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Nepal reported 11 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 4, 119 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which eight returned positive. Likewise, 1, 772 people underwent antigen tests, of which three were tested positive.

The Ministry said that no one died of virus in the last 24 hours. The Ministry said that 17 infected people recovered from the disease.

As of today, there are 252  active cases in the country.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 5. 17 points to close at 2, 376. 17 points on Wednesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 1. 61 points to close at 454. 56 points.

Meanwhile, a total of 2, 885, 039 unit shares of 228 companies were traded for Rs 1. 08 billion.

In today’s market, all sub-indices saw green except for Banking, Trading, Microfinance and Mutual Fund.

Meanwhile, Jalpa Samudayik Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Sabina Equity Fund was the top loser as its price fell by 3. 88 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalisation stood at Rs 3. 38 trillion.

After one of the greatest of Champions League semi-final clashes, Manchester City will take a 4-3 lead into the second leg of their tie against Real Madrid following an extraordinary encounter at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

A breathtaking and relentlessly fast game, packed with chances, moments of individual brilliance and a smattering of defensive lapses, was a treat for the spectators but leaves City, who had the better of the game, with the slenderest of leads to defend at the Santiago Bernabeu next Wednesday.

“It was a fantastic game for both sides. We did many good things. Unfortunately we conceded goals and we could not score more. But it is two games and we have another one in one week,” said City manager Pep Guardiola.

Liverpool and Villarreal will certainly struggle to match the quality of this game when they meet in the other semi-final at Anfield on Wednesday, according to Reuters. 

City took the lead after 94 seconds, the fastest goal scored in a Champions League semi-final, with Kevin De Bruyne’s superb diving header after Riyad Mahrez made a piercing run at the Real defence, switched inside and then delivered a killer cross.

Guardiola’s side doubled their lead in the 11th minute through the in-form Gabriel Jesus, who scored four goals in the Premier League at the weekend, collecting a pass from De Bruyne and spinning away from David Alaba before drilling home.

It was the first time that 13-times European champions Real had conceded two goals so quickly in the Champions League and another looked on the cards.

Reigning Premier League champions City were on fire, running Spanish league leaders Real ragged, but Mahrez and Phil Foden were both unable to convert promising chances, Reuters reported.

It was a spell of the game that City may yet look back on as a missed opportunity and as so often Real found a way to get themselves back in a contest that risked running away from them.

The goal came via a familiar source, the Champions League’s escape artist Karim Benzema scoring a goal out of nothing as he guided a Ferland Mendy cross into the far, bottom corner with the most delicate of steers after 33 minutes.

Guardiola could be forgiven for wondering how his team’s high-energy, high-quality football had only produced a 2-1 lead at the break but there was a similar pattern in the second half.

City restored a two-goal advantage eight minutes after the restart with veteran Fernandinho, on as a substitute for the injured John Stones, picking out Foden with a perfectly weighted cross which the England international nodded home.

Two minutes later though Fernandinho was caught out as he allowed Brazilian compatriot Vinicius Jr to break away past him on the touchline, according to Reuters.

The winger sprinted from the halfway line deep into the area before poking the ball past Ederson to make it 3-2 with an outstanding individual effort.

Yet again City found a way through. Real’s defence hesitated after Oleksandr Zinchenko went down on the edge of the box but Bernardo Silva pounced and beat Thibaut Courtois with a superb drive into the top corner in the 74th minute.

There was more drama to come as City’s Aymeric Laporte was penalised when the ball struck his arm in the area, after glancing off his head, and Benzema converted the penalty with a cheeky ‘Panenka’ chip down the middle eight minutes from time.

Still City searched for more but substitute Raheem Sterling and Ruben Dias were both unable to make contact with a dangerous ball across the box and then Dias slid in again and was just inches away from a deep Mahrez cross, Reuters reported.

The score was to remain 4-3 but for those who wished this game could have just gone on and on there is another 90 minutes to look forward to next week.

City, yet to be crowned European champions, were left with the strange feeling of disappointment at ‘only’ beating Real by one goal.

Real’s Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti had similar mixed feelings to Guardiola after an entertaining night and left with some regrets but there was a hint of optimism in his analysis, according to Reuters.

“As a football fan, it was a fantastic game of football. As a manager of Madrid, I have to take into consideration that we … conceded two goals very early. But we take three goals to the Bernabeu. We now hope to get to the final.”

The government has decided to grant two days of public holiday a week—Saturday and Sunday—from May 15.

A Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday made the decision to this effect.

Likewise, the government has also decided to extend the office hours from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm.

Government spokesperson and Minister for Information and Communications Gyanendra Bahadur Karki said that the government has decided to implement the decision effective from May 15 as a trial.

The government has also decided to impose a complete ban on 10 different types of items and give two days of public holiday to reduce the import of petroleum products and to increase foreign exchange reserves.

Nepal’s recent improvement in the global civil-aviation regulator ICAO’s audit score could be wasted. It would have been the perfect opportunity to lobby with the European Commission to lift the ban on Nepali airlines from European skies. But the country’s entreaties on that score are likely to be scorned. A pair of bills in the federal parliament to split the regulatory and service-providing arms of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have been cunningly shelved. The commission has repeatedly clarified that European skies will remain closed to Nepali fliers until the split: the overlapping of CAAN’s regulatory and operational duties creates conflict of interest, adding to the risk of accidents.  

Just when the bills were to be put up for a vote in the federal lower house on March 2, Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Ale had asked the parliament secretariat to hold them back. He had done so under the pressure of the CAAN top brass (and their political masters) who feared a loss in their clout from the authority’s split. So even as the country’s economy is nearing a point of crisis, one measure that could immediately help revive it was shelved: the European Commission’s ban discourages European tourists from visiting Nepal with its ‘unsafe skies’.  

Nor is this just a question of our economy’s health. So long as CAAN remains intact, even Nepali air passengers will feel unsafe. The interests of a handful of people have been allowed to endanger common lives. Owing to continuous obstruction from the main opposition, the 10th parliamentary session has been prorogued. The two bills are now unlikely to be discussed until the election of a new parliament later this year. 

Both the ministry of tourism as well as CAAN have been keen to highlight the ICAO’s recent favorable ratings of Nepal. But they surely know that the ban will stay until the central issue of the break-up of CAAN is completed. Instead of waiting for international organizations to help Nepal, our politicians need to first show that they can ensure the safety of their own brethren.

It’s a peaceful morning and you wake up craving for a nice bite of croissants before you head off to work.

Sami Croissant in Bakhundol, Lalitpur, is just the place for you. It specializes in vegan Austrian croissants and other dishes that revolve around it. A variety of unique flavored croissants to cronuts (croissant donuts), croissant sandwiches to croissant cereal and many more, Sami Croissants has it all. The croissants are made of almond flour, giving them one-of-a-kind taste. This small establishment, run by two friends, also offers this European desserts infused with traditional Nepali ingredients. The flavors compliment each other. Take Gundpaak Croissant. The gooey sugary delight packed inside croissant dough makes it the perfect pastry. 

Chef’s Special:

Traditional Croissant 

Chocolate Croissant 

Almond Croissant 

Gundpaak Croissant

Opening hours: 8:00 am to 9:00 pm

Location: Bakhundol, Lalitpur

Meal for 2: Rs 800

Phone pay: Yes

Contact:  981-3152788

Three persons died when a bike they were riding on hit a parked truck at Sindhuli Tole in Chireshwornath Municipality-5 of Dhanusha on Tuesday.

Police said that the bike (Na 2 Kha 8624) hit the truck (Lu 83 Pa 8652) at around 2:30 am today.

One of the deceased has been identified as Sumit Agrawal (20) of Janakpurdham-4.

Police said that the identities of two others are yet to be established.

DSP Jitendra Basnet, spokesperson at the District Police Office, Dhanusha, said that the bodies have been kept at the Janakpurdham-based Provincial Hospital for postmortem.

Police said that they have impounded the truck and arrested its driver for investigation.

Update
More than 137, 000 candidates filed their nominations at the election offices across the country for the local level elections slated for May 13. 

According to the data provided by the Election Commission on Tuesday morning, 137, 043 persons filed their candidacies for various posts including mayor, deputy mayor, chairperson and members.

Of them, 21, 879 candidates filed nominations in Province 1, 34, 747 in Madhesh Pradesh, 12, 146 in Gandaki Province, 21, 759 in Lumbini Province, 12, 318 in Karnali and 1, 198 in Sudurpaschim.