Sunday, April 29, 2018

33-kg gold smuggling case: Incumbent DSP Prajit KC arrested


Apr 29, 2018-An incumbent Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) has been arrested in connection with the 33-kg gold smuggling case.

District Police Office, Morang on Sunday arrested DSP Prajit KC in connection to the smuggling of the precious yellow metal from the Tribhuvan International Airport. DSP KC has been kept under the custody of the Morang police.

DSP KC and Sub-Inspector Bal Krishna Sanjel were among the members of the investigation team deployed by the Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) to probe the murder of Sanam Shakya of Urlabari, Morang. Shakya, an alleged mule during the smuggling operation, was allegedly brutally thrashed and electrocuted to death following the missing of the smuggled gold that passed undetected through the airport.

The team under DSP KC had reached Morang to investigate the murder.  But after suspicions of irregularities in their investigations, DSP KC, Sub Inspector Sanjel and MPCD Chief SSP Diwash Lohani were recalled by Police Headquarters.

DSP KC on Friday had flown to Biratnagar to register his statement at the Morang District Court during the ongoing hearing on the gold smuggling case.

Likewise, former Deputy Inspector General of Police Govinda Niraula was also arrested on April 22 by a special team formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to probe the 33 kg gold smuggling case.


source:kathmandupost.ekantipur.com

Kanye West defends pro-Trump sentiments in new song


Donald met Kanye in 2016
After a week of controversial Twitter postings, Kanye West has defended his support of the US president in a new song.

The track Ye vs. The People sees the star trading lyrics with fellow-rapper T.I., who takes him to task over his support of Donald Trump.

"You representin' dudes who seem crude and cold-hearted," argues T.I., adding that West is emboldening "white supremacy".

But the star stands his ground, insisting that he's "fighting for the people".

Alluding to a photo he posted of himself wearing Donald Trump's famous Make America Great Again baseball cap, West raps: "Wearing the hat will show people that we are equal."

"You gotta see the vantage point of the people," spits back T.I. "What makes you feel equal makes them feel evil."

West won't be swayed, however.

'Dragon energy'
"Make America Great Again had a negative perception," he says. "I took it, wore it, rocked it, gave it a new direction/ Added empathy, caring, love and affection/ And y'all simply questioning my methods."

A philosopher rates Kanye West's tweets
Kim Kardashian defends Kanye's tweets
West - a mercurial and contrary performer at the best of times - has courted controversy with his support for President Trump and conservative commentators like Scott Adams and Candace Owens, who has spoken out against the Black Lives Matter movement.

source:www.bbc.com

Ethics debate as pig brains kept alive without a body


Researchers at Yale University have restored circulation to the brains of decapitated pigs, and kept the organs alive for several hours.

Their aim is to develop a way of studying intact human brains in the lab for medical research.

Although there is no evidence that the animals were aware, there is concern that some degree of consciousness might have remained.

Details of the study were presented at a brain science ethics meeting held at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda in Maryland on 28 March.

The research has also been reported on this week in the MIT Technology Review.

The work, by Prof Nenad Sestan of Yale University, was discussed as part of an NIH investigation of ethical issues arising from neuroscience research in the US.

Prof Sestan explained that he and his team experimented on more than 100 pig brains.

They discovered that he could restore their circulation using a system of pumps, heaters, and bags of artificial blood.

As a result the researchers were reportedly able to keep the cells in the brain alive and capable of normal activity for as long as 36 hours.

Prof Sestan is said to have described the result as "mind-boggling". If this could be repeated with human brains, researchers would be able to use them to test out new treatments for neurological disorders.

But Prof Sestan is among the first to raise potential ethical concerns. These include whether such brains have any consciousness and if so deserve special protection, or whether their technique could or should be used by individuals to extend their lifespans - by transplanting their brains when their bodies wear out.

source:www.bbc.com

Avengers: Infinity War estimated to break global opening weekend record


The stars of the film turned up for the Los Angeles premiere
Avengers: Infinity War made history with a $630m (£457m) global opening weekend take, according to estimates.

Industry tracker Exhibitor Relations made the estimate, even though the film has not yet opened in China.

If confirmed, the superhero sequel would overtake The Fate of the Furious's $542m global opening weekend haul, a record set in 2017.

The film is also seen taking the all-time domestic opening record, making $250m in the US alone.

Official figures will come out on Monday, but this would put Avengers ahead of Star Wars: The Force Awakens' $248m take.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption
Scarlett Johansson stars in the film as Black Widow...
Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption
...while Robert Downey Jr stars as Iron Man
Infinity War, directed by brothers Joe and Anthony Russo, cost between $300m and $400m to make.

The film tracks a range of Marvel superheroes in their battle against villain Thanos.

Actors including Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chadwick Boseman and Chris Pratt, star in the sequel, the first of two parts.

The conclusion is set to be released in May 2019.

Marvel Avenged: From financial ruin to the biggest film franchise in history
Why the snobbery about superhero films?
Why comic superheroes were born in New York
Avengers: Infinity War comes 10 years after the release of Iron Man, which kicked off a series of high-profile superhero films.

The first Avengers came out in 2012. It held the previous record opening for a Marvel film, making $207.4m domestically.

Age of Ultron, the second Avengers feature, debuted with $191m.

source:www.bbc.com

Labour pledges cap on overdraft fees and interest payments


Labour said the policy could help 2.7 million people who are stuck with permanent overdrafts
Labour says it would cap the total amount anyone could pay in bank overdraft fees or interest repayments.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said he wanted to end the "national scandal" of low paid families trapped in debt.

Labour said the policy could help 2.7 million people who are stuck with permanent overdrafts, saving them the equivalent of £86 each per year.

The Treasury said it had already tightened the rules to protect debtors and cracked down on payday loans.

Call for stricter rules on doorstep loans
Sheen tackles high cost of rent-to-own
Mr McDonnell said: "Too many families are having to rely on borrowing just to get to the end of the month, and are facing huge costs from our High Street banks.

"The national scandal of the low paid debt trap has to end. More needs to be done to level the playing field and bring greater fairness in consumer finance."

source:www.bbc.com

Royal wedding: TV licence waived for community parties


he BBC has waived the TV licence fee for communities wanting to watch Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.

It means street parties and other special events can screen the wedding live without buying a licence.

Usually a premises must be covered by a TV licence for showing live TV or iPlayer, but this can be waived in exceptional circumstances.

Hundreds of street party applications have been made to councils to mark the wedding on 19 May, the government said.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said among the applications, about 60 applications have been made in Bromley, south east London, 54 in Richmond, west London, and 12 in Reading, Berkshire.

It said many councils have waived fees for street party road closures and pub opening hours have been extended for the special occasion.

source:www.bbc.com

North Korea: 'Real opportunity' for nuclear deal, Pompeo says


US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says there is a "real opportunity" for a deal when President Trump meets the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Interviewed by ABC News, he said North Korea must take "irreversible" steps to get rid of its nuclear arms programme.

Mr Pompeo met Mr Kim secretly in Pyongyang earlier this month as CIA director. Details only emerged later.

Mr Trump is expected to meet the North Korean leader next month to discuss denuclearising the Korean peninsula.

Mr Pompeo said Mr Trump had clearly told him to raise the issue of a verifiable mechanism to make sure North Korea does denuclearise. He also raised the topic of US citizens held by the North Koreans.

Separately, new US National Security Advisor John Bolton told Fox News that an agreement with Libya on eliminating its weapons of mass destruction programme could serve as a model for a North Korea deal.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi agreed with Western powers in 2003 to dismantle his programme in return for the lifting of sanctions.

"There are obviously differences. The Libyan programme was much smaller, but that was basically the agreement that we made," Mr Bolton said.

What has been happening on the ground?
South Korea has said that North Korea's main nuclear testing site - Punggye-ri - is to close.

Presidential spokesman Yoon Young-chan said that Mr Kim had stated he "would carry out the closing of the nuclear test site in May".

Experts from South Korea and the US would be invited to witness it. North Korea has so far made no public comments on the issue.

Chinese scientists have said the site may have partially collapsed last September.

On Friday, Mr Kim and South Korea's President Moon Jae-in agreed at an historic summit to work on denuclearisation. The meeting followed months of warlike rhetoric from the North.

Will Korea talks lead to lasting peace?
Five conflicts that continued after they ended
What is known about the test site?
Situated in mountainous terrain in the north-east, it is thought to be the North's main nuclear facility.

source:www.bbc.com

Amber Rudd resigns as home secretary


The home secretary Amber Rudd has resigned, saying she "inadvertently misled" MPs over targets for removing illegal immigrants.

Ms Rudd, who was due to make a Commons statement on Monday, was under pressure to quit over the Windrush scandal.

She faced criticism over the existence of Home Office removals targets and her knowledge of them.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, who had repeatedly urged Ms Rudd to go, said she had "done the right thing".

Ms Abbott added that the "architect of this crisis" - Theresa May - must come before the Commons to explain "whether she knew that Amber Rudd was misleading Parliament and the public last week".

On Sunday, the Guardian published the full letter it had reported on a week earlier, in which Ms Rudd set out her "ambitious but deliverable" aim to deport 10% more illegal immigrants over the "next few years" to Theresa May.

Ms Rudd telephoned the prime minister on Sunday evening to tell her of the decision amid intensifying opposition demands for her to quit.

Amber Rudd resigns: Live reaction
What went wrong for Amber Rudd?
Rudd's resignation letter in full
Rudd's resignation dominates front pages
In her resignation letter, Ms Rudd said she takes "full responsibility" for the fact she was not aware of "information provided to (her) office which makes mention of targets".

Mrs May said she was "very sorry" to see Ms Rudd leave the Home Office and she should "take great pride" in what she has achieved.

Ms Rudd's successor is expected to be announced early on Monday morning.

Analysis - BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg
An inevitable resignation? Certainly there has been a mismatch between what she told MPs last week and the evidence that emerged.

In a different time, and with a minister with enemies, she'd likely have been out on Friday.

This time the Tory party was fighting hard to keep her. But beyond the mess-ups, perhaps part of the issue was also that the was not necessarily in tune with her predecessor's attitude on immigration - the Home Office's most politically charged brief.

Read more from Laura

source:www.bbc.com

Friday, April 27, 2018

Amber Rudd 'didn't see' migrant memo


Home Secretary Amber Rudd has apologised for not being aware of "specific" migrant removal targets.

The Guardian reported a leaked memo dated last year, which suggested she had been informed of those targets.

In a series of tweets, Ms Rudd said she had not seen this memo and apologised for not being aware of the objectives.

Ms Rudd added she would make a statement to the House of Commons on Monday in response to "legitimate questions" about illegal migration.

A Downing Street spokesman said Ms Rudd retained the "full confidence" of the prime minister.

But Labour's Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott again called for Ms Rudd to resign, saying she was "hanging by a thread".

BBC political correspondent Alex Forsyth said the home secretary "was not going anywhere tonight" - but added that the pressure on her "was not letting up".

The Guardian reported that the leaked memo from June 2017, copied to Ms Rudd, set out Home Office targets for achieving 12,800 "enforced returns" in 2017-18. It also said that they had exceeded targets for "assisted returns".

On Wednesday, the home secretary had told MPs investigating the Windrush scandal there had not been targets for migrant removal.

She later admitted "local" targets had been set before telling the Commons on Thursday she had not been aware of them.

source:www.bbc.com


Koreas summit: Five key moments from the Kim-Moon meeting


The two leaders have agreed to begin "a new age of peace"
The meeting between Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in marks just the third time that leaders of the two Koreas have met.

The historic summit, where the two sides pledged to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons, was the first time that an international audience got an unfettered glimpse of Kim Jong-un and his personality.

Hence, perhaps unsurprisingly, it was also a meeting with several symbolic and unusual moments.

1. Why they met on the South Korean side
North Korea had agreed that the supreme leader would meet Moon Jae-in on the South Korean side of Panmunjom. This harkened back to a remark made by late South Korean President Kim Dae-jung to Kim Jong-il at the first inter-Korea summit in June 2000 in Pyongyang.

Kim Dae-jung, who was 17 years older than the then North Korean leader, pointed out that the onus was on the younger man to visit the older man, and that it would be appropriate for Kim Jong-il to reciprocate and visit South Korea.

source:www.bbc.com

Golden State Killer suspect: Joseph James DeAngelo appears in court


Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, did not enter a plea and was denied bail
The former policeman charged with committing a series of murders and rapes attributed to the "Golden State Killer" has made his first court appearance in Sacramento, California.

Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, appeared in an orange prison jumpsuit, handcuffed to a wheelchair.

He was formally arraigned on two murder charges dating back to 1978.

Mr DeAngelo is a suspect in 11 other murders and 51 rapes committed across California between 1976 and 1986.

He was arrested on Tuesday at his home in Citrus Heights, a Sacramento suburb, after a 40-year manhunt.

Investigators linked him to DNA left at crime scenes, in part thanks to a genealogy database designed to trace family histories.

DNA sent to such a site by a relative of the murderer may have provided a crucial clue to police.

The Golden State Killer, also known as the East Area Rapist, Original Night Stalker, and the Diamond Knot Killer, terrorised communities in central, northern and southern California.

Mr DeAngelo spoke only briefly in court to confirm he had a lawyer. He did not enter a plea, and was denied bail.

Dead author 'helped catch serial killer'
US suspect traced using genealogy sites
Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said Mr DeAngelo is on suicide watch in the psychiatric ward of the county jail. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

source:www.bbc.com

Michael Cohen: Stormy Daniels case against Trump's lawyer put on hold


Stormy Daniels says she was paid $130,000 by Michael Cohen to keep quiet about a sexual encounter with Mr Trump
A US judge has halted for 90 days a lawsuit by adult film actress Stormy Daniels against President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen.

Judge James Otero said Mr Cohen's constitutional rights could be endangered if the case proceeded while he was under criminal investigation.

Ms Daniels is seeking to end a non-disclosure deal signed over an alleged sexual encounter with Mr Trump in 2006.

Mr Cohen had said he would invoke his right to remain silent over the case.

He had argued that any statement he made in court could affect a criminal inquiry in New York into his business affairs.

As part of the investigation into the Daniels case, the FBI raided Mr Cohen's offices for information, including on the non-disclosure agreement the actress - whose real name is Stephanie Clifford - signed days before the 2016 presidential election.

source:www.bbc.com

Peru child sacrifice discovery may be largest in history


Just a few of the skeletons discovered in Huanchaquito, near modern-day Trujillo
Archaeologists have uncovered what may be the largest single mass child sacrifice event in human history.

More than 140 children were sacrificed at about the same time in Peru's northern coastal region, about 550 years ago.

The discovery was made near modern-day Trujillo, which lies near the centre of the ancient Chimú civilisation.

More than 200 young llamas were sacrificed alongside the children - all of which were killed in a single event.

The discovery, supported by grants from the National Geographic Society, was exclusively unveiled on the National Geographic website.

"I, for one, never expected it," John Verano, one of the lead researchers, told the publication. "And I don't think anyone else would have, either."

In 2011, the first discovery of human sacrifice victims at the site, known as Huanchaquito-Las Llamas, uncovered the remains of 40 victims and 74 llamas during the excavation of a 3,500-year-old temple.

The final tally announced this week of 140 children show that the victims were aged between five and 14 - though most were between eight and 12 years old, National Geographic reports.

The children are known to be victims of human sacrifice because of cut marks to the bones, including the sternum, the bone in the centre of the chest. Many ribs were also damaged - which may indicate the heart was removed.

source:www.bbc.com

Koreas make nuclear pledge after historic summit

The leaders of North and South Korea have agreed to work to rid the peninsula of nuclear weapons, after holding a historic summit.

The announcement was made by the North's Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in of South Korea after talks at the border.

The two also agreed to push towards turning the armistice that ended the Korean War in 1953 into a peace treaty this year.

The summit came just months after warlike rhetoric from North Korea.

Speaking at a banquet after Friday's talks, Mr Kim hailed the progress he said had been made.

"We bade farewell to the frozen relationship between North and South Korea, which was a nightmare. And we announced the beginning of a warm spring to the world," he said.

Historic summit as it happened
Five key moments from the meeting
Read the Korean declaration in full
What is in the agreement?
Details of how denuclearisation would be achieved were not made clear and many analysts remain sceptical about the North's apparent enthusiasm for engagement.

An issue for the North is the security guarantee extended by the US, a nuclear power, to South Korea and Japan and its military presence in both countries.

Previous inter-Korean agreements have included similar pledges but were later abandoned after the North resorted to nuclear and missile tests and the South elected more conservative presidents.

Mr Kim said the two leaders had agreed to work to prevent a repeat of the region's "unfortunate history" in which progress had "fizzled out".

"There may be backlash, hardship and frustration," he said, adding: "A victory cannot be achieved without pain."


Media captionKim Jong-un issues his pledge for peace with South Korea
Other points the leaders agreed on in a joint statement were:

An end to "hostile activities" between the two nations
Changing the demilitarised zone (DMZ) that divides the country into a "peace zone" by ceasing propaganda broadcasts
An arms reduction in the region pending the easing of military tension
To push for four-way talks involving the US and China
Organising a reunion of families left divided by the war
Connecting and modernising railways and roads across the border
Further joint participation in sporting events, including this year's Asian Games
The commitment to denuclearisation does not explicitly refer to North Korea halting its nuclear activities but rather the aim of "a nuclear-free Korean peninsula".

Why has Kim halted nuclear tests now?
Profile: Kim Jong-un
North Korea crisis in 300 words
The two countries have also agreed to seek international support to reach this goal, the joint statement says.

What do China and the US say?
China later praised the political determination and courage of both leaders and said it hoped the momentum could be maintained.

US President Donald Trump also welcomed the news, tweeting that "good things are happening".


Media captionThe moment Kim Jong-un crossed into South Korea
Mr Kim is due to meet Mr Trump in the coming weeks. Speaking in Washington, Mr Trump said the meeting would take place in one of two countries under consideration and vowed he would not be "played" by the North Korean leader.

"We will come up with a solution and if we don't we'll leave the room," he said.

New US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo - who earlier this month travelled secretly to Pyongyang to meet Mr Kim - said his impression was that Mr Kim was serious about reaching a deal.

"The economic pressure put in place by this global effort that President Trump has led has led him to believe that it's in his best interest to come to the table and talk about denuclearisation," he said, speaking at a Nato meeting in Brussels.

How did Friday's summit unfold?
The leaders were met by an honour guard in traditional costume on the South Korean side. The pair walked to the Peace House in Panmunjom, a military compound in the DMZ.

Mr Kim then invited the South Korean president to step briefly across the demarcation line into North Korea, before the pair stepped back into South Korea - all the while holding hands.

It was an apparently unscripted moment during a highly choreographed sequence of events.

Image copyrightEPA
Image caption
Mr Kim and his wife Ri Sol-ju (L) sat with Mr Moon and his wife Kim Jung-sook (R)
The two leaders spoke together during a session broadcast live on South Korean TV.

Mr Kim jokingly apologised to Mr Moon for repeatedly forcing him to get up early because of the North's missile and nuclear tests.

"I heard you [President Moon] had your early morning sleep disturbed many times to attend National Security Council meetings," he said. "I will make sure that your morning sleep won't be disturbed."

"Now I can sleep in peace," Mr Moon replied.

Mr Kim also acknowledged that the North's infrastructure lagged behind that of the South.

"I'm worried that our transport situation is bad so it may discomfort you, it may be embarrassing [for me] if you visit North Korea after living in the South's environment," he said.

Korea summit sparks cold noodle craze
Diplomacy on the menu: How food can shape politics
After separating for lunch, the two leaders took part in a tree-planting ceremony using soil and water from both countries.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption
Mr Kim travelled in a car surrounded by jogging bodyguards
They later attended a banquet where Mr Kim was expected to be served the Swiss potato dish rösti - a nod to his time studying in Switzerland - along with the North's signature dish of cold noodles, and a North Korean liquor.

Mr Kim was accompanied for the symbolic discussions by nine officials, including his powerful sister, Kim Yo-jong.

Kim's sister and North Korea's secret weapon
So far there has been no mention of the summit's outcome on North Korean TV.

How did we get here?
Few had predicted a development like this, as North Korea continued its nuclear and missile tests and stepped up its rhetoric through 2016 and 2017.

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image caption
Mr Kim waved as he returned to North Korea
The rapprochement began in January when Mr Kim suggested he was "open to dialogue" with South Korea.

Did the Winter Olympics repair relations?
North and South set up hotline ahead of summit
The following month the two countries marched under one flag at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, held in the South.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption
Many South Koreans were overcome with emotion as they saw the historic moment on TV
Mr Kim announced last week that he was suspending nuclear tests.

Chinese researchers have indicated that North Korea's nuclear test site may be unusable after a rock collapse.

source:www.bbc.com

Senior citizens want easy access to allowance


Apr 27, 2018-Senior citizens of Mangalsen Municipality say they are facing hardships while travelling to the district headquarters every month to collect their social security allowance.

Earlier, the district administration used to distribute old age allowance through the erstwhile village development committees. The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development later introduced the provision of distributing allowance through bank accounts to control fund misappropriation.

The senior citizens of Mangalsen have been receiving their allowance through Rastriya Banijiya Bank based at the district headquarters these days.

Eighty-year-old Tipuri Jaisi said someone carries him to Mangalsen, the district headquarters, every month so that he can withdraw the allowance of Rs 2,000 from the bank.

“The hassles of travelling on someone’s back and waiting outside the bank is too much for a old person like me,” he said.   

Eighty-year-old Paru Jaisi shares a similar ordeal.

“In the past, the village secretary used to distribute the allowance at our doorsteps. These days I have to set aside at least two days to travel to the district headquarters to get the allowance,” she said.

Senior citizens like Thuire Kami have not withdrawn their allowances in a long time because they are too frail to travel.

“There is no one to carry me to the bank,” said Kami. “The government should provide the allowance to the infirm and disabled people at our homes.”

Padam Bohara, chairman of the municipality, said he was aware of the trouble faced by the senior citizens while collecting allowance.

“We are planning to take the allowance to the senior citizens at their doorsteps, but currently we do not have enough staff for mobilisation,” he said.

There are around 4,000 senior citizens in Mangalsen Municipality. 

source:www.kathmandupost.ekantipur.com

PM Oli to address Province 5 assembly meet on Sunday


Apr 27, 2018-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is addressing the province assembly meeting of Province 5 on Sunday. The province assembly meeting scheduled for April 27 has been postponed for 9 am on Sunday due to PM's address.

According to Secretary at the Parliament Secretariat Man Bahadur BK, the date and time have been changed at the directive of Speaker Purna Bahadur Gharti.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Lumbini on the occasion of the 2562nd Buddha Jayanti on Saturday.

During his visit to Lumbini, PM Oli, who is also the Chairman of CPN-UML, is scheduled to speak about prosperity and possibility of development of Province 5, CPN-UML Chief Whip Bhumishwor Dhakal said.

The Secretariat postponed the province assembly meeting summoned for 1 pm on April 27 for 9 am on Sunday by pasting a notice.

In the notice, all the members of the Province Assembly have been requested to compulsorily attend the programme.

The Secretariat has also informed 87 lawmakers of the province through SMS.


source:www.kathmandupost.ekantipur.com

Locals padlock ward office along with chairman


Apr 27, 2018-Locals of Udaypur Chaudandi Municipality have padlocked the office of Ward-9 along with the ward chairman on Friday.

The irate locals padlocked the office along with ward chairman Prakash Raut at 10 am today accusing him of misbehaving with one service seeker Prem Kumar Khadka.

The locals, in a statement issued following the incident, have accused the ward chairman of discriminating against the service seekers. The statement says that ward chairman Raut verbally abused Khadka and hurled his shoes at the latter out of anger.

Meanwhile, ward chairman Raut has accused Khadka of being involved in irregularities when he was a member of consumers committee. Chairman Raut accused Khadka of misbehaving as he allegedly refused to issue a recommendation letter to the latter for doing works at the consumers committee.


source:www.kathmandupost.ekantipur.com

Driver killed as gas bullet plunges into Trishuli River



Apr 27, 2018-A man died after a gas bullet plunged into the Trishuli River near Phurkekhola, Malekhu of Gajuri-2, Dhading along the Prithvi Highway on Friday.

The deceased has been identified as vehicle driver Surendra Singh, 36, of India, informed Inspector Sanjay Timilsina of the Gajuri-based Area Police Office.

According to the District Traffic Police, Gajuri, the incident occurred when the gas bullet (HR 55 Q 8630) heading towards Naubise overturned and fell some 35 metres down the road into the river.

Meanwhile, in another road accident, three persons were critically injured when a trailer (Na 6 Kha 429) heading towards Kathmandu from Birgunj carrying an excavator overturned at Thankre along the Prithvi Highway this morning, Assistant Sub-Inspector Narottam Thapa of the Area Police Office, Gajuri, said.

Trailer driver Bishnu Tamang, 31, of Nijgadh, Bara, Sharad Shrestha, 21, and Prabin Shrestha, 17, were injured in the incident that took place at around 3 am today.



source:www.kathmandupost.ekantipur.com

Academy opens to teach Newari architecture


Apr 27, 2018-In a bid to cater to the growing demand for skilled human resources to rebuild traditional houses after the Gorkha Earthquake and to mitigate unemployment in Nepal, the Nepal Vocational Academy (NVA), a non-profit affiliated with the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT), has extended its academic building in Kamalbinayak, Bhaktapur.

Education Minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel and Chairman of Germany’s Schülerhilfe für Nepal  Joerg Bahr inaugurated the building built by Rabindra Puri Foundation. The new building has capacity to give training for 200 people.

The NVA was established by Rabindra Puri, who champions a movement to restore Newari architecture in Panauti in January 2015.

“Normally, I am not keen on attending inauguration programmes. But I have noted the works carried out by Puri--rebuilding the schools damaged by the 2015 earthquake in Kavre and Ramechhap. He has done something that the government is unable to do,” said Minister Pokharel during the inauguration function.

Puri has donated one ropani of land worth Rs 70 million, while Schülerhilfe für Nepal has donated Rs50 million to the academy.

The building houses four workshops, eight classrooms, an office, a meeting room and a conference hall.

The NVA has already trained 200 people from its academy in Panauti, Puri explained, “Many of the skilled workers have been employed in various quake affected areas.  They earn between Rs800 and 1,500 a day.”

The academy offers a year-long training programme--three months of vocational training based on CTEVT and nine months on the job training based on its curriculum. The academy in Bhaktapur will be running training programmes on electrical wiring, plumbing, carpentry and woodcarving from August.

“The demand for traditional houses equipped with modern amenities has shot up after the 2015 earthquake, leading to the growth in the number of trainees. That’s why we have added another campus in Bhaktapur,” said Puri, the winner of Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage Award. 


source:www.kathmandupost.ekantipur.com

Nepali Congress CWC meet put off till Saturday


Apr 27, 2018-The Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the Nepali Congress has been deferred till Saturday. The meeting was put off on Friday after senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel and leader Bijay Kumar Gachhadhar put forth their views.

According to NC central member Arjun Narsingh KC, the meeting was deferred to forge consensus on the decision to be taken by the CWC.

It has been learnt that Party President Sher Bahadur Deuba was also considering putting off the meeting on Friday itself, and General Secretary Shashanka Koirala had also prepared a similar proposal to be tabled at the meeting.

President Deuba is preparing to take a call on fixing the date and place of the Mahasamiti meeting, forming a Statute Amendment Drafting Committee, and forming a Central Election Committee, among other issues, in the meeting.

The Paudel faction, however, said the Central Executive Committee and Parliamentary Committee formed against the party statute should be scrapped.

A central member said the Paudel camp is preparing to register a note of dissent if the decision to scrap the two committees was not made.

The establishment faction is also planning to postpone the Mahasamiti meeting. However, the Paudel faction had been demanding that the Mahasamiti meeting should be summoned within mid-June.

“The proposal should be passed by incorporating all the issues raised by other party leaders in the Central Working Committee meeting,” KC said, adding, “I have been saying that the proposal should be tabled by forging consensus in the Central Working Committee meeting.”

In the meeting held on Friday, senior leader Poudel reiterated his stance that President Deuba should take responsibility for the party’s humiliating defeat in the recently concluded elections. He blamed Deuba’s working strategy and wrong decision for the party’s election debacle.

He has also demanded the two committees formed against the party statute be scrapped at the earliest. The Deuba faction, however, is not ready to dismiss the committees.



source:www.kathmandupost.ekantipur.com

PM Oli directs Nepal Telecom to improve service quality


Apr 27, 2018-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed his dissatisfaction with the service of the Nepal Telecom.

After hearing the progress report of the Nepal Telecom (NTC) in a programme organised in Singha Durbar on Friday, PM Oli urged the officials of state-owned telecommunication service provider to pay attention to improve the quality of service.

The Prime Minister said it is sad that the NTC’s service quality has decreased due to corrupt tendencies.

“The corrupt tendencies have been increasing the Nepal Telecom,” PM Oli told Managing Director of the Telecom Kamini Raj Bhandari, adding, “Such tendencies should end and the people should get quality service.”

Expressing his disappointment over the work progress of optical fiber, PM Oli directed NTC to stop this work.

He held a serious discussion with the officials of the Nepal Telecom in the presence of Minister for Information and Technology shortly after the Cabinet meeting.

According to his private secretariat, PM Oli, who is also the Chairman of ruling CPN-UML, has directed NTC to deploy staffers in special technical departments round the clock.

He directed NTC to prepare itself to come ahead in the competition. “We have been seeing signs that the Telecom will lag behind in the competition,” he said, adding, “That should not happen.”

“I have been hearing a lot of complaints from the people about Telecom’s service in the recent time,” said the Prime Minister.

Moreover, Prime Minister Oli has urged Telecom management to bring a proposal on enhancing Telecom’s service.


Published: 27-04-2018 18:41



source:www.kathmandupost.ekantipur.com

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Private hospitals warned over surgeons


Some of the failings that allowed rogue surgeon Ian Paterson to harm patients have been found to be widespread across private hospitals, inspectors say.

The Care Quality Commission said it was concerned about the "old-fashioned" approach to consultants which led to a lack of monitoring and checks.

The regulator said it meant there was a "real danger" poor practices were not being picked up or challenged.

Private hospitals said they were responding quickly to the findings.

The CQC looked at 206 private hospitals in what was the first comprehensive review of the sector.

These sites treat both private patients and those given NHS funding to be seen privately.

The CQC rated 70% as good or excellent.

'Exaggerated symptoms'
But it said there was a "significant concern" relating to governance and safety.

In particular, it highlighted the lack of proper checks and monitoring of senior doctors, mainly surgeons, to ensure they were only undertaking treatments they were qualified to do or carrying them out in a safe way.

It likened the failures to those found in the Paterson case, the breast surgeon who was found guilty of 17 counts of wounding with intent last year and sentenced to 20 years in jail.

He carried out botched operations on patients at private hospitals in the West Midlands.

The surgeon's trial heard he had wildly exaggerated his patients' cancer symptoms, leading them to have several needless operations which left them scarred for life physically and emotionally.

Image copyrightSWNS
Image caption
Breast surgeon Ian Paterson was found guilty of wounding with intent last year
Chief inspector of hospitals Prof Ted Baker described the approach to consultants as "old-fashioned" as it relied on informal systems and people knowing each other.

"Too often, safety was viewed as the responsibility of individual clinicians, rather than a corporate responsibility supported by formal governance processes.

"Where we found failings, we have been clear that improvements must be made, using our enforcement powers where needed to protect people."

Dr Howard Freeman, of the NHS Partners Network, which represents private providers, said providing safe and high-quality care was a "top priority".

He said where inspectors had highlighted problems hospitals were being "quick to respond".

The Royal College of Surgeons said there was "

source:www.bbc.com

Syria 'chemical attack': Allies agree need for response

The prime minister has agreed with her US and French counterparts that the international community must respond to an alleged chemical attack in Syria.

In phone calls, Theresa May, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron said those responsible should be "held to account".

Mr Macron said any strikes would target Syrian government chemical facilities.

But Russia, which provides military support to Syria, has said there is no evidence of a chemical attack.

Medical sources say dozens of people were killed, including children, during the alleged toxic bombing of formerly rebel-held town of Douma, in the Eastern Ghouta region.

Syria 'chemical attack': What we know
Why is there a war in Syria?
Russia: No evidence of chemical attack
Downing Street said the separate phone calls established the countries would work together to take action to "uphold the worldwide prohibition on the use of chemical weapons".

A spokeswoman said the leaders agreed the reported attacks were "utterly reprehensible" and if confirmed, "represented further evidence of the Assad regime's appalling cruelty against its own people and total disregard for its legal obligations not to use these weapons".

Earlier, US President Trump cancelled a planned trip to Latin America to focus on the issue. He has pledged a "forceful response".

French President Emmanuel Macron said that if military action was taken, it would target "the regime's chemical capabilities", and not the forces of its allies, Russia or Iran.

Speaking in Paris, he said he did "not want an escalation" and that a decision would be made in the coming days.

The information that France had showed "chemical weapons were indeed used and that the regime could clearly be held responsible", Mr Macron added.

Russian veto
On Tuesday evening, the UN Security Council rejected a draft US resolution, which proposed a new inquiry to establish who was to blame.

Russia vetoed the move and China abstained, meaning the resolution could not be passed.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the result was "hugely disappointing" and accused Russia of holding Syrian people to "political ransom" by supporting President Assad's regime in the country.

A Russian-drafted resolution expressing support for sending investigators from the global chemical weapons watchdog agency to Douma also failed.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons had said earlier that inspectors would travel to the town to investigate.

On Tuesday afternoon Mrs May also chaired a National Security Council meeting to discuss the issue of chemical weapons in Syria.

Last year, President Trump ordered a missile strike in retaliation for a Sarin gas attack against a Syrian town.

Analysis: May's dilemma
by James Robbins, BBC diplomatic correspondent

The US would like any military response to include European powers, but Theresa May would not be drawn by questions on possible British involvement.

She faces the acute dilemma of whether or not to seek parliamentary approval, which she might not get.

To recall parliament before it returns next week, after the Easter recess, would be a huge step, but taking her own decision carries political risk.

Then there's a question of loyalty among international allies.

After Donald Trump took unprecedented action in answer to her appeals for support by expelling record numbers of Russian diplomats from the US after the Salisbury nerve agent attack, is this her payback time?

And how will it look if France joins possible action against President Assad and Britain does not? Would that be confirmation that Paris is the dominant military capital of post-Brexit Europe?

source:www.bbc.com

The 'good witch' who wrote Japanese classic Kiki's Delivery Service


Eiko Kadono's playful tales about a young witch and her furry companion have entertained generations of Japanese readers, and have now earned her one of the highest honours in children's literature.

Last month the 83-year-old was awarded the 2018 Hans Christian Andersen Award, sometimes called the Little Nobel Prize for Literature.

The jury described the "ineffable charm" of Ms Kadono's picture books and novels, deeply rooted in Japan.

She was inspired to write her most famous series - Kiki's Delivery Service or Majo no Takkyubin in Japanese - after her young daughter drew a picture of a witch with musical notes flying around it.

"I made Kiki around the same age as my daughter was at that time, just between childhood and adulthood," Ms Kadono said, according to the Asahi Shimbun.

"It's all about this kid getting to fly with her own magic."

Image copyrightSHINICHI SHIMAZAKI
Image caption
Ms Kadono is pictured here with a brooch showing a witch on a broom, a nod to Kiki
Late bloomer
Born in Tokyo, Ms Kadono was evacuated from her home at age ten and sent to northern Japan during World War Two.

After the war was over, she attended university in Japan before emigrating to Brazil for a few years.

Some of her works, including Forest of Tunnel and Brazil and My Friend Luizinho, were inspired by her wartime experiences and years in Brazil.

The author describes herself as a "late bloomer", owing to the fact that she was 35 when her first book came out.

"I was more a reader than a writer. [But] after trial and error, I realised I loved writing," she told Japanese media at a recent press conference.

"I decided to write throughout my life, even if my works would not be published."

She has published close to 200 original works, including picture books, stories for young adults and essay anthologies. But her most famous work is undoubtedly Kiki's Delivery Service.

Image caption
Kiki's has been translated to nine languages, pictured here are the Korean, Mandarin and Thai versions of the book
Silver screen
Originally published in 1985, the story revolves around Kiki, a young witch who travels around on her broomstick with her black cat Jiji.

The series starts with 13-year-old Kiki as she sets out on a year-long apprenticeship for witches in training, and follows her as she tries to find her place in the world despite various setbacks and struggles.

The rest of the series chronicles Kiki as she grows into a young adult and eventually, a mother of two.

Nearly 1.7 million copies of the books have been sold in Japan alone, and the series has been translated into nine languages.

Hayao Miyazaki: Japan's godfather of animation?
Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata dies at 82
'World's oldest manga' inspires Studio Ghibli anime
It was later adapted into a film by iconic director Hayao Miyazaki of Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli. The movie became one of Mr Miyazaki's most popular films.

source:www.bbc.com

Funerals held for 24 children in India school bus plunge


ome families have lost more than one child
A mass funeral has been held for 24 school children who died when a school bus fell into a gorge in a mountainous region of India on Monday evening.

Tearful relatives placed wreaths on the bodies ahead of the cremation, while some mourners asked: "What wrong have these children done?"

Most of those who died were younger than 10 years old, while the bus driver and two teachers were also killed.

The incident occurred in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh.

Road accidents are common in India, often due to poor driving or badly maintained roads and vehicles.

The reasons behind the accident are not yet clear, according to an official statement.

Monday's accident, which occurred about 325km (200 miles) from the state capital, Shimla, involved a bus transporting some 40 students from Wazir Ram Singh Pathania Memorial school in Nurpur in the country's Kangra district.

Most of the victims came from two villages in the state, with a number of families losing more than one child.

source:www.bbc.com

Syria 'chemical attack': Russia warns US against military action


Syrian Army soldiers gather near the town of Douma, where the suspected chemical attack happened
Russia has urged the US to avoid taking military action in response to an alleged chemical attack in Syria.

"I would once again beseech you to refrain from the plans that you're currently developing," Moscow's UN envoy Vasily Nebenzia said on Tuesday.

He warned Washington that it will "bear responsibility" for any "illegal military adventure" it carries out.

But Western leaders say they have agreed to work together to target those responsible for the attack in Douma.

French President Emmanuel Macron said any strikes would target Syrian government chemical facilities.

Syria 'chemical attack': What we know
Why is there a war in Syria?
UK's May agrees Syria action with US and France
The warning from Moscow came during a divided meeting of the UN Security Council in which a proposal to open a new inquiry into the alleged attack failed to pass.

Russia vetoed the US-drafted resolution and China abstained. A counter-measure proposed by Moscow also failed to garner enough support.

The US proposal called for an independent investigation into claims that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime carried out the suspected chemical attack on the rebel-held town of Douma, in the Eastern Ghouta region.

Syria - which receives military backing from Russia - denies being behind any chemical attack.

A team from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is due to deploy to Syria "shortly" to determine whether banned waepons were used in Douma.

But the OPCW will not seek to establish who was responsible for the attack.

source:www.bbc.com

Australian jailed for 'despicable' fake cancer scam


Hanna Dickenson (R) falsely claimed to have cancer, a court heard
An Australian woman who faked having terminal cancer before scamming money from friends of her family has been jailed for three months.

Hanna Dickenson, 24, accepted A$42,000 (£22,000; $31,000) after telling her parents that she needed medical treatment overseas.

Her parents had received donations from their friends, a court was told. It heard Dickenson spent much of the money on holidays and socialising.

A judge called the scam "despicable".

Dickenson had pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court to seven charges of obtaining property by deception.

In sentencing, magistrate David Starvaggi said Dickenson had "engaged in conduct that tears at the very heartstrings of human nature".

"People's desire to assist and social trust has been breached. These are people who worked hard and dug into their own pockets," he said.

Blogger case comparison
The court was told one person donated A$10,000 to Dickenson after being discharged from hospital following his own cancer treatment. Another person gave money on four separate occasions.

The ruse was uncovered when another donor raised suspicions with police after seeing pictures of Dickenson on Facebook.

Dickenson's lawyer, Beverley Lindsay, argued that her client should be spared jail because she had "turned her life around".

She also compared the deception to one involving an Australian celebrity blogger, Belle Gibson, who was fined A$410,000 last year after falsely claiming to have beaten brain cancer.

Ms Lindsay argued that her client's offending was less severe than Gibson's.

However Mr Starvaggi said the cases were not directly comparable, and that the court needed to deter others from engaging in similar conduct.

Ms Lindsay said her client was likely to appeal the sentence.

source:www.bbc.com

Zuckerberg: Facebook is in 'arms race' with Russia

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has told US senators his company is in a constant battle with Russian operators seeking to exploit the social network.

"This is an arms race. They're going to keep getting better," he said.

Mr Zuckerberg was answering questions in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica data collection scandal.

He also revealed Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election, had interviewed Facebook staff.

source:www.bbc.com

Sunday, April 8, 2018

Prostate cancer: Four in 10 cases diagnosed late, charity says


Four in 10 prostate cancer cases in the UK are diagnosed late, a study suggests.

The report by charity Orchid found a "worrying trend" of late diagnosis with 37% of prostate cancer cases diagnosed at stages three and four.

The report found one in four cases of prostate cancer was diagnosed in A&E.

In February figures showed the number of men dying from prostate cancer had overtaken female deaths from breast cancer for the first time in the UK.

With an aging population, the charity has called for urgent action to prevent a "ticking time bomb in terms of prostate cancer provision".

Orchid chief executive Rebecca Porta said: "With prostate cancer due to be the most prevalent cancer in the UK within the next 12 years, we are facing a potential crisis in terms of diagnostics, treatment and patient care. Urgent action needs to be taken now."

The report canvassed the opinion of the UK's leading prostate cancer experts and looked at previously published data to get a picture of the prostate cancer care across the UK.

The data came from organisations such as NHS England, charities and the National Prostate Cancer Audit.

The report says that 42% of prostate cancer patients saw their GP with symptoms twice or more before they were referred, with 6% seen five or more times prior to referral.

Greater awareness
Prof Frank Chinegwundoh, a urological surgeon at Bart's Health NHS Trust said: "25% of prostate cancer cases in the UK are diagnosed at an advanced stage.

"This compares to just 8% in the US where there is greater public awareness of prostate cancer and greater screening," he added.

He said while there was controversy over the effectiveness of the standard PSA test used to detect the cancer, "it is still vital that patients are diagnosed early to assess if they need treatment or not as advanced prostate cancer is incurable".

The report also said there needed to be renewed efforts to develop better testing methods.

source:www.bbc.com

Olivier Awards 2018: Hip hop musical Hamilton dominates


Hip hop musical Hamilton has swept the board at the Olivier Awards, picking up seven gongs from its 13 nominations.

It equals Matilda's 2012 record for most Olivier Awards won by a musical.

The West End production of Lin-Manuel Miranda's show about US founding father Alexander Hamilton won best new musical and outstanding achievement in music.

But its creator had to stay away from the London awards, the biggest event in the UK theatrical calendar, having been diagnosed with shingles.

All the winners and nominees
Image copyrightMATTHEW MURPHY
Image caption
Hamilton opened in London late last year
It was also a good night for The Ferryman, which picked up three awards.

The drama, set in rural Londonderry in 1981, against the backdrop of The Troubles, won best new play and best director for Sam Mendes, while Laura Donnelly was named best actress.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption
Laura Donnelly received the best actress award for her starring role in The Ferryman
Miranda was jointly awarded the outstanding achievement in music prize with orchestrator Alex Lacamoire.

He sent Lacamoire a list of thank yous - set to the music of My Favourite Things - to sing to the audience at the show, at the Royal Albert Hall, on his behalf.

Giles Terera, who won best actor in a musical for his role as Hamilton's nemesis Aaron Burr, said he was "relieved, elated and happy" that Hamilton had done so well.

"We didn't take anything for granted," he said. "But I'm glad we got recognised."

"Every now and then there's a show that comes along and it shifts things, moves it outside the realm of musical theatre," he added, putting Hamilton alongside other great musicals like West Side Story, Les Misérables and Rent.

'Breaking boundaries'
Jamael Westman, who stars as Alexander Hamilton, said the show - which opened in London late last year - was "breaking down barriers, it's breaking down the understanding we have of musical theatre".

He added: "This is re-imagining what it can be, using the hip-hop form and more contemporary types of song and the use of language that is almost Shakespearean.

"It's changing the way that we see theatre and is breaking boundaries. That's why it's been recognised."

Hamilton's other awards include best supporting actor in a musical Michael Jibson, who plays King George III (in a performance that sees him on stage for just eight minutes), as well as best theatre choreographer, best lighting design and best sound design.

Despite being the biggest winner of the night, it failed to break the record for most Olivier Awards set by Harry Potter and the Cursed Child last year when it picked up nine.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption
Giles Terera, winner of the best actor in a musical award for Hamilton, alongside Sir Cameron Mackintosh and co-star Michael Jibson, winner of the best actor in a supporting role
Jez Butterworth wrote The Ferryman based on the experiences of his partner Donnelly's family in Northern Ireland.

Picking up the best new play award, Butterworth said: "It's her story. I stayed in with a gin and tonic and she had to go out to work. I knew how much that cost her and how much this will mean."

After picking up her own award, Donnelly - who played widow Caitlin in the original production - said: "I'm thrilled - but I'm in shock. It's what I dreamt of from childhood so to get to this point is surreal."

She said because of the subject matter, she felt a "weight of responsibility I hadn't in any other job to do it justice, because it was so close to home."

The couple are taking The Ferryman to Broadway later this year.

'Supporting imagination'
Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston took the best actor prize for Network for his portrayal of Howard Beale in the National Theatre production.

In his acceptance speech, he said he was grateful to be working in a country that funds the arts, adding: "Hopefully that will continue."

Speaking backstage, he added: "To support children's imagination and their ability to grow in a social, emotional way, [the arts are] more important than learning the dates of a war."

source:www.bbc.com

Leslie Cheung: Asia's gay icon lives on 15 years after his death


Leslie Cheung was one of the most popular male singers and actors of the mid-1980s
For the past 15 years fans of tormented superstar Leslie Cheung, one of the first celebrities to come out as gay in Asia, have gathered at Hong Kong's Mandarin Oriental Hotel to mourn the day he took his own life.

It's a poignant sign of why the daring and troubled star is still important today.

One of Hong Kong's most popular male singers and actors of the mid-1980s, Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing was not afraid of provoking controversy with his overt sexuality and provocative performances during a more socially conservative era.

And 15 years after his death, Cheung is still attracting new fans, including teenagers and millennials.

Lam, a 15-year-old who attended 1 April's vigil, was only a few months old when Cheung died. She told BBC Chinese she had "discovered him on YouTube".

"He was charismatic; especially when he went androgynous...it's gorgeous," she said.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Wu travelled from Hunan province on mainland China with his boyfriend to mourn the icon.

Wu told BBC Chinese he drew strength from Cheung's "spirit of being true to oneself".

"He showed the [Chinese-speaking] world that gay people can be positive, bright and worthy of respect."

Image copyrightBBC CHINESE
Image caption
Cinematographer Christopher Doyle says Leslie was "not only a great singer or actor, but a rarely-seen true star"
Born in 1962, Leslie Cheung was one of Hong Kong's most famous stars during the golden era of Cantopop in the 1980s.

He was dashing, stylish and fitted the public idea of a perfect heterosexual male lover. But in reality, he was in a long-term relationship with his childhood friend, Daffy Tong.

It was not an easy time to be gay. At that time, homosexuality was still viewed by many as an illness and abnormality in Hong Kong, especially after the emergence of the first local case of Aids in 1984. It was not until 1991 that adult gay sex was decriminalised in the territory.

"The LGBT movement in Hong Kong took off in the 1990s, when the community finally became visible to the public," Travis Kong, an associate professor of sociology researching gay culture at The University of Hong Kong, told BBC Chinese.

And it was at this point that Cheung became more daring in his work.

source:www.bbc.com

Bhutan's 'Shangri-La' caught between two rival superpowers


With its scenic mountains and stunning Buddhist monasteries on hilltops, Bhutan is a traveller's dream and described by some as the last Shangri-La - a mystical beautiful place where everything is perfection.

The country's capital, Thimphu, is a refreshing delight to those who are tired of traffic and pollution in mega cities. The fresh air and the lush green mountains and snow peaks in the distance offer a visual treat.

Men, women and children calmly walk around in the country's traditional attire. It is probably the only country in the world where there are no traffic signals - just traffic police officers giving hand signals.

But beneath the surface, this picture-postcard country has been experiencing an undercurrent of tension and nervousness since last year.

Sandwiched between two Asian giants - China in the north and India in the south - the Himalayan nation, with a population of about 800,000, was anxious when troops from the two military powers squared up to each other over their border dispute.

The flare-up was in a strategic plateau called Doklam - situated in the tri-junction between India, Bhutan and China.

source:www.bbc.com

N Korea-US talks: Pyongyang 'ready to discuss denuclearisation'


Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un are due to meet in May, though North Korea has not publically confirmed this
North Korea has promised the US it is ready to discuss the future of its nuclear arsenal when the two nations' leaders meet, US officials say.

Preparations for the summit have included secret, direct talks with North Korea, Trump administration sources told CNN.

US and North Korean intelligence officials are said to have spoken many times, and met in a third country.

The unprecedented summit is slated to happen in May.

It will be the first time a sitting US president has met the leader of North Korea.

North Korea has already told South Korea it was prepared to address denuclearisation, but this is the first time assurances have been given to Washington directly.

Details of the leaders' summit, including the location, remain unclear. CNN's sources said that the North Koreans are pushing to have the meeting in their capital, Pyongyang, with Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar another option.

source:www.bbc.com

Canada crash: Country mourns Humboldt Broncos bus dead


Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will attend a vigil on Sunday to honour the 15 killed in a crash involving a bus carrying a junior ice hockey team.

Canada has seen an outpouring of grief following Friday's collision.

Ten players on the Humboldt Broncos team, aged between 16 and 21, died when their team bus collided with a semi-trailer in Saskatchewan.

Police are still trying to determine the reason for the crash. The lorry's driver was not hurt.

Mr Trudeau's office confirmed he would attend the small town of Humboldt's prayer vigil, which begins at 19:00 local time (01:00 GMT Monday).

Hockey teams from around the country paid tribute to the dead during weekend fixtures.

Many have pledged donations to support their families and the surviving players. Online fundraising pages have raised millions of dollars.

source:www.bbc.com

Viktor Orban: Hungary PM re-elected for third term


Viktor Orban (c) will be prime minister for a third time
Hungary's right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban has claimed a landslide victory in Sunday's general election.

The 54-year-old will serve a third consecutive term in office, with his party Fidesz projected to keep its key two-thirds majority in parliament.

Fidesz won almost half of the vote, with 93% of ballots counted, Hungary's National Election Office said.

Mr Orban is a strong Eurosceptic who campaigned on an anti-immigration platform.

In a speech to supporters on Sunday night, Mr Orban said his victory gave Hungarians "the opportunity to defend themselves and to defend Hungary".

Leaders of the second and third-placed parties have resigned in light of the result.

How did the result play out?
Polling stations were meant to close at 19:00 (17:00 GMT), but some stayed open hours later due to long queues. Voter turnout reached a near-record 69% - an outcome some believed would favour the prime minister's opponents.

But with almost all votes counted, the nationalist Jobbik party is in second place with 20% of the vote. The Socialists are in third with 12%, and the LMP, Hungary's main Green Party, is in fourth with 7%.

The man who thinks Europe is being invaded
Nationalism in heart of Europe needles EU
Jobbik's chairman Gabor Vona stood down on Sunday night, telling a news conference: "Jobbik's goal, to win the elections and force a change in government, was not achieved. Fidesz won. It won again."

Socialist Party President Gyula Molnar was similarly downcast as he resigned, saying: "We regard ourselves as responsible for what happened [and] we have acknowledged the decision of voters."

source:www.bbc.com

Syria war: Trump condemns Syria for 'chemical attack' on Douma


US President Donald Trump has lashed out at Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies Russia and Iran over a suspected chemical attack, saying there will be a "big price to pay".
Medical sources say dozens of people were killed in an attack on the rebel-held town of Douma on Saturday.
The UN Security Council is expected to discuss the crisis on Monday.
Both Syria and Russia deny a chemical attack took place and have reached an evacuation deal with the rebels.
Outrage at the alleged use of chemical weapons has been widespread with Pope Francis saying, "Nothing, nothing can justify the use of such devices of extermination against defenceless people and populations."
The European Union has called for an "immediate response by the international community".

What do we know about the attack?

One video, recorded by rescue workers known as the White Helmets, shows a number of men, women and children lying lifeless inside a house, many with foam at their mouths.
Other unverified footage shows young children crying as they are treated in a makeshift medical unit.
However, it has not been possible to verify independently what actually happened, or the actual number of dead.
The Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations, which runs medical facilities in the Eastern Ghouta, told BBC News that 70 deaths had been confirmed.
According to the US-based Syrian American Medical Society, at least 48 people died, showing "symptoms indicative of exposure to a chemical agent".
More than 500 people were brought to medical centres with such symptoms, it said, quoting emergency services in Douma.
A doctor at an overwhelmed hospital in the rebel-controlled town told the BBC's Joel Gunter he had panicked as his own children coughed from gas seeping into the basement where they were hiding.
A medical student described in horrifying detail how he had treated a dying man.

source:www.bbc.com

New party formation is like forming water by combining hydrogen and oxygen: Dahal

May 17, 2018-Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said the unification between CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) is like f...