ICC U-19 World Cup: Nepal colts pull off a coup

Nepal stunned Test giants New Zealand by 32 runs in their opening match of the ICC U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh to regain their status as giant killers in the youth cricket’s global showpiece.

Invited to make the first use of the pitch, Nepal made 238-7 in 50 overs and bowled New Zealand out for 206 in 47.1 overs. Nepal captain Raju Rijal led from the front with a composed 65-ball 48 and put on 61 runs for the fifth wicket with Aarif Sheikh.

It was Nepal’s second win over New Zealand and seventh overall against a Test playing nation. Nepal had defeated the junior Black Caps by one wicket to win the Plate Championship final in 2006. It was Nepal’s first victory over a Test playing nation since they humbled Zimbabwe by 99 runs in the 2008 Plate quarter-finals.

Once given a moniker of ‘giant killers’ in the wake of a string of stunning results against big guns like South African (twice), Pakistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, off late Nepal have been struggling even to qualify for the World Cup. They had missed out on the 2010 edition and finished 13th in 2012 before failing to qualify for the 2014 event.

While Afghanistan, Fiji, Canada, Namibia and Scotland made it to the finals as champions among non-Test playing teams from their respective regions, Nepal needed to win the Global Qualifiers to secure the last available berth in the 16-team event in Bangladesh. But with Thursday’s win, Nepal have not only reclaimed the ‘giant killers’ tag but also opened a chance to enter the second round. Nepal will play Ireland in their next game in Group D which also features three-times U-19 champions India.

Current Nepal national team skipper Paras Khadka, who was part of the team that defeated New Zealand in 2006 Plate Final, was as excited as the rest of the country by Nepali colts’ latest exploit.

“We are back with what we were known for in U-19 cricket. It proves we have inherent cricketing talent which can do wonders provided there are exposures and opportunities,” said Khadka.

“It’s an amazing feeling to beat a Test nation because we cannot be compared with them in terms of infrastructure and resources. The boys have given a massive start to the tournament but there is still a long way to go,” he added.

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Dahal bats for national unity govt

Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has stressed the need to form a national unity government for effective implementation of constitution and to expedite the post-disaster reconstruction process.

Dahal, however, did not divulge details about whether the current government would be transformed into a unity government or that there would be a new

leadership. Speaking to reporters in Dhanghadhi on Sunday, Dahal said only a national unity can deal with the adverse situation facing the country.

“After a broad agreement on the issues, there can be discussions whether this government should continue as unity government or a new government be formed,” Dahal said, adding that the UCPN (Maoist) had been in favour of a national unity government since the day the constitution was promulgated.

“Discussions are underway with Nepali Congress regarding the formation of a national unity government,” he said, without divulging details about the talks with the main opposition.

Despite dissatisfaction in the party over performances of the government, Maoist leaders say chances of it withdrawing support to the government in immediate future are slim. Even Dahal has made remarks in public that performances of government as dismal. Questions were raised in the party over performances of some Maoist ministers who along with the senior coalition CPN-UML share vital posts in the government.

Dahal is said to have told NC leaders about the possible change in government after the party’s general convention in the first week of March. The NC leaders are said to against the change in government in immediate future.

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Nepal register 1st football victory after 2013

Nepal won an international match after two years at the expense of Sri Lanka at the Bangabandhu Gold Cup in Bangladesh on Wednesday.

Nepal striker Bimal Gharti Magar’s early score was enough for Nepal to win the game against their South Asian rivals Sri Lanka.

It was the first victory of Nepal in any international football match after their 2-1 win over India in the SAFF Championship in Kathmandu in 2013.

In today’s match, Nepal, however, missed a host of chances to double the lead as strikers failed to capitalise on the opportunities.

Nepal defeated the Sri Lankans to extract the revenge as they had lost an important SAFF Suzuki Cup group game against the Lankans in the dying minutes of the game.

With the victory today, Nepal top the group A score table with four points after two games and  Sri Lanka languish in the bottom of the chart and are on the way back to the Indian Island.

Earlier, Nepal had played a goalless draw with the Felda United of Malaysia on Saturday, January 8.

After being declared the Man of the Match, the sole scorer Magar, speaking at the presentation ceremony, thanked his teammates and his family for their support, looking forward to seeing the next challenge against the hosts on Friday.

Nepal would play their next match against Bangladesh on Friday.

Nepal’s participation in this tournament is expected to add impetus for the upcoming South Asian Games in India next month.

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Absence of women in leadership level sad: Prime Minister Oli

Emphasis has been laid on giving women who comprise half of the country’s total population leadership roles in the policy making level in the civil service.

At an interaction ‘Women in Civil Service’ organised by the Ministry of General Administration here, participants pointed out that women’s participation in civil service which has surged to 18 per cent from 11 per cent is not enough.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said society must understand that women’s reproductive capacity is a big charity for mankind’s development and that policy should be created on this basis.

The PM said that women could not become shareholders despite being given opportunity to participate in every sector, while adding that absence of women in leadership level of the civil service was sad.

Referring to Cuba, PM Oli said that women had gained access to top positions due to development of education.

He further said that women must be encouraged to seek opportunities in the social sector and policy making level, and be given education.

General Administration Minister Rekha Sharma expressed commitment to implement the issues put forth during the interactive programme and said a mechanism would be formed so that all the ministries could address women’s problems.

She said the Civil Service Act would be reformed for gender equality for all women employees.

Public Service Commission Chairman Umesh Mainali said the plan for women’s participation in civil service would remain defunct unless they were given access to the policy making level.

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Reconstruction drive to begin from Jan 16

President Bidya Devi Bhandari is scheduled to launch the national reconstruction campaign by inaugurating Ranipokhari reconstruction project on Jan 16.

The day is also being marked as the 18th Earthquake Safety Day. This information was shared by the publicity subcommittee under the Earthquake Safety Day main organising committee at a press meet in the capital today.

The national reconstruction campaign would be announced with the inauguration of the Ranipokhari reconstruction at 11:56 am, to commemorate the time that the April 25 earthquake struck Nepal with Gorkha as its epicentre.

Similarly, the Prime Minister is scheduled to begin the Bungmati area reconstruction project in Karyabinayak municipality the same day.

A version of this article appears in print on January 09, 2016 of The Himalayan Times.

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Border points will be clear soon: Ambassador Upadhyay

Nepal's Ambassador to India, Dip Kumar Upadhyay, has said Nepal-India relations would be back to normal in the next few days.

Talking to the National News Agency (RSS) on Friday, Ambassador Upadhyay said as the internal problems were being dealt with, a positive message would come soon. "The political issues raised by the Madhesi political parties were being addressed through the amendment of constitution, it will obviously bring positive change", he said.

Saying that the Indian side has wished peace and stability in Nepal with the solution of the internal problems, ambassador Upadhyay said sooner the solution of the internal problems, better the environment.

According to him, the readiness on the part of the government, main opposition and agitating parties in Tarai/Madhes to resolve the issue is a significant achievement.

He further said if the constitution process was initiated on time, the country and the people would not suffer to this extent. "Blaming neighbour does not bring any benefit. Solving internal problems is a wiser step," Ambassador Upadhyay said.

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24 constitution amendment proposals registered in House

Altogether 24 amendment proposals on the Bill on First Amendment of Constitution of Nepal were registered at the Secretariat of Legislature Parliament today, the last day for filing amendment proposals on the bill.

The proposals would be tabled at the House meeting slated for 1:00 pm on January 13.

Six separate amendment proposals were registered by 84 lawmakers from main opposition Nepali Congress.

Three of them were registered at the behest of NC leaders Bimalendra Nidhi, Minendra Rijal and Farmullah Mansur with two choices for constituency delimitation.

The three proposals were registered in consultation with party leaders, while the other three proposals were registered separately by Prakash Sharan Mahat, Romi Gauchan Thakali and Sanjay Kumar Gautam.

No lawmaker from the ruling CPN-UML or the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front registered any proposal on the bill.

The proposal registered by Nidhi-led group proposes allocating 83 constituencies for Tarai-Madhes region and 82 constituencies for hills and mountains . Rijal-led group has proposed creating 79 or 80 constituencies in Tarai-Madhes and 85 or 86 in hills and mountains.

“The first alternative closely reflects the demand of the agitating Madhesi parties. But if it cannot be agreed upon, the second alternative would accommodate the concerns of all,” said NC lawmaker Ganesh Kumar Mandal. NC lawmakers’ proposals were registered after holding consultations with the agitating UDMF, according to NC sources.

Farmullah-led group has proposed 11 clusters instead of existing 17 for proportional inclusion in state mechanisms.

The 11 clusters women, Dalits, indigenous nationalities, Madhesis, Tharus, Muslims, disabled persons, backward groups, sexual minorities, people belonging to backward regions and Khas Arya, however, should be from backward regions.

Mahat has proposed reserving at least one constituency for all mountainous and remote districts and equally sharing the remaining constituencies between the hills and the Tarai on the basis of population.

Similarly, Thakali seeks to secure at least one constituency for each mountainous and geographically remote hill district. Gautam wants all Tarai districts to be called Tarai-Madhes instead of only Madhes.

Eleven lawmakers from UCPN-M registered separate proposals on the bill at the behest of lawmaker Ram Narayan Bidari, though most of them seek almost the same thing.

They have proposed two clusters one for proportional inclusion and another for inclusion.

Their proposals seek to include nine clusters women, indigenous nationalities, Madhesi, Tharu, Muslim, people of backward region, poor peasants and laborers for proportional inclusion.

The UCPN-M lawmakers have proposed 12 other clusters aboriginals, minorities, disabled persons, marginalised, backward groups, sexual minorities, youth, peasant, laborers, oppressed and economically disadvantaged Khas Arya for inclusion in the state mechanisms.

Yogendra Chaudhari of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Democratic) has sought 51 per cent constituencies for Tarai-Madhes and 49 percent for hills and mountains.

Prem Suwal and Anuradha Thapa Magar of Nepal Workers and Peasants’ Party have sought free education and employment to all.

Durga Paudel and Mina Pun of Rastriya Janamorcha, Jay Dev Joshi of CPN (United) and Rukmini Chaudhari of Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch (Tharuhat) also registered their proposals.

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