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VayuDrishti, a startup from Nepal, has been selected among the top 20 finalists in the global Hult Prize competition, chosen from over 15,000 entries worldwide. The team will now compete in the final round in London for a chance to win the $1m grand prize. The Hult Prize, now in its 16th year, is one of the world’s largest student startup competitions, engaging more than 200,000 students from over 130 countries. It aims to support entrepreneurial solutions to pressing global challenges.

VayuDrishti has developed a patent-pending device that integrates air quality monitoring, purification, and AI-based pollution forecasting. The device is intended to offer an accessible and scalable approach to air pollution management and public health protection. The team is led by 19-year-old Shakriya Pandey of Saraswati Multiple Campus, along with team captain Shrisha Pandey and member Manjila Pandey. Their selection marks a significant milestone for Nepal in international student-led innovation competitions.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada won’t accept a bad trade deal with the US ahead of an August 1 deadline, when steep new US tariffs are set to take effect.

“Our goal isn’t just any deal—it’s the right deal for Canadians,” Carney said, according to BBC.

US President Trump has already imposed heavy tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel, with more—up to 35 percent—threatened if talks stall. Carney signaled Canada may expand countermeasures to protect key sectors like aluminum and lumber.

Canada sends about 75 percent of its exports to the US. While Trump says tariffs protect US jobs and curb fentanyl imports, data shows minimal fentanyl enters via Canada, BBC reported.

Chinese vice Premier He Lifeng will visit Sweden from July 27 to 30 for economic and trade talks with the United States, China’s commerce ministry announced Wednesday.

The discussions follow a recent presidential call and aim to address key bilateral trade issues through the established consultation mechanism, emphasizing mutual respect and cooperation, according to Xinhua.

India has extended its ban on Pakistani aircraft entering its airspace until August 23, 2025, citing ongoing security concerns.

Civil Aviation Minister Murlidhar Mohol announced the update, which applies to all Pakistani-registered commercial and military aircraft. The move follows Pakistan’s extension of its airspace restrictions on Indian flights amid continued diplomatic tensions, according to Xinhua.

Sixteen people were injured after a school bus veered off the road and hit an embankment in Southern Province on Wednesday, police said. Some have been treated and discharged.

The incident comes amid rising road safety concerns, with over 2,500 deaths reported from road accidents in Sri Lanka this year, Xinhua reported.

India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals from July 24, marking the first such move since the 2020 Galwan clashes. The announcement, made by the Indian Embassy in Beijing, signals a cautious thaw in bilateral ties, Firstpost reported.

The decision follows Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s recent visit to Beijing, where he and Chinese vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong discussed ways to improve relations. Both sides agreed on people-centric initiatives, including cooperation on trans-border rivers and resuming hydrological data sharing.

The government collected a record Rs 16.54bn in capital gains tax (CGT) from share transactions in the last fiscal year 2024/25. According to CDS and Clearing Ltd, the highest CGT (Rs 4.23bn) was collected in July, the first month of the fiscal year, while the lowest was in December when Rs 580.7m was collected.

The secondary market, which had been subdued for months, started recovering from June last which explains the highest CGT collection in the first month of 2024/25. This was largely due to a more flexible monetary policy introduced by Nepal Rastra Bank, which boosted investor sentiment. After falling to around 1,800 points in 2023/24, the Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index climbed to 3,000 in the first month of 2024/25. 

However, the benchmark index fell and hovered around 2,600-point level in the remaining months. The index has been rising again since the start of the current fiscal year, breaching the 2,900-point support level.

Investors holding shares for a year or less are subject to a 7.5 percent capital gains tax, while those who hold shares for more than a year are required to pay five percent on profits. Higher trading volume means higher CGT collection for the government, whereas low activity during slumps brings in less.

Month wise breakdown shows, Rs 4.24bn was collected in July, Rs 2.58bn in August, Rs 586.5m in September,  Rs 758.7m in October and Rs 1.04bn in November. Likewise, Rs 580.7m was collected in December, Rs 1.05bn in January, Rs 1.33bn in February, Rs 693.5m in March), Rs 1.22bn in April, Rs 1.17bn in May and Rs 1.27bn in June.

The government has decided to declare Madhes Province as a disaster-hit area.

A Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday decided to declare Madhes Province as a disaster-hit area.

The government decided to declare Madhes Province as a disaster-hit area after the villagers of eight districts reel under shortage of drinking water and water for irrigation even during the monsoon season, a minister said.

The Cabinet made such a decision on the recommendation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.