Boucher, EU troika

KATHMANDU: US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard A Boucher, is arriving in Kathmandu next weekend as part of his regional tour of South Asia. Besides Nepal, he is visiting Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Pakistan. Boucher will be here for three days, according to the American Centre in Kathmandu. A European Union (EU) troika mission is also arriving in the capital on November 15 on a three-day visit, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. — HNS

Dolphin experts’ team

Bardiya: A team of dolphin experts from Kathmandu arrived here on Wednesday to help conserve dolphins in Bardiya’s Bhada river. The team is visiting the area following

information that dolphins in the river are facing a hard time and finding it tough to survive due to lack of suitable habitat. According to the chairman of the Integrated Conservation and Development Centre (ICDC), Rakesh Basyal, a four-member team headed by dolphin specialist Dr Tirtha Shrestha has reached Bardiya. “Dolphins are finding it tough to survive in the Bhada river. So we have planned to shift them to the Karnali river. It will take a couple of days to execute the transfer,” Basyal said. The team also discussed the process of transferring the dolphins to the Karnali river, Basyal added. — HNS