Living with Covid-19 stigma

A man committed suicide even after his victory over Covid-19. Sadly, he had lost the war against the social stigma that the disease brings with it.

According to media reports, there has been a steep rise in the suicide rate following the pandemic, many of them caused by extreme stigmatisation by the community.

Social stigma arises from a lack of knowledge and facts. It is the association between a person who shares certain characteristics and a specific disease.

Such stigmas affect those with the disease psychologically, as well as their caregivers, family, friends and communities. Even people showing similar characteristics of Covid-19 are being stigmatised and are in great suffering.

One victim, who was continuously nagged by the press after his test showed he had the coronavirus, shared verbally, “I am tired with the social isolation and discrimination. I have suffered so much that I am thinking of taking this up in court for privacy data theft.”

Stigma can drive people to hide the illness to avoid discrimination and prevent people from seeking healthcare immediately.

Research has clearly shown the association between stigma and fear around infectious diseases and the affected response.

The primary causes for shame surrounding Covid-19 are related to the emergence of the new virus; many are unaware of its effects. The development of Covid-19 has created a state of confusion, anxiety and fear in the public. Empathetically such factors are contributing to harmful stereotypes, leadibg to a situation where the virus can take a massive form.

Furthermore, this is escalating health problems and proving difficulty in controlling the disease. In this time of public health crisis, the government, citizens, media, key influencers and communities have an essential role to play in preventing and stopping the stigma surrounding the disease in the country. The facts should be accessible to the general public.

According to research on the mental health status of health workers in Nepal, nearly half of the participants of the study expressed a high degree of corona-related fear. During the pandemic, it’s heart aching to see the warriors of the pandemic, the health professionals, being humiliated by the society denoting them “as the virus”.

We all need to be thoughtful when communicating on the social media and other communication platforms. What works is building trust in reliable health services and advice, demonstrating empathy with those affected, understanding the disease itself, and adopting effective, practical measures so that people can help keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

 

The post Living with Covid-19 stigma appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/36rXJHX

Gender equality: Key to healthy ageing

Both governments and civil society must address the complex demographic shift of population ageing with strategic solutions and programmes. To do so successfully, we need a life-cycle approach to healthy ageing, with particular emphasis on girls and women, firmly grounded in gender equality and human rights

In a relatively short time, COVID-19 has devastated the lives of millions globally.

For hundreds of millions more, the toll wrought by the pandemic could have lasting effects for decades.

Perhaps one of the most cunning aspects of this virus is the harm it inflicts on older persons who face multiple and compounding threats, including being physically more vulnerable; at greater peril of the impacts of social isolation; and at significant risk from the grave and likely long-lasting socioeconomic shocks of the pandemic.

COVID-19 has proven to be acutely dangerous for people with underlying health conditions, ranging from diabetes and asthma to cardiac disease and cancer.

A disproportionate death rate is seen amongst older persons in most countries. Beyond physical health, the pandemic continues to take a heavy toll on older persons — and women in particular — in terms of psychosocial health and economic well-being.

In the Asia-Pacific region, these impacts are particularly acute, adding to the existing challenges of grappling with accelerating population ageing. This region is currently home to over half the world’s population over 60 years of age.

Globally, the number of older persons is expected to surpass 2 billion by 2050.

By then, nearly two-thirds of the world’s older people — close to 1.3 billion — will be in Asia-Pacific, with one in four people over age 60.

Women, who generally outlive men, currently constitute the majority — some 54 per cent — of older persons in Asia-Pacific, but represent an even greater majority, 61 per cent, of the ‘oldest old’ population of 80 years and over.

Even before the COV- ID-19 crisis, elderly women in a majority of Asia-Pacific countries were facing significant challenges, exacerbated by the fact that many societies have been moving from traditional, nuclear family-oriented patterns to far more fluid, fragmented structures. The result has been that many older women, with a higher tendency to live alone, face poverty and are more likely to lack family and other socioeconomic support.

The majority of older people do not have reliable and sustained access to a caregiver. Facing non-existent or only minimal safety nets, many have already slid into poverty during the pandemic or are on the cusp of doing so.

The pandemic has brought into acute focus the urgent need for both governments and civil society to address the complex demographic shift of population ageing with strategic solutions and programmes.

To do so successfully, we need a life-cycle approach to healthy ageing, with particular emphasis on girls and women, firmly grounded in gender equality and human rights.

To unpack this, let us consider a woman in her 70s in the small village where she was born and raised.

As with so many of her generation, she was made to marry early, with minimum education. She had children early, pregnancies were unplanned, childbirth was risky. Her husband, many years older, died a long while ago, leaving her a widow, unprepared to enter the workforce or properly fend for herself. Her children left the village for the city, adding to her isolation.

This is the scenario many older women now face – with the added risks, burdens and effects of COVID-19.

But imagine if, as an adolescent, this woman had been able to take that other branch of the road: completing school and higher education; achieving gainful employment; marrying as an adult and of her own choice; having healthy children and being able to invest in their well-being; and, ultimately, enjoying a secure old age.

If addressed in a holistic way and underpinned by better policies, more resilient social systems and gender equality, the lives of older people, especially women, can be improved significantly. This would also allow societies to harness the valuable experience and knowledge of older persons as they age – reaping a ‘longevity dividend’ from healthy, active older people who can continue their engagement in family and community.

In fact, the commitment to advance a better world in an ageing society has already been articulated by the 2002 Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing. This agreement commends the development of evidence-based policies that help create ‘a society for all ages’. In addition, the landmark Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population on Development (ICPD), as well as the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) underscore the basis of this approach to healthy ageing.

We must collectively now prioritise greater action, funding and implementation.

Within UNFPA, our mandate clearly incorporates the need to enable and strengthen the self-reliance of older persons including women, enabling their participation for the benefit of both society and themselves.

The ICPD Programme of Action is our foundation, and our guiding principle.

As the United Nations Population Fund, the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, we are increasingly seeing countries turning to us for advice and assistance on issues of population ageing. UNFPA is committed to helping governments in full partnership with civil society and communities.

2020 launches the Decade of Healthy Ageing as well as the Decade of Action to achieve the SDGs.

As Asia-Pacific, with the rest of the world, seeks to ‘build back better’ from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, let us seize this moment to transform the challenge of population ageing into opportunity.

We must translate gender equality and human rights into practical strategies and approaches that ensure no older woman will ever be left behind.

Andersson is the United Nations Population Fund Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. October 1 marks the International Day of Older Persons

 

The post Gender equality: Key to healthy ageing appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3ifV1Y5

New law evokes mixed reactions

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 30

A group of six civil society organisations have cautiously welcomed the recent authentication of two ordinances as laws by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari after they were passed by the Council of Ministers.

One of the new legislations has adopted stringent punishment for perpetrators of acid attack and introduced some regulatory measures for sale and distribution of acid and other corrosive materials.

“We take it as a positive sign. The government has paid attention to voices of survivors and others demanding changes in the law in order to better address acid attack related violence,” read a joint press statement issued by Amnesty International Nepal, Forum for Women, Law and Development, JuRI-Nepal, Legal Aid and Consultancy Centre, Burn Violence Survivors Nepal and Women’s Rehabilitation Centre.

“Today is a good day, particularly for the survivors of acid attacks, who have been leading the fight for amendment to the law related to acid attack from the very beginning. Their tireless advocacy led the government to act upon it. Now, we need to ensure that the law is enforced effectively,” said Nirajan Thapalia, Director of Amnesty International Nepal. As per the new law, which comes into effect on Monday, the maximum jail term for perpetrators of acid violence has been increased from eight years to 20 years and fine up to one million rupees.

It is now mandatory for sellers of acid and other corrosive materials to obtain a license and to sell to only adults above the age of 18.

However, the ordinance has failed to address the provision of sentencing based on the body parts that sustained injuries. This showed that the law has failed to consider in depth the experiences of survivors, the organisations warned.

Sabin Shrestha, executive director of Forum for Women, Law and Development said, “It would have been even more meaningful if the ordinance had brought a new law against acid attack related violence rather than just amending the current act.”

“Even though the new ordinance has helped to address the demands of acid attack survivors to a certain extent, the government should also focus on steps to prevent acid attack related crimes,” said Mohan Lal Acharya, executive director of JuRI-Nepal. The new ordinances have also failed to address incidents of burn violence caused using kerosene, petrol and other inflammable substances.

“The law needs to address the issue of burn violence which is a heinous crime just like acid attack. The physical pain, the mental trauma, the treatment process, the impact on self-respect and self-confidence suffered by acid attack and burn violence survivors are similar in nature. Failure of the law to address the issue of burn violence may suggest that there exists discrimination between survivors of similar crimes,” said Pratiksha Giri, executive director of Burn Survivors Nepal.

“The changes brought by the ordinance in respect to widening the scope of punishment for perpetrators, adding provision for treatment of survivors and prioritising such cases in the court are all welcome.

However, unless there are additional provisions that offer financial and social protection to address the psychosocial impact on survivors, those changes will not be effective,” said Lubha Raj Neupane, executive director of WOREC Nepal.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on October 1 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post New law evokes mixed reactions appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3cLwY21

EDITORIAL: Review the provision

No foreign tourist will visit Nepal when one has to stay in hotel quarantine for one week before setting out for trekking or mountaineering

The mandatory provision requiring a visiting foreign tourist to stay in hotel quarantine for one week before setting out for a trek or mountaineering is impractical, and it will not help promote tourism activities when the number of coronavirus cases is still on the rise in the country.

The concerned ministry, stakeholders and policymakers should have held extensive discussion on the issue before reaching such a decision. The entire tourism industry is in a downward trend all throughout the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Less numbers of people are travelling all over the world for fear of the disease, causing huge losses to the airlines, hotel and tourism industries, pushing millions of people out of their jobs. Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation needs to come up with a practical approach to attract visitors with attractive packages so that they visit Nepal and stay for a longer period than they used to before the coronavirus hit the country. This provision will be applicable to those tourists travelling to the country for trekking and mountaineering, the activities which take place in remote parts of the country, where the disease has affected the least compared to the densely populated urban centres. The stakeholders have asked the ministry to review it.

No tourist would like to stay in hotel quarantine for seven days, nor would s/he be able to afford the additional cost incurred. As per the World Health Organisation’s health protocol, a foreign traveller needs to produce a negative PCR test report conducted in the country of origin, not more than 72 hours before they board a flight and along with papers proving that one has Covid-19 insurance worth US$ 5,000. This should suffice for a traveller wishing to visit Nepal, where tourism activities have come to a grinding halt for the last six months. He or she can have their PCR test conducted in Nepal at their own expense if they have any doubt about their health condition. However, the ministry’s mandatory provision of getting an insurance cover against the virus worth Rs 100,000 to a Nepali support staffer or a guide involved in trekking or mountaineering is a welcome move. This provision will give a sense of security to the Nepali staffers who are working with foreigners by risking their life due to the coronavirus.

A large number of tourists visit Nepal for trekking, and mountaineering is popular even during the autumn season. But who will come to Nepal for short treks of one week or a fortnight when one has to stay in hotel quarantine for at least a week? This strict provision may help some hotels in the urban centres in Kathmandu or Pokhara to run their business for sometime. But it will not help promote tourism activities at the major tourist destinations, especially in the rural and mountainous areas. Most foreign tourists come to Nepal for sight-seeing, rafting, trekking and mountaineering. The tourism ministry and concerned stakeholders must develop special packages so that a large number of tourists can be attracted to visit Nepal at affordable cost even during the coronavirus pandemic.

Fair price shops

With the Dasain festival just round the corner, fair price shops are springing up at different places of the capital from Thursday. The Food Management and Trade Company (FMTC) in association with the Dairy Development Corporation and Salt Trading Company are setting up the stalls to sell goods like rice, sugar, salt and ghee at subsidised rates. Last year, there were 73 such outlets across the country, but this year, the government is undecided about opening such shops outside the valley due to the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases.

There is a tendency on the part of the business community to create artificial shortages during the festival time and swindle the poor consumers. So these fair price shops run by the government are necessary to keep prices stable in the market. It is not without reason that the FMTC is purchasing about 3,000 goats and mountain goats for Kathmandu this festival season. Their meat will not make even a small dent in the total demand, but it will certainly keep business persons from engaging in mischief. Perhaps, the time has come to have permanent government-run fair price shops across the country that will sell particularly edibles.

The post EDITORIAL: Review the provision appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3kZhhHu

IPL 2020: 'He won battle easily tonight', Steve Smith reveals what Australia teammate...

IPL 2020: As Pat Cummins bowled to Steve Smith on Wednesday, the fast bowler took just three deliveries to dismiss his former captain cheaply.

from Hindustan Times - cricket https://ift.tt/3imWQm6

IPL 2020: 'Won't be surprised if he leads a franchise in 2-3 years', Simon Doull's...

IPL 2020: Former New Zealand fast bowler and currently a renowned broadcaster, Simon Doull was the latest to rave about Gill’s leadership qualities.

from Hindustan Times - cricket https://ift.tt/33i9JcP

IPL 2020: Behind precision yorkers, T Natarajan's story of grit

IPL 2020: That Natarajan could pursue cricket is itself a story of great grit and determination. His father was a porter at the railway station, his mother was a daily wage labourer. But none of that stopped Natarajan from making his mark in the local cricket circles, and then moving a step up the ladder to the lower divisions in Chennai cricket.

from Hindustan Times - cricket https://ift.tt/3jj1qD3

IPL 2020: Robin Uthappa forgets no saliva rule, accidentally uses it to shine the...

IPL 2020: Rajasthan Royals batsman Robin Uthappa accidentally applied saliva on the ball while fielding during the Kolkata Knight Riders innings.

from Hindustan Times - cricket https://ift.tt/30ngMiw

IPL 2020: 'Jofra Archer is a weapon, brings the fear factor,' says Shane Warne

IPL 2020: In an interview, Shane Warne talks about his Sharjah memories, the captaincy style of Steve Smith, the ‘fear factor’ of Jofra Archer, the prospect of Sanju Samson and of course, RR’s new poster boy Rahul Tewatia.

from Hindustan Times - cricket https://ift.tt/3l6pDwT

IPL 2020: Kolkata Knight Riders pacers upstage Jofra Archer's brilliance as Royals...

IPL 2020: Batting first Kolkata Knight Riders posted 174 for 6 riding on Shubman Gill (47) and Eoin Morgan’s (34*) contributions. In reply, young KKR pacers never allowed RR to be in the game as they restricted RR to 137 for 9.

from Hindustan Times - cricket https://ift.tt/3kYPSpd

Making changes in presidential debate structure; says organising body

from World | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/36t2LUe

Texas man who spent nearly 40 years on death row released

from World | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/2SghXvH

Judge order leaves many US visa lottery winners out of luck

from World | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/36l9jV3

Senate approves bill to avoid shutdown, sending it to President Trump

from World | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/30mhHjk

Ahead of US Elections 2020, voting lawsuits pile up across the country

from World | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/2Gf9xCn

‘I know how much it hurts’: Sachin Tendulkar on Sanju Samson’s effort in the field

from Sports | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/2Sg2Ouk

UN Resident Coordinator Julliand completes her tenure

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 30

Outgoing United Nations Resident Coordinator Valerie Julliand completed her tenure in Nepal today. She has been appointed by UN Secretary General as UN Resident Coordinator for Indonesia.

Julliand has termed the relationship between the Government of Nepal and the UN as “one of mutual respect and collaboration”.

“When I first arrived in Nepal, the country was recovering and reconstructing after the 2015 earthquake – a feat that would be daunting and challenging for any country. As I leave, Nepal faces the COVID-19 pandemic and its immense socio-economic impacts,” said Julliand adding, “UN will continue to work together with the Government of Nepal and its people to recover from this crisis, build back anew and lay foundations for a gender-equal, more inclusive and climate-friendly Nepal.”

During her tenure, UN in Nepal signed its five-year partnership agreement (UNDAF 2018-2022), supported earthquake reconstruction process and coordinated COV- ID-19 preparedness and response efforts of humanitarian community, and worked with the government and civil society in taking forward the Global Agenda 2030, for the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and promotion of human rights. “Now more than ever, in the COVID-19 context, we need to remember that we cannot take the progress made on the Sustainable Development Goals and Millennium Development Goals for granted. We need real change in policies and economies to achieve a truly inclusive and equitable society to ensure that progress is not lost,” Julliand stressed.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on October 1 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post UN Resident Coordinator Julliand completes her tenure appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3cMZoJ8

Govt still undecided on Grade XII examinations

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 30

Though various alternatives for conducting the stalled exams have been recommended, the government has failed to take a decision to hold Grade XII examinations.

The National Examination Board had suggested the government if holding examinations inside classrooms was not feasible, online exams could be conducted for 40 marks, with 20 marks allocated for practical exams and the total marks obtained by a student in Grade XI exams could be converted to 40 marks for the evaluation.

Another alternative suggested by the NEB was that evaluation and certification could be done through 50 per cent internal assessment and the remaining 50 per cent marks could be calculated by converting from the marks obtained by a student in Grade XI.

Although NEB’s suggestion has been forwarded to the Council of Ministers through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, for its approval, no decision has been made regarding this so far and this has created confusion among the students and parents.

If a decision on this matter is not immediately made, then there will be slim possibility of conducting the exams before the Dashain festival.

Moreover, it would be difficult to conduct the exams in the mountainous districts after the Dashain due to the cold. In such a situation, experts suggest, the second alternative of the National Examination Board has a high chance of implementation.

Questions have been raised regarding the authenticity of the online exams said to be held for 40 marks as it was going to be an ‘open book exam’. Besides internet access for students in remote parts of the country was a major issue.

A few days ago, Minister of Education Giriraj Mani Pokharel had said that the ministry was for administering the examinations in one or the other form as the Grade XII exam is a board examination and it has to have international equivalence. If online exam is held, questions will arise on the duration of the exam and assigning of the exam centres.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on October 1 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post Govt still undecided on Grade XII examinations appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3ihTQr6

Private labs get ultimatum to cut PCR test fee

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 30

The Ministry of Health and Population has given a 24-hour ultimatum to private hospitals and laboratories to bring down the fee for polymerase chain reaction test to Rs 2,000 per test in line with the rate fixed by the government.

“In case they fail to do so, the permission given to them to conduct the test will be scrapped,” said Jageshwor Gautam, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, today.

Eight private hospitals and laboratories, including HAMS Hospital, Star Hospital, B&B Hospital and Nepal Mediciti Hospital had issued a press statement on September 27 saying that they would be charging Rs 3,899 for a PCR test.

Earlier on September 14, the government had decided to decrease the fee for PCR test that diagnoses COVID-19 to Rs 2,000 from Rs 4,400.

The Health Emergency Operation Centre had issued a directive to all the laboratories conducting PCR test to charge Rs 2,000 per test as per the decision taken by the Incident Command System meetings held in the presence of Minister of Health and Population, Bhanubhakta Dhakal on September 14.

On August 31, the government had slashed the fee for PCR tests to Rs 4,400 from Rs 5,500.

According to Gautam, the Incident Command System of the Ministry of Health and Population had decided that labs charging fee in excess of what the government had fixed should be warned before directing National Public Health Laboratory to scrap the permission given to them to conduct test.

In case the errant labs fail to bring down the fee even after that the Ministry of Home Affairs and Department of Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection Management will be asked to take action against them on the charge of black marketing.

Jyotindra Sharma, executive director at HAMS Hospital, said they would not abide by the government ultimatum, adding that the fee fixed by the government was not reasonable.

“Private hospitals and laboratories have to bear additional cost that government hospitals don’t have to,” added Sharma.

“As the health ministry has told us to decrease the price of the PCR test, all the laboratories and hospitals’ management should sit and discuss the issue and come up with a solution,” said Sharma.

Four other labs that are charging Rs 3,899 are also based in Kathmandu valley. They are: Intrepid Diagnostic Centre, Decode Genomics and Research Centre, Central Diagnostic Laboratory and Research Centre and Saurya Healthcare Private Ltd.

The post Private labs get ultimatum to cut PCR test fee appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/33i2h1l

Seagram heir Clare Bronfman is sentenced to 81 months in NXIVM ‘sex cult’ sase

from World | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/3jiHKQ3

Swindling racket busted, eight members arrested

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 30

Police have nabbed eight persons who were involved in swindling money from people on the pretext of exchanging foreign currency at a rate lower than the market rate.

The police came to know about the large scale business of the racketeers and their notorious history following the arrest of a few members of the gang last Friday on September 25.

Earlier, a youth Nawaraj, 25, (name changed) from Dhapasi, who had recently returned from foreign employment was looted by the members of the group.

According to police, Nawaraj was lured by a young girl whom he had known through Facebook.

She had told Nawaraj that her family had found a large amount of US Dollars from an earthquake rubble and they were willing to exchange it with Nepali currency at a lower rate.

Nawaraj, who had met the girl once at a hotel room agreed to exchange Rs 500,000 for USD. After a few days, he went near Rose Village Apartments in Balkot, Bhaktapur with the cash. There, two persons along with the girl handed him apparently a bundle of USD bills wrapped by a towel in exchange of Nepali currency.

While exchanging the money, Nawaraj was shown some original US dollar bills.

But below the original US dollar bills were actually stacked a bulk of paper cut in the size of the USD bill. Unaware of it Nawaraj had handed his money to them. As soon as they received the money all three, including the girl, left the scene.

When Nawaraj checked the bag he finally learned that he was swindled by the girl and her friends. He then lodged a complaint against the girl and her team at Bhaktapur Police. Police soon arrested them and five more persons from their rented rooms at Bode of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality.

Of those arrested are, leader of the group Khel Bahadur Tamang, 36, Rail Bahadur Tamang, 33, Shyam Bahadur Tamang, 33, Ram Krishna Tamang, 25, Kanchi Tamang, 32, Raj Kumar Tamang, 33, Nirmal Bhandari, 23, and Bimal Bhandari, 21.

All of them are from Barhabise Municipality, 3, of Sindhupalchowk district and are related to each other or are neighbours.

Only after their arrest last Friday, police came to know that they were involved in similar 10 other cases. The group had been active in swindling money from people for the past six years and they had swindled millions of rupees in the same manner. Subash Budhathoki, inspector and spokesperson for Metropolitan Police Range, Bhaktapur, said some of them lived at various places in Kathmandu valley, in disguise as commoners.

“The gang members were involved in activities like animal husbandry and truck driving. They were very friendly to their neighbours wherever they lived.”

The leader, Khel Bahadur had bought two ropani land in Shankharapur Municipality of Kathmandu district.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on October 1 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post Swindling racket busted, eight members arrested appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3ig9zqz

SC hearing against Gautam’s nomination to NA begins

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 30

Constitutional bench of the Supreme Court today began hearing in the case filed against Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Vice-chair Bamdev Gautam’s nomination to the National Assembly.

Lawyers representing petitioners, Senior Advocate Dinesh Tripathi and Advocate Badri Raj Bhatta and the government presented their arguments. Hearing of the case will continue on Friday in the same constitutional bench headed by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana.

Other justices in the bench are Deepak Kumar Karki, Hari Krishna Karki, Bishwambhar Shrestha and Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada. Petitioner Tripathi argued before the court that nomination of Gautam to the Upper House had undermined the decisions of his electors, who voted against him in Bardiay-1 constituency.

He also said the provision whereby the president nominates three persons to the NA on recommendation of the government is for nominating distinguished persons of various walks of life and not for a regular leader like Gautam.

The constitutional provision stipulating that a person, who has lost the HoR election cannot become a minister in the same tenure of the HoR means that such a person cannot also become a member of the NA, he argued. Tripathi said the government used the constitutional provision with mala fide intention against the scheme of the constitution. Advocate Pankaj Kumar Karna, who pleaded on behalf of the petitioners said had the constitution imagined of nominating any person from any field, the law of the land would have incorporated provisions for electing all 59 members to the NA through direct election. But since the spirit of the constitution was to nominate distinguished persons, who have contributed to national life such as economist, scientist, artists and academicians, the constitution incorporated provision for nominating three people to the 59-member NA.

Attorney General Agni Prasad Kharel said as per Article 87 of the constitution, Gautam was eligible to become a member of the federal parliament and thus Article 78 (4) did not apply to him. Kharel said under the Interim Constitution, Mahantha Thakur and Madhav Kumar Nepal, who had lost Constituent Assembly elections, were later appointed to the NA among the 26 nominees.

Nepal even became prime minister. He also cited the case of late prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, who was defeated in the House of Representatives elections held in 1959, but was nominated to the HoR and he later became the speaker of the House in the same tenure of the HoR.

“One-time defeat does not mean that the loser has been disqualified forever,” he argued.

The bench had given two hours each, to the lawyers representing the petitioners, the government and Gautam to conclude their arguments. The court will hear arguments from Gautam’s lawyers on Friday and would give the petitioners a chance to rebut their arguments.

Earlier a single bench of the SC had ordered the government to keep Gautam’s process in status quo besides asking the government not to assign extra constitutional responsibility to him.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on October 1 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post SC hearing against Gautam’s nomination to NA begins appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/2HMu9m7

Man United beat Brighton again, Calvert-Lewin hat-trick

LONDON: Manchester United earned their second win over Brighton & Hove Albion in five days as they booked a place in the League Cup quarter-finals with a 3-0 win at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday.

It was much more comfortable for United than Saturday’s dramatic last-gasp 3-2 league victory, Scott McTominay heading in the opener shortly before halftime before Juan Mata and substitute Paul Pogba scored in the second half.

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made 10 changes to the team that started at the weekend, with Victor Lindelof the only player to keep his place, and although United struggled for fluency they were too strong for a second-string Brighton side.

Holders Manchester City beat Burnley 3-0 thanks to a double from Raheem Sterling and new signing Ferran Torres’ first goal in English football.

Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin continued his superb form with his second hat-trick of the season as the Toffees outclassed West Ham United 4-1 at Goodison Park.

The 23-year-old took his season’s tally to eight goals in all competitions, more than any other Premier League player, and he became the first Everton player to score a hat-trick in the League Cup since Paul Rideout against Lincoln City in 1993.

This form has strengthened his case to be included in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for three internationals in October, which is due to be named this week.

Newcastle United narrowly avoided an upset as Jonjo Shelvey’s late equaliser earned them a 1-1 draw against League Two (fourth tier) Newport County and set up a penalty shootout which the Premier League team won 5-4.

The quarter-final draw will take place after the final fourth-round ties on Thursday, Brentford v Fulham, Aston Villa v Stoke City and Liverpool v Arsenal.

The post Man United beat Brighton again, Calvert-Lewin hat-trick appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/2Sf8o0c

IPL 2020: 'You can have your favourite food from Kerala after that', Sanju Samson...

IPL 2020: Sanju Samson revealed a conversation he had with Virat Kohli during India’s tour of New Zealand earlier this year and how deeply it impacted Samson, forcing him to change his approach towards his cricket.

from Hindustan Times - cricket https://ift.tt/36kzKdE

Donald Trump says India doesn’t fully disclose Covid-19 death toll

from World | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/36hBpk7

Lionel Messi says it’s time for Barcelona to unite

from Sports | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/2SaSGDd

RR vs KKR Predicted Playing 11, IPL 2020 Live Updates: Desperate Knight Riders take on buoyant Royals

from Sports | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/36hCPLt

Universal basic income: The time is now

The idea of a UBI is not perfect, but the decision on it must be taken soon. Of all the things the coronavirus has given us, the least is time. If there was ever a time for a universal basic income, it is now

A concept that has been under debate for some years in global forums is the Universal Basic Income (UBI), which briefly defines a distribution structure where every citizen receives a fixed amount of cash regularly from the government. With the Covid-19 virus highlighting the ills of poverty and inequality, especially in emerging markets, the discussions around UBI have become louder.

A universal basic income has three key components.

It is universal – no citizen is excluded. Everyone gets the same assistance, irrespective of their gender, wealth, age or occupation.

It is unconditional, that is, transfer is done without any pre-condition. The recipient does not have to perform any task in order to be eligible for the income.

It is direct – money reaches the targeted beneficiary directly, without much interference from any middleman.

The biggest criticism has been with regard to the universality of the UBI, as economies have limited fiscal space and ongoing expenditures.

While it eliminates the exclusion error, the inclusion error rises, where a lot of relatively richer individuals also receive the payment. However, existing schemes also run similar risks, and sometimes the opposite, where exclusion errors are significant and the benefits reach a little few.

Regarding the fiscal space, it has been suggested that the UBI should not be implemented in addition to existing programmes, but rather as an alternative. The constraint then is not fiscal but political, as scrapping existing programmes requires a lot of political will and concurrence of a lot of stakeholders in the status quo.

Another criticism is about the one-way transfer of cash with nothing in return.

Such unconditional transfers would make the recipient lazy and unwilling to work, which would be detrimental to the economy.

This idea is based on an assumption that the sole purpose of an individual to work is survival. This is questionable, as human necessities go beyond food, and extend to clothing, housing, health, education and other activities, which are continuously upgraded with rising incomes.

Also, the ones at the bottom have too little to save.

Any increase in income would immediately turn into expenditure. With a higher marginal propensity to consume, the multiplier effect would give significant gains. For those slightly above this bottom section the additional incomes could also ignite entrepreneurial instincts, leading to investments and employment.

There is therefore a need to trust these individuals, that they will strive to improve their lives and not be lazy.

The biggest handicap with respect to the UBI is that of targeting, especially in emerging countries. Despite the right intensions, the policy makers can’t implement the UBI if there are limitations in the distribution capabilities. The lack of internet penetration and absence of banking services in remote areas makes direct transfers impossible, and cash transfers through intermediaries would open the gate for corruption.

While the state could start with areas that they could service right now, in the medium term they would have to work on preparing the infrastructure to facilitate UBI.

Banks would also have an incentive to open branches, as they get a new set of depositors and borrowers.

Banking correspondents could be hired in these areas to reach more individuals and get them under the government and bank’s service net. This data could be used in future policies, and also to improve the targeting of the UBI itself.

Versions of the UBI have been implemented in countries like the US, Finland, Brazil and Germany.

The effectiveness of these programmes has also varied from case to case, and while some decided to continue with it, most took the alternative route with methods like providing subsidies, exemptions or indirect transfers.

In the USA, the oil dependent state of Alaska makes an annual unconditional transfer of the Permanent Fund Dividend ranging from US$ 1,000- 2000 depending on the price of oil. The dividend was observed to have no impact on overall employment.

However, it affected fertility rates, as families were encouraged to have more kids.

In the town of Dauphin, Canada, to check the impact of a basic income, a randomised control trial was done during 1974-79, where every family was eligible to participate. It seemed to have benefitted the physical and mental health of residents, with fewer doctor visits and cases of hospitalisation. High school graduation rates also improved.

The Bolsa Familia Programme in Brazil is a case of conditional transfer, where recipients are expected to keep their children in school and visit health clinics. Millions of recipients are covered under the programme. Finland ran a one year trial in 2017 by choosing 2,000 unemployed citizens and giving them 560 euros every month for two years, irrespective of whether they held a job. The results showed that the income didn’t help them get jobs, but it did make them feel happier and less stressed.

The recipients also reported that they felt more trust toward other people and social institutions.

In Germany, in 2014, the non-profit Mein-Grund-einkommen used crowd funding to set up a basic income programme.

Each got about $1,100 per month for a year. Most of the recipients said the income made them less anxious, more than half said it helped them continue their education while about a third said they feel more motivated at work. In India, between 2011 and 2012, a pilot project in the state of Madhya Pradesh gave a basic income to some 6,000 Indians. Receiving a basic income led to improved sanitation, nutrition and school attendance.

The idea of a UBI is not perfect. Each country, including Nepal, would have to assess the plausibility of its implementation in the context of their abilities.

But the decision would have to be taken soon. Of all the things the coronavirus has given us, the least is time. If there was ever a time for a universal basic income, it is now.

Sharma is economist and co-founder at Sankhya Solutions, a research and analytics company

 

The post Universal basic income: The time is now appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3kVGC5d

EDITORIAL: TU, stay resolute

One only hopes TU has a Plan B ready should coronavirus cases in the country get out of hand

Even as the authorities mull over another lockdown following the rapid rise in the number of Covid-19 cases across the country in recent days, Nepal’s biggest university, Tribhuvan University, has decided to go ahead with its regular examinations after the major festivals next month. Dasain, the biggest festival of the Nepalis, is just about a fortnight away, and students have been asked to contact their respective colleges and learn about the exam schedule and location. The coronavirus has hit all sectors, but its impact on education is particularly critical as it affects more than a third of the country’s population, or 10 million students in schools and colleges. The lockdown went into force on March 23, just days before the school and college students were to sit for their respective exams. As a result, the Secondary School Examinations (SEE) taken at the end of class 10 were cancelled this year. For the first time, students were, thus, evaluated based on their performance in school, which resulted in unprecedented high scores.

The new academic year of colleges in particular has been delayed by months, and unless the authorities can come up with some way to conduct the exams and start the new session, the academic environment is going to go awry. Some universities have already conducted exams, but they have few students.

However, Tribhuvan University, with tens of thousands of students studying in hundreds of affiliated colleges, is a different story altogether.

The mode of taking the exams will have to be very different this time. Until now, all the students from a particular college were made to take their exams from a particular centre.

But right now, most of the students have gone back to their homes, some to remote villages. With the students unable to travel long distances, the exam centres will have to be at the nearest convenient location for them. For those unable to visit a nearby college, the TU is also mulling over holding ‘open book exams’ under the direct supervision of local governments.

But all this is easier said than done. For one, the authorities cannot be taking chances. The threat of the coronavirus is real, and there are immense chances of the virus spreading if the students are not made to follow the mandatory health guidelines at the exam centre. With the incidence of Covid-19 increasing at an alarming rate, no one can predict what the scenario will be after Dasain and Tihar, when the cold season will have set in. The government is said to be thinking of imposing another lockdown should the number of active cases touch the 25,000 mark. For now, TU remains determined to conduct the exams come what may as no one knows when the virus will finally go away. One only hopes it has a Plan B ready should coronavirus cases in the country get out of hand. It is equally necessary that there is strict monitoring and supervision of the exam centres to discourage any unethical practice.

When the exams are conducted, strict monitoring of the movement of students, practising social distancing and wearing of masks will go a long way in making them a success.

---

Abide by the rules

Eight private hospitals and laboratories which have obtained permission from the government to conduct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests have refused to abide by the directives issued by the Ministry of Health and Population. The ministry has now slashed the price for a PCR test from Rs 5,500 to Rs 2,000, citing price cuts in the international market for PCR test kits and reagents. The private hospitals and labs have argued that they cannot provide the service at the price fixed by the government as they have already made huge investments in setting up their labs and arranging human resources. The private hospitals, in a joint statement, said they would charge Rs 3,899 for a PCR test.

Their argument that they need to buy equipment, reagents and other stuffs at a “much higher price in the black market” is simply illogical. The government has already made arrangements to purchase the required equipment and other stuffs at subsidies rates.

Private health institutions must provide affordable services to the public in times of emergency. If they don’t follow the rules, legal action should be taken against them. They cannot be fixing fees on their own.

 

The post EDITORIAL: TU, stay resolute appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3cJQ098

Discussion on safe abortion to be held

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 29

Local chapter of global women’s rights movement, She Decides Nepal, will mark International Safe Abortion Day with an ‘Open House’ event tomorrow to raise awareness on abortion rights.

The event will aim to create a safe space for young people to come together and share knowledge and experiences. Through speaking openly and informatively about abortion-related issues, the movement hopes to help raise awareness on safe abortion.

Despite abortion being legal in the country many women and girls have been deprived of the right to decide on abortion issues. Nepal’s recent Demographic and Health Survey found that only 41 per cent of women aged between 15 and 49 were aware that abortion is legal in Nepal, and only 48 per cent knew a place where a safe abortion service could be obtained. Over half of abortions (58 per cent) were conducted by untrained or unapproved providers. The COVID-19 pandemic has further restricted women’s access to safe abortion and the right to decide. During this time, many women and girls have been unable to use essential sexual and reproductive services, such as contraception, which is resulting in a higher number of unintended pregnancies, adding further strain to an already overstretched system.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 30, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post Discussion on safe abortion to be held appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3kW9fz6

Fair price shops to open from tomorrow

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 29

The Food Management and Trade Company Ltd (FMTCL) has announced that it will be opening fair price shops from Thursday.

FMTCL will be opening the shops targeting the festive season in association with Salt Trading Corporation (STC) and Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) in Kalimati, Koteshwor, Teku, Singha Durbar, Satungal, and other places of Lalitpur and Bhaktapur.

As per FMTCL, it will operate five shops, while STC and DDC will operate five and three shops, respectively. The shops will be open till the Chhath festival. Last year, the government had operated a total of 73 shops across the country with STC operating a total of 35 such outlets, including three mobile outlets, while FMTCL and DDC had operated 23 and 15 shops, respectively, within and outside the Valley.

According to FMTCL, it has still not decided on the price that it will be charging for the food items that it will be selling through the fair price shops.

The company has, however, made a commitment to increase the number of outlets and mobile outlet services gradually. However, looking at the increasing threat of COV- ID-19 infection the government has not taken any decision yet to open such outlets outside the valley.

Generally, the government operates outlets across the country and sells goods like rice, ghee, salt and sugar, among others, at subsidised rates to control the inflation of daily consumables during the festive season and provide relief to consumers. Starting from Dashain, the shops are open till Chhath.

Amid this, FMTCL has decided to purchase 3,000 goats and mountain goats targeting the Dashain festival. As per the company, 1,400 mountain goats and 1,600 goats will be purchased for the festival. The goats will be purchased from Nepalgunj, Hetauda and Dang, among other districts while mountain goats will be purchased from Mustang.

As per Sharmila Neupane, information officer of FMTCL, the price of goats and mountain goats might increase this year as farmers are increasing the price due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, due to the pandemic transportation will be costlier too, she added.

READ ALSO: 

• Fair price shops to open after October 1

The post Fair price shops to open from tomorrow appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/2SeTQgQ

UK air ambulance tests paramedic jet suit

LONDON, SEPTEMBER 29

Emergency responders and engineers in Britain said today they had successfully tested “the world’s first jet suit paramedic”, which could transform how life-savers reach isolated casualty sites.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service, which provides emergency air response across swathes of northern England, said it had helped flight-test the 1,050 bhp (brake horsepower) jet suit in the Lake District National Park.

The trial saw Richard Browning, the founder of Gravity Industries which has pioneered the technology, fly from the bottom of a valley up to a simulated casualty site in 90 seconds — compared to a 25-minute response time on foot.

Video of the simulated exercise shows Browning, wearing a helmet, goggles and red flight suit equipped with a jet pack-style device, powering off the ground and zooming through the air just above the surface of the rocky terrain.

Andy Mawson, GNAAS director of operations, said the charity chose the test location based on its call-out data and had little idea how the tech would fare in the real world.

“We’ve seen it now and it is, quite honestly, awesome,” he said in a statement.

Mawson added that at a time of strained healthcare provision because of the coronavirus pandemic, it was “important to still push the boundaries”.

“We think this technology could enable our team to reach some patients much quicker than ever before,” he said.

“In many cases this would ease the patient’s suffering.

In some cases, it would save their lives.”

GNAAS, which responds to more than 1,500 call-outs a year and relies on donations to fund its operations, said the successful test flight was the culmination of a year of discussion with Gravity Industries.

The charity was “now exploring the next steps in this collaboration,” it said.

Browning said it was “wonderful” to have tested his “Gravity Jet Suit” with active emergency responders.

“We are just scratching the surface in terms of what is possible to achieve with our technology,” he added.

“Emergency response is one of the areas Gravity (Industries) are actively pursuing.”

 

The post UK air ambulance tests paramedic jet suit appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/33eWslh

Nepali UNMISS peacekeepers honoured with UN medal

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 29

United Nations honoured UN peacekeepers, including Nepali nationals in South Sudan, during a function held here today.

“I’m very proud to be a part of United Nations Mission in South Sudan,” said Captain Chunadevi Paudel, a peacekeeper from Nepal, upon receiving the United Nations medal for her commitment to the cause of durable peace across South Sudan. “I have been struck most by the people of South Sudan. They have been through so much pain, they have a higher degree of resilience and positive attitude towards life,” she said.

Captain Paudel was in Sudan as part of her first peacekeeping mission and she left behind her young son to wear the iconic blue beret. “Staying away from one’s children is hard,” she said adding, “But at the end of my deployment, I can truly say that I have learnt a lot from the host community and from all my fellow peacekeepers from different countries.” Captain Paudel is one of 850 Nepali peacekeepers, who received the UN medal today for their immense contribution to the mission’s mandate delivery during the most challenging and extraordinary time, when conflict and displacement in the world’s newest country have been exacerbated by the spread of COVID-19.

Nepali battalion has, in the past 11 months, conducted operational activities in some of the most sensitive areas of South Sudan, especially in Equatorias, undertaking diverse tasks such as force protection, community engagement and enhancing UNMISS’ situational awareness. Most importantly, they have protected civilians and prevented conflicts from escalating, read a press release issued by UNMISS.

Special Representative of UN Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS David Shearer commended the awardees for their professionalism, commitment and dedication. “I would particularly like to thank you for the support you provided to Pibor in Southern Sudan during the period of intense inter-communal violence and large-scale displacement of civilians. As such, you should be justifiably proud of your efforts to create positive and meaningful change for the people of South Sudan,” said Shearer.

Colonel Saroj Kumar Adhikari, Contingent Commander for Nepali battalion reiterated his country’s commitment to United Nations’ peacekeeping efforts. “Our country has a long history of contributing troops to United Nations. As peacekeepers we try to bring to all our deployments, the ability to understand the on-ground situation, respect the rule of the land, be dedicated to the mission’s objectives and always have a sense of pride in the duties we perform,” he said. Colonel Adhikari paid tribute to the generous spirit of South Sudanese communities.

As one of the first medal parades to be held in Juba following the outbreak of COVID-19, it has been a special day, not just for those being honoured, but for everyone attending and a testament to the peacekeeping mission’s commitment towards ensuring a just, equitable and sustainable peace for all communities in South Sudan. Nepal’s first deployment to UNMISS was in 2011. Since then its commitment has grown to over 2,000 personnel including military observers, staff officers, two battalions, the High Readiness Company as well as a formed police unit and individual police officers, read the release.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 30, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post Nepali UNMISS peacekeepers honoured with UN medal appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/36k8snp

Claims from Trump and Biden’s first debate

from World | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/3kZbUIu

‘Will you shut up, man?’: Joe Biden to interrupting Donald Trump during first debate

from World | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/3jfpSoV

LeBron James and the Miami Heat, together again at the NBA Finals

from Sports | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/3igWAVR

DC vs SRH: Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer fined Rs. 12 lakh for maintaining slow over-rate

from Sports | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/3cJ9GtH

Govt offices told to abide by Right to Information Act

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 29

Thirteen years after the implementation of the Right to Information Act-2020, some government offices have yet to designate their information officers.

According to the National Information Commission, 29 offices have been running without information officers. NIC Chief Commissioner Mahendra Man Gurung said those offices were directed to make provision of information officers for dissemination of information to citizens, on their request. A press release issued by the NIC stressed the need for information officers in each public body to implement the legal and constitutional provisions on right to information of citizens.

The RIT Act stipulates the provision of an information officer in a government body for dissemination of information.

To disseminate information to the public, the chief of a public body has to regularly provide information to the information officer by establishing a separate information section.

The constitution has also recognised the right of citizens to demand and obtain information held by public bodies on any matter of public importance.

“Both the information provider and receiver are equally responsible for implementation of the right to information. Dissemination of information is more important during the COVID-19 pandemic,” read the release.

Though most of the public bodies have information officers, they often refuse to provide information on request of citizens. The NIC said it received 1,013 complaints against public bodies for their refusal to provide information in fiscal 2019-20.

“We settled all the complaints by directing the public bodies concerned to provide information sought by the complainants,” the NIC informed. “The citizens are expected to be more proactive to make the public bodies to provide them with information to maintain good governance and transparency, and prevent or control corruption.” The NIC also said it penalised 24 officials for their failure to implement its directives with regard to dissemination of information, in 2019-20. The act requires public bodies to disclose key information about their activities on a quarterly basis even without the request of citizens.

Despite such legal provision, 90 out of 120 offices were found not complying with the provision on the proactive disclosure of information during the study.

The NIC said it was working on preparation of a five-year strategy for effective implementation of the right to information.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 30, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post Govt offices told to abide by Right to Information Act appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3cU1vLr

Messi seeks to draw line under Barca departure saga

BARCELONA: Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has said he wishes to move on from his recent bid to walk out of the club and his recent attacks on the board of directors, calling for everyone to pull together to help the team have a successful season.

Messi handed Barca an official notice in August of his desire to terminate his contract before eventually deciding to stay for the coming season, the last on his current deal, because he did not want to face a legal battle with the club.

After rowing back on his decision to leave, Messi continued to attack club president Josep Maria Bartomeu in a September interview and also criticised the club for their treatment of Luis Suarez, who left Barca for Atletico Madrid.

Yet in an interview with Barcelona-based newspaper Sport published late on Tuesday, he said he no longer wanted any fights with the club.

“After so many arguments, I would like to bring an end to everything. We all have to be united and assume that the best is yet to come. We must always be united and pull in the same direction,” Messi said.

“I take responsibility for my errors and if they existed, it was only to make Barcelona better and stronger.”

Barca’s all-time top scorer also said he regretted hurting the club’s supporters but stressed that he believed at the time that leaving the team where he has spent the last 20 years would have been good for the club.

He added: “If at any moment, any of them were annoyed by something that I said or did, let there be no doubts that anything I did was always with the club’s best interests in mind.”

The post Messi seeks to draw line under Barca departure saga appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3n2bpyV

SC moved against Beema Samiti

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 29

The Supreme Court has issued a show cause notice to Beema Samiti and the government, asking them to furnish reason for requiring people to submit citizenship certificates for COVID-19 insurance coverage.

A single bench of Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut issued the order in response to a writ petition filed by Arjun Sah and Ruby Basnet. The court has summoned both sides next Tuesday for hearing when the court will decide on whether or not it should issue an interim order as demanded by the petition.

Executive Director of Forum for Women, Law and Development Sabin Shrestha, who pleaded on behalf of the petitioners said his clients were eligible citizens as per the constitution but they had not been issued Nepali citizenship in the absence of a new federal citizenship law. He said the petitioners’ economic, social and political rights have been violated due to lack of citizenship and as Beema Samiti made it mandatory for people to produce citizenship certificates to have COVID-19 insurance coverage, his clients filed the case against Beema Samiti’s decision.

The petitioners have made the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and Finance Ministry, defendants in the case.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 30, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post SC moved against Beema Samiti appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/2Samm3h

Quarantine ‘could deter tourists’

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 29

The mandatory seven-day quarantine rule that tourists need to follow upon their arrival in Nepal will prove to be a deterrence for majority of travellers, say tourism sector stakeholders.

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has issued protocols for tourists travelling to the country for mountaineering and trekking. As per the protocols issued today, foreigners have to stay in quarantine for seven days. However, stakeholders have demanded that the protocols be amended.

“Tourists travelling over long distances will avoid staying in quarantine for seven days.

Moreover, not all of them may be able to afford the seven-day hotel quarantine,” said Khum Subedi, president of Trekking Agencies’ Association Nepal. He added that if the government wanted tourists, then protocols should be convenient for them.

“Three-day quarantine can be considered, but a week-long quarantine is too lengthy and bothersome,” Subedi added. He said the government should allow tourists to move around the county on the basis of the PCR test report they bring from their respective countries.

He opined that the government should provide e-visa services as well.

Meanwhile, Santa Bir Lama, president of Nepal Mountaineering Association, said the seven-day quarantine rule would affect tourists who were planning short trips to Nepal. “For instance, if a person can only come for a seven-day holiday here, then it is going to affect them,” he said, adding, “But for tourists who are planning to visit Nepal for a long duration or who have come for trekking and mountaineering, the rule might not affect them much.”

Lama, however, said everyone had to follow the government’s protocols which have been prepared in accordance with international standards. “Our responsibility is to make tourists feel secure when they travel to our country. For that, we have to do whatever is necessary,” he added.

According to the protocols, tourists must secure an entry-visa, or an entry-permit in the absence of visa provision in their countries in coordination with the respective travel agencies.

Travellers must come along with a negative PCR test report conducted not more than 72 hours before they board the flight. Along with the report, visitors must have booking documents for the hotel where they will be staying for at least seven days in quarantine.

Tourists must provide papers proving they have COVID-19 insurance worth $5,000. They must also undergo a PCR test at their own expense on the fifth day of their quarantine. They can then proceed with their travel plans at the end of the quarantine period only if the test report is negative. If the test result is positive, then the concerned person must stay in quarantine for as long as they do not test negative.

According to the ministry, the trekking or mountaineering agency must insure travellers against coronavirus for a sum of Rs 100,000 prior to applying for a permit.

The post Quarantine ‘could deter tourists’ appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/2HIWSIs

‘Taxes, coronavirus’: Key takeaways from first US presidential debate between Donald Trump, Joe Biden

from World | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/3kTGX8g

Jose Mourinho gets better of Frank Lampard as Spurs beat Chelsea in Cup

from Sports | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/36jYRgy

SWC asked to nullify inactive NGOs

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 29

The Women and Social Welfare Committee of the House of Representatives has directed the Social Welfare Council to nullify the non-government organisations that fail to renew their registration under the prevailing law.

At a meeting held with office-bearers of the SWC held in Kathmandu yesterday, the house panel warned that many of the NGOs had not renewed their registration at the SWC. “A report from the SWC shows that there are nearly 50,000 NGOs across the country. Many of them got registered with the SWC but don’t get renewed as per the rules. Despite non-renewal of the organisations, they have not been nullified,” the parliamentary panel said.

“We direct the SWC to furnish a reason as to why it did not take initiative for cancellation of such NGOs.”

The SWC is the authorised body of the government to regulate and monitor NGOs and their activities. It is also mandated to evaluate the projects implemented by NGOs. It is mandatory for the NGOs to obtain approval from the SWC.

The parliamentary panel has also directed the SWC to select and approve the projects proposed by NGOs based on national priority, while ensuring equitable mobilisation of their budget for regional balance.

The SWC has been told to determine outcome indicators of the projects to be implemented by NGOs.

“The SWC is expected to submit its annual report as per the directives of the house panel beginning the current fiscal,” read a decision of the committee.

The house panel said the rent of land and physical structures leased out by the SWC in Kathmandu valley and other places of the country was lower than the prevailing market value.

“People have complained that the process of leasing out land and structures was not transparent and lacked competition. The SWC is directed to submit reasons explaining the issue to the house panel as soon as possible,” read the decision.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 30, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post SWC asked to nullify inactive NGOs appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3kWHvdK

CIB refuses to arrest persons operating networking business

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 29

The Central Investigation Bureau said it had no jurisdiction to arrest owners of 25 suspicious companies over illegal networking business.

Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection had written a letter to the CIB around a week ago, requesting it to arrest above 50 business persons and company owners for allegedly running networking business.

Networking business is a multi-level marketing business.

The business has been declared illegal in Nepal.

CIB said it could not arrest any person for operating networking business because the issue was no more under its jurisdiction and there was no court order asking it to do so.

Superintendent of Police Bel Bahadur Pandey, spokesperson of CIB said, “We have made the concerned body clear that we won’t be able to support them as per their need as the issue did not fall into our jurisdiction.” Pandey further said that it was the same department which had denied the police to investigate into the networking business.

“Since they don’t have idea about how to handle the case, they are trying to pass the responsibility to us. But, honestly, we don’t have authority to look into that case anymore,” Pandey added.

The Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumer Welfare Committee of the Parliament on July 31, had directed the government to halt issuing licenses to networking businesses.

The directive was issued following the prior decision of the DoCSCP to issue multi-level marketing business licences to various firms.

The act was widely criticised by consumer rights activists citing that such firms were notorious for cheating customers in the past.

Netra Prasad Subedi, director general of DoCSCP said they were only seeking support from police for the arrest as expected from another government body. Talking about the Parliamentary Committee’s directive on issuing licenses, he said the lawmakers were confused about it and have already sought the department’s clarification about the issue.

“We have issued licences to only those companies that would directly do business with the public and avoid all kinds of multi-layer marketing.” He said they sought police help to arrest only those who they had suspected of operating such business in disguise.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 30, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post CIB refuses to arrest persons operating networking business appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3jeQx5v

Spurs edge Chelsea in League Cup shootout

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur overcame visitors Chelsea 5-4 in a penalty shootout to progress in the League Cup following a 1-1 home draw in their fourth round clash on Tuesday.

Chelsea appeared to be heading into the quarter-finals thanks to a 19th-minute strike from Timo Werner but Erik Lamela forced a shootout with an equaliser in the 83rd minute, finishing from close range after controlling a cross from debutant Sergio Reguilon.

In the shootout, Chelsea‘s Mason Mount struck the post to miss the decisive fifth penalty after every other spot kick had been converted.

Germany forward Werner scored his first goal for Chelsea in his fourth appearance, lashing the ball into the net from the edge of the area after receiving a cut-back from Cesar Azpilicueta.

Chelsea‘s new goalkeeper Edouard Mendy had a confident display in his first game since switching from Stade Rennes, making a good save to keep out a vicious shot from Spurs’ Spanish left back Reguilon in the second half.

But Mendy was finally beaten in the 83rd minute when Reguilon turned in the box and found Lamela, who controlled the ball at the far post before netting from close range to force the shootout in which Tottenham prevailed.

The victory was revenge for Spurs for a 2019 League Cup semi-final second-leg defeat to Chelsea on penalties.

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, got one over his former Chelsea player Frank Lampard, whose Derby County side beat a Manchester United team then coached by the Portuguese in a League Cup shootout in 2018.

“We were ready to fight. I told the players before the penalties that they were magnificent in the second half, we made Chelsea look ordinary. The team waited for the right moment,” Mourinho said.

The League Cup fixture, which came only two days after their 1-1 draw with Newcastle United, was the second game of a gruelling run of four matches in eight days for Spurs.

Mourinho’s side face Maccabi Haifa at home in a Europa League playoff on Thursday before a league fixture at Manchester United on Sunday.

Mourinho made nine changes to the team who had faced Newcastle, sticking with first-choice goalkeeper Hugo Lloris instead of new signing Joe Hart and giving a second start in three days to Eric Dier, who stepped up to score the first penalty.

“I have to think about three games at the same time but the players only thought about this game, they were phenomenal. Phenomenal,” added Mourinho, who praised England international Dier despite the defender leaving the pitch to go to the toilet during the second half.

“What happened to Eric Dier is not normal, I have to praise him in a special way. It should be forbidden for a player to play two games in 48 hours at this level. What he did is not human to do.”

The post Spurs edge Chelsea in League Cup shootout appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/2G9uKxy

Virat Kohli lauds ‘outstanding’ Super Over from Navdeep Saini

from Sports | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/36heLsc

‘Nepal’s growth projection is likely to be revised downward’

Nepal has not been spared by the huge economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic that has upended every aspect of life in general. Against the backdrop of the deadly virus not only halting the progress but even reversing the achievements of the past years, Faris H Hadad-Zervos, the World Bank country director for Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka, shared with The Himalayan Times his insights on the current scenario, the challenges ahead, among other issues. Excerpts:

What is your analysis of the evolving COVID situation in Nepal? Are you satisfied with the response to the pandemic and the measures put in place to mitigate its impact?

Nepal’s health response capacity has definitely increased with the expansion of laboratory capacity for testing and allowing the private sector for diagnosis and treatment. At the same time, considering the rising number of new cases in the country and in Kathmandu valley, the existing human resources capacity seems to be under tremendous pressure.

While the government is trying its best to improve its health sector response, more needs to be done towards case investigation and contract tracing, extending testing at the community level, human response mobilisation at sub-national levels for community engagement, and protecting frontline workers and their families. Also, the public has an equal role to play by practising social distancing, wearing masks, and hand-washing, and by cooperating with the response teams for contact tracing.

As part of the economic response, the immediate relief and fiscal and monetary measures undertaken by the government are commendable. We hope that the government’s broader relief, restructuring and resilient recovery plan supported by development partners, including the World Bank, will help further mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on the country’s economy and people’s livelihoods.

During the launch of the ‘Youth Employment Transformation Initiative’ project, concerns were raised about misuse of funds for aligning it with the Prime Minister Employment Programme. Can you give any update on the project?

The implementation of the Prime Minister Employment Programme (PMEP) and the Youth Employment Transformation Initiative (YETI) project is primarily the responsibility of the local levels. Funds allocated to the local levels under the YETI project were sent to all the 753 local levels as conditional grants together with directives prior to the local level planning process. The conditional grants include financing for cash benefits for 100 days of work to 100 of the most vulnerable unemployed in each local level. The project also supports the addition of capacity in each employment service centre for which the process to hire project-financed technical assistants has started at the local levels. This additional support will help the local levels and the employment service centres to manage and monitor local level activities, its funds and ensure quality and transparent implementation. Despite the challenges, the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has also begun orientation of the local levels virtually, which will cover all the local levels in a phased manner.

As part of the response to COV- ID-19, the government has expanded the coverage of the PMEP to reach 200,000 unemployed individuals this fiscal year which include those most affected by the pandemic, such as unemployed migrants and returnees. The World Bank’s support will help ensure there is a robust monitoring information system to support planning, management, and monitoring of the activities and the finances. The system is also developed to ensure a transparent prioritisation of those registered, so that the most vulnerable unemployed get the opportunities first.

Are there any areas in which the World Bank is mulling over further support to help Nepal tackle the ongoing pandemic and the rising number of cases in the country?

Our immediate health response to the pandemic in Nepal is through a $29 million IDA credit for the Nepal COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Project to strengthen national systems for public health preparedness in the country. Our ongoing portfolio is being repurposed and restructured, which will make available $310 million for COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts, while more than $100 million has been disbursed as advances from our three Programme-for-Results operations.

Our pipeline projects amounting to about $700 million planned for this fiscal year are expected to further support COV- ID-19-related priorities and the country partnership framework focus areas for Nepal.

What is the likelihood of the World Bank’s earlier growth projection for Nepal being revised down?

In our latest Nepal Development Update, we projected growth of 2.1 per cent for fiscal year 2020-21 (under the baseline scenario). This is likely to be revised downward considering the periodic and localised lockdowns in key economic areas like Kathmandu valley and the likelihood of these lockdowns, although partially relaxed, to impact the festive season. The Nepal Development Update does note the possibility of a contraction (depending on the trend in infection rates). This is included in our downside scenario, and the contraction could be as much as 2.8 per cent. Nepal’s score in the recently unveiled Human Capital Index has improved. What are the chances those gains have been wiped out due to the pandemic? How is the World Bank planning to support the government to recover the lost ground? The World Bank Group’s 2020 Human Capital Index shows that pre-pandemic, most countries were making more and better investments in healthcare and education. This includes Nepal where a child born today will be 50 per cent as productive when she grows up as she could be if she enjoyed complete education and full health. This is higher than the average for South Asia region and lower middle-income countries.

However, countries, including Nepal, now face a possibility of human capital gains being wiped out by the global pandemic. The pandemic makes clear the importance of well-designed and resourced health systems, resilient and flexible education, and social protection programmes, particularly for those close to the poverty line or without access to savings or workplace protection.

In Nepal, the World Bank is supporting the education sector to sustain education and improve learning and the health sector to strengthen health systems and security and improve the health financing landscape. We recently signed a financing agreement for an additional grant of $10.85 million to the government’s School Sector Development Programme, which will help maintain access to basic education and continued learning for children amid the pandemic. The bank is also helping strengthen government systems and expand coverage of social security allowances and civil registration to support vulnerable communities.

How has the transition in the Ministry of Finance affected development works?

From our perspective, Yubaraj Khatiwada’s time in the Ministry of Finance (MoF) saw some profound changes and deepening in an already strong relationship with the World Bank. The MoF was able to articulate, both internally and for the international community, a clear development narrative and prioritisation that allowed us to organise our support better. There were also significant fiscal and public financial management reforms during this period, which will be important for Nepal’s development and the rolling out of federalism.

This reform-minded approach in the MoF continues, as does our strong collaboration. We are in regular discussions with the secretary and joint secretary with whom we have a very productive engagement and pipeline of activities. We very much look forward to the valuable guidance and support of the Prime Minister’s Office and are particularly grateful for the continuity being provided by Khatiwada as the special economic adviser there.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 29, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post ‘Nepal’s growth projection is likely to be revised downward’ appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/3cDEJXQ

IPL 2020: DC Predicted XI vs SRH - Should Capitals risk tweaking winning combination...

IPL 2020: With two wins from two matches, Delhi Capitals look settled with their Playing XI. However, the Ajinkya Rahane question looms large ahead of their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.

from Hindustan Times - cricket https://ift.tt/2S7GmUf

Three killed in Northern California wildfire; thousands flee

from World | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/2EG4RVp

Breonna Taylor grand juror wants secret proceeding made public

from World | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/3kOafFw

Kamala Harris to voters: Don’t give up as Trump rushes court pick

from World | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/3naGIb8

DC vs SRH Predicted Playing 11, IPL 2020 Live Updates: Confident Delhi Capitals look for third win

from Sports | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/3l0hlXl

Liverpool rallies to beat Arsenal 3-1, Diogo Jota scores

from Sports | The Indian Express https://ift.tt/3i7Xt2J

Six NSU leaders arrested for staging protest outside Chinese Embassy

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 28

Six student leaders of Nepal Student Union, the student wing of major opposition Nepali Congress, were arrested today for staging a protest outside the Chinese Embassy at Baluwatar against the alleged border encroachment by the Chinese side in Humla district.

The NSU leaders today morning protested outside the embassy displaying placards and chanting slogans such as, ‘Stop Chinese Intervention’, ‘Stop Border Encroachment.’ The police, who arrived late at the protest site, had arrested them while the protesters were returning from the protest site, according to NSU leaders.

Some of protesters, who were arrested are campaigners of ‘Chinau Simana, Jogaun Mato’ (Lets identify border, save soil). They have been raising their voice against border encroachment.

Former NSU president Kundan Raj Kafle, who is leading protests against the alleged border encroachment, said that the incumbent communist government had turned a deaf ear to the issue of border encroachment by the communist rulers of China. “The government is not raising voice against the Chinese government mainly because they share similar ideologies. But, we cannot sit quiet if they encroach our border. We will organise stringent protest programmes against the illegal act in the coming days,” Kafle said.

Kafle, citing their lawmakers and local leaders of the area, said the Chinese side had encroached around 1.5 kilometres of land in the past 10 years.

Media outlets had quoted local people and NC lawmakers of the area saying China had encroached Nepali land by constructing 11 buildings in Lapcha Limi Area of Namkha Rural Municipality of Humla district.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had on September 23, refuted the allegation that China had constructed buildings within Nepali territory.

Following this, the major opposition NC had criticised the government’s move and suggested that the government should have heard the voices of local authorities before speaking anything on the sensitive border issue.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 29, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post Six NSU leaders arrested for staging protest outside Chinese Embassy appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/33e5YFv

Light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 28

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an adverse effect not only on Nepal but also on the global economy, including the tourism industry. The global tourism industry at present is facing insurmountable losses as the coronavirus is a communicable disease and maintaining social distance is one of the major precautions to prevent infection. This literally means that there is no scope for people coming in close contact until the virus is fully contained and tourism basically entails people gathering in various destinations.

It is said that the tourism sector will take at least two years to recover. Amid this, stakeholders in Nepal have sensed that domestic tourism is the only way out to revive their business.

Those involved in the tourism business have also been requesting the government to bring plans and policies to promote domestic tourism for the survival of the industry.

Meanwhile, the government has also taken several initiatives to promote domestic tourism. Celebrating the 41st World Tourism Day on Sunday, Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai also mentioned that domestic tourism is the only way out in current scenario.

In recent years, Nepalis have started developing a trend of travelling to various new places.

Trekking, hiking and short trips have now become popular in the country. As a result, stakeholders’ perception towards domestic tourism is changing, said Achyut Guragain, president of Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents.

“We committed a grave mistake in the past by not prioritising domestic tourism,” he said. “Previously, we were so busy thinking about ways to earn foreign currency we didn’t bother about promoting tourism among our people. It is only after the impact of COVID-19 that our eyes opened up to the immense potential that domestic tourism has,” added Guragain.

Meanwhile, Binayak Shah, first vice-president of Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), said that domestic tourism has been steadily flourishing in the last four to five years. “Nepalis have developed the trend to travel and the good news is that a large number are waiting to travel now,” he said. “We are getting inquiries from domestic tourists for tours during the festive season.”

Inquiries for Pokhara, Chitwan and Lumbini are high compared to other destinations.

Meanwhile, beyond the regular destinations domestic tourists are also exploring new destinations. “Considering the increasing travel trend among Nepalis, we are pretty sure that domestic tourism will help us survive,” Shah opined.

Changing perception

In recent years, the perception that tourism stakeholders had regarding domestic tourists is changing. “Earlier, locals were not considered tourists and to this day there are some regions which do not value domestic tourists. However, we must say that in recent years the way that domestic tourists are being treated is changing for the better,” said Sharki Sherpa, general secretary of Trekking Guide Association of Nepal.

Most of the hoteliers along the trekking routes in rural areas do not like to accommodate domestic tourists, he revealed, adding that in the Everest region domestic tourists still do not get the type of services that foreigners get. “The hoteliers there presume that domestic tourists spend less money and do not have the manners to stay in hotels,” Sherpa said.

Sharing his travel experience, Vivek Maharjan from Kathmandu who is a professional wedding photographer, said that he has witnessed a change in the behaviour of hoteliers.

“I remember during a trek in the Mustang area about sixyears back we were not given any rooms because we are Nepalis,” he said, adding that his group of six friends had to sleep in the kitchen of a hotel.

“But last year when we went there for a wedding photo shoot we saw that the hoteliers there were more respectful towards domestic tourists,” said Maharjan. “In fact, we even got a discount.”

Sherpa said that usually after downing a few drinks Nepalis have the habit of making a ruckus and at times even picking a fight. “This is why hoteliers are a bit apprehensive to give rooms to domestic tourists,” he says. However, that perception is gradually changing and hoteliers have realised that Nepalis spend more money than the foreigners, he added.

According to Sherpa, on an average domestic tourists spend Rs 5,000 per person per night while foreign tourists spend Rs 2,000 per person per night. “Recent incidents in the industry have taught everybody that we have to welcome both domestic and foreign tourists equally,” he added.

All kinds of domestic tourists

Nepal is especially famous for its religious and adventure tourism in the international market. HAN First Vice-President Shah said that there are all types of domestic tourists in Nepal.

“Most family trips are related with religion whereby the people visit different religious sites with family members.

But we also have adventurous domestic tourists,” he said.

“The young generation is more interested in trekking these days.”

There is also another segment of domestic tourists who like to travel to destinations that are close to their homes for relaxation, he says.

He further explained that if the government introduces a policy of giving two days of leave in a week to civil servants then it will help boost domestic tourism.

Travel packages

Considering the importance of domestic tourism, the private sector and government are jointly preparing different travel packages for domestic tourists.

According to Shah, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Department of Tourism and Nepal Tourism Board in cooperation with various tourism associations are preparing travel packages that include different types of short and long trips for domestic tourists.

Besides, recently domestic airline companies like Yeti Airlines and Buddha Air have also introduced travel packages especially for domestic tourists.

---

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 29, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

The post Light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

from The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/36iVAOu