February 12: The IMF and World Bank warned on Monday that the Gaza war and the related attacks on shipping though the Red Sea pose threats to the global…
February 12: The IMF and World Bank warned on Monday that the Gaza war and the related attacks on shipping though the Red Sea pose threats to the global…
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index witnessed a gain of 15.33 points or 0.73%, closing at 2101.16 on the second trading day of the week,…
February 12: Political lobbying has intensified for the coveted post of the auditor…
February 12: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has clarified that there will be no public holiday on Fagun 1 (February 13) this…
February 12: The government has handed the responsibility of importing sugar to the private sector industries after the failure of state-owned companies to import sugar at subsidized rates.…
February 12: The 18th Sauraha Food Festival has commenced in Sauraha, a riverside vacation place in Chitwan district, on the occasion of Valentine's…
February 12: Nepal Police has arrested a person convicted of banking offence almost a decade…
Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat on Sunday visited the Mechi Customs Office, Kakarvita, Bhadrapur Customs Office and the Inland Revenue Office, Bhadrapur in…
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index recorded a fall of 10.50 points or 0.50%, closing at 2085.82 points on the first trading day of the week on…
February 11: Water scarcity could affect three billion more people than previously expected by mid-century, with increased pollution rendering river sources "unsafe" for humans and wildlife, researchers have…
February 11: Paddy production this year has increased by 4.33 percent compared to the previous fiscal year, according to government…
February 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said that the government has formed a committee to study the prospects of operating new international airports on public private partnership…
February 11: There has been an improvement in the implementation of programmes related to the private sector and the economy in the budget of the current fiscal…
February 11: Stakeholders estimate a turnover of Rs 35 million through the sales of roses on Valentine’s…
February 10: Nepal won the three-match bilateral one-day international (ODI) series against Canada after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead on…
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I pray for peace".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Gaza Strip has been under intense Israeli assault for over four months, in retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Hamas's unprecedented attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Israel vowed to destroy the militant group and launched air strikes and a ground offensive that have killed at least 28,340 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Despite the war-related uncertainties, Georgieva said the IMF is "very confident that the world economy is now poised for this soft landing we have been dreaming of".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"I expect to see by mid-year interest rates going in the direction inflation has been going for the last year now," she said, when asked about interest rates being cut in leading economies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Also speaking at the summit, World Bank President Ajay Banga said that "what's going on Gaza, but also the challenges of Ukraine... and the Red Sea" are among the top challenges to the global economic outlook.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"When you add these variables to what is already turning out to be probably the lowest growth of the last 55 years.... that's something we have to keep a close eye on," he said. – AFP/RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19961', 'image' => '20240212064632_world-economy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 18:45:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20233', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Reports Uptick of 15.33 Points to Close at 2101.16', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index witnessed a gain of 15.33 points or 0.73%, closing at 2101.16 on the second trading day of the week, Monday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 12: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index witnessed a gain of 15.33 points or 0.73%, closing at 2101.16 on the second trading day of the week, Monday.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Seasoned investors and technical analysts say that the market will continue its upward trend due to falling banking interest rates and positive psychology among investors. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“There is excessive liquidity in the banking system. Thus, the stock market will likely catch the bullish trend soon,” one investor said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During today’s trading session, a total of 314 scrips were traded on the NEPSE through 75,105 transactions. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As many as 10,108,122 shares changed hands, resulting in a total turnover of Rs 3.58 billion. Himalayan Reinsurance Limited (HRL) led the turnover amount with a total transaction of Rs 23 crores. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bottlers Nepal (Balaju) Limited (BNL) and Samaj Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha (SAMAJ) each gained 10% and hit the positive circuit for the day. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In terms of sector indices, all sectors closed in the green territory except for the Others Index. The Manufacturing and Processing Index saw the highest gain at 2.22%, while the Banking SubIndex witnessed a minimal gain of 0.05%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19960', 'image' => '20240212034052_collage (31).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 15:38:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20231', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '16 Candidates in the Race for the Post of Auditor General', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: Political lobbying has intensified for the coveted post of the auditor general.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 12: Political lobbying has intensified for the coveted post of the auditor general.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Altogether 16 people are in the fray for the leadership of the Office of the Auditor General, which has been running for eight months under the leadership of the acting auditor general. However, when and who will be appointed as the auditor general has not been decided yet.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The post of auditor general has remained vacant ever since the then Auditor General Tankamani Sharma Dangal retired after completing his term on May 22. After Sharma's retirement, the then Deputy Auditor General Rammaya Kunwar was given the responsibility of acting auditor general for one and a half months. After Kunwar went on compulsory retirement on August 7, Maheshwar Kafle got the responsibility.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bamdev Sharma was given the responsibility of acting auditor general after Kafle went on mandatory retirement in late January due to the age limit.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Due to the lack of leadership, the Office of the Auditor General has not been able to move forward with the strategic plan. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Article 6 of Article 240 of the Constitution of Nepal 2072 has provisions regarding the eligibility criteria for the appointment of the auditor general. In that article, it is said that to be appointed to the Auditor General, one must have obtained a bachelor's degree in management, commerce or accounting from a recognized university or have passed the chartered accountancy examination and worked in a special category position of the Government of Nepal or have at least 20 years of experience in audit-related work.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Political parties try to appoint someone close to them as the Auditor General who can fulfill their agenda although there is a provision that the person appointed to the post should not be a member of any political party. The candidate should have completed 45 years of age and must have a high moral character to be considered eligible for the position of auditor general. According to the constitutional provisions, the term of the Auditor General is 6 years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During the beginning of the current fiscal year, the Secretariat of the Constitutional Council invited applications for the office bearers of various constitutional bodies including the vacant post of auditor general. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A 15-day notification was issued in this regard. A total of people have applied for the post. The work of appointing the auditor general has not yet been done as the Constitutional Council has to evaluate the eligibility criteria by looking into the documents submitted by the candidates and recommend a suitable person for appointment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Who is qualified?</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Among the sixteen contenders, 14 have obtained master's degrees in management or commerce from a recognized university, while the rest have passed the chartered accountancy examination.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Seven out of 16 have 21 to 30 years of experience in auditing. Two have over 20 years of auditing experience in the private sector. Seven people have no audit experience.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Eleven out of 16 people have experience of working as a special class officer of the Government of Nepal. The rest have no such experience. Among the applicants, five have five years, one has four years, four have three years and one has 10 days working experience in special category. Three of them have experience of working as Joint Secretary of the Government of Nepal. Two people do not have the experience of working as a special class officer of the government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the nature of the work of the Office of the Auditor General, in addition to educational qualifications, the selection should be made on the basis of experience in audit services and experience of working as a special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The experts say that the government should immediately appoint an auditor general due to the pressure to issue the final audit report of the income and expenditure of 753 local levels and the annual report to be issued by the auditor general.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Office of the Auditor General audits all federal and state government offices including the Office of the President and Vice President, Supreme Court, Federal Parliament, Provincial Assembly, Provincial Government, Local Level, Constitutional Bodies and Offices, Courts, Attorney General's Office, Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force. The purpose of the audit is to protect the public resources of the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Office of the Auditor General also gives necessary suggestions and recommendations based on the effectiveness of government income and expenditure. The office submits and publishes the annual report of all government agencies to the President. The Office of the Auditor General has the right to see the accounting documents at any time to audit various agencies of the Central and State Governments. However, the lack of leadership has made the Office of the Auditor General weak in its role.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Who are the candidates?</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">One of the candidates is the current acting auditor general Bamdev Sharma Adhikari. He has 26 years of audit experience and three years of experience as a special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Maheshwar Kafle, who retired as acting auditor general a few days ago, is also a strong contender. Having worked as an auditor for 29 years, he has three years of special category work experience.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former Acting Auditor General Ram Maya Kunwar is also a contender. Kunwar has 21 years of audit experience and five years of experience in special category. Another contender Secretary Toyam Raya does not have 20 years of audit experience. However, his experience as a special class officer is four years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former Deputy Auditor General Baburam Gautam is also in the race. He has 27 years of audit experience and five years of experience as special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former Secretaries Shishir Dhungana, Gopinath Mainali, Hari Basyal, Ram Prasad Thapalia, Ramsharan Pudasaini, Shankar Kharel do not have 20 years of audit experience. Dhungana, Mainali and Thapalia have 5 years of experience as specific class officers while Basyal and Pudasaini have three years of experience. Former Secretary Kharel has only 10 days of experience as special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Other two contenders - deputy auditors general Baikuntha Adhikari and Chandrakant Bhandari have 30 years and 26 years of audit experience respectively, but both of them do not have the experience of working as a special class officer. Former Deputy Auditor General Ashok Karki is also in the race. He has 29 years of audit experience but no experience as a special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">There are also two chartered accountants in the race for auditor general. Subodh Kumar Karna and Hari Silwal who have twenty years of auditing experience in the private sector.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19959', 'image' => '20240212023509_20240130023638_oag-building.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 14:34:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20232', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'No Public Holiday on Fagun 1: Home Ministry ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has clarified that there will be no public holiday on Fagun 1 (February 13) this year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has clarified that there will be no public holiday on Fagun 1 (February 13) this year. In a notice issued on Monday, MoHA joint-secretary and spokesperson, Narayan Prasad Bhattarai informed that the the government decided to revoke the holiday based on the Supreme Court's ruling. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, the government had announced a public holiday on Fagun 1 to commemorate the 'people's war day'. However, the decision was challenged in the Supreme Court, leading to the apex court's directive ordering the government to rescind it. Consequently, the Council of Ministers on February 8 officially decided to discontinue the provision of a public holiday on Fagun 1 each year. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19958', 'image' => '20240212024637_905x525-moha.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 14:46:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20230', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Grants Permission to Private Industries to Import Sugar', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The government has handed the responsibility of importing sugar to the private sector industries after the failure of state-owned companies to import sugar at subsidized rates. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 12: The government has handed the responsibility of importing sugar to the private sector industries after the failure of state-owned companies to import sugar at subsidized rates. The government took such a move to ease the sugar supply in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The decision comes after the Food Management and Trading Company Limited (FMTC) and Salt Trading Corporation (STC), which were entrusted the responsibility of importing sugar, failed to do so.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bottlers Nepal, Dabur Nepal Pvt Ltd and some other biscuit industries have been given permission to import 25,000 metric tons of sugar, said Gajendra Kumar Thakur, joint secretary and spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, Bottlers Nepal has been granted permission to import 15,000 metric tons of sugar. Similarly, Dabur Nepal Pvt Ltd has received permission to import 6,000 metric tons and various biscuit industries have been granted permission to import 4000 metric tons of sugar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ministry sent a letter to India on July 21 ahead of the festive season to supply 50,000 metric tons of sugar through the G2G process. In response, India sent an email informing that it is ready to supply 25,000 metric tons of sugar to Nepal. The government entrusted FMTC and STC to import sugar with an exemption of 50 percent customs duty.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">These two state-owned companies tried to import sugar before Tihar, but they have not been able to import sugar yet.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"That's why the ministry has entrusted the responsibility of importing sugar to the industries since the objective of the ministry is that the supply system should be balanced anyway," said Thakur.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Thakur clarified that those industries will be able to import sugar with customs exemption. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It has already been one and a half months since the ministry gave permission to the industries to import sugar. However, even the industrialists have not been able to import sugar yet. Thakur informed that the industrialist have not come into contact with the ministry after receiving the permission. "Even the ministry has not shown any concerns about the status of sugar imports,” Thakur added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the spokesperson of STC Kumar Rajbhandari, the company called for tender bids after the government assigned them the task of importing 10,000 metric tons of sugar. However, since the price quoted by India was too high, no company submitted proposals to supply sugar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"That's why we have not been able to bring sugar," said Rajbhandari. Currently, the STC is buying and selling 10,000 metric tons of sugar from local industrialists.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Consumer rights activists have accused the government of not being able to bring sugar because it fell in the trap set by middleman. Madhav Timilsina, president of Consumer Rights Forum Nepal, said that if the industrialists bring the sugar, the supply arrangement in the market will be easier. After the industries that consume large quantities of sugar import it themselves, the sugar they buy from domestic sellers will be channeled to the consumers. However, Timilsina says that it will be easier to control the erratic prices in the market if the government itself imports sugar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">About 280,000 metric tons of sugar is consumed in Nepal every year while the country produces 150,000 metric tons of sugar. Nepal imports the insufficient amount of sugar from India. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19957', 'image' => '20240212012628_sugar.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 13:25:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20229', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Food Festival in Sauraha on the Occasion of Valentine's Day ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The 18th Sauraha Food Festival has commenced in Sauraha, a riverside vacation place in Chitwan district, on the occasion of Valentine's Day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: The 18th Sauraha Food Festival has commenced in Sauraha, a riverside vacation place in Chitwan district, on the occasion of Valentine's Day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Hari Dhakal, a member of the House of Representatives elected from Chitwan, on Sunday, inaugurated the five-day festival featuring various cuisines and entertainment programmes. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, he said the state should ramp up investment for the development of tourism sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Bagmati Province Assembly member Krishna Prasad Khanal, Ratnanagar Municipality mayor Prahlad Sapkota, Chief District Officer Bhupendra Thapa, central vice president of Restaurant and Bar Asscoation of Nepal (REBAN), Sangharsha Bista, Hotel Association Sauraha’s regional president Ganga Giri, REBAN founder president Balaram Dahal, REBAN Women's Group president Laxmi Bidari, among other speakers also put their views on the occasion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The food festival organized by REBAN Sauraha, Chitwan will run till February 15. Festival coordinator Surya Bahadur Rimal said the festival has been organized with the aim to revive tourism activities in Sauraha by promoting food, music and culture together. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19956', 'image' => '20240212103306_blank eight by six.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 10:32:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20228', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Police Arrest A Man Convicted of Banking Offense a Decade Ago ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: Nepal Police has arrested a person convicted of banking offence almost a decade ago. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: Nepal Police has arrested a person convicted of banking offence almost a decade ago. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police apprehended 67-year-old Ram Bhakta Thapa of Panauti Municipality-6, Kavrepalanchok in this connection and presented him before the media on Sunday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Bureau's Superintendent Hobindra Bogati said Thapa was held from Koteshwor of Kathmandu. Besides the fine, Thapa has also been sentenced three years in prison as per the court order. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Investigations revealed that Thapa had taken loan by influencing officials and employees of Capital Merchant and Finance Company Limited," SP Bogati said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It has come to light that Thapa had taken loan producing documents of a fake company called 'Kabhre Broiler Suppliers'. The then Appellate Court Patan had, on May 12, 2014, convicted Thapa of banking crime and sentenced him to three years in prison and a fine equivalent to the amount that he had misappropriated. The court had slapped a fine of Rs 90.07 million.-- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19955', 'image' => '20240212102656_banking-offence -800.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 10:26:00', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20227', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Minister Urges Customs Offices to Focus on Meeting Revenue Collection Target', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => ' Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat on Sunday visited the Mechi Customs Office, Kakarvita, Bhadrapur Customs Office and the Inland Revenue Office, Bhadrapur in Jhapa.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">February 11: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat on Sunday visited the Mechi Customs Office, Kakarvita, Bhadrapur Customs Office and the Inland Revenue Office, Bhadrapur in Jhapa.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Minister, who was here to attend an inaugural session of the 15-day fifth Damak Festival organised by the Damak Chamber of Commerce and Industry, inspected the offices and held interactions with the local business communities. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Talking to media following the inspection, the Minister instructed the customs offices to focus on meeting the monthly revenue targets.</span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Minister also insisted on combined efforts among the customs offices, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and the Revenue Office to control cross-border smuggling of goods.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">"The nation's income will reduce if the revenue collection decreases and a fall in the revenue collection will hamper the government's investment in education, health and other public service sectors," Mahat said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> At the programme held at the Mechi Customs Office, the Minister said the significance of the office will further increase with the expansion of the Asian Highway.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Office's customs officer, Ram Prasad Regmi, apprised the Minister about a declining trend of revenue collection. Regmi added that revenue collection from the customs office was on the decline the government as not according priority to the office. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During the minister's visit to Bhadrapur Customs Office, Bhadrapur municipality mayor Ganesh Pokhrel and the business community urged the Minister to improve physical infrastructure of the customs office. (RSS) </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19954', 'image' => '20240211060209_collage (8).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 18:00:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20226', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Drops 10.50 Points to Close at 2085.82 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index recorded a fall of 10.50 points or 0.50%, closing at 2085.82 points on the first trading day of the week on Sunday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">February 11: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index recorded a fall of 10.50 points or 0.50%, closing at 2085.82 points on the first trading day of the week on Sunday.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During today’s trading session, as many as 305 scrips were traded on the NEPSE through 83,877 transactions. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A total of 10,571,199 shares changed hands, resulting in a total turnover of Rs 4.8 billion. Himalayan Reinsurance Limited (HRL) led the turnover amount with a total transaction of Rs 62 crores.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Samaj Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha (SAMAJ) saw the most gain at 10% and hit the positive circuit for the day. On the contrary, NIC Asia Growth Fund-2 (NICGF2) lost 10%, closing at a market price of Rs 9 per share. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of sector indices, all sectors closed in the red territory except for the Development Bank Index, HydroPower Index, and Mutual Fund. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Manufacturing and Processing suffered the most loss at 2%, while Life Insurance and Investment indices each lost 0.28%. The HydroPower Index gained 0.22%, while the Mutual Fund saw a minimal gain of 0.05%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19953', 'image' => '20240211035459_collage (7).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 15:53:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20225', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Pollution Risks Worsening Global Water Scarcity: Study', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Water scarcity could affect three billion more people than previously expected by mid-century, with increased pollution rendering river sources "unsafe" for humans and wildlife, researchers have warned.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 11: Water scarcity could affect three billion more people than previously expected by mid-century, with increased pollution rendering river sources "unsafe" for humans and wildlife, researchers have warned.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The UN's climate science panel has said that around half the world's population currently faces severe water scarcity for at least a month a year and warned that global warming impacts and rising demand are key risks to global supply.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">But new research by scientists in Germany and the Netherlands has found that if harmful nitrogen pollution is factored in the number of areas considered water scarce increases dramatically.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"In general, people worry more about water scarcity -- whether you have enough water," lead author Mengru Wang, of Wageningen University & Research, told AFP.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"But I also see that water pollution is really becoming a more and more important issue that makes water unsafe to be used by nature and humans."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Human activities are spewing large amounts of nitrogen, pathogens, chemicals and plastics into water systems.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Nitrogen, from agricultural fertilisers in particular, contributes to algae growth that can choke waterways, threaten marine life and compromise water quality.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The new study, published in the journal Nature Communications, analysed river basins around the world, which are key sources of drinking water and hubs for urban and economic activities.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">According to the authors' computer modelling, the number of sub-basins -- smaller units in the river basins -- facing severe water scarcity was twice as much as previously thought in 2010 and could get much worse in the coming decades.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">They estimate that in 2010, 2,517 sub-basins in the world were facing water scarcity, when nitrogen pollution's impact on water quality was taken into account, compared with just 984 according to conventional assessments based on quantity.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">That figure could rise to up to 3,061 by 2050, they found, estimating this would affect roughly 6.8 to 7.8 billion people -- or roughly three billion more than in conventional estimates.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Co-author Benjamin Bodirsky, senior scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said the modelling of three different scenarios that affected pollution levels showed "we do have choices and can improve the situation".</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">But he said that even in the most optimistic estimates, nitrogen pollution would stay at "substantial levels" in important agricultural areas like Europe, China and India.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"The deterioration of water access can be halted, and to some extent even reversed, by adopting more efficient fertilizer use as well as more vegetarian diets, and by connecting a larger proportion of the global population to water treatment facilities," Bodirsky said. – AFP/RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19952', 'image' => '20240211031037_Oxydus+0014.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 15:09:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20224', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Paddy Skyrocketing Despite Record High Production', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Paddy production this year has increased by 4.33 percent compared to the previous fiscal year, according to government data.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 11: Paddy production this year has increased by <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4.33</span> percent compared to the previous fiscal year, according to government data. This year, a total of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">57</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">24</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">234</span> metric tons of paddy has been produced across the country. Paddy production this year is the highest in Nepal’s history. With the increase in production of paddy, the price of rice should have decreased. However, it has been found that the price of rice in the market has increased sharply despite the increase in paddy production.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Traders say that the price of rice has increased due to the restriction on rice exports by India. According to the general secretary of the Retail Trade Association, Amulkaji Tuladhar, the price of rice has increased by Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">250</span> per bag (<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span> kg) in a period of two months. He said that the price of rice has increased due to the inability to import rice from India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The government has not shown any interest in importing rice. If the government does not think seriously about facilitating the import of rice, the price may increase further," he said, adding, "It seems that the country that used to export rice to foreign countries has reached a point where it cannot even import the rice it needs." </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Last July, the government had started the process of importing <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1</span> million metric tons of paddy and <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000</span> metric tons of rice from India in order to discourage the price hike. Later, India also agreed to supply <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">95</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000</span> metric tons of rice. The government tried to bring rice but failed to do so. As a result, the supply of rice in the market decreased and the price started to rise.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Importers say that even though the government has asked domestic traders to import rice, India has created a situation where Nepali traders cannot import rice. The rice that India will provide must be purchased from a private company in India. The company should be paid <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100</span> percent in advance. Businessmen say that they could not proceed because they had to pay <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span> percent customs duty while importing rice which would increase the cost.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">At present, if Nepali traders want to import rice from India, they have to pay up to <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span> percent customs duty in India. As a result, the cost of rice per quintal will increases by Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000</span>. This will affect the price of rice, argues Bibhor Agarwal, a member of the Nepal Rice Oil and Lentil Industry Association. According to him, last year, India had given a quota of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">600,000</span> metric tons of paddy to Nepal. At that time, Nepali importers were able to import paddy without paying customs duty.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India has not announced a new quota for Nepal after that quota expired. Agarwal complained that even though the businessmen drew the government's attention to this issue several times, the government only gave them assurances. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19951', 'image' => '20240211022237_paddyyyyy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 14:21:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20223', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Minister Stresses on Operating New Int’l Airports on PPP Model ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said that the government has formed a committee to study the prospects of operating new international airports on public private partnership model. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said that the government has formed a committee to study the prospects of operating new international airports on public private partnership model. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Speaking at a programme organised at Baleka Municipality on Saturday, Minister Kirati pointed out the need of bringing new international airports into operation to fulfill the target of welcoming 3.5 million foreign tourists in 10 years. He added that the study committee was formed for the same purpose. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Sharing that the government fulfilled the target of bringing in one million foreign tourists in 2023, he underscored the need of some changes in tourism act for the development of tourism sector of the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Tourism Minister mentioned that a draft of tourism policy has already been sent to Finance Ministry. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19950', 'image' => '20240211010508_Gautam-Buddha-ia.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 13:04:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Current State of Budget Implementation is Encouraging: Private Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: There has been an improvement in the implementation of programmes related to the private sector and the economy in the budget of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 11: There has been an improvement in the implementation of programmes related to the private sector and the economy in the budget of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The semi-annual review of the implementation of 73 points related to the economy announced in the current year's budget statement showed that 74 percent of the policies and programmes have been partially implemented.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The semi-annual status of the budget implementation prepared by the Confederation of Nepalese Industries in collaboration with the Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal was released on Friday. The confederation, which has been undertaking the 'Budget Watch' initiative, mentioned that there has been some improvement in the implementation of programmes and policies in the current year's budget compared to last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Rajesh Kumar Agarwal, president of the confederation, said that out of 73 points related to the economy, 54 points prioritized by the confederation have been partially implemented. He emphasized that the policies and programs that have been partially implemented should be fully implemented within the remaining six months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Last year, only 47 percent of the items prioritized by the CNI during the entire fiscal year reached the implementation stage," Agarwal said, "The current state of budget implementation is encouraging." </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The private sector is hopeful that the government will improve the poor implementation of the budget during the remaining half of the fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Budget Watch published by the CNI has shown that about 11 percent of the items prioritized by the private sector have been fully implemented. The CNI analyzed the implementation status of 17 different areas of the current year's budget. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The confederation made public the progress report of the implementation states of areas related to forest and environment, public procurement, development projects, Make in Nepal scheme, innovation, company registration and liquidation, foreign direct investment, energy, agriculture, land, industrial development, export promotion and trade facilitation, supply system and consumer protection, culture, tourism and civil aviation, communication technology, capital market and taxation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The CNI also mentioned that the government has implemented the issue of forming a high-level committee for reforming the tax system. The provision of tax registration in the Value Added Tax Act, 2052 that can be submitted in 4 months interval as demanded by the private sector has also ben addressed. The Confederation has urged the government to pay special attention to complete the partial implementation of other priority points.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19949', 'image' => '20240211010412_budget.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 13:03:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sale of Roses worth Rs 35 Million Expected during Valentine’s Day', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Stakeholders estimate a turnover of Rs 35 million through the sales of roses on Valentine’s Day.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 11: Stakeholders estimate a turnover of Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">35</span> million through the sales of roses on Valentine’s Day.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Floriculture Association Nepal expects sale of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">350,000</span> steam roses (Dutch Rose) worth Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">35</span> million across the country within one week leading to the Valentine’s Day on February 14.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the association, around <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">200,000</span> steams of roses are expected to be consumed in the Kathmandu Valley and the remaining <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100,000</span> steams in cities outside the valley. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">People involved in flower business say that the domestic production of roses will meet <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span> percent of the total market demand for roses this year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The price of a stem of rose this year will be within the range of Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80</span> to Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">120</span> depending on the quality of the flowers. In general, the price of rose per steam is around Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">60</span> but the price surges during Valentine’s Day due to high demand. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Nepal, roses are generally produced during favorable conditions when the weather is warmer. The market demand is met through domestic production from March to November. However, the domestic production is less during the winter season. Min Bahadur Tamang, president of the association, says that they have to rely on imports from India to meet the demand for roses in December, January and February.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Tamang said that roses are also smuggled illegally into Nepal from India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The government is not paying attention to this. If we could stop illegal imports, Nepali farmers would be encouraged to increase production within the country," he said, adding, "At present, we have not been able to increase production of roses in the winter season due to the lack of advanced technology.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Since the use of technology is somewhat expensive, Tamang says it will increase the production cost. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He argues that the local farmers cannot risk investing in technology to produce flowers at high cost during winter if the illegal import of flowers from India continues unabated.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Around <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">348</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span>steam roses were traded during this period last year. In Nepal, there is a daily demand of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">8</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span>to <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span>steam roses except during festivals. Until a year ago, there was a decline in flower production due to the Covid pandemic. After the end of the pandemic, the domestic production of roses has increased slightly due to increase in investment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Commercial farming of roses is done in districts such as Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Chitwan and Kavrepalanchok. Its commercial cultivation is expanding in other districts as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19948', 'image' => '20240211120248_20230209011533_20190214040655__RAB0977.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 12:02:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Wins ODI Series against Canada ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 10: Nepal won the three-match bilateral one-day international (ODI) series against Canada after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead on Saturday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 10: Nepal won the three-match bilateral one-day international (ODI) series against Canada after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead on Saturday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Hosts Nepal registered its second win against the visitors by four wickets in the second match held at Kirtipur-based Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground on Saturday to clinch the series. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Winning the toss, Canada had opted to bat first. Canada posted a target of 286 runs before Nepal. Nepal met the target in 45.1 overs losing six wickets. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Captain Rohit Kumar Poudel scored the highest 87 runs while Dev Khanal contributed 76 runs and Anil Kumar Saha 50 runs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Bhim Sarki gathered 23 runs, Pawan Sarraf 14 and Ashif Sheikh 10 runs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Towards bawling, Canadians Harsh Thaker and Ishwarjot Sohi took two wickets each while Saad Bin Zafar and Dilpreet Bajwa bagged one wicket each. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, opting to bat first after winning the toss, Canada had gathered 285 runs in the allotted 50 overs by losing nine wickets. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Aaron Johnson of Canada made the highest 65 runs while Navneet Dhaliwal contributed 46, Shreyas Movva 40 runs, Pargat Singh 38, Nicholas Kirton 20 runs, Uday Bhagwan 20, Dilpreet Bajwa 19 runs and Shahid Ahmadzai 13 runs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Towards bawling, Rohit Kumar Paudel and Kushal Malla took two wickets each while Sompal Kami, Surya Tamang, Aakash Chand and Pawan Sarraf bagged one wicket each. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal had won its first match against Canada by seven runs on Thursday. This is the first time Nepal is playing an ODI series against Canada. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19947', 'image' => '20240211111133_GF-LQYkXYAAxPpv.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 11:10:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Warning (2): simplexml_load_file() [<a href='http://php.net/function.simplexml-load-file'>function.simplexml-load-file</a>]: I/O warning : failed to load external entity "" [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60]file not found!Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/indexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20234', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IMF, World Bank Warn Gaza War, Red Sea Attacks Imperil Global Economy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The IMF and World Bank warned on Monday that the Gaza war and the related attacks on shipping though the Red Sea pose threats to the global economy.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 12: The IMF and World Bank warned on Monday that the Gaza war and the related attacks on shipping though the Red Sea pose threats to the global economy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Israel-Hamas war raging since October has already hit the Middle East and North Africa region's economy, said the International Monetary Fund's managing director Kristalina Georgieva.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Its knock-on effects could impact the world the longer the fighting drags on, Georgieva told the World Governments Summit, an annual gathering of business and political leaders in Dubai.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"I fear most a longevity of the conflict because, if it goes on and on, the risk of spillover goes up," she said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Right now we see a risk of spillover in the Suez Canal," she said, as Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels have attacked Red Sea shipping leading to the crucial maritime passage.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Huthis say they are targeting what they consider Israeli-linked shipping in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, pushing some cargo carriers to take longer and more expensive routes to avoid attacks.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The UN Conference on Trade and Development warned late last month that the volume of commercial traffic passing through the Suez Canal had fallen more than 40 percent in the previous two months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Georgieva said that if there are other "consequences in terms of where the fighting goes, it could be more problematic for the world as a whole".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">On a personal note, she added that "as a woman, as a mother, grandmother... I pray for peace".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Gaza Strip has been under intense Israeli assault for over four months, in retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Hamas's unprecedented attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Israel vowed to destroy the militant group and launched air strikes and a ground offensive that have killed at least 28,340 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Despite the war-related uncertainties, Georgieva said the IMF is "very confident that the world economy is now poised for this soft landing we have been dreaming of".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"I expect to see by mid-year interest rates going in the direction inflation has been going for the last year now," she said, when asked about interest rates being cut in leading economies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Also speaking at the summit, World Bank President Ajay Banga said that "what's going on Gaza, but also the challenges of Ukraine... and the Red Sea" are among the top challenges to the global economic outlook.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"When you add these variables to what is already turning out to be probably the lowest growth of the last 55 years.... that's something we have to keep a close eye on," he said. – AFP/RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19961', 'image' => '20240212064632_world-economy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 18:45:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20233', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Reports Uptick of 15.33 Points to Close at 2101.16', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index witnessed a gain of 15.33 points or 0.73%, closing at 2101.16 on the second trading day of the week, Monday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 12: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index witnessed a gain of 15.33 points or 0.73%, closing at 2101.16 on the second trading day of the week, Monday.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Seasoned investors and technical analysts say that the market will continue its upward trend due to falling banking interest rates and positive psychology among investors. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“There is excessive liquidity in the banking system. Thus, the stock market will likely catch the bullish trend soon,” one investor said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During today’s trading session, a total of 314 scrips were traded on the NEPSE through 75,105 transactions. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As many as 10,108,122 shares changed hands, resulting in a total turnover of Rs 3.58 billion. Himalayan Reinsurance Limited (HRL) led the turnover amount with a total transaction of Rs 23 crores. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bottlers Nepal (Balaju) Limited (BNL) and Samaj Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha (SAMAJ) each gained 10% and hit the positive circuit for the day. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In terms of sector indices, all sectors closed in the green territory except for the Others Index. The Manufacturing and Processing Index saw the highest gain at 2.22%, while the Banking SubIndex witnessed a minimal gain of 0.05%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19960', 'image' => '20240212034052_collage (31).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 15:38:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20231', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '16 Candidates in the Race for the Post of Auditor General', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: Political lobbying has intensified for the coveted post of the auditor general.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 12: Political lobbying has intensified for the coveted post of the auditor general.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Altogether 16 people are in the fray for the leadership of the Office of the Auditor General, which has been running for eight months under the leadership of the acting auditor general. However, when and who will be appointed as the auditor general has not been decided yet.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The post of auditor general has remained vacant ever since the then Auditor General Tankamani Sharma Dangal retired after completing his term on May 22. After Sharma's retirement, the then Deputy Auditor General Rammaya Kunwar was given the responsibility of acting auditor general for one and a half months. After Kunwar went on compulsory retirement on August 7, Maheshwar Kafle got the responsibility.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bamdev Sharma was given the responsibility of acting auditor general after Kafle went on mandatory retirement in late January due to the age limit.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Due to the lack of leadership, the Office of the Auditor General has not been able to move forward with the strategic plan. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Article 6 of Article 240 of the Constitution of Nepal 2072 has provisions regarding the eligibility criteria for the appointment of the auditor general. In that article, it is said that to be appointed to the Auditor General, one must have obtained a bachelor's degree in management, commerce or accounting from a recognized university or have passed the chartered accountancy examination and worked in a special category position of the Government of Nepal or have at least 20 years of experience in audit-related work.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Political parties try to appoint someone close to them as the Auditor General who can fulfill their agenda although there is a provision that the person appointed to the post should not be a member of any political party. The candidate should have completed 45 years of age and must have a high moral character to be considered eligible for the position of auditor general. According to the constitutional provisions, the term of the Auditor General is 6 years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During the beginning of the current fiscal year, the Secretariat of the Constitutional Council invited applications for the office bearers of various constitutional bodies including the vacant post of auditor general. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A 15-day notification was issued in this regard. A total of people have applied for the post. The work of appointing the auditor general has not yet been done as the Constitutional Council has to evaluate the eligibility criteria by looking into the documents submitted by the candidates and recommend a suitable person for appointment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Who is qualified?</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Among the sixteen contenders, 14 have obtained master's degrees in management or commerce from a recognized university, while the rest have passed the chartered accountancy examination.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Seven out of 16 have 21 to 30 years of experience in auditing. Two have over 20 years of auditing experience in the private sector. Seven people have no audit experience.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Eleven out of 16 people have experience of working as a special class officer of the Government of Nepal. The rest have no such experience. Among the applicants, five have five years, one has four years, four have three years and one has 10 days working experience in special category. Three of them have experience of working as Joint Secretary of the Government of Nepal. Two people do not have the experience of working as a special class officer of the government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the nature of the work of the Office of the Auditor General, in addition to educational qualifications, the selection should be made on the basis of experience in audit services and experience of working as a special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The experts say that the government should immediately appoint an auditor general due to the pressure to issue the final audit report of the income and expenditure of 753 local levels and the annual report to be issued by the auditor general.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Office of the Auditor General audits all federal and state government offices including the Office of the President and Vice President, Supreme Court, Federal Parliament, Provincial Assembly, Provincial Government, Local Level, Constitutional Bodies and Offices, Courts, Attorney General's Office, Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force. The purpose of the audit is to protect the public resources of the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Office of the Auditor General also gives necessary suggestions and recommendations based on the effectiveness of government income and expenditure. The office submits and publishes the annual report of all government agencies to the President. The Office of the Auditor General has the right to see the accounting documents at any time to audit various agencies of the Central and State Governments. However, the lack of leadership has made the Office of the Auditor General weak in its role.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Who are the candidates?</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">One of the candidates is the current acting auditor general Bamdev Sharma Adhikari. He has 26 years of audit experience and three years of experience as a special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Maheshwar Kafle, who retired as acting auditor general a few days ago, is also a strong contender. Having worked as an auditor for 29 years, he has three years of special category work experience.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former Acting Auditor General Ram Maya Kunwar is also a contender. Kunwar has 21 years of audit experience and five years of experience in special category. Another contender Secretary Toyam Raya does not have 20 years of audit experience. However, his experience as a special class officer is four years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former Deputy Auditor General Baburam Gautam is also in the race. He has 27 years of audit experience and five years of experience as special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former Secretaries Shishir Dhungana, Gopinath Mainali, Hari Basyal, Ram Prasad Thapalia, Ramsharan Pudasaini, Shankar Kharel do not have 20 years of audit experience. Dhungana, Mainali and Thapalia have 5 years of experience as specific class officers while Basyal and Pudasaini have three years of experience. Former Secretary Kharel has only 10 days of experience as special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Other two contenders - deputy auditors general Baikuntha Adhikari and Chandrakant Bhandari have 30 years and 26 years of audit experience respectively, but both of them do not have the experience of working as a special class officer. Former Deputy Auditor General Ashok Karki is also in the race. He has 29 years of audit experience but no experience as a special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">There are also two chartered accountants in the race for auditor general. Subodh Kumar Karna and Hari Silwal who have twenty years of auditing experience in the private sector.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19959', 'image' => '20240212023509_20240130023638_oag-building.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 14:34:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20232', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'No Public Holiday on Fagun 1: Home Ministry ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has clarified that there will be no public holiday on Fagun 1 (February 13) this year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has clarified that there will be no public holiday on Fagun 1 (February 13) this year. In a notice issued on Monday, MoHA joint-secretary and spokesperson, Narayan Prasad Bhattarai informed that the the government decided to revoke the holiday based on the Supreme Court's ruling. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, the government had announced a public holiday on Fagun 1 to commemorate the 'people's war day'. However, the decision was challenged in the Supreme Court, leading to the apex court's directive ordering the government to rescind it. Consequently, the Council of Ministers on February 8 officially decided to discontinue the provision of a public holiday on Fagun 1 each year. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19958', 'image' => '20240212024637_905x525-moha.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 14:46:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20230', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Grants Permission to Private Industries to Import Sugar', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The government has handed the responsibility of importing sugar to the private sector industries after the failure of state-owned companies to import sugar at subsidized rates. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 12: The government has handed the responsibility of importing sugar to the private sector industries after the failure of state-owned companies to import sugar at subsidized rates. The government took such a move to ease the sugar supply in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The decision comes after the Food Management and Trading Company Limited (FMTC) and Salt Trading Corporation (STC), which were entrusted the responsibility of importing sugar, failed to do so.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bottlers Nepal, Dabur Nepal Pvt Ltd and some other biscuit industries have been given permission to import 25,000 metric tons of sugar, said Gajendra Kumar Thakur, joint secretary and spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, Bottlers Nepal has been granted permission to import 15,000 metric tons of sugar. Similarly, Dabur Nepal Pvt Ltd has received permission to import 6,000 metric tons and various biscuit industries have been granted permission to import 4000 metric tons of sugar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ministry sent a letter to India on July 21 ahead of the festive season to supply 50,000 metric tons of sugar through the G2G process. In response, India sent an email informing that it is ready to supply 25,000 metric tons of sugar to Nepal. The government entrusted FMTC and STC to import sugar with an exemption of 50 percent customs duty.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">These two state-owned companies tried to import sugar before Tihar, but they have not been able to import sugar yet.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"That's why the ministry has entrusted the responsibility of importing sugar to the industries since the objective of the ministry is that the supply system should be balanced anyway," said Thakur.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Thakur clarified that those industries will be able to import sugar with customs exemption. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It has already been one and a half months since the ministry gave permission to the industries to import sugar. However, even the industrialists have not been able to import sugar yet. Thakur informed that the industrialist have not come into contact with the ministry after receiving the permission. "Even the ministry has not shown any concerns about the status of sugar imports,” Thakur added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the spokesperson of STC Kumar Rajbhandari, the company called for tender bids after the government assigned them the task of importing 10,000 metric tons of sugar. However, since the price quoted by India was too high, no company submitted proposals to supply sugar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"That's why we have not been able to bring sugar," said Rajbhandari. Currently, the STC is buying and selling 10,000 metric tons of sugar from local industrialists.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Consumer rights activists have accused the government of not being able to bring sugar because it fell in the trap set by middleman. Madhav Timilsina, president of Consumer Rights Forum Nepal, said that if the industrialists bring the sugar, the supply arrangement in the market will be easier. After the industries that consume large quantities of sugar import it themselves, the sugar they buy from domestic sellers will be channeled to the consumers. However, Timilsina says that it will be easier to control the erratic prices in the market if the government itself imports sugar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">About 280,000 metric tons of sugar is consumed in Nepal every year while the country produces 150,000 metric tons of sugar. Nepal imports the insufficient amount of sugar from India. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19957', 'image' => '20240212012628_sugar.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 13:25:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20229', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Food Festival in Sauraha on the Occasion of Valentine's Day ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The 18th Sauraha Food Festival has commenced in Sauraha, a riverside vacation place in Chitwan district, on the occasion of Valentine's Day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: The 18th Sauraha Food Festival has commenced in Sauraha, a riverside vacation place in Chitwan district, on the occasion of Valentine's Day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Hari Dhakal, a member of the House of Representatives elected from Chitwan, on Sunday, inaugurated the five-day festival featuring various cuisines and entertainment programmes. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, he said the state should ramp up investment for the development of tourism sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Bagmati Province Assembly member Krishna Prasad Khanal, Ratnanagar Municipality mayor Prahlad Sapkota, Chief District Officer Bhupendra Thapa, central vice president of Restaurant and Bar Asscoation of Nepal (REBAN), Sangharsha Bista, Hotel Association Sauraha’s regional president Ganga Giri, REBAN founder president Balaram Dahal, REBAN Women's Group president Laxmi Bidari, among other speakers also put their views on the occasion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The food festival organized by REBAN Sauraha, Chitwan will run till February 15. Festival coordinator Surya Bahadur Rimal said the festival has been organized with the aim to revive tourism activities in Sauraha by promoting food, music and culture together. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19956', 'image' => '20240212103306_blank eight by six.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 10:32:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20228', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Police Arrest A Man Convicted of Banking Offense a Decade Ago ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: Nepal Police has arrested a person convicted of banking offence almost a decade ago. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: Nepal Police has arrested a person convicted of banking offence almost a decade ago. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police apprehended 67-year-old Ram Bhakta Thapa of Panauti Municipality-6, Kavrepalanchok in this connection and presented him before the media on Sunday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Bureau's Superintendent Hobindra Bogati said Thapa was held from Koteshwor of Kathmandu. Besides the fine, Thapa has also been sentenced three years in prison as per the court order. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Investigations revealed that Thapa had taken loan by influencing officials and employees of Capital Merchant and Finance Company Limited," SP Bogati said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It has come to light that Thapa had taken loan producing documents of a fake company called 'Kabhre Broiler Suppliers'. The then Appellate Court Patan had, on May 12, 2014, convicted Thapa of banking crime and sentenced him to three years in prison and a fine equivalent to the amount that he had misappropriated. The court had slapped a fine of Rs 90.07 million.-- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19955', 'image' => '20240212102656_banking-offence -800.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 10:26:00', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20227', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Minister Urges Customs Offices to Focus on Meeting Revenue Collection Target', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => ' Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat on Sunday visited the Mechi Customs Office, Kakarvita, Bhadrapur Customs Office and the Inland Revenue Office, Bhadrapur in Jhapa.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">February 11: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat on Sunday visited the Mechi Customs Office, Kakarvita, Bhadrapur Customs Office and the Inland Revenue Office, Bhadrapur in Jhapa.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Minister, who was here to attend an inaugural session of the 15-day fifth Damak Festival organised by the Damak Chamber of Commerce and Industry, inspected the offices and held interactions with the local business communities. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Talking to media following the inspection, the Minister instructed the customs offices to focus on meeting the monthly revenue targets.</span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Minister also insisted on combined efforts among the customs offices, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and the Revenue Office to control cross-border smuggling of goods.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">"The nation's income will reduce if the revenue collection decreases and a fall in the revenue collection will hamper the government's investment in education, health and other public service sectors," Mahat said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> At the programme held at the Mechi Customs Office, the Minister said the significance of the office will further increase with the expansion of the Asian Highway.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Office's customs officer, Ram Prasad Regmi, apprised the Minister about a declining trend of revenue collection. Regmi added that revenue collection from the customs office was on the decline the government as not according priority to the office. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During the minister's visit to Bhadrapur Customs Office, Bhadrapur municipality mayor Ganesh Pokhrel and the business community urged the Minister to improve physical infrastructure of the customs office. (RSS) </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19954', 'image' => '20240211060209_collage (8).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 18:00:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20226', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Drops 10.50 Points to Close at 2085.82 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index recorded a fall of 10.50 points or 0.50%, closing at 2085.82 points on the first trading day of the week on Sunday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">February 11: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index recorded a fall of 10.50 points or 0.50%, closing at 2085.82 points on the first trading day of the week on Sunday.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During today’s trading session, as many as 305 scrips were traded on the NEPSE through 83,877 transactions. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A total of 10,571,199 shares changed hands, resulting in a total turnover of Rs 4.8 billion. Himalayan Reinsurance Limited (HRL) led the turnover amount with a total transaction of Rs 62 crores.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Samaj Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha (SAMAJ) saw the most gain at 10% and hit the positive circuit for the day. On the contrary, NIC Asia Growth Fund-2 (NICGF2) lost 10%, closing at a market price of Rs 9 per share. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of sector indices, all sectors closed in the red territory except for the Development Bank Index, HydroPower Index, and Mutual Fund. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Manufacturing and Processing suffered the most loss at 2%, while Life Insurance and Investment indices each lost 0.28%. The HydroPower Index gained 0.22%, while the Mutual Fund saw a minimal gain of 0.05%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19953', 'image' => '20240211035459_collage (7).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 15:53:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20225', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Pollution Risks Worsening Global Water Scarcity: Study', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Water scarcity could affect three billion more people than previously expected by mid-century, with increased pollution rendering river sources "unsafe" for humans and wildlife, researchers have warned.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 11: Water scarcity could affect three billion more people than previously expected by mid-century, with increased pollution rendering river sources "unsafe" for humans and wildlife, researchers have warned.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The UN's climate science panel has said that around half the world's population currently faces severe water scarcity for at least a month a year and warned that global warming impacts and rising demand are key risks to global supply.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">But new research by scientists in Germany and the Netherlands has found that if harmful nitrogen pollution is factored in the number of areas considered water scarce increases dramatically.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"In general, people worry more about water scarcity -- whether you have enough water," lead author Mengru Wang, of Wageningen University & Research, told AFP.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"But I also see that water pollution is really becoming a more and more important issue that makes water unsafe to be used by nature and humans."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Human activities are spewing large amounts of nitrogen, pathogens, chemicals and plastics into water systems.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Nitrogen, from agricultural fertilisers in particular, contributes to algae growth that can choke waterways, threaten marine life and compromise water quality.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The new study, published in the journal Nature Communications, analysed river basins around the world, which are key sources of drinking water and hubs for urban and economic activities.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">According to the authors' computer modelling, the number of sub-basins -- smaller units in the river basins -- facing severe water scarcity was twice as much as previously thought in 2010 and could get much worse in the coming decades.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">They estimate that in 2010, 2,517 sub-basins in the world were facing water scarcity, when nitrogen pollution's impact on water quality was taken into account, compared with just 984 according to conventional assessments based on quantity.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">That figure could rise to up to 3,061 by 2050, they found, estimating this would affect roughly 6.8 to 7.8 billion people -- or roughly three billion more than in conventional estimates.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Co-author Benjamin Bodirsky, senior scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said the modelling of three different scenarios that affected pollution levels showed "we do have choices and can improve the situation".</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">But he said that even in the most optimistic estimates, nitrogen pollution would stay at "substantial levels" in important agricultural areas like Europe, China and India.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"The deterioration of water access can be halted, and to some extent even reversed, by adopting more efficient fertilizer use as well as more vegetarian diets, and by connecting a larger proportion of the global population to water treatment facilities," Bodirsky said. – AFP/RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19952', 'image' => '20240211031037_Oxydus+0014.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 15:09:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20224', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Paddy Skyrocketing Despite Record High Production', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Paddy production this year has increased by 4.33 percent compared to the previous fiscal year, according to government data.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 11: Paddy production this year has increased by <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4.33</span> percent compared to the previous fiscal year, according to government data. This year, a total of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">57</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">24</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">234</span> metric tons of paddy has been produced across the country. Paddy production this year is the highest in Nepal’s history. With the increase in production of paddy, the price of rice should have decreased. However, it has been found that the price of rice in the market has increased sharply despite the increase in paddy production.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Traders say that the price of rice has increased due to the restriction on rice exports by India. According to the general secretary of the Retail Trade Association, Amulkaji Tuladhar, the price of rice has increased by Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">250</span> per bag (<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span> kg) in a period of two months. He said that the price of rice has increased due to the inability to import rice from India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The government has not shown any interest in importing rice. If the government does not think seriously about facilitating the import of rice, the price may increase further," he said, adding, "It seems that the country that used to export rice to foreign countries has reached a point where it cannot even import the rice it needs." </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Last July, the government had started the process of importing <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1</span> million metric tons of paddy and <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000</span> metric tons of rice from India in order to discourage the price hike. Later, India also agreed to supply <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">95</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000</span> metric tons of rice. The government tried to bring rice but failed to do so. As a result, the supply of rice in the market decreased and the price started to rise.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Importers say that even though the government has asked domestic traders to import rice, India has created a situation where Nepali traders cannot import rice. The rice that India will provide must be purchased from a private company in India. The company should be paid <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100</span> percent in advance. Businessmen say that they could not proceed because they had to pay <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span> percent customs duty while importing rice which would increase the cost.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">At present, if Nepali traders want to import rice from India, they have to pay up to <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span> percent customs duty in India. As a result, the cost of rice per quintal will increases by Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000</span>. This will affect the price of rice, argues Bibhor Agarwal, a member of the Nepal Rice Oil and Lentil Industry Association. According to him, last year, India had given a quota of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">600,000</span> metric tons of paddy to Nepal. At that time, Nepali importers were able to import paddy without paying customs duty.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India has not announced a new quota for Nepal after that quota expired. Agarwal complained that even though the businessmen drew the government's attention to this issue several times, the government only gave them assurances. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19951', 'image' => '20240211022237_paddyyyyy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 14:21:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20223', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Minister Stresses on Operating New Int’l Airports on PPP Model ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said that the government has formed a committee to study the prospects of operating new international airports on public private partnership model. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said that the government has formed a committee to study the prospects of operating new international airports on public private partnership model. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Speaking at a programme organised at Baleka Municipality on Saturday, Minister Kirati pointed out the need of bringing new international airports into operation to fulfill the target of welcoming 3.5 million foreign tourists in 10 years. He added that the study committee was formed for the same purpose. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Sharing that the government fulfilled the target of bringing in one million foreign tourists in 2023, he underscored the need of some changes in tourism act for the development of tourism sector of the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Tourism Minister mentioned that a draft of tourism policy has already been sent to Finance Ministry. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19950', 'image' => '20240211010508_Gautam-Buddha-ia.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 13:04:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Current State of Budget Implementation is Encouraging: Private Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: There has been an improvement in the implementation of programmes related to the private sector and the economy in the budget of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 11: There has been an improvement in the implementation of programmes related to the private sector and the economy in the budget of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The semi-annual review of the implementation of 73 points related to the economy announced in the current year's budget statement showed that 74 percent of the policies and programmes have been partially implemented.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The semi-annual status of the budget implementation prepared by the Confederation of Nepalese Industries in collaboration with the Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal was released on Friday. The confederation, which has been undertaking the 'Budget Watch' initiative, mentioned that there has been some improvement in the implementation of programmes and policies in the current year's budget compared to last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Rajesh Kumar Agarwal, president of the confederation, said that out of 73 points related to the economy, 54 points prioritized by the confederation have been partially implemented. He emphasized that the policies and programs that have been partially implemented should be fully implemented within the remaining six months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Last year, only 47 percent of the items prioritized by the CNI during the entire fiscal year reached the implementation stage," Agarwal said, "The current state of budget implementation is encouraging." </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The private sector is hopeful that the government will improve the poor implementation of the budget during the remaining half of the fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Budget Watch published by the CNI has shown that about 11 percent of the items prioritized by the private sector have been fully implemented. The CNI analyzed the implementation status of 17 different areas of the current year's budget. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The confederation made public the progress report of the implementation states of areas related to forest and environment, public procurement, development projects, Make in Nepal scheme, innovation, company registration and liquidation, foreign direct investment, energy, agriculture, land, industrial development, export promotion and trade facilitation, supply system and consumer protection, culture, tourism and civil aviation, communication technology, capital market and taxation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The CNI also mentioned that the government has implemented the issue of forming a high-level committee for reforming the tax system. The provision of tax registration in the Value Added Tax Act, 2052 that can be submitted in 4 months interval as demanded by the private sector has also ben addressed. The Confederation has urged the government to pay special attention to complete the partial implementation of other priority points.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19949', 'image' => '20240211010412_budget.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 13:03:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sale of Roses worth Rs 35 Million Expected during Valentine’s Day', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Stakeholders estimate a turnover of Rs 35 million through the sales of roses on Valentine’s Day.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 11: Stakeholders estimate a turnover of Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">35</span> million through the sales of roses on Valentine’s Day.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Floriculture Association Nepal expects sale of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">350,000</span> steam roses (Dutch Rose) worth Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">35</span> million across the country within one week leading to the Valentine’s Day on February 14.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the association, around <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">200,000</span> steams of roses are expected to be consumed in the Kathmandu Valley and the remaining <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100,000</span> steams in cities outside the valley. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">People involved in flower business say that the domestic production of roses will meet <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span> percent of the total market demand for roses this year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The price of a stem of rose this year will be within the range of Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80</span> to Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">120</span> depending on the quality of the flowers. In general, the price of rose per steam is around Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">60</span> but the price surges during Valentine’s Day due to high demand. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Nepal, roses are generally produced during favorable conditions when the weather is warmer. The market demand is met through domestic production from March to November. However, the domestic production is less during the winter season. Min Bahadur Tamang, president of the association, says that they have to rely on imports from India to meet the demand for roses in December, January and February.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Tamang said that roses are also smuggled illegally into Nepal from India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The government is not paying attention to this. If we could stop illegal imports, Nepali farmers would be encouraged to increase production within the country," he said, adding, "At present, we have not been able to increase production of roses in the winter season due to the lack of advanced technology.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Since the use of technology is somewhat expensive, Tamang says it will increase the production cost. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He argues that the local farmers cannot risk investing in technology to produce flowers at high cost during winter if the illegal import of flowers from India continues unabated.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Around <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">348</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span>steam roses were traded during this period last year. In Nepal, there is a daily demand of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">8</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span>to <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span>steam roses except during festivals. Until a year ago, there was a decline in flower production due to the Covid pandemic. After the end of the pandemic, the domestic production of roses has increased slightly due to increase in investment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Commercial farming of roses is done in districts such as Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Chitwan and Kavrepalanchok. Its commercial cultivation is expanding in other districts as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19948', 'image' => '20240211120248_20230209011533_20190214040655__RAB0977.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 12:02:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Wins ODI Series against Canada ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 10: Nepal won the three-match bilateral one-day international (ODI) series against Canada after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead on Saturday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 10: Nepal won the three-match bilateral one-day international (ODI) series against Canada after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead on Saturday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Hosts Nepal registered its second win against the visitors by four wickets in the second match held at Kirtipur-based Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground on Saturday to clinch the series. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Winning the toss, Canada had opted to bat first. Canada posted a target of 286 runs before Nepal. Nepal met the target in 45.1 overs losing six wickets. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Captain Rohit Kumar Poudel scored the highest 87 runs while Dev Khanal contributed 76 runs and Anil Kumar Saha 50 runs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Bhim Sarki gathered 23 runs, Pawan Sarraf 14 and Ashif Sheikh 10 runs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Towards bawling, Canadians Harsh Thaker and Ishwarjot Sohi took two wickets each while Saad Bin Zafar and Dilpreet Bajwa bagged one wicket each. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, opting to bat first after winning the toss, Canada had gathered 285 runs in the allotted 50 overs by losing nine wickets. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Aaron Johnson of Canada made the highest 65 runs while Navneet Dhaliwal contributed 46, Shreyas Movva 40 runs, Pargat Singh 38, Nicholas Kirton 20 runs, Uday Bhagwan 20, Dilpreet Bajwa 19 runs and Shahid Ahmadzai 13 runs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Towards bawling, Rohit Kumar Paudel and Kushal Malla took two wickets each while Sompal Kami, Surya Tamang, Aakash Chand and Pawan Sarraf bagged one wicket each. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal had won its first match against Canada by seven runs on Thursday. This is the first time Nepal is playing an ODI series against Canada. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19947', 'image' => '20240211111133_GF-LQYkXYAAxPpv.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 11:10:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20234', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IMF, World Bank Warn Gaza War, Red Sea Attacks Imperil Global Economy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The IMF and World Bank warned on Monday that the Gaza war and the related attacks on shipping though the Red Sea pose threats to the global economy.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 12: The IMF and World Bank warned on Monday that the Gaza war and the related attacks on shipping though the Red Sea pose threats to the global economy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Israel-Hamas war raging since October has already hit the Middle East and North Africa region's economy, said the International Monetary Fund's managing director Kristalina Georgieva.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Its knock-on effects could impact the world the longer the fighting drags on, Georgieva told the World Governments Summit, an annual gathering of business and political leaders in Dubai.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"I fear most a longevity of the conflict because, if it goes on and on, the risk of spillover goes up," she said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Right now we see a risk of spillover in the Suez Canal," she said, as Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels have attacked Red Sea shipping leading to the crucial maritime passage.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Huthis say they are targeting what they consider Israeli-linked shipping in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, pushing some cargo carriers to take longer and more expensive routes to avoid attacks.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The UN Conference on Trade and Development warned late last month that the volume of commercial traffic passing through the Suez Canal had fallen more than 40 percent in the previous two months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Georgieva said that if there are other "consequences in terms of where the fighting goes, it could be more problematic for the world as a whole".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">On a personal note, she added that "as a woman, as a mother, grandmother... I pray for peace".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Gaza Strip has been under intense Israeli assault for over four months, in retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Hamas's unprecedented attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Israel vowed to destroy the militant group and launched air strikes and a ground offensive that have killed at least 28,340 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Despite the war-related uncertainties, Georgieva said the IMF is "very confident that the world economy is now poised for this soft landing we have been dreaming of".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"I expect to see by mid-year interest rates going in the direction inflation has been going for the last year now," she said, when asked about interest rates being cut in leading economies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Also speaking at the summit, World Bank President Ajay Banga said that "what's going on Gaza, but also the challenges of Ukraine... and the Red Sea" are among the top challenges to the global economic outlook.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"When you add these variables to what is already turning out to be probably the lowest growth of the last 55 years.... that's something we have to keep a close eye on," he said. – AFP/RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19961', 'image' => '20240212064632_world-economy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 18:45:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20233', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Reports Uptick of 15.33 Points to Close at 2101.16', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index witnessed a gain of 15.33 points or 0.73%, closing at 2101.16 on the second trading day of the week, Monday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 12: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index witnessed a gain of 15.33 points or 0.73%, closing at 2101.16 on the second trading day of the week, Monday.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Seasoned investors and technical analysts say that the market will continue its upward trend due to falling banking interest rates and positive psychology among investors. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“There is excessive liquidity in the banking system. Thus, the stock market will likely catch the bullish trend soon,” one investor said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During today’s trading session, a total of 314 scrips were traded on the NEPSE through 75,105 transactions. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As many as 10,108,122 shares changed hands, resulting in a total turnover of Rs 3.58 billion. Himalayan Reinsurance Limited (HRL) led the turnover amount with a total transaction of Rs 23 crores. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bottlers Nepal (Balaju) Limited (BNL) and Samaj Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha (SAMAJ) each gained 10% and hit the positive circuit for the day. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In terms of sector indices, all sectors closed in the green territory except for the Others Index. The Manufacturing and Processing Index saw the highest gain at 2.22%, while the Banking SubIndex witnessed a minimal gain of 0.05%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19960', 'image' => '20240212034052_collage (31).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 15:38:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20231', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '16 Candidates in the Race for the Post of Auditor General', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: Political lobbying has intensified for the coveted post of the auditor general.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 12: Political lobbying has intensified for the coveted post of the auditor general.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Altogether 16 people are in the fray for the leadership of the Office of the Auditor General, which has been running for eight months under the leadership of the acting auditor general. However, when and who will be appointed as the auditor general has not been decided yet.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The post of auditor general has remained vacant ever since the then Auditor General Tankamani Sharma Dangal retired after completing his term on May 22. After Sharma's retirement, the then Deputy Auditor General Rammaya Kunwar was given the responsibility of acting auditor general for one and a half months. After Kunwar went on compulsory retirement on August 7, Maheshwar Kafle got the responsibility.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bamdev Sharma was given the responsibility of acting auditor general after Kafle went on mandatory retirement in late January due to the age limit.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Due to the lack of leadership, the Office of the Auditor General has not been able to move forward with the strategic plan. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Article 6 of Article 240 of the Constitution of Nepal 2072 has provisions regarding the eligibility criteria for the appointment of the auditor general. In that article, it is said that to be appointed to the Auditor General, one must have obtained a bachelor's degree in management, commerce or accounting from a recognized university or have passed the chartered accountancy examination and worked in a special category position of the Government of Nepal or have at least 20 years of experience in audit-related work.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Political parties try to appoint someone close to them as the Auditor General who can fulfill their agenda although there is a provision that the person appointed to the post should not be a member of any political party. The candidate should have completed 45 years of age and must have a high moral character to be considered eligible for the position of auditor general. According to the constitutional provisions, the term of the Auditor General is 6 years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During the beginning of the current fiscal year, the Secretariat of the Constitutional Council invited applications for the office bearers of various constitutional bodies including the vacant post of auditor general. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A 15-day notification was issued in this regard. A total of people have applied for the post. The work of appointing the auditor general has not yet been done as the Constitutional Council has to evaluate the eligibility criteria by looking into the documents submitted by the candidates and recommend a suitable person for appointment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Who is qualified?</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Among the sixteen contenders, 14 have obtained master's degrees in management or commerce from a recognized university, while the rest have passed the chartered accountancy examination.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Seven out of 16 have 21 to 30 years of experience in auditing. Two have over 20 years of auditing experience in the private sector. Seven people have no audit experience.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Eleven out of 16 people have experience of working as a special class officer of the Government of Nepal. The rest have no such experience. Among the applicants, five have five years, one has four years, four have three years and one has 10 days working experience in special category. Three of them have experience of working as Joint Secretary of the Government of Nepal. Two people do not have the experience of working as a special class officer of the government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the nature of the work of the Office of the Auditor General, in addition to educational qualifications, the selection should be made on the basis of experience in audit services and experience of working as a special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The experts say that the government should immediately appoint an auditor general due to the pressure to issue the final audit report of the income and expenditure of 753 local levels and the annual report to be issued by the auditor general.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Office of the Auditor General audits all federal and state government offices including the Office of the President and Vice President, Supreme Court, Federal Parliament, Provincial Assembly, Provincial Government, Local Level, Constitutional Bodies and Offices, Courts, Attorney General's Office, Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force. The purpose of the audit is to protect the public resources of the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Office of the Auditor General also gives necessary suggestions and recommendations based on the effectiveness of government income and expenditure. The office submits and publishes the annual report of all government agencies to the President. The Office of the Auditor General has the right to see the accounting documents at any time to audit various agencies of the Central and State Governments. However, the lack of leadership has made the Office of the Auditor General weak in its role.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Who are the candidates?</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">One of the candidates is the current acting auditor general Bamdev Sharma Adhikari. He has 26 years of audit experience and three years of experience as a special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Maheshwar Kafle, who retired as acting auditor general a few days ago, is also a strong contender. Having worked as an auditor for 29 years, he has three years of special category work experience.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former Acting Auditor General Ram Maya Kunwar is also a contender. Kunwar has 21 years of audit experience and five years of experience in special category. Another contender Secretary Toyam Raya does not have 20 years of audit experience. However, his experience as a special class officer is four years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former Deputy Auditor General Baburam Gautam is also in the race. He has 27 years of audit experience and five years of experience as special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former Secretaries Shishir Dhungana, Gopinath Mainali, Hari Basyal, Ram Prasad Thapalia, Ramsharan Pudasaini, Shankar Kharel do not have 20 years of audit experience. Dhungana, Mainali and Thapalia have 5 years of experience as specific class officers while Basyal and Pudasaini have three years of experience. Former Secretary Kharel has only 10 days of experience as special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Other two contenders - deputy auditors general Baikuntha Adhikari and Chandrakant Bhandari have 30 years and 26 years of audit experience respectively, but both of them do not have the experience of working as a special class officer. Former Deputy Auditor General Ashok Karki is also in the race. He has 29 years of audit experience but no experience as a special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">There are also two chartered accountants in the race for auditor general. Subodh Kumar Karna and Hari Silwal who have twenty years of auditing experience in the private sector.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19959', 'image' => '20240212023509_20240130023638_oag-building.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 14:34:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20232', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'No Public Holiday on Fagun 1: Home Ministry ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has clarified that there will be no public holiday on Fagun 1 (February 13) this year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has clarified that there will be no public holiday on Fagun 1 (February 13) this year. In a notice issued on Monday, MoHA joint-secretary and spokesperson, Narayan Prasad Bhattarai informed that the the government decided to revoke the holiday based on the Supreme Court's ruling. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, the government had announced a public holiday on Fagun 1 to commemorate the 'people's war day'. However, the decision was challenged in the Supreme Court, leading to the apex court's directive ordering the government to rescind it. Consequently, the Council of Ministers on February 8 officially decided to discontinue the provision of a public holiday on Fagun 1 each year. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19958', 'image' => '20240212024637_905x525-moha.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 14:46:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20230', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Grants Permission to Private Industries to Import Sugar', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The government has handed the responsibility of importing sugar to the private sector industries after the failure of state-owned companies to import sugar at subsidized rates. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 12: The government has handed the responsibility of importing sugar to the private sector industries after the failure of state-owned companies to import sugar at subsidized rates. The government took such a move to ease the sugar supply in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The decision comes after the Food Management and Trading Company Limited (FMTC) and Salt Trading Corporation (STC), which were entrusted the responsibility of importing sugar, failed to do so.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bottlers Nepal, Dabur Nepal Pvt Ltd and some other biscuit industries have been given permission to import 25,000 metric tons of sugar, said Gajendra Kumar Thakur, joint secretary and spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, Bottlers Nepal has been granted permission to import 15,000 metric tons of sugar. Similarly, Dabur Nepal Pvt Ltd has received permission to import 6,000 metric tons and various biscuit industries have been granted permission to import 4000 metric tons of sugar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ministry sent a letter to India on July 21 ahead of the festive season to supply 50,000 metric tons of sugar through the G2G process. In response, India sent an email informing that it is ready to supply 25,000 metric tons of sugar to Nepal. The government entrusted FMTC and STC to import sugar with an exemption of 50 percent customs duty.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">These two state-owned companies tried to import sugar before Tihar, but they have not been able to import sugar yet.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"That's why the ministry has entrusted the responsibility of importing sugar to the industries since the objective of the ministry is that the supply system should be balanced anyway," said Thakur.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Thakur clarified that those industries will be able to import sugar with customs exemption. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It has already been one and a half months since the ministry gave permission to the industries to import sugar. However, even the industrialists have not been able to import sugar yet. Thakur informed that the industrialist have not come into contact with the ministry after receiving the permission. "Even the ministry has not shown any concerns about the status of sugar imports,” Thakur added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the spokesperson of STC Kumar Rajbhandari, the company called for tender bids after the government assigned them the task of importing 10,000 metric tons of sugar. However, since the price quoted by India was too high, no company submitted proposals to supply sugar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"That's why we have not been able to bring sugar," said Rajbhandari. Currently, the STC is buying and selling 10,000 metric tons of sugar from local industrialists.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Consumer rights activists have accused the government of not being able to bring sugar because it fell in the trap set by middleman. Madhav Timilsina, president of Consumer Rights Forum Nepal, said that if the industrialists bring the sugar, the supply arrangement in the market will be easier. After the industries that consume large quantities of sugar import it themselves, the sugar they buy from domestic sellers will be channeled to the consumers. However, Timilsina says that it will be easier to control the erratic prices in the market if the government itself imports sugar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">About 280,000 metric tons of sugar is consumed in Nepal every year while the country produces 150,000 metric tons of sugar. Nepal imports the insufficient amount of sugar from India. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19957', 'image' => '20240212012628_sugar.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 13:25:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20229', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Food Festival in Sauraha on the Occasion of Valentine's Day ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The 18th Sauraha Food Festival has commenced in Sauraha, a riverside vacation place in Chitwan district, on the occasion of Valentine's Day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: The 18th Sauraha Food Festival has commenced in Sauraha, a riverside vacation place in Chitwan district, on the occasion of Valentine's Day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Hari Dhakal, a member of the House of Representatives elected from Chitwan, on Sunday, inaugurated the five-day festival featuring various cuisines and entertainment programmes. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, he said the state should ramp up investment for the development of tourism sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Bagmati Province Assembly member Krishna Prasad Khanal, Ratnanagar Municipality mayor Prahlad Sapkota, Chief District Officer Bhupendra Thapa, central vice president of Restaurant and Bar Asscoation of Nepal (REBAN), Sangharsha Bista, Hotel Association Sauraha’s regional president Ganga Giri, REBAN founder president Balaram Dahal, REBAN Women's Group president Laxmi Bidari, among other speakers also put their views on the occasion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The food festival organized by REBAN Sauraha, Chitwan will run till February 15. Festival coordinator Surya Bahadur Rimal said the festival has been organized with the aim to revive tourism activities in Sauraha by promoting food, music and culture together. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19956', 'image' => '20240212103306_blank eight by six.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 10:32:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20228', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Police Arrest A Man Convicted of Banking Offense a Decade Ago ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: Nepal Police has arrested a person convicted of banking offence almost a decade ago. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: Nepal Police has arrested a person convicted of banking offence almost a decade ago. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police apprehended 67-year-old Ram Bhakta Thapa of Panauti Municipality-6, Kavrepalanchok in this connection and presented him before the media on Sunday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Bureau's Superintendent Hobindra Bogati said Thapa was held from Koteshwor of Kathmandu. Besides the fine, Thapa has also been sentenced three years in prison as per the court order. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Investigations revealed that Thapa had taken loan by influencing officials and employees of Capital Merchant and Finance Company Limited," SP Bogati said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It has come to light that Thapa had taken loan producing documents of a fake company called 'Kabhre Broiler Suppliers'. The then Appellate Court Patan had, on May 12, 2014, convicted Thapa of banking crime and sentenced him to three years in prison and a fine equivalent to the amount that he had misappropriated. The court had slapped a fine of Rs 90.07 million.-- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19955', 'image' => '20240212102656_banking-offence -800.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 10:26:00', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20227', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Minister Urges Customs Offices to Focus on Meeting Revenue Collection Target', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => ' Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat on Sunday visited the Mechi Customs Office, Kakarvita, Bhadrapur Customs Office and the Inland Revenue Office, Bhadrapur in Jhapa.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">February 11: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat on Sunday visited the Mechi Customs Office, Kakarvita, Bhadrapur Customs Office and the Inland Revenue Office, Bhadrapur in Jhapa.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Minister, who was here to attend an inaugural session of the 15-day fifth Damak Festival organised by the Damak Chamber of Commerce and Industry, inspected the offices and held interactions with the local business communities. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Talking to media following the inspection, the Minister instructed the customs offices to focus on meeting the monthly revenue targets.</span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Minister also insisted on combined efforts among the customs offices, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and the Revenue Office to control cross-border smuggling of goods.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">"The nation's income will reduce if the revenue collection decreases and a fall in the revenue collection will hamper the government's investment in education, health and other public service sectors," Mahat said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> At the programme held at the Mechi Customs Office, the Minister said the significance of the office will further increase with the expansion of the Asian Highway.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Office's customs officer, Ram Prasad Regmi, apprised the Minister about a declining trend of revenue collection. Regmi added that revenue collection from the customs office was on the decline the government as not according priority to the office. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During the minister's visit to Bhadrapur Customs Office, Bhadrapur municipality mayor Ganesh Pokhrel and the business community urged the Minister to improve physical infrastructure of the customs office. (RSS) </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19954', 'image' => '20240211060209_collage (8).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 18:00:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20226', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Drops 10.50 Points to Close at 2085.82 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index recorded a fall of 10.50 points or 0.50%, closing at 2085.82 points on the first trading day of the week on Sunday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">February 11: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index recorded a fall of 10.50 points or 0.50%, closing at 2085.82 points on the first trading day of the week on Sunday.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During today’s trading session, as many as 305 scrips were traded on the NEPSE through 83,877 transactions. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A total of 10,571,199 shares changed hands, resulting in a total turnover of Rs 4.8 billion. Himalayan Reinsurance Limited (HRL) led the turnover amount with a total transaction of Rs 62 crores.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Samaj Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha (SAMAJ) saw the most gain at 10% and hit the positive circuit for the day. On the contrary, NIC Asia Growth Fund-2 (NICGF2) lost 10%, closing at a market price of Rs 9 per share. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of sector indices, all sectors closed in the red territory except for the Development Bank Index, HydroPower Index, and Mutual Fund. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Manufacturing and Processing suffered the most loss at 2%, while Life Insurance and Investment indices each lost 0.28%. The HydroPower Index gained 0.22%, while the Mutual Fund saw a minimal gain of 0.05%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19953', 'image' => '20240211035459_collage (7).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 15:53:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20225', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Pollution Risks Worsening Global Water Scarcity: Study', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Water scarcity could affect three billion more people than previously expected by mid-century, with increased pollution rendering river sources "unsafe" for humans and wildlife, researchers have warned.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 11: Water scarcity could affect three billion more people than previously expected by mid-century, with increased pollution rendering river sources "unsafe" for humans and wildlife, researchers have warned.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The UN's climate science panel has said that around half the world's population currently faces severe water scarcity for at least a month a year and warned that global warming impacts and rising demand are key risks to global supply.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">But new research by scientists in Germany and the Netherlands has found that if harmful nitrogen pollution is factored in the number of areas considered water scarce increases dramatically.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"In general, people worry more about water scarcity -- whether you have enough water," lead author Mengru Wang, of Wageningen University & Research, told AFP.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"But I also see that water pollution is really becoming a more and more important issue that makes water unsafe to be used by nature and humans."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Human activities are spewing large amounts of nitrogen, pathogens, chemicals and plastics into water systems.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Nitrogen, from agricultural fertilisers in particular, contributes to algae growth that can choke waterways, threaten marine life and compromise water quality.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The new study, published in the journal Nature Communications, analysed river basins around the world, which are key sources of drinking water and hubs for urban and economic activities.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">According to the authors' computer modelling, the number of sub-basins -- smaller units in the river basins -- facing severe water scarcity was twice as much as previously thought in 2010 and could get much worse in the coming decades.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">They estimate that in 2010, 2,517 sub-basins in the world were facing water scarcity, when nitrogen pollution's impact on water quality was taken into account, compared with just 984 according to conventional assessments based on quantity.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">That figure could rise to up to 3,061 by 2050, they found, estimating this would affect roughly 6.8 to 7.8 billion people -- or roughly three billion more than in conventional estimates.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Co-author Benjamin Bodirsky, senior scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said the modelling of three different scenarios that affected pollution levels showed "we do have choices and can improve the situation".</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">But he said that even in the most optimistic estimates, nitrogen pollution would stay at "substantial levels" in important agricultural areas like Europe, China and India.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"The deterioration of water access can be halted, and to some extent even reversed, by adopting more efficient fertilizer use as well as more vegetarian diets, and by connecting a larger proportion of the global population to water treatment facilities," Bodirsky said. – AFP/RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19952', 'image' => '20240211031037_Oxydus+0014.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 15:09:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20224', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Paddy Skyrocketing Despite Record High Production', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Paddy production this year has increased by 4.33 percent compared to the previous fiscal year, according to government data.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 11: Paddy production this year has increased by <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4.33</span> percent compared to the previous fiscal year, according to government data. This year, a total of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">57</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">24</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">234</span> metric tons of paddy has been produced across the country. Paddy production this year is the highest in Nepal’s history. With the increase in production of paddy, the price of rice should have decreased. However, it has been found that the price of rice in the market has increased sharply despite the increase in paddy production.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Traders say that the price of rice has increased due to the restriction on rice exports by India. According to the general secretary of the Retail Trade Association, Amulkaji Tuladhar, the price of rice has increased by Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">250</span> per bag (<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span> kg) in a period of two months. He said that the price of rice has increased due to the inability to import rice from India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The government has not shown any interest in importing rice. If the government does not think seriously about facilitating the import of rice, the price may increase further," he said, adding, "It seems that the country that used to export rice to foreign countries has reached a point where it cannot even import the rice it needs." </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Last July, the government had started the process of importing <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1</span> million metric tons of paddy and <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000</span> metric tons of rice from India in order to discourage the price hike. Later, India also agreed to supply <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">95</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000</span> metric tons of rice. The government tried to bring rice but failed to do so. As a result, the supply of rice in the market decreased and the price started to rise.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Importers say that even though the government has asked domestic traders to import rice, India has created a situation where Nepali traders cannot import rice. The rice that India will provide must be purchased from a private company in India. The company should be paid <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100</span> percent in advance. Businessmen say that they could not proceed because they had to pay <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span> percent customs duty while importing rice which would increase the cost.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">At present, if Nepali traders want to import rice from India, they have to pay up to <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span> percent customs duty in India. As a result, the cost of rice per quintal will increases by Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000</span>. This will affect the price of rice, argues Bibhor Agarwal, a member of the Nepal Rice Oil and Lentil Industry Association. According to him, last year, India had given a quota of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">600,000</span> metric tons of paddy to Nepal. At that time, Nepali importers were able to import paddy without paying customs duty.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India has not announced a new quota for Nepal after that quota expired. Agarwal complained that even though the businessmen drew the government's attention to this issue several times, the government only gave them assurances. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19951', 'image' => '20240211022237_paddyyyyy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 14:21:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20223', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Minister Stresses on Operating New Int’l Airports on PPP Model ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said that the government has formed a committee to study the prospects of operating new international airports on public private partnership model. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said that the government has formed a committee to study the prospects of operating new international airports on public private partnership model. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Speaking at a programme organised at Baleka Municipality on Saturday, Minister Kirati pointed out the need of bringing new international airports into operation to fulfill the target of welcoming 3.5 million foreign tourists in 10 years. He added that the study committee was formed for the same purpose. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Sharing that the government fulfilled the target of bringing in one million foreign tourists in 2023, he underscored the need of some changes in tourism act for the development of tourism sector of the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Tourism Minister mentioned that a draft of tourism policy has already been sent to Finance Ministry. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19950', 'image' => '20240211010508_Gautam-Buddha-ia.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 13:04:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Current State of Budget Implementation is Encouraging: Private Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: There has been an improvement in the implementation of programmes related to the private sector and the economy in the budget of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 11: There has been an improvement in the implementation of programmes related to the private sector and the economy in the budget of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The semi-annual review of the implementation of 73 points related to the economy announced in the current year's budget statement showed that 74 percent of the policies and programmes have been partially implemented.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The semi-annual status of the budget implementation prepared by the Confederation of Nepalese Industries in collaboration with the Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal was released on Friday. The confederation, which has been undertaking the 'Budget Watch' initiative, mentioned that there has been some improvement in the implementation of programmes and policies in the current year's budget compared to last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Rajesh Kumar Agarwal, president of the confederation, said that out of 73 points related to the economy, 54 points prioritized by the confederation have been partially implemented. He emphasized that the policies and programs that have been partially implemented should be fully implemented within the remaining six months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Last year, only 47 percent of the items prioritized by the CNI during the entire fiscal year reached the implementation stage," Agarwal said, "The current state of budget implementation is encouraging." </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The private sector is hopeful that the government will improve the poor implementation of the budget during the remaining half of the fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Budget Watch published by the CNI has shown that about 11 percent of the items prioritized by the private sector have been fully implemented. The CNI analyzed the implementation status of 17 different areas of the current year's budget. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The confederation made public the progress report of the implementation states of areas related to forest and environment, public procurement, development projects, Make in Nepal scheme, innovation, company registration and liquidation, foreign direct investment, energy, agriculture, land, industrial development, export promotion and trade facilitation, supply system and consumer protection, culture, tourism and civil aviation, communication technology, capital market and taxation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The CNI also mentioned that the government has implemented the issue of forming a high-level committee for reforming the tax system. The provision of tax registration in the Value Added Tax Act, 2052 that can be submitted in 4 months interval as demanded by the private sector has also ben addressed. The Confederation has urged the government to pay special attention to complete the partial implementation of other priority points.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19949', 'image' => '20240211010412_budget.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 13:03:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sale of Roses worth Rs 35 Million Expected during Valentine’s Day', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Stakeholders estimate a turnover of Rs 35 million through the sales of roses on Valentine’s Day.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 11: Stakeholders estimate a turnover of Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">35</span> million through the sales of roses on Valentine’s Day.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Floriculture Association Nepal expects sale of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">350,000</span> steam roses (Dutch Rose) worth Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">35</span> million across the country within one week leading to the Valentine’s Day on February 14.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the association, around <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">200,000</span> steams of roses are expected to be consumed in the Kathmandu Valley and the remaining <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100,000</span> steams in cities outside the valley. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">People involved in flower business say that the domestic production of roses will meet <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span> percent of the total market demand for roses this year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The price of a stem of rose this year will be within the range of Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80</span> to Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">120</span> depending on the quality of the flowers. In general, the price of rose per steam is around Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">60</span> but the price surges during Valentine’s Day due to high demand. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Nepal, roses are generally produced during favorable conditions when the weather is warmer. The market demand is met through domestic production from March to November. However, the domestic production is less during the winter season. Min Bahadur Tamang, president of the association, says that they have to rely on imports from India to meet the demand for roses in December, January and February.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Tamang said that roses are also smuggled illegally into Nepal from India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The government is not paying attention to this. If we could stop illegal imports, Nepali farmers would be encouraged to increase production within the country," he said, adding, "At present, we have not been able to increase production of roses in the winter season due to the lack of advanced technology.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Since the use of technology is somewhat expensive, Tamang says it will increase the production cost. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He argues that the local farmers cannot risk investing in technology to produce flowers at high cost during winter if the illegal import of flowers from India continues unabated.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Around <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">348</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span>steam roses were traded during this period last year. In Nepal, there is a daily demand of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">8</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span>to <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span>steam roses except during festivals. Until a year ago, there was a decline in flower production due to the Covid pandemic. After the end of the pandemic, the domestic production of roses has increased slightly due to increase in investment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Commercial farming of roses is done in districts such as Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Chitwan and Kavrepalanchok. Its commercial cultivation is expanding in other districts as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19948', 'image' => '20240211120248_20230209011533_20190214040655__RAB0977.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 12:02:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Wins ODI Series against Canada ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 10: Nepal won the three-match bilateral one-day international (ODI) series against Canada after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead on Saturday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 10: Nepal won the three-match bilateral one-day international (ODI) series against Canada after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead on Saturday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Hosts Nepal registered its second win against the visitors by four wickets in the second match held at Kirtipur-based Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground on Saturday to clinch the series. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Winning the toss, Canada had opted to bat first. Canada posted a target of 286 runs before Nepal. Nepal met the target in 45.1 overs losing six wickets. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Captain Rohit Kumar Poudel scored the highest 87 runs while Dev Khanal contributed 76 runs and Anil Kumar Saha 50 runs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Bhim Sarki gathered 23 runs, Pawan Sarraf 14 and Ashif Sheikh 10 runs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Towards bawling, Canadians Harsh Thaker and Ishwarjot Sohi took two wickets each while Saad Bin Zafar and Dilpreet Bajwa bagged one wicket each. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, opting to bat first after winning the toss, Canada had gathered 285 runs in the allotted 50 overs by losing nine wickets. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Aaron Johnson of Canada made the highest 65 runs while Navneet Dhaliwal contributed 46, Shreyas Movva 40 runs, Pargat Singh 38, Nicholas Kirton 20 runs, Uday Bhagwan 20, Dilpreet Bajwa 19 runs and Shahid Ahmadzai 13 runs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Towards bawling, Rohit Kumar Paudel and Kushal Malla took two wickets each while Sompal Kami, Surya Tamang, Aakash Chand and Pawan Sarraf bagged one wicket each. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal had won its first match against Canada by seven runs on Thursday. This is the first time Nepal is playing an ODI series against Canada. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19947', 'image' => '20240211111133_GF-LQYkXYAAxPpv.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 11:10:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Warning (2): simplexml_load_file() [<a href='http://php.net/function.simplexml-load-file'>function.simplexml-load-file</a>]: I/O warning : failed to load external entity "" [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]file not found!Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20234', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IMF, World Bank Warn Gaza War, Red Sea Attacks Imperil Global Economy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The IMF and World Bank warned on Monday that the Gaza war and the related attacks on shipping though the Red Sea pose threats to the global economy.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 12: The IMF and World Bank warned on Monday that the Gaza war and the related attacks on shipping though the Red Sea pose threats to the global economy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Israel-Hamas war raging since October has already hit the Middle East and North Africa region's economy, said the International Monetary Fund's managing director Kristalina Georgieva.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Its knock-on effects could impact the world the longer the fighting drags on, Georgieva told the World Governments Summit, an annual gathering of business and political leaders in Dubai.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"I fear most a longevity of the conflict because, if it goes on and on, the risk of spillover goes up," she said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Right now we see a risk of spillover in the Suez Canal," she said, as Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels have attacked Red Sea shipping leading to the crucial maritime passage.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Huthis say they are targeting what they consider Israeli-linked shipping in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, pushing some cargo carriers to take longer and more expensive routes to avoid attacks.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The UN Conference on Trade and Development warned late last month that the volume of commercial traffic passing through the Suez Canal had fallen more than 40 percent in the previous two months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Georgieva said that if there are other "consequences in terms of where the fighting goes, it could be more problematic for the world as a whole".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">On a personal note, she added that "as a woman, as a mother, grandmother... I pray for peace".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Gaza Strip has been under intense Israeli assault for over four months, in retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Hamas's unprecedented attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Israel vowed to destroy the militant group and launched air strikes and a ground offensive that have killed at least 28,340 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Despite the war-related uncertainties, Georgieva said the IMF is "very confident that the world economy is now poised for this soft landing we have been dreaming of".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"I expect to see by mid-year interest rates going in the direction inflation has been going for the last year now," she said, when asked about interest rates being cut in leading economies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Also speaking at the summit, World Bank President Ajay Banga said that "what's going on Gaza, but also the challenges of Ukraine... and the Red Sea" are among the top challenges to the global economic outlook.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"When you add these variables to what is already turning out to be probably the lowest growth of the last 55 years.... that's something we have to keep a close eye on," he said. – AFP/RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19961', 'image' => '20240212064632_world-economy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 18:45:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20233', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Reports Uptick of 15.33 Points to Close at 2101.16', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index witnessed a gain of 15.33 points or 0.73%, closing at 2101.16 on the second trading day of the week, Monday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 12: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index witnessed a gain of 15.33 points or 0.73%, closing at 2101.16 on the second trading day of the week, Monday.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Seasoned investors and technical analysts say that the market will continue its upward trend due to falling banking interest rates and positive psychology among investors. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“There is excessive liquidity in the banking system. Thus, the stock market will likely catch the bullish trend soon,” one investor said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During today’s trading session, a total of 314 scrips were traded on the NEPSE through 75,105 transactions. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As many as 10,108,122 shares changed hands, resulting in a total turnover of Rs 3.58 billion. Himalayan Reinsurance Limited (HRL) led the turnover amount with a total transaction of Rs 23 crores. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bottlers Nepal (Balaju) Limited (BNL) and Samaj Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha (SAMAJ) each gained 10% and hit the positive circuit for the day. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In terms of sector indices, all sectors closed in the green territory except for the Others Index. The Manufacturing and Processing Index saw the highest gain at 2.22%, while the Banking SubIndex witnessed a minimal gain of 0.05%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19960', 'image' => '20240212034052_collage (31).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 15:38:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20231', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '16 Candidates in the Race for the Post of Auditor General', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: Political lobbying has intensified for the coveted post of the auditor general.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 12: Political lobbying has intensified for the coveted post of the auditor general.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Altogether 16 people are in the fray for the leadership of the Office of the Auditor General, which has been running for eight months under the leadership of the acting auditor general. However, when and who will be appointed as the auditor general has not been decided yet.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The post of auditor general has remained vacant ever since the then Auditor General Tankamani Sharma Dangal retired after completing his term on May 22. After Sharma's retirement, the then Deputy Auditor General Rammaya Kunwar was given the responsibility of acting auditor general for one and a half months. After Kunwar went on compulsory retirement on August 7, Maheshwar Kafle got the responsibility.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bamdev Sharma was given the responsibility of acting auditor general after Kafle went on mandatory retirement in late January due to the age limit.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Due to the lack of leadership, the Office of the Auditor General has not been able to move forward with the strategic plan. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Article 6 of Article 240 of the Constitution of Nepal 2072 has provisions regarding the eligibility criteria for the appointment of the auditor general. In that article, it is said that to be appointed to the Auditor General, one must have obtained a bachelor's degree in management, commerce or accounting from a recognized university or have passed the chartered accountancy examination and worked in a special category position of the Government of Nepal or have at least 20 years of experience in audit-related work.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Political parties try to appoint someone close to them as the Auditor General who can fulfill their agenda although there is a provision that the person appointed to the post should not be a member of any political party. The candidate should have completed 45 years of age and must have a high moral character to be considered eligible for the position of auditor general. According to the constitutional provisions, the term of the Auditor General is 6 years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During the beginning of the current fiscal year, the Secretariat of the Constitutional Council invited applications for the office bearers of various constitutional bodies including the vacant post of auditor general. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A 15-day notification was issued in this regard. A total of people have applied for the post. The work of appointing the auditor general has not yet been done as the Constitutional Council has to evaluate the eligibility criteria by looking into the documents submitted by the candidates and recommend a suitable person for appointment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Who is qualified?</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Among the sixteen contenders, 14 have obtained master's degrees in management or commerce from a recognized university, while the rest have passed the chartered accountancy examination.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Seven out of 16 have 21 to 30 years of experience in auditing. Two have over 20 years of auditing experience in the private sector. Seven people have no audit experience.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Eleven out of 16 people have experience of working as a special class officer of the Government of Nepal. The rest have no such experience. Among the applicants, five have five years, one has four years, four have three years and one has 10 days working experience in special category. Three of them have experience of working as Joint Secretary of the Government of Nepal. Two people do not have the experience of working as a special class officer of the government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the nature of the work of the Office of the Auditor General, in addition to educational qualifications, the selection should be made on the basis of experience in audit services and experience of working as a special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The experts say that the government should immediately appoint an auditor general due to the pressure to issue the final audit report of the income and expenditure of 753 local levels and the annual report to be issued by the auditor general.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Office of the Auditor General audits all federal and state government offices including the Office of the President and Vice President, Supreme Court, Federal Parliament, Provincial Assembly, Provincial Government, Local Level, Constitutional Bodies and Offices, Courts, Attorney General's Office, Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force. The purpose of the audit is to protect the public resources of the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Office of the Auditor General also gives necessary suggestions and recommendations based on the effectiveness of government income and expenditure. The office submits and publishes the annual report of all government agencies to the President. The Office of the Auditor General has the right to see the accounting documents at any time to audit various agencies of the Central and State Governments. However, the lack of leadership has made the Office of the Auditor General weak in its role.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Who are the candidates?</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">One of the candidates is the current acting auditor general Bamdev Sharma Adhikari. He has 26 years of audit experience and three years of experience as a special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Maheshwar Kafle, who retired as acting auditor general a few days ago, is also a strong contender. Having worked as an auditor for 29 years, he has three years of special category work experience.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former Acting Auditor General Ram Maya Kunwar is also a contender. Kunwar has 21 years of audit experience and five years of experience in special category. Another contender Secretary Toyam Raya does not have 20 years of audit experience. However, his experience as a special class officer is four years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former Deputy Auditor General Baburam Gautam is also in the race. He has 27 years of audit experience and five years of experience as special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former Secretaries Shishir Dhungana, Gopinath Mainali, Hari Basyal, Ram Prasad Thapalia, Ramsharan Pudasaini, Shankar Kharel do not have 20 years of audit experience. Dhungana, Mainali and Thapalia have 5 years of experience as specific class officers while Basyal and Pudasaini have three years of experience. Former Secretary Kharel has only 10 days of experience as special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Other two contenders - deputy auditors general Baikuntha Adhikari and Chandrakant Bhandari have 30 years and 26 years of audit experience respectively, but both of them do not have the experience of working as a special class officer. Former Deputy Auditor General Ashok Karki is also in the race. He has 29 years of audit experience but no experience as a special class officer.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">There are also two chartered accountants in the race for auditor general. Subodh Kumar Karna and Hari Silwal who have twenty years of auditing experience in the private sector.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19959', 'image' => '20240212023509_20240130023638_oag-building.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 14:34:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20232', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'No Public Holiday on Fagun 1: Home Ministry ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has clarified that there will be no public holiday on Fagun 1 (February 13) this year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has clarified that there will be no public holiday on Fagun 1 (February 13) this year. In a notice issued on Monday, MoHA joint-secretary and spokesperson, Narayan Prasad Bhattarai informed that the the government decided to revoke the holiday based on the Supreme Court's ruling. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, the government had announced a public holiday on Fagun 1 to commemorate the 'people's war day'. However, the decision was challenged in the Supreme Court, leading to the apex court's directive ordering the government to rescind it. Consequently, the Council of Ministers on February 8 officially decided to discontinue the provision of a public holiday on Fagun 1 each year. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19958', 'image' => '20240212024637_905x525-moha.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 14:46:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20230', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Grants Permission to Private Industries to Import Sugar', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The government has handed the responsibility of importing sugar to the private sector industries after the failure of state-owned companies to import sugar at subsidized rates. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 12: The government has handed the responsibility of importing sugar to the private sector industries after the failure of state-owned companies to import sugar at subsidized rates. The government took such a move to ease the sugar supply in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The decision comes after the Food Management and Trading Company Limited (FMTC) and Salt Trading Corporation (STC), which were entrusted the responsibility of importing sugar, failed to do so.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bottlers Nepal, Dabur Nepal Pvt Ltd and some other biscuit industries have been given permission to import 25,000 metric tons of sugar, said Gajendra Kumar Thakur, joint secretary and spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, Bottlers Nepal has been granted permission to import 15,000 metric tons of sugar. Similarly, Dabur Nepal Pvt Ltd has received permission to import 6,000 metric tons and various biscuit industries have been granted permission to import 4000 metric tons of sugar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ministry sent a letter to India on July 21 ahead of the festive season to supply 50,000 metric tons of sugar through the G2G process. In response, India sent an email informing that it is ready to supply 25,000 metric tons of sugar to Nepal. The government entrusted FMTC and STC to import sugar with an exemption of 50 percent customs duty.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">These two state-owned companies tried to import sugar before Tihar, but they have not been able to import sugar yet.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"That's why the ministry has entrusted the responsibility of importing sugar to the industries since the objective of the ministry is that the supply system should be balanced anyway," said Thakur.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Thakur clarified that those industries will be able to import sugar with customs exemption. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It has already been one and a half months since the ministry gave permission to the industries to import sugar. However, even the industrialists have not been able to import sugar yet. Thakur informed that the industrialist have not come into contact with the ministry after receiving the permission. "Even the ministry has not shown any concerns about the status of sugar imports,” Thakur added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the spokesperson of STC Kumar Rajbhandari, the company called for tender bids after the government assigned them the task of importing 10,000 metric tons of sugar. However, since the price quoted by India was too high, no company submitted proposals to supply sugar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"That's why we have not been able to bring sugar," said Rajbhandari. Currently, the STC is buying and selling 10,000 metric tons of sugar from local industrialists.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Consumer rights activists have accused the government of not being able to bring sugar because it fell in the trap set by middleman. Madhav Timilsina, president of Consumer Rights Forum Nepal, said that if the industrialists bring the sugar, the supply arrangement in the market will be easier. After the industries that consume large quantities of sugar import it themselves, the sugar they buy from domestic sellers will be channeled to the consumers. However, Timilsina says that it will be easier to control the erratic prices in the market if the government itself imports sugar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">About 280,000 metric tons of sugar is consumed in Nepal every year while the country produces 150,000 metric tons of sugar. Nepal imports the insufficient amount of sugar from India. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19957', 'image' => '20240212012628_sugar.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 13:25:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20229', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Food Festival in Sauraha on the Occasion of Valentine's Day ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: The 18th Sauraha Food Festival has commenced in Sauraha, a riverside vacation place in Chitwan district, on the occasion of Valentine's Day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: The 18th Sauraha Food Festival has commenced in Sauraha, a riverside vacation place in Chitwan district, on the occasion of Valentine's Day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Hari Dhakal, a member of the House of Representatives elected from Chitwan, on Sunday, inaugurated the five-day festival featuring various cuisines and entertainment programmes. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, he said the state should ramp up investment for the development of tourism sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Bagmati Province Assembly member Krishna Prasad Khanal, Ratnanagar Municipality mayor Prahlad Sapkota, Chief District Officer Bhupendra Thapa, central vice president of Restaurant and Bar Asscoation of Nepal (REBAN), Sangharsha Bista, Hotel Association Sauraha’s regional president Ganga Giri, REBAN founder president Balaram Dahal, REBAN Women's Group president Laxmi Bidari, among other speakers also put their views on the occasion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The food festival organized by REBAN Sauraha, Chitwan will run till February 15. Festival coordinator Surya Bahadur Rimal said the festival has been organized with the aim to revive tourism activities in Sauraha by promoting food, music and culture together. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19956', 'image' => '20240212103306_blank eight by six.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 10:32:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20228', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Police Arrest A Man Convicted of Banking Offense a Decade Ago ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: Nepal Police has arrested a person convicted of banking offence almost a decade ago. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: Nepal Police has arrested a person convicted of banking offence almost a decade ago. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police apprehended 67-year-old Ram Bhakta Thapa of Panauti Municipality-6, Kavrepalanchok in this connection and presented him before the media on Sunday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Bureau's Superintendent Hobindra Bogati said Thapa was held from Koteshwor of Kathmandu. Besides the fine, Thapa has also been sentenced three years in prison as per the court order. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Investigations revealed that Thapa had taken loan by influencing officials and employees of Capital Merchant and Finance Company Limited," SP Bogati said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It has come to light that Thapa had taken loan producing documents of a fake company called 'Kabhre Broiler Suppliers'. The then Appellate Court Patan had, on May 12, 2014, convicted Thapa of banking crime and sentenced him to three years in prison and a fine equivalent to the amount that he had misappropriated. The court had slapped a fine of Rs 90.07 million.-- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-12', 'modified' => '2024-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19955', 'image' => '20240212102656_banking-offence -800.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-12 10:26:00', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20227', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Minister Urges Customs Offices to Focus on Meeting Revenue Collection Target', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => ' Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat on Sunday visited the Mechi Customs Office, Kakarvita, Bhadrapur Customs Office and the Inland Revenue Office, Bhadrapur in Jhapa.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">February 11: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat on Sunday visited the Mechi Customs Office, Kakarvita, Bhadrapur Customs Office and the Inland Revenue Office, Bhadrapur in Jhapa.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Minister, who was here to attend an inaugural session of the 15-day fifth Damak Festival organised by the Damak Chamber of Commerce and Industry, inspected the offices and held interactions with the local business communities. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Talking to media following the inspection, the Minister instructed the customs offices to focus on meeting the monthly revenue targets.</span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Minister also insisted on combined efforts among the customs offices, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and the Revenue Office to control cross-border smuggling of goods.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">"The nation's income will reduce if the revenue collection decreases and a fall in the revenue collection will hamper the government's investment in education, health and other public service sectors," Mahat said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> At the programme held at the Mechi Customs Office, the Minister said the significance of the office will further increase with the expansion of the Asian Highway.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Office's customs officer, Ram Prasad Regmi, apprised the Minister about a declining trend of revenue collection. Regmi added that revenue collection from the customs office was on the decline the government as not according priority to the office. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During the minister's visit to Bhadrapur Customs Office, Bhadrapur municipality mayor Ganesh Pokhrel and the business community urged the Minister to improve physical infrastructure of the customs office. (RSS) </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19954', 'image' => '20240211060209_collage (8).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 18:00:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20226', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Drops 10.50 Points to Close at 2085.82 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index recorded a fall of 10.50 points or 0.50%, closing at 2085.82 points on the first trading day of the week on Sunday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">February 11: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index recorded a fall of 10.50 points or 0.50%, closing at 2085.82 points on the first trading day of the week on Sunday.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During today’s trading session, as many as 305 scrips were traded on the NEPSE through 83,877 transactions. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A total of 10,571,199 shares changed hands, resulting in a total turnover of Rs 4.8 billion. Himalayan Reinsurance Limited (HRL) led the turnover amount with a total transaction of Rs 62 crores.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Samaj Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha (SAMAJ) saw the most gain at 10% and hit the positive circuit for the day. On the contrary, NIC Asia Growth Fund-2 (NICGF2) lost 10%, closing at a market price of Rs 9 per share. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of sector indices, all sectors closed in the red territory except for the Development Bank Index, HydroPower Index, and Mutual Fund. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Manufacturing and Processing suffered the most loss at 2%, while Life Insurance and Investment indices each lost 0.28%. The HydroPower Index gained 0.22%, while the Mutual Fund saw a minimal gain of 0.05%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19953', 'image' => '20240211035459_collage (7).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 15:53:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20225', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Pollution Risks Worsening Global Water Scarcity: Study', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Water scarcity could affect three billion more people than previously expected by mid-century, with increased pollution rendering river sources "unsafe" for humans and wildlife, researchers have warned.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 11: Water scarcity could affect three billion more people than previously expected by mid-century, with increased pollution rendering river sources "unsafe" for humans and wildlife, researchers have warned.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The UN's climate science panel has said that around half the world's population currently faces severe water scarcity for at least a month a year and warned that global warming impacts and rising demand are key risks to global supply.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">But new research by scientists in Germany and the Netherlands has found that if harmful nitrogen pollution is factored in the number of areas considered water scarce increases dramatically.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"In general, people worry more about water scarcity -- whether you have enough water," lead author Mengru Wang, of Wageningen University & Research, told AFP.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"But I also see that water pollution is really becoming a more and more important issue that makes water unsafe to be used by nature and humans."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Human activities are spewing large amounts of nitrogen, pathogens, chemicals and plastics into water systems.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Nitrogen, from agricultural fertilisers in particular, contributes to algae growth that can choke waterways, threaten marine life and compromise water quality.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The new study, published in the journal Nature Communications, analysed river basins around the world, which are key sources of drinking water and hubs for urban and economic activities.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">According to the authors' computer modelling, the number of sub-basins -- smaller units in the river basins -- facing severe water scarcity was twice as much as previously thought in 2010 and could get much worse in the coming decades.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">They estimate that in 2010, 2,517 sub-basins in the world were facing water scarcity, when nitrogen pollution's impact on water quality was taken into account, compared with just 984 according to conventional assessments based on quantity.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">That figure could rise to up to 3,061 by 2050, they found, estimating this would affect roughly 6.8 to 7.8 billion people -- or roughly three billion more than in conventional estimates.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Co-author Benjamin Bodirsky, senior scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said the modelling of three different scenarios that affected pollution levels showed "we do have choices and can improve the situation".</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">But he said that even in the most optimistic estimates, nitrogen pollution would stay at "substantial levels" in important agricultural areas like Europe, China and India.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"The deterioration of water access can be halted, and to some extent even reversed, by adopting more efficient fertilizer use as well as more vegetarian diets, and by connecting a larger proportion of the global population to water treatment facilities," Bodirsky said. – AFP/RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19952', 'image' => '20240211031037_Oxydus+0014.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 15:09:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20224', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Paddy Skyrocketing Despite Record High Production', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Paddy production this year has increased by 4.33 percent compared to the previous fiscal year, according to government data.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 11: Paddy production this year has increased by <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4.33</span> percent compared to the previous fiscal year, according to government data. This year, a total of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">57</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">24</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">234</span> metric tons of paddy has been produced across the country. Paddy production this year is the highest in Nepal’s history. With the increase in production of paddy, the price of rice should have decreased. However, it has been found that the price of rice in the market has increased sharply despite the increase in paddy production.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Traders say that the price of rice has increased due to the restriction on rice exports by India. According to the general secretary of the Retail Trade Association, Amulkaji Tuladhar, the price of rice has increased by Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">250</span> per bag (<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span> kg) in a period of two months. He said that the price of rice has increased due to the inability to import rice from India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The government has not shown any interest in importing rice. If the government does not think seriously about facilitating the import of rice, the price may increase further," he said, adding, "It seems that the country that used to export rice to foreign countries has reached a point where it cannot even import the rice it needs." </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Last July, the government had started the process of importing <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1</span> million metric tons of paddy and <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000</span> metric tons of rice from India in order to discourage the price hike. Later, India also agreed to supply <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">95</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000</span> metric tons of rice. The government tried to bring rice but failed to do so. As a result, the supply of rice in the market decreased and the price started to rise.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Importers say that even though the government has asked domestic traders to import rice, India has created a situation where Nepali traders cannot import rice. The rice that India will provide must be purchased from a private company in India. The company should be paid <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100</span> percent in advance. Businessmen say that they could not proceed because they had to pay <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span> percent customs duty while importing rice which would increase the cost.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">At present, if Nepali traders want to import rice from India, they have to pay up to <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span> percent customs duty in India. As a result, the cost of rice per quintal will increases by Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000</span>. This will affect the price of rice, argues Bibhor Agarwal, a member of the Nepal Rice Oil and Lentil Industry Association. According to him, last year, India had given a quota of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">600,000</span> metric tons of paddy to Nepal. At that time, Nepali importers were able to import paddy without paying customs duty.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India has not announced a new quota for Nepal after that quota expired. Agarwal complained that even though the businessmen drew the government's attention to this issue several times, the government only gave them assurances. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19951', 'image' => '20240211022237_paddyyyyy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 14:21:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20223', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Minister Stresses on Operating New Int’l Airports on PPP Model ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said that the government has formed a committee to study the prospects of operating new international airports on public private partnership model. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said that the government has formed a committee to study the prospects of operating new international airports on public private partnership model. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Speaking at a programme organised at Baleka Municipality on Saturday, Minister Kirati pointed out the need of bringing new international airports into operation to fulfill the target of welcoming 3.5 million foreign tourists in 10 years. He added that the study committee was formed for the same purpose. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Sharing that the government fulfilled the target of bringing in one million foreign tourists in 2023, he underscored the need of some changes in tourism act for the development of tourism sector of the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Tourism Minister mentioned that a draft of tourism policy has already been sent to Finance Ministry. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19950', 'image' => '20240211010508_Gautam-Buddha-ia.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 13:04:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Current State of Budget Implementation is Encouraging: Private Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: There has been an improvement in the implementation of programmes related to the private sector and the economy in the budget of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 11: There has been an improvement in the implementation of programmes related to the private sector and the economy in the budget of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The semi-annual review of the implementation of 73 points related to the economy announced in the current year's budget statement showed that 74 percent of the policies and programmes have been partially implemented.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The semi-annual status of the budget implementation prepared by the Confederation of Nepalese Industries in collaboration with the Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal was released on Friday. The confederation, which has been undertaking the 'Budget Watch' initiative, mentioned that there has been some improvement in the implementation of programmes and policies in the current year's budget compared to last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Rajesh Kumar Agarwal, president of the confederation, said that out of 73 points related to the economy, 54 points prioritized by the confederation have been partially implemented. He emphasized that the policies and programs that have been partially implemented should be fully implemented within the remaining six months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Last year, only 47 percent of the items prioritized by the CNI during the entire fiscal year reached the implementation stage," Agarwal said, "The current state of budget implementation is encouraging." </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The private sector is hopeful that the government will improve the poor implementation of the budget during the remaining half of the fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Budget Watch published by the CNI has shown that about 11 percent of the items prioritized by the private sector have been fully implemented. The CNI analyzed the implementation status of 17 different areas of the current year's budget. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The confederation made public the progress report of the implementation states of areas related to forest and environment, public procurement, development projects, Make in Nepal scheme, innovation, company registration and liquidation, foreign direct investment, energy, agriculture, land, industrial development, export promotion and trade facilitation, supply system and consumer protection, culture, tourism and civil aviation, communication technology, capital market and taxation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The CNI also mentioned that the government has implemented the issue of forming a high-level committee for reforming the tax system. The provision of tax registration in the Value Added Tax Act, 2052 that can be submitted in 4 months interval as demanded by the private sector has also ben addressed. The Confederation has urged the government to pay special attention to complete the partial implementation of other priority points.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19949', 'image' => '20240211010412_budget.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 13:03:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sale of Roses worth Rs 35 Million Expected during Valentine’s Day', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 11: Stakeholders estimate a turnover of Rs 35 million through the sales of roses on Valentine’s Day.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 11: Stakeholders estimate a turnover of Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">35</span> million through the sales of roses on Valentine’s Day.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Floriculture Association Nepal expects sale of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">350,000</span> steam roses (Dutch Rose) worth Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">35</span> million across the country within one week leading to the Valentine’s Day on February 14.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the association, around <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">200,000</span> steams of roses are expected to be consumed in the Kathmandu Valley and the remaining <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100,000</span> steams in cities outside the valley. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">People involved in flower business say that the domestic production of roses will meet <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span> percent of the total market demand for roses this year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The price of a stem of rose this year will be within the range of Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80</span> to Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">120</span> depending on the quality of the flowers. In general, the price of rose per steam is around Rs <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">60</span> but the price surges during Valentine’s Day due to high demand. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Nepal, roses are generally produced during favorable conditions when the weather is warmer. The market demand is met through domestic production from March to November. However, the domestic production is less during the winter season. Min Bahadur Tamang, president of the association, says that they have to rely on imports from India to meet the demand for roses in December, January and February.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Tamang said that roses are also smuggled illegally into Nepal from India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The government is not paying attention to this. If we could stop illegal imports, Nepali farmers would be encouraged to increase production within the country," he said, adding, "At present, we have not been able to increase production of roses in the winter season due to the lack of advanced technology.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Since the use of technology is somewhat expensive, Tamang says it will increase the production cost. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He argues that the local farmers cannot risk investing in technology to produce flowers at high cost during winter if the illegal import of flowers from India continues unabated.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Around <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">348</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span>steam roses were traded during this period last year. In Nepal, there is a daily demand of <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">8</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span>to <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span>,<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span>steam roses except during festivals. Until a year ago, there was a decline in flower production due to the Covid pandemic. After the end of the pandemic, the domestic production of roses has increased slightly due to increase in investment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Commercial farming of roses is done in districts such as Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Chitwan and Kavrepalanchok. Its commercial cultivation is expanding in other districts as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19948', 'image' => '20240211120248_20230209011533_20190214040655__RAB0977.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 12:02:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Wins ODI Series against Canada ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 10: Nepal won the three-match bilateral one-day international (ODI) series against Canada after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead on Saturday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 10: Nepal won the three-match bilateral one-day international (ODI) series against Canada after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead on Saturday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Hosts Nepal registered its second win against the visitors by four wickets in the second match held at Kirtipur-based Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground on Saturday to clinch the series. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Winning the toss, Canada had opted to bat first. Canada posted a target of 286 runs before Nepal. Nepal met the target in 45.1 overs losing six wickets. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Captain Rohit Kumar Poudel scored the highest 87 runs while Dev Khanal contributed 76 runs and Anil Kumar Saha 50 runs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Bhim Sarki gathered 23 runs, Pawan Sarraf 14 and Ashif Sheikh 10 runs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Towards bawling, Canadians Harsh Thaker and Ishwarjot Sohi took two wickets each while Saad Bin Zafar and Dilpreet Bajwa bagged one wicket each. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, opting to bat first after winning the toss, Canada had gathered 285 runs in the allotted 50 overs by losing nine wickets. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Aaron Johnson of Canada made the highest 65 runs while Navneet Dhaliwal contributed 46, Shreyas Movva 40 runs, Pargat Singh 38, Nicholas Kirton 20 runs, Uday Bhagwan 20, Dilpreet Bajwa 19 runs and Shahid Ahmadzai 13 runs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Towards bawling, Rohit Kumar Paudel and Kushal Malla took two wickets each while Sompal Kami, Surya Tamang, Aakash Chand and Pawan Sarraf bagged one wicket each. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal had won its first match against Canada by seven runs on Thursday. This is the first time Nepal is playing an ODI series against Canada. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-11', 'modified' => '2024-02-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19947', 'image' => '20240211111133_GF-LQYkXYAAxPpv.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-11 11:10:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
| Currency | Unit |
Buy | Sell |
| U.S. Dollar | 1 | 121.23 | 121.83 |
| European Euro | 1 | 131.65 | 132.31 |
| UK Pound Sterling | 1 | 142.47 | 143.18 |
| Swiss Franc | 1 | 124.29 | 124.90 |
| Australian Dollar | 1 | 71.69 | 72.05 |
| Canadian Dollar | 1 | 83.90 | 84.32 |
| Japanese Yen | 10 | 10.94 | 11.00 |
| Chinese Yuan | 1 | 17.17 | 17.26 |
| Saudi Arabian Riyal | 1 | 32.27 | 32.43 |
| UAE Dirham | 1 | 33.01 | 33.17 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 1 | 27.36 | 27.50 |
| South Korean Won | 100 | 9.77 | 9.82 |
Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)
| Fine Gold | 1 tola | 77000.00 |
| Tejabi Gold | 1 tola | 76700.00 |
| Silver | 1 tola | 720.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association
| Petrol | 1 Liter | 106.00 |
| Diesel | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| Kerosene | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| LP Gas | 1 Cylinder | 1375.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
