Holders PSG beat Bayern Munich to reach Champions League final with Arsenal

Holders Paris Saint-Germain set up a Champions League final against Arsenal after a 1-1 second-leg draw at Bayern Munich secured a 6-5 aggregate victory, AFP reported. 

PSG exploded on the counter less than three minutes in on Wednesday and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele put Luis Enrique’s visitors ahead on the night and two goals up in the tie.

PSG largely succeeded in subduing Bayern’s attacking threat, despite Harry Kane’s stoppage-time goal.

Traffic along BP Highway resumes after three days

Vehicular movement along the BP Highway that had come to a standstill for the past three days due to flooding has resumed from this morning.

The traffic along the road section has come into operation after constructing a road diversion. 

The road was blocked due to flooding in Roshi stream following rainfall on Monday.

The District Police Office, Kavrepalanchowk, has requested all not to travel via this road section except in case of urgency as rainfall is still taking place. 

The vehicular movement has been brought into operation by constructing diversion in the stream after a landslide and flood swept away around 18 kilometers of road at Chaukidanga, Roshi and Nepalthok of Sindhuli along the BP Highway last year.

Construction of the damaged road along the highway is underway.

 

 

Traffic police collect Rs 2.66 million in fines

The Kathmandu Valley in the past 24 hours recorded 2,015 cases of traffic violations. 

Revenue of Rs 2.66 million has been collected as fines from the violators of traffic rules. 

According to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police, such cases include 99 of drunk-driving, 193 of ride-sharing against the rule, 133 of the violation of traffic signals and 132 of breaching lane discipline. 

Likewise, 79 cases are related to honking in prohibited areas, 87 of parking on roadsides and pavements, 139  of over-speed driving, 79 for driving on a one-way route and 1,164 of other traffic-related violations.

 

National Journalism Day being marked today

National Journalism Day is being marked with various programs across the country today. 

The day marks the anniversary of the first publication of Gorkhapatra, Nepal's oldest state-owned newspaper, which began its weekly publication on Baisakh 24, 1958 BS (1901 AD).

The Government of Nepal officially recognized National Journalism Day in 2073 BS (2016 AD), and since then, it has been observed every year on Baisakh 24, calling for the overall development of journalism, its social accountability and professional security. 

On this occasion, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is providing the National Journalism Prize and Senior Journalism Award by organizing a special function at the Office of the President today. 

Likewise, President Ram Chandra Paudel, Vice President Ramsahaya Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister Balendra Shah, House of Representatives (HoR) Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal, National Assembly Chairman Narayan Prasad Dahal and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dr Bikram Timilsina have extended their messages of best wishes to the media fraternity.

Unseasonal snowfall in Mustang affects pilgrims, farmers

The month of May is considered the best season to travel to Mustang district, as the winter comes to an end and there are slim chances of snowfall and biting cold. But, this is not the reality for Mustang folks this year. The district has witnessed snowfall in recent days, resulting in low temperatures.

Eyewitnesses shared that the Muktinath area recorded snowfall for more than an hour on Wednesday. 

Saroj Gharti, a health worker in the Muktinath-based High Altitude Treatment Centre, said that the area received snowfall for more than an hour and the hills are snowcapped now. 

Gharti added that the pilgrims visiting the Muktinath Temple have faced difficulties due to the unseasonal snowfall.  

With the latest incident of snowfall on Wednesday, the area recorded snowfall for the eighth time this year alone. 

The local people have described it as an impact of climate change. 

Chairman of Baragung Muktichhetra-1 Pramesh Gurung said that the unseasonal snowfall and the unfavorable weather pattern in this tourism season was unfortunate for the local business in Mustang. 

Likewise, the locals in Khinga, Jharkot, Lupra and Purang Rani Pauwa villages have already celebrated the Dha Chhyang festival, which denotes a farewell to the winter season and a welcome to the summer. 

Ward Chairman Gurung feared that the unseasonal snowfall could damage the blossoming apple trees and other crops in the farms. 

Lhakpa Tashi Gurung, the leader of Khinga village, in Baragung Muktichhetra-1, said that the snowfall in May is an unusual incident for them despite repeated snowfalls in the winter season and added that the snowfall in this month could affect the agriculture and tourism sectors. 

Rainfall likely in Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces

Nepal is currently under the influence of a westerly low-pressure system coupled with local winds in the lower atmosphere near the eastern belt of the country. As a result of this pattern, the hilly and Himalayan regions of the country will be generally cloudy and the Tarai part will be partly cloudy today, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.    

The Department stated that generally cloudy conditions are expected in the hilly and Himalayan regions of the country, while partly cloudy conditions are expected in the Tarai. 

There is a possibility of light to moderate rain and snowfall with thunder and lightning at some places in Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim Provinces as well as in the hilly and Himalayan regions of the remaining provinces.

Light rainfall with thunder and lightning is also likely at a few places in the remaining Tarai regions.

Later tonight, generally cloudy conditions are expected in the Koshi Province as well as in the Himalayan region of the country, while partly cloudy conditions are expected in the remaining areas. 

There is a possibility of moderate rainfall with thunder and lightning at some places in Koshi Province, and at one or two places in the hilly and Himalayan regions of the remaining provinces, the weather service added.

 

 

Business enterprises urged to participate in National Economic Survey

The National Statistics Office (NSO) has asked all business enterprises across the country to participate in the ongoing Second National Economic Survey. 

The Second National Economic Survey was started on April 15 and will continue till July 16.

Director of NSO, Dr Bed Prasad Dhakal, said that trading and business firms both in formal and non-formal sectors are asked to join the national economic survey.

According to Dr Dhakal, data from agriculture, mining, production, industry, trading, private business firms, banks and financial institutions, cooperatives and other enterprises are being collected. 

As high as 32 percent of the estimated data was collected as of May 5, Director Dr Dhakal added. 

Likewise, more than 7,400 business firms had pledged to submit their details online and 1,600 plus firms have already submitted their details, it is said. 

The census aims to provide an accurate picture of the national economy through statistical information.

The census is a significant initiative for gathering basic and reliable statistics, which are essential for formulating economic policies, plans and development strategies.

It is expected that the economic census will make a vital contribution to short-term and long-term economic plans prepared by the government, investment promotion and employment creation and receive details.

The government conducted the national economic census for the first time seven years ago. 

A total of 923,356 business institutions across the country were recorded during the first economic census and 3.228 million people were involved in the business institutions. 

US fires on Iranian-flagged oil tanker as Trump gives Tehran fresh ultimatum

The US military fired on an Iranian-flagged oil tanker on Wednesday, shortly after Donald Trump issued a fresh ultimatum to Tehran, telling it to accept a deal to end the war or face a new wave of US bombing “at a much higher level and intensity than it was before”.

The US fighter fired several rounds and “disabled the tanker’s rudder” as it attempted to breach the US’s blockade of Iranian ports, US Central Command said in a social media post, The Guardian reported. 

The attack came after the US president’s social media announcement – the latest in a rapid series of dramatic and often contradictory changes in policy amid unconfirmed reports of progress in stalled negotiations between Tehran and Washington.