W I T H O U T F E A R O R F A V O U R

Nepal’s largest selling English daily

Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj
Vol XXXI No. 318 | 8 pages | Rs.5
Thursday, January 11, 2024 | 26-09-2080
24.6° C -5.4° C
Dipayal Jumla

Today ‘Buddha Boy’ Bomjan to face rape Sandeep Lamichhane

p National
trial at Sarlahi district court gets eight years in jail
Health workers manning the
Before taking him to Malangawa on Wednesday, police made him public
after rape conviction
health desks at border points across
Sudurpaschim Province have not
been paid for six months. Amidst an in Kathmandu along with Rs33.43 million in confiscated cash.
increased workload and health risk,
the employees feel cheated. Pg 2

Prime Minister Dahal on Wednesday His lawyers say they will appeal the district court’s ruling.
defended the deals with India on
long-term power trade and High Impact q BINOD GHIMIRE increased by at least 50 percent as he
Community Development Projects KATHMANDU, JAN 10 had misused his celebrity status.
signed during the recent visit by the Lamichhane’s lawyers have already
external affairs minister of India. Pg 3 Kathmandu District Court on announced that they will challenge
Wednesday sentenced cricketer the district court’s ruling in high
Sandeep Lamichhane to eight years in court. Even though he has been
jail and imposed a fine of half a mil- convicted, Lamichhane can continue
p OPinion lion rupees for raping a girl in 2022. his legal fight without being arrested.
A single bench of judge Shishir Raj “Sandeep is not guilty. We are
Dhakal, which had convicted the against the verdict,” said advocate
Despite his disastrous stints former captain of the national cricket Saroj Krishna Ghimire, Lamichhane’s
both as prime minister of team on December 29, pronounced lawyer. “We will challenge the verdict
the country and as leader of the jail term and fine after further in the high court.”
his party, were a poll to be held hearing. After a 15-month-long judicial
today to gauge the popularity The jail term and penalty were process, the court on December 29
of our leading politicians, KP determined considering the age of convicted Lamichhane of raping the
Sharma Oli would top it, Gaushala-26, the name given to the girl in a Tilganga-based hotel on
writes Deepak Thapa. Pg 4 victim, the social status of the accused August 21, 2022.
when the incident happened and
the mental stress the victim had
to endure, according to Chandra
Prasad Panthi, information officer at
Citing his misuse of
the district court. celebrity status, victim’s
lawyers had sought
“Eight years of jail term was deter-
mined as per Section 219 3 (e) of the
Criminal Code Procedure while the
financial penalty was fixed as per longer jail term.
Post Photo: Angad Dhakal Section 228,” Panthi said.
Officers at the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police present Ram Bahadur Bomjan (in white) to media in Kathmandu on Wednesday. The half a million rupees—of
which Rs300,000 is fine and After hearing the lawyers on both
q PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA at Pattharkot, Sarlahi, as an Ani (nun). the remaining compensation— sides, the court ruled there was no
p Money KATHMANDU, JAN 10 The case filed against the main would be paid to the victim. dispute that Lamichhane and the vic-
accused Bomjan stated that he A person convicted under tim had stayed in the same room of
Police on Wednesday took controver- raped the minor by luring her to his Section 219 could face a jail term the hotel where she was raped.
Mustard farms are back. Nowadays, sial spiritual leader Ram Bahadur private quarters at 9:20pm on August between seven and 10 years. “The accused had raped the victim
vast stretches of land in Chitwan Bomjan to Sarlahi to face trial at the 4, 2016. He has further been charged On Wednesday, Lamichhane’s taking advantage of her poor econom-
are covered with yellow blossoms. The District Court, Sarlahi over a charge with threatening the girl with lawyers demanded the lowest ic condition,” the verdict said.
real estate boom of 2008 affected the of raping a minor girl. consequences if she disclosed the inci- possible punishment, asking the The court, however, had dismissed
cash crop’s yield as farmers had shift- A team of the Central Investigation dent to others. After the victim turned court to consider his contribu- the victim’s claim that she was a
ed to vegetable farming. Pg 5 Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police on 18, on February 23, 2020, a complaint tion to the country through minor at the time. The court has also
Tuesday arrested him from a house against him was registered at the cricket and his social standing. refused to accept the birth dates men-
located at ward 6 of Budhanilkantha District Police Office in Sarlahi. The victim’s lawyers, howev- tioned in her academic documents.
Municipality in Kathmandu. Before the rape complaint was er, had asked his jail term be >> Continued on page 2
p World Police on Wednesday made him pub- registered with the police, other
lic at a press meet in Kathmandu complaints about missing persons
before taking him to Sarlahi. from several of his hermitages were
Ancient DNA helps explain why Besides rape charges, Bomjan also also filed.
northern Europeans have a higher faces accusations of potential involve-
risk of multiple sclerosis than other ment in the disappearance of four of
ancestries: It’s a genetic legacy of
horse-riding cattle herders who swept
his disciples from his hermitages. But
no cases have yet been registered at
Other complaints about
into the region 5,000 years ago. Pg 6 the court relating to the missing per- missing persons from
several of his ashrams
sons, police said.
“We will present him at the District

p Sports
Court in Sarlahi on Thursday,” Senior
Superintendent of Police Dinesh were also registered.
Acharya told the Post.
“He will be kept in police custody in
Sarlahi on Wednesday.” According to police, Chinimaya
Bomjan had been in hiding since Tamang of Myagang Rural
the District Court, Sarlahi on Municipality, who was one of his dis-
February 6, 2020, issued an arrest ciples, has been missing since 2012
warrant against him as per a police from Bomjan’s hermitage at Badegaun
request. In July 2020, a case of sexual in Sindhupalchok. Sanchalal Waiba,
exploitation was filed against Bomjan another disciple from Hetauda, has
in the District Court, Sarlahi. also been missing from the same her-
In the chargesheet, the District mitage since 2015.
Attorney Office, Sarlahi has demand- Phulmaya Rumba, who was known
ed 12–15 years of prison for Bomjan as Dolmo, from the Hetauda Sub-
and his two aides, Gyan Kumar Metropolitan City, and Suresh Kumar
Iga Swiatek is in form as she seeks Bomjan and Jit Bahadur Tamang, for Ale from Simara Sub-Metropolitan
a maiden Australian Open crown, their alleged involvement in the sexu- City are the others missing from his
but she could face a stiff test from al exploitation of the minor. The hermitages for a long time, according
defending champion Aryna Sabalenka chargesheet accuses Bomjan, the to the police. “They are yet to be
while two-time winner Naomi Osaka is prime suspect, of raping a 15-year-old found,” said SSP Acharya.
making her comeback. Pg 7 girl staying in his ashram (hermitage) >> Continued on page 2

2023 warmest year in Nepal in 13 years

Minimum temperature this winter has risen 1 to 2 degrees Celsius above normal.
ture was 28.1 degrees Celsius.”
Officials say that the final data for
November and December is yet to be
updated, which could make some dif-
ference in calculating average temper-
ature increase.
A report prepared by the depart-
ment states that during the same 10
months, the country received 11 per-
cent lower-than-normal rainfall,
which is the sixth lowest precipitation
since 1981. The average maximum
temperature from January to October
was 0.7°C above normal. The average
minimum temperature in the period
was 0.2°C above normal.
In the first two months of the year,
the country experienced a significant
deficit in monthly precipitation,
registering 71 percent and 82 percent
below normal. However, in March,
RSS there was a notable increase, with
Tourists enjoy themselves on the frozen Narchyang Panchakunda lake in Annapurna Rural precipitation exceeding the normal
Municipality of Myagdi in November, 2023. levels by 58 percent. Subsequently,
from April to July, the precipitation
q ARJUN POUDEL the average maximum temperature stayed from 16 percent to 21 percent
Kathmandu, JAN 10 rising above 0.7 degrees Celsius below the normal level. August wit-
between January and October last nessed increased rainfall of 14 percent
The year 2023 is the warmest in Nepal year. above normal, while September got
in 13 years and the second warmest in “The average maximum tempera- lower-than-normal precipitation by 36
the past 42 years. ture of the country during January to percent and October above normal by
According to the Department of October was 28 degrees Celsius, which 39 percent.
Hydrology and Meteorology, which is the second warmest year since 1981. The average maximum temperature
maintains records of temperature, It was +0.7 degrees Celsius above nor- was above 30°C in southern parts of
precipitation and other meteorologi- mal,” said Sudarshan Humagain, a the country, while in the northern
cal activities, the country received meteorologist at the department. “In parts, it was below 15°C.
lower-than-normal precipitation, with 2010, the average maximum tempera- >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K
 THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2024 | 02

National

p District Digest

Two killed, 10 injured in

Health workers manning Covid desks on
Nepal-India border unpaid for six months
Tanahun jeep accident
TANAHUN: Two people died and 10 oth-
ers were injured, some seriously,
when a passenger jeep swerved off
the road and fell around 150 metres at
ward 3 of Sunakot Barathumki in Amidst the increased workload and health risk following a resurgence of coronavirus cases, the health workers feel cheated.
Bhimad Municipality in the district
on Wednesday. The vehicle was head- q BHAWANI BHATTA to work longer hours without pay.” health desks were established by the local units,
ing for Rampur of Palpa from KANCHANPUR, JAN 10 As of Tuesday, 12 people crossing into Nepal the Department of Health Services has been
Pokhara. Police identified the through the Gaddachauki border point tested managing the staff and their salaries.
deceased as Rum Bahadur BK, 42, and The health workers manning the health desks at positive in antigen tests for coronavirus. Hemraj Joshi, the Covid focal person of the
Jemalal Darai, 55, of ward 2 of border points across Sudurpaschim province Ganesh Saud, the in-charge of the health desk Provincial Health Directorate, said that they
Baudikali Rural Municipality. The have not been paid their salaries for the last six in Gauriphanta, two people entering Nepal have not been able to pay the salaries of the
critically injured duo died in the months. Amidst the increased workload through the Gauriphanta checkpoint tested posi- health workers due to a lack of budget.
course of treatment at GP Koirala and health risk given the resurgence of coronavi- tive in antigen tests for coronavirus on Tuesday. According to Joshi, 27 health workers are
National Centre for Respiratory rus cases, the employees feel cheated by the “There are 11 health workers at the working on a contract basis at the four health
Diseases in Belchautara, Tanahun. government. Gauriphanta border point. Among those crossing desks of Sudurpaschim.
The Gaddachauki border point in Kanchanpur into Nepal, at least one or two have been testing “Last year, a budget of Rs11.8 million was allo-
reinforced testing for coronavirus among those positive for coronavirus daily. The risks have cated for the directorate by the department, but
Motorcyclist killed crossing into Nepal from India through the bor- increased for us but the government has yet to this year only Rs1.8 million was allocated,” said
der point last month in light of reports of the pay us our salaries,” said Saud. “The health Joshi. “None of the health workers have received
in a road accident spread of coronavirus infections in India. directorate of Sudurpaschim province said that their salaries since July.”
NAWALPUR: A 22-year-old On Tuesday, two people returning from India they don’t have the budget to pay us. They said According to the Ministry of Health and
motorcyclist, resident of ward 10 of tested positive for coronavirus in an antigen test the Ministry of Health and Population and the Population, 16 samples of different age groups
Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality at the Gaddachauki border point. The Ministry Department of Health Services have not sent the collected from different areas were tested on
of Kaski, died in a road accident in of Health and Population has instructed the budget to the directorate to pay our salaries.” January 7, and seven samples were found to have
the Harakpur section of the East- health desks to tighten border crossings to stop Around 600 people enter Nepal from Omicron’s sub-variant JN.1.
West Highway in ward 12 of the spread of the new variant JN.1 seen in India Gaddachauki and Gauriphanta border points Due to the outbreak of the new variant, the
Gaindakot Municipality on and also in Nepal. daily. ministry has been notified to increase testing at
Wednesday. According to Deputy The ministry issued a notice to increase sur- According to Saud, in the third week of the border checkpoints and has also informed the
Superintendent of Police Bed veillance at border checkpoints and to follow December nine people returning home from health workers to stay prepared if the situation
Bahadur Paudel at Nawalparasi East safety standards. However, the health desks are Delhi, Bangalore and Chandigarh tested positive gets out of control.
District Police Office, the motorcy- short on manpower and those who are for coronavirus. Their swab samples were sent to The World Health Organisation classifies JN.1
clist died after being hit by a truck on working have not received their salaries since the National Public Health Laboratory, as a separate ‘variant of interest’ given its rapid
July last year. Kathmandu, for testing. spread around the globe. The UN health body,
the East-West highway. Both the truck
According to Prem Singh Bhandari, in charge Saud said that according to the report of the however, said that based on available data, “the
and the motorcycle have been
of the health desk in Gaddachauki, currently National Public Health Laboratory, BA.1 and additional public health risk posed by JN.1 is
impounded after the accident.
there are 12 health workers at the desk and they BA.2 variants of Omicron were found in the sam- currently evaluated as low”.
The truck driver is in police
are in need of additional manpower. ples sent from the Gauriphanta border point. “At Several countries, including China, Indonesia,
custody, and further investigation “We are working extra hours without addition- least 25 to 30 people are tested daily for Covid the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore, have
regarding the accident is going on, al manpower, but we still have not received our PHOTO COURTESY: GADDACHAUKI HEALTH DESK using antigen tests,” said Saud. reported upticks in new coronavirus cases. The
said Paudel. salaries for six months,” said Bhandari. “Every A health worker at the health desk at Gaddachauki Health desks have been set up in four places in JN.1 strain, first detected in September in the
health worker here is going through financial border point in Kanchanpur collects nasal swab the Sudurpaschim Province—Gauriphanta in United States, is a descendant of BA.2.86, a high-
problems and facing difficulties to manage their from a Nepali national returning home from India, Kailali, Gaddachauki in Kanchanpur, Jhulaghat ly-mutated variant of the Omicron strain of the
Fire destroys houses, daily expenses. Now the government expects us in this recent photo. in Baitadi, and one in Darchula. Although the coronavirus.
kills 45 goats in barn

Erratic weather getting more Stash of cash found at Bomjan’s hideout

frequent in Nepal, experts say >> Continued from page 1
In January 2019, police raided his
hermitage at Kamalamai in Sindhuli
area based on a tip-off. “After we con-
firmed that he was staying there, we
immediately conducted an operation
tion. SSP Acharya said that police
would investigate Bomjan for possess-
ing illegal money. “He can face charg-
>> Continued from page 1 Chitwan, Parsa, Bara, Sarlahi, district after complaints were regis- to arrest him,” he said. es of money laundering and foreign
Nepal observed a significant Dhanusha, Mahottari and Siraha dis- tered by the families of those missing, When the police reached the house, exchange misappropriation,” said SSP
increase in monthly maximum tem- tricts. The normal monsoon onset and but the police failed to locate Bomjan. Bomjan tried to escape again. “He Acharya.
peratures, ranging from +0.8°C and withdrawal date in Nepal is June 13 In the same month, the police had jumped from the southern window of According to the police, Bomjan had
+1.9°C above normal in January and and October 2, respectively. A period raided another of his hermitages at the fourth floor to the sloped land out- been using a Toyota Fortuner SUV
February, respectively. In March, max- of four months, June to September, is Sindhupalchowk, but once again side, but we did not let him get away registered in the name of Tularam
imum temperatures were below the considered the monsoon season. This failed to trace Bomjan. this time,” said Superintendent of Tamang. A Land Cruiser ZX, an
usual levels, while April recorded nor- year, the monsoon entered eastern The Sindhuli Ashram was again Police Nawaraj Adhikari, the CIB expensive car, was also set to be pur-
mal maximum temperatures, even as Nepal one day later than the normal raided in June 2020, but the police spokesman. chased for Bomjan’s use. The prospec-
May experienced temperatures below onset day and withdrew from eastern failed to find Bomjan that time too. CIB chief AIG Kiran Bajracharya tive buyer was Panit Maharjan, chair-
KHOTANG: Two houses and a barn the average. Nepal on October 15, a delay of 13 days. During those raids, police had faced said a high level of secrecy made man of Bodhi Shrawan Dharma
belonging to one Tulsiram As June unfolded, maximum tem- The duration of the monsoon was 124 non-cooperation and even obstruction Bomjan’s arrest possible without Sangh.
Chaulagain, located in Khotang Bazar peratures exceeded the normal range days, which was 12 days longer than from his followers, according to police. much resistance by his followers. “In “The car was booked for Rs50 mil-
by +1.9°C, and in July, the deviation the normal monsoon period (112 days). According to SSP Acharya, despite the past, he managed to evade arrest lion,” the police said. “They had
in ward 7 of Khotehang Rural
was +0.7°C. August witnessed temper- This year, several stations broke their obstructions, police had reached as such arrest attempts were rather already paid Rs30 million.” According
Municipality, were burned to the
atures below the normal. September previous records of extreme tempera- his hermitages, but each time Bomjan public.” to the police, he had also been using
ground when a fire broke out at his
and October witnessed temperatures ture and precipitation. Bandipur in would already have escaped. Along with his arrest, police also motorcycles of various brands.
house on Tuesday night. Forty-five
above the normal range by +1.5°C and Tanahun, Chatara in Sunsari, Four years after the filing of the confiscated cash totalling Rs33.43 mil- Bomjan had shot to fame in 2005
goats in the barn were killed in the +0.4°C, respectively. “Maximum tem- Chautara in Sindhupalchok, Dharan rape case against Bomjan, police could lion including foreign currencies of 17 after purportedly meditating for
incident. According to Police perature of the ongoing winter is also Bazaar in Sunsari, Damkauli in quietly arrest him from Kathmandu. various countries worth Rs3.092 mil- months without food, water or sleep.
Inspector Benu Karki, spokesperson one to two degrees Celsius above the Nawalparasi East, Gorkha, Janakpur “We reached the place where he lion. According to the CIB, a Toyota He had been dubbed the ‘Buddha Boy’
of the District Police Office, the fire normal,” said Humagain. Airport of Dhanusha, Kanyam Tea lived, and there were not many follow- Hilux key, ownership documents of by the media. After emerging from his
started at around 7 pm and was The minimum temperature was Estate of Ilam, Okhaldhunga, ers protecting him,” said SSP Acharya. three two-wheelers, and multiple elec- meditation, he and his followers had
brought under control by the fire above 18°C in the southern parts and Chitwan, Simara Airport of Bara, and “He was living a normal life with his tronic devices including 14 mobile set up ashrams in Bara, Sarlahi,
engine of the rural municipality after below 0°C in the northern parts. The Siraha recorded extreme tempera- wife and two children.” phones of different brands, laptops, Sindhupalchok, and Sindhuli districts
four hours at around 11 pm. The average minimum temperature of tures. The weather station of Diktel in According to SSP Acharya, police pen drives, iPads, and tablets were where the alleged abuses took place,
cause of the fire is still unknown. Nepal between January and October Khotang recorded 158.6 mm rainfall in were on the lookout for Bomjan in the also seized during the search opera- the police said.
One person was arrested for was 16.1°C, +0.2°C warmer than nor- 2023, the highest daily precipitation
questioning on Wednesday under mal. Monthly minimum temperatures ever recorded. Nepal is one of the
suspicion of being involved in in Nepal were above normal in all countries most vulnerable to the cli-
the incident, said police. months from January to October mate crisis in the world and has wit-
except in April and May. nessed extreme weather events over
In the third week of April, hot days the past decade and a half.
and mild to moderate heatwave condi- Evidence indicates that the maxi-
tions in the southern parts of the mum temperature in Nepal is rising at
country lasted a week. A sudden a greater rate (0.05 degrees Celsius per
increase in maximum temperatures year) than the minimum temperature
by the end of May led to mild to severe (0.03 degrees Celsius per year).
heatwave conditions over large parts “The year 2023 could be the warmest
of the country and this continued in the last four decades,” said
until the second week of June. Humagain. “This winter is also among
The heat wave persisted over central the warmest.” Experts say extreme
and western parts of the country until weather events—excessive rainfall in a
the third week of June, before the short span of time, continuous rain for
onset of monsoon in the region. The several days in the post-monsoon peri-
temperature exceeded 42°C for a few od, dry spells and droughts, below-av-
days in some places in the southern erage precipitation and above-normal
parts, especially Kapilvastu, temperatures in winter—have become
Rupandehi, Nawalparasi West, more frequent in Nepal.

Post Photo: angad dhakal

The Central Investigative Bureau of Nepal Police, at its office in Maharajgunj in Kathmandu on Wednesday, makes public wads of cash, including
Nepali and foreign currencies, recovered during Tuesday’s raid at Ram Bahadur Bomjan’s hideout in Budhanilkantha on the north of Kathmandu.

Lamichhane’s lawyers to mount appeal

>> Continued from page 1 victim was 17 when the incident happened,” senior advocate
The documents show she was 17 at the time of the inci- Sunita Regmi, who fought the case on behalf of the victim,
dent. “After evaluating Gaushala 26’s birth registration at told the Post. “I believe the government will also challenge
Raluka VDC, Nuwakot, migration registration at the district court’s ruling in the high court.”
Shankarapur Municipality, Kathmandu, birth registration Gaushala-26 had lodged her complaint against
at Narayani Sub-regional Hospital, Birgunj and her own Lamichhane on September 6, 2022, two weeks after
statement, the court determines that she was born on July the incident.
4, 2004, and was 18 years old when the incident happened,” When the investigation started, Lamichhane was in the
the court had said. West Indies to play in the Caribbean Premier League. He
The victim’s lawyers said they were not satisfied with the was arrested from the Tribhuvan International Airport
court’s pronouncement that the victim was an adult at the upon his return on October 6, 2022.
time of the incident. “Existing documents clearly show the On November 4 last year, the Kathmandu District Court
ordered that Lamichhane be sent to the Sundhara-based
Central Jail after a detention hearing.
Lamichhane had moved the high court, challenging the
order.
On January 12, a division bench of high court judges
Dhruva Raj Nanda and Ramesh Dahal decided to release
him on bail while the investigation continued. Following
the verdict, Lamichhane was released from custody on
January 13 after posting a bail of two million rupees. The
court, however, had barred him from travelling abroad and
ordered him to inform the police beforehand if he had to
leave Kathmandu.
Dissatisfied with the travel restrictions, Lamichhane
moved the Supreme Court, challenging the high court’s
decision. On February 27, a division bench of justices
Sapana Pradhan Malla and Kumar Chudal had ruled in
favour of the cricketer’s petition, allowing him to travel
abroad to play cricket.

C M Y K
03 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2024

NEWS

Ex-Police DIG Shah

sentenced to three
Dahal defends deals signed during Jaishankar’s visit
On increased grant from India for small projects, the prime minister says other countries too have been spending in Nepal similarly.
years in jail q POST REPORT to export 10,000 megawatts of electric- objective of exporting power to India.
q POST REPORT KATHMANDU, JAN 10 ity to India in the next 10 years has An agreement has been reached
KATHMANDU, JAN 10 opened another avenue for power for New Space India Limited of India
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal trade between the two countries. to put into orbit the nano-satellite
The Special Court on Wednesday sen- on Wednesday defended the agree- India has expressed reservations developed by Nepali students at its
tenced former Deputy Inspector ments with India on long-term power over buying electricity from Nepal’s own expense, Dahal said. Another
General of Nepal Police Mahesh trade and High Impact Community projects involving Chinese contrac- agreement signed between the Nepal
Bikram Shah to three years in prison Development Projects (HICDPs). tors and companies. Though everyone Electricity Authority (NEA) and the
on corruption charges. These agreements were signed during is free to invest and produce energy in NTPC of India is on carrying out
A bench comprising Special Court the recent visit of External Affairs Nepal, the Indian side has reserva- capacity development works and
Chairperson Tek Narayan Kunwar Minister of India S Jaishankar. tions over buying energy produced by conducting events including training
and members Tej Narayan Singh Rai During the seventh meeting of the the Chinese companies/contractors. in collaboration.
and Ritendra Thapa ordered recovery Nepal-India Joint Commission held in Nepal and India formalised a long- The PM claimed that preparations
of Rs1.6 million that he embezzled and Kathmandu last week, the two sides term energy deal during the seventh are being made to implement the
slapped an equal fine. Shah was found inked four different agreements. Two meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Pancheshwar Multi-purpose Project
guilty of corruption when he was the of the deals have created uproar in Commission. As per the long-term by finalising its detailed project report
chief of the then Mid Regional Police several circles whereby the prime power trade deal, India will buy 10,000 (DPR) within some days. The
Training Centre, Dudhauli, Sindhuli. minister was asked to clarify the megawatts in ten years and the agree- Pancheshwar DPR is in the final stage
The court also ordered an equal government’s position. rss ment is valid for 25 years, subject to of preparation, said Dahal.
punishment for former Sub Inspector Defending the deals with India dur- Prime Minister Dahal (centre) speaks in the parliamentary committee on Wednesday. renewal every ten years. “The atmosphere created during my
of Police Dipendra Paneru in the ing a meeting of the Law, Justice and India has reservations over energy visit to India was the reason why the
same case. Two other accused— Human Rights Committee of Jeevan Pariyar of the Nepali He said other countries were spend- produced directly by Chinese govern- Pancheshwar project is moving in a
accountant Sanjeev Bishunke and Parliament, Prime Minister Dahal Congress said the government should ing money in Nepal in similar ways. ment companies, said Dahal. “The positive direction,” said the prime
Police Head Constable Keshav Singh said that just like India, others like regulate foreign assistance and “Just because we have been taking Chinese have asked us to tell India minister, claiming that there will be a
Airee—have been acquitted. China, the United States, the United receive aid as per its priorities and assistance for a long time does not that it’s not Chinese govern- breakthrough in the next few days. He
Kingdom and Australia had been needs. mean that we have to take it now… We ment-owned companies, but they were said the Pancheshwar project would
running similar small grant projects Bartula termed the agreement with have been taking this particular assis- selected through global competitive have a long-term positive impact on
in Nepal. India a “treason”. “This is unaccept- tance for a long time but we have also bidding.” Nepal’s economy.

World Bank projects Though the procedures might be

different, “we had a similar agree-
able,” he said. “The new agreement
with India, under which per project
tightened the conditions. If taking 50
million was not against national
Prime Minister Dahal also said that
in the recent meetings with Indian
ment with Japan some 60 years ago budget has been increased from Rs50 interest, increasing the assistance to The prime minister said officials, the issues of the 1950 treaty

5 percent growth for and the country has been carrying out
its programmes through various
million to Rs200 million, should be
scrapped immediately.”
Rs20 million is not against national
interest,” said the prime minister the US too picks its own
and the border dispute with India
were also raised prominently.

implementing agency
nongovernmental organisations and Given the historical context of the while responding to the queries of “We are always keeping the coun-

Nepal in 2024-25 UN agencies.”

Similarly, in all its economic assis-
tance provided to Nepal, China asks
HIDCP of India, the prime minister
said it was launched in November 2003
and India provided Rs30 million to
parliamentarians.
The ministry of finance also offered
its clarification on the use of the for projects it finances.
try’s interests at the forefront and the
economic interests of the country
were given priority,” said the prime
q POST REPORT for its own consultants and contrac- execute a project through the local Indian assistance on January 4, the minister.
KATHMANDU, JAN 10 tors and the project is implemented bodies. When it was renewed in 2006, day Nepal and India renewed the On some issues, the Nepali side has
through its own mechanism, said the the budget increased from Rs30 agreement. Some sections of the But in the agreement with India, maintained its position with India
The World Bank has projected five prime minister. million to R50 million. political fraternity and civil society there is no mention of buying energy resolutely, Dahal claimed. “We have
percent economic growth rate for The United States too has been The programme, known as small opposed the agreement. produced only by Indian companies, had some tough discussions with
Nepal for the fiscal year 2024-25. picking its own implementing agency grant projects, was renewed in 2011 Dahal stated that there is no need to said Dahal. “We have requested India India on issues like replacing the
The bank in its report ‘Global for the projects it finances, he said. and 2014 but not in 2017 as the grant hide anything from Parliament and to consider buying energy produced peace and friendship of 1950”. On the
Economic Prospectus, 2024’, the esti- “The United Kingdom utilises the modality contradicted the new consti- the government is ready to share each through competitive bidding no boundary issue, “we have maintained
mated positive development in eco- majority of its assistance via interna- tution Nepal promulgated in 2015. The and every decision with the House. matter who produces it.” a very strong position.”
nomic status in 2024/25 as compared tional consultants and Australia is constitution does not permit direct This particular agreement was rati- Nepal has not agreed to accept But critics say the Dahal govern-
to the previous year. implementing its projects through its foreign aid to the local and provincial fied several times in the past and the investments only from India, said ment has failed to build pressure on
In the current fiscal year, the eco- own nongovernmental organisa- governments. Later, in December current government has done nothing Dahal. “We have a policy and arrange- New Delhi to renegotiate issues like
nomic growth rate will remain 3.9 tions,” said Dahal. 2017, the small grant project was new, he said. ment that any country can produce the peace and friendship treaty of
percent, it said, attributing improve- “There is no provision in the renamed HIDCP with new terms and “This decision was given formality electricity here. 1950, boundary row and air entry
ments in industry and service sec- agreement recently signed with India conditions. when the Indian foreign minister “But the Indian government has routes for Nepal.
tors to the better economic growth giving the latter the luxury of unilat- In July, 2018 some modalities and came here. The government had reservations over buying electricity Later, the meeting directed the
rate. Similarly, flexible monetary pol- erally selecting and implementing terms of references were changed and already made the decision from the [generated by plants] with the Chinese Ministry of Law, Justice and
icy and lift on the ban on selected projects. And regular monitoring and brought under the ambit of budgetary Cabinet some 20 days back,” the prime government’s investment.” Parliamentary Affairs to produce the
imports will contribute positively, periodic review of the projects that support to Nepal. More changes were minister said. “It is not like it Dahal said the government was try- list of treaties and agreements signed
the bank said. receive the funds under the HICDPs made in July 2018 and April 2019. As happened after Jaishankar came.” ing to convince India to purchase the with different countries within four
In the global scenario, tight mone- are carried out by the mechanisms of per the new modality, three agree- Besides the long-term power trade electricity produced even by Chinese days, according to Bimala Subedi, the
tary policies adopted by central the Nepal government.” ments were signed in January 2020, deal, more agreements were signed companies. There is an ongoing dis- committee president.
banks of large economies and world In the meeting, some lawmakers August 2020 and January 2024, said the with India last week during cussion on whether India should buy The meeting also urged relevant
trade and investment waiting for including CPN-UML whip Mahesh prime minister. Jaishankar’s visit. They are related to electricity generated by projects government agencies to provide full
smooth recovery are behind low eco- Bartuala, Pratiksha Tiwari, Sobita When the new modality was agreed putting Nepal’s nano-satellite Munal Chinese companies bag through glob- copies of agreements signed between
nomic growth rates. The global Gautam, and Dhruba Bahadur in 2018 and 2019, then KP Oli was the in space with the support of India’s al bidding processes. Several Indian the governments of Nepal and India to
growth rate is projected at 2.4 percent Pradhan sought clarifications on the prime minister and Yubraj Khatiwada space agency, and renewable energy. companies are now investing in the committee secretariat within
in 2024. (RSS) agreement from the prime minister. was the finance minister. Dahal claimed that the agreement Nepal’s energy sector with the core seven days.

C M Y K
 THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2024 | 04

Opinion

Oli and the hubris of ‘great’ Nepal

Our View AS I LIKE philosophy. Nepal is where the first
musical instrument was heard and
where the first song sung. Our ances-
No one should bother
Of bogus ‘babas’
tors were the first to use fire and teach
the world how to eat cooked food. Our
reading about Oli’s land gave birth to both the alphabet
and numbers.
Someone’s public legitimacy, however big, should hallucinatory visions More Indic than India
not come in the way of the criminal justice system. of Nepal’s past. One does wonder about Oli’s supposed
anti-Indianness. I do not mean the
opportunistic stance he took around the
Nepal Police finally “found” the godman who had gone miss- DEEPAK THAPA adoption of the 2015 Constitution to
ing for years right under their nose. Ram Bahadur Bomjan, emerge as a “nationalist leader” after
aka “Little Buddha”, had shot to fame in 2005 after allegedly having hobnobbed with the same Indian
meditating for months without food, water or sleep. After establishment for years. I mean more
about the manner in which he contin-
emerging from his meditation, he and his followers had set
ues to find ways to needle those current-
up ashrams in Bara, Sarlahi, Sindhupalchok and Sindhuli ly in power in India. Most notable was
districts. But then his darker side started coming to light. the somewhat unnecessary stunt to
He had repeatedly dodged the police despite him being Despite his disastrous stints both as declare that the hero of the epic, the
slapped with criminal charges as heinous as rapes, sexual prime minister of the country and as Ramayana, was born in Nepal even
assaults, and murders. He is also charged with forcibly disap- leader of his party, were a poll to be though Narendra Modi and his party
held today to gauge the popularity of are in power in New Delhi on the back
pearing—and even allegedly killing—his disciples Rita Bot
our leading politicians, KP Sharma Oli of the belief of millions in India that
(Majhi) of Sarlahi District and Sancha Lal Waiba of would top it. Not by a majority, no way, Ram was born in the northern Indian
Makwanpur District, among others. In addition, he faces but by a plurality, given the fractured town of Ayodhya.
charges of raping a 15-year-old girl who had been staying in nature of politics. That is not because I would venture that Oli is anti-India
his ashram as a nun. of what he is likely to achieve as a only in the sense that he firmly believes
Despite the Sarlahi District Court issuing an arrest war- political leader but for all the outra- that the Indic civilisation originated
geous things he manages to say all the not in the Western Asian steppes nor in
rant against him in February 2020, the police’s attempts to
time, and, increasingly nowadays, write the Indo-Gangetic plains but up here in
nab him were half-hearted. Behind the garb of spirituality as well. the Himalaya. That is why he appropri-
and religion, Bamjon continued to go scot-free as the state An example of the latter is a piece by FILE PHOTO ates everything attributable to Vedic
looked the other way. Moreover, he continued to live lavishly, Oli in Kantipur a couple of weeks back. selves. The butterflies and bees that ously after reading this. For the true society as ours and ours alone. And,
in his ashram in Sindhupalchok and, lately, in Kathmandu. Since Oli is an occasional contributor— suck their nectar are born by them- believers, there is a lot more through. like the Hindutva rightists of India, he,
The police have confiscated Rs33 million in Nepali currency not to mention someone of such high selves. The different insects that play in As a “communist”, he has his own take too, is a firm believer that everything
stature—the paper probably had no the grass are born by themselves. on society. Following Friedrich Engels, worth knowing or discovering or
from his Budhanilkantha residence, in addition to currency choice but to publish the rather porten- The fish, frogs and earthworms that or so he would believe, Oli goes: “We inventing is all there in the Vedas and
notes from 16 countries, as well as 15 mobile phones, laptops, tously titled, “Maile dekheko Nepal” play in the water are born themselves. had a self-sufficient economy in the the Shastras—all written here in Nepal,
and a fleet of expensive motor vehicles. (Nepal as I have seen it). For had it been There are sub-species among them Middle Ages. Each family had their by the way.
Now that the accused has been nabbed, the families of vic- submitted by anyone else, a swift rejec- based on altitude and temperature and own house and some fields. The fields But Oli is also from the land of
tims have a renewed hope of getting justice. Bomjan’s is not tion would have been the most logical flow of water.” would produce paddy, maize, wheat, the Buddha and hence Nepalis are sim-
an isolated case, though. The empire of crime he allegedly outcome. Yet, I can only muse on the I guess the last sentence was Oli’s mustard, buckwheat, potato and greens. ilarly blessed. “Why was Siddhartha
legions of Oli fans and imagine their attempt to prove his scientific creden- Cattle-raising would happen by itself. Gautam born in this land and became
created in his ashrams by exploiting the goodwill of a legion lapping up the 2,000 words of nonsense tials since the preceding part would People would raise chickens, goats, pigs the Buddha in this land itself ?” he
of his followers points to a larger nexus of spirituality and as words of wisdom from what they have made no sense whatsoever unless and buffaloes and use them as needed. asks. “Why was Siddhartha Gautam
criminality in Nepal. In 2019, Krishnadas Giri, another believe is the sagacious one. they were the musings of a poet or a There would be an abundance of milk, not born in any other part of the
spiritual guru, had been arrested on charges of raping his description of swayambhu in many curd, buttermilk and ghee for those world? When there was conflict else-
follower. Even earlier, in 2017, yet another spiritual guru, Land like no other forms. Further, he writes: “The envi- who kept cows and buffaloes. Cloth where, why would the message of peace
There is one clear purpose to Oli’s arti- ronment here is just so amazing that would be woven from cotton. There was spread here?”
Tulku Lama, had been arrested on charges of molesting and
cle, and that is to establish that Nepal is the tiger can be found here as can the a tradition of keeping dogs. A dog I feel for those CPN-UML comrades
raping his followers, claiming his divine power could cure a country that stands above the rest of deer. What the deer eats can be found would protect the house. It would not cringing while reading their leader’s
their illnesses. the world in all the ways you can think here and what eats the deer as well. It is allow entry to anyone without the views and yet having to kowtow to Oli
The spirituality-criminality nexus is not Nepal’s problem of. Since I would recommend no one a unique cycle of nature. A unique cycle house-owner’s permission. A dog would for fear of his well-known vindictive-
alone. Next door, in India, several spiritual gurus are in jail waste their time reading Oli’s article, of life. Life that uses oxygen is found not only look after the house but also ness towards detractors. Equally so for
for abusing power and exploiting their followers’ trust. what follows are snippets from the piece here as is the vegetation that provides horses, goats, cows, buffaloes, etc. the editor of Kantipur for having to
and a bit of commentary on the side to the oxygen. Two types of animals live Animals like jackals would not even carry such balderdash. Credit, however,
Asumal Harpalani aka Asaram Bapu, Rampal, Gurmeet Ram
illustrate the kind of understanding of here, warm-blooded and cold-blooded. come close to a dog. A dog was of is due to the latter for having published
Rahim and Nithyananda are some Indian spiritual gurus the world one of the most powerful men Humans and other animals have warm immense use then. It would also help within days a very well-crafted and
serving jail terms for crimes including rape. What these in Nepal has. blood while cold-blooded ones like during hunts.” -argued rebuttal to Oli’s overtly fertile
“babas” have in common, both in India and Nepal, is their Setting the stage for the wonder that snakes, fish, frogs and the like are also Besides the erroneous fact that pota- imagination. Written by one Sandeep
misuse of public legitimacy earned through a huge base of was and is Nepal, an early section reads here. Whoever can arrange for warmth toes had not arrived in Nepal by the Thapa, it is as pleasant a read as Oli’s is
followers. The fact that they count top political leaders as thus: “There is no need to plant any lives happily in cold places. Examples Middle Ages, this ramble is what Oli excruciating. It turns out Thapa is with
vegetation; it grows by itself. No need to of these are the chauri, yak and sheep peddled as his [hallucinatory] vision of the obscure Scientific Socialist Student
their followers hinders the justice process. By pleasing, even
plant flowers; they grow by themselves. with their long hair. Apart from some Nepal’s past through the country’s most Union. He is also visually impaired but
protecting, the babas, the politicians often translate the fans Trees, vines and creepers grow by commercial fisheries, no one needs to widely circulated newspaper. I guess proved much more insightful about the
of the babas into votes in elections. Moreover, authorities themselves in the forest. There is no raise fish in the fields, rivers and lakes. readers have got the gist of it although, world than the much more senior Oli.
often overlook the criminal nexus, fearing repercussions need to water them. They flower happi- They are at home in the water.” of course, Oli is far from being done. He An intellect definitely to look out for,
from many followers of the babas. ly, smilingly. Some have thick green This is one paragraph with not even claims that Nepal is not only the fount and that discovery is perhaps the only
It is this coming together of politics, spirituality and leaves, some have small ones. The birds a word excised or inserted. One has to of knowledge but also of conscious- positive outcome of having persevered
roosting on them are born by them- wonder if anyone would take Oli seri- ness, and the source of the most ancient through Oli’s rant.
criminality that has led to impunity even on allegations of
heinous crimes against spiritual gurus. The arrest of the
“Little Buddha” has brought a glimmer of hope for justice in
several similar cases, some of which are almost a decade-and-

Focus on road safety

a-half old. The police have finally taken a bold first step.
Now, it is up to Nepal’s court system to do the right
thing. Someone’s public legitimacy, even that of a famous
spiritual leader, should not come in the way of the criminal
justice system.
Nepal’s inability to fund road safety management, safer vehicles,
safer road users, post-crash response
recognised vehicle safety standards has
resulted in the widespread use of
puts them in danger. In 2021, pedestri-
ans and cyclists accounted for 26.3 per-
safety research hinders and safer driving environment) and unsafe vehicles, contributing to the cent of the total road fatalities.
Their view innovative solutions to
speed control. It describes the govern-
ment’s role and accountability towards
severity of road crashes and fatalities.
Traffic law enforcement in Nepal is
Installing proper pedestrian crossings,
traffic lights, and speed control meas-
safe systems, leading to the design of inconsistent and inadequate. This ures around schools and residential
control accidental deaths.
Address rights concerns
transport systems and the development includes lax enforcement of hel- areas should be prioritised.
of action plans. The lead agency, usual- met-wearing laws for motorcycle pas- Research evidence, technological
ly appointed by the government (absent sengers, a lack of legislation for pas- innovations and good practice guid-
BHAGABATI SEDAIN & PUSHPA RAJ PANT in Nepal), coordinates and encourages senger seatbelt use and child restraints ance documents are available to guide,
Western criticism on Bangladesh’s political and individual or collective road safety
endeavours of the private sector, civil
and the widespread use of mobile
phones while driving. Safe and
support and educate decision-makers
on road traffic injuries. Utilising
human rights situation has been there for a reason. society and academia. Equally crucial
is capacitating and updating quality
high-quality helmets reduce the risk of
death from head injuries by over six
them could save scarce financial
resources on road safety; however, the
standards and law enforcement to eval- times, eventually mitigating the risk of significance of primary empirical
With Bangladesh’s 12th parliamentary polls over, congratulations uate the effectiveness of implemented brain injury by up to 74 percent. Public research remains crucial. Despite a 5
have been pouring in from China, India, Russia and other countries interventions. awareness campaigns and educational percent decline in deaths globally,
for the re-elected Awami League which is set to begin its fourth Nepal’s roads are as unsafe as ever. The Nepal saw a 77 percent increase due to
consecutive term in office soon. As expected, the United States (US) World Health Organization’s (WHO) failed actions.
has termed the virtually opposition-less election “not free or fair,” 5th Global Road Safety Status Report, Nepal’s inability to fund road safety
published in December 2023, paints a research and development limits evi-
and the United Kingdom (UK) noted that the standards of demo-
grim picture of Nepal’s roads. The dence generation and hinders innova-
cratic elections “were not consistently met during the election WHO estimated 8,479 road traffic tive solutions to the country’s distinct
period.” However, both countries also talked about moving forward deaths in 2021; the Government of road safety challenges. Owing to the
and developing better and deeper ties with Bangladesh, which is a Nepal, however, reported 2,833 deaths limited capability of crash data collec-
good thing considering our long-term interests. in the same year, nearly three times tion, the WHO has to model standard-
Condemning the political violence that took place during elec- lower than the WHO’s data. Further, ised estimates for Nepal. The police
figures show a 71-77 percent increase in recorded approximately 20,000 injuries,
tion and in the months leading to it, the US urged all political par- Nepal’s absolute number of road while the Ministry of Health OPD
ties to reject violence. Meanwhile, the UK emphasised on the need deaths than in 2013. While the world records indicated almost 100,000 road
for creating conditions “for a sustainable political settlement and witnessed a 5 percent decrease in the traffic injuries. However, for the year
vibrant civil society” for long-term growth, which we have also absolute number of deaths compared 2021-22, police recorded, on average, 108
been urging for quite a while. Western criticism regarding the to a decade ago, with 108 countries crashes daily (nationwide), of which 56
political and human rights situation in Bangladesh has been there reporting a decline between 2 percent percent were recorded in Bagmati
and 50 percent, Nepal is drifting in the Province alone, and Madhesh and
for some time for a reason. Perhaps the ruling party did not take it wrong direction, and the target of Koshi provinces made up 36 percent. It
seriously before the polls as part of its election strategy. It should, reducing road fatalities by 50 percent is difficult to believe that the remain-
however, now seek to address those. The West remains our biggest by 2030 seems far from reality. ing four provinces (Gandaki, Lumbini,
trading partner. Therefore, in the interest of continuing good rela- Nepal supports the Global Plan for Karnali and Sudurpaschim combined)
tions with Western countries, we hope the government will not the Decade of Action for Road Safety accounted for only 8 percent of the
2021-2030, but it has failed to implement total crashes. These statistical gaps
become a prisoner of its own mindset that all criticism is unhealthy.
the recommendations of the Global hinder the ability to accurately assess
The United Nations (UN), on the other hand, has been quite crit- Plan or a national strategy that sets a the scale of a problem and monitor
ical in its observation of Bangladesh’s human rights situation and realistic trajectory target for the dec- progress towards achieving road safety
the government’s “repression of opposition candidates and sup- ade. An unbalanced and unsystematic targets. The road crash data collection
porters.” Drawing attention to the thousands of opposition sup- focus on road construction safety is a system created by the Nepal govern-
porters who have been “detained arbitrarily or subjected to intimi- significant failure, leading to persis- ment with the support of donor agen-
tently high rates of road traffic crash- cies urgently needs to be rolled out.
dation” in the run up to the election, it has called on the newly
es, fatalities, injuries and substantial Nepal’s emergency medical services,
elected government to take steps to renew the country’s commit- social and economic costs. post-crash response and trauma care,
ment to democracy and human rights. It has insisted on thorough Economists have estimated that the are inadequate, causing delays in treat-
and effective investigation of rights violations and irregularities economic losses of Nepal’s road crash- ing road crash victims and contribut-
during the campaign and on election day itself, including the use of es have tripled each decade—from $14 ing to higher mortality rates and long-
million in 1996 to $41 million in 2007 Post File Photo term disabilities among survivors. A
mass arrests, threats, enforced disappearances, blackmailing and
and $123 million in 2017. The 2021 The urgent endorsement of the programmes promoting safe driving sound emergency care system can save
surveillance by law enforcement officials—many of which were
national census recorded an increase 8-year-pending Road Safety Bill’s draft behaviours and road safety practices lives by strengthening the ambulance
highlighted previously in media reports. in the absolute number of people is crucial for establishing a Road Safety among road users are also severely system and building the capacity of
We hope that the ruling party, in the euphoria of victory, will not with disabilities; however, data Management apex body. This will lay lacking. professionals and responders. A trau-
ignore these very serious allegations and concerns that have been regarding the severity and type of the legal foundation for establishing an We must improve the existing road ma hospital registry can provide data
raised. The prime minister herself earlier said that Awami League disabilities caused by road crashes are independent and fully-resourced infrastructure to ensure safety for all for evidence-based recommendations
is willing to correct any mistakes that it had made. Addressing the still lacking. National Road Safety Council. Once types of road users. Nepal has 3.9 mil- and help in continuous quality care
Similarly, the second Decade of formed, the Council has to finalise the lion motorised vehicles on its roads. improvements.
legitimate rights concerns raised by the UN and the West would be Action outlined the key areas for action National Road Safety Action Plan (2021- The road network should also be suita-
a good place to start. and suggested action points aligning 2030). Nepal’s failure to adopt the UN ble and safe for cyclists and pedestri- Sedain and Pant are road safety and
 — The Daily Star (Bangladesh)/ANN with the five road safety pillars (road Road Safety Conventions and globally ans, as an unsafe road infrastructure injury prevention researchers.

C M Y K
05 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2024

Money
FOREX

US Dollar 133.16 Chitwan fields in yellow bloom as Saudi says value of

mineral resources
mustard makes a strong comeback
Euro 145.74
Pound Sterling 169.38 has nearly doubled
Swiss Franc 156.22
q Agence France-Presse
Australian Dollar 89.26 This fiscal year, the area under mustard farming increased to 21,850 hectares, returning to its 1998-99 level. RIYADH, Jan 10

Canadian Dollar 99.57 Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday that

the estimated value of its mineral
Singapore Dollar 100.03 resources had nearly doubled to
Japanese Yen (10) 9.18 $2.5 trillion, highlighting a sector it
hopes will help diversify its oil-reliant
Chinese Yuan 18.57 economy.
“I am delighted to announce that
Saudi Arab Riyal 35.51 our estimation for the kingdom’s
untapped mineral potential has
Qatari Riyal 36.52 increased from $1.3 trillion to $2.5 tril-
lion, an increase of 90 percent,”
Thai Bhat 3.80 Industry and Mineral Resources
UAE Dhiram 36.26 Minister Bandar Alkhorayef told a
conference in Riyadh.
Malaysian Ringgit 28.69 “This is based on new discoveries in
the form of rare earth elements, and a
Korean Won (100) 10.09 combination of the increase of vol-
Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank umes of phosphate, gold, zinc and
copper, as well as the revaluation of
Shares these minerals.”
2,089.62pts
Nepse (in percent)
0.45%
highest gainers
Nepal imported 38,195 tonnes of mustard seeds worth Rs3.98 billion in the last fiscal year, which were mostly used by Khokana’s oil mills in Lalitpur.
Post file Photo
Manara announced first
MKLB
10
HRL
10
MKCL
9.99
NWCL
9.99
NGPL
9.96
USLB
9.11 high-profile acquisition,
a 10-percent stake in
q RAMESH KUMAR PAUDEL in 2019-20 and increased to 14,765 hec- mustard oil was banned for edible Rs11,000 per quintal after the war
moderate gainers
CHITWAN, JAN 10 tares in the last fiscal year 2022-23. consumption in the European Union, started in February 2022.
BBC C30MF KEF LUK CIT PBLD87
0.16 0.12 0.12 0.12 0.09
moderate losers
0.06
The real estate boom of 2008 in
This fiscal year, starting mid-July
2023, the area under mustard farming
the United States and Canada, princi-
pally due to its erucic acid content.
In Nepal, the mustard oil price
reached Rs425 per litre, from Rs230 Brazil’s Vale, in July.
LEMF NICSF HIDCL UNL ADBL HDL
Chitwan had a direct impact on the has increased to 21,850 hectares. The United States Food and Drug per litre, he said. “But prices have
-0.11 -0.11 -0.05 -0.04 -0.04 -0.01 cash crop production, particularly Agriculture experts say that mus- Administration’s website claims it declined now.”
highest losers mustard, as farmers shifted to com- tard farming has returned to its previ- contains erucic acid which can cause “The mustard production increased The earlier valuation of $1.3 trillion
CBBL GBILD86/87UHEWA MKHC NHDL KMCDB mercial vegetable farming amid rapid ous level, which is good for the coun- heart disease if consumed above the due to the rise in its value,” said had been cited by officials including
-5.95 -5.87 -4.61 -4.35 -4.34 -4.15 urbanisation. try’s economy as Nepal has been prescribed limits. Poudel. Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown
1998-99 was a boom time as mustard importing edible oil worth billions. Its consumption in Nepal also fell. From 1990 to 2000, the government Prince Mohammed bin Salman, since
farming covered 22,996 hectares in Nepal imported 38,195 tonnes of By 2021-22, Nepal’s imports of edi- encouraged mustard production. at least 2017.
Chitwan, according to the report of mustard seeds worth Rs3.98 billion in ble oils stood at Rs120.46 billion— The mustard production increased Under Prince Mohammed, the
bullion Price Per tola
the Agriculture Development Office, the last fiscal year, which were mostly crude soybean worth Rs56.25 billion as a result in Chitwan, said world’s biggest crude oil exporter
Chitwan, now Agriculture Knowledge used by Khokana’s oil mills in and crude palm oil worth Rs39.39 bil- Subash Subedi, senior scientist of hopes to diversify away from fossil
Fine Gold Rs 118,500 Centre. Lalitpur. lion, mostly to export to India using the National Oilseed Research fuels, and the government is eyeing
The production area declined to In Chitwan, farmers have revived the loopholes of the zero duty privi- Programme. the mining sector as a potential source
Silver Rs 1,410 11,130 hectares in 2008-09. mustard farming. The productivity lege. For Nepal’s domestic consump- But from 2000 to 2010, the mustard of billions of dollars in foreign direct
Mustard farms are back. Nowadays, which used to be less than a tonne per tion, sunflower oil worth Rs18.10 bil- farm area started to shrink, he said. investment each year.
Source: FENEGOSIDA vast stretches of land in Chitwan are hectare, has now increased to 1.3 lion was imported. While urbanisation started at a rapid Risk intelligence firm Verisk
covered with yellow blossoms. tonnes per hectare. “Mustard is appropriate for the pace shrinking the agricultural land Maplecroft wrote last year that
Lalit Chaudhary of wad 3 of Madi Traders and farmers say that mus- agricultural system in Chitwan,” said in Chitwan, farmers who continued the focus on mining was “among the
Municipality has planted mustard on tard farming gained traction in Madhav Poudel, chief of the Prime agriculture switched to commercial more feasible parts” of Prince
p bizline 2.5 bigha (1 bigha = 0.67 hectares) this Chitwan due to the growing aware- Minister’s Agriculture Modernisation vegetable farming. Mohammed’s Vision 2030 reform
winter, from 1.5 bigha last winter. ness about its health benefits. Project. “The use of fertiliser was high agenda, aided by existing mines,
“We used to cultivate mustard on 6 Reports show that India imposed a But the expansion of mustard acre- when farmers started adopting hybrid plants and infrastructure including
Tesla launches restyled bigha two decades ago. We were a joint ban on the sale of mustard seed oil age has affected the wheat production varieties. The soil fertility degraded. railways.
family then.” that had repercussions in Nepal too. areas in Chitwan, he said. The mustard production was affect- Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz
Model 3 in North America The ownership of the land In 1998, a mass-poisoning tragedy “Wheat requires well irrigation and ed,” said Subedi. bin Salman told the conference that
Bengaluru: Tesla on Wednesday started getting divided among family began to unfold in New Delhi, India. it takes time to ripe. But mustard Aryal said that the government has rather than being called an oil-produc-
rolled out the restyled version of its members. The authorities determined the requires less irrigation and ripens in again started encouraging farmers for ing country, “what we are working on
Model 3 compact sedan in North The mustard farming too declined illnesses were caused by the adultera- a short period which has attracted mustard production. is that we would like to be an ener-
America at unchanged prices, as a result, said Chaudhary, 45. tion of mustard oil. farmers towards mustard,” said A subsidy of Rs5 million has been gy-producing country for all sources
months after the vehicle attracted Chaudhary family is back to mustard The symptoms included swelling of Aryal. provided to 12 agricultural groups this of energy”.
healthy demand upon launch in farming. the feet, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, “Mustard farming does not require year for mustard seed, fertiliser, pesti- Last year, the kingdom’s deep-pock-
China and Europe.The move will The government’s data too proves abdominal swelling, liver toxicity, kid- hard work,” said Chaudhary, the farm- cide, irrigation and mechanisation eted sovereign wealth fund, the
refresh Tesla’s aging vehicle line-up the fact that mustard farms in ney damage, breathlessness due to er. “The wild animals in Madi forest purposes, he said. Public Investment Fund, and state
in its biggest market and follows a Chitwan have been on an increasing retention of fluids in the lungs and destroy wheat crops, but do not dam- The statistics of the Ministry of mining firm Ma’aden established
price war last year that helped the trend over the last few years. death due to heart failure. By early age mustard.” Agriculture and Livestock Manara Minerals to snatch up
company meet its annual deliveries Umraj Aryal, chief of the September, the official death toll was Bikram Sapkota, treasurer of the Development show that Nepal pro- global mining assets. Manara
goal at the cost of margins.The Agriculture Knowledge Center, 41, and 2,300 people had been affected. Chitwan Lok Oil Producers duced 220,250 tonnes of mustard on announced its first high-profile acqui-
revamped version of the long-range Chitwan, said farmers have started On August 27, 1998, the Indian gov- Association, said that mustard oil 198,197 hectares in the fiscal year 2020- sition, a 10-percent stake in Brazil’s
and rear-wheel drive Model 3 variants switching to mustard for the last 5 ernment banned the sale of mustard seed has been in high demand 21. According to the Food and Vale, in July.
include new features such as a rear years. “The area has increased sharp- seed oil and announced a policy to after the Russia-Ukraine war that dis- Agriculture Organisation of the But foreign investment in Saudi
display for backseat passengers, ly since last year.” import foreign soybeans free of pro- rupted supply. United Nations, Nepal ranks at the top Arabia “remains far behind ambitious
according to Tesla’s website. According to Aryal, mustard farm- tective trade tariffs. According to Sapkota, mustard seed in mustard seed production globally, targets”, said Torbjorn Soltvedt of
Following the changes, the long-range ing in Chitwan covered 12,255 hectares In 2012, in a controversial decision, jumped to Rs17,000 per quintal, from followed by Russia and Canada. Verisk Maplecroft.
variant can go 341 miles on a single
charge, up from 333 miles earlier.
Tesla has also refreshed its wheel
designs, now available in two new
colors, “Stealth Grey” and “Ultra
Red.” The Model 3 rear-wheel drive
German railways grind to Met office, Ncell tie up for better
near halt in drivers’ strike
variant is priced at $38,990, while the

early warning systems

long-range variant costs $45,990, after
both became ineligible for a $7,500
federal tax credit at the end of 2023,
based on new guidance under the US q Reuters hang around to see if the next one
Inflation Reduction Act. (Reuters) COLOGNE, Germany, Jan 10 appears. “I’ll wait for three-quarters
of an hour at minus seven degrees q POST REPORT as saying. “This MoU is yet another
Hundreds of thousands of people here in the main station,” he told KATHMANDU, Jan 10 milestone with the coverage of 10 addi-
Amazon’s Twitch to lay faced train cancellations across Reuters. tional meteorological hazards.”
off 35 percent of workforce Germany from Wednesday, as a three- “It’s sad when you work in health- The Department of Hydrology and Kayumov also termed the MoU a
day nationwide rail strike added to care,” said commuter Alex Mueller. Meteorology and telecom company milestone in the company’s commit-
San Francisco: Amazon.com’s travel chaos in Europe’s largest econo- “We work in a retirement home and Ncell have signed a Memorandum of ment to enhancing the safety and
streaming unit Twitch is set to cut 35 my, where farmers’ protests have we have to get to work.” Understanding on strengthening com- well-being of the communities.
percent of its staff, or about 500 work- blocked highways and snarled traffic. The head of the German farmers’ munication for early warning system “This collaboration between Ncell
ers, Bloomberg News reported on The strikes, called by the GDL association DBV vowed to ramp up (EWS) by expanding coverage in both and DHM is a great example of how
Tuesday, citing people familiar with train drivers’ union from Wednesday their protests on Wednesday, after con- hydro and meteorological disasters. public-private partnerships (PPP) can
the plans. The move could be to Friday evening, have forced voys of tractors and trucks blocked Under this extended MoU, Ncell and create a larger positive impact on our
announced as soon as Wednesday, the national rail operator Deutsche Bahn roads across the country earlier the DHM have joined hands to dissem- society, which underscores our shared
report added. The business remains to run only stripped-back emergency this week. inate early warning alerts to the pub- commitment to leveraging technology
unprofitable nine years after timetables. The strikes and protests add to pres- lic covering 13 disasters triggered by Photo: courtesy of NCELL for the greater good in enhancing the
Amazon’s acquisition of the company, One in five long-distance high-speed sure on Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coa- hydrological and meteorological haz- the Ncell office in Lainchaur, well-being of Nepal and Nepali peo-
the report said. Twitch did not imme- rail services were running and region- lition government, which faces grow- ards, said Ncell on Wednesday. Kathmandu. Karmacharya thanked ple,” Kayumov said.
diately respond to a Reuters request al services have been “massively ing economic problems, including This includes alerts for floods, flash Ncell for its flood early warning sys- The early warning SMS alerts
for comments. Twitch CEO Dan thinned out”, a Deutsche Bahn spokes- weak macroeconomic data, high inter- floods, rainfall, thunderstorms, wind tem initiative in Nepal since 2016. ensure that people get pre-informed
Clancy said in December that person told reporters at Berlin’s cen- est rates and a budget mess. gusts, landslides, avalanches, snowfall, “Disseminating alerts in the event about the risk and move to safe loca-
the company would shut down tral station, empty of its usual crowds. The long-running row over train heatwaves, cold weather, forest fires, of impending disaster has proven to be tions with their belongings, while
operations in South Korea in At Cologne railway station in west- drivers’ pay and working hours flared air pollution and tornados, the tele- a lifesaver for the survivors. This joint organisations involved in disaster
February this year, due to high oper- ern Germany, commuters wrapped up up again following a three-week communication company said. Ncell initiative is indeed a great example of response and preparedness get time to
ating costs and network fees.The com- against freezing temperatures checked truce over Christmas, and after an CEO and Managing Director Jabbor grassroots-to-global action of putting act on time. The company disseminat-
pany had laid off more than 400 departure boards for timetable chang- effort by Deutsche Bahn to block the Kayumov and DHM Director General the furthest-behind-first as envisioned ed over 9 million SMS alerts pre-in-
employees in March last year after its es. After Ulrich Linke’s first train latest strikes with a court injunction Jagadishwor Karmacharya exchanged in the recent UN’s ‘early warning for forming people from flood risk areas
user and revenue growth did not meet failed to show up, he said he would did not succeed. the MoU on Wednesday at a function at all’ initiative,” Karmacharya is quoted in 2023 alone, it said.
expectations. (Reuters)

India’s Maruti Suzuki

to invest $4 bln in second
Gujarat car plant
GANDHINAGAR, India: India’s top car-
Bitcoin ETF hopefuls still expect SEC approval despite hack
maker Maruti Suzuki will invest 350 q Reuters out directly holding it, and a major and said it was because of an “uniden-
billion rupees ($4.2 billion) to build a Washington, Jan 10 boost for a crypto industry beset by a tified individual” obtaining control of
second car plant in Gujarat state and string of scandals. a phone number associated with the
will add a new production line at an US asset managers remain hopeful the Several industry executives told agency’s account through a third party.
existing plant, the president of its securities regulator will permit the Reuters earlier this week they expect- On Tuesday evening, several of the
parent company said. The invest- trading of spot bitcoin exchange-trad- ed the SEC will approve the sources said they did not expect the
ments will see the company’s annual ed funds (ETFs), even after a fake post Ark/21Shares product along with apparent hack to derail the process.
production capacity in Prime on the agency’s social media account many others. They declined to be iden- Issuers this week disclosed their
Minister Narendra Modi’s home saying they had been approved sparked tified because the discussions are pri- planned ETF fees, usually one of the
state jump to 2 million vehicles confusion on Tuesday. vate. The SEC has not said how it will final details nailed down before a
from 750,000 currently. The additional The Securities and Exchange rule and a spokesperson said the agen- launch. At least three firms have filed
production line is expected to Commission (SEC) will decide on cy cannot comment on applications. or were preparing to file requests for
start operating in the 2027 financial Wednesday whether to approve an Industry insiders and media outlets SEC approval to launch their products
year and the new plant about two application from asset managers Ark were caught off guard Tuesday on Thursday, said three sources.
years later. The maker of the Investments and 21Shares to launch a evening when an unknown party post- Josh Gilbert, a market analyst at
popular Swift hatchback has spot bitcoin ETF. More than a ed on the SEC’s X account that all the eToro, said Tuesday’s hack had
said it wants to double its annual pro- dozen bitcoin ETF applications,includ- products had been approved, sending “undoubtedly rattled the bitcoin mar-
duction capacity to 4 million units by ing from BlackRock, Fidelity and executives scrambling to figure out ket” but that all the signs were that the
the 2031 financial year. The plans VanEck, are also pending with the what was happening. SEC was poised to approve the prod-
were announced during the Vibrant agency. The SEC quickly disavowed and ucts. Standard Chartered analysts
Gujarat Global Summit, where thou- The products would be a game-chang- deleted the post, and has said the this week said the ETFs could draw
sands of chief executives, investors REUTERS er for bitcoin, offering institutional authorities are investigating the inci- $50 billion to $100 billion this year
and diplomats have gathered for the US Securities and Exchange Commission logo and representations of cryptocurrency are seen and retail investors exposure to the dent. X confirmed late on Tuesday that alone, driving the price of bitcoin as
three-day biennial event. (Reuters) in this illustration taken in June 2023. world’s largest cryptocurrency with- the SEC’s account was compromised high as $100,000.

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 THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2024 | 06

world

Ecuador president orders gangs US, UK forces repel

‘neutralised’ as gunmen storm TV studio ‘largest attack’ by
On Tuesday, they stormed a studio of state-owned TC Television in Guayaquil with guns and explosives. Houthis in Red Sea
q Reuters say when the Houthi strike had
showed three of the kidnapped officers WASHINGTON/LONDON, Jan 10 occurred or what damage, if any, the
sitting on the ground with a gun point- vessel had suffered, but that the oper-
ed at them as one was forced to read a US and British naval forces shot ation was a “preliminary response” to
statement addressed to Noboa. down 21 drones and missiles fired by a previous US attack that killed 10
“You declared war, you will get Yemen-based Houthis on Tuesday Houthi fighters.
war,” the visibly terrified officer read. towards the southern Red Sea, the The US Fifth Fleet, which is based
“You declared a state of emergency. United States said, with Britain hint- in the Gulf region and has along with
We declare police, civilians and sol- ing at further measures to protect Britain deployed naval forces to pro-
diers to be the spoils of war.” international shipping lanes. tect Red Sea shipping from an upsurge
The statement added that anyone British Defence Secretary Grant in Houthi attacks, did not immediate-
found on the street after 11:00 pm “will Shapps said it was the largest attack ly respond to a request for comment.
be executed.” in the area by the militants to date as It was not clear whether the missile
There was panic on the streets, with the three-month-long war between and drone salvo against the US ship
shops and businesses in various cities Israel and Hamas in Gaza spills over reported by the Houthi official had
closing early and residents rushing into other parts of the Middle East. anything to do with the US and British
home as face-to-face classes were sus- “This is an unsustainable situa- naval action.
pended nationwide until Friday. tion,” Shapps told reporters, adding The Houthis, who control most of
The head of Ecuador’s Joint “watch this space” with regards to Yemen, have been targeting Red Sea
Command of the Armed Forces, Jaime further possible action by Britain and shipping routes to show their support
Vela, said that gangs had “committed its international partners. for Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist
bloody acts without precedent.” “This cannot continue and cannot group. Germany’s foreign ministry
“Despite their brutal wickedness, be allowed to continue.” said the latest attacks were a “clear
this attempt will fail,” he told media US Central Command said no inju- escalation”.
after a security council meeting in ries nor damage were reported, add- The attacks have seriously disrupt-
Quito headed by Noboa. ing that this was the 26th Houthi ed international commerce on the key
Brian Nichols, the top US diplomat attack on commercial shipping lanes route between Europe and Asia that
for Latin America, said Washington in the Red Sea since November 19. accounts for about 15 percent of the
was “extremely concerned” by the Later in the day, Houthi military world’s shipping traffic.
violence and kidnappings, and pledged spokesperson Yahya Saree said the Many shipping companies have
to provide assistance and “remain in Iranian-backed militants fired a large been forced to reroute vessels,
close contact” with Noboa’s team. number of ballistic and naval missiles taking the longer journey around
Peru put its border with Ecuador and drones at a US ship that was “pro- Africa, although several oil majors,
AFP/rss under a state of emergency. viding support” to Israel. refiners and trading houses have con-
People are helped out of the premises of Ecuador’s TC television channel after unidentified gunmen burst into the state-owned television studio China’s embassy and consulates in In a televised speech, Saree did not tinued to use it.
live on air on Tuesday. Ecuador announced on Wednesday
that services to the public were sus-
q Agence France-Presse Colombian cartels vie for control. of state-owned TC Television in pended. France and Russia both
QUITO, Jan 10 In the port city of Guayaquil, men Guayaquil with guns and explosives. advised their citizens against travel to
wearing balaclavas and waving weap- Hooded attackers fired gunshots Ecuador. A spokesperson for Russia’s
Ecuador’s president gave orders on ons stormed a state-owned TV station during a live TC broadcast as a woman foreign ministry on Wednesday said
Tuesday to “neutralise” criminal during a live broadcast, taking several could be heard pleading: “Don’t shoot, Moscow trusts Ecuador “will be able
gangs after gunmen stormed and journalists and staff members hos- please don’t shoot.” to, on their own, without foreign inter-
opened fire in a TV studio, as bandits tage on Tuesday. The intruders forced terrified crew ference, take back control... to restore
threatened random executions on a At least 10 people have been killed onto the ground and a person could be peace and order.”
second day of terror in the country. in a series of attacks blamed on heard screaming as the studio lights Chile, Colombia and Brazil sent
Gangs declared war on the govern- gangs—eight in Guayaquil, and two went out but the broadcast continued. messages of support for Noboa.
ment when President Daniel Noboa “viciously murdered by armed crimi- Police entered the studio after about A manhunt is under way for Fito,
announced a state of emergency nals” in the nearby town of Nobol, 30 minutes of chaos. who had been serving a 34-year sen-
following the prison escape on Sunday police said Tuesday. Noboa, 36, who was elected last year tence for organized crime, drug traf-
of one of Ecuador’s most powerful Three other officers were wounded on a pledge to fight drug-related vio- ficking and murder. The 44-year-old is
narco bosses. in Guayaquil. After the escape of Jose lence, ordered the military operations believed to have escaped just hours
Noboa ordered military operations Adolfo Macias, aka “Fito”—leader of against gangs he described as “terror- before police arrived to conduct an
to “neutralize” criminal gangs, as the Ecuador’s biggest gang Los ist organizations and belligerent non- inspection of the Guayaquil prison
country exploded into what he called Choneros—Noboa on Monday state actors.” where he was held.
an “internal armed conflict.” declared a nationwide state of emer- Authorities reported multiple On Tuesday, officials said another
Long a peaceful haven sandwiched gency and nightly curfew. explosions and cars set alight on narco boss—Los Lobos leader Fabricio
between top cocaine exporters Gangs retaliated, taking police Tuesday, including in the capital Colon Pico—also escaped since his
Colombia and Peru, Ecuador has seen officers hostage, setting off explosions Quito, and said seven police officers arrest last Friday for alleged involve- REUTERS
violence explode in recent years as in several cities. had been kidnapped. ment in a plot to assassinate Ecuador’s A view shows the bridge of HMS Diamond, seen here firing her Sea Viper missiles in the Red
rival gangs with links to Mexican and On Tuesday, they stormed a studio A video circulating on social media attorney general. Sea on Wednesday.

Trump holds wide Blinken meets Palestinian leader as Israel keeps bombing Gaza
lead in race for The war rages on unabated as the army reports more deadly fighting in Gaza’s central Maghazi and southern Khan Yunis areas.
nomination: Poll q Agence France-Presse
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories, Jan 10
up signs that read “Stop the geno-
cide”, “Free Palestine” and “Blinken
Blinken was next headed to the
Gulf state of Bahrain, home base
Hezbollah but also groups in Syria,
Iraq and Yemen.
in Gaza, particularly children, is far
too high,” Blinken said on Tuesday
q Reuters out”. Some scuffled with Palestinian of the US Fifth Fleet, for talks with Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels after his talks with Netanyahu.
WASHINGTON, Jan 10 The Israeli army kept bombing the security forces in riot gear. King Hamad on preventing a regional have carried out numerous attacks on Blinken called for “more food, more
Gaza Strip and fighting Hamas mili- Abbas was later set to discuss a escalation of the war, the State passing merchant ships in the Red Sea, water, more medicine” for Gaza,
Donald Trump holds a wide lead over tants on Wednesday as US top diplo- “push for an immediate ceasefire” in Department said. and the United States has set up a mul- where only limited relief supplies
his rivals for the Republican US presi- mat Antony Blinken met the head of Gaza in talks with Jordan’s King Since the Gaza war started, fears tinational naval task force to protect have been arriving from Egypt.
dential nomination just five days the Palestinian Authority in the occu- Abdullah II and Egyptian President have grown of a widening conflict the vital sea lane. On Tuesday, the Desperate Gazans on Tuesday climbed
before the state-by-state selection con- pied West Bank. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the Red Sea between Israel and Iran-backed armed rebels “launched a complex” attack, onto one truck carrying flour and
test begins, according to a Reuters/ The military said it killed dozens of port city of Aqaba. groups, especially Lebanon’s US Central Command said, adding canned goods and tossed the food to
Ipsos poll released on Wednesday. “terrorists” and hit another 150 tar- that US and British forces had shot the crowd below, AFP footage showed.
The former president is the pre- gets in Hamas-run Gaza, where the down 18 drones and three missiles, Army spokesman Daniel Hagari
ferred candidate of 49 percent of health ministry said 147 people had with no casualties or damage reported. said Israel is “ready and willing to
self-identified Republicans, the poll been killed over the previous 24 hours. The war started when Hamas facilitate as much humanitarian aid
found. Former South Carolina The bloodiest ever Gaza war started launched its unprecedented October 7 as the world will give”.
Governor Nikki Haley had the support by the October 7 Hamas attack has attack, which resulted in about 1,140 The war raged on unabated and the
of 12 percent of Republicans, with raged on for more than three months deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, army reported more deadly fighting in
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis hold- and killed over 23,000 people in the according to an AFP tally based on Gaza’s central Maghazi and southern
ing 11 percent support. Entrepreneur besieged Palestinian territory, accord- official figures. Militants also took Khan Yunis areas.
Vivek Ramaswamy was backed by 4 ing to its health ministry. around 250 hostages, of whom Israel Troops had found 15 tunnel shafts
percent of Republicans, while no other Palestinian president Mahmud says 132 remain in Gaza including at as well as rocket launchers, missiles,
candidate got more than 2 percent, Abbas spoke with Blinken of the need least 25 believed to have been killed. drones and explosives in Al-Maghazi
the poll found. Some 18 percent said “to stop the Israeli aggression against Israel has responded with a relent- and destroyed machinery for making
they did not know whom they would Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip less military campaign that has killed rockets that have been fired at Israel,
support. and the West Bank”, which has also at least 23,357 people, mostly women the army said. One of the many dis-
The poll of 1,941 self-identified been torn by deadly unrest, said the and children, according to the Gaza placed Palestinians, Hassan Kaskin
Republicans was conducted nation- official Palestinian news agency Wafa. health ministry. 55, told AFP: “We have lost our money,
wide, meaning it may not necessarily Blinken told Abbas that Washington The Israeli army says 186 of its sol- our houses, our jobs. We are losing our
predict who will win Monday’s cau- supports “tangible steps” towards the diers have been killed inside Gaza in youths as well.
cuses in Iowa, the first of the state creation of a Palestinian state—a its campaign to destroy Hamas. “We’ve sacrificed our children for
nominating contests that will deter- long-term goal which the hard-right The United Nations estimates 1.9 our homeland.”
mine who will try to unseat Democratic Israeli government of Prime Minister million Gazans have been displaced Blinken is on his fourth tour of the
President Joe Biden in the November Benjamin Netanyahu has opposed. inside the territory that had already Middle East since the outbreak of the
5 election. The broad outlines of the The secretary of state reiterated the endured years of blockade and war, and was later headed to Egypt,
race have changed little since the sum- US position that a Palestinian state poverty before the war. Global con- after earlier stops in Turkey, Saudi
mer, even as Trump’s legal woes have must stand alongside Israel, “with cern has flared over Gaza’s humani- Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
mounted and his rivals have spent both living in peace and security”, tarian crisis, and Blinken—while voic- Washington has floated a post-war
months on the campaign trail. Most said State Department spokesman ing continued US support for top scenario in which a reformed
Reuters/Ipsos surveys conducted Matthew Miller. AFP/rss regional ally Israel—has urged steps Palestinian Authority governs Gaza
since August have found that Trump As Blinken arrived under tight Demonstrators are confronted by Palestinian Authority security forces as they protest to reduce the suffering. as well as towns and cities in the
has commanded the support of rough- security at Abbas’s headquarters in during a visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied Dire shortages brought by an Israeli West Bank, which Israel has occupied
ly half of the Republican electorate. Ramallah, a group of protesters held West Bank on Wednesday. siege mean the “daily toll on civilians since 1967.

Ancient DNA hints at why a modern disease affects so many northern Europeans
q Associated Press into northwestern Europe, they car- because while MS can strike any pop- The researchers first examined ancestors of modern Danes, Willerslev
WASHINGTON, Jan 10 ried gene variants that today are
known to increase people’s risk of More than 230 genetic ulation, it is most common among
white descendants of northern
DNA from about 1,600 ancient
Eurasians, mapping some major shifts
said. MS rates are particularly high in
Scandinavian countries.
Ancient DNA helps explain why
northern Europeans have a higher
multiple sclerosis, researchers report-
ed Wednesday.
variants have been Europeans and scientists have been
unable to explain why.
in northern Europe’s population.
First, farmers from the Middle East
Why would gene variants presumed
to have strengthened ancient immuni-
risk of multiple sclerosis than other
ancestries: It’s a genetic legacy of
Yet the Yamnaya flourished, widely
spreading those variants. Those genes
found that can increase The potentially disabling disease
occurs when immune system cells
began supplanting hunter-gatherers
and then, nearly 5,000 years ago, the
ty later play a role in an autoimmune
disease? Differences in how modern
horseback-riding cattle herders probably also protected the nomadic someone’s risk. mistakenly attack the protective coat- Yamnaya began moving in—traveling humans are exposed to animal germs
who swept into the region about 5,000 herders from infections carried by ing on nerve fibers, gradually eroding with horses and wagons as they herd- may play a role, knocking the immune
years ago. their cattle and sheep, concluded the them. It causes varying symptoms— ed cattle and sheep. system out of balance, said study
The findings come from a huge pro- research published in the journal sands of samples from early humans numbness and tingling in one person, The research team compared the co-author Dr. Astrid Iversen of Oxford
ject to compare modern DNA with Nature. in Europe and western Asia, a project impaired walking and vision loss in ancient DNA to about 400,000 pres- University.
that culled from ancient humans’ “What we found surprised every- headed by Eske Willerslev of another—that often wax and wane. ent-day people stored in a UK gene The findings finally offer an expla-
teeth and bones—allowing scientists one,” said study co-author William Cambridge and the University of It’s not clear what causes MS bank, to see the MS-linked genetic nation for the north-south MS divide
to trace both prehistoric migration Barrie, a genetics researcher at the Copenhagen who helped pioneer the although a leading theory is that cer- variations persist in the north, the in Europe but more work is needed to
and disease-linked genes that University of Cambridge. “These var- study of ancient DNA. Similar tain infections could trigger it in peo- direction the Yamnaya moved, rather confirm the link, cautioned genetic
tagged along. iants were giving these people an research has traced even earlier cous- ple who are genetically susceptible. than in southern Europe. expert Samira Asgari of New York’s
When a Bronze Age people called advantage of some kind.” ins of humans such as Neanderthals. More than 230 genetic variants have In what is now Denmark, the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, who
the Yamnaya moved from the steppes It’s one of several findings from a Using the new gene bank to explore been found that can increase some- Yamnaya rapidly replaced ancient wasn’t involved with the research, in
of what are now Ukraine and Russia first-of-its-kind gene bank with thou- MS was a logical first step. That’s one’s risk. farmers, making them the closest an accompanying commentary.

C M Y K
07 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2024

Sports | Medley

Swiatek eyes maiden Australian Open title

Australian Open Tennis
p Briefing
Australian Open 2024 women’s seeds
1. Iga Swiatek 17. Ekaterina Alexandrova
Tottenham sign Werner on 2. Aryna Sabalenka 18. Victoria Azarenka
loan from Leipzig New mums Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki are returning at the event this year. 3. Elena Rybakina 19. Elina Svitolinaa
LONDON: RB Leipzig striker Timo 4. Coco Gauff 20. Magda Linette
Werner has joined Tottenham q Agence France-Presse 5. Jessica Pegula 21. Donna Vekic
Hotspur on loan until the end of the MELBOURNE, Jan 10
season, with an option to buy, the
6. Ons Jabeur 22. Sorana Cirstea
Premier League club said on Tuesday. Iga Swiatek is in scintillating form as she seeks a
7. Marketa Vondrousova 23. Anastasia Potopova
The 27-year-old returns to the English maiden Australian Open crown, but she could 8. Maria Sakkari 24. Anhelina Kalinina
top flight after a two-year stint at face a stiff test from defending champion Aryna 9. Barbora Krejcikova 25. Elise Mertens
Chelsea, where he made 89 appear- Sabalenka while two-time winner Naomi Osaka 10. Beatriz Haddad 26. Jasmine Paolini
ances and scored 23 goals, and helped is making her comeback. 11. Jelena Ostapenko 27. Emma Navarro
the team claim the Champions World number one Swiatek has won 17 of her 18
League, UEFA Super Cup and the 12. Zheng Qinwen 28. Lesia Tsurenko
matches since she lost in the fourth round of her
Club World Cup titles. The Germany US Open title defence, going on to win the China 13. Liudmila Samsonova 29. Zhu Lin
international returned to his former Open and the WTA Finals. 14. Daria Kasatkina 30. Wang Xinyu
team Leipzig in 2022 but has made The Pole has started the new season with a 15. Veronika Kudermetova 31. Marie Bouzkova
only eight Bundesliga appearances flourish, winning all five of her singles at the 16. Caroline Garcia 32. Leylah Fernandez
this season. Werner could provide United Cup last week.
cover for Spurs up front with the But the four-time Grand Slam champion Australian Open Women’s singles
club’s top scorer Son Heung-min knows Sabalenka, who last year became the first champions (Since 2000)
away at the Asian Cup for South woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach at
Korea. Spurs are currently fifth in
2023 Aryna Sabalenka 2011 Kim Clijsters
least the semi-finals of all four Grand Slams, is a
the Premier League standings with 39 huge threat. 2022 Ashleigh Barty 2010 Serena Williams
points, six behind leaders Liverpool. The Belarusian overtook Swiatek for the top 2021 Naomi Osaka 2009 Serena Williams
ranking in September and appeared on course to 2020 Sofia Kenin 2008 Maria Sharapova
finish the year as number one until the Pole won
Alexander-Arnold sidelined the season-ending WTA Finals in Mexico to 2019 Naomi Osaka 2007 Serena Williams
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool defender Trent return to the summit. 2018 Caroline Wozniacki 2006 Amelie Mauresmo
Alexander-Arnold will be sidelined The best previous result at Melbourne Park for 2017 Serena Williams 2005 Serena Williams
for three weeks because of a slightly Swiatek, 22, was reaching the semi-finals in 2022.
torn knee ligament, the team said
2016 Angelique Kerber 2004 Justine Henin
The 25-year-old Sabalenka was on a 15-match
Tuesday. The right-back hyperextend- winning streak in Australia before Sunday’s 6-0, 2015 Serena Williams 2003 Serena Williams
ed his knee during Liverpool’s 2-0 win 6-3 Brisbane International final defeat to Elena Ap/Rss 2014 Li Na 2002 Jennifer Capriati
over Arsenal in an FA Cup third- Rybakina in a rerun of last year’s Australian Top seed Iga Swiatek has won 17 of her 18 matches since she lost in the fourth round of her US Open title defence. 2001 Jennifer Capriati
2013 Victoria Azarenka
round game Sunday. Tests showed a Open championship match.
“little tear” to the lateral ligament, The 2022 Wimbledon champion Rybakina, up last week, beating former Grand Slam champi- “I know that if I keep training and if I keep 2012 Victoria Azarenka 2000 Lindsay Davenport
assistant manager Pep Lijnders said ranked third in the world, will also be one of the ons Wozniacki and Emma Raducanu before los- putting in the work, then I’ll eventually get to
ahead of the team’s League Cup favourites for the year’s first Grand Slam, which ing a tight three-set final to American Coco Gauff. where I want to be.” Australia Squad
semi-final first leg against Fulham at will start on Sunday in a bid to reduce the amount Nineteen-year-old Gauff, who won her first Wozniacki, 33, who reached the fourth round at
Anfield on Wednesday. “He will be out of late-night finishes in the early rounds. major at the US Open in September, rounds out a last year’s US Open, is playing at Melbourne Park
probably three weeks—big blow,” “We always push each other and I think that’s powerful group of four at the top of the rankings. for the first time since 2020, having had two chil- Test squad
Lijnders said at a press conference. great,” said the Russian-born Kazakh, 24. “We Two-time Australian Open champion Osaka dren while away. Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey,
“He was one of our most important improve this way, so hopefully we continue.” returned to the court last week after taking a “I have so many wonderful memories of Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head,
players.” Liverpool lead the Premier 15-month break from the game, initially for men- Melbourne and, of course, winning the Australian Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon,
League by three points and were New mums return tal health concerns. Last year she gave birth to Open is an all-time career highlight,” Wozniacki, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith,
already preparing for an extended Japan’s Osaka and Germany’s Angelique Kerber daughter Shai. who was given a wildcard to compete, told the AO Mitchell Starc.
stretch without top scorer Mohamed are among a number of mothers returning at the The 26-year-old stayed upbeat after her sec- Show Podcast.
Salah, who is on international duty event after giving birth, a group that includes the ond-round loss to Karolina Pliskova in Brisbane Britain’s Raducanu is also on the comeback ODI squad
with Egypt at the Africa Cup of 2018 winner, Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark last week. trail after an injury-blighted 2023. Steve Smith (captain), Travis Head, Sean Abbott,
Nations. Jurgen Klopp’s team are also Another recent mum, Ukrainian Elina “I think for me even stepping on the court is a The 2021 US Open champion, who boasts a huge Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh
missing left-backs Andy Robertson Svitolina, is seeking to build on her impressive personal win because a couple of weeks ago I was media profile and lucrative endorsement deals, Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Lance
(shoulder) and Kostas Tsimikas (col- form after coming back in April last year. even doubting if I could play with everyone,” said has only played twice in Melbourne and has Morris, Jhye Richardson, Matt Short, Adam Zampa.
larbone), as well as central defender She was in great touch in her Auckland warm- Osaka. never been past the second round.
Joel Matip (ACL).

Middlesbrough shock Chelsea

MIDDLESBROUGH: Chelsea suffered a
surprise 1-0 loss at second-tier
Middlesbrough in the first leg of
their League Cup semi-final on
Smith replaces Warner as Australia Test opener
Tuesday with Hayden Hackney’s goal q Reuters “So it was refreshing that Steve had number four. The series starts at Adelaide Oval
giving Mauricio Pochettino’s wasteful LONDON, Jan 10 come forward and said he wanted it “The way the rest of that batting on January 17 before moving to the
side plenty to do in the return. The and it was something that we’d order is functioning left us feeling Gabba in Brisbane from January 25.
21-year-old Hackney’s silky finish Steve Smith will take over from been chatting about in the back- we have someone who we think is Cricket Australia also named the
from an Isaiah Jones pass stunned David Warner and open the batting ground as a selection panel with the pretty talented who potentially was squad for a three-match one-day
the visitors in the 37th minute at the alongside Usman Khawaja for coaches as well.” going to find it hard to get any test international series. Smith will cap-
Riverside Stadium and the hosts Australia’s Test team, selector “It’s selfless that someone who has cricket in the next 12 months or so,” tain the side in the absence of Pat
defended superbly to take a slender George Bailey said on Wednesday had so much success in one position he added. Matt Renshaw, who Cummins and Mitchell Marsh, who
advantage to Stamford Bridge. ahead of a two-match series against or a couple of positions in the mid- Warner has tipped as a potential was skipper for a series against
Chelsea only had themselves to blame West Indies later this month. dle order is open and willing and successor, has also been called up to South Africa in September.
though as they dominated possession Australian media reported this hungry to have a crack at something the squad while the Sheffield Western Australia bowler Lance
but squandered a host of chances— week that Smith and all-rounder new and something different.” Shield’s leading run scorer Cameron Morris received his first call-up in
the biggest culprit being Cole Palmer Cameron Green were among the Smith, 34, moves up the Bancroft misses out. the 50-overs format, while Jhye
who failed to hit the target twice in frontrunners for the vacant opener order from number four in the Apart from Renshaw’s inclusion Richardson, who last played an ODI
the opening half with the goal gap- spot following Warner’s retirement. batting line-up. in place of Warner, there are no against Sri Lanka in 2022, returns to
ing. Boro had chances on the coun- “There were plenty within the Cricket Australia said earlier on changes to the squad which beat the squad.
ter-attack to increase their lead but team who were pretty keen to go on Wednesday that Green will play in Pakistan by eight wickets in the Marcus Stoinis, part of Australia’s
ap/rss

will still head to London believing record and say that they weren’t the first Test against West Indies. third and final Test to sweep the World Cup-winning squad in India,
they can reach Wembley.  (AGENCIES) Steve Smith keen to do it,” Bailey told reporters. Bailey said Green would bat at series 3-0 last week. misses out.

HOROSCOPE
ARIES (March 21-April 19) CANCER (June 22-July 22) LIBRA (September 23-October 22) CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19)
Expect unforeseen plot twists today. Use this You’ll have a new lease on love. The day offers Libra, changes to your home life could come. Break through self-imposed barriers, moving
energy to embrace fresh starts, offer a sense of social breakthroughs, making it an excellent Consider how you can make space for intimacy toward your goals. Your words move like poetry
personal authority, or create healthy bounda- time to flirt, make introductions, and network. within your abode and heart. Set the stage for before afternoon creeps in, so soften any rough
ries. A dreamy energy seeps in, helping you Remember to keep healthy boundaries when romance, allowing your space to reflect you and situations you face. Treat yourself to a cleans-
visualise alternative pathways toward success. making friends. Talks around commitment what you hope to attract. ing bath and a luxurious stretching session this
Clear away dead weight. could come into play. evening.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) LEO (July 23-August 22) SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18)
Today brings in one of the luckiest moments of Consider how your daily activities lead to a big- Be mindful of your thoughts and words today. Empathetic energy enters, and people may
the year for you. Keep an open mind when pur- ger picture, Leo. Make radical yet straightfor- Sometimes, your balance could be better when divulge what lies beneath the surface. Remain
suing a better tomorrow. You will make an excel- ward changes when pursuing wellness or suc- pursuing love, intellectual goals, or success. grounded when dealing with sensitive topics.
lent social impression with dignity and benevo- cess. Transformative vibes flow, making it easi- Planning can help you for the unknown. Find gratitude for where you are, considering
lence. Release your fears this evening. er to establish new habits. Clear away old junk Collaborate, brainstorm, and speak to empower where you’ve come from. Opportunities to let go
and get organised. yourself and others. of the past come.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21) VIRGO (August 23-September 22) SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) PISCES (February 19-March 20)
Today governs transformation, dearest Gemini. Virgo, be confident today. Artistic whims could Set intentions around your financial goals. Pisces, educate yourself on essential matters.
Do not succumb to social pressures. You’ll have take you down exciting new ventures. Love lin- Alter habits to grow wealth and cut spending. Focus on what you can do to lead by example.
a chance to dissolve barriers in the afternoon. A gers in the air. Show your playful yet sweet side Nurturing energy in the afternoon helps you You’ll receive extra attention. Find empower-
major release is in store this evening, and if you’re currently courting or in a relation- further destress. Your wits sharpen, setting the ment by filtering out old friendships that have
themes around intimacy could also come into ship. Consider where your true passions lie. scenes for riveting conversations while motivat- become negative. Schedule some alone time at
play. ing you to pursue knowledge. night.

Crossword Sudoku

Yesterday’s Solution

C M Y K
 THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2024 | 08

Culture & Lifestyle

(C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053

Reading helps me breathe life into characters Bijay Baral’s

book recommendations
Bijay Baral, a seasoned actor in Nepali cinema, shares how literature is a big influence in his acting journey. Palpasa Cafe
Author: Narayan Wagle

B
ijay Baral’s reading journey is My reading approach varies based on the on them. I think there is a lot of potential. Theatres Publisher: Nepalaya
intertwined with his acting personality and characteristics of each You imagine a life for the characters have adapted a lot of Nepali novels and Year: 2005
career. With active involvement role. Consider a character portrayed as you play: who they are as a person, in stories, like those by Kumar Nagarkoti—
in theatre productions and an intellectual who deeply values read- which part of the life they’re in, what ‘Palpasa Cafe’, ‘Ular’, and most recently This book, set during the
Nepali cinema, he initially ing; this trait is fundamental to their they have studied, what kind of environ- ‘Damini Bhir’. There were even talks in
sought books to improve his artistic identity. To authentically portray such a ment they grew up in, are all the ques- the industry about adapting Nayan Raj
Maoist insurgency, helps us
skills. While it began as a professional character, I delve into the literature that tions that we fill in for the roles we play. Pandey’s book into a movie. If we adapt grasp the shifting political
ambition, his reading has evolved beyond the character would likely read. This So, if I’m playing a character who comes books into films, there’s a very big chance and social dynamics of
a dedication to his craft; now, he reads includes understanding the vocabulary, from an environment that would not have that the film will be successful, but the Nepal at that time.
simply because he has a genuine love for knowledge and perspective of a dedicated allowed them to read, I wouldn’t necessar- process of translating a book into a sound
stories. reader, which significantly differs from ily read to fit into that role. film is difficult.
those who do not share this trait. You have to understand the personality The dramaturgical process, screen- Tumhari Auqat Kya Hai
Character development is pivotal in sto- and psychology of the characters you writing, dialogue writing and screenplay Author: Piyush Mishra
rytelling, and an actor can genuinely play. Characters that read are more prev- are all crucial steps that need to be han- Publisher: Rajkamal
capture the essence of a character only by alent in theatres than in cinemas, so I’ve dled with the utmost understanding and
Prakashan
aligning with their motivations and had to read more for some of the char- adequacy to bring a book into cinema. If
thoughts. acters I’ve played in theatre we can make good use of that script, then Year: 2023
BOOK TALK plays. we can make some good films. But the
Do you do this with each thing is that the canvas is too vast when it ‘Tumhari Auqat Kya Hai’ gives
He has starred in a number of success- of your roles? How Movies adapted from comes to cinemas. us a closer look at the person
ful Nepali films, including the ‘Kabaddi’ much does the char- books are uncommon
franchise, ‘Jaari’, and, most recently, acter’s backstory in Nepali cinemas, but Why do you think this is so difficult? Piyush Mishra is. It offers
‘Dimag Kharab’. He is also the executive influence your read- there’s potential for insights into his identity as
director of Mandala Theatre and has ing? growth. As Nepali lit- Crafting a story, narrating it, and repre- an actor, singer and writer.
starred in a number of their productions. erature becomes senting it on screen are distinct tasks.
Although his Wikipedia page labels him Yes, we have a thor- more diverse, cine- Writing dialogues and developing charac-
as a ‘poet’, Baral firmly rejects the title. ough process mas could benefit by ters are part of this process. Screenwriters Nepali Lok Katha
While he takes pleasure in poetry and where we develop bringing various sto- must maintain the authenticity of the Author: Tulasi Diwas
often recites it, he prefers not to refer to backstories for ries to the screen. novel while creating a screenplay. As Publisher: Nepal Pragya
himself as a poet. each of the char- What, in your opin- actors, we can draw inspiration from the
Pratisthan
In this interview with the Post’s acters we play. And ion, is the potential characters, but writers face a more exten-
Manushree Mahat, he talks about his whether or not I for Nepali cinemas if we sive challenge. Industry professionals are Year: 1974/1975
reading journey, the prospect of book-to- need to read for the adapt our books into making efforts, and with luck, we may see
film adaptations in Nepali cinema and roles depends films? more films adapted from books in the In ‘Nepali Lok Katha’, you can
the impacts of reading on faithful por- future. explore various stories that
trayals of character in cinema.
Are there any books you wish were encompass different castes,
When did your reading journey begin, adapted into films? backgrounds and regions
and how has it evolved over the years? of our country.
I wish I could portray characters
During most of my childhood and from Nayan Raj Pandey’s writings. His
subsequent years, I focused on read- stories revolve around the Madhesi com- Chuli
ing course books and academic munity, reflecting the experiences in Author: Sarubhakta
materials, as I aspired to become a Tarai. These narratives resonate Publisher: FinePrint
doctor. It wasn’t until 2009 that I with my own experiences, and I feel
Year: 2012
ventured beyond my comfort confident in bringing these characters
zone. Unaware that reading was to life.
essential for actors, I initiated A very interesting book about
my journey with books on act- Do you think the Madhesi community is the struggles and bravado it
ing, entertainment, and biogra- adequately represented in literature and takes to scale mountains. It
phies of Bollywood and cinemas?
Hollywood actors. To immerse
details the experience of
myself in reading and cultivate Not at all. Presently, portrayals of the climbing Mount Everest
the habit, I explored stories like Madhesi community tend to be in a very accessible way.
Akbar and Birbal, as well as stereotypical and fail to capture
comic books. Even now, I find joy the authentic Madhesi experience.
in reading folk tales and short When Madhesi characters Kumari Prashnaharu
stories, and have a particular appear in films, it seems as if the Author: Durga Karki
fondness for poems—concise and directors based their portrayal on Publisher: Nepa-laya
expressive, they hold the power to a brief observation without
Year: 2020
convey much in a few words. delving into the nuanced reality of
the community. While books often
You talked about how you didn’t authentically depict Madhesi char- ‘Kumari Prashnaharu’ is a
realise that actors had to read as acters, there is still a considerable beautiful collection of short
well. How much do you usually read distance to cover in cinema. stories that helped me
to grasp the essence of a character,
and give justice to each of understand the experiences
your roles? and struggles of women.
Post photo: Keshav Thapa

‘Jaws’ turns 50: Here’s how the novel

differed from its film adaptation
In the film, the main characters are likeable and heroic, whereas, in the novel, they’re petty,
broken and bitter, wading through the messes their personal lives have become.
q Ari Mattes them kill the great white. of small American communities in the

H
But the tone of grand adventure that context of the economic pressures of cap-
ow many times have you come defines Spielberg’s film marks a major italism.
out of the cinema and heard departure from the novel. In Benchley’s A career journalist, Benchley effective-

Call for someone snidely remark they

preferred the book, as though
work, more energy is directed towards
exploring the minor social and political
ly describes actions, events and scenery:
shark hunting, the ocean, Quint’s boat.
this somehow connects them lives of its small-town denizens than in The shark material is brilliant—the few
contributions to a richer, more highbrow tradition?
This might ring true when it comes to
staging an epic showdown between man
and beast—and, crucially, it differs radi-
times it cuts to the shark’s point of view
(recalling Spielberg’s redeployment of
literary masterworks like F Scott cally from the film in its characterisation. the creature’s point of view from
Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’, adapted In Spielberg’s world, the main characters ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’), the
The Kathmandu Post invites well-re- into so-so versions nearly four decades are likeable, heroic, whereas in the novel writing becomes electric, effortless.
searched and creative pitches for apart (equally dull, for almost opposite they’re petty, broken and bitter, wading Benchley is at his best when describing
‘Fiction Park’ stories and feature arti- reasons). But the reverse is often the case through the messes their personal lives the movements of the shark in the water.
cles—travelogues, book reviews, as well with popular fiction, which benefits from have become. But the material about people is less
as pieces on technology, culture and the immersive, visceral quality of the These differences are not simply evi- confident—the writing is uneven and
lifestyle. To ensure your articles get our cinema. dence of a young director’s desire to make trite in places, with moments between
attention, please keep the following Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel ‘Jaws’, the material his own. They map the characters sometimes strained in order to
things in mind when inquiring about which turns 50 this year, was a smash. changing consciousness of American generate the necessary action.
and submitting your pieces. Despite critics’ reservations, it was on the popular culture in the 1970s, from a reso- This includes two subplots Spielberg
All your stories should be pitched to New York Times bestseller list for 44 lute focus on the violence simmering and team wisely cut from the film.
the Features desk, not the editor. Email weeks. Yet when we think of ‘Jaws’, imag- within United States society and policy
your piece or pitch (along with a es from Steven Spielberg’s 1975 film adap- (the civil rights movement and the Characters ‘loathsome in places’
high-resolution headshot and a one-line tation are what come to mind—along with Vietnam War) to an attempt to forget One of the great joys of the film is the
bio) to [email protected]. John Williams’ iconic theme music. about these things through spectacular, developing friendship between Hooper
We will respond only to well-written Spielberg’s ‘Jaws’ keeps the simple— anodyne entertainment. and Brody, culminating in their delightful
stories and pitches that have original and stunning—narrative architecture of final exchange. After the shark is dead
ideas. Plagiarism will lead to blacklist- Benchley’s novel intact. A shark terrorises ‘The shark material is brilliant’ and they are kicking their way back to Poster of the movie ‘Jaws’, released in 1975.
ing. We suggest that you google your a small beach community that depends on At the novel’s core is a swift, economical- shore, Brody laughs: “I used to hate the
pitch before writing to us. If you’re wealthy tourists for sustenance. Brody, the ly told tale of human versus beast: a clas- water.” Hooper replies, “I can’t imagine Benchley’s novel lingers longer
submitting an article that the Post or chief of police, keeps the beaches open due sic American adventure in the vein of why.” Both men are happy to have sur- One of the outcomes of ‘Jaws’ was at least
other publications have already cov- to political pressure from Mayor Vaughan; Jack London’s ‘White Fang’ or Herman vived, and to have each other. a couple of generations of people who, if
ered, tell us why your piece offers when more attacks occur, marine biologist Melville’s ‘Moby-Dick’. In the novel, it’s more or less hate at not exactly afraid to go back in the water,
something new. Matt Hooper comes to help. Together, they Benchley punctuates this drama with a first sight, with Brody immediately had a tendency to hum the film’s theme to
The Post receives dozens of pitches contract wild shark hunter Quint to help keen interrogation of the social dynamics resenting Hooper because he grew up as a themselves when wading into the surf
every day from aspiring writers and “summer person” in the area. Brody is alone.
students. We cannot respond to every ashamed he’s not one of the wealthy sum- Benchley, horrified by the bad rap his
single email, but if we like your idea, mer people, and tries to hide this through novel gave sharks, would go on to become
we will get back to you. a kind of pathetic machismo, which an ecological activist focused on shark
 – Editor emerges most visibly in his competitive- protection. In 2015, a shark was named
ness with Hooper. after him: Etmopterus benchleyi.
Benchley’s ‘Jaws’ may not immediately
Is ‘easy to swallow’ better? grab one as easily as Spielberg’s, and it’s
Of course, populating a novel with unlik- certainly not as technically accomplished.
able characters and depressing family Its position in American literature is
scenes is not a problem in and of itself. minor compared to the film’s in Hollywood
Popeye from William Faulkner’s cinema. But despite—or, perhaps, because
‘Sanctuary’ is hardly likeable, neither is of—its flaws, the novel is worth reading at
pompous Nick Carraway from ‘The Great a time when the blockbuster has virtually
Gatsby’—and you’d be hard-pressed to decimated the middle of American cine-
find a Dickens novel that doesn’t feature ma, churning out masses of pleasurably
some degree of family strife. forgettable, interchangeable films that
But in ‘Jaws’, a “man versus beast” float like a thick slick of chum on the
tale, a melodramatic thriller, it creates a water’s surface.
flat feeling: we don’t wholly mind the
Screengrab via Youtube prospect of these characters being eaten Published in special arrangement with
A still from the film. by a shark. TheWire.in

Published and printed by Kantipur Publications Limited, Central Business Park, Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal, P. B. No. 8559, Phone: 5135000, Fax: 977-1-5135057, E-mail: [email protected], Regd. No. 32/049/050, Chairman: Kailash Sirohiya, Managing Director: Sambhav Sirohiya, Editor: Biswas Baral