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The Api Nampa Conservation Area Office has decided to distribute financial compensation to 143 people for the damage caused by wildlife in the conservation area.

Information Officer at the office, Manoj Awasthi said the amount will be provided to the people of the conservation area as compensation for the loss of life, livestock and crops due to wildlife.

In the current fiscal year so far, 105 people have been provided the compensation amount while 38 others have been recommended for the same, he informed.

The office had distributed Rs 1.5 million as compensation to 142 persons in the last fiscal year.

Two Indian airlines, SpiceJet and Air India Express, have received permission to operate scheduled flights to Kathmandu. According to the Summer Schedule published by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), SpiceJet will resume its daily New Delhi–Kathmandu flights starting May 10. The flight will arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) at 9:55 am and depart at 10:55 am. The airline will use a Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft with a seating capacity of 189 passengers. 

SpiceJet had suspended its Kathmandu operations during the Covid-19 pandemic. It has appointed Himalayan Globe Travel Services as its General Sales Agent (GSA) in Nepal. Meanwhile, Air India Express, the low-cost subsidiary of Air India, has received permission to operate daily flights to Kathmandu from Bangalore and Mumbai. According to CAAN, the Bangalore flight will arrive in Kathmandu 8:05 am and depart at 9:05 am. The Mumbai flight will land at 5:05 pm and depart at 6:00 pm. Both services are scheduled to commence in June. Air India Express has not made any formal announcement regarding its new flights.

With the addition of these two carriers, the number of Indian airlines operating regular flights to Kathmandu has increased to four. Full-service airline Air India has six daily flights on the New Delhi–Kathmandu route whereas low-cost carrier IndiGo operates three daily flights from New Delhi and one from Mumbai.

Nepal Airlines, the national flag carrier, also operates direct flights to New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore from Kathmandu. The privately-owned Nepali carrier, Buddha Air, flies to Varanasi from Kathmandu. Bhutanese carriers—Bhutan Airlines and Druk Air—also operate flights between Kathmandu and New Delhi.

India is the largest tourism source country for Nepal, accounting for nearly one-third of the total international tourist arrivals. Improved air connectivity between major Indian cities and Kathmandu is expected to further boost tourist inflow to Nepal.

Donald Trump's "explosive" tariffs are now in effect, including 104% on China, the world's biggest exporter. The list also includes 60 of the "worst offending" countries, who will face taxation ranging from 11% to 50%.

The extra tariffs on China kicked in after Beijing refused to meet Trump's deadline to drop its own retaliatory duties against the US, BBC reported.

Trump has stated that tariffs are necessary for his economic vision, but experts warn that a full-fledged trade war is possible. Some Americans support tariffs, while others fear a recession.

US financial markets recovered early on Tuesday, but then fell once again after the White House confirmed the extra tariffs on China, according to BBC.

While China prepares to impose a 104% tax on many of its exports to the United States, anti-Trump sentiment is growing on the Chinese internet.
 

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and two Russian crewmates arrived at the International Space Station on Tuesday on board a Russian spacecraft.

A Soyuz booster rocket launched as planned from Kazakhstan's Russia-leased Baikonur launch complex, putting the trio in orbit aboard the Soyuz MS-27. They arrived at the station slightly more than three hours later, Al Jazeera reported.

Kim and Russians Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky are expected to spend around eight months in the space station. NASA stated that Kim will undertake scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to assist train the crew for future space flights while also benefiting people on Earth, according to Al Jazeera.

Kim, a Los Angeles native, is a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy with dual designations as a naval aviator and flight surgeon.   Alongside Kim, Ryzhikov, and Zubritsky, the space outpost will also host Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner, and Kirill Peskov; NASA astronauts Don Pettit, Anne McClain, and Nichole Ayers; and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said Madhes Province is full of potential having fertile land for agriculture, and the Chure region for medicinal herbs and water resources. Proper utilization of resources with collaborative efforts helps realize progress here, PM Oli reminded.

PM Oli further said the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Project, a national pride project will not only contribute to national production and productivity but also create unity among people from hill and plains.

He said it while addressing the Madhes Province Assembly today.

The PM said that there was no meaning of other rights before poverty, so getting rid of poverty needed to be the first right of the people. For this to happen, a journey together for development and prosperity is imperative, the PM stressed.

According to him, industrial estate, petroleum pipeline, railway, postal way, express way, and Ramraja Prasad Singh Hospital are some of the foundations of development and prosperity in Madhes Province. He suggested to the provincial lawmakers that they could develop Birgunj custom point as a trade hub and Janakpurdham city as a destination of cultural tourism.

The PM laid emphasis on the need of strengthening democratic republic with the strong determination for good governance.

Republic is a huge achievement

"The federal democratic republic is the great achievement the country made. This achievement should be taken as the gains of people's struggle, not only as the political achievement.  So, our efforts should be devoted for people's service. We should work for a full democracy", he opined.

He pointed out the need of steering the society to the pace of development and good governance as people want the achievements in their favor.

Stating that social and cultural solidarity, tolerance and harmony are beautiful characteristics of Madhes Province, he lauded the contribution of the disciplined and development loving people of Madhes to maintain Nepal's independence, sovereignty, geographical integrity, national unity and self-respect.

PM Oli reminded that the Constitution has provided autonomy to Madhes Province and it is everyone's responsibility to utilize this autonomy.

The Madhes Province has a special role in making effective the coordination among three-tiers of government and policies and development works they forward.

In his address to the province lawmakers, PM Oli commemorated the roles of Rajarshi Janak, Mata Sita, Maharshi Parashuram, Mahakavi Vidyapati and other luminaries and religious heritages, which he argued, are the sources of knowledge and inspiration.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 1. 73 points to close at 2, 671. 80 points on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index, however, plunged by 0.44 points to close at 445. 55 points.

A total of 10,643,469-unit shares of 321 companies were traded for Rs 5. 30 billion.

Meanwhile, Bottlers Nepal (Balaju) Limited (BNL) and Wean Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (WNLB) were the top gainers today, with their price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise, Barahi Hydropower Public Limited (BHPL) was the top loser as its price fell by 6.72 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 42 trillion.

To those of us living here, Kathmandu can feel a bit mundane, especially when the sun doesn’t shine and there seems to be so much dust in the air. Which is why we at ApEx were surprised when a friend returned from India, having cut her visit short by two weeks, claiming she’d rather spend that time in Nepal. She kept raving about ‘beautiful Kathmandu’ and how she’s never been bored here. Some of the things she mentioned were such simple things that we were stunned to have overlooked them or perhaps even taken them for granted. So, we asked random strangers what they liked to do in the city and compiled a list of five of the most common answers. Here are some foreigner-backed suggestions on how to have some fun in Kathmandu even on days when you feel like there’s nothing to do.

Go pub crawling in the city

Kathmandu is home to some of the world’s best pubs and bars. We aren’t the ones making this claim but tourists we spoke to in the city swear that Kathmandu has the nicest watering holes and restaurants. They are all kinds of places too. If you want a quiet one to nurse a beer, you’ll find plenty of cozy ones to choose from. If loud music is your jam, then you will be spoilt for choice. There’s even a separate scene for cocktails if that is more your thing. Bars like Bitters and Co. in Lazimpat and Barc in Tripureshwor serve unique cocktails that you haven’t tasted anywhere. The good thing is that most of these places aren’t very pricey either. They are good value for money. But if you are on a tight budget, then Kathmandu caters to that too. There are many places in Thamel that have amazing happy hour deals throughout the week where you can buy one get one or even get discounts on bulk orders. Most bars and pubs have a nice selection of food too. So grab your friends and indulge in a delightful Margarita or a crowd-favorite titaura cocktail this weekend.

Shop for trinkets in New Road

New Road has always been a place Kathmandu residents head to for shopping, and for all kinds of shopping too. From dry fruits and spices to fabrics and shoes, you will find everything you need at New Road. No wonder it’s so crowded during the festivities and on holidays. Despite markets cropping up in all parts of town, people still like to go to New Road to get what they need. Things just feel better and cheaper there. And in recent times, New Road has gotten a makeover, thanks to the brilliant mayor Balen Shah who is determined to turn the city into the picturesque place it was always meant to be. With roadside parking off limits, the place looks wider and cleaner. Shopping is also a better experience as you don’t keep dashing into people every two minutes. Take this as a perfect opportunity to shop for things like accessories, belts, bags, and clothes among other things at the ever growing market. Don’t stick to the main streets and explore the hidden alleys as well—there are lots of shops selling curios and various other things for super affordable prices. You can get bags for as little as Rs 500 and earrings for Rs 100.

Get a relaxing massage 

If this rising pollution has you concerned and you don’t want to spend a lot of time outdoors but still don’t want to be holed up at home, we recommend you spend a day at the spa. Could there be a better way to pamper yourself and feel relaxed and rejuvenated than a spa session that includes a full body massage, a head oil, and perhaps a sauna session too? A German couple we bumped into in Kathmandu confessed that they have been getting massages every week since they have been in Kathmandu three weeks ago. They made it a point to never visit the same establishment twice as there are just so many places to choose from, they said. So far, every place they have gone to has been good and they haven’t had a bad experience. The cost is more or less the same with some popular ones charging slightly more for the services. Many spas even offer full day packages that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Ayurvedic treatments like Shirodhara and Abhyanga are also available these days and these can be therapeutic and relaxing.

Discover public spaces

One of the joys of living in Kathmandu is discovering public spaces that feel like mini excursions in themselves. Basantapur is a popular hangout for locals and tourists alike and, on any given day, you will find many people just lazing around, sipping tea or iced coffee, while strolling through the market or sitting on one of the many benches or temple steps. But apart from Basantapur, there are many other places in Kathmandu, including but not limited to temples and religious sites, that can serve as places of interest—where you can simply sit by yourself, meditate, or read a book if you are so inclined. These days, many communities have taken it upon themselves to create little parks of sorts in their area where people can hang out and spend some time outdoors. Watching people go about their days and do their own thing can be incredibly relaxing and rewarding. One of the most recommended things was a stroll in your area or some place new to discover hidden gems and alleys.

Enroll in a class to learn something new

Want to learn to make tiramisu or bake bread? Or maybe you want to sharpen your dancing skills?  Enroll in a random class to add some cheer to your days and pick up a skill along the way. There are just so many random classes and workshops being held in Kathmandu these days that you are sure to find one to suit your taste and mood. Dance classes seem to be really popular these days with many institutes offering drop-in classes for all forms of dance like hip-hop, classical, contemporary etc. Macrame training or jewelry making training are also offered by small businesses that want to expand beyond just selling their products and these can be neat things to learn if you are into art and crafts. Many shops that sell Thangka and other paintings in Thamel also take in students who are eager to learn how to paint for a nominal fee. All in all, if you want to learn something new, rest assured that there’s someone willing to teach it to you and you won’t have to put in regular hours either.

Minister for Health and Population, Pradip Paudel, addressed the 58th session of the UN Commission on Population and Development in New York today.

In his address, Minister Paudel shared that Nepal had made a significant progress in reduction of child and maternal mortality in the last three decades. The case of child marriage was dropped and use of family planning contraceptives increased in Nepal, he added.

"Nepal is committed to improving health facilities for its citizens. However, the government's lone efforts are insufficient for it," he said, underlining the need for international cooperation and solidarity for continuous improvement in health indicators.

The health minister also made the international community aware that budget limitation and lack of infrastructures in remote areas were still hindering the convenient health services. Even climate change is risking the previously gained health progress, he informed.

Information about it was shared by Minister Paudel's private secretariat.

In the UN commission event, the minister underlined the need for an increase in foreign assistance to Nepal to face challenges in the health sector.