Ahead of Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's scheduled visit to Kathmandu on May 11–12, 2026, Nepal has formally raised territorial concerns with both India and China over the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra route passing through the Lipulekh Pass. Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani are integral parts of its sovereign territory under the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli. India, however, maintained that the Lipulekh Pass has served as a Kailash Yatra route since 1954 and rejected Nepal's claims as "untenable." The dispute, rooted in competing interpretations of a 210-year-old colonial treaty, has resurfaced as India and China resume the yatra through the contested pass for the June–August 2026 pilgrimage season. With 1,000 Indian pilgrims set to travel through Lipulekh and Nathu La, Kathmandu's formal diplomatic protest has added fresh tension ahead of a high-stakes bilateral visit aimed at resetting India-Nepal ties under Prime Minister Balendra Shah's new government.
Read Full ArticleIran has warned the United States that its newly launched naval operation, dubbed "Project Freedom," in the Strait of Hormuz constitutes a ceasefire violation, as President Donald Trump deploys guided-missile destroyers, 100-plus aircraft, and 15,000 service members to guide stranded ships out of the blocked waterway.
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The United States has launched "Project Freedom" on May 4, 2026, a military-backed maritime operation to guide stranded commercial vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict. Announced by President Donald Trump and confirmed by U.S. Central Command, the mission deploys 15,000 service members, guided-missile destroyers, and over 100 aircraft to restore freedom of navigation through one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints. The strait, which once carried 25% of the world's seaborne oil trade, has seen traffic collapse to just 5% of pre-war levels since March 2026, stranding approximately 20,000 seafarers and sending global oil prices above $120 per barrel. Framed as a humanitarian operation under U.S. constitutional authority, Project Freedom carries significant implications under international maritime law. Iran has warned the move could constitute a ceasefire violation, while diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran continue in parallel.
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21 May, 2026 11:51 AM
