Submit your Article

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 16. 61 points to close at 1,917. 28 points on Wednesday. Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 4. 44 points to close at 373. 64 points. A total of 8,092,719 unit shares of 246 companies were traded for Rs 1. 65 billion. Meanwhile, Khaptad Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 6. 09 percent. Likewise, Nadep Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top loser with its price dropped by 9. 99 percent. At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 76 trillion.

The Nepal Bar Association has demanded action against General Secretary of the Parliament Bharat Raj Gautam. Issuing a joint statement on Wednesday, Bar Chairman Gopal Krishna Ghimire and General Secretary Anjita Khanal have drawn the attention of the concerned authority, arguing that the Parliament Secretariat made Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana’s suspension letter ineffective. The Nepal Bar Association has expressed its serious objection saying that the move has violated Nepal’s Constitution and laws and parliamentary values. The Bar Association has demanded action against those working against the Constitution and law.      

Former Chief Justice Anup Raj Sharma said that the Parliament Secretariat cannot make the impeachment motion tabled at the House of Representatives ineffective. Though the impeachment motion was tabled in the then House of Representatives, the Parliament Secretariat made the impeachment motion filed against Chief Justice Rana ineffective saying that the term of the Parliament has ended. “The Parliament Secretariat cannot send Rana to carry out regular work just by saying that the term of the House of Representatives has ended and the impeachment motion filed against him has become ineffective,” Sharma said. “The motion has not been tabled in the new Parliament session. How can the Parliament Secretariat say that it has become ineffective?” he questioned. In a letter issued by Parliament General Secretary Bharat Raj Gautam, it has been mentioned that the motion was tabled in the then House of Representatives, held discussions and the Impeachment Motion Recommendation Committee submitted the report but the process was not taken ahead after that. Sharma said that the motion can be taken to the new Parliament. “The Parliament can say that the motion has become ineffective, but not the Parliament Secretariat,” he said.  

The impeachment motion filed at the Parliament against Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana has become ineffective. Parliament Secretariat Joint Secretary Rojnath Pandey confirmed that a letter, stating that the impeachment motion filed against him has become ineffective, has been handed over to Rana. “We have provided the letter to Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana. Now, the impeachment motion has become ineffective. Rana had filed an application at the Parliament Secretariat,” he said. After receiving the letter, Rana is preparing to return to the Supreme Court today itself. As many as 98 lawmakers of ruling Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center) and CPN (Unified Socialist) had filed an impeachment motion at the Parliament on March 13, 2022. Rana was accused of promoting corruption, stalling much needed reforms in the judiciary and failing to lead the judiciary. He is retiring on December 13. Rana was appointed as the Chief Justice in 2018.

US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R Thompson held a meeting with CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the latter’s residence in Khumaltar on Wednesday. During the meeting, the duo discussed ties between the two countries, contemporary political issues and the assistance the US can provide for the economic development of Nepal among other issues, a source at the Dahal’s Secretariat said. The US Ambassador also showed concern about the government formation on the occasion. Dahal lauded the support provided by the US and its people for the development of Nepal.      

Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba held a meeting with Dr Shashanka Koirala on Tuesday. Deuba urged Koirala to help him become the Parliamentary Party leader. Koirala and another senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel also held a meeting on Tuesday itself. Paudel also urged Koirala to support him in the race for Parliamentary Party leader. Leaders have already intensified meetings to become the Parliamentary Party leader. The Parliamentary Party leader of the Nepali Congress will be the future prime minister of the country. Leaders have started forming factions like during the party’s general convention. Half-a-dozen leaders of the Nepali Congress are eyeing the post. Party President Deuba, senior leader Paudel, Dr Shashanka Koirala, Dr Shekhar Koirala, Gagan Thapa and Prakash Man Singh have been expressing their desire to become the Parliamentary Party leader. Deuba has been urging the leaders, who have come to meet him in Baluwatar, to help him in the Parliamentary Party race. He, however, is preparing to formally claim the post of Parliamentary Party leader after the results of the proportional representation category. His only objective is to become the prime minister again in the to be formed coalition government. Deuba has intensified consultations with the newly elected lawmakers to become the Parliamentary Party leader. Nepali Congress secured 57 seats in the election to the House of Representatives. Out of 50 leaders, who had filed candidacies from the establishment faction, 29 emerged victorious. Of the 29 leaders, who contested the election from the Shekhar-Gagan faction, 18 won the election while six people close to Shashanka and Ram Chandra became the members of the Parliament. Likewise, four leaders close to Prakash Man Singh managed to win the HoR seats. As per the results, there is a high chance that incumbent Prime Minister Deuba will win the election of Parliamentary Party leader. Party spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat, who is close to Deuba, claimed that Prime Minister Deuba will be the Parliamentary Party leader as he has a majority in the party. Nepali Congress Vice-President Purna Bahadur Khadka, a lieutenant of Deuba, said that the leaders should not find the alternative of Deuba in the Parliamentary Party leader. Saying that the coalition went into the election under the leadership of Deuba, he said that the leaders should support him when he desires for the post. “There is a responsibility to take the parties including the alliance ahead by uniting the Nepali Congress,” he said. Deuba had asked the support of Dr Shashanka Koirala, who had reached the Capital by winning the election on Tuesday, in the election to the Parliamentary Party leader. In response, Koirala said, “There is some time on the issue. We will keep on discussing the matter.” Deuba has been sending his close confidante Purna Bahadur Khadka to meet the party leaders by making his messenger. Shekhar Koirala, however, has not staked claim for the post yet. Similarly, some sections of leaders, who have been demanding generational transfer, have been saying that the party should go to the government under the headship of General Secretary Gagan Thapa. Saying that the party has lost not only the proportional representation election but also 23 constituencies it won in the previous election under the first-past-the-post category, “The party had to lose many seats. Now, the senior leaders have to feel that the leaders of the new generation should be given an opportunity to lead the party.” Meanwhile, another General Secretary Bishwo Prakash Sharma is also in favor of making Thapa the party’s parliamentary party leader.

A chant of “RONALDO! RONALDO!” swept around the biggest stadium at the World Cup, followed by loud jeers when the fans realized their idol wasn’t coming onto the field.

Cristiano Ronaldo was, in fact, sitting in the Portugal dugout, looking glum and still wearing a substitute’s bib. And the guy who started instead of him on Tuesday was about to complete a hat trick.

After Ronaldo was dropped from the starting lineup in a bold call by Portugal coach Fernando Santos, Goncalo Ramos — the superstar striker’s unlikely replacement — made himself an instant star by leading the team to a 6-1 win over Switzerland and into the World Cup quarterfinals.

Ramos, a 21-year-old forward who only made his Portugal debut last month, demonstrated the kind of clinical finishing for which Ronaldo was once known in scoring the first goal in the 17th minute and adding others in the 51st and 67th, Associated Press reported.

No player had scored a hat trick in his first World Cup start since Germany striker Miroslav Klose in 2002.

“Not even in my wildest dreams did I think about being part of the starting team for the knockout stage,” said Ramos, an unheralded striker who plays for Benfica and counts Ronaldo as his soccer idol along with Robert Lewandowski and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

It was around the hour mark that fans throughout the 89,000-seat Lusail Stadium started to implore Santos to bring on the 37-year-old Ronaldo, and they got their wish in the 72nd minute. Portugal had the game wrapped up by then, with defenders Pepe and Raphael Guerreiro also having scored. Rafael Leao added another goal in stoppage time.

Ronaldo didn’t score — he still hasn’t in the knockout stage in any of his five World Cups — and after briefly celebrating with his teammates following the final whistle, he walked off the field on his own, perhaps wondering where his career goes from here.

He is currently without a club after leaving Manchester United midway through the World Cup, and he might no longer be the starter for his country.

The rest of the Portugal team hung around to applaud its fans at one end of the stadium. A quarterfinal match awaits against Morocco on Saturday and Santos now has to decide whether to stick with Ramos or restore Ronaldo, the top scorer in men’s international soccer and one of the game’s greatest ever players, according to Associated Press.

Santos said it was a strategic decision to drop Ronaldo and not a disciplinary one, having expressed unhappiness during his eve-of-match news conference Monday at the striker’s attitude after he was substituted against South Korea in the team’s final group game.

“What we have to do is think about this team collectively,” Santos said, before talking about Ronaldo. “I will always consider he is a very important player to have in the team.”

That might now be a substitute and an experienced head in the locker room rather than a starter.

Ramos was a surprise replacement — he had previously only made three substitute appearances for Portugal — and took his chance.

Ramos, who was only 2 years old when Ronaldo made his Portugal debut in 2003, scored the first hat trick at this year’s World Cup.

He drove a rising shot with his left foot inside Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer’s near post for the first goal, flicked deftly through Sommer’s legs from close range for the second, and then ran through to chip the goalkeeper for his third.

Ronaldo was seen smiling while he was warming up on the side of the field after Ramos’ second goal.

“Cristiano, as our captain, did what he always does,” Ramos said. “He helped us and encouraged us, not only myself but my colleagues.”

Ramos even had an assist, playing the ball through for Guerreiro to score the fourth goal.

Ronaldo was lively when he came on and and even thought he had scored when he ran through and drove a low left-footed shot past Sommer. The goal was disallowed for offside, much to the irritation of the fans — Portuguese or from other countries — who had come to see him play, Associated Press reported.

Switzerland’s only goal came in the 57th minute when Manuel Akanji tapped in at the far post after a corner kick.

The first World Cup held in an Arab nation has produced the Arab world’s first quarterfinalist.

Morocco became only the fourth African country to reach the quarterfinals at the biggest soccer tournament in the world by beating Spain 3-0 in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw through extra time, Associated Press reported.

The Moroccans were playing in only their second knockout game at a World Cup, an event which is being held in the Middle East for the first time in its nearly 100-year history.

“Right now is a special moment for all Africa, for all the Arab countries, for all the Muslims around this world,” Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi said. “You try to make them happy, try to make ourselves happy. And I think it goes quite well.”

The World Cup in Qatar is the first to be played in the Arab world and only the second to be held in Asia. The tournament began with one of the biggest upsets in history when Saudi Arabia beat two-time champion Argentina on the third day of action.

The Saudis were eliminated, as were host Qatar and Tunisia, in the group stage. That left Morocco as the Arab world’s standard bearer, according to Associated Press.

“I’m very proud of my fans, of my people and Arabic people,” said Morocco coach Walid Regragui, who is the first African to coach an African team to the quarterfinals. “Also because I think you have Qatari people here, maybe Algerian people, Tunisian people, Arabic people and African people.”

Achraf Hakimi, who was born in Madrid and previously played for Real Madrid, converted the deciding penalty in the shootout. Abdelhamid Sabiri and Hakim Ziyech, who returned to the national team after a dispute with the previous coach, also scored.

Morocco has been the biggest surprise of the tournament and will next face Portugal in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Morocco, which has a complex geopolitical relationship with close neighbor Spain, advanced from a difficult group that included Canada, 2018 semifinalist Belgium, and 2018 runner-up Croatia.

The team came to the tournament with more than half of its squad filled with players who were not born in Morocco, the most of any of the 32 participating countries, Associated Press reported.

“Today I think it showed to the world every Moroccan is Moroccan with his passport,” Regragui said. “When he comes to the national team, you want to die, you want to fight. And that is what I want to show. And now, we have one example. The coach is born in France but nobody can have my heart but my country.”

The king of Morocco called to congratulate the team after the game.

Morocco, which also reached the round of 16 at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, is also the only team from outside Europe or South America to make it to the last eight in Qatar.

Cameroon, Senegal and Ghana are the only other African nations to reach the World Cup quarterfinals. None of the three advanced to the semifinals.

Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who plays for Spanish club Sevilla, saved two of the three penalties he faced in the shootout, from Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets. Pablo Sarabia hit the post.

“We knew that if we went to the penalty shootout, we had one of the best goalkeepers in the world and we could win it,” said Regragui, who took over as coach of Morocco in August and had little time to prepare the team ahead of the World Cup.

Sarabia had entered the match in the final minutes of extra time, apparently for the shootout. He replaced Nico Williams, who had also come in as a substitute earlier in the match.

“It’s my responsibility,” said Spain coach Luis Enrique, who before the match said he had asked his players to practice 1,000 penalty kicks while with their clubs. “I picked the first three penalty-takers, and then they could decide themselves. But the first three were my decision, and I would’ve done the same thing again. The only thing I wished I could do was to take Bounou out and put another goalkeeper in there.”

Spain was eliminated by host Russia in a penalty shootout at the 2018 World Cup, and by Italy in the semifinals of last year’s European Championship. The team hasn’t advanced past the last 16 at the World Cup since it won the tournament in 2010 in South Africa, according to Associated Press.

“We were unable to score ... so no matter how much we say that we deserved to win for the chances we created and for playing more in their area, it is not going to change anything,” said Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón, who stopped one penalty in the shootout. “The only thing left for us is to accept that we have been eliminated.”

It was the fifth straight time Spain played extra time in a knockout round of a major tournament. The team played 120 minutes against Russia and in all three of its knockout games at Euro 2020.

Moroccan fans were significantly outnumbered by — and were louder than — the Spaniards at Education City Stadium.

It was the second match in the round of 16 to go into extra time at this year’s World Cup. Croatia beat Japan on penalties Monday.