BA 2nd year Compulsory English

BA 2nd year Compulsory English
Intercultural Communication
American Values and assumptions  Gary Althen

Half a dozen journalists aspiring to file candidacy in Lamjung District

Half a dozen journalists aspiring to file candidacy in Lamjung District

Lamjung (Besisahar), April 28: Half a dozen working journalists in Lamjung district are also aspiring to present themselves as candidates in different posts when the date for local level elections is coming near.

The journalists have shown their interests to vie for different positions from chairperson of ward and rural municipality to municipality mayor.

Ex-Coordinator of Nepal Press Union (NPU) Gandaki Zone and Lamjung Aawaz Weekly Chief Editor Milan Sharma Danai has submitted his application to the Nepali Congress party to become Besisahar municipality- 8 Chairperson.

NPU, Lamjung Chapter President and Lamjung Correspondent of Nepal Television, Parameswor Adhikari has shown his interest to fight for Mayor of Sundarbazaar municipality from Nepali Congress.

Likewise, NPU member and Lamjung correspondent for Annapurna Post Daily, Deepak Adhikari had already obtained ticket for member of Dordi rural municipality-1. He has claimed to go to district coordination committee after winning ward member.

Press Centre Nepal Central Member Santosh Poudel is aspirant for chairperson of Dordi rural municipality in the local level elections. Poudel now is the director of Radio Bhoteodar and is associated to Mulkhabar Online.

Press Centre District Chairperson Rudra Hari Dhakal has also submitted application to CPN (MC) to become the ward-8 Chairperson of Sundarbazaar municipality. He is the manager of Radio Bhoteodar.

Editor of Paribartan Sandesh Newspaper Narayan Poudel has intensified his preparation to vie for Mayor of Rainas municipality from Naya Shakti Party. Executive Editor of the newspaper and Press Society Lamjung District Chairperson Basudev Thapa has also expressed his interest to field his candidacy for chairperson of Marsyangdi rural municipality.

Similarly, former chairperson of FNJ, Lamjung Chapter and editor of 'Lamjung Darpan' Krishna KC.  is also one of the aspirants from journalists fraternity in local election.

However, the names of the candidates have yet to be finalized despite interests from journalists. The parties are facing tough time to select candidates due to big flow of aspirants for same positions. RSS

Dupcheshwor – a centre of belief for Hindus and Buddhists

Dupcheshwor – a centre of belief for Hindus and Buddhists


(By Shyam Rimal)

Dupcheshwor (Nuwakot), April 22:

'Yo Dupcheshwor,

                                                                            Yahi Ho Parameshwor,

                                                               Hamro Ishwor' 

A group of visitors from Kathmandu and the local litterateurs on Friday arrived and read out stories and poems at the Dupcheshwor temple, which is known as the second Pashupatinath in Bagmati.

During the visit organized by Shashaka monthly newspaper, litterateurs paid homage and offered prayers and worshipped the Dupcheshwor Mahadev.

Located 60 km north of Kathmandu's Gangabu and 35 km east of Nuwakot's district headquarters of Bidur, Dupcheshwor is perched on the banks of the Suryamati (Tadi) river, which itself is a place of worship for Hindus.

The Samudrafini rice of Shikarbensi – the village where Dupcheshwor is located – is famous across Nepal. A special carnival takes place at Dupcheshwor annually on the full moon day of the Nepali month of Mangshir, but the tourists and devotees from other districts have been visiting the religious site on other days and occasion, according to Dupcheshwor temple's Priest, Ram Hari Khatiwada.

Legend has it that a Kamdhenu (Devine) cow used to pour its breast milk over a Shila – a unique stone projection of cylindrical shape viewed by Hindus as representing God Shiva. After coming to know of this, the entire villagers started worshiping it as 'Dudheshwor Mahadev'.

Later it became known as 'Dupcheshwor Mahadev'. The temple located on a remote and inaccessible cliff has not only contributed to the popularity of Shikharbensi, but the Nuwakot district as a whole.

Teacher, Shiva Prasad Acharya, of Dupcheshwor Secondary School at Ramati area of Dupcheshwor – 6 says humans started worshipping stones after they worshipped the nature and Dupcheshwor's genesis took place in the pre-historic period.

The locality known as Dupcheshwor – 7, Shikarbensi and Dupcheshwor – 2 across the river is home to Bhramin, Chhetri, Newar and Tamang communities and has a Sanskrit school, Dupeshwor Secondary School and Dupcheshwor Himchuli Adarsha Campus.

Dupcheshwor Conservation Society Chairman, Tanka Raj Mahanta, called for completing the path leading towards the temple and building Dharmashala and other facilities to provide shelter to the pilgrims and tourists visiting the temple.

The team led by Nepal Academy Member Secretary, Prof Dr Jivendra Dev Giri, included Dr Satya Raj Thapaliya, Dr Shailendu Prakash Nepal, Bhagyashali Adhikari, Damodar Pudasaini Kishor, Shyam Rimal, Tara KC, Radha Karki, organizing Shashaka monthly's Publisher and Editor, Umesh Pandey, and local poets Krishna Moktan, Sumitra Shrestha, Jandhavi Acharya and Shradha Acharya. The team also included dramatist Bipul Pandey and literature lover Parbati Giri. RSS (Photo Available)

Nobody can stop election: PM Dahal

Nobody can stop election: PM Dahal


Birtamode (Jhapa), April 20: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said that no force can stop the May 14 local level elections from taking place.

Addressing the district convention of Young Communist League and ANFFSU (Revolutionary), the sister organisations of his party CPN (Maoist Centre) here Thursday, he said elections were inevitable for institutionalizing the rights achieved through a long struggle of the people.

Prime Minister Dahal, who is also the Chairman of the CPN (MC), said some friends do not want the elections for fear of losing in it. "The people themselves will answer those who come out in protest of elections at any pretext," he said.

The election taking place after a gap of twenty year would empower the people and reach power from Singha Durbar to the villages, he said while appealing to all to partake in the election. The Prime Minister also expressed dismay over the rejection of the second constitution amendment proposal registered at the parliament, which he claimed, was introduced as per an understanding with the Madhesi morcha.

Prime Minister Dahal also shared that he is holding another round of talks with the Madhesh-centric parties on Friday.

On the occasion, Minister for Information and Communications Surendra Kumar Karki said that the local level elections would be held on May 14 despite some elements trying their best to foil the making of the local government.

"Some friends are working to disrupt the polls at a time when the oppressed classes are getting rights after a long struggle. It's for sure the elections would be held at any cost," Karki said.

Likewise, CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Barshaman Pun accused the Madhes-centric parties of trying to escape the polls despite utmost efforts to forge consensus.

CPN (Maoist Centre) Province No.1 In-charge, Gopal Kiranti, claimed that the Madhesi Morcha and Naya Shakti were not wanting the elections to happen while the CPN (UML) was piling pressure to postpone the elections.

YCL leader Dambar Pulami, ANNISU (Revolutionary) Spokesperson Surendra Basnet, CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Dharmashila Chapagain, lawmaker JB Tuhure, YCL General Secretary Dipshikha and ANNISU (Revolutionary) Central Vice-Chairman Ranjit Tamang also expressed their opinion at the programme. RSS

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N. Korea missile test fails before Pence visit

N. Korea missile test fails before Pence visit

SEOUL, April 16, 2017 (AFP) - Visiting US Vice President Mike Pence described North Korea's failed missile test Sunday as a "provocation" and assured South Korea of Washington's full support against the threat from its volatile neighbour.

Pyongyang launched the missile hours before Pence arrived in Seoul for talks on curbing the North's weapons programmes as fears grow that it is planning another nuclear test.

But US officials said the missile exploded seconds after it was fired.

"This morning's provocation from the North is just the latest reminder of the risks each one of you face each and every day in the defence of the freedom of the people of South Korea and the defence of America in this part of the world," Pence told US military families at an Easter dinner.

Some 28,500 US troops are stationed in the South.

The latest launch came a day after the North held a defiant massive military parade in Pyongyang which showcased nearly 60 missiles -- including a suspected new intercontinental ballistic missile.

"The missile blew up almost immediately," the US Defense Department said of Sunday's early-morning launch from near Sinpo on the North's east coast.

The type of missile was not clear.

The North has a habit of test-firing missiles to mark major dates such as Saturday's 105th anniversary of the birth of the nation's founder Kim Il-Sung, or as gestures of defiance when top US officials visit the region.

South Korea's foreign ministry said that by conducting the latest test just a day after displaying a series of missiles, "North Korea has threatened the whole world".

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said President Donald Trump had been briefed on the latest test but had "no further comment", while at the Easter dinner at Yongsan military base, Pence brought greetings for the troops from Trump.

"Let me assure you that under President Trump's leadership our resolve has never been stronger, our commitment to this historic alliance with the courageous people of South Korea has never been stronger and with your help and God's help freedom will ever prevail on this peninsula," he said.

- Tough stance -

Last August a submarine-launched ballistic missile tested from Sinpo flew 500 kilometres (300 miles) towards Japan.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un hailed that test as the "greatest success" and said it brought the US mainland within range of a mobile delivery system.

Pyongyang's rogue atomic ambitions have come into sharp focus in recent weeks, with Trump vowing a tough stance against the North and threatening unilateral action if China failed to help curb its neighbour's nuclear programme.

Trump has repeatedly said he will prevent Pyongyang from developing a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile capable of reaching the mainland United States.

With speculation mounting that the North is preparing to conduct a sixth nuclear test, he sent an aircraft carrier-led strike group to the Korean peninsula.

But a White House foreign policy adviser travelling with Pence played down Sunday's test, saying the missile -- probably a medium-range one -- failed after about four to five seconds.

While Washington had a "wide array of tools" at the president's disposal, "for this particular case, if they (North Korea) took the time and energy to launch a missile that failed, we don't need to expend any resources against that."

The North has reiterated its constant refrain that it is ready for war with the US, and its army Friday vowed a "merciless" response to any US provocation.

Recent satellite images suggest its main nuclear site is "primed and ready," according to specialist US website 38North.

China, the North's sole major ally, and Russia have both urged restraint.

China's most senior diplomat Yang Jiechi and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson exchanged views on the situation on the Korean peninsula by phone on Sunday, Beijing's official Xinhua news agency said.

The White House adviser said Trump and China's President Xi Jinping had discussed a number of steps at their summit this month and "we've seen the Chinese already take some initial steps towards that" -- citing the turning back of coal ships from North Korea.

The UN Security Council has imposed six sets of sanctions against the North since 2006, when it staged the first of its five nuclear tests. All have failed to halt its drive for what it insists are defensive weapons.

On Monday Pence is scheduled to meet Acting President Hwang Kyo-Ahn for talks expected to focus on the North's weapons programmes

Tourism rebounds at Ghorepani

Tourism rebounds at Ghorepani

Mustang, April 17: Tourism business has now gradually started recovering in the Annapurna Conservation Area Project region after suffering a blow due to the major earthquake on April 25, 2015.

     Ghorepani, the major tourism destination in the ACAP region, has seen double the number of tourists visiting the area in a year's period. This has provided some succour to the local tourism entrepreneurs who had suffered a dwindling business in the year immediately after the earthquake.

     According to the logbook maintained by the Tourist Police Office, Ghorepani, 19 thousand 348 tourists visited Ghorepani in 2072 BS and the number reached 45,685 in the succeeding year.

     Ghorepani in Annapurna Rural Municipality of Myagdi district is situated at an altitude of 2,810 metres from the sea level. It offers the visitors a panoramic view of over a dozen mountain peaks as Dhawalagiri, Nilgiri and Annapurna. The tourists can enjoy the sunrise and sunset from the Punhill tower.

     More, the place offers glimpses of the typical local Gurung and Magar culture in rural setting. It has also home-stay facilities, besides over a dozen hotels with all the basic amenities. 

     Ghorepani is the main destination for trekkers travelling on to Mustang from Nayapul in Kaski as well as for those using the route through Thorang-La pass in Mustang in their journey from Manang to Pokhara in Kaski. It lies on the way to some of the famous tourism destinations like Khopralek, Ghandruk and the Annapurna Base Camp.

     Eight thousand 335 tourists visited Ghorepani in the last one month period alone, the Tourist Police Office, Ghorepani stated. RSS

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Experts insist economic policy must focus on agriculture and tourism

Experts insist economic policy must focus on agriculture and tourism

Parsa, April 4: The Madhes-based intellectual fraternity has suggested prioritizing agriculture and tourism when formulating the country's economic policy.

At a workshop organized by the Technical Committee formed by the Ministry of Finance for formulation of the new economic policy in Birgunj on Monday, participating economists stressed on need for lending precedence to agriculture and religious tourism.

With favorable climate and soil, experts opined that Province no 2 can be the most prosperous state in the country if the economic policy prioritizes agriculture.

Thakur Ram Multiple Campus Lecturer, Lalan Dabivedi, said the economic policy in Madhes should prioritize agriculture. He also called for promoting religious tourism in Madhes. "In terms of religious tourism, the Indian tourists must be targeted in particular when formulating the policy, if we can draw 10 million Indian tourists in a year we will not have to depend on tourists from the third country," he said, adding that only political stability can make the country's economy sustainable.

Narayani Sub Regional Hospital Development Committee Chairman, Binod Gupta, suggested the government to mention the subject of restarting the state-owned agro-based industries that have remained closed.

Stating that Nepal is a country based on agriculture, Gupta called for making the country, not just Madhes, self-reliant on agriculture.    

Technical Committee Coordinator, Hari Roka, shared that the seminar on economic policy formulation drew highly relevant and important suggestions. He said the advices would be scripted and submitted to the Finance Ministry while expressing belief the government would embrace these suggestions.

The seminar was attended by Birgunj's professors on economy, teachers, lecturers, industrialists, entrepreneurs, civil society advocates, government offices' chiefs, agricultural experts, political party leaders and media persons.