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Manarashisawa Municipality has exempted the land revenue so as to render economic relief to the farmers of the dry-hit zone. 

The municipality has announced to waive hundred percent tax to the farmers in the land during the current fiscal year. 

Issuing a press release, the municipality has said the decision on exemption of hundred percent land revenue has been made as the farmers have been deprived of transplanting paddy in the field due to lack of irrigation. This is likely to lead to an economic crisis resulting from the dearth of food production. 

Likewise, Sarlahi's Dhankol Rural Municipality and Godaita Municipality have also announced land revenue exemption to farmers in the current fiscal year. 

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said Nepal's preparations for its graduation from the category of the least developed country (LDC) to a middle-income country indicate its headway towards self-sufficiency. Nepal's LDC graduation promotes the country's images globally, according to the PM. 

In his replies to the concerns raised during the discussions on the study report in regard to Nepal's LDC gradation, 2081 BS in the Upper House today, the Prime Minister said Nepal's graduation will contribute to strengthening Nepal's country rating index, creating an atmosphere for attracting foreign investment. 

It may be noted that Nepal was listed as the LDC by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on November 18, 1971. 

At present, Nepal chairs the LDC group comprising 45 countries. It has been preparing for its graduation from the LDC category to a middle-income country after 55 years. 

Nepal is scheduled to graduate in November, 2026. 

PM Oli said, following the graduation, Nepal is expected to get more opportunities for strengthening its economic diplomacy through visit diplomacy, the Sagarmatha Sambaad and investment conferences.   

"Indicators of economic improvements have been now noticed. The current 16th Periodic Plan was prepared with the projection of the post-graduation situation," the Prime Minister said. 

PM Oli informed, "Upgrading Nepal as a developing country may result in reduction of some facilities in various sectors it has been receiving as the LDC."

Oli, however, cautioned that the impact of climate change and natural disasters could hinder Nepal's progress and graduation from the LDC status.

In consideration of such prospects, he said that Nepal had been making diplomatic efforts internationally through relevant bodies. He called for collaborative efforts for the development and emphasized the need to increase production and productivity. 

"Let's make collaboration for developmental endeavors," urged the septuagenarian leader.

It may be noted that Nepal had been working towards upgradation since 2010 through various plans, budget and annual plans and programmes. 

The UN reports in 2015, 2018 and 2021 showed Nepal's progress in Human Assets Index and Economic and Environment Risk Index.

Nepal is getting a chance to upgrade itself to the developing country by 2026 mainly due to recently achieved notable growth in per capita income. 

For a smooth passage to developing country status, the government has been implementing six key strategies through a high-level steering committee led by the PM to ensure Nepal's graduation to the developing country. 

PM Oli, during his address, mentioned that Nepal had taken forward necessary processes to repeal, revise and formulate some laws for sustainable upgradation. 

PM Oli shared that efforts are being made to make Nepal a land-linked country from the landlocked one through enhanced infrastructures and connectivity network.  

Sharing that efforts are made to develop value chains through the multinational companies, the PM informed the NA that the government has prepared necessary strategies against the potential impacts on the private and business sectors after the LDC graduation. The strategies include the reforms measures to be taken in labour and employment, he said. 

The PM claimed that Nepal meets all criteria for the LDC graduation adding that our economy was on the positive growth even the global economy witnessed a negative growth. 

Oli shared that attempts have been made to further strengthen Nepal's foreign relations through effective diplomacy and effectiveness was ensured in the implementation of the international treaties and agreements.

Likewise, the PM said the government was focused on amending the Procurement Act and different policies and laws related to the construction field. 

Similarly, the PM urged the lawmakers not to generate narratives on rampant corruption based on the government actions against the corrupt figures.  

The PM also informed the NA about his visit to Turkmenistan on August 3 to take part in the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries.

Liverpool winger Luis Diaz has completed a £65.5m move to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, BBC reported.

The Colombia international has signed a four-year deal with the German club to bring his three-and-a-half-year stay at Anfield to an end. 

The 28-year-old was left out of Liverpool's pre-season match against AC Milan on Saturday because of speculation over his future.

Having rejected Bayern's opening offer of £58.6m earlier this month, Liverpool accepted a follow-up bid of £65.5m over the weekend and gave Diaz permission to have a medical with the club, according to BBC.

U.S. President Donald Trump said a trade deal with India has yet to be finalised and warned of possible higher tariffs ahead of an August 1 deadline to seal an agreement, Reuters reported.

His comments followed a Reuters report that India was preparing to accept higher tariffs of 20%-25% on its exports to the U.S. in the absence of a trade deal, as it holds off on offering fresh concessions ahead of Friday's deadline.

"India has been a good friend, but India has charged basically more tariffs, almost more than any other country," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, adding that would come to an end, according to Reuters.

Asked about the Reuters report, Trump said a trade deal had not been finalised and India could face steeper tariffs

A powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami waves of up to 5 metres (16 feet) and sparked evacuation orders in Hawaii and across the Pacific on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

The shallow earthquake damaged buildings and injured several people in the remote Russian region, while much of Japan's eastern seaboard - devastated by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in 2011 - was ordered to evacuate.

A resident in the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky said the shaking rumbled for several minutes, according to Reuters.

"I decided to leave the building," said Yaroslav, 25. "It felt like the walls could collapse any moment. The shaking lasted continuously for at least 3 minutes.”

Millions of people across the US have been warned to stay indoors as about half the country swelters under a heatwave, BBC reported.

Heat advisories are affecting 168 million Americans in the mid-west, south-east and parts of the north-east, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). 

New York Governor Kathy Hochul urged New Yorkers to check on vulnerable neighbours, saying that heat was the number one cause of extreme weather fatalities in the state.

The weather is forecast to cool on Thursday a day after storms roll through the region, according to BBC.

President Donald Trumpsaid Tuesday that the U.S. will partner with Israel to run new food centers in Gaza to address the worsening humanitarian crisis there, but he and U.S. officials offered few additional details about the plan or how it would differ from existing food distribution centers, Associated Press reported.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned from a trip to Scotland that Israel would preside over the new food centers “to make sure the distribution is proper.”

“We’re going to be dealing with Israel, and we think they can do a good job of it,” Trump said, according to Associated Press.

Britain said on Tuesday it would recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes steps to relieve suffering in Gaza, where starvation is spreading, and reaches a ceasefire in the nearly two-year war with Hamas, Reuters reported.

The warning, which drew a harsh Israeli rebuke, came after a hunger monitor said a worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding and immediate action is needed to avoid widespread death. Palestinian authorities said more than 60,000 Palestinians were now confirmed killed by Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip.

The hunger alert and the new death toll are grim milestones in the current conflict that began in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, sparking an offensive that has flattened much of the enclave and ignited hostilities across the Middle East, according to Reuters.

The alert by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) raised the prospect that the starvation crisis in Gaza could be formally classified as a famine, in the hope that this might raise the pressure on Israel to let in far more food.