W I T H O U T F E A R O R
Nepal’s largest selling English daily
Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj
Today
p National
Nepal’s envoy to Switzerland and
Permanent Representative to the
UN Ram Prasad Subedi has been elect-
ed unopposed chairman of the World
Trade Organization’s Committee on
Trade and Development. Pg 3
The Rastriya Prajatantra Party
chief says upcoming agitation will
build pressure on the government
and major political forces to scrap
federalism and reinstate the monarch
as the country’s custodian. Pg 3
p World
The year of 2024 could be hotter
under El Nino’s influence than the
record-shattering 2023, the United
Nations warned on Friday, as it urged
drastic emissions cuts to combat cli-
mate change. Pg 4
British PM Rishi Sunak unveiled
new military funding for Ukraine on
Friday during a visit to Kyiv aimed at
reassuring the country that the West
is still providing support nearly 23
months after Russia’s invasion. Pg 4
p Money
Russian tourists reportedly going
on a ski trip to North Korea will
be the first international travellers
to visit the country since border clos-
ings in January 2020 amid the global
pandemic lockdown. Pg 5
p Sports
The “clasico” will decide the Spanish
Super Cup winner for the second
straight season. Barcelona defeated
Osasuna 2-0 on Thursday to set up a
rematch of last year’s final against Real
Madrid in Saudi Arabia. Pg 6
p Get a Copy
kathmandupost.com
Ample resources online, frequent course
updates hit second-hand bookstores
Students’ exodus leaves the once-thriving shops on Exhibition Road with few buyers.
Booksellers say the demand for used books first dropped during the Covid pandemic.
q SARAHNA KHADKA
KATHMANDU, JAN 12
In the bustling streets of the
Exhibition Road area in downtown
Kathmandu, students from nearby col-
leges hustle between their breaks to
grab lunch at the roadside eateries
and rush back to attend classes.
F A V O U R
People from various organisations join a rally to mark the Prithvi Jayanti and National Unity Day, at Singha Durbar in Kathmandu on Friday.
Shah, the unifier of modern Nepal, was born three centuries ago. The state had stopped marking the day after the political changes of 2006.
US and Britain strike Yemen in reprisal
for Houthi attacks on shipping
Militants vow to retaliate and continue their attacks on
shipping, intended to support Palestinians against Israel.
q Reuters
WASHINGTON/ADEN, Yemen, Jan 12
US and British warplanes, ships and
submarines launched dozens of air
strikes across Yemen overnight in
retaliation against Houthi forces for
months of attacks on Red Sea ship-
ping that the Iran-backed fighters cast
as a response to the war in Gaza.
Witnesses confirmed explosions at
military bases near airports in the
capital Sanaa and Yemen’s third city
Taiz, a naval base at Yemen’s main Red
Sea port Hodeidah and military sites in
the coastal Hajjah governorate.
“These targeted strikes are a clear
message that the United States and
our partners will not tolerate attacks
on our personnel or allow hostile
actors to imperil freedom of naviga-
tion,” US President Joe Biden said.
The Houthis, who have controlled
most of Yemen for nearly a decade,
said five of their fighters had been
killed in a total of 73 air strikes. They
vowed to retaliate and continue their
attacks on shipping, which they say
are intended to support Palestinians
against Israel.
“We saw a large fire from where the
attack took place. It was half an hour
of terror,” said Kheloud, a Sanaa resi-
dent who awoke to loud explosions
from the direction of the airport.
By mid-afternoon, crowds had gath-
ered in central Sanaa and other cities.
Drone footage on the Houthis’ al-Ma-
sirah TV showed hundreds of thou-
sands of people carrying Palestinian
and Yemeni flags, chanting slogans
Post file Photo
The eateries are busy and so are the
stationery shops.
But there is a noticeable change
nowadays. The once-thriving second-
hand bookstores at the corners of
Putalisadak streets now wear a desert-
ed look. The Post visited several sec-
ondhand bookshops in Putalisadak,
Thamel, Rani Pokhari and Bhotahiti
Vol XXXI No. 320 | 8 pages | Rs.5
Saturday, January 13, 2024 | 28-09-2080
23.0° C -5.3° C
Janakpur Jumla
Resham Chaudhary
elected party chair.
Does the law allow it?
Constitutional lawyer says presidential pardon doesn’t
mean Chaudhary got a clean chit on the 2015 killings.
q POST REPORT
KATHMANDU, JAN 12
Nagarik Unmukti Party elected
Resham Chaudhary as the party’s
chairman from its first general
convention held in Tikapur of Kailali
district on Friday.
Chaudhary was elected unopposed
to the post as no one filed a candidacy
against him, said Ganesh Chaudhary,
a leader of the party.
Resham, who was serving a life
term after being convicted of master-
minding the 2015 Tikapur massacre,
Post Photo: SANJOG MANANDHAR founded the party while in prison Post Photo
before the 2022 November elections. Resham Chaudhary after being elected.
He was released from Dillibazar
prison on May 28, 2023 after President federal government.
Ramchandra Paudel, on the govern- The Act on Political Parties-2017
ment’s recommendation, commuted has defined who can become a mem-
his remaining jail term.
Chaudhary’s election has raised a
question of whether a murder convict
ber or office bearer of a political party.
Section 13 (1) (a) states that only
Nepali citizens not convicted in cor-
can lead a political party. ruption; rape; human trafficking and
The Unmukti Party has four law- smuggling; sales, or import or export
makers in the House of Representatives of drugs; money laundering; kidnap-
and has won 12 seats in three provin- ping or any other criminal charges
cial assemblies. The party, whose involving moral turpitude are eligible
major support base is the coun-
try’s southern districts, has won
to be member of a political party.
Chaudhary, however, has been
seven seats in Sudurpaschim
Province, four in Lumbini and
convicted by all three levels of courts
as a mastermind of the Tikapur kill-
one in Madhesh Province. ings of 2015.
denouncing Israel and the United The party was registered at The President’s pardon based on the
States in response to a speaker on a the Election Commission on government’s recommendation was
giant screen. January 3, 2022 by Chaudhary’s also widely criticised as the head of
“Your strikes on Yemen are terror- wife Ranjeeta Shrestha state endorsed the Cabinet’s decision
ism,” said Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, Chaudhary, who had thus far even before the Supreme Court had
member of the Houthi Supreme been acting as the party chair. issued its full text of the verdict con-
Political Council. “The United States She is now minister for land victing Chaudhary.
is the Devil.” reform and management in the >> Continued on page 2
The commander of US air opera-
tions in the Middle East, Air Force
Lieutenant-General Alex Grynkewich,
said 60 targets at 16 locations had been
hit using more than 100 precision-guid-
ed munitions.
Houthi-controlled
Yemen is a poor nation
only just emerging from
a decade of war.
A US official said the targets had
been chosen to weaken the Houthis’
ability to attack: “We were going
after very specific capability in very
specific locations with precision
munitions.”
In a poor country only just emerg-
ing from nearly a decade of war that
brought millions to the brink of fam-
ine, people fearing an extended new
conflict queued at petrol stations.
“There is a lot of worry that the
fuel shortages will repeat themselves
and food supplies will be scarce,” said
Ali Ahmad, 52.
>> Continued on page 2
areas. Their bookshelves are covered
with dust, while some shelves are
empty.
The sellers await customers,
desperately.
“The demand for secondhand has
dried up completely and we have
resorted to selling first-hand only,”
said Suresh Khatri, a salesperson at
Unnati Book Store at Exhibition
Road, which has been in operation for
a decade.
Another secondhand bookshop
nearby, Khada Devi Book Centre, used
to do brisk business in the past.
Rabindra Bhattarai, its owner,
says the business nowadays hardly
breaks even.
“The demand dropped during the
Covid lockdown. And, it has not recov-
ered to pre-pandemic levels.”
He said that the monthly rent has
soared to Rs30,000 and increases by 5
percent each year.
It is already costly to operate sec-
ondhand book shops, and profit mar-
gins have also shrunk, he complained.
Secondhand books, particularly
textbooks, were once appealing to stu-
dents as they were cheaper by Rs150 to
Rs200 than fresh copies. Students, too,
used to sell their books.
>> Continued on page 5
C M Y K

National
p District Digest
Man on the run
after killing wife
PANCHTHAR: Asafal Kurumbang, a res-
ident of ward 4 of Tumbewa Rural
Municipality, killed his wife and
injured two with a khukuri over a
family dispute on Thursday night.
According to Sumit Kushwaha, infor-
mation officer of the District Police
Office, the man and wife had gone to
his in-laws’ house in Miklajung Rural
Municipality to resolve some family
issues, and in a fit of rage, he killed
his wife, and injured his mother-in-
law and her relative. The injured are
being treated at B & C Hospital,
Jhapa. The man fled the scene after
the incident. Efforts are being made
to search the man by issuing a BOLO
(Be On the Lookout), said Kusuwaha.
Police seize tipper trucks
carrying illegally-mined sand
NAWALPUR: Police seized three tipper
trucks allegedly carrying sand
extracted illegally from the local
Sidrekhola river. The police seized
the trucks from ward 4 of Binaya
Triveni Rural Municipality.
According to the information officer
of the District Police Office, Bed
Bahadur Poudel, the illegally-extract-
ed sand was being supplied to
Hongshi Cement by PR
Constructions, a construction
company. The company extracted
sand more than permitted by the
municipality, police said.
Man missing for 16 days
BUTWAL: Sudip Gyawali, a 35-year-old
resident of Nayagaun in ward 12 of
Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City and
working in Kathmandu, remains
missing for the past 16 days.
According to Deputy Superintendent
of Police Bijayraj Pandit of the
District Police Office, Butwal, the
man remains out of contact with his
family since December 28. The family
claims that the man was travelling
from Kathmandu to Nayagaun and
went missing on the way. Efforts are
on to search for the man with the
help of security personnel in
Kathmandu as well, said Pandit.
Poll body says will
assess legality of
Unmukti decision
>> Continued from page 1
Sharada Kadayat Bohara, wife of
police inspector Keshav Bohara who
was killed in the incident, moved the
Supreme Court challenging the presi-
dential pardon. The case filed in
November last year is sub judice in
the top court.
Constitutional lawyer Bipin
Adhikari said Resham doesn’t have a
moral ground to lead a public organi-
sation like a political party as all the
three courts have said “he is a convict
in cold-blooded murders.”
Adhikari argued that the President’s
jail term pardon doesn’t mean that
Chaudhary has been given a clean chit
on his crime. “The President’s pardon
was limited to allowing him to leave
jail and live a free life. The pardon in
no way erases his crime which has
been established by the courts,”
Adhikari told the Post. “In the eyes of
the law, he is a murder convict.”
Besides that, the case filed by
Sharada Kadayat Bohara against the
President’s pardon is still sub judice
and the court may still invalidate the
pardon, he said.
An appeal against the
presidential pardon for
Resham Chaudhary is
sub judice in apex court.
“The court has set a precedent when
it ruled against murder convict Regal,
in a case of similar nature,” he said.
The apex court in November last
year annulled the decision to grant a
presidential pardon to Yog Raj Dhakal,
aka Regal, a murder convict. Dhakal,
who was freed amid fanfare, was later
jailed again as per the court order.
An Election Commission official
says when a party changes its office
bearers or policies, it has to send
related documents and details to the
commission.
“We will check whether a particular
person is eligible to be a member and
an office bearer of the party when we
get those documents,” Shaligram
Sharma Paudel, spokesperson of the
commission, told the Post.
“We will validate their appointment
if it is as per the law. Otherwise, we
will not.”
Nagarik Unmukti Party leaders,
however, argue that the endorsement
of a candidate from the party’s gener-
al convention is a valid process.
“There could be no bigger endorse-
ment of a political leader than his
election as its chairperson through
the respective party’s general conven-
tion,” Laxman Kishore Chaudhary,
provincial assembly member of
Sudurpaschim Province of the party,
told the Post.
“Debates on some legal matters may
continue to take place.”
People navigate perilous routes after
contractor leaves road work incomplete
For the past two years, a construction company has stalled work on a highly anticipated road project connecting Rukum West and Rukum East.
q MAHESH KC
RUKUM WEST, JAN 12
One of the highly-anticipated road
connectivity projects in Rukum West
and Rukum East has been left in limbo
for the past two years.
The 30-km road construction pro-
ject is part of the Rural Connectivity
Improvement Project (RCIP) under
the Department of Local
Infrastructure. The contract for the
project was awarded to PH Shankar
Mali JV Construction Company for
Rs907.9 million.
According to RCIP, the project is
divided into two packages—a 12-km
road section in Rukum East and an
18-km road section in Rukum West.
The three-year-long project was initi-
ated on June 21, 2018, and was
expected to be completed by November
11, 2021.
The project was initiated with a
concessional loan from the Asian
Development Bank which covered 80
percent of the project cost while the
government contributed the remain-
ing 20 percent.
“The construction company sought
deadline extensions seven times since
it started work,” said Ramashish
Shah, head manager of RCIP Office,
Rukum West.
The 12-km road stretch in Rukum
East connects Deukhola in ward 14 to
Triveni in ward 12 of Putha
Uttarganga Rural Municipality, one of
the remotest local units of the district.
The 18-km road stretch in Rukum
West runs from Shitalpokari in ward 6
of Musikot Municipality to Chunbang,
a village on the border of Rukum West
and Rukum East.
“The project has so far seen only 22
percent physical progress and 18.19
percent financial progress in the
Rukum East section, while 80 percent
physical progress and 66 percent
financial progress in the Rukum West
section,” said Shah.
“There has been no further pro-
gress because the construction compa-
ny has not done any work for the last
two years. There are no workers at the
construction site.”
According to Shah, the construction
company has taken a payment of
Rs491.1 million so far.
Out of the 18-km road section in
Rukum West, a 13-km track is yet to be
opened while work on the drainage
and retaining walls remains to be
completed on the remaining 5 km.
The incomplete state of the 18-km
road in Musikot Municipality has
made travelling risky for the locals,
says Basanta Khadka, chairman of
Government providing
second dose of HPV
vaccine in March
Over 9,900 girls aged 14 and 15 years were given the first
doses of human papillomavirus vaccine last September.
q POST REPORT
KATHMANDU, JAN 12
The Ministry of Health and Population
will administer the second dose of the
human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
in March to girls who got the first dose
earlier.
With the 20,000 doses purchased by
the government, 9,980 girls between 14
and 15 years old from all seven prov-
inces were jabbed in September under
the demonstration programme.
SHUTTERSTOCK
Dr Abhiyan Gautam, chief of the
Immunisation Section of the Family
Welfare Division under the
Department of Health Services, said
that the vaccine will be administered
from the same places where the first
dose was available.
Human papillomavirus is a viral
infection that spreads through skin
contact. The virus causes cervical
cancer, which is the second-most com-
mon cancer in the developing world
and a major cause of death among
Nepali women. Hundreds of women
get diagnosed with cervical cancer
every year in Nepal.
According to the BP Koirala
Memorial Cancer Hospital in
This recent photo (above) shows people navigating precariously through a landslide in Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality in Rukum East after the
contractor of a 12-km road linking Rukum East and Rukum West left the work incomplete. (Below) An under-construction section in Rukum West.
ward 10 of Musikot Municipality in
Rukum West.
“The structures like the retaining
walls that were being built have start-
ed to collapse. The gravel work done
on the surface has also started to come
off in several places creating huge
Bharatpur, more than 700 women suf-
fering from cervical cancer seek treat-
ment at the hospital every year.
HPV vaccination was also men-
tioned in the government’s policies
and programmes for the fiscal year
2023-2024.
Doctors say most cervical cancers
are associated with the HPV, a sexual-
ly transmitted infection. Widespread
immunisation could reduce the
impact of cervical cancer and
other cancers caused by the HPV
worldwide.
Countries like Bhutan, Sri Lanka,
Thailand and the Maldives have intro-
duced HPV vaccines nationally while
India and Indonesia have introduced
them in some districts.
In 2016, Nepal piloted HPV vaccines
in Chitwan and Kaski districts. All
girls aged 11 to 13 years were then
given two doses of the vaccine.
Experts say early treatment
prevents up to 80 percent of cervical
cancer.
Meanwhile, health ministry offi-
cials said that a nationwide HPV vac-
cination drive is likely in the third
quarter of 2024. The ministry plans to
inoculate around 1.7 million girls
between 10 and 14 years with
HPV vaccines in the nationwide drive
and make it a part of regular
immunisation.
According to officials, the Global
Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation
(GAVI) has agreed to provide the vac-
cine doses. They said that once the
campaign is completed, the HPV vac-
cine will be included in the govern-
ment’s routine immunisation
programme. Nepal had submitted a
proposal to GAVI in July last year
requesting it for
the HPV doses for free so that the
vaccine could be included on the regu-
lar immunisation list.
The World Health Organisation
says HPV vaccination is recommend-
ed as part of a coordinated strategy to
prevent cervical cancer and other dis-
eases caused by the virus.
potholes,” he said. “No work has been
done on this road for the past two
years and despite our repeated
requests to the RCIP, the road remains
in a shoddy condition.”
The absence of roads in Musikot
Municipality is a major hurdle for the
Houthis vow retaliation after US
and British airstrikes across Yemen
>> Continued from page 1
“We are rushing to fuel our car and
we bought flour and rice in case of
any emergency because we are expect-
ing the Houthis to respond and an
escalation to take place.”
In Hodeidah, a resident who gave
only his first name, Mahmoud, said
troops were spreading through the
streets and military vehicles were
leaving barracks with security
escorts.
Price of oil jumps
The price of oil rose sharply on con-
cern that supplies could be disrupted,
with Brent crude up $2 on Friday.
Commercial ship tracking data
showed at least four oil tankers divert-
ing from the Red Sea.
INTERTANKO, an oil tanker indus-
try body, sent a note to members say-
ing the US-led Combined Maritime
Forces had advised ships to “stay well
away from Bab al-Mandab”, the mouth
of the Red Sea where 15 percent of
global seaborne trade passes.
“The threat period for shipping is
expected to last for several days,” said
the note, seen by Reuters.
Britain’s defence ministry said
there were indications that “the
Houthis’ ability to threaten
merchant shipping has taken a blow”.
Officials said no further action was
planned for now.
The strikes follow months of raids
by Houthi fighters, who have boarded
ships they claimed were Israeli or
heading for Israel.
The United States and some of its
allies deployed a naval task force to
the area in December, and recent days
saw increasing escalation. US helicop-
ters sank three Houthi boats on New
Year’s Eve, killing fighters attempting
to board a ship. On Tuesday, the United
States and Britain shot down 21 mis-
siles and drones in what they called
the biggest attack yet.
Iran, which supports armed groups
around the Middle East including
both the Houthis and the Hamas mili-
tants that control Gaza, condemned
the US and British attacks.
Iran-backed armed groups have
increased attacks on US targets in
several countries since Hamas
militants attacked Israel on
October 7, killing 1,200 people and
precipitating the war in Gaza, which
SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 2024 | 02
POST PHOTOs
locals to receive medical aid during an
emergency. The operation of the 18-km
road is expected to connect wards 8, 9
and 10 to the Rapti Highway via
Shitalpokhara in ward 6.
Jamuna Rokaya, a local of ward 10
of Musikot, says that while the locals
Yemeni men brandish their weapons and hold up portraits of Huthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi
during a protest in solidarity with the Palestinians in Yemeni capital Sanaa on January 5.
has so far killed more than 23,000.
Fears of escalation
Houthi attacks have forced commer-
cial ships to take a longer, costlier
route around Africa, creating fears of
a new bout of inflation and supply
chain disruption.
Carmaker Tesla said delays to parts
shipments from Asia due to Red Sea
unrest had forced it to shut its factory
in Germany for two weeks, the first
big manufacturer to make such an
announcement.
Washington has had to weigh its
determination to keep the shipping
lane open against the risk of spread-
ing unrest in a region on edge over the
Gaza war.
Whether the strikes will in fact
deter further attacks on shipping will
depend on how the Houthis respond,
said Tobias Borck, a Middle East secu-
rity export at Britain’s Royal United
Services Institute.
The Houthis wanted to portray
themselves as champions of the
Palestinian cause and foes of the
West, but were mainly concerned
travel on vehicles during the dry sea-
son, they get cut off from the rest of
the wards of the municipality during
the rainy season.
“We suffer the most from a lack of
road connectivity during medical
emergencies. It becomes challenging
and risky to take patients to health
centres through the road,” said
Rokaya. “If this road was completed,
patients would reach the hospital on
time.”
In Rukum East, out of the 12-km
road stretch from Deukhola in
ward 14 to Triveni in ward 12 of
Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality,
nine km of road have been
opened but work on drainage, retain-
ing walls, and subgrading are yet to be
completed.
“We were elated when the road con-
struction started. We saw it as a bless-
ing since our villages are located in
remote areas and road connectivity
meant some development in infra-
structure,” said Ganesh Khadka, a
resident of Naigadha in Putha
Uttarganga Rural Municipality. “But
we have lost hope of any development
after the construction work stopped
two years ago.”
In Rukum East the 12-km road will
give road access to locals of wards 1
and 2 of Sisne Rural Municipality and
wards 7, 12, 13 and 14 of Putha
Uttarganga Rural Municipality.
According to Shyammani Kafle,
senior divisional engineer of the RCIP,
the monitoring team from the RCIP
inspected the project last year and
recommended terminating the con-
tract with the company and taking
legal action against it due to substand-
ard and incomplete work. The Asian
Development Bank also suggested the
RCIP terminate the contract with PH
Shankar Mali JV Construction
Company and call a fresh tender for
the project, said Kafle.
“The company left the site some two
years ago and the RCIP issued a notice
to terminate the contract with the
company last year. But the company
convinced us that they would pick up
pace and complete the project,” said
Kafle. “They sought an extension for
the seventh time and then
disappeared.”
Shah, the RCIP head manager in
Rukum West, informed that they have
already proceeded with terminating
the contract with PH Shankar Mali JV
Construction Company and calling for
new bids. “The process will be com-
plete after sorting out legal complica-
tions and hopefully work on both sec-
tions of the road will resume soon,”
he said.
AFP/rss
about retaining power.
“Is this the hill they want to die
on?” said Borck. “They were doing
well, they have been able to survive
the last eight years, have expanded
their power, but now they are inviting
air strikes from the world’s most pow-
erful military.”
But Farea Al-Muslimi, a Yemen
expert at Chatham House think tank,
noted that years of air strikes by
Saudi Arabia had previously caused
huge suffering to Yemen’s people
while doing little to deter Houthi
attacks: “The Saudis tried that path in
Yemen for nine years and clearly it
didn’t work.”
Saudi Arabia, which has sought for
nearly a decade to oust the Houthis in
a war that is now in a delicate stage of
peace negotiations, called for
restraint. The United States accused
Iran of providing the Houthis with
military capabilities and intelligence
to carry out their attacks.
“We believe that they have
been certainly involved in every
phase of this,” a senior US official told
reporters.
C M Y K
03 | SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 2024
Lingden admits party has diverse views Envoy Subedi elected
on RPP taking Koshi Speaker position chief of WTO body
Rastriya Prajatantra Party chief says upcoming agitation will build pressure on the government and
major parties to scrap federalism and reinstate the monarchy as the country’s custodian.
RPP chair Lingden (left) and Prime Minister Dahal at the tea reception organised by the party on the occasion of Prithvi Jayanti on Friday.
q POST REPORT
KATHMANDU, JAN 12
Rastriya Prajatantra Party Chairman
Rajendra Lingden on Friday said that
there are divergent views inside the
party over the recent election of
Speaker of the Koshi Provincial
Assembly.
Ambar Bahadur Bista of the RPP
was elected the Speaker of the prov-
ince with the support of major parties
like the Nepali Congress and the CPN-
UML. His election on Tuesday courted
controversy in the RPP despite his
unopposed nomination.
Prakash Chandra Lohani of the
party’s central advisory committee
Know your food
EGGS
q POST REPORT
KATHMANDU, JAN 12
Chicken eggs are a healthy, nutri-
tious superfood, containing most
of the minerals and vitamins a
body needs. They are relatively
cheap as well. They are a complete
source of protein, credited with a
reduction in malnutrition in chil-
dren and pregnant women in
recent years in Nepal.
According to nutritionists, con-
suming eggs daily has multiple
benefits including weight loss,
reduced blood pressure and protec-
tion against infections.
n Sourcing of our eggs
Nepal is self-reliant on chicken
eggs. According to the Nepal
Egg Producers Association,
poultry farmers in the country
produce 3.1 million eggs a day.
“Our production is sufficient to
meet domestic demand,” said
Shiva Ram KC, chairman of the
association.
n Sizes and types
Eggs are mostly available in two
sizes—big and medium. Big-
sized eggs cost Rs450 a crate (30
eggs) while medium-sized ones
cost Rs435 a crate. Pastured eggs
or eggs from local chickens are
also available but they cost
more than double the price of
eggs produced in poultry farms.
These are called Omega-3-
enriched eggs, which are more
nutritious than those produced
on farms. Nutritionists say such
eggs contain higher amounts of
Omega-3 fat and are high in
vitamins A and E. Omega-3 fatty
acids are also known to reduce
blood levels of triglycerides, a
well-known risk factor for heart
disease.
As pastured eggs are scarce,
one has to directly contact
farmers to buy them. Officials
at the Department of Food
Technology said that generally,
pastured eggs are not produced
in bulk, but they may be made
available through some trusted
suppliers.
n Why have them, and how many?
As chicken eggs are rich in pro-
tein, most minerals and vita-
had asked Bista to resign in view of
the dispute. The party professes a pol-
icy of anti-federalism, pro-monarchy
and anti-secularism and is going to
launch nationwide agitation in
February-end. However, party leaders
said Lingden had instructed Bista to
contest the post citing that the party
already had its Speaker in Bagmati
Assembly too. Koshi is Lingden’s
home province.
Speaking to reporters after marking
king Prithvi Narayan Shah’s birth
anniversary in Kathmandu, Lingden
said there are varying opinions among
party leaders on whether to take the
Koshi Speaker position. Party leaders
like Lohani, Rabindra Mishra and
mins, there are multiple rea-
sons to take them. A whole egg
contains Vitamin A, Vitamin
B9, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B 12,
Vitamin B 2, Vitamin D, E, B6,
minerals—phosphorus, seleni-
um, calcium and zinc.
“A healthy adult can eat 1–2
eggs a day without hesitation,”
said Dr Atul Upadhyay, a nutri-
tionist. “A whole egg contains
almost all the nutrients a body
needs.”
n What about the quality of eggs?
No agency in the country is
checking the quality of the eggs
being sent to the market. The
issue of excessive use of antibi-
otics in chicken is often raised
but no one talks about the pres-
ence of antibiotic residue in
eggs.
Studies in other countries
including India show high lev-
els of antibiotic-resistant patho-
gens in chickens raised for meat
and eggs.
The Department of Food
Technology and Quality Control
examines the quality of pro-
cessed foods containing eggs
but does not check the quality
of eggs per se. Experts say there
is no mechanism in the country
to ascertain the quality of eggs.
It is also difficult to determine
the quality of eggs by merely
looking at them, for instance
whether they have thick or thin
shells.
n Other benefits
Eggs help in weight loss and
strengthening prenatal bone.
They increase mental energy.
The lutein in the eggs enhances
skin’s moisture and the protein
helps tighten the skin. Egg yolk
boosts skin complexion, as they
are high in fatty acids, nutri-
tionists say.
Daily consumption of eggs
might lower the risk of stroke.
Antioxidants lutein and zeaxan-
thin contained in eggs help pre-
vent eye diseases like cataracts
and age-related muscle degener-
ation. Choline in eggs is impor-
tant for pregnant women and
breastfeeding mothers, as it
helps with baby’s brain develop-
ment.
Post Photo: Deepak kc
Dhawal Sumsher Rana, among others,
called for rejecting the offer of
Speaker in Koshi.
Some argue that the party should
not have accepted the post of Speaker
for its anti-federal stance, right ahead
of launching the nationwide agitation
against the federal system, Lingden
said. “Some say the party was right to
take it.”
The next meeting of the party’s cen-
tral working committee will discuss
the issue and reach a conclusion, he
said. Lingden said the development
happened when he was out of the
country.
The party chief said their upcom-
ing agitation would be Kathmandu-
US presidential election top global risk in 2024: Report
The election has diplomatic and security implications across the Indo-Pacific region, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
q Ji Da-gyum
SEOUL, Jan 12
The United States presidential elec-
tion could be the foremost global risk,
with anticipated effects extending
more broadly and profoundly across
global security, stability and economic
outlook than any other event, accord-
ing to a report.
The biggest challenge in 2024 is the
“United States versus itself,” marked
by the presidential election scheduled
in November, Eurasia Group, a New
York-based political risk consulting
firm, said in its annual forecast report
that listed the top 10 risks to the world
this year.
“The United States is already the
world’s most divided and dysfunction-
al advanced industrial democracy. The
2024 election will exacerbate this prob-
lem no matter who wins.”
The outcome of the election holds
profound implications for the entire
global population, comprising 8 bil-
lion people, yet the decisive influence
rests in the hands of a mere 160 mil-
lion Americans. The fate of the result
is intricately intertwined with just
tens of thousands of voters residing
in specific swing states.
“An unprecedentedly dysfunctional
US election will be by far the most
consequential for the world’s security,
stability and economic outlook.”
Construction workers repair a road section at Pradarshani Marg in Kathmandu on Friday.
centric. It will be peaceful, aimed at
building pressure on the government
and other political parties to correct
the flaws in the system institutional-
ised by the 2015 constitution. Those
political parties supporting republi-
canism and the former king should
come together and form a new
understanding.
Party leaders including
Lohani, Mishra and
Rana were for rejecting
the offer of Speaker
in Koshi Province.
“The country’s situation is getting
worse day by day but no one is trying
to reverse it. Our proposal is to direct-
ly elect the prime minister while the
[reinstated] king’s role would be like
that of a guardian. By dissolving the
provinces, let’s strengthen the centre
and the local level,” said Lingden.
Though the RPP has not declared
the date of its agitation, Lingden said
the party will hold a protest that will
force the major parties to a course
correction.
“We are planning to hold a mega
protest and demonstration that will
bring a change in the country. The
country’s situation is getting so bad
that we cannot wait until the next
election. In this critical situation,
major political parties should bring
all forces together to stop further
damage to the nation,” he added.
“The RPP is not taking the country
on a regressive path by speaking for
the restoration of the Hindu state,
monarchy and scrapping federalism.
We are not talking about restoring the
old regime. But this new system has
failed to address the problems that the
country is facing. Let’s go for a new
understanding between those who
favour republicanism and the
former king.”
Lingden also suggested bringing
down the number of elected
representatives.
The US presidential election has
diplomatic and security implications
across the Indo-Pacific region, Eastern
Europe and the Middle East.
The report said Kyiv will take
increasingly reckless actions to secure
gains this year before the next US
president’s inauguration, while the
potential definitive end of US aid for
the war in Ukraine in 2025 will
strengthen Russia’s determination to
continue fighting.
In the Middle East, Trump’s robust
support for Israel and willingness to
confront Iran will embolden Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
and concurrently constrain Biden’s
room for policy manoeuvring. Political
pressure from congressional
Republicans will pose challenges for
US President Joe Biden in preserving
the “thaw” with China in the run-up to
the election, according to the report.
Conflicts in the Middle East, includ-
ing the Israel-Hamas war, and the
ongoing Russia-Ukraine war ranked
as the second and third most
significant global risks, respectively.
The report highlighted that none of
the top three risks have adequate
guardrails to prevent them from
worsening.
Ungoverned artificial intelligence
and the “axis of rogues” were desig-
nated as the fourth and fifth biggest
risks likely to unfold this year.
q POST REPORT
KATHMANDU, JAN 12
Nepal’s envoy to Switzerland and
Permanent Representative to the
United Nations Ram Prasad Subedi
has been elected chairperson of the
World Trade Organization’s (WTO)
Committee on Trade and Development
(CTD).
Subedi was elected unopposed to
the post by WTO members during the
General Council meeting on Friday.
He was recommended by WTO
General Council Chair Athaliah
Lesiba Molokomme.
Subedi is the first Nepali represent-
ative to be elected the chief of any
Tier-one level body in the WTO since
Nepal joined the intergovernmental
organisation in 2004. He will assume
office from the second regular meet-
ing of 2024 and serve for a year.
“Ambassador Subedi will take up
his new role as the chairperson of the
committee from the regular second
meeting of 2024 to the regular first
meeting of the year 2025,” read a state-
ment by the Permanent Mission of
NEA to resume power
supply to factories
q POST REPORT
KATHMANDU, JAN 12
The Nepal Electricity Authority on
Friday decided to resume power sup-
ply to factories despite their outstand-
ing dues.
A meeting of the board of directors
of the state-owned power utility decid-
ed to that end following an instruction
from the government apparently to
build pressure to recover the dues.
A Cabinet meeting on Tuesday had
directed the NEA to resume power
supply to two dozen factories. The
meeting also formed a high-powered
committee to probe the ongoing dis-
pute over the dues to be paid by sever-
al factories that had power supplied to
them via dedicated and trunk lines.
When the general public faced pro-
longed power cuts in the country until
“Russia, North Korea, and Iran are
the world’s most powerful rogue
states,” the report said.
“In 2024, deeper alignment and
mutual support among these rogue
states will pose a growing threat to
global stability as they boost one
another’s capabilities and act in
increasingly coordinated and disrup-
tive ways on the global stage.”
The primary catalyst for the deep-
ening alignment is Russia’s impera-
tive need for military assistance, par-
ticularly in terms of weapon supplies,
the report said.
The report highlights that North
Korea has become an “essential
resource” for Russian President
Vladimir Putin’s war efforts, owing to
the country’s pariah status, militarised
economy and substantial reserves of
Soviet-standard artillery ammunition.
Tehran has supplied Moscow with
kamikaze drones, which are now also
being manufactured in Russia, intend-
ing to use them for attacks on Ukraine.
NEWS
Nepal to the UN in Geneva.
Subedi will have the opportunity
to bring WTO members together to
harness the trade and development
opportunities within the framework
of the Marrakesh Agreement, the
release added.
Subedi’s appointment as the com-
mittee chair offers Nepal an opportu-
nity not only to facilitate deliberation
on trade and development among the
WTO members but also to engage in
dialogue with other stakeholders of
the trade and investment field, includ-
ing development partners.
Additionally, the role becomes
instrumental in coordinating with all
stakeholders in line with the Doha
Action Plan to mobilise and main-
stream the aid for trade for the benefit
of Least Developed Countries (LDC),
facilitate the discussions on the LDCs’
matters in other WTO bodies, and cre-
ate a conducive environment for those
LDCs on the path to graduate.
“This role is timely and befitting
as Nepal prepares to graduate from
LDC category in the year 2026,” the
release said.
a few years back, such factories were
provided round-the-clock electricity
with dedicated feeders and trunk lines.
A dedicated feeder involves electric-
ity supply through a separate line
directly from a substation. On the
other hand, a trunk line delivers elec-
tricity from the transmission line to
the factory by installing a transformer
inside the factory itself.
NEA claims that the arrangement
was made for some factories on the
condition that they pay premium tar-
iff (more than normal tariff) but facto-
ry owners are claiming they wouldn’t
pay the claimed dues as they didn’t
receive regular supply.
According to the power utility, it
needs to recover over Rs22 billion in
unpaid dues from 61 consumers, with
one—Jagdamba Steel—alone owing as
much as Rs4.14 billion.
Other reasons for their alignment
stem from a common experience of
grappling with draconian economic
sanctions, a shared animosity towards
the United States, and a shared will-
ingness to violate international law
and disrupt a global status quo per-
ceived to favour Western interests to
their detriment.
The three countries’ “coordinated
sanctions-busting and rule-breaking
will undermine the compellent and
deterrent power of Western sanctions,
emboldening other would-be rogues.”
The report suggested that the
emboldened rogue countries could
“wage asymmetric warfare,” includ-
ing via cyberattacks, support for ter-
rorism and disinformation cam-
paigns, designed to disrupt elections
and sow chaos.
The report also assessed the trilat-
eral alignment was a “marriage of
convenience and opportunity,” empha-
sizing that their alignment, strength-
ened for specific objectives rather
than a strategic move, is primarily
focused on regime survival and geopo-
litical advantage.
Although the relationship is antici-
pated to stay mainly transactional, the
report underscores that the growing
cooperation among them holds a sig-
nificant disruptive potential that
should not be underestimated.
 – The Korea Herald
Post Photo: Deepak kc
C M Y K

world
p Briefing
Taiwan parties mass for rallies
on eve of pivotal vote
TAIPEI: Hundreds of thousands of peo-
ple flocked to noisy closing rallies
Friday as Taiwan’s presidential can-
didates made a last push for votes in
an election that China has warned
could take the island closer to war.
Taiwan’s bustling democracy of 23
million people is separated by a nar-
row 180-kilometre strait from commu-
nist-ruled China, which claims the
island as part of its territory.
Saturday’s election is being closely
watched around the world as the win-
ner will lead the strategically impor-
tant island—a major producer of
vital semiconductors—as it manages
ties with an increasingly assertive
China. Vice President Lai Ching-te,
the front-runner candidate of the rul-
ing Democratic Progressive Party
(DPP), paints the election as a choice
between “democracy and autocra-
cy”—criticising his main opponent
Hou Yu-ih of the Kuomintang (KMT)
for being too “pro-China”. “After I get
elected as the president, I will contin-
ue to take the path of democracy and
peace. I will stand with the interna-
tional camp of freedom and democra-
cy. What’s more, I will forever stand
with Taiwan’s people,” he said. (AFP)
Myanmar rebel alliance agrees
to ceasefire with ruling military
Beijing: A rebel alliance in northern
Myanmar has agreed to a ceasefire
with the ruling military during
China-mediated talks, according to
some of the parties involved, after a
months-long coordinated offensive
that threatened to weaken the junta’s
grip on power. The military, which
overthrew an elected government in
2021, has been battling an alliance of
ethnic minority armies fighting to
end its control of their regions since
late October. In particular, there has
been intense violence along the
northern border with China. The
joint offensive, backed by a parallel
pro-democracy, civilian-led govern-
ment, has posed the biggest battle-
field challenge to the junta since the
coup and caused concern in China
about the potential for disruptions to
border trade and a refugee influx. A
leader of one of the rebel groups,
TNLA, told Reuters on Friday that
the “Three Brotherhood Alliance”
and the military agreed to a “cease
fire without advancing further”. He
declined to be named due to the
sensitivity of the matter. (Reuters)
British PM visits Kyiv to give aid and India’s Modi says on 11-day fast
reassurance of help against Moscow ahead of divisive temple opening
q Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine, Jan 12
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
unveiled new military funding for
Ukraine on Friday during a visit
to Kyiv aimed at reassuring the coun-
try that the West is still providing
support nearly 23 months after
Russia’s invasion.
The package, worth 2.5 billion
pounds ($3.2 billion) over the next fis-
cal year, is the largest the UK has
given to Ukraine since the war began,
surpassing previous annual commit-
ments by 200 million pounds ($233
million), the British government said.
“I am here today with one message:
The UK will ... not falter,” Sunak said.
“We will stand with Ukraine, in their
darkest hours and in the better times
to come.”
The package will pay for long-range
missiles, thousands of drones, air
defence, artillery ammunition and
maritime security, according to
Sunak’s office. It comes at a time
when other financial aid from the US
and Europe is tied up by political
wrangling.
“We are not walking away,” Sunak
In moon race with China, US setbacks test role of private firms
q Reuters
WASHINGTON, Jan 12
Two US setbacks this week in the race
to the moon with China illustrate
the risks of NASA’s plans to bet on a
new strategy of relying heavily on
private companies.
Fresh delays in the US space agen-
cy’s Artemis moon programme and
a propulsion issue that doomed
American company Astrobotic’s
recent robot moon lander illustrate
the difficulties faced by the only coun-
try to have set foot on the moon, as it
tightens budgets while carrying on its
cosmic legacy.
The United States is planning to put
astronauts back on the moon in late
2026—delayed this week from 2025—
while China is targeting 2030 for its
crewed landings. Before humans
arrive, each space power plans to first
send several smaller robotic missions
to examine the moon’s surface.
China’s government-backed program
has scored a string of firsts.
Astrobotic’s lander carried seven
NASA instruments that were meant to
inspect the lunar surface. Although
El Nino could make 2024
hotter than record 2023
A US body says there is a one in three chance that 2024 will be warmer than 2023—and
a 99 percent certainty that 2024 will rank among the five warmest years ever.
q Agence France-Presse
GENEVA, Jan 12
The year of 2024 could be hotter under
El Nino’s influence than the
record-shattering 2023, the United
Nations warned on Friday, as it urged
drastic emissions cuts to combat cli-
mate change.
The UN’s World Meteorological
Organization said new monthly
temperature records were set every
month between June and December,
and the pattern is likely to continue
due to the warming El Nino weather
phenomenon.
The US National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
predicted there is a one in three
chance that 2024 will be warmer than
2023—and a 99 percent certainty that
2024 will rank among the five warmest
years ever.
The UN’s WMO weather and cli-
mate agency said July and August last
year were the two hottest months ever
recorded, as it officially confirmed
2023 had been the warmest year on
record “by a huge margin”.
The WMO said the 2023 annual aver-
age global temperature was 1.45
degrees Celsius above pre-industrial
levels (1850-1900).
The 2015 Paris climate accords
aimed to limit global warming to
well below two degrees Celsius
above pre-industrial levels—and 1.5C
if possible.
The WMO’s new secretary-general
Celeste Saulo warned that El Nino,
which emerged mid-2023, is likely to
turn up the heat even further in 2024.
The naturally-occurring climate
pattern, typically associated with
increased heat worldwide, usually
increases global temperatures in the
year after it develops.
“The shift from cooling La Nina to
warming El Nino by the middle of
2023 is clearly reflected in the rise in
temperature,” she said.
“Given that El Nino usually has
the biggest impact on global tempera-
tures after it peaks, 2024 could be even
hotter.”
NOAA said the 2023 global surface
temperature was 1.18C above the
20th-century average, and was hotter
said at a news conference with
Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelensky.
Ukrainian officials welcomed the
UK announcement, pointing to it as
evidence that Western support for its
fight against its bigger neighbour is
not waning, as some have feared.
Visit comes at a time
when other financial
aid from the US and
Europe is tied up by
political wrangling.
“This is a signal to the world:
Ukraine is not alone,” Zelensky said.
Sunak and Zelensky signed a bilat-
eral security agreement for the next 10
years. It will remain in effect until
Ukraine acquires its hoped-for NATO
membership, Zelensky said. Details of
the agreement are to be released later,
officials said.
Kyiv has been urging the West to
send more of the kind of aid the UK is
REUTERS
NASA’s next-generation moon rocket, the Space Launch System rocket with the Orion crew
capsule, lifts off from launch complex 39-B on the unmanned Artemis I mission to the moon
at Cape Canaveral, Florida, US in November, 2022.
REUTERS
A general view shows the city of Lyon after sunrise from the Fourviere esplanade as France
issued a ‘red alert’ for four southern regions amid a spell of excessively hot weather,
especially in the Rhone valley in August, 2023.
than the next warmest year, 2016, by a
record-setting margin of 0.15C.
The Arctic, northern North
America, central Asia, the North
Atlantic and the eastern tropical
Pacific were particularly hotter, it
said. Saulo said climate change was
now “the biggest challenge that
humanity faces”.
A WMO report in November found
that concentrations of the three main
heat-trapping greenhouse gases—car-
bon dioxide, methane and nitrous
oxide—reached record high levels
in 2022, with preliminary data indicat-
ing that the levels continued to grow
in 2023.
“Climate change is escalating—and
this is unequivocally because of
human activities,” said Saulo.
“We cannot afford to wait any
longer. We are already taking action
but we have to do more and we have to
do it quickly.
“We have to make drastic reduc-
tions in greenhouse gas emissions and
accelerate the transition to renewable
energy sources.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio
Guterres said humanity’s actions
were “scorching the Earth”.
providing as the grinding war brings
little change along the front line and
both sides turn to long-range strikes.
Sunak said he made Ukraine his
first foreign trip of the year to send a
“strong signal” of support, represent-
ing “the seriousness of the situation
here and our determination to stand
with Ukraine” amid competing claims
for international attention.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
“needs to recognize we’re not going
anywhere,” he said. Sunak’s visit
came hours after the British and US
militaries bombed Yemen, hitting
more than a dozen sites used by the
Iranian-backed Houthis.
Thursday’s strikes were a reminder
of another war, which has raged for
years in the Arab world’s poorest
nation. The attack also risked trigger-
ing a wider regional conflict over
Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza
Strip. Those concerns have drawn
attention away from Ukraine’s strug-
gle—a shift that Zelensky is trying to
counter through diplomacy.
Sunak first visited Ukraine in
November 2022, soon after he became
prime minister, and Britain is one of
Ukraine’s most vocal backers.
“2023 was a mere preview of the
catastrophic future that awaits if we
don’t act now,” he said. The WMO said
that since the 1980s, each decade has
been warmer than the previous one—
while the warmest nine years on
record had all been since 2015. The
EU’s Copernicus Climate Change
Service issued its 2023 temperature
findings on Tuesday, while NOAA and
NASA released theirs simultaneously
with the WMO on Friday.
The WMO consolidates figures from
six major international datasets to
provide an authoritative temperature
assessment.
It said the 10-year average tempera-
ture from 2014 to 2023 was 1.20C above
the pre-industrial average.
Even if Earth’s average surface
temperature breaches the 1.5C mark
in 2024, it does not mean the world has
failed to meet the Paris Agreement
target of capping global warming
under that threshold.
That would occur only after several
successive years above the 1.5C bench-
mark, and even then the 2015 treaty
allows for the possibility of reducing
Earth’s temperature after a period
of “overshoot”.
q Agence France-Presse
NEW DELHI, Jan 12
Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi said on Friday he was beginning
an 11-day religious fast ahead of a
ceremony he will lead to inaugurate a
controversial new Hindu temple.
Modi is presiding over the January
22 opening of the shrine, built
on grounds where a centuries-old
mosque once stood before it was torn
down by zealots.
The ceremony is set to burnish the
Hindu-nationalist leader’s credentials
as a defender of India’s majority faith
just months before national elections.
“I am fortunate that I will also be a
witness to this auspicious occasion.
The Lord has made me an instrument
to represent all the people of India,”
Modi said in an audio message posted
to social media.
“Keeping this in mind, I am starting
a special ritual of 11 days from today. I
seek blessings from all of you.”
The purification rite Modi said he
was embarking upon involves a
series of prayer rituals and an
almost complete abstinence from food
for its duration.
the lander won’t make it to the surface
intact, three other private moon mis-
sions sponsored by NASA, including a
second Astrobotic attempt, are
planned for this year.
NASA is leaning heavily on other
companies such as Elon Musk’s
SpaceX—which it will pay for the use
of its Starship HLS lunar landing
spacecraft—to slash the cost of its
moon missions.
The last crewed moon trips were the
US Apollo missions more than half a
century ago, when NASA owned all
the spacecraft involved.
“I think that China has a very
aggressive plan,” NASA chief Bill
Nelson said on Tuesday after announc-
ing the Artemis delay. “I think they
would like to land before us, because
that might give them some PR coup.
But the fact is, I don’t think they will.”
US startups must develop space
expertise and culture that took
well-funded governments decades to
develop. India is also taking that
approach—leaning heavily on private
companies in its space exploration
efforts.
“Ten thousand things have to go
SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 2024 | 04
Israel rejects genocide
charges, tells World Court
it must defend itself
q Reuters
THE HAGUE, Jan 12
Israel on Friday rejected as false and
“grossly distorted” accusations
brought by South Africa at the UN’s
top court that its military operation in
Gaza is a state-led genocide campaign
against Palestinians.
Arguing it was acting to defend
itself and was fighting Hamas, not the
Palestinian population, Israel called
on the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) to dismiss the case as groundless
and reject South Africa’s request to
order it to halt the offensive.
“This is no genocide,” lawyer
Malcolm Shaw said.
South Africa told the court on
Thursday that Israel’s aerial and
ground offensive—which has laid
waste to much of the enclave and
killed almost 24,000 people, according
to Gaza health authorities—aimed to
bring about “the destruction of the
population” of Gaza.
Israel rejected the accusations, say-
ing it respected international law and
had a right to defend itself.
Israel launched its war in Gaza after
a cross-border rampage on October 7
by militants from Hamas, which is
sworn to Israel’s destruction. Israeli
officials said 1,200 people were
killed, mainly civilians, and 240 taken
hostage.
“The appalling suffering of civil-
ians, both Israeli and Palestinian, is
first and foremost the result of Hamas’
strategy,” the Israeli foreign minis-
try’s legal adviser, Tal Becker told
the court.
“If there were acts of genocide, they
have been perpetrated against Israel,”
Becker said. “Hamas seeks genocide
against Israel.”
The 1948 Genocide Convention,
enacted in the wake of the mass mur-
der of Jews in the Nazi Holocaust,
defines genocide as “acts committed
with intent to destroy, in whole or in
part, a national, ethnical, racial or
religious group”.
Israel, its defence team argued, was
doing what it could to alleviate the
humanitarian suffering in Gaza,
including efforts to urge Palestinians
to evacuate.
The court is expected to rule later
this month on possible emergency
AFP/rss
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a gathering during the inaugural session of
Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024, in Gandhinagar on January 10.
Modi has incorporated his Hindu
faith into the politics of his officially
secular country in an unprecedented
manner since coming to power a
decade ago.
In 2019, he went to meditate in a
Himalayan cave—home to one of the
religion’s holiest shrines—during
India’s last national election.
The temple Modi will help unveil
right” in a debut moonshot such as
Astrobotic’s, said Carnegie Mellon
professor Red Whittaker, who led
development of a tiny four-wheeled
moon rover that was aboard Peregrine.
“It’s very, very common in the
course of a mission that glitches are
encountered.”
Astrobotic said its executives were
unavailable for interviews this
week, but its Peregrine mission direc-
tor, Sharad Bhaskaran, told Reuters
last year the company’s challenges
were steep.
“We have to be a commercial compa-
ny. We’re trying to be competitive in
this new era of commercial space-
flight. When you look at the budgets,
we have to be more creative and more
efficient and do things differently,”
Bhaskaran said.
China’s next step in its lunar explo-
ration program involves an automated
mission this year to retrieve samples
on the moon’s far side—which would
be the next in a series of firsts.
In December 2013, China’s uncrewed
Chang’e-3 made the world’s first lunar
soft landing since 1976. In January
2019, the also uncrewed Chang’e-4
measures—including South Africa’s
request that it orders Israel to halt its
offensive. It will not rule at that time
on the genocide accusations. Those
proceedings could take years.
The ICJ’s decisions are final and
without appeal, but the court has no
way to enforce them.
Palestinian backers with flags
marched through The Hague and
watched proceedings on a giant screen
in front of the Peace Palace. As the
Israeli delegation spoke in court, they
chanted: “Liar! Liar!”
Asked what she thought of Israel’s
arguments that the Gaza campaign
was a matter of self-defence, Neen
Haijjawi, a Palestinian who recently
came to Netherlands said: “How can
an occupier that’s been oppressing
people for 75 years say it’s self-de-
fence?” Israeli supporters were hold-
Almost 24,000
Palestinians have been
killed in Israel’s attacks
since October 7.
ing a separate gathering of family
members of hostages taken by Hamas.
Israel has said South Africa is act-
ing as a mouthpiece for Islamist
Hamas, which is designated as a ter-
rorist group by the United States, the
European Union, Britain and several
other nations. South Africa has reject-
ed that accusation.
Since Israeli forces started their
offensive, nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 mil-
lion people have been driven from
their homes at least once, leading to a
humanitarian catastrophe.
Post-apartheid South Africa has
long advocated the Palestinian cause,
a relationship forged when the African
National Congress’ struggle against
white-minority rule was supported by
Yasser Arafat’s Palestine Liberation
Organisation.
“My grandfather always regarded
the Palestinian struggle as the great-
est moral issue of our time,” Mandla
Mandela, a grandson of the late South
Africa president Nelson Mandela, said
at a rally in support of the Palestinians
in Cape Town.
later this month is dedicated to Ram,
one of the most revered deities in
the Hindu pantheon, and has been
built at an estimated cost of 20 billion
rupees ($240 million).
Devout Hindus believe Ram was
born in the northern town of Ayodhya
around 7,000 years ago but that the
Babri Masjid mosque was built over
his birthplace in the 16th century.
landed on the far side of the moon,
also a first.
India and firms from Israel and
Japan have failed in their moon
attempts in recent years.
India, which succeeded last year on
its second try with its Chandrayaan-3
lander and became the first nation to
touch down on the moon’s south pole,
sees Astrobotic’s failure as a lesson.
“This is a much-needed learning
curve for private entities similar to
what the government agencies of the
US, Russia and India had through
their first landing attempts,” said
Pawan Kumar Chandana, co-founder
of Skyroot Aerospace, which launched
India’s first private rocket in 2022.
“It inspires our startups to take up
missions of this scale in the future,”
he said.
US moon lander startup Intuitive
Machines is next up in the private
sector’s bid to reach the moon, and has
spent about $100 million on the mis-
sion, the company’s CEO Steve
Altemus told Reuters last year.
“We had to build an entire lunar
program, not just a lander. So it was a
little more expensive,” he said.
C M Y K
05 | SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 2024
FOREX
US Dollar
Euro
Pound Sterling
Swiss Franc
Australian Dollar
Canadian Dollar
Singapore Dollar
Japanese Yen (10)
Chinese Yuan
Saudi Arab Riyal
Qatari Riyal
Thai Bhat
UAE Dhiram
Malaysian Ringgit
Korean Won (100)
Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank
bullion Price Per tola
Fine Gold Rs 118,600
Silver Rs 1,400
Source: FENEGOSIDA
p bizline
China’s exports rise 2.3
percent in December
amid uneven recovery
HONG KONG: China’s exports grew
slightly for a second consecutive
month in December even as deflation-
ary pressures persisted, according to
official data released Friday that
underscored the uneven nature of the
country’s economic recovery from the
pandemic. Demand for Chinese
exports has been weak since the
Federal Reserve and central banks in
Europe and Asia began raising inter-
est rates last year to cool inflation
that was at multi-decade highs.
Exports rose 2.3 percent year-on-year
in December to $303.6 billion. The
improvement is a sign that demand
may be picking up after months of
decline earlier in the year. Imports
also rose, by 0.2 percent to $228.2 bil-
lion. China’s total trade surplus for
December was $75.3 billion, up 10 per-
cent from $68.3 billion in November.
“The continued sluggish external
demand is still the main factor
restricting export growth,” said depu-
ty director Wang Lingjun at a news
conference Friday. “Factors such as
protectionism and unilateralism also
have an impact on exports, which will
still face many difficulties.” (AP)
Tesla puts German factory
production on hold as Red Sea
attacks disrupt supply chains
BERLIN: Tesla says it’s temporarily
halting most production at its
German factory because of attacks in
the Red Sea, a vital global shipping
corridor. The electric vehicle maker
said in a statement Thursday night
that its factory near Berlin, which
makes Model Y vehicles and batter-
ies, will pause from January 29 to
February 11. It’s a fresh sign of
how the hostilities in the Mideast
are disrupting global manufacturing
supply chains, with shipping compa-
nies reporting that they’re being
forced to reroute vessels carrying
goods and components on the longer
route around the southern tip of
Africa. Analysts say the detour
adds 10 days or more to the journey.
“The armed conflicts in the Red
Sea and the associated shifts in trans-
port routes between Europe and Asia
via the Cape of Good Hope are also
affecting production in Grünheide,”
Tesla said. (AP)
US probes if Boeing made sure jet part that blew off was made to design standards
q Associated Press
Portland, Jan 12
The Federal Aviation Administration
is investigating whether Boeing failed
to make sure a panel that blew off a
jetliner in midflight last week was safe
and manufactured to meet the design
that regulators approved.
Boeing said Thursday it would
cooperate with the investigation,
which is focusing on plugs used to fill
spots for extra doors when those exits
are not required for safety reasons on
Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners.
One of two plugs on an Alaska
Airlines jetliner blew out shortly after
the plane took off from Portland,
Oregon, leaving a hole in the plane.
“This incident should have never
happened,and it cannot happen
again,” the FAA said.
“Boeing’s manufacturing practices
need to comply with the high safety
standards they’re legally accountable
to meet.”
The FAA notified Boeing of the
investigation in a letter dated
Wednesday. “After the incident, the
FAA was notified of additional
discrepancies on other Boeing 737-9
airplanes,” an FAA official wrote.
Alaska and United Airlines reported
132.98
Second-hand bookstores are struggling
145.67 >> Continued from page 1
169.45 As students have been leaving the
country in massive numbers every
year, this has affected secondhand
155.75
book shops too.
88.96 Nepal’s rate of brain drain is
unprecedented.
99.47 As many as 110,000 students
acquired the No Objection Certificate
99.86 (NOC), a permission issued by the
9.16 Ministry of Education, to study
abroad in the last fiscal year. This
18.55 number doesn’t include the thousands
of Nepali students enrolled in Indian
35.46 academic institutions.
As many as 45,000 students have
36.46 acquired permits to study abroad in
the first five months of the current
3.79 fiscal year.
36.21 These numbers indicate that anoth-
er 100,000 students are ready to head
28.61 overseas.
The drop in student numbers has
10.12 alarmed not only colleges, but the edu-
cation sector as a whole, including the
stores selling old and new books and
textbooks. Frequent changes in uni-
versity coursebooks too have affected
secondhand shops.
“Since the courses have changed for
many subjects now, books older than
two years are irrelevant. And, we have
to stock up on updated versions,” said
Bhattarai. It’s true that the number of
secondhand bookshops in the city has
gone down markedly, and many that
exist are struggling to stay afloat.
“And the internet has everything,”
said Bhattarai.
With e-books and online retailers
emerging on the scene, these booksell-
ers don’t see any future for the tradi-
tional brick-and-mortar bookstores.
In Kathmandu, the main Thamel
area used to have many secondhand
bookshops. Some older stores have
moved to the Bagbazar area, where
sales are a bit better, said Bhattarai.
For Binita Sapkota, a 3rd year BBA
student at the Padma Kanya Campus,
and a regular visitor to secondhand
bookstores in past years, the internet
has become a boon.
North Korea to welcome Russian
tourists, in a first since the pandemic
q Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea, Jan 12
Russian tourists reportedly going on a
ski trip to North Korea will be the first
international travellers to visit the
country since border closings in
January 2020 amid the global pandem-
ic lockdown.
The tour, published by the Russian
state-run Tass news agency and adver-
tised by a Russian tour agency this
week, underscores deepening coopera-
tion between Moscow and Pyongyang.
It follows the meeting last September
between North Korean leader Kim
Jong Un and Russian President
Vladimir Putin at a cosmodrome in
Russia’s Far East.
The trip scheduled for February
was a surprise to Asia observers, who
had expected the first post-pandemic
tourists to North Korea to come from
China, the North’s biggest diplomatic
ally and economic pipeline.
The webpage of the tour agency,
Vostok Intur, says the four-day trip is
to start on February 9.
According to a Tass report
Wednesday, an unspecified number of
tourists from Russia’s far eastern
region of Primorye will first fly
to the North Korean capital,
Pyongyang, where they will visit
monuments such as the “Tower of
Juche Idea,” named after the North’s
guiding philosophy of “juche” or
self-reliance. The tourists will then
travel on to the North’s Masik Pass on
the east coast, where the country’s
most modern ski resort is located,
Tass said.
finding loose bolts on door plugs that
they inspected in some of their other
Max 9 jets.
The FAA asked Boeing to respond
within 10 business days and tell
the agency “the root cause” of the
problem with the door plug and steps
the company is taking to prevent a
recurrence.
“We will cooperate fully and trans-
parently with the FAA and the NTSB
(National Transportation Safety
Board) on their investigations,” said
Boeing, which is headquartered in
Arlington, Virginia.
Earlier this week, Boeing CEO
David Calhoun called the incident “a
quality escape.” He told employees
that the company was “acknowledg-
ing our mistake ... and that this event
can never happen again.”
The door plugs are installed by
Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems,
but investigators have not said which
company’s employees last worked on
the plug on the Alaska plane that suf-
fered the blowout.
The day after the blowout, the FAA
grounded Max 9 jets, including all 65
operated by Alaska and 79 used by
United Airlines, until Boeing develops
inspection guidelines and planes can
be examined. Alaska cancelled all
As students have been leaving the country in massive numbers every year, this has affected secondhand book shops too.
“Me and my friends have used
secondhand books. Now, there is no
need, because everything is freely
available online.”
For most secondhand bookstores,
books for Grades 11 and 12 were in
high demand. In Thamel, Sagun Book
Shop is one of the few remaining
shops selling pre-owned books.
“There were about 16 such shops in
this area. Now there are only three.
Recently one store stopped selling
books,” said Kiran Dev Ghimire,
owner of the bookstore. Ghimire has
been running the store in Kathmandu’s
tourist spot for the past 15 years.
“The customer base for used books
usually is very limited. Only actual
book lovers understand the essence of
used books,” he said.
He said that while a lot of his cus-
tomers are foreign tourists, occasion-
ally, Nepalis from different parts of
the country also visit his shop for
some special books.
“We have some very rare books like
those that are out of print now and
AP/rss
A mother and her daughter take a rest on the slopes at the Masik Pass ski resort in North
Korea in January, 2018.
“In [Masik Pass], you will find your-
self in a real paradise for winter
sports lovers!” the blurb of the tour
agency gushes. “Here you will find
incredible slopes with different
levels of difficulty that will satisfy the
needs of both experienced skiers and
beginners.”
Tass said the trip was arranged
under an agreement reached between
Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of the
Primorye region, and North Korean
authorities.
Kozhemyako traveled to Pyongyang
in December for talks on boosting eco-
nomic ties as part of a flurry of bilat-
eral exchanges since the Kim-Putin
flights by Max 9s through Saturday.
NTSB investigators said this week
they have not been able to find four
bolts that are used to help secure the
63-pound door plug. They are not sure
whether the bolts were there before
the plane took off. Despite a hole in the
side of the plane, pilots were able to
return to Portland and make an emer-
gency landing. No serious injuries
were reported. A physics teacher in
Cedar Hills, Oregon, found the miss-
ing door plug in his backyard two days
later. It will be examined in the NTSB
laboratory in Washington, DC.
On Friday, a Seattle law firm filed a
class-action lawsuit against Boeing,
saying passengers on the Alaska flight
suffered physical and psychological
injury and emotional distress. It seeks
unspecified damages for the treatment
of health conditions, travel expenses
and the loss of personal items.
Boeing declined to comment on the
lawsuit. The FAA’s move to investigate
Boeing comes as the agency is again
under scrutiny for its oversight of the
aircraft maker. Members of Congress
have in the past accused the FAA of
being too cosy with Boeing.
Senator Maria Cantwell, chair of
the Senate committee that oversees
FAA, asked the agency to detail its
some are copies signed by the authors.
This makes them more valuable than
any first-hand books”, said Ghimire.
Ghimire has now expanded his
store to sell new books and gift items
and also operates a photocopy and
printing shop to keep the cash flow-
ing. “We cannot entirely rely on books.
On a good day about 10 books might be
sold. Some days there are no sales at
all,” he said.
In the past, Ghimire’s bookshop was
like a library. Nowadays, he has adopt-
ed online as many other shops do.
“We tried to sell through online
platforms like Sajha Books and
HamroBazar, but that has not been
very successful,” he said.
In Old Baneshwar, Hari Khadka, a
Malaysia-returnee who opened a sec-
ondhand book store along with three
other friends around seven years ago,
is the only one left running.
“My friends had bookshops in
Sundhara. They shut down during
lockdown. They relied solely on old
books, so they could not survive. But I
summit. Ahead of the trip, he told
Russian media he expected to
discuss tourism, agriculture and trade
cooperation.
The expanding ties between North
Korea and Russia come as they are
locked in separate confrontations
with the United States and its allies—
North Korea for its advancing nuclear
program and Russia for its protracted
war with Ukraine.
The Kim-Putin summit deepened
outside belief that North Korea is sup-
plying conventional arms to Russia
for its war in Ukraine, in return for
high-tech Russian weapons technolo-
gies and other support.
 NTSB via AP/rss
This image taken on January 7 and released by the National Transportation Safety Board,
shows a section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missing panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX.
oversight of the company. “Recent
accidents and incidents—including
the expelled door plug on Alaska
Airlines flight 1282—call into question
Post Photo: Deepak kc
sell stationery and other books along-
side so I have been able to pay the rent
and meet the basic needs,” he said.
His store particularly sells used
course books for students. He said that
publishers are trying to reduce the
circulation of used books in the mar-
ket by updating books regularly.
“Many book publishers nowadays
try to modify at least one chapter or
question pattern, and if not, they just
change the cover to make it seem that
old editions of the same books are
unusable,” he said.
“Also, teachers sometimes collabo-
rate with publishers, and if the teach-
er is the author of the textbook, they
put pressure on their students to buy
the latest editions, so that they could
earn a commission,” said Khadka.
Due to recent sales trends, he has
been earning roughly Rs40,000 a
month from the store.
But only a small portion of the
income comes from books or used
books. “The stationery items are the
most profitable,” Khadka said.
Some Americans will get their
student loans cancelled in
February under Biden plan
q Associated Press
WASHINGTON, Jan 12
The Biden administration will start
canceling student loans for some
borrowers starting in February as
part of a new repayment plan that’s
taking effect nearly six months ahead
of schedule.
Loan cancellation was originally set
to begin in July under the new SAVE
repayment plan, but it’s being acceler-
ated to provide faster relief to borrow-
ers, President Joe Biden said Friday.
It’s part of an effort “to act as quickly
as possible to give more borrowers
breathing room” and move on from
their student debt, the Democratic
president said in a statement.
Borrowers will be eligible for can-
cellation if they are enrolled in the
new SAVE plan, if they originally
borrowed $12,000 or less to attend col-
lege, and if they have made at least 10
years of payments.
The Education Department said it
didn’t immediately know how many
borrowers will be eligible for cancella-
tion in February.
Biden announced the new repay-
ment plan last year alongside a sepa-
rate plan to cancel up to $20,000 in
loans for millions of Americans. The
Supreme Court struck down his plan
for widespread forgiveness, but the
repayment plan has so far escaped
that level of legal scrutiny. Republicans
in Congress tried unsuccessfully to
block the new repayment plan through
legislation and a resolution last year.
Boeing’s quality control,” Cantwell
said in a letter to FAA Administrator
Mike Whitaker. “In short, it appears
that FAA’s oversight processes have
Money
December retail
inflation rises to
four-month high on
costlier food in India
q Reuters
NEW DELHI, Jan 12
India’s annual retail inflation rose at
the fastest pace in four months in
December, driven by a rise in prices of
some food items, raising expectations
that the central bank will stay away
from interest rate cuts for some time.
Annual retail inflation rose to 5.69
percent in December from 5.55 percent
the previous month, above the central
bank’s 4 percent target, Indian govern-
ment data showed on Friday.
A Reuters poll of 56 economists had
forecast a rate of 5.87 percent.
Food inflation, which accounts for
nearly half of the overall consumer
price basket, was at 9.53 percent in
December, up from 8.70 percent in
November as prices of vegetables,
pulses and spices rose.
“The outlook for the inflation for
certain items like rice, wheat and
pulses remains somewhat vulnera-
ble,” said Aditi Nayar, an economist at
ICRA, who does not expect rate cuts
before August 2024.
The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI)
monetary policy committee left the
benchmark repo rate unchanged at
6.50 percent for a fifth consecutive
meeting last month.
With inflation remaining above
the central bank’s target, monetary
policy could remain in “restrictive
territory”, the RBI said in a report
last month.
Core inflation, which strips out vol-
atile food and energy prices, was esti-
mated to be 3.8 percent-3.89 percent in
December, compared with 4.05 per-
cent-4.2 percent in November, accord-
ing to two economists.
The Indian government does not
release core inflation figures.
The new plan offers far more gener-
ous terms than several other
income-driven repayment plans that
it’s meant to replace. Previous plans
offered cancellation after 20 or 25
years of payments, while the new plan
offers it in as little as 10. The new plan
also lowers monthly payments for mil-
lions of borrowers.
Those who took out more than
$12,000 will be eligible for cancellation
but on a longer timeline. For each
$1,000 borrowed beyond $12,000, it
adds an additional year of payments
on top of 10 years.
The new plan also
lowers monthly
payments for millions
of borrowers.
The maximum repayment period is
capped at 20 years for those with
only undergraduate loans and 25
years for those with any graduate
school loans.
The Biden administration says next
month’s relief will particularly help
Americans who attended community
colleges, which generally cost less
than four-year universities. The plan
aims to place community college stu-
dents “on a faster track to debt forgive-
ness than ever before,” Education
Secretary Miguel Cardona said.
not been effective in ensuring
that Boeing produces airplanes that
are in condition for safe operation,
as required by law and by FAA
regulations.”
The incident on the Alaska plane is
the latest in a string of setbacks for
Boeing that began in 2018, with the
first of two crashes of Max 8 planes in
Indonesia and Ethiopia—and more
than four months apart—that killed a
total of 346 people.
Justin Green, a lawyer who repre-
sents families suing Boeing for the
Ethiopia crash, said he was happy to
see the FAA ground the Max 9s so
quickly after the Oregon incident.
“I would like to think it is because
the FAA learned something after its
failure to ground the Boeing 737-8
Max” after the first crash, Green said,
“but you also need to consider that
Alaska Air occurred in the US with a
plane full of US citizens and garnered
far more attention than the Lion Air
crash” in Indonesia.
Max 8 and Max 9 planes were
grounded worldwide for nearly two
years after the second crash. Since
then, various manufacturing flaws
have at times held up deliveries
of Max jets and a larger Boeing
plane, the 787.
C M Y K
 SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 2024 | 06

Sports | Medley

p Briefing

Dortmund sign Maatsen

The pressure is off. Gauff enters Australian Dorival Junior
promises to turn
BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund have
agreed a deal to sign defender Ian
Maatsen on loan from Chelsea until
the end of the season, the Bundesliga
Open as a teenage Grand Slam champion Brazil’s plight
q Reuters
club said on Friday. The 21-year-old
Dutch youth international made his Had the 19-year-old not won the last year’s US Open, this would RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan 12
Premier League debut last August
and has made 12 appearances in the have been her last shot at being a teenage major winner. Dorival Junior was unveiled on
Thursday as the head coach of the
league this season. Last season’s
Bundesliga runners-up, Dortmund q Associated Press to her. Brazil men’s national team and he
have struggled in the league and are MELBOURNE, Jan 12 Turns out, “wasn’t even that bad,” she vowed to turn around the side’s for-
currently in fifth place, 15 points said. “The world didn’t end. The sun still tunes after a run of poor results in the
behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen and Now that the pressure to win a Grand Slam shines. I still have my friends and family. South American qualifiers for the 2026
six behind fourth-placed RB Leipzig. singles title as a teenager is over, Coco Gauff is in the same quarter of the draw World Cup.
Gauff feels liberated enough to discuss her as four-time major winner Naomi Osaka Former Sao Paulo coach signed a
next target: a career tally in double digits. and Caroline Wozniacki, both past contract until December 2026 and
Bonucci joins Fenerbahce She’s entering the Australian Open as a Australian Open champions who are takes over following the sacking of
LONDON: Italy captain Leonardo reigning Grand Slam champion, new terri- returning to Melbourne Park as mothers Fernando Diniz.
Bonucci has joined Turkish Super tory for the 19-year-old American. Had she for the first time. “Today I am here representing the
Lig leaders Fenerbahce until the end not fulfilled those expectations at last Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open most winning team on the planet, the
of the 2023-24 season, the club said on year’s US Open, this would have runner-up, and number eight Maria one that inspires many around
Thursday, after the defender ended been her last shot at being a Sakkari are also there. Defending the world. And it has the obligation to
his contract with Bundesliga side teenage major winner. Australian Open champion Aryna win again,” Dorival told a news
Union Berlin. Bonucci, who had Gauff, who turns 20 Sabalenka is in the same half of the draw conference.
spent 12 years at Juventus over two in March, believes she and could be a semi-final rival. “Our moment is difficult. But
spells, made a switch to Union in can play with more freedom Sabalenka had a breakthrough win at nothing that is impossible to reverse
September after a reported fallout now in pursuit of a second Melbourne Park last year and reached the quickly.”
with manager Massimiliano Allegri major title as the number semi-finals at the French Open and The five-time world champions have
led to his exit from the Serie A club. four seeded player at Wimbledon and the final at the US Open, been going through a turbulent period
Bonucci made 10 appearances for Melbourne Park. where she took the first set off Gauff since being knocked out from the 2022
Union during his short stay, three of The tournament starts Sunday, a day before losing in three. World Cup in the quarter-finals.
them in the Champions League. He earlier than usual. In tune-up tournaments, Gauff success- That loss on penalties to Croatia led
scored one goal. Gauff ’s first-round match is against fully defended her title in Auckland, New to the departure of coach Tite.
Anna Karolina Schmeiedlova, a 29-year-old Zealand, last weekend and Sabalenka Brazil were then guided by Under-20
from Slovakia who has only been past the reached the final in Brisbane. coach Ramon Menezes before the
Tottenham rope in Dragusin third round once in 35 majors. On the other side of the draw, top seed Iga interim appointment of Diniz last
Having rebounded from a shocking first- Swiatek is in a tough section, starting with year.
LONDON: Romania defender Radu
round exit at Wimbledon to winning a an opener against 2020 Australian Open They have lost three of their six
Dragusin has joined Tottenham
breakthrough major title at the very next champion Sofia Kenin. Their only previous qualifiers to date, winning only two
Hotspur from Genoa until 2030 for an
major in New York has helped with a shift meeting was at the 2020 French Open, when matches. They are sixth in the stand-
undisclosed fee, the club
in mindset. Swiatek beat Kenin in the final. ings, trailing leaders and World Cup
announced on Thursday. British
“I think I put too much pressure on win- Awaiting the winner of that match is holders Argentina by eight points.
media reports he signed a con-
ning a Slam. I think I was feeling like I either 2016 Australian Open winner “We need to deliver a reliable
tract for 26 million pounds ($33.16
have to do it,” Gauff said. “When I went on Angelique Kerber, in her comeback from a national team, one that gives us
million). Dragusin, 21, has
the scene at 15, I felt like I had to win a maternity break, or 2022 finalist Danielle all credibility. Brazilian football
appeared in every league game for
Slam as a teenager because that’s what Collins. is very strong, it reinvents itself.”
Genoa since joining them on loan
everybody thought. Honestly, going into US At the bottom of that side of the draw “It cannot go through the moment it
from Juventus in 2022. His move was
Open, I didn’t expect it.” are number five Jessica Pegula and 2021 US is going through. Let it serve as a les-
made permanent in 2023 after Genoa
It was the loss at Wimbledon that helped Open champion Emma Raducanu, who son so we can find a new way for-
earned a promotion to the Serie
her take pause, relax and think about all hasn’t gone past the second round at a ward.”
A. Spurs defender Djed Spence
those rounds before the final, one-by-one. major since then and is coming off eight Dorival’s first match in charge will
joined Genoa on loan for the rest of
AFP/RSS

Coco Gauff She’d thought losing in the first round months on the sidelines following opera- be a friendly against England on
the season.  (AGENCIES)
would have been the worst thing to happen tions on both wrists and an ankle. March 23.

Barcelona will play Real Madrid for second straight year in Super Cup final
q Associated Press won the first “clasico” of the there were few chances for any team who came off the bench did well and There was a vivid atmosphere at the
RIYADH, Jan 12 season 2-1 in La Liga in October in
Barcelona.
Barcelona defeated in the first half. They stayed in control
after halftime and opened the scoring
helped us. We know there is still a lot
to improve, but we are satisfied. There
Riyadh stadium, with about 600
Osasuna fans in attendance after
The “clasico” will decide the Spanish
Super Cup winner for the second
Barcelona beat Madrid 3-1 to lift the
trophy last season, and another tri-
Real Madrid 3-1 in last in the 59th with a low shot by
Lewandowski after a pass by Ilkay
is no favourite for the final, but hope-
fully it will go our way again, as it did
making the trip from Spain. There
was no significant contingent of fans
straight season. umph this year would come in handy season’s final—Xavi’s Gundogan. last year.” traveling to support Barcelona, nor

Barcelona defeated Osasuna 2-0 on
Thursday to set up a rematch of last
year’s final against Real Madrid in
Saudi Arabia.
Robert Lewandowski and Lamine
Yamal scored a goal each for the
Catalan club, who last season won the
title for their first trophy with
coach Xavi Hernandez and without
Lionel Messi.
Madrid reached Sunday’s final
by defeating rivals Atletico Madrid
5-3 in extra time on Wednesday. They
for the Catalan club as it arrived
under pressure after a series of lack-
lustre performances. They sit
seven points behind leaders Madrid
and Girona at the competition’s
halfway point.
Barcelona hadn’t won by more than
one goal in 20 matches, since a 5-0 rout
of Antwerp in the group stage of the
Champions League in September. The
only other time they won by two goals
or more this season was in a 2-0 tri-
umph against Cadiz in the Spanish
first trophy.
league in August.
“We’ve been improving,” Barcelona
midfielder Frenkie de Jong said. “The
first half wasn’t too good but we
played better in the second. To play
against Madrid is always exciting. It
will be a match between two high-level
teams. We’ll be ready.”
Barcelona dominated early but
Yamal sealed the victory from
inside the area three minutes into
stoppage time after a nice run by
Joao Felix.
Barcelona got a boost from the
second-half changes made by Xavi,
who added Pedri and Felix into
the game. Yamal had replaced
Raphinha because of an injury just
before halftime.
“We knew we would struggle,
Osasuna is one of the best teams
defensively,” Xavi said. “The players
Osasuna complained of a foul in the
buildup of Lewandowski’s goal.
“It was a clear foul,” Osasuna cap-
tain David García said. “These fouls
are always called for the same teams.
It’s a shame, we deserved more. We
have to apologise to our fans.”
Osasuna, who haven’t finished
lower than 11th in La Liga since
returning to the first division in 2019,
tried to press forward toward the end
but still couldn’t create many signifi-
cant chances.
Madrid or Atletico for Wednesday’s
semi-final.
The Super Cup’s revamped “Final
Four” format debuted in Saudi Arabia
in 2020 in the first of a lucrative mul-
ti-year deal for the clubs and the
Spanish football federation.
Barcelona qualified for the
Super Cup as the Spanish league
champions a year ago. Osasuna
qualified by making it to the Copa
del Rey final last season, when they
lost to Madrid.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)
Make your world bigger, finding small corners of
your area that have yet to be seen, focusing on small
businesses and restaurants. How you think and com-
municate shifts over the next three weeks, helping
you reestablish healthy boundaries.
HOROSCOPE
CANCER (June 22-July 22)
Give yourself enough space to release stress from
the work week, dear Cancer. Invest emotionally and
intellectually to strengthen bonds. Evening brings
out inner romantic feelings. Focus on how you can
create more balance in your life tonight.
LIBRA (September 23-October 22)
Do something playful, creative, and follow your pas-
sions. The evening marks the perfect time to try a
new recipe, clean your space, or host a small dinner.
As social invitations pick up, prioritise domestic
time and wellness goals.
CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19)
Capricorn, enjoy the slow leisure, embracing the
finer things in life. You’ll feel like socialising as
evening settles in, bringing a period of introspec-
tion. Be mindful to voice concerns, wants, and needs.
You’ll crave emotional connection at night.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
Taurus, don’t feel guilty about sleeping in if needed,
but be mindful of your weekend responsibilities once
you’ve awakened. Evening comes with spirituality,
luck, and higher thinking. Expect to see more signs
and synchronicities throughout the coming weeks.
LEO (July 23-August 22)
Find stillness connecting with your sense of person-
al harmony. Evening brings determination to get
organised and work hard throughout the coming
weeks. Take care of your body for clarity and well-
ness. Let your guard down with someone special.
SCORPIO (October 23-November 21)
Emotionally charged dreams could bring confusion
to your heart. Focus on weekend chores and home
improvement projects. Bring structure to your learn-
ing goals as your mind craves fresh knowledge.
Embrace creativity or hit the town with friends.
AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18)
Prioritise your needs before tending to social obliga-
tions brought on by the weekend, dearest Aquarius.
Don’t feel guilty about cancelling plans if you need
time. Your taste for the finer things in life heightens
alongside your senses.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21)
Your dreams could offer surprising revelations this
morning, dear Gemini. Pay attention to familiar faces
that find you while sleeping, searching for further
messages. Connect with your philosophies, looking for
opportunities to share wisdom as the day ends.
VIRGO (August 23-September 22)
Today, focus on being organised and maximising
your weekend freedoms, dear Virgo. You’ll find it
easier to advocate for yourself with passion. Your
softer side emerges, putting you in the mood to love
and be loved later tonight.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21)
You’ll be in a chatty mood, marking the perfect
excuse to gather friends, Sagittarius. It will be diffi-
cult to calm your mind as your thoughts race
throughout the day. Gain information through expe-
rience. Avoid going outside at night.
PISCES (February 19-March 20)
Try not to over-invest in any strange or hyper-realis-
tic dreams that found you early this morning.
Embrace solitude, and the idea of exploring new
friendships will become quite appealing as evening
settles in, so head out for fun.

Crossword Sudoku

Yesterday’s Solution

C M Y K
07 | SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 2024
‘Radha: Wrath of the Maeju’ is steeped in the fantastical elements of a mythological fiction inspired by Newa culture and traditions.
q Manushree Mahat
Kathmandu
R
eading ‘Radha: Wrath
of the Maeju’ is akin to
taking a lesson on the
history of Newa cul-
ture, all the while being
immersed in fantastical elements
seamlessly woven into this myth-
ological fiction. ‘Radha’ echoes
the essence of the fantasy novels
that defined my childhood—
adventurous, imaginative,
humorous, and, most important-
ly, incredibly enjoyable. However,
it distinguishes itself by placing
Newa culture and myths at the
story’s core.
The protagonist, Radha, fol-
lows the typical main character
pattern found in many fantasy
novels but with a unique twist.
As a former Kumari, she is poised
to transition to the next phase of
her life, seeking a more ordinary
existence. Yet, in true fantasy
fashion, you know that’s not
going to happen.
BOOK review
Rishi Amatya’s deep apprecia-
tion for the Patan Heritage infus-
es his words with a potency that
enhances his world-building. A
significant portion of ‘Radha’
revolves around Amatya’s explo-
ration of Mangal Bazaar, with its
nooks and crevices steeped in the
festivities of Newa culture—inte-
gral to the novel’s magical
themes. As Radha, Dhiraj,
Pradeep and Amogh navigate the
blurred lines between myths and
realities, gods and evils, Amatya’s
Primer on Designing & Conducting a
Clinical Research
Photo: Courtesy of Nepal Medical Association/Facebook
Nepal Medical Association is organising one-day
training on A Primer on Designing & Conducting a
Clinical Research. It is an introductory programme
for medical doctors and health professionals, who
want to understand these subjects better.
Where: NMA Building, Exhibition Road, Kathmandu
When: January 13
Time: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Participation fee: Rs600 for NMA members, Rs1,500 for others
Online registration required
Best-sellers | New releases
Fiction
1. Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor
Jenkins Reid
2. Orphan Train by Christina
Baker Klien
3. If There’s No Tomorrow by
Jennifer L Armentrout
4. The Music of What Happens by
Bill Konigsberg
5. I Kissed Shara Wheeler by
Casey McQuiston
Non-Fiction
1. All Roads Lead North by Amish
Raj Mulmi
2. The Dolphin and the Shark by
Namita Thapar
3. The Neatest Little Guide to Stock
Market Investing by Jason Kelly
4. Leadership by Henry Kissinger
5. Muffler by Pradip Rodan
Ekta Books
Culture & Lifestyle
Myths, fantastical beings, Mangal
Bazaar and evil on the loose
simple prose constructs a vibrant tinual popularity, with numerous are instances when it doesn’t
world of tantra, dyayahs, and sid- authors placing local folklores quite work, especially with the
dhis, crafting a detailed universe and mythologies at the heart of dialogues written for ‘Maeju’.
of the otherworldly without leav- their novels. Examples include She is portrayed as a one-dimen-
ing readers in limbo. ‘Aru Shah and the End of Time’, a sional, good-for-nothing charac-
Radha is eager to embrace a series entwining a young girl ter and her jovial threats to kill
normal life after her time as the with the Pandavas of the off the main characters come
Kumari of Patan. Joined by her Mahabharata; ‘Gods of Jade and across as more awkward than
uncle, Pradip, and brother, Shadow’, a tale immersed in funny.
Dhiraj, she looks forward to Mayan myths and folklore; and Yet, there’s something undeni-
exploring Patan without the ‘The Wrath and the Dawn’, a ably comforting about reading
weight of goddess responsibili- romantic retelling of one thou- the book—perhaps it’s the cheer-
ties. However, an earthquake dis- sand and one nights. Many of ful innocence of the characters
rupts Patan, shattering her hopes these books have become Radha and Dhiraj, both children
for normalcy. Now, mythical bestsellers—‘Aru Shah’ earned trying to navigate the danger
beings roam free, the boundaries widespread acclaim and has they face. Dhiraj’s singular focus
between worlds are disintegrat- been optioned for a TV adapta- on dancing during the Karthik
ing and a tantra practitioner tion, while ‘The Wrath and the Pyakha is heartwarming and
seeks immortality through Dawn’ was a New York Times mirrors the carefree nature of
unconventional means. bestseller and Amazon’s best children who are unburdened by
Radha’s story is straightfor- book of 2015. the complexities of the world. I
ward, and the familiarity with However, ‘Radha’ is not with- appreciate that ‘Radha’ doesn’t
tales of magical deities is evident
in its predictability. Yet, what dis-
tinguishes a good writer is the
ability to infuse excitement into a
Radha’s story is straightforward, and
story following a common trajec- the familiarity with tales of magical deities
is evident in their predictability.
tory, and Amatya’s writing under-
stands this well. He achieves this
by gradually revealing fragments
of the larger picture—there
appears to be an ominous pres- out its flaws. Issues with charac- take on a darker tone because
ence on the loose, ‘Maeju’, but terisation and perspectives arise, there’s a certain fulfilment in
who is she? One of the main with many characters lacking reading about children simply
characters, Pradip, seems to have distinct voices. Without the writ- being children—they are moti-
more knowledge than he er’s guidance, it would be chal- vated by their happiness and
discloses—what’s that all about? lenging to distinguish between love, as is the case in ‘Radha’.
Equally significant is the integra- Radha, a fourteen-year-old, and Radha is the kind of book I
tion of Newa myths and stories, Amogh, in his late 20s, as Amogh wish I had encountered during
posing questions such as, “What appears as clueless and childlike my younger years, amid the
role does the Kumari play in as the younger characters. numerous Greek, Roman, and
maintaining the world’s At times, the book’s humorous Hindu retellings I explored.
balance?” tone adds a light touch to the Maybe then, I would have delved
Mythological fiction and fanta- story (which is, indeed, quite into my own heritage and cul-
sy are intriguing genres. My light overall). It’s amusing when ture, just as I did with Greek
reading journey commenced the book doesn’t take itself too mythologies. Nepali literature is
with the Percy Jackson series— seriously, particularly with the expanding its horizons, and with
an exploration of Greek mytholo- Radha: Wrath of the Maeju recurring joke of Kawa and Khya English-language Nepali writers,
gies featuring gods, demigods, Author: Rishi Amatya scaring the characters, followed passionate about their cultural
mythical creatures and the Year: 2023 by the exclamation ‘Yamma’, history, such as Amatya, it con-
underworld. Over the years, fan- Publisher: Safu Publications injecting lively comic moments tributes positively to Nepali liter-
tastic literature has gained con- into the narrative. However, there ature on a global scale.
Rockheads Live In Pokhara Where: Water Kingdom Park & Resort, JhilJhile, Jhapa adventure” for your little ones.
Rockheads take the stage in Pokhara today in an event When: January 13
organised by the 22nd batch of the Nepal Tourism and Time: 6:00 pm onwards Where: Sherpa Mall, Durbarmarg, Kathmandu
Hotel Management College (NTHMC). Ticket: Rs300 (presale), Rs500 (door sales) When: January 20
Time: 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Where: Chinnedanda, Pokhara, Kaski
When: January 13
Story Yellers—College Edition
Time: 9:00 am onwards
The Next—2024 Exhibition
Entry: Rs350 Takpa Gallery’s ongoing exhibition presents works by
23 young artists working across diverse media: draw-
ing, painting, mixed media, ceramic and sculpture.
Chitwan Winter Festival
Photo: Courtesy of The StoryYellers/Facebook
This year’s edition of the Chitwan Winter Festival is Where: Takpa Gallery, Lazimpat Kathmandu
happening on Monday. Bands including Sabin Rai and When: Till February 4
The Pharaoh, John and The Locals and The Elements Time: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
are set to perform. Entry: Free
Where: Campachaur, Chitwan
When: January 15
Opening of Exhibition ‘MANI
Time: 3:00 pm onwards Siddhartha Art
Entry: Rs500 Gallery is hosting
the opening cere-
mony of Priyam
Travel and Paint Art Workshop Pradhan’s solo
Travel and Paints is organising yet another Art The Story Yellers brings three acts to Prime College exhibition ‘‘MANI’
Workshop today where individuals can paint with the on Tuesday: two Story Yellers sessions and one stand- on Wednesday.
help of professional artists. up comedy session. The exhibition
Photo: Siddhartha Art Gallery/Facebook
will run till
Where: Hyatt Place, Tahachal, Kathmandu Where: Prime College, Naya Bazaar, Kathmandu February 6.
When: January 13 When: January 16
Time: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm Time: 10:00 am to 11:30 am Where: Siddhartha
Price: Rs1,200 Online registration required Art Gallery, Babar
Mahal, Kathmandu
When: January 17
JHILJHILE Movie Day for Kids Time: 5:30 pm
The band John and the Locals will take the stage in Hard Rock Cafe is organising a movie play date day for onwards
Jhapa with an electrifying live performance today. kids, promising “a day of fun, laughter, and a movie Entry: Free
Unstoppable Hidden Potential The Year of the Locust
Author: Brian Tracy Author: Adam Grant Author: Terry Hayes
Price: Rs478.40 Price: Rs1,278.40 Price: Rs1,278.40
Publisher: G&D Media Publisher: WH Allen Publisher: Bantam
In ‘Unstoppable’, Brian Tracy demystifies ‘Hidden Potential’ by Adam M Grant challeng- Author Hayes crafts a gripping narrative
the journey from the fascination with suc- es the prevailing fixation on innate talent, pro- where danger knows no bounds, and the stakes
cess to its tangible realization. Tracy moting the unexplored capabilities within each are nothing short of a global catastrophe. In
acknowledges the universal desire for suc- individual. Through a combination of compel- ‘The Year of the Locust’, readers are immersed
cess and tackles the challenge of translating ling storytelling and solid evidence, Grant in the intense world of Kane, a CIA spy operat-
this aspiration into concrete actions. He navigates various environments, ranging from ing in Denied Access Areas. Boundaries hold
introduces the concept of goal-oriented moti- classrooms to boardrooms, unveiling the intri- no meaning for Kane as his missions demand
vation as the crucial fuel that drives individ- cate connection between progress and mean- employing any means necessary to infiltrate,
uals across the challenging and lengthy ingful learning. He emphasizes that success is execute, and exit. With a keen sense of run-
bridge toward their desired destinations in more than mere effort. The book introduces a ning, hiding, and shooting, Kane thrives in the
life. Tracy, a seasoned motivator, guides transformative framework for fostering aspira- hazardous territory of spying. However, the
readers on how to summon motivation at tions and exceeding expectations, underscor- lawless badlands at the junction of Pakistan,
will, sustaining it through life’s uncertain- ing the significance of character development Iran, and Afghanistan become the backdrop
ties. He advocates for smoothly integrating over innate genius. Grant explores the con- for a mission that defies Kane’s seasoned
this motivation into daily life until it struction of essential character skills and expertise. Kane encounters a formidable oppo-
becomes second nature, making the idea of motivational structures, providing insights nent when tasked with extracting a man bear-
motivation unnecessary. into unlocking one’s untapped potential. ing crucial information for the West.
C M Y K

Culture & Lifestyle
An Amritsar Social Organization (ASO) staff dressing Asha.
A migrant woman’s life
of hope and despair
Asha Pariyar, a Nepali migrant worker in Kuwait, faced an
uncertain future when she fell into a coma. Supported by the
Amritsar Social Organization she is currently recovering in
Kathmandu while her family yearns for her to return home.
q Text & Photos: Prakash Chandra Timilsena
F
ourty-year-old Asha Pariyar
from Bharatpur Metropolitan
Asha soaks in the sun (above and below). She prefers spending her day on the City-19, Rampur Chitwan,
balcony, than being cooped up indoors. prefers the outdoors. Upon
waking up, she taps the walls,
hoping someone passing by will notice
and take her outside. Unable to walk
on her own, she has to be helped by
four individuals to take her to the
balcony in a wheelchair.
Only then does she begin to smile,
lying on the ground and soaking up
the sun until it sets. Occasionally, she
glances at a mobile phone, laughing
out loud at the things she sees. Despite
her inability to speak, she nods in
understanding when spoken to.
Santu Dhakal, a staff member at the
Amritsar Social Organization (ASO),
which supports and advocates for
Nepali women migrant workers, dis-
closes that Asha and her toddler
daughter receive care from two indi-
viduals during the day and one person
at night. Dhakal explains, “Their day
begins with diaper changes at 7 in the
morning. Subsequently, they are pro-
vided with a cup of warm water, have
their teeth brushed, hands and feet
washed, and clothes changed.”
Bathing, which occurs every two days,
requires the assistance of more than
two staff members.
The mother-daughter duo receives
regular meals every few hours.
Paralysed on the right side, Asha can
only move her left limbs and needs
assistance for daily tasks. Details about
a past head operation are not well-
known, but a tube is connected to a
hole in her neck through which she is
fed. Weekly check-ups by doctors and
nurses focus on infection prevention,
and both Asha and her daughter attend
therapy sessions and oil massages.
When I started taking her photos,
Asha covered her mouth and laughed
for a long time and then started
crying. She displays awareness of
her surroundings but is unable to
communicate verbally.
Asha relocated to Kuwait four years
Asha watches a video on a cellphone. ago for employment as a domestic
Asha is carried onto the wheelchair by ASO staff.
Published and printed by Kantipur Publications Limited, Central Business Park, Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal, P. B. No. 8559, Phone: 5135000, Fax: 977-1-5135057, E-mail: kpost@kmg.com.np, Regd. No. 32/049/050, Chairman: Kailash Sirohiya, Managing Director: Sambhav Sirohiya, Editor: Biswas Baral
SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 2024 | 08
(C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053
Frequent and unexplainable bursts of tears are common for Asha these days.
worker. After a year, she lost contact
with her family. Subsequently, she fell
into a coma and, unable to recover at
Farwaniya Hospital where she spent a
year, she was transferred to Sawa
Hospital.
While in Farwaniya, three months
into her hospitalisation, Asha gave
birth to a daughter while still in a
coma. After spending 27 months in
this condition, ASO facilitated her
transfer from Kuwait to Kathmandu
on November 15.
Last July, the Nepali Embassy in Asha deep in thought as she sits in a wheelchair. She is paralysed on the right
Kuwait notified ASO about Asha. side and needs assistance with all her tasks.
Muna Gautam, a founding member of
ASO, explains, “Her family was
promptly informed, but they expressed
their inability to care for her or her
daughter due to their challenging
financial situation.”
Presently, in her destitute state,
Asha is under the care of ASO.
Dipsan, her son, was in the ninth
grade when she left for Kuwait. He
stopped going to school due to their
financial struggles and started work-
ing. When he learned about his moth-
er’s return to Kathmandu, he, along
with his father, visited her.
He recalls, “Seeing my mother’s
condition in-person, it felt like I had
fallen off a cliff. When she hugged me,
we both cried uncontrollably, cursing
fate for the game it is playing on our
lives, dooming us to misery.”
He is back in Chitwan right now,
working hard to feed his family but
missing his mother terribly every day.
Asha’s husband Dhan Bahadur
Pariyar, 52, rises early and heads to
work. Father and son share a rented
room in Chitwan.
About seeing his wife again, he
says, “When I heard she was hospital-
ised, I thought it would be something
she’d recover from soon. But when I
came to Kathmandu and saw her state,
I felt overwhelmed—my mind couldn’t
think.”
“All I want is for her to come back
home fully recovered,” adds Dhan
Bahadur.
Timilsena posts on X @prakashtimilsen. Asha with her daughter (above and below).
Her daughter was born in Kuwait while Asha was in coma. Here she is cared for by ASO staff.