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At least 17 persons died when a bus met with an accident at Chalan Ganesthan in Bethanchok Rural Municipality-4 of Kavre district on Tuesday. The bus (Ba 3 Kha 4385) was returning from Chyalte, Bethanchok-5 when the tragedy occurred at around 6:30 pm yesterday. SP Chakra Raj Joshi of the District Police Office, Kavre said that 13 died on the spot and four breathed their last during the course of treatment. The deceased have been identified as bus driver Santosh Timilsina of Mahankal, Lalitpur, Ram Kumar Tamang of Banepa Municipality-14, Nirmala Tamang, Yogesh Tamang, Ankur Tamang, his wife Hema Tamang, Pushkar Tamang, Kopila Tamang, Shreya Tamang of Banepa Municipality-11, Jeli Tamang of Mandan Deupur-1, Buddha Tamang of Dhulikhel Municipality-11, Manju Tamang of Bethanchok-5 and Gita Shrestha of Banepa-14. SP Joshi said that the identities of four others are yet to be ascertained. A three-year-old child and five-year-old Renjen Tamang, who were critically injured in the accident, have been referred to the Annapurna Hospital in Kathmandu and Yogesh Tamang (13) has been taken to the Balmaitri Hospital for treatment, police said. Four others, who were also seriously injured in the incident, are undergoing treatment in Kathmandu and those who sustained minor injuries are receiving treatment in Banepa and Dhulikhel. Local Dib Man Lama said that the incident occurred due to over speeding. Police said that they are looking into the case.  

Lionel Messi bent over, clutched his left hamstring and appeared to grimace, immediately spreading panic through the soccer world but especially among all Argentines.

Was their superstar — their idol — injured? Was he going to have to come off early in the World Cup semifinals?

No such luck for Croatia.

Before long, Messi was producing perhaps the best performance of his record-tying 25 appearances at the World Cup, leading Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Croatia on Tuesday that set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s final, Associated Press reported.

Messi is back in soccer’s biggest match on his mission to win the game’s greatest prize for the first time. At 35, he could hardly be playing any better.

Messi converted a penalty and played a part in the other two goals by Julián Álvarez — one with an outrageous piece of skill that brought roars of approval from Argentina’s huge following — to turn an initially tense occasion into a procession.

It will be Messi’s second World Cup final — Argentina lost the other one to Germany in 2014 — in what might be his last appearance at the tournament.

The stage is set for a player widely regarded as one of the game’s best, if not the absolute best, to go out on the ultimate high.

He is thrilling his legion of fans along the way.

His swivel and driving run to set up the third goal for Álvarez in the 69th minute left Josko Gvardiol — one of the best defenders at the World Cup — grasping at thin air and epitomized Messi’s confidence and swagger.

He is embracing the responsibility of leading Argentina to its third World Cup title, scoring in five of his six games in Qatar.

He even had a penalty saved in the one game in which he didn’t score.

“I am honored to train him and see him play,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who was in tears in the post-match celebrations. “Every time you see him play, it’s a huge source of motivation for his teammates, fans and the whole world.”

Croatia failed in its bid to reach a second straight World Cup final after conceding two goals in a five-minute span from the 34th, just when the team was looking comfortable at Lusail Stadium and Messi was raising concerns by rubbing his hamstring.

Maybe it was a ruse. Messi was soon toying with his opponents in a way only he can and put Argentina ahead by lifting his penalty into the top corner after Álvarez was taken out by Dominik Livakovic after clipping the ball past the Croatia goalkeeper, according to Associated Press.

Álvarez scored himself in the 39th after a surging run from halfway, which started after he collected Messi’s short pass. Then came the crowning moment, Álvarez’s second goal, after Messi took Gvardiol for a ride in the right corner.

It was one game too far for Croatia, which had beaten Japan and Brazil on penalties in the knockout stage, and star midfielder Luka Modric, who — at 37 — has likely played his final World Cup match.

Summing up a frustrating game for the little midfield magician, he was substituted in the 81st minute and had a bright red nose after the ball slammed into his face moments earlier.

“The first goal took the match in a different direction,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić said. “It’s the true Messi we all expected to see.”

Argentina maintained its record of never having lost in the World Cup semifinals and has reached the final for the sixth time.

Those dark days after losing to Saudi Arabia in its opening group match seem so long ago now for Argentina, which will be hard to stop in the final with Messi playing this well, Associated Press reported.

“Even though we lost our first match, we were confident that this group was going to push forward,” Messi said. “We know what we are, and we called on the fans to believe in us.”

Tharu leaders of the ruling coalition have united in favor of the ordinance brought by the government. Organizing a joint press conference in the Capital on Tuesday, the Nepali Congress and the CPN (Maoist Center) leaders defended the ordinance. At a time when the Nepali Congress General Secretary duo Gagan Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma have been protesting against the ordinance, NC central members Ram Janam Chaudhary, Yogendra Chaudhary, Gopal Dahit, and Kalpana Chaudhary among others welcomed the government’s move. During the conference, they strongly condemned the remarks of their own leaders including Thapa and Sharma. NC central member Yogendra Chaudhary warned that they would retaliate against those who protested against the ordinance. “The Tharuhat movement was held to protect the sovereignty of the country. But, the sentiments of Tharu were hurt by showing the Tharu movement. We honor the ordinance brought to resolve the false cases filed during the movement,” he said, adding, “We will not remain silent against those who are playing a game to destroy the ordinance and raise questions against it. We are ready to take to the streets to retaliate against them.” He said that Resham Chaudhary was framed because of a political conspiracy. Another NC central member Ram Janam Chaudhary said that they are hopeful that President Bidya Devi Bhandari would authenticate the ordinance. He also urged Gagan Thapa to recall his remarks he made some time ago. During a program, Thapa had said that Resham Chaudhary was innocent and should be released at the earliest. CPN (Maoist Center) politburo leader Santa Kumar Tharu welcomed the government’s move to issue the ordinance and said that the Tharu leaders became united to pile pressure on the party leaders. Earlier, NC General Secretary Bishwo Prakash Sharma had also objected to the government decision to bring the ordinance.  

Suspended Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana is retiring today. He resumed office on 2 January, 2019 after taking the oath of office and secrecy. On 13 February, 2022, JBR faced an impeachment motion accusing him of failure to discharge his official responsibilities. Following this, he on December 6 pleaded by filing an application at the Parliament Secretariat seeking for the impeachment motion against him becoming ineffective. As per his demand, the Secretariat on December 7 sent a letter to the court citing that the impeachment motion against him was ineffective. However, a writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court against the letter. Following this, the apex court on Friday issued an interim order asking for not implementing the letter. Following the suspension of JBR, senior justice Hari Krishna Karki is working as acting CJ of the apex court. For the appointment of the new CJ, the Judicial Council will send an eligible name for the CJ to the Constitutional Council. Thereafter, the Constitutional Council will recommend the name with the Parliamentary Committee for a hearing. After the approval of the name by the Parliamentary Committee, President will appoint the new CJ, according to a legal provision. Spokesperson at the Judicial Council, Man Bahadur Karki said the hearing process will move ahead accordingly as the formation of the Constitutional Council and the Parliamentary Hearing Committee will likely take some time.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 2. 57 points to close at 1,899.70 points on Tuesday. Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 1. 63 points to close at 371. 30 points. A total of 2,058,510 unit shares of 248 companies were traded for Rs 77 billion. Meanwhile, CYC Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Tehrathum Power Company Limited was the top loser with its price dropped by 3. 29 percent. At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 73 trillion.

A pall of gloom has enveloped Chedagad Municipality of Jajarkot district following the death of 12 persons in a jeep accident. The tragedy occurred when the jeep (Karnali Province 2001 Cha 0429) heading towards Lewa from Jewa fell off a cliff at Dasera of Chedagad Municipality-4 on Monday. Issuing a condolence statement on Tuesday, Acting Chief Administrative Officer Ganga Bahadur Rokaya urged all the government and non-government offices to close the services today to mourn the deceased. Those killed in the accident have been identified as Man Bahadur Rawat (driver) of Bhagawatimai Rural Municipality-2 of Dailekh and conductor Birendra KC and Ammar Khada of Bhagawatimai Rural Municipality-3. Similarly, Dipak Adhikari, Nainasara Adhikari, Jaikubara Budha, Ram Bahadur Budha, Devisara Budha, Amar Adhikari, Nisha Adhikari of Chedagad Municipality-5 died in the incident. Jaivan Adhikari, injured in the incident, died while being treated at the Surkhet-based Province Hospital. The District Police Office, Jajarkot further said that Bir Bahadur Khatri of Chedagad-6 also died in the incident.

Police have confiscated 363 kg marijuana from Parsa. Acting on a tip-off, police seized the contraband from a truck (Na 4 Kha 6555) heading towards Bijayabasti of Parsa from Hetauda of Makwanpur. The marijuana packed in 22 cartoons were hidden by making a false bottom in the truck. It has been learnt that the driver fled the scene soon after he saw the police. The confiscated marijuana and truck have been handed over to the Area Police Office, Thori for investigation.    

CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal has reached the North Korean embassy at Jhamsikhel in Kathmandu to take part in the memorial assembly of Kim Jong-il, father of Kim Jong Un, supreme leader of North Korea. The North Korean embassy had invited Nepal as the chief guest of the memorial assembly. North Korean Ambassador to Nepal Jo Yong Man welcomed former prime minister Nepal at the Embassy. Earlier on November 9, Ambassador Jo had held a meeting with Nepal at the latter’s residence in Koteshwor. The North Korean leader Kim Jong Il was born in Russia on February 16, 1941 and died on December 17, 2011. He had ruled North Korea from October 8, 1997 to December 17, 2011. During the program, leader Nepal praised the role played by Kim Jong Il to develop the relations between Nepal and North Korea and also for development of North Korea. Ambassador Jo Yong Man among Embassy officials was present on the occasion. Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, were not present in the program. Nepal and North Korea have diplomatic relations. North Korea has an embassy in Nepal but Nepal does not have embassy in North Korea.