During Delhi visit, Top Nepal leader and Chairman of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has called increased cooperation with India in areas like connectivity, energy, agriculture, tourism and other areas. Speaking at an event, he said, "we greatly value India’s longstanding cooperation in Nepal’s development pursuits" even as he pointed to railway links being scaled up. The passenger services in Janyanagar-Kurtha railway have resumed connecting Nepal with India's railway network. He said that his country is "expecting India’s favourable response to our request for additional air entry points as we expand the network of international/regional airports in Nepal", something that has been a long-standing request of Kathmandu to New Delhi.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-a-first-indian-army-officers-undertake-tibetology-course-498289" hreflang="en">In a first, Indian Army officers undertake Tibetology course</a>

He hoped for more Indian tourist and explained that "Ramayan Circuit, Buddhist Circuit and other religious sites including Pashupatinath, Muktinath, Janakpur solidly represent our civilizational bonds and potentials for scaling up religious tourism". Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year visited Nepal's Lumbani on Buddha Purnima. Lumbani is the birthplace of Lord Buddha and Indian PM's presence on the holiest day in Buddhist religious calendar was symbolic in many ways in terms of Buddhist connect between the 2 countries.

He said, as coalition partners in the government his view is that "our two countries should work together to fully harness the development potentials in order to uplift the living standard of our peoples who deserve a dignified life".&nbsp;Without pointing to any specific issues, Prachanda called for resolution of "some issues left by history" through "diplomatic efforts and dialogue" to "fully realize full potentials of Nepal-India relations and cooperation."&nbsp;Nepal claims Indian territories of Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani and previous KP Sharma Oli govt even issued new maps of the country which had riled New Delhi, calling the development as "unjustified cartographic assertion".

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It was an honour to welcome Shri Pushpa K Dahal “Prachanda”, Former PM of Nepal and to interact with him today at the BJP HQ in New Delhi as part of ‘Know the BJP’ initiative. <a href="https://t.co/heLe3q2nUs">pic.twitter.com/heLe3q2nUs</a>
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On Sunday, the&nbsp;top Nepal Communist leader visited the headquarter of India's ruling&nbsp;Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party and held talks with&nbsp;National President J.P. Nadda. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar was also present in the meet. On Saturday, he met External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. During the meet, EAM assured that "India&nbsp;will remain a steadfast partner of Nepal in its quest for progress and prosperity", a tweet-statement said.

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His visit to Delhi comes days after top Chinese leader visited Kathmandu and met the Nepali leadership. Minister of International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Liu Jianchao during Nepal visit met former Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli, Foreign minister Narayan Khadka, PM Sher Bahadur Deuba and President Bidya Devi Bhandari. His visit is being seen as Beijing's push for unity among the communist parties.&nbsp;

During Delhi visit, Top Nepal leader and Chairman of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has called increased cooperation with India in areas like connectivity, energy, agriculture, tourism and other areas.

During Delhi visit, Top Nepal leader and Chairman of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has called increased cooperation with India in areas like connectivity, energy, agriculture, tourism and other areas. Speaking at an event, he said, "we greatly value India’s longstanding cooperation in Nepal’s development pursuits" even as he pointed to railway links being scaled up. The passenger services in Janyanagar-Kurtha railway have resumed connecting Nepal with India's railway network. He said that his country is "expecting India’s favourable response to our request for additional air entry points as we expand the network of international/regional airports in Nepal", something that has been a long-standing request of Kathmandu to New Delhi. Also read | In a first, Indian Army officers undertake Tibetology course He hoped for more Indian tourist and explained that "Ramayan Circuit, Buddhist Circuit and other religious sites including Pashupatinath, Muktinath, Janakpur solidly represent our civilizational bonds and potentials for scaling up religious tourism". Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year visited Nepal's Lumbani on Buddha Purnima. Lumbani is the birthplace of Lord Buddha and Indian PM's presence on the holiest day in Buddhist religious calendar was symbolic in many ways in terms of Buddhist connect between the 2 countries. He said, as coalition partners in the government his view is that "our two countries should work together to fully harness the development potentials in order to uplift the living standard of our peoples who deserve a dignified life". Without pointing to any specific issues, Prachanda called for resolution of "some issues left by history" through "diplomatic efforts and dialogue" to "fully realize full potentials of Nepal-India relations and cooperation." Nepal claims Indian territories of Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani and previous KP Sharma Oli govt even issued new maps of the country which had riled New Delhi, calling the development as "unjustified cartographic assertion". It was an honour to welcome Shri Pushpa K Dahal “Prachanda”, Former PM of Nepal and to interact with him today at the BJP HQ in New Delhi as part of ‘Know the BJP’ initiative. pic.twitter.com/heLe3q2nUs — Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) July 17, 2022 × On Sunday, the top Nepal Communist leader visited the headquarter of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party and held talks with National President J.P. Nadda. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar was also present in the meet. On Saturday, he met External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. During the meet, EAM assured that "India will remain a steadfast partner of Nepal in its quest for progress and prosperity", a tweet-statement said. Reflecting our Neighbourhood First policy, India will remain a steadfast partner of Nepal in its quest for progress and prosperity. — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 16, 2022 × His visit to Delhi comes days after top Chinese leader visited Kathmandu and met the Nepali leadership. Minister of International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Liu Jianchao during Nepal visit met former Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli, Foreign minister Narayan Khadka, PM Sher Bahadur Deuba and President Bidya Devi Bhandari. His visit is being seen as Beijing's push for unity among the communist parties.

During Delhi visit, top Nepal Communist leader 'Prachanda' bats for cooperation, dialogue

As Nepal continues to struggle with dwindling foreign exchange reserves, the South Asian country's government has taken the decision to extend its complete ban on the import of ten different types of products, till the end of August. The Xinhua news agency reported that the prohibition, which was initially enacted in late April, was supposed to last until mid-July, when the current fiscal year came to an end, however it has been extended by one month. As per IANS, the official notice says that the embargo is in place to protect the balance of payments and external financial position, in order to fend off any impending threats to the economy.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: G20 finance ministers huddle amid recession fears

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According to a notice published in the Nepal Gazette on Sunday, until August 30&nbsp;entry will be prohibited&nbsp;for mobile phones priced at&nbsp;more than $300 US and motorcycles with engines larger than 150 cc, as well as for alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, diamonds, colour television sets larger than 32 inches, jeeps, cars, and vans, dolls, playing cards, and snacks.

Talking to Xinhua, senior economist Keshav Acharya explained, "As there has been no improvement in foreign exchange reserves, the government currently has no other options but to impose a ban on the non-essential goods which had contributed to the outflow of foreign currencies."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/srilankadollarchallenge-sri-lankans-abroad-try-to-save-countrys-economy-via-viral-internet-trend-498161" hreflang="en">#SriLankaDollarChallenge: Sri Lankans abroad try to save country's economy via viral internet trend</a>

He said that despite the impact of this ban on revenue, "we cannot let the country slip in the direction of Sri Lanka by allowing unrestricted import of goods."

According to Nepal Rastra Bank, the country's foreign exchange reserves declined by 19.6 per cent to 9.45 billion US dollars during the first 11 months of the 2021–22 fiscal year. In mid–July 2021, they stood at 11.75 billion US dollars.
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As Nepal continues to struggle with dwindling foreign exchange reserves, the South Asian country's government has taken the decision to extend its complete ban on the import of ten different types of products, till the end of August.

As Nepal continues to struggle with dwindling foreign exchange reserves, the South Asian country's government has taken the decision to extend its complete ban on the import of ten different types of products, till the end of August. The Xinhua news agency reported that the prohibition, which was initially enacted in late April, was supposed to last until mid-July, when the current fiscal year came to an end, however it has been extended by one month. As per IANS, the official notice says that the embargo is in place to protect the balance of payments and external financial position, in order to fend off any impending threats to the economy. Watch | Gravitas: G20 finance ministers huddle amid recession fears According to a notice published in the Nepal Gazette on Sunday, until August 30 entry will be prohibited for mobile phones priced at more than $300 US and motorcycles with engines larger than 150 cc, as well as for alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, diamonds, colour television sets larger than 32 inches, jeeps, cars, and vans, dolls, playing cards, and snacks. Talking to Xinhua, senior economist Keshav Acharya explained, "As there has been no improvement in foreign exchange reserves, the government currently has no other options but to impose a ban on the non-essential goods which had contributed to the outflow of foreign currencies." Also read | #SriLankaDollarChallenge: Sri Lankans abroad try to save country's economy via viral internet trend He said that despite the impact of this ban on revenue, "we cannot let the country slip in the direction of Sri Lanka by allowing unrestricted import of goods." According to Nepal Rastra Bank, the country's foreign exchange reserves declined by 19.6 per cent to 9.45 billion US dollars during the first 11 months of the 2021–22 fiscal year. In mid–July 2021, they stood at 11.75 billion US dollars. Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Looking to preserve forex reserves, Nepal extends import ban on ten items

Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba completes a year in office, and questions have been raised about Nepal’s non-aligned foreign policy.

Deuba was appointed the prime minister after the country’s supreme court ordered his appointment to replace CPN-UML leader KP Sharma Oli.

Now, during his time as the prime minister, concerns have come to light in China about whether Nepal is tilting towards the west.

This comes after the Nepal Parliament ratified the United States Millennium Challenge Corporation Nepal Compact despite China's strong reservations.

Despite significant political and economic investment from Beijing, Washington seems to have made new inroads in the country through a $500 million grant from the MCC.

Irked by the Nepali parliament’s passage of the MCC grant, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson alleged that Washington was undermining the sovereignty of other countries through “coercive diplomacy.”

Recently, another US State Partnership Program (SPP) in the field of security and military caused a flurry of debates in the country. China expressed grave concerns over whether Nepal would be a US ally in defence cooperation. The Chinese government even commended the decision after the Nepal government decided not to participate in the SPP.

A big power political rivalry is unfolding in the Himalayan nation, the Chinese vs the United States. China's government is accusing the US of luring Nepal into a military alliance.

In between the power-political rivalry, PM Deuba is scheduled to pay an official visit to the US later this month as this year marks the 75th year of diplomatic relations between the United States and Nepal.

Meanwhile, within five months second high-level delegation from China visited Kathmandu. Currently, Liu Jianchao, head of the International Liaison Department of CPC is in Nepal, reportedly to reunite the communist forces in the country.

In March, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Nepal which appeared to have been more of a fact-finding and damage-control exercise.

A few key agendas of Liu Jianchao's visit are to build party-to-party relations between the CPC and Nepal’s political parties, expedite the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), assess the ground reality for the upcoming elections and promote Chinese interests in Nepal, and also reminding Nepali leaders about China’s geopolitical sensitivities.

Nepal is heading towards provincial and federal elections that will take place later this year in November.

Liu Jianchao is visiting Kathmandu when there are talks about a possible electoral alliance among Nepal’s communist parties.

The largest communist party, the CPN-UML, is the main opposition, while another, CPN (Maoist Centre), is a partner in the ruling coalition led by the Nepali Congress.

Outlining the different facets of the visit, Binoj Basnyat, Maj. Gen. (Retd), and strategic analysts, South Asian Affairs told WION, "The visit is to reinstate the diplomatic engagements with the political forces in Nepal particularly with the democratic forces which are leading the government today. The second is to initiate unity or an alliance amongst the left parties for the upcoming election. The third is to reiterate China's interest and activities aimed against China's interest in Nepal,"

Jianchao held a meeting with Prime Minister Deuba and matters related to mutual interest were discussed as per the Foreign Ministry.

Meanwhile, Sundarnath Bhattarai former ambassador and acting president of the Chinese Study Centre believes, it is a regular visit.

"They meet all leaders of all the political parties. Jianchao started by meeting Sher Bahadur Deuba who is a Nepali Congress leader. They (China) don't distinguish between communist parties and other parties but they feel easier to deal with them just when KP Sharma Oli was the Prime Minister. It is quite natural for them to feel convenient working with communist parties", Bhattarai told WION.

"This visit can also be seen in the backdrop of the MCC ratification. The Pacific commander Charles Flynn visited Nepal and proposed Nepal to be part of SPP which is a strategic army policy against China which Nepal did not accept," he added.

Commenting on Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights and US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Uzra Zeya's visit to a Tibetan refugee camp in Kathmandu, Bhattarai said, "It was an open secret that America's interest in Nepal is because of Tibet. She came to Nepal after visiting Dalai Lama in India whom we do give official recognition.

Bhattarai also said, "America wants to involve Nepal in their policy of containment against China and we don't to be involved."

Well, it is not the first time China is interfering in Nepal’s domestic politics and internal affairs. In 2020, a series of high-level visits took place in Nepal from Beijing to solve the rift between the then-ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), a coalition government, formed after a merger of the CPN-UML and Maoists Centre.

China’s Defence Minister, Wei Fenghe, visited Kathmandu on 28 November 2020. Thereafter, China’s ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanqui, who played an important role in uniting the two factions of the NCP in May, also intensified her parleys with influential political leaders of the country, apart from the President of Nepal, Bidya Devi Bhandari.

Here, the question is what interest does the Chinese have in Nepal’s politics?

Basnyat&nbsp;says the upcoming election is not only important for Nepal but also to divisional friends, particularly to neighboring countries India and China.

"The upcoming election will guide the political forces in power in Nepal on how they are going to deal both politically and diplomatically with friendly nations. So, the political forces particularly the left and the interest of China would come because naturally and ideologically the left thinks alike," he added.

China was not comfortable with the way the NCP split. Its efforts to unite the Oli-led CPN-UML and the Dahal-led CPN (Maoist Centre) to promote its interests in Nepal through BRI and other means could meet setbacks if there is no communist government.

The Chinese Communist Party had worked hard at unifying and successfully bringing the Nepal Communist Party to power in 2018. Then Nepali prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli was viewed as Beijing’s man.

In return, Beijing secured binding assurances that the Nepali government would back China on top of Chinese concerns like Taiwan and Tibet, as well as a clear commitment to Nepali participation in the BRI.

Basnyat&nbsp;believes the communist government is not in the interest of Nepal.

"The UML is a left party and more inclined to the socialist party. Whereas, other left parties are more communist in nature. So they being aligned together would more assist communism philosophy in the country rather than the democratic practices that would prevail. The UML and Maoist staying separate without an alliance will in the interest of democratic practices,"&nbsp;Basnyat&nbsp;said.

Other than the ratification of the MCC, major niggling issues between the two governments have also acted as irritants, including Chinese border violations in Nepal’s Humla district and China's failure to resume cross-border trade at two major passes with Nepal, the Tatopani-Zhangmu and Rasuwagadhi-Kerung pass. Trading between the two countries is suspended since the coronavirus pandemic due to which the relationship has frayed.

&nbsp;

Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba completes a year in office, and questions have been raised about Nepal’s non-aligned foreign policy. Deuba was appointed the prime minister after the country’s supreme court ordered his appointment to replace CPN-UML leader KP Sharma Oli.

Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba completes a year in office, and questions have been raised about Nepal’s non-aligned foreign policy. Deuba was appointed the prime minister after the country’s supreme court ordered his appointment to replace CPN-UML leader KP Sharma Oli. Now, during his time as the prime minister, concerns have come to light in China about whether Nepal is tilting towards the west. This comes after the Nepal Parliament ratified the United States Millennium Challenge Corporation Nepal Compact despite China's strong reservations. Despite significant political and economic investment from Beijing, Washington seems to have made new inroads in the country through a $500 million grant from the MCC. Irked by the Nepali parliament’s passage of the MCC grant, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson alleged that Washington was undermining the sovereignty of other countries through “coercive diplomacy.” Recently, another US State Partnership Program (SPP) in the field of security and military caused a flurry of debates in the country. China expressed grave concerns over whether Nepal would be a US ally in defence cooperation. The Chinese government even commended the decision after the Nepal government decided not to participate in the SPP. A big power political rivalry is unfolding in the Himalayan nation, the Chinese vs the United States. China's government is accusing the US of luring Nepal into a military alliance. In between the power-political rivalry, PM Deuba is scheduled to pay an official visit to the US later this month as this year marks the 75th year of diplomatic relations between the United States and Nepal. Meanwhile, within five months second high-level delegation from China visited Kathmandu. Currently, Liu Jianchao, head of the International Liaison Department of CPC is in Nepal, reportedly to reunite the communist forces in the country. In March, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Nepal which appeared to have been more of a fact-finding and damage-control exercise. A few key agendas of Liu Jianchao's visit are to build party-to-party relations between the CPC and Nepal’s political parties, expedite the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), assess the ground reality for the upcoming elections and promote Chinese interests in Nepal, and also reminding Nepali leaders about China’s geopolitical sensitivities. Nepal is heading towards provincial and federal elections that will take place later this year in November. Liu Jianchao is visiting Kathmandu when there are talks about a possible electoral alliance among Nepal’s communist parties. The largest communist party, the CPN-UML, is the main opposition, while another, CPN (Maoist Centre), is a partner in the ruling coalition led by the Nepali Congress. Outlining the different facets of the visit, Binoj Basnyat, Maj. Gen. (Retd), and strategic analysts, South Asian Affairs told WION, "The visit is to reinstate the diplomatic engagements with the political forces in Nepal particularly with the democratic forces which are leading the government today. The second is to initiate unity or an alliance amongst the left parties for the upcoming election. The third is to reiterate China's interest and activities aimed against China's interest in Nepal," Jianchao held a meeting with Prime Minister Deuba and matters related to mutual interest were discussed as per the Foreign Ministry. Meanwhile, Sundarnath Bhattarai former ambassador and acting president of the Chinese Study Centre believes, it is a regular visit. "They meet all leaders of all the political parties. Jianchao started by meeting Sher Bahadur Deuba who is a Nepali Congress leader. They (China) don't distinguish between communist parties and other parties but they feel easier to deal with them just when KP Sharma Oli was the Prime Minister. It is quite natural for them to feel convenient working with communist parties", Bhattarai told WION. "This visit can also be seen in the backdrop of the MCC ratification. The Pacific commander Charles Flynn visited Nepal and proposed Nepal to be part of SPP which is a strategic army policy against China which Nepal did not accept," he added. Commenting on Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights and US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Uzra Zeya's visit to a Tibetan refugee camp in Kathmandu, Bhattarai said, "It was an open secret that America's interest in Nepal is because of Tibet. She came to Nepal after visiting Dalai Lama in India whom we do give official recognition. Bhattarai also said, "America wants to involve Nepal in their policy of containment against China and we don't to be involved." Well, it is not the first time China is interfering in Nepal’s domestic politics and internal affairs. In 2020, a series of high-level visits took place in Nepal from Beijing to solve the rift between the then-ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), a coalition government, formed after a merger of the CPN-UML and Maoists Centre. China’s Defence Minister, Wei Fenghe, visited Kathmandu on 28 November 2020. Thereafter, China’s ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanqui, who played an important role in uniting the two factions of the NCP in May, also intensified her parleys with influential political leaders of the country, apart from the President of Nepal, Bidya Devi Bhandari. Here, the question is what interest does the Chinese have in Nepal’s politics? Basnyat says the upcoming election is not only important for Nepal but also to divisional friends, particularly to neighboring countries India and China. "The upcoming election will guide the political forces in power in Nepal on how they are going to deal both politically and diplomatically with friendly nations. So, the political forces particularly the left and the interest of China would come because naturally and ideologically the left thinks alike," he added. China was not comfortable with the way the NCP split. Its efforts to unite the Oli-led CPN-UML and the Dahal-led CPN (Maoist Centre) to promote its interests in Nepal through BRI and other means could meet setbacks if there is no communist government. The Chinese Communist Party had worked hard at unifying and successfully bringing the Nepal Communist Party to power in 2018. Then Nepali prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli was viewed as Beijing’s man. In return, Beijing secured binding assurances that the Nepali government would back China on top of Chinese concerns like Taiwan and Tibet, as well as a clear commitment to Nepali participation in the BRI. Basnyat believes the communist government is not in the interest of Nepal. "The UML is a left party and more inclined to the socialist party. Whereas, other left parties are more communist in nature. So they being aligned together would more assist communism philosophy in the country rather than the democratic practices that would prevail. The UML and Maoist staying separate without an alliance will in the interest of democratic practices," Basnyat said. Other than the ratification of the MCC, major niggling issues between the two governments have also acted as irritants, including Chinese border violations in Nepal’s Humla district and China's failure to resume cross-border trade at two major passes with Nepal, the Tatopani-Zhangmu and Rasuwagadhi-Kerung pass. Trading between the two countries is suspended since the coronavirus pandemic due to which the relationship has frayed.

As Nepal PM completes a year in office, US-China political rivalry unfolds

Top Chinese official Liu Jianchao, head of the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party is in Nepal to reportedly reunite communist forces in the country.

China delegation met Nepal PM, top leaders; visit amid fears of Nepal tilting towards US

Liu Jianchao, the head of International Liaison Department of Chinese Communist Party is on a four-day Nepal tour along with an eight-member delegation team. Liu met Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba after he landed in Kathmandu.

Chinese Delegation in Nepal: Senior Chinese Communist Party leader Liu meets PM Deuba

A Chinese delegation is in Nepal and has met Nepal's PM. Both Nepal and China are all set to hold bilateral discussions. The meeting comes months before Nepal's elections.

Chinese delegation in Nepal: Meeting taking place months before Nepal's elections

Tibetan community in Nepal on Wednesday (July 6) celebrated spiritual leader Dalai Lama’s birthday with much fanfare. Over 3,000 members of the Tibetan community in Kathmandu organised a celebration at a refugee camp to mark the day.

Tibetan monks and people celebrated even when the Nepalese government had banned all kinds of activities against China in Nepal. Nepal stregthened the security today across the Kathmandu Valley and at the celebration venue.

The community performed cultural dances at the ceremony joined by various diplomats and officials from embassies in Kathmandu.

The Tibetan refugees celebrated the birth anniversary of Dalai Lama wishing for world peace. They worshipped the portrait of the Lama.

During the celebration, Tibetan Community sang the national anthem of Nepal.

However, the community members refused to speak to the media, afraid that Nepal Government may bar them from celebrating Dalai Lama's birthday in future under pressure from China.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-finance-minister-resigns-after-parliament-orders-investigation-494988">Nepal finance minister resigns after parliament orders investigation</a>

Nepal is seen by China as a partner in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to boost global trade through infrastructure investment, and Nepal’s government has cited promises of millions of dollars of Chinese investment as a reason for restricting Tibetan activities in the country.

Earlier under the communist government in Nepal, Tibetans were barred from celebrating their leader's birthdays or were celebrating inside the gumbas. This year, the community organized a grand ceremony.

Nepal insists that it imposes restrictions on Tibetans due to its adherence to the 'one China' policy, vowing never to allow any 'anti-China' activities, as perceived by Beijing, on its soil.

The US annual religious freedom report 2021 faults Nepal for restrictions on Tibetans and has stated that police surveillance of Tibetan refugees in Nepal remained high throughout the year.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/explainer-why-china-wants-control-over-dalai-lama-353034">Explainer: Why does China want control over Dalai Lama?</a>

In some cases, the number of security personnel monitoring Tibetans and the scrutiny of Tibetan cultural and religious celebrations, particularly those involving the Dalai Lama, increased, says the report.

The report further stated that Tibetan community leaders said that government authorities generally permitted them to celebrate most Buddhist holidays in private ceremonies but prohibited the public celebration of the Dalai Lama’s birthday and continued to curtail their ability to hold other public celebrations.

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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Tibetan community in Nepal on Wednesday (July 6) celebrated spiritual leader Dalai Lama’s birthday with much fanfare. Over 3,000 members of the Tibetan community in Kathmandu organised a celebration at a refugee camp to mark the day.

Tibetan community in Nepal on Wednesday (July 6) celebrated spiritual leader Dalai Lama’s birthday with much fanfare. Over 3,000 members of the Tibetan community in Kathmandu organised a celebration at a refugee camp to mark the day. Tibetan monks and people celebrated even when the Nepalese government had banned all kinds of activities against China in Nepal. Nepal stregthened the security today across the Kathmandu Valley and at the celebration venue. The community performed cultural dances at the ceremony joined by various diplomats and officials from embassies in Kathmandu. The Tibetan refugees celebrated the birth anniversary of Dalai Lama wishing for world peace. They worshipped the portrait of the Lama. During the celebration, Tibetan Community sang the national anthem of Nepal. However, the community members refused to speak to the media, afraid that Nepal Government may bar them from celebrating Dalai Lama's birthday in future under pressure from China. Also Read | Nepal finance minister resigns after parliament orders investigation Nepal is seen by China as a partner in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to boost global trade through infrastructure investment, and Nepal’s government has cited promises of millions of dollars of Chinese investment as a reason for restricting Tibetan activities in the country. Earlier under the communist government in Nepal, Tibetans were barred from celebrating their leader's birthdays or were celebrating inside the gumbas. This year, the community organized a grand ceremony. Nepal insists that it imposes restrictions on Tibetans due to its adherence to the 'one China' policy, vowing never to allow any 'anti-China' activities, as perceived by Beijing, on its soil. The US annual religious freedom report 2021 faults Nepal for restrictions on Tibetans and has stated that police surveillance of Tibetan refugees in Nepal remained high throughout the year. Also Read | Explainer: Why does China want control over Dalai Lama? In some cases, the number of security personnel monitoring Tibetans and the scrutiny of Tibetan cultural and religious celebrations, particularly those involving the Dalai Lama, increased, says the report. The report further stated that Tibetan community leaders said that government authorities generally permitted them to celebrate most Buddhist holidays in private ceremonies but prohibited the public celebration of the Dalai Lama’s birthday and continued to curtail their ability to hold other public celebrations. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Dalai Lama's 87th birthday celebrated in Nepal amid high security

Last year, the Nepal Government asked a task force to investigate claims of Chinese encroachment. The task force found the claims to be true. But Kathmandu is yet to release the report. WION has accessed a copy of this report. Palki Sharma brings you the details.

Gravitas: Leaked document exposes Chinese encroachment in Nepal

Amid the country's pressing economic situation, Nepal's Finance Minister Janardan Sharma on Wednesday resigned after being accused of manipulating the tax rates in the budget for the fiscal year 2022-23.&nbsp;

Allegations were made against him for favouring a few business houses and attempting to hide evidence on CCTV footage. It is said that the CCTV had captured him meeting with business people at the ministry.&nbsp;

The minister failed to provide the CCTV footage of the meeting saying only 13 days of recording was possible to store, which raised questions about the government’s transparency.&nbsp;

However, according to the law, government agencies must maintain the CCTV footage for at least three months.&nbsp;

First, Sharma allegedly breached the norm of the budget formulation process in which the tax issues are considered sensitive to be disclosed to any unauthorised person prior to the budget announcement.&nbsp;

Second, he allegedly outlawed state rule by hiding the footage. Civil society and lawmakers have called this an ‘unethical move’.&nbsp;

The House of Representatives had earlier decided to form an 11-member parliamentary probe committee to investigate the issues.&nbsp;

Sharma announced his resignation during a parliament session on Wednesday, saying he has done nothing wrong. "However, I respect the house decision of forming a probe committee. I have decided to cooperate with the investigation. So, therefore, I step down from my position."&nbsp;

Various stakeholders and opposition party CPN-UML leaders have been demanding Sharma’s resignation for allegedly breaching the budgetary discipline and committing a ‘financial crime’.

Not only the opposition party, but ruling party Nepali Congress leader Gagan Thapa had also earlier said either the Finance Minister should resign or Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba should sack him from his post.&nbsp;

This comes when Nepal's foreign exchange reserves decreased by 21.1 per cent to $9.28 billion in mid-May 2022 from $11.75 billion in mid-July 2021, according to Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).

The current chest is sufficient to sustain the import of goods and services for just 6.6 months against Nepal’s target of maintaining the foreign exchange reserves enough to cover imports for at least seven months.&nbsp;

In late April, the government banned imports of at least 10 goods, that it considers luxury or non-essential, till the end of the current fiscal year in a bid to stop the country’s foreign exchange reserves from depleting further.&nbsp;

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Amid the country's pressing economic situation, Nepal's Finance Minister Janardan Sharma on Wednesday resigned after being accused of manipulating the tax rates in the budget for the fiscal year 2022-23.

Amid the country's pressing economic situation, Nepal's Finance Minister Janardan Sharma on Wednesday resigned after being accused of manipulating the tax rates in the budget for the fiscal year 2022-23. Allegations were made against him for favouring a few business houses and attempting to hide evidence on CCTV footage. It is said that the CCTV had captured him meeting with business people at the ministry. The minister failed to provide the CCTV footage of the meeting saying only 13 days of recording was possible to store, which raised questions about the government’s transparency. However, according to the law, government agencies must maintain the CCTV footage for at least three months. First, Sharma allegedly breached the norm of the budget formulation process in which the tax issues are considered sensitive to be disclosed to any unauthorised person prior to the budget announcement. Second, he allegedly outlawed state rule by hiding the footage. Civil society and lawmakers have called this an ‘unethical move’. The House of Representatives had earlier decided to form an 11-member parliamentary probe committee to investigate the issues. Sharma announced his resignation during a parliament session on Wednesday, saying he has done nothing wrong. "However, I respect the house decision of forming a probe committee. I have decided to cooperate with the investigation. So, therefore, I step down from my position." Various stakeholders and opposition party CPN-UML leaders have been demanding Sharma’s resignation for allegedly breaching the budgetary discipline and committing a ‘financial crime’. Not only the opposition party, but ruling party Nepali Congress leader Gagan Thapa had also earlier said either the Finance Minister should resign or Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba should sack him from his post. This comes when Nepal's foreign exchange reserves decreased by 21.1 per cent to $9.28 billion in mid-May 2022 from $11.75 billion in mid-July 2021, according to Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). The current chest is sufficient to sustain the import of goods and services for just 6.6 months against Nepal’s target of maintaining the foreign exchange reserves enough to cover imports for at least seven months. In late April, the government banned imports of at least 10 goods, that it considers luxury or non-essential, till the end of the current fiscal year in a bid to stop the country’s foreign exchange reserves from depleting further. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Nepal finance minister resigns after parliament orders investigation

The Nepal government last September accused China of encroaching into Nepal along the border that the two countries share. Here, we have accessed the details of the present state of the border.

China-Nepal Border Issues | Report: China trespassing in Humla district

WION Dispatch | China violates Nepal's territory, WION accesses exclusive government report

In February this year, WION reported about how a leaked report commissioned by the Nepal government last September accused China of encroaching into Nepal along the border. Now, WION has accessed that report which details the present state of the border between Nepal and China.

WION accesses report accusing China of encroaching along Nepal border

Around 2 million Nepalese are likely to be impacted this year by the inundation and floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall across the country.&nbsp;

In the four months of the monsoon period, from June to September, Nepal receives an average of 1,500 mm of rain which is 80.5 per cent of annual rainfall.&nbsp;

As per the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, as many as 421,047 households will be affected this monsoon season.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-clash-breaks-out-between-fuel-price-protesters-and-police-490014">Nepal: Clash breaks out between fuel price protesters and police</a>

Authority's spokesperson Dr. Dijan Bhattarai told WION the estimation was made assessing the disaster risk in the past 11 years. The Meteorological Forecasting Division has forecasted above-average rainfall in most parts of the country this monsoon. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

In the last 11 years, 2,362 people have died and 880 missings, affecting 78,899 families across the country.&nbsp;

“This time, the government has formed a Monsoon Response Command team which includes officials from various ministries, Nepal Army, and Nepal Police. All district offices have been asked to stay alert and support the locals. We will focus on areas where we lacked in the previous year,” Bhattarai told WION.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Nepal bans street food in Kathmandu due to Cholera outbreak

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Over 14,000 security forces are on standby and other stakeholders concerned to assist in relief and rescue operations.

The Armed Police Force (APF) has also prepared itself for natural disasters.&nbsp;

According to the Nepal Government, 22 districts are at high risk of landslides, and 23 are at high risk of floods.&nbsp;

As many as 5 lakh people need assistance with the onset of monsoon and lack of medicine and treatment has been seen as a big problem in the past.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/more-than-10000-nepali-migrant-workers-have-died-in-gulf-countries-489542">More than 10,000 Nepali migrant workers have died in Gulf countries</a>

The Meteorological Forecasting Division had officially announced the arrival of the monsoon in Nepal, eight days before the date of the normal onset of the rainy season.

There were a large number of human casualties and crops were heavily damaged by the unseasonal rainfall last year.

The Meteorological Analysis says, currently the monsoon has been affecting the entire country.&nbsp;

The department has also issued a warning for the next 24 hours of a possibility of heavy rainfall in parts of the country, increasing the risk of landslides in the hilly regions.

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Around 2 million Nepalese are likely to be impacted this year by the inundation and floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall across the country. In the four months of the monsoon period, from June to September, Nepal receives an average of 1,500 mm of rain which is 80.

Around 2 million Nepalese are likely to be impacted this year by the inundation and floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall across the country. In the four months of the monsoon period, from June to September, Nepal receives an average of 1,500 mm of rain which is 80.5 per cent of annual rainfall. As per the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, as many as 421,047 households will be affected this monsoon season. Also read | Nepal: Clash breaks out between fuel price protesters and police Authority's spokesperson Dr. Dijan Bhattarai told WION the estimation was made assessing the disaster risk in the past 11 years. The Meteorological Forecasting Division has forecasted above-average rainfall in most parts of the country this monsoon. In the last 11 years, 2,362 people have died and 880 missings, affecting 78,899 families across the country. “This time, the government has formed a Monsoon Response Command team which includes officials from various ministries, Nepal Army, and Nepal Police. All district offices have been asked to stay alert and support the locals. We will focus on areas where we lacked in the previous year,” Bhattarai told WION. Watch | Nepal bans street food in Kathmandu due to Cholera outbreak Over 14,000 security forces are on standby and other stakeholders concerned to assist in relief and rescue operations. The Armed Police Force (APF) has also prepared itself for natural disasters. According to the Nepal Government, 22 districts are at high risk of landslides, and 23 are at high risk of floods. As many as 5 lakh people need assistance with the onset of monsoon and lack of medicine and treatment has been seen as a big problem in the past. Also read | More than 10,000 Nepali migrant workers have died in Gulf countries The Meteorological Forecasting Division had officially announced the arrival of the monsoon in Nepal, eight days before the date of the normal onset of the rainy season. There were a large number of human casualties and crops were heavily damaged by the unseasonal rainfall last year. The Meteorological Analysis says, currently the monsoon has been affecting the entire country. The department has also issued a warning for the next 24 hours of a possibility of heavy rainfall in parts of the country, increasing the risk of landslides in the hilly regions. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Monsoon floods, landslides likely to impact 2 million people in Nepal this year

Nepal has banned the sale of street food items in Kathmandu valley. This comes after the country reported 12 positive cases of Cholera since June 26.

Nepal bans street food in Kathmandu due to Cholera outbreak

Days after 14 residents of Kathmandu Valley reported cases of cholera&nbsp;prompting the health department to collect water samples for testing, it has found that almost 57 per cent of drinking water in the capital is contaminated.&nbsp;

Following the outbreak of the disease, the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of the Health Ministry collected 53 samples from different locations in Kathmandu.&nbsp;

“We carry out regular surveys, collecting water samples from different parts of the country, especially during the monsoon season. With this sudden outbreak, we had to respond immediately regarding the water quality surveillance. We collected water samples from where positive cases were reported and water they consumed,” Koshal Subedee, an official of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division told WION.&nbsp;

Subedee said the sources of water can be from the projects, jars, bottled water, and well.&nbsp;

“From these samples, it has been found that 57.2 per cent of drinking water is contaminated by E Coli which is an indicator of faecal contamination in the water. By which we can confirm that water contains cholera,” he added.&nbsp;

So far, 14 cholera cases have been confirmed in Kathmandu Valley, announced the health ministry.&nbsp;Officials suggest the public take accurate precautions and consume water after either boiling or adding chlorine.&nbsp;

The chances of waterborne diseases spreading are high during the monsoon&nbsp;which has already entered Nepal.&nbsp;The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has already barred street vendors from selling to curb the spread of the disease.&nbsp;

Public health experts have warned if no proper steps are taken, the cases are bound to increase.&nbsp;

Days after 14 residents of Kathmandu Valley reported cases of cholera prompting the health department to collect water samples for testing, it has found that almost 57 per cent of drinking water in the capital is contaminated.

Days after 14 residents of Kathmandu Valley reported cases of cholera prompting the health department to collect water samples for testing, it has found that almost 57 per cent of drinking water in the capital is contaminated. Following the outbreak of the disease, the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of the Health Ministry collected 53 samples from different locations in Kathmandu. “We carry out regular surveys, collecting water samples from different parts of the country, especially during the monsoon season. With this sudden outbreak, we had to respond immediately regarding the water quality surveillance. We collected water samples from where positive cases were reported and water they consumed,” Koshal Subedee, an official of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division told WION. Subedee said the sources of water can be from the projects, jars, bottled water, and well. “From these samples, it has been found that 57.2 per cent of drinking water is contaminated by E Coli which is an indicator of faecal contamination in the water. By which we can confirm that water contains cholera,” he added. So far, 14 cholera cases have been confirmed in Kathmandu Valley, announced the health ministry. Officials suggest the public take accurate precautions and consume water after either boiling or adding chlorine. The chances of waterborne diseases spreading are high during the monsoon which has already entered Nepal. The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has already barred street vendors from selling to curb the spread of the disease. Public health experts have warned if no proper steps are taken, the cases are bound to increase.

Almost 57 per cent drinking water in Kathmandu ‘contaminated’

Nepal's government has dropped a proposal to join a US disaster relief alliance after pressure from China. Beijing had called it a quasi-military grouping. How did Nepal end up as a theatre of the Himalayan cold war? Mariam Wardak tells you.

South Asia Diary | America vs China in Nepal

About 100 members of All Nepal National Free Student Union (ANNFSU), the student wing of the main opposition Nepal Communist Party (Unified Marxist-Leninist) clashed with police on Monday during the protest against the fuel price hike.

About 100 members of All Nepal National Free Student Union (ANNFSU), the student wing of the main opposition Nepal Communist Party (Unified Marxist-Leninist) clashed with police on Monday during the protest against the fuel price hike. The student union carried out a rally against the government's latest hike in fuel and domestic cooking gas prices and demanded a cancellation. A violent scuffle broke out between the demonstrators and the police. There was stone pelting from both sides and further to disperse the crowd, the police lathi-charged and fired tear gas. Demonstrators demanded cheaper fuel and food price control, with placards that read 'Finance Minister resign', 'Shame on the government'. “This unqualified coalition government has been continuously increasing the price of petroleum products. We are protesting to give some price relaxation to the people. At least, to a limit where at least we can afford two meals a day,” Hark Bahadur Bohara, a protester told WION. The protesters burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Dilendra Prasad Badu. The increase in the price of petrol, diesel, and cooking gas comes amid rising global crude prices after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The state-owned monopoly Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) raised the price of one litre of petrol and diesel by 12 per cent and 16 per cent respectively, prompting fears of broader price hikes. With the new price coming into effect, the price of petrol will now cost Rs 199 per litre and diesel and kerosene Rs 192 per litre. Similarly, the price of aviation fuel has reached Rs 185 per litre (domestic) and USD 1,645 per kilo litre (international). A cylinder of LPG now costs Rs 1800. However, the NOC has not increased the prices of Liquefied Petroleum (LP) gas. The oil monopoly said that it hiked the prices of petroleum products in line with the international market. As the amount to be paid to the Indian Oil Corporation for the purchase of petroleum products is increasing, the supply system has to be kept smooth and the price has to be adjusted to the cost, the corporation stated. The corporation said it has been facing an extreme financial crisis. Its due amount to be paid to Indian Oil Corporation for the purchase of petroleum products would reach Rs 22 billion by June 23, indicating another hike soon. Despite the hike, the Nepal Oil Corporation will be facing a monthly loss of around Rs 4.70 billion. The accumulated losses have been expected to reach Rs 55 billion by June end. Following a steep hike in fuel prices, fares for public transport and goods vehicles had been increased by up to a 7.7 per cent following the fuel price increase Rising oil prices are a major factor fueling inflation that is biting citizens of the country. According to Nepal Rastra Bank, the year-on-year consumer price inflation jumped to a staggering 7.87 per cent in May, hitting a 69-month high, as compared to 3.65 per cent last year in May. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Nepal: Clash breaks out between fuel price protesters and police

Over 10,000 Nepali migrant workers have died in Gulf countries due to inadequate supply of drinking water, food, and long hours of manual labour in searing temperatures.&nbsp;

As per the records of the Nepal government, the second-largest group of deaths is in the category of ‘natural death’. The government has not defined what it means.

Nepal has witnessed 900 deaths of workers every year, primarily due to cardiovascular diseases.&nbsp;

Since 2008, as many as 2,123 Nepali migrant workers have died due to cardiac arrest alone and 1,878 deaths have been put under 'natural death’.&nbsp;

Director-General of Foreign Employment Office Rajan Prasad Shrestha said the ‘natural death’ cases are under investigation.&nbsp;

“Nepal is one of the major labour sending countries in South Asia. On average, we are sending 5 lakh Nepalis yearly overseas. There is a significant number of Nepalis, especially in the Gulf region and Malaysia,” Shrestha told WION.&nbsp;

“Most deaths are occurring in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, numbers are really high. In which, natural death and heart attack are topping the list of cause of deaths,” he added.

Looking at the record, for instance, since 2008, 2,938 Nepali migrant workers have died in Saudi Arabia, and 3,533 in Malaysia.&nbsp;

The migrant worker deaths have been classified broadly into categories of cardiac arrest, natural cause, traffic accident, suicide, and workplace death.&nbsp;

Currently, there are 400,000 Nepalis working in Saudi Arabia and 300,000 in Qatar.&nbsp;

Apart from cardiovascular diseases, the number of migrant workers diagnosed with kidney failure is also increasing, especially from Gulf countries.&nbsp;

Of labours working overseas, only 5 per cent are skilled laborers, while 74 per cent are unskilled and 21 per cent semi-skilled.&nbsp;

After talking to returnee Nepali migrant workers, it was found that the majority of them were working under extremely harsh conditions, with no access to proper clean drinking water and food.&nbsp;

Lal Singh Ghatri Morga, a 38-year-old migrant labour, has been diagnosed with kidney failure and visits the hospital twice a week to receive his dialysis treatment.&nbsp;

For several years, Morga has worked at construction sites in Saudi Arabia and Dubai.&nbsp;

“Within eight months in Dubai, while I was at the construction site, my body started to feel weak, and then I fainted and hit the ground. There was not much help from my boss at work, so I returned home. This happened maybe because I used to work for a minimum of 10 hours a day, and there was heat stress, with no proper drinking water and food,” Morga shared his experience with WION.&nbsp;

In just the last eight months, Nepal has already seen the deaths of 1,029 people working overseas, with 213 people returning back with injuries, illnesses and long-term disabilities.&nbsp;

From June 2008 to February 2022, a total of 10,482 Nepali workers abroad have died.&nbsp;

Gulf countries are the major destinations for Nepali migrant workers in the construction trade. They are exposed to various occupational hazards, including excessive heat.&nbsp;

Before a migrant worker leaves, several mandatory requirements include submission of valid documents, a visa along with proof of medical tests, orientation training, and term life insurance.&nbsp;

Speaking to WION, Dr Ratna Mani Gajurel, Cardiologist, Hams Hospital, said, the reason behind healthy people coming back as patients is still unknown and should be ‘investigated’.&nbsp;

“Before leaving for the destination country, they undergo medical screening test in Nepal and get clearance for travel. After reaching the destination country, a preliminary examination is again carried out on the person. That means healthy people are cleared for work. Once they start working, they sustain different kinds of diseases like cardiovascular or kidney diseases,” he added.&nbsp;

He said the number of patients returning from Gulf countries is increasing, especially in countries where the temperature is more than 40 degrees centigrade.

“Not only cardiac problems, but these migrant workers working in extremely high temperatures are also getting kidney failures,” he added.&nbsp;

He demanded an investigation into this, “maybe the extreme heat is the problem but an investigation is required to prove whether heat is the culprit or there is another reason.”&nbsp;

Apart from the high demand for low-skilled labour, Nepalis also seek work overseas due to poverty, unemployment, slow economic growth, and political instability at home.&nbsp;

The contribution of the migrant workers’ remittances constitutes about 25 per cent of Nepal’s gross domestic product.&nbsp;

Over 10,000 Nepali migrant workers have died in Gulf countries due to inadequate supply of drinking water, food, and long hours of manual labour in searing temperatures.

Over 10,000 Nepali migrant workers have died in Gulf countries due to inadequate supply of drinking water, food, and long hours of manual labour in searing temperatures. As per the records of the Nepal government, the second-largest group of deaths is in the category of ‘natural death’. The government has not defined what it means. Nepal has witnessed 900 deaths of workers every year, primarily due to cardiovascular diseases. Since 2008, as many as 2,123 Nepali migrant workers have died due to cardiac arrest alone and 1,878 deaths have been put under 'natural death’. Director-General of Foreign Employment Office Rajan Prasad Shrestha said the ‘natural death’ cases are under investigation. “Nepal is one of the major labour sending countries in South Asia. On average, we are sending 5 lakh Nepalis yearly overseas. There is a significant number of Nepalis, especially in the Gulf region and Malaysia,” Shrestha told WION. “Most deaths are occurring in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, numbers are really high. In which, natural death and heart attack are topping the list of cause of deaths,” he added. Looking at the record, for instance, since 2008, 2,938 Nepali migrant workers have died in Saudi Arabia, and 3,533 in Malaysia. The migrant worker deaths have been classified broadly into categories of cardiac arrest, natural cause, traffic accident, suicide, and workplace death. Currently, there are 400,000 Nepalis working in Saudi Arabia and 300,000 in Qatar. Apart from cardiovascular diseases, the number of migrant workers diagnosed with kidney failure is also increasing, especially from Gulf countries. Of labours working overseas, only 5 per cent are skilled laborers, while 74 per cent are unskilled and 21 per cent semi-skilled. After talking to returnee Nepali migrant workers, it was found that the majority of them were working under extremely harsh conditions, with no access to proper clean drinking water and food. Lal Singh Ghatri Morga, a 38-year-old migrant labour, has been diagnosed with kidney failure and visits the hospital twice a week to receive his dialysis treatment. For several years, Morga has worked at construction sites in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. “Within eight months in Dubai, while I was at the construction site, my body started to feel weak, and then I fainted and hit the ground. There was not much help from my boss at work, so I returned home. This happened maybe because I used to work for a minimum of 10 hours a day, and there was heat stress, with no proper drinking water and food,” Morga shared his experience with WION. In just the last eight months, Nepal has already seen the deaths of 1,029 people working overseas, with 213 people returning back with injuries, illnesses and long-term disabilities. From June 2008 to February 2022, a total of 10,482 Nepali workers abroad have died. Gulf countries are the major destinations for Nepali migrant workers in the construction trade. They are exposed to various occupational hazards, including excessive heat. Before a migrant worker leaves, several mandatory requirements include submission of valid documents, a visa along with proof of medical tests, orientation training, and term life insurance. Speaking to WION, Dr Ratna Mani Gajurel, Cardiologist, Hams Hospital, said, the reason behind healthy people coming back as patients is still unknown and should be ‘investigated’. “Before leaving for the destination country, they undergo medical screening test in Nepal and get clearance for travel. After reaching the destination country, a preliminary examination is again carried out on the person. That means healthy people are cleared for work. Once they start working, they sustain different kinds of diseases like cardiovascular or kidney diseases,” he added. He said the number of patients returning from Gulf countries is increasing, especially in countries where the temperature is more than 40 degrees centigrade. “Not only cardiac problems, but these migrant workers working in extremely high temperatures are also getting kidney failures,” he added. He demanded an investigation into this, “maybe the extreme heat is the problem but an investigation is required to prove whether heat is the culprit or there is another reason.” Apart from the high demand for low-skilled labour, Nepalis also seek work overseas due to poverty, unemployment, slow economic growth, and political instability at home. The contribution of the migrant workers’ remittances constitutes about 25 per cent of Nepal’s gross domestic product.

More than 10,000 Nepali migrant workers have died in Gulf countries

Nepal has decided to move the Everest base camp due to global warming and human activity. The move will be completed by 2024. Khumbu glacier is rapidly thinning out.

Nepal to relocate Everest base camp: Khumbu glacier rapidly thinning out

Global warming is slowly but steadily impacting every part of our lives from extreme heat waves to unseasonal storms and now it's forcing Nepal to move the base camp of mount Everest.

Nepal to move Everest base camp as Khumbu glacier rapidly thinning out

Global warming and increasing human activity have forced Nepal to move the Everest base camp, which has been rapidly melting and thinning.

The camp— which is situated atop Khumbu glacier camp at an altitude of 5,364m—attracted 1,500 people from all over the world last year during the spring trekking season.

Taranath Adhikari, the director general of Nepal’s tourism department, told the BBC that the new base camp is being moved at a lower altitude which does not have year-round ice.

The new camp site for climbers will be situated 200-400m lower than the existing one, the official added.

“We are now preparing for the relocation, and we will soon begin consultation with all stakeholders,” Adhikari was quoted as saying.

The move comes following reports that the Khumbu glacier has been melting at a rapid pace. Experts have raised concern over melting water destabilising the glacier and the emergence of crevasses at the base camp posing problems for climbers.

"It is basically about adapting to the changes we are seeing at the base camp and it has become essential for the sustainability of the mountaineering business itself,” Adhikari said.

Government officials have told the BBC that shifting the camp could occur as soon as 2024.

Regarded as the world’s best-known campsite, the Everest base camp is now at an altitude some 50m lower than it was in 1953 when&nbsp;Tenzing Norgay&nbsp;and Edmund Hillary climbed the world’s highest mountain, according to Nepali Times.

A study by researchers from Leeds University in 2018 showed that the segment close to base camp was thinning at a rate of 1m per year.

Most of the glacier is covered by rocky debris, but there are also areas of exposed ice, called ice cliffs, and it is the melting of the ice cliffs that most destabilises the glacier, one of the researchers, Scott Watson, told the BBC.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/research-points-toward-exceptional-heating-in-arctic-area-488468" hreflang="en">Research points toward exceptional heating in Arctic area</a>

"When ice cliffs melt like that, the debris of boulder and rocks that are on the top of the ice cliffs move and fall and then the melting also creates water bodies," he said.

"So we see increased rock falls and movement of melt-water on the surface of the glaciers that can be hazardous."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/plants-can-break-biochemistry-rules-by-making-secret-decisions-about-our-future-study-488289" hreflang="en">Plants can break biochemistry rules and make 'secret decisions' about our future: Study</a>

Watson said the glacier was losing 9.5 million cubic metres of water per year.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Global warming and increasing human activity have forced Nepal to move the Everest base camp, which has been rapidly melting and thinning. The camp— which is situated atop Khumbu glacier camp at an altitude of 5,364m—attracted 1,500 people from all over the world last year during the spring trekking season.

Global warming and increasing human activity have forced Nepal to move the Everest base camp, which has been rapidly melting and thinning. The camp— which is situated atop Khumbu glacier camp at an altitude of 5,364m—attracted 1,500 people from all over the world last year during the spring trekking season. Taranath Adhikari, the director general of Nepal’s tourism department, told the BBC that the new base camp is being moved at a lower altitude which does not have year-round ice. The new camp site for climbers will be situated 200-400m lower than the existing one, the official added. “We are now preparing for the relocation, and we will soon begin consultation with all stakeholders,” Adhikari was quoted as saying. The move comes following reports that the Khumbu glacier has been melting at a rapid pace. Experts have raised concern over melting water destabilising the glacier and the emergence of crevasses at the base camp posing problems for climbers. "It is basically about adapting to the changes we are seeing at the base camp and it has become essential for the sustainability of the mountaineering business itself,” Adhikari said. Government officials have told the BBC that shifting the camp could occur as soon as 2024. Regarded as the world’s best-known campsite, the Everest base camp is now at an altitude some 50m lower than it was in 1953 when Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary climbed the world’s highest mountain, according to Nepali Times. A study by researchers from Leeds University in 2018 showed that the segment close to base camp was thinning at a rate of 1m per year. Most of the glacier is covered by rocky debris, but there are also areas of exposed ice, called ice cliffs, and it is the melting of the ice cliffs that most destabilises the glacier, one of the researchers, Scott Watson, told the BBC. Also read | Research points toward exceptional heating in Arctic area "When ice cliffs melt like that, the debris of boulder and rocks that are on the top of the ice cliffs move and fall and then the melting also creates water bodies," he said. "So we see increased rock falls and movement of melt-water on the surface of the glaciers that can be hazardous." Also read | Plants can break biochemistry rules and make 'secret decisions' about our future: Study Watson said the glacier was losing 9.5 million cubic metres of water per year. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Nepal to move Everest base camp as increased human activity, global warming melting glaciers

Nepal to move Everest base camp: Global warming, human activity to blame

This year will see the return of the ACC Women`s T20 Championship after a hiatus of over nine years. And, Malaysian Cricket Association will play host to the Championship that commences on June 17, with the finals scheduled to be held on June 25. Ten nations will be vying to win this tournament that will take two of them to the ACC Women`s T20 Asia Cup.

The matches will be played at Kinrara Oval and YSD UKM Oval."I`m pleased to announce the commencement of the ACC Women`s T20 Championship in Malaysia. Good luck to all ten participating teams! We`re playing against each other, but playing as one. May the best team win. @ACCMedia1, " tweeted Jay Shah, President of the Asian Cricket Council. The participating countries are UAE, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Nepal, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Bahrain, Singapore and Bhutan. Teams will be divided into two groups and shall play a single round-robin leading to top two teams from each group to qualify for the semi-finals followed by the finals. Jay Shah also spoke about the development of women`s cricket programmes.

"The last time the ACC Women`s T20 Championship was in 2013. The revival is long overdue, and this, I believe, will set the tone for us to move faster towards the development of women`s pathway programmes in Asia. The development of women`s cricket programmes is an integral component that must be pushed forward," he said in a statement. "With this tournament, in addition to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Thailand, two more countries will be awarded the opportunity to make it to the Asia Cup," he added. This is the first occasion in the history of ACC Women`s T20 Championship in which the top two qualifying teams will make it to the Women`s T20 Asia Cup.&nbsp;

This year will see the return of the ACC Women`s T20 Championship after a hiatus of over nine years. And, Malaysian Cricket Association will play host to the Championship that commences on June 17, with the finals scheduled to be held on June 25.

This year will see the return of the ACC Women`s T20 Championship after a hiatus of over nine years. And, Malaysian Cricket Association will play host to the Championship that commences on June 17, with the finals scheduled to be held on June 25. Ten nations will be vying to win this tournament that will take two of them to the ACC Women`s T20 Asia Cup. The matches will be played at Kinrara Oval and YSD UKM Oval."I`m pleased to announce the commencement of the ACC Women`s T20 Championship in Malaysia. Good luck to all ten participating teams! We`re playing against each other, but playing as one. May the best team win. @ACCMedia1, " tweeted Jay Shah, President of the Asian Cricket Council. The participating countries are UAE, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Nepal, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Bahrain, Singapore and Bhutan. Teams will be divided into two groups and shall play a single round-robin leading to top two teams from each group to qualify for the semi-finals followed by the finals. Jay Shah also spoke about the development of women`s cricket programmes. "The last time the ACC Women`s T20 Championship was in 2013. The revival is long overdue, and this, I believe, will set the tone for us to move faster towards the development of women`s pathway programmes in Asia. The development of women`s cricket programmes is an integral component that must be pushed forward," he said in a statement. "With this tournament, in addition to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Thailand, two more countries will be awarded the opportunity to make it to the Asia Cup," he added. This is the first occasion in the history of ACC Women`s T20 Championship in which the top two qualifying teams will make it to the Women`s T20 Asia Cup.

After a nine-year hiatus, ACC Women's T20 Championship returns

After some news outlets reported on an agreement reached between Nepal and the US army, the US Embassy in Nepal on Tuesday dismissed the reports and said, it is ‘fake’.&nbsp;

In a series of tweets, the embassy said, “The document published in some online outlets that purport to be a military deal between the United States and Nepal is fake. By policy, the United States does not ask countries to join the State Partnership Program and only responds to requests to do so.”

This comes after various local media reported on a possible agreement reached between Nepal and US Army on State Partnership Program (SPP), which has raised controversies.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-to-hold-meeting-over-declaring-monkeypox-an-international-health-emergency-488191" hreflang="en">WHO to hold meeting over declaring monkeypox an international health emergency</a>

“The SPP is an exchange program between an American state’s National Guard and a partner foreign country. The U.S. National Guard domestically supports U.S. first responders in dealing with natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, and wildfires,” the embassy said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Stating that SPP has existed for over 25 years and includes over 80 partnerships with over 90 countries, the embassy said, "In the event of natural and other disasters, ranging from hurricanes to earthquakes, floods, and fires, the United States seeks to share the best practices and capabilities of our National Guards — our first-line responders."

“SPP can be an effective means of facilitating this type of cooperation," it said.&nbsp;

In their recent engagements here, reports say, the US officials are putting pressure on Nepali counterparts to sign the agreement at the earliest.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-pm-narendra-modi-directs-1-million-recruitments-in-next-15-years-488007">Indian PM Modi directs govt depts for 1 million recruitments in next 1.5 years</a>

It is said during,&nbsp;US Army Pacific&nbsp;Commander General&nbsp;Charles Flynn's&nbsp;recent visit, Nepal was asked to finalise the deal.&nbsp;

However, sources have said say it could be signed during Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s US&nbsp;visit expected to be held in mid-July.

After the MCC Nepal Compact, the US is now seeking cooperation with Nepal on the military program.&nbsp;

High-level visits are currently being made from the United Stated to mark the 75th&nbsp;anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and the US.

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After some news outlets reported on an agreement reached between Nepal and the US army, the US Embassy in Nepal on Tuesday dismissed the reports and said, it is ‘fake’.

After some news outlets reported on an agreement reached between Nepal and the US army, the US Embassy in Nepal on Tuesday dismissed the reports and said, it is ‘fake’. In a series of tweets, the embassy said, “The document published in some online outlets that purport to be a military deal between the United States and Nepal is fake. By policy, the United States does not ask countries to join the State Partnership Program and only responds to requests to do so.” This comes after various local media reported on a possible agreement reached between Nepal and US Army on State Partnership Program (SPP), which has raised controversies. Also read | WHO to hold meeting over declaring monkeypox an international health emergency “The SPP is an exchange program between an American state’s National Guard and a partner foreign country. The U.S. National Guard domestically supports U.S. first responders in dealing with natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, and wildfires,” the embassy said. Stating that SPP has existed for over 25 years and includes over 80 partnerships with over 90 countries, the embassy said, "In the event of natural and other disasters, ranging from hurricanes to earthquakes, floods, and fires, the United States seeks to share the best practices and capabilities of our National Guards — our first-line responders." “SPP can be an effective means of facilitating this type of cooperation," it said. In their recent engagements here, reports say, the US officials are putting pressure on Nepali counterparts to sign the agreement at the earliest. Also read | Indian PM Modi directs govt depts for 1 million recruitments in next 1.5 years It is said during, US Army Pacific Commander General Charles Flynn's recent visit, Nepal was asked to finalise the deal. However, sources have said say it could be signed during Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s US visit expected to be held in mid-July. After the MCC Nepal Compact, the US is now seeking cooperation with Nepal on the military program. High-level visits are currently being made from the United Stated to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and the US. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US Embassy dismisses reports claiming military deal with Nepal

In pics: Tourists and residents disgusted with piling garbage in Nepal’s capital

Nepal has seen more tourists arrive since January than in all of 2021. In 2021, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) recorded over 150,000 foreign visitors. For instance, in May 2022 alone, the NTB counted nearly 53,608 tourists.&nbsp;However, the arrivals remain far lower than pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, Nepal welcomed a total of 1.3 million foreign tourists arriving by plane. This doesn't include those arriving by land from India.&nbsp;It is estimated that 1 tourist visit creates 10 employment opportunities in Nepal.

According to the Nepal Rastra Bank, the tourism sector provides employment for about 20 per cent&nbsp;of Nepal's workforce and contributes to 3&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of gross domestic product (GDP). &nbsp;

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A decline in tourist arrivals particularly from China turned out to be the major factor behind the overall slump, as China had remained the second largest source market after India for Nepal's tourism industry for more than a decade till 2020, showed the data.&nbsp;

Since January, only 1,626 Chinese nationals have visited Nepal in comparison to 2019, 1,69,543 tourists arrived.&nbsp;

Before the pandemic, China was one of the major sources of tourism in Nepal, but strict pandemic measures keep tourism from China cut off. Pre-pandemic, there had been four direct flights from China.

On June 2, 2022, Nepal began its first direct flight from China-Nepal after over two years.&nbsp;

The Director of the Board said the number of tourists would have been shooting had China resumed flight services.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/after-developing-technical-glitch-nepali-airlines-plane-returns-to-kathmandu-safely-484133">Also read |&nbsp;After developing technical glitch, Nepali airline plane returns to Kathmandu safely</a>

"Nepal's tourism sector of course suffered our economy depends a lot on tourism. I am very happy to say that once the third wave was over and things started to get better, our numbers started growing very well. As in the past, India leads the pact. So, we are getting lots of Indian tourists, they are coming in huge numbers. One thing that is very interesting about the Indian market is that earlier they used to come for only religion and shopping but now we have a huge segment of Indians coming for adventure activities, Nandini Lahe Thapa, Director of the Nepal Tourism Board told WION.

Speaking on the challenges the country is facing while the tourism sector recovering, "The industry had a very hard time to keep with all the losses. There have been some brain drain and skill drain in the intervening years because a lot of our skilled staff moved to other countries like Maldives, Middle East. Now it's a question of who is there and training for new capacity building for new people," she added.

Nepal's tourism and hospitality industry continue to face shortages as the majority of employees left the sector during the pandemic.

Many tour guides and service staff either changed their profession or left the country in search of work.

The NTB said that the tourism sector is set to recover gradually as more workers return. However, people remained worried about a possible return of pandemic restrictions or the spread of monkeypox.&nbsp;

"I have been working in the tourism sector for 36 years. This is the only source of my livelihood and income for my family. During COVID, the situation was so stressful that I cannot express it. The workers involved in the tourism sector lost their jobs and some are still jobless. Due to a lack of tourists and work, many were forced to leave Kathmandu and return to their hometown," Kundan Chhetri, trek and rafting tour guide told WION.&nbsp;

Binod Gautam, an artist in Kathmandu has been involved in stone crafting for 15 years. The influx of tourists directly impacts his business. He says locals do not purchase his craft and the only plausible way to make money is through tourists. To complete a piece of stone it takes one week to sometimes 3 months.&nbsp;

"For 15 years I have been part of this business. Before COVID, the business was going fine but the pandemic has changed everything. It became extremely difficult and I lost my income for almost two years. During which, I had to return to my village to my family. After COVID, the sales of my craft are slowly picking up," Gautam told WION.&nbsp;

According to the Director of Research, Planning, and Monitoring of NTB Mani R Lamichhane, in 2019, Nepal welcomed 1,197,191 tourists. The proportion of tourists from these countries are India (21.2 per cent), China (14.2 per cent), the US&nbsp;(7.8 per cent), the UK (5.1 per cent), and Sri Lanka (4.7 per cent).&nbsp;

In 2021, 230,085 tourists arrived to the Himalayan nation while in 2021, only 150,962 visited Nepal, a drop of 34.4 percent from 2020.&nbsp;

However, with COVID restrictions gradually being eased down, Nepal since January, has already welcomed 190,703.&nbsp;

Even after COVID, India tops the list in the number of tourists arrival in Nepal.&nbsp;

The top five tourists arrival of 2022 are from India, the US, the UK, Australia and Bangladesh.&nbsp;

Watch WION's live TV here:

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Nepal has seen more tourists arrive since January than in all of 2021. In 2021, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) recorded over 150,000 foreign visitors. For instance, in May 2022 alone, the NTB counted nearly 53,608 tourists.

Nepal has seen more tourists arrive since January than in all of 2021. In 2021, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) recorded over 150,000 foreign visitors. For instance, in May 2022 alone, the NTB counted nearly 53,608 tourists. However, the arrivals remain far lower than pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, Nepal welcomed a total of 1.3 million foreign tourists arriving by plane. This doesn't include those arriving by land from India. It is estimated that 1 tourist visit creates 10 employment opportunities in Nepal. According to the Nepal Rastra Bank, the tourism sector provides employment for about 20 per cent of Nepal's workforce and contributes to 3 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). A decline in tourist arrivals particularly from China turned out to be the major factor behind the overall slump, as China had remained the second largest source market after India for Nepal's tourism industry for more than a decade till 2020, showed the data. Since January, only 1,626 Chinese nationals have visited Nepal in comparison to 2019, 1,69,543 tourists arrived. Before the pandemic, China was one of the major sources of tourism in Nepal, but strict pandemic measures keep tourism from China cut off. Pre-pandemic, there had been four direct flights from China. On June 2, 2022, Nepal began its first direct flight from China-Nepal after over two years. The Director of the Board said the number of tourists would have been shooting had China resumed flight services. Also read | After developing technical glitch, Nepali airline plane returns to Kathmandu safely "Nepal's tourism sector of course suffered our economy depends a lot on tourism. I am very happy to say that once the third wave was over and things started to get better, our numbers started growing very well. As in the past, India leads the pact. So, we are getting lots of Indian tourists, they are coming in huge numbers. One thing that is very interesting about the Indian market is that earlier they used to come for only religion and shopping but now we have a huge segment of Indians coming for adventure activities, Nandini Lahe Thapa, Director of the Nepal Tourism Board told WION. Speaking on the challenges the country is facing while the tourism sector recovering, "The industry had a very hard time to keep with all the losses. There have been some brain drain and skill drain in the intervening years because a lot of our skilled staff moved to other countries like Maldives, Middle East. Now it's a question of who is there and training for new capacity building for new people," she added. Nepal's tourism and hospitality industry continue to face shortages as the majority of employees left the sector during the pandemic. Many tour guides and service staff either changed their profession or left the country in search of work. The NTB said that the tourism sector is set to recover gradually as more workers return. However, people remained worried about a possible return of pandemic restrictions or the spread of monkeypox. "I have been working in the tourism sector for 36 years. This is the only source of my livelihood and income for my family. During COVID, the situation was so stressful that I cannot express it. The workers involved in the tourism sector lost their jobs and some are still jobless. Due to a lack of tourists and work, many were forced to leave Kathmandu and return to their hometown," Kundan Chhetri, trek and rafting tour guide told WION. Binod Gautam, an artist in Kathmandu has been involved in stone crafting for 15 years. The influx of tourists directly impacts his business. He says locals do not purchase his craft and the only plausible way to make money is through tourists. To complete a piece of stone it takes one week to sometimes 3 months. "For 15 years I have been part of this business. Before COVID, the business was going fine but the pandemic has changed everything. It became extremely difficult and I lost my income for almost two years. During which, I had to return to my village to my family. After COVID, the sales of my craft are slowly picking up," Gautam told WION. According to the Director of Research, Planning, and Monitoring of NTB Mani R Lamichhane, in 2019, Nepal welcomed 1,197,191 tourists. The proportion of tourists from these countries are India (21.2 per cent), China (14.2 per cent), the US (7.8 per cent), the UK (5.1 per cent), and Sri Lanka (4.7 per cent). In 2021, 230,085 tourists arrived to the Himalayan nation while in 2021, only 150,962 visited Nepal, a drop of 34.4 percent from 2020. However, with COVID restrictions gradually being eased down, Nepal since January, has already welcomed 190,703. Even after COVID, India tops the list in the number of tourists arrival in Nepal. The top five tourists arrival of 2022 are from India, the US, the UK, Australia and Bangladesh. Watch WION's live TV here:

International tourists arrivals pick momentum in Nepal

Nepal is now trying to revive its economy and hosted more tourists in 4 months than entire 2021. Kathmandu have the maximum number of tourists from India. For more details, watch this ground report by Saloni Murarka from Kathmandu.

Pandemic bruises Nepal Tourism: Fears of fresh pandemic wave loom large

The death of the three Chinese nationals in a loader accident in Nepal last month revealed that Beijing has been bringing its citizens to work, due to which people of Himalayan nation have been deprived of employment.According to Khabar Hub, the loader accident on the Kathmandu-Terai (Madhesh) Fast Track in the last week of April has revealed that a huge number of them are employed in the project while only a few Nepali technicians are employed in the project.

Reports say that it has not been disclosed yet how many Chinese nationals have obtained a work permit in Nepal to work on the project.Moreover, the Nepal Army, the contractor of the national pride project, has not revealed how many foreign technicians have been given labour permits, Khabar Hub reported.A large number of engineers are losing their jobs at home, workers are being forced to go abroad without getting jobs, and on the other hand, a large number of Chinese citizens are being employed in projects of national pride in Nepal.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sher-bahadur-deuba-calls-limpiyadhura-lipulekh-and-kalapani-integral-part-of-nepal-483146">Also read | Sher Bahadur Deuba calls Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani integral part of Nepal</a>

The issue of insurance has come up after the death of a worker.As per the information received from the contractor regarding fast track insurance, Package 1 and Package 2 have not been insured yet. The main reason for this is that the Chinese contractor has been insisting for nine months that the insurance should be in China under its reinsurance company. That is why insurance is being delayed, Khabar Hub said. Fast Track is a project being undertaken by the Nepal Army.

Citing sources, Khabar Hub reported that the Chinese contractor is trying to get insurance from the private sector Nepal Insurance, Sanima Insurance, and Premier Insurance rather than from the Rastriya Beema Samiti.The contract was awarded in defiance of a letter from the Parliamentary Accounts Committee to the Ministry of Defense to cancel the contract.

The work of the companies contracted for the proposed 72.6 km Kathmandu-Terai-Madhesh Expressway has not been able to pick up speed.This has raised fears that the work will be completed on time. The companies' consultants are getting into disputes, not being able to deliver the goods on time, and insurance and reinsurance problems are causing problems in the fast track work.

The Council of Ministers had given the responsibility of fast track construction to the Nepal Army in April 2017.This national pride project has a completion target set for 2024.The estimated cost of the project is Rs 175 billion. This 76.2 km road is the shortest road to link Kathmandu Valley with Terai-Madhesh. 
&nbsp;

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The death of the three Chinese nationals in a loader accident in Nepal last month revealed that Beijing has been bringing its citizens to work, due to which people of Himalayan nation have been deprived of employment.

The death of the three Chinese nationals in a loader accident in Nepal last month revealed that Beijing has been bringing its citizens to work, due to which people of Himalayan nation have been deprived of employment.According to Khabar Hub, the loader accident on the Kathmandu-Terai (Madhesh) Fast Track in the last week of April has revealed that a huge number of them are employed in the project while only a few Nepali technicians are employed in the project. Reports say that it has not been disclosed yet how many Chinese nationals have obtained a work permit in Nepal to work on the project.Moreover, the Nepal Army, the contractor of the national pride project, has not revealed how many foreign technicians have been given labour permits, Khabar Hub reported.A large number of engineers are losing their jobs at home, workers are being forced to go abroad without getting jobs, and on the other hand, a large number of Chinese citizens are being employed in projects of national pride in Nepal. Also read | Sher Bahadur Deuba calls Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani integral part of Nepal The issue of insurance has come up after the death of a worker.As per the information received from the contractor regarding fast track insurance, Package 1 and Package 2 have not been insured yet. The main reason for this is that the Chinese contractor has been insisting for nine months that the insurance should be in China under its reinsurance company. That is why insurance is being delayed, Khabar Hub said. Fast Track is a project being undertaken by the Nepal Army. Citing sources, Khabar Hub reported that the Chinese contractor is trying to get insurance from the private sector Nepal Insurance, Sanima Insurance, and Premier Insurance rather than from the Rastriya Beema Samiti.The contract was awarded in defiance of a letter from the Parliamentary Accounts Committee to the Ministry of Defense to cancel the contract. The work of the companies contracted for the proposed 72.6 km Kathmandu-Terai-Madhesh Expressway has not been able to pick up speed.This has raised fears that the work will be completed on time. The companies' consultants are getting into disputes, not being able to deliver the goods on time, and insurance and reinsurance problems are causing problems in the fast track work. The Council of Ministers had given the responsibility of fast track construction to the Nepal Army in April 2017.This national pride project has a completion target set for 2024.The estimated cost of the project is Rs 175 billion. This 76.2 km road is the shortest road to link Kathmandu Valley with Terai-Madhesh. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

China snatches employment opportunities of Nepali youth

A small aircraft carrying 22 people crashed on a mountain side and rescue officials are still pulling out corpses. At least dead 21 bodies have been recovered after they went missing for about 20 hours.

Rescue ops underway after Nepal plane crashed with 22 people onboard

Rescuers have recovered 21 bodies from the wreckage site of the Tara Air plane that crashed in Nepal’s mountainous Mustang district on Sunday with 22 persons on board, including four Indians.

Nepal Plane Crash: 21 out of 22 bodies recovered

Tara Air flight crashed in Nepal with 22 people on board. Nepal is a mountainous country and has a history of air tragedies. WION brings you a brief report at Nepal's air crash record.

Decoding Nepal's past flight crashes

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