Arsenal go nine points clear, Carrick continues perfect start at Man United

Arsenal moved nine points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 victory against Sunderland, while Tottenham boss Thomas Frank faced renewed calls for his sacking after a 2-0 defeat at Manchester United on Saturday, Reuters reported. 

Mikel Arteta’s side went ahead in the 42nd minute at the Emirates Stadium as Martin Zubimendi fired past Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs at his near post.

Viktor Gyokeres sealed Arsenal’s second successive league win with a 66th-minute strike before the Swede netted again in stoppage time, according to Reuters. 

 

 

HPV vaccination campaign for girls across the country begins today

The government has started a nationwide ‘Human Papillomavirus’ (HPV) vaccination campaign for girls studying in grade six from today.

According to the Child Health and Vaccination Branch of the Department of Health Services, vaccination has begun for girls studying in grade six and out-of-school girls aged 10 years and above across the country from today. 

The campaign will run until February 27.

During the campaign, girls currently studying in grades seven to 10 and out-of-school girls aged 11 to 14 who missed out on last year’s HPV vaccination campaign will also be vaccinated.

Girls studying in grade 6 will be vaccinated at schools and other girls at vaccination centers.

Chief of the Branch, Dr Abhiyan Gautam urged everyone to get vaccinated as the vaccine is 100% effective. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women in Nepal, and it is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women.

Last year, around 1.7 million girls in grades six to 10 and out-of-school age groups of 10 to 14 across the country were vaccinated. 

According to the branch, about 350,000 children will be vaccinated against cervical cancer during the 20-day campaign.

 

Rain and snow likely in Koshi today

The weather in the hilly and mountainous regions of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki, and Sudurpashchim Provinces will be partly cloudy, while it will be mainly fair in the rest of the country today. 

There is a possibility of light rain and snowfall at one or two places in the high hilly and mountainous regions of Koshi Province, according to the Meteorological Forecasting Division.

In addition, fog and mist will occur in some places of the Tarai region.

Later tonight, mist will occur at a few places in the Tarai region. 

The weather in high hilly and mountainous regions of Gandaki Province, along with Karnali and Sudurpashchim Provinces, will be partly cloudy, while the rest of the country will experience mainly fair weather, says the 8 am bulletin by the Division.

Furthermore, the Meteorological Analysis by the Division says that at present there is partial influence of westerly winds in the country.

 

T20 World Cup Cricket: Nepal to face England today

Nepal will face England today in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Cricket Tournament that began in India/Sri Lanka on Saturday.

The match to be held at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India, will start at 3:15 pm Nepali Standard Time. This is Nepal's third participation in the T20 World Cup. 

Nepal were eliminated in the group stage in the previous two World Cups, including in the previous edition held in 2024 in USA/West Indies.

This is the first time that Nepal are playing against England. 

Nepal are ranked 16th in the T20 rankings, while England is ranked third. 

Nepal are in Group 'C' of the tournament along with England, the West Indies, Italy and Scotland.

 

25 days left for HoR elections: Call to not violate voters' confidentiality

The District Election Office, Kathmandu, has objected to the use of social media and some online media outlets to violate voters' confidentiality.

The Election Office has drawn attention to all concerned on the need to comply with the election code of conduct and has requested not to violate voter confidentiality. 

As per Section 4 of the Election Code of Conduct, 2082, such acts are prohibited and if such acts are not stopped the process of action will be taken as per the prevailing law.

There is a provision that election campaigning can be carried out only 17 days before the polling day after the publication of the final list of candidates. 

It includes provisions for holding rallies, public meetings or corner meetings, publishing or broadcasting any kind of publicity material in the media, and conducting door-to-door programs for election publicity.

Although information has been provided through discussions, interactions, and publication of information on several occasions to ensure full compliance with this provision of the code of conduct, the Election Office has stated that some political parties, their representatives, and candidates have violated the provision.

The Election Office has drawn attention to the fact that information has been received that corner meetings, publicity, publishing and broadcasting propaganda material, and door-to-door programs are being used to influence voters before the scheduled time.

Code of Conduct Enforcement Officers Muktiram Rijal, Shivaram Bhattarai, Romakanta Kafle, Munkumar KC, Sunita Subedi and Rukmagat Aryal have jointly drawn attention to all aspects of the election code of conduct.

 

US wants Russia and Ukraine to end war by June, says Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the US wants the war with Russia to end by June, adding both sides had been invited to the US for talks next week, BBC reported. 

"America proposed for the first time that the two negotiating teams – Ukraine and Russia – meet in the United States of America, probably in Miami, in a week. We confirmed our participation," he said.

There was no immediate comment from Washington or Moscow, but US President Donald Trump has been pushing for an end for the conflict since he took office again more than a year ago, according to BBC. 

France investigates ex-minister Jack Lang over Epstein links

Financial crime prosecutors in France say they have opened a preliminary inquiry into former Culture Minister Jack Lang over his links to Jeffrey Epstein, BBC reported. 

Lang, a major figure in French socialist governments between the 1980s and 2000s, is being investigated for suspected "laundering of tax fraud proceeds". 

It follows the US Department of Justice's release of the Epstein files, which have documented links between the Lang family and the late American sex offender, according to BBC. 

 

 

Japan votes in snap election as PM Takaichi takes a gamble

Millions in Japan are voting in a snap election called by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, whose coalition is predicted to clinch a decisive win, BBC reported. 

Just months after she was elected by lawmakers, Takaichi decided to go to the pollsto seek the public's mandate.

Polls show her Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) coalition with the populist Japanese Innovation Party could bag up to 300 of the 465 seats in the Lower House, marking a turnaround for the LDP which lost control of both chambers of Japan's parliament last year, according to BBC.