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Hong Kong is under tight security as it marks 25 years of handover with Chinese President Xi Jinping in attendance, BBC reported.

This is Mr Xi's first trip outside of mainland China since early 2020, at the start of the Covid pandemic. 

He will be present as former police chief John Lee is sworn in as Hong Kong's new chief executive. 

Mr Lee replaces Carrie Lam, a contentious leader under whom Hong Kong saw huge pro-democracy protests and China's influence grew.

The anniversary itself was often marked by protests but these have been muted since the introduction in 2020 of a security law that has stifled free speech and dissent.

Various official events celebrating the handover will be held across the city on Friday, a public holiday. They typically culminate in a firework display over Victoria Harbour.

Mr Xi's visit this year - the first to Hong Kong since the 20th anniversary celebrations in 2017 - has led to tight security, with the city deploying plain clothes officers and "special constables" drafted from prison guards and immigration forces, reports BBC Chinese's Martin Yip.

An Omicron outbreak earlier this year in Hong Kong fuelled doubts over whether Mr Xi, who has personally championed China's zero Covid policy, would cancel his visit. 

But he arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday via a high-speed train. He was greeted by outgoing chief executive Carrie Lam who spent her last day in office in Covid quarantine before she met Mr Xi. 

He gave a brief speech saying Hong Kong had "risen from the ashes" after a series of challenges.

Although details of his itinerary have not been made public, reports said he crossed the border again to spend the night in the nearby city of Shenzhen before returning to Hong Kong on Friday, where he is expected to deliver a keynote speech.

He will also formally appoint Mr Lee, known for his tough pro-Beijing views, as chief executive. 

Mr Lee had got the top job through an uncontested election - a sore point for many Hongkongers who say China has gone back on its promise to make the process fully democratic eventually. 

His new 21-member cabinet, heavily staffed by pro-Beijing leaders, includes three who have been sanctioned by the US for "undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression or assembly" of its people.

China's increasing control of Hong Kong has drawn criticism from the West.

"We're not giving up on Hong Kong," UK PM Boris Johnson said on Friday. 

"Twenty-five years ago we made a promise to the territory and its people and we intend to keep it, doing all we can to hold China to its commitments so that Hong Kong is once again run by the people of Hong Kong, for the people of Hong Kong."

The Election Commission (EC) has urged the government to make necessary arrangements for the use of electronic voting machine in the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) and Province Assembly (PA) elections.

According to the EC, it today wrote to the Council of Ministers, the Nepal Government through the Home Minister, seeking its role to make arrangements for electronic voting. The urge follows the report of a committee formed to study the possibility of the use of voting machine and its management in the election. It is also in line with the provisions in the relevant laws to make the election procedures smart, secured and impartial.

The EC in a press statement today said it seems the management of an electronic voting machine manufactured within home was not possible for the upcoming polls citing various reasons, and sought the government’s facilitating role to manage the import of machines by upcoming mid-July.The study committee coordinated by joint-secretary at the Minister of Communications and Information Technology recommended the formation of a technical committee consisting of University teachers, civil service employees and independent experts for the specification, quality check and reliability of the machines and to respond to possible public queries in its regard. It has also advised to learn experiences from the countries already implementing the electronic voting successfully, and ensure the use of a standard machine in the electoral procedures.

As per the legal provisions, the electronic voting can be implemented in the elections of the President, Vice President, members in the Federal Parliament and Province Assembly and local level elections.

The EC had successfully practiced electronic voting in six constituencies during the 2008 Constituent Assembly election and in five constituencies in Bardiya, Baglung, Kathmandu, and Kailali during the 2013 CA by-elections.

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari said the report of the Office of Auditor General indicated the increasing size of arrears, suggesting the need for a campaign to downsize it.

The head-of-the-state in her address to the 64th anniversary of the OAG here today underlined the need of fiscal discipline to prevent arrears.

"Economic fairness will help establish good governance," the president said, seeking the attention of all bodies concerned towards that end. The president insisted on transparency in public finance behaviours, acknowledging the role of OAG report in making public finance management effective.

As the president said, authorities ranging from the federal to local government should take the issues raised in the OAG report seriously.

Also speaking on the occasion, Finance Minister Janardan Sharma said the government was effortful to clear arrears and to enhance fiscal management.

The ministry was at work to settle arrears worth Rs 676 billion that remained so far, he added. "The issues of arrears clearance has been accorded priority in policies and programmes and budget for the upcoming fiscal year and the OAG will be provided necessary physical and financial assistance for the same."

She drew the attention of the government to the need to control unnecessary expenditures on foreign trips and to be frugal at a time when the country is reeling under economic difficulties.

Similarly, Auditor General Tanka Mani Sharma (Dangal) shared that reports prepared through electronic auditing would be released from this year. Stating that the OAG could not observe office anniversary due to COVID-19 risks, he shared that a total of seven staffers were awarded this year for best performance.

"Separate audit report of COVID-19 would be made public soon. The OAG had adopted risk-based auditing system from this year," he said. It was shared that no encouraging work could be accomplished to clear arrears this year. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs has reshuffled the Chief District Officers of Rupandehi and Makwanpur districts.

Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand transferred the CDOs of Rupandehi and Makwanpur districts on Wednesday.

Chief District Officer of Makwanpur Bharatmani Pandey has been transferred to Rupandehi.

Similarly, Joint Secretary of Home Ministry Rajendra Dev Pandey has been appointed as the Chief District Officer of Makwanpur.

The Ministry has appointed Rishiram Tiwari, Chief District Officer of Rupandehi district, as the Director General of the Immigration Department.