Submit your Article

India beat the Netherlands by 17 runs in their final Twenty20 World Cup Group A match on Wednesday in Ahmedabad as the co-hosts and defending champions maintained their perfect record heading into the Super Eight stage, Reuters reported. 

After winning the toss and opting to bat, India posted 193-6 on a slow pitch on the back of Shivam Dube's 66 off 31 balls in the middle order while Logan van Beek finished with figures of 3-56.

In response, the already-eliminated Dutch side managed only 176-7 after Varun Chakravarthy picked up three wickets for just 14 runs while Dube also took two wickets to win the player of the match award, according to Reuters. 

Anthony Gordon struck four times in the first half as Newcastle United thrashed Qarabag 6-1 away in their Champions League playoff first leg on Wednesday, to all but book their place in the last 16, Reuters reported. 

Gordon opened the scoring in the third minute and Malick Thiaw headed in from a corner six minutes later to earn an early two-goal lead.

The 24-year-old Englishman made it 3-0 from the spot in the 32nd minute following a handball, added his third a minute later after a defensive error and converted another penalty in added time before the break, when keeper Mateusz Kochalski brought him down inside the box, according to Reuters. 

Teenager Tom Edozie scored a 94th-minute equaliser on debut as Arsenal let a two-goal lead slip at bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers in a 2-2 draw on Wednesday, wasting a big chance to move clear in the Premier League title race, Reuters reported. 

Arsenal have 58 points from 27 matches, five ahead of second-placed Manchester City having played a game more. Wolves are on 10 points from 27 games, still one shy of Derby County’s record low of 11.

Bukayo Saka celebrated his new five-year contract with a first goal in 16 games on a bitterly cold night in the West Midlands, before Piero Hincapie doubled the advantage 10 minutes into the second half, according to Reuters. 

Club Brugge's Christos Tzolis tucked away a late equaliser to secure a dramatic 3-3 draw with Atletico Madrid in their Champions League playoff first leg on Wednesday as the Belgian side avoided defeat after an agonising own goal appeared to have cost them, Reuters reported. 

Tzolis slammed home an angled shot in the 89th minute to level the tie although the goal was initially ruled out for offside but then confirmed after a VAR check.

Brugge fought back from a 2-0 halftime deficit to equalise but then looked to have thrown it away when Joel Ordonez turned the ball into his own net in the 79th minute, according to Reuters. 

Prime Minister Sushila Karki has extended greetings to all Nepali sisters and brothers on the occasion of the 76th National Democracy Day.

Expressing her best wishes through social media, Prime Minister Karki recalled that the first parliamentary election in 2015 BS began on this day. She noted that the election followed the 2007 BS revolution, which transformed people from commoners into citizens and said that the day is also commemorated as Election Day.

 “We failed at the leadership level to make democracy a way of life. We had to wage protest repeatedly. Now we must end that. Let us resolve against corruption, nepotism and discrimination, and address it through institutional reforms.”

Referring to today as Election Day, the Prime Minister has urged unity for democratic stability and building a prosperous Nepal through free and fair elections.

Prime Minister Karki has also paid heartfelt tributes to all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of democracy and good governance in the country.

President Ram Chandra Paudel has expressed his hope that Democracy Day would help achieve national goals of sustainable peace, good governance, development and prosperity in the country.

In a message of best wishes on the occasion of National Democracy Day, 2082, President Paudel has said that the 2007 BS revolution should not be forgotten, as it was an important foundation for the establishment of the federal democratic republic and the creation of the current Constitution made by the people themselves. "Democracy Day perpetuates the importance of civil rights and also always reminds us of the immortal story of the martyrs," he has said in the message.

He expressed his hope that Democracy Day would contribute to achieving the nation’s goals of sustainable peace, good governance, development, and prosperity. He also paid heartfelt tribute to all known and unknown martyrs who sacrificed their precious lives in the various struggles to establish democracy. Furthermore, he conveyed his deep respect and admiration for the leaders who guided and led the movements for democracy in the country.

Ram Chandra Paudel also appealed to all citizens to actively contribute to the success of the House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5. He emphasized that the elections would help strengthen the constitution and democracy, and pave the way toward good governance and rapid development in line with the people’s aspirations.

Democracy Day is observed every year on Falgun 7 of the Lunar Calendar to commemorate and honor the historic achievement of securing human rights and civil liberties following the success of the 2007 BS revolution and the sacrifices made in the struggle against autocratic rule.

In a similar message, Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav has said that today inspires us to move forward unitedly towards ending poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and discrimination while maintaining the federalism, inclusiveness, proportional representation and rule of law enshrined in the Constitution. 

The Vice President has emphasized that on Democracy Day, everyone concerned should fulfill their responsibilities honestly to protect civil rights, ensure equal opportunities, build an egalitarian society based on social justice and strengthen the federal democratic republic.

The first meeting of the Nepal–Portugal Bilateral Consultation Mechanism will be held in Lisbon on Friday. 

The meeting will review the overall status of Nepal-Portugal relations, including issues of common interest, as well as cooperation in regional and multilateral forums.

Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amrit Bahadur Rai, has arrived here to co-chair the meeting, leading the Nepali delegation. 

While in Lisbon, the Foreign Secretary will also meet with other senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, officially inaugurate the newly opened Nepali Embassy, and hold an interaction with representatives of the Nepali community in Portugal, according to the Embassy of Nepal in Lisbon. 

It is estimated that over 40,000 Nepali nationals are currently residing in Portugal and are employed in various professions.

The Nepali delegation includes senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as Nepali Ambassador to Portugal Prakash Mani Poudel and other officials of the embassy.

The Foreign Secretary will return to Kathmandu on February 22. 

The Bilateral Consultation Mechanism between Nepal and Portugal was established in 2018.

The weather today will remain generally cloudy in the hilly and mountainous region and partly cloudy in the remaining places of the country. 

In addition, there is a possibility of light rain and snow at a few places in the hilly and mountainous region of Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces, and at one or two places in the remaining hilly and mountainous region. Likewise, Fog and mist will occur at a few places over the Tarai region during the morning, according to the 8 am bulletin by the Weather Forecasting Division.

Tonight, generally cloudy conditions will prevail over the mountainous region of the country. Partly cloudy conditions will prevail over the Tarai region of Koshi and Bagmati Provinces and hilly region of Madhesh Province as well as the remaining hilly region, while the Tarai region of other provinces will remain mainly fair. There is a chance of light rain and snow at one or two isolated places over the high hilly and mountainous region of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces. Fog will occur at a few places over the Tarai region.

Meanwhile, meteorological analysis by the Division states that at present there is influence of the westerly low pressure system in Nepal.