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Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Gabrielle Zevin

Fiction | Contemporary

In this exhilarating novel, two friends—often in love, but never lovers—come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality.

Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.

The Chalk Man

CJ Tudor

Thriller | Mystery

In 1986, Eddie and his friends spend their days biking around their sleepy English village and looking for any taste of excitement they can get. The chalk men are their secret code: little chalk stick figures they leave for one another as messages only they can understand. But then a mysterious chalk man leads them right to a dismembered body, and nothing is ever the same.

In 2016, Eddie is fully grown, and thinks he’s put his past behind him. But then he gets a letter in the mail, containing a single chalk stick figure. When it turns out that his friends got the same message, they think it could be a prank... until one of them turns up dead.

That’s when Eddie realizes that saving himself means finally figuring out what really happened all those years ago.

On Writing

Stephen King 

Writing | Memoir

“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon the publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it—fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has announced to provide relief to Bajhang earthquake victims.

The Prime Minister, who had reached Bajhang to inspect the quake-hit areas, announced to provide Rs 50, 000 to construct temporary houses to the families whose houses were completely destroyed in the earthquake.

Similarly, the Prime Minister has announced to provide Rs 200, 000 to the family of a man who died after being trapped in the landslide following the earthquake.

He said that Rs 15, 000 to 20, 000 immediate relief expenses will be provided to other families affected by the earthquake based on the number of the family members.

The Prime Minister has also announced to provide relief materials like tents, blankets, medicine, food, clothing, and materials needed by differently-abled people.

He said that the materials will be arranged in coordination with the three levels of government.

Prime Minister Dahal said that the arrangements will be made to provide free treatment to the injured and the government offices, community buildings and schools damaged in the earthquake will be reconstructed soon.

Narges Mohammadi, a jailed Iranian women’s rights advocate, has won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize “for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all”, according to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, the awarding body, Aljazeera reported.

“Her brave struggle has come with tremendous personal costs. Altogether, the regime has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times, and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes,” Berit Reiss-Andersen, the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said in Oslo during the prize announcement on Friday.

Mohammadi is one of Iran’s leading human rights activists, who has campaigned for women’s rights and the abolition of the death penalty, according to Aljazeera.

Is Narges Mohammadi in jail?

Mohammadi is currently serving multiple sentences in Tehran’s Evin prison amounting to about 12 years imprisonment, according to the Front Line Defenders rights organisation, one of the many periods she has been detained behind bars. Charges include spreading propaganda against the state.

She is the deputy head of the Defenders of Human Rights Center, a non-governmental organisation led by Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Henrik Urdal, director of the Peace Research Institute in Oslo, told Al Jazeera after the announcement that this was “a very important prize, one that is celebrating the achievements of human rights defenders, specifically women’s rights defenders in Iran, which has been a very troubled country”.

“This is a prize that is also focusing on the sacrifices of young people in Iran. It is a way of underlining their sacrifices and the challenges human rights defenders are operating under in Iran,” he said.

Mohammadi is the 19th woman to win the 122-year-old prize.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee picked this year’s winner for the world’s most significant peace prize from 351 candidates, including 259 individuals and 92 organisations.

The 16th conference of the World Social Forum is taking place in Nepal for the first time with the slogan 'Another world is possible'.

The organizing committee of the World Social Forum Nepal has organized a global announcement program about the event taking place in the open theater from February 15 to 19, 2024. 

On the occasion, an intercontinental youth forum and a parliamentary forum will be organized, said Sushil BK, coordinator of Media and Communication Group, the World Social Forum Nepal.

The forum is free and open for exchanging ideas and experiences on an alternative to neoliberalism. It started from Porte Alegre in Brazil in 2001 in the course of discussing an alternative to the impact of neoliberal globalization in the world two decades ago. 

The platform represents the collective power of the global movements and the civil society organizations that have united against neoliberalism, globalized capitalism, climate crisis, patriarchy, caste, discrimination based on color, racial discrimination and violence, discrimination and hatred against gender and sexual minority communities.

Non-governmental organizations including the NGO Federation of Nepal are coordinating the conference that runs parallelly.

Various 13 contemporary subjects have been selected for the session. The subjects to be discussed include: economic inequality and economic justice, labor, immigration, slavery and human trafficking; discrimination based on caste, work and descent, caste, ethnicity, indigenous nationalities, untouchability and all forms of discrimination, gender, sexuality, gender-based violence and identity, land, agriculture, food sovereignty, agricultural ecosystem, energy and natural resources;  peace, conflict, war, acquisition, displacement and security; education, art and culture, communication, social networks and media, digital equality; democracy, human rights, authoritarianism, law and justice; health, social protection and equality; climate, environment, equitable transformation, habitat and sustainable development; women, children, youth, the elderly and persons with disabilities and social movements, the place of citizens and the future of the world social platform.

Expressing their solidarity, representatives including Prof Aananda Kumar from India and Dr Uddhav Pyakurel from Nepal have extended their best wishes for the success of the event.

Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that the dues of the previous fiscal year to be paid to construction entrepreneurs would be cleared before Dashain.

Talking to mediapersons here today, the finance minister said, "We have already paid Rs 60-70 billion till the end of the previous fiscal year. Around six-seven billion rupees is remaining to be paid. It will be cleared before Dashain."

The economic crisis is not as extreme as people are saying, he mentioned, adding, however, there are problems to some extent.

The finance minister viewed that that problem has surfaced due to lack of proper utilization of loans provided by the Rastra Bank.

 "The loans provided easily by banks were invested in any sector without thinking about its return. So, its impact has now been seen", he opined.

Minister Mahat further said interest rate has increased due to strict monetary policy and some entrepreneurs are facing problems due to this.

The government is now involved in making foundation of the economy, he stressed. 

Dengue infection has shot up in Baglung district lately.

According to latest data, dengue infection has been confirmed in 130 people in the district. More than 90 people have been confirmed dengue infected in the last one month alone.

According to the data in the last four months ago, 130 people contracted the disease, said Prabin Sharma, Chief of the District Health Office. He also urged people to be alert as dengue infection is fast spreading in the district.

"Until a month ago, dengue infection was very low, only 40 people were infected. In the past month, only 90 people were infected, but now the number of infections has shot up to 130. Dhorpatan Municipality has recorded the highest infection cases. As the infection is fast spreading, there is a need to avoid mosquito bites," he said.  

The infection was confirmed in 96 people during the testing of suspected patients at Burtibang Primary Health Care Centre alone. Similarly, 15 dengue infections have been confirmed in Dhaulagiri hospital, 17 in Galkot municipal hospital and two in Bongadovan health post.

Of the ten municipalities in the district, dengue infection has been confirmed in nine except Bareng Rural Municipality, said the health office.

According to the data with the health office, Dhorpatan Municipality confirmed 67, Baglung Municipality eight, Jaimini Municipality two, Galkot Municipality 14, Kathekhola Rural Municipality three, Badigadh Rural Municipality 10, Nisikhola Rural Municipality 18, Tamankhola Rural Municipality four, Tarakhola Rural Municipality one.

The hospital has been overwhelmed with dengue patients.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) funded projects have paved the way for new opportunities in areas of economic cooperation between Nepal and the US.

He also expressed his hopes of enhancing trade connectivity for Nepal throughout Asia, and that the effective implementation of the compact’s projects would contribute significantly to Nepal's economic development and poverty reduction. He appreciated the US Government for continued cooperation and assistance.  Speaking at a program to celebrate the launch of the MCC-Nepal compact, PM Dahal and senior leaders expressed their full-commitment to expedite the implementation of MCC projects.

The five-year program was launched on 30 Aug 2023, with an Entry into Force (EIF) letter exchange between Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat and MCC Vice-president-Compact Operations Cameron Alford. The project will have to be completed within the next four years and six months.   

EIF is an important milestone for MCC compacts as it marks the fulfillment of necessary conditions and sufficient preparations to ensure successful completion of compact projects within a five-year timeline. Minister Mahat expressed his belief that the MCC Nepal Compact’s projects will support Nepal’s growth and benefit the people of Nepal through better roads and more reliable electricity.

In her remarks, MCC CEO Albright said: “We worked with the Government of Nepal to set ambitious goals with this program in order to achieve great things with the people of Nepal. We stand ready to be a steadfast partner and have full confidence in the leadership of the Government of Nepal and their implementing agency, MCA-Nepal.”

“We are ready to face the inevitable challenges together and deliver a successful program,” US Ambassador Dean R Thompson added that “the MCC-Nepal Compact is another in a long line of important US initiatives supporting economic growth for the Nepali people and marks yet another significant milestone in the 76-year long friendship between Nepal and the United States.”

During her three-day visit, MCC CEO Albright met with key government officials and stakeholders in the implementation of the Compact, attended a tree-planting ceremony to emphasize the importance MCC places on environmental protection and climate preservation, and observed ongoing work with the Department of Roads in training engineers to use climate-smart, sustainable technology to create a safer transportation network that is easier to maintain and better for the environment.  

Highlighting the Compact’s aim to foster inclusive economic growth for the people of Nepal, MCC CEO Albright also met with women executives who shared with her their experiences, work, and hopes for a more prosperous Nepal.

The GoN and MCC signed the MCC Nepal Compact on 14 Sept 2017 for two projects, the Electricity Transmission Project and the Road Maintenance Project, which will result in more reliable electricity and more cost-effective transportation in Nepal.

Alice Albright, chief executive officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, is confident that two vital projects—a transmission line’s construction and road upgrades—under MCC Nepal Compact will be completed within the five-year deadline. Initiated in August, just four years and 11 months remain to meet this goal.  

In an exclusive conversation with a select group of journalists, Albright highlighted that the top leaders of Nepal’s three major political parties—CPN (Maoist Center), Nepali Congress, and CPN-UML—stand firmly in favor of these projects’ execution. After meetings with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, she said that she received their unequivocal commitment to removing any obstacles that might hinder the progress of these projects. 

During the press conference, senior officials from MCA-Nepal reported that they have not encountered any major challenges in the field during the project’s implementation.

Highlights

• Investment $500m from the United Nations and $197 from Nepal
• Electricity transmission project: Up to 66 percent Nepal homes and businesses will gain better access to clean Nepali hydropower
• Road maintenance project: Up to 130 km cost-effective, safer, climate sustainable roads along national highways
• Introduction of innovative, sustainable full depth reclamation and superpave asphalt technology for road maintenance

The joint press statement issued after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s China visit contains elements that can drag Nepal into the geopolitical rivalry between China and US, experts have warned. They fear that the statement may even give rise to questions over Nepal’s long-standing policy of non-alignment.

It is obvious that Nepal does not want to get caught in the US-China rivalry. But Clause 6 of the statement reads, “Recognizing that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal Government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, the Nepali side is against ‘Taiwan independence’.”

Though not explicitly mentioned in the document, parts of GCI and GSI have been incorporated in the press statement.  In the past, Nepal used to reaffirm its commitment to one-China policy without further elaboration. The document explicitly states that Nepali side is against Taiwanese independence. The document further says that Nepali Nepali side reiterated its firm commitment to the one-China principle.

Geopolitical analyst Vijay Kanta Karna argues that it is wrong to mention “principle” instead of “policy” in the joint statement. “How will Nepal apply this principle in other areas?” he questions, describing the use of the word “principle” instead of “policy” in the document as ‘very concerning and disturbing’.

According to Karna, Nepal has been consistently expressing commitment to “one-China policy” in the official document without much talk about Taiwan. Now, however, Nepal itself has gotten involved in this issue, he observes, “Nepal has become a part of international geopolitics between America and China unnecessarily, This is an unwarranted statement.”

This policy is different from the policy that the erstwhile Sher Bahadur Deuba government had adopted. When US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 2022 visit to Taiwan caused tensions, Nepal just said it was closely following the developments and reiterated its commitment to one-China policy, despite pressure from the Chinese side to side with it on the issue of Taiwan. The statement shows Nepal is trying to align with China’s national security, Karna says.

Foreign policy expert Gopal Khanal agrees that there was no need for Nepal to mention Taiwan in the joint statement because our one-China policy covers all issues. As there was no progress on BRI, Dahal agreed to such a language to appease the Chinese, Khanal says: Such acts may put us in a difficult situation.

On Global Security Initiatives (GSI) and Global Civilizational Initiative (GCI), China expected Nepal to support and welcome the initiatives. According to the officials, this was mentioned in the first draft of the statement, only to be omitted after the Nepali side did not agree. Nepal has welcomed the Global Development Initiative (GDI) with two projects under it already implemented in the country.

“China supports Nepal’s independent choice of social system and development path that suits its national conditions,” the joint statement reads further, in a marked departure from the past. 

PM Dahal’s China visit has failed to make remarkable progress on development cooperation and it was heavily focused on security issues. Per the statement, the two sides agreed to expedite the ratification of the China-Nepal Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, though the matter is sub-judice in Nepal’s Supreme Court.

The reasons behind the inclusion of terms like ‘social system’ and ‘development path’ in the joint statement aren’t clear, either. According to analyst Karna, ‘social system’ is a part of GCI and Nepal’s development path has already been determined in Nepal’s Constitution and there are no questions over it in Nepal. Experts fear that such carelessness on the part of the PM may affect Nepal’s principled position of not engaging in great power confrontations and sticking to the policy of non-alignment.