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The government has decided to call the budget session on May 10.

Government spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharm said that the government has decided to recommend President Ram Chandra Paudel to call the budget session on May 10.

According to her, the meeting of both the houses of the federal Parliament has been called for 2 pm on May 10.

The cases of banking fraud are on the rise in Nawalpur (Nawalparasi Bardghat Susta East).

According to the District Police Office, Nawalpur, this year the complaints regarding the offense have increased more than double their number last year. This year, a noticeable number of complaints have been registered in the office.

In the past ten and half months of the current fiscal, the office registered 50 complaints of banking fraud.  Last fiscal year, this figure was 23. 

Most cases are related to cheque bounce and it suggests an increasing economic crisis, according to Superintendent of Police Narhari Regmi.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the Vice Chancellor of the universities have been appointed based on merit.

Prime Minister Dahal said during a meeting with the recently appointed Vice Chancellors of the Purbanchal, the Mid-West and the Far Western Universities at Singh Darbar today that he has made the process of appointing vice chancellors transparent and competitive.

The newly appointed Chancellor of the Purbanchal University, Prof Dr Biju Kumar Thapaliya, the newly appointed Chancellor of the Mid-West University, Prof Dr Dhruva Kumar Gautam and the newly appointed Chancellor of the Far Western University, Prof Dr Hemraj Pant met the Prime Minister and Chancellor Dahal today after receiving their appointment letter.

On that occasion, Prime Minister Dahal directed the Vice Chancellors to operate the universities in a competitive and transparent manner.

"Sharing of posts among the parties has been ended and the competition has been started in the appointment of the vice-chancellor of the university," Prime Minister Dahal said, adding, "The appointment of the vice-chancellors here has also been done accordingly, please fulfill your responsibilities in a fair manner."

Prime Minister Dahal directed the vice chancellors to focus on producing manpower to compete in the global market by providing quality education from universities.

West Indies 'A' won the title of T20 series before playing one remaining match. West Indies 'A' defeated Nepal by 28 runs in today's fourth match leading 3-1 in the five-match series.

Elected to bat first after winning the toss at Kirtipur-based TU Cricket Ground, West Indies 'A' scored 209 runs in 20 overs losing three wickets.

Chasing the target posted by West Indies 'A', Nepal gathered 181 runs in 20 overs losing all wickets. Andre Fletcher of West Indies 'A', made the highest 84 runs off 54 balls. Similarly, Johnson Charles scored 58 runs and Fabian Allen 33 runs (not out).

Towards bowling, Kushal Bhurtel took two wickets while Pratish GC one wicket for Nepal.  Captain Rohit Kumar Paudel scored highest 82 runs off 47 balls for Nepal. 

Hayden Walsh and Matthew Forde of West Indies 'A' took three wickets each while Fabian Allen and Gudakesh Motie two wickets each.

The final match between Nepal and West Indies 'A' of the ongoing series will be played on Saturday.

Kathmandu, the federal capital of Nepal, has been ranked the world's most polluted city again.

According to the data of the Air Quality Index today, Kathmandu's overall AQI has reached 162 while Chiang Mai city of Thailand is in the second position and Medan of Indonesia has been identified as the world's third most polluted city.

According to the people concerned, air pollution is soaring in Kathmandu due to rising incidents of forest fire amidst the increasing temperature.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, today, recorded 165 incidents of forest fire in 39 districts across the country.

According to wildfire expert Sundar Sharma, the increasing number of forest fires has contributed to air pollution in major cities of the country including the federal capital.  If there is no rainfall in the next few days, it will be challenging to contain the forest fire and reduce air pollution, according to him.

Meteorologist Govinda Jha said there are no chances of rainfall immediately despite a brief rain in some parts.

Disaster management expert Dr Dharma Raj Upreti said AQI from 0-50 is considered good for public health as it is indicated by a green signal while 51-100 is moderate and marked by yellow, but it still warns us to be careful on time.

It is unhealthy specifically for sensitive groups such as those who have respiratory and cardiac issues if measured from 101-150 and is highlighted by orange. 

Similarly, AQI from 151-200 is indicated by red to suggest that it is unhealthy for all, 201-300 is highlighted by purple and it is very unhealthy.  If it is measured 301-400, it is hazardous and 401-500 is highly hazardous and they are denoted by maroon.

Air Quality Management Action Plan for the Kathmandu Valley, 2076 BS considers the situation measuring AQI above 300 as a disaster.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 7. 31 points to close at 1,998.96 points on Thursday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 1. 48 points to close at 356. 05 points.

A total of 9,498,298-unit shares of 308 companies were traded for Rs 4. 13 billion.

Meanwhile, Samata Gharelu Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (SMATA), Infinity Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (ILBS) and Sadhana Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (SDLBSL) were the top gainers today with their price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise, People's Power Limited (PPL) was the top loser with its price dropped by 8. 21 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 16 trillion.

Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya submitted the 'Report on the By-election to the Member of House of Representatives and the Province Assembly, 2081 BS', along with the election results to President Ram Chandra Paudel on Thursday.

Chief Election Commissioner Thapaliya presented to the President the By-election, 2081 BS Report in accordance with the Clause 62 of the House of Representatives Member Election Act, 2074 BS, states a communiqué issued by spokesperson at the Office of the President, Shailaja Regmi Bhattarai.

A senior United Kingdom official has said that Nepal has high potential of attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in some distinct areas if some key issues related to tax and investment safety are duly addressed. Harjider Kang, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for South Asia who was in Nepal to participate in the Third Investment Summit, said he came to Nepal to see and explore the potentials Nepal has in the areas of investment.

Speaking with a select-group of journalists, he said that the two countries are discussing signing a Double Tax Avoidance Agreement in order to attract British investors in Nepal. To this end, he had held discussions with high-level government officials and the governor of Nepal Rastra Bank. 

Kang told journalists that Nepal and the UK are very close in achieving such an agreement. As Nepal already has such agreements with India, Bangladesh and other countries, Nepal can make similar agreements with the UK as well.  According to him, assuring the international investors about the safety of their investment is obviously one of the major issues that the Nepal government should look after to attract FDI.

Investors want to be ensured that their investment is safe, there would not be changes in the laws related to tax and there would not be nationalization of companies, he said. If those issues are looked at, he said, UK companies want to come to Nepal. He further added that their messages have been well understood by the Nepal side and issues will be dealt once two sides back to the negotiation table.

According to him, tourism is one of Nepal's core areas which has the high-potential of attracting foreign investment. It is a distinct area so Nepal should tap this opportunity, he said. Other possible areas, according to him, are Information Technology, financial and pharmaceutical areas.