Trishuli bus plunge: 6-month-old baby survives miraculously

Nov 30, 2017-Against all odds, a six-month-old infant, who was rescued following a passenger bus accident on Wednesday, is responding well to the treatment, doctors involved in the child’s treatment said on Thursday.

Eight people died and 22 others were injured when a passenger bus (Lu 2 Kha 291) en route from Kathmandu to Arghakhanchi plunged into Trishuli River near Fisling of Chitwan along the Prithvi Highway yesterday.

Doctors involved in his treatment said the boy survived miraculously.

“The rescuers found the boy on the river bank and rushed him to College of Medical Sciences in Bharatpur,” said SP Thapa, “The boy is admitted at the intensive care unit. We have not been able to locate his mother but search is underway.”

The child’s mother, Manisha Thapa, of Sandhikharka-1, Arghakhaanchi, is still missing following the accident.

Likewise, the infant’s kin, Sovit Samal said that he got the news of the child surviving the accident only yesterday evening. “The child is recovering well,” he said, “He is receiving treatment at the hospital ICU.”

The fatal crash on Wednesday occurred at around 9am when a speeding truck hit the bus.

Seven persons had died on the spot while one succumbed to injuries later. Security personnel and locals had rescued 22 people including the six-month-old child.

The ill-fated bus had left Kathmandu for Arghakhanchi at around 5:40. Divers from the Armed Police Force had pulled the bus from 25 feet below the water surface.

MMC edge KFTC in sudden death

Nov 30, 2017-Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) defeated hosts Kakadbhitta Football Training Centre in sudden death penalty shootout to enter the final of the Kakadbhitta Gold Cup football tournament on Wednesday.

The match was decided directly through spotkick after 80 minutes of regulation time ended in a 0-0 draw and the penalty shootout also ended in a 4-4 deadlock. MMC converted all four attempts in the sudden death but Kakadbhitta’s Florence smashed their fourth shot from the spot in the bar. Both teams played with a man down.

Nepali international players Bimal Gharti Magar, Biraj Maharjan, Bishal Rai and Ananta Tamang all converted from spots in the sudden death. Bhusan Limbu, Suraj Sunar and Bishnu Sunar converted from the spot.

The result meant MMC, who overcame Rupandehi XI in the sudden death penalty shootout in the quarter-finals, will renew rivalry will Tribhuvan Army Club in the final on Friday. A week earlier MMC had clinched the Satashi Gold Cup title in Jhilljhile by defeating Army in the final.

Kakadbhitta squandered a chance as early as in the fourth minute after Anil Gurung failed to score in a Bhusan Limbu pass. In the 12th, Nepali international Sujal Shrestha hit off target in a Gharti Magar pass. Prakash Budathoki wasted another opportunity in the 20th minute before his curling freekick sailed just over the bar.

In the 47th Bishal Rai of MMC headed wide and his teammate Gharti Magar struck wayward from the edge of box moments later. In the 58th Kakadbhitta skipper Kandangwa was sent off for misbehaving with referee Nabindra Maharjan. Kandangwa got the marching order after he snatched and hurled the yellow card shown to him for a foul on Sujal Shrestha.

The numerical imbalance did not last longer as Sujal was also sent off after being booked for the second time in the 69th. Anil Gurung, who had recently announced retirement from the national team, entered the pitch for the last 10 minute but failed to make any impact.

MMC coach Bijay Ghale said lack of team work and proper coordination made the game very difficult. His Kakadbhitta counterpart Pema Norbu Sherpa counted costs of missed opportunities. “We came under pressure after losing Kandangwa. We put on a good performance but were unable to score,” added Sherpa.

Do not forget to place such a place money plant, loss of money

In Vastu Shastra, planting money plants in the house brings positive energy and negative energy shifts away. According to Vastu Shastra, the direction of the money plant is located.

If the plant is planted in the right direction, then we get the benefit, but if the plant is placed in the wrong spot which leads to the loss instead of the profit.

Planting a plant of money plant in the house brings money and happiness, but if this plant gets in the wrong direction, there is a loss instead of the benefits.

Keep the money plant in the north-east, i.e., north-east. Vaastu Shastra, this direction is not considered correct for the money plant. Keeping a money plant in this direction leads to acute and financial stagnation in the house.

If the plant of a money plant is not planted outside the house, then it gets more profit. If it is applied to a glass bottle or pot, it gives auspicious effect.
The vine of the money plant should never be spread over the ground but should be covered on the wall of the house with some support. If the plants are divided on the ground, then there will be economic damage in the home.

The plant of the money plant should never let the water be defiled or yellowed due to lack of water. It is considered inauspicious.

One of the most beautiful places in the USA

These days everyone knows that when someone decides to go to the swimming pool to cool down and spend some time relaxing from the hot days, immediately heads to the nearest pool. What if I have told you that there is a place which offers more than expected next to a natural pool, something different which you have been used to, where you can enjoy in the natural shade. This place is called Hamilton pool, 38 km away, west of Austin, Texas, 50 minutes by car to this beautiful place.

days everyone knows that when someone decides to go to the swimming pool to cool down and spend some time relaxing from the hot days, immediately heads to the nearest pool. What if I have told you that there is a place which offers more than expected next to a natural pool, something different which you have been used to, where you can enjoy in the natural shade. This place is called Hamilton pool, 38 km away, west of Austin, Texas, 50 minutes by car to this beautiful place.

The whole place around the pool can fit a maximum of 75 cars. After this number of cars is reached the place operates according to a one out entry system. During the weekends and holidays, the pool is crowded with people that come to enjoy in this attraction and chilly water, so if you want to spend the day by this natural pool getting up early is strongly recommended.

Once you get there, on the other hand, you have access to a brilliant natural hole, which gives a rare sense of enjoyment where you can also see how a waterfall trickles in the pool and splashes into the cool water from a height of 16 meters. Taking into consideration all the things we have learned so far about this natural pool, it is easy to say that this is the ideal cooling location for summer adventurers and swimmers.

Most Beautiful Places in the World Nepal

How beautiful is Nepal? Most beautiful Places in the world Nepal. Nepal is one of the most beautiful Places in the world. Nepal is really a piece of heaven on Earth. Nepal is a country where nature has blesses it too much. It is full of natural blessed country located in South Asia. Nepal is not a artificial beautiful country but totally naturally. And natural beauty is the real beauty of artificial beauty. This type of beauty can be found in Nepal. Nepal, official name the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia. A landlocked country in South Asia, Nepal stands bordered by China in the north and India laying west, east and south of them. The Federal Democratic Republic Kingdom of Nepal is situated in the central part of the Himalayan arc and is tectonically sandwiched between Tibet in the north and India to the south.

Though Nepal is a small country, it has the great variety of beautiful and wonderful scenery which includes the Terai, the hill, and the mountain. The mountains are uniquely popular among mountaineers, trekkers, etc. Nepal experiences all the three major climatic conditions in the world i.e. tropical hot, temperate cool and sub-polar cold. Nepal is also rich in biodiversity. It consists a lot of rare species of plants and animals. Nepal is rich in natural beauty. Its culture is also renowned for its diversity. It has many green forests, beautiful waterfalls, snow-capped mountain peaks, artistic temples, simmering rivers, fine flora and fauna, etc. that lure tourists to visit Nepal.

Normally human beings move from one place to another for pleasure, business, pilgrimage, adventure and other purposes. It is usually of a limited duration. People like to visit new places and learn about new things about culture, art, and lifestyle of other people. When people travel from one place to another with a specific objective and time then that is called tourism. Those people are known as tourists.

Market is defined as the meeting point between buyer and seller. It is the event, time, process when and where the transaction is done. Market is a set of actual and potential buyers who might transact with a seller. In traditional term it is a physical location where buyer and seller gather to exchange goods. It is the most convenient place for the buyer and seller where the ownership of the product is transferred. In this way market is used to described as the collective of buyers and potential buyers of each product, as fish market, vegetable market. Webster’s Student Dictionary defines market as a place where product is displayed for sale. There are many places that can be products of tourist marketing in Nepal.

Tourists visiting new places require some facilities, services, assistance, and guidance. People open hotels, restaurants, lodge, resort, etc for this purpose. The businesses or industry providing such information, accommodation, transportation and other services to tourists are known as the tourism industry. Travel agency, paragliding, snow skating, rafting, trekking, hot air ballooning, golf, polo are some more examples of it.

Tourism is a business activity providing service of food, transport, accommodation, entertainment, etc. for tourists. Tourism has developed from travelling; it has become a fascinated industry in every country. Since, the seventh five-year plan, Nepal has been trying to develop tourism sector as an important economic activity. Tourism is a good source of national income. Tourists are important source of foreign currency. Tourists help to develop a hotel industry and provide direct and indirect job for many people. It means tourism lessens the unemployment problems to extent. People.from different country visit Nepal. Along with they carry their language, cultures and traditions. From them we can learn many things and in return they also learn many things from Nepal. They record the natural beauty in their camera. Because of tourism industry, pride and fame of our nation get itself widened because they deliver the message of Nepal to their own countries. It makes Nepal known to the rest of the world.

                                                             Pokhara, Nepal

Pokhara is one of the most scenic and exciting valleys in Nepal. Pokhara is the place of natural lakes. There are several lakes, naturally beautiful place alike above photo. It is one of the famous places in the world for treks and natural beauties, sightseeing in Nepal. Pokhara is a piece of heaven in the world. There are many beautiful and interesting places to visit in Nepal, outside the Kathmandu Valley. Pokhara valley is the ‘Jewel of the mid-west’, second major tourist sport in Nepal but the favorite of tourists from around the globe.

                                               Bouddhanath Stupa

                                           Boudhanath in Kathmandu Nepal

Nepal is beautiful Indeed. It deserves a lots beautiful places to feel that heaven is on earth. It deserves a lot of investment in tourism sector.  Everybody wish to visit Nepal before he died. The Boudhanath Stupa of Sri Lord Buddha has been given great importance to the temple of Gods and Chaityas of Nepal. This Colossal Buddhist Stupa is one of the biggest Lamaist temples in the world.

18 Places To Visit In Nepal Before You Die

Nepal has a lot to offer to travelers, hikers, and nature seekers. Nepal, it is often said, is a utopia of natural beauty. The marvelous scenic beauty of Himalayas in the northern part of Nepal is not only remarkable but offers a lifetime experience to patrons. Who wouldn't want to enjoy the glory of being in the midst of galvanizing mountain desert in Mustang to the embankment of cristal clear Rara Lake?

The enchanted subtropical pine forest bluffs anyone with its aroumatic presence in valleys like Barun and Langtang. The astonishing beauty of Lake Tilicho often outbids the value of filthy rich human being on earth. For the most part, the pacifying and self-explanatory images listed below give a glimpse of the stupendous nature that is still far from human invasion.

18. Koshi Tappu - Wildlife Reserve

"A primeir location in Nepal for bird watching.The Kosi Tapu and the Kosi Barrage in east Nepal provide one of the best places in Nepal to view migratory water fowl, waders and shore birds during the winter months. Many species not recorded elsewhere in the region have been seen here. Thousands of birds congregate here in January and February before they migrate north when the warm weather begins. Kosi Tapu Tented Camp situated on the fringe of the reserve provides the only accommodation to date. Well qualified nature guides take the guests out on walks, jeep drives and boat rides to look for birds and the wild buffalo found only here in Nepal. It is possible to combine this tour with SunKosi Raft Trip or with treks in the eastern hills." 

17. Chitwan national Park

"Nestled at the foot of the Himalayas, Chitwan has a particularly rich flora and fauna and is home to one of the last populations of single-horned Asiatic rhinoceros and is also one of the last refuges of the Bengal Tiger. Chitwan National Park (CNP), established in 1973, was Nepal’s first National Park. Located in the Southern Central Terai of Nepal, it formerly extended over the foothills, the property covers an area of 93,200 hectares, extends over four districts: Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Parsa and Makwanpur." 

16. Lumbini

"The Lord Buddha was born in 623 BC in the sacred area of Lumbini located in the Terai plains of southern Nepal, testified by the inscription on the pillar erected by the Mauryan Emperor Asoka in 249 BC. Lumbini is one of the holiest places of one of the world's great religions, and its remains contain important evidence about the nature of Buddhist pilgrimage centres from as early as the 3rd century BC."

15. Barun Valley

"Barun Valley provides stunning contrasts, where high waterfalls cascade into deep gorges, craggy rocks rise from lush green forests, and colorful flowers bloom beneath white snow peaks. This unique landscape shelters some of the last pristine mountain ecosystems on earth. Rare species of animals and plants flourish in diverse climates and habitats, relatively undisturbed by human kind."

14. Rolwaling Valley 

"Rolwaling is an inner Himalayan valley, considered to be a Beyal or holy sanctuary by the local Buddhist Sherpa inhabitants. The name Rolwaling means, ‘valley carved by a plough’ and its steep cliffs do indeed give the impression of a plough-carved furrow. It is a little trekked area lying just west of Everest, and its forests and views are some of the best in Nepal. It was here in 1951 that the first yeti footprints were discovered and photographed by Eric Shipton."

13. Namche Bazar

Better known as the Gateway to Mt. Everest, Namche Bazaar is the main trading center of khumbu region.Today its a major tourist hub, especially the starting point for Mount Everest climbers. 

12. Badimalika

"Badimalika Temple lies in Bajura districts situated around fifteen thousand feet from sea land. Its culture, landscape, biodiversity, climate and people at large have valorized its pristine beauty. Moreover Badimalika is a paradise in real sense not only for those wanting to explore natural and cultural treasures but also for those who seek pacified life with meditating enlightenment." - Hamro Malika.

11. Manang

"The Manang Valley, which lies close to the Nepal-Tibet border, offers tremendous opportunities due to its rich natural flora and fauna. Three tracks start from here. The first, via Thorangla, Muktinath, and Mustang to Lhasa—a journey that takes four days; the second via Naur Khola and Naurgaon, which takes five days to Lhasa; and finally the third via Larkiya bazar, which is the one most commonly used by the people of Central Nepal." 

10. Panch Pokhari

"Panch Pokhari means the group of five holy ponds / lakes. This is just northeast of Kathmandu toward snow wall. Pach pokhari is situated to the north east of Kathmandu. valley and west of Rolwaling Himal. It is pilgrimage place for Hindus and it has five holy ponds at the height of 4462mtr. The area offers cultural heritage, unsurpassed beauty and biological diversity. The beautiful Himalayan range and pristine nature with different culture are major highlight of this trek." - Adventure High Mountain.

9. Langtang Valley

Langtang valley, recently declared as a protected area, lies to the north of Kathmandu Valley. The famous high mountain lake Gosaikunda, sacred to Hindus, also rest in the region..

8. Tilicho Lake

You first have to surpass the rugged terran to see the paronoma of beautiful turquoise Tilicho Lake.

7. Upper Mustant

Once an indendepend kingdom, although closely tied by language and culture to Tibet, Upper Mustang is located north of Dhawlagiri and Annapurna mountain ranges in a Kaligandaki River Basin.

6. Gokyo Valley

This tranquil valley is more famous for glacier-fed Gokyo Lakes that are considered to be sacred by both Hindus and Buddhists.

5. Annapurna Base Camp

Annapurna Base Camp serves as a gateway to one of the world's most dangerous peak, Annapurna I, which has 38 percent fatality-to-summit ratio.

4. Khaptad National Park

Spread over four districts in the Far Western Region of Nepal, Khaptad National Park is named after religious hindu guru Khaptad Swami.

3. Khumbu Region

The nothern part of Solukhumbu district is better known as Khumbu, which is home to the inhabitants of mountanous region including Sherpa community.

2. Shey Phoksundo National Park

The only trans-Himalayan national park of Nepal provides a diversity of spectacular landscapes and ranks among the most scenic mountain parks in the world.

1. Rara National Park

The largest lake of Nepal also happens to be the most beautiful place in the country.

Have we missed anything? Please feel free to add up if you know some more beautiful places in Nepal.

Nepali U-19 team announced

Oct 29, 2017-Coach Chhiring Lopsang on Saturday announced a 23-member Nepali squad for the AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers slated to begin from Tuesday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Lopsang, who guided the same squad to Saff U-18 Championship title a month ago in Bhutan, has made four changes to the team. 

Goalkeeper Sandesh Gurung is replaced by Sojit Gurung while Suraj Jeu Thakuri and Manish Thapa have replaced midfielders Ram Chandra Wagle and Rajib Lopchan respectively. Forward Dipesh Ale Magar is replaced by Rajesh Pariyar.

Arpan Karki has been named the skipper. Nepal are pitted in Group ‘A’ of the Qualifiers that consists of the hosts, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Oman.

Puskar Shahi will be assisting Lopsang, while Mrigendra Mishra is the goalkeeping coach. Nepal will take on hosts in the tournament opener on Tuesday and play Oman two days later. They then meet UAE in the penultimate match on November 4 and wrap up the campaign two days later against Oman.

All 10 group winners, five best runners up and hosts Indonesia qualify for the finals to be held next year. In  case Indonesia top Group ‘F’, six best runners up will qualify for the finals.

Catalonia declares independence from Spain

Catalonia’s parliament declared independence from Spain on Friday in defiance of the Madrid government, which at the same time was preparing to impose direct rule over the region, according to Reuters.

Although the declaration was in effect a symbolic gesture as it will not be accepted by Spain or the international community, the moves by both sides take Spain’s worst political crisis in four decades to a new level.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy immediately called for calm and said the rule of law would be restored.

The motion passed in the regional parliament in Barcelona -- which was boycotted by opposition parties -- said Catalonia constituted an independent, sovereign and social democratic state. It called on other countries and institutions to recognise it.

It also said it wanted to open talks with Madrid to collaborate on setting up the new republic.

“It is not going to be easy, it is not going to be free, it is not going to change in a day. But there is no alternative to a process towards the Catalan Republic,” lawmaker Marta Rovira of the Junts pel Si pro-independence alliance said in a debate leading to the vote.

After the debate, lawmakers from members of three main national parties -- the People’s Party, the Socialists and Ciudadanos, walked out.

Members of the pro-independence parties and the far-left Podemos then voted in 70-10 in favour in a secret ballot aimed at hindering any attempt by the central government to lay criminal charges on them.

Spanish shares and bonds were sold off when the result of the vote was announced.

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont left the chamber to shouts of “President.”

Meanwhile in Madrid the upper house of Spain’s parliament, the Senate, was due to approve Article 155, the law that allowing the central government to take over the autonomous region. 

Tradition Subverted set to kick off

Oct 12, 2017-Tradition Subverted, an exhibition which features the works of artists Asha Dangol and Erina Tamrakar, is set to kick off at Yala Mandala in Patan, on Friday.

As the title suggests, the presented works aim to engage the audience in a provocative dialogue on feminism, introspective silence, migration, urban decay, and consumerism. Since these issues relate to our lived experience, which are being discussed and debated at a national level, the paintings are bound to engage the audience in an aesthetic as well as in an intellectual level.

Paradise Lost, one of Asha’s paintings at the exhibition, explores the consequences of unplanned development in the country. Nature has bestowed plenty of gifts upon Kathmandu, but the Valley has been thoroughly corrupted by human activities. Have we wrongly defined what development is and what it means to prosper? Dangol hopes that his canvas paintings will raise these important questions as the nation continues its discussion on ill-planned urbanisation.

While Dangol uses canvas as his medium for expression, Tamrakar’s paintings are literally “set in stone.” Tamrakar, who until 2006 used oil on canvas as her primary medium, said that she is fascinated by naturally occurring stones. Most of the stones she used were collected on a hiking trip.

Both Dangol and Tamrakar have worked on their collection for about two years.

The exhibition will continue for two months.

High-scoring game on cards

WCLC: Hong Kong vs Nepal

Oct 12, 2017-The ICC World Cricket League Championship (WCLC) sixth round matches between Nepal and Hong Kong on Friday and Sunday is expected to be a high-scoring affair as suggested by recent games.

The small Tin Kwong Road Recreation grounds in Mong Kok last hosted the Hong Kong-Netherlands tie of the WCLC and saw scores above 300 in the four innings from two matches. In the matches in February, Netherlands had made 330 runs before Hong Kong fell five runs short, while the hosts were stopped on 301 in chase of 315 runs in the second game.

The ground has seen run-glut owing to its straight boundaries which is pretty small in terms of length. Irrespective of the ground conditions, national team skipper Paras Khadka believes his side can win the game on the back of good bowling display from his side.

“We have come up with some plans after learning about the ground. We are well equipped with even number of seamers and spinners. I don’t want to say that we are strong in terms of this bowling attack but if we execute our plans well, the nature of the ground and pitch will not stop us from getting the desired result in the two matches,” said Khadka.

But the ground has seen one low scoring game as well. In the opening stages of the WCLC in January last year, Hong Kong had squeezed out Scotland for just 150 runs after putting 259 runs in the board. Barring a rain affected game, the team batting first in three of the last four games has won the match, a fact that has made Nepali coach Jagat Tamatta aware.

“I believe that if we bat first and score 280 runs, we can have the game in our hand,” said Tamatta. His skipper Khadka added a team has to come up good in all three departments to return victors. “We are well aware that the recent matches here had been high scoring ones. But it also depends on the bowling attack the previous teams possessed. I think the team that bowls well in this small ground will win the game. But its cricket and to win the match, we have to do well in all three departments,” the skipper said.

“The advantage that a small ground can give is a miss-hit can sail into the boundary or over the rope. But there is a high risk of playing straight to the fielder if the bowling is underestimated. So need to get our focus out of the ground and play better cricket,” added the Nepal skipper.

Nepal are currently at the sixth spot of the eight-team WCLC with eight points from 10 matches and now must win all their remaining four matches to make it to the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifiers. The top four teams automatically go into the 10-team World Cup Qualifiers to be held in Zimbabwe next year, while the bottom four have to come through another competition in the World Cricket League Division 2. The Division 2 sends the top two teams into the Qualifiers.

Netherlands currently lead the table with 18 points and almost have their one foot in the Qualifiers. Behind them are Papua New Guinea (16 points), Scotland (15 points), Kenya (12 points) and Hong Kong (11 points). Namibia and United Arab Emirates have six points each and are out of the contest.

Jam at Naubise road leads to death of bus crash victim

Oct 12, 2017-A person, who was seriously injured in a bus accident in Dhading on Tuesday, died as he could not be taken to Kathmandu for treatment on time due to the traffic jam at Naubise area.

Hom Bahadur Ghale, 50, of Gangajamuna Rural Municipality-3, breathed his last in an ambulance that was taking him to the Capital.

Twenty-eight people, who were injured in the same accident, reached Kathmandu only on Wednesday morning. The vehicles carrying the injured had left Dhading at 3pm Tuesday. They were delayed due to the traffic congestion at the Naubise-Nagdhunga road.

People travelling through the road are facing hours long delay in their journey because of traffic jams, owing to poor road condition which has made it difficult for the vehicles to travel smoothly.

Some sections of the road can only accommodate single lane traffic, causing the jams. The poor road condition has also increased the frequency of motor accidents.

A distance that could be covered in just 30 minutes could sometimes take as long as five hours because of traffic congestion these days.

No plan to postpone polls, say NC leaders

Some Cong members calling for delaying nomination filing by a few days


Oct 12, 2017-A left electoral alliance forged by two major communist forces has triggered speculation that the government might attempt to postpone elections.

Though government ministers and Nepali Congress (NC) leaders have said that there is no plan to postpone the federal and provincial polls scheduled for November 26 and December 7, there have been talks within the NC about postponing the date for filing nominations for the First-Past-the-Post candidates.

The EC has already made public the election calendar as per which FPTP nominations have to be filed on October 22.

Some NC leaders are of the view that due to the Tihar festival, which will be observed on October 19-21, there is little time for preparations; hence the nomination filing date should be postponed by a few days.

Some believe the ruling NC is struggling to cobble together an effective coalition what it calls a “broader democratic alliance” with “likeminded forces” to counter a left electoral alliance forged by the UML, the CPN (Maoist Centre) and Naya Shakti Nepal and wants to buy time, as it fears the left forces together could sweep the elections.

A day after the leftist forces announced their alliance, the NC on October 4 took initiatives to bring “likeminded forces” into its fold to form its ‘democratic alliance’.

The EC was quick to respond, saying on October 6 that the ongoing alliance formation processes could hamper the scheduled polls.

On Tuesday also Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav requested the government not to take “any unpleasant decisions” that could affect the scheduled polls. “With the election date drawing closer, we are feeling uneasy due to the current political situation. We will have difficulties if unpleasant decisions are taken,” said Yadav at a programme in Kavre, reminding all concerned of its preparations to hold the polls on the scheduled date.

Some NC leaders the Post talked to on Wednesday said that there have been no discussions for delaying the polls. However, some are learnt to have sought to know the possibility of holding both the polls on the single date—on December 7.

Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary affairs Yagya Bahadur Thapa told the Post that the government is committed to holding elections on scheduled dates. “The government has not thought about postponing the elections,” said Thapa.

Reports that Minister for Finance Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, a close aide to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, had held consultation with President Bidya Devi Bhandari about the possibility of postponing the polls also fanned the speculation.

But the Office of the President has refuted the reports. Krishna Murari Neupane, spokesperson for the Office of the President, said no meeting has taken place between President Bhandari and Finance Minister Karki in recent days. President Bhandari’s Press Adviser Madhav Raj Sharma also said that he was unaware of any meetin g between the President and Karki.

While the UML has publicly said the government is conspiring to postpone the polls, its electoral partner, the Maoist Centre, which is also the ruling NC’s coalition partner, is learnt to have been under pressure from a section of leaders for holding the elections in a single phase.

Messi leads Argentina to World Cup, Chile dumped out by Brazil

Oct 11, 2017-Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina qualified for World Cup 2018 in Russia while heavyweights Netherlands and Chile missed out.

Argentina was sixth in the standing and needed to finish inside the top-four to secure automatic qualification.

They conceded after just 40 seconds until Messi led the fightback with a brilliant hat-trick.

Chile, winners of past two Copa America titles, missed out on qualification after losing 3-0 to Brazil with Paulinho scoring one and Gabriel Jesus netting two for the five-time winners. Chile finished sixth, one place behind Peru, who will play a two-legged play-off against New Zealand for qualification.

Panama left it late to defeat Costa Rica 2-1 to secure their first ever World Cup berth. The United States failed to qualify after losing 2-1 to Tinidad and Tobago. USA was third in the group but a defeat for them and victory for Panama saw them finish fifth while propelling Panama to third place.

Meanwhile, Netherlands Captain Arjen Robben announced his retirement from international football after his side failed to secure a place to Russia despite defeating Sweden 2-0. Netherlands finished third behind Sweden, who had a superior goal difference than the Dutch side.

Best Hotel In Nepal Hotel Yak and Yeti

Hotel Yak & Yeti

Hotel Yak and Yeti, is a luxury 5-star deluxe hotel in the heart of Kathmandu, Nepal. Modern day sophistication greets cultural heritage in the ample grounds of the 100-year-old palace and newly designed structure of the hotel.

Find refuge among antique fountains, gilded temples and emerald gardens as you remain just moments away from all the shops and adventure of the Kathmandu city, located at Durbar Marg. Hotel Yak & Yeti with its historic character, suitable for both short and long stay, is fashioned as the fusion of modern design and the noblesse of original heritage interiors. This exceptional city center hotel is located minutes away from both domestic and international airport and continues to be the city's leading luxury hotel for business and leisure.


There's always a breathtaking view while you enjoy the cuisine or a drink at the bar! Relaxing in the attractive lounges or on the amazing lush green garden is a pleasure.

About the hotel

Initially, a 120-room hotel with 5 star amenities started its operation in 01st September, 1977. After a successful run of 12 years, the need was felt to enhance the hotel’s size and facilities.

Now an extension of 150 deluxe rooms and suites have been built (designed to harmonize with the special features of the Lal Durbar) to supplement the existing accommodation, bringing the total number of rooms available in the hotel to 270 rooms.

Along with the construction of the new (Durbar) wing, a brand new porte-cochere, lobby, a new lobby bar, shopping arcade, an atrium, a second swimming pool and two tennis courts have also been constructed, whilst the Café Restaurant has been extended and upgraded, along with the refurbishment of the existing guest room wing. Following this renovation program is the inclusion of a brand new Club Nirvana Fitness Center complete with state-of-the-art gymnasium and spa. Hotel Yak & Yeti has a comprehensive Business Centre and is the first hotel in Kathmandu offering a much sought after exclusive Executive floor and Club Shangri-La. Facilities on this floor include 24-hour butler service, a private lounge for breakfast and cocktails, a boardroom, and in-room outlets for fax machines and computers, which can be rented

Historic Character

With the historic character of the hotel and the new and upgraded facilities, the Yak & Yeti continues to be the city’s leading luxury business and leisure hotel. Although it is an ultra-modern hotel, the traditional Nepali architectural features have been preserved.

Some of the display carved windows is more than 200 years old. It captures the old charm and style of Kathmandu, while providing the international quality standards of accommodation and dining facilities.

The embodiment of history, legend and tradition, the Hotel Yak and Yeti is a perfect blend of contemporary international standards and time-honored tradition. Explore Nepal's rich cultural heritage while finding solace in the luxurious comfort of this former Rana Palace.

Rest in the neo-classical Lal Durbar or Red Palace, built more than a century ago by the then Prime Minister Bir Shumshere Jung Bahadur Rana. A centerpiece of the Yak and Yeti's impressive hotel, the meticulously restored, Lal Durbar now houses two historic restaurants, banquet rooms, a grand ballroom and casino. Comfortably manicured rooms, striking Himalayan views, and its premier location make the Yak and Yeti an obvious destination for business and for travel.

Rooms

Hotel Yak & Yeti offers meticulously furnished 270 cozy rooms with deluxe room sizes ranging from 292 sq. ft. to plush presidential suite sized at 759 sq. ft. This hotel offers options for interconnected rooms for family and groups.

Every room is created with an emphasis on the highest quality of materials, with smoke detectors, safe locks, working desks, LCD TV set with satellite reception, In-room tea/coffee making facility, direct call phone, high-speed Internet connection / Wi-Fi and a mini bar.

Regardless of why you have decided to visit, be it a short-term visit, long-term business trip, untraditional family holiday or comfortable honeymoon, or just looking for pleasant, quiet and luxury stay, Hotel Yak & Yeti is created especially for you…!

Want to surprise a special guest or just looking for a little extra luxury? Book one of the suites which provide more space, facilities and an elegant experience worth remembering. Whichever room you choose, you can always use the Nirvana spa, free of charge. Work hard on your fitness or relax in the glorious Jacuzzi, sauna or steam bath and experience the relaxation!

Please note that the check in time is is 2:00pm and check-out time is 12:00 noon.

Services

The hotel offers plenty of dining options, a lively bar and Nirvana Spa offering variety of treatment packages including fully equipped gymnasium, outdoor swimming pool, massage rooms and a jogging track.

Hotel Yak & Yeti also offers "The Lal Durbar Convention Center"; an ultimate venue for meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions in Kathmandu and an all-time favorite destination for luxury weddings.

The hotel offers customary laundry and dry cleaning, as well as the option of a beautician, hairdresser, masseur and spa. We serve from full American buffet breakfast at our coffee shop and continental buffet breakfasts at Club Lounge. 24hours reception, night time security and airport transfers are all provided.

Food

The hotel serves “healthy, organic and tasty” array of cuisine. This is evident through our regional products, specialty suppliers and chefs that love their work.

Twelfth century epic poem on stage at Shilpee

The play will be actor Deeya Maskey’s debut directorial

Oct 11, 2017-Shilpee Theatre in Battisputali is currently hosting the staging of the play Charaharu ko Sammelan. Directed by debutante director actress Deeya Maskey, the play is adapted into Nepali from The Conference of Birds, an epic poem written by Farid ud-Din Attar Abu Hamid bin Abu Bakr Ibrahim, a famous Persian poet of the twelfth century.

The Nepali rendition of the play, translated by Pushpa Raj Acharya and presented by Actors’ Studio, is based on a dramatic adaptation of the poem, by authors Jean-Claude Carriere and Peter Brook.

Speaking about the play, director Maskey said, “I once attended a physical theatre workshop where we were led through the enactment of the epic poem. Even though I was not sure about the essence of play then, it slowly began to make sense to me, and now I have attempted to direct it myself.”

The play follows the journey of a different species of birds—namely, Bhangera, Sunga, Dhukur, Majur, among others—through the seven different valleys of the quest: love, understanding, independence and detachment, unity, astonishment, and, finally, poverty and nothingness.

The journey is largely enacted in pantomimes, and occasionally they also enunciate life lessons.

The play features actors Suraj Malla, Aayush Pyakurel, Arjun Neupane, Gaurav Bista, Manish Niraula, and Suman Shrestha, among others.

Charaharu ko Sammelan is currently being staged at Shilpee Theatre in Battisputali every day at 5:15, and will continue till October 18.

Renegotiating mountain commons

India’s Act East Policy has to afford due importance to the North East Region as a crucial bridgehead

Oct 11, 2017-The North East Region (NER) of India is in focus once again, this time as a crucial bridgehead in India’s Act East Policy. In the last 25 years since the enactment of the Look East Policy, a range of initiatives have been put into action. These include free trade and trade in services agreements between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean); the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral highway; and a $1 billion Line of Credit (2015) extended by India for undertaking physical and digital connectivity projects with Asean and the Mekong Ganga Cooperation. A range of connectivity related interventions have been made in the NER, which suffers from a highly protracted infrastructure deficit. The people in the NER have just one question. Why has the government of India made no official declaration regarding the role of the NER in relation to the Act (Look) East Policy? In the absence of this NER-centric policy, the constituent eight states are at a loss to deliberate, strategize and plan any major actions.

As the first generation economic reforms gradually make inroads into the NER, several issues have started to make themselves apparent. Land issues have become increasingly sensitive both in terms of legal acquisitions and socio-political resistance. There have been protests and violence. Connectivity and other infrastructure related interventions, newer genres of industrial and investment promotions, and energy projects are in the centre of the land question. With rich biodiversity, these economies are heavily based on traditional agrarian practices and have societies with a tribal culture and ethos. These interventions require a major shift in the indigenous societal orientation itself.

The inter- and intra-community diversity of practices in major economic activities and in the custodianship and distributive pattern of commons makes it very complex for any “uniform policy intervention” to be effective. It has been precisely because of this that the NER continues to remain a relative development laggard.

Land tenure has been a complex system. The absence of any legal instrument defining the ownership or rights in land, and predominance of customary laws as principal norms related to land rights remain a hurdle in development interventions. Rights have been afforded for practices such as shifting cultivation on the village land, making land acquisition very cumbersome. In order to subvert these customary hindrances, these days non-tribals resort to a system of Paikas, where they hire land from the tribals against cash and kind.

In some regions with dominant tribal habitation, there have been distinct patterns of inequitable land ownership leading to unproductive and uneconomic use of land. The increasing expropriation of customary land rights and concentration of land among the village chieftains is quite visible. This has led to privatisation of village commons and strikingly harsh inequality too through the prosperity of a select few. All these could lead to situations of extreme scarcity if there are no land reforms.

Ban on tree felling 

Over 40 percent of the total geographical area of the NER has forest cover. There are sharp interstate variations in forest cover and ownership pattern. There has been rampant deforestation both during the British regime and after independence. Commercial logging, forest clearance, development projects, and encroachment onto forest lands have played havoc. The protest movements against timber barons and the huge network of traders in non-forest products ultimately led to a ban on tree felling in the NER.

Deforestation has had huge implications on both the rich medicinal plants and traditional faith healing. Manipur University made a detailed inventory of 333 medicinal plants along with the botanical enumeration of plant species, local names, and parts used for 103 pharmaceutical purposes and medicinal uses.

Bio-technological companies have shown scant respect for traditional practices in the NER. The persistent faith placed on herbal charms among the indigenous communities have not been transformed into a flow of knowledge from these remote areas to pharmaceutical laboratories in the cities. This phenomenon is silently eating away at bio-diversity and sustainability.

Conducting large scale phyto-chemical, pharmacological and pharmacognostic studies on the commercially exploitable species just do not figure into foreign policy initiatives such as the Act East Policy. Indigenous knowledge-based high value products could have been a game changer in the free trade basket with the Asean, East Asian, North American and EU countries.

Slow food test

The variety of indigenous food has always been a rich ingredient in North Eastern culture. These deep rooted consumptive habits are based on socio-economic milieu, religious sanctity, cultural practices, and cross border migration. They carry in them nutritional value, ethnic flavour, easy palatability, fabulous texture, and more critically, indigenous knowhow on the preparation and conservation of such food.

In the absence of systematic institutional intervention to study, document and conserve these traditional food habits and practices, there is a simmering fear among the communities that there could be surreptitious infringement of  intellectual property rights by international food conglomerates. No serious intervention has been made to patent this “no-single ownership” based technology owned by the community.

Royalty on minerals 

NER have huge deposits of mineral resources including oil, gas, coal and limestone. Its Natural Gas reserves of 151.68 billion cu ft could generate 7500 MW for 10 years and coal reserves of 864.78 million tonnes could generate 240 MW/day for a period of 100 years. The recently released Hydro Carbon Vision 2030 for NER mentions that an overwhelming portion of these hydro-carbon reserves are yet to be explored and harnessed. Most of these minerals have so far been used by the public sector units like ONGC, GAIL and Coal India Limited.

Here again the people in the North East have been raising the question of common benefits. Communities, political parties, pressure groups and sometimes even the governments have asked for an adequate compensation for the extraction of these minerals in the State. In fact, the violent political movements in the 1980s and 1990s included the demand for royalty to these minerals. The royalty which is now paid for the extraction and export of these minerals has been insignificant.

On the other hand, the major industrial activities that have come up in states like Assam are essentially resource based. The backward linkages of these industries are rather limited, while their forward linkages are with industries located in the big metropolises elsewhere. The result has been the emergence of an enclave type economy, with a few modern industries in the midst of traditional industries and very little or no interactions between the two.

India’s Act East Policy must have clear cut strategies in effectively dealing with all these sensitive aspects in the NER.

Lama is High End Expert in the Institute of South Asian Studies in Sichuan University in China and was the co-author of the North East Region Vision 2020 for the Government of Indi

Political parties unite

Oct 11, 2017-The CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Centre) and Naya Shakti Nepal have forged an electoral alliance with an eye on the upcoming parliamentary and provincial elections besides eventual unification. They have agreed to form a party unification coordination committee which will prepare a detailed blueprint; they are currently preparing a joint election manifesto. As per the Maoist Centre chairman, the merger process was initiated for national interest. The amalgamation may pave the way for political stability.

Organised strength

Over the years, political instability has resulted in short-lived governments which have abused authority and amassed wealth. The National Planning Commission has changed with every change in government, with the result that projects prioritised by earlier governments are given less importance by subsequent governments, leading to delays in their completion. In addition, frequent government changes have hampered the business cycle. Similarly, political instability has hindered domestic and foreign investments. This alliance might result in a stable government that may last for, say, the next five years; which basically implies that its plans might remain intact for a couple of years.

The alliance might lead to polarisation in the party system and strengthen tendencies towards polarised pluralism as they have highlighted national unity. While in the context of policy making, this might threaten the capacity of major established parties to internalise socio-economic and other conflicts of interest and their ability to guarantee consensual and incremental policy making. Some disequilibrium caused by the system shock of unification might be seen as a consequence, but it is likely to be temporary. Also, unification might force the parties to adopt an organisational model of an electoral professional party and influence the links parties have with their voters and other interest groups.

Several opinions and questions have been put forward with regard to the unification agreement. The parties have not clarified the purpose behind their unification. Moreover, it is also not certain whether the unified party is trying to construct a democratic or communist system. Also, is it for totalitarian socialism or democratic socialism? Similarly, why did the Maoist party take such a long time to reach this point? All these queries need to be answered. This move might be seen as being ironic, as the constitution of the country is socialism oriented and a majority of the parties profess socialism and communism. If the parties have merged to amend the constitution, improve ties with India, China and other countries, mobilise natural resources, promote industry and commerce and resolve complications related to the future of the 5 million Nepali youths working abroad, the move can give a new direction to the country.

Opportunity cost of socialism

If we are to welcome their unification, the foundation and purpose behind the deal must be studied. If the unified party is to follow socialism as its ideology and philosophy, it will have to work on reducing the gap between the rich and the poor by redistributing wealth. Private ownership, innovation and accumulation of wealth is discouraged under this type of economic system. A socialist economy assumes public ownership of production where goods are produced according to their usage value. The usage value is determined by the needs of society and will prevent under- or over-production. In a capitalist economy, market prices, the profit and loss system of accounting, and private property rights provide an efficient and interrelated system of incentives to guide and direct economic behaviour. Socialism is inconsistent with human nature because it does not emphasise incentives.

On the one hand, social ownership, control of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy might seem plausible. The focus might be shifted towards reducing wealth disparities, unemployment and inflation. Major industries might get nationalised, various social security schemes might get introduced, minimum wages might be guaranteed and employment opportunities might be generated. Excess or insufficient production can be avoided, and market prices can be controlled to a proper extent.

Likewise, budgetary expenditure might be shifted from capital to social welfare like unemployment benefits, crop insurance and pension. On the other hand, incentives may be given a minimum role or be totally ignored which will result in potential lack of motivation to individuals. Entrepreneurial opportunities and competition might decrease. The national economy is likely to develop slowly, and the upmost profit from the use of land, labour and resources might not be obtained. In addition, there might be issues of distorted or absent price signals. Also, areas that have a geographical advantage might lose their chance to develop and people who have greater wealth and knowledge might struggle to make their businesses bigger and more powerful.

There are signs that the economy is finally waking up from a long slumber. In the marketplace, there are stirrings of new enterprises that have the potential to take the economy to a higher growth trajectory; and in the sphere of governance, there is a decisive move towards a participatory and decentralised decision-making process that has the potential of reorienting development towards disadvantaged segments of society. But the potential benefits of these initiatives can dissipate as a consequence of power struggles between the newly formed alliance and the ruling party along with other political parties.

The ruling party, the Nepali Congress (NC), is looking forward to beginning a process of forming a broader democratic alliance to consolidate democratic forces. The NC is working towards forging an electoral alliance with like-minded democratic forces and expedite talks with democratic parties to form a possible alliance. This might put a stranglehold on the economy and society at large if the power struggle continues. But if there exists healthy competition between the alliances, the economy might get a further boost. Whether or not the alliances serve as a credible political alternative is a matter of concern.

Costa Rica qualify for World Cup after draw with Honduras

Costa Rica qualified for the 2018 World Cup finals on Saturday after Kendall Waston’s goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time in San Jose gave them a 1-1 draw against Honduras and the point they needed to seal their spot in Russia, Reuters reported.

The last-gasp draw means that Costa Rica, who reached the quarter-finals in 2014, join Mexico as the second representative from the North, Central American and Caribbean region (CONCACAF).

The top three teams qualify automatically for Russia with the fourth-placed side going into a playoff with a team from the Asian confederation.

A lethargic Costa Rica looked as if they were playing for a draw from the outset of a match held over from Friday due to torrential rain in the capital city.

Honduras, however, took the lead after 66 minutes when Eddie Hernandez powered home a header from nine yards out.

The home side were on the verge of missing out on the point they needed but grabbed the equaliser in the dying seconds when Waston headed home a cross from Bryan Ruiz.

In the remaining fixtures of the round, Honduras host Mexico on Tuesday, while Costa Rica go to Panama and the United States travel to bottom side Trinidad and Tobago.

The United States have 12 points and are favourites to take the third automatic spot but Panama and Honduras, both on 10, are still in with a chance.

Nepal lose to Tajikistan 3-0

Oct 11, 2017-Nepal’s hopes of making it to the AFC Asia Cup finals all but ended on Tuesday with a 3-0 defeat to Tajikistan in the return leg of their Group ‘F’ qualifying match at the Hisor Central Stadium in Hisor, Tajikistan on Tuesday.

The defeat leaves Nepal tottering at the bottom of the four-team table with one point after four matches. Tajikistan climbed a spot up to second with six points. Leader Philippines and Yemen have seven and five points. Only the group winners and runner-up qualify for the finals.

Nepal conceded all three goals on penalties. Central defender Ananta Tamang gave away penalties in either half and Aditya Chaudhary conceded the third as the visitors suffered two defeats in a row against the same opponent. Hosts Tajikistan opened scoring in the 20th minute after Tamang handed ball inside the zone in his bid to stop Fatkhullo’s cross. Davronov converted the resulting penalty. Umarbeov Parvizjon doubled the advantage for hosts at the hour mark after Tamang brought down forward Dzhalilov in the area. Dzhalilov netted third from the spot in the 87th.

Nepal’s only notable chance came in the 53rd minute when Tajikistan goalie Mahkamov Abduaziz made a diving save to deny Bimal Gharti Magar’s header in Anjan Bista corner. Nepal coach Gyotoku Koji started with three forwards included George Prince Karki upfront alongside with Ghart Magar and Anjan Bista.

Nepal had lost 4-1 away to Tajikistan on March 28 before settling for a 0-0 draw to Yemen at Halchowk on June 13. Nepal had gone down 2-1 to Tajikistan in their last match at Anfa Complex on September 5. Nepal will host Philippines in their penultimate match on November 14 at Halchowk before rounding up their campaign against Yemen on March 27 next year in Doha.

Divided into two pools, the 24-team Qualifiers offer 12 berths for the finals to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 12 teams will join defending champions Australia, China, Iraq, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand, Uzbekistan and the hosts UAE in the finals.