SC upholds AIG Rana's promotion

Nepal’s No. 1 

English Daily 

www.thehimalayantimes.com 

Printed simultaneously from 

Kathmandu and Itahari 

250 killed as twin quakes jolt Iran Page 7 20 held over Mumbai violence that claimed two lives Page 9 Commodities regulation soon Page 11 

The Himalayan 

T I M E S 

Vol. XI No.265 • Kathmandu, Monday, August 13, 2012, Shrawan 29, 2069, Nepal Sambat 1132 

• SHORT TAKES 

Reuters 

Team Bulgaria competing in the group 

all-around rhythmic gymnastics final at 

Wembley Arena during the London 2012 

Olympic Games on Sunday. 

NEPAL 

15 cholera cases in Capital 

KATHMANDU: Fifteen cholera cases have 

been confirmed in Kathmandu district since 

the onset of monsoon. Sukraraj Tropical and 

Infectious Disease Hospital has confirmed 14 

cases, while one case was reported in Kanti 

Children’s Hospital. (Details on Page 3) 

Youth bodies shut colleges 

KATHMANDU: Seventeen youth and students 

affiliated to opposition political parties 

on Sunday shut all academic institutions under 

the Council for Technical Education and 

Vocational Training and a number of Plus 

Two colleges with foreign names and foreign 

investment demanding an end to all kinds of 

irregularities in the education sector. Regular 

classes of the CTEVT affiliated academic institutions 

and Plus Two colleges were halted 

due to the protest. (Details on Page 3) 

CURRENCY UNIT BUYING (in Rs) SELLING (in Rs) 

Indian Rs 100 160.00 160.15 

Chinese Yuan 1 13.86 13.95 

US Dollar 1 88.15 88.75 

Euro 1 108.34 109.08 

Pound Sterling 1 138.31 139.25 

Japanese Yen 10 11.26 11.34 

The foreign exchange rates are fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank 

Ram Kumar Kamat 

Kathmandu, August 12 

Scorned by Madhesi voters 

and well-wishers for failing 

to prevent splits and fragmentation, 

Madhesi parties 

are now seriously trying to 

form a powerful Madhesi 

party with the aim of preventing 

the major parties, 

particularly the Nepali Congress 

and the CPN-UML, 

from taking advantage of 

the fragmentation of the 

Madhesi forces. 

Mahantha Thakur-led 

Tarai Madhes Democratic 

Party, which initiated the efforts 

in this regard, has held 

talks with the stakeholders 

twice. Although Madhesi 

Janaadhikar Forum-Nepal 

Chairman Upendra Yadav, 

has rejected the idea of joining 

the initiative again, the 

proponents, however, believe 

such a process would 

yield positive results soon. “I 

cannot tell when we will 

form one powerful party, 

but we have done some 

groundwork on this. Even if 

other Madhesi parties do 

not come forward, we are in 

favour of merging MJF-D 

and TMDP. Once we do that 

other parties will be compelled 

to join us,” said Jitendra 

Dev, spokesperson for 

MJF-D. 

Although party leaders 

declined to divulge details 

of the merger modalities, 

sources privy to the latest 

developments of the unity 

talks said there was a possibility 

that Thakur could be 

made paramount leader of 

SC upholds 

AIG Rana’s 

promotion 

Verdict clears the decks for him to 

be elevated to inspector general 

Himalayan News Service 


The Supreme Court today upheld 

the promotion of Additional Inspector 

General of Nepal Police 

Kuber Singh Rana after 13 months 

of the Cabinet decision to 

promote him. 

A division bench of Justices 

Kalyan Shrestha and 

Tarka Raj Bhatta issued 

the verdict stating that 

writ petitioners could not 

establish their claim 

against the promotion of 

Rana and there was no 

ground to nix his promotion 

as nobody had challenged his 

promotion to SSP and DIG. 

This verdict is significant as he is 

in line to assume the post of Inspector 

General of Nepal Police after 

the retirement of IG Rabindra 

Pratap Shah. 

The government had promoted 

Rana to the post of AIG on 22 June 

2011 and appointed him the Metropolitan 

Police Commissioner. 

On June 27, advocates Sunil Ranjan 

Singh and Dipendra Jha had 

moved SC challenging government 

decision to promote Rana, an accused 

in the alleged killing of five 

youth in Dhanusha in October 

2003 on the suspicion that they 

were Maoists. 

On 29 January 2008, the National 

Human Rights Commission had 

recommended action against 

Rana, then SSP Chuda Bahadur 

Shrestha, Army Major Anup Adhikary, 

deployed at the Dharapanibased 

barracks in Dhanusha, and 

CDO Rewati Raman Kafle, in connection 

with the ‘killing’. 

The apex court, however, direct- 

the unified party whose approval 

would be necessary 

for all party decisions and 

Gachhadar could be made 

Executive Chairman of the 

party. The proposed model 

could also have two to three 

post of Joint Chairman to 

accommodate some chiefs 

of other Madhesi parties. 

“Our political slogans are 

the same and there is no 

reason why we cannot be 

united,” said Jitendra Dev, 

spokesperson for the MJF- 

D. Sources said second rank 

of the leaders of other Mad- 

ed the authorities — Office of the 

Prime Minister and Council of 

Ministers, the Ministry of Home, 

Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction 

and the Ministry the Police 

Headquarters — to formulate an 

Act to bar human rights violators 

from holding public posts. 

The bench also directed 

the government to strictly 

implement constitutional 

provision to seek advice 

from the Public Service 

Commission before promotion 

and transfer of any 

official of Nepal Police, 

Armed Police Force, 

Nepali Army and public 

servant as required by Article 126 

of the Interim Constitution. 

With the SC verdict, Metropolitan 

Police Commissioner AIG Rana 

has become the strongest contender 

in the race of new IG. 

Though AIGs Nawa Raj Dhakal 

and Bhisma Prasai were also considered 

favourite candidates for 

the top post earlier, it seems the 

verdict has cleared the way for 

Rana to be elevated to the post. 

The three contenders are from the 

same batch of 1983. However, Rana 

was promoted to AIG three 

months earlier than Dhakal and 

Prasai. 

IG Shah and six AIGs automatically 

retire on September 14 as per 

the 30-year service limit. Their retirement 

will make AIG Rana the 

senior-most cop in Nepal Police. 

IG Shah, who should be going on 

a month’s leave before retiring, has 

decided against it, as senior-most 

AIG Madan Bahadur Khadka also 

retires along with him. IGs have a 

tradition to go on leave one month 

before their retirement. 

hesi parties are in favour of 

merging their outfits but 

chiefs of some parties are 

averse to the idea because 

they believe they would not 

get the exposure they are 

getting now. Chairman of a 

Madhesi party, who is a 

minister, said forming one 

powerful party was not possible. 

Analysts believe that the 

formation of one powerful 

party under democratic 

forces could protect Madhes 

from falling into the 

hands of communist parties 

and also those Madhesi 

leaders who were once card 

carrying members of the 

communist parties and often 

side with communist 

forces and want to run their 

party like the communist 

outfits. 

“Unity of Madhesi parties 

is good news but I do not 

think it would be easy,” said 

political analyst Prof Birendra 

Prasad Mishra. 

MJF-N Chair Upendra Yadav 

said the Madhesi par- 

Associated Press 

London, August 12 

Madhesi parties in bid to form single entity 

On any other day and in any 

other situation, the Tibetan 

exiles who gathered excitedly 

in groups next to Buckingham 

Palace would never 

have come to cheer for an 

athlete wearing the colours 

of China, a country they regard 

as their oppressor, a 

country that invaded and 

has governed their Himalayan 

homeland with an 

iron fist for six decades. 

But this was exceptional. 

Because, apparently for the 

first time at an Olympics, 

the athlete was one of them, 

a Tibetan. 

Standing apart but, just 

this once, both wanting the 

same thing, groups of Chinese 

supporters shouted 

“Jia You!” while the Tibetans 

yelled “Gyuk!” — both 

meaning, “Go on!” 

The Chinese waved their 

red flags. The Tibetans 

waved the flag of Tibet that 

Plaints against UCPN-M leaders 



The deadline issued by the 

commission to probe properties 

of the leaders for filing complaints 

against the party leaders 

ended today. 

Some complaints have 

sought transparency in the financial 

relationship of Chairman 

Pushpa Kamal Dahal with 

Ajay Sumargi and Manoj Bahadur 

Shrestha. Those who 

filed complaints against Dahal 

have also pointed out his involvement 

in the misuse of 

parliamentary fund and the 

funds of the erstwhile People’s 

Even if other Madhesi parties do not come 

forward, we are in favour of merging MJF-D 

and TMDP. Other parties will follow 

— Jitendra Dev, spokesperson for MJF-D 

Rana 

Liberation Army. 

Complaints have also been 

filed against leaders Raj Kumar 

Shrestha and Agni Sapkota, 

who is now party’s spokesperson. 

Sources said the complaints 

had been filed against 

the role of Nanda Kishor Pun 

and Mahendra Bahadur Shahi 

for the misuse of the People’s 

Liberation Army’s fund not as 

commanders but as central 

leaders of the party. 

Some complaints have been 

filed against the controversy 

over 150 bighas of land situated 

at Gadhuwal of Bara district in 

which Prabhu Sah and Bhim 

Prasad Gautam were involved. 

ties that were in the government 

had no organisation 

in Madhes and were talking 

of unity to secure their future 

in the next elections. 

“Madhesis view Madhesi 

ministers with contempt for 

their mistakes, lust for power 

and disregard for Madhes 

issues,” said Yadav. 

Prof Mishra said Madhesi 

leaders were mainly trained 

in democratic and communist 

schools . They could not 

unite first and even if they 

did they would soon part 

their ways. 

Mishra said caste-based 

politics, as was the case in 

bordering states of Bihar 

and Uttar Pradesh, was 

slowly taking roots in Madhes, 

which could pose challenge 

to unity of Madhesi 

forces. 

Khushi Lal Mandal, 

leader of NSP (Anandi Devi) 

said the ruling Madhesi parties 

could not stick to any of 

the vital Madhesi issues, including 

One Madhes 

Pradesh. 

is banned in China, with a 

bright yellow sun rising 

over a snow-clad mountain. 

They could hear and 

see each other, but they 

studiously ignored each 

other, too. 

The athlete — Qieyang 

Shenjie to the Chinese, 

Choeyang Kyi for the Tibetans 

— could hear the 

yells of encouragement. But 

she kept her head down and 

concentrated on not putting 

a foot wrong. It seemed a fitting 

metaphor for a Tibetan 

competing for China, one 

smart enough not to get 

sucked into the politics that 

have swirled around her 

Olympic participation. 

Not only did Qieyang 

make history for Tibetans, 

she won a medal, too — 

bronze in the women’s 

20-kilometre race walk on 

Saturday. 

She beamed when she 

crossed the finish line, a 

picture of delight. If she felt 

discomfort at all as a Tibetan 

in Chinese colours, she didn’t 

show it. 

“I’m extremely honoured 

to take part as the first representative 

of the Tibetans at 

the Olympic Games and to 

win a medal,” she said. 

She said she heard Tibetans 

encouraging her 

along the route that went 

past the residence of Queen 

Elizabeth II. 

“I heard it! Really. I heard a 

Tibetan cheering me on. At 

the time, I looked backward 

but couldn’t see who that 

person was,” she said. 

But she looked alarmed 

when asked if she saw the 

Tibetan flags, shaking her 

head and refusing to answer. 

Because Tibet is ruled by 

China, it does not have its 

own team or athletes at the 

Olympics or other international 

competitions, like the 

football World Cup. So, for 

Tibetans, this was the first 

time they’d been able to 

cheer on one of their own. 

Weather: Temporary rain 

Max: 28-30 o 

C Min: 18-20 o 

C 

Sunrise 05:33 Sunset 18:44 

Capital ★ 16 pages Rs 3 

First Tibetan Olympian wins medal 

China's Shenjie Qieyang, right, posing for photos after earning a bronze medal in the women's 20-kilometre walk 

race at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London on Saturday. 

Das joins Baidhya 

KATHMANDU: Chairman 

of the advisory committee 

of Unified Communist Party 

of Nepal-Maoist Krishna 

Das Shrestha has joined 

CPN-Maoist. Shrestha is 

now chairman of the advisory 

committee of the 

CPN-Maoist. A sevenmember 

secretariat of the 

advisory committee has 

been formed under the 

leadership of Shrestha with 

Tilak Pariyar as its secretary. 

— HNS 

AP / RSS 

But it also was a shock to 

some of them to see 

Qieyang striding past them 

in Chinese red. 

“Am I really cheering for 

Tibet or China?” wondered 

Ugyen Choephell, who said 

his parents fled Tibet in the 

1960s to India, where he was 

born. 

Still, he yelled “Choeyang 

Gyuk!” and was thrilled 

when she went past. 

If there was another Tibetan 

at previous Olympics, 

history has forgotten them. 

In China, the governmentrun 

Xinhua News Agency 

and other media said 

Qieyang was the first Tibetan 

to make a Chinese 

Olympic team. 

Olympic historian Bill 

Mallon said Tibet has never 

fielded an Olympic team 

and that he and other 

Olympic experts he consulted 

weren’t aware of any previous 

Tibetan Olympian. 

The Tibetan government in 

exile in India said likewise.

PAGE 2 www.thehimalayantimes.com 

CAPITAL 

• IN BRIEF 

Monsoon clouds looming over the 

Kathmandu skyline on Sunday. The 

monsoon remains active in the 

country from June to August. 

Guide found dead 

Reuters 

KATHMANDU: Krishna Lal Panta 

(33) of Auraha- 6, Bara, was found 

dead in his rented room in 

Galkopakha on Saturday. He was a 

tourist guide for a trekking agency in 

Thamel. According to police, the 

body was found dangling from a ceiling 

fan. The body has been sent to the 

Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital 

in Maharajgung for a postmortem. 

—HNS 

Child drowns 

KATHMANDU: Kushal Rai (9), a son 

of Harka Bahadur of Hangbung, 

Panchthar, was found dead in the 

Bagmati River in Guheshwori on Sunday. 

The child had gone missing on 

Saturday. Investigators informed that 

an investigation is on to establish 

facts. — HNS 

Women’s concerns 

KATHMANDU:Women in Policy Advocacy 

Alliance (WIPAA), a national 

level policy advocacy network, on 

Sunday, submitted a memorandum 

to the CPN-ML and the Rastriya Prajatantra 

Party (RPP) calling on the 

two parties to ensure 33 per cent 

seats for women in every mechanism. 

A WIPAA statement said they 

sought quota for inclusive representation 

of women in every sector. — HNS 

Unity International 

chairman denied bail 

Charged with tax evasion 



The Lalitpur District Court 

today refused bail to chairman 

of Unity Life International, 

Kashi Ram Gurung 

alias Prasad Gurung, and 

convicted him of multiple 

charges. 

Judge Baburaja Karki issued 

the order following a 

weeklong hearing today. 

Gurung is convicted of 

cheating people, evading tax 

and running businesses 

without licence. 

He has been sent to jail to 

face trial on other fraudulent 

cases involving billion of rupees 

as per Section 118(2) of 

the Court Procedure Chapter 

of Muluki Ain. 

The Court has set Rs 2.5 

million bail to him on the tax 

evasion case, while declined 

to set bail on rest of the 

charges. 

On August 1, the police 

had arrested him from 

Pashupatinagar, Ilam. 

The Supreme Court had 

outlawed ULI’s banking, insurance 

and cooperative 

businesses in 23 May 2010. 

Gurung had amassed Rs 

127 million by luring people 

with attractive education, 

health, and insurance programmes, 

while Rs 3.79 billion 

was swindled from 

3,66,343 people for financial 

activities sans licence. 

He has been charged with 

evading tax worth Rs 858 

million. 

Injectable 

drugs hauled, 

four arrested 

Contraband found in rice 

consignment in City 



Drugs smugglers have employed 

new modus operandi 

to hoodwink law enforcement 

agency to smuggle 

drugs in the Kathmandu 

Valley. 

Police today arrested four 

persons leading to seizure 

of 9,800 ampules of diazepam 

and buprenorphine 

hidden in rice consignment 

from a truck in 

Naagdhunga. 

The truck (Na 3 Kha 

5684), ferrying the injectable 

drugs, was held 

during a routine check at 

the main transit of the Capital 

city around 8 am today, 

Kathmandu police 

spokesperson, DSP Dhiraj 

Pratap Singh, informed. 

The arrestees are truck 

driver, Lalmani Mahara 

(31), his helper Prakash Mahara 

(18) of Parsa, 

Chhoisang Tamang (27) 

and Saraswoti Shahi (27) of 

Kavre. 

According to investigation 

report, the smugglers 

had used a new modus 

operandi to outwit police. 

An investigation is underway 

to crack the drug 

nexus, DSP Singh said. 

The truck, carrying a 

huge cache of contraband 

inside the rice sacks, was on 

its way to an undisclosed 

location in the Capital city 



Vice President Paramananda 

Jha today stressed the 

need to retain Nepali youth 

in the country by identifying 

their skills, knowledge 

and talent to provide employment 

on the basis of 

their qualification. 

Speaking at a programme 

organised by the Ministry of 

Youth and Sports to mark 

the 13th International 

Youth Day, Jha said the 

country needed to develop 

socioeconomic entrepreneurship 

among the youth 

so that they can contribute 

to the country during their 

most productive age. 

He said, “Poverty, illiteracy, 

practices such as untouchability, 

gender and 

caste -based discrimination 

A monk feeding the fish at Ranipokhari in the heart of Kathmandu on Sunday. 

from Birgunj. 

According to anti-drug 

officials, diazepam and 

buprenorphine were the 

most consumed drugs in 

the cities as they are relatively 

cheaper than hardcore 

drugs — hashish and 

heroin. 

“Mostly youngsters are 

into pharmaceutical 

drugs,” an official warned. 

Police have expressed 

concern about the growing 

abuse of pharmaceutical 

drugs among teenagers and 

called on parents to keep 

tabs on their children. 

According to investigators, 

cash-strapped addicts 

were more likely to commit 

crimes to pay for drugs. 

Pharmaceutical drugs 

are smuggled into the Valley 

and other major cities from 

Raxaul. Nepali drug traffickers 

are found to be 

working in close coordination 

with Indian dealers to 

serve their financial interest. 

Last month, Narcotic 

Drug Control Law Enforcement 

Unit arrested four 

drug smugglers with 10,400 

ampules of injectable drugs 

in Kalanki, also from the 

truck bound from Birgunj 

to Kathmandu. 

During interrogation, it 

was learnt that the consignment 

belonged to Pawan 

Sah and Ashraf Singh of Bihar. 

Youth retention 

crucial, says VP 

are some of the malpractices 

existing in the Nepali 

society. The youth, the 

agents of change, should be 

mobilised to end such practices.” 

He also underlined the 

need for coordination 

among the private sector 

and the government to create 

jobs for the youth. 

“Today’s youth need to be 

honest and disciplined,” 

Jha said. 

He also urged the youth 

to be more disciplined and 

laborious to contribute to 

economic development of 

the country. 

August 12 is observed as 

International Youth Day as 

per the decision of the United 

Nations General Assembly 

in 1999. Nepal has been 

celebrating the day since 

2004. 



The relay hunger strike organised 

by kidney patients in the 

Capital entered the fourth day 

today. 

The patients, who are demanding 

that the government 

provide various services to 

those suffering from kidney ailments, 

have said they will continue 

with the strike till govern- 

Doctor on 

strike for fair 

IOM hiring 



Prof Dr Govinda KC today 

announced fresh hunger 

strike from tomorrow in his 

bid to prevent political appointments 

in the Tribhuvan 

University’s Institute of Medicine 

(IOM). 

Tribhuvan University, in 

the midst of KC’s hunger 

strike against political appointments, 

had, on July 10, 

appointed Dr Kumud Kumar 

Kafle as IOM’s Dean, a post 

that had remained vacant for 

months. Kafle retires tomorrow. 

KC has repeated his demand 

for merit-based appointments 

and corruption 

control in the institute. Kafle 

has recently sent a list of eligible 

candidates for the post 

of Dean to the Vice Chancellors 

Office, but Tribhuvan 

University Registrar is learnt 

to have sought a separate list 

of nominees with political 

alignment. 

Taking exception to the 

government’s initiation to 

appoint the dean on the basis 

of political affiliation, KC 

announced the fresh hunger 

strike. 

Political appointments in 

government-run educational 

institutes have taken a toll 

on the institutes. 



Nepali Congress (NC)aligned 

Nepal Students’ 

Union (NSU) today announced 

a new date for its 

general convention after 

two factions within the 

union suggested two different 

dates for the same. 

The general convention 

will be held from January 18 

to January 20, NSU informed 

organising a press 

meet today. 

The venue will be made 

public after consultation 

with the senior leaders. It 

could be anywhere from 

Kathmandu, Lahan, Biratnagar, 

Nepalgunj, Jhapa, 

ment addresses their 11-point 

chater of demands. 

The government has paid no 

attention to our call, said 

Ramesh Chalise, acting president 

of Nepal Kidney Society. 

He said not even a single representative 

from the government 

has visited them. 

He informed that Maoist 

leaders Giriraj Mani Pokhrel 

and Lekh Raj Bhatta visited the 

hunger strikers today and ex- 

and Pokhara, the union 

said. 

The NSU faction close to 

Sushil Koirala had announced 

the convention 

from January 9 to January 

11, 2013 after a central committee 

meeting in July. 

Meanwhile, 28 dissatisfied 

NSU members close to 

NC senior leader Sher Bahadur 

Deuba later separately 

announced the convention 

date from December 

31, 2012 to January 2, 2013 

in Birgunj coinciding with 

the ‘National Reconciliation 

Day’. 

The Deuba faction 

blamed NSU president Ranjit 

Karna for trying to impose 

totalitarianism in the 

pressed solidarity with their 

strike. Chalise reiterated that 

patients will continue their 

protest until the government 

addresses their concerns. 

The society has demanded 

that the government provide 

one million rupees as assistances 

for those in need of kidney 

transplant. It is also demanding 

that regulations on 

kidney donations be relaxed 

and a haemodialysis centre in 

THE HIMALAYAN TIMES, MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012 

A motorcyclist negotiating a flooded road section at Sankhamul in Lalitpur on Sunday. Most roads in the Kathmandu Valley are 

waterlogged during the monsoon due to a poor drainage system. 

Kidney patients’ fast-unto-death continues 

THT 

Rastriya Samachar Samiti 


Newly appointed Secretary 

at the Ministry of Information 

and Communications, 

Surya Silwal, assumed office 

today. Speaking on the 

occasion, Secretary Silwal 

said he wished to use his 

skills, knowledge and experience 

in the interest of the 

country and people, and 

expected cooperation from 

all sides towards that end. 

Stating that there is a need 

to move ahead by imbibing 

the speedy developments 

taking place in the field of 

information and technolo- 

NSU announces date for jamboree 

• Conclave to be held on Jan 18-20 Venue yet to be selected 

organisation by announcing 

the convention date without 

signatures of most of the 

central NSU committee 

members. 

The dissatisfied faction 

also demanded that the party 

maintain minuting based 

on the members’ hierarchy 

and equal participation of 

both factions in the election 

and other committees. 

The Nepali Congress has 

formed a two-member 

committee to maintain protocol 

by studying and 

preparing bio-data of those 

actively contributing to the 

party for long. 

The committee with Bimal 

Chandra Bista and 

Lekhnath Pokharel as mem- 

every district. There is an urgent 

need to implement these measures 

as people suffering from 

kidney failure have been left to 

die due to the strict organ donation 

laws or lack of money, said 

Chalise. He informed that 

around 150 people are participating 

in the programme at present. 

According to the society, 

around 27,000 people are suffering 

from kidney ailments in 

Nepal. 

A boy looking up at red chilies hanging on a window in Khokana on Sunday. 

Info secretary assumes office 

Uma Bista / THT 

AP / RSS 

gy, Silwal pointed out the 

need for amendments in 

the existing legislations. 

Joint-secretary at the Ministry 

Laxman Kumar 

Pokharel said the existing 

acts and regulations will be 

amended to meet timely 

changes in the field of information 

technology. 

bers will submit a report to 

the party within a month. 

Advocate Arun Kumar 

Panjiyar and Tej Bahadur 

Rawal have been added to 

the election committee, 

while Ashok Bastakoti and 

Til Bahadur Adhikari have 

been added to the disciplinary 

committee after the 

declaration of new date for 

the general convention. 

Rishikesh Jung Shah from 

the Deuba faction said they 

agreed on the new convention 

date after they were assured 

of equal participation. 

NSU president Karna assured 

that due responsibilities 

will be give to Deuba 

faction members in the future.

THE HIMALAYAN TIMES, MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012 www.thehimalayantimes.com 

CAPITAL 

Youth donating blood at a camp organised in Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu, on 

Sunday to mark the 13th International Youth Day. 

Youth from opposition camp 

shut academic institutions 



Seventeen youth and students 

affiliated to various 

opposition political parties 

today shut all academic institutions 

under the Council 

for Technical Education and 

Vocational Training 

(CTEVT) and a number of 

Plus Two colleges with foreign 

names and foreign investment 

demanding an 

end to all kinds of irregularities 

in the education sector. 

Regular classes of the 

CTEVT affiliated academic 

institutions and Plus Two 

colleges were halted due to 

the protest. 

The youth and students’ 

unions have been protesting 

since last month against 

the anomalies in the sector, 

including the use of foreign 

names by Plus Two colleges, 

display of big hoarding 

boards in different parts of 

the city and collection of exorbitant 

fees from students, 

among others. 

They have been padlocking 

the offices of vice chairperson 

and member- secretary 

of CTEVT and Higher 

Secondary Education Board 

since last week. 

Youths and students from 

the opposition camp today 

boycotted the government 

programme organised to 

mark the 13th International 

Youth Day. 

They also showed black 

flags to Vice President 

Paramanda Jha at Exhibition 

Road while he was going 

to participate a programme 

of the Ministry of 

Youth and Sports at National 

Assembly Hall. 

CPN-UML-aligned Youth 

Federation Nepal (YFN), All 

Nepal National Free Students 

Union, Nepali Congress 

aligned Nepal Tarun 

Dal, Nepal Students’ Union 

(NSU) and All Nepal National 

Free Students’ Union- 

(ANNFSU- sixth) are among 

the 17 youth and student associations 

who have been 

jointly staging protest pro- 

THT 

grammes. 

The youth and students 

from the opposition camp 

aim to topple the Baburam 

Bhattarai-led government. 

Today, they clashed with security 

personnel while the 

latter tried to stop students 

from showing black flags to 

Vice President. Ramesh 

Poudel, secretariat member, 

YFN, said they were scheduled 

to show black flags to 

PM Bhattarai but could not 

do so as he did not attend 

the programme. 

He said boycotting today’s 

programme was part 

of protests against the government, 

launched jointly 

by 17 youth and student 

unions. 

“Currently we are organising 

protests to make the 

government quit as it has 

become ‘unconstitutional’ 

after the dissolution of the 

Constituent Assembly,” he 

said, “Therefore we had decided 

not to take part in any 

of the government-organised 

formal programmes.” 

15 confirmed 

cholera cases 

in Kathmandu 

Doctor fears outbreak 



Fifteen cholera cases have 

been confirmed in Kathmandu 

district since the 

onset of monsoon. 

Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious 

Disease Hospital 

has confirmed 14 cases, 

while one case is reported 

in Kanti Children’s Hospital. 

Contaminated water is 

the main cause of cholera 

and diarrhoea in Kathmandu, 

doctors said. 

The cholera patients, between 

three and 88 years of 

age, were from Teku, 

Tahachal, Kalimati, 

Swayambhu, Baneshwor, 

Rabibhawan, Dallu, Bhimsengola, 

Kalanki and Pinglasthan 

in Kathmandu, 

the hospitals involved in 

the patients’ treatment reported. 

According to Dr Indra 

Prasad Prajapati, the hospital 

director, cholera cases 

have gone up this year 

compared to corresponding 

periods in the preceding 

years. 

“Only eight cases were 

reported last year during 

this time,” the director said 

and feared of focal outbreak 

if the number kept 

on rising. 

However, the epidemic 

could be limited to small 

focal area with people 

drinking the same contaminated 

water, Dr Prajapati 

said. 

He further said that three 

of the total cholera cases 

were based in Swayambhu. 

Dr Prajapati said leakage 

of drainage pipes and water 

pipelines is mainly responsible 

for the contamination 

of water. 

The contaminated water 

causes waterborne diseases 

like cholera, diarrhoea, 

dysentery, typhoid, 

cholera, worm infection 

and jaundice. 

The doctor suggested to 

boil, double filter and to 

treat water with chlorine 

before drinking it. 

He also urged the government 

to disseminate 

awareness messages and 

repair the drainage and 

water supply system at the 

soonest. 

A total of 2,167 patients 

were diagnosed with gastrointestinal 

infections, including 

diarrhoea and 

dysentery in 2010/11 and 

1,712 in 2011/12, according 

to hospitals. 

A miking campaign to 

make people aware of waterborne 

diseases is under 

way at high risk places, director 

of Kathmandu District 

Public Health Office 

(DPHO), Mahendra Prasad 

Shrestha, informed. 

“We are also holding a 

multi-sectoral meeting 

with Kathmandu Upatyaka 

Khanepani Limited 

(KUKL), Department of 

Water Supply and Sewerage, 

the Local Development 

Minister and others,” 

DPHO director Shrestha 

said. 

He further said that they 

have further asked the 

KUKL to increase the 

amount of chlorine in 

drinking water for water 

purification. 

Drug peddlers held 

KATHMANDU: Police on Saturday arrested 

Vaidya Nath Podar (42), an Indian national, 

with 1.4 kg cannabis from Tilganga. Acting on 

information, police had raided his rented 

room in the area leading to seizure of the 

cannabis. Officials said his alleged involve- 

PAGE 3 

ment in drug peddling is under probe. Also 

on Saturday, police arrested Jagadish KC and 

Bikash Jamakattel of Mahendranagar- 7, 

Kanchanpur, on the suspicion of possessing 

cocaine. Plainclothes cops had raided the 

New Baneshwor-based Lunch and Tiffin Box 

Pvt Ltd leading to their arrest with suspicious 

substance weighing 180 gram. — HNS


• ONCE-OVER 

Pillion rider killed 

NEPALGUNJ: A 40-year-old pillion 

rider was killed after the motorcycle 

she was travelling with her husband 

fell 150 meters down the road in Nepa 

VDC-6, Ralekhola, on Sunday morning. 

Bhadra Thapa of Lyangtibindrasaini-7 

died while her husband 

Bakhat Bahadur has been critically 

injured. He has been taken to Nepalgunj 

for treatment, said police. — HNS 

Brother turns killer 

BIRATNAGAR: Santosh Majhi (34) of 

Hattimuda VDC-1, Morang, died after 

he was attacked by his own elder 

brother Chepadharna (37) on Saturday. 

According to police sources, 

Chepadharna attacked his brother 

with spear under the influence. He 

has been absconding after killing his 

brother. An investigation is under 

way. — HNS 

NC appoints secy 

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress appointed 

Pradip Parajuli of Koteshwor-35 

as the secretary of the party’s 

headquarters on Sunday, the party 

said in a statement . — HNS 

Diarrhoea claims one 

THT 

Kaushal Koirala showing the bill 

book of his motorbike after two 

bikes with same number plate were 

found in Biratnagar on Sunday. 

BARA: Salma Khatun (18) died of diarrhoea 

at Haraiya VDC-2 in Bara district 

on Saturday night. Khatun was 

suffering from high fever and diarrhoea 

for the past four days, informed 

locals. — HNS 

Man electrocuted 

RUKUM: Dhani Jaisi (60) of 

Baphikot-4 died from electrocution 

after she came in contact with a 

naked wire hanging on the road on 

Saturday night, informed police. — HNS 

WEATHER 

FORECAST: Partly cloudy in the country, possibility of 

temporary thundershwores may likely to occur at few 

places, mainly in the hilly regions. 

PLACES MAX TEMP MIN TEMP 

Kathmandu 29.4 19.0 

Dadeldhura 26.3 17.5 

Dipayal 34.7 23.6 

Dhangadi 34.1 26.0 

Birendranagar 32.8 24.1 

Nepalgunj 35.7 26.6 

Jumla 26.5 15.5 

Dang 31.4 23.2 

Pokhara 31.0 23.1 

Bhairahawa 33.8 22.0 

Simra 33.5 26.5 

Okhaldhunga 25.8 14.6 

Taplejung 26.3 17.2 

Dhankuta 31.4 20.0 

Biratnagar 33.3 25.0 

Jiri 24.0 16.5 

Jomsom 21.8 12.2 

Dharan 32.3 24.4 

Rajbiraj 33.5 25.5 

Source: Meteorological Forecasting Division, 

Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Kathmandu. 

NATIONAL 

Revive CA, end impasse: Deuba 



Nepali Congress senior leader 

Sher Bahadur Deuba today suggested 

the political parties to revive 

the Constituent Assembly 

at least for 15 days after reaching 

consensus on the unsettled 

issues of new constitution, 

which according to him would 

put an end to the political deadlock 

facing the country. 

Addressing a programme organised 

by the Association of 

Youth Organisations Nepal, 

Deuba said, “The Unified CPN- 

Maoist, Nepali Congress and 

CPN-UML should give up little 

of their stances first to find consensus 

on the contents of the 

new constitution. Then, the CA 

should be revived only for 15 

days to amend the interim constitution 

and promulgate the 

new constitution.” 

Deuba said that the CA revival 

was the easiest way to save 

the political gains, as the parties 

have no other options than to 

agree on the issues of the new 

constitution even after the fresh 

CA elections. 

“Once we promulgate the 

new constitution, it will not take 

a longer time to make the country’s 

democracy vibrant and invite 

foreign investment, which 

is imperative for the nation’s development,” 

Deuba said. He 

claimed that Nepal could be the 

richest country in the Asia if the 

parties could maintain political 

stability. 

CPN-UML senior leader 

Madhav Kumar Nepal said that 

the promulgation of the new 

constitution should be the first 

priority, as other developmental 

issues would be halted until the 

new constitution is promulgated. 

UCPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam 

Bhattarai walking to a party programme in Pokhara on Sunday. 

Nepal suggested that there 

should be the constitutional 

provision to forbid a person to 

become prime minister or chief 

executive of the country not 

more than twice. “This provision 

is imperative to give the 

chance to the young leaders after 

the retirement of senior 

leaders,” he said. 

He said that the government 

should make a mechanism to 

select a certain number of most 

talented youths each year and 

give important responsibility to 

them as per their expertise. “In 

the US, at least 600 most talented 

youths from different fields 

are selected each year and given 

important responsibilities. This 

kind of practice is necessary 

even for Nepal for making the 

youths participant in the 

process of nation building,” 

Nepal added. 

Unified CPN-Maoist leader 

Oli lashes out at government 

Says India wants peace,stability in Nepal 


Rajbiraj, August 12 

CPN-UML leader KP Sharma 

Oli today said the country 

would be pushed further into a 

political crisis if the Baburam 

Bhattarai-led government was 

not unseated soon. 

Speaking at a press meet organised 

by Press Chautari Saptari 

in Rajbiraj, Oli accused 

Prime Minister Bhattarai of 

plotting to prolong his stay in 

power. “Bhattarai has aggravated 

the situation by creating obstacles 

towards consensus,” alleged 

the leader. 

Responding to a query on his 

recent trip to India, Oli clarified 

that he was not seeking favour 

from foreign powers just to become 

the Prime Minister. “My 

struggle is for national unity, 

democracy and development. 

But, if the chance (prime ministership) 

is offered to me, I 

would take the opportunity to 

end the political crisis,” added 

Oli. 

He, however, said that the 

country may have to take help 

from its neighbours as per the 

need of time. Oli went on to say 

that the statement from SD 

Muni –– ‘Baburam Bhattarai’s 

mentor in India’ –– that India 

provided shelter to then CPN- 

Maoist during the insurgency 

after they wrote to India that 

they would not work against India’s 

vital interest, exposes the 

party’s double standards. 

Oli informed that Indian 

leaders wanted to see permanent 

peace, political stability 

and democracy in Nepal. “High 

level Indian leaders, including 

the newly elected President 

Pranab Mukherjee have expressed 

concerns about Nepal,” 

added Oli. 

Coming down heavily on the 

prime minister, Oli accused 

Bhattarai of trying to impose a 

one-party communist rule on 

the pretext of postponing the 

election. Oli argued that as the 

President had written to the 

government declaring it as a 

caretaker one, it would be replaced 

the moment parties 

forge consensus on a government 

of national unity. 

Oli reiterated that his party 

would back the Nepali Congress 

to lead the next consensus 

government. He said that his 

party would stake claim for 

leadership of the government if 

the NC failed to pick a candidate 

to lead the government. 

Amik Serchan suggested that 

the CA revival was imperative 

even for amending the interim 

constitution before going for 

fresh polls. “When, the CA revival 

is imperative, the parties 

should make efforts to find consensus 

and promulgate the new 

constitution,” he said. 

Congress youth leader Gagan 

Thapa told that he would not 

remain in the active politics after 

he reached 58 years of age. 

“As in the government service, 

there should be the provision of 

retirement even in politics to 

give chance to the youths for 

nation building. I, announce 

here that I will not remain in active 

politics after I reached 58,” 

he said. 

UML leader Rabindra Adhikari 

suggested the senior 

leaders give chance to youth 

leaders for decision making in 

parties and executive positions. 

Country in trouble 

sans statute: Thapa 


Birgunj, August 12 

Rastriya Prajatantra Party 

Nepal Chairperson Kamal 

Thapa today said that nation 

has been heading towards 

failure due to the absence 

of constitution in the 

country. 

Addressing an interaction 

programme with the 

civil society organised by 

the party, Thapa said that 

the government has been 

dissolving constitutional 

bodies one after another 

and has reduced the country 

to a headless one. 

He went on say, “The incumbent 

government does 

not have the right to appoint 

persons to key posts, 

and therefore there was the 

danger that the country 

would be enlisted as a failed 

state.” 

According to Thapa, 

timely election was the only 

alternative left to give a way 

out from the present constitutional 

crisis. He urged 

the democratic parties to 

unite to foil the conspiracies 

of the Unified CPN- 

Maoist to capture the state 

power. 

Expressing sorrow over 

the increasing foreign interference 

in the country’s internal 

matters, he said that 

if such situation continues 

then we would lose our sovereignty. 

Rajkumar Sindhi of the 

Nepal-India Friendly Association 

said, “A new power 

was necessary in the country 

to address the problems 

faced by the people.” 

UCPN-M using govt for socialist revolution: PM 


Pokhara, August 12 

Unified CPN-Maoist Vice-chairman 

and Prime Minister Baburam 

Bhattarai urged the party rank and 

file to be prepared for taking up the 

arms for the establishment of a socialist 

state. 

Speaking at the training of the 

Tamuwan state district members 

here today, he claimed that party 

was using the government for so- 

cialist revolution. Bhattarai said 

people would agitate from the 

streets and leaders from the government 

for socialist revolution in 

the country. 

In the same programme, Pushpa 

Kamal Dahal said his party would 

not quit the government under the 

present circumstances. Dahal said, 

“We’ll not repeat the past mistake 

by leaving the government.” Stating 

that he has learnt that it’s not 

easy to get into power, Maoist 

THT 

supremo said the NC and the CPN- 

UML were behaving like fish out of 

the water for having to stay outside 

the government. 

On a different note, Dahal assured 

the gathering that the party 

would investigate into the cases 

filed against the party leaders and 

bring out the reports at the earliest. 

“The commission formed by the 

party’s recent plenum is working in 

this connection,” Dahal added. He 

said the commission would trans- 

fer leaders’ property, including his, 

to the party. “We did not form the 

commission to probe into the leaders’ 

property due to opposition 

parties’ outcry but to rectify our 

mistakes and clean the party,” Dahal 

added. Earlier, students affiliated 

to the NC and the CPN-UML 

showed black flags to the PM Bhattarai 

and Deputy Prime Minister 

Narayankaji Shrestha at Pokhara 

airport. More than 1,000 Tamuwan 

members participated in the event. 

Koirala takes aim at 

Maoist chief Dahal 


Chitwan, August, 12 

Nepali Congress President 

Sushil Koirala today accused 

the Unified CPN- 

Maoist Chairman Pushpa 

Kamal Dahal of being a 

contractor for the government 

formation. 

Speaking at the programme 

organised by the 

Nepal Press Union at 

Narayangadh of Chitwan, 

Koirala said, “Dahal behaves 

as if he is the contractor 

for the making and unmaking 

of the government, 

when the Maoist chief said 

that the NC cannot form 

the next government.” 

Koirala went on to say 

that Dahal had become a 

liar. “Maoist chief’s activity 



PAGE 5 

inside and outside the party 

corroborates that he is a 

great liar,” he alleged. 

On a different note, the 

NC chief said that his party 

would never compromise 

on the democracy and democratic 

ideals. He accused 

UCPN-Maoist of breaching 

the past agreements ever 

since it came into peace 

process. 

Accusing the Maoist of 

violating all the past agreements, 

Koirala said the 

country was facing grave 

constitutional crisis due to 

Maoist’s irresponsible behaviours. 

He charged that 

government was hell-bent 

on capturing the state. He 

informed that NC was fighting 

for the constitutional 

and political normalcy. 

UDMF leaders 

debate proposal 

for new alliance 

A meeting convened by the United Democratic 

Madhesi Front discussed a working paper 

related to the formation of Federal Democratic 

Alliance today, but ended inclusively after 

Jitendra Sonal, general secretary of the Tarai 

Madhes Democratic Party raised questions 

about the purpose of the alliance. 

According to a source, Sonal said if the federalists’ 

alliance was formed as proposed by 

the Unified CPN-Maoist, it could further polaraise 

the country and have a negative impact 

on the ongoing efforts to forge consensus. 

TMDP Chairman Mahantha Thakur, MJF- 

Democratic Chairman Bijay Kumar Gachhadar, 

MJF-Republic Chairman Rajkishor Yadav 

and TMDP-Nepal Chairman Mahendra 

Yadav had spoken on the working paper. 

The UDMF has called another meeting tomorrow 

morning to decide a on the formation 

of the federalists’ alliance. 

Mahato said he told the meeting that the 

alliance should be formed only when it was 

not possible to promulgate a constitution 

through a revived CA and fresh elections 

were deemed necessary. 

Mahato said the formation of the alliance 

could further polaraise the country. Some 

speakers said the UDMF should try to 

strengthen itself rather than focusing on federalists’ 

alliance. 

Sonal said he told the meeting that some 

Madhesi parties were still out of UDMF and 

the front had not been able to designate its 

coordinator, review four point deal and Madhesi 

parties’ and its performance in the government. 

These issues should get priority, he 

said.


NATIONAL 

‘Poudel to be 

Congress’ 

PM candidate’ 



Even as the ruling Unified 

CPN-Maoist is reluctant to 

handover the power to the 

Nepali Congress, senior leader 

Sujata Koirala said that 

her party was likely to project 

Ram Chandra Poudel as 

prime ministerial candidate. 

Addressing mediapersons 

here, Sujata said party NC 

President Sushil Koirala would 

himself propose Poudel’s 

name for the top executive 

job in the next meeting of the 

Central Working Committee 

scheduled for Thursday. 

The Congress leader’s disclosure 

raised hackles in the 

Sher Bahadur Deuba camp. 

Prakash Sharan Mahat, a 

Deuba loyalist, told The Himalayan 

Times that naming 

of prime ministerial candidate 

would not ensure that 

the person would be able to 

bag the post at this stage yet 

as any decision to this effect 

should have get approval of 

all leaders. 

Mahat hinted that the 

naming of other than Deuba 

for the top job would be contested. 

“I do not know if Sujata 

is speaking on Sushil 

Koirala’s behalf, but the party 

president had himself committed 

to ‘one person, one 

post’ theory. I hope he adheres 

to this principle,” Mahat 

told. 

Although the NC has been 

rebuked by some CPN-UML 

leaders for failing to name its 

prime ministerial candidate, 

the ruling parties have, however, 

said the NC could lead 

the next government only if 

it agreed to settle federalism 

issues and promulgate a new 

constitution through a re- 

vived Constituent Assembly. 

The NC fears that the 

naming of prime ministerial 

candidate could rekindle 

factionalism within the party 

and trigger new rivalry between 

Sushil Koirala, Sher 

Bahadur Deuba and Ram 

Chandra Poudel. 

Sujata said she favoured 

Poudel because Koirala and 

Deuba needed to play more 

important role in the party. 

She said the current government 

should be changed 

through dialogue and not 

agitation. 

The Congress leader also 

came down heavily on 

UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa 

Kamal Dahal for changing 

his stances. 

UCPN-M spokesperson 

Agni Prasad Sapkota reiterated 

the NC would get a 

chance to lead the next government 

only when a new 

constitution was promulgated 

through a revived CA. “If a 

new constitution was 

framed outside the CA, we 

will not accept it,” Sapkota 

warned. 

Yubraj Gyawali, UML secretary, 

however rejected the 

idea of reviving the CA and 

said there was no alternative 

to fresh elections. He said 

new elected body should 

work as Constituent Assembly 

for one year and next four 

years as parliament. He 

threatened to oust the prime 

minister through street 

protests. 

The UML, Gyawali said 

was ready to hear the grievances 

of disgruntled leaders 

but if anybody stuck to single 

identity based federalism, 

then the party would not 

mind to take action against 

them. 

Locals removing slush from Myagdi’s headquarters Beni, on Sunday. 

Graft rife in govt offices: Report 



Corruption is widespread 

in government offices responsible 

for delivery of services 

in the country, the National 

Vigilance Centre 

said in its report made public 

on the occasion of its 

10th anniversary. 

The anti-graft body, which 

works under the Prime 

Minister, said that surveys 

conducted in 37 districts in 

the last three years showed 

that people pay extra money 

to government officials to 

receive services. 

Around 70 per cent service 

seekers in Parsa in the 

fiscal year 2010/11 reported 

having paid extra money for 

services in the district pub- 

NVC marks anniversary 

KATHMANDU: A programme 

was organised at 

the National Planning 

Commission on Sunday 

to mark the 10th anniversary 

of the National Vigilance 

Centre. The programme 

was attended 

lic offices. Likewise, in 56 

per cent of respondents said 

they had to bribe a district 

official for service in 

2011/12. Likewise, 41 per 

cent service-seekers in Dhanusha 

paid the extra sum to 

officials in 2009/2011. 

The centre, which recommends 

cases to the Commission 

for the Investiga- 

by the Prime Minister 

Baburam Bhattarai and 

the Chief Secretary. Winners 

of the poem competition 

among the civil servants 

on corruption control 

were feted during the 

programme. –– HNS 

tion of Abuse of Authority, 

had dispatches survey 

teams to the districts every 

year. The team asks services-seekers 

to fill out 

forms. 

The findings are then 

shared in a mass gathering 

comprising civil society, 

political leaders and civil 

servants. 

When foreign employment causes family tension 


Mahotari, August 12 

Foreign employment helps a 

lot to Mahotari residents as it 

makes them feel financially 

secured. But there’s a flip 

side to it: Their families, specially 

the women, spend the 

days in anguish. 

Nearly two lakh people 

have gone for foreign employment 

from Mahotari 

alone, making the district 

the highest number of 

Nepalis going for the foreign 

employment each year. 

Of course, the families are 

getting financial support 

from their bread earners but 

at the same time the family 

members undergo immense 

pressure of psychological 

tension. 

Sangita Kumari (name 

changed) of Bhramarpura, 

who was newly married is 

tensed as her husband had 

gone to Saudi Arabia just 

after 10 days of their marriage. 

She does not know 

how to adjust with the new 

family and there’s no one 

with she can share her problems. 

There are still others who 

live separately to educate 

their children. In-laws consider 

that their families are at 

odds as the daughter-in-law 

doesn’t want to stay with the 

family anymore. 

Rohini Jha, assistant professor 

of psychology at the 

Ramananda Biseshwore Mahendra 

Campus Jaleswore, 

believes that the long separation 

between husband and 

wife creates a psychological 

torture as women are held 

accountable for everything 

from their family members 

and society as well. 

Women are also facing 

tension of different sorts 

such as physically, mentally, 

financially and from their 

family too as the country is 

male dominated. 

No wonder the number of 

patients is increasing in the 

hospitals due to mental pressure 

which made women 

depressing, said Dr Rahul 

Chaudary. 

He further said most patients 

do not suffer from any 

disease but since they had 

to bear the family burden 

and face tantrums on daily 

basis from other family 

members they suffer from 

mental disease. 

“Those who are earning 

more and contact their family 

daily do not have any 

problem, but those with less 

salary who cannot contact 

with the family members are 

more prone to such problems. 

So insufficient of adequte 

financial backing is also 

one of the reasons,” said 

Rekha Jha, women rights 

activist. 

Over 50 youth daily come 

to take their passports from 

the District Administration 

Office, said DAO Pradip Raj 

Kandel. 

Somnath Bastola 

Itahari, August 12 

THT 


Cholera outbreak 

under control in Doti 


Dipayal, August 12 

The cholera outbreak, 

which was at its peak in villages 

in Doti at the end of 

June, is now under control, 

officials said today. 

With the development, 

locals who evacuated the 

affected areas, have started 

returning home. 

A total of 14 persons had 

lost their lives due to the 

epidemic from June 13 to 

July 1 in the district. District 

Health Office informed that 

it has treated more than 700 

cholera patients till now. 

Cholera was found in people 

from Doti’s Dipayal Silgadi 

municipality along 

with Kalena, Bagalek, 

Khatiwada, Gajari, Kadamandau, 

Sanagaun, Basudev, 

Durgamandau, Barwata 

and Gajunda VDCs. 

Tek Raj Ojha, investigation 

and evaluation officer 

at the office, said authorities 

were successful in lim- 

Ex-Maoist fighter 

living with bullet 

He dedicated his life for 

the Maoist party during 

the armed struggle. CP 

Dahal was shot and presumed 

dead by then Royal 

Nepali Army in 1998 with 

the help of a local retaliation 

committee in Sunsari. 

People affiliated to the 

retaliation committee had 

pierced his head with iron 

rod and presuming he was 

dead, Dahal was sent to 

Dharan-based BP Koirala 

Institute of Health Sciences 

for postmortem. 

Though Dahal survived 

the tragedy, the bullet that 

hit him is still inside his 

body. The trauma of the 

bullet wound, however, 

cannot be compared to 

the mental and psychological 

ordeal he has had to 

live with, Dahal shares. 

“The party’s vice-chairman 

is leading the government. 

But people like me, 

who fought the war, have 

been compelled to live on 

charity,” he complained. 

Dahal bemoaned that 

he has been left out to fend 

for himself while ‘opportunistic’ 

members of the 

party have landed plum 

positions. “I have spent 

many a nights at Itahari 

chowk begging for rice 

and vegetables.” 

“Those who joined the 

THT 

Dahal showing where the 

bullet is embedded in his 

body in Sunsari. 

party recently have built 

houses on the main road 

and are leading luxurious 

lives. But I am leading the 

life of a beggar,” Dahal said 

with tears in his eyes. 

He said that his pleas to 

CPN, Maoist and UNCPN- 

Maoist leaders, including 

Ram Bahadur Thapa, Ram 

Karki, Gopal Kiranti, CP 

Gajurel and Haribol Gajurel 

have fallen on deaf 

ears. He demanded that 

party make provisions for 

some kind of an income 

source for him as he sacrificed 

his life for the party. 

He urged the PM to provide 

treatment and income 

source for his and 

family’s livelihood. 

iting the epidemic to 

Machantola of Bagalek VDC 

now. 

“The situation of the affected 

VDCs has been returning 

to normalcy,” he 

said adding, “People from 

all walks of life took the initiative 

to control the epidemic. 

So the epidemic 

could be controlled,” added 

Ojha. 

Mahendra Dhowj Adhikari, 

senior public health 

officer, informed that a 

team of health workers was 

ready to be deployed in affected 

areas. He said that 

public awareness programmes 

are being conducted 

so that the disease 

could not spread again. 

Doti Bharat Kathayat, 

member of Federation of 

Non-governmental Organisations, 

said that it was early 

to say that the epidemic 

was now under control. 

“Cholera microbes could 

spread fast again,” Kathayat 

added. 

Water crisis 

in Myagdi 

village 

Himalayan News Services 

Myagdi, August 12 

Locals in Arman Village Development 

Committee, Myagdi, 

have been facing an 

acute drinking water shortage 

after pipes were swept 

away by a landslide. 

A total of 46 households, 

including the local Sishu 

Kalyan Secondary School, 

have been reeling under a 

water crisis since July 3, locals 

said. 

As many as 350 students 

and 250 locals have been directly 

affected as the landslide, 

which took place at Arman-Tarakhola 

road section, 

swept away the collection 

tank and 250-meter long 

plastic pipes in the area. 

Hari Subedi, secretary of 

Bhuk Khola Dobilla Drinking 

Water Consumer Committee, 

said locals and students 

have been compelled to ferry 

drinking water from an area 

that takes three hours to 

reach on foot. 

Project adviser Chandra 

Bhakta Bista said that they 

will take initiation to repair 

the water source. “We had 

provided financial aid to the 

consumer committee during 

the construction period,” he 

said adding,” The project 

would be repaired after getting 

financial support from 

other areas.”


INTERNATIONAL 

250 killed as twin quakes jolt Iran 


Tehran, August 12 

Twin earthquakes in Iran 

have killed at least 250 people 

and injured over 2,000, 

Iranian state television said 

today, after thousands spent 

the night outdoors after 

their villages were leveled 

and homes damaged in the 

country’s northwest. 

Images broadcast on the 

main news channel showed 

dozens of families sleeping 

on blankets laid out on the 

ground in parks. Some were 

crying, others shivering 

from chilly weather in the 

mountainous region hit by 

the quake, near neighboring 

Azerbaijan. 

Over a thousand rescuers 

worked through the night to 

free people trapped under 

rubble and to reach some of 

the more remote villages affected. 

Television also 

showed people being evacuated 

on stretchers, while 

others underwent treatment 

for broken limbs and 

concussions on hospital 

beds. By early afternoon today, 

state television was reporting 

that search operations 

had ceased and hundreds 

of tents had been set 

up to house the homeless. 

The US Geological Survey 

reported that Saturday’s first 

quake at 1223 GMT had a 

magnitude of 6.4 and struck 

60 km northeast of the city 

of Tabriz at a depth of 9.9 

km. State TV quoted local 

Crisis Committee chief 

Khalil Saei as saying the epicentre 

was a region between 

the towns of Ahar and Haris, 

about 500 km northwest of 

the capital Tehran. 

The second quake with a 

magnitude of 6.3 struck 11 

minutes later, the USGS reported. 

Its epicentre was 48 

Tanker collides with 

US ship in Hormuz 

Reuters 

Dubai/Muscat, August 12 

An oil tanker collided with 

a US Navy ship near the 

Strait of Hormuz today but 

no one was hurt and shipping 

traffic in the waterway, 

through which 40 per 

cent of the world’s 

seaborne oil exports pass, 

was not affected, officials 

said. 

“Both vessels are okay 

and the Strait of Hormuz is 

not closed, and business is 

as usual there,” an Oman 

coast guard official said. 

The Bahrain-based US 

Fifth Fleet said the Panamanian-flagged,Japaneseowned 

bulk oil tanker M/V 

Otowasan collided with the 


New York, August 12 

Transportation Security 

Administration officers at 

Boston’s Logan International 

Airport are alleging 

that a programme intended 

to help flag possible terrorists 

based on passengers’ 

mannerisms has led 

to rampant racial profiling, 

a newspaper reported yesterday. 

The New York Times 

(http://nyti.ms/P2enzf ) 

reported on its website that 

in interviews and internal 

complaints it has obtained, 

more than 30 officers involved 

in the “behaviour 

detection” programme at 

Logan contend that the operation 

targets not only 

Residents spending the night outside their homes after an earthquake in Varzaqan, Iran, on Saturday. 

USS Porter, a guided-missile 

destroyer, in the early 

hours of Sunday morning. 

The navy vessel remained 

able to operate under 

its own power after the 

collision, which was not 

combat-related, the statement 

added without elaborating 

on how the accident 

happened. An investigation 

was underway. 

Tensions have risen in 

the Gulf this year as Iran 

has threatened to close the 

strait to international shipping 

if its dispute with the 

United States over its nuclear 

programme escalates. 

Washington says it 

maintains naval forces in 

the Gulf to ensure security 

in the region. 

Racial profiling of 

fliers in Boston 

Middle Easterners, but also 

passengers who fit certain 

profiles — such as Hispanics 

traveling to Miami, or 

blacks wearing baseball 

caps backward. 

TSA told the newspaper 

on Friday it is probing the 

officers’ claims. At a meeting 

last month with the 

agency, officers provided 

complaints from 32 officers. 

The officers said their 

co-workers were increasingly 

targeting minorities, 

believing the stops would 

lead to the discovery of 

drugs, outstanding arrest 

warrants and immigration 

problems, in response to 

pressure from managers 

who wanted high numbers 

of stops, searches and 

criminal referrals. 

km northeast of Tabriz at a 

depth of 9.8 km. 

The quakes hit the towns 

of Ahar, Haris and Varzaqan 

in East Azerbaijan province, 

Iranian television reported. 

At least six villages were totally 

levelled, and 133 others 

sustained damage ranging 


Norfolk, August 12 

After Mitt Romney decided 

on a running mate, Paul 

Ryan’s carefully planned 

transition from congressman 

to vice presidential 

candidate began — in deep 

secret. 

Almost a week ago, Ryan 

snuck through Chicago’s 

O’Hare airport in a baseball 

cap and sunglasses and flew 

to New England. A Romney 

adviser’s 19-year-old son 

picked up Ryan and drove 

him to a private meeting in 

his parents’ dining room 

where the deal was sealed. 

By Friday afternoon, Ryan 

was cutting through the 

Wisconsin woods behind 

his home to evade a reporter 

on the street out front, and 

heading to North Carolina. 

UN initiative to save oceans 

Agence France Presse 

New York, August 12 

The UN chief today announced 

an initiative to 

protect oceans from pollution 

and over-fishing and to 

combat rising sea levels 

which threaten hundreds of 

millions of the world’s people. 

United Nations Secretary-General 

Ban Ki-moon 

said the “Oceans Compact” 

initiative sets out a strategic 

vision for the United Nations 

system to more effectively 

tackle the “precarious 

state” of the world’s seas. 

Ban highlighted the 

“grave threat” from pollution, 

excessive fishing and 

global warming. “Our 

oceans are heating and ex- 

panding,” he said in a 

speech to a conference 

marking the 30th anniversary 

of the UN Convention 

on the Law of the Sea. 

“We risk irrevocable 

changes in processes that 

we barely comprehend, 

such as the great currents 

that affect weather patterns,” 

he said. 

“Ocean acidification 

(from absorbed carbon 

emissions) is eating into the 

very basis of our ocean life; 

and sea level rise threatens 

to re-draw the global map 

at the expense of hundreds 

of millions of the world’s 

most vulnerable people,” 

the secretary-general of the 

world body said. 

The UN chief, who also 

called for action to curb 

from 50 to 80 per cent, it 

said. Some 36 aftershocks 

jolted the same area and 

were felt in a wide region 

near the Caspian Sea, causing 

panic among the population. 

Iran is located on seismic 

fault lines and is prone to 

By night, he was eating Applebee’s 

takeout at a nondescript 

chain hotel in that 

state and preparing for his 

big debut speech, according 

to a top Romney campaign 

aide who described the 

furtive manoeuvring to reporters 

late yesterday. 

All this, so that no one 

would see it coming: A Saturday 

morning unveiling of 

the Republican ticket in 

Norfolk outside the USS 

Wisconsin, the battleship 

named for Ryan’s home 

state, as the sweeping 

theme from the movie “Air 

Force One” played. 

This was the culmination 

of a methodical, highly secretive 

process that involved 

10 top Romney 

staffers, a volunteer team of 

attorneys, a secret secure 

room in Romney’s Boston 

earthquakes. It experiences 

at least one earthquake 

every day on average, although 

the vast majority are 

so small they go unnoticed. 

In 2003, some 26,000 people 

were killed by a magnitude 

6.6 quake that flattened the 

historic city of Bam. 

headquarters, and reams of 

paper on a long and then a 

short list of potential candidates. 

In the end, the decision 

about who to pick rested 

only with Romney: A candidate 

who is known for marshalling 

opinions from 

across the spectrum, gathering 

and analysing all the 

available data, and then 

evaluating the risks — before 

making the final call 

alone. 

The people around Romney 

told him it was risky. 

As the Republican presidential 

candidate prepared 

to pick his running mate, he 

kept in constant touch with 

his senior advisers. They 

met in small groups and 

alone with the candidate. 

He talked to a number of 

other friends and confi- 

Reuters 

Aleppo, August 12 

Syrian rebels fighting to oust 

President Bashar al-Assad 

need the protection of foreign-guarded 

no-fly zones 

and safe havens near the borders 

with Jordan and Turkey, 

a Syrian opposition leader 

said today. 

Battles raged on in the 

northern city of Aleppo, 

where tanks, artillery and 

snipers attacked rebels in the 

Saif al-Dawla district next to 

the devastated area of Salaheddine. 

Abdelbasset Sida, head of 

the Syrian National Council, 

said the United States had realised 

that the absence of a 

no-fly zone to counter Assad’s 

air superiority hindered 

rebel movements. 

He was speaking a day after 

US Secretary of State 

Hillary Clinton said her 

country and Turkey would 

study a range of possible 

measures to help Assad’s 

foes, including a no-fly zone, 

although she indicated no 

decisions were necessarily 

imminent. 

“It is one thing to talk 

about all kinds of potential 

actions, but you cannot 

make reasoned decisions 

without doing intense analysis 

and operational plan- 

Paul Ryan selection shrouded in secrecy 

piracy and irregular sea migration, 

said he hoped for 

progress towards a legally 

binding framework to combat 

“runaway climate 

change” at a UN conference 

in Doha in November. 

But action could also be 

taken now. 

Ban said the Compact 

was aimed at “improving 

the health of the oceans” 

and strengthening their 

management through an 

action plan to be overseen 

by a high-level advisory 

group. 

This would be made up 

of senior policymakers, scientists 

and ocean experts, 

representatives from the 

private sector and civil society 

and leaders of the UN 

organisations involved. 

AP / RSS 

ning,” she said after meeting 

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet 

Davutoglu in Istanbul. 

Though any intervention 

appears to be a distant 

prospect, her remarks were 

nevertheless the closest 

Washington has come to suggesting 

direct military action 

in Syria. “There are areas that 

are being liberated,” Sida told 

Reuters over the phone from 

Istanbul. “But the problem is 

PAGE 7 

Syrian rebels need no-fly zone 

to oust Assad: Oppn leader 

West has little appetite for Libya-style action 

dantes, soliciting advice and 

opinions. 

Aides knew the decision 

was fraught, and they told 

Romney so. It was a choice, 

they knew, that would fundamentally 

re-shape the 

race for the presidency. It 

would acknowledge Romney 

needed to offer voters 

more than just being the guy 

who wasn’t Democratic 

President Barack Obama. 

And it would tie Romney to 

the architect of a highly controversial 

budget proposal 

that Democrats are eager to 

use to badger the Republican. 

Romney, himself, decided 

the chance was worth taking. 

“This was Mitt’s decision,” 

said Beth Myers, the senior 

adviser who led the vice 

presidential search. 

Senior cop 

defects 

AMMAN: The deputy 

police commander for 

the central Syrian 

province of Homs has 

defected to Jordan, an 

opposition source said 

on Sunday, further undermining 

President 

Bashar al-Assad as he 

struggles to maintain a 

f u n c t i o n i n g 

state.”Brigadier General 

Ibrahim al-Jabawi has 

crossed into Jordan. He 

will announce his defection 

on al-Arabiya TV 

later today,” an official in 

the Higher Revolution 

Council, a activists’ organisation, 

told Reuters 

from Amman. –– Reuters 

the aircraft, in addition to the 

artillery bombardment, 

causing killing, destruction.” 

He said the establishment 

of secure areas on the borders 

with Jordan and Turkey 

“was an essential thing that 

would confirm to the regime 

that its power is diminishing 

bit by bit”. A no-fly zone imposed 

by NATO and Arab allies 

helped Libyan rebels 

overthrow Muammar 

Gaddafi last year. The West 

has shown little appetite for 

repeating any Libya-style action 

in Syria, and Russia and 

China strongly oppose any 

such intervention. 

Insurgents have expanded 

territory they hold near the 

Turkish border in the last few 

weeks since the Syrian army 

gathered its forces for an offensive 

to regain control of 

Aleppo, Syria’s biggest city 

and economic hub. 

Rebels who seized swathes 

of the city three weeks ago 

have been fighting to hold 

their ground against troops 

backed by warplanes, helicopter 

gunships, tanks and 

artillery. 

One rebel commander 

named Yasir Osman, 35, told 

Reuters tanks had advanced 

into Salaheddine, despite attempts 

to fend them off by 

150 fighters he said were 

short of ammunition.


TheHimalayan 

T I M E S 

A THOUGHT FOR T ODAY 

The capacity to care is the thing which gives life 

its deepest meaning and significance. 

—Pablo Casals 

Fuel to fire 

As things stand now, there is no escaping from the 

perennial shortages of Liquefied Petroleum Gas 

(LPG) for the hapless consumers. For one reason or 

the other, scarcity of this commodity is very common 

place. This has given rise to outcry from the public 

who are at the mercy of some unscrupulous entrepreneurs 

of LPG who are making a tidy sum from 

dealing with the commodity. It looks like now the 

strike by the LP Gas Industry Association Nepal, 

which has stopped dealing in the product from August 

7, has already led to the scarcity of LPG gas cylinders. 

This facilitates some dealers to sell LPG gas in 

the black market at highly inflated price as they make 

hay while the sun shines. What appears to be the 

bone of contention is that the bottlers oppose the 

plan of the government to introduce different 

coloured cylinders for domestic and industrial use. 

Apparently, the cylinders sold to the industries would 

be more expensive than the ones sold for domestic 

use. Clearly, the provision for different coloured 

cylinders would prevent the unscrupulous traders 

from making extra money on the sly, because the 

cylinders for industrial and domestic use could easily 

be identified. 

By all accounts, the strike called by the LP Gas Industry 

Association Nepal is a breach of the Consumer 

Protection Act and Black Marketing Act. Given the 

predicament of the consumers 

with all signs that 

Delay in deal the strike will be a pro- 

means the 

tracted one with little sign 

of the stakeholders yield- 

consumers would ing easily, the govern- 

suffer, particularly ment ought to utilize government 

corporations so 

with the 

that the supply of gas is 

government 

smooth. Since, LPG gas is 

an essential commodity 

remaining 

the scarcity of which 

indifferent 

would affect ordinary life, 

it should be made easily 

available at a reasonable price, which would be fair. 

But, going by the present developments, it appears to 

be the jockeying by the gas dealers to raise their commission 

again. Incidentally, their share has been 

raised numerous times, and they want it further increased, 

which is quite unfair. 

What should be pointed out here is that the gas 

dealers are having an easy time as in the petroleum 

business the Nepal Oil Corporation bears all the loss 

while the entrepreneurs earn handsome commissions. 

Now, the question is as to whether the government 

should take legal action against the erring gas 

dealers. The other option would be to keep on holding 

negotiations. But, for how long can the negotiations 

keep on going, because the consumers are already 

being hard-hit by the scarcity of LPG cylinders 

in the market? Furthermore, this whole affair looks 

fishy and we cannot rule out the ulterior motives of 

ministry officials on looking at the delay in the issuing 

of the Essential Service Act on the trade of LPG. 

Ultimately, the delay in reaching an agreement 

means that the consumers would be suffering for it 

appears that the government is indifferent, and, at 

the same time, the gas dealers are commission-oriented 

lacking the service motive which should be the 

goal of all businesses. Panic seems to have gripped 

with the consumers running from pillar to post to secure 

LPG cylinders giving rise to the dreadful phenomena 

of hoarding and profiteering. 

Thinking of elders 

It may come like sweet music to the elderly that 

Patan Hospital, in coordination with the Population 

Division of the Ministry of Health and Population, 

is doing the needful so that it would be operating 

a geriatric ward after the festival of Dashain. Similarly, 

the ministry is also planning for such centres at 

the Kirtipur-based National Ayurvedic Training and 

Research Centre and Bharatpur Hospital. Though 

long overdue, such geriatric centres will be of great 

help for the elderly patients for whom the normal 

hospital setting is not elderly-friendly in terms of various 

facilities and infrastructure. 

There is no denying that the elderly have their 

own specific ailments and problems which can only 

be understood through specialised geriatric wards. 

The need for such wards has grown tremendously 

in recent years with the life expectancy growing 

because of the changes in diet as well as medical 

intervention of a host of diseases. The ageing 

population have their own set of problems which 

only the geriatric specialists can understand, 

diagnose and treat. 

• LETTERS 

It’s not 

surprising 

It was not surprising to read the 

news report “Opposition 

parties shift stance on polls” 

(THT, Aug. 8, Page 1) with regard 

to NC and UML. The bosses 

have now started on high 

volume for new polls. 

Otherwise, they were earlier 

opposing the Dr. Baburam 

Bhattarai-led coalition 

government’s call for CA 

election. They seem extremely 

frustrated losing their political 

title “Mananiyajeu”. That is 

why; they seem hell-bent after 

Dr. Bhattarai’s resignation, who 

cunningly killed CA, a few hours 

before its natural death. Does it 

make any sense to repeatedly 

ask for BRB’s resignation who 

has been categorically labelled 

by the President as the 

caretaker PM? Why don’t the 

oppositions name their com 

mon candidate as the new PM 

rather than hounding BRB for 

nothing? Why don’t they come 

to a consensus to hold fresh 

election on a suitable date and 

settle the on-going political and 

constitutional crisis as soon as 

possible? The main issue is now 

to draft the “new constitution”. 

The sooner they forge 

consensus on the type of 

election, the better would it be 

for the nation to come out of 

the current political impasse 

and constitutional vacuum. The 

President’s move to put 

frequent pressure on the 

political parties should be 

appreciated. The resent 

broader meeting called by him 

remained to be fruitful in terms 

of changing oppositions’ 

political stance. It would be an 

extremely favourable political 

DR.GYAN BASNET 

The United Nations (UN) 

was founded in 1945 in 

order to replace the League 

of Nations and doing so to 

bring about a new world order. 

Today the organization’s 

structure still reflects the 

circumstances pertaining at 

the time of its founding, but 

in the meantime the world 

has changed dramatically. 

Modern history, as taught, 

tells us that this international 

organization has become 

an essential part of the system 

for dealing with international 

problems, but we 

need to ask how relevant the 

UN is in the changed political 

circumstances of today. 

How successful has it been 

in fulfilling its promises and 

living up to its ideals? Does 

it truly constitute a global 

voice? Just how successful 

has it been in maintaining 

the peace in every part of 

the world? 

The UN has been able to 

prevent the recurrence of 

war on the scale of the First 

and Second World Wars. It 

has been instrumental in 

maintaining an international 

balance of power. It has 

played a role in the demise 

of colonialism on the one 

hand and of apartheid on 

the other. Its agencies, such 

as the WHO, UNICEF, and 

UNESCO, have keenly participated 

in the transforma- 

TOPICS 

PRASUN SINGH 

Why don’t people like the 

idea of ageing or getting 

old? The main reason, in my 

view, is the fear of looking ugly, 

getting physically frail and, most 

importantly, the prospective 

mistreatment meted out by their 

offsprings in this stage. These 

days this fear has frightened 

people to such an extent that 

they go to any limit to at least appear 

young. Had it been possible 

to freeze youth, I am sure everyone 

would go for it with their 

eyes closed. 

It is common in our country 

and outside as well to see senior 

citizens being discarded by their 

kin in their homes. They are not 

given care and the respect they 

climate should all the political 

parties agree to form a 

caretaker government of non 

political intellectuals and 

professionals with the 

assignment of holding fresh 

election. However, looking 

closely at the political parties’ 

charm towards the Prime 

Ministerial chair, this option 

may not work. But the sooner 

they agree on national issues 

and options, the better it would 

for them and the nation. 

Rai Biren Bangdel, 

Maharajgunj, Kathmandu 

Bitter truth 

This refers to the news article 

“No Olympic medal in next 50 

years: Manandhar” (THT, Aug. 

11, Page 16). Baikuntha, a 

dedicated, honest and a 

laborious student from the very 

Dynamics of changed world order 

Relevance of the UN 

tion of the international social 

sector. Moreover, despite 

being essentially a political 

body, it has provided a 

platform via its conventions 

and declarations for matters 

extra-political, e.g. human 

rights, women’s rights, climate 

change. 

However, the UN has 

failed to prevent over a hundred 

major conflicts resulting 

in the death of over 

twenty five million people. 

Its peacekeeping missions 

in several parts in the world 

failed, and it was unable to 

stop genocides in African 

countries such as Rwanda, 

Congo, Sudan, Liberia, and 

Sierra-Leone. Similarly, it 

was unable to prevent massive 

genocides in the USSR 

under Stalin and in Cambodia 

under Pol Pot, and it 

failed to prevent the US and 

its allies entering an illegal 

war in Iraq. For decades Israel 

has taken unilateral action 

against its neighbours, 

but a resolution of the border 

crisis appears to be as 

far away as ever. It was 

nowhere to be seen, too, 

when NATO bombs rained 

down on the former Yugoslavia. 

Today, the UN has been 

reduced to a talking shop 

where big and powerful nations 

show their might. 

Power politics and use of the 

UN as a tool for serving selfinterest 

has reduced the rel- 

Old age phobia 

deserve for building the foundation 

of their family all their lives. 

This is a terrible situation for 

those who bear the torture and 

to those who are yet to see old 

age, for they fear similar treatment 

at this age. 

As human beings try their utmost 

to avert every possible 

challenges and hindrances from 

the “old age phobia” they have 

been trying every means, though 

futile, to keep old age at bay. For 

example, females specially go for 

cosmetic surgery, botox injection 

and what not to avoid wrinkles, 

the primary visible sign of 

ageing. Sometimes they even lie 

to people about their age. 

Nature has blessed us with 

one life that starts from childhood 

and ends at old age. The 

BLOG SURF CARTOON 

Learning to say no 

KIRAN 

Igrew up in the countryside as an energetic, 

helpful and obedient child. I was taught to 

say “Yes” to a lot of things rather than a “No.” 

I remember saying a no to only those foods 

that I really did not like...Other than that I 

have always compelled myself to come 

in terms with my family and friends as I 

am afraid of hurting their feelings. Thus, I got 

a tag of being “easy going”...But lately, I have 

realized that I have spent a lot of time and 

energy doing things for others and not caring 

about my personal satisfaction. Many times, 

we are unwilling to say just a “No” to make 

others happy and drag ourselves into stressful 

situations. This often allows people to take 

advantage of us and we are bound to do 

something that we cannot do with a willing 

heart. I usually end up chatting with my 

friends till 12 am, knowing that I have loads of 

assignment to complete and reach class by 

7am. I end up lending cash to my friends, 

knowing that I myself will not be left with any 

pocket money. —kiran8821.wordpress.com 

beginning turned to become 

one of the best sportsman in 

Nepal as well as in South Asia. 

He is the three-time gold 

medalist, and the marathon 

record holder in SAF games in 

Calcutta in 1987, which still 

stands. He has blamed the 

Reforms within the UN itself will not suffice 

in this changed situation. Fundamental 

change is essential.A series of world 

conferences should now involve all 

countries.The aim should be to establish a 

new form of global institution to replace 

completely the current UN 

evance of the world body: it 

has become a hostage of the 

major powers, and it has totally 

failed to understand 

the present changed global 

political order. 

The Westphalia view of international 

law as a disciplinary 

force between nation 

states, each with its own 

economic, social and political 

authority has, however, 

now ceased to be appropriate 

in a global society where 

latter is the phase where one 

cherishes all his/her achievements, 

losses and so on. It is the 

responsibility of the succeeding 

generations to give care and respect 

to the members who are 

old aged so that they can take 

their life to be a journey with a 

happy ending. However, the reality 

now has turned grotesque. 

The precious gift, life, has proved 

to be a curse to hundreds of 

thousands of the senior citizens.Those 

who forget their parents’ 

sacrifices and immense 

love to bring them to the privileged 

position, should see that 

their ill treatments of parents 

will backfire. They too will have 

to go through the same phase 

one day in their lives. At that 

time, they might have to face 

concerned authorities for not 

taking sports seriously and 

working without a proper 

vision. This way, we will not be 

able to achieve an Olympic 

medal even in 50 years. 

Baikuntha says to get the 

Olympic medal, we need to set 

the power of non-state actors 

continues to grow. As 

cross-border activity and 

practices increase in number, 

Professor B. Sausa Santos 

argues that the nationstate 

is less able to maintain 

the level of control that it 

once had over the flow of 

persons, goods, money and 

ideas. The ease of capital 

movement and the increasingly 

powerful world financial 

markets and multi-na- 

similar treatment, because they 

have shown their children the 

wrong way to deal with their 

aged parents. 

As you sow so you reap, therefore, 

one should set a family environment 

where old members 

are given care and respect and 

made to feel that their life has 

been worthwhile, and they can 

bid farewell to this world with 

smiles and a contended heart. If 

one cannot be with the old aged 

all day at least he can spend 

some time listening to his/her 

highs and lows and speak politely 

with him/her. If this happens, 

I am sure very few will go for cosmetic 

surgery. Instead they 

would love to flaunt their natural 

age and all its essence—wrinkles 

too. 

a target and begin our planning 

to achieve our goal. If all goes 

well, Nepal will be able to get 

the medal in 12 years. 

Manandhar further points out 

that, political interferences in 

sports sector has become one of 

the major setback.He says our 

system is wrong. The talented 

players must be scouted and 

trained from their early age so 

that their performance will be 

enhanced. There is no point in 

grooming players and athletes 

after the age of 25 or above, and 

that’s what we have been doing. 

Rajendra Gurbacharya, 

Kathmandu 


tional corporations, backed 

by fast communications 

and therefore information, 

have meant that parts of the 

world such as Asia, Africa, 

and Central and Latin 

America have been drawn 

into the global economy at 

an increasingly rapid rate. 

Now monolithic financial 

institutions such as the 

World Bank and International 

Monetary Fund are 

the economic order of the 

day. Moreover, rapid population 

growth, environmental 

decline, and poverty lead 

to economic stagnation, political 

instability, and possible 

state collapse. Increased 

globalization effectively diminishes 

the role of the UN. 

As Professor Serge Sur argues, 

General Assembly resolutions 

are relegated to a 

lower rank, and major UN 

conferences become things 

of the past. CNN becomes 

the world’s communicator, 

and in the new economic 

order, the WTO plays a far 

larger role than the UN. In 

short, the UN’s inter-state, 

collegial style of diplomacy 

has little relevance in the 

globalized world of today. 

The collapse of the 

League of Nations in the 

20th century led almost automatically 

to consideration 

of how to replace it. A similar 

failure by the UN now is 

producing a similar reaction 

today. 

Letters to this column should be addressed to 

Letters C/o Edit Page Editor,The Himalayan Times, 

Post Box 11651,APCA House, 

Baidya Khana Road, Kathmandu, Nepal 

email: edit@thehimalayantimes.com, 

Fax 0977-1-4771959 

Reforms within the UN itself 

will not suffice in this 

changed situation. Fundamental 

change is essential. 

Just as the UN was established 

at a series of conferences 

in San Francisco attended 

by the victor nations 

of World War II, so a similar 

series of world conferences 

should now involve all 

countries. The aim should 

be to establish a new form of 

global institution to replace 

completely the current UN. 

The new institution needs 

to be inclusive and to be 

based on equal voices, equal 

power sharing, and with 

strong enforcement mechanisms 

adapted to the present 

political world order. It 

must represent all continents 

and nations and must 

provide a strong form of 

global governance. It must 

promise equal justice, equal 

distribution of world resources, 

a withering of the 

gap between rich and poor 

countries, and an all-out assault 

on climate change and 

environmental degradation. 

The new institution has to 

replace the UN is urgent: its 

mission must be to achieve 

peace, social harmony 

among all races and religions, 

and the full recognition 

of human rights. 

Dr. Basnet is a researcher 

and an Advocate in the 

Supreme Court. 

gbasnetji@yahoo.com 

THT 10 YEARS AGO 

Rs 24 cr return on Rs 

76 billion investment 


Kathmandu, August 12, 2002 

If the government continues to finance 

the public enterprises which are a drain 

on the national exchequer, investment in 

priority areas would remain in shadow 

and development process will be affected, 

officials and policymakers have 

warned. “There is a need to liquidate 

some public enterprises which are insolvent 

and the rest should function purely 

on business basis,” Bimal Prasad Koirala, 

finance secretary, told a workshop of on 

public enterprises and policy organised 

by the ministry here on Monday. Of the 

total investment of over Rs. 76 billion till 

fiscal year 2000/01 in 40 public enterprises, 

the government has only received Rs. 

245 million as dividend in the fiscal year 

2000/01, which is only 1.27 per cent of 

the total share investment, according to 

the latest performance report of Public 

Enterprises, published by the Ministry of 

Finance. “Let alone the natural dividend, 

the government is still to provide loans to 

the enterprises unable to pay the 

salaries,” secretary Koirala told the workshop 

participated by chief executives of 

the public enterprises. Out of 40 total 

public enterprises, only 15 were in profit 

and rest in loss, incurring over 1 billion 

operating loss in the fiscal year 

2000/2001 alone, according to a Finance 

Ministry’s report, “Targets and performance 

of public enterprises” for the fiscal 

year 2000/2001 to 2002/2003. “We can 

make available drinking water facilities 

to every 75 districts with Rs.1 billion 

whereas the public enterprises loss is diverting 

the resources, meant for development 

expenditure,” said Koirala. 

EC lends warring NC 

groups a ear 


Kathmandu, August 12, 2002 

The debate over which of the two 

Nepali Congress (NC) factions —the 

one led by Girija Prasad Koirala or the 

one led by PrimeMinister Sher Bahadur 

Deuba —is entitled to the NC election 

symbol of tree and four-star party banner 

began here at the Election Commission 

(EC) on Monday. Representatives of the 

Deuba NC, presenting their argument 

before the EC, stated that they are entitled 

to the election symbol and the party 

flag. The precedent of the party convention 

was established in 1995, said Mahadev 

Yadav representing the Deuba 

camp. Did any one ever speak against it 

before the proposal was registered, he 

asked? Putting forth his points, Sunil 

Adhikari claimed that since the National 

Assembly is still “active” the parliament 

has not been dissolved. “The parliament 

consists of the House of Representatives, 

the crown and the National Assembly,” 

he added. Basanta Ram Bhandari, 

against the claim of the Koirala side 

that the emergency and dissolution 

of the House cannot go side by 

side, questioned: The Koirala group has 

stated that emergency and dissolution 

don’t go together. But did they anywhere 

speak against it, before the move was 

executed?


NEIGHBOURS 

Afghan officials met prominent Taliban figure in Pakistan 

• Access could help reconciliation efforts Baradar could be key broker Pak may be willing to play bigger peace role 

Reuters 

Kabul/Islamabad, August 12 

Afghan officials have held secret 

talks with the Taliban’s 

former second in command 

who is in detention in Pakistan 

in a move which could 

help rekindle stalled peace 

talks with the insurgents, according 

to senior officials 

from both countries. 

Afghan officials have often 

seen Pakistan as a reluctant 

partner in attempts to broker 

talks with the Taliban but its 

decision to grant access to 

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar 

may signal Islamabad’s willingness 

to play a more active 

role. 

Rangin Spanta, the national 

security adviser to 

Afghan President Hamid 

Karzai and an architect of 

• SNIPPETS 

Hong Kong activist Why Yang, 

wearing a Taiwanese national flag 

T-shirt, waving in front of a Chinese 

national flag before departing for 

the disputed Senkaku or Diaoyu 

islands between Japan and China. 

Suu Kyi meets prez 

Reuters 

YANGON: Myanmar opposition 

leader Aung San Suu Kyi has held her 

first talks with the president since becoming 

a member of parliament. A 

government official says the meeting 

on Sunday with President Thein Sein 

lasted two hours. Other details were 

not immediately available. Suu Kyi 

has met Thein Sein twice before this, 

most recently in April. That meeting 

followed by-elections won by Suu 

Kyi's party but preceded her entry to 

Parliament. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace 

Prize laureate, was recently named 

head of a parliamentary committee 

that is to help implement the rule of 

law in the country. She and Thein 

Sein are key players in Myanmar's 

political transformation after a half 

century of military rule. — AP 

Quake jolts China 

BEIJING: Chinese officials say a 

strong earthquake struck a remote 

area of the country's far-western Xinjiang 

region on Sunday evening. The 

government earthquake monitoring 

centre said the quake registered magnitude 

6.2. It said it was centered 280 

km southeast of the oasis city of 

Hotan. The area is deep in the thinly 

populated Kunlun mountains. There 

were no initial reports of damage or 

injuries from the quake. However, its 

depth was measured at a relatively 

shallow 30 km, increasing the likelihood 

of damage. — AP 

Chinese Rambo 

SHANGHAI: Rifle-toting police in 

combat gear descended on a forestcovered 

mountain outside the megacity 

of Chongqing on Saturday in 

search of their suspect, named as 42year-old 

Zhou Kehua. The operation 

was launched after a woman was 

shot dead on Friday morning during 

a robbery outside a branch of the 

Bank of China in Chongqing. Police 

believe the gunman, who made off on 

a motorbike, may be responsible for 

an eight-year crime spree in which at 

least six people have been killed. 

"This guy is like a Chinese Rambo," 

Bill Bishop, an influential Chinablogger, 

wrote on his daily 'Sinocism' 

news bulletin. "His evasion skills are 

remarkable." A photograph of the aftermath 

of Friday's attack showed the 

female victim, apparently suffering 

from a head wound, sprawled facedown 

on the pavement. Another image 

showed a security guard clutching 

a towel to an arm wound. — Agencies 

Blast kills four 

KABUL: A roadside bomb has killed a 

district chief in eastern Afghanistan 

and three of his bodyguards. Laghman 

provincial government 

spokesman Sarhadi Zewak says the 

government's top official in Alishang 

district was driving to a meeting 

when his car was blown up on the 

road. It was not clear if the bomb had 

been remotely detonated or if the vehicle 

— a Toyota Corolla — had 

struck some sort of trigger. It is believed 

district chief Faridullah Niazi 

was being targeted by insurgents. — AP 

peace-building efforts, said 

an Afghan delegation had 

met Baradar in Pakistan two 

months ago. 

Baradar has been in detention 

since he was captured 

in a joint operation by 

the CIA and Pakistani intelligence 

agents in the Pakistani 

city of Karachi in 2010. 

“We have met Mullah 

Baradar,” Spanta told 

Reuters in Kabul. “Our delegation 

has spoken to him to 

know his view on peace 

talks.” 

Afghan officials have publicly 

been demanding access 

to Baradar, the Taliban’s top 

military commander until he 

was captured, but Spanta’s 

revelation shows preliminary 

contact has already 

been made. 

Rehman Malik, Pakistan’s 

Who is the coveted ultra? 

Mullah Abdul Ghani 

Baradar was the main dayto-day 

commander responsible 

for leading the 

Taliban campaign against 

the United States and 

NATO troops, plotting suicide 

bombings and other 

attacks. 

interior minister, also said 

that Pakistan had granted 

Afghan officials access to 

Baradar. “They had access at 

the required and appropriate 

level,” Malik told Reuters. 

“We are fully cooperating 

with Afghanistan and whatever 

they are asking for the 

peace process, for developing 

peace in Afghanistan. We 

He was the right-hand 

man to reclusive Taliban 

leader Mullah 

Mohammed Omar, who 

gave him the nickname 

Baradar (brother), providing 

him with great influence 

and prestige in Taliban 

circles. 

are giving every kind of 

help.” 

Pakistan is seen as crucial 

to stability in Afghanistan as 

most foreign combat troops 

look to leave the country in 

2014, given close political 

and economic ties and because 

militant sanctuaries 

straddle the mountainous 

border. 

China awaits justice in Kailai murder trial 

Gu likely to be spared death sentence on ground of trying to protect child 


Beijing, August 12 

China appears to be preparing 

the public for sparing 

from execution the wife of 

politician Bo Xilai who is accused 

of murdering a British 

man, a legal expert said today, 

as a verdict is awaited in 

the politically-charged case. 

Bo’s wife Gu Kailai and an 

accomplice were tried on 

Thursday for poisoning Neil 

Heywood, allegedly after her 

son fell out with the businessman 

in a dispute over a 

land project. 

In a lengthy and unusual 

report released through China’s 

official Xinhua news 

agency on Friday, Gu admitted 

guilt and blamed her ac- 

Reuters 

Kabul, August 12 

Afghan officials hope 

Baradar could play a key 

role in any negotiations to 

end the war, acting as a gobetween 

with Taliban leaders 

including Omar. 

Afghan and US officials 

have publicly acknowledged 

little success in efforts 

to re-start peace talks, 

which the Taliban suspended 

after accusing US officials 

of failing to honour 

confidence-building 

promises. 

That setback refocused 

attention on nascent efforts 

tions on a mental breakdown 

over fears Heywood 

had threatened her son. 

The court heard Heywood 

had demanded 13 

million pounds (US$20 

million), and sent Bo 

Guagua an email threatening 

“you will be destroyed”, 

a source who attended the 

hearing, who requested 

anonymity, told AFP. 

The verdict is expected to 

be delivered at a later date, 

possibly days or weeks away, 

and while murder carries the 

death penalty in China, experts 

say Gu is likely to be 

spared execution and will instead 

face a long jail term. 

“They’re attempting to 

construct a narrative for the 

domestic Chinese audience. 

Talks critical to reconciliation? 

by the Afghan government 

to open its own channels 

with insurgent intermediaries, 

despite the fact the 

Taliban publicly say they 

will not talk to what they 

deem an illegitimate “puppet” 

government. 

Karzai, at a recent 

donors’ meeting in Japan, 

also appealed to Germany 

to act as a go-between to revive 

talks, in a second track 

to contacts with Taliban 

leaders in Pakistan. 

A Western official said 

Pakistan’s decision to grant 

access to Baradar would 

bolster hopes of greater collaboration 

between the two 

Reuters 

German pianist Stefan Aaron playing piano on the Great Wall in Beijing on Sunday. Before this Aaron had played piano on the 

peak of mountain Alphubel, at 4,206 m, in Switzerland. He performs new songs tailored for the locations to see what happens. 

20 held over Mumbai violence that cost two lives 


Mumbai, August 12 

Police in Mumbai have arrested 

more than 20 people in connection 

with violence that 

erupted at a rally in which two 

people were killed and dozens 

injured, reports said today. 

Protesters had gathered yesterday 

to condemn deadly sectarian 

clashes in India’s north- 

Myanmar 

Muslims get 

Saudi aid 

Reuters 

Riyadh, August 12 

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has ordered 

$50 million in aid be sent to a 

Muslim minority in Myanmar which a 

human rights group said has been targeted 

by the authorities since sectarian 

riots in June. 

A report on the Saudi state news 

agency said the Rohingya community 

had been “exposed to many violations 

of human rights including ethnic 

cleansing, murder, rape and forced 

displacement”. 

“King Abdullah ... has ordered that 

assistance of the amount of $50 million 

be provided to the Rohingya Muslim 

citizens in Myanmar,” said the report 

which was carried by Saudi media 

on Sunday. It did not say who was to 

blame for the abuses. 

However, Human Rights Watch said 

on August 1 that the Rohingyas had 

suffered mass arrests, killings and 

rapes at the hands of the Myanmar security 

forces. The minority had borne 

the brunt of a crackdown after days of 

arson and machete attacks in June by 

Buddhists and Rohingyas in Rakhine 

state, the monitoring group said. 

Myanmar, where at least 800,000 Rohingyas 

are not recognised as one of 

the country’s many ethnic and religious 

groups, has said it exercised 

“maximum restraint” in quelling the 

riots. Saudi Arabia sees itself as a 

guardian of global Muslim interests 

thanks to being the birthplace of Islam 

and home to some of the religion’s 

holiest sites in Mecca and Medina. 

Last week the Saudi cabinet condemned 

the violence against Muslims 

in Myanmar and at a meeting on July 

31, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation 

urged members to send Rohingya 

Muslims aid. The OIC is holding 

a summit in Mecca on Tuesday. 

east but the rally suddenly 

turned violent with three TV 

broadcast vans set ablaze, and 

police vehicles and buses pelted 

with bricks and stones. 

Police said today the situation 

was calm and more than 

20 people had been arrested, 

with accusations against them 

including molestation and 

theft, according to the Press 

Trust of India news agency. 

During the violence the mob 

snatched two self-loading rifles 

and a pistol from policewomen, 

they said, while 36 out 

of 46 of the injured were police, 

Home Minister Sushil Kumar 

Shinde told reporters late Saturday. 

Investigators are due to 

probe whether any inflammatory 

speeches were made at the 

rally by organisers or if vandalism 

was pre-meditated. 

The police used tear gas and 

bamboo sticks to disperse hundreds 

of people after the 

demonstration turned violent 

at Azad Maidan, a park near the 

landmark CST railway station 

where rallies are often held. 

The demonstrators belonged 

to several Muslims groups, including 

Mumbai’s Raza Academy, 

an organisation promoting 

Islamic culture. 

Heywood 

Reuters 

Boys who practice wrestling holding up a box of sweets as they celebrate Indian 

wrestler Sushil Kumar's win in the men's 66kg freestyle category against Kazakhstan's 

Akzhurek Tantarov to reach the finals at the London 2012 Olympic Games in the 

northern Indian city of Chandigarh. Kumar eventually won silver medal. 

Kailai 

If she’s not going to get the 

death penalty, then you need 

to explain why,” said Carl 

Minzner, an expert in Chinese 

law at the Fordham 

School of Law. 

“Trying to protect the 

child, mental issues... that 

could be the type of factors 

that are going to be cited,” he 

told AFP. Li Xiaolin, a lawyer 

for another person accused 

countries, but the Afghan 

government would only be 

fully satisfied if Baradar was 

repatriated to Kabul. 

“It’s a step in the right direction, 

but there’s still a 

number of steps to go,” the 

official said. 

Although Afghan officials 

may be pinning hopes on 

Baradar, it is unclear what 

influence he may have over 

a complex insurgency after 

spending years in detention. 

Pakistan and 

Afghanistan agreed last 

month to resume talks on 

Afghanistan’s peace 

process, with the new Pakistani 

PM promising to help 

in the case, Zhang Xiaojun, 

said the court in the eastern 

city of Hefei has not 

said when it might issue a 

ruling, but it could be 

within weeks. 

“Maybe before the end 

of August. Nobody 

knows for sure though,” Li 

told AFP. 

Heywood’s murder and 

allegations of a cover-up 

sparked the biggest political 

scandal in China for years 

and led to the downfall of Bo, 

who had been tipped to become 

one of the ruling Communist 

Party’s top leaders. 

It also exposed deep divisions 

among China’s rulers 

ahead of a sensitive 10-yearly 

handover of power later 

this year, and observers say 

PAGE 9 

arrange meetings between 

Afghan and Taliban representatives. 

Afghanistan is known to 

want access to Taliban leaders 

belonging to the socalled 

Quetta Shura, or 

council, named after the 

Pakistani city where they 

are believed to be based. 

Kabul believes they 

would be the decisionmakers 

in any substantive 

negotiations aimed at ending 

a war in its eleventh 

year. Pakistan has consistently 

denied giving sanctuary 

to insurgents and says 

no Taliban leaders are in 

Quetta. 

Pak voices concern 

about offensive 

against Haqqanis 

Agence France Presse intelligence. 

Lahore, August 12 

Pakistan has in turn demanded 

that Afghan and US 

Pakistan has told Washing- forces to do more to stop 

ton that US forces must seal Pakistani Taliban crossing 

the Afghan border in the the Afghan border to re- 

event of any offensive launch attacks on its forces. 

against the Al-Qaeda-linked The senior official told 

Haqqani network in North AFP that Pakistan had been 

Waziristan, an official said able to “speak their heart and 

yesterday. 

mind” on the issue during 

The Haqqanis, blamed for last week’s visit to Washing- 

some of the deadliest attacks ton by the Inter-Services In- 

in Afghanistan, is one of the telligence chief. 

thorniest issues between Is- Lieutenant General Zalamabad 

and Washington. heer ul-Islam, in the first 

“The Americans have such visit for a year, and CIA 

been repeatedly told that director David Petraeus dis- 

they will have to seal off the cussed some of the most in- 

border on the Afghan side tractable issues on both 

whenever an operation is sides that have fractured the 

launched in North Waziris- anti-terror alliance. 

tan,” a senior Pakistani secu- “The Americans were 

rity official told AFP. 

clearly told that Pakistan will 

Without protecting the not allow American boots on 

porous, mountainous bor- its soil for any operation and 

der, militants would simply whenever an offensive is 

escape into Afghanistan, launched, it will be done by 

where Pakistan has no writ, us,” the official told AFP. 

the official explained. 

“We told the Americans 

He claimed that Ameri- that it is simply not possible 

cans have “never been en- for Pakistan to launch a fresh 

couraging on this point” and offensive in North Waziristan 

accused them of failing to at the moment because it 

seal the border when opera- will have a very negative imtions 

were planned twice bepact,” he added. 

fore in North Waziristan. Some analysts question to 

On August 3, The Wall what extent Pakistan can win 

Street Journal reported that a full-on battle against the 

Pakistani and US officials disciplined Haqqani faction, 

were considering joint particularly when its troops 

counter-terrorism cam- are already over-stretched 

paigns in Afghanistan and against local Taliban else- 

Pakistan against the Haqqawhere in the northwest. 

nis and Taliban fighters who Islam gave the CIA in 

attack Pakistan. 

Washington “two loud and 

The paper said the cam- clear messages,” said the ofpaigns 

would mark an upficial — no American boots 

turn in cooperation after on Pakistani soil and that US 

more than a year of ran- drone strikes on militants, 

corous relations and stamp which Islamabad brands a 

out major threats facing violation of its sovereignty, 

each country. 

must stop. 

Pakistani officials later de- Many in Pakistan accuse 

nied any agreement with the the Americans of demanding 

United States for a joint op- a Pakistani offensive to mask 

eration in North Waziristan, their own failings in the 10- 

and said “routine” actions on year war in Afghanistan. 

each side of the border “I will be surprised if Pak- 

“should not be mistaken for istan agrees to a joint opera- 

‘joint operations’”. 

tion,” said political analyst 

Washington has long de- Hasan Askari. 

manded that Pakistan take There are also reports in 

action against the Haqqanis, media, that the military es- 

whom the United States actablishment has categoricalcused 

of attacking the US ly spurned the possibility of 

embassy in Kabul last Sep- joint Pak-US operations 

tember and acting like the against Haqqani Network in 

“veritable arm” of Pakistani North Waziristan. 

the party is keen to swiftly 

draw a line under the controversy. 

“This is a case which cuts 

to the heart of core issues of 

leadership transition and 

political power at the top,” 

Minzner added. “Such cases 

have always been decided 

way in advance.” 

Four Chongqing police officers 

tasked with investigating 

Heywood’s death admitted 

to covering up the murder 

at a separate trial at the 

Hefei court on Friday, a court 

official said. 

Former Chongqing police 

chief Wang Lijun, who gave 

details about the crime when 

he fled to a US consulate, 

would also face trial for treason 

within days.


Business 

• BIZ BRIEFS 

A French farmer driving a combine 

harvester on a wheat field, in Cassel, 

northern France, on Sunday. 

Unilever’s dividend 

AFP / RSS 

KATHMANDU: Unilever Nepal’s 

114th board meeting on Saturday has 

recommended Rs 680 per share cash 

dividend from the profits of fiscal 

year 2011-12. The company had posted 

a turnover of Rs 4,232 million with 

Rs 735 million net profit after tax in 

the last fiscal year. The board meeting 

has also proposed its annual general 

meeting on October 10. –– HNS 

Renault’s job cut plans 

PARIS: French automaker Renault 

said that a voluntary job cut plan at 

its struggling South Korean unit Samsung 

Motors could affect up to 80 per 

cent of its staff, or almost 4,700 workers. 

The programme “concerns all 

salaried staff at Renault Samsung 

Motors except for the 1,000 in research 

and development, and design,” 

a spokeswoman said. She 

added that the company employed 

5,667 people at the end of 2011. 

Workers would be let go “on a voluntary 

basis, with severance pay of up to 

two years pay depending on seniority,” 

the spokeswoman said. Employees 

who agree to leave are also to get 

two years of education fees for children 

and other allowances. — HNS 

RBA hikes forecast 

SYDNEY: Australia’s central bank 

upped its annual growth forecast after 

a strong first half, but it warned 

that resources investment –– a key 

driver of the economy –– would peak 

by 2014. Reserve Bank of Australia 

(RBA) said it now expected growth 

of 3.5 per cent for 2012, instead of 

the three per cent forecast in May, 

with the domestic economy powering 

on at above-average pace in the 

first six months of the year. Australia’s 

mining-driven economy expanded 

by 1.3 per cent in the three months to 

March –– a result hailed as ‘remarkable’ 

by the government given cooling 

in China and Europe’s woes. — AFP 

NRB permits export 

loan in foreign currency 



Exporters can now obtain 

pre-shipment and 

post–shipment loans from 

financial institutions in foreign 

currency. 

The central bank has 

allowed commercial banks 

and development banks 

to lend $ 1 million or its 

multiple as pre-shipment 

and post–shipment loans 

to export-oriented industries 

that earn foreign currency. 

The borrowers need 

to pay both the principal 

amount and interest in foreign 

currency. 

The central bank already 

allows banks to provide exporters 

and hydro projects 

loans in foreign currency. 

The move comes in line 

with the monetary policy 

for this fiscal year that had 

announced such a facility 

to encourage export industries 

as they need to make 

payments for raw materials 

in foreign currency and 

then receive payments in 

foreign currency. 

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) 

has fixed a maximum of 

2.25 per cent addition to LI- 

BOR. LIBOR stands for Lon- 

don Inter Bank Offer Rate 

which is fixed by leading 

London banks and is the 

benchmark for bank rates 

all over the world. 

Moreover, NRB will also 

provide refinancing to the 

financial institutions for 

such loans at LIBOR plus 

0.25 per cent interest rate 

for six months against the 

collateral of good loans, according 

to the circular published 

today. The banks 

need to pay back the refinanced 

loans in foreign exchange. 

Last fiscal year, the central 

bank had allowed licensed 

hydropower companies 

to issue foreign-currency 

debentures in Nepal. 

The hydro power projects 

that generate income in 

foreign currency can raise 

needed funds for developing 

a project by issuing 

foreign-currency bonds 

through the subsidiary 

merchant banking arm of 

commercial banks and development 

banks. 

Himal Power Company 

has already undertaken 

preliminary steps to issue 

$ 60 million worth debentures 

in the domestic financial 

market. 

AGITATING LP GAS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION NEPAL 

Talks remain inconclusive today 



Talks between the LP Gas Industry 

Association Nepal and 

the government remained inconclusive 

today, according to 

acting managing director of 

Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) 

Suresh Kumar Agrawal. 

The meeting will continue tomorrow 

as well, he said. The 

talks between NOC and the association 

had started on August 

1 after the latter threatened to 

halt the supply of Liquefied Petroleum 

Gas. 

Later, the government 

formed a separate committee 

led by director general at the 

Department of Commerce and 

Supply Management Narayan 



Growth Sellers launched an 

online job search engine, 

www.growthjobsonline.com 

, here today. 

“The new site will help 

bridge the gap between job 

seekers and employers,” said 

chairman of Growth Sellers 

Mohan Ojha. 

Growth Sellers, which has 

been able to establish itself 

in the field of human resource 

development, has 

been working on developing 

the human resource of the 

country for the last five 

years, he said. 

Currently, there are many 

job hunting sites — for job 

seekers in the country — 

where they can post their resume 

and get selected by the 

employers, said Ojha, adding 

that the use of technology 

will benefit both the employees 

and employers. 

Human resource is a catalyst 

for success, said chief executive 

of Mega Bank Anil 

Shah, on the occasion. “Investment 

on people is the secret 

of success for any institution,” 

he said, adding that 

Nepali human resources 

have been working in the 

Prasad Bidari to resolve the 

problem. However, the government 

has been failing to forge 

consensus despite several 

rounds of talks. 

Government had said that it 

would not sit for talks with the 

association but has failed to 

keep its commitment. Secretary 

at the Ministry of Commerce 

and Supplies Lal Mani Joshi had 

said that the government would 

not accept even a single demand 

made by the association 

unless they unconditionally 

ended their strike. 

However, the committee led 

by Bidari continued to hold 

talks with entrepreneurs today 

as well. Similarly, the government 

has been failing to impose 

the Essential Service Act on 

AFP / RSS 

Towboats pulling the new cruise liner ‘Celebrity Reflection’ out of the 

Meyer-Werft shipyard in Papenburg, northern Germany on Sunday. 

Govt asks ADB to divert fund 



The government has asked the 

Asian Development Bank (ADB) 

to divert the fund of its muchawaited 

Voice over Broadband 

Service (VoBS) project into the 

national identity card project, 

according to a source at Nepal 

Telecommunications Authority. 

Chief secretary Leela Mani 

Poudyal had floated the idea of 

shifting the fund to the national 

identity card project after immense 

pressure from stateowned 

Nepal Telecom not to implement 

the project, he said. 

The project had aimed to 

provide broadband internet 

and voice service based on the 

Voice over Internet Protocol 

(VoIP) in 38 districts for rural 

e-connectivity. 

Although ADB has granted $6 

million for the project that is a 

component of the Information, 

and Communication Technology 

Development Project, implementation 

of the scheme was 

delayed by almost two years due 

to the government’s unwillingness 

to implement the project. 

The project was expected to be 

completed by the end of 2014. 

The government has planned 

to bring more funds to initiate 

the national identity card project, 

the source said, adding that 

the government has approached 

World Bank along with Asian Development 

Bank for the purpose. 

Online job portals gaining popularity 

Growth Sellers launches www.growthjobsonline.com 

Gulf and Malaysia and helping 

those countries develop. 

“They could also take help of 

the site and work for the 

country,” he added. 

Similarly, chairman of In- 

the trade of cooking gas though 

it had pledged to impose the 

Act from the very beginning 

of the strike. 

A breakthrough 

has been made today, 

said general secretary 

of the association 

Kush Kumar Malli, 

adding that the 

talk team agreed 

to fulfill some of 

the demands 

made by the association. 

He, however, 

did not elaborate 

the details of the 

agreed points. 

The association 

and the government’s 

talk team will 



Food scientists across the 

country have said that the 

country’s position in ensuring 

quality food for the people 

is weak. The country has 

a lot to do regarding food 

safety and nutrition, they 

said at a national conference 

held on August 10-11. 

Scientists showed major 

concern regarding food 

safety, quality and its nutritional 

values, said joint secretary 

of the Ministry of 

Agriculture Development 

Uttam Kumar Bhattarai. 

“We had bumper crops last 

year but it doesn’t ensure 

food quality and nutrition,” 

he said, adding that adequacy 

of food with nutrition 

values should be our 

prime concern. 

The country has ranked 

79th out of 105 countries in 

food affordability, availability, 

and quality and safety in 

the Global Food Security 

Index 2012. Nepal ranks 91 

for affordability, 71 for 

availability, and 74 for quality 

and safety. 

According to the Ministry 

of Agriculture Development, 

the country produced 

more than nine 

million metric tonnes of 

food grains last year but 

still about seven million 

people living in the mid and 

western hill districts faced 

food shortages. It is mainly 

because of the inefficient 

supply system. 

surance Board Dr Fatta Bahadur 

KC said that human 

resource is a strategic resource. 

Growth Sellers has been 

organising the HR Meet 

announce the agreement document 

tomorrow, he said. 

An agreement has been made 

in almost all crucial 

issues but all of them 

will be documented 

tomorrow, claimed 

Malli. 

“The association 

will end its 

strike tomorrow if 

the government 

continues with its 

positive attitude 

towards the LPG 

traders,” he said. 

LP Gas Industry 

Association Nepal 

stopped receiving 

the Product Delivery 

Order from 

August 7. 

‘Country needs to 

ensure quality food’ 

“The supply system also 

needs to be strengthened,” 

he said, “But it is also important 

to maintain food 

safety and nutrition status. 

Malnutrition is a chronic 

problem here.” About 41 

per cent children under five 

years were severely malnourished, 

while 39 per 

cent were underweight according 

to a study in 2010. 

“It is an alarming situation 

that has hampered the 

country in meeting the Millennium 

Development 

Goals also,” he said. 

Similarly, food safety 

situation is also poor in 

the country. According to 

the Department of Food 

Technology and Quality 

Control about 10 per cent 

food items found in Nepali 

markets are either adulterated 

or substandard. 

World Health Organisation 

has stated that the rate 

must be zero for better public 

health. 

About three dozen papers 

were presented in the 

conference and most focused 

on food safety, quality 

and nutrition. Therefore, 

we are submitting clear and 

pragmatic recommendations 

to the government, 

said Bhattarai. 

More than 200 participants 

from government 

agencies, college students 

and experts took part in the 

conference. 

There are about 10 food 

technology colleges in operation 

in the country. 

Previous winners of the Best HR Managers Award officially launching the new job 

portal, www.growthjobsonline.com, in Kathmandu on Sunday. 

THT 

since 2008 and also honouring 

the best HR managers 

every year since the last 

three years for the development 

of human resources in 

the country. 

THE HIMALAYAN TIMES, MONDAY,AUGUST 13, 2012 

NTA okays 15 mobile 

sets for market 



Nepal Telecommunications 

Authority — the telecom 

regulator in the country — 

said that around two dozen 

mobile brands are competing 

in the mobile set market 

in Nepal. 

“Different companies 

have applied for type approval 

of nearly 250 models 

of mobile phone sets,” said 

assistant director of Nepal 

Telecommunications Authority 

(NTA) Binod Chandra 

Shrestha, adding that 

the regulator has approved 

15 models so far and it is in 

the process of approving 

other models. 

“Mobile manufacturing 

companies and their authorised 

dealers started 

to apply for the type approval 

after NTA, last May, 

decided to ban the import 

of mobile sets which are not 

registered at the authority,” 

he informed. 

“Customs offices have 

started banning imports 

of unregistered brands of 

mobile sets after Nepal 


decided to control 

unregistered brands and 

models keeping the quality 

of mobile sets in mind,” 

Shrestha added. 

The government can 

seize mobile phone sets if 

traders import them without 

approval from the regu- 

STOCK 

SN NAME OF THE COMPANY SHARE VALUE IN RUPEES SHARES QTY 

Maximum Minimum Closing 

1 Agricultural Dev Bank Ltd 179 167 171 3,111 

2 Arun Valley Hydropower Dev Co Ltd 339 320 339 4,727 

3 Asian Life Insurance Co Ltd 187 184 185 2,400 

4 Arun Finance Ltd 35 35 35 180 

5 Biratlaxmi Bikash Bank Ltd 150 146 150 1,024 

6 Bank of Kathmandu 640 616 618 9,703 

7 Butwal Power Co Ltd 616 569 578 6,235 

8 Bishwa Bikas Bank Ltd 141 139 139 100 

9 Business Universal Dev Bank Ltd 117 117 117 74 

10 Clean Energy Dev Bank Ltd 149 147 147 214 

11 Chilime Hydro power Co 1,122 1,071 1,078 17,090 

12 Country Dev Bank Ltd 71 70 71 1,510 

13 Citizens Bank International Ltd 212 208 212 3,353 

14 Diprox Dev Bank 301 300 301 220 

15 Everest Bank Ltd 1,090 1,071 1,079 9,649 

16 Excel Dev Bank Ltd 262 262 262 41 

17 Everest Finance Ltd, 102 102 102 48 

18 First Microfinance Dev Bank Ltd 155 155 155 247 

19 Garima Bikas Bank Ltd 160 160 160 1,300 

20 Gandaki Bikas Bank Ltd 125 125 125 10 

21 Guras Life Insurance Co Ltd 109 107 108 1,300 

22 Grand Bank Nepal Ltd 184 175 176 7,154 

23 Gaurishankar Dev Bank Ltd 85 83 83 207 

24 Hama Merchant & Finance Ltd 164 161 161 20 

25 Himalayan Bank Ltd 690 666 673 659 

26 ICFC Finance Ltd 129 127 129 279 

27 International Leasing And Fin. Co 125 115 115 1,125 

28 Jyoti Bikas Bank Ltd 92 91 91 100 

29 Janata Bank Nepal Ltd 133 129 131 8,250 

30 Janaki Finance Ltd 327 325 325 630 

31 Kaski Finance Ltd 113 111 111 367 

32 Kumari Bank Ltd 240 231 231 936 

33 Kasthamandap Dev Bank Ltd 89 86 86 1,998 

34 KIST Bank Ltd 121 114 115 144,650 

35 Kamana Bikas Bank Ltd 116 115 115 1,060 

36 Laxmi Bank Ltd 345 337 337 1,325 

37 Lumbini Finance Ltd 154 151 151 110 

38 Life Insurance Co Nepal 935 910 917 120 

39 Lumbini Bank Ltd 224 221 221 764 

40 Mahakali Bikas Bank Ltd 112 108 110 420 

41 Miteri Dev Bank Ltd 130 126 130 310 

42 Malika Bikash Bank Ltd 133 123 133 1,080 

43 Malika Dev Bank Ltd promoter Share 132 132 132 2,100 

44 Manakamana Dev Bank Ltd 69 68 69 4,400 

45 Muktinath Bikas Bank Ltd 290 285 285 140 

46 Nepal Aawas Finance Ltd 112 112 112 24 

47 Nabil Bank Ltd 1,460 1,451 1,451 508 

48 NABIL Bank Ltd Promotor Share 855 855 855 200 

49 Nepal Bangladesh Bank Ltd 139 133 134 3,153 

50 Nepal Credit & Com Bank 126 120 122 6,585 

51 NDEP Dev Bank Ltd 79 76 78 5,328 

52 Nepal Finance Ltd 98 98 98 230 

53 Nilgiri Bikas Bank Ltd 130 129 130 100 

54 Nepal Investment Bank Ltd 554 538 538 7,933 

55 Nerude Laghubita Bikas Bank Ltd 424 416 424 160 

56 Nepal Life Insurance Co Ltd 881 865 871 699 

57 NMB Bank Ltd 174 166 170 2,155 

58 Nepal Doorsanchar Co Ltd 532 525 531 5,735 

59 Nirdhan Utthan Bank Ltd 154 154 154 392 

60 Oriental Hotel Ltd 76 76 76 30 

61 Pathibhara Bikas Bank Ltd 93 91 92 1,750 

62 Prime Commercial Bank Ltd 237 230 233 3,922 

63 Public Dev Bank Ltd 75 74 74 160 

64 Prime Life Insurance Co Ltd 257 249 249 806 

65 Professional Bikas Bank Ltd 75 75 75 40 

66 Prabhu Finance Co Ltd 145 140 140 1,533 

67 Purnima Bikas Bank Ltd 72 68 71 760 

68 Reliable Finance Ltd 160 155 160 804 

69 Shangrila Dev Bank Ltd 190 190 190 500 

70 Sanima Bank Ltd 217 209 209 2,966 

71 Sahayogi Vikas Bank 205 194 194 1,073 

72 Nepal SBI Bank Ltd 619 600 611 1,252 

73 Siddhartha Bank Ltd 320 320 320 23 

74 Standard Chartered Bank Ltd 1,836 1,822 1,830 2,010 

75 Seti Finance Ltd 80 74 80 600 

76 Sewa Bikas Bank Ltd 150 148 149 507 

77 Siddhartha Finance Ltd 109 107 107 661 

78 Sagarmatha Insurance CoLtd 419 419 419 192 

79 Siddhartha Insurance Ltd 137 135 137 260 

80 Surya Life Insurance Co Ltd 118 112 115 2,810 

81 Sagarmatha Mer Banking & Fin Ltd 109 107 107 242 

82 Summit Micro Finance Dev Bank Ltd 174 168 168 50 

83 Sunrise Bank Ltd 153 149 151 4,759 

84 Triveni Bikas Bank Ltd 224 220 224 351 

85 Tinau Dev Bank Ltd 104 104 104 20 

86 United Finance Ltd 130 130 130 100 

87 Western Dev Bank Ltd 94 94 94 12 

88 Zenith Finance Ltd 96 95 96 32 

Float Index: 30.75 (-0.305) 

Base: 24/08/2008=100 

lator, according to Shrestha. 

“The regulator had been 

failing to track the number 

of mobile brands, companies 

and sets due to the lack 

of a proper data system earlier,” 

he said. “NTA had 

asked the Department of 

Customs to control the import 

of unregistered mobile 

sets in 2008 but it did not 

implement the request effectively,” 

he further said. 

Both the Department 

of Customs and Home 

Ministry have been providing 

assistance to Nepal 


to control the import 

of unregistered mobile 

sets this time, he informed. 

The regulator has also 

started banning unauthentic 

mobile sets by checking 

IMEI numbers, he informed. 

“The regulator has 

already directed service 

providers to create Equipment 

Identity Register (EIR) 

to track IMEI numbers of all 

mobile sets,” he said. 

The International Mobile 

Equipment Identity or IMEI 

is a number, usually 

unique, to identify GSM, 

WCDMA, and iDEN mobile 

phones, as well as some 

satellite phones, according 

to the regulator. 

The IMEI number is used 

by a GSM network to identify 

valid devices and therefore 

can be used for stopping 

a stolen phone from 

accessing that network. 

Total Traded Amount Rs: 84,959,363 

Total Market Cap Rs: 377,222.87 millions 

Total Shares: 302,167 

Total Transactions: 1,391 

Nepse Index: 399.2 (-3.26) 

Base: 16/07/2006, (Adjusted on 10/04/2007) = 100 Date: August 12, 2012


BUSINESS 

• BIZ BRIEFS 

Clinic Plus winners 

THT 

KATHMANDU: Unilever Nepal 

awarded the winners of Clinic Plus 

Healthy Hair Contest-4 and Sunsilk 

Bridal Makeup and Hair-do Competition 

in a ceremony organised at Hyatt 

Regency. The event saw Nepalgunj’s 

mother-daughter duo Purna Kumari 

and Menuka Bhandari walking home 

with the Clinic Plus Healthy Hair 

Contest-4 title. With the title, the 

duo walked home with a scholarship 

worth Rs 0.5 million and an opportunity 

to be the face of Clinic Plus. Devika 

and Ayusha Shrestha from 

Pokhara were declared the first 

runner-up of the contest and Sabita 

Kumari, Isha and Ishani Tandukar 

from Kupondol were declared the 

second runners-up. Similarly, Sumitra 

Shrestha from Kathmandu bagged 

Sunsilk Hair-do Competition title. 

First and second runners-up of Sunsilk 

Bridal Makeup and Hair-do Competition 

are Sophie of Kathmandu 

and Amrita Shrestha of Butwal. — HNS 

BoK’s new product 

KATHMANDU: Bank of Kathmandu 

(BoK) has launched a new product 

‘Baideshik Rojgar Banking’ targeting 

people going for foreign employment. 

The new product aims to fulfill 

the need of transferring money to the 

family of the employee through remittance 

service and help the person 

to open savings account with the facility 

of a loan. The saving account 

can be opened with a minimum balance 

of Rs 500 and the bank will further 

deposit Rs 133.33. It will also deposit 

Rs 33.33 each time the account 

receives the remittance money sent 

from job destinations. The service 

also offers attractive interest rates 

and free VISA debit card to the account 

holder. Similarly, it has relaunched 

‘BoK Kissan Banking Sewa’ 

with added features and services. The 

product needs minimum balance of 

Rs 100 and Rs 500 for savings account 

and Rs 100 and Rs 500 for Recurring 

Fixed Deposit account. The bank will 

further deposit Rs 100 during the 

time the accounts are opened for 

both savings and recurring. — HNS 

Kingfisher in loss 

MUMBAI: Cash-strapped Kingfisher 

Airlines said quarterly losses more 

than doubled from a year earlier, fuelling 

fresh doubts about the future of 

the private Indian carrier. Kingfisher’s 

net loss widened to IRs 6.60 billion 

($120 million) in the financial quarter 

to June from a loss of IRs 2.63 billion 

in the same period last year, as revenues 

slumped due to reduced operations. 

“The company has suffered 

substantial losses and its net worth 

has been eroded,” the airline said in 

its earnings statement. But Kingfisher 

–– which has never posted a profit 

since its launch in 2005 –– said it 

still hoped to ‘get recapitalised’ 

and added it was ‘in discussion with 

several strategic and financial investors 

to bring in fresh capital’. The 

company, which is carrying a $1.4 billion 

debt load, did not identify the 

potential investors. — AFP 

China bank loans fall 

BEIJING: China’s bank lending 

slumped by 41.3 per cent in July from 

the previous month, the central bank 

said, compounding worries over the 

gloomy outlook for the world’s second-largest 

economy. Chinese banks 

extended 540.1 billion yuan ($84.9 

billion) in new loans in July, compared 

with 919.8 billion yuan in June, 

the People’s Bank of China said in a 

statement. The lending figure is well 

below a median forecast of 665 billion 

yuan. It also came after bleak economic 

data for July released this 

week, including trade, output and 

retail sales figures, which pointed 

to continued weakness in the domestic 

economy. — AFP 

FOREX RATES 

The foreign exchange rates for August 13 as fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank are as follows: 

CURRENCY UNIT BUYING (in Rs.) SELLING (in Rs.) 

Swiss Franc 1 90.15 90.76 

Australian Dollar 1 93.20 93.83 

Canadian Dollar 1 88.93 89.53 

Singapore Dollar 1 70.84 71.33 

Saudi Arab Riyal 1 23.51 23.67 

Qatari Riyal 1 24.21 24.37 

Thai Bhat 1 2.80 2.82 

UAE Dihram 1 24.00 24.16 

Malaysian Ringit 1 28.28 28.48 

Swedish Krona 1 13.24 

Danish Krona 1 14.56 

Hong Kong Dollar 1 11.36 

Note: Under the present system the open market exchange rates quoted by 

different /commercial banks may differ. 

Commodities 

regulation soon 

Due to lack of clear tax policy, 

huge capital is flowing out 



The capital market regulator 

will be preparing working procedures 

to bring the commodities 

market under regulation within 

the next two months. 

“The High Level Financial Coordination 

Committee has directed 

Securities Board of Nepal 

(Sebon) to prepare procedures allowed 

by the existing legal framework 

to regulate the commodities 

market,” said chairman of Sebon 

Baburam Shrestha, during an 

interaction programme ‘Challenges 

to regulate commodities 

market’, here today. 

The framing of a regulation for 

the commodities market was derailed 

as amendment to the Securities 

Act has hit a road block 

due to the dissolution of the parliament. 

In order to bring the 

commodities markets under the 

jurisdiction of the capital market 

regulator, Securities Act 2063 

needs to define the area of regulation 

and supervision of Sebon, 

which at present does not include 

commodities market. 

“Though Securities Act 2063 

will be amended after the establishment 

of a parliament, meanwhile, 

Sebon has been designated 

a legal authority to regulate the 

commodities market by the 

budget of fiscal year 2010-11,” 

pointed out Shrestha. 

However, he explained that the 

commodities market is vast and 

technical, and it will take about 

three more years to bring it under 

full regulatory framework as Sebon 

is opting for phase wise supervision. 

The Securities Board 

of Nepal has already undertaken 

a preliminary study to prepare 

the regulation but is waiting for 

the final report. 

According to the study, the total 

amount of money involved in 

commodities market could be as 

high as Rs 100 billion. There are 

six commodity exchanges, 20,000 

investors, 200 brokers and 400 

sub-brokers that are completely 

unregulated, according to the interim 

report. 

Sebon’s director Nabaraj Adhikary, 

who is supervising the 

study on commodities market 

pointed out that the market, being 

highly technical and internationally 

connected, is far more 

difficult to regulate. 

“Due to the involvement of a 

huge number people in commodities 

trading and for their 

own betterment and promotion, 

commodities exchanges need 

to be self regulated even in the 

absence of a regulatory body,” Adhikary 

said, adding that the 

study had found 80 per cent of 

transactions bear losses for the 

investors but there is no proper 

grievance processing facility at 

the exchanges. 

“Sebon will determine the paid 

up capital for the exchanges and 

their brokers, and even set a standard 

for the operating software,” 

added Adhikary. 

The lack of regulation has affected 

the commodities market 

to work to its potential, said chief 

operating officer of Nepal Derivative 

Exchange Binod Dhital, 

adding that the taxation regime 

and policies need to recognise 

the importance of the commodities 

market. 

“However, due to the lack of 

a clear tax policy, huge capital is 

flowing out of the country,” said 

chairman of Abhiyan Madan 

Lamsal. “There is no proper 

taxation system for derivative 

transaction in Nepal,” he said, 

adding that domestic exchanges 

are raising 13 per cent Valued 

Added Tax (VAT) on every transaction, 

whether it is cash settled 

or delivery based, whereas India 

does not charge VAT for cash settled 

transaction. 

“Similarly, there is no Warehouse 

Act, and local products and 

farmers have not been able to 

benefit,” he added. 



Airport Air Passenger Transportation 

Service Management, 

the public company 

selected to replace the old 

taxis at Tribhuwan International 

Airport (TIA) is asking 

for a 99 per cent tax relief for 

the import of new taxis. 

“We are asking for a 99 per 

cent tax relief during the 

import of 300 brand new 

taxis for TIA,” said chairman 

of the company Purosottam 

Simkhada. 

According to him, a committee 

formed for the management 

of airport taxis under 

the coordination of director 

general of the Department 

of Transportation Sarat 

Chandra Poudel in 2009 had 

also suggested the government 

to allow 99 per cent tax 

relief. In 2006, an agreement 

was also signed between the 

government and the Department 

of Transportation to allow 

tax relief for tourist vehicles 

for TIA. 

“The Ministry of Culture, 

Tourism and Civil Aviation 

has also forwarded its decision 

to facilitate the import 

of airport taxis with 99 per 

cent tax relief,” said Simkhada. 

The company is planning 

to replace the old taxis at TIA 

with prepaid taxis worth Rs 

2.5 – Rs 3 million each. 

“However if the budget 

fails to address the tax facili- 

General Manager of Soaltee Crowne Plaza Nalin Mandiratta receiving Today’s Traveller Award, in New Delhi last week. 

Soaltee wins Today’s Traveller Award 



Soaltee Crowne Plaza Kathmandu 

— a preferred destination 

for business meetings, 

leisure and all celebrations — 

has won the prestigious Today’s 

Traveller Award 2012 for 

Soaltee Crowne Plaza Kathmandu — a Nepal Stock 

Exchange listed company — is a five-star deluxe 

hotel managed by InterContinental Hotels Group 

PLC, and boasts an array of amenities with 282 

rooms and seven meeting spaces 

The InterContinental Hotels 

Group (IHG) is the 

world’s largest hotel group by 

number of rooms that it 

owns, manages, leases or 

franchises, through various 

subsidiaries. 

It has over 4,400 hotels and 

more than 645,000 guest 

Best International Business 

rooms in 100 countries and 

Hotel in Nepal. 

territories around the world. 

“I am immensely delighted Traveller Nepal’s Best Busiational facilities, which The group owns a portfolio 

to receive the award,” said ness Hotel Award for 2008. makes Soaltee a preferred of well recognised and re- 

general manager of Soaltee Today’s Traveller is India’s destination for business spected hotel brands includ- 

Crowne Plaza Nalin Mandi- most respected travel and meetings, leisure and all celeing InterContinental Hotels & 

ratta upon accepting the ho- tourism industry award inbrations. Resorts, Hotel Indigo, 

nour from tourism minister corporated in 2007 with the Due to its regular good re- Crowne Plaza Hotels & Re- 

of India Subodh Kant Sahai in objective of recognising exturns, the shares of the hotel sorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and 

New Delhi on Tuesday. ceptional achievers and con- have been traded at around Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, 

“It is yet another proud tributors, who have inspired Rs 235 per unit at the Nepse Stay bridge Suites and Can- 

achievement for Soaltee and all the players in the travel that has listed 17,908,990 unit dlewood Suites and also 

gives us motivation to further and tourism industry. shares at a face value of Rs 10 manages the world’s largest 

excel in our product and ser- Soaltee Crowne Plaza per unit. It has recorded a Rs hotel loyalty programme, Privice 

offers for our valuable Kathmandu — a Nepal Stock 163.43 million profit before ority Club Rewards with 48 

customers,” he added. Exchange listed company — tax and Rs 120.21 million million members worldwide. 

Reputed for its architec- is a five-star deluxe hotel profit after tax at the end IHG has 1,400 hotels in its 

turally stunning exteriors, managed by InterContinen- of the quarter on March 31, development pipeline, which 

mountainous surroundings, tal Hotels Group PLC, and according to the hotel’s third will create 140,000 jobs 

comfortable rooms, state-of- boasts an array of amenities quarter financial statistics. worldwide over the next few 

the-art meeting facilities, im- with 282 rooms, seven meet- “Sailing on sustained tourist years. InterContinental Hopeccable 

service and world ing spaces, city’s finest spe- arrivals, the hotel has been tels Group PLC is the group’s 

class amenities, the iconic cialty restaurants and bars, able to increase its total in- holding company and is 

Soaltee Crowne Plaza Kath- state-of-the-art fitness cencome by 11.78 per cent as incorporated in Great Britain 

mandu had also been the tre, and a beauty salon along compared to the same period and registered in England 

proud recipient of Today’s with various other recre- last fiscal year.” 

and Wales. 

tation issue for airport taxis 

we will have to opt for vehicles 

worth half the estimated 

value,” he said. The company 

has already deposited a 

bank guarantee of Rs 4.5 million 

with TIA. If it fails to operate 

the taxis as per the 

agreement the amount will 

not be refunded. 

Currently, the company 

has applied at the Tourism 

Industry Department for 

green number plate for its 

taxis. “Once we get the green 

number plate we will start 

PAGE 11 

Executive committee member of Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry Pradeep Kumar 

Shrestha signing an agreement with Chairman of Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry 

S Demberel regarding the development of trade related issues between Nepal and Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar recently. 

Airport taxi company seeks 99pc tax relief 

CAAN had awarded the tender to the company 

for operating 300 pre-paid green plate taxis 

replacing the 170 old taxis at TIA.The company 

will introduce 150 taxis within six months of the 

agreement and within a year, it must have 300 

brand new taxis in operation 

THT 



Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) 

has decided to pressurise the 

government to construct regional 

airports in Pokhara and 

Lumbini. 

Issuing a 

three-point 

Colombo Declaration 

during 

its half-yearly 

meeting in the 

Sri Lankan capital 

Colombo, 

the association 

also decided to 

ask the government 

to allow 

hotels and resorts 

to operate 

inside Chitwan 

National Park, 

and ensure 

HAN’s representation 

in the 

board of Nepal 

Tourism Board. 


conducted 

its meeting in 

Colombo to 

make Visit 

Lumbini Year a 

success and to 

attract more Sri 

Lankan tourists 

to the country. 

“HAN also 

wanted to attractinvestment 

in the 

tourism sector 

by organising a 

meeting in a 

foreign land.” 

In the meeting, 

HAN concluded 

that the 

reception of international 

tourists at Tribhuwan 

International Airport 

(TIA) is rudimentary. 

The meeting also discussed 

that the country is yet to develop 

infrastructure for tourism sector 

and formulate a tourism-oriented 

foreign policy, HAN said, 

operating 18 new taxis in the 

initial phase,” he informed. 

Civil Aviation Authority of 

Nepal (CAAN) had awarded 

the tender to the company 

for operating 300 pre-paid 

green plate taxis replacing 

the 170 old taxis at TIA. The 

company will introduce 150 

taxis within six months of the 

agreement and within a year, 

it must have 300 brand new 

taxis in operation. 

CAAN will also allow the 

taxi parking space for permanent 

taxis which will be 

charged Rs 4,000 for three 

months according to the regulation. 

CAAN has calculated 

a total revenue collection 

of Rs 3.6 million annually 

from the taxi parking space. 

According to TIA, the new 

prepaid taxis will also have a 

radio communication system, 

and English language 

and a uniform will be compulsory 

for taxi drivers. 

COLOMBO MEETING 

HAN to pressure govt 

for regional airports 

Pokhara,Lumbini on list 

Nepal Evening in 

Sri Lanka 

KATHMANDU: Hotel Association 

Nepal organised a 

special ‘Nepal Evening’ in 

Sri Lanka during their halfyearly 

meeting in Colombo 

with an objective to attract 

investment and increase the 

number of Sri Lankan 

tourists to Nepal. On the occasion, 

vice chairman of the 

Sri Lankan Parliament 

Chandima Birakodi, said 

that the friendly relation between 

the two countries will 

be made stronger through 

tourism. He further said 

that a large number of 

tourists could be attracted 

from India, China and third 

countries by preparing an 

integrated tourism package 

from both the countries as 

Nepal is surrounded by the 

Himalayas and Sri Lanka by 

sea, and expressed confidence 

that it would help in 

the economic development 

of both the countries. Similarly, 

Nepali ambassador to 

Sri Lanka Sushil Chandra 

Amatya, expressed that a 

large number of Buddhist 

tourists from Sri Lanka 

would attend the Visit 

Lumbini Year-2012 celebrations 

if there were direct air 

services between the two 

countries. — HNS 

THT 

adding that the Colombo meeting 

also raised some crucial issues 

including frequent strikes, 

facilities for tourism related industries, 

exemption of Value 

Added Tax for the tourism sector 

and others. 

The Nepali 

tourism industry 

can witness 

a rapid growth 

as seen in Sri 

Lanka if the 

government 

recognises the 

tourism sector 

as an industry 

with national 

priority, said 

president of the 

association 

Shyam Sundar 

Lal Kakshapati. 


also organised 

a press 

meet in Sri Lanka 

to inform the 

possibilities of 

the tourism industry 

in Nepal. 

Representatives 

of HAN 

also mentioned 

that Nepal and 

Sri Lanka 

should start direct 

flights to 

boost tourism 

activities. 

The HAN 

team also held 

discussions 

with Sri Lankan 

government officials 

and 

tourism entrepreneurs 

to inform 

them 

about the possibilities 

of investment 

in 

Nepal, it added. 

Joint secretary at the Investment 

Board Mukunda Paudel 

highlighted the possible sectors 

for investment in Nepal and 

the policies adopted by the 

government to attract foreign 

investment.

The Himalayan Times, Monday, August 13, 2012 www.thehimalayantimes.com 

London 2012 

Page 12 

(From left) Jamaica’s Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt, Nesta Carter, and Michael Frater celebrate after winning the men’s 4x100-metre gold medal on Saturday. 

Reuters 


Usain Bolt and Jamaica’s 

speedsters 

smashed the 4x100 

metres world 

record, Britain’s 

Mo Farah brought London 

to its feet with another 

golden distance win and 

Mexico broke Brazilian 

football hearts in a 

thrilling penultimate day 

of Olympic action. 

But Saturday’s sporting 

highs were tempered by 

news that a Syrian runner 

was expelled for doping 

and a South Korean football 

player was barred 

from a medal ceremony 

for staging a political 

protest after a bronze 

playoff with Japan. 

In a day brimming with 

golden opportunities — 

32 titles were up for grabs 

— Bolt kissed off his oneman 

Olympic show to lead 

Jamaica home for gold in a 

blistering relay that 

brought London’s track & 

field events to a shimmering 

close. Bolt added that 

title to the ‘double-double’ 

he won in the 100m and 

200m, defending both after 

his Beijing triumphs 

and writing his way into 

Olympic history as one of 

the finest sprinters the 

world has known. 

As he crossed the line, 

Bolt cupped his hands in 

an ‘M’ shape above his 

head — a nod to Farah 

who had earlier run away 

from the pack to win the 

hosts’ first men’s 5,000m 

gold. “It’s always a beautiful 

feeling to end off like 

this,” Bolt said. The quartet 

of Bolt, Yohan Blake, 

Michael Frater and Nesta 

Carter darted around the 

track in 36.84 seconds, 

beating their own record 

and leaving the United 

States trailing in their 

wake. 

Farah, who snatched 

the 10,000m crown just 

Rivals chip away at 

China dominance 

Reuters 


The rise and fall of steelloaded 

barbells on the London 

Olympic weightlifting 

platform decided 15 gold 

medals, rewrote eight world 

records and revealed a challenge 

to China’s dominance. 

Five titles put China on 

top but after winning eight in 

Beijing, losses to North Korean 

and Kazakh lifters will 

rankle in a squad where anything 

less than gold is a disappointment. 

After winning 

China’s fifth and final gold 

medal, women’s super 

heavyweight champion 

Zhou Lulu summed up the 

team’s performance: “Mission 

unaccomplished.” 

North Korea’s 20-year-old 

Om Yun-chol threw down 

the gauntlet early, winning 

the first of his country’s three 

golds with a world record 

168kg clean & jerk lift that 

beat China’s Wu Jingbiao on 

the second day of event. 

On their way to winning 

four gold medals, Kazakhstan 

produced the only 

lifter from Beijing to retain 

an Olympic title, when the 

flamboyant Ilya Ilyin put in a 

flawless performance to set 

two world records in the 

men’s 94 kg class. 

In a sport usually determined 

by speed, technique 

and raw power, the margins 

between success and failure 

are often slim but none more 

JAMAICA BREAK 

RELAY RECORD; 

FARAH CLAIMS 

DOUBLE 

so than for Poland’s Adrian 

Zielinksi who scooped gold 

by virtue of his lighter bodyweight. 

When tied with Russia’s 

Apti Aukhadov on total 

weight lifted, he won his 

country’s first weightlifting 

title for 40 years because he 

weighed 130 grams less than 

his opponent — equivalent 

to a chicken fillet or a small 

cup of water. 

Those fine margins, and 

the combination of athletes 

pushing their physical capacity 

to their limits with 

200kg weights, also mean 

that when something goes 

wrong, it can really go 

wrong. No one knows this 

better than Germany’s 

Matthias Steiner who, on the 

final evening of the competition, 

buckled under a lift and 

received a heavy blow to the 

head from the 196kg barbell, 

leaving him briefly stricken 

on the platform. 

But the former Olympic 

champion left the stage on 

his feet and waved to the 

crowd packed into London’s 

ExCel arena to see the headline 

event — the battle for 

the title of strongest man at 

the Olympics. 

In that contest, Iran’s 

Behdad Salimikordasiabi did 

not disappoint the expectations 

of a nation where 

strong men are held up as 

idols, winning super heavyweight 

gold and reinstating 

an Iranian at the top of the 

Olympic weightlifting tree. 

days ago, is the seventh 

man to win both races at 

the same Olympics and 

the trailblazer of a British 

team that has claimed 

more medals than at any 

Games in more than a 

century. “I wanted a gold 

medal for each of my two 

girls on the way,” said the 

29-year-old, whose wife 

Tania is heavily pregnant. 

“They could come any day 

now.” 

Russia’s world champion 

Mariya Savinova saw 

off South African Caster 

Semenya to win the 

women’s 800m, the US triumphed 

in the women’s 

4x400m relay and Trinidad 

and Tobago’s Keshorn 

Walcott struck a surprise 

gold in the javelin. 

The final few moments 

of Olympic glory in track & 

field bring a close to an 

eventful penultimate day 

of the Games in which 

startling athletic prowess 

did not always dominate 

the headlines. Syrian athlete 

Ghfran Almouhamad, 

who competed in the 

women’s 400 metres hurdles, 

was the 11th athlete 

to be thrown out of the 

Games since the start of 

the Olympic period, which 

began on July 16, after 

testing positive for a 

banned substance. 

The 10-strong Syrian 

team has attracted considerable 

media attention 

during London 2012, less 

for their sporting achievements 

than the bloody 

conflict raging at home 

between rebels and forces 

loyal to President Bashar 

al-Assad. Politics also 

crashed the party when 

the International Olympic 

Committee (IOC) called 

for a South Korea football 

player to be banned from 

a medal ceremony after he 

held up a poster referring 

to his country’s long-running 

territorial dispute 

with Japan — after the two 

teams had just battled for 

the bronze. 

Five-time world champions 

Brazil’s long quest 

for Olympic soccer 

gold continues 

after Mexico 

stunned the usually 

stylish South 

Americans with a 

2-1 win. Brazil’s 

women provided 

some consolation, 

beating the 

United States to 

gold in the volleyball. 

The upsets 

spread to the 

pool where Chinese 

divers Qiu 

Bo and Lin Yue 

Gold medallist David Boudia of the US competes during the men’s 10-metre 

platform diving final at the Aquatics Centre in London on Saturday. 

could not better the efforts 

of American David Boudia 

in the 10m event. Qiu won 

silver and Britain’s Tom 

Daley, cheered on by English 

football player David 

Beckham, took bronze. 

But there was no surprise 

in the women’s basketball 

where the US 

claimed a fifth straight 

gold by thrashing France 

86-50 to extend their 

Olympics winning streak 

to 41 games. In the ring, 

Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk 

claimed the men’s heavyweight 

crown while classy 

light-welterweight Roniel 

Iglesias Sotolongo won 

Cuba’s first boxing gold in 

eight years and Britain’s 

Luke Campbell took the 

bantamweight title. 

OLYMPICS DIARY 

Uganda’s Kiprotich 

wins marathon 

LONDON: Ugandan Stephen 

Kiprotich won Uganda's first 

medal of the London Olympics 

on Sunday after he shot to the 

front with six kilometres remaining 

to defeat the experienced 

Kenyan pair of Abel Kirui and 

Wilson Kipsang. John Akii-Bua, 

who set a world record in the 

1972 Munich Olympics 400 metres 

hurdles final, is Uganda's 

only other Olympic champion. A 

huge crowd packed the streets of 

central London to watch Kiprotich 

join twice world gold medallist 

Kirui and London marathon 

champion Wilson Kipsang at the 

30-km mark. Six kilometres later 

Kiprotich pounced and held on 

to win in two hours eight minutes 

one second, 26 seconds 

ahead of Kirui with Kipsang a 

further 1:10 behind. — Reuters 

German men claim 

hockey title 

LONDON: Germany won their 

second successive men’s hockey 

gold on Saturday by beating the 

Netherlands 2-1, courtesy of 

midfielder Jan Philipp Rabente’s 

first goals of the tournament. 

Germany’s victory spoiled a 

Dutch bid for a double after their 

women triumphed on Friday. 

Rabente opened the scoring 

with a brilliant individual effort 

just two minutes before halftime. 

Mink van der Weerden got 

the Dutch back into the match in 

the second half for his eighth 

goal at the London Games. But 

Rabente scored again with five 

minutes remaining. — Reuters 

Obame hands 

Gabon first medal 

LONDON: Anthony Obame 

earned Gabon’s first Olympic 

medal on Saturday when he took 

silver in the taekwondo heavyweight 

division, as Italian Carlo 

Molfetta took gold medal in the 

final. Obame took a 6-1 lead after 

the first round and had a five 

point lead in the third before 

Molfetta powered back to 9-9. 

Neither fighter could score a 

point in sudden death and after 

the referee consulted the judges’ 

scorecards he signalled the Italian 

was the victor. — Reuters 

Indian wrestler 

Sushil loses in final 

LONDON: Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu 

of Japan won the wrestling gold 

medal in men's 66-kilogram 

freestyle, beating Sushil Kumar 

of India to give the Japanese 

their first Olympic gold in men's 

competition in 24 years. The last 

Japanese wrestler to claim gold 

before Yonemitsu was flyweight 

Mitsuru Sato at the Seoul Games 

in 1988. Yonemitsu, the runnerup 

at the World Championships 

in 2011, beat Kumar 1-0, 3-1 in 

the first gold-medal match featuring 

an Indian wrestler. The 

win was Japan's fourth gold of 

the Games. Three Japanese 

women won gold medals earlier 

this week. — AP 

AP/ RSS 

Sushil Kumar (down) of India competes with Tatsuhiro 

Yonemitsu of Japan during the men’s 66kg freestyle wrestling 

gold medal match in London on Sunday. 

Lesson for Rio: Prepare minds to exploit home crowd 

Reuters 


If the wall of noise from an 

Olympic home crowd were a 

banned substance, Team GB 

would have been kicked out of the 

London Games on the first day. 

Judging by the host nation’s 

record haul of 62 medals, 28 of 

them gold as it stands, their performance 

enhancing properties 

are quite something. But dig 

deeper into the science behind 

home advantage and the research 

shows it is not as simple as just 

having eager supporters screaming 

their heads off for their na- 

tional Olympians to win. 

If Brazil want to reap the same 

performance boost from an enthusiastic 

home crowd in Rio 

2016, their coaches and athletes 

and people must first prepare 

their minds for success. “People’s 

notions of efficacy are extremely 

important in performance,” said 

Stephen Reicher, a professor of 

psychology at the University of St 

Andrews in Scotland. “So partly it 

comes down to your own beliefs.” 

In an analysis of home advantage 

published in the Journal of 

Sport Science last year, sports scientists 

found hosts’ advantage 

does show up in the final medal 

MEDAL STANDINGS 

Rank Country G S B T 

1 USA 45 29 29 103 

2 China 38 27 22 87 

3 Britain 29 16 19 64 

4 Russia 24 25 33 82 

5 SKorea 13 8 7 28 

6 Germany 11 19 14 44 

7 France 10 11 12 33 

8 Italy 8 8 11 27 

9 Hungary 8 4 5 17 

10 Australia 7 16 12 35 

AP / RSS 

AP / RSS 

Boudia shows Chinese are beatable 



China are still the powerhouse 

of Olympic diving. But ever so 

slowly, the rest of the world is 

catching up. 

Just ask David Boudia, who’s 

leaving London with a gold 

medal around his neck. Showing 

the Chinese can be defeated, 

Boudia pulled off a stunning 

upset of Qiu Bo in 10-meter 

platform Saturday on the 

final night of competition at 

the Olympic Aquatics Centre, 

giving the Americans their first 

diving gold since the 2000 Sydney 

Games. “This shows the 

world is coming after China,” 

Boudia said. “They’re not as 

dominant anymore.” 

Still better than anyone else, 

tables. Home teams win around 

three times more medals at their 

nation’s Games than when they 

are away, the researchers found. 

The analysis also found the 

greatest influence comes not 

from knowing the surroundings, 

eating familiar food, speaking the 

same language or not having to 

travel, but from the roar of the 

crowd. British athletes right 

across the spectrum have credited 

the crowds with at least some 

of their success in London. 

So is it all in the mind? Well yes, 

and no. “It’s complicated,” says 

Nick Maguire, a senior lecturer in 

clinical psychology at Britain’s 

for sure. The Chinese captured 

six of the eight diving golds in 

London, but that was actually 

a dropoff from their seven 

golds in 2008. Again, they were 

denied a sweep of every event, 

which has become their 

daunting standard. 

Boudia was as calm as can 

be. Flipping and twisting off 

the big tower on his final dive, 

Boudia ripped through the 

water and received the best total 

score of any dive in the 

competition, just enough to 

edge Qiu by 1.80 points. It was 

the closest finish in men’s platform 

since Greg Louganis won 

the last of his gold medals in 

1988, and the first diving gold 

for an American man since the 

late Mark Lenzi won on 

springboard in Barcelona — 

University of Southampton. “It’s 

psycho-physiological, rather than 

purely psychological or purely 

physiological.” He points out that 

the mind can be extremely powerful 

— and its response can trigger 

real physiological changes 

when it interprets the crowd’s vocal 

support. 

While the descriptions of athletes 

of being “lifted” or “carried” 

by the crowd cannot be taken literally, 

they do describe real effects. 

The physiological changes 

stem largely from the sheer noise 

generated by a large crowd. 

This can result in a high degree 

of arousal or excitement, Maguire 

two decades ago. 

“This is so surreal right 

now,” Boudia said. “I’m in disbelief.” 

So was Qiu, who pulled 

off a final dive that was nearly 

as brilliant as Boudia’s, but 

only good enough for silver. 

The defending world champion 

turned his back to the 

scoreboard when he saw the 

final standings, hiding his face 

against the wall behind the 

tower. 

Qiu dismissed any suggestion 

that China are slipping. 

“The result will not affect our 

future plan,” he said through 

an interpreter. “I believe the 

Chinese diving team is the 

best. Nothing could challenge 

me, nothing could challenge 

the Chinese team. We are the 

strongest diving team.” 

said, which in turn increases the 

production of adrenaline, the 

hormone produced at times of 

“fight or flight” that can sometimes 

enable people to do extraordinary 

things. “It’s how you 

think about that noise which is 

the key factor. It could have either 

an excitatory or an anxiety-provoking 

effect,” Maguire said. 

Psychologists stress if Brazil 

want to use this same legal performance 

enhancer to its maximum, 

the athletes, the team, the 

crowd and even the nation as a 

whole must learn to believe they 

can win, so that athletes can interpret 

the noise as positive.


Sports 

• TIME OUT 

AP / RSS 

Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns to 

Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia during 

their semi-final match of the Rogers 

Cup in Toronto on Saturday. 

Buddha Prakash win 

KATHMANDU: New Buddha Prakash 

School claimed 14 gold, nine silver 

and four bronze medals to lift the 

team trophy of the first National Junior 

Wushu Championships here on 

Sunday. Bijaya Sinjali and Timila 

Shrestha were adjudged the best 

players in Taulo, while Sandesh 

Tamang and Divya Raut were named 

the best players in Sansau category. 

Sandesh had claimed the men’s 48kg 

gold beating Liladhar Parki and Divya 

had dispatched Renu Tamang to lift 

the women’s 52kg gold on Sunday. 

Other to win golds were Naresh 

Chaudhary in men’s 56kg, Amar 

Sunuwar in men’s 60kg, Rajendra 

Lama in men’s 65kg, Hira Chaudhary 

in women’s 48kg, Sushmita Shrestha 

in women’s 56kg. — HNS 

Man City beat Chelsea 

BIRMINGHAM: Manchester City 

scored three second-half goals to 

beat 10-man Chelsea 3-2 on Sunday 

in a bad-tempered Community 

Shield, the traditional start to the 

English football season. Yaya Toure, 

Carlos Tevez and Samir Nasri gave 

City their first win since 1972 in the 

annual curtain raiser between Premier 

League champions City and FA 

Cup holders Chelsea. The match was 

marred by eight yellow cards and a 

straight red for Branislav Ivanovic for 

a sliding tackle into Aleksandar Kolarov's 

shin with studs raised. Fernando 

Torres and Ryan Bertrand 

scored the first and last goals of the 

match for Chelsea. — AP 

Reus claims award 

BERLIN: German national team striker 

Marco Reus was on Sunday named 

footballer of the year for 2011-12. 

Reus, who joined Borussia Dortmund 

from Borussia Moenchengladbach 

before the start of the new season, 

was selected in a poll of sports journalists 

conducted by the magazine 

Kicker. The 23-year-old succeeds 

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel 

Neuer, who won the poll last year. 

Second behind Reus was Dortmund’s 

Mats Hummels. Juergen Klopp, who 

guided Dortmund to a league and 

cup double last season, was named 

manager of the year. — Agencies 

Real outplay Celtic 

PHILADELPHIA: Real Madrid defeated 

Celtic 2-0 on Saturday in the World 

Football Challenge. Gonzalo Higuain 

split two Celtic defenders and set up 

Joe Maria Callejon who scored in the 

22nd minute. Karim Benzema added 

a goal in the 67th, steering a shot to 

the far left corner of the net that beat 

goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska before a 

crowd of 34,018 at Lincoln Financial 

Field in Philadelphia. Celtic’s Dylan 

McGeough was knocked out and taken 

off the pitch on a stretcher after 

smashing his chin on the shoulder of 

Real Madrid’s Nuri Sahin. McGeough 

moved his arms across his chest 

while being carted off the field. — AP 

Referee attacked 

DUSSELDORF: A friendly match between 

Bundesliga side Fortuna Dusseldorf 

and Portugal’s Benfica was 

abandoned on Saturday after the referee 

was body-checked by Benfica 

captain Luisao. Referee Christian Fischer 

appeared dazed and left the 

pitch for treatment after the 40thminute 

incident. After about 15 minutes 

he notified Dusseldorf officials 

he was abandoning the match. Fischer 

was about to show a second yellow 

card to Benfica’s Javi Garcia when he 

was knocked over by Brazilian defender 

Luisao. The game was goalless 

at the time. — Agencies 

Nepal ready for Aussie pace Down Under 

Hemanta Raj Kafle 

Townsville, August 12 

Nepali batsmen will look to give 

the best answer to fiery pace from 

Australian bowlers when they play 

their first match of the ICC U-19 

World Cup against the three-time 

champions here at the Tony Ireland 

Stadium on Monday. 

Nepal ’s coach Pubudu Dassanayake 

spent much of the time 

with his top order batsmen — particularly 

Pradeep Airee — in today’s 

five-hour training session. 

Dassanayake believed that opener 

Pradeep — who was not in his best 

form in two warm up matches — 

will come good against the Aussies. 

“He is the 

kind of batsman 

who 

can do big 

things in 

any delivery 

he gets to 

play. So, I 

gave special 

attention to 

him today,” 

the coach 

said. Not only in the U-19 squad, 

Dassanayake has been keeping 

faith in Pradeep in the senior team 

as well but he has not delivered so 

far in the Australian tour. 

Pradeep managed just 25 runs 

against Papua New Guinea and 

scored just one against New 

Zealand in the warm up matches, 

while he had completely flopped 

in three practice matches in Darwin. 

Dassanayake is expecting his 

top order to at least put early resistance 

against a team that is buoyed 

by a crushing eight-wicket victory 

against England. “If the top order 

plays their first 10 overs with patience, 

then we can put some runs 

on the board,” said the coach. 

KP left out 

of England 

Test squad 

Reuters 


Controversial batsman 

Kevin Pietersen has been 

dropped from the England 

cricket squad for the third 

and final Test against South 

Africa amid speculation of 

dressing room tensions with 

his teammates. 

Pietersen was left out because 

he failed to confirm he 

did not send derogatory text 

messages about teammates 

to the opposition, the England 

and Wales Cricket 

Board (ECB) said on Sunday. 

The future of Pietersen 

had been under a cloud 

since he raised the possibility 

of quitting England with 

comments at the conclusion 

of the match on Monday. 

He had also been at odds 

with ECB since quitting limited-overs 

internationals in 

May and over suggestions of 

his desire to play the whole 

IPL season with the Delhi 

Daredevils instead of two 

home Test matches against 

New Zealand next May. 

"During the past week we 

have held several discussions 

with Kevin Pietersen 

and his advisors," said ECB 

managing director Hugh 

Morris in a statement. "Following 

a constructive meeting, 

it was agreed that a 

number of actions needed to 

be completed to re-engage 

Kevin within the England 

dressing room.” 

Pietersen's exclusion 

came despite a video he released 

on Youtube on Saturday 

stating his commitment 

to playing for England in all 

three forms of the game. 

“It would be an interesting battle 

if our batsmen manage to play 

Australia’s pace bowling,” he said 

adding: “We will opt to field if we 

win the toss so that we can take advantage 

of our spin attack.” 

Pradeep and Subash Khakurel 

will be the unanimous selection of 

openers for Dassanayake. Subash 

has been the most impressive 

among the Nepali batsmen after 

he made 68 against PNG and 59 

against New Zealand. 

Expectations will be high in the 

camp from No 3 Naresh Budhayer 

following his century (114) against 

New Zealand and Hashim Ansari. 

Naresh had also made 93 not out 

against Northern Territory Strike 

Team in 

Darwin, 

w h i l e 

Hashim was 

the top scorer 

with 81 

runs in 

Nepal’s 

eight-wicket 

loss against 

PNG. 

D a s - 

sanayake said the team was eager 

to produce some miraculous results. 

“Cricket is a ten-ball game 

and no one can underestimate us. 

The teams in past have done big 

things and we are targeting some 

upset victories this time as well.” 

Skipper Prithu Baskota said the 

team would play only for victory. 

“Australia no doubt is the best 

team in the world. But we have our 

plans and will play according to 

our potential,” he said. 

PROBABLE TEAM: Pradeep 

Airee, Subash Khakurel, Naresh 

Budhayer, Prithu Baskota (capt), 

Rajesh Pulami, Sagar Pun, Hashim 

Ansari, Rahul BK, Bhuwan Karki, 

Avinash Karn, Krishna Karki. 

Nepal’s Rahul Kumar BK bowls in the nets during a practice session in Brisbane on 

Sunday, on the eve of their ICC U-19 World Cup Group ‘A’ match against Australia. 

Thapa announces Nehru Cup squad 

Goalkeeper Bikesh and midfielder Rupesh make 

it to national side for the first time 


Lalitpur, August 12 

Nepal national team head 

coach Krishna Thapa today announced 

a 21-member squad 

for the Nehru Cup International 

Football Tournament slated for 

the August 23 to September 2 at 

the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 

in New Delhi. 

“We have shortlisted 21 players 

after evaluating their performance 

in five practice matches 

played by the team. As the organisers 

will allow only 20 players, 

we will name the final 20member 

squad after we reach 

New Delhi,” said the veteran 

coach at a press conference here 

today. 

Among the 29 players called 

by the All Nepal Football Association 

last Sunday, Tribhuvan 

Army Club (TAC) goalkeeper 

Bikash Malla and Nepal Police 

Club (NPC) defender Rabin 

Shrestha did not attend the 

training due to injuries, while 

Reuters 

Kiawah Island, August 12 

Rory McIlroy, seeking his second 

major title, held a threeshot 

lead after the weather-delayed 

third round of the PGA 

Championship on Sunday, 

while Tiger Woods fought back 

to trail the Northern Irishman 

by five strokes. 

McIlroy, who had started the 

round two off the pace, fired a 

five-under 67 on a relatively 

calm morning at Kiawah Island 

to post a seven-under total 

of 209. Sweden's Carl Petterson, 

continuing his consistent 

form throughout this 

week, shot an even-par 72 to 

trail McIlroy by three but the final 

round has no shortage of 

contenders with 14 players 

within six shots of the lead. 

American Bo Van Pelt (67), 

South African Trevor Immelman 

(70) and Australian Adam 

Scott (70) are all well poised in 

a three-way tie at three under. 

But McIlroy, looking confident 

in what has been his best effort 

in the majors this season, was 

Machhindra goalkeeper Dinesh 

Thapa Magar ignored the national 

team call. Others who did 

not find their names in the 21member 

squad included forward 

Ganesh Lawati (APF), defenders 

Deepak Bhusal 

(Friends) and Jitendra Karki 

(TAC), and midfielders Shiva 

Shrestha (MMC) and Tanka Basnet 

(TAC). 

Coach Thapa was confident 

of reaching the final. “We did 

not get enough time to prepare 

the team, but the fitness level of 

the players has made me confident 

in making it to the final,” 

said Thapa. Thapa said they 

would go for wins against India 

and Maldives. “Since we know 

nothing about Cameroon and 

Syria, we would make plans after 

observing their matches in 

Delhi,” added Thapa. 

Madhyapur Youth Association 

goalie Bikesh Kuthu and Himalayan 

Sherpa midfielder Rupesh 

KC have been included in 

the senior side for the first time 

delighted to have picked up 

where he left off before Saturday's 

storm halted the action. 

McIlroy shot 32 on the front 

following their impressive performance 

in the AFC U-22 

Championships Group ‘D’ 

Qualifiers held in Kathmandu in 

June. 

Nepal will start their campaign 

with a match against Maldives 

on August 23 and will next 

meet Cameroon on August 26. 

After taking on hosts India on 

August 28, Nepal will wrap up 

their campaign with a match 

against Syria two days later. Top 

two teams will advance to the 

September 2 final after the 

round robin league. 

SQUAD: Goalkeepers — Kiran 

Chemjong, Ritesh Thapa, Bikesh 

Kuthu; Defenders — Sabindra 

Shrestha, Bikash Singh Chhetri, Biraj 

Maharjan, Sandip Rai, Sagar Thapa, 

Rohit Chand; Midfielders — Anil 

Ojha, Bhola Silwal, Raju Tamang, Rupesh 

KC, Nirajan Khadka, Bijay Gurung, 

Jagjeet Shrestha; Forwards 

— Anil Gurung, Sujal Shrestha, Santosh 

Sahukhala, Jumanu Rai and 

Bharat Khawas. 

nine before Saturday's downpour 

brought a premature end 

to play and after returning for a 

start on Sunday he failed to 


Toronto, August 12 

Top-seeded Novak 

Djokovic advanced to the 

Rogers Cup final with a 6-4, 

6-1 win over fellow Serb 

Janko Tipsarevic on Saturday 

night in the rain-delayed 

tournament. 

Djokovic, the winner of 

the hard court event in 2007 

and 2011, will face Richard 

Gasquet in the final. The 

Frenchman, seeded 14th, 

beat John Isner 7-6 (3), 6-3. 

Djokovic led 3-2 in the 

first set with the fifth-seed 

Tipsarevic serving on 30-30 

when play was stopped because 

of rain. The delay 

lasted an hour in the match 

that was delayed 90 minutes 

at the start. Gasquet, 

ranked 21st, is making his 

first trip to a Masters 1000 

final in six years. In 2006, 

also in Toronto, Gasquet 

lost to Roger Federer. 

In the women’s event at 

Montreal, seventh-seeded 

capitalise on early scoring opportunities. 

The Northern 

Irishman, who shared the lead 

with Fijian Vijay Singh 

West Indies 

shock India 



PAGE 13 

West Indies stunned two-time 

champions India by four wickets, 

while England, New 

Zealand and South Africa registered 

their first victory in the 

ICC U-19 World Cup today. 

In a Group ‘C’ match at the 

Tony Ireland Stadium in 

Townsville, Ronsford Beaton 

took three wickets, while 

Jerome Jones and Kyle Mayers 

had two scalps each as West Indies 

restricted India to 166-8. 

Smit Patel top scored for India 

with 51 runs. The Windies, 

in reply, made 167-6 in 47.1 

overs riding on composed 52 

from Anthony Alleyne. 

England – beaten by Australia 

on Saturday, defeated Ireland 

by seven wickets in a 

Group ‘A’ match at the Endeavour 

Park 1. Ireland were 109 all 

out in 42.2 overs before England 

finished at 113-3 in 36.2 

overs. 

In Group ‘D’ South Africa 

crushed Bangladesh by 133 

runs at the Allan Border Field 

in Brisbane. Bangladesh had 

stunned Sri Lanka in their 

opening match on Saturday 

but that was not to happen 

against the Proteas. 

Riding on Quinton de Kock’s 

95, South Africa amassed 294-8 

and bundled out Bangladesh 

for 161 in 34.3 overs. In Group 

‘B’, New Zealand defeated 

Scotland by 39 runs at the John 

Blanck Oval in Sunshine Coast. 

Djokovic enters 

Rogers Cup final 

McIlroy takes three-shot lead as Tiger fights back 

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland chips to the ninth green during the third round of the PGA 

Championship on the Ocean Course of the Kiawah Island Golf Resort on Saturday. 

THT 

AP / RSS 

Caroline Wozniacki ended 

Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak’s 

run, beating the Quebec 

favourite 6-4, 6-4 in the 

quarter-finals. Wozniak was 

the first Canadian since Patricia 

Hy-Boulais in 1992 to 

reach the last eight here. 

They have met nine 

times, and Wozniak’s only 

win was in Tokyo in 2009 

when the Dane was forced 

to retire in the first set because 

of a viral infection. 

Earlier, Wozniak finished 

off a rain-delayed match by 

topping Christina McHale 

7-6 (5), 6-3. Wozniacki received 

treatment for a right 

leg problem in the second 

set, but completed the 

third-round match. 

Wozniacki will now face 

Petra Kvitova, a 6-3, 6-2 

winner over Tamira Paszek. 

In the other quarter-finals, 

10th-seed Li Na beat second-seeded 

Agnieszka Radwanska 

6-2, 6-1, and 16thseed 

Lucie Safarova topped 

Roberta Vinci 6-2, 6-2. 

overnight, squandered three 

birdie chances and then 

missed an eight-foot putt to 

bogey the 13th. But the 2011 

US Open winner bounced 

back with birdies on the 15th 

and 16th, thanks to putts of 15 

and 10 feet. 

Woods, who made three bogeys 

from his opening seven 

holes on Saturday, got off to a 

bad start with his eight-foot 

putt for par on the short eighth 

lipping out for a bogey. But 

three birdies on the back nine 

put Woods, still lacking precision 

off the tee, back in the 

frame, though he will be disappointed 

to have bogeyed the 

par-three 17th where he found 

sand off the tee and failed to 

get up-and-down. 

Singh dropped four strokes 

on the back nine, including a 

damaging double-bogey on 

15th where he drove wide right 

of the green and then made a 

hash of his attempted chip. 

PGA Championship winner in 

1998 and 2004, Singh carded a 

74 to end the round five 

strokes behind McIlroy.


THThi-tech hi-tech 

Samsung’s new 

Galaxy Note 

in August 

FORTNIGHT 

BEFORE THE 

POSSIBLE DEBUT 

OF ARCH RIVAL 

APPLE’S NEW 

IPHONE 

SEOUL: Samsung Electronics is set 

to take the wraps off a sequel to its 

popular Galaxy Note smartphone 

on August 29, about two weeks 

before the possible debut of Apple’s 

new iPhone. The two arch rivals are 

bracing for a full-blown battle with the 

expected rollouts of the two key 

models coming as they lock horns in a 

high-stakes patent trial in the United 

States. “We plan to unveil the next 

Galaxy Note at the Samsung Mobile 

Unpacked event in Berlin on August 

29,” a Samsung spokesman said on 

Friday, without elaborating. The event 

will take place two days before the 

opening of Europe’s biggest consumer 

electronics trade fair IFA. South Korean 

media reports speculate the new 

Galaxy Note may feature an unbreakable, 

5.5-inch display — larger than the 

current one — as well as a faster 

processor and a much better camera. 

Samsung, once a laggard in the 

smartphone market, overtook Apple 

last year to become the world’s largest 

smartphone maker. The South Korean 

firm is looking to defend its supremacy 

by refreshing its line-up ahead of the 

launch of the fifth version of Apple’s 

iPhone, expected to be released in 

October. Samsung launched its flagship 

Galaxy S III in May, while Apple is 

planning a major product launch on 

September 12, stoking speculation the 

company may announce sale of its redesigned 

iPhone. Samsung is estimated 

to have increased smartphone shipments 

to 50.5 million in the April to 

June quarter of this year, nearly double 

the 26 million iPhones sold. The two 

tech titans also started a trial in a US 

court last week in a patent battle triggered 

by Apple’s lawsuit last year claiming 

that Samsung slavishly copied 

Apple’s smartphones and tablets. 

Samsung has countersued. — Reuters 

tech 

terse 

Netflix CEO buys 

FB shares 

CALIFORNIA: Netflix Inc CEO 

Reed Hastings gave his thumbsup 

to Facebook (FB) by buying 

about USD one million worth of 

its stock. Hastings is a FB board 

member and the first insider at 

the social media company to 

disclose buying its stock since its 

initial public offering in May. 

FB’s stock has fallen nearly 45 

per cent since it first sold public 

RELIABLE 

REPAIRS 


Kathmandu 

Authorised laptop dealers 

launch new models 

of their brands in the 

market at regular intervals 

these days. Hence, 

laptop users are spoilt for 

choice, but handling the delicate 

gadgets is another matter 

altogether, because most laptops 

are ultra sensitive. 

“We repair branded laptops, 

and most of our customers 

come to us with Dell and Acer,” 

says Sharmila Rijal, owner of 

Prime Computer at New Road. 

According to her, at least one 

customer visits them with a 

malfunctioning laptop each day, 

and the number even reaches 

around 40 per month. The average 

cost of repairing a laptop 

begins at Rs 500 and goes up to 

Rs 4,500, depending upon the 

complications. Rijal adds, “More 

than 50 per cent customers 

complain of unpredictable 

damages such as liquid spills. 

Other problems include USB 

port glitches, blurry display, 

viruses, et cetera. Several such 

problems can be avoided if the 

users are more cautious.” 

According to her, the first step 

after liquid spills on the laptop is 

to turn it off, unplug the adapter 

and remove the battery. To avoid 

further damage, users should 

hand the laptop over to a repair 

shop, so that its internal parts 

can be inspected after dissembling. 

Rijal says, “We have 

two trained technicians who 

especially handle laptops.” She 

shares to investors at USD 38. It 

was one of the most anticipated 

IPOs, but investors have been 

questioning its ability to keep 

increasing its revenue. Purchase 

by company executives or 

directors are typically considered 

a vote of confidence in 

the company. A regulatory 

document filed Thursday with 

the Securities and Exchange 

Commission shows that 

Hastings bought nearly 48,000 

shares on Wednesday at USD 

21.03 each. FB Inc’s stock closed 

that day at USD 20.72. — AP 

Google bolsters 

iPhone voice app 

SAN FRANCISCO: Google Inc 

showed off enhancements to its 

voice-based search technology 

for Apple Inc’s iPhone and said it 

was testing a new service that 

will combine its web-based email 

with its search engine. The 

new version of Google’s search 

app for the iPhone and iPad, expected 

to be available within a 

few days, will let users find information 

about everything from 

the weather to nearby movie 

AUTHORISED 

CENTRES ARE 

THE SAFEST BET 

WHEN IT COMES TO 

TROUBLESHOOTING 

LAPTOPS 

agrees that users these days are 

really tech savvy, and to prevent 

possible problems, select those 

laptops that promise a long 

lasting battery life and access to 

the latest software and apps. 

Pawan Pradhan, product 

manager for Dell laptops of 

Neoteric (Nepal) Pvt Ltd, says, 

“In case of problems, laptop 

LAPTOP LAPSES: 

• Hard drive failure 

Overheating 

Spilled beverages 

Damaged USB port 

Reduced battery life 

Damaged display screen 

Failure of backlight, 

motherboard and keyboard 

users should always go to repairing 

centres sanctioned by the 

authorised dealers. This will 

ensure peace of mind, as spare 

parts will be original and not 

reused ones as in other 

dubious repairing centres. 

If the laptops are damaged 

within the warranty period, 

then they are repaired 

without charge by authorised 

dealers. However, unauthorised 

dealers may or may not offer this 

service.” According to him, it is 

true that authorised dealers 

charge more than other repairing 

centres, because they pay tax 

on the genuine spare parts 

imported from abroad. Not 

understanding this technicality, 

laptop users often visit unauthorised 

shops, which saves 

them a few rupees but is 

hazardous in the long run. 

However, customers complain 

of being unable to locate 

authorised repairing centres. 

Seema Thapa, a student, says, 

“My Lenovo laptop had 

showings by speaking into the 

devices, matching some of the 

capabilities offered by Apple’s 

own Siri technology. Google’s 

new app recites answers to 

search results in a human 

sounding voice, similar to Apple’s 

Siri, which some analysts 

and technology observers 

believe could make iPhone 

users less reliant on Google’s 

search service. The news comes 

as the relationship between the 

two companies grows increasingly 

competitive. On Monday 

Apple said it would no longer 

offer Google’s YouTube app as 

a pre-loaded app in future 

versions of its iPhone. — Reuters 

China tries surgeon 

in kidney case 

HUNAN: A surgeon and four 

other people are on trial in 

central China over the case of a 

teenager who is said to have sold 

a kidney to buy an iPhone and 


Your computer is a backup of your soul, 

a multi-layered, menu-driven 

representation of who you are, 

who you care about, and how you sin 

— Michael Marshall 

• CELEB’S CORNER 

Shiva Pariyar, who debuted as a singer in 

1994, has given voice to more than 250 

modern songs and three dozen songs in 

Nepali movies. Pariyar has seven albums 

to his credit and considers technology 

to be advantageous only when it is user 

friendly. He spoke to THT Hi-Tech Plus 

about his choice of gadgets. 

Which is your favourite gadget? Why? 

My favourite gadget is my Nokia 97 

because it is really comfortable to use. 

problems with its display last 

year, so I got it fixed at a repairing 

centre in New Road for 

around Rs 2,000.” According to 

her, although she would have 

liked to get the laptop repaired 

at an authorised centre for the 

sake of safety and security, she 

could not find one at that time. 

One such repairing centre is 

Shree Yantra Console located 

at Computer Bazaar of Putalisadak. 

Nakul KC, chief sales 

executive of the company, says, 

“The time and cost of 

repair differ according to the 

model and laptop problem. 

Sometimes, it can be fixed in a 

single day and at other times it 

takes up to two weeks. The 

charges for repairing simple 

problems vary from Rs 1,000 to 

Rs 1,500.” According to him, 

a large number of students 

approach the showroom to get 

rid of problems plaguing the 

display screen. KC says, “To 

keep laptops in optimum condition, 

users should never 

overcharge the battery, nor discharge 

it completely, as this is 

one of the reasons for hard disk 

failure. As laptop keyboards are 

very sensitive, one should never 

eat or drink while using the 

device. Also, it is essential to 

install anti-virus and update it 

frequently via internet.” 

As laptop maintenance 

plays a crucial role in its 

functioning as well as lifespan, 

being cautious is the best 

measure to avoid visiting a 

repairing centre. 

iPad 2, state media reported 

Friday. The state-run China 

Daily newspaper said that 18year-old 

Wang Shangkun is in 

serious condition after receiving 

an illegal transplant operation 

last year. The five people on trial 

stand accused of intentional 

injury and illegal organ trading 

over the removal and sale of the 

organ and face three to 10 years 

in prison if convicted, the paper 

said. A woman who answered 

the phone at the Beihu district 

people’s court in the city of 

Chenzhou, Hunan province, 

said that the trial was in session 

Friday, though offered no 

details. She declined to give her 

name. Citing court documents, 

the China Daily said that Wang 

Which of its features do you like 

the most? 

I like its picture quality and download app 

the most. The TFT resistive touch screen, 

high storage capacity and accelerometer are 

also attractive. 

Which is the one 

gadget on your 

wish list? 

I would like to 

change my mobile set, 

and am also eyeing the 

Samsung Galaxy Note. 

Wired reporter hack 

reveals digital perils 

COMPROMISED ACCOUNTS 

EXPOSE GAP IN AMAZON 

AND APPLE SECURITY 

NEW YORK: The perils 

of modern dependence 

on internetlinked 

gadgets and 

digitally-stored memories 

remained a hot topic on 

Friday in the wake of a 

hack that wiped clean a 

Wired reporter’s devices. 

At wired.com, Mat Honan 

laid out in gripping detail 

how his “digital life was 

destroyed” right down 

to irreplaceable photos of 

his baby daughter. Honan 

this week is to share his 

quest to repair the damage. 

“The take-away from his 

bad experience is that people 

need to be careful with 

using an online service, especially 

a backup service,” 

Lookout Mobile Security 

Engineer Tim Strazzere told 

AFP on Friday. “The main 

part is to mitigate risk; he 

lost a lot of personal information.” 

Basic hacker skills 

were combined with ‘social 

engineering,’ the art of 

sweet-talking someone like 

a customer service rep into 

bending rules during a 

phone call, to compromise 

Honan’s Google, Twitter, 

and AppleID accounts. 

Honan told of his @mat 

Twitter handle apparently 

being the coveted prize for 

hackers who deleted his 

Gmail account and erased 

data from his iPhone, iPad 

and MacBook laptop to 

hide their trail. The datawiping 

feature was created 

by Apple to let people 

protect digital information 

if devices are lost or 

stolen. He said his Twitter 

account was used to fire off 

offensive messages. Honan 

wrote, “My accounts were 

daisy-chained together. 

But what happened to me 

exposes vital security flaws 

in several customer service 

systems, most notably 

Apple’s and Amazon’s.” 

Hackers were able to get 

bits of information from 

Apple and Amazon tech 

support that helped them 

achieve their mission. 

Apple did not respond 

to an AFP request for 

comment, but reportedly 

gave Honan a statement 

saying his data was 

“compromised by a person 

who had acquired personal 

information about the 

customer. We are reviewing 

all of our processes for resetting 

account passwords 

to ensure our customers’ 

data is protected.” — AFP 

agreed to sell his kidney after 

contacting an illegal agency 

online. Wang’s mother, Ou 

Linchun, told the court that her 

son did not sell his kidney to 

purchase the Apple devices. The 

kidney was sold for 150,000 yuan 

(USD 23,600) and USD 10,000 in 

cash, though Wang received just 

22,000 yuan, the paper said. — AFP


POSITIVE LIVING 

Variety 

PAGE 15 

YOUR LUCK 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: This year you become more resilient than ever 

before. You learn to go along with the unexpected, as you see it as 

exciting rather than a problem. You express your feelings in a vulnerable 

yet thrilling manner, and you touch many people in your life 

as a result. At the same time, you grow and transform to a more dynamic, 

easygoing personality. If you are single, you attract many 

people. Your job will be to choose the right person. Many of you will 

enjoy this process. If you are attached, the two of you relate on an 

even more positive level. Relax more together. A SCORPIO could 

play a significant role in your emotional life. 

A baby born today has a Sun in Leo and a Moon in Gemini if born before 

1:23 a.m. (PDT).Afterward, the Moon will be in Cancer. 

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You have been maintaining 

a high level of activity and are full of spunk. Some 

people might be taken aback by your frenetic energy 

and wish you would slow down. Your vitality is nearly 

overwhelming. Tonight: Happily head home. ✹✹✹✹ 

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You could be a little overwhelmed 

by everything you need to do. You express 

gentleness when speaking through your expressions 

and body language. Be willing to revise your thinking 

and understand what might be going on with a loved one. Tonight: 

Catch up on a friend’s news. ✹✹✹✹ 

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Realise what is happening, 

and take responsibility for your role.A friend or associate 

acts in a most unexpected manner. Buy a token 

of appreciation in order to demonstrate your support 

for this unpredictable person. Tonight: Pick up tickets to a game 

or concert. Make it a treat. ✹✹✹✹✹ 

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You wake up feeling 

great. Throw in an impromptu activity, and you won’t 

need your morning coffee. You feel as if you need to 

contain a situation. You cannot control someone, but 

you can choose to not be involved. Tonight: All smiles. ✹✹✹✹✹ 

LEO (July 23-Aug 22): Please note what is happening 

behind the scenes. You could be surprised by forthcoming 

news. Clearly, a loved one cares. Be willing to 

have a long-overdue discussion with this person. 

Avoid getting involved in an associate’s control games. Tonight: 

Vanish. Do your thing. ✹✹✹ 

VIRGO (Aug 23-Sept 22): Zero in on what is important. 

Do not sell yourself short. Others know, and are 

receptive to, your talents and ideas. Do nothing 

halfway. Pressure builds to return calls, but make it a 

priority to attend all of your meetings first. Tonight: Only where the 

action is. ✹✹✹✹ 

LIBRA (Sept 23-Oct 22): Be aware of your limitations, 

and understand that you will need to take the lead 

anyway. You are juggling two very different interests 

right now. Understand that sometimes this is necessary.Think 

positively. Tonight: To the wee hours. ✹✹✹ 

SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21): Read between the lines. 

Understand how someone might be too vulnerable to 

share his or her feelings. You see right through control 

games, but out of kindness, you’ll choose not to mention 

it. Rising energy levels could drive you. Tonight: Make sure music 

is playing wherever you are. ✹✹✹✹ 

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21): Deal with an associate 

or loved one directly. You might not be aware of 

what is happening with this person, but you’ll have an 

idea by the end of the day. Rebelliousness is connected 

to a need to have control. Try not to play into this type of behaviour. 

Tonight: Opt for togetherness. ✹✹✹✹ 

CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19): Defer to others with an 

understanding of what you want out of the situation, 

and be sure to explain those terms. Expect only a positive 

response. Someone still might be challenging and 

doesn’t realise that you aren’t the one to get into a control game 

with. Tonight: Just don’t be alone. ✹✹✹✹ 

AQUARIUS (Jan 20-Feb 18): Dive into your day and 

clear out high-priority items early on.You might be surprised 

by a friend who pops in on you unexpectedly. 

Let an associate reveal more of his or her feelings. It 

might be important to know where this person is coming from. 

Tonight: Choose a relaxing activity. ✹✹✹✹ 

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): Be sensitive to the possibilities 

that surround a creative endeavour. You might 

decide to go for a different style or new way of handling 

this situation. What is important is that you 

express yourself. Tonight: So what if it is Monday? ✹✹✹✹ 

Born today: Director Alfred Hitchcock (1899), former Prime Minister of Cuba 

Fidel Castro (1926), sharpshooter Annie Oakley (1860) 

By Jacqueline Bigar 

Note: Bigar’s Stars is based on the degree of your sun at birth.The sign 

name is simply a label astrologers put on a set of degrees for convenience. 

For best results, readers should refer to the dates following each sign. 

MAKING A MIRACLE 

Ingredients 

• 1 part of knowing who you are 

1 part of knowing who you aren’t 

1 part of knowing what you want 

1 part of knowing who you wish 

to be 

1 part of knowing what you 

already have 

1 part of choosing wisely from 

what you have 

1 part of loving and thanking for 

ALL you have 

Everyday truths 

Sometimes people 

come into your life 

and you know right 

away that they 

were meant to be there ... 

to serve some sort of purpose, 

teach you a lesson 

or help figure out who 

you are or who you want 

to become. 

You never know who 

these people may be, but 

then you lock eyes with 

them, you know that very 

moment that they will affect 

your life in some profound 

way. 

And sometimes things 

happen to you at the time 

that may seem horrible, 

painful and unfair, but in 

reflection you realise that 

without overcoming 

those obstacles you 

would have never realised 

your potential, strength, 

willpower or heart. 

Everything happens for 

a reason. Nothing happens 

by chance or by 

Instructions 

Combine ingredients together 

gently and carefully, using faith 

and vision. 

Mix together with strong 

belief of the outcome until 

finely blended. 

Add thoughts, words and actions 

for best results. 

Bake until Blessed. 

Give thanks again. 

Make unlimited servings. 

means of good luck. Illness, 

injury, love, lost moments 

of true greatness 

and sheer stupidity all occur 

to test the limits of 

your soul. Without these 

small tests, life would be 

like a smoothly paved, 

straight, flat road to 

nowhere. Safe and comfortable 

but dull and utterly 

pointless. 

The people you meet 

affect your life. The successes 

and downfalls that 

you experience can create 

who you are, and the bad 

experiences can be 

learned from. In fact, they 

are probably the most 

poignant and important 

ones. 

If someone hurts you, 

betrays you or breaks 

your heart, forgive them 

because they have helped 

you learn about trust and 

the importance of being 

cautious to whom you 

open your heart to. 

If someone loves you, 

love them back unconditionally, 

not only because 

they love you, but because 

they are teaching 

you to love and to open 

your heart and eyes to little 

things. Make every day 

count. 

Appreciate every moment 

and take from it 

everything that you possibly 

can, for you may never 

be able to experience it 

again. 

Talk to people you have 

never talked to before, 

and actually listen. 

Let yourself fall in love, 

break free and set your 

sights high. 

If you take your eyes off 

your goals, all you see are 

obstacles. — Author Unknown 

Cause they already know ‘Travel’ 

Being a veterinarian, I 

had been called to 

examine a 10-yearold 

Irish Wolfhound 

named Belker. The dog’s 

owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, 

and their little boy Shane, 

were all very attached to 

Belker, and they were 

hoping for a miracle. 

I examined Belker 

and found he was dying 

of cancer. I told the 

family we couldn’t do 

anything for Belker, 

and offered to perform 

the euthanasia 

procedure for the 

old dog in their 

home. 

As we made 

arrangements, 

Ron 

and Lisa told 

me they 

thought it would 

be good for six-year-old 

Shane to observe the procedure. 

They felt as though 

Shane might learn something 

from the experience. 

The next day, I felt the familiar 

catch in my throat as 

Belker’s family 

sur- 

rounded him. Shane 

seemed so calm, petting 

the old dog for the last 

time, that I wondered if he 

understood what was going 

on. Within a few minutes, 

Belker slipped peacefully 

away. 

The little boy seemed to 

accept Belker’s transition 

without any difficulty or 

confusion. We sat together 

for a while after Belker’s 

death, wondering aloud 

about the sad fact that animal 

lives are shorter than 

human lives. Shane, who 

had been listening quietly, 

piped up, “I know why.” 

Startled, we all turned to 

him. What came out of his 

mouth next stunned me. 

I’d never heard a more 

comforting explanation. It 

has changed the way I live. 

He said, “People are born 

so that they can learn how 

to live a good life — like 

loving everybody all the 

time and being nice, right?” 

The six-year-old boy continued, 

“Well, dogs already 

know how to do 

that, so they 

don’t have to stay 

as long.” 

Live simply. 

Love generously. 

Care deeply. 

Speak kindly. 

— Author Unknown 

together 

I 

nmate Mitchell King had a visitor 

— his wife. King was serving a six- 

year jail term in Auckland, New 

Zealand for armed robbery. But his 

wife didn’t want to be away from him 

for that long. So they held hands.And 

they stuck. She rubbed her palms 

with Super Glue.Their new-found 

closeness was short-lived.And their 

separation painful. Her technique is 

not one I’d recommend for a closer 

relationship. But if you want more 

closeness; if you desire relationships 

that are deeper and broader, more 

meaningful and longer-lasting, then 

remember the word ‘travel’. 

T is for TRUST 

Trust is the glue that holds people together.A 

relationship will go nowhere 

without it. 

R is for RESPECT 

“Do not save your loving speeches for 

your friends till they are dead; do not 

write them on their tombstones, 

speak them rather now instead,” 

writes Anna Cummins. It’s about respecting 

others and letting them 

know that you value them. 

A is for AFFECTION 

Sometimes affection means love. 

Sometimes it means a touch.Always 

it means kindness. 

V is for VULNERABILITY 

Though we may feel afraid to let another 

too close, no relationship will go 

anywhere without risking vulnerability. 

Entrepreneur Jim Rohn says,“The 

walls we build around us to keep out 

the sadness also keep out the joy.” 

And the love. 

E is for EMOTIONAL INTIMACY 

Learn to be open. Learn to communicate 

freely.What kind of relationships 

you make are largely determined by 

how openly you have learned to communicate. 

L is for LAUGHTER 

“Laughter is the shortest distance between 

two people.” It’s also the most 

enjoyable. — Author Unknown 

Life 

positive 

Pause, Think, 

then Respond 

Rajyogi 

Brahmakumar 

Nikunj ji 

Have you ever 

wondered sometimes 

that the situations 

would not 

have turned from 

bad to worse, if 

you or some other 

person had ‘responded’ 

to the 

situation calmly, 

rather than letting 

things out of control 

by ‘reacting’ 

under the influence 

of surrounding 

environment 

or even emotions 

like anger, worry, tension, pressure, to get the 

solution faster without thinking? When we come 

out of the situation, most of us wonder what 

happened to us at that point of time. How did 

we make such choices/decisions? 

We start feeling that it was so simple to give a 

natural response, and yet we did not use our 

common sense. 

If we pause for a moment and look at all such 

situations in life, we can easily see that it was 

not the external situation that disturbed us, but 

it was our inability to handle the situation that 

really disturbed us. These disturbances made 

us react rather than respond. 

Few people come out of this disturbed state 

immediately in seconds, few within three to four 

hours, while others may even take days. So 

imagine how many choices and decisions we 

make during this recovery phase and the kind of 

additional complications it causes. 

Since we cannot control external situations, 

we should create a calm and stable mind with 

wise intellect, in order to discern situations well, 

and respond to them with ease. This can 

be achieved easily by regular practice of 

‘Rajyoga’, which helps us to attain a yogic state 

of mind, leading us to the path of happy and 

harmonious life. 

nikunjji@brahmakumaris.in www.brahmakumaris.com 

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION 

Many of you must have a friend or colleague with poor personal 

hygiene, who care less about bad breath or body 

odour. It is never an easy task to tell someone s/he smells. 

How would you raise the issue about his/her 

hygiene with that friend or colleague? Suggest ways to deal 

with such a person. 

Send your replies in not more than 200 words by Friday, 

August 17 by 2 pm to Features Department, 

The Himalayan Times, 

e-mail: features@thehimalayantimes.com; 

Log on to www.thehimalayantimes.com 

SUDOKU-1360 

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION 

HOW TO SOLVE: Every number from 1 to 9 must appear in each of 

the 9 vertical columns, in each of the 9 horizontal rows and in 

each of the 9 boxes 

THT-DOKU-1170 

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION 

HOW TO SOLVE THT-DOKU: Place numbers into the puzzle cells in such a way that each row and 

column contains each of the digits from 1 up to 4. Like a Sudoku puzzle, no number is 

repeated in any row or column. Each bold-outlined group of cells contains a hint consisting of a 

number and one of the mathematical symbols — + x - /. The number is the result of applying the 

mathematical operation represented by the symbol to the digits contained within the domain.



VARIETY 

History in pix 

86-year-old Mukunda Shrestha’s photos tell 

the story of Nepal through the ages 

KATHMANDU: 

Sixty-three-yearold 

Govinda 

Ghimire, a visitor 

was lending his 

pair of +3-powered spectacles 

to his friend who was 

looking for people he knew 

at the photo exhibition titled 

‘Postcards and Beyond’, 

a photo collection of photographer 

Mukunda Bahadur 

Shrestha on August 

10 at Siddhartha Art Gallery, 

Babarmahal Revisited. 

This and more were the 

scene on the first day of the 

exhibition where the elder 

generation was looking for 

the persons they knew in 

the photographs, while the 

younger generation were 

astonished by the photographs 

that have a sociocultural 

and historical value. 

The Nepal Picture Library 

(NPL) initiative of photocircle 

digitalised more than 

11,000 slides and negatives 

from Shrestha’s personal 

collection and the exhibi- 

tion is the first public display 

from NPL’s archiving 

project. 

Eighty-six-year-old 

Shrestha worked 25 years as 

a photographer for Nepal 

Tourism Board (NTB) where 

his work of three decades 

and his dedication can be 

seen in the exhibition. 

Photos: THT 

Shrestha’s works have been 

used by NTB to promote 

Nepal’s tourism sector all 

around the world through 

postcards and posters and 

the title fits the exhibition to 

a T. “I am very glad that I got 

to exhibit my photographs. 

Through these photographs, 

one can know the 

history of the people living 

in different places of Nepal 

and see the differences of 

now and then,” expresses 

Shrestha. 

In the exhibition, the 

ground floor is filled with 

colour photographs of various 

festivals of Kathmandu 

Valley and landscapes of 

Mustang. The photograph 

of numerous people taking 

bath in the Chovar river 

during the ritual of Machhendranath 

bath is interesting. 

You will not see a single 

person wearing a pair jeans 

in the photo. 

The first floor is packed 

with black-and-white photographs 

of various Hi- 

malayan regions of Nepal 

and people living in those 

regions, while the second 

floor displays Shrestha’s 

personal black-and-white 

photographs of his friends 

and families. 

Ghimire, who once 

worked with Shrestha, 

shares, “While working at 

NTB, Shrestha was my senior 

and was my source of 

inspiration who also shared 

his photographic knowledge 

at a time when there 

were no educational institutions 

for photography. 

And it is good to see his 

work in the form of an exhibition 

where one can know 

about the places of Nepal in 

early 1920’s and photography 

in Nepal at that time.” 

A series of talks and presentations 

on the importance 

of archiving and use 

of archival images are also 

scheduled through the duration 

of the exhibition. 

The exhibition will continue 

till August 20. — HNS 

Published by: International Media Network Nepal (Pvt) Ltd, APCA House, Baidya Khana Road, Anamnagar, Kathmandu, Nepal, PO Box 11651 Phone: 4771489, Fax: 977-1-4770701 / 4771959, E-mail: editorial@thehimalayantimes.com Regd No 143/051/052 Postal Regd. 66/067-068 Printed at: Sama Printers (Pvt) Ltd, Sainbu VDC, Lalitpur. Editor: Ajaya Bhadra Khanal

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