Saturday, October 31, 2020
Six held in connection with youth’s murder in Dhapasi
Youth arrested for raping 3-year-old girl in Dhading
Bara police shoot at child in clash with locals
Locals stage protest citing burial of Corona victim near settlement in Dhangadhi
Humla's Tanjakot Rural Municipality sealed off due to Covid-19
Youth severely beaten on the suspicion of theft in Sarlahi
Three injured in an attack from the group involving the mayor of Matihani, Mahottari
In this 100-year-old’s observation, rich-poor disparity hasn’t changed in Nepal
Life expectancy in Nepal is around 72 years as of now. Crossing this age long ago, Ognath Nepal now is 100 years old. Nepal was born on October 25, 1920, in Sindhukot, Melamchi-5, Sindhupalchok.
He is a living witness of a whole century. His experiences and observations can be a matter of interest for many youngsters of this generation. It is interesting to know what his time was like, what customs and practices were then, and what the food and clothing culture was like.
Onlinekhabar met him on the occasion of his 100th birthday, asking him to tell us about his times, society and culture then, and differences he observed over the years.
Excerpts:
You just completed 100 years. How are you feeling about it?
Yeah, I have got this old. I got to know about this only after my grandchildren reminded me. By now, I am weak: my senses do not work well. I have to be reminded even of my age.
What should I even feel like? I shall work and do my chores till I can and the aftermath, it’s the same– remembering the god and chanting ‘Narayan’. It is all up to the almighty and time.
One hundred years have passed; you have had the opportunity to witness the society of the past and the present. Can you recall what the society was like then?
Time brought these changes. Every time, something is changing. However, to bring a change in your life, one has to do it for oneself. Be it any kind of political or governmental change, these changes have always been for the bigwigs of the society only. For the general public, it has always been the same; the ‘haves’ have been always exploiting the have-nots. Until and unless you work hard, you can’t earn a living. And, if you can’t work hard, you will have to stay with an empty stomach and suffer.
Many forms of governance have come and gone since the time memorable, but none of these changes has affected me and my life.
No doubt, there have been other changes like many roads. Vehicles and goods have reached almost everyone by now. At my times, I got to see a vehicle for the first when I went to Kathmandu while I was an adult. Look, as of now, there are five to seven motorcycles in the yard of my house.
Was it difficult to manage basic needs like food and clothing at that time?
Indeed, it was very difficult to manage food and clothing at that time. Only a few had good food to eat and clothing. Other than them, all others had this problem. Only after working our fingers to the bone, we used to manage some food.
I myself have ploughed the field without even eating anything for four days. While eating after four days, I ate dhindo made up of one pathi flour along with gundruk-lapsi achaar that I begged from others.
I had a loan then. So as to repay that loan, I went to Calcutta in around 1954. I stayed there for around 18 months, and then, I came back home. Though my employer had asked me to return to work saying he would also pay for the days I am at my home, my family didn’t let me go. That is why I stayed here only.
After coming back here, I was able to repay the loan. After that, I didn’t have to worry about any debt; I was debt-free.
However, the daily burden (routine) of farming and raising livestock for farming was and is still there.
In my times, there was no practice of selling milk as it is now. Rather, I used to make ghee from milk and sell it at Ason and Indrachok in Kathmandu. People who didn’t know how to read were cheated by the traders. In the past, even after farming, raising livestock and selling ghee, we could hardly manage enough flour to eat. However, people, now eat rice by raising only one buffalo.
At that time, we used to thresh rice dhiki (a traditional home-made tool) and sell it in Sankhu and Sundarijal of Kathmandu. After a long time, a mill was established in our village. Even after the mill came, we used to thresh rice with the dhiki and sell it. By now, they sell rice from their fields directly; one does not have to worry about threshing and carrying sacks.
How were the festivals celebrated in the past?
Just as it is celebrated now… Those who could afford rice used to eat rice, and the others would eat what they normally used to eat.
They also used to bring sheep and goats from outside for Dashain. I too have tasted lamb once; it was a bit sour. I didn’t like it that much. Since then, I ate only goat meat. Goats were raised by the people themselves.
In general, people used to celebrate as per their standard. If they had good food and could manage to get new clothes, they used to celebrate by eating tasty food and wearing new/good clothes. Others who didn’t have good food and clothes used to celebrate with whatever things they had.
And, today is no different. It is the same as before.
Do you know any secret to a long life? How can one get such a long life?
Well, I have done nothing to get a long life. One should do one’s work, shouldn’t deviate from one’s ethics and virtues and shouldn’t harm others. That is all that one can; the rest is all up to gods. It’s not something that happens by itself.
One should keep on doing one’s best, always keeping one’s heart and soul in charity, virtues and good deeds. Then, life will be long on its own.
How was your daily routine then?
Looking after the cattle, going to fields and working there, going to and fro between the village and the city… There used to be at least one work at a time. At that time, there were no vehicles, so we used to walk on foot up to the city.
That’s all was my daily routine. I did nothing to improve my routine.
What kind of food you used to eat?
Whatever was grown in our own field… At that time, there was not any practice of buying food like it is now. And, neither was it available. One used to plant and grow vegetables and grains in their own field and the same used to eaten by them. I ate cow’s milk, curd, honey, ghee and also ate corn, millet, wheat and rice threshed in a dhiki by ourself. I didn’t eat the ‘outside’ food.
In my youth, I used to smoke cigarettes and marijuana. But, once I went to Kashi, I promised not to smoke cigarettes and marijuana any longer and threw away my cigarettes and marijuana. At that time, I was probably 25-30 years old. Since then, I have not smoked cigarettes or marijuana. But, I still consume tobacco a little bit.
Karnali CM to 2 pro-Oli ministers, to replace them to pro-Nepal leaders
Kathmandu, November 1
Karnali Chief Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi is preparing to reshuffle his provincial council of ministers on Sunday.
In the reshuffle, Shahi will remove two ministers loyal to the party chairperson, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Likewise, three leaders considered close to the party’s senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal will be inducted into the cabinet to replace the two and fill one vacant position.
The development will follow an understanding made between Shahi, considered close to another party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and pro-Nepal leaders in the province after pro-Oli leaders registered a no-confidence motion to remove him from the parliamentary party leader’s position. If pro-Nepal leaders had also supported the motion, the party would have removed Shahi from the position of its leader, hence the chief minister also.
Social Development Minister Dal Rawal and Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment Minister Nanda Singh Budha will lose their jobs today. The Physical Infrastructure Ministry is already vacant with incumbent Khadka Bahadur Khatri dragged into a banking offence.
Chandra Bahadur Shahi. Karabir Shahi and Amar Bahadur Thapa will be appointed as ministers today. The chief minister is yet to decide portfolios for them.
Man begs to feed his newborn in Bajura
BAJURA, OCTOBER 31
Death of a new mother due to excessive bleeding just after delivery has left the newborn in lurch in Budhinanda Municipality-4, Bajura.
A local, Dhan Singh Rokaya said Ambakala Rokaya, 23, of the municipality died after giving birth to a baby girl a month ago and it was difficult to manage milk for the newborn due to the poor economic condition.
Ambakala’s husband, Dal Bohora has resorted to begging to feed the baby in the village. “I have been feeding cow or buffalo milk whatever the villagers give,” he said.
Bohora added that he did not have money to buy milk or milk powder. His wife died just after an hour of giving birth to the baby.
Ward Chairman Rajan Rokaya said Bohara has been feeding his baby by begging milk from neighbours and villagers.
Rokaya said the mother had died on her way to Kolti Primary Health Centre. As many as five new mothers died in Bajura last year.
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Hazard finally scores again as Madrid take care of Huesca
MADRID: Eden Hazard scored his first goal for Real Madrid in over a year and Karim Benzema struck twice as the Spanish champions coasted to a 4-1 win at home to Huesca in La Liga on Saturday.
Making his first start of the campaign after persistent injury problems, Hazard broke the deadlock in the 40th minute with a thunderous strike from outside the area, scoring only his second goal for Madrid since his 2019 move from Chelsea for a joint-club record fee of 100 million euros.
Zinedine Zidane’s side soon extended their lead in added time of the first half when Karim Benzema chested down a cross from Lucas Vazquez and fired inside the far post.
Federico Valverde further stretched their lead in the second half before David Ferreiro pulled a goal back for Huesca.
Benzema rounded off a classy overall display by heading home from close range in added time as the league leaders recorded their fifth win this season.
“We all know how much quality Eden has and we saw him do many good things today and he scored a great goal,” said Zidane.
“I’m very happy with his performance and the good thing is didn’t feel any discomfort out there. He was very happy about scoring the goal and so were his team mates.
“The goal was just what we needed as it changed the game. We didn’t play perfectly today but you should always be happy when you score four goals.”
The win took Madrid back to the top of La Liga on 16 points after seven games although Real Sociedad can go above them if they beat Celta Vigo on Sunday.
After Real thumped Barca 3-1 last weekend, they had to come from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The game in Germany provided some unwanted scrutiny on the relationship between Benzema and strike partner Vinicius Jr after the Frenchman was heard bad-mouthing the Brazilian to team mate Ferland Mendy in the tunnel at half time.
Zidane opted to leave out Vinicius from the line-up against Huesca to give Hazard a first league appearance since recovering from a muscle injury although the Brazilian replaced Hazard on the hour-mark.
Vinicius and Benzema almost combined to score when the Brazilian whizzed down the left wing and laid the ball off to Benzema but the forward scuffed his shot and sent it bouncing over the bar.
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Walker’s homecoming strike gives Man City 1-0 win at Sheffield United
SHEFFIELD: Manchester City beat Sheffield United 1-0 at Bramall Lane on Saturday with Kyle Walker scoring against his boyhood club to extend the home side’s winless start to the Premier League season to seven games.
Walker, who was raised in Sheffield and came through the Blades’ youth system, marked his 100th league appearance for City with a goal in the first half and refused to celebrate.
The 30-year-old full back collected the ball outside the box and let loose an angled low drive into the bottom corner that skidded across the wet turf and beat the outstretched hand of Blades goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
“I’m happy to get on the scoresheet… United are well drilled and it’s a tough team to come and break down but luckily I came up with a goal, through the bodies,” Walker told BT Sport.
“My mum and dad live here, so if I celebrated I’d probably get a lot of stick. I’m a Sheffield United fan, so I couldn’t.”
Ferran Torres, leading the City line in the absence of Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus, had the opportunity to double the lead from long range when Ramsdale came racing off his line but his effort was hit straight at the goalkeeper.
But despite their domination, City could not make their numerous chances count.
United nearly levelled in the 70th minute when Sander Berge shrugged off two defenders in a mazy run to the byline before a pull-back into the box, only for John Lundstram to fire his shot over the crossbar.
The result moved City up to seventh in the standings, two points behind league leaders Everton, while United languish in 19th with just one point.
“We played very well. We struggled for goals given the chances we created,” City boss Pep Guardiola said.
“They had one clear chance, no more than that. It was our third game away in seven days, so we are in a better position now, two games before an international break.”
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‘Stay at home’: Johnson locks down England as UK COVID-19 cases pass 1 million
- UK PM Johnson locks down England for 1 month
- UK COVID-19 cases soar past 1 million mark
- Lockdown starts just after midnight on Thursday morning
- Furlough scheme extended until end of national lockdown
LONDON: Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered England back into a national lockdown after the United Kingdom passed the milestone of one million COVID-19 cases and a second wave of infections threatened to overwhelm the health service.
The United Kingdom, which has the biggest official death toll in Europe from COVID-19, is grappling with more than 20,000 new coronavirus cases a day and scientists have warned the “worst case” scenario of 80,000 dead could be exceeded.
Johnson, at a hastily convened news conference in Downing Street after news of a lockdown leaked to local media, said that the one-month lockdown across England would kick in after midnight on Thursday morning and last until Dec. 2.
In some of the most onerous restrictions in Britain’s peacetime history, people will only be allowed to leave home for specific reasons such as education, work, exercise, shopping for essentials and medicines or caring for the vulnerable.
“We must act now,” Johnson said, flanked by his chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, and his chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance. “Unless we act, we could see deaths in this country running at several thousand a day.”
The government will revive its emergency coronavirus wage subsidy scheme to ensure workers who are temporarily laid off during a new England-wide lockdown receive 80% of their pay, he said.
Essential shops, schools, and universities will remain open, Johnson said, and while elite sports will continue, amateur sports for adults and children will be asked to stop.
Pubs and restaurants will be shut apart from for takeaways, and outbound international travel will be discouraged except for work. All non-essential retail will close.
Places of worship will remain open for private prayer, though funerals will be limited to close family members only.
Johnson’s imposition of stricter curbs came after scientists warned the outbreak was going in the wrong direction and that action was needed to halt the spread of the virus if families were to have any hope of gathering at Christmas.
EUROPE LOCKED DOWN
The measures bring England into alignment with France and Germany by imposing nationwide restrictions almost as severe as the ones that drove the global economy this year into its deepest recession in generations.
Johnson was criticised by political opponents for moving too slowly into the first national lockdown, which stretched from March 23 to July 4. He fell ill with COVID in late March and was hospitalised in early April.
A national lockdown represents a dramatic change of policy for the prime minister, who has been saying for months that it will not be necessary.
Two weeks ago he defended his strategy of a patchwork of local restrictions by saying he wanted to avoid the “misery of a national lockdown”. Currently, areas of England are subject to one of three tiers of coronavirus restrictions.
“I am optimistic that this will feel very different and better by the spring,” Johnson said, adding that there was realistic hope of a vaccine in the first quarter of next year.
Asked by reporters what took him so long to impose a national lockdown, Johnson said it was a constant struggle to balance the risk to life and the risk to livelihoods.
“We have to mindful the whole time of the scarring and the long-term economic impact of the measures,” Johnson said. His medical adviser Whitty said that without the tougher measures then the National Health Service could be overwhelmed.
Keir Starmer, the opposition Labour leader, who called for a lockdown two weeks ago, said the delay introducing the restrictions will come “at an economic cost and a human cost”.
Lawmakers are expected to vote on the proposals on Wednesday.
The new lockdown will heap more pressure on finance minister Rishi Sunak and the Bank of England to increase their already huge support for the UK economy, the world’s sixth-biggest. The economy slumped a record 20% in the spring.
So far, the United Kingdom has reported 46,555 COVID-19 deaths – defined as those dying within 28 days of a positive test. A broader measure of those with COVID-19 on their death certificates puts the toll at 58,925.
The United Kingdom has the world’s fifth largest official death toll, after the United States, Brazil, India and Mexico, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally.
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Sudurpaschim districts lack ICU beds
DADELDHURA, OCTOBER 31
Several hilly districts in Sudurpaschim Province lack ICU beds for treatment of seriously ill patients. According to Sudurpaschim Health Directorate, district hospitals lack ICU beds with ventilators.
Dr Gunaraj Awasthi at the directorate said hospitals in the districts of the province lacked ICU beds due to lack of necessary resources, physical infrastructure and manpower. He said ICU beds could not be arranged for seriously ill patients.
“Modern physical infrastructure and trained manpower are needed to establish ICU beds with ventilators,” he added. Kailali’s Seti Hospital has 15 ICU beds with 10 ventilators, while Kanchanpur’s Mahakali Hospital has eight ICU beds with five ventilators. Dadeldhura Hospital has two ventilators.
But, Baitadi, Darchula, Bajhang, Bajura, Achham and Doti lack ICU beds and ventilators even though the government had decided to install two ICU beds and ventilators in every hospital in the districts.
COVID patients, those injured in road accidents and patients suffering from other diseases from the hilly districts visit Dadeldhura Hospital for treatment. Medical Director Jagadis Chandra Bista in Dadeldhura Hospital said they were compelled to refer patients to other health facilities in Tarai due to lack of ICU and other services in the hospital.
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Jota strikes again as Liverpool go top
LIVERPOOL: Substitute Diogo Jota grabbed the winner as Liverpool ground out a 2-1 victory over West Ham United at Anfield on Saturday to take the lead at the top of the Premier League and equal a club record of 63 home league matches unbeaten.
Defending champions Liverpool have 16 points from seven games, three points more than Everton who play at Newcastle United on Sunday.
West Ham took a 10th-minute lead through Pablo Fornals, with the Spanish midfielder driving home after a poor header out from Joe Gomez landed straight at his feet.
Liverpool, who handed a first league start to 23-year-old centre back Nate Phillips, had plenty of possession but struggled to break down David Moyes’ well-drilled West Ham side with the hosts lacking their usual tempo and incisiveness.
Liverpool drew level just before the break when Mohamed Salah was fouled in the area by a clumsy challenge from Arthur Masuaku and the Egyptian, who had thrown himself to the ground dramatically, stepped up to dispatch the spot kick.
Jota thought he had put Liverpool in front when he drilled into an empty net after Lukasz Fabianski had blocked a Sadio Mane drive but the goal was ruled out after the referee decided, after looking at the pitchside monitor, that Mane had committed a foul while sliding in on the keeper.
Yet former Wolves forward Jota did get the winner when he was put through by a clever pass into the box from substitute Xherdan Shaqiri and the Portuguese made no mistake with his third goal in as many home games for the club.
“The world is in a difficult place and we are happy to be allowed to play football. So we have to try everything to win football games. It’s not about shining, or flying, or whatever, it’s about hard work,” said Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp.
“That was absolutely necessary against this opponent. It’s not about the simple stuff because they are too good for that – you need to be cheeky, tricky as well, and we were,” he added.
West Ham manager David Moyes was upset with the decision to award Salah a penalty after his reaction to contact in the box.
“I’m amazed that a penalty was given in the first half. I can’t believe that we’re allowing those sorts of penalties to be awarded,” he said.
“We weren’t clinical enough at times. We missed a couple of really good opportunities to get another goal. I wouldn’t say we were unlucky today, but I’m really disappointed when we were 1-0 up that the penalty was given.”
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Pandemic disproportionately affects women, girls
KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 31
Rapid gender assessment undertaken by the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, in collaboration with UN Women, Care Nepal and Save the Children has revealed that groups most affected by COVID-19, include daily wagers, farmers, landless women, women working in adult entertainment sector, women from Dalit and Madhesi communities, gender and sexual minorities, differently-abled women, adolescent girls, displaced women, and those living with HIV AIDS.
Objectives of the RGA were primarily to understand gender differential impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable and excluded groups and to understand how existing gender and social inequalities have been exacerbated by the pandemic in the community and in quarantine situations in Nepal.
The rapid gender assessment was conducted by using primary data collection and analysis from 12 districts representing seven provinces through key informant interviews.
Altogether 465 community members representing 17 targeted vulnerable population groups were interviewed from May 31 to June 17.
According to the rapid gender assessment report release by the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens on October 21, women’s unpaid care workload has increased as a result of the lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of COVID-19, as all family members have been staying at home and more so with the return of migrant family members, school closure and hospitals not prioritisingnon-coronavirus patients’ admission and care. Domestic workers have to work between 18-22 hours each day, instead of the usual six to10 hours now. Household and care work burden have not been shared equally among other family members due to the traditional gender division of labour that assigns women primary role and responsibility of household and care work.
“Increased workload and lack of coping strategies, have increased emotional and physical problems causing stress and anxiety among women and girls. Women are losing control over emergency savings because men are using the savings to cater to their personal needs. Women’s lack of decision-making and ownership of assets has remained unchanged,” read the findings of the report.
The number of women not engaged in paid work has increased by 337 per cent due to the pandemic. The COV- ID-19 crisis is likely to aggravate food insecurity among already vulnerable groups, such as landless women, women-headed households with no savings, returnee women migrant workers and single women due to loss of income.
As per the findings, 83 per cent of women have lost their jobs. Those hardest hit are women daily wage workers, women working in the entertainment sector, brick kilns self-employed women. This study predicts that repercussions may be seen in the sector of agriculture in coming months due to loss of investments.
Positive impacts such as male returnee migrant workers supporting females in vegetable farming and sale of vegetables through collective centres in Haat bazaar have been witnessed through local government interventions in Rasuwa and Gorkha districts.
The current condition of joblessness and loss of income are likely to further impoverish vulnerable groups and push them to accept more risky jobs as a survival strategy.
Access to basic and other services have also been affected by the pandemic. Marginalised communities, as well as women and men with chronic illness, older people, pregnant and lactating women, and people living with disabilities find it difficult to access basic services such as food and health services including reproductive health services.
The current relief measures and quarantine services have failed to address the specific needs of groups such as lactating mothers, pregnant women, women with new-born babies, gender and sexual minorities and Muslim women.
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Ziyech shines as Chelsea enjoy 3-0 win at Burnley
BURNLEY: Hakim Ziyech shined and Kurt Zouma and Timo Werner were also on target as Chelsea enjoyed an easy 3-0 win at struggling Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday.
The win moves the London club up to fourth place in the table and just a point behind leaders Everton and Liverpool before Juergen Klopp’s side play West Ham United later on Saturday.
Chelsea, who had a long trip to Krasnodar in Russia in midweek, made five changes from Wednesday’s Champions League starting line-up and made a bright start at Turf Moor.
The impressive Ziyech drilled the ball home in the 26th minute from the edge of the box, after a smart passing move from Frank Lampard’s team, to claim his first league goal for the club.
Burnley, who are without a win and have just a single point from their opening six games, struggled to cause any real problems for the Chelsea defence and manager Sean Dyche threw on an extra striker at the break with Jay Rodriguez coming on.
While that gave Burnley more of an attacking presence, Chelsea comfortably dealt with early second-half pressure from the Clarets and then extended their lead in the 63rd minute when Zouma thundered in a header from a Mason Mount corner.
The outcome was put beyond any doubt when Burnley midfielder Ashley Westwood’s pass was intercepted by Reece James and Ziyech did well to feed Werner, the German confidently beating Nick Pope from inside the area.
Chelsea substitute Olivier Giroud had an effort ruled out for offside as the visitors looked to add to their tally.
“It was a very complete performance from us,” said Lampard, whose team have now kept clean sheets in their last four games in all competitions.
“We controlled massive parts of the game, so I’m very happy. Performances like this show that we’re doing something positive. We need to get our heads down and keep working hard,” he said.
Burnley’s winless start has them stuck at the bottom of the table after their opening six games but Dyche said there is no question of his team panicking.
“I don’t panic in general, to be honest, I’m not that sort of fella. I don’t think panicking will change anything. I think structure, organisation and hard work, that may change things,” he said.
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Dahal meets Prime Minister KP Oli
KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 31
Co-chair of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who had been declining the other party Co-chair and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s invite for talks of late, went to the PM’s official residence today and proposed to convene the party Secretariat meeting to discuss political issues.
A source said Dahal proposed the meeting to discuss all current issues, but a date for the meeting was yet to be fixed.
Dahal, who had recently patched up differences with the PM, yet again locked horns with him over some political issues. He had been declining Oli’s invite for talks for almost 12 days.
This week, PM Oli sent different interlocutors to Dahal in a bid to win his confidence.
PM Oli also reached out to another senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal.
Dahal is miffed at Oli for acting unilaterally on issues related to the no trust motion registered against Karnali Chief Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, the Cabinet reshuffle, delay in registering FIR against those accused of murdering NCP cadre Mukesh Chaurasiya of Parsa district and the government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.
The Dahal faction is also unhappy with the PM for meeting India’s Research and Analysis Wing Chief Samant Goel recently.
The NCP Standing Committee had recently decided that PM Oli would have a free hand with the day-today government work, but would have to consult the party and abide by its decisions on policy issues, including political and constitutional appointments.
Standing Committee member Lila Mani Pokharel said the PM had ignored the Standing Committee decisions on the Cabinet reshuffle, appointment of ambassadors and issues to be discussed in the party committees. “When the two co-chairs cannot agree on any political issue, the only option for them is to take the issues to the party Secretariat and Standing Committee,” Pokharel said, adding that the PM did not honour the Standing Committee decision when he issued circulars to party committees.
Recently, Oli and Dahal issued separate press statements on their views about resolving dissatisfaction in the party’s Karnali committee and the government.
Eighteen NCP lawmakers of Karnali Province had registered a no-trust motion against Karnali CM Mahendra Bahadur Shahi. The Dahal faction had accused Karnali Province lawmakers who were close to PM Oli of registering the no-trust motion against Shahi at Oli’s behest.
A source said Dahal was upset with Oli for taking unilateral decisions in violation of the party’s Standing Committee decisions.
“Dahal has realised his effort in last two years to settle issues with the PM has not been successful. Dahal therefore wants all issues to be settled by the party committees,” the source added.
He said Oli’s decision to dictate issues in Karnali Province would have ripple effects in other provinces.
The source said Oli’s attempt to impose his will on Karnali Province government would only embolden party rebels in the province who had targeted Shahi.
NCP Deputy Parliamentary Party Leader Subas Chandra Nembang said Oli had not acted unilaterally or against the spirit of the party’s Standing Committee on any of the issues raised by leaders close to Dahal.
He said the PM was ready to replace most Cabinet members but he chose to appoint only three new ministers recently as Oli and Dahal were yet to iron out some issues. He said the PM wanted to induct some senior NCP leaders in the Cabinet, but as Dahal was not ready for that, the PM decided to replace only three ministers hoping to make a major Cabinet reshuffle after Tihar festival.
“The PM had already told some Cabinet members to make way for others, but later decided to retain them as per Dahal’s wishes,”
Nembang said. He said the PM met Goel, who was sent by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as special envoy. “Dahal has no objection to the PM’s meeting Goel. He told me he had not spoken against the meeting,”
Nembang said and added that party Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha had gone out of the way to demand a party Secretariat meeting on the issue. He said if the two co-chairs felt the need, they would call party Secretariat meeting but before agreeing on a date, the co-chairs would hold discussion again.
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Oli Dahal fail to make headway
Kathmandu, 1 November: Though the meeting between the chairman duo of the ruling Nepal Communist Party(NCP) Khadga Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Saturday was successful in breaking the ice blocking the one-on-one discussion, they have failed to make headway in resolving internal feud of the party.
On Saturday’s meeting Dahal proposed of convening of the Secretariat meeting at the earliest to sort out the outstanding issues but Oli is reported to have denied to summon the Secretariat meeting. He laid emphasis on forging consensus between themselves first, according to media reports.
Oli is reluctant to summon the Secretariat meeting fearing that he would have to face severe criticism.. He is likely to fall into minority in the Secretariat as Bamdev Gautam is also dissatisfied with Oli’s unilateral moves.
People’s News Monitoring Service
EU provides Rs.278 million to support disaster preparedness
Kathmandu, 1 November: The European Union(EU) is providing two million euros (approximately Rs.278 million) to Nepal to support in disaster preparedness operations.
According to Janez Lenarcic, European Commissioner for crisis management, the assistance is for those most affected by the impact of natural hazards, the frequency of which is increasing year-on-year. In Nepal, natural hazards cause heavy loss of life and damage to property each year. This EU assistance will provide support to the initiatives focusing on mitigating the risk of these hazards and enhancing the disaster preparedness capacities of vulnerable populations, according to a press release issued by the EU.
People’s News Monitoring Service
Re-construction of 555 heritage sites completed
Kathmandu, 1 November: As many as 555 heritage sites have been re-constructed that were damaged by the devastating earthquake of 2015. More than 891 such heritage sites were damaged and the National Re-construction Authority (NRA) along with Department Archeology is expediting the works of re-construction in co-ordination with central and local governance.
Pashupati Area Development Trust(PADT), SwayambhuNath Development Committee (SDC) and various municipalities are assisting in the re-construction works. Government of Nepal Exion Bank of India, Japan, The United States, Srilanka and China have been financially supporting for the re-construction of such sites, according to NRA.
People’s News Monitoring Service
Public vehicles to face music if fare rate not disclosed
Kathmandu, 1 November: The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD) has started action against the public vehicles that deny notice on fare rate. The Division has conducted a campaign to assess whether the public vehicles have put a notice on the fare rate in the vehicles. On the first day of the campaign on Saturday, a total of 429 vehicles were asked to put a notice on it in the vehicle. The campaign was launched after the complaints of exorbitant fare were recorded, according to MTPD.
The stern monitoring was initiated against the traffic rules violators, exorbitant fare collectors and the over-crowded vehicles. The Division has also urged the travelers and stakeholders to give feedback by dialing at the MTPD’s hotline 103.
People’s News Monitoring Service
Coronavirus recovery rate is 76.9 percent
Kathmandu, 1 November: The country witnessed a total of 2,508 new cases of coronavirus and 2,264 infected ones recovered on Saturday, according to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP). The rate of recovery from the deadly virus stands at 76.9 percent.
A total of 9,279 PCR tests were conducted in the latest review period. So far, 131,222 persons won the battle against the virus, which is 76.9 per cent. Likewise, the number of active cases in the country is 38,584. With today’s new cases, the total number of coronavirus infected people in the country reached 170,743. On Saturday. The Ministry stated that Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Makawanpur, Kavre, Kaski, Nawalparasi (East), Dang, Rupandehi and Kailali districts have more than 500 cases each. Similarly, Mustang, Manang and Bajura have not even a single reported active case at present.
People’s News Monitoring Service
Teenager nabbed for attempting to break into ATM in Tanahun
DAMAULI: Police in Tanahun district on Thursday night arrested a teenager attempting to steal cash from an ATM in Byas Municipality-4.
The arrestee has been identified as Kiran Baniya (19) of Rangapur Tadhi in Paterwa Sugauli Rural Municipality-2 of Parsa district.
Baniya was arrested after he was found trying to open Machhapuchchhre Bank’s ATM at Traffic Chok with the help of a scoop-like tool, on Thursday night, according to spokesperson at Tanahun District Police Office (DPO), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Yubaraj Timilsena.
The security personnel on frisking the bag possessed by the detainee confiscated banned pharmaceutical drugs —135 tablets of Nitrazepam and IP Nitravet. Moreover, police seized a motorcycle (Ga 11 Pa 9965) possessed by the arrestee, the DSP informed.
Meanwhile, a case related to the possession of narcotic drugs was filed and presented at Tanahun District Court while investigation into the case is underway, police said.
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Kamala Shrestha: Nepal’s ‘first beautician’ proves slow and steady wins the race
How is it possible for someone to start something that no one has done and to continue to work in the very field for 40 years? Arguably Nepal’s ‘first beautician’ Kamala Shrestha has to face this question many times.
Shrestha, now 63, is still as active as she was 40 years ago. She is seen working with vigour at her Siam Beauty Salon in Kupandol, Lalitpur.
We recently visited her salon to talk about her struggle and success. During the two hours of our meeting, she opened up about many moments. Her eyes were full of tears as she recounted the moments of her struggle, and her face glowed when she shared about her success.
Bangkok training
Shrestha was born as the eighth child, but the first daughter, of her parents in Dharan, Sunsari in 1957. She completed her school in Dharan.
Soon after the SLC (the 10th-grade exams), she got married to a Newar youth from Kathmandu. Her husband was a forest officer.
Earlier, Shrestha went to Dharan Multiple Campus for higher education. However, her husband was transferred to Dhankuta, and, consequently, she also shifted to Dhankuta. She earned a graduate degree there.
Meanwhile, she was also raising her two sons. The first was born during the final examinations of the intermediate whereas the youngest was born when she was studying at the bachelor’s level.
“Many say that their life is destroyed after marriage, but I am an example myself, I achieved a lot of success, both in studies and career, after marriage,” says Shrestha proudly.
While she was in Dhankuta, the then Crown Prince Birendra and Crown Princess Aishwarya had come there. According to Shrestha, Aishwarya was very interested in botany. Since Shrestha’s husband was a forest officer, he got an opportunity to explain about various plants to the crown prince and the princess. At that time, Birendra was so impressed and happy with him that he offered Shrestha’s husband an opportunity to go abroad to study further.
Her husband immediately agreed and went to Bangkok for further studies. There, he also got the opportunity to work for the UN.
Then, there was also a facility to take the family there. Mrs Shrestha also went to Bangkok with her two children. She thought of using her time in Bangkok to the fullest. One day, while walking around Bangkok, she saw a beauty training college. Considering her interest in make-up since childhood and realising her passion for this sector, she joined the training college, and in two years, she completed a diploma course.
Meanwhile, her husband worked for a project overseen by the Thai royal family. One day, she and her husband were invited to dinner at the palace. Seeing Shrestha in a sari, everyone including the queen found it strange and was amazed. Out of curiosity, the queen asked her, “Where are you from?”
She replied that she was from the land of Buddha, Nepal. The queen was happy. The queen then asked Shrestha about her work in Bangkok. She answered she was doing a beautician course.
The queen was surprised again and asked, “Is there such a business in your country?”
From that moment only, Shrestha decided to return to Nepal and start something no one else had done. As per her decision, she returned to Nepal in 1979 and planned to start her work immediately.
However, there were many disruptions on her way. Beauty products were not available in Nepal. Initially, except for her husband, everyone in the family did not support her, rather they discouraged her. Eventually, she had to choose between family and profession. She chose her profession and moved away from her joint family.
The couple left their family and rented a two-storey house in Kupandol for 500 rupees a month. She started her business in a room in the same house by investing Rs 10,000 with some of the products that she had brought from Bangkok. The price list of the services she offered at the beginning is still safe with Shrestha.
In the initial days, rarely some customers used to come. Shrestha remembers that even the customers who came were ashamed that this was something that only the royal family could do. At that time, many Rana and Shah families used to live in and around Kupandol.
There was neither television nor social media to inform/advertise about her business then. She was very tense as no customers were visiting her salon. Still, she did not give up.
Growing popularity
One day, she provided her service to a woman. That lady was impressed and she then told another woman about her service. Subsequently, by word of mouth, the number of customers gradually increased in her parlour, knowing that there was no need to go to India and other countries for makeup. Gradually, she became so busy that she did not even have time for a break as well.
Though necessary items for the salon were not available then, she managed somehow by opting for local alternatives and by using some of the products brought from Bangkok.
After the establishment of the Nepal Television, the then employees of the television, Rama Singh and Richa Gurung, approached Shrestha with a proposal to run a make-up programme called Ghar Pariwar.
Initially, Shrestha was doubtful as she had no experience in television. However, after realising that other members of the team were also not experts either, her confidence grew and the programme started broadcasting on Nepal Television.
The programme became a superhit and also made her popular. Later, she produced similar programmes for Channel Nepal and Image Channel and gained more than 15 years of experiences in television alongside her business.
While working for TV programmes, she used to spend little time on television and most of the time in her salon. “My parlour used to be flooded by so many customers that I did not even use to have time to eat food on time,” she recalls.
Hectic days
She could not rest even after undergoing uterine surgery. She recalls that a Thai customer came while she was on rest after the operation. That foreign customer was not satisfied with the work done by other staff. That is why Shrestha had to come to work on her own for that lady.
Due to her busy schedule, she was unable to spend time with her family. Both her sons used to study at Budhanilakantha School. Even when they used to come home during the holidays, it was difficult for them to spend time with his mother.
One day, to steal their mother’s time, her sons pasted a pamphlet that read ‘Salon closed today’. Though Shrestha was in the salon only, seeing that pamphlet, many customers returned.
When she came to know about this trick of her sons, she felt bad that she had not spent enough time with her sons. After this, she started making time for her family also.
Meanwhile, she was gradually making progress. She moved into another bigger place, rented for Rs 1,500 a month. After a few years, she moved again, to an even bigger house. Finally, she bought a land plot on her own and build a house there.
That evil day
The family was doing well. Her sons had also grown up. The eldest son was 20 and the youngest 17. Meanwhile, she was planning to open a training centre with the aim of making others self-employed rather than just running a beauty salon.
Meanwhile, her younger son was also interested in this. Even though he was young, he was like her mentor. “He kept advising me about many things. He was also very good in his studies,” recalls Shrestha. “My younger son was preparing for the SLC. His goal was to top the examinations. But, the god had planned something else.”
At that time, Shrestha’s husband was working at the Hetaunda Forest Office. One day, her husband and her youngest son were on their way to Hetaunda. Their car crashed on the way. The husband’s hand was broken in the crash and the Shrestha couple lost their son. Kamala Shrestha was devastated by the death of her son. Even today, while sharing this, her eyes get teary.
She somehow coped with this irreplaceable loss. In order to fulfil the wish of her lost son, she went to the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training with her proposal to start a beauty course. However, the CTEVT was reluctant initially.
Finally, after two years, she got the affiliation and began teaching a recognised beauty course. She started this work with four students. It was also the first beautician training institute in Nepal. She trained girls as well as boys in hair cutting 25 years ago. By working one after another, she took the beauty business to new heights in Nepal.
Leader of beauty professionals
After becoming successful in the industry, big industrialists urged Shrestha to join the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry. It was the beginning of her journey to ‘business politics’.
As of now, she is active in her own business as well as politics of the private sector. She has become the leader of many women entrepreneurs.
She aims to take the lead of the Federation of Nepali Chambers of Commerce and Industry once. She views, “Not only men, but women also can stand out via competitions.”
As more and more entrepreneurs were added to the beauty business, there were also demands about opening a professional association of beauty workers. Consequently, everyone urged Shrestha to lead. Accepting this, she opened the Beautician Professional Association, Nepal in 2007. She is still the unopposed president of the association. The organisation is spread in all 77 districts of the country with more 300,000 members.
Within a few months of opening this association, she was made an institutional member of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Likewise, on the commodity side, she became a central member of the federation thrice in a row.
The FNCCI’s election to be held last April has been postponed due to the lockdown. Now, the election is scheduled to be held in November. In this election, Shrestha was preparing to contest for the vice-president from the commodity group. Many also promised to help her. However, by now, she is thinking of repeating herself as a central member this time.
Perseverance pays off
Over these years, Shrestha trained many to become self-employed. Likewise, she also repeatedly pleaded with the government that people in remote areas could not pay the VAT on beauty products. Eventually, the government listened, and that rule was revoked.
Meanwhile, she also had been demanding that the beauty business be kept under the service sector. After many requests, it was listed in the service sector during the term of Industry and Commerce Minister Mahesh Basnet.
Similarly, as a result of Shrestha’s relentless initiative, ‘aesthetics and beauty’ has been included in the curricula of 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th classes as an optional subject from this academic session. She says it took her seven years to convince the government.
“It’s a huge success for me. My efforts have paid off,” gracefully shares Shrestha.
Shrestha asserts that this course will now create self-employment and employment opportunities for many. She believes that she has reached this height in her life only because she has never even given up on her profession despite any stress in her life.
As of now, she is teaching online to those who want to learn about beauty salon services. Now, she aims to create employment for another 50,000 people. To achieve this, she plans to open 25 training centres in all seven provinces and create self-employment opportunities in coordination and collaboration with the local governments.
“Many have lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Many have returned and still are returning to Nepal. How to manage those unemployed? We are thinking about managing them. We can provide employment to them within two months by providing them training under this programme,” she claims.
She recalls, “When I started this business, many people used to call me ‘barber’.” Even her relatives who used to take her negatively yesterday are now praising Shrestha. Before dying, her father-in-law was happy with her and regretted that he had scolded her before.
At the age of 63 also, she has not thought about retiring from the business. She thinks that he will remain active in the business as long as she can walk and move.
“I have dedicated my life to this business. I don’t want to retire right now,” she says, “Even when my legs will be weak, I will be working, be it by crawling as well, and enjoying this work.”
This business not only raised her financial status but also garnered her much respect and prestige. Shrestha has now become a household name in the industry.
New Zealand PM Ardern to announce government on November 2
MELBOURNE: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Saturday she will announce her new government on Monday after offering the Green Party two ministerial portfolios outside of cabinet as part of a proposed cooperation agreement.
Ardern delivered earlier this month the biggest election victory for her centre-left Labour Party in half a century. Although she no longer needs support to govern, coalitions are the norm in New Zealand as parties look to build consensus.
Under the agreement offered to the Green Party – one of Ardern government’s coalition partners prior to the election – the two portfolios would be held by the Green Party’s co-leaders.
James Shaw would be minister for climate change and would be associate environment minister, while Marama Davidson would become the minister for the prevention of family and sexual violence.
“On election night I said I wanted to govern for all New Zealanders and to reach as wide consensus on key issues as possible,” Ardern said at a televised news conference. “This agreement does that.”
In return, Ardern said, the Greens would not oppose the government on confidence and supply votes. They would also support Labour on procedural motions in the parliament.
The Green Party would be able to take their own position on issues not covered by the ministerial portfolios and areas of co-operation.
The cooperation deal could still be rejected by the Green Party membership who were to vote on it on Saturday, but Ardern said she would announce the composition of the government on Monday regardless of the Green Party’s decision.
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Philippines orders evacuation as world’s strongest 2020 typhoon approaches
MANILA: Philippine officials on Saturday ordered evacuation of thousands of residents in the southern part of the main Luzon island as a category 5 storm that is the world’s strongest this year approaches the Southeast Asian nation.
Typhoon Goni, with 215 kph (133 miles) sustained winds and gusts of up to 265 kph (164 mph), will make landfall on Sunday as the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines since Haiyan that killed more than 6,300 people in November 2013.
Pre-emptive evacuations have started in coastal and landslide-prone communities in the provinces of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur, while Albay provincial government would order residents in risky areas to leave their homes, Gremil Naz, a local disaster official, told DZBB radio station. “The strength of this typhoon is no joke.”
Typhoon Molave last week killed 22 people, mostly through drowning in provinces south of the capital Manila, which is also in the projected path of Goni, the 18th tropical storm in the country.
Authorities are facing another hurdle as social distancing needs to be imposed in evacuation centres to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The Philippines has the second highest COVID-19 infections and deaths in Southeast Asia, next only to Indonesia.
Relief goods, heavy machinery and personal protective equipment are already positioned in key areas, Filipino Grace America, mayor of Infanta town in Quezon province, told DZBB radio. “But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, our funds for calamity concerns and expenses are insufficient.”
Local officials cancelled port operations and barred fishers from setting sail.
Typhoon Goni, moving westward at 20 kph (12 mph) from the Pacific Ocean, will bring intense rains over the capital and 14 provinces nearby on Saturday evening, and threats of floods and landslides.
Another typhoon, Atsani, is gaining strength just outside the Philippines. Around 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year.
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The pandemic and international relations from the eyes of a policy analyst
Book Review
By Madan Kumar Bhattarai
Mana Ranjan Josse, or MRJ in short as he uses his initials in some of his writings, is a senior journalist and an established name in the field of English journalism, especially in the field of foreign policy, security and strategy.
A prolific writer, with several books and thousands of articles to his credit, Josse has come out with the publication of his second book, Geopolitically Speaking, after the magnum opus Nepal’s Quest for Survival in a Challenging Geopolitical Setting, within a span of some months, while being under lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Josse has been my mentor, supervisor and guru, especially when I served in The Rising Nepal under his guidance as Editor-in-Chief. We also share the same alma mater, Jadavpur University, Kolkata (Faculty of International Relations) and served together under the roof of the Foreign Ministry, as he was deputed to serve a very successful tenure as Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York, during the crucial period of 1985-1990.
His latest book, dedicated to King Birendra, the longest-serving active monarch of the Shah dynasty, is deceptively small in length but perceptibly very wide in its approach. As another good friend Pushpa Raj Pradhan has said on behalf of the publishers, the book has twelve chapters that Josse wrote during the period of lockdown and two important chapters on King Birendra’s friendly goodwill visit to China in 1976 when China was in the midst of a new order after the death of Premier Zhou Enlai and impending demise of Chairman Mao Zedong, and China and SAARC including Nepal’s role in the organisation that is now unfortunately in the dormant stage.
The first six chapters deal with a broad range of issues ranging from Covid-19’s potential to usher in a new configuration of big power relations as compared to the 1956 Suez crisis that ended the UK’s role as a big power to the looming US-China geopolitical tussle through perceptible shift in India’s over-all China policy. Chapter three of the book is important in the sense that the author dispels the prevailing notion in a section of the writers that we have inherited a timeless legacy of open border arguing that the movement was controlled by the passport system until the end of the Rana regime in 1951.
The fourth chapter of the new book deals with extensive and rather critical review of the monumental treatise Across Borders: Fifty Years of India’s Foreign Policy, written by the late Jyotindra Nath Dixit (popularly known as Mani Dixit), a prolific writer who served as India’s Foreign Secretary and National Security Adviser and an important mentor.
Chapters seven to twelve basically deal with the complexities of regional geopolitics including the role of outside powers with India as the focus both in what the writer prefers to analyse in the light realpolitik and Dezinformatsiya that can be broadly translated as wilful distortion of facts, and India’s quest for a global role. Interestingly, all these chapters touch on Nepal’s foreign policy and security approach in one way or the other pleading that many of such endeavours have been tantamount to impacting on or circumscribing Nepal’s foreign policy and security approach including ongoing disputes over the country’s far-western territories of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura.
One dilemma in assessing the role of Josse as an analyst is that people of his profession, and a wide range of people who know him from close quarters, take him as basically outspoken. But the impressions we gather in the book is just the reverse. My only complaint is that despite so much information, experience and wonderful power of articulate expression that he is endowed with, he remains fundamentally reticent in his writing. I wish the author wrote copiously about his observations and analysis of what can be called a saga of transition that Nepal has been forced to undergo to the chagrin of people at large.
Having said that, the book is a welcome addition in the study of Nepal’s foreign policy and security perspective amidst the uncertainty that has marked the global scenario in the wake of the corona pandemic.
GEOPOLITICALLY SPEAKING
MR Josse
Publishers: Periwinkle Prakashan
Pages 132
Price: Rs 200
(The Kathmandu Post daily)
India records 48,268 new coronavirus cases
MUMBAI: India’s coronavirus caseload stood at 8.1 million on Saturday, with 48,268 new cases being recorded in the last 24 hours, data from the health ministry showed.
India has the world’s second-highest caseload, behind only the United States, but new infections have seen a dip since September.
Deaths rose up by 551, taking total mortalities to 121,641, the health ministry said.
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BPKIHS confirms one more death from coronavirus infection on Saturday
KATHMANDU: BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) reported another covid death in Dharan.
A 73-year-old male from Gauriganj of Jhapa district succumbed to coronavirus infection today at 6:45 am.
The deceased, after testing positive for COVID-19 on October 22, was admitted to the BPKIHS Covid Hospital on October 23 in Dharan.
He was a patient of Ischemic Heart Disease.
The hospital is preparing to perform the last rites of the deceased as per the health protocol, as per the hospital.
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Friday, October 30, 2020
If 2020 is like 2000, Trump believes he’s got the votes
WASHINGTON: More than 86 million Americans have already voted in the presidential election, but President Donald Trump thinks he can count on one hand the votes that will determine the outcome.
“I think this will end up in the Supreme Court,” Trump said last month of the election.
The justices have already tackled issues involving voting in more than half a dozen states. On Friday, the president on Twitter sharply criticized their decision involving an extended deadline for receiving mailed-in ballots in North Carolina as “CRAZY and so bad for our Country.”
His disapproving comments highlight the tension between the law and politics that Chief Justice John Roberts has long said he would like to see the court avoid. Two years ago, Roberts issued a rare public rebuke of Trump for suggesting that judges are loyal to the presidents who appoint them.
Still, if the election hangs on a razor-thin number of ballots and an election-deciding case were to land in front of the justices, Trump likes his chances of getting five votes to win. That’s because with the addition of Justice Amy Coney Barrett this week, conservatives now hold six of the court’s nine seats. And Trump gave three of those conservatives their jobs.
An election-deciding case isn’t far-fetched, either, of course. Two decades ago, when the disputed 2000 election came down to Florida, the court voted 5-4 along ideological lines to essentially settle the election in favor of Republican George W. Bush.
In this presidential election cycle, the high court already has been pulled into fights surrounding voting, and both parties and the president acknowledge an environment ripe for additional legal challenges. So far, the high court has been asked to rule on a flurry of election-related cases where Republicans have challenged and Democrats defended the loosening of voting rules because of the coronavirus pandemic. More litigation is likely ahead, a reason Trump pushed to get Barrett confirmed quickly so she could be on the court before Nov. 3.
Of course, any challenges could also have little impact if either Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden wins decisively.
So far, the high court has dealt with election cases involving Alabama, Maine, Montana, Rhode Island, and South Carolina. And just in the last two weeks, the court sided with Republicans to prevent Wisconsin from counting mailed ballots that are received after Election Day. But the court gave Democrats wins by leaving in place extended timelines for receiving ballots in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Neither the North Carolina nor the Pennsylvania case is fully resolved, however. In Pennsylvania, the justices left open the possibility they could take up and decide after the election whether a three-day extension to receive and count absentee ballots ordered by the state’s high court was proper.
The issue would take on enormous importance if Pennsylvania turns out to be the crucial state in the election and the votes received between Nov. 3 and Nov. 6 are potentially decisive.
“It has the makings of a perfect storm,” University of Iowa law professor Derek Muller said of the situation in Pennsylvania.
Ballots received in Pennsylvania’s three-day window will be separated out so those votes can be distinguished. A similar situation is unfolding in Minnesota, where ballots received after Election Day will be separated because a court fight over them is ongoing.
In addition to ballots arriving after Election Day, the drop boxes used to collect ballots, signature match for requirements for mail-in ballots and ballots returned without the ballot secrecy envelope could all be topics for post-election legal challenges.
In recent weeks, Trump has also falsely asserted that voting by mail is proving to be rife with problems and made the unrealistic demand that all votes be counted election night. His sowing of distrust in the integrity of the election could set up additional court fights.
The Supreme Court that Trump is counting on, however, looks different from the one that decided Bush v. Gore in 2000. Only two members of that court remain, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas and liberal Justice Stephen Breyer. Three others — Roberts, Barrett and Justice Brett Kavanaugh — were lawyers who helped Bush’s side in the case.
Stanford professor Nathaniel Persily, an expert in election law, said the country isn’t ready for a repeat of 2000.
“If it’s a Bush v. Gore scenario, with 500 votes separating the candidates, our political institutions and political parties are not prepared for that situation right now,” he said.
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Call for immediate rescue of Nepali students injured in Dehradun
KATHMANDU: Nepal Students’ Union, the sister organisation of main opposition Nepali Congress, has demanded immediate rescue and free medical treatment of the Nepali students who were injured in the Dehradun incident.
This image shows Sakya Academy campus in Dehradun, India, in May 2019. Photo courtesy: Tenzin Nyima
Issuing a statement, NSU president Rajiv Dhungana has expressed sorrow over the corporal punishment meted out against Nepali students at Sakya Academy in Dehradun, India. The incident took place on October 28.
“All countries must respect human rights to education in a good academic atmosphere,” he said in the statement.
Stating that any kind of mistreatment against Nepali students around the world will not be acceptable, the NSU has demanded that the government provide all possible security to the students.
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Car-hit kills pedestrian in Chitwan
CHITWAN: A person died after a car hit her in Khairahani Municipality-1 along the East-west Highway in Chitwan district on Friday.
The deceased has been identified as Buddhimaya Darai (50) of Khairahani-2.
According to Chitwan District Police Office (DPO), the car (Ba 12 Cha 3177) headed in a westward direction hit Darai critically injuring her at Jyamire, at around 3:50 pm yesterday.
The injured woman died in the evening of the same day while in course of treatment at Bharatpur-based Chitwan Medical College.
Meanwhile, police have impounded the vehicle and detained its driver for further investigation into the case.
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France tightens security after Nice attack, protests flare in parts of Muslim world
- France at war with Islamist ideology: minister
- Country on high security alert after Nice church attack
- Thousands protest inparts of Middle East, Asia, Africa
PARIS/NICE, FRANCE: France stepped up security nationwide on Friday to guard against Islamist attacks after the fatal stabbings at a church in Nice, while protests flared in parts of the Middle East, Asia and Africa over French caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad.
President Emmanuel Macron deployed thousands of soldiers to protect sites including places of worship and schools, and the nation was at its highest level of security alert after the second deadly knife attack in its cities in two weeks.
Police were holding a 21-year-old Tunisian migrant, identified by a French police source and Tunisian officials as Brahim al-Aouissaoui, over the attack in which a man shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is Greatest) decapitated a woman and killed two other people in Notre Dame Basilica in Nice on Thursday.
Candles, flowers and messages are seen in front of the Notre Dame church in tribute to the victims of a deadly knife attack in Nice, France, on October 30, 2020. Photo: Reuters
The attack took place at a time of growing anger among Muslims in many countries over the issue of French cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, which they deem insulting and blasphemous.
It occurred almost two weeks after Samuel Paty, a school teacher in a Paris suburb, was beheaded by an 18-year-old Chechen. Paty had shown his pupils such cartoons in a class on freedom of expression.
France, home to Europe’s largest Muslim community and hit by a string of militant attacks in recent years, has defended the right to publish such cartoons. Macron has insisted France will not compromise on its basic freedoms of belief and expression.
In Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Palestinian territories, tens of thousands of Muslims staged anti-French protests after Friday prayers.
In Islamabad, police briefly fired tear gas at protesters who broke through security blockades in a failed attempt to demonstrate at the French embassy.
In Bangladesh, marchers in the capital Dhaka chanted “Boycott French products” and carried banners calling Macron “the world’s biggest terrorist”. Some burned effigies of the French president.
“Macron is leading Islamophobia,” said Dhaka demonstrator Akramul Haq. “The Muslim world will not let this go in vain. We’ll rise and stand in solidarity against him.”
Protests also took place in India, Lebanon and Somalia.
The leader of Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, said the cartoons were an aggression. He condemned the Nice stabbings, but said Western leaders also bore responsibility for such crimes because of their roles in Middle East conflicts.
EMBASSIES STEP UP SECURITY
Interior Minister Gerald Damarnin said France was engaged in a war against Islamist ideology and more attacks on its soil were likely. “We are in a war against an enemy that is both inside and outside,” he told RTL radio.
Nice Police Chief Richard Gianotti said any symbol of the republic or Christianity was a potential target. “We have to be vigilant, we have to be attentive,” he told Reuters.
French embassies were also told to step up security.
Police used a Taser and rubber bullets to overpower a man in Paris on Friday when he threatened officers with two knives after they challenged him. The motive was not immediately clear.
In Nice, residents mourned the victims of what was the second attack in the Mediterranean city in recent years. In July 2016, a militant drove a truck through a seafront crowd celebrating Bastille Day, killing 86 people.
People gathered in front of the Notre Dame church to lay flowers and light candles.
“I’m from Nice and this is a tragedy once again,” said Frederic Lefevre, 50, who wore a French national rugby shirt.
“We’re a free country. Let’s love freedom – that’s a message to the world. No god should kill,” he said.
France‘s chief anti-terrorism prosecutor, Jean-Francois Ricard, said the suspect was a Tunisian born in 1999 who arrived in Europe on Sept. 20 in Lampedusa, the Italian island off Tunisia that is a main landing point for migrants from Africa.
He arrived in Nice by train on Thursday morning and made his way to the church, where he stabbed and killed the 55-year-old sexton and beheaded a 60-year-old woman.
He also stabbed a 44-year-old woman, who fled to a nearby cafe where she raised the alarm before dying, Ricard said.
Police then arrived and shot and wounded him.
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The woman who died after raising the alarm was identified as mother-of-three Simone Barreto Silva, who moved to France from Brazil as a teenager.
“She crossed the road, covered in blood,” said Brahim Jelloule, manager of the Unik cafe. “She was still talking, she was saying that there was someone inside (the church),” Jelloule told France Television.
The Notre Dame parish treasurer, Jean-Francois Gourdon, told Reuters he had been working in the church with the sexton, Vincent Loques, but left shortly before the attacker arrived.
The sexton, he said, “was very honest, he was at everyone’s service, good-humoured, liked to joke.”
In the Tunisian city of Sfax, Aouissaoui’s family said he had spoken to them on a video call outside the church hours before the attack. He had shown no sign that he planned any violence, they said.
Aouissaoui had gone there looking for a place to sleep, his sister Afef said.
Family members told Reuters they were shocked at the idea that he had committed such a violent crime.
“My brother is a friendly person and never showed extremism,” his older brother Yassin said. “He respected all other people and accepted their differences even since he was a child.”
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