Koirala's Death Sparks 'Controversy' in Nepali Media

The sudden demise of Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala has sparked a debate as to who will lead the establishment faction of the party against the rival group led by influential leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, at the upcoming general convention. His death is a serious blow to the Koirala family that has led the party's establishment side for decades, mainly because it comes at such a critical time when conventions for electing local and district-level representatives have already begun.

"He died a comfortable death. It was a good death indeed," it was what one could hear at every intersection of the Kathmandu Valley early Tuesday morning. I too wondered what's that 'good death' was and whose this was. The untimely demise of the Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Sushil Koirala that was spreading shock waves all across the country and Nepali diaspora abroad.There are at least three winning tickets in the US for the record $1.6bn (£1.1bn) lottery jackpot, officials have said. The winning tickets in the Powerball jackpot were sold in California, Tennessee and Florida. The previous draw was the 19th without a grand prize winner, which requires all six numbers to match. Officials said it would take several hours to know if there were any other winning tickets. Powerball USA tweetImage copyrightPowerball USA Winning numbers in 13 January draw The identity of the winners is not yet known. Thousands of people queued up outside shops across the US on Wednesday, hoping to defy the odds of 292.2 million to one. California Lottery tweeted that the winning ticket in the state was sold at a 7-Eleven store in Chino Hills, a suburb east of Los Angeles. Television pictures showed a cheering crowd gathering at the shop after the result was announced. The winners will share a prize of $1.586bn. They can collect their winnings in annual payments over 29 years, or opt to share a lump-sum payment of $930m. The government will also share in the big prize, however, levying a 39.6% federal income tax on the winners - and the payout will also be subject any taxes that the winners' home states may impose.