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CPN (Maoist Centre) Deputy General Secretary Barshaman Pun is leaving for China today. He will leave Kathmandu for China at 7 pm today. Pun’s visit to China is being seen meaningfully as the discussions on power equations are going on in the country.    

Four-time champions Germany sensationally crashed out of the World Cup despite a 4-2 victory over Costa Rica in their last Group E match on Thursday, tumbling out at the first hurdle for the second consecutive time, Reuters reported.

Germany had arrived in Qatar determined to restore their tarnished reputation following their shock 2018 group stage exit. Instead they finished third in the standings, level on four points with Spain but behind on goal difference and will return home early once more.

Japan topped Group E with six points following their 2-1 win over the Spaniards and will face Croatia in the last 16 while Spain will take on Morocco. Costa Rica finished last on three points.

On a night of unrelenting drama in the desert near Doha, the Germans struck first with Serge Gnabry in the 10th minute but saw the Central Americans score twice with Yeltsin Tejeda and a Manuel Neuer own goal before a Kai Havertz brace put them back in front, according to Reuters.

Fellow substitute Niclas Fuellkrug added a fourth in stoppage time but even that was not enough to prolong their World Cup stay.

It was the first time in their illustrious World Cup history that Germany had failed to win any of their first two group matches and despite bagging a win on their last attempt, they will be departing Qatar with dropped heads.

"There are so many reasons but I am not looking for excuses," said Germany coach Hansi Flick. "In the first half I was disappointed and very angry at my team and how we allowed the opponent to come back.

"We wanted to score three or four goals in the first half but then we made mistakes. If we had converted those chances, 16 of them.

"But the tournament was not decided today for us. We did not have any efficiency at this tournament and that is why we were eliminated."

Germany were teetering on the brink of elimination going into the game after losing their opening group match to Japan and then snatching a 1-1 draw against Spain, Reuters reported.

Needing a victory to avoid a repeat of the 2018 debacle, Germany went in search of an early goal to settle their nerves.

Japan erupted in cheers and tears after the national team's 2-1 win over Spain early on Friday, with crowds packing public viewing areas in the pre-dawn cold shrieking with joy as they stunned another global football power at the World Cup, Reuters reported.

Japan, who had also shocked Germany in their opener in Qatar, finished top of Group E to reach the last 16, a stage where they have faltered three times before.

They will play 2018 runners-up Croatia for a place in the quarter-finals.

"Doha Delights Again!" one newspaper headlined its online edition, evoking memories of what the media called the "Miracle in Doha" after Japan's win over the Germans.

Fans chanting "Nippon" poured into Tokyo's iconic Shibuya crossing before sunrise, jumping up and down and shouting "Fight, fight, fight!" as police struggled to control the crowd.

"I never thought Japan would advance first place in the group. Thank you Japan! I love you guys!" said 19-year-old Yusei Sato, wearing Japan's Samurai Blue national team jersey.

Takuya Kudo, 23, was in tears as soon as he saw Japan win.

"I'm just so happy," he said. "Honestly, I never thought Japan would do this well. I'm just really thrilled."

Fans lingering in Shibuya pressed high-fives on bleary commuters making their way to work from one of Tokyo's busiest stations.

Social media exploded with joy, exulting "Samurai Blue!" and "Came from behind to win!," with some fans posting manga-style drawings of a cheering player in a team uniform, according to Reuters.

Another posted a cartoon of three dragons draped in national flags. The Japanese dragon was roaring while the Spanish dragon eyed Germany, which looked befuddled.

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka's tribute was a manga-style depiction of the Japanese team, while even Elon Musk tweeted, "Congratulations, Japan!"

The sense of triumph rose even to Japan's normally staid political heights, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida telling reporters the win was "historic" and telephoning Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu and Japan Football Association President Kozo Tashima to offer congratulations, Reuters reported.

"I told them they gave the Japanese people courage and energy," Kishida said on Twitter. "We are looking forward to the last 16. Fight on, Japan!"

An impassioned Moroccan team clinched a spot in the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time since 1986 by defeating the already-eliminated Canadians 2-1 on Thursday, mercilessly capitalising on their opponents' blunders, Reuters reported.

Morocco, who needed a win or a draw in their final Group F match to reach the knockout rounds, took advantage of a weak clearance by goalkeeper Milan Borjan that landed on the foot of Hakim Ziyech.

Cheered on by a boisterous crowd of Moroccan fans, midfielder Ziyech effortlessly lobbed the ball over the stranded goalkeeper to open scoring in the fourth minute.

Borjan had been placed in an unenviable position by central defender Steven Vitoria, whose weak back pass forced the goalkeeper to race Moroccan forward Youssef En-Nesyri to the ball.

En-Nesyri remained dangerous throughout the first half, doubling Morocco's lead in the 23rd minute when he ran onto a long ball from Achraf Hakimi and beat Borjan at the near post.

En-Nesyri also thumped a volley into the Canadian net during stoppage time in the first half but that goal was ruled offside.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Hakimi wept after the match.

"I didn't think about it, but now I realise we made history," he said. "We work very hard and we deserve it."

With Croatia drawing with Belgium 0-0 in the other Group F game, Morocco finish first in the group and will face the second-place finishers in Group E, which is made up of Japan, Spain, Germany and Costa Rica, according to Reuters.

Moroccan manager Walid Regragui predicted his side will prove capable of challenging a mighty opponent in the stage.

"We are going to be a very difficult team to beat," he said. "I think African teams can go far. Why shouldn't we dream of winning the World Cup?"

Moroccan defender Nayef Aguerd put Canada on the scoreboard with an own goal, the first of this World Cup, by accidentally flicking a cross by Sam Adekugbe past his own goalkeeper Yassine Bounou in the 40th minute.

Canada, who are exiting their first World Cup since 1986 without a point, automatically qualify for the 2026 tournament as co-hosts along with the United States and Mexico, Reuters reported.

Croatia scraped into the World Cup last 16 after a tension-filled 0-0 draw with Belgium that ensured the last hurrah of their opponents' 'golden generation' ended in a dismal group-stage exit on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Roberto Martinez's Belgium side, ranked second in the world and semi-finalists four years ago, needed a win at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium to keep their hopes alive but could not break down the Croats who finished as Group F runners up behind Morocco.

Substitute Romelu Lukaku fluffed four golden chances to break the deadlock as Belgium cast off the shackles in the second half, although Croatia, who would have gone home had they lost, had their own opportunities to find a winner.

A lot has been made of Belgium's 'golden generation', a collection of prodigious talents from the biggest clubs, who have perennially been among the favourites at international tournaments for the best part of a decade.

Yet they have never tasted glory and with the brightest lights, such as Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, already north of 30, it is unlikely they will get another chance at the World Cup.

In a symbolic act of closure, Martinez announced that his six-year spell with the national team was over, with his contract expiring at the end of the World Cup.

"That was my last game with the national team and it was emotional as you can imagine," he told reporters.

Croatia, who next play the winners of Group E, finished with five points, two behind Morocco who beat already-eliminated Canada 2-1 to top the table. Belgium were third with four points after winning just one of their three games, according to Reuters.

Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic, having shrugged off questions about their shortcomings in comparison to the side that finished runners-up four years ago, was in a confident mood.

"It doesn't matter which team we face, if we play at this level we fear no one," he said.

Four persons died and eight others were injured when a jeep met with an accident at Kanchhipani in Dhaubadi of Hupsekot Rural Municipality-5, Nawalparasi on Thursday. The deceased have been identified as Hom Bahadur Rababhat (60) of Bulingtar Rural Municipality-6, Mansabha Baral (67) of Bulingtar Rural Municipality-5 and Kesari Darai (27) and Yam Bahadur Thada of Baudikali Rural Municipality-2, SP Bhuwaneshor Tiwari said. The incident occurred when the jeep (Gandaki Province 04-001 Ja-0006) heading to Dedgaun from Daldale in the district fell some 300 meters down the road. The injured are receiving treatment in various hospitals of Chitwan.

The Annapurna Express is set to organize The Triangle Conference on Dec 14-16 in Kathmandu. This will be the second time that the ApEx will be organizing such an event.  The theme of this conference will be Nepal’s energy sector—it’s generation, distribution, and consumption. In six sessions spread over three days, we will have representatives from political parties, MPs, bureaucrats, and investors plus our planners and policymakers discussing the different angles in the energy sector, energy vision for Nepal, alternative power, sustainable consumption, and policy issues.  We here at The Annapurna Express believe that when all the angles of energy sectors align, the country moves towards prosperity. But even a little non-alignment between them can disrupt the entire system. In the absence of dialogue between stakeholders, they are often pursuing other, often contradictory, goals. Last year in Nov, The Triangle Conference was based on government, academia, and economy—the three pillars of the country. 

The Midnight Riders—one of the few blues based bands in Nepal—are coming out with their latest album ‘Aawaz’. The album is to be launched at the Irish Pub, Lazimpat, on Dec 3 with a live event starting at 7pm. The album contains eight tracks. Seven of them are originals by The Midnight Riders. One of the tracks called ‘Maski Maski’ is credited to senior musician Jyoti Ghimire. However, the band has changed the song completely for this rendition.  Satish Sthapit, who also engineered the band’s previous album ‘Baiguni Lai Blues Le Marnu Parcha’, is behind the recording, mixing, and mastering of the album this time as well. The album title has been sponsored by Karma Tenzin (Karma Residences), who is a music aficionado  himself and a long time supporter of the band. Track list:

1. Bhana Na
2. Lakeside Blues
3. Awaaz
4. Herana Herana
5. Samaya
6. Soch
7. Yo Samjihne Mann
8. Maski Maski