Onlineparasi.com: February 2019

Thursday 28 February 2019

PAK पर एयर स्ट्राइक: इस एक्ट्रेस को पसंद नहीं आया प्रियंका का ट्वीट

प्रियंका चोपड़ा को एक ट्वीट के लिए पाकिस्तान में ट्रोल किया जा रहा है. ट्रोलर्स का कहना है कि UN...

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HC से कांग्रेस को झटका, AJL को खाली करना होगा हेराल्ड हाउस

21 दिसंबर को दिल्ली हाई कोर्ट की सिंगल बेंच ने भी एजेएल को हेराल्ड हाउस को खाली करने का...

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देखें F-16 विमान का मलबा जिसे भारतीय वायुसेना ने मार गिराया

इस विमान को भारतीय वायु सेना के मिग 21 विमान ने खदेड़ कर मारा था. भारत सरकार ने भी पाकिस्तान...

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India vs Australia: 2nd T20I report card – Bowling unit lets Virat Kohli & boys...

Chasing 191 for victory, Maxwell hit his ninth six and seventh four in consecutive deliveries to bring up the winning runs for his side with two balls remaining.

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IPL 2019: Virat Kohli questions Jasprit Bumrah - 'Are you sledging your own cap...

In the latest promotion video for the upcoming IPL campaign, Kohli challenged Bumrah to come onto the ground and show him what the pacer has in his kitty.

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IPL 2019: MS Dhoni accepts Rishabh Pant's challenge, recollects own young days

In the latest promotion video for the upcoming IPL campaign, MS Dhoni has challenged Rishabh Pant to show his game and make a name for himself.

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New Zealand vs Bangladesh: Wagner's fifer counters Tamim's ton on opening day

Despite Tamim’s heroic 126, New Zealand claimed the first-day honours when they reached stumps at 86 without loss in reply to Bangladesh’s 234.

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India vs Australia:Glenn Maxwell names ideal batting position in ODIs after match-winning...

Maxwell bats at number 7 in ODIs and would happily take a promotion in the five-match ODI series starting in Hyderabad on March 2.

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India vs Australia: Virat Kohli joins Rohit Sharma at the top of elite list

Despite Kohli’s heroics, India lost the match by seven wicket to lose the T20I series 0-2.

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Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Wriddhiman Saha dedicates second T20 ton to missing IAF...

Saha, who has battled injuries in the past two years, made a smashing comeback with a 62-ball knock of 129 runs for Bengal against Arunachal Pradesh.

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West Indies vs England: Chris Gayle slams 55-ball ton, creates history in Grena...

Gayle took his tally to 305 ODI sixes and he became the second cricketer after Pakistani great Shahid Afridi who slammed 351 maximums in his illustrious career.

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Juan Martin Del Potro's knee still an issue, to miss Indian Wells

Del Potro returned to competition after a four-month absence at the Delray Beach Open last week but, with his knee heavily strapped, looked unable to move around freely

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India vs Australia: 'He helped me a lot' - KL Rahul lauds Rahul Dravid after returning...

Rahul was part of five games for India A against England Lions and scored 89 and 81 in the last two games before scoring a half-century in the first T20I.

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Copa del Rey: Suarez double sends Barcelona past Real Madrid into final

Madrid were the better side for at least half of a wild Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu but three goals conceded in 28 chaotic, second-half minutes sent Barca through to the final with a 3-0 victory.

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Premier League: Liverpool and City march on as Spurs fall further behind

Liverpool thrashed Watford 5-0 and champions City claimed a narrow 1-0 win over West Ham United, but third-placed Tottenham’s 2-0 defeat at Chelsea

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India vs Australia: Marauding Maxwell powers Australia to series win

India had scored 190/4, a commendable total, which could have been bigger had the batsmen not checked their shots and waited too long to open their arms. Besides, being a small ground India could have done well scoring a few more.

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West Indies vs England: Rashid, Buttler take visitors to victory despite Gayle ...

Responding to the tourists’ mammoth total of 418 for six, the highest ever in an ODI in the Caribbean, the home side were set on course by a rampaging 162 off 97 balls by veteran opener Chris Gayle.

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It's too early to think of Test comeback: Cameron Bancroft

“I’ve played one game. You don’t earn the right after one game to achieve a feat like playing Test cricket. I feel like I still have plenty of work to do. But it’s really awesome to be back playing for WA in Shield cricket, and I’m loving it so far,” Cricket.com.au quoted Cameron Bancroft, as saying.

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Youth Olympics medallist Praveen Chitravel recalibrates his technique

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Real Madrid vs Barcelona Highlights, Copa del Rey semifinal: Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-0; 4-1 on aggregate

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KL Rahul ‘humbled’ after chat show controversy

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India vs Australia 2nd T20I: We were outplayed by Australia in both matches, says Virat Kohli

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Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy Round-up: Wriddhiman Saha smashes ton as Bengal crush Arunachal by 107 runs

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Michael Jackson’s legacy under microscope in new sex abuse film

LOS ANGELES: Almost 10 years after his sudden death, Michael Jackson’s legacy is under fresh scrutiny in a documentary about alleged child sex abuse that has been met with outrage by the singer’s family.

“Leaving Neverland” features two men now in their 30s and 40s who say they were befriended by Jackson and sexually abused by him starting from when they were 7 and 10 years old. It will be aired on U.S. channel HBO on March 3 and 4 and on Britain’s Channel 4 on March 6 and 7.

Jackson’s family has attacked the film and the “Thriller” singer’s estate last week filed a lawsuit against HBO saying the documentary breached a 1992 agreement that the cable channel would not disparage him. “Michael Jackson is innocent. Period,” the estate said in the lawsuit.

HBO said in a statement however it would go ahead with the four-hour documentary and “allow everyone the opportunity to assess the film and the claims in it for themselves.”

After the broadcast, HBO will air a conversation hosted by Oprah Winfrey with the director and the two men in front of an audience of sexual abuse survivors.

Jackson, who died in June 2009, was acquitted at a 2005 trial in California on charges of molesting a different, 13- year-old boy at his Neverland ranch in California. In 1994, he settled a sexual abuse lawsuit concerning another 13 year-old boy.

Jackson’s death was met with an outpouring of grief worldwide, a spike in record sales and new projects including a Cirque du Soleil show that have made him the highest-earning dead celebrity for the past six years, according to an annual Forbes survey.

“This is the 10-year anniversary of my uncle’s death. We should be mourning, but instead we are being bombarded with lies,” the singer’s nephew, Taj Jackson, told Reuters.

“Leaving Neverland” focuses on Wade Robson and James Safechuck who relate in graphic detail their experiences in the early 1990s at Neverland and elsewhere. They say that, as boys, they were in love with Jackson.

Robson, now 36, had testified at Jackson’s 2005 trial in the singer’s defense. He and Safechuck said they saw their childhood experiences in a new light after they both became fathers to young sons of their own.

The singer’s brothers and nephew Taj, who spent years as a child at Neverland, say the accusations are untrue, hurtful and motivated by money. No one in the family was contacted for the documentary, and they said none of them have seen it.

“I don’t care to see it, because I know my brother,” said Jackie Jackson, 67, the oldest of the Jackson 5 brothers.

Robson, who met Jackson after winning a dance contest in Australia at age 5, and Safechuck, who appeared with Jackson in a Pepsi commercial in 1986, filed after the singer’s death lawsuits seeking hundreds of millions of dollars from the Jackson estate. Both cases alleging sexual misconduct were dismissed but are being appealed.

Director Dan Reed says he wanted to make a film specifically about the experiences of Robson and Safechuck. He noted that the documentary includes interviews and denials the pop star gave about sexual misconduct accusations when he was alive.

“I don’t know that the Jackson family has any direct knowledge of what happened to Wade and James,” Reed told CBS Television’s “This Morning” in an interview on Tuesday. “There was no one else in the room.”

His family say they remember Jackson as a generous person who gave millions to charities, loved to have fun and wanted to unite people through his music.

“He was a family man. He loved kids around the world. He wanted to be the best at his craft. His music lives on,” said Jackie Jackson.

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USTR to suspend China tariff hike ‘until further notice’

WASHINGTON: The US Trade Representative’s office said on Wednesday it would move to formally suspend a scheduled tariff increase on Chinese goods “until further notice” following President Donald Trump’s decision to delay his Friday deadline for a US-China trade deal amid progress in their talks.

The statement was issued after US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer’s testimony to the US House Ways and Means Committee, in which he said USTR was following a legal process to implement the delay.

“In accordance with the president’s direction, the Office of the United States Trade Representative will publish a notice in the Federal Register this week to suspend the scheduled tariff increase until further notice,” USTR said in an emailed statement.

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Teen video app Musical.ly agrees to FTC fine

The operator of a video-sharing app popular with teenagers agreed to pay $5.7 million to settle federal allegations it illegally collected personal information from children.

The Federal Trade Commission said the Wednesday penalty against lip-syncing app Musical.ly, now known as TikTok, is the largest ever obtained in a children’s privacy case.

The FTC said the app violated the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, which requires kid-oriented websites to get parents’ consent before collecting personal information from children under 13.

The app changed its practices in 2017 to officially ban kids under 13 from joining, but it wasn’t hard to find children as young as 8 or 9 sharing short videos of themselves on the platform.

“Just because you say it’s intended for over-13 doesn’t mean that it is,” said Andrew Smith, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, in a conference call Wednesday.

Musical.ly, founded in 2014 and registered in the Cayman Islands, grew rapidly and operated out of offices in Shanghai and California. The FTC said the app has been downloaded by more than 200 million people worldwide and 65 million in the US.
It built a devoted community of self-described “musers” who regularly shared lip-syncing, dancing, gymnastics or comedy videos. But the app also raised concerns among many parents, especially after news reports of adult predators using the app to contact children.

Smith said that along with failing to adequately seek parent’s permission, the operators of Musical.ly didn’t honour parents’ requests for personal information to be deleted. Smith said the company deleted some under-age accounts but didn’t delete their videos and profile information from its own servers.

Profile information often included email addresses as well as a child’s name, age, school and picture. Until October 2016, one of the app’s features allowed users to find nearby users within a 50-mile radius.

Beijing-based Byte Dance Technology announced it was acquiring the platform in late 2017, and last summer folded Musical.ly into its own popular video app, TikTok, which is based in Los Angeles.

TikTok said in a blog post-Wednesday that in conjunction with the FTC agreement, it’s starting a separate app for younger US users with stronger safety and privacy protections. Children using the new app will be able to watch videos but won’t be able to share their own videos, make comments, maintain a profile or message other users.

TikTok’s intention to start a new app for children was troubling to Josh Golin, who directs the Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood.

“TikTok should be nowhere near children and children should be nowhere near TikTok,” Golin said.

Golin and other privacy advocates were also underwhelmed by FTC’s record fine, arguing that big companies like ByteDance will see it as merely the cost of doing business.

Massachusetts Democratic US Sen Edward Markey, who authored the decades-old privacy law the FTC’s complaint was based on, said in a statement Wednesday that the fine “is not high enough for the harm that is done to children and to deter violations of the law in the future by other companies.”

Children’s advocates have pushed the FTC to investigate whether other companies, including Google’s YouTube, are similarly violating children’s online privacy.

The FTC said its Musical.ly investigation was sparked in part by a referral from the Better Business Bureau’s Children’s Advertising Review Unit, a group set up by industry to regulate itself.

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Women have only three quarters of economic rights of men, finds World Bank

LONDON: Women on average have only three-quarters of the legal protections given to men during their working life, ranging from bans on entering some jobs to a lack of equal pay or freedom from sexual harassment, the World Bank said on Wednesday.

Researchers examined whether adult men and women had equal rights under the law in 187 countries to produce an equality index and measure progress over the last decade.

They probed laws linked to women’s work and economic freedom, including the right to work in all the same jobs as men and get paid equally, penalties for sexual harassment at work, parental work protections and inheritance rights.

“If women have equal opportunities to reach their full potential, the world would not only be fairer, it would be more prosperous as well,” World Bank Group’s interim president Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement.

Discriminatory laws mean women are held back from gaining economic independence and also contribute to a loss of $160 trillion in lost earnings worldwide each year, the World Bank said in a 2018 report.

The new study also looked at issues such as women’s freedom of movement and protection from domestic abuse on the basis that these also impact on women’s economic independence.

It found steady progress over the last decade: a total of 131 countries had enacted reforms to women’s rights.

Six countries – Belgium, Denmark, France, Latvia, Luxembourg, and Sweden – now hold perfect scores of 100 in the index compared to none 10 years ago.

However, 56 countries made no improvements to equality laws at all in the areas studied over the last 10 years.

The index also highlighted wide variations across regions.

Europe and Central Asia had the highest regional equality score, with women getting about 85 per cent of the rights granted to men on average, while in the Middle East and North Africa women had fewer than half the rights of men.

“We definitely are making progress but we can’t rest on our laurels – we have got to keep governments moving in the right direction,” Jacqui Hunt, Europe director of global women’s rights group Equality Now told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

She added a perfect score was no guarantee that rights would always be respected and urged governments to proactively work to fight gender discrimination.

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Snow blankets Tribhuvan Highway; vehicular movement obstructed

HETAUDA: The transport services between Kathmandu and Hetauda has come to a halt since early morning due to incessant rainfall with snow.

The road section stretching from Daman to Simbhanjyang via Palung has been covered with one and a half feet thick snow which resulted in the traffic disruption, informed the District Police Office, Makawanpur.

Likewise, the traffic service en route to Kathmandu from Hetauda via Kulekhani has also been disrupted due to rain and snow that occurred since last night; the road section has been covered with a foot thick snow, informed the Area Police Office, Palung.

According to Mukesh Singh, Superintendent of Police (SP) at the District Police Office, some of the vehicles have been stranded on the snow-covered roads.

“Preparation is on to mobilise a technical team to clear off the roads and bring the traffic service back to normalcy immediately after improvement in the weather,” said Aashman Tamang, Chief District Officer of Makawanpur.

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World’s smallest baby boy goes home from Japan hospital

TOKYO: A baby boy weighing just 268 grams (9.45 oz) at birth was sent home after months in a Tokyo hospital, the smallest surviving male baby in the world, Keio University hospital said.

The boy was born through Caesarean-section last August after he failed to gain weight during the pregnancy and doctors feared his life was in danger.

The boy was in intensive care until his weight reached 3.2 kilograms and he was discharged on February 20, said Dr Takeshi Arimitsu of the university’s School of Medicine, Department of Paediatrics.

“I am grateful that he has grown this big because, honestly, I wasn’t sure he could survive,” the boy’s mother told Reuters.

The previous record was held by a boy born in Germany in 2009 weighing 274 grams, according to the Tiniest Babies registry managed by the University of Iowa.

The smallest girl was born weighing 252 grams in Germany in 2015, according to the registry.

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Bhaktapur witnesses snowfall after 12 years

BHAKTAPUR: Bhaktapur has witnessed snowfall this morning after 12 years.

The snowfall has affected normal lives at Nagarkot, Changunarayan, Sudal, Tathali, Chitpole, Nakhel, Sipadi, Nalinchowk, Gundu, Ranikot and Chyampedanda of Bhaktapur. Urban areas of Bhaktapur like Madhyapur Thimi, Changunarayan and Suryabinayak also witnessed snowfall.

The transportation service has not been smoothly operating in touristic areas of Bhaktapur district including Nagarkot, Sudal and Ranikot due to the snow.

According to Som Sharma Bajgain, a local of Telkot, vehicular service en route to Nagarkot via Bhaktapur has been disrupted due to snowfall since early this morning.

However, the inflow of domestic tourists to the snow-covered areas including Nagarkot has gone up and is expected to rise during the day today, said Gokul Lamichhane, a hotel entrepreneur.

Some of the areas of Kathmandu and Lalitpur also received snowfall this morning.

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New Disney area to immerse parkgoers in a Star Wars story

LOS ANGELES: The world of Star Wars is coming from a galaxy far, far away to become the largest single-themed land created in a Disney park.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is an adventure through the grungy planet Batuu where guests can build their own droids and lightsabers, interact with aliens and climb into the cockpit of the massive Millennium Falcon, where you will discover your mission and engage in a dogfight with Tie Fighters.

The sprawling 14-acre land is set on a remote world in the newest “Star Wars” trilogy — so don’t expect appearances by Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader. But some familiar faces including Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren and fan-favorite Chewbacca will guide visitors through the immersive world.

Galaxy’s Edge is set to open this summer at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, then in the fall at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida. The lands at both parks are nearly identical and offer a mix of trading outposts, a cantina and even a wooded area where Resistance fighters have set up camp. Entry is included with a park ticket, but it’ll cost more for guests who want to create their own lightsaber or purchase their own droid modeled on R2-D2 or BB-8.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Bob Chapek said guests inside Galaxy’s Edge will have persistent interaction with Star Wars elements, whether it’s Stormtroopers barking orders or the uptempo, swinging music of a grimy cantina that yes, serves Star Wars-themed alcohol.

“You will not think you’re in a theme park,” he said. “Every cast member will be in character, the food and beverage and language will be in story. The merchandise inside the shops won’t be in boxes that say Disney on them. Everything is very, very immersive.”

In a behind-the-scenes look, park officials took The Associated Press on a tour of Batuu, an uncharted region of lush trees and tall mountains. The land is also filled with smugglers and traders hoping to avoid the First Order, the successor of the evil Galactic Empire.

Galaxy’s Edge is still under construction, but its buildings, shops and main attractions are in place. Right now the focus is on “cosmetics and making sure the equipment is working properly,” said John Larena, executive creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering.

Here are some of the land’s key features:

MILLENNIUM FALCON: SMUGGLERS RUN

Selfie opportunities will be abundant inside and out of the “the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.” The spaceship is the exact replica of the ship from the films, measuring more than 100 feet long.

Inside the cockpit, a team of six people operate the spacecraft during an interactive experience that, just like the movies, that will get a little bumpy. An encounter with First Order fighters put guests in the role of pilots, gunners or flight engineers to ensure their mission is completed.

While others wait their turn, they will walk the halls of the Falcon or hangout in the area where R2-D2 played a round of the holographic chess-like game called Dejarik against Chewbacca in the original film.

RISE OF THE RESISTANCE

This is where it gets real. On a full-size starship, guests play as new Resistance recruits and go on a journey. A hologram image of Rey will appear with a message before taking off from Batuu and heading into the orbit.

But the starship runs into some trouble: It’s intercepted by a nearby Star Destroyer. This sets up a climactic battle against military members of the First Order, who will probably give you a piece of their mind.

“They’ll bark at you,” Larena said. “They might say ’Move along, move along. You’re doing into detention.”

Resistance guests will be thrown into a detention cell where they could run up against Kylo Ren.

“You have to figure your way out of the ship,” Larena said. “There’s always a way out.”

SAVI’S WORKSHOP

Even though Skywalker, Vader and Yoda won’t show up in “Galaxy’s Edge,” their lightsabers will. Guests will be able to purchase their popular weapon or hand-build their own. Bring plenty of credits: the price for the hilt is around $109 and the blade costs $49 depending on the type.

Park officials say they understand guests want to enjoy their new lightsabers, but they ask that they remain stowed when on attractions and around crowds for the safety of others.

DROID DEPOT

Who doesn’t want their own personal R2 unit?

Guests — for an undisclosed cost — can either purchase a pre-built droid or build one in the colors of their choosing by picking pieces off a conveyor belt.

They’re not just pretty to look at. Park official says the droids will be controllable by guests.

TASTE OF STAR WARS

There’s no such thing as chicken in “Galaxy’s Edge.” That’s Tip Yip, and the cornbread that you might eat with it is blue, gravy is green and cauliflower is orange.

Much of the food is plant based with dairy-free mash potatoes and vegan meatballs.

OGA’S CANTINA

While talkative DJ-R3X spins music, bartenders pour beverages.

The cantina will be the first location to serve alcohol to the general public in Disneyland’s 60-plus year history. It’s the place to come and unwind, but officials say it’s also known to have some of the most disreputable characters in the galaxy.

And yes, droids are allowed.

PLAY MOBILE APP

Galaxy’s Edge is the first land within a Disney park designed to integrate with the app. It can help translate Star Wars languages, find hidden gems in crates on a map and initiate missions. The app can also be used to interact with droids, media screens, door panels and drinking fountains.

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Suarez double downs Madrid to send Barca into Cup final

MADRID: A clinical Barcelona won 3-0 at Real Madrid in an intense second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday as a Luis Suarez double helped them secure a 4-1 aggregate victory and a spot in the final for the sixth straight season.

A dominant yet wasteful Real ravaged their rivals in the first half while spurning a string of clear chances at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Yet Barca went ahead against the run of play in the 50th minute as Ousmane Dembele led a counter-attack and Suarez slotted his pass into the net.

Spearheaded by the pace and confidence of Brazilian teenager Vinicius Jr, Madrid continued to fly forward but failed to find the target.

Barca effectively killed off the tie when Raphael Varane bundled the ball into his own net as he tried to prevent Suarez reaching another cross from Dembele.

Suarez then earned a penalty and further humiliated Madrid by converting with an audacious ‘Panenka’, deceiving goalkeeper Keylor Navas by chipping the ball into the net.

Barca, who lost first leg games to Levante and Sevilla in the Cup and drew 1-1 with Madrid in the first leg of the semi-final, booked their place in the final at the Benito Villamarin stadium, the home of Real Betis, on May 25.

Bidding to win the trophy for a record fifth year in a row, the Catalans will face either Betis or Valencia, who drew 2-2 in the first leg of their semi-final and meet again on Thursday.

“This is another demonstration of how good this team is. People keep saying that we don’t care about the Cup, but we have shown that we always want to win every single trophy,” Suarez told reporters.

NUMEROUS CHANCES

Real coach Santiago Solari stressed his side’s dominance in the game but cursed their inability to take their numerous chances.

“In football you have to be efficient and take the chances you get,” he said.

“We fell with honour, we could do no more. We were not clinical but they were, and we go home feeling hurt because we really wanted to reach the final.”

Worst of all for Madrid, La Liga leaders Barca will be back at the Bernabeu once again on Saturday for a league fixture which, should they win again, would see them move 12 points clear of their arch rivals.

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde attempted to neutralise the threat of Vinicius by deploying right-sided defenders Sergi Roberto and Nelson Semedo to protect the left flank but the Brazilian was still the most dangerous player in the first half.

Vinicius could have won a penalty when Semedo clattered into him and had three clear chances to score before the interval, failing to hit the target twice from inside the area, and being thwarted by Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.

He continued to dance his way through Barca’s defence after the break but his final touch let him down.

Shortly after Suarez’s opener, he cut into the box and delivered a cross which Sergio Reguilon met with a diving header, but Ter Stegen flew across his goal to repel the effort.

Madrid, who were also beaten 3-0 by Barca at the Bernabeu in La Liga last season and were thrashed 5-1 by their rivals back in October, lost their heads after that chance and there was no coming back following Varane’s own goal.

Barca seemed to relish their role as Real’s tormentors and Suarez took the ball from usual penalty taker Lionel Messi to complete their fourth victory in five visits to the Bernabeu with an ice-cool finish from the spot.

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Video praising China’s Huawei goes viral as company distances itself

HONG KONG: A children’s song with patriotic lyrics praising Huawei Technologies has gone viral, China’s state-run tabloid the Global Times said, although the Chinese company has distanced itself from the video which has been mocked online.

The video, which was posted on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Wednesday, features children singing a song called “Huawei Beauty” as they dance and cheer.

In the video, children in uniform white T-shirts with the Chinese characters of “China” written on them, sing: “We love our country, we love homegrown brand Huawei” and “China’s homegrown chips are the most valuable”.

Huawei told Reuters it had no prior knowledge of the video and had nothing to do with it.

The video was made by a singing studio at the government-funded community activity center for women and children of Zhuhai, according to the credits.

The Global Times late on Wednesday said on its official Twitter account the video was how Chinese residents showed their support for the Chinese telecom equipment maker.

It comes as Huawei has been fighting growing distrust from Washington and its allies amid allegations its equipment could be used for Chinese espionage, claims the company has repeatedly denied.

Washington has called for allies not to use Huawei’s technology, a move that threatens to shut it out of the Western market.

Huawei’s chief financial officer, Sabrina Meng Wanzhou, was arrested in Canada and is facing possible extradition to the United States on charges that she violated American sanctions against Iran.

The song has been criticized and mocked by some internet users who said it was overly nationalist.

“This is brainwashing children,” one Weibo user wrote. “Huawei softpower?” said another.

Huawei’s official fan outreach account the Pollen Club said on Weibo: “This video was created by some Netizens without the knowledge or participation of Huawei. Thanks all for the love and support to Huawei.”

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Chhetri claims hat-trick as Nepal defeat Kuwait

Nepal skipper Rubina Chhetri Belbasbhi and her Kuwait counterpart Mariam Omar (left) exchanging the memento in Bangkok on Wednesday. Photo Courtesy: CAT

Kathmandu, February 27

Skipper Rubina Chhetri Belbasbhi took a hat-trick as Nepal defeated Kuwait by 30 runs in the ICC Women’s Qualifier Asia in Bangkok today.

Nepal registered their fifth victory in the seven-team tournament but failed to finish at the top spot to earn berths in the Twenty20 and 50-over World Cup Qualifiers.

Thailand qualified for the World Cup Qualifiers with perfect record of six victories.

Chhetri Belbashi stole the limelight taking a hat-trick in the last three balls of the match. She bowled Khadija Khalib out for one run in the fourth ball of the final over before earning similar decisions over Madeeha Zuberi and Zeefa Jilani. Chhetri recorded her second and fourth overall by Nepali bowlers.

Chhetri had taken hattrick on her way to taking five wickets against Singapore in the ACC Twenty20 Women’s Championship in Malaysia in 2009. Karuna Bhandari claimed treble against Thailand in the ACC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Kuwait in 2011. Sabnam Rai had taken hat-trick against China in the ICC Women’s World T20 Asia Region Qualifier last year.

Batting first, Nepal posted 116-7 in 20 overs before restricting Kuwait to 86-9. Skipper Mariam Omar top scored for Kuwait with 29 runs.

Chhetri Belbashi returned with the figures of 3-17, while Karuna Bhandari claimed 3-12. Nary Thapa and Kabita Kunwar bagged one wicket each.

Earlier, Chhetri scored 22 off just 13 balls hitting three boundaries, while Bindu Rawal top scored with 28 runs, while Kajal Shrestha contributed 18. Former skipper Nary Thapa struck three boundaries in scoring 19 runs.

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Bodies of Air Dynasty crash victims brought to Kathmandu

KATHMANDU: The bodies of Air Dynasty chopper crash victims have been brought to Kathmandu.

The Nepal Army helicopter carrying the bodies of the deceased has landed at Tribhuvan International Airport in the capital city.

The bodies will now be taken to Tribhuvan International Teaching Hospital (TUTH) for post mortem.

(UPDATED)

Bodies of Air Dynasty crash victims airlifted from Taplejung

Nepal Army helicopter (MI-17s) taking off from Suketar Airport in Taplejung carrying the remains of the Air Dynasty crash victims to Kathmandu, on Thursday, February 28. 2019. Photo: RSS

KATHMANDU: The bodies of Air Dynasty chopper crash victims have been airlifted from Taplejung and are being brought to Kathmandu.

The Nepal Army MI-17s helicopter — carrying the body of Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari along with six others — has taken off from Taplejung after the weather conditions improved.

The chopper is expected to land in Tribhuvan International Airport in about one and a half hours.

Pilot of the helicopter Captain Prabhakar KC, tourism entrepreneur Ang Tshiring Sherpa, security personnel Arjun Ghimire, Under-Secretary at the Prime Minister’s office Yubaraj Dahal, Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Birendra Shrestha, and CAAN Engineer Dhruba Das Bhochhibhaya lost their lives in yesterday’s fatal incident along with Minister Adhikari.

(UPDATED)

Bodies of Air Dynasty crash victims brought to Taplejung airport

Kathmandu and Hetauda are seen connected by the Tribhuvan Highway. Photo: Google Maps

PANCHTHAR: Bodies of the seven persons, including Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari who lost their lives in yesterday’s chopper crash in Pathibhara region, have been taken to Suketar Airport in Taplejung by Nepal Army.

Bodies of four crash victims had been taken to Suketar following the crash yesterday while bodies of three others have been taken there from the incident site by Nepal Army today morning despite bad weather conditions.

Chief District Officer of Taplejung, Anuj Bhandari, informed that the bodies were brought to the airport in Nepal Army’s helicopter.

According to him, weather condition has still not improved at the airport region due to which security personnel have to wait for improvement in weather to lift the bodies to Kathmandu.

The CDO further informed that bodies of all deceased including the tourism minister would be sent to Kathmandu today itself after completing due procedures at Suketar Airport.

The Air Dynasty chopper — carrying seven people including Minister Adhikari and the pilot — was on its way to Kathmandu via Pathibhara region after completing inspection of an under-construction airport at Chuhan Danda of Tehrathum when it crashed in Darebheer of Taplejung. No one survived the crash.

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EDITORIAL: Overcome ambiguities

Ambiguous polices reflected in the investment-related bills must be overcome to attract more foreign direct investment

A couple of bills related to foreign direct investment (FDI) contradict each other due to sheer lack of coordination between the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies. The Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Bill (FITTB) and Public Private Partnership and Investment Bill (PPPIB) seem to contradict each other when it comes to attracting investment amounts and issuing licences for the development of hydropower projects under the FDI. These two bills were recently tabled in the federal Parliament with a view to getting them passed through the House well before the second Investment Summit scheduled to be held on March 29-30 in Kathmandu. While the FITTB has authorised the Industry and Investment Promotion Board to approve FDI above Rs 5 billion and up to Rs 10 billion, the PPPIB proposes that FDI worth more than Rs 6 billion needs to be approved by the Investment Board Nepal (IBN). Another contradictory provision in the PPPIB is that it has authorised the IBN to issue generation licence for hydropower projects with a capacity of more than 200 MW. It contradicts a provision of the Electricity Act, which allows the Energy Ministry to issue licence for all of hydel projects.

The private sector has termed it policy inconsistency, resulting in a setback to attract more FDI in the productive and the energy sectors, both of which may be instrumental to generating more employment opportunities. The government is working hard to formulate suitable laws with a view to attracting more and more FDI so that the ballooning trade deficit and balance of payments can be reduced to a great extent. Potential foreign investors have been calling for suitable laws, which may allow them to repatriate their profits after some time of investment in the country. The IBN, which is authorised to issue licence for hydel projects exceeding 500 MW, is at loggerheads with the Energy Ministry. Such policy ambiguities will only add confusion to the potential investors. Customs officials also face difficulties to give clearance to goods imported for such projects.

As the government embarks on holding the second Investment Summit, security could also be a major concern for the investors. The recent coordinated attacks on Ncell’s office and its 21 towers across the country have sent a wrong message that Nepal may not be safe for FDI. Against this backdrop, the government must assure the potential investors that full security would be provided to their investment and personnel. If the government is really serious about attracting FDI, it must take stern action against those who carried out the senseless acts of terror. And by the time of the summit, all the laws dealing with FDI must also be compatible with each other. The government must set up a one-window system to provide the potential investors all facilities related to survey, agreement and investment permission of the project. The prevailing culture of red-tape must come to an end once and for all if we are serious about attracting FDI. Ambiguous polices reflected in the two crucial bills should be overcome before they are passed through the federal parliament. The line ministries must work in tandem to make the bills investment-friendly.

Let the Act prevail

Kathmandu is an urban nightmare, with its unplanned cityscape, where houses, more often than not, do not follow the prescribed building code. As both individual houses and business complexes strive to earn a little more rent, the greed is pushing their height to new levels, much against the limit fixed by the government. It is against this background that officials of about half a dozen agencies inspected a commercial complex under construction inside the buffer zone of Basantapur Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on Tuesday to remind it to keep the height at no more than 35 feet.

The builder, Business Associates Pvt. Ltd., had made a commitment to stick to the Ancient Monument Preservation Act, which caps the height of buildings at 35 feet. But why it is trying to circumvent the regulation is anyone’s guess. The authorities must show no leniency should the builder insist on going any higher. Otherwise, it will be difficult to deter other builders in and around the monumental zone frequented by thousands of foreign visitors every day. It may not be possible for the authorities to bring order to the entire city, but it must do so at the heritage sites through strict implementation of the regulations.

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City need generous penalty to beat West Ham

Sergio Aguero’s penalty gave Man City a 1-0 win over West Ham
The Hammers frustrated City in a goalless first half
Bernardo Silva went down under a challenge from Felipe Anderson
Aguero confidently converted from the spot
City are at Bournemouth and West Ham host Newcastle on Saturday

MANCHESTER: Manchester City needed the award of a soft penalty, converted by Sergio Aguero, to beat West Ham United and stay a point behind leaders Liverpool with a 1-0 win on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola’s side dominated the game with 76 percent ball possession but West Ham defended intelligently and almost did enough to produce a surprise result.

That would, however, have been harsh on the champions, who played 120 minutes before clinching the League Cup on penalties on Sunday and spent most of this game on the ball.

“We played so well, you see the scoreline and think it was a a tough game but…we did everything and they created one shot on the target. I am delighted with the way we performed,” said Guardiola.

Yet without the penalty, it could have been a night where the Londoners handed Liverpool a three-point lead in the title race. Instead, City moved on to 68 points, while Liverpool, who hammered Watford 5-0, are on 69.

The decisive moment at the Etihad Stadium came in the 59th minute when Felipe Anderson was ruled to have brought down Bernardo Silva from behind and Aguero coolly slotted home from the spot.

“To be generous, it is a little soft, but that is too generous. It was not a penalty. If we lose this game with another action then maybe we can accept it but not that penalty,” said West Ham’s former City manager Manuel Pellegrini.

The Chilean set his West Ham team up to frustrate the hosts and they did an excellent job for most of the game, forcing City into wide areas where Riyad Mahrez and Leroy Sane struggled to create openings.

City camped in the visitors’ half for the opening 45 minutes but apart from David Silva going close when he hit the post after an excellent low cross, their dominance rarely threatened Lukasz Fabianski’s goal.

The visitors themselves went close after the break when substitute Manuel Lanzini found Andy Carroll at the back post, but City keeper Ederson did well to parry the forward’s well-struck effort.

Guardiola promptly threw on Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva from the bench and they changed the tempo and flow of the game.

After the penalty, Sterling went close twice to doubling the lead. He had a close-range effort blocked and scrambled away and then delivered a sweetly struck effort after cutting in from the left which was well saved by Fabianski.

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Citizen’s new product

KATHMANDU: Citizen Life Insurance Company Limited has introduced a new product, ‘Citizen Annual Money Back Insurance Plan’, in the domestic market.

The product was launched by company’s CEO Poshak Raj Poudel.

“The product will provide dividend equivalent to five per cent of the insured amount on an annual basis besides providing insurance coverage throughout the term period,” says a statement issued by the company.

The company, which started operations more than a year ago, has 62 branches across the country.

The company’s premium collection jumped 60 per cent in the second quarter vis-à-vis first quarter of this fiscal year, says the statement.

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World urges restraint as India, Pakistan trade blows over Kashmir

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan both said they shot down each other’s fighter jets on Wednesday, with Pakistan capturing an Indian pilot a day after Indian warplanes struck inside Pakistan for the first time since a 1971 war, prompting world powers to urge restraint.

Both countries have ordered air strikes over the last two days, the first time in history that two nuclear-armed powers have done so, while ground forces have exchanged fire in more than a dozen locations.

Tensions have been running high since at least 40 Indian paramilitary police died in a February 14 suicide car bombing by Pakistan-based militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir, but the risk of conflict rose dramatically on Tuesday when India launched an air strike on what it said was a militant training base.

A senior Indian government source said 300 militants were killed in Tuesday’s strike. Pakistan says no one died.

The White House condemned the intensifying conflict and urged “both sides to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation.”

“The potential risks associated with further military action by either side are unacceptably high for both countries, their neighbors and the international community,” a National Security Council official said on condition of anonymity.

The Pentagon added to US pressure for restraint by the foes, issuing a statement that said Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan is focused “on de-escalating tensions and urging both of the nations to avoid further military action.”

Pakistan’s envoy to the United States, Asad Majeed Khan, said Islamabad would like to see the Trump administration play a more active role in easing the crisis.

“We would certainly like to have more, and would certainly like to see more active involvement of the United States,” he told reporters.

At the same time, he said the lack of US condemnation of India’s strike on Pakistan is “construed and understood as an endorsement of the Indian position, and that is what emboldened them even more.”

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan called for talks with India and hoped both sides could de-escalate.

“History tells us that wars are full of miscalculation. My question is that, given the weapons we have, can we afford miscalculation,” Khan said during a brief televised broadcast to the nation. “We should sit down and talk.”

The Pakistan government’s official Twitter account released a video of a man it claimed was an Indian pilot who had been shot down.

The man, whom Pakistan has named as Wing Commander Abhi Nandan and whose face was bloodied and blindfolded, gives his name and service number before telling a man questioning him: “I’m sorry sir, that’s all I’m supposed to tell you.”

India’s foreign ministry demanded the pilot’s immediate release and said his treatment was a “vulgar display of an injured personnel of the Indian Air Force in violation of all norms of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Convention” India has not yet named the pilot.

In a second video circulating on social media, a screenshot of which was shared by the same Pakistan government account, the pilot was seen sipping tea while praising his treatment by the Pakistani military.

Reuters could not independently verify the second video’s authenticity.

POLITICAL PRESSURE

Pakistan and India have fought three wars since independence from British colonial rule in 1947, two over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, and went to the brink of a fourth in 2002 after a Pakistani militant attack on India’s parliament.

The latest escalation marks a sudden deterioration in relations between the two countries, both of which claim Kashmir in full, but only rule in part.

As recently as November, Pakistan’s Khan spoke of “mending ties” with India.

The conflict also comes at a critical time for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who faces a general election in a matter of months.

Modi’s decision to order air strikes could benefit him politically, according to analysts and pollsters, but he was accused on Wednesday by opposition parties of capitalizing on conflict.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the “blatant politicization of the sacrifices made by our armed forces,” in a joint statement by 21 opposition parties, the first time they have broken ranks with the government over the issue.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke separately with the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan and urged them to avoid “further military activity” following Tuesday’s air strike.

“I expressed to both ministers that we encourage India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost,” Pompeo said in a statement on Wednesday.

“I also encouraged both ministers to prioritize direct communication and avoid further military activity,” he said.

China and the European Union have also called for restraint.

China’s top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, spoke by telephone with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and expressed “deep concern” over the escalation in tensions, China’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

AERIAL BATTLE

Many of the facts in the latest series of engagements are disputed by the two sides.

Major General Asif Ghafoor, spokesman for the Pakistan armed forces, said two Indian jets had been shot down after they entered Pakistani airspace while responding to a Pakistani aerial mission on targets in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

One of the jets crashed on the Indian-controlled side of the de facto border in Kashmir, known as the Line of Control, and the other on the Pakistani side.

Ghafoor said the Pakistani aircraft had carried out the strikes in response to India’s air strike the day before but had taken deliberate action to ensure no casualties were caused.

The Pakistani jets had locked on to six targets, in a demonstration of their capacity to hit strategic installations, but deliberately fired into open spaces where there would be no casualties.

“This was not a retaliation in true sense, but to tell Pakistan has capability, we can do it, but we want to be responsible, we don’t want an escalation, we don’t want a war,” Ghafoor told a news conference.

One of the aircraft fell on India’s side of Kashmir, while the second came down in Pakistani-held territory with two pilots captured, he added.

Raveesh Kumar, a spokesman for India’s foreign ministry, gave a different account, telling a news briefing that the Pakistan air strikes on military targets had been “foiled.”

India shot down one Pakistani plane that landed in Pakistani territory, Kumar said, adding that it had lost one of its own planes, not two, with the pilot “missing in action.”

“Pakistan has claimed that he is in their custody. We are ascertaining the facts,” Kumar said.

Pakistan denies it lost a plane in the encounter.

At the Pakistani briefing, Ghafoor produced photographs of weapons and identity documents he said were carried by Indian pilots.

Pakistan initially said that two Indian pilots had been captured, before clarifying it only had one in its custody.

The Indian air force has ordered Kashmir’s main airport in Srinagar along with at least three others in neighboring states to close, an official said.

Pakistan shut its airspace, with commercial flights in the country canceled.

Flights from the Middle East and India were also affected. Air Canada said on Wednesday it has temporarily suspended service to India, following a decision by the Pakistani government to close its airspace.

In a separate incident, police officials in Indian-occupied Kashmir said that four passengers and a civilian had died after an Indian aircraft crashed in Kashmir. A partial tail number from the craft seen by a Reuters witness showed it to be an Mi17 military helicopter. The cause of the crash was unknown.

GROUND FIRE

The aerial engagement followed overnight artillery fire by both sides. Pakistan used heavy-caliber weapons along the Line of Control, a spokesman for the Indian defence forces said on Wednesday.

“The Indian Army retaliated for effect and our focused fire resulted in severe destruction to five posts and a number of casualties,” the spokesman said.

Five Indian soldiers suffered minor wounds in the shelling that ended on Wednesday morning, he added.

Officials on the Pakistani side said at least four people had been killed and seven wounded, including civilians, with thousands evacuated and schools closed in border areas.

Indian security forces killed two Jaish militants in a gun battle on Wednesday, police said.

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Laxmi Bank opens new branch office

KATHMANDU: Laxmi Bank has opened its 99th branch office in Nayabazar, Kirtipur.

The branch will offer full range of retail banking services customised to meet the needs of individuals and small businesses, says a statement issued by the bank. Laxmi Bank is currently providing services through 99 branches, five hospital service counters, 112 ATMs, 2,500 remittance agents and 51 branchless banking agents across the country.

“The bank is rapidly expanding to newer markets with the aim of catering to the growing demand for professional financial services such as innovative saving accounts, term deposits, home and auto loans, small business loans, microfinance and insurance,” adds the statement.

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Minister Adhikari to be cremated with state honours

KATHMANDU: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari will be cremated in his home district Kaski.

The body of the late minister will be brought to Kathmandu today from Taplejung and then would be taken to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for postmortem.

It has been learnt that final tributes would be paid to Minister Adhikari at Tundikhel in Kathmandu before taking his body to Kaski for carrying out his final rites.

According to the late minister’s personal secretary Rajendra Acharya, preparations are going on to pay final tributes to Minister Adhikari at Pokhara Exhibition Centre from 8:00 am on Friday.

The Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday decided to cremate the deceased with state honours, according to Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa.

Born on May 4, 1969 at Jamunabot in Bharatpokhari, Kaski, Adhikari displayed strong conviction that the country’s prosperity would not be possible until youths reached leadership positions.

Minister Adhikari’s parents are living in Pokhara. He is survived by his wife Bidhya Bhattarai and two sons. Bhattarai teaches at Padmakanya Campus in Kathmandu.

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Arrizabalaga dropped as Chelsea beat Tottenham 2-0

Chelsea beat Tottenham 2-0 at Stamford Bridge
Keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was dropped by Chelsea
Gonzalo Higuain struck the post for Chelsea after five minutes
Tottenham’s Harry Winks was also denied by the woodwork
Pedro put Chelsea ahead after the break from a tight angle
Kieran Trippier’s comical own goal sealed Chelsea‘s win
Tottenham face Arsenal next, Chelsea visit Fulham

LONDON: Chelsea put a tumultuous few days behind them and a smile back on manager Maurizio Sarri’s face as they revived their top-four hopes with a 2-0 victory over stuttering Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

Sarri has been under immense pressure of late after his side’s poor form and it seemed he was losing control at Wembley on Sunday when goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga refused to be substituted at the end of extra time against Manchester City.

Arrizabalaga was dropped by Sarri for the visit of third-placed Tottenham with Willy Caballero taking his place — a move that could have backfired on the Italian.

As it turned out, Caballero did not have much to do and it was Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris who became the fall guy.

First he was beaten from a tight angle by Pedro in the 57th minute and then he was jointly culpable in a comical own goal by Kieran Trippier late on.

From being talked about as title contenders a few days ago Tottenham have lost two league games in a row and now have the pack closing in below them in the battle for a top-four finish.

Chelsea remained in sixth spot, three points behind fourth-placed Arsenal having played a game less.

Tottenham are four ahead of Arsenal who they host on Saturday, and five in front of Manchester United.

Arrizabalaga’s antics had overshadowed what was an impressive display by Chelsea against Manchester City when they were beaten in a penalty shoot-out.

Sarri said dropping him was a “message to the group” and it clearly hit home as Chelsea‘s players put in a shift.

“The performance was in line with the last one and fortunately the result was different — but the performance was very similar to the one against Man City,” Sarri said.

“I was sure my relationship with my players is really very good and in the last month better.”

Chelsea began at a high-tempo and Gonzalo Higuain twice went close to giving them the lead — first with a sliced shot against the post and then with a curler wide.

Tottenham’s Harry Kane struggled to make an impression, letting his frustration boil over at one point.

Harry Winks did go close to giving Spurs the lead with a dipping shot against the crossbar.

But Tottenham lacked their usual conviction in attack and they fell behind when Pedro turned inside Toby Alderweireld before shooting past Lloris from an unpromising angle.

Pedro then showed his defensive qualities with a great tackle on Christian Eriksen as the Dane wriggled through.

Yet any hope of a Tottenham comeback was eradicated when Trippier and Lloris failed to communicate and Trippier’s attempted back pass rolled into an unguarded net.

Tottenham did not have a shot on target and after Saturday’s defeat at Burnley suddenly look vulnerable.

“It wasn’t a great game to watch. Of course very, very disappointed but we move on,” Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said. “Two games and two defeats but now it’s about being calm.”

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Over 72,000 road projects in limbo

Kathmandu, February 27

Over 72,000 road projects are in a limbo across the country, as their construction has not moved ahead for the last four months due to lack of coordination between the central, provincial and local governments, the Development and Technology Committee of the Federal Parliament was told today.

These projects are being built under the multi-year contract model, meaning works have been contracted out for a period of more than a year.

The parliamentary committee today directed the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) to provide details of all these projects within three days and explain the cause of their delay.

“Why is the government with two-thirds support of lawmakers failing to address problems faced by these projects?” questioned lawmaker Ganesh Pahadi.

Over 72,000 road projects were transferred by the federal government to provincial and local governments earlier this year, according to the MoPIT.

“These projects are now under the jurisdiction of the provincial and local governments.

But provincial and local governments either do not have adequate budget or skilled human resources to execute the work. This has completely halted construction of these projects,” said Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Raghubeer Mahaseth. “We are holding discussions with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration to resolve these problems.”

On December 18, a Cabinet meeting had decided to handover over 72,000 road projects that were under the Department of Roads to the provincial and local governments.

Following this decision, the MoPIT had not only handed over projects to provincial and local governments, but information such as implementation status, physical and financial progress, details of expenditure in the past and projected spending plan for the currently fiscal year.

But of over 72,000 projects, provincial and local governments are yet to take ownership of 7,000 road projects being built at a cost of Rs 26 billion. Officials of provincial and local governments said they had denied to take ownership of these projects as the federal government had failed to allocate adequate budget. Federal government officials acknowledged that they had released only Rs six to seven billion for projects being built at a cost of Rs 26 billion.

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