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A Russian airstrike ripped apart a theater where hundreds of people have been living in the besieged city of Mariupol, Ukrainian officials said, as Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a “self-purification” to rid his country of anyone who questions his invasion, Associated Press reported.

The bombardment Wednesday of the theater, which had become a makeshift shelter as combat tore across the port city over the past three weeks and made thousands homeless, left many people buried in the burning rubble, Ukraine’s foreign ministry said in a statement. There was no immediate word on how many people were killed or injured. 

At least as recently as Monday, the pavement in front of and behind the once-elegant theater was marked with huge white letters spelling out “CHILDREN” in Russian, according to images released by the Maxar space technology company.

"My heart breaks from what Russia is doing to our people,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday night, hours after he delivered a speech via video to the US Congress that garnered several ovations, according to the Associated Press.

The Russian defense ministry denied bombing the theater or anywhere else in Mariupol on Wednesday.

Russian attacks have battered cities and villages across large parts of Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv, where residents have been huddling in homes and shelters. Russian troops shelled areas in and around the city on Wednesday, including a residential neighborhood just 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the presidential palace. A 12-story Kyiv apartment building erupted in flames after being hit by shrapnel.

Putin went on television to excoriate Russians who don’t back him, even as both sides expressed optimism over efforts to negotiate an end to the fighting, 

Russians “will always be able to distinguish true patriots from scum and traitors and will simply spit them out like a gnat that accidentally flew into their mouths,” he said. “I am convinced that such a natural and necessary self-purification of society will only strengthen our country.”

He said the West is using a “fifth column” of traitorous Russians to create civil unrest. 

“And there is only one goal, I have already spoken about it — the destruction of Russia,” he said. 

The speech appeared to be a warning that his authoritarian rule, which had already grown tighter since the invasion began on Feb. 24, shutting down Russian news outlets and arresting protesters, could grow even more repressive, Associated Press reported.

In a sign of that, Russian law enforcement announced the first known criminal cases under a new law that allows for 15-year prison terms for posting what is deemed to be “false information” about the Ukraine war. Among those charged was Veronika Belotserkovskaya, a Russian-language cookbook author and blogger living abroad. 

But is also came amid signs that talks were finally making progress. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after Tuesday’s meeting that a neutral military status for Ukraine was being “seriously discussed” by the two sides, while Zelenskyy said Russia’s demands for ending the war were becoming “more realistic.”

Wednesday’s talks, held by video, appeared to wade more deeply into technicalities. 

Zelenskyy adviser Mikhailo Podolyak said Ukraine demanded a cease-fire, the withdrawal of Russian troops and security guarantees for Ukraine from several countries.

“This is possible only through direct dialogue” between Zelenskyy and Putin, he tweeted.

An official in Zelenskyy’s office told The Associated Press that the main subject under discussion was whether Russian troops would remain in separatist regions in eastern Ukraine after the war and where the borders would be.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks, said Ukraine was insisting on the inclusion of one or more Western nuclear powers in the negotiations and on a legally binding document with security guarantees for Ukraine. In exchange, the official said, Ukraine was ready to discuss a neutral status, according to the Associated Press.

Russia has demanded that NATO pledge never to admit Ukraine to the alliance or station forces there.

Earlier Wednesday, Zelenskyy went before the US Congress via video and, invoking Pearl Harbor and 9/11, pleaded with America for more weapons and tougher sanctions against Russia, saying: “We need you right now.”

US President Joe Biden announced the US was sending an additional $800 million in military aid to Ukraine. He also called Vladimir Putin a “war criminal,” in his sharpest condemnation since the invasion began.

Russian forces destroyed a theater in Mariupol where hundreds of people were sheltering Wednesday and rained fire on other cities, Ukrainian authorities said, even as the two sides projected optimism over efforts to negotiate an end to the fighting, Associated Press reported.

The airstrike ripped apart the center of the once-elegant building, where hundreds of civilians had been living since their homes had been destroyed in the fighting, Ukraine’s foreign ministry said in a statement. 

Many people were buried in the rubble, the statement said, though there was no immediate word on how many had been killed or injured. Satellite imagery from Monday showed the word “CHILDREN” written in Russian in large, white capital letters on the pavement in front of and behind the building, the Maxar space technology company said.

“My heart breaks from what Russia is doing to our people,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address, calling for more sanctions on Russia after the bombing.

The Russian defense ministry denied bombing the theater or anywhere else in Mariupol on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.

In Kyiv, residents huddled in homes and shelters during a citywide curfew that was set to run until Thursday morning, as Russian troops shelled areas in and around the city, including a residential neighborhood 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the presidential palace. A 12-story apartment building in central Kyiv erupted in flames after being hit by shrapnel. 

And 10 people were killed while standing in line for bread in the northern city of Chernihiv, the Ukrainian General Prosecutor’s Office said.

Earlier Wednesday, Zelenskyy went before the US Congress via video and, invoking Pearl Harbor and 9/11, pleaded with America for more weapons and tougher sanctions against Russia, saying: “ We need you right now.”

US President Joe Biden announced that the US is sending an additional $800 million in military aid to Ukraine, including more anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons and drones. He also called Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” in his sharpest condemnation of the Russian leader since the invasion began, Associated Press reported.

International pressure against the Kremlin mounted and its isolation deepened as the International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, ordered Russia to stop attacking Ukraine, though there was little hope it would comply. Also, the 47-nation Council of Europe, the continent’s foremost human rights body, expelled Russia.

While Moscow’s ground advance on the Ukrainian capital appeared largely stalled, Putin said during a speech Wednesday that the operation was unfolding “successfully, in strict accordance with pre-approved plans.” He also decried Western sanctions, accusing the West of trying to “squeeze us, to put pressure on us, to turn us into a weak, dependent country.”

And he accused Russians who are sympathetic to the West or have adopted Western lifestyles of being a “so-called fifth column” and “national traitors.”

The anti-Western speech came as Russian law enforcement announced the first known criminal cases under a new that allows for prison terms of up to 15 years for posting what the Kremlin deems is false information about the war. Among those charged was Veronika Belotserkovskaya, a Russian-language cookbook author and popular blogger living abroad, according to the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russia resumed talks via video on Wednesday, with Zelenskyy adviser Mikhailo Podolyak saying Ukraine was demanding a cease-fire, the withdrawal of Russian troops and legal security guarantees for Ukraine from several countries.

“This is possible only through direct dialogue” between Zelenskyy and Putin, he tweeted.

An official in Zelenskyy’s office told The Associated Press that the main subject under discussion was whether Russian troops would remain in the two separatist regions of eastern Ukraine after the war and where the borders would be.

Just before the war, Russia recognized the independence of two regions controlled by Russian-backed separatists since 2014 and extended the borders of those regions to areas Ukraine had continued to hold, including the strategically important port city of Mariupol, which has endured a brutal siege.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks, said Ukraine was insisting on the inclusion of one or more Western nuclear powers in the negotiations and on the signing of a legally binding document with security guarantees for Ukraine. In exchange, the official said, Ukraine was ready to discuss a neutral status.

Russia has demanded that NATO pledge never to admit Ukraine to the alliance or station forces there.

After Tuesday’s negotiations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said a neutral military status for Ukraine was being “seriously discussed” by the two sides, while Zelenskyy said Russia’s demands for ending the war were becoming “more realistic.”

Hopes for diplomatic progress to end the war rose after Zelenskyy acknowledged Tuesday in the most explicit terms yet that Ukraine is unlikely to realize its goal of joining NATO. Putin has long depicted Ukraine’s NATO aspirations as a threat to Russia.

Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), the state-owned monopoly, hiked the prices of petroleum products yet again on Wednesday.

The NOC has decided to increase Rs 5 per litre each in petrol, diesel and kerosene.

As per the new revised rate, the petrol will now cost Rs 155 per litre and diesel and kerosene will cost Rs 138 per litre.

The decision will come into effect from today midnight.

The NOC, however, has not increased the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

Holi or the festival of colours, is being celebrated with much fanfare in hilly areas, including the Capital city, on Thursday, while it will be celebrated in the Terai region tomorrow.

The Phagu Poornima celebration begins with a Holika Dahan or making a bonfire commemorating the death of Holika on the eve of Holi, the symbol of triumph of good over evil.

The next day, people enjoy smearing one another with different colours including Abir or red vermilion powder.

Among various cultural festivals celebrated in Nepal, the Phagu Poornima carries its own specialty and significance. People of all age enjoy the festival with enthusiasm.

One of the widely observed festivals of the country, Phagu Poornima begins on the eighth day of the new moon and ends with burning of the 'Chir' on the full moon day later today.

According to a Hindu myth, demon king Hiranyakashyapu who was unhappy with his son Prahlad for his wholehearted devotion to the God Bishnu ordered his sister Holika to kill Prahalad. Following her brother's instruction Holika who had a boon from the god that fire would not harm her sat on a fire by taking Prahlad on her lap, but was burnt to death while Prahalad remained unhurt due to the blessing of God Bishnu.

From then onwards, the festival also known as Holi is celebrated by smearing colour with enjoyment. There is also a saying that Lord Bishnu had told Holika that the boon she had received would be meaningless if it was misused.

Senior people believe that any premonitions can be avoided if "Tika" made from the ashes of the 'Chir' is put on one's forehead or kept in the house.

The government has declared public holiday to celebrate the festival. 

Meanwhile, as many as 3,500 police personnel have been deployed in Kathmandu Valley to ensure celebration of Holi festival in a peaceful, decent and civilized manner. RSS

We believe the music video of Prakash Saput’s new song ‘Pir’—as well as the debate around it—reflects growing maturity of Nepali society. The video focuses on a former Maoist couple and their little daughter who are pushed into poverty post-rebellion. While many of the rebel leaders reaped political rewards after the start of the peace process, most of the rank and file were left to fend for themselves. Troubled by her family’s penury, the wife pictured in the video decides to head abroad in search of work. There, she realizes that manpower agents have duped her. 

The desolate husband wants to get his beleaguered wife back into the country. But his repeated pleas to high-ranking government officials—including a former Maoist leader who is now a minister—fall on deaf ears. In a scene, the lonely husband is shown visiting a prostitute, only to discover that she too was a former Maoist fighter. The depiction of a former Maoist fighter as a prostitute has riled many ex-Maoists. But Baburam Bhattarai, the brain behind the rebellion, has praised the song that speaks of the urgent need to finish an ‘incomplete revolution’.

A democratic society should allow artists to push the boundaries of freedom and the bar for restricting such freedom must be high. Even before this, there have been important debates around such boundary-pushing music videos: one questioning the tradition of women fasting for the longevity of their husbands, the other lampooning ‘looting’ political leaders. They were controversial too but generated some much-needed debate for the same reason.

The ‘Pir’ music video also speaks of the need to repeatedly question history. Few other topics are as divisive in Nepal as the ‘people’s war’ that claimed 17,000 lives. Only by continuing to question its relevance and achievements will the country learn the right lessons and avoid a similar catastrophe. Artists with mass appeal are perfectly placed to raise these vital issues. And it is only right that they do so. Why should our music videos be only about cotton-candy love?

The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has obtained a revised price list of petroleum products from the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).

The revised IOC price list puts the highest purchase prices for the NOC so far.

As per the IOC new price list, the NOC shall pay Rs 182.81 for petrol per liter, Rs 169.44 for diesel, Rs 113.49 for kerosene, Rs 131.94 for avian turbine fuel (domestic), Rs 114.51 for aviation fuel (international), Rs 2,240.34 for per filled cylinder of LP gas to IOC for the import and the figures include the import tax.

The NOC is expected to incur a loss of Rs 10.61 billion from the supplies of petroleum products in a month (mid- March-mid April), according to NOC Spokesperson Binitmani Upadhyay.

However, the NOC has been securing gross profits from the sale of kerosene and aviation fuel and the profit has no significant contribution to reduce the loss. 

As per the new price list, the NOC has incurred a loss of Rs 32.81 on petrol per liter, Rs 36.44 on diesel and Rs 665.34 per filled gas cylinder.

However, it has been enjoying a profit of Rs 19.51 on kerosene per liter, Rs 4.6 on aviation fuel (domestic) and Rs 43.84 on aviation fuel (international).

Nepal has consumed 32,915 kiloliters petrol, 86,910 kiloliters diesel, 770 kiloliters kerosene, 2,779 kiloliters aviation fuel (domestic), 4,000 kiloliters aviation fuel (international) and 1,899,278 filled gas cylinders in 15 days period, the NOC has estimated.

Currently, petrol is available in the market at Rs 150 per liter. Similarly, price of diesel and kerosene is Rs 133 each, Rs 136 aviation fuel (domestic), 1.29 dollar aviation fuel (international) and Rs 1,575 per filled gas cylinder.

The government has been levying various taxes on the import of petroleum products at the customs point. The government has been imposing Rs 59.48 in tax on petrol per liter, Rs 42.16 on diesel, Rs 13.36 on kerosene and Rs 19.49 on aviation fuel (domestic).

Similarly, the government has been levying Rs 2.8 in tax on aviation fuel (international) and Rs 280.30 per filled cylinder on LGP Gas. The various taxes levied on petroleum products are supposed for road maintenance, pollution, VAT, price stabilization fund among others.

The sales price of petroleum products is determined by adding the transportation fare, administrative and sales expenses of the Corporation as well as insurance, technical loss and profit for the sellers. RSS

Nine out of 10 Ukrainians could face poverty and extreme economic vulnerability if the war drags on over the next year, wiping out two decades of economic gains, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, said that his agency was working with the Kyiv government to avoid a worst case scenario of the economy collapsing. It aimed to provide cash transfers to families to buy food to survive and keep them from fleeing while propping up basic services.

“If the conflict is a protracted one, if it were to continue, we are going to see poverty rates escalate very significantly,” Steiner told Reuters.

“Clearly the extreme end of the scenario is an implosion of the economy as a whole. And that could ultimately lead to up to 90% of people either being below the poverty line or being at high risk of (poverty),” he said in a video interview from New York.

The poverty line is generally defined as purchasing power of $5.50 to $13 per person per day, he added in a video interview from New York. Before Russia launched its invasion on Feb. 24, an estimated 2% of Ukrainians lived below the $5.50 line, he said.

Ukraine’s top government economic adviser Oleg Ustenko said last Thursday that invading Russian forces have so far destroyed at least $100 billion worth of infrastructure and that 50% of Ukrainian businesses had shut down completely, according to Reuters.

“We estimate that up to 18 years of development gains of Ukraine could be simply be wiped out in a matter of 12 to 18 months,” Steiner said.

UNDP is looking at “tried and tested” programmes that it has used in other conflict situations, he said.

“Cash transfers programmes particularly in a country such as Ukraine where the financial system and architecture is still functional, where ATMs are available, a critical way in which to reach people quickly is with cash transfers or a temporary basic income,” he said.

The logistical challenges were significant but “not insurmountable”, he said.

“Clearly some of the recent announcements by World Bank and International Monetary Fund in terms of credit lines and funding that is being made available will obviously assist Ukrainian authorities to be able to deploy such a programme,” he said.

The UNDP report said that an emergency cash transfer operation, costing about $250 million per month, would cover partial income losses for 2.6 million people expected to fall into poverty. A more ambitious temporary basic income programme to provide $5.50 per day per person would cost $430 million a month, Reuters reported.

Ukraine’s economy is expected to contract by 10% in 2022 as a result of Russia’s invasion, but the outlook could worsen sharply if the conflict lasts longer, the IMF said in a staff report released on Monday.

The World Bank on Monday approved nearly $200 million in additional and reprogrammed financing to bolster Ukraine’s support of vulnerable people. The funding comes on top of $723 million approved last week and is part of a $3 billion package of support that the World Bank is racing to get to Ukraine and its people in coming weeks, according to Reuters.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NESPE) plunged by19.65 points to close 2631.32 points on Wednesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index fell 5.22 points to close at 497.37 points.

A total of 4,967,471 units of the shares of 231 companies were traded for Rs 2.57 billion.

Likewise, all the sub-indices saw red except for Hotels And Tourism, Non Life Insurance and Mutual fund in today’s market.

Meanwhile, Emerging Limited Nepal (EML) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9.98 percent while United IDI Mardi RB Hydropower Limited (UMRH) was the top loser with its price fell by 4.92 percent.