Submit your Article

Aryna Sabalenka swept to her fourth successive Australian Open final with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Ukrainian Elina Svitolina on Thursday in a semi-final overshadowed by geopolitical tension and will play familiar rival Elena Rybakina next, Reuters reported. 

Rybakina set up a blockbuster rematch of the 2023 final at Melbourne Park by overcoming American Jessica Pegula 6-3 7-6(7), as the Russian-born Kazakh ramped up her own hunt for a second major title following her 2022 Wimbledon triumph.

Top-seeded Belarusian Sabalenka will seek her third title at the tournament in four years and fifth Grand Slam trophy overall after another dominant display at what is now firmly her favourite hunting ground, according to Reuters. 

Arsenal enter the Premier League weekend clinging to a four‑point lead at the summit, their title advantage reduced after a damaging 3–2 home defeat to Manchester United last Sunday that has raised all-too-familiar fears, Reuters reported. 

That result, combined with recent draws against Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, has allowed both Manchester City and Aston Villa to close in during a critical stretch of the campaign leading to questions about whether Mikel Arteta's perennial runners-up might be headed for another collapse.

The Gunners travel to Elland Road on Saturday to face a Leeds United side who have steadily strengthened their survival credentials. Leeds sit 16th but have suffered only two home league defeats all season and are unbeaten in five at Elland Road, scoring in 10 of 11 home games, according to Reuters. 

List of teams which have qualified for the next round of the Europa League after the league phase concluded on Thursday, ranked by table position:

Directly to round of 16:

1. Olympique Lyonnais (France)

2. Aston Villa (England)

3. Midtjylland (Denmark)

4. Real Betis (Spain)

5. Porto (Portugal)

6. Braga (Portugal)

7. Freiburg (Germany)

8. AS Roma (Italy)

Knockout phase play-off places (seeded)

9. Genk (Belgium)

10. Bologna (Italy)

11. VfB Stuttgart (Germany)

12. Ferencvaros (Hungary)

13. Nottingham Forest (England)

14. Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic)

15. Red Star Belgrade (Serbia)

16. Celta Vigo (Spain)

Knockout phase play-off places (unseeded)

17. PAOK (Greece)

18. Lille (France)

19. Fenerbahce (Turkey)

20. Panathinaikos (Greece)

21. Celtic (Scotland)

22. Ludogorets (Bulgaria)

23. Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)

24. SK Brann (Norway)

The Martyr Day is being observed across the country today by organizing several programs. 

The Martyr Day has been marked by commemorating those who sacrificed their lives for the country and its people. 

The Day is observed by remembering the struggling life and devotion of martyrs,  Shukra Raj Shastri, Dharma Bhakta Mathema, Dasharath Chand and Ganga Lal Shrestha as well as contributions of other martyrs to the establishment of democracy in the country.  

Martyr Week is observed from Magh 10-16 every year on the initiatives of different organizations in memory of brave martyrs who sacrificed their lives against the then Rana regime. 

In 1997, Martyr Shukra Raj Shastri was executed in Teku-based Pachali on Mag 10, Dharma Bhakta Mathema at Shifal on Magh 13 and Gangla Lal Shrestha and Dasharath Chand at Shobha Bhagawati on Magh 15 by Rana ruler while demanding independence. 

The Election Commission (EC) has unveiled sample ballot papers for various districts and electoral constituencies for the House of Representatives (HoR) elections scheduled for March 5. 

The Commission made public sample ballot papers for the districts under all seven provinces. 

The sample ballot paper is of one type for districts with a sole electoral constituency and of another type for districts with more than a single constituency. 

The sample ballot papers, according to the EC, have been designed based on the number of candidates. 

The ballot size for constituencies with more candidates will be relatively larger while it will be smaller for constituencies with fewer candidates. 

For having the highest number of constituencies, Kathmandu will have the ballot paper with larger size. 

There is only one electoral constituency in Salyan, Dolpa, Mugu, Jumla, Kalikot, Humla, Jajarkot and Rukum West in Karnali Province, the EC informed. 

Dailekh and Surkhet have two electoral constituencies. The Commission has also made public the sample of the actual ballot papers of these districts. 

In Sudurpashchim Province, districts with single constituency are Bajura, Bajhang, Doti, Darchula, Baitadi and Dadeldhura. Achham has two while Kanchanpur has three and Kailali five electoral constituencies. 

The Commission has also made public the sample of actual ballot papers for all these electoral constituencies. 

It will gradually make public the actual ballot papers for other districts as well, the EC shared. 

Printing of ballot papers is going on at the Janak Education Materials Center. 

The Commission has stated that the printing of ballot papers for the proportional representation electoral system has been completed. 

With the preparation of sample ballot papers of various districts, the Commission has also advanced the election awareness drive. 

The outreach of the sample ballot papers prepared for voter awareness programs is also underway, it is shared. 

The European Union has added Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to its terrorist list in response to Tehran's deadly crackdown on protesters in recent weeks, BBC reported. 

"Repression cannot go unanswered," the bloc's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said, adding the move will put the IRGC - a major military, economic and political force in Iran - on the same level as jihadist groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the EU decision was a "stunt" and a "major strategic mistake".

The Trump administration has suggested it is planning to "draw down" federal forces in Minnesota if there is cooperation from officials, after the fatal shootings of two US citizens in the state, BBC reported. 

At a press conference in Minneapolis, White House Border Tsar Tom Homan vowed to continue the immigration enforcement operation, but added he wants "common sense cooperation that allows us to draw down on the number of people we have here".

"We are not surrendering our mission at all. We're just doing it smarter," Homan said, according to BBC. 

China has agreed to allow British citizens to travel to the country for up to 30 days without a visa, Downing Street has said, BBC reported. 

The announcement came after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met President Xi Jinping in Beijing, as he became the first British leader to visit the country in eight years.

The trip also saw an agreement to cut import taxes on UK whisky from 10% to 5%, as the government seeks closer trade ties with Beijing to help boost economic growth, according to BBC.