Beware of myths

Published On: March 15, 2020 10:02 AM NPT By: Republica

As coronavirus is spreading across the world, with rising number of infections and fatalities in European countries as well, and as it is wrecking havoc on global economy, it has posed challenges on several fronts—economy, public health and even livelihood. A new form of challenge has also emerged: That of myths and misinformation on how people contract COVID-19 and what they should do to avoid it.  People have created such myths out of fear and panic.  Such myths are good only so long as they encourage people to adopt preventive measures but can also drive the people to take measures that could potentially harm their own health. One such myth circulating in social media recently is about cow urine. Recently, an Indian lawmaker reportedly recommended that people should consume cow urine and dung to avoid infection. In Nepal too, including in Kathmandu Valley, such myths are making rounds.

Some seats for experts

Published On: March 12, 2020 09:22 AM NPT By: Republica

Our constitution has envisioned bicameral legislature with the House of Representatives as the lower house and the National Assembly as the upper house. Upper House, among other things, is also meant for ensuring the balanced representation. According to the constitution, in the 59-member National Assembly, 56 members are elected by ensuring representation of at least three women, one Dalit and one from persons with disabilities or minorities, from each State by an electoral college composed of members of provincial assembly and chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of the local bodies.

Keep fighting

Published On: March 11, 2020 09:28 AM NPT By: Republica

That Chhaupadi system—whereby girls and women are secluded during menstruation for days and are forced to live in dangerous sheds—is a human cruelty is no brainer. This has resulted in huge social, psychological and physical harm on women. They have suffered isolation, poor hygiene, sexual abuse and even deaths while adhering to this extremely harmful traditional practice.

Bungling on MCC

Published On: March 10, 2020 11:00 AM NPT By: Republica

Ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) leaders look headed toward scuttling the 500 million dollar American grant largely on the basis of misinformation and rhetoric. NCP has remained a divided house on Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant assistance of the US government. While a section of leaders, mostly representing former UML, has stood in favour of endorsing MCC agreement from the parliament, those aligned with former Maoist faction seem resolutely opposed to the idea. It was hoped that the task force formed by NCP to study the matter and make the recommendations to the government would come up with the needed solution. It did not. As a matter fact, the task force, which submitted its recommendations to the government on February 21, seems to have made the matters worse, when it suggested that the government should not endorse MCC without revising the contract.  The government has been hesitant to even start deliberations on MCC after the task force submitted its report.

Take action

Published On: March 9, 2020 10:45 AM NPT By: Republica

Black-marketing amid fear of coronavirus

March on

Published On: March 8, 2020 10:30 AM NPT By: Republica

As we celebrate the International Women's Day today, there is a lot to reflect where and how the world, including Nepal, is failing to treat women with respect and why the biases and injustice happening to half of the world's population must be done away with, once and for all.

Prime Minister, get well soon

Published On: March 4, 2020 08:50 AM NPT By: Republica

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has been admitted to the Kidney Transplantation Unit at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) to undergo a second kidney transplant, which is scheduled for today. The PM has been suffering from kidney trouble and has been visiting hospitals abroad for checkups and undergoing regular dialysis inside the country.

People are angry

Published On: March 3, 2020 10:58 AM NPT By: Republica

A youth threw shoes at Chairperson of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Pushpa Kamal Dahal at City Hall in Kathmandu on Sunday. Dahal narrowly escaped the attack. The incident occurred when Dahal was coming back to his seat after making a speech at the program organized to mark the first death anniversary of communist leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari.

Stay extremely alert

Published On: March 2, 2020 09:32 AM NPT By: Republica

There is a reason to panic about COVID-19.  The disease that originated from Wuhan of China in late December last year has claimed over 2900 lives and infected over 98,000 people worldwide (the toll is ever rising).  The infection that was limited to China and few other countries until recently has now spread to over 60 countries across the globe.  From Japan to South Korea, to the UK to the US to Iran, COVID-19 seems to have reached every corner of the globe.

Fallout of favor

Published On: March 1, 2020 10:23 AM NPT By: Republica

Government’s open protection for a business group close to the ruling party has become a matter of serious public concern recently. Its undue favor for Yeti Group and various companies associated with it, for example, has not only brought the disgrace on the government but also Yeti Group is becoming synonymous with misrule and policy corruption.  The government allowed it to use several prime public properties including Nepal Trust property worth billions of rupees from Kathmandu to the Everest Base Camp for business.  Yeti Group managed to transfer the ownership of land inside the Sagarmatha National Park to its name to establish Kongde View Resort.