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A Day Of The Dogs- Nepal Festival Worships Canines

By LokMarg 25th October 2022

Considered man’s best friend, dogs have a special place in Nepal where every dog has his, or you could say her, day. Literally!

On the second day of the five-day festival of Tihar that began earlier this week, people in the Himalayan country gathered to worship their four-legged friends.

During Kukur Tihar, people offer prayers and honor dogs, not just pets but also strays. The canines are garlanded, tikkas applied on their foreheads, and plentiful food is offered to them.

Everywhere in Nepal, the Kukur Tihar festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm, with small children pampering the dogs and feeding them plenty of food items like milk, eggs, etc.

This year, Kukur Tihar was on October 24, and just like every year, people in Nepal celebrated the festival with zeal.

Not only locals, but tourists from around the globe also participated in the festivities.

For Hindus, the celebration of Kukur Tihar is tied to a belief that dogs are the messengers of Yamaraj, the god of death and during these days people worship man’s most loyal friend to appease Yamaraj.

Dogs are even treated as family members in many households and the bond between humans and dogs can’t be described in words but can only be felt if you have them as companions.

Honoring the role played by the dogs in Nepal on the Second day of Yama Panchak or Tihar the pet and the stray dogs are worshipped early in the morning for the devotion and sincerity they have shown.

Tihar is also known as Deepavali, the festival of light in other parts of the world. During this people observe rituals, decorate their homes with diyas, rangoli, ornaments, and lights, enjoy delectable sweets and meals, dress in new traditional attire, and offer prayers to Goddess Lakshmi the goddess of wealth and Lord Ganesha to guide them towards the right path and to give the courage to conquer all fears. (ANI)

US Returns 307 Stolen Antiquities To India

By LokMarg 20th October 2022

After the 15-years of investigation, the US authorities returned 307 antiquities that were stolen by multiple smaller trafficking networks to India, valued at nearly 4 million Dollars, according to a press statement released on Monday.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L Bragg Jr on Monday announced that they are returning 307 antiquities valued at nearly USD 4 million to the people of India and the majority of them were seized from disgraced art dealer Subhash Kapoor.
Subhas Kapoor is a looter, who had helped to traffic the items from Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and other countries.

According to the statement, “Five of the antiquities were seized according to the Office’s investigation into Nancy Wiener, and one according to an investigation into Nayef Homsi.”

All the antiquities were returned during a repatriation ceremony at the Indian Consulate in New York attended by India’s Consul General Randhir Jaiswal, and US Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Acting Deputy Special Agent-in-Charge, Tom Lau.

“We are proud to return hundreds of stunning pieces to the people of India,” the press statement quoted District Attorney Bragg as saying.

“These antiquities were stolen by multiple complex and sophisticated trafficking rings – the leaders of which showed no regard for the cultural or historical significance of these objects. Tracking down these antiquities would not be possible without the collaboration of our law enforcement partners at HSI and the outstanding work of our world-class investigators,” he added.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso said, “Today we are proud to join our partners from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to return an incredible 307 stolen works of art and antiquities to their rightful home in India. This repatriation is the result of a globe-spanning, fifteen-year investigation whereas the investigative team chased leads, followed the money, and ultimately seized these pieces, ensuring their return to the people of India,”

He further added that HSI will continue to investigate artifacts with little or no provenance, or of questionable origin, and work with domestic and international partners to return these priceless pieces of history to their rightful homes, the statement reads.

The District Attorney’s Antiquities Trafficking Unit, along with law enforcement partners at Homeland Security Investigations, have investigated Kapoor and his co-conspirators for the illegal looting, exportation, and sale of artifacts from numerous countries all over the world, for over a decade.

Among the pieces being returned is the Arch Parikara, crafted from marble and valued at approximately USD 85,000.

The Arch Parikara first surfaced in photographs depicting antiquity in a dirty, pre-restoration condition. These photographs, along with dozens of others depicting antiquities lying in the grass or on the ground, were sent to Kapoor by a supplier of illicit in India. The piece was smuggled out of India and into New York in May 2002, the statement reads.

Thereafter, Kapoor laundered the Arch Parikara to the Nathan Rubin – Ida Ladd Family Foundation, who donated the piece to the Yale University Art Gallery in 2007, the statement added.

In 2022 alone, the Office has returned 682 antiquities, valued at over USD 84 million to 13 countries. Since its founding, the Antiquities Trafficking Unit has returned nearly 2,200 antiquities, valued at over USD 160 million, to 22 countries. (ANI)

World Bank Lower India’s 2022-23 Growth Rate To 6.5%

By LokMarg 6th October 2022

World bank, in its latest report, has lowered India’s 2022-23 growth rate from its June forecast, by 1 percentage point to 6.5 percent. In the previous report, the international organization had projected India’s growth rate to be at 7.5 percent for the period.

In the latest South Asia Economic Focus, Coping with Shocks: Migration and the Road to Resilience, released today, the World Bank has revised India’s growth rate down from its June forecast. It further expects India to grow at 7 percent and 6.1 percent in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

The twice-a-year update has also revised the regional growth rate of South Asia by 1 percentage point from the June forecast to 5.8 percent, as it expects a “dampening” growth rate in the region.

The main reasons highlighted for the revision have been Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, Pakistan’s catastrophic floods, a global slowdown, and the impacts of the war in Ukraine on top of the lingering scars of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Pandemics, sudden swings in global liquidity and commodity prices, and extreme weather disasters were once tail-end risks. But all three have arrived in rapid succession over the past two years and are testing South Asia’s economies,” said Martin Raiser, the World Bank Vice President for South Asia.

“In the face of these shocks, countries need to build stronger fiscal and monetary buffers, and reorient scarce resources towards strengthening resilience to protect their people,” Raiser added.

However, the release has also highlighted the fact that India, which happens to be the region’s largest economy, recovered more strongly than the world average riding on the exports and service sector. It considers India’s “ample” foreign reserves to be serving as a buffer to external shocks.

While talking about Sri Lanka, the Report expects the country’s real GDP to fall by 9.2 percent this year and further by 4.2 percent in 2023. It considers the impact of COVID-19 and rising commodity prices due to the war in Ukraine to have worsened the situation and exacerbated its woes in debt and depleting foreign reserves.

While talking about Pakistan, the Report considers the high-commodity prices to have worsened Pakistan’s external imbalances and brought down its reserves. It finds Pakistan’s outlook subject to significant uncertainty after the devastating climate-change-fuelled floods submerged one-third of the country this year.

The release also considers that tourism’s return is helping drive growth in the Maldives and Nepal to a lesser extent.

The report expects the inflation in the region to rise to 9.2 percent this year before gradually subsiding. It highlights the main causes behind this as the elevated global food and energy prices and trade restrictions that have worsened food insecurity in the region. It calls them to have severely impacted the poor by squeezing their real income.

The report also talks about the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the migrant workers of South Asia, who were disproportionately affected.

However, the report also considers migration as a crucial factor in facilitating recovery. It expects the migration flow to move from the areas hit hard by the pandemic to those that were not. It will supposedly equilibrate the demand and supply of labor.

“Labor mobility across and within countries enables economic development by allowing people to move to locations where they are more productive. It also helps adjust to shocks such as climate events to which South Asia’s rural poor are particularly vulnerable,” said Hans Trimmer, the World Bank Chief Economist for South Asia.

“Removing restrictions to labor mobility is vital to the region’s resilience and its long-term development,” Timmer added.

The report also offers two recommendations in its report. Firstly, it recommends cutting costs faced by migrants. Secondly, it suggests that policymakers de-risk migration including more flexible visa policies and social protection programs. (ANI)

Rape-Accused Nepali Cricketer Undergoes Medical Check-Up

By LokMarg 6th October 2022

Nepal’s rape-accused cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane underwent a medical check-up after being detained upon his arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport in the capital Kathmandu and will now be presented before the court on Sunday.

The plane carrying Sandeep who was on the run for a month after the registration of a case of raping a minor landed about 45 minutes later than the estimated time of arrival due to bad weather.
Lamichhane flew to Kathmandu via Qatar Airways flight and was detained at the Immigration desk as he already was on a black list subjecting him to immediate arrest.

Donned in white joggers, a black mask, and a cap with Jordan sign on it, the former Nepali national cricket team captain walked out of the airport surrounded by Police personnel and handcuffed.

“He has been arrested from the airport upon his arrival. Medical tests were done and he would be interrogated today itself. He currently is kept at Gaushala Police Station but has chances of transfer to other places depending on the situation,” Dinesh Raj Mainali, Superintendent of District Police Range Kathmandu told ANI.

Lamichhane will remain in custody till Sunday as the courts across Nepal are closed till Saturday as the festive season is still on in the Himalayan nation.

A girl, 17, filed a case alleging that Lamichhane took her to various places in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur all day on August 21 and brought her to a hotel in Sinamangal of Kathmandu where she was raped the same night.

A diffusion notice was issued from INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization) as he was on large with his location unknown since the registration of a case against him.

The Kathmandu District Court also has issued an arrest warrant against him over the case of raping a 17-year-old minor along with the Immigration Department of the Himalayan Nation blacklisting him.

Within 25 days of his formal arrest, the case is required to be registered with the court via the District attorney’s Office. Police would further conduct the investigation and then submit its report to the attorney’s office and then a formal case would be registered at the court once the report states the events mentioned in the complaint and the police investigation match.

Hearing over the case would decide whether to leave Lamichhane on bail or remand him in custody. It could take weeks for him to get the first hearing from the judicial body.

Last year, leg spinner Lamichhane was appointed as the captain of the Nepal cricket team. Lamichhane formerly captained the Nepal Under-19 side first in 2016 during the Asia Cup and then in 2017 for the Asian Cricket Council World Cup Qualifier. He has also played in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The Police, on the other hand, have initiated an investigation under the National Penal (Code) Act, 2017’s Section 219.

The National Penal (Code) Act, 2017 has criminalized the offense of rape under Chapter- 18, Section 219. Section 219 (2) defines rape as “where any person has sexual intercourse with a woman without her consent or with a girl child below eighteen years of age even with her consent, the person shall be considered to commit rape on the such woman or girl child.”

Section 219 (2) (a) states that consent obtained by way of coercion, undue influence, intimidation, threat, misinterpretation, or kidnapping or taking of hostage shall not be considered consent. Furthermore, section 219 (2) (b) ensures that consent obtained at the time of being of unsoundness of mind shall not be considered consent. If proven guilty, Lamichhane would be facing imprisonment of 10 to 12 years. (ANI)

Nepal FM To Attend Queen’s Funeral

By LokMarg 14th September 2022

Nepalese Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka will be travelling to the United Kingdom to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.

The state funeral for the long-reigning monarch of the United Kingdom will be taking place on September 19.
“Dr Khadka is confirmed to represent Nepal in the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth,” Arun Subedi, Foreign Affairs Advisor for Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba confirmed to ANI over the phone.

The British Queen breathed her last at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8. Nepal had announced three-day mourning over the passing away of the 96-year-old queen.

The death of the 96-year-old Queen ended a generation-spanning, seven-decade reign that made her a beacon of stability in a tumultuous world. The UK has entered a period of official mourning, with tributes pouring in worldwide.

King Charles III was proclaimed as the new monarch of England on Saturday after his mother Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8. Moreover, the national anthem of Britain will now again shift back to “God Save the King” after the Queen’s demise.

UK authorities had devised Operation London Bridge to manage events during the first 10 days between the Queen’s death and the funeral. They had thought of Operation Unicorn in case the queen died in Scotland.

The funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey on September 19 and there will be a committal service in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. After that, Queen Elizabeth II will be buried in the castle’s King George VI Memorial Chapel. (ANI)