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CAPITAL EDITION l PRINTED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN KATHMANDU, BIRATNAGAR, BHARATPUR AND NEPALGUNJ

Vol XXIV No 55 | 12+4 Pages WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016 (01-01-2073)

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We wish all our readers, patrons and well wishers a very happy and

prosperous New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR2073

Kantipur Media Group

‘A horrible and remarkable year’POST REPORT KATHMANDU, APRIL 12

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday described 2072 BS both as a horrible and remarkable year, reminding the countrymen of the trage-dy and hardships Nepal had to endure and a new height Nepal gained after the consti-tution promulgation.

In his address to the nation on the eve of New Year 2073, PM Oli sought to highlight both the worst and best of times of 2072 BS. He spent a considerable amount of time to talk about the hardships from the earthquakes, border blockade and Madhes pro-tests. Praising the public for their patience even during extreme circumstances, he argued that the country “has emerged stronger from the tribulations it endured”.

Oli claimed that his govern-ment improved Nepal’s inter-national relations with the immediate neighbours by vis-iting the two countries within a short span of time.

“My visit was successful in changing Nepal’s position as a land-locked country to one that is ‘land-linked’ with neighbours and other coun-

tries,” Oli said. Stating that he came to power at a time when the country was passing through an unusual situation in the wake of a blockade and protests in the southern part of the country, Oli said things have but improved.

On Madhes issues, Oli said that the government is ready to address genuine demands raised by the Madhes-centric parties. “Why did they inten-sify the protests pushing the country to a crisis, despite my willingness to reach an accommodation on the out-standing issues of the consti-tution?” Oli wondered.

Oli had been blamed by Madhesi parties as well as the main opposition for taking a

hardline approach towards the Madhesi demands. “A committee headed by a deputy prime minister has already been formed to resolve the remaining issues after hold-ing meaningful dialogue. I urge [the agitating parties] to be part of the mechanism and engage in dialogue,” said Oli.

He also outlined his govern-ment’s priorities: implemen-tation of new constitution, reconstruction of quake-dam-aged houses and infrastruc-ture, ending energy crisis and bringing back democratic sys-tem on track by holding local, provincial and parliamentary elections.

Oli also sought to clarify his position on controversy sur-rounding the summoning of members of the National Human Rights Commission.

“Constitutional agencies are not controlled by the gov-ernment. Nor do they report to it,” said Oli. “But I am also very clear that officials of constitutional bodies have the same responsibilities as the executive head of the govern-ment in upholding the dignity and prestige of the country.”

24 killed as bus veers off road in KhotangDAMBAR SINGH RAIKHOTANG, APRIL 12

At least 24 people were killed and 31 injured when a Kathmandu-bound bus veered off the road and fell around 500 meters at Mahadevsthan-1, Khotang, on Tuesday.

Seriously injured 23 people were airlifted to the Capital and eight others were brought on vehicles.

There were only 18 passen-gers on board the ill-fated vehicle (Ba 2 Kha 6376) when it left Diktel, the district head-quarters of Khotang, for Kathmandu in the morning. But many got on the bus on the way. It was still not clear how many passengers were on board when the accident occurred, said police.

The incident site is a road section of the Mid-Hill Highway where the work to upgrade the dirt track is on. Stones have been piled up at various places along the road, which could have caused the accident, said a police official.

Police have identified 17 bodies so far and all of them have been taken to Khotang District Hospital for post-mor-tem. Bus driver Arjun Uprety

of Parsa, Santosh Katuwal of Diktel-14, Surendra Kumar Rai of Chyasimtar-8, Khamba Bahadur Rai of Chyasimtar-3, Bimala Rai of Nirmalidanda-3, Majar Rai of Dikuwa-8, Bhairav Rai of Yamkha-7, Mitra Kumar Rai of Kharmi-5, Govinda Timsina of Dipsung-4, Dabin Rai of Basbote-3 of Udayapur, Hem Sunar of Thona-3 of Udayapur, Bhaju Narayan Shrestha and Shanta Rai of Tamlichhap-5 of Udayapur,

Omshree Rai and Udim Rai of Udayapur and Som Sundas and Sushma Rai of Solukhumbu are among the deceased.

Security personnel from the Nepal Army (NA), Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force as well as local people had rescued the victims.

Col Madan Neupane of the Sher Battalion of the NA said that 23 critically injured pas-sengers were taken to Kathmandu in an NA helicop-ter after primary treatment at a local health post.

Condition of at least eight of the injured who were fer-ried to Kathmandu for treat-ment is critical, doctors at TU Teaching Hospital said. Twelve injured passengers were brought to TUTH.

Sangam Rai, 15; Khem Rai, 26; Prem Kumar Rai, 46; Milan Rai, 17; Tilak Sher Rai, 43; Ram Kumar Rai, 52; Sukra Rai, 18; Khadak Bahadur Rai, 52; Nabin Rai 27; Sajina Bardewa, 15; Aakash Rai, 20 have been listed as critical, said the hospital. “Two of the patients have been trans-ferred to the ICU,” said Dr Dinesh Kafle, deputy-director of TUTH.

pm’s address to nationAll injured brought to Capital, condition of 8 critical

n The remains of an ill-fated bus that swerved off the road and fell 500 metres at Mahadevsthan-1 of Khotang on Tuesday.

n Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli

n People on a suspension bridge are silhoutted against the last setting sun of 2072 BS at Balkumari on Tuesday. POST PHOTO: KIRAN PANDAY

thekathmandu postnews 02Wednesday, April 13, 2016

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Naya Shakti close to unveiling party, ideologyPOST REPORTKATHMANDU, APRIL 12

The Naya Shakti Nepal, led by former prime minister and Maoist ideologue Baburam Bhattarai, is set to officially announce the party and make its political ideology and eco-nomic policy public. Having been registered with the Election Commission, prepa-rations for its formal announcement are under way, according to leaders.

The party has called a three-day gathering of cadres from June 12, which will pub-licise the party structure and ideology. “We are in the final stage of announcing a new party which will be an alter-native political force,” said Naya Shakti senior leader Devendra Poudel. The party has announced a month-long campaign to build its organi-

sation in the villages and municipalities. “We are dis-tributing membership at the grassroots and building up the party,” said Poudel.

Naya Shakti has intensified the process of forming its sis-ter wings such as of civil serv-ants, college teachers and stu-dents. A dispute has erupted over the formation of sister wings in colleges and univer-sities. Some leaders are of the view that academic institu-tions should not be politicised while others argue that this is the best way to strengthen the party’s base.

The new political force has started hitting the streets rais-ing public issues. Recently, the party organised a protest in Kathmandu demanding action against those engaged in black marketeering. The Naya Shakti is also preparing to support the movement of

the Madhes-based parties. Bhattarai is for two provinces in Tarai\Madhes, as demand-ed by the Madhes-based par-ties.

“The demands of Madhesis and Tharus regarding [state] demarcation are right. The voices of the people should be addressed through constitu-tional amendment,” Bhattarai said at a programme organ-ised in Janakpur on Monday.

The Naya Shakti plans to take part in the elections at the Centre, local level and provinces. The new party has already launched its ‘Clean Kathmandu, Green Kathmandu’ campaign to make the Capital pollu-tion-free. The party plans to launch another campaign to control corruption. It has already decided not to force people and organisations for donations.

Authorities seek divine helpPRAGATI SHAHIKATHMANDU, APRIL 12

As massive wildfires rage across the country—killing at least four people and destroying about 700 houses and sheds in the past one week, authorities are seeking divine intervention in the form of rain.

A total of 756 fire alerts, a historic high for the country for a 24-hour period, were reported on Tuesday based on the satellite images shared by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa). On Sunday, a total of 457 fire alerts were identified before it came down to 280 on Monday, causing two deaths.

Five-year-old Ram Kumar Sah from Sunsari district died when his house caught a fire on Monday night. In another incident, Dhan Kumari Gharti Magar, 41, from Rolpa district

died while trying to douse an intense forest fire that caught her house on Monday after-noon. In Dang, a household fire that started since Monday evening at Gangaparaspur vil-lage in Deukhuri, which was contained with the help of

security personnel, locals and a fire engine on Tuesday after-noon, destroyed over 120 hous-es and sheds of 50 families.

But authorities have little or no mechanism for contain-

ing the wildfires fanned by rising temperatures and strong winds—leading to more new infernos in the next several days.

Bijay Raj Poudel, joint-sec-retary at the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation,

said the prolonged dry season has caused devastating fires, especially in the forests, and rains are the only hope to put them out. He added that tradi-tional ways of firefighting by using mud, tree leaves and shrubs were unable to contain massive forest fires.

But there is no rain forecast for the next 2-3 days in most of the affected areas. Surface fires, which occur in the sum-mer months between February and June and peak in March-April, have been cre-ating havoc in the country in recent times. “This year, the state of fires is more severe than ever. Settlements close to forests are vulnerable to fire,” said Sundar Sharma, coordi-nator of the UNISDR-Regional South Asia Wildland Fire Network. According to him, the peak fire season this year is expected to be in the fourth week of April.

wildfires

change in judicial guard

n Chief Justice Kalyan Shrestha (right) and Senior Justice Sushila Karki meet the press before the CJ’s retirement, at the Supreme Court in Kathmandu on Tuesday. Karki will succeed Shrestha. Post Photo: Nimesh JaNg Rai

n Locals and security personnel fight a bushfire without specific tools in Arkhaule Jitpur, Dhankuta. Post Photo

thekathmandu post news03 Wednesday, April 13, 2016

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Morcha doubts govt sincerity on Madhes issuesPOST REPORTKATHMANDU, APRIL 12

The Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha, an alliance of seven Madhes-based par-ties, has said it “doubts the sincerity of the government when it comes to resolving the Madhes crisis”.

SLMM leaders said that they are not very hopeful about current government finding a solution to the Madhes crisis, as “it appears to be unwilling even to hold open and candid dis-cussions on the contentious issues”.

The delay in resuming the stalled negotiation or giving full shape to the high-level political mechanism, which was formed on February 18, is proof that the government is not sincere about resolving the Madhes crisis, said the leaders.

“We held 36 rounds of talks, but the government refused to budge even 36 inches,” Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav, who is currently in Udayapur in party’s pro-gramme, told the Post. “What’s the use of such talks? It is foolish to expect anything from this government that is thriving on hollow national-ism and meaningless slo-gans.”

Madhesi leaders said that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s appeal [to come for talks]

was but a sham. During his second address

to the nation, PM Oli on

Tuesday urged Morcha to come to the negotiating table. He also said that the first amendment to the constitu-tion had addressed “almost all concerns” of the disgruntled parties.

Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato said that the government was now taking even harsher posi-tion on Morcha’s demands.

Redrawing provincial boundaries with at least two provinces in the Tarai plains is one of the key demands of the Morcha. It has also sought changes in provisions pertain-ing to citizenship and elector-al laws.

“We are not against talks but we cannot hope much from this government,” said Mahato, who went on to describe the incumbent government as “useless”. He said that the Madhes-based parties are now more focused on launching fresh protests.

Madhesi and Janajati lead-ers are meeting again on Thursday to devise future strategy and protests.

Fringe Madhesi parties in the Morcha and some Janajati groups had earlier agreed to resume “united struggle” for identity-based federalism and inclusion. The two sides are holding an interaction in Kathmandu next week in order to collect feedback before unveiling their protest programmes.

Oli calls Modi, condoles Kerala temple deathsPOST REPORTKATHMANDU, APRIL 12

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli held a telephone conversa-tion with his Indian Counterpart Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

Sources close to PM Oli said no political issues were discussed.

The telephone conversation between Oli and Modi took place hours before Oli’s address to the nation. This is the first telephone conversa-tion between the two prime ministers after Oli’s visits to India and China.

According to aide to PM Oli, the PM Oli rang up his Indian counterpart to express

his sadness over the loss of lives and property in a mas-sive fire at Puttingal Devi Temple in Kerala state of India on Sunday. At least 109 people were killed in the fire-works disaster.

During the conversation, PM Oli said that the govern-ment and people of Nepal were saddened by the tragic incident in a temple at Kerala state, PM Oli’s Press Adviser Pramod Dahal said.

PM Oli expressed his grief over the deaths of people and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.

21 Nepali migrants sent homePOST REPORTKUALA LUMPUR, APRIL 12

As many as 21 illegal Nepali migrant workers who were staying in a detention centre of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport after

completing their jail term were rescued and sent to Nepal on Tuesday.

According to the Nepali Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, the Nepal Foreign Employment Promotion Board helped the workers to

buy their air tickets. The embassy informed that 487 illegal Nepali workers have been assisted to return home with the help of the govern-ment and various organisa-tions in the past one and a half years.

[ ]We held 36 rounds

of talks, but the government refused

to budge even 36 inches. What’s the use of such talks?

Upendra Yadav, Chair, SSFn

during his conversation with Modi, Oli said the

people and government of nepal were saddened by the tragic incident in a

temple at Kerala

thekathmandu postnews 04Wednesday, April 13, 2016

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the travellin’ band

n Bikers from different countries of Asia, including Nepal, are being seen off amid a special ceremony as they set out for a transnational rally on Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycles, at Tundikhel in Kathmandu on Tuesday. The purpose of the rally is to promote Nepal’s tourism industry. Post Photo: NIMEsh JANG RAI

Child marriage cases high in Jumla villageLP DEVOKTAJUMLA, APRIL 12

At age 35, Harimaya Bohara is married for more than 20 years. She became grand-mother three years ago.

Harimaya of Tirkhu village in Dillichaur-6 of Jumla said she was just 14 when she gave birth to her first baby. I was forced to marry at an early age due to family problems, she said.

Though Nepal outlawed child marriages in 1963, the practice is still rampant in this part of the country. Around 80 percent of house-holds in Tirkhu village have similar cases. There are 290 households in Tirkhu. According to the local author-ities, there are two to four children in each household.

Another Jali Bohara, 38, of Tirkhu village said her par-ents married her off when she was still a child. “I have two sons and two daughters,” said Jali. “And they too are mar-ried.”

According to Jali, villagers in Tirkhu tell their sons to get married at an early age so that the families “can have an additional pair of hands to assist in work at home and field.”

Most of the children who are in lower secondary and secondary level of education are already married.

Dhanraj Bohara, 16, said illiteracy is a major factor why child marriages are con-tinuing in the village unabat-

ed. “My family has been press-ing me to get married,” said Dhanraj. “But I have no plans to oblige them. I am rather planning to start a campaign against child marriage.”

Shreeram Adhikari, offici-ating chief of the dis-trict-based National Human Rights Commission, interven-tion and awareness are a must to stop the trend.

VDC Secretary Avayaraj Regmi informed that they have no proper data about child marriages in Tirkhu. “We cannot issue marriage certificates to these couple

who are still underage, as the legal age for marriage for both sexes is 20 years,” said Regmi.

According to the 2011 cen-sus, more than 750,000 women in Nepal “were married between 10 and 14 years of age”. More than half of girls/women between 15 and 19 (2.7 million out of 4.3 million) reported they were married, meaning more than 73 percent of girls are married by the time they turn 19.

Poverty and lack of aware-ness are the major factors which are hindering cam-paigns to stop child marriag-

es, in which girls are the ulti-mate sufferer.

According to a 2012 report, girls who marry young suffer from pregnancy-related com-plications, uterine prolapse, infant and maternal mortali-ty, malnutrition of both moth-er and child as well as psycho-logical problems.

Extensive campaigns and programmes to curb child marriages have been run across the country by differ-ent organisations, but when it comes to Tirkhu village in Jumla, it seems they are yet to reach the region.

nAccording to the 2011 census, more than 750,000 women in Nepal “were married between 10 and 14 years of age”. More than half of girls/women between 15 and 19 (2.7 million out of 4.3 million) reported they were married, meaning more than 73 percent of girls are married by the time they turn 19

nPoverty and lack of awareness are the major factors which are hindering campaigns to stop child marriages, in which girls are the ultimate sufferer

nAccording to a report pub-lished in 2012, girls who marry young suffer from pregnan-cy-related complications, uterine prolapse, infant and maternal mortality, malnutri-tion of both mother and child as well as psychological prob-lems, including depression, violent marital relations and suicides

stoP thE scouRGE

n A 16-year-old mother with her son. Post Photo

BhoJPuR MAN ARREstEd foR kIllING wIfEBHOJPUR: A man from Sanodung VDC-9 in Bhojpur killed his wife after striking her with a firewood during a heated argument on Tuesday. Police said they arrested the 55-year-old husband Bam Bahadur Rai after he killed his 53-year-old wife Prem Kumari. (PR)

Bhaktapur ends tragic year on optimistic noteANUP OJHABHAKTAPUR, APRIL 12

When Bhaktapur opened up for tourists after last April’s earthquake on June 12, only 20 tourists visited the ancient city in the first month, recalls Damodar Suwal, the local tourist information officer.

It was a difficult period for the residents who, still shaken by one of the worst calamities in the country’s history, were trying to regain normalcy in their life so much dependent on international tourists who drive the city’s economy.

It took over four months for the city’s tourism business to stir up from the lull, says Suwal.

“For the first time in the month of October, Bhaktapur

was visited by 7,500 tourists and then from the next month the number of visitors started to grow,” said Suwal.

Around 60,000 tourists have visited Bhaktapur since the devastating earthquake and the authorities project that by the end of this fiscal year around 100,000 tourists would have visited the city.

According to the Tourist Information Centre of Bhaktapur, the number of vis-itors in the last two months of

February and March regis-tered an encouraging growth, 85,000 and 12,000 respectively.

“Of course, these figures do not compare with the previous years, but they are definitely encouraging indica-tors,” Suwal said. “The people are optimistic about the future of this city.”

Cultural expert Om Dhaubhadel is one of the optimists. “Some of the city’s iconic temples and monuments suffered great damages, but that has not hurt the culture of Bhaktapur,” he said.

Bhaktapur is currently cel-ebrating the annual Bisket Jatra, a nine-day festival which is already attracting many tourists to the city. The city has already opened its doors to visitors.

The lull in tourist arrivals to this ancient city, dubbed the walking museum by

many, has stirred up as the flow of visitors increases

Man injured in robbers’ attackBARA: A 38-year-old man sus-tained bullet injuries while retaliating against robbers at Kachorwa-3 in the district on Monday night.

The armed robbers shot at house owner Dharmendra Sah Kalwar as the latter attempted to retaliate. The victim was shot at knee. The

injured is receiving treatment at Narayani Sub-regional Hospital in Birgunj.

Inspector Kumar Pandit Chhetri at Area Police Office in Simraungadh said a group of about six armed robbers looted cash and valuables worth about Rs 500,000 from Sah’s house. (PR)

EX-kING tAkEs A swIPE At PolItIcAl lEAdERshIPPOST REPORTKATHMANDU, APRIL 12

Expressing deep concern over sorry state of affairs, former king Gyanendra Shah has hinted that he may be active in politics to “gain the glory of the past” which his ances-tors have left.

Issuing a statement on Tuesday on the eve of the Nepali New Year, the former king said: “The nation should get rid of the power-hungry leadership that is only focused on personal gains. With such leadership, the state has but weakened.”

The very concept of the state has weakened, he added in the statement that mostly focused on criticising the leadership in Nepal.

“Nepalis are losing their patience due to the mismatch between power-hungry lead-ership and people’s aspira-tions,” he said. “So there is a need of a new patriotic leader-ship which believes Nepal’s existence and sovereignty are prime.”

He also urged the political leadership to bear in mind the geopolitical sensitivity of South Asia.

“Our national values like religion, culture, language, history and civilisation are under attack,” he warned.

Rusty-sPottEd cAt sPottEd IN shuklAPhANtA

POST REPORT KATHMANDU, APRIL 12

Rusty-spotted cat, one of the smallest wild cat species, has been captured in camera for the first time in Nepal.

The cat was captured about a month ago by a camera set up in the Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve (SWR) for tiger census.

A group of wildlife experts led by Babu Ram Lamichhane, in-charge of the Shuklaphanta Conservation Programme of the National Trust for Nature Conservation, confirmed the existence of rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) in Nepal. The picture has been sent to an international scien-tific group for final verifica-tion, said Lamichhane.

With the discovery of the rusty-spotted cat in the SWR along the Terai Arc Landscape, the number of cat species in the country has reached 12, including tiger and leopard. This smallest cat species is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is earlier said to be found only in India and Sri Lanka.

“This is a positive discov-ery,” said Lamichhane.

According to an article published in wildcatconserva-tion.org, the main threat to these small cats is destruction of their habitat, while they are often mistakenly persecut-ed as cubs of leopard and hunted for meat or skins.

worldkathmandu postthe

PG 05 | Wednesday, aPril 13, 2016 kathmandupost.ekantipur.com

Impeachment blow to Brazil prezA committee of Brazil’s lower house of Congress has voted 38-27 to recommend the impeachment of President Dilma

Rousseff, who faces charges of breaking budget laws to support her re-election in 2014. A vote in the full

lower house is expected to take place on Sunday. If two-thirds vote in favour, the

impeachment will be sent to the Senate.

US, India bolster maritime tiesUS Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and his Indian counterpart agreed on Tuesday to strengthen their cooperation on maritime secu-rity, as concerns grow in Washington over Beijing’s growing military ambitions. Carter is in New Delhi to bolster a strategic relationship between the two countries.

Ukraine set for new governmentParliament in Ukraine is set to vote for a new prime min-ister as support grows for Speaker Volodymyr Groysman, an ally of President Petro Poroshenko. The incumbent, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, announced on Sunday he was quitting, with the government facing accusations of inactivity and corruption. There have been reported dis-putes over cabinet positions behind the scenes.

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new year water festival

n Boys play with water as they celebrate Myanmar New Year Water Festival in Yangon on Tuesday. Myanmar celebrates the New Year Water Festival of Thingyan during the month of Tagu, which usually falls around mid-April. REUTERS

Trump blasts GOP primary processReuteRsWASHINGTON, AprIl 12

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has lashed out at what he called the party’s “rigged” del-egate selection rules after rival Ted Cruz swept all of Colorado’s 34 delegates over the weekend.

The New York billionaire, who has been outmaneuvered by Cruz in a series of recent state meetings to select national convention dele-gates, said the process was set up to protect party insiders and shut out insurgent candi-dates. “The system is rigged,

it’s crooked,” Trump said on Fox News on Monday, alleging the Colorado convention results showed voters were being denied a voice in the process.

“There was no voting. I didn’t go out there to make a

speech or anything, there’s no voting,” Trump said.

“The people out there are going crazy, in the Denver area and Colorado itself, and they’re going absolutely crazy because they weren’t given a vote. This was given by politicians - it’s a crooked deal.”

Trump has 743 bound dele-gates to 545 for Cruz, accord-

ing to an Associated Press count, in the battle for the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination on the first ballot and avoid a messy floor fight at the Republican National Convention from July 18-21.

But both are at risk of not acquiring enough delegates for a first-ballot victory, leav-ing many free to switch their votes on later ballots.

That has set off a fierce scramble by Republican can-didates to get their supporters chosen as convention dele-gates and brought new scruti-ny to the selection rules, which vary by state.

Boko Haram’s use of child suicide bombers ‘alarming’Agence FRAnce-PResselIBrEVIllE, AprIl 12

The number of children used by Nigeria’s Boko Haram to stage suicide bombings has risen more than 10-fold in one of the most “horrific” aspects of the Islamist insurgency, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

Experts said the group, which has been weakened by a multinational military offen-sive, is now trying to spread terror by using children for attacks in crowded markets, mosques and even camps for people fleeing Boko Haram violence. This has had disas-trous consequences for chil-dren, especially girls, who had survived captivity and sexual violence by Boko Haram, said a report by UN children’s agency Unicef.

“The number of children involved in ‘suicide’ attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger has risen sharply over the past year, from four in 2014 to 44 in 2015,” Unicef said.

More than 75 percent of the children involved in such attacks are girls, it added. “Let us be clear: these children are victims, not perpetrators,” said Manuel Fontaine, Unicef

regional director for west and central Africa.

“Deceiving children and

forcing them to carry out deadly acts has been one of the most horrific aspects of the violence in Nigeria and in neighbouring countries,” he said.

The report was released two years after Boko Haram kidnapped 276 teenagers in the dead of night from the small town of Chibok in northern Nigeria. A total of 219 students are still missing.

The report, entitled “Beyond Chibok”, said alarm-ing trends have surfaced after Boko Haram started attacking countries neighbouring Nigeria.

“Between January 2014 and February 2016, Cameroon recorded the highest number of suicide attacks involving children (21), followed by Nigeria (17) and Chad (two),” it said. During the same peri-od, nearly one in five suicide bombers was a child and three quarters of them were girls.

Last year, children were used in one out of every two attacks in Cameroon, one out of eight in Chad, and one out of seven in Nigeria.

Unicef said the number of Boko Haram suicide bomb-ings had increased from 32 in 2014 to 151 last year.

13 dETaInEd ovER IndIa TEmplE dISaSTERAgence FRAnce-PResseKOllAM ( INdIA), AprIl 12

Police detained 13 people on Tuesday over a massive explo-sion and fire during a banned fireworks display that claimed more than 100 lives in south-ern India, a senior officer said.

The blast ripped through concrete buildings and ignit-ed a fire at a Hindu temple complex in Kerala state where thousands had gathered early Sunday to watch the display.

“We have taken 13 men into custody, arrests will follow soon,” said the head of Kerala’s police crime branch, S. Ananthakrishnan.

Some of those detained were temple officials who sur-rendered to police earlier Tuesday after they went miss-ing following the tragedy in Kerala’s Kollam district.

The remainder were temple officials and contractors for the fireworks display whom police picked up Tuesday for questioning. All face a series of initial charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

As police stepped up their investigation, the Kerala gov-ernment said the death toll from the disaster had risen to 111 after two more people died of their injuries.

Thousands had packed the temple to celebrate the Hindu New Year festival of Vishu when a stray firework appar-ently landed on a stockpile of them, triggering the mas-sive blast.

BRUSSELS: Belgian police arrested three people in a Brussels suburb on Tuesday during a new raid linked to the investi-gation into the November Paris attacks, federal prosecutors said.

“Three people were arrested and held for questioning,” a statement said, adding the raid took place in the Belgian capi-tal’s southern suburb of Uccle.

It said the raid was car-ried out “in the context of the investigation that the federal prosecutor opened following the attacks in Paris on November 13” which left 130 people dead and hundreds wounded.

The investigating judge will decide Wednesday whether to continuing holding the three, it said, without giving any fur-ther details.

Three paris attacks suspects held

n Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump reacts to the cheers of supporters at a campaign rally in Albany, New York on Monday. REUTERS

The national convention of the Nepali Congress (NC), a conventional demo-cratic practice for any political party, was concluded recently. The convention, among others, elected the new president and other functionaries of the party.

The event was one of the largest political congregations ever witnessed in the Capital, immediately preceded by a series of party conventions at local levels, from VDCs, munic-ipalities including wards, electoral constituen-cies to districts throughout the country. The whole exercise took about two months, which placed more than 50,000 members in various party positions. This exercise was followed closely by the election for the par-liamentary party leader and members.

It was undoubtedly a massive democratic exercise of a political party which received accolades and compliments from various sections. Such internal electoral exercise of this scale is often unheard of with respect to political parties in other countries in simi-lar conditions.

The Constitution of Nepal 2015 has a spe-cial provision to regulate the formation, organisation, accountability and transpar-ency of the political parties. It makes it mandatory for all party office bearers to be selected periodically through electoral pro-cess, but does not specify the nature and scale of the electoral process. Non-fulfillment of this condition may lead to nullification of a party for elections as no act specifies the procedure in such situations. The Election Commission of Nepal is currently drafting the Integrated Party Law which will hopeful-ly provide the procedure to be adopted in such cases. Every political party in Nepal has to follow the electoral process in inter-nal party election, although the degree of participation and transparency may differ. The CPN-UML also conducts its convention on a similar scale.

While the merits of an internal democrat-ic exercise with as large participation as possible are beyond question, the costs involved in terms of time, energy and resources are massive. The politicisation and the rivalry between and among groups and sub-groups are too obvious to be missed. However, in various places the intensity of the campaign, pouring of sentiments and resources, publicity blitz, among others, wit-nessed in the NC’s convention evoked criti-cism from various quarters. Various NC district chairmen minced no words in decry-ing the extravagant publicity campaign con-trary to the party’s socialist commitment.

The party election does not end here. Elections are held for party sister organisa-

tions—youths, students, labour groups, teachers, ethnic bodies, women, press, and various other segments—as well. Even in other non-party professional bodies like the Nepal Bar Association, the FNCCI district chapters, federation of journalists, universi-ties, etc., elections are fought on party lines, with the political parties themselves announcing the candidates in many cases. Party politics has deeply penetrated into educational institutions, and in the management of local level projects and institutions. Trade union and student union elections are also bit-terly fought on party lines. Even for school manage-ment committees, forest and water users and other com-mittees, elections are fought on party lines as a standard practice. Thus, Nepal pre-sents a unique case of democracy, perhaps without parallel, where elections are practically pervasive in all walks of life. This is not to deny the importance of choosing institutional leadership based on free will of its members, but one can hardly expect impartial delivery of ser-vices from professional institutions with partisan leadership.

Blatant party politicsIn a democracy, constitutional bodies are conceived as watchdogs and independent judiciary is responsible for ultimate dispen-sation of justice as a deterrent against mis-use of executive power. But even these bod-ies are not perceived to be immune from

political influence, given the space allowed for the major parties in the selection of con-stitutional body members and judges of the Supreme Court. Appointments for universi-ties, national centres of excellence in medi-cal and other fields and public corporations are guided by political considerations rather than merit. Even more blatant and conspicu-ous party politics exists in the civil service

and public enterprises, where one sees multiple trade unions organised on party lines. Such bodies are not limited to their normal trade union functions, as their interventions in man-agement, including person-nel appointments and trans-fers, are common. As a result, major civil service decisions including transfer, promo-tion and placement of offi-cials are not based on merit and norms. Bureaucratic decision-makers find them-selves helpless against such

practices in the face of political protection enjoyed by pressure groups.

Politicisation also occurs when there is change of government. And Nepali politics has been notoriously unstable. Since the start of the peace process, we have seen eight cabinets in nine years. With a cabinet change, there is a reshuffle of top civil servants, including secretaries, as well as departmental, office and project heads. It is difficult to see the same office head for more than a year. Some ministries have seen a transfer of civil servant leader-ship three to four times a year.

The present government has gone extra

miles in politicising civil service and devel-opment administration. It has not only creat-ed six deputy prime ministers and bifurcat-ed ministries, but made a mockery of admin-istrative discipline by indulging in blatant politicisation of professional bodies and a civil service reshuffle. Even the judiciary is not left untouched. Its casual, lackluster and partisan approach even in a serious matter like reconstruction is visible from its failure to form a credible and effective National Reconstruction Authority even after six months of coming to power.

Deleterious effectsPoliticisation in professional and educational bodies, civil service, appointment of ambassa-dors and now even judiciary weakens govern-ance and creates deleterious effect on econom-ic development, more so in a country like Nepal where a change of government is fre-quent, constitutional institutions weak and bureaucracy helpless. Corruption and other malaise are a natural outcome of this situa-tion. Apart from being the root cause of all corruption, expensive elections and excessive politics in all walks of life leave little room for objective and impartial judg-ment. Such state of affairs creates a disincen-tive for the best and the brightest to join and stay in government.

Politics is as much a variable for develop-ment as is economics. Ultimately, economic institutions function within the framework of the political setting. Political institution does not only mean what is written in legal documents and the constitution, but also the state’s capacity to regulate and govern socie-ty. Political instability, erosion of institu-tional authority and excessive politicisation are all taking a toll on Nepal’s development.

Economy firstThere is no alternative to democratic and inclusive institutions working under a defi-nite set of norms. They must be able to foster right economic institutions to incentivise peo-ple to work hard, save and invest, produce and compete, innovate and adopt new technolo-gies, free from hindrances. This paves the way for greater opportunities and prosperity.

The economy must be the first national priority, and not just in rhetoric. Development institutions and professional bodies must be known for excellence and professionalism. Civil service and judiciary must remain apolitical. Quality and excel-lence, not political affiliation, should decide the choice of public sector managers. There is an apparent need to revisit prevailing practices to make our elections less expen-sive by regulating political finance not just during elections but at all times. The coun-try needs an environment where citizens spend more time, energy and money in eco-nomic activities which contribute to devel-opment, peace and prosperity.

Mahat is former Finance Minister and Nepali Congress leader

It is that time of the year when wildfires sweep across the nation. Of late, fire alerts have dramati-cally shot up with numbers hitting a historic high on Sunday, when the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) recorded 457 fire inci-

dents in Nepal, with a higher concentration of them in the southern belt.

Although numbers came down to 280 the following day, experts have warned against complacency. On Monday, a team of the Nepal Army and the Nepal Police, together with other authorities and the locals, were fighting a jungle fire in Rupandehi, a district in central Terai. On that day, almost all nation-al parks and wildlife reserves in the plains and Chure regions were burning, according to the Department of Forests (DoF).

April is considered the peak fire month in the coun-try. The previous national record—358—of daily fire episodes was also in the month of April in 2009. In that year, Nasa categorised Nepal as a country “most vulnerable to wildfires”.

Not only do wildfires cause economic losses but, more gravely, they also threaten wildlife as well as human settlements. As such, they deserve greater determination and commitment to combat them.

In the last one week, fires have killed at least two people and destroyed more than 500 houses and sheds throughout the country. Resham Dangi, director gen-eral at the DoF, said that during the period, about one-fifth—approximately 1.3 million hectares—of the country’s total forest cover was severely affected by conflagrations. Dangi added that an emergency situa-tion is likely to arise in the coming days if there is inadequate rainfall.

Forest fires, apart from their direct and immediate impacts, are also treacherous in that they contribute to the thick blanket of haze the Capital and other parts of the country have been witnessing in recent days. Wildfires pump out carbon-dioxide, which not only fuels global warming but is also bad for health.

Haze, though not a direct threat, should not be taken lightly. Thick haze resulting from fires in Indonesia’s jungles last year was labelled a “crime against humanity”. About 500,000 cases of respiratory infections were reported since the fires started.

Despite the various threats wildfires pose, they have not been acknowledged as a serious environmen-tal disaster. The country also lacks effective preven-tive and mitigation measures against them. There is no single agency dedicated to fighting forest fires. Many community forest user groups do not have the necessary gears to subdue fire. They need equipment as well as training on tackling growing instances of bush fires. Since human negligence—throwing ciga-rette stubs in forests and the practice of stubble burn-ing, for example—is partly responsible for forest fires, more awareness campaigns are necessary, too.

Raging infernoPreventive and mitigation measures

against wildfires need to be strengthened

Politically possessedPolitical instability and excessive politicisation are taking a toll on Nepal’s development

EDITORIAL

RAM SHARAN MAHAT

thekathmandu posteditorial 06Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Since 1993

Love, love, love

LAXMAN KANDEL

I believe love is the strongest weapon. So better learn to use it. We were like two bodies, one soul; but time made our relationship inconstant. Thereby, I was incommoded by this action, and it

made my life insipid on the whole. There was an unusual sense in what I felt in those moments of life. That strange feel-ing in me, I call it lunacy. It made me deliberately incompatible with those sorts of relationships. As a result, I became an inscrutable person which I

had never dreamed of. However, I acted like an active extrovert and started learning from the mistakes and the past, which enabled me to cut it as imagined my life to be. I was cursed with this feel-ing lying underneath my heart or mind, I don’t know exactly where; but I desire to be a cure for these kinds of diseases.

Love is a topic of interest for today’s youngsters. It guides them in the right way or misguides them, it all depends how mentally sovereign they are. Unfortunately, the love of a mother is of lower priority compared to that of the

person that comes to our mind when we think of love. I asked a man to tell me about his first love, but in his answer he described a girl whom he had met just a few months ago. He noticeably overshad-owed the immense love of his mother or maybe of his father that had made him what he is today. This is a clear vision of love in this modern world, and this has made inroads into the degrading quality of many youths in our society.

When all it takes is a moment to illu-

minate all the terrible and sad parts of love, it is perhaps not surprising that most people pay little attention to what impact it has on them and their lives. Even though the value and culture of

our modern love is easy to accept, attitudes are beginning to change, part-ly because many people

are starting to realise the scale of the impact we lovers are facing. However, there is no complete awareness among youths about the possession called love.

Why has love become so cheap, like a

drop of water in the river? Does love lead to a massive deterioration in the progress of youngsters? Are youths spending their time for love even though it isn’t worth it? Are people unaware of its side effects? Or are people becoming self-ish and self-centred? And can this love be the weapon to direct the entire youth’s power towards civilisation and revolu-tion? These types of questions curb a thinking mind and a writing pen. Love can be a miracle, and love can also be a curse. It can be the cause for several prob-lems, and it can also be the solution.

postplatform

It has been a long, hard road, but Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is finally set to assume the role of Myanmar’s top civilian leader.

On Tuesday, Myanmar’s lower house of Parliament approved a measure that will

make Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, who is minister of the president’s office and foreign minister, “state counselor,” a way for her to effectively lead the country outside the presidency.

The challenge for Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi now is to shepherd in constitutional and legal reforms to ensure Myanmar’s turn toward democracy. Among those changes should be overturning the constitutional provision that bars her from being president, eliminating the role of state counselor and moving toward full civilian governance. This will not be easy: Myanmar’s military still controls a quarter of parliamentary seats, as well as the ministries of defense, home affairs and border affairs.

Where the new government can act swiftly is in redressing serious human rights violations, including the vicious persecution of Muslim Rohingyas. Since violence between Buddhists and Rohingyas erupted in 2012, hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas have been displaced from their homes, many languishing in squalid camps or confined to their villages. Thousands more have fled the country, many into the hands of human traffickers. Myanmar is a party to last month’s Bali Declaration on People Smuggling, which pledges to tackle human traf-ficking in part by improving the conditions that force desperate people to flee.

The United Nations special rapporteur on Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, urged the new govern-ment last month to take a series of reforms within its first 100 days, including amending or repealing a 1982 law that denies citizenship to Rohingyas and some others. It also urged an end to laws that have been used to stifle dissent. Myanmar’s people have waited more than half a century for democracy. The task of the new gov-ernment, led by Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, is to fulfill their aspirations.

Democracy in Myanmar Suu Kyi’s challenge now is to bring

about full civilian governance

wORLDvIEw

Technical Education and Vocational Training (TEVT) is one of the most important education systems for employment generation. With vocation-al and soft skills, people can enhance

their competency, thereby increasing their chances of securing a job. TEVT contrib-utes in generating gainful employment, encouraging self-employment and entrepre-neurship and better earning—ultimately lifting people’s living standard and enhanc-ing a country’s socio-economic develop-ment. So the main aspect of this training is to produce world-class technicians and skil-ful workers who can compete in the interna-tional job market.

Prevailing scenario Although TEVT has existed in the country for a long time, it took a better shape after the establishment of the Council of Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) in 1989. The CTEVT was established under the CTEVT Act 1989 with the aim of strengthening vocational techni-cal education in Nepal. It is responsible for preparing skilled workforce required in the job market. Major functions of the CTEVT include policy and programme formulation, coordination and facilitation, quality con-trol, and programme implementation.

Many technical and vocational schools and training centres have been established all over the country. In order to introduce TEVT in government schools, the Ministry of Education and the CTEVT have introduced technical education in 99 schools so far. In 2072, 83 schools got affilia-tion to conduct 10+2 level in the TEVT stream from the Higher Secondary Education Board and seven schools have got

affiliation to conduct a diploma programme. As per the TEVT Policy 2012, the CTEVT

has prepared different courses to produce skilful manpower and encourage self-entre-preneurship. In 2015, the Ministry of Education decided to hand over the authori-ty to the Higher Secondary Education Board to run classes of higher education so that SLC students under the technical cate-gory can benefit. This aims to provide access to TEVT to all the youths within the country at a cheaper rate than that of the CTEVT institutions.

The major challenge for the TEVT-providing institutions in Nepal is the absence of a clear strategy on scope and modality of TEVT in higher education. Another challenge is the dearth of quality monitoring of the institutions. Even the required infrastructure for these institu-tions is not available, while learning mate-rials and resources for the students are not adequate. The process of staff selection and working capacity has also failed to fulfil the students’ demands. Staff retention has been a significant challenge due to the lack of qualified and competent teachers and una-vailability of permanent positions. Temporary staff are leaving the schools within a few months as they get neither adequate salary nor satisfying opportuni-ties. Moreover, not all eligible students can afford the fees of technical education.

The way aheadTEVT has a great scope in the context of developing countries like Nepal. With a slight change in perception, resources and environment, it could help develop skilful workers. However, there are several gaps between the TVET Policy 2012 and its imple-mentation. The Asian Development Bank has also highlighted some of its provisions that need to be improved. It says that imple-menting the TVET Policy 2012 by incorpo-rating clear national TEVT goals, priorities,

qualifications framework, directives, detailed action plan, and horizontal and vertical linkages or pathways between dif-ferent streams of education and training is necessary. Academic courses should be based on the needs, interests and demands of the students.

The model of Public Private Partnership (PPP) should be introduced to meet the mar-ket demand for the graduates of technical higher education. So the development of effective evaluation, monitoring and super-vision mechanisms and strong implementa-tion are required. A certain proportion of the budget allocated to education should be pro-vided to the TEVT sector. Necessary resourc-es, materials and a conducive environment should be provided to the technical schools; staff should be given appropriate incentives.

The international job market demands standard of global quality and ethics. This

can only be fulfilled by technical education, an appropriate education programme for employable workforce production in the national as well as international arena. But there are still several constraints and issues to be resolved in the case of Nepal for tech-nical education to flourish. There have been delays in decision-making for conducting technical education programme in Higher Secondary Schools. This has created confu-sion in students and parents. Lack of coor-dination between various line organisations and issues related to teacher retention are also important matters that need an urgent solution. Concerned authorities need to give time and higher priority to resolving these issues.

Devkota, Bagale and Basnet are associated with Sustainable Development

and Empowerment Forum, Kathmandu

Technical education Academic courses should be based on the needs, interests and demands of the students

SHREE PRASAD DEVKOTA, SHIBA BAGALE & YAM BAHADUR BASNET

C M Y K

There is an apparent need to revisit

prevailing practices to make our elections

less expensive by regulating political

finance not just during elections but at all times

C M Y K

the kathmandu post07 Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Caring for home and family is real work

Judith Flanders

Just because you don’t work in an office or a factory doesn’t automati-cally mean you don’t work. Says who? Says the Office for National Statistics. For the first time

the ONS has officially quantified the home production economy. It’s worth a mere £1 trillion, since you ask. Hallelujah and about time, mumble millions of homeworkers, carers and floor-scrubbers.

If government officers spent more time reading history, they would possi-bly have worked this out a long time ago. The word “economy” would have tipped them off. As would the term “housework”. Economy is derived from Greek, meaning management of a household or family. And in English, until the Industrial Revolution, house-work meant the work of the house—the work that needed to be done to keep a family afloat, be it cooking and clean-ing, or agriculture or craft.

Because, for thousands of years, “work” was for the most part done at home, whether you were a doctor, or a lawyer, or a carpenter, or a shoemaker. Tasks were divided along gender lines—there were areas of work that were generally accepted to be “women’s work” or “men’s work”—but it was intertwined, and it all went to maintain the house and family. Men looked after the cattle, women did the milking; men butchered the meat, women cooked it. Men cut the leather for shoes and did the heavy punchwork, women did the fine sewing.

This joint labour was not a secret. In 16th-century wills, men frequently called their wives “fellow labourers”. But as industrialisation crept on, facto-ries replaced home-created piecework, and work became something that went on in specialist locations, and was something for which the labourer was paid in cash. If you weren’t paid, and you didn’t go somewhere else to do it, it wasn’t work. Wives were no longer fellow labourers. Now they were more frequently named in wills merely as the source of “wise Advices”, dispensed by “holy Examples” and “devout prayers”.

In 2001 the government took a token step towards returning to the older, wider understanding of work when they used the census to count the num-

ber of unpaid carers. By 2011, the scale was clear: 5.8 million people in England and Wales—more than a tenth of the population—worked at a job that had previously been invisible.

What the ONS has done is important, for by putting a value on the unpaid economy of domestic labour it is admit-ting that work is, beyond question, work. Work is earning money, and it is also childcare. Work is professions and trades, and it is also mopping the floor and doing the school run.

While they get a small pat on the back for that, quantifying that work is fairly straightforward. Childcare, nurs-ing, cleaning are all tasks that can be outsourced. If they can be outsourced, they can be paid for, and therefore to the bean counters they are work. But this still needs to be taken further.

For work is keeping both house and family afloat. Consider all the work done every day that has no name but keeps a family functioning.

Not just making sure that Ronnie has clean gym kit on Mondays, but also that Ronnie sees his grandmother. The work involved in making sure his grandfa-ther’s birthday isn’t overlooked. Remembering whose turn it is to host Christmas, and making sure there are no peanuts in the meal so that Aunt Bella can come, while wrangling the smaller children away from the cousin no one likes but who must be invited to keep her mother happy.

These are activities one might call kin care or family care: the mainte-nance of relationships, of visits, the co-ordination of schedules, the remem-bering of birthdays, the sending of Christmas presents. This is work too.

No doubt government advisers will roll their eyes, but 50 years ago they would have rolled their eyes at the notion that cleaning the ring out of the bath was worthy of being designated work. Yet thanks to the ONS, we now know that bath-ring cleaning is part of this £1tn industry.

So let us be completely clear: house-work is the work of the household, by the household, for the household. You don’t have to go somewhere special to do it; and it doesn’t become real simply because cash is handed over for its per-formance. If it keeps the household functioning physically, mentally or emotionally, it is housework. Let us celebrate it. And for God’s sake, let it be valued. It is valuable.

n Life and styLe

natalie nougayrède

A perfect storm is brewing and it could take Britain out of the European Union. Right now it’s hard to see what, or who, will thwart that scenar-io. For months I thought

Brexit was unlikely. Now, I’m alarmed. The push factors are piling up. It’s not just that the gap between remain and leave has been narrowing in opinion polls—perhaps the polls need to be taken with a pinch of salt. What’s so worrying is that devel-opments in the UK and events beyond it are together setting the stage for a train-wreck. For Britain and EU alike, Brexit would be a tremendous loss. Yet a whiff of fatalism in the air, or at least a careless passivity, makes the situation especially dangerous.

To seriously contemplate Brexit is almost a taboo—there’s a great deal of comment, but few see it as a reality. Officials in other European states refrain from making open statements: partly for fear of negatively influ-encing the referendum, but most-ly because they are in denial. A friend at the EU commission recently told me that its staff are banned from organising any meetings to discuss the possible effects of Brexit, in case it leaks and EU institutions appear defeatist. This amounts to stick-ing heads in the sand.

With less than 11 weeks to the

vote, the reasons things are going wrong are easy to list. David Cameron is now politically weak-ened by the Panama Papers fall-out. Like it or not, his personal credibility affects the credibility of his message on Europe. The Dutch referendum result this week has brought added ammuni-tion to the Brexit campaign.

External factors driving Brexit are no less daunting. The slow-down in refugee movements across the Mediterranean—brought about by the EU-Turkey deal—is likely to be only tempo-rary. Not just because warmer weather will make crossings easi-er, but because the “cessation of hostilities” in Syria has now all but collapsed. More Syrians will want to seek safety abroad. And more TV images of refugees will feed British anxieties about immigration, which is at the heart of the referendum debate.

Add to all that the impact of the Brussels attacks, so soon after the Paris terror. To many British peo-ple these events made Europe look frightening because of its very vulnerability.

Barack Obama is expected to visit the UK in a few weeks to make the case for remain. That is

good news, but it’s hard to ignore that he is a lame duck president who recently criticised Europeans

for being “free riders” in the glob-al order—which didn’t go down too well among those who worry

about the strength of America’s commitment to Europe’s security. Meanwhile, Obama’s entry into the referendum debate has already been slammed by Brexiters as US meddling in national affairs.

It could be argued that the remain camp has not yet pumped up the volume, that it’s still early days to be alarmist. Some British students are just starting to cam-paign, and they are doing so eagerly. One media outfit, InFacts.org, is actively exposing the many myths that Brexiters are spread-ing. The Labour party has made remain its official policy. But its grassroots activists will only put energy into that message after the UK’s local elections in May—and that could be too late.

In Britain the media has long been Eurosceptic. Even the BBC seems hesitant these days. The Daily Telegraph describes the EU as either a threatening entity for Britain, or too weak an institu-tion to protect it.

And long gone are the days when authoritative European voices could reach out to British

voters in a convincing manner—as when Jacques Delors single handedly swayed the British left-towards a pro-European position in 1988. The French president, François Hollande, is dismally weak, and Angela Merkel is less politically sturdy than she once was. Populist movements whose leaders believe they stand to ben-efit from a British exit are on the rise across the continent.

The deeper phenomenon at work is a wider one. British socie-ty suffers from an identity crisis not unlike those that have hit other western countries in the wake of globalisation and the 2008 financial crisis. Fragmen-tation is spreading everywhere as nations become more inward-look-ing and worried about how the world is changing. In the British case this general sense of disar-ray now has the opportunity to express itself in a referendum.

Britain’s image has often been associated with common decency, sober assessment and cool-head-edness. But this is an age of extremes when moderate voices are fast drowned out by radical slogans. Of course, Cassandras have been wrong before about the European project. The eurozone has held together. Grexit didn’t happen. Merkel may be weaker, but she has not lost power. Yet it would be foolish not to see that the omens for Britain remaining in the EU are very poor.

But does anyone care? If they do, they need to wake up now and shout stop.

The Brexit nightmare The omens for Britain remaining in the EU get poorer by the day. Does anyone care?

The Bangladesh history debateBangladesh’s politicians still can’t agree on the war that won the country’s independence

It is right to put a value on domestic labour, but other ways we care for loved ones matter too

n BangLadesh

n ethics

For most people morality is about how we should treat others, for the common good—so we are attracted to people of good heart rather than intellectuals

Julian Baggini

Who would you trust more, some-one whose moral principles are absolute, black and white, or someone who carefully consid-ers the rights and wrongs of

specific situations before leaping to judgment? My guess is that most people reading this would say the latter. “Rigidity” is a dirty word for most thinking folk, and being com-fortable with ambiguity the hall-mark of sophistication. But accord-ing to new research by experimental psychologists at Oxford and Cornell, in practice most people trust the absolutists more than the ponderers.

In fact, all the experiments show is that people who refuse to kill an innocent person to save the lives of many others are considered more trustworthy than those who would do so for the greater good. It’s quite an inferential leap to go from that to the view that rigidity in general con-fers trust.

Nonetheless, there is something suggestive in these findings that

challenges an assumption we’ve inherited from the kind of religious ethics most in Britain no longer fol-low. It’s the idea that morality in some sense stands above human behaviour, representing an external standard we have to conform to. Our goal is to do the right thing, to make the choice that is judged as the best one from some kind of impartial view-point. But what if this is profoundly misguided? What if morality is in fact nothing more than a system for man-aging social interaction, a way of promoting harmony and keeping us from each other’s throats?

We have very good reasons for thinking this is precisely how we should view morality, and it is none the worse for it. Morality is primarily a matter of how we should treat others, for the good of every-one. You don’t need to posit any kind of transcendental source for the principles that should govern this. All you need to think about is what helps us to live and flourish.

If this is what morality is, then it is not difficult to see why we should prefer simple, fixed rules to c a s e - b y -case cal-culations.

First, for morality to work as a social system we need others to be predict-able. If we cannot be sure whether someone might decide to kill us tomorrow in order to save others, we can never be sure that we are safe from anyone. We can have no faith in a justice system that allows the odd innocent to be punished in order to deter those who might otherwise harm even more. So although having a fixed rule that we should never harm the innocent might sometimes result in more innocent people being harmed, on balance the price we pay for that is much less than the cost of uncertainty. From a social point of view, the predictability and reliabili-ty of moral behaviour are much

more important than getting it right from

some abstract, absolute per-

spective.Related

to this is the prob-

lem that we really don’t want to live

among relativ-ists. To be clear,

relativism is not the commonsense view

that what is right or wrong always depends

at least to a certain extent on the par-

ticular circumstances. It is the view that there is no shared standard of right and wrong, and what might be right for you could be wrong for me, depending on the day, our mood or the weather. When we are relativists in that sense, we really cannot trust anyone to stick to any kind of princi-ple at all. We might legitimately worry that a lot of flexibility is too dangerously close to relativism to be admirable.

Another reason not to trust people who are very intellectual in their moral thinking is that they can very easily simply be rationalisers, using their brain power to justify whatever they want to believe. Evidence from psychology supports this, suggesting that most thinking we do about moral choices is an after-the-event rationalisation of whatever immedi-ate, intuitive impulse we have.

It might seem a troubling thought for anyone who favours a more reflec-tive ethics that in practice, ethics is rooted much more in feeling than in thinking, but there is good reason for this. The fundamental impulse to treat others well derives from a kind of empathy, not obedience to author-ity or a rational principle. For sure, we ought to use our reason to check whether our impulses are mislead-ing us, as they undoubtedly often do. But in daily life, it makes perfect sense to trust the person of generosi-ty and good heart more than the pro-fessor of abstract intelligence.

In that sense, the research has it back to front. The people we most trust are not absolutists, but people who don’t think too much about moral principles at all and stick to common sense. And morality is a form of common sense: the sense we have in common of what we all owe to each other. It can only work if we refuse to make ad hoc exceptions, no matter how intellectually justified they appear to be.

Commonsense morality

Mature countries should be ready to interrogate their own history, and accept there are diverse interpretations of how they came to be. This is particularly

the case where one nation has broken away from another. Time passes, a cooler understanding of events pre-vails, and the propaganda and exag-geration taken for fact in the heat of conflict can be discarded. History can-not be changed but it can be reas-sessed.

That is why it is dispiriting that Bangladesh, which won its independ-ence from Pakistan 45 years ago, is considering a draft law called the lib-eration war denial crimes bill. Were this to be passed, it would be an offence to offer “inaccurate” versions of what happened in the war. It seems the intention would be, in particular, to prevent any questioning of the offi-cial toll of 3 million killed by the Pakistani army and its local allies during the conflict. Many think that figure is much too high. Although there is agreement that the Pakistani army liquidated key groups and com-

mitted numerous war crimes, much work remains to be done. So it would seem muddle headed, to say the least, to bring in a law that might prevent such work.

But the truth is that the real argu-ment is not academic but political. Two broad tendencies emerged out of the 1971 war. One saw it as a complete-ly justified rebellion against oppres-

sion, the other as a tragic and regret-table separation. One emphasised eth-nic, Bengali identity, one Islamic iden-tity. This faultline goes back a long way in East Bengal history, and has usually been manageable when politi-cians leave it alone, but this is pre-cisely what they have not done.

On the one hand, the ruling Awami League, the party that led the drive

for independence, wants to assume total ownership of the war, in this way denying legitimacy to other polit-ical forces and in particular to the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist and Jamaat-e-Islami parties, painting them as pro-Pakistan. (That was cer-tainly true of the Jamaat-e-Islami.) On the other hand, those parties cheered when Islam was declared the state religion, a decision that a court has just upheld.

In recent years, war crimes trials have deepened the divide between the two. Meanwhile, extremists have mur-dered secular bloggers and members of the Hindu and Christian minori-ties, although such violence is still on a small scale compared with Pakistan. Nevertheless, it is unfortunate that neither of the main parties has been vigorous in its opposition to such acts. In this situation, Bangladesh needs to conduct its politics in a far less polarised way, and in the process to take an honest look at its history rather than to try to squeeze it into a political framework of whatever kind.

editORiaL

n RefeRendum

n The French president, François Hollande, is dismally weak, and Angela Merkel is less politically sturdy than she once was.

C M Y K

life&stylekathmandu postthe

PG 08 | Wednesday, aPril 13, 2016 kathmandupost.ekantipur.com

PC receives Padma ShriBollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, who has gar-nered international acclaim with her stint in the American TV series Quantico on Tuesday recieved the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian hon-our from President Pranab Mukherjee. The former Miss World ventured into Hindi cinema in 2003 with the film The Hero: Love Story of a Spy.

BORN TODAYAmerican actress Allison Williams is 28

Canadian actress Caroline Rhea is 52

Chilean football player Claudio Bravo is 33

Spanish football player Carles Puyol is 38

American actor Ron Perlman is 66

The Jungle Book sequel in talksThe sequel to The Jungle Book that released last week is already in works at Disney with Jon Favreau attached to direct. Based on Rudyard Kipling-authored stories that tell of Mowgli, the human boy raised by wolves and who befriends various jungle animals. Justin Marks, who wrote the movie, is in

negotiations to return for a follow-up.

artistic spacewalk

n Artworks by artists Kiran Maharjan and (right) Shraddha Shrestha that will be on display at the mix-media exhibition titled Holi Head Space and Life Is at Siddhartha Arts Gallery in the Capital. The exhibition will start from Apri 14 and will run through May 10.

SCOTT MALONE

For days after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, Americans were glued to the news, eager to know who had planted the homemade devices that ripped through the crowd at the finish line, killing three people.

The world got its first look at the suspects three days after the April 15 attack, when the FBI released surveillance photos showing two men identified only by their baseball caps as “black hat” and “white hat.”

The 12-minute film Jahar tells a fictional story of how three friends of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev reacted when they realised he was the man in the white hat. It was written by two high-school classmates of Tsarnaev, who was convicted last year of carrying out the attacks and sentenced to death. Debuting this week at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival, the film shows three teenagers trying to understand how the friend they knew by the nickname Jahar could have been involved in an attack that wounded more than 260 people, more than a dozen of whom lost legs.

The film, written by Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Henry Hayes, cuts between the friends’ memories of hanging out with Tsarnaev, smoking marijuana and laughing, and struggles to accept his role in the attack.

“That’s our boy, and just because his picture’s up doesn’t mean he did shit,” one of the friends declares as they argue about news reports linking Tsarnaev to the bombing. “You knew him. When did this man ever talk about politics or bombs or... terrorism or Islam?”

At his sentencing in June, Tsarnaev admitted to carrying out the bombing with his 26-year-old brother Tamerlan, who died four days later following a gunfight with police. The younger Tsarnaev, now 22, left a note describing the attack as an act of revenge for US military campaigns in countries that are mostly Muslim.

Jahar has a very different focus from that of the forthcoming Patriots Day. That film, about then-Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis and the hunt for the bombers, stars Mark Wahlberg and is due out in December.

“The pain that we’re trying to talk

about and the pain that we’re trying to convey obviously doesn’t relate to that of the actual victims of the marathon bombings, the people who were at the finish line, but it’s pain nonetheless,” said Kanno-Youngs.

“There’s no one way to react to something as bizarre as this.”

Some of the teens depicted in the film are angry, but one of them is reluctant to believe Tsarnaev is guilty, clinging to a memory of a young man who talked a police officer into allowing him to drive eight inebriated friends home from a suburban party in an overloaded car.

This screen conflict mirrors history. Former classmates of Tsarnaev appeared in court following his April 19, 2013, arrest, voicing support and denying his guilt. By the end of his trial, his most visible supporters were a handful of anti-death-penalty protesters, who say the sentence he awaits at a maximum

security prison in Florence, Colorado, is unjust.

Tsarnaev, an ethnic Chechen, and his family came to the United States a decade before the attacks, settling just outside Boston in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His parents failed to thrive and eventual-ly returned to Russia, but Dzhokhar remained, living with his brother and becoming a high-school wrestling star.

Hayes, who also directed the film, said he hoped it would prompt people to analyse what set Tsarnaev on the path to violence.

“It’s important that we not close our-selves off from these questions because things like this keep happening,” Hayes said. “If we’re not thinking about why—why do things like this happen—we’re doing ourselves a disservice, a potentially fatal disservice.”

(Reuters)

Debuting next week at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival, the film shows three teenagers trying to understand how the friend they knew by the nickname Jahar could have been involved in an attack that wounded more than 260 people

Jahar: Mourning

a terrorist

Three years after Boston bombing, the film shows distress of the attacker’s friends

BBCNew York, April 12

Rappers NWA have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York. The group are just the fifth hip-hop act to be voted into the hall, having been nominated three times

previously.Founding member Ice Cube said the

quintet had earned their place, just as the pioneers of jazz, blues, punk, rock and pop before them. “Rock and roll is not conforming to the people who came before you, but creating your own path in music and in life,” he said.

“We have come a long way from being so hated in the industry to making it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Are we rock and roll? You’re damn right we’re rock and roll.” Ice Cube’s comments came

amid criticism from some rock acts, including Kiss frontman Gene Simmons, about including rap artists in the rock hall.

NWA’s rise to fame was charted in the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton, named after one of their best-known

songs. The group caused controversy for their often inflammatory songs that reflected the violence, crime and anti-police sentiments of their Los Angeles neighbourhood and went on to sell more than 100 million records.

They were inducted at the ceremony by rapper Kendrick Lamar, who said the group had “proved to every kid in the ghetto that you could be successful and still have your voice while doing it”. Artists are eligible for inclusion into the rock hall 25 years after the release of their first recording.

Among the other acts inducted included Cheap Trick, Chicago and British band Deep Purple. Singer Steve Miller was also inducted, but after he performed a medley of hits including The Joker with his band, he criticised the rock hall backstage, calling the ceremony a “lazy” night with “a bunch of fat cats”. “I don’t know why I was nominated for this,”the 72-year-old musician said in an interview. “I said this for 30 years—I don’t get along with the people running it.

NWA iNducted iNto Rock ANd Roll

HAll of fAme

Game of Thrones heiGhTens suspense

REuTERSlos ANgeles, April 12

The cast of Game of Thrones played down rumours fan-favour-ite Jon Snow would live on in the hit fantasy series at the season six premiere on Sunday, insist-

ing the heroic character was dead.Stars Emilia Clarke (Daenerys

Targaryen), Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) walked the carpet at Los Angeles’ TCL Chinese Theatre but Kit Harrington, who plays Snow, was a notable no-show.

Snow appeared to be killed off at the end of season five of the popular drama based on novels by George RR Martin but HBO sent fans into a frenzy last year when it tweeted a season six teaser poster

with a shot of his bloody face.

“Listen, my only reply is the man’s had about 25 knives in his chest—how much steel does he need to have in his body to be con-firmed dead? He’s dead, dead as a doornail,” Liam Cunningham, who plays Davos Seaworth, said. “It’s so sad. He’s gone. Such a shame,” added Iwan Rheon, who plays Ramsay Bolton.

The fifth sea-son finale, which saw Snow stabbed repeated-ly and appearing to bleed to death, drew the show’s largest US audi-ence with some 8.1 million view-ers, according to

reports. It is also the point that Martin’s books have reached, so no hint there. Coster-Waldau said Snow’s demise was yet to be properly seen by fans: “It’s going to be inter-esting to see when people find out what happened, how dead he is. He’s dead. Dead, dead.” “Do you know what? I don’t know. I just... well, whatever anyone else has said is exactly what we’re... he’s gone. We saw him die, we saw it happen,” Clarke replied when asked about Snow. While cast members kept tight-lipped about the storyline, one element of the new series however has been revealed—the female char-acters will be fighting back.

“If anyone thought the dudes had it going on, this season will change their minds,” Clarke said. “Yes, we’re bringing the fire.” Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard were among the fans showcasing their intense love of Game of Thrones at the season six opening episode premiere.

The Boss actress took to Instagram to share a serious snap of the pair posing hand in hand at the event, writing, “Dax and I went to the premiere of #GOT last night. Everyone was in suits and dresses. People were sipping cocktails. We were in tank tops that said ‘Stark in the streets, Wildling in the sheets’”. Bell and husband Shepard also dedicated their bodies to temporary tattoos that read “Ours Is The Fury and Winter Is Coming”.

Compton, named after one of their best-known songs. The group caused

controversy for their often inflammatory songs

C M Y K

thecollegianPG 09 | wednesday, aPril 13, 2016 kathmandupost.ekantipur.com

kathmandupostthe

The universe of religious epics

Dr Jayaraj Acharya is an author and a former representative of Nepal at the United Nations. Acharya has so far published about

half a dozen of nonfiction books and translations: Mero Diary, Yadunath Khanal: Jiwani ra Bichar, Bhanubhakkta’s Life &

Selected Poems, and A Descriptive Grammar of Nepali and Analyzed Corpus, among others. Acharya has also translated BP

Koirala’s classic Modi Aaina. The following is a version of Narendra Raule’s interview with Acharya.

Books that you have recent-ly completed?

I just completed Ganesh Man Singh’s Mera Kathaka Panaharu: the book is divided into three sections; it includes the chronicle of the manifold struggles Singh has gone through and is especially nota-ble for Singh’s telling of the movement of 2007 BS to jour-nalist Mathavar Singh. I also read Malika Keshari’s Punarutthan recently, which is an fictional rendering of the 10-year Maoist insurgency and the plights it wrought out in Nepalis; I quite liked it.

What books are currently on your night stand?

I am currently busy writing: I am t r a n s l a t i n g Himavat Khanda, which is originally in Sankrit, into ....? The book, a puran written about the Nepalis, was first compiled in 2012 BS by Yogi Narharinath.

Which book do you want to read next?

I have an itch to read Leen Kuan Yew’s famous memoir, Lew Kuan Yew in His Own Words.

Is there any par-ticular instance where you have read a book more than once?

I have read Ramayana and Ghumne Mechmathi Andho Manchhe by Bhupi Sherchan many times over. As we all know, Ramayana is the epitome of epic literature while Ghumne Mech is poignant in its depiction of Nepali lifestyle and society.

Do you have any special inclination to reading a par-ticular genre?

I love reading biographies and autobiographies, and also

those books that try to cap-ture the essence of life into

their pages.

One book that you would take with you to a deserted island?

I would take two:

Narendra Dai and Modi Aaina, both by Bishweshwor Prasad Koirala. Expressing complex ideas in lucid prose--Koirala’s novels do so effortlessly. I was so impressed by Modi Aaina that I ended up translating it into English.

Who are your favourite authors?

BP Koirala, Bhupi Sherchan, LP Devkota, Lekhanath Poudel, Haribhakta Katuwal, to name a few.

What time of the day do you love to read and to write?

I love the calm of the afternoon.

How much do you spend on books?

I spend about Rs 3,000 on books monthly.

How many books do you have on your archive?

I have as many as ten thousand books in store. If you translate it into monetary terms, it costs as much as one and a half crores!

What do you think makes a good writer?

Reading, voraciously and omnivorously. Then you need to exchange ideas with those who have read more than you have. And, of course, you have to think and to muse and to reflect.

Books you would recom-mend to our readers?

Ramayan, Mahabharat, Srimadh Bhagawat. Once

you have read these three epics, they are sure to change one’s perspective of life. With regard to these books, Shivapuri Baba once said, “If you have read these

books, then you don’t have to

read anything else.” I agree with him.

bo

okw

orm

bab

ble

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Gaurav Pokharel

From a distance, I see a maiden approachingMy heart trembled and my spirit leapt with joyHer steps, as graceful as a queen’sHer beauty, a mermaid’s envyThe whole universe holds her in aweBecause of her stunning beauty

Call her the mortal goddess of beauty,She whose beauty shines forth like the sunHer skin as fair as the full moonHer teeth as white as snowIn her eyes is a diviner’s mirrorRevealing mysteries of beau-ty and untold love

Her straw skirt dances seductivelyTo the tune of her swaying hipsShe is the desire of every manAnd the envy of every womanLucky is the man who finds herBlessed am I, whom she lovesShe is my queen, The love of my life

Pokharel is a +2 student at CoHED

College, Jhapa

My love

aabhashree lamichhane

And we’ve lived another set of 365 days already. Exactly one year ago, on this day, most of us, I assume, must have drafted a to-do list for the upcoming year. I did, I remember, but I lost my

list the next day. We all tend to make resolutions and set new goals. We try to forget all the mishappenings of the

previous year and decide to start afresh. But do we actually do that? I am sure you will all agree with me if I say that we make resolutions not to accomplish them but simply to fol-low the same old trend of “making resolutions”.

It’s New Year again. But this time, let’s modify the trend. Let’s make real resolutions that we believe we can implement. I believe all of us have set certain objectives and goals that we wish to fulfill. We are working every-day to get closer to those goals. It is a long process. Sometimes we tumble and sometimes we fall down. Sometimes we just get irritated and frustrated by the situations that do not favour us or are against us. We feel like giving it all up and running away from this resolutely inconsist-ent life of ours. We are always in search of motivation that will boost the engine inside us and drive us towards perfection.

Thus, this New Year can be taken as that motivation to re-energise our-selves and once again continue on the path to our goal. So, let’s take one more round in the rollercoaster ride of unexpected shocks and surprises. Let’s welcome all obstacles that come our way and fight them courageously. Let’s grab all the opportunities and use them wisely. Let us aspire to inspire thousands of demotivated souls. Let us first be the change to create a change. Let us not forget the mistakes that we have committed but instead learn from them. Let us not start afresh again but continue on the same track with improvised direc-tions and plans. Let us just not write down the resolutions but engrave them into our soul. Let us improve ourselves each day and get better and better. And today should be the day to start this transformation.

Happy New Year, 2073!

Lamichhane is currently pursuing A- Levels at Budhanilkantha School

Someone I lovedThere is always someone special made for everyone, it shall be worth a waitnoYanna subba

As the wind blows, the dry leaves fall down slowly leaving the trees looking barren and life-less. My life now seems no dif-ferent than those trees. There is chaos in my head and my heart

is shivering in pain. Yes, I don’t love him anymore. I know it doesn’t make any difference and I won’t be shocked if it didn’t matter to him whether I stayed or left. But I am saying these words not to him but to myself, to make my heart strong enough to face the harsh reality. So that I stop cling-ing to something that was actually never mine. I am done being the one trying and waiting always, even with-out knowing when he is going to show up or if he is going to show up at all. I think I should have known right from the beginning when we first met that this is not going to have a happy ending. But it was I who fool-ishly took a chance and believed him when he said, “I love you.” Now all I do is ask myself, “How could I have been so stupid?”

Though I accept that I was happi-est when I had him beside me, those moments can never reach the heights of the sadness and pain I felt every time he left without saying goodbye. All day I would be thinking what have

I done wrong? Am I not pretty? Or maybe I am just not in his league. I would ask myself these asinine ques-tions one after another until I had no energy to ask any further. But now it’s enough. I don’t want to wake up every day hating myself. I don’t want to lose my dignity, my confidence and most importantly myself to someone who appears once in a blue moon

only to break my heart again.I remember my friend once said,

“Someone special is out there for everyone.” I tried hard to be that

special someone for him believing he was the one for me. But I tried in vain.Yeah, it still hurts to know of my pathetic place in his heart and to know I wasn’t the one for him. But this is what still makes me wait not for him but for someone better. My special one who will shower me with the love I deserve. Now, I know my value and that I don’t have to be an option for somebody else and doubt or blame myself for his behav-iour. I deserve much more than feel-ing sorry for myself and feeble all the time.

Looking back, I don’t regret meet-ing him or falling for him but I do regret that all my efforts were in vain and didn’t make any sense at all. Yes, I loved him. It can’t be denied. This is a bitter truth that is going to stay with me forever but as a closed chapter. Now to me he is nothing more than just…someone I loved.

Subba is a Bachelor

student atBirendra Memorial College, Dharan

New Year aNd the ‘New ResolutioNs’

INCARNATIONS

INDIA IN 50 LIVES

SUNIL KHILNANISUNIL KHILNANI

Mandala Book PointKantipath, Kathmandu, Tel.# +977-1-4245570, +977-1-4227711

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thekathmandu postvariety 10Wednesday, April 13, 2016

C M Y K

YesterdaY’s solution

riPleY’s BelieVe it or notdilBert

Pearls BeFore sWine

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A police officer attempts to stop a car for speeding and the guy gradually increases his speed until he’s topping 100 mph. The man eventually realises he can’t escape and finally pulls over. The cop approaches the car and says, “It’s been a long day and my shift is almost over, so if you can give me a good excuse for your behaviour, I’ll let you go.” The guy thinks for a few seconds and then says, “My wife ran away with a cop about a week ago. I thought you might be that officer trying to give her back!”

nnnMy friend told me he had the body of a Greek god. I had to explain to him that Buddha is not Greek.

nnnQ: Who is the poorest guy in the south?A: The Tooth Fairy.

KANTIPURTV

LAUGH OUT LOUD

5:00 Bhaktisur/ Amrit Bani

6:00 Jeevan Bigyan/ Jyotish Manthan

6:40 Sky Shop7:00 Kantipur Samachar8:00 Kantipur News8:30 Rise N Shine9:00 Headline News9:05 Marga Darshan10:00 Kantipur Samachar10:30 Market Updates11:00 Headline News11:05 Music Summit11:30 Uddhyam12:00 Kantipur Samachar

12:30 MNS1:00 Headline News1:05 Kilo Tango Mike1:30 Ukali Orali2:00 Kantipur Samachar2:30 Rise N Shine3:00 Headline News3:05 Sarokar4:00 Kantipur Samachar4:30 New Entry5:00 Headline News5:05 Call Kantipur

Reloaded6:00 Kantipur News6:30 Cinema Fest7:00 Kantipur Samachar

7:30 Market Updates8:00 Kantipur Samachar9:00 Harke Haldar9:30 Tough Talk10:30 Kantipur News11:00 Kantipur Samachar11:30 Market Updates12:00 Call Kantipur1:00 Kantipur News1:30 Harke Haldar2:00 Kantipur Samachar2:30 Cinema Fest3:00 Kantipur Samachar3:30 Tough Talk4:30 Harke Haldar

00:00 Non-stop songs01:00 Non-stop Hindi

songs 02:00 Non-stop Nepali

Pop/Adhunik songs04:00 Non-stop Bhajan05:00 Bhakti Anusthan

Janardan06:30 Kantipur Diary07:00 The Headliners07:30 Surakchit Aawas08:00 Kantipur Diary08:05 Mid-week Music09:00 Kantipur Diary

09:10 Traffic Update09:30 Radio Talk10:00 Kantipur Diary10:05 Bi-scope11:00 Kantipur Diary11:05 Taste Buds12:00 Kantipur Diary12:10 Music Box13:00 Kantipur Diary13:05 Ke chha Nepal15:00 Kantipur Diary15:15 Ke chha Nepal16:00 Kantipur Diary16:05 Happy Hour

17:00 Kantipur Diary17:05 Education Talk18:00 Bal Adhikar Ra

Sarokar18:30 Kantipur Diary18:55 Khoj 19:00 Then Impression20:00 Kantipur Diary20:05 I Love It Hate It21:00 Kantipur Diary21:30 Indreni21:30 Sanchai

Hunuhunchha3:00 11th Hour

KANTIPUR FM

ARIES (March 21-April 19)****You’ve been too agreeable lately--and you run the risk of being branded a pushover! Today, it’s time to stand up for what you think is right. Don’t back off from being the lone voice of dissent in the room.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)*****You have become quite a trendsetter in your group, haven’t you noticed? Your friends are starting to emulate the way you talk, the way you dress, even the way you laugh! You have been feeling good, and when you feel good you look good.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21)**When you think you’ve come across a great bargain or amazing, no-fail investment opportunity today, you had better stop and look more closely. It would be in your best interest to ask a lot of questions about what you are considering getting yourself into.

CANCER (June 22-July 22)****You don’t have to be as skilled as a professional chef to throw a dinner party--so what else is stopping you? Your social circle needs a get together to look forward to, and they would love for you to host them.

LEO (July 23-August 22) ***There is no law that says you can’t stir things up once in a while! Today, pick a controversial topic and ask someone smart what they think about it. Who knows whether any major drama will erupt or not--but you will get a charge of out whatever happens.

VIRGO (August 23-September 22)***You need to develop a more analytical attitude, especially when it comes to people you don’t like. If they rub you the wrong way, so what? Do they really have an impact on your life and on your opportunities? If so, then you need to address it once and for all.

LIBRA (September 23-October 22)***Today you will have an intense magnetic effect on people, which will be thrilling and fun. But keep in mind that while you are pull-ing some fabulous people into your orbit, you will also undoubt-edly pull in one or two very insecure people, too.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21)**If you are going to say something that might be tough for some-one to hear today, first consider their temper. Is it easily trig-gered? If so, then make sure you start your conversation on a positive note!

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21)*****Your fresh attitude is fresher than ever right now, and today it will help other people jump onto the happy wagon right along with you! This is a time full of brightness and laughter in your life!

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19)**If you are working on building a new romance, the best course of action for you right now is to take no action at all! Now is not the time for you to move any relationships forward--espe-cially new ones.

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18)*****Get ready to ride a gigantic wave of creative energy today--it might hit you with little or no notice, so make sure you’ve always got a pen and paper nearby. The little gems you write down will come in handy in a few weeks when you’re looking for inspiration.

PISCES (February 19-March 20)****Today it will be easy for you to see the truth behind any false fronts, so it’s a great day for judging someone or picking a new member of your team. After a few minutes of light conversation you will be able to know who is genuine and who is full of it.

TODAY’SHOROSCOPE

Nai Na BhaNNu La 4QFX Civil Mall: 11:45/14:45/18:00

QFX Kumari: 12:00QFX Jai Nepal: 15:15/18:15

3D KuNg Fu PaNDa 3QFX Civil Mall: 12:30/15:00/18:15

QFX Kumari: 15:30/18:00

Ki & KaQFX Jai Nepal: 12:15

QFX Kumari: 15:00/18:15QFX Civil Mall: 15:15

3D BatmaN V SuPermaN: DawN oF JuStice

QFX Civil Mall: 12:00/18:30QFX Kumari: 12:15

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revolution cafe, AmritMarg, Thamel, away from busy crowed street, offers great music, fast wi-fi and wide menu with rea-sonable prices. Operation hours: 7 am to 10 pm, contact: 4433630

Enjoy Gourmet saturday Brunch with your family and friends at the Sunrise Restaurant , Hotel Yak & Yeti from 12-7 pm every Saturday. Contact: 4248999

Escape, relax and get in shape @ Hyatt regency. Embark on a personal well-being at Club Oasis. Remember us for Tennis, sauna, Jacuzzi, swimming, fitness centre and Beauty Salon. Contact: 4491234

Learn cardio, gym, aerobics, zumba, spa, boxing, kick-boxing, b-boying, bollywood dance at oyster spa and Fitness club, Sinamangal. Time: Sunday to Friday from 5 am to 8 pm. Contact: 4110554

Jasmine Fitness club and spa, Fully equipped gym and spa; Zumba, aerobics and cardio classes; therapeutic massage; beauty parlour and men’s salon. Tripureshwor; Contact: 4117120

Ayurveda Health Home has been providing ayurvedic treatments/ massages, sirodhara & counseling for stress, detox & rehabilitation. Dhapasi, Kathmandu: 01-4358761, Lakeside Pokhara 061-463205

Yoga detox and Ayurveda treatments and retreats every day at Himalayan Peace & Wellness Centre, Park Village Hotel. Get 10% discount on all Ayurvedic treatments. Contact: 980106661

Krishnarpan—a specialty Nepali Restaurant at dwarika’s, 6 courses to 22 courses Nepali meal served. Opening Time: 6 pm-11 pm. Prior reservations required, contact: 4479448

The Italian restaurant serves authentic Italian cuisines in an elegant ambience for both lunch and dinner. Timings: Lunch: 1230-1445 hrs, dinner: 1900-2245 hrs, contact: 427399, at soaltee crowne Plaza

Every Friday evening enjoy starry Night BBQ from 7 pm onwards at shambala Garden café at Hotel shangri La with live musical performance by Ciney Gurung. Contact: 4412999

Enjoy Bubbly Brunch every Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm at shambala Gardena and club sundhara. Contact: 4412999

Savour the cardamom and saffron spice, slow-cooked kebabs and kormas at Indian restaurant serving Awadhi cuisine. contact: 427399, at Soaltee Crowne Plaza

china Garden offers delectable dishes from across Asia, including Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese. Timings: Lunch: 1230-1445 hrs, dinner: 1900-2245 hrs, contact: 427399 at soaltee crowne Plaza

Garden Terrace offers an authentic world cuisine, providing diners with the unique experience of observing their selected dish-es being prepared by chefs. contact: 427399 at soaltee crowne Plaza

Kaiser cafe restaurant & Bar at The Garden of dreams, opening time: 9 am till 9 pm, offers an international cafe menu serv-ing breakfast, lunch, dinner, specialty tea’s, coffees and pastries, contact: 4425341

Embers Bar, Pulchowk, in all its sophistica-tion and glory is happy to announce Happy Hours every 6-7pm. It will be hosting a Barbeque night every Friday from 6:30-9:30pm

Mako’s offers traditional Japanese food served. Don’t miss out on Mako’s special Tempuras, and green tea ice cream, Time: 11: 30-14:30 & 19:00-22:00, contact: 4479448

Manny’s Eatery and bar introduces a spe-cial lunch package that is affordable, tasty, nutritious and quick enough to fit your lunch break, Jawalakhel, shaligram complex, 5536919

The Toran, an ideal location for all day loung-ing and informal dining offers multi-cuisines. Contact: dwarika’s Hotel, 4479488

weekends brunch @ Hyatt regency—treat yourself with a lavish buffet lunch, splash by the swimming pool or laze around outdoor, Jacuzzi, all for just Rs 2300 plus taxes per person. Contact: 4491234

Enjoy New Year lunch at Gokarna Forest resort with live music by Time Band on April 13 from 12 pm to 3 pm at the Courtyard Garden. Also enjoy lunch and dinner at the Club House restaurant.

We serve nothing but the finest Arabica coffees at great value prices at Barista Lavazza coffee restaurant, Lazimpat, contact: 4005123/4005124

Bourbon room, Lal Durbar Marg is open for lunch from 12 noon. Enjoy affordable and deli-cious meals starting from Rs 99! We are cur-rently offering Indian & chinese combos along with momos. call: 4441703

Enjoy a Barbecue Buffet at the radisson Hotel, wide selection of mixed fresh grills and vegetables together with a choice of salads and a delicious dessert buffet at a rate of Rs. 1,350 plus taxes per person. Contact: 4411818

Latin—Gypsy Jazz at The corner Bar, Radisson Hotel, Kathmandu with Hari Maharjan feat Monsif Mzibiri, 7 pm onwards, Wednesdays & Fridays. contact: 4411818

sandwich and crepes: Taste the sandwich-es and crepes at The Lounge from 11 am to 6 pm everyday. For further details call Hyatt Regency at 4491234.

rosemary Kitchen and coffee shop, Thamel, opening hours: 7:00 am to 10:00 pm offers an International cuisine in reason-able prices. Contact 01-4267554

out-of-Africa Lunch amid rural splendor: Sat & Sun from 1130 to 1630 hours at The Watering Hole, Indrawati River Valley. For prior reservation contact: indrawatire-sort@gmail.com

Tibetan Gyakok for Lunch & Dinner every day at The Mandarin, The Everest Hotel ph: 4780100 ext: 7811

Make your weekend more exciting with family and friends with sumptuous Satey, Dimsums, Mangolian Barbecue and Pasta at The Cafe from 12:30 noon to 4:00 pm. Call: Hyatt Regency, at 4491234

The most delightfully awesome chicken momos & yummy rich chocolate cake on this part of the planet @ Just Baked Bakery & cafe, Battisputali, offering much more spe-cialties at affordable price.

Enjoy snacks and drinks from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm every day and nightly live music from “The corner Band” except Tuesday and Saturday from 7 pm to 11:00 pm at corner Bar, radisson Hotel. contact: 4411818

Every Friday BBQ from 7:00 pm at Fusion Bar & Pool side at Dwarika’s Hotel with live band “Dinesh Rai and Sound of Mind”. Price Rs 1600/ includes BBQ dinner and a can of beer or a soft drink. Contact: 4479448

Hotel Narayani complex, Pulchowk, Lalitpur presents Shabnam & Cannabiz Band every Wednesday and Rashmi & Kitcha Band every Friday, 7:30 PM onwards @ Absolute bar P Ltd; contact: 5521408

starry Night BBQ—every Friday Evening from 7:00 pm at shambala Garden café, Hotel, shangri~La only @ rs 1799 net per person and live performance by ciney Gurung. contact: 4412999

Enjoy live dJ nights, on every Sunday chill out/ ambient, Wednesday tech/ funk house & Friday psy/ proggy/ full on from 6:00 pm to 10 pm at garden and 7:00 pm onwards at club at Funky Buddha resturant & Bar, contact: 4700091

Set within the historic Garden of Dreams, the Kaiser cafe restaurant and Bar, Thamel, offers a continental menu and serves as an atmospheric venue for anything from a quiet coffee or intimate meal. contact: 442534

Trisara offers food and drinks along with good music and great times. Sunday- Live Music by Barbeque Night, Monday, Wednesday-by Positive vibes, Tuesday, Saturday-By Jyovan Bhuju, Friday-Live Music by Dexterous

Experience The Last resort, the perfect place for family fun adventure and relaxation. Special packages for residents. contact: 4700525/ 4701247 or mail us at info@thelastresort.com.np

Asia world Travel Pvt Ltd presents fascinat-ing luxury escapades to amazing destinations: Prague, Ladakh, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Mount Kailash and Panchpokhari in North East Nepal. contact: 6222604

Jungle safari Lodge, sauraha chitwan offers 2 Nights 3 Days package only for Rs 6500 per person. Suman 9851008399

Much needed getaway—1 night/2 day package @ Hyatt Regency. Enjoy luxury stay of a five star hotel for a couple with breakfast and access to spa facilities for just Rs 9999 plus taxes per person only. Contact: 4491234

Experience the Gyakok @ shambala Garden, Hotel shangri~la only @ Nrs.1700 Nett per person and Nrs.3000 Nett for cou-ple. For more details and reservation: 4412999

sportskathmandu postthe

Wednesday, april 13, 2016pG 11 kathmandupost.ekantipur.com

McEvoy rings warning bellCameron McEvoy has zoomed into gold medal cal-culations for the 100-metres freestyle at the Rio Olympics with the third fastest time in history at the Australian Championships in Adelaide on Monday. The 21-year-old won the sprint in a new Commonwealth and Australian record of 47.04 seconds in this year’s fastest time in the event.

‘Conte to be cleared of fraud’Future Chelsea manager Antonio Conte will be cleared of sporting fraud charges because he is “a total stranger” to the world of sports betting, his lawyers claimed on Monday. Conte’s appointment as Chelsea manager last week was overshadowed when an Italian court called for the 46-year-old to receive a six-month suspended jail sentence over match-fixing allegations.

Milan sack coach MihajlovicAC Milan have announced the sacking of coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, replacing the Serbian with youth

team handler Cristian Brocchi until the end of the season. A statement from the struggling

Serie A giants on Tuesday read: “Sinisa Mihajlovic has been relieved of his role as AC Milan coach.”

sports diGestNigeria faces Fifa suspensionABUJA: Football’s world governing body Fifa on Monday told Nigeria they risk suspension after a court ruling which nullified the elec-tions of the executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation. Should the ruling be implemented, Fifa would consider sanctions, “including the suspen-sion of the NFF”, the let-ter dated April 11 from acting secretary general Markus Kattne, added. Fifa statutes dictate that member states should “manage their affairs independently with no influence from third par-ties”. (AFP)

Sania honoured with Padma BhushanNEW DELHI: Indian tennis star Sania Mirza was conferred with Padma Bhushan at Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Tuesday for her contribution to the game. Sania and her partner Swiss legend Martina Hingis took the tennis world by storm for much of last year with a 41-match winning streak which finally came to an end with a shock loss at the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open earlier this year. The Indo-Swiss pair won 10 titles together, including nine consecu-tive ones. (IANS)

C M Y K

n Ranjan Bista of APF Club and Sanjay Rajbahak (left) vie for the ball during their Pokhara Cup match on Tuesday. Post Photo: BhiM GhiMirE

Nepal look to bounce backAdArshA dhAkAlKathmandu, april 12

Nepal will eye a comeback in the ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Championship when they host international crick-et after three years with their third round matches against Namibia.

Nepal will take on Namibia on April 16 and 18 for their first international match at home after playing eventual champions Afghanistan in the ACC Twenty20 Elite on April 3, 2013. Winless Nepal are cur-rently at the bottom of the eight-team WCL, which will provide automatic berth to the top four teams in the 2018 ICC World Cup Qualifiers to be held in Bangladesh.

Nepal can be back into con-tention in the Championship provided they take full advan-tage of the home conditions and beat Namibia in the two 50-over matches. However, Nepal skipper Paras Khadka is cautious. “Its great to have an international game here. Playing on home turf is an advantage for us but this is a Division 1 competition and none of the teams are going to be easy for us,” said Khadka. With problems persisting in the cricket administration due to the existence of paral-lel governing bodies, Nepal have not seen a national tour-nament for over a year.

Their preparations, along with lingering doubts over

hosting the event, is managed by a direct involvement from the International Cricket Council (ICC). Khadka said the team was into its final stages of preparations. “The boys are shaping up well. Each individual has been given a role. Now it’s about how well we can perform on that given day,” said Khadka.

Considering the intensity of the game, the ICC has hired former national team coach Pubudu Dassanayake as a con-sultant coach, a recruitment

that has rejuvenated the team. “Under him (Dassanayake), we have always enjoyed our game. He has helped us grow as cricketers. Although he is here for a short period, its good to have him back. Jagat sir (head coach Jagat Tamatta) has also doing a great job. But at this level more than the number or quality of coaches, we are counting on the experi-ence of our players. Each indi-vidual has to step up and give a good show,” said Khadka.

Tamatta, who recently led

Nepal to the ICC U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, believes a big challenge awaits his team. “Namibia are a strong team. It’s a challenge for us to play against them but we will be backed by a huge crowd,” said Tamatta adding the home matches have enabled them to play according to plans.

“We have packed the team with spinners because the wickets are slow. Selection of rookie spinners—left-armer Sushan Bhari and leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane—will

be a surprise for them along with Raju Rijal,” said Tamatta. While Lamichhane and U-19 skipper Raju Rijal won the spots due to their per-formance in the U-19 World Cup, Bhari sneaked in on the back of his fine performance in recent knockout tourna-ments and closed-camp train-ing. Consultant coach Dassanayake knows the team would have to do a lot to get back into contention. “The boys are putting a lot of effort. Its a bit disappointing to see

our senior boys doing nothing in the last three months but they have put in a lot of effort to recover,” said Dassanayake. “I don’t think we are very far from the top four spot. We need to leave behind the last two round games. I strongly believe Nepal will end the losing streak,” said the for-mer coach. Under Dassanayake, Nepal lost all their four matches—two each against Scotland and PNG—that saw them languish at the bottom of the table.

n Former Indian cricketer Venkatapathy Raju (centre), the ICC Asia officer and team manager of Nepal for the matches against Namibia, with Nepali cricketers during a training session at the Tribhuvan University Stadium in Kirtipur on Tuesday. Post Photo: Kaushal adhiKari

icc wcl championship

Nepal set to play eight-team int’l tournamentPost rePortKathmandu, april 12

The national football team’s fear of not getting to play international football this year has finally ended after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) pro-posed a new tournament among the region’s low-est-ranked teams.

An AFC Competitions Committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday proposed the tournament which will take place in November 2016 and September 2020. The event will give the chance to play competitive games to Asia’s bottom-ranked teams.

The new event has been put forward to the table in order to replace AFC Challenge Cup which was scrapped after the fifth edition in 2014.

Nepal had hosted the Finals of the fourth edition of the tournament, won by North Korea. Fifa World Cup first round losers Nepal, Brunei Darussalam, Macau, Mongolia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, apart from two bottom teams eliminated after the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 qualifiers playoff, will form the participating teams for the 2016 competition.

“The 14-day tournament will be played between the eight teams at a centralised

venue, providing not only a minimum of three matches, but also including coaching, refereeing, technical and event management education courses,” the regional football governing body said in its offi-cial website.

Nepal had recently bounced back from the match-fixing scandals involving national footballers and 10-year sus-pension of long-serving Anfa President Ganesh Thapa on corruption and bribery charg-es by winning two interna-tional titles in a matter of 23 days. They won the Bangabandhu Gold Cup in Bangladesh before claiming 12th South Asian Games foot-ball gold in an event held in Assam and Guwahati from February 5-16.

With one generation of players bidding adieu to the game, newcomers have shown signs of a bright future but a threat of not being able to play international matches for at least next two years had cast doubt on their development.

The new event has been put on board to replace AFC

Challenge Cup which was scrapped after the fifth

edition in 2014

APF rout Nawa Jana Jagriti 4-0shivA shArmApoKhara, april 12

Ranjan Bista struck a hat-trick as Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club hammered Nawa Jana Jagriti Club of Simara 4-0 in the inaugural game of the Pokhara Cup foot-ball tournament on Tuesday.

Bista opened the scoring for the departmental team early in the third minute, capitaliz-ing on a pass from Santosh Shrestha. APF added two more goals in the first half to all but seal the match. It was Bista again to add to the APF tally in the 17th minute. He darted down the centre of the field, cut past Nawa Jana Jagriti defender Sanjay Rajbahak before slam-ming home his second goal.

APF would have been 3-0 up in the 35th minute only for Nabin Lama to miss a sitter. However, Lama made amends for the missed opportunity eight minute later by adding the third goal for APF. Man-of-the-match Bista then complet-ed his hat-trick, heading home

in the 48th minute on a cross from Santosh Shrestha.

APF coach Janak Singh Tharu said his should have added more goals but for some close misses. “We played real-ly well but we also missed out on scoring more goals. The APF coach said his side took advantage of the porous Nawa Janagriti defense.

APF have participated in all four edition of this tourna-ment, making it to the semi-fi-nals once and eliminated in the quarter-finals on three

other occa-sions. APF will now play

departmental arch-rival Nepal Police Club next.

Nawa Janajagriti coach Dadhik Chhetri said his team was a combination of youth and experienced which result-ed into team lacking in coordi-nation. “Players lost their composure and leaky defense also did not help our cause,” added the coach of the team that recently won the fifth Simara Gold Cup.

Jhapa-XI will take on Rupandehi-XI on Wednesday.

pokhara cup

roMa hEld By BoloGnaAgence FrAnce-Pressemilan, april 12

Roma coach Luciano Spalletti remained defiant on the thorny issue of captain Francesco Totti after the out-of-favour club captain provid-ed his first assist of the season in a frustrating 1-1 draw with Bologna on Monday.

Totti’s future at the club for whom he has played 23 sea-sons is a hot topic in Italy as the Serie A giants stall on offering the 39-year-old an extra year’s deal. Partially due to injury, Totti has made only a handful of appearances this season, but when ‘Il Re di Roma’ (the King of Rome) replaced Iago Falque at half-time he made an almost imme-diate impact.

Roma were trailing 1-0 after a 25th minute opener by Luca Rossettini, who capitalised on a moment of hesitation from Wojciech Szczesny at a freek-ick to beat the Roma goalkeep-er at his far post. Lively Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah had already hit the post in the opening half and found the woodwork again minutes after the restart.

But Salah made no mistake when he collected Totti’s through ball moments later. With only the goalkeeper to beat after Bologna’s offside trap malfunctioned, Salah slid the ball easily past Antonio Mirante to pull the scores level on 50 minutes. Juventus remain top and on course for a fifth straight scudetto.

serie a

Published and Printed by Kantipur Publications Pvt. Ltd. Kantipur Complex, Subidhanagar, Kathmandu, Nepal, Phone: 5135000, Fax: 977-1-5135057, e-mail: kpost@kmg.com.np, Regd. No. 32/048/049, Chairman & Managing Director : Kailash Sirohiya, Director : Swastika Sirohiya, Editor-in-Chief : Akhilesh Upadhyay

thekathmandu postsports 12Wednesday, April 13, 2016

sports digestBallardini named Palermo coachMILAN: Trigger-happy Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has made his eighth coach-ing change of the season after announcing the sacking of Walter Novellino and the return of Davide Ballardini on Monday. Palermo are hovering around the Serie A relegation zone, a state of affairs that caused irate fans to throw flares onto the pitch, causing two stop-pages, in a 3-0 defeat to Lazio on Sunday. I (AFP)

De Jong faces fury over tackleLOS ANGELES: Dutch international Nigel de Jong faced calls for a ban on Monday after a horror tackle which left a Major League Soccer opponent needing to be taken off the pitch in a wheelchair. Los Angeles Galaxy mid-fielder de Jong triggered outrage on Sunday after an ugly challenge on Portland Timbers rival Darlington Nagbe during the team’s 1-1 draw. (AFP)

Getafe sack coach EscribaMADRID: The Spanish League strugglers Getafe have sacked coach Fran Escriba after a 12-game winless run saw them slip into the relegation zone with just six games remaining. The club have yet to name Escriba’s successor, but Madrid sports daily Marca reported former midfielder Javier Casquero is set to be put in charge for the rest of the season. Getafe are two points from safety and face the daunting task of a visit from Real Madrid on Saturday. (AFP)

Ex-Real player Felipe dies MADRID: Former Real Madrid defender Pedro de Felipe died here aged 71, the Spanish football club said on Tuesday. De Felipe, who was born in Madrid in 1944, won the European Cup in 1966, five La Liga titles and a Copa del Rey during his career with Real Madrid. De Felipe played a total of 170 games and was one of the most prominent defenders for Real Madrid who dominated the Spanish football in the 1960s. (IANS)

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

Slumping Barca seek response at Atletico

ReuteRsMADRID, APRIL 12

Barcelona can redress their stuttering domestic form by sealing their passage to the Champions League semi-fi-nals when they visit Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

Last season’s treble win-ners Barca are in their worst run of form in La Liga since coach Luis Enrique took charge in August 2014, losing their last two games to Real Madrid and Real Sociedad and drawing with Villarreal.

Although those results have seen their La Liga lead over second-placed Atletico cut to three points, Barca are still on track to become the first Spanish team to win the treble two years in a row, with the King’s Cup final against Sevilla coming up next month.

The visitors take a 2-1 lead from the first leg into the return match at the Vicente Calderon, Luis Suarez’s dou-ble having cancelled out Fernando Torres’ opener after the former Chelsea striker was sent off in the 35th min-ute. “There’s no time for apol-

ogies or excuses, we need results. It’s not the time to sink low and think that we’re on a horrible run,” said Enrique. “There are reasons to be optimistic although the results have not been what we want.” Thomas Vermaelen is out and Rafinha doubtful due

to injury but Barca top scorer Suarez returns after the Uruguayan served a suspen-sion. Enrique is also likely to recall Jordi Alba, Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic after starting them on the bench in the 1-0 defeat by Sociedad.

The plan to rest those play-

ers ahead of the trip to Madrid backfired when 18-year-old Mikel Oiarzabal headed Sociedad in front in the fifth minute and Barca struggled to break down the opposition for the remainder of the game. Despite having seven shots, Lionel Messi could not find a way through and the Argentine has now gone 362 minutes without scoring.

Atletico are dreaming of a repeat of their 2014 quarter-fi-nal second leg against Barca when an early goal by Koke delivered a 1-0 win and 2-1 aggregate win. “The stadium will be buzzing. I’m sure it’s going to be a great night,” said midfielder Koke. “The other day we couldn’t win because of circumstances but at home we’re going to turn it around.”

Atletico defenders Jose Gimenez and Stefan Savic are doubtful while Tiago Mendes is definitely out and Torres suspended following his dis-missal at the Nou Camp.

United face West Ham in replayAgence FRAnce-PResseLONDON, APRIL 12

Having each seen their Champions League qualifica-tion hopes fade at the week-end, West Ham United and Manchester United approach Wednesday’s FA Cup quar-ter-final replay with special motivation to progress.

For West Ham, the competi-tion represents a final oppor-tunity to crown their farewell season at the Boleyn Ground, which stages its last ever FA Cup tie, with a piece of silverware. Visiting manager Louis van Gaal, meanwhile, may need to win the FA Cup, which his team haven’t won since 2004, if he is to stand any chance of holding onto his job, after Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur left his side four points off the Champions League places with only six games of the season remaining.

“It is the last chance of a title so it is very important for the players, for the club, for the manager, for the fans,” said the Dutchman, who is yet to win a trophy in close to two full seasons at Old Trafford. “And still we have one day less than West Ham, because that’s also important. But we have

proved against Arsenal and Man City (in the Premier League) that in spite of less days to recover we could beat them. So I hope that we shall recover very good, also men-tally, because this (losing to Tottenham) is again a blow of course. But everybody knows that this is the last chance.”

Van Gaal could be boosted by the return of captain Wayne Rooney, who had a run-out for the club’s Under-21s on Monday after missing 12

games with a knee injury. But given a choice of venues for such a pivotal encoun-

ter in his United tenure, it is reasonable to assume that the Boleyn Ground would have been among the very last names on Van Gaal’s list.

The venerable east London stadium, West Ham’s home since 1904, will be charged with emotion and has already provided the scene for a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Liverpool in a fourth-round replay, as well as league wins over Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea.

uefa champions league

n coaches Atletico: Diego Simeone (ARG),

45-yr-old Barca: Luis Enrique (ESP), 45-yr-oldn Leading scorers in all competitions Atletico: Antoine Griezmann (27

goals) Barca: Luis Suarez (43 goals)n Road to the quarter-finals Atletico: Winners of Group C ahead

of Benfica; beat PSV Eindhoven on penalties after 0-0 aggregate draw in last 16

Barca: Winners of Group E ahead of Roma; beat Arsenal 5-1 on aggregate in last 16

n European Cup/Champions League best performances

Atletico: Runners-up 1974, 2014 Barca: Winners in 1992, 2006, 2009,

2011, 2015n Other honours Barca: 23-time La Liga, 27-time

Spanish Cup, 11-time Spanish Super Cup, 5-time European Super Cup, 4-time Cup Winners’ Cup, 3-time Fairs Cup, 3-time Club World Cup champions

Ateltico: 10-time La Liga, 10-time Spanish Cup, 2-time Spanish Super Cup, 1-time Cup Winners’ Cup, 2-time Europa League, 2-time Euro-pean Super Cup, 1-time Interconti-nental Cup champions

n Previous European meetings before this season

Barca 1-1 Atletico (2013-14 Champi-ons League quarter-final first leg)

Atletico 1-0 Barcelona (2013-14 Champions League quarter-final second leg)

Atletico-Barca Facts

n Barcelona players during a training session at the Sports Center FC Barcelona Joan Gamper in Sant Joan Despi, Spain, on Tuesday on the eve of their Uefa Champions League match against Atletico Madrid. AP

LISBON: Bayern Munich have a seven-point lead in the Bundesliga and are on course for an unprecedent-ed fourth straight title.

Benfica are two points clear at the top of the Primeira Liga and closing in on their third consecu-tive crown. The two on-form clubs meet on Wednesday in Lisbon in the return leg of their Champions League quarter-final game, with Bayern 1-0 up from the first leg in Germany.

There’s a big difference in pedigree: Bayern are aiming to reach their fifth

consecutive semi-finals and also hopes to repeat their feat of Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup titles. The Portuguese club, meanwhile, are hop-ing to reach the tourna-ment’s last four for the first time in 26 years.

Bayern are hoping top-scorers Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Mueller rediscover their scoring form. Neither of the pair--with a combined 64 goals across Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup--has scored the past three games. (AP)

Bayern take slim lead to Benfica

FixturesAtletico vs Barca (First leg: 1-2)Benfica vs Bayern (First leg: 0-1)

fa cup

n Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney in action against Middlesbrough U-21 team at Old Trafford on Monday. REutERS

FixtureWest Ham vs Man United (2345 NST, Wednesday)

Taylor forced to retire at 26Agence FRAnce-PResseLONDON, APRIL 12

Nottinghamshire and England batsman James Taylor has been forced to retire at the age of just 26 because of a “very serious” heart condition, his county announced on Tuesday.

Taylor, who won the last of his seven caps in England’s most recent Test against South Africa at Centurion three months ago, withdrew from Nottinghamshire’s open-ing and ongoing County Championship match at home to Surrey because of illness. The Midlands county announced on its website on Tuesday that “specialist scans revealed yesterday (Monday) that the 26-year-old has the very serious heart condition, ARVC (Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Arrhythmia).”

Taylor, whose condition requires surgery, told his Twitter followers: “Safe to say this has been the toughest week of my life! My world is upside down. But I’m here to stay and I’m battling on! #lifestooshort.” His diagnosis is similar to that of former Bolton Wanderers footballer Fabrice Muamba, whose career was cut short after he collapsed on the pitch in 2012.

England and Wales Cricket Board director Andrew Strauss, Taylor’s first England Test captain, said: “It is both shocking and saddening to hear that James’ career has been cut short in such a sud-den and unexpected manner. Throughout his career, he has constantly impressed with his determination to make the absolute most of his ability, and it is immensely cruel that such a hard-working player

will be unable to fulfil his great potential in the interna-tional arena. The ECB will work closely with Nottinghamshire and togeth-er we will do everything possi-ble to help James through this difficult period, and aid him in his recovery.”

Born in Nottingham, the diminutive Taylor made his first-class debut for Leicestershire in 2008, with the middle-order batsman making his Test bow against South Africa at Headingley four years later. But after those first two caps in 2012, he had to wait more than three years for another Test.

Recent months had wit-nessed some of his best inter-national performances. Although his seven Tests did not yield a hundred, with his top score of 76 coming against Pakistan in November last year. Taylor also made 27 ODI appearances with his lone century against Australia at Old Trafford in September.

n James Taylor