- Monday, 25 May 2026
TRN Online
UML forges electoral alliance with RPP, Nepal
By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Apr. 13: CPN (UML) has forged an electoral alliance with the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Nepal (RPP).The RPP candidates will use the election symbol of the UML, the sun, while contending for the local level election which is slated for May 13.Chief of the UML's local development department, Devendra Dahal and chief of the RPP's local level mobilization department Sushil Kumar Shrestha signed a five-point agreement to this effect at the UML's headquarters on Wednesday.The two parties will field their common candidate at local levels in mutual understanding.
15 new cases, 49 recoveries in 24 hours
Kathmandu, April 13: With 15 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed on Wednesday, the nation's novel coronavirus tally has reached 978,631.In 3,349 Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests done in the past 24 hours, a total of 15 persons were found infected with SARS-CoV-2, informed the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) in its regular update.Likewise, the virus infection was detected in four-person in 1366 antigen tests performed in the last 24 hours.Currently, there are 520 active cases of COVID-19 across the nation of which, 24 are admitted to various institutional isolation while 496 patients are placed in home isolation.Of the active patients, 12 are admitted to the ICU and one is under treatment with the ventilator facility.Meanwhile, 49 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment in institutional isolation or staying in home isolation recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours. Nepal has now recorded 966,160 cases of recovery, and the recovery rate is at 98.7 per cent. The MoHP on Wednesday added zero COVID-19 related fatalities to the nation's COVID-19 death toll, which has now reached 11,951.
Shiels apologises for 'emotional women' remark
April 13: Northern Ireland boss Kenny Shiels has apologised for saying "women are more emotional than men" when discussing his side's 5-0 defeat by England.Shiels' remarks drew criticism from former England players Siobhan Chamberlain and Ian Wright.He said on Wednesday that he was "sorry for the offence" caused."I am an advocate for the women's game and passionate about developing opportunities for women and girls to flourish," he said.Shiels' side conceded four second-half goals in a 5-0 defeat by England that left them unable to qualify for next year's Women's World Cup.He told a post-match news conference: "I felt [England] were struggling a wee bit at times to open us up until the psychology of going 2-0 up in the women's game."I'm sure you will have noticed if you go through the patterns - when a team concedes a goal, they concede the second one in a very, very short space of time."[It happens] right through the whole spectrum of the women's game, because girls and women are more emotional than men. So, they take a goal going in not very well."The match was attended by a crowd of 15,348 at Windsor Park in Belfast - a record for a women's match in the country."I wish to apologise for my comments made in the post-match press conference last night," Shiels said.'Last night was a special occasion for the women's game in Northern Ireland and I am proud to manage a group of players who are role models for so many girls, and boys, across the country."Former goalkeeper Chamberlain, who played 50 times for England, said Shiels had to take responsibility for "knowing the value that words can hold"."I think we all know that the five minutes after you concede a goal - not just in women's football, [also] in men's football - you're more likely to concede a goal," Chamberlain, speaking before Shiels' apology, told BBC Radio 5 Live."To just generalise that to women is a slightly bizarre comment."When you give post-match news conferences when you're feeling emotional after a big game, it's important to make sure that you are speaking sensibly and are aware of the message that your words can carry."Wright tweeted that Shiels was "talking foolishness".Yvonne Harrison, chief executive of Women in Football, said Shiels' remarks were "very unhelpful"."Hearing a man talking about women being too emotional in this day and age, I just felt like I'd gone back 30 years, to be perfectly honest with you," Harrison told PA news agency."It's something women have had to face for years and years right across society, not just sport."But I caveat that with his team had just been beaten 5-0 by a very strong Lionesses team and that's not easy to take, and you've got all the media on you."Shiels, 65, was appointed manager of the senior women's team in May 2019, having previously led Kilmarnock and Derry City's men's teams.He oversaw Northern Ireland's successful Euro 2022 play-off campaign, which saw them secure the country's first-ever qualification for a major women's tournament.Shiels described his side's qualification as the "UK's greatest sporting achievement".England went 1-0 up in the 26th minute but had to wait until the 52nd minute to add a second."When we went 1-0 down we tried to slow it down to give them time to get that emotional imbalance out of their heads. That's an issue we have," Shiels continued in his Tuesday news conference."Not just in Northern Ireland but all of the countries in the world."
Edwards, Russell carry Wolves past Clippers in play-in game
By DAVE CAMPBELL, MINNEAPOLIS, April 13 (AP) — Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell came through with a steady stream of the clutch makes. Patrick Beverley supplied the intensity in an emotional triumph over his former team.The Minnesota Timberwolves proved they belong in the playoffs, and that rare air for this franchise is just where they’re headed.Edwards and Russell combined for 59 points to help the Timberwolves overcome a rough night for Karl-Anthony Towns and beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-104 in a play-in game on Tuesday night.“The game had to go in a different direction,” coach Chris Finch said. “That’s why you have a team because a lot of other people step up.”Edwards scored 30 points with five 3-pointers and Russell had 29 points and six assists to send the Wolves to the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference and a first-round matchup with Memphis.“Just utilizing what we have,” Russell said. “We’ve got a lot of pieces that complement each other.”Paul George finished with 34 points after shooting 2 for 10 in the first half for the Clippers, who have a second chance to make the playoffs with a home game on Friday for the No. 8 seed against either New Orleans or San Antonio.Reggie Jackson (17 points) and Norman Powell (16 points) did their part in stretches, but the Clippers failed to create enough separation when the Timberwolves were sputtering through most of the first half.Towns had only 11 points on 3-for-11 shooting and fouled out midway through the fourth quarter, but his sidekicks were more than up to the challenge.“I took what the game gave me. That’s what they gave me. They were scared to guard me, and I took advantage of that,” Edwards said.Jackson’s 3-pointer gave the Clippers their largest lead of the game at 93-83 with 8:54 remaining, but about 4 minutes later Russell knocked down the go-ahead 3-pointer for a 97-95 advantage the Wolves never relinquished. He saluted the crowd for the punctuation.Edwards followed with a tomahawk dunk after blowing by Powell at the top of the key.“I’m one of the best defensive guys on earth, and no one can guard him,” said Beverley, who was in tears during the spirited celebration afterwards as Edwards hopped up on the scorer’s table.The fans were fired up for this fast-paced, fast-improving team that’s headed to the playoffs for the second time in 17 years, but the buzz wore off a bit in the third quarter while George found his groove with a smooth 15 points.Then Towns fouled out with 7:34 to go, less than 2 minutes after he had just checked back in.“They played a lot better without KAT on the floor,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “They got into us defensively. They switched on a lot more stuff. I just didn’t think we made the right plays.”The Clippers had success disrupting Towns during the regular season when they won three of the four matchups, losing only in January when George was out, and they spared no energy attacking the two-time All-Star centre from every which way. Nicolas Batum was his primary tormentor, but most of the Clippers had a hand in it.Towns failed to make a basket in the first half for the first time in more than three years, an 0-for-7 clunker. His only points came on a pair of free throws, and he flashed a sarcastic smile and pumped his first after getting that call.STICKING WITH ITThe Wolves trailed 45-38 when Towns exited with his fourth foul with 3:48 left before halftime, but there was a delay less than a minute later after a woman from the crowd sneaked onto the court during a dead ball on the other end. Staging an animal rights protest, she glued her hand to the hardwood along the baseline and sprawled out before security was able to pry her away.The Timberwolves took advantage of the extended pause. Russell hit two mid-range floaters and a 3-pointer over the balance of the half to help stake them to a 53-51 lead at the break.BEVERLEY ILLSThe most central figure in this matchup might have been Beverley, the relentless defender and ace agitator who spent the last four seasons with the Clippers.The NBA announced a $25,000 fine for Beverley shortly before tipoff for his “improper conduct” in Minnesota’s last game toward referee David Guthrie, at whom he yelled, “You’re trash!” on his way off the court following his ejection for a second technical foul.Beverley got a technical in the third quarter of this game, too, after tussling with Marcus Morris Sr. Far, more importantly, he had seven points and a game-high 11 rebounds.“When he’s in that mode, it ignites the team,” George said. “It ignites the arena.”TIP-INSClippers: Backup guard Luke Kennard, their fifth-leading scorer, stayed home because of a hamstring injury.Timberwolves: Backup forward Taurean Prince was out with a swollen knee.UP NEXTClippers: Host the San Antonio-New Orleans winner on Friday night. The Spurs play at the Pelicans on Wednesday night in an elimination game.Timberwolves: Game 1 in Memphis is on Saturday afternoon.
Women's Tour to feature biggest-ever field in 2022
April 13: This year's Women's Tour will feature the biggest field in the British race's eight-year history with 108 riders from 18 teams set to compete.All 14 of the UCI WorldTeams are included, including the top-ranked Team SD Worx and their defending champion Demi Vollering.Two British teams, CAMS-Basso and Le Col-Wahoo, are also part of the field.The race runs from 6-11 June, with the first stage starting in Colchester and finishing in Bury St Edmunds."We are once again thrilled by the line-up of the world's best teams competing, alongside two British squads to excite the home crowd, in this year's Women's Tour," said race director Mick Bennett.The Women's Tour returns to its traditional June spot for the first time since 2019 because of the pandemic with Dutch rider Vollering winning last year's race in October after the 2020 edition was cancelled.Race scheduleStage one: Colchester to Bury St Edmunds, Monday 6 JuneStage two: To be announced, Tuesday 7 JuneStage three: Tewkesbury to Gloucester, Wednesday 8 JuneStage four: To be announced, Thursday 9 JuneStage five: Pembrey Country Park to Black Mountain, Friday 10 JuneStage six: Chipping Norton to Oxford, Saturday 11 JuneTeamsCAMS-Basso (Great Britain)Canyon//SRAM Racing (Germany)Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling (Germany)EF Education- TIBCO-SVB (USA)FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope (France)Human Powered Health (USA)Le Col-Wahoo (Great Britain)Liv Racing Xstra (Netherlands)Movistar Team (Spain)Roland Cogeas Edelweiss (Switzerland)Team BikeExchange-Jayco (Australia)Team Coop-Hitec Products (Norway)Team DSM (Germany)Team Jumbo-Visma (Netherlands)Team SD Worx (Netherlands)Trek-Segafredo (USA)UAE Team ADQ (UAE)Uno-X Pro Cycling Team (Norway)
Minister Shrestha vows to make land management services more convenient, transparent
Kathmandu, April 13: The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation is to mark the centenary of the first registration of land records in the country for three days from today by organizing various programmes. A special programme is to be organized at the Rashtriya Sabha Griha (City Hall) tomorrow. The Prime minister will also be present at this event. All the land reform and land revenue offices under the Land Management and Archives Department and the Land Survey Department will provide information regarding the latest reforms carried out so far in the land administration sector. Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Shashi Shrestha shared at a press conference here today that the land-related services were being provided from 126 offices across the country. She said efforts were on to make these services convenient, simplified and transparent. The Land Management Minister said that the necessary plan and programmes have been formulated for implementing the land use policy and Act for checking the fragmentation and plotting of cultivable land and to make land management works more effective. She said 106 landless families from the Dalit community at the Mushahar settlement in Dudhauli of Sindhuli district have been provided with land plots. The Ministry is also planning to set up additional land management offices in Rukum, Banke, Mahottari and Dadeldhura. The first land deed registration was passed on Baisakh 1, 1979 BS in the country, the Ministry has said.
CEC Thapaliya calls for making election fair and frugal
Morang, April 13: Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya has directed the chief election officers and election officers to conduct the local level election responsibly and with due sensitivity. Addressing a province-level training of trainers on operation and management of the Local level Elections-2079 BS organized by the election Commission, Nepal here today, he stressed the need of making the local level election free, fair and frugal. Chief Election Commissioner Thapaliya said the Election Commission has forwarded all the processes required by the laws and the constitution for the local level election and the Election Guidelines and self-declaration provisions will make the candidates more accountable. He added that the Commission will set up a mechanism to monitor and follow up on the compliance of the election code of conduct. The Chief Election Commissioner said telephone and internet facilities were accessible at 10,200 polling booths. Chief Secretary of Province no 1, Dr Ram Prasad Ghimire said the election should be taken as a festival and all should become responsible for conducting it in a free, fair and fear-free environment. One hundred and twenty officials, including the chief election officers and election officers from 11 districts in the province except Khotang and Okhaldhunga are taking part in the training of trainers.
Heavy rains and flooding in South Africa kill 59 people and sweep away roads
By David Mckenzie, Larry Madowo, Mia Alberti and Angela Dewan, April 13 (CNN): Heavy rains and floods have battered the eastern coast of South Africa, killing at least 59 people, damaging roads and destroying houses, prompting authorities to urge residents to stay at home.The floods hit the province of KwaZulu-Natal, which includes the coastal city of Durban, where roads cracked and gave way to deep fissures, and a huge stack of shipping containers collapsed into muddy waters, news agency images show. A bridge near Durban has swept away, leaving people stranded on either side.KwaZulu-Natal has experienced extreme rainfall since Monday, in what the provincial government called "one of the worst weather storms in the history of our country" in a statement posted to Facebook, where it also gave the death toll."The heavy rainfall that has descended on our land over the past few days has wreaked untold havoc and unleashed massive damage to lives and infrastructure," it said.Teams have been evacuating people in areas that had experienced "mudslides, flooding and structural collapses of buildings and roads," Sipho Hlomuka, a member of the Executive Council for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, said on Twitter Tuesday."The heavy rains have affected power lines in many municipalities with technical teams working around the clock to restore power," Hlomuka added.Power stations have been flooded and are inaccessible in the hard-hit eThekwini municipality, Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda told reporters, while water mains were also damaged.The local government has asked private and religious institutions to assist with emergency relief operations, and has requested help from the South African National Defense Force to provide aerial support, he said.The extreme weather comes just months after heavy rainfall and floods hit other parts of southern Africa, with three tropical cyclones and two tropical storms over just six weeks from late January. There were 230 reported deaths and 1 million people affected.Scientists from the World Weather Attribution (WWA) project -- which analyzes how much the climate crisis may have contributed to an extreme weather event -- found that climate change made those events more likely."Again we are seeing how the people with the least responsibility for climate change are bearing the brunt of the impacts," WWA's Friederike Otto, from the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment at Imperial College London, said Tuesday, referring to the earlier storms in southern Africa."Rich countries should honour their commitments and increase much-needed funding for adaptation, and for compensating the victims of extreme events driven by climate change with loss and damage payments," she added.The extreme weather events in southern Africa come as tensions mount between some developed and developing nations over who should pay for the damage and impacts of the climate crisis. This is expected to be a major sticking point at the next international climate negotiations, the COP27 conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt in November.Scientists have warned that the world must try to cap global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above temperatures before industrialization, around 200 years ago, to stave off some irreversible impacts of climate change. The Earth is already around 1.2 degrees warmer.In southeastern Africa, a warming of 2˚C is projected to bring an increase in the frequency and intensity of heavy rain and flooding, and an increase in the intensity of strong tropical cyclones, which are associated with heavier rainfall.
Australian man charged with more than 400 sexual offenses against children
By Hannah Ritchie, Sydney, April 13 (CNN): A man in Western Australia has been charged with more than 400 sexual offences against children in what police are calling one of the most significant child abuse investigations in the state's history.The 47-year-old from Perth faces 240 counts of indecent dealing with a child under 13, 98 counts of indecently recording a child under 13, and 44 counts of sexual penetration of a child under 13, Western Australia police said in a statement Wednesday.He also faces 26 counts of possessing -- and five counts of producing -- child exploitation material.The charges follow a months-long investigation sparked by a tip-off in July last year.Searches were carried out at the man's home and workplace, during which multiple electronic storage devices were seized, police said.After a digital forensic examination, authorities identified approximately 3.8 million images and videos considered child exploitation material.The police said detectives identified 24 boys and girls who had been sexually abused. The abuse allegedly took place between 2015 and 2021."This investigation is one of the most significant child abuse investigations ever conducted in Western Australia in so far as how many images were located and how many victims we will allege have been abused," Detective Inspector Hamish McKenzie said, according to CNN affiliate 9 News.The 9 News report said the children were aged between ages 3 and 13 -- and police believe the victims were known to the man through family and friends.The man is due to appear later this month in the Perth Magistrates Court.
Zika virus may be one step away from explosive outbreak
By Michelle Roberts, April 13: A new outbreak of Zika virus is quite possible, warn researchers, with a single mutation potentially enough to trigger an explosive spread.The disease caused a global medical emergency in 2016, with thousands of babies born brain-damaged after their mums became infected while pregnant.US scientists say the world should be on the lookout for new mutations.Lab work, described in the journal Cell Reports, suggests the virus could easily shift, creating new variants.Recent infection studies suggest those variants may prove effective at transmitting the virus, even in countries that have built up immunity from previous outbreaks of Zika, say the team from the La Jolla Institute for Immunology.Experts said the findings, although theoretical, were interesting - and a reminder that viruses other than Covid could pose a threat.Shapeshifting virusZika is spread by bites from infected Aedes mosquitoes. The insects are found throughout the Americas - except for Canada and Chile, where it is too cold for them to survive - and across Asia.While for most people Zika is a mild illness, with no lasting effects, it can have catastrophic consequences for babies in the womb.If a mother contracts the virus during pregnancy, it can harm the developing baby, causing microcephaly (unusually small head) and damaged brain tissue.The researchers recreated what happens when Zika passes back and forth between mosquitoes and humans, using cells and living mice in their experiments.When Zika passed between mosquito cells and mice in the laboratory, small genetic changes occurred.This meant it was relatively easy for Zika to mutate in a way that allowed the virus to thrive and spread, even in animals that had some previous immunity from a similar mosquito-borne infection called dengue.More investigationLead investigator Prof Sujan Shresta said: "The Zika variant that we identified had evolved to the point where the cross-protective immunity afforded by prior dengue infection was no longer effective in mice."Unfortunately for us, if this variant becomes prevalent, we may have the same issues in real life."Prof Jonathan Ball, an expert in viruses at the University of Nottingham, told the BBC: "We've heard so much lately about the rapid evolution and emergence of coronavirus variants, but this is a timely reminder that shapeshifting is a common feature shared by so many viruses."This work shows just how rapidly a single letter change in the genome sequence of a virus can arise, and the stark impact it can have on the disease capability of a virus. But viruses that share these changes haven't often been seen in outbreaks and, as the authors point out, these intriguing insights require more thorough investigation."Dr Clare Taylor, from the Society for Applied Microbiology, said: "Although these findings were seen in laboratory experiments and therefore have limitations, it does show that there is potential for variants of concern to arise during the normal Zika transmission cycle and reminds us that monitoring is important to follow viruses as they evolve."She said it might be possible to predict which variants could cause significant issues in the future and intervene early.Prof Paul Hunter, Professor in Medicine at the University of East Anglia, said past infection with Zika might still offer some protection against new variants - as has been seen with Covid.The Zika virus- Although the virus is mostly spread by mosquitoes, it can also be sexually transmitted- Few people die from Zika and only one in five people infected is thought to develop symptoms- These can include fever, a rash and joint pain- Since there is no treatment, the only option is to reduce the risk of being bitten- Scientists have begun work on a Zika vaccine to help protect the pregnant woman
Two killed, seven injured in Okhaldhunga jeep accident
Kathmandu, Apr.13: Two police head constables have lost their lives and seven others have sustained injuries when a jeep (Ba 1 7 Cha 1094) heading towards Biratnagar from Solukhumbhu met with an accident in Manebhanjyang Rural Municipality-6, Bhadare Khola, Okhaldunga. Both head constables were employed at the Okhaldunga police station. Uddhav Pokhrel, Police Inspector, also, spokesperson at the District Police Office, Okhaldhunga, said that of the seven injured, three identified as police Inspector, Rishi Raj Dhakal, police head constable, Bhupendra Khanal and Police Constable, Manik Rajbanshi, have been airlifted to Kathmandu for further treatment.The other four injured are receiving treatment at the Janasewa Health Care and Astha Health Care, Ghurmi, Udayapur. It has been informed that all the travellers were heading towards Biratanagr, the capital of Province 1.
Gokarneshwor Municipality uses new technology for waste management
By Nagendra Sapkota, Kathmandu, Apr. 13: At a time while waste management is becoming a challenge in the urban areas, Gokarneshwor Municipality of Kathmandu has initiated managing waste with modern technology.In order to manage the household waste in a pollution-free manner, the municipality has installed a waste incinerator machine of Japanese technology and brought it into operation. Gokarneshwor Municipality informed that the work of burning out the garage coming out of the houses in a smokeless manner has been initiated with the financial support from the municipality itself and Hita Heavy Machinery and Recycle Pvt. Ltd. “Gokarneshwor Municipality has become the first municipality to manage garbage in such a manner,” claimed Santosh Chalise, Mayor of the Gokarneshwor Municipality said with this initiation, “Full operation of the Incinerator machine is underway.” He said that if the other three such machines can be installed in other different areas then it will bring the overall solution to waste management in the municipality. The machine has been installed in a non-settlement area of Gokarneshwor Municipality-6. The waste incinerator machine was brought at 50 million two years ago with the support of Japan. Mayor Chalise, said, “The machine was brought to Nepal by looking at the efficacy with which it is managing wastage in Japan.” According to him, in this method, all the waste, that can be burnt, from each household will be asked to store in a garbage bag provided by the municipality. Then, vehicles from the municipality will collect waste door to door. All the waste collected by the vehicles will be put in the waste Incinerator machine along with the garbage bag, which then will burn waste pollution-free. Waste will be burnt at 960 degrees Celsius without smoke. The machine will filter the smoke from waste and let it out as a form of vapour after purifying smoke. One kilo of ash will come out while burning 100 kilos of waste and that waste can be used for making bricks, after mixing it with cement and sand. He said, "Bricks made from this way can be stronger than the slope when spread on the road. Similarly, vapour can also be used, for that, a different technology is needed. However, that technology is not brought as of now".Darshan Pudasaini, Manager at the Hita Heavy Machinery and Recycle Pvt. Ltd said that hot water coming out from the 1.5-inch pipe from the machine can be used as seasonings in the swimming pools and furniture industry. He said, "Machine can burn 25 tons of both compostable and non-compostable waste. The machine works by drying waste and then burning it. However, it will not impact the environment." Baikuntha Sapkota, Chief Administrative Officer at the Municipality said that at times when managing waste has become difficult, this new method definitely can manage waste pollution-free."He said that the municipality conducted a trial and the result have been effective.
Let Women Lead Local Levels
Namrata SharmaWhile the political leaders are engaged in infighting to acquire seats for the upcoming elections, numerous examples of Nepali women leadership at home, office, nation and the world were showcased by Nari, a woman magazine, via their one-day conference entitled Nirvik Nari, meaning fearless women, in Kathmandu the other day. Many women leaders, who have proven their leadership qualities as Deputy Mayors and Vice Chairpersons during their current terms, are at present struggling to get party tickets to contest for Mayors and Chairpersons’ seats. The general lack of networking with the more powerful male leaders, the inability to spend large amounts of cash during elections, and the prevalent mindset that women cannot perform are the major hindrances to women candidates’ easy access to party tickets even if they are the best candidates.Whether strategically or not, Nirvik Nari was organised at such a time that it has been able to show that there should be no reasons for anyone to say that women cannot perform. There were a number of elder generation women speakers who have become excellent examples of supporting the overall progress in the country’s democratic struggle both as party cadres and pillars at home to support the male leaders and their children. An equal number of such women have been involved in setting up strong and quality educational institutions from where now young generation is getting quality education inside the country itself. The combination of experiences from homemaker women of substance and professional leaders in medicine, business and technology together with judiciary and politics including both elite and rural women shows that Nepal now has ample number of women in all wakes of life who can lead their families, communities, nation and the world, too.Inspiring womenThe sharing of experiences of young Nepali women like Anchal Kunwar, Managing Director of Daraj Nepal, who had made it big in the USA with Amazon but has decided to come back to Nepal and work here; Shailaja Acharya who commenced her business in Nepal when she was 20 and now owns a number of companies and manages it as Managing Director of ICE Group speaks volumes of how Nepali women have made their mark at both national and international levels and have contributed to the economic and educational growth. Kamala Thapa, on the other hand, comes from Butwal and has made a mark as agency manager with Citizen Life Insurance. She proudly shared that due to early marriage and economic conditions of her home, she had to shelve her study. However no matter how much jeering she got, she completed grades 10, 11 and 12 in her early 40s and is now inspiring women to study no matter how late it is. She is actually preparing women to work in the insurance sector but for that she is also initiating a process for them to complete till grade 12.Life experiences and achievements of women like Judge Sapana Malla Pradhan; Dr Rita Gurung, CEO of Tilganga Eye Hospital; Shristi KC of Blind Rockes and Professor Durga Rizal of Apex College, among others, are examples that can be given to people who says there are no women that we can field. These are just some women. There are thousands all over the country.Starting from the First Lady Dr Arzu Rana Deuba to Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the first Nepali woman mountaineer, there were 25 speakers at Nirvik Nari out of them only three were men. All these speakers showed that sex of a person is not an obstacle in achieving any goal human sets. It’s the gender perspective that the society, culture, tradition, religion and politics that discriminates people to achieve what they can. The conference lacked in one aspect as they missed the opportunity to get a transgender speaker as Nepal has recognised them as equal citizens of the country and there are several individuals from their community and LGBTQI community who have been raising voices for their respect and identity in the society.Equal opportunity With the long history of Nepal’s struggle for democracy and the establishment of a federal democratic republic, there have been several changes in the constitution, laws and systems of the country. There have been several changes in the faces of leaders in several sectors including the stock market, finance, industry, science and technology. The time has now come to recognise this and accept it as a fact so the society moves ahead where there does not need to be quotas for female and disadvantaged groups. It should be an automatic process where all citizens of Nepal get equal opportunity to excel in any sector they have the capability of engaging their energy. Obstructing citizens from excelling in their field is actually obstructing the country from progressing.South Asia as a region has similar social, cultural, religious and traditional practices which prevent their citizens in engaging equally in the progress of their nation by utilising their full potential without discrimination. In all South Asian countries, women and people from disadvantaged communities have showed that they are capable of being leaders in all areas. However, the political scenario is still dominant by people who exercise power in the basis of their muscles and mafia where women, transgender and people from minority communities fall behind. This is why Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan are now immersed in never ending political instability while the people are struggling to march ahead by stabilising their livelihoods. Even their powerful neighbour India cannot boast of a stable development for all her citizens.Until the time comes where automatically all citizens of a country can participate in whichever sector they can excel in specific movements, programmes like Nirvik Nari needs to be continued. (Namrata Sharma is a journalist and women rights advocate. namrata1964@yahoo.comTwitter handle: @NamrataSharmaP)
Harisiddhi Dance Staged In Panauti
By Our Correspondent, Kavre, Apr. 13: The religiously significant Harisiddhi Dance has arrived in Panauti after a dozen years.The dance, brought to the Panauti Municipality from Harisiddhi of Lalitpur once every 12 years, was last staged here in 2010. That was the first time the dance had been staged in the city in 60 years; the long gap was caused by a lack of funds and resources.The religiously significant Harisiddhi DanceThe dancers arrived in Panauti on Monday. According to Suresh Sainju, coordinator of Harisiddhi Jatra Main Ceremony Committee, a team led by Purushottam Karmacharya of Panauti brought the dancers from Harisiddhi. The first performance of the dance was held on Tuesday and the second performance will be held on Wednesday, he informed.The Harisiddhi Dance is performed by 29 priests of the Harisiddhi Temple. They showcase various tales related to the eight mother goddesses (Astamatrika) and other deities. They also act out sections of King Bikramaditya’s life as well as parts of the Ramayan.The dance was staged in Dhulikhel from April 1 to April 4. From there, the dance went to Dolakha where it was presented for the first time in nearly a century. Then, it came to Jaybageshwori, Kathmandu and finally went to Panauti.The Harisiddhi Dance is performed in Harisiddhi thrice a year and in Pashupati, Dolakha, Dhulikhel and Panauti once every 12 years.
Health Experts say to be cautious of spread of coronavirus amid elections
Kathmandu, Apr.13: Public health experts have suggested that the election campaign should be cautious even though COVID-19 cases have slowed down, other strains like the Omicron XE variant of Coronavirus are emerging which can spread across borders.According to Dr Rabindra Pandey, Public Health Expert, while looking at the history of the spread of coronavirus, it is observed that SARS-CoV-2 in all three phases has been spread from the neighbouring border, India, as there is a regular flow of people across Nepal and India borders said that even if the new variant is confirmed, it is more likely to move from one place to another sooner or later.He said that as the election draws near, public gatherings, parties, and ceremonies are being held regularly in different places. Public health experts have suggested that attending large gatherings must be minimized saying that COVID-19 is still around. “One must follow all the public health standards of those who are participating in the local elections,” said Dr Pandey, saying that the risk of spread of coronavirus is not over yet.The new variant, the Omicron XE variant of SARS-CoV-2, is being observed in India and other variants in countries. According to the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) Delhi, the first case of the Omicron XE variant was found in a man in Mumbai on April 6. It is said that the Omicron XE variant seen in India can spread 10 times more than the Omicron variant, but, further studies are yet to be conducted about it.Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, the coordinator of the clinical research unit in the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Hospital (STIDH), said, “In recent days, the use of masks has not been found in the outer districts except the capital. People are less likely to use masks and adhere to the health safety standard amid local elections as it can spread a virus in the country.”Shaligram Sharma Poudel, Spokesperson to the Election Commission (EC) said that instructions have been given to ensure compliance with public health standards while conducting elections in all local level polling stations.He said that Election Commission (EC) was preparing to deliver masks and sanitisers to the polling stations. He further informed the TRN Online that the commission has directed the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) to make vaccination compulsory for those participating in the election. He said, “If the current situation prevails, then there is no need for vaccination, however, if the COVID-19 cases rise then it will be necessary to vaccinate. The decision will be done by looking at the situation.”
