<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The UML and Maoist Centre top leaders have urged the concerned ones not to create any confusion, illusion and hindrance in the upcoming twin elections taking place on the announced dates.</span><br></p><p><br></p><p>The leftist alliance leaders stressed on holding timely elections of House of Representatives and State Assembly on November 26 and December 7.</p><p><br></p><p>Organizing a press meet in the Capital today, UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli said the nation is moving forward with democratic values and norms and there is no constitutional provision to postpone the elections.</p><p><br></p><p>Similarly, CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said holding timely elections is imminent for the implementation of the constitution.</p><p><br></p><p>He further said if any activities were carried out to affect elections, parliament could be reinstated reminding its term until the end of January.</p><p><br></p><p>In the joint press communiqué, both parties said there attention has been drawn to the recent verdict of the supreme court regarding the ballot papers. &nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 18.5714px;">The main ritual of the four-day Chhath festival is being observed today by worshipping and making offerings to the setting sun.&nbsp;</span><br></p><p><span style="line-height: 18.5714px;"><br></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 18.5714px;">The Chhath festival observed as common cultural symbol of the Tarai is celebrated as per religious tradition and much fanfare.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 18.5714px;"><br></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 18.5714px;">The festive fanfare can be seen in different parts including Ranipokhari, Gaurighat, Kupondole of Kathmandu Valley as well.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 18.5714px;"><br></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 18.5714px;">The festival is dedicated to the Sun God, with offerings made to the rising and setting Sun. It is observed for four days, from Kartik Shukla Chaturthi to Kartik Shukla Saptami as per the lunar calendar.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 18.5714px;"><br></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 18.5714px;">The ritual of Chhath festival includes taking holy bath, fasting, standing and worshiping the sun for a long time and offering prasad and argha to the ‘rising and setting Sun”.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">………</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The government has decided to give a public holiday tomorrow as well.&nbsp;</span><br></p><p>Issuing a statement today, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced to extend the public holiday even tomorrow in course of the Chhath festival.</p><p>In the prior years, the government used to grant the public holiday only on the same day of Chhath.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>The Chhath festival is being celebrated with fanfare particularly in Tarai today.&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">CPN (Maoist Centre) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said the Legislature-Parliament will automatically be restored if the elections to the House of Representatives and State Assembly were not held in the stipulated time.</span><br></p><p><br></p><p>While addressing a book launching programme in the capital city today, Chairman&nbsp;Prachanda said the regressive elements who do not want the progressive and the pro-change forces coming together might disturb the election process.</p><p>He also urged one and all not to cast doubts regarding &nbsp;the elections not taking place on the stipulated date) as the Election Commission has started the process of printing separate ballot papers for the same seat of the House of Representatives and State Assembly, in agreement with the top leaders of the major political parties.</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The office of the chief returning officer and returning officer have been set up today in 45 districts where the second phase of the House of Representatives and State Assembly elections are taking place on December 7.</span><br></p><p><br></p><p>According to the information provided by the Joint Election Operation Centre (JEOC) at the Election Commission, all the offices of the chief returning officer and the returning officer have come into operation from today.</p><p><br></p><p>The second phase of the federal and provincial parliament elections are being held in 128 and 256 electoral constituencies respectively.</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Minister for Information and Communications, Mohan Bahadur Basnet, has said that the country would move ahead towards the path of economic development along with constitution implementation.</span><br></p><p><br></p><p>Addressing cadres meeting in Kathmandu today, Communications Minister Basnet urged all to make the democratic alliance victorious in upcoming elections for building a prosperous Nepal.</p><p><br></p><p>Similarly, RPP (Democratic) Chairperson, Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana, claimed that there would be speedy development in the country if democratic alliance wins the upcoming elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has called for making the democracy celebration successful by participating in the House of Representatives and State Assembly elections taking place on November 26 and December 7.</span><br></p><p><br></p><p>Addressing the foundation stone laying function of the Rastriya Samachar Samiti today, he underlined the need of making the foundation of democracy strong through political stability and economic prosperity.</p><p><br></p><p>Noting that the mass media has developed in the form of an industry after the restoration of democracy, he said now there is legal provision for operating news agency from the private sector also.</p><p><br></p><p>He said the Rastriya Sambad Samiti and later as Rastriya Samachar Samiti, has established itself as a news bank disseminating impartial, credible and official news.&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Pressure is rising on Catalonia's President Carles Puigdemont over his regional government's drive for independence from Spain.</span><br></p><p>He had been due to make a statement to clarify his position, but the move has been suspended, officials said.</p><p>The Spanish government plans to strip the regional government and Mr Puigdemont of their powers.</p><p>Article 155 of the Spanish constitution lets Madrid take control of institutions, police and finances.</p>

<p><br></p><p>Voting is under way in Kenya amid tight security in a re-run of the presidential election, which is being boycotted by the main opposition.</p><p>Police have clashed with opposition supporters, some of whom have been blocking access to polling stations.</p><p>President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the winner in an August vote, but it is being held again over "irregularities".</p>

<p><br></p><p>Iraqi forces have launched an offensive to recapture the last bastion of so-called Islamic State in the country.</p><p>Soldiers, police, Sunni tribesmen and mostly Shia paramilitary fighters are taking part in the assault on al-Qaim and Rawa, in the Euphrates river valley close to the border with Syria.</p><p>The prime minister told IS militants to "choose between death and surrender".</p><p>The jihadists still control part of the Euphrates valley in the neighbouring Syrian province of Deir al-Zour.</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">US President Donald Trump has congratulated Chinese leader Xi Jinping on his "extraordinary elevation" after this week's Communist Party congress.</span><br></p><p>Mr Trump also praised Mr Xi in a TV interview in the US, and said "some might call him king of China".</p><p>Mr Xi cemented his hold on China when he had a second five-year term confirmed, with no clear successor, at the congress.</p><p>His name and doctrine have been written into the party's constitution.</p><p>The two leaders are due to hold talks at a state visit to China next month, having met at the G20 summit in July.</p>