaster management? It is indeed high time to ponder over these aspects.

Along with embankment construction and EWS, if such activities are carried out in time, then the loss could be lessened, and continuous efforts could lead to a lasting solution. Being a disaster-prone country, Nepal also needs proactive disaster management acts and policies, where policy on protection of accessible spaces or appropriate land use change should be an integral part. And effective implementation always matters.

Rijal is assistant professor at Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur.

The post Impact of monsoon rains: Lessons to be learned appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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India C vs India A 2nd ODI Live Cricket Streaming, Deodhar Trophy 2019: When and where to watch?

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महाराष्ट्र में CM पर रार, किसान ने खुदको मुख्यमंत्री बनाने की मांग

महाराष्ट्र में सरकार बनाने को लेकर सस्पेंस बरकार है. भारतीय जनता पार्टी (बीजेपी) और शिवसेना के बीच मुख्यमंत्री की कुर्सी...

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छठ में आज खरना पर बन रहा ये शुभ संयोग, जानें महत्व और पूजन विधि

इस बार खरना के दिन बहुत शुभ योग बन रहा है. छठ पर रवि योग का ऐसा संयोग बना...

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India A vs India C Live Cricket Score Online, Deodhar Trophy 2019: Star-studded India C facing off India A

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Editorial: Update health status

The PM’s health is of concern to everyone, and his personal doctor and advisers must update the public about his health

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has been admitted to Grande International Hospital in Kathmandu for treatment. Although attending doctors say he was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday for regular medical check-up, there are conflicting reports about his health in the media, with some conjecturing that he is undergoing a dialysis this time.

Although not officially confirmed, it is said he underwent dialysis for two consecutive days before being discharged from the hospital. True, as a kidney patient, he needs to undergo regular health check-ups, but the frequency with which he has been visiting hospitals both inside and outside the country for treatment raises speculations, both in the media and among the people, about just how bad his health might be.

Details about his health status are scanty, as if the doctors and personal media advisors are deliberately trying to withhold certain vital information. Even during his first visit to Singapore in August, there was neither any health update from the hospital where he underwent treatment nor did he hold any press conference upon his return on August 12.

Although a kidney patient, his hectic schedule seen in running both the country and the party has often baffled the people. Only last week he had been to Baku, Ajerbaijan to attend the Summit of the heads of state and government of the Non-aligned Movement. And during the Tihar festival this week, he was attending programmes for long hours when he could have been taking good rest when the whole country was on leave. His refusal to take adequate rest was bound to affect his health.

Prime Minister Oli underwent a successful kidney transplant in India in 2007 after both his kidneys failed, and his health has since depended on just how well his transplanted organ functions. A problem with a transplanted kidney is that antibodies in the body can reject it at any time, leading to kidney failure.

He had flown to Singapore on August 22 – the second time in as many weeks – for a plasmapheresis process to remove the antibodies, which had increased in the Prime Minister’s body, and enhance the capacity of his kidneys. During his two-week stay in Singapore, he had undergone seven plasmapheresis procedures.

The health of the prime minister as the chief executive of the country is of concern to everyone, and it is only right that his personal doctor and his advisers update the public about his health. There is no point in misleading the people with press statements about his health being normal as they are bound to find out the true status from other sources, namely the media. If the prime minister is indeed undergoing dialysis, then this is going to take a good amount of his time every week.

It is best he heed the advice of his doctors seriously this time and take whatever precautions necessary so that his health does not deteriorate any further. At this hour, it will be necessary to keep visitors, especially from his party, at bay.

Prime Minister Oli should know best how much more he can push himself further, and based on that assumption he should now plan on the future strategy of his government and party.

Technical education

Sudurpaschim Province is lagging behind in terms of education, health facility, tourism activities, infrastructure and other basic needs. Despite the fact that the province is rich in natural resources and also has fertile land, people have not been able to reap benefits from these resources due to lack of technical hands. No province can prosper without skilled human resources to tap the potential that a region holds.
In order to expedite economic growth, Dhangadi Sub-Metropolis is all set to open a polytechnic institute to run diploma courses on Hotel Management and Automobile Engineering in the first phase. An understanding has been reached with the Council of Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT).

As per the plan, a student will complete the diploma level course at a cost of just Rs 190,000. There will be 40 seats in Hotel Management and 48 seats in Automobile Engineering. One seat has been granted to each ward of the sub-metropolis and one seat each for nine districts of the province. An aspiring student has to pass an entrance exam to secure a seat in the programmes.

Such institutes should be opened in all the provinces so that mid-level skilled hands can be utilised within the country.

The post Editorial: Update health status appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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बर्थडे: 281 नहीं, कोई और पारी थी VVS के करियर का टर्निंग प्वाइंट

वीवीएस लक्ष्मण की 281 रनों की पारी भले ही इतिहास का हिस्सा बन गई हो, लेकिन यह दिग्गज बल्लेबाज इस...

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सनी की उजड़ा चमन पहले दिन कमा सकती है इतने करोड़, जानिए

फिल्म सोनू के टीटू की स्वीटी के एक्टर सनी सिंह अपनी नई फिल्म उजड़ा चमन लेकर आज यानी 1...

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इमरान खान का ऐलान, भारतीय श्रद्धालु बिना पासपोर्ट आ सकेंगे करतारपुर

पाकिस्तान के प्रधानमंत्री इमरान खान ने करतारपुर कॉरिडोर आने वाले भारतीय श्रद्धालुओं को बड़ी राहत दी है. इमरान खान ने...

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महाराष्ट्र में 24 घंटे में शिवसेना ने पलटा गेम, BJP नहीं पवार बनेंगे किंगमेकर?

गुरुवार को शिवसेना नेता संजय राउत ने राष्ट्रवादी कांग्रेस के शरद पवार से मुलाकात की, जिसने सियासी गर्मी को...

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10 साल के ईशान ने किया था भाई शाहिद की इस फिल्म से एक्टिंग डेब्यू

शाहिद कपूर के छोटे भाई ईशान खट्टर धीरे-धीरे बॉलीवुड में अपनी जगह बना रहे हैं. जहां हम सभी को फिल्म...

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Fallacies about English in Nepal

These days everyone seems to be obsessed with the English language. Parents are sending their children to private schools or tuition classes so that their kids can be fluent in English.

Likewise, a lot of importance is being given to English even in government schools where most of the subjects now are being taught in English. Whether they be teachers or parents, the children are being forced to speak English even as early as in grade one. This is due to the perception people have about English.

One wrong perception is that learning English will make them a ‘global citizen’. In attaching importance to English by the teachers, they often say that learning English will help them communicate with anyone in the world. This is not true. People believe that English is spoken throughout the world even though it might not be their native language.

However, there are tons of countries in the world where English is not spoken. Japan is one such country. If someone were to go to Japan thinking that they would be able to communicate the people in English, they would be surprised to find that all the traffic signs and instructions are in the Japanese language. Similar is the case with China, the world’s second largest economy.

Another wrong concept of the people is that learning English will secure them a good job and a bright future. They fail to see the sad reality that many youngsters are going abroad, not because they do not have good command over English but because they lack opportunities in Nepal.

Germany used to be the hub of many powerful inventions and still is. They did not need English to bring change there. So is the case with France. Therefore, to believe that the English language will make one successful is not very true.

Last but not the least, people believe that learning English perfectly is the need of the 21st century. However, in many countries around the world, including Nepal, we really don’t need English to survive. People often believe that learning English will help communicate with others but rarely think if this is really necessary. Not many organisations require communicating with foreigners. Foreigners who want to stay in Nepal for a long time would learn Nepali.

Also, foreigners may be from a non-English speaking country, and knowing English may not be of use at that time. Hence, it is wise to think before being crazy about the English language.

The post Fallacies about English in Nepal appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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US Congressman applauds Modi for ‘bold’ steps in Jammu and Kashmir

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वो सवाल जिसका जवाब देकर ऐश्वर्या राय बनी थीं मिस वर्ल्ड 1994

जहां 2017 की मिस वर्ल्ड मानुषी छिल्लर को उनकी उदारता और जागरुकता फैलाने के काम के लिए जाना जाता...

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Attempt to rape case filed against Mahara

Kathmandu, October 31

The Government Attorney’s Office, Kathmandu, today filed a charge-sheet against former speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara at Kathmandu District Court charging him of attempt to rape.

Parliament Secretariat staffer Roshani Shahi had lodged a first information report on October 4 accusing Mahara of attempt to rape. As the Government Attorney’s Office filed the charge-sheet late in the afternoon, KDC could not conduct his trial hearing today. It has been scheduled for tomorrow.

If convicted, Mahara could face a jail sentence from five years three months to maximum seven years six months as per existing laws. Attempt to rape crime carries a jail sentence between 3.5 and 5 years. But government attorneys invoked additional clause of the new penal code seeking additional punishment as Mahara allegedly committed the crime misusing power.

Joint attorney of Kathmandu District Attorney’s Office Chandra Kanta Khanal said Mahara’s case attracted Criminal Offence and Punishment Determination Act. Clause (e) of Section 15 (2) of the act states that the quantum of punishment for any crime a person holding a position in government office, public or corporate body commits by misusing power shall be increased 1.5 fold.

Mahara was arrested on October 6 after Shahi lodged an FIR accusing him of attempt to rape. Shahi said Mahara thrashed her before attempting to rape her on the night of September 29, at her rented room in Tinkune. Even though Shahi retracted her statement, police completed their investigation saying they had enough evidence to corroborate the victim’s accusation.

Mahara resigned from the post of speaker after the ruling NCP asked him to resign as both speaker and Member of Parliament.

Mahara has been in police custody since October 6. He was admitted to Norvic Hospital while in custody after he complained of hypertension and respiratory problems.

Police had, on October 27, submitted their investigation report to the Government Attorney’s Office, Kathmandu, after 20 days of investigation. The latter, however, waited for the Tihar festival to get over before filing the case.

A few days ago, Shahi filed an application at the KDC saying police had coerced her into filing the FIR against Mahara.

On September 30, Shahi told www.hamrakura.com that Mahara had raped her, but a day later, she retracted her statement and told another online portal that what www.hamrakura.com reported was false. She had told www.hamrakura.com that Mahara had come to her room with a bottle of whisky and beat her up before sexually assaulting her.

According to a police source, Mahara’s statement was that though he was near Shahi’s residence on September 29, he did not enter her apartment or do anything to Shahi.

Mahara was taken back to police custody after the charge sheet was filed. Hearing on the case will be held tomorrow.

Meanwhile, it has been found that police investigation does not include Mahara’s DNA test. Police had said they would conduct Mahara’s DNA test if necessary, but Mahara did not oblige the police stating it violated his right to privacy, as per police sources.

The post Attempt to rape case filed against Mahara appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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दिल्ली-एनसीआर की हवा आज भी खराब, AQI का स्तर 448 पार

दिल्ली-एनसीआर में आज भी हवा की गुणवत्ता बेहद खराब है. एयर क्वालिटी इंडेक्स 448 पर पहुंच गया है. आनंद विहार...

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PM Oli discharged after second dialysis in 24 hrs

Kathmandu, October 31

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who was admitted to Grande International Hospital yesterday, underwent haemodialysis for the second time today. He underwent the same treatment yesterday too.

PM Oli was discharged at around 8:20pm.

The hospital’s Medical Director Dr Chakra Raj Pandey told mediapersons that dialysis was conducted to lower creatinine level in his blood. Creatinine is a waste product that is filtered and released into urine by the kidneys. Increased creatinine level in blood may mean that kidneys are not working as they should.

Pandey said Oli’s health was fine after dialysis. “PM Oli is in his spirit, cheerful and strong,” he said, refusing to disclose further details of his medical test results. He urged all to respect the patient’s privacy. Both the hospital and Oli’s secretariat did not reveal that he had undergone dialysis yesterday.

When asked whether Oli needed routine dialysis, Pandey said this would be determined after a few days of observation of creatinine level in his blood. He said there was no standard as to at what level of blood creatinine dialysis should be conducted and that it varied from patient to patient. He added that a patient’s health status changed minute by minute, so nothing could be predicted at the moment.

“Presently, PM Oli’s kidneys are functioning well and creatinine level has fallen after dialysis. The situation is improving and he will soon be able to join office,” said Pandey. He also made it clear that Oli was not kept in the Intensive Care Unit, but added that he was kept in the dialysis room to ensure he did not develop any other infections.

When asked whether the PM needed to go abroad for further treatment, Pandey said that was his choice
and the decision depended on his team of doctors.

Earlier in the day, Nepal Communist Party Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal had said Oli underwent dialysis this morning. Dahal, who met Oli at the hospital, also said doctors would decide whether Oli required routine dialysis after a few days of observation.

Oli had undergone kidney transplant surgery 12 years ago. He has been visiting various hospitals in foreign countries for health check-up ever since. Oli was admitted to Singapore-based National University Hospital twice in August. He had undergone plasmapheresis in NUH after his blood creatinine level rose.

The post PM Oli discharged after second dialysis in 24 hrs appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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Trick-or-treater, 7, critically injured in Chicago shooting

CHICAGO: A 7-year-old girl out trick-or-treating in a bumblebee costume was critically injured Thursday night after being struck by apparent stray gunfire, police said.

The girl, who was shot in the upper chest area, was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition, according to Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford. A 30-year-old man was shot in the left hand and taken to a nearby hospital in good condition.

The shooting occurred early Halloween evening as the girl was walking with her family and other trick-or-treaters along a street in the Little Village neighborhood.

In a tweet, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the girl was believed to be an unintended victim. He said members of the community were assisting investigators “but we need more.”

“We heard the shots … four shots, and I went outside,” said Lali Lara, who works in a nearby cellphone store, told the Chicago Tribune. “The girl’s father was screaming, ‘My little girl’s been shot.'”

Police said a group of males were chasing another male along the street when someone in the group fired at the intended victim. It was not immediately known if the wounded man was with the girl or was the one targeted by the shooters. Police say they have no description of the gunman, and no one was in custody.

“This is unacceptable,” police sergeant Rocco Alioto said. “A 7-year-old girl that was trick-or-treating with her family had to get shot because a group of guys want to shoot at another male.”

Police said there is a surveillance camera near the crime scene from which video can be obtained.

The post Trick-or-treater, 7, critically injured in Chicago shooting appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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महाराष्ट्र में सस्पेंस बरकरार, आज सोनिया गांधी से मिलकर राय जानेंगे कांग्रेस नेता

महाराष्ट्र में सरकार बनाने को लेकर सस्पेंस बरकरार है. इस बीच आज दिल्ली में कांग्रेस नेता पार्टी की अंतरिम अध्यक्ष...

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दिल्ली: IGI एयरपोर्ट पर संदिग्ध बैग मिलने से हड़कंप, सुरक्षा बढ़ाई गई

राजधानी दिल्ली के इंदिरा गांधी इंटरनेशनल एयरपोर्ट के टर्मिनल 3 पर एक संदिग्ध बैग मिलने से हड़कंप मच गया. संदिग्ध...

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New Zealand vs England 1st T20I Live Cricket Score Online: England win toss, elect to bowl

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भारत पहुंचीं एंजेला मर्केल, आज PM मोदी से करेंगी मुलाकात

शनिवार को 10.05 बजे आईएमटी मनेसर, गुरुग्राम में कॉन्टिनेंटल ऑटोमोटिव कंपोनेंट्स इंडिया प्रा. लि. का दौरा करेंगी. यहां के बाद...

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Wednesday 30 October 2019

25 gamblers held in raid to be arraigned today

Kathmandu, October 30

Kathmandu Police will produce 25 ‘gamblers’ at Kathmandu District Court tomorrow when the court opens after Tihar festival.

Kathmandu Police raided Bikram Gautam’s residence in Mahrajgunj, Kathmandu metropolis-3, in the wee hours and arrested 25 people on the charge of illegal gambling with 2.67 crore rupees. This is the first time police has seized such a huge amount from a gambling spot. Police also seized cowries, four packs of cards and a Bank of Kathmandu cheque of Rs 300,000 from the gambling spot.

The arrestees include high profile business persons and contractors, including Managing Director of Dynasty Air Pavitra Kumar Karki. Another accused Balaram Sapkota aka Bale is known to have casino business outside Nepal.

DSP Umesh Lamsal of Maharajgunj Circle, Kathmandu Metropolitan Range, said Shovit Silwal and Ashok Shrestha were repeat offenders and police were looking into the records of other accused also to ascertain if they were first time or repeat offenders.

Existing law has more sentence for repeat offenders.

DSP Umesh Lamsal of Metropolitan Police Circle Maharajgunj told THT the statements of the accused would be recorded after their first arraignment tomorrow. He said police would seek punishment as per the new penal code. He said some of the accused might have violated anti-money laundering laws and his office had been coordinating with Department of Money Laundering to help the latter investigate the accused.

Fourteen accused — including Balaram Sapkota, Mukti Lama, Pavitra Kumar Karki, Bikram Gautam and Pawan Kumar Gupta — have filed writs of habeas corpus at the SC challenging their arrest, but the apex court has not issued any writ of mandamus. These cases are sub-judice at the SC.

The arrestees include Bikram Gautam, Buddha Lama, Mukti Lama, Pawan Kumar Agrawal, Suman Agrawal, Krishna Bhandari, Ram Tamang, Sitaram Khadka, Ashok Shrestha, Shyam Prasad Parajuli, Ranjan Rajbanshi, Nawang Lama, Dhawa Lama, Balaram Sapkota, Roshan Tamang, Ram Krishna KC, Indra Bahadur Shrestha, Prem Thapa Magar, Sohel Karki, Suman Gurung, Shovit Silwal, Bagmati Bhandari, Pavitra Kumar Karki, Shambhu Budhathoki, and Shambhu Sherpa.

Section 125 (a) of the new penal code imposes a jail term not exceeding three years and a fine not exceeding Rs 30,000 on gamblers and those who provide place to gamblers. Section 125 (b), has jail term not exceeding one year and a fine not exceeding Rs 50,000 on repeat offenders who have committed the crime for the second time. After the second time, the repeat offenders will face additional jail term up to three months and fine up to Rs 10,000 each time.

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प्रदूषण की चपेट में दिल्ली-NCR, आनंदविहार में AQI पहुंचा 466

दिल्ली-एनसीआर में प्रदूषण से जरा भी राहत नहीं है. गुरुवार सुबह भी एयर क्वालिटी इंडेक्स(AQI) के आंकड़े चिंताजनक रहे. दिल्ली...

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केंद्रशासित प्रदेश बना लद्दाख, आरके माथुर ने ली LG पद की शपथ

गुरुवार से लद्दाख अब एक केंद्र शासित प्रदेश बन गया है, साथ ही राज्य को अपने नए उपराज्यपाल भी...

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Twitter bans all political advertisements, US Democrats hail decision

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Towards premature maturity

As a student, I was an ardent fan of Financial Times columnist Lucy Kellaway, who wrote a regular column on modern corporate culture. A successful writer, she suddenly interrupted her regular profession to start teaching and establishing Now Teach, a forum to take onboard other successful professionals to take a break and start teaching.

On July 13, 2018, she admitted that though her change of the regular profession had many hiccups, the foremost being her slashed income by 80 per cent, she said it was wonderful to start all over again and that there seemed a lot of people out there who felt the same way.

One revered musician in his 90’s said in an interview, “Life goes like a lightening, I just feel like I blinked my eyes, and 90 years have passed already.” I had a similar feeling the other day when I sat with my college friend for lunch. It seemed like yesterday that we were together jogging or scoring baskets in the basketball court or going up and down the hills of Nainital. Alas, that was 20 years ago. I realised that we had been running with life so hard that we seem to have missed what we went through in between.

Modern life has become such that we are running on an inescapable treadmill of time. Only its ambience changes to give us the different flavours of life, like graduation, jobs, marriage, children and promotions.

The realisation that life’s too short for worries and stress is coming faster to the new generation. Every now and then we hear them say, “Why worry so much? What’s in life?” Amazingly that was what we used to hear from our grandparents in our childhood. Come holidays and there are flocks of people now trying to go out on a vacation, even to destinations abroad.

The determination to lead a quality life has got diminished by being confined to the mundane routine life. We are being time and again misled into believing that happiness means money, jobs, promotion and respect. Many banker friends, who are well revered in their profession, want to leave the job the very next day as they feel suffocated.

Recently I met a senior banker, who pointed to packed personal stuffs, ready to move out at any instance. A cousin sister of mine, who recently left a good bank job, said about her new life, “To be frank, I’m enjoying this phase, I loved my work, but I was not happy with the everyday routine”.

Indeed, we seem to be moving towards premature maturity, perhaps for good.

The post Towards premature maturity appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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14 eight-thousander peaks in six months

Kathmandu, October 30

A Nepali climber has set the world record scaling all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres in just over six months.

Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja, 36, along with his team of Project Possible, successfully stood atop Mt Shishapangma yesterday completing his 14th eight-thousander.

“Nobody believed this could be done. When I first talked about it, people made jokes about me. There was no selfishness in this project, the project was never about race, it was truly about human endeavour,” said Purja.

The Purja-led team comprising four other members —Mingma Gyabu Sherpa, Gesman Tamang, Gyalzen Sherpa and Halung Dorchi Sherpa — scaled the 8,027-metre peak at around 8:58am, according to climbers. “I have done it in six months and six days,” the former UK Special Forces member said upon arrival in Kathmandu from Tibet this afternoon.

The current records for such speed attempt are seven years, 10 months and six days by Korean climber Kim Chang-ho in 2013 and seven years, 11 months and 14 days by Polish climber Jerzy Kukuczka in 1987.

Purja and his team obtained a special climbing permit from China Tibet Mountaineering Association to complete his third phase of Project Possible. China has, however, closed Shishapangma for other climbers this season.

Purja, who climbed Mt Manaslu as his 13th eight-thousander in just 158 days last month, has already set multiple world records in the history of mountain climbing. “Everything in life is possible with determined approach and positive mindset,” the climbing legend said.

Along with Purja, renowned climber Mingma Gyabu Sherpa has also become the youngest climber to complete all 14 peaks at the age of 30 years. He also holds the world record in speed climbing by successfully scaling Mt Everest and K2 in just 61 days in 2018.

Purja began his ‘Project Possible’ in April to complete all 14 peaks by November. He first climbed Mt Annapurna on April 23. “I have launched this project to promote the homeland of the Gurkhas among the 8000m mountains, and also to promote tourism with the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign,” Purja, who received a hero’s welcome at Kathmandu airport, said.

According to him, during the journey, he was involved in four unplanned rescues on different mountains.

Purja was the first Gurkha to join the elite Special Boat Service and already has multiple world records for speed climbing to his name.

It takes great vision, incredible leadership, a focus on the detail and the passion to bring people together to achieve the unthinkable.

“The journey of 14/7 has tested us all the way through at many levels. Together we have been through so much, we climbed not only as a team but as brothers with one sole goal to make the impossible possible pushing human limitations to the next level.”

Stakeholders termed Purja’s success the pride of the nation. “Purja has pushed the limits of human potential in mountaineering,” Dandu Raj Ghimire, director general at the Department of Tourism, commented.

With the success of this project, Purja said he wanted to provide important opportunities for local Sherpas and guides to forge a career in the mountains.

“I also want to give back and showcase the abilities of Nepali climbers — not just as supporters of Western mountaineers, but as brilliant mountaineers in their own right,” Purja added.

The mountaineering world also believes that Purja’s project is one of a kind which tested human endurance to its limit. “Purja has established a paradigm shift in the perception of human potential,” Mingma Sherpa, the first South Asian climber to complete all 14 peaks, said.

Purja’s summit record

Shishapangma – October 29
Manaslu – September 27
Cho Oyu – September 23
Broad Peak – July 26
K2 – July 24
Gasherbrum II – July 18
Gasherbrum I – July 15
Nanga Parbat – July 03
Makalu – May 24
Everest – May 22
Lhotse – May 22
Kanchenjunga – May 15
Dhaulagiri – May 12
Annapurna – April 23

The post 14 eight-thousander peaks in six months appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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Pentagon releases first footage, images from al-Baghdadi raid

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पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री इंदिरा गांधी की पुण्यतिथि आज, पीएम मोदी ने दी श्रद्धांजलि

आज देश की पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री इंदिरा गांधी की पुण्यतिथि है. इस मौके पर प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने उन्हें श्रद्धांजलि दी....

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Ronaldo’s controversial last-gasp penalty sinks 10-man Genoa

TURIN: Cristiano Ronaldo controversially won and then converted a stoppage-time penalty, seconds after having a goal chalked off for offside, as Juventus finally broke down 10-man Genoa to win 2-1 and go back to the top of Serie A on Wednesday.

Ronaldo went down under a challenge from Antonio Sanabria and, although their was minimal contact if any at all, the referee pointed to the spot and the VAR officials confirmed the decision with a silent check.

The Portuguese forward then fired in the penalty in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

It was rough justice on 17th-placed Genoa who played with 10 men from the 51st minute when Francesco Cassata was harshly given a second yellow card for tugging Paulo Dybala’s shirt.

Juventus, still unbeaten in all competitions under coach Maurizio Sarri, have 26 points from 10 games, one ahead of Inter Milan who beat Brescia 2-1 on Tuesday.

“We suffered a lot but we were the rightful winners. We created so many chances and deserved this win,” said Ronaldo.

“We got a bit anxious as the game we went because we needed the win but we kept on trying until the end.”

Genoa coach Thiago Motta said he would sleep well despite the defeat. “We played them on level terms until the end which isn’t easy here in Turin,” he said. “I don’t judge referees but I can say he was really severe with us.”

Juventus went ahead in the 35th minute. A corner was swung in from the left and defender Leonardo Bonucci got in front of Genoa goalkeeper Ionut Radu to score with a glancing header at the near post.

Genoa levelled within five minutes after Alex Sandro lost possession on the edge of the area. The ball was passed to Christian Kouame who mis-kicked completely but his shot hit his standing leg and flew past a wrong-footed Gianluigi Buffon.

The game veered in Juve’s favour when Dybala tried to squeeze past two players and Cassata was dismissed after the Argentine tumbled to the ground.

Juventus had substitute Adrien Rabiot sent off for a second bookable offence with three minutes to play but Genoa were still not safe.

Ronaldo turned in Juan Cuadrado’s pass in the third minute of stoppage time but, after Juventus had celebrated the goal, it was disallowed for offside following a VAR check.

But in the next attack, Ronaldo collected a pass inside the area, cut inside Sanabria and fell forwards.

He seemed to try to make contact with Sanabria rather than the other way round but the referee awarded a penalty and the irrepressible Portuguese converted.

The post Ronaldo’s controversial last-gasp penalty sinks 10-man Genoa appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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India A vs India B 1st ODI Live Cricket Streaming, Deodhar Trophy 2019: Parthiv vs Hanuma in opener

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दिग्गज सीपीआई नेता गुरुदास दासगुप्ता का निधन

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Nobel laureate Nadia Murad wants justice after al-Baghdadi killing

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अमित शाह बोले- 370 हटाकर बीजेपी ने सरदार पटेल के अधूरे सपने को किया पूरा

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Liverpool edge Arsenal on penalties after 10-goal thriller

Liverpool win shootout after astonishing 5-5 draw
Liverpool scored all five of their penalties
Divock Origi scored stoppage-time equaliser

LIVERPOOL: Anfield debutant Curtis Jones scored the winning spot-kick as Liverpool beat Arsenal on penalties after an astonishing 5-5 draw to reach the League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old substitute kept his cool in front of the Kop to send Liverpool through after the hosts had trailed 3-1, 4-2 and 5-4 before a stoppage-time equaliser by Divock Origi.

League Cup, Carabao Cup, Liverpool, Divock Origi

On a crazy evening it looked as though Joe Willock’s screamer had earned Arsenal a memorable victory, but Liverpool proved irrepressible as their barnstorming season continued.

Liverpool scored all five of their penalties while fledgling keeper Caoimhin Kelleher, 20, saved from Dani Ceballos.

It was only the second time Liverpool had conceded five at home in the last 66 years. The other occasion was a 6-3 League Cup loss to Arsenal in 2007.

“We can talk about tactics but who cares on a night like this?” Klopp, whose side have dropped only two points in their opening 10 Premier League games, said.

“I hoped for the boys they would have a game to remember. What they did tonight, I lost it really.

“If you don’t win nobody remembers it in three years, if it works out the boys will remember it forever.”

Defeat was a bitter one for Arsenal manager Unai Emery whose decision to give Mesut Ozil only his third start of the season paid off with the German playmaker in dazzling form.

Willock’s long-range effort appeared to have sealed a morale-boosting win for Arsenal after a difficult few days since squandering a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Crystal Palace.

‘CRAZY MATCH’

“A crazy match. I am very proud of their work, we had a high rhythm in the first 45 minutes,” Emery said.

“At the end we were winning until the last action. Penalties are 50/50 and we lost. We are sad but our work, we deserve to have more. There are lots of positives to take.”

Klopp and Emery changed their entire lineups from the weekend’s Premier League action with winger Harvey Elliott becoming the youngest Liverpool player (16 years, 209 days) to start at Anfield.

Liverpool took the lead in the sixth minute as Arsenal’s Shkodran Mustafi scored a comical own goal, his attempted clearance from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s low cross going into the net off his knee.

Arsenal levelled after 19 minutes when Mesut Ozil picked out Bukayo Saka in space and after his shot was saved and Liverpool could not clear, an offside-looking Lucas Torreira tapped home.

Brazilian teenager Gabriel Martinelli scored his first goal of the night seven minutes later to put Arsenal ahead, scooping in from close range after a save by Kelleher.

Liverpool self-destructed as Elliott’s poor pass went to Ozil who played in Saka to square for Martinelli to score his seventh of the season and make it 3-1, but in the 43rd minute Elliott tumbled in the box at the other end and James Milner tucked away a penalty.

Milner’s dreadful back pass allowed Ainsley Maitland-Niles to make it 4-2 after Ozil had performed wonders to recycle the ball but Arsenal old boy Oxlade-Chamberlain’s spectacular effort reduced the arrears soon afterwards.

Liverpool equalised in the 62nd minute when Jones played in Origi who turned superbly before unleashing a shot too powerful for Arsenal keeper Emiliano Martinez.

Willock’s goal arguably topped the lot though as he advanced forward before launching an unstoppable right-foot shot into the top corner from 30 metres.

But Liverpool have forgotten how to lose and Origi’s shot on the turn, after a cross from 18-year-old Neco Williams, redeemed them at the death.

The post Liverpool edge Arsenal on penalties after 10-goal thriller appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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John Bolton summoned; first big vote set on impeachment probe

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सामने आया बगदादी के खात्मे का वीडियो, ठिकाने पर रेड करते दिखे US कमांडो

दुनिया के सबसे बड़े दहशतगर्द आईएसआईएस के सरगना अबु बकर अल बगदादी के मारे जाने के चार दिन बाद अमेरिकी...

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सोनाली फोगाट को मिली जान से मारने की धमकी, बहन-जीजा के खिलाफ केस दर्ज

सोनाली फोगाट ने अपनी बहन और जीजा पर मारपीट व धमकी का आरोप लगाते हुए पुलिस में शिकायत दर्ज कराई...

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The winding road to realising the American dream

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Women at home… not quite

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Changing bat, folding sleeves were signals player gave bookie before fixing in Karnataka league

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Tuesday 29 October 2019

दिल्ली-NCR में बढ़ा प्रदूषण, गाजिबाद में AQI पहुंचा 546

दिल्ली-एनसीआर इन दिनों धुंध की चपेट में है. धुंध इतना बढ़ गया है कि कहीं भी धूप नजर नहीं आ...

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3 शादियां, रेखा संग अफेयर, विवादित रही इस एक्टर की पर्सनल लाइफ

कई दफा बेहद साधारण से रोल में भी विनोद मेहरा ने अपनी शानदार एक्टिंग की बदौलत जान फूंक दी. फिल्मों...

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कितना भी लड़ लें, आखिर में शिवसेना और भाजपा का साथ आना है मजबूरी

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करण जौहर का फ्लॉप स्टूडेंट क्या मसाला फिल्म मरजावां से करेगा वापसी?

रोमांटिक कॉमेडी और एक्शन फिल्मों में हाथ आजमाने वाले सिद्धार्थ मल्होत्रा ने पिछले सात सालों में कोई भी सोलो सौ...

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बिग बॉस सीजन 13 में शो का माहौल बिल्कुल देश के माहौल जैसा बनाने की पूरी कोशिश की गई है....

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Brazil fears oil spill could reach coral reef, readies ships

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil’s Navy said Tuesday it is preparing for the possibility that an oil spill reaches one of the country’s largest coral reef systems, amid public outcry regarding the government’s early response to the spill.

Admiral Leonardo Puntel said three ships are already onsite at the reef with another two on the way, and that a helicopter will be conducting flyovers. They will work to spot any heavy crude and, if detected, deploy divers to retrieve the masses of dense crude before they can contaminate the protected area.

The Abrolhos Marine National Park, off the coast of Bahia state, is home to rare coral formations and is a popular scuba dive site. The mysterious spill started showing up on Brazil’s northeastern coastline on September 2, and has now contaminated 254 beaches, mangroves and estuaries in nine states.

Tuesday’s press conference came as prosecutors, environmental experts and some politicians increased criticism of the government’s response to the environmental catastrophe, claiming it was initially too slow and insufficient. Footage on local television in recent weeks has shown hordes of volunteers removing oil along the 1,300 miles of affected coastline, often without government oversight or equipment

Carlos Nobre, one of Brazil’s most prominent scientists, said in an interview with the Associated Press that the government this year eliminated several committees and public bodies that collaborate with ministries to develop public policy. The committee that had drafted a national contingency plan for oil spills was among those cut, an error made evident in the wake of the spill, he said.

“When the first of this oil reaches the beaches of northeast Brazil in early September, there is no committee: these people which were organized and could immediately have taken action at federal level, state level, private-sector level.” Nobre said. “No organization. It was a total mess.”

Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva, also present at Tuesday’s press conference, denied any wrongdoing, and said the government acted as soon as the oil started showing up.

The crude moves beneath the ocean’s surface, only becoming visible as it nears the coast, which makes it extremely difficult to track by satellite, plane or helicopter, Puntel said. He told reporters the Navy can’t predict where it will hit next or how long it will continue to pollute Brazilian beaches.

In the last few days, the amount of oil reaching the coast has been diminishing, he added, without ruling out that it could pick up as currents change.

Brazil’s state-run oil company has determined the oil is Venezuelan, but Venezuela’s government denies it is the origin. Brazilian authorities continue to investigate the cause of the spill.

Nobre said he hopes the disaster serves as a “big lesson” to the administration of Jair Bolsonaro, as disasters can happen any time and in many areas.

The post Brazil fears oil spill could reach coral reef, readies ships appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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US detains record number of child migrants, surpassing crisis under Obama

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Death of Al-Baghdadi ‘big’ but more work lies ahead: Jared Kushner

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ये हैं पश्चिम बंगाल के 5 मजदूर, कश्मीर में जिनकी आतंकियों ने की हत्या

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Britain to hold a general election on December 12

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US House passes resolution recognizing Armenian genocide

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Boeing CEO accused of telling ‘half-truths’ in 737 MAX hearing

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Man City stroll to 3-1 League Cup win over Southampton

LONDON: Sergio Aguero scored twice as Manchester City‘s much-changed side strolled to a 3-1 League Cup fourth round win on Tuesday over Southampton who seemed relieved to avoid a repeat of their nine-goal thrashing by Leicester City four days earlier.

Manchester City, Sergio Aguero, Carabao Cup

Holders City made nine changes and gave a debut to 18-year-old Tommy Boyle, grandson of their late former captain Mike Doyle, and dominated the first half against the visitors who still appeared shell-shocked by Friday’s Premier League mauling.

Nicolas Otamendi nodded in Bernardo Silva’s dinked cross after 20 minutes and fellow Argentine Aguero added the second in the 38th, turning home Kyle Walker’s cross with a cushioned volley for City, who won the trophy in 2018 and 2019.

Aguero struck again in the 56th with the softest of touches after Riyad Mahrez’s 30-metre shot hit a defender and looped into his path.

City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo made his first save in the 65th minute, tipping away Sofiane Boufal’s curling effort, and the Saints even managed a goal from a Jack Stevens header with 15 minutes left.

The visitors’ display was enough to earn them applause from their fans at the end.

Everton slightly relieved the pressure on manager Marco Silva with a 2-0 home win over Watford in the night’s other all-Premier League clash.

The hosts hit the woodwork twice before Mason Holgate headed in a Theo Walcott cross in the 72nd minute and Richarlison broke clear to scored the second in the last minute.

Leicester also made nine changes and raced to a 2-0 lead in 20 minutes at third-tier Burton Albion with goals from Kelechi Iheanacho and Youri Tielemans.

Liam Boyce pulled one back early in the second half but James Maddison restored Leicester’s two goal-lead in the 89th.

Colchester United came from behind to win 3-1 at Crawley Town in an all-fourth-tier match while Oxford United beat Sunderland on penalties after a 1-1 draw between the third-tier sides to reach the last eight for the first time since 1987.

The post Man City stroll to 3-1 League Cup win over Southampton appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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Brazil braces as mysterious oil spill nears coral reef

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Chileans reject president’s concessions, plan new protests

SANTIAGO: Thousands of Chileans filled a plaza in the capital Tuesday in the 12th day of demonstrations that began with youth protests over a subway fare hike and transformed into a leaderless national movement demanding greater equality and better public services in a country long seen as an economic success story.

A move to meet one of their demands – replacing Chile’s dictatorship-era constitution – appeared to gain some momentum in the country’s congress.

Marches began in the early afternoon and as the sun set, there was a festive atmosphere in Plaza Italia, a rallying point during the demonstrations. The protesters banged pots and pans, blew plastic whistles and waved the Chilean and Mapuche indigenous flags. Vendors sold snacks, jewellery, hats and t-shirts. The demonstrators, many in their 20s and 30s, pressed their call for changes to a market-dominant socio-economic model that has fully or partially privatized pensions, health and education. They hoisted signs calling for pension reform, an end to the private ownership of water rights or for the resignation of President Sebastián Piñera.

“There’s an economic development system that’s made us all accustomed to injustice, a profound dissatisfaction among the vast majority of people who feel that they aren’t seeing the benefits of economic development,” said Jorge Pinto, a 24-year-old student of public administration.

On several side streets the atmosphere was tenser, as groups of masked protesters set fire to garbage and trees in a local park, before they were chased off by police with tear gas and water cannon. Attempts to march to La Moneda, the presidential palace, were frustrated by police barricades.

Some demonstrators are angry about the retirement system, which forces Chileans to hand over 10 per cent of their income to private fund managers and then receive pensions that barely cover a third of most people’s monthly expenses. Others fume about a public health system that makes many wait months for an appointment with a specialist, or seek expensive private care.

Still others resent university loans that they are still paying into their 40s and 50s, even as 1% of the population earns 33 per cent of the nation’s wealth, making Chile the most unequal country in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development group of wealthy nations.

Virtually none have been satisfied by Piñera’s response to the protests, which includes replacing eight ministers, calling for national dialogue, offering small increases in the minimum wage and the lowest pensions, higher taxes on the wealthy and decreases in the prices of medicine and electricity.

Piñera, a billionaire businessman who sees the private sector and economic growth as the keys to national success, may be hoping that his relatively minor concessions will calm the streets as protests approach the two-week mark, said Lucia Dammert, a sociologist and political scientist at the University of Santiago.

It remains uncertain if that will happen, Dammert said.

“It’s really unclear what the government’s strategy is. They find themselves facing a situation they weren’t prepared for,” she said. “This is a government with an intense focus on economic growth. … They may be thinking that the streets will quiet down as time passes and people get exhausted.”

Piñera’s approval is at 14 per cent, according to recent polls, but protests have focused mostly on replacing the constitution, saying its focus on prioritizing private control of virtually every aspect of the economy is the root of the country’s problems, regardless of who’s in power.

“His proposals are a joke; they’re not really the solutions that the people want,” said Lindsay Silva, a 24-year-old student working on a degree in physical therapy and health at the University of Santiago. “Inequality affects me every day because my family can’t pay its bills and has to make big sacrifices in order for me to have opportunities.”

Many protesters want a new constitution to replace the one that was written in 1980 under military dictator Augusto Pinochet and that creates the legal basis of Chile’s market-driven system. That idea began to gain momentum Tuesday when the leader of one of the three parties that supports Piñera in congress came out in favor of reforming the constitution.

“The idea of changing the constitution, of eventually creating a new constitution, is getting ever stronger, and that’s legitimate and must be discussed,” said Congressman Mario Desborde, president of the National Renovation party. “If the constitution must be changed, it must be changed. … I don’t fear democracy in the slightest.”

Six opposition parties control the House and Senate and favour changing the constitution but don’t have enough votes between them to do that, making support from governing parties essential.

The opposition parties were holding meetings Tuesday to begin moving forward on constitutional reform.

From afar, Chile has been a regional success story: Under democratically elected presidents on the left and right, a free-market consensus has driven growth up, poverty down and won Chile the region’s highest score on the United Nations Human Development Index, a blend of life expectancy, education and national income per capita.

In 2010, Chile became the second Latin nation in the OECD, after Mexico. Next month, Piñera will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, followed by the 25th United Nations Climate Change Conference in December.

Piñera’s proposals to calm the protests so far “are window dressing, because none of the things we’ve been fighting for has really been achieved,” said Catalina Alfaro, 55, who hasn’t been able to join the protests because she has been busy running a bakery she owns in western Santiago.

“Things in Chile could calm down if he says to our faces that we’re going to change the constitution.”

Social Development Minister said Sebastián Sichel said the government was asking municipalities to begin calling citizen forums as part of a national dialogue to develop concrete proposals for change out of the national protests.

He said that if citizens wanted a constitutional assembly, specially called to produce a new national charter, the government could support it.

“This can go where the citizens want it to,” he said. “There are no barriers.”

The post Chileans reject president’s concessions, plan new protests appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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यूरोपीय सांसदों के कश्मीर दौरे पर बिफरा विपक्ष, बताया शर्मनाक

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Monday 28 October 2019

Spanish women footballers to strike over pay and conditions

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BB: मिडनाइट एविक्शन में इन 3 घरवालों को मिले कम वोट, कौन होगा बेघर?

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Bhaitika today, 11:55 am auspicious hour

KATHMANDU: The most important day of Tihar, the festival of lights, is being marked today with sisters offering ‘tika’ to their brothers. Sisters throughout the country offer ‘tika’ to their brothers wishing them happiness, long life and prosperity on the occasion of Bhai tika.

In return, the brothers pledged to protect their sisters from all kinds of adversities. The auspicious hour for offering the ‘tika’ is 11:55 am this year. It, however, can be held until sunset, according to Chairman of National Calendar Determination Committee Prof Dr Ramchandra Gautam.

On this day, brothers are seated at a specially anointed place around which a trail of mustard oil is drawn. The sisters then offer the brothers ‘tika’ and garlands of ‘Dubo’ and ‘Makhamali’.

After placing colourful ‘tika’ on the foreheads of their brothers, sisters offer them a treat consisting varieties of sweets, walnut, spices and ‘Sel’, a special kind of bread cooked in oil.

Brothers also offer their sisters ‘tika’ in return, wish them happiness and good luck, and give them presents.

The occasion commemorates a legendary event in which a sister has won a boon from “Yama”, the deity of death that her brother would not die until the mustard oil is dried up and the garland of ‘Dubo’ and ‘Makhamali’ faded.

The Bhaitika tradition is so strong in Nepali society that even those who have no brothers or sisters of their own receive tika from others whom they regard as brothers and sisters.

Meanwhile, today also marks the beginning of Nepal Sambat calendar.

The Nepal Calendar Determination Committee had announced Mha Puja (worship of oneself) to be on October 28, however, Newar Community is observing Mha Puja together with Newari New Year (Nhu Danya Bhintuna) today this year.

Similarly, Kija Puja (Newar version of Bhai Tika) will be celebrated on tomorrow.

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