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Nepal Sambat 1144 is being celebrated today across the country by organizing various programs. 

The Newar community celebrates the Nepal Sambat as the New Year. National luminary Shankhadhar Sakhwa initiated the Nepal Sambat calendar by liberating the Kathmandu Valley residents from debt.

Former Vice-Chancellor of Lumbini Buddhist University, Dr Triratna Manandhar, said Nepal Sambat had got recognition of National Sambat till the reign of Prithvi Narayan.

Since the establishment of democracy in 2007, a campaign has been launched for national recognition to Nepal Sambat.

The people of the Newar community observe Nepal Sambat as the New Year in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Banepa, Dhulikhel, and Dolakha. 

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal during his first premiership in 2065 BS had announced to give national recognition to Nepal Sambat.

Similarly, the Newar community also performs Mha Puja today itself. Mha Puja is the day of self-worship. They celebrate Mha Puja on the occasion of Kartik Shukla Pratipada, (first day of the waxing phase of moon in Nepali month of Kartik). 

This year, Kartik Shukla Pratipada has fallen in two days—Monday and Tuesday.

Nepal Sambat was celebrated at some places of Bhaktapur on Monday.  Mha Puja was also observed in Bhaktapur on Monday itself as per the decision of Bhaktapur municipality.

Majority of people in the community across the country are celebrating Nepal Sambat and Mha Puja today. Nepal Calendar Determination Development Committee, however, asked to mark Nepal Sambat and Mha Puja today.

Korala check point at Lo Manthang Rural Municipality in Mustang district has come into operation again from Monday after four years.

The check point was formally inaugurated in the presence of representatives of governments of Nepal and China.

On the occasion, member of House of Representatives Yogesh Gauchan Thakali, Minister for Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment of Gandaki Province, Dipendra Bahadur Thapa, Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City Dhan Raj Acharya, Chief District Officer of Mustang, Janak Raj Panta and people's representatives of Lo-Ghekar Damodar Kunda and Lo Manthang rural municipalities were present from the side of Nepal.

Likewise, officials of customs, border monitoring, public security bureau, commerce bureau, border control and dry port management committee were present from the Chinese side.

Chairperson of Lo Manthang Rural Municipality, Tasi Narbu Gurung, said China gifted 100,000 kilograms of food grains, clothes and daily essentials to the locals of Lo Manthang and Lo-Ghekar Damodar Kunda Rural Municipalities on the first day of resumption of check point.

Locals of both rural municipalities have started visiting China on the basis of identity cards, said CDO Panta. The check point was completely shut down from 2076 BS after the coronavirus pandemic.

'Departure and Entry Permits for Residents of Nepal-China Border Area Nepal- China' was distributed to around 1,000 people of Lo-Manthang and Lo-Ghekar Damodar Kund rural municipalities as preparation for operation of Korala check point.  

"Those who have an entry pass have the facility to travel to and from China at any time", he shared.

Panta mentioned that temporary infrastructures have been built on Nepal's side near Korala checkpoint and arrangement of regular presence of security personnel has also been made."

The fourth day of Tihar is being celebrated today by worshiping Govardhan Parbat. The ox is also worshiped and provided with delicious food today.

Today, people prepare a mixture of cow dung and ochre formed into paste and apply on the house yard and floors and make a replica of the Govardhan Mountain from cow dung and worship it.

Theologian Prof Dr Devmani Bhattarai said the ritual of worshiping Govardhan Puja was established in memory of protecting the people of a place, Gokul, by Lord Krishna from torrential rains by lifting Govardhan mountain by his hand. It is believed that the god of rain, Indra, was angered and thereby caused heavy downpour.

Similarly, ox is also worshiped as the vehicle of Lord Shiva today.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has expressed the belief that festivals including Tihar have an important role in preparing the ideological, political, economic and cultural basis of socialism while protecting and strengthening the changed political system.

In a message of best wishes today, PM Dahal extended hearty best wishes to all Nepali sisters and brothers within the country and abroad on the happy occasion of the auspicious Deepawali, the big festival of the Nepalis.

He stated that the federal democratic republic achieved from a big struggle and sacrifice has provided us with an extensive base to keep the country's independence and dignity high by strengthening internal nationality.

"Festivals including Tihar are also an important context reflecting Nepal's unique identity. This festival makes the family reunion, social harmony and unity, and national independence, strong. It deepens the contribution of birds and animals playing the role of production, labor, information and social sentinel, and their interaction with humans. Cultural activities including Deusi Bhailo that are held during these festivals make an important contribution to creating an environment of gaiety and fervor as well as to promoting culture," the PM observed.

Stating that Nepal has remained as a place of convergence of multi-ethnic, multilingual and multi-cultural features as well as of immense natural resources and civilization, PM Dahal said our diverse traditions, cultures and festivals are not only the common assets but also an important basis for culturally and emotionally tying the country and the people on a thread of unity.

"The national festivals celebrated by the diverse castes, indigenous nationalities and communities are founded on natural heritage and historicity. Incorporated in such festivals are ideals like respect to labor, social feeling and amity, social coexistence, collaboration at times of challenges that come in human life and overcoming such adversities on the basis of unity," stated the Prime Minister in his message of best wishes. 

Properties worth over Rs 2.6 million were destroyed when a fire broke out at a house in Bhojpur.

The fire started from a butter lamp lit for the Laxmi Puja ritual during Tihar festival, it is said.

The house of one Gyan Raj Bista at Bhojpur Municipality-8 was damaged in the fire caused by the lamp lit for the Laxmi Puja, destroying properties worth over Rs 2.6 million, said Inspector Dal Bahadur Rai, information officer for the district police office, Bhojpur. 

The two-storied house of Bista was burnt down due to the blaze, and clothes, food, gold ornaments worth more than Rs 2.6 million, and cash of Rs 15,000 were also destroyed, he said. The fire was doused with the help of the district police office, Nepal Army, local people and a fire engine. 

Meanwhile, a house was gutted in a fire that started from a butter lamp lit for the Laxmi Puja at Himabi of Khandbari Municipality-1 in Sankhuwasabha district.

The house belonging to one Lila Rai was destroyed last night, said Inspector Ram Kumar Lamichhane at the district police office, Sankhuwasabha.

However, there were no casualties in the blaze, he said, adding that clothes and food stored in Rai's house were burnt in the fire.

The blaze was brought under control one hour later with the help of Nepal Army, Nepal Police and local people.

Police said that Rs 31,000 cash was destroyed in the fire, and a tempo parked in the house premises was also damaged.

The government of Nepal has decided to ban TikTok, citing concerns about its impact on social harmony.

The decision was reached during a Cabinet meeting held today at the Prime Minister's residence in Baluwatar, Rekha Sharma, Minister for Communications and Information Technology and the government's spokesperson, said.

According to Sharma, TikTok is consistently disseminating propaganda that disrupts family structures and social relations, prompting the government to take temporary measures to regain control. "We have decided to halt TikTok for the time being to address this issue," she stated.

The Cabinet meeting instructed the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to oversee the technical aspects of this decision.

Sharma explained, "The decision to ban TikTok was made today, and relevant authorities are currently addressing the technical details. The Communication Ministry and the Nepal Telecommunication Authority have already initiated preparations. It is likely that the decision will be implemented as early as today."

The United States is hosting the annual APEC summit of world leaders this week for the first time since 2011. Leaders from the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group will gather in San Francisco to talk about how to better spur trade and economic growth across the Pacific region.

But the main summit event will actually be on the sidelines: A face-to-face meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping. This year's conference is happening against the backdrop of the frosty relationship between China and the U.S. and global turmoil from the Israel-Hamas war and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

A look at what APEC is and how it works:

WHAT IS APEC?

APEC stands for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. It's a forum to promote trade, investment and economic development among nations around the Pacific Ocean.

The group started with 12 members in 1989, but has since grown to 21 including China, Russia, Japan, the U.S. and Australia. Those member nations pack a lot of punch, accounting for nearly 40% of the global population and almost half the world’s trade.

The annual leaders' conference brings together heads of nations and other top economic and diplomatic leaders. (Don't expect much of a presence from Russia this year; it's a pariah as Russian President Vladimir Putin presses his country's invasion of Ukraine and will have lower-level representation.)

White House aides say the goal for this year's summit is to try to make APEC economies more resilient, particularly in the face of growing climate issues and following a global pandemic that killed millions of people and strained supply chains.

THE MAIN EVENT

The main event of this summit is unfolding on the sidelines: a meeting between Biden and Xi. The two leaders haven't spoken in person since they met last November during the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia. A lot has happened since then to ratchet up tensions between the superpowers.

The Biden administration shot down a Chinese spy balloon that traversed the continental U.S. earlier this year. The Chinese government hacked the emails of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. The U.S. government restricted the export of advanced computer chips to China, and has pushed to provide development aid to other nations to counter China's influence.

The differences also have been exacerbated by Russia’s war in Ukraine and China’s increasing assertiveness in the Taiwan Strait. But representatives from the U.S. and China have been meeting with increasing frequency lately, working to thaw relations. Still, the Biden-Xi meeting isn't expected to substantially alter the trajectory of U.S.-China relations.

HOW EFFECTIVE IS APEC?

The forum has limited scope. It is centered on trade and the economy. There is no military component and it wasn't forged by a world-altering event like a war.

It technically has member “economies” rather than countries. That allows room for participation by both China-ruled Hong Kong and self-ruled Taiwan.

APEC's strength lies in its ability to get countries to work together on big initiatives and to ease business relations without binding agreements. Economists point to how APEC contributed to a reduction of tariffs and other barriers to trade.

But the trade landscape is different now than when APEC began in a period of increased globalization. The U.S. strategy has been focused on economic competition with China rather than cooperation, even as U.S. leaders continue to stress the importance of cooperation. Biden is seeking partnerships with other nations in the region to develop alternatives to Chinese manufacturing imports such as electronic equipment, machinery, furniture, textiles and other goods.

Biden also is trying to highlight progress on the new Indo-Pacific trade deal, started last year after President Donald Trump withdrew from the more popular Trans-Pacific Partnership.

FRICTION

The conference has had its challenges and moments of drama in recent years.

The group met virtually in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders did gather in Bangkok last year, but Biden skipped the summit because his granddaughter was getting married and he sent Vice President Kamala Harris in his place. That decision was regarded as a snub by some APEC leaders. Then, delegates from the United States and four other nations walked out to protest Russia's invasion of Ukraine as the Russian representative to the conference began to speak.

Chile withdrew as APEC host in 2019 due to mass protests. Last year, when Thailand hosted the summit in Bangkok, pro-democracy protesters challenged the legitimacy of the Thai prime minister, prompting police to fire at the crowd with rubber bullets that injured several protesters and a Reuters journalist.

This year may give rise to friction over the Israel-Hamas war. The variety of nations involved in the summit have strong views on both sides of the conflict. Typically at the close of a summit there is some kind of joint statement by all the nations, but that's not a given this year, in part because of those differences.

There is also some participation intrigue: Taiwan will once again be represented at the summit by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. founder Morris Chang. The 92-year-old’s lack of a domestic political role allows him to meet with world leaders without fear of repercussions from China.

Hong Kong, meanwhile, will be represented by Financial Secretary Paul Chan. Chief executive John Lee, who is under U.S. sanctions for his role in a political crackdown in Hong Kong, opted out of the summit, citing scheduling issues.

A potential U.S. government shutdown also could loom over the conference: The government will run out of money on Friday without a funding agreement between Congress and the president. It's a persistent reminder of U.S. political dysfunction just as as Biden seeks to project American reliability. The credit rating agency Moody’s Investors Service lowered its outlook on the U.S. government’s debt on Friday to “negative,” citing rising interest rates and political polarization in Congress.

FORUM FASHION

At the end of APEC summits, the leaders typically pose together for a “family photo.” At the first leader-level meeting three decades ago, President Bill Clinton, hosting in Seattle, handed out matching leather bomber jackets similar to those worn by American fighter pilots. He apparently wanted his fellow VIPs to feel relaxed, and a tradition was launched.

Since then, the APEC leaders have posed together in batik shirts (Malaysia, 1998), Chinese jackets (Shanghai, 2001), flowing ponchos (Chile, 2004) and "ao dai” tunics (Vietnam, 2006.) The Philippines’ barong tagalog, a partially see-through, embroidered shirt sewn from pineapple fiber and silk, was featured in the 1996 summit and again in 2015.

It's not clear if the matching outfits will be back this year. The last time the U.S. hosted the conference, in Hawaii in 2011, President Barack Obama nixed the idea. A reporter asked whether it was scrapped because the tradition felt too light-hearted amid ongoing concerns about the economy.

No. Obama just thought they looked embarrassing.

AP

Gai or Cow Puja is being observed throughout the country today on the third day of the five-day-long Tihar festival celebrated by the Hindus in the country.

The cow is worshiped as per the religious belief that we get love from her like a mother. The day today is also locally called Gai Tihar. The cow is garlanded and fed various delicacies.

Worshiping cows as sacred is a tradition since ancient Vedic times. Cows are revered as cow mothers because the milk given by cows is as nutritious as the milk given by human mothers.

Modern science has also proved that cows are important because the energy of the local breed of cow is taken from the sun and moon and gives strength to humans through milk.

In some parts of Nepal and some communities, there is a tradition of worshiping cow on the day of Kartik Krishna Aunsi, but there is a classical belief that cows should be worshiped at the end of Aunsi and at the beginning of Pratipada, said Nepal Calendar Determination Committee Member Prof Dr Ram Chandra Gautam.

There is also a religious belief that if the Rakshabandhan tied on the right hand is tied to the cow's tail after cow worship, the cow will help cross the river Vaitarani to go to heaven after death.