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Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will raise the issue about the Lipulekh pass agreement signed between China and India during his visit to the northern neighbor.
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At a news conference organized to make public the Cabinet decisions on Wednesday, Spokesperson of the government, Prithvi Subba Gurung, shared that the Prime Minister would raise the issue about the agreement between the neighbouring countries during his participation in Sanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in China.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit China from August 30 to September 3.

Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Gurung, mentioned, "The agreement between Foreign Ministers of India and China is against Nepal's sovereignty. This matter will be discussed during the high-level meeting between top leaders of neighbouring countries during the SCO Summit." 

Nepal and India are preparing for a sideline meeting between Prime Minister Oli and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he mentioned. 

Minister Gurung opined that the Foreign Ministry on the behalf of the government of Nepal has already issued a diplomatic note about the agreement signed between foreign ministers of India and China regarding using business route via Lipulekh pass of Nepal. 

Meanwhile, he stated that the government would strictly follow the policy of not adding new and big projects as well as incorporating only the possible projects in its policies, programs and budget.

US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson paid a courtesy call on Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari.

During the meeting held at the ministry on Wednesday, matters related to bilateral relations including trade and commerce were discussed.

Minister Bhandari and Ambassador Thompson also shared their views on continuing discussions and contacts between the Ministry and the Embassy on issues related to trade and investment promotion between the two countries.

Nepal Rastra Bank has made arrangements for Indian nationals to bring an equivalent of USD 5, 000 in Indian currency during their visit to Nepal. 

With this new policy, tourism business in the border areas is expected to exceed further. 

Previously, business owners complained about the provision allowing only INR 20, 000.

The federal government, through the budget for the current fiscal year announced on May 29, has made it possible for travelers entering Nepal by air or land to bring foreign currency or travelers' cheque equivalent to five thousand US dollars that will be exchangeable in Nepal.

The central bank issued a public notice on August 26, allowing Nepali or foreign citizens to bring foreign currency up to USD 5, 000  in cash. 

Hari Pant, President of the Hotel and Tourism Entrepreneurs Association in Birgunj, shared that the provision allowing Indian tourists to bring Indian rupees equivalent to USD 5, 000  without customs declaration would provide relief to the local tourism entrepreneurs. 

Birgunj has more than 85 hotels, including four-star hotels. However, tourists have not been able to extend their stay as expected. 

Entrepreneurs in the tourism sector say that the local tourism industry is sustained largely by Indian tourists.

The government has decided to determine various 20 industrial corridors, industrial zones, special economic zones, dry ports and petroleum pipelines and private sector run cable car projects as national priority projects. 

Making public the August 25 Cabinet decisions, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Guruing, also the government spokesperson, shared that it was decided to publish the information regarding the construction of the government-announced projects in the Nepal gazette. 

The Council of Ministers decided to make a public call for enlisting the social networking sites operators with a seven- day timeline. The decision aims to make the social sites operators responsible and accountable as per the government directive, 2080 and the Supreme Court order to this effect. 

The Cabinet decided to gradually defunct the social sites within Nepal in case the operators do not come to get enlisted or avoid communications for listing, and direct the Nepal Communications Authority through MoCIT to reactivate the social sites from the day of enlistment. 

Likewise, the government has granted prior approval for conducting the Organization and Management Survey of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Management and its subordinate agencies.

Laxman Paswan, who was arrested on the charge of murdering Rubi Sah of Madhav Narayan Municipality-6, Rautahat, died during the course of treatment in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

Paswan had set himself on fire in an attempt to commit suicide.

Police said that more than 60 percent of his body was burned.

He was then taken to the Burn Hospital in Kirtipur.

The District Police Office, Rautahat has confirmed the death of Paswan.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is leaving for a five-day visit to China on August 30.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made public the schedule of the Prime Minister’s five-day visit to China by issuing a statement on Wednesday. 

Accordingly, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin.

He is then scheduled to address the SCO Summit in Tianjin on September 1.

During the conference, Prime Minister Oli will hold sideline meetings with world leaders, the Foreign Ministry stated.

After attending the program, the Prime Minister will leave for Beijing.

There, he will meet Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on September 2.

During his visit to China, PM Oli willparticipate in the program organized to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Prime Minister Oli will return home on September 3. 

Ishwori Devi Neupane took the oath of office and secrecy as the Chair of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives. She took the oath before Speaker Devraj Ghimire today. 

Earlier today, she was elected unopposed to the post that had remained vacant following the resignation of Chair of the Committee Ramhari Khatiwada of the Nepali Congress. 

The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Singha Durbar-based Federal Parliament Secretariat. 

The Home Minister, the Minister for Defense, the Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the Minister for Youth and Sports, the chief whips of political parties representing in the Parliament and lawmakers were present on the occasion. 

Neupane, who represents the Nepali Congress (NC) in the lower house under the proportional representation system, was the sole candidate for the post.

The rhino census, which was halted last year after donors indicated they could not provide support, will be conducted this year.

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation has allocated some budget for this purpose this year.

Dr Ram Chandra Kandel, the Director General of the Department, said that the tiger count is done every four years. Accordingly, this financial year, a tiger count will be conducted.

According to him, the tiger census is starting in November. He mentioned that it will take about three months to conduct the tiger census.

The tiger count will be carried out in Parsa, Chitwan, Banke, Bardiya, and Suklaphanta National Parks.

​​For the tiger count, the Department has allocated Rs 1.8 million, and more than Rs 15 million is said to be required for this purpose.

He said the rhino counting program has been scheduled for April. It takes one month to count the rhinos.

The rhino census will be carried out in Chitwan National Park, Parsa National Park, Shuklaphanta National Park, and Koshi Tappu National Park.

Director General Kandel said Rs 1.8 million has been earmarked for the rhino census.

The cost of conducting the rhino census is expected to exceed Rs 20 million. The remaining amount will be requested from donors.

It was reported that there were 335 tigers in Nepal, according to the tiger census conducted in 2022.

According to the 2022 census, there are 128 tigers in Chitwan, 125 in Bardiya National Park, 25 in Banke National Park, 41 in Parsa, and 36 in Shuklaphanta.

In Nepal, tiger census was also conducted in 2009, 2013, and 2018.

In the 2009 count, 121 tigers were found across the country, 198 were found in 2013 and 235 in 2018.

The rhino count is done by (in real-time) riding an elephant. Seven hundred and fifty-two rhinos were found in national parks and conservation areas across the country in the rhino count conducted in 2021.

In the 1960s, the population of rhinos had decreased to about 100. It is estimated that there were 800 rhinos in Nepal in the 1950s.

In the 2021 census, 694 rhinos were counted in Chitwan National Park.

The rhino count increased from 29 to 38 in Bardiya National Park, and from eight to 18 in Shuklaphanta.