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Following the completion of vote counting for the proportional representation segment of the House of Representatives (HoR) elections, 51 participating parties received fewer votes than the required threshold for parliamentary representation. 

In the elections held on March 5 under the proportional representation system, a total of 57 parties participated with a combined election symbol. Out of these, six parties are set to enter parliament, while 51 did not achieve the minimum votes required. 

The Election Commission (EC) has clarified that only parties securing at least three percent of the total valid votes will be granted seats. 

Deputy Spokesperson of the EC, Kul Bahadur GC, noted that there is a legal framework that treats the entire country as a single electoral constituency, allowing candidates from a party to be elected to the House of Representatives based on the total votes each party receives. 

He reported that out of 17,039,115 valid votes counted for proportional representation, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leads with 5,103,923 votes. 

The Nepali Congress (NC) garnered 1,749,583 votes, CPN-UML received 1,404,854 votes, the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) obtained 805,773 votes, the Shram Sanskriti Party (SSP) got 378,649 votes, and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) secured 329,472 votes. 

He added that the remaining parties did not surpass the threshold.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 46. 78 points to close at 2, 796. 57 points on Wednesday. 

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 8. 32 points to close at 481. 37 points.

A total of 36,049,451-unit shares of 329 companies were traded for Rs 1. 60 billion.

Meanwhile, Salapa Bikas Bank Limited (SABBL) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise,  Kalika power Company Ltd (KPCL) was the top loser as their price fell by 8. 47 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 70 trillion.

Two drones came down in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport (DXB) on March 11, injuring four people, Dubai’s media office said, as attacks on infrastructure across the Gulf continued on the 12th day of the Iran crisis, which has caused widespread disruption to global air traffic, Reuters reported. 

“(The) authorities confirm that two drones fell in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport a short while ago,” the media office posted on social media platform X, adding that air traffic is operating as normal.

The attack resulted in minor injuries to two Ghanaian nationals and one Bangladeshi national, as well as moderate injuries to one Indian national, it added, according to Reuters. 

The Police Headquarters has noted that the air pollution level has increased alarmingly in Kathmandu and other major cities and has issued a public request for adoption of necessary precautions.

Central Spokesperson of Nepal Police and Deputy Inspector General of Police Avi Narayan Kafle said that a public notice has been issued today requesting for special attention to personal health protection and to exercise caution due to increased pollution.

According to him, the Nepal Police has issued a six-point request to the citizens, asking them to stay at home and not to go outside unless necessary.

Similarly, the police have requested to use vehicles less by travelling together in groups or giving each other a 'lift', not to burn garbage around one's house, and to avoid outdoor activities when air pollution levels are high.

The police have requested that especially children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems take extra precautions as well as mandatory use of regular masks. Spokesperson Kafle also stated that if any respiratory problems arise, people should contact the nearest hospital, health center, or doctor immediately.

With the change in weather, the level of pollution is also increasing in Nepal. 

The impact is more visible in urban areas including the Kathmandu Valley. The Ministry of Health has also requested everyone to take special care of their health during this time.

A 35-year-old woman from Orlando, Florida has been charged with attempted murder following a shooting at the home of pop superstar Rihanna, prosecutors said, BBC reported. 

Ivanna Lisette Ortiz is accused of firing a semiautomatic rifle at the singer's Los Angeles mansion at 13:15 local time (21:15 GMT) on Sunday.

No one was injured in the shooting. Ortiz is being held on bail set at $1.875m (£1.395m), facing a possible life sentence, according to BBC. 

Passenger trains between China and North Korea will resume service on Thursday, reviving a transport link that was shuttered for six years due to the pandemic, China's rail operator said, BBC reported. 

Trains between Beijing and Pyongyang will operate four times a week, while the service between the Chinese border city of Dandong and the North Korean capital will run daily, China Railway said in a notice late Tuesday.

The train services are "a moving link that strengthens the friendship between China and North Korea," China Railway said, according to BBC. 

Rabi Lamichhane, a candidate for the House of Representatives (HoR) Member election from Chitwan- 2 representing the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has disclosed his election expenditure details.

He also serves as the party president. 

According to the information provided to the Election Commission, Lamichhane's total election expenditure amounts to Rs 989,987. 

The submitted letter outlined that the nomination registration cost was Rs 10,000, sample ballot printing expenses were Rs 68,161, transportation and fuel costs totaled Rs 295,000, voter training and snacks costs were Rs 14,200, ward-level publicity expenses were Rs 46,000, and flags and badges for promotional activities cost Rs 112,000. 

Additionally, it was noted that the expenses for purchasing banners and stickers for publicity reached Rs 55,000, food and food rations cost Rs 196,000, air travel expenses were Rs 13,626 and seminar and gathering costs amounted to Rs 180,000. 

The expense details were submitted to the Election Commission on Tuesday by Sita Gyawali, the chairperson of Chitwan Metropolitan City from the same party.

The counting of votes under the proportional representation system for the House of Representatives (HoR) election, which took place on March 5, has been finalized.

With the recent completion of vote counting in Gorkha 1 and Ilam 1, the overall counting for proportional representation has also concluded, said Kul Bahadur GC, Assistant Spokesperson of the Election Commission. 

He noted that the process of gathering details from the relevant election officer's office to the commission is still in progress following the completion of the counting. 

Now that the vote counting for proportional representation is done, the commission has initiated the groundwork to determine the allocation of seats for political parties under this system. 

Reports indicate that this process is expected to wrap up in a few days. 

In the meantime, the Election Commission has reported that by 11 am today, a total of 10,739,115 votes have been counted for the proportional election. Among these votes, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is leading with 5,139,235 votes. 

The Nepali Congress has garnered 1,749,583 votes, while the CPN-UML has received 1,448,854 votes. The Nepali Communist Party has 805,773 votes, the Shram Sanskriti Party has 378,649 votes, and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party has 329,472 votes. 

Other parties have not managed to meet the required threshold of three percent of the total valid votes cast under the PR system as per the prevailing law.