KATHMANDU: The Government of Nepal (GoN) has condemned the shooting at mosques in Christchruch, Zealand through a condolence message. The government has extended condolences to the government and people of New Zealand and the aggrieved family. Similarly, GoN also wishes for speedy recovery of those injured in the incident in its condolence message.
The death toll in the mosque shootings has reached 49 after 10 more people were reported to have been killed in another mosque on Friday.
The incident occurred at 1:30 pm (according to local time) during prayer time at the mosque. The culprit is believed to have been inspired by the racist motive of white supremacy.
Incidents of gunshots had been reported at Linwood Mosque and a Hospital outside of Christchurch.
KATHMANDU: Netra Bikram Chand Biplav-led group is using six districts of Karnali Province as a base area for its activities. The group has the strategy to raise fund through extortion in city areas and indoctrinate villagers against the local representatives, according to a highly-placed source at Nepal Army (NA).
Given its activities including extortion and collection of weapons, the group is likely to pose a threat to the state in the near future, the source said, adding, “If restrictions are not imposed, the group might put the national economy in jeopardy.”
“Police alone are unable to contain the group. The army should be mobilized to control Biplav activities,” said the army source.
A cabinet meeting on Tuesday had decided to put a ban on the activities of the Biplav-led party, terming it a ‘criminal’ group following a tip-off by the NA that the group was giving training to its cadres with weapons.
Talking to journalists at Singha Durbar on Thursday, Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Gokul Prasad Baskota said the government banned the group after its illegal weapons were seized.
Biplav-led group has become stronger following the government’s ban on it. There were some differences between Biplav and Khadga Bahadur Bishwokarma ‘Prakanda’ over issues related to extortion, mobilization of class-based organization and liaison with the civil society and media persons.
Biplav group holds 3,000 cadres
Biplav group had been carrying out explosions in various places of the country, including the one at Bhainsepati, where a man was killed and two others injured.
The number of Biplav cadres cannot be underestimated. NA said that there are around 3,000 cadres in Biplav group. He might use them against the state at any time in the future.
Similarly, the group may have around 1,000 arms including homemade and sophisticated ones, of which 100 are automatic.
Biplav has a drone capable of hitting 500-meter-range target
According to army sources, Biplav has a drone that can hit the target at the distance of 500 meters. Biplav had successfully tested the drone few days ago, army source said.
The drone can carry a half kilogram of explosive devices. Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police has also started investigation on the test of drone by the group.
As opposed to the assessment of the NA, Nepal Police has considered Biplav group as a ‘minor criminal group’.
Police said his activities can be controlled through legal actions.
“Biplav group is involved in criminal activities rather than political ones. It is intending to expand its activities by means of extortion and explosion,” said police.
“We are preparing to take actions as per the government decision in line with the existing criminal law,” said SSP Uttam Raj Subedi.
Earlier, Biplav group’s decision to carry out high-profile killings including Nepal Communist Party chairmen, KP Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal had hit headlines.
Police have arrested 411 leaders and cadres of Biplav group in the last 11 months, 73 in the last one month alone. Police have recently launched a ‘search and arrest’ operation. Most of the Biplav cadres and leaders have gone underground since the police imposed this operation.
KATHMANDU: Nepal Academy is going to bring out a peer-reviewed journal. It is going to upgrade ‘Pragya,’ its half-yearly publication into a standard journal.
The attempt is made considering the demand from the intellectual and academic community, according to Dr Gopindra Poudel, chief of the Academy’s Department of Literary Criticism and Essay.
Poudel is the Chief Editor of ‘Pragya’ which has been featuring research-based articles on language, literature, culture, philosophy and social sciences, among various topics.
DAMAULI: Tulasa Thapa, Nepal Communist Party (NCP) leader and House of Representatives member, has announced to set up a revolving fund of one million rupees at a school in her parental village.
The revolving fund would be set up at Kaliganga Secondary School at Baidi, Devghat rural municipality-2 in the memory of Thapa’s father, Pahal Singh and mother, Bhim Kumari. It is called the Pahal Singh- Bhim Kumari Memorial Revolving Fund.
Thapa is the spouse of NCP secretariat member and former Deputy Prime Minister, Bamdev Gautam. The amount from the interest of the fund would be provided as stipend to a meritorious girl and a meritorious boy student in grade one at the school coming from poor families.
KATHMANDU: The total 34,037 vehicles have faced action for defying the ‘no horn’ rule in the Kathmandu Valley since the rule is in force.
On April 14, 2017, the government declared the valley a ‘no horn zone’ keeping in view noise pollution affecting the health of the people. “The number of vehicles violating the rule has increased. So the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division has tightened the screw on vehicles blowing horns rampantly,” said Senior Superintendent of Police Basanta Panta.
Noise pollution may cause various health problems like hearing loss, high blood pressure, heart attack, paralysis, respiratory problem and memory loss, according to doctors.
The division imposes a fine of Rs 500 on each vehicle defying the rule. Out of the total 3,200,000 vehicles plying across the country, the valley has 800,000, said the Department of Transport Management.
NEW ZEALAND: The death toll in the mosque shootings in the country has reached 40 after 10 more people were reported to have been killed in another mosque on Friday.
According to a Daily Mail report, 30 people were killed while 50 others sustained critical injuries an Australian national went on a shooting spree at Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch in New Zealand. Similarly, 10 people died at a gunshot incident at Linwood Mosque.
The culprit is identified as 28 years old Brenton Tarrant from Grafton, New South Wales. Police have taken him under control. It is not yet known whether the same assailant was involved in the gunshot incident at Linwood Mosque, too.
The incident occurred at 1:30 pm (according to local time) during prayer time at the mosque. The culprit is believed to have been inspired by the racist motive of white supremacy.
Incidents of gunshots had been reported at Linwood Mosque and a Hospital outside of Christchurch.
NEW ZEALAND: The Bangladesh cricket team was just pulling up at one of the two targeted mosques as the attack began, the team’s coach told.
A video posted to Twitter showed the Bangladesh sportsmen walking away from the mosque as a police car heads in the opposite direction, sirens wailing.
The team were due to play against the New Zealand team in the coming week, but local media reporting the match has been canceled.
Bangladesh team escaped from a mosque near Hagley Park where there were active shooters. They ran back through Hagley Park back to the Oval. pic.twitter.com/VtkqSrljjV
— Mohammad Isam (@Isam84) March 15, 2019
(Agencies)
NEW ZEALAND: Several people have been feared dead after shootings at two mosques in the city of Christchurch, police in New Zealand have confirmed.
Police commissioner Mike Bush confirmed that one person is in custody, but said it was unclear if others were involved.
Witnesses told local media they ran for their lives, and saw people bleeding on the ground outside the Al Noor mosque.
Authorities advised all mosques to shut down until further notice. All Christchurch schools are on lockdown.
In a statement to the nation, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said details were not yet clear, “but I can tell you now – this will be one of New Zealand’s darkest days”.
Mohan Ibrahim, who was in the area of the Al Noor mosque, told the New Zealand Herald: “At first we thought it was an electric shock but then all these people started running.
“I still have friends inside.
“I have been calling my friends but there are many I haven’t heard from. I am scared for my friends lives.”
It is not yet known how many shooters there were, but the Herald reports that one gunman is believed to be an Australian who has written a manifesto outlining his intentions. In it, he espouses far-right ideology and anti-immigrant ideology.
Unverified footage purportedly taken by the shooter has emerged, suggesting he filmed as he shot victims.
Just 1% of New Zealand’s population of almost five million are Muslim, according to government statistics, less than 50,000 people in 2013.
“Muslims are the most rapidly growing religious group in New Zealand with the population increasing six-fold between 1991 and 2006,” according to Victoria University of Wellington research.
In comparison, New Zealand has a much higher population of Christians, including Catholics, Anglicans and Presbyterians, as well as Hindu and Buddhist citizens.
3/5 We urge New Zealanders to stay vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour immediately to 111. We are mobilising resources nationally and support is being brought into the District. We are still working to resolve this incident and we continue to urge Christchurch…
— New Zealand Police (@nzpolice) March 15, 2019
(Agencies)
DOLAKHA: Two people have died while 4 others sustained critical injuries when a bus carrying workers met with an accident at Naya Road of Bigu Rural Municipality in the district on Friday morning.
The deceased have been identified as Dinesh Thapa, 38, of Chaukune Rural Municipality-3, Surkhet and Hari Prasad Mijar, 44, of Marsyangdi Rural Municipality, Lamjung, said police.
The condition of the four among those injured is critical. They have been rushed to Kathmandu while the others are undergoing treatment at the district hospital Charikot.
The accident took place when the bus, Ba 4 Kha 4573, was ferrying the workers to the construction site of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydro Project.
A total of 25 passengers were travelling in the ill fated bus. The bus skidded off and fell some 30 meters down the road.
CALIFORNIA: Facebook Chief Product Officer Chris Cox and Head of WhatsApp Chris Daniels have resigned from their posts, announced Mark Zuckerberg, founder of the social media giant, reported BBC.
The changes come shortly after Mr Zuckerberg outlined his plan to transform Facebook into a “privacy-focused platform.”
However, no explicit reason behind their departure has been mentioned.
Mr Cox joined in 2005, a year after Facebook was founded, while Mr Daniels took up his role only a year ago.
According to the report, Facebook is planning to merge WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger to revamp privacy controls.
Mr Cox, a confidante of Mr Zuckerberg, started as a software engineer at the firm and helped to build several key features including News Feed.
He also held several senior roles, heading up human resources and helping to launch Facebook’s business platform Workplace.
(Agencies)