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President Ram Chandra Paudel has unveiled the 'National Land Cover Map 2020/2022' at the President House, Shital Niwas on Tuesday.

The land cover map published by the Forest Research and Training Centre under the Ministry of Forests and Environment was handed to the President by the Centre's Director Dr Rajendra KC.

On the occasion, President Paudel said that the forest cover should be maintained in the field as it is on the map and paper. He emphasized the need to adopt all kinds of measures to protect the forest from deforestation and to earn from the forest.

According to the land cover map, the forest area in the country is 46.08 percent, while it is 58.62 percent in Bagmati Province.

A delegation led by chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), Chen Xiaodong, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today.

During the meeting held at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar, discussions were held regarding the mutual relations between the two countries, bilateral agreement reached at the Ministry of Finance on Monday, and implementation of previously signed agreements on development cooperation during the high-level visits between the two countries, stated the Prime Minister's Secretariat.

On the occasion, PM Oli stated that there is a long and friendly relationship between Nepal and China, reiterating Nepal's commitment to the One China policy.

He expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for prioritizing the construction of physical structures damaged at the border between the two countries in Rasuwagadhi due to the recent flash floods, and mentioned that the Nepali side has also expedited the necessary efforts to that end.

He emphasized the need to move forward without interruption in the operation of the Kimathangka and other border transit points with China, as well as in the projects under the 'Belt and Road Initiative Framework' to make Nepal land-linked from being land-locked.

Prime Minister's chief advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal, economic development advisor Yuba Raj Khatiwada and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song were present in the meeting.

The delegation on Monday called on the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel and discussed the projects operated with the support of the Chinese government and those that will be implemented in the coming days.

On that occasion, a memorandum of understanding was signed regarding the project related to 'bone marrow transplantation' at BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital in Bharatpur, Chitwan, and to conduct a feasibility study for the expansion of the Civil Service Hospital.

Similarly, a memorandum of understanding on human resource development between the two countries and a 'minute' regarding the feasibility study for the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung cross-border electricity transmission line was also signed during the meeting with the DPM and Finance Minister Paudel on Tuesday.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 1, 800 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 195, 500 per tola today.

Similarly, the silver has increased by Rs 35 and is being traded at Rs 2, 230 per tola today.

At least 25 children were among the 27 dead pulled from scorched buildings after a Bangladesh Air Force jet on a training mission crashed into a college and school campus in Dhaka, officials said on Tuesday, with 88 people being treated in hospital, Reuters reported.

The F-7 BGI aircraft crashed soon after it took off at 1:06 p.m. (0706 GMT) on Monday from the airbase in Kurmitola in the capital on a routine training mission. The military said the plane experienced a mechanical failure.

Visuals showed rescue workers scouring the charred buildings for debris as distressed family members surrounded the site.

Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser on health, told reporters that 27 people had died and 88 were admitted to hospital with burn injuries. Those dead included 25 children, a teacher and the pilot, according to Reuters.

Nepal took part in the “Unistream Social Innovation Delegation 2025” in Israel.

Umesh Jang Rai, team leader for Biomedical Engineering Research and Innovation at the National Innovation Center (NIC), Kirtipur, Kathmandu, represented Nepal in the Delegation hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel on July 19.

In 2022, the Embassy of Israel had established a Research & Development Hub and a full-fledged Israeli-styled high-tech classroom at the NIC to foster innovation, collaboration, and digital learning in Nepal.

The Delegation brings together emerging talented individuals in the field of innovation from around the world, including participants from Nepal, South Korea, India, Serbia, and other nations, for a week-long immersion into Israel’s vibrant social innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, reads a statement issued by the Embassy of Israel in Kathmandu.

Participants of the delegation have been engaging in a diverse schedule of professional visits, insightful meetings and networking opportunities with key figures of Israel’s innovation initiatives.

The itinerary highlights a visit to the Israeli NGO- Save A Child’s Heart, the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, the Unit 8200 Accelerator, and the Sderot Medical Center.

Delegates will also attend the Unistream Competition at Expo Tel Aviv.

Besides, they will visit Kibbutzim KFAR AZA- one of the sites of Hamas October 7 attack and meet with a survivor of the attack.

Additional engagements feature meetings with prominent Israeli Innovators, visit to Technion University, DruzeTech and the Druze community.

Participants will further explore various leading social techs such as Hilma, Shalva National Center, and the PICO Kids. The experience will be complemented by cultural visits to the historic Old City of Jerusalem and Jaffa by the Mediterranean Sea, offering participants a broader understanding of Israel’s cultural and social landscape, according to the statement.

The visit builds upon the growing collaboration between Nepal and Israel.

Just days prior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel hosted a high-level 14-member delegation from Nepal, from July 12-18, 2025, in conjunction with Muni Expo 2025, the flagship annual event of the Federation of Local Governments of Israel.

The event will conclude on July 24.

A total of 4.29 million kilograms of cardamom worth Rs 7.67 billion was exported from the Kakadbhitta customs point in Jhapa district in the Fiscal Year 2024/25, the customs office shared.

This is the highest amount received from among the exported goods from the Kakadbhitta customs point in the year.

Cardamom is a high-value product produced in the districts of the eastern hills Ilam, Panchthar, Taplejung, Tehrathum, Dhankuta, Sankhuwasabha and Bhojpur.  

The cardamom produced in the hilly districts of the Koshi Province are exported to India via Kakadbhitta customs point after being processed.

Information Officer of the customs point in Kakadbhitta, Ishwar Kumar Humagain, shared that iron plate, tea, ply wood and Chhuri are the major exports followed by cardamom.

He said that iron plates worth Rs 4.42 billion and tea worth Rs 4.21 billion were exported last fiscal year from Kakadbhitta.

According to Humagain, exports of tea increased by 32.5 percent in the last fiscal year compared to the previous year.

Tea, cardamom and ginger are the key cash crops produced in the hilly districts of the Koshi Province.

Likewise, a large volume of ply wood was exported in the last fiscal making it one of the top exportable goods from Nepal.

Ply wood worth Rs 3.32 billion was exported from Kakadbhitta customs point.

The 43rd Memorial Day of the first elected Prime Minister, BP Koirala, is being celebrated today by organizing various programs across the country, recalling BP contributions to Nepal's political, literary and social sectors.

Born on Bhadra 24, 1971 BS, Koirala passed away on Shrawan 6, 2039 BS.

The founder of the Nepali Congress, BP Koirala, had also established his fame as a proponent of the principles of 'nationality, democracy and socialism' and 'national reconciliation'.

Koirala became the first elected Prime Minister of Nepal in Jestha 2016 BS after the parliamentary elections of 2015 BS.

He has also contributed significantly to the field of Nepali literature. A pioneer of psychological realism in Nepali literature, Koirala has to his credit one and a half dozen works including 'Tin Ghumti', 'Modi Aayin', 'Hitler Ra Yehudi', 'Sumnima' and 'Narendradai' among others.

During his premiership, BP pushed forward the land reforms program of abolition of the birta system and the notion that the tillers should own the land.

On Poush 1, 2017 BS, after the popularly-elected government was overthrown by then King, Koirala and other leaders were imprisoned in the Singha durbar. A month later, he was imprisoned in Sundarijal jail along with other leaders.

Koirala, who was released from prison for health reasons in 2025 BS, lived in exile in India for eight years. After analyzing that nationality weakened while in exile and fighting for the restoration of democracy, he returned to Nepal with the policy of national unity and reconciliation on 16 Poush, 2033 BS.

The Sundarijal Prison, where the Prime Minister, Speaker of the Parliament and Ministers of the first elected government were imprisoned, has been transformed into the BP Museum. The museum shares a collection of important things from BP's life. In addition to the important materials of BP's life, the tanker used in the revolution of 2007 BS, the plane of Nepal Airlines Corporation, which was hijacked by the Nepali Congress to raise funds for the revolution in 2029, are also kept in the museum.

On the occasion of BP Memorial Day, Nepali Congress, sister organizations and BP Museum Management Committee will organize different programs, Chief Secretary of the NC Central Office, Krishna Prasad Paudel told the RSS.

Likewise, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has organized a program to distribute the BP Koirala National Prize, BP Museum's Archeological Officer Bhisma Baskota said.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the state-owned power utility, has announced plans to construct four high-capacity power transmission lines through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. Publishing a notice on Monday, the NEA invited expressions of interest (EOI) from private firms and companies to build the 118-kilometer Tingla–DudhKoshi–Dhalkebar 400 kV line, the 94-kilometer Arun Hub (Shitalpati)–Inaruwa 400 kV line, the 80-kilometer New Khimti–Dhalkebar 400 kV line and the 30-kilometer Lapsiphedi–Tinpiple 220 kV line. 

These lines are part of NEA’s long-term plan to upgrade Nepal’s national grid to support increasing power generation and enhance inter-provincial connectivity.

According to an NEA official, they will select the most suitable companies through a competitive bidding process based on the proposed Annual Required Revenue (ARR) and technical qualifications. The selected companies will develop the projects under a build–own–operate–transfer (BOOT) model, where they will finance, build, operate the transmission lines for a certain period, and then transfer ownership back to the government.

The estimated cost for the Tingla–DudhKoshi–Dhalkebar line stands at approximately $142m (Rs 19.61bn), while the Arun Hub–Inaruwa and New Khimti–Dhalkebar projects are expected to cost $80m each. The estimated cost of the Lapsiphedi–Tinpiple line, the shortest and the cheapest of the four transmission line projects, is $18m (Rs 1.48bn). Interested companies have been given 30 days to submit their EOIs to NEA’s Business Development Directorate.

Earlier, two state-owned entities, National Transmission Grid Company Limited and Hydroelectricity Investment and Development Company Limited (HIDCL), joined hands with six private companies to build the 220 kV Tamor–Dhungesanghu transmission line. The length of the transmission line is 32 kilometers. That project, which also includes a 220/132 kV substation, is being developed under a BOT model at an estimated cost of Rs 3.8bn. Simbuwa Remit Hydro Limited, Remit Hydro Limited, Crystal Power Development Pvt Ltd, Union Hydropower Limited and Nepal Hydro Venture Pvt Ltd  and the two state-owned firms signed an agreement to build the transmission line in Kathmandu in December last year.

Meanwhile, the NTGC is also in the process of onboarding private sector companies to build two transmission lines: the 400 kV Hetauda-Shitalpati line of 32 kilometers and the 220 kV Lamabagar–Barhabise line of 43.7 kilometers.

Four companies—White Flower Energy, Api Power Company, Summit Energy Solution and Shangrila Energy - have submitted their EOI to build the application to build the Hetauda–Shitalpati 400 kV transmission line. Similarly, NASA Company Ltd and Sanima Hydropower have submitted an interest to build the 220 kV Lamabagar–Barhabise transmission line.