Daman whiteouts by snowfall
Along with the heavy rainfall, Wednesday afternoon the laden of snow has blocked the traffic in the Tribhuvan Highway, Daman to Simbhanjyang.
According to Area Police Office, Palung, a two feet snow has accumulated on the road with a large number of travelers stranded on the highway.
Meanwhile, a team of technicians equipped with salt and sand has been sent to clear off the road, according to Chief District Officer of Makwanpur, Chakra Bahadur Budha. Provided the weather improves traffic may resume by 11:00 pm, Budha said.
NA nomination finalizes EC nominations
The National Assembly election candidates registration of nomination papers has been successfully filed up on Wednesday with 83 candidates receiving EC nominations. According to the Commission, 26 females, 14 candidates from marginalized communities, 15 from minority and disabled group, and 28 others have filed their nominations.
The EC had signed the High Courts at Biratnagar, Janakpur, Lalitpur, Pokhara, Dang, Surkhet and Doti as the offices for the registration of nomination papers by these candidates.
As per the constitution, 56 members at the rate of eight members per province, including three women, one dalit and one member from the backward area or minority community, would be elected to the 59-member National Assembly while the President will nominate three members at the recommendation of the government.
There are 2,056 voters including the chiefs and deputy chiefs of the rural municipalities, the mayors and deputy mayors of municipalities, and the members of the State Assemblies in the National Assembly election.
The Election Commission will allocate the election symbols to the candidates filing their nomination papers today on January 29 after scrutinizing their candidacies.
As many as 21 political parties are in the fray for the election to the National Assembly that is taking place on February 7.
The following is the list of nominations from the three major parties, CPN-UML, CPN Maoist Centre and Nepali Congress:
Brazilian former president loses appeal against corruption
An appeals court in Brazil has unanimously upheld a corruption conviction imposed last July on ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
While he can still take his appeal to a higher court, the decision could rule Lula out as a candidate for October’s presidential election.
The ex-leader, who governed from 2003 to 2011, had been favourite to win.
Speaking at a rally in Sao Paulo after the ruling, Lula said he would still contest the presidency.
Lula and his lawyers were convinced they would win this appeal. His supporters weren’t contemplating any other scenario either. They want him as their candidate in October’s elections and they say this conviction is designed to stop him running.
But his critics will be pleased. They want him locked up in jail for the crimes he’s been accused of. They believe he and his Workers’ Party are corrupt and justice needs to be done.
Lula and his lawyers say they will explore all avenues to get him absolved. But the fact that it was a unanimous vote will make it harder to convince other courts.
As for whether he will run for presidency, he has said he will keep campaigning, no matter the verdict.
The appeals process could buy him time to stay in the race for a few months but with a criminal conviction, another Lula term is looking much less likely.
When left-winger Lula rose to power in 2003, he promised an end to corruption-ridden politics. Then in 2005 a huge vote-buying scandal nearly cost him his job.
Despite that, he won the support of the poor by pouring billions of dollars into social programmes, and left office in 2011 with record approval ratings.
The investigation, which began in 2014, sucked in more than 80 politicians and members of the business elite.
In 2017, Lula was found guilty of accepting an upgrade to a beachfront flat he was buying from an engineering firm in return for help in winning contracts for Petrobras, Brazil’s state oil company.
That conviction was confirmed by Wednesday’s ruling.
He also faces other charges of money laundering, influence peddling and obstruction of justice. He has repeatedly denied those claims.
“I know I haven’t committed any crime,” he told thousands of his supporters.
On Wednesday, all three judges at the appeals court in the city of Porto Alegre said Lula had broken the law by accepting special favors over a seafront apartment from a construction company involved in a major corruption scheme.
They increased his original sentence from nine-and-a-half years to 12 years and one month in jail.
Even though the 72-year-old was sentenced in July 2017 and that conviction has now been upheld, he could remain out of prison for many months if he takes his appeal all the way to the Supreme Court.
That conviction was confirmed by Wednesday’s ruling.
He also faces other charges of money laundering, influence peddling and obstruction of justice. He has repeatedly denied those claims.
“I know I haven’t committed any crime,” he told thousands of his supporters.
On Wednesday, all three judges at the appeals court in the city of Porto Alegre said Lula had broken the law by accepting special favors over a seafront apartment from a construction company involved in a major corruption scheme.
They increased his original sentence from nine-and-a-half years to 12 years and one month in jail.
Even though the 72-year-old was sentenced in July 2017 and that conviction has now been upheld, he could remain out of prison for many months if he takes his appeal all the way to the Supreme Court. Ex-olympic gymnastics team doctor jailed for 175 years
The former US Olympic gymnastics team Doctor Larry Nassar, who testimony from nearly 160 of his victims and has been sentenced to 40 to 175 years after
The judge dismissed Nassar’s attempted apology as insincere, saying he would “be in darkness the rest of his life”.
Nassar pleaded to be guilty to 10 counts of sexual assault against girls and young women, including Olympians.
This 54-year-old had already been sentenced to 60 years for possession of child pornography.
“Because, sir, you do not deserve to walk outside of a prison ever again.”
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina told Nassar during the sentencing: “As much as it was my honour and privilege to hear the sister survivors, it was my honour and privilege to sentence you.
She told the paedophile: “You have not owned yet what you did. I wouldn’t send my dogs to you, sir.
Following seven days of emotional testimony from Nassar’s victims, he was given an opportunity to address the court.
“What I am feeling pales in comparison to the pain, trauma, and emotional destruction that all of you are feeling,” he told the packed courtroom.
“There are no words to describe the depth and breadth of how sorry I am for what has occurred,” he added.
His sentencing follows a week of harrowing testimony from scores of women, including Olympic gold medal gymnasts Aly Raisman and Jordyn Weiber.
Their teammates, McKayla Maroney, Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles, also revealed they had been abused by Nassar.
In 2015, USA Gymnastics – the sport’s top governing body – quietly cut ties with Nassar over allegations about his professional care.
An investigation in 2014 resulted in a three-month suspension from Michigan State University (MSU), where he coached.
But he continued to see patients until he was publicly accused of abuse in a 2016 report by the Indianapolis Star newspaper.
Later that year, he was arrested and charged by Michigan officials with sexual contact with a child.
A year later, he was sentenced for child abuse images found on his computer.
Rachael Denhollander, who was one of the first women to publicly accuse Nassar, pointed the finger at MSU in court on Wednesday.
CPN Maoist and NC confirms the NA candidates
Maoist Centre and the Nepali Congress today have finalized the names of their candidates for the National Assembly election.
CPN MC has confirmed the 13 seats for the NA and still a seat from province-2 is yet to be decided upon. The CPN MC candidates are as follows:
Similarly, the Nepali Congress has listed their final candidates for the National Assembly election for Provinces 4, 6 and 7.
A total of 12 seats have been finalized by the NC for the NA election. The names of the NC candidates are as follows:
(UPDATED)
| Name of the Candidate | Category | Province |
| Bina Pokharel | Women | Province-1 |
| Sashi Kala Dahal | Women | Province-2 |
| Ram Bahadur Thapa (Badal) | Open | Province-3 |
| Ganga Parajuli | Women | Province-3 |
| Dinanath Sharma | Open | Province-4 |
| Khim Bahadur BK | Dalit | Province-4 |
| Raj Kumar Kunwar | Disable | Province-5 |
| Chandra Bahadur Khadka | Open | Province-5 |
| Jeevan Budha | Disable | Province-6 |
| Yutul Lama | Women | Province-6 |
| Kali Bahadur Malla | Open | Province-6 |
| Lali Ram Lohar | Dalit | Province-7 |
| Hari Ram Chaudhary | Open | Province-7 |
| Name of the Candidate | Category | Province |
| Brinda Rana Magar | Women | Province-4 |
| Surendra Raj Pandey | Open | Province-4 |
| Jeet Bahadur Nepali | Dalit | Province-4 |
| Prakash Panta | Disable/Marginalised | Province-4 |
| Bishnu Bahadur Shahi | Open | Province-6 |
| Surya Devi Malla | Women | Province-6 |
| Sita Ram BK | Dalit | Province-6 |
| Gopal Prasad Sharma | Disable/Marginalised | Province-6 |
| Badri Pandey | Open | Province-7 |
| Tara Bhatta | Women | Province-7 |
| Sheri Ram Parki | Dalit | Province-7 |
| Chhatraraj Joshi | Disable | Province-7 |
The super Blue Moon, to be waxed
Some nights when we look up at the moon, it is full and bright; sometimes it is just a sliver of silvery light. These changes in appearance are the phases of the moon. As the moon orbits Earth, it cycles through eight distinct phases. The four primary phases occur about a week apart. The first phase of the moon exhibited on January 22, 2018 and the second phase to be waxed on January 31, 2018. What’s more, this Blue Moon will be a supermoon, or generally closest to Earth for the month. And it’ll stage a total lunar eclipse.
So … each night this upcoming week will find the moon closer to Earth than on the night before. We give the moon’s distance for the upcoming week, as measured between the centers of the moon and Earth, at 0 hours Universal Time (or at 6 p.m on the previous date Central Standard Time).
Jan. 23, 2018: 241,003 miles (387,857 km)
Jan. 24, 2018: 238,058 miles (383,118 km)
Jan. 25, 2018: 234,913 miles (378,056 km)
Jan. 26, 2018: 231,719 miles (372,916 km)
Jan. 27, 2018: 228,668 miles (368,038 km)
Jan. 28, 2018: 226,077 miles (363,835 km)
Jan. 29, 2018: 224,156 miles (360,744 km)
Jan. 30, 2018: 223,164 miles (359,149 km)
Source: The Moon Tonight
Finally, the moon is back to its new moon starting position. Now, the moon is between Earth and the sun. Usually the moon passes above or below the sun from our vantage point, but occasionally it passes right in front of the sun, and we get a solar eclipse. [Infographic: How Moon Phases Work]
So … each night this upcoming week will find the moon closer to Earth than on the night before. We give the moon’s distance for the upcoming week, as measured between the centers of the moon and Earth, at 0 hours Universal Time (or at 6 p.m on the previous date Central Standard Time).
Jan. 23, 2018: 241,003 miles (387,857 km)
Jan. 24, 2018: 238,058 miles (383,118 km)
Jan. 25, 2018: 234,913 miles (378,056 km)
Jan. 26, 2018: 231,719 miles (372,916 km)
Jan. 27, 2018: 228,668 miles (368,038 km)
Jan. 28, 2018: 226,077 miles (363,835 km)
Jan. 29, 2018: 224,156 miles (360,744 km)
Jan. 30, 2018: 223,164 miles (359,149 km)
Source: The Moon Tonight
Phases of the moon
The moon, like Earth, is a sphere, and it is always half-illuminated by the sun. However, as the moon travels around Earth, we see more or less of the illuminated half. The moon’s phases describe how much of the moon’s disk is illuminated from our perspective. New moon: The moon is between Earth and the sun, and the side of the moon facing toward us receives no direct sunlight; it is lit only by dim sunlight reflected from Earth. Waxing crescent: As the moon moves around Earth, the side we can see gradually becomes more illuminated by direct sunlight. First quarter: The moon is 90 degrees away from the sun in the sky and is half-illuminated from our point of view. We call it “first quarter” because the moon has traveled about a quarter of the way around Earth since the new moon. Waxing gibbous: The area of illumination continues to increase. More than half of the moon’s face appears to be getting sunlight. Full moon: The moon is 180 degrees away from the sun and is as close as it can be to being fully illuminated by the sun from our perspective. The sun, Earth and the moon are aligned, but because the moon’s orbit is not exactly in the same plane as Earth’s orbit around the sun, they rarely form a perfect line. When they do, we have a lunar eclipse as Earth’s shadow crosses the moon’s face. Waning gibbous: More than half of the moon’s face appears to be getting sunlight, but the amount is decreasing. Last quarter: The moon has moved another quarter of the way around Earth, to the third quarter position. The sun’s light is now shining on the other half of the visible face of the moon. Waning crescent: Less than half of the moon’s face appears to be getting sunlight, and the amount is decreasing.
Finally, the moon is back to its new moon starting position. Now, the moon is between Earth and the sun. Usually the moon passes above or below the sun from our vantage point, but occasionally it passes right in front of the sun, and we get a solar eclipse. [Infographic: How Moon Phases Work]
All 7 provinces governors PA members sworn-in
The swearing-in ceremonies by all provincial members have successfully made to their respective temporary capitals.
Province 1 newly appointed governor, Govinda Bahadur Tumbahang, sworn the oath to Provincial Assembly members at the Biratnagar-based Birendra City hall at 10:00 am this morning.
Similarly, the Provincial Assembly members of Province 2 were sworn in at Janakpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hall by Governor Ratneshwor Lal Kayastha today.
110 PA members of Provincial Assembly 3 were sworn in at 10:00 am today. They were administered oath of office by PA 3 governor Anuradha Koirala at Hetauda Province Secretariat.
Likewise, Baburam Kuwar, governor of Province 4 administered oath of office to the Provincial Assembly members at 11:00 am this morning in Regional Administration Office Convention Hall, Pokhara.
In Province 5, 87 Provincial Assembly members were sworn in by the newly-appointed governor, Umakanta Jja today itself at the Butwal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hall.
Meanwhile, elected Provincial Assembly members were sworn in by governor Durga Keshar Khanal at Surkhet District Coordination Committee Hall at 11:00 am this morning.
Mohan Raj Malla, governor of Province 7 administered the oath of office to Provincial Assembly members at the Kailali District Coordination Committee Hall.
Earlier, newly appointed governors of the seven provinces took oath of office and secrecy from President Bidhya Devi Bhandari at Shital Niwas on January 19 themselves.
Nepse limits one billion transactions on 3rd day
On the third say of this week securities market has informed that 2.4 million scrip of 170 listed companies were traded. However, the transaction has fallen by 35.98 per cent from Nrs 1.71 billion in previous weeks to Nrs 1.09 billion this week.
Likewise, Nepse index has closed at 1406.52 points after seeing a drop of 24.58 points.
Sanima Hydropower, Nabil Bank, Nepal Life Insurance, Standard Chartered Bank and National Life Insurance Company gained the most while Sanima Hydropower Limited topped the chart with highest turnover of Nrs 109 million.
The securities market saw regular trading for three days during this week.
Sandip Lamichhane makes into IPL 2018 Auction List
Nepal’s Leg Spinner, Sandip Lamichhane, makes into the IPL Auction 2018 player list. The second auction is scheduled for this 27th and 28th January.
Lamichhane is one of two players from ICC Associate Nations listed for the auction. The other player is a Canadian wicket keeper Tariq Hamza.
With 18 Players already retained, 182 spots are up for auction. Lamichhane is one of the 182 capped overseas player bagging their claim in the upcoming auction at Lamichhane.
The 17 Year old Nepalese Leg Spinner has taken 12 wickets in 9 matches with an average of 28.25 and an economy of 4.59. He was invited by Michael Clarke to represent the Sydney-based club Western Suburbs in 2016.
Educational credit transfer system to be introduced by TU
After years of debate, Nepal will start a credit transfer system that will make it easier for students and working professionals to switch between education and jobs.
Things have gotten much easier now that colleges in Kathmandu have started collaborating with abroad-based institutes to introduce initiatives like study-abroad programs and international guest speaker series. Many provide spacious and conducive educational environment with particular focus on personality enhancement, industrial internship and job placement. If we are to draw a parallel between studying abroad and in Nepal, it is more convenient and economical to study within the country.
For all those that are still weighing in different possibilities on where to study, following is a profile of eight well-established colleges in Kathmandu. These institutions provide exciting academic and non-academic opportunities and deserve a quick read, even if you have figured what to do next.
A three-member research committee has submitted a report on introducing credit transfer system in Tribhuvan University. The TU senate had endorsed the work procedure relating to the system on September 20, 2015.
Once the new system is introduced, Nepali and foreign students studying in foreign universities will be allowed to continue their studies in TU. However, only international students who have completed 50 or less credit hours in foreign universities can apply for credit transfer in TU. Likewise, 50 per cent of the subjects of the transferred course should match with the course in TU. Students seeking credit transfer will not be allowed to change their core or major subjects.
Tirtha Raj Khaniya, vice-chancellor of TU, however, said implementation of the system in the university where political tussles were often reflected in classrooms, was very difficult. “Although we decided to implement credit transfer system, we are not sure if reputed foreign universities are willing to work with us as classes are often disrupted for political reasons,” he said and added that they would introduce the system for a few programmes from the new academic session.
“We are facing difficulties even implementing the semester system in colleges. So, running classes on the basis of credit hours can be really challenging,” VC Khaniya said.
Hridish Pokhrel, executive director of Office of Planning Directorate at TU, said the office had started research on credit transfer system after a lot of foreign universities and students showed their interest in studying in TU.
“Foreign students have shown interest in seeking credit transfer to our colleges especially in technical and health related subjects,” added Pokhrel. More than 80 per cent students in the country either study in 60 constituent campuses of TU or in more than 1,084 private and public campus affiliated to TU.
The TU is a largest university in the country and ninth largest in the world. It offers more than 2,000 post graduates programmes under the wide range of disciplines.
