<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The meeting of the Sub-Committee under the parliamentary State Affairs Committee has endorsed its report on the Bill relating to facilities of former office-bearers -2074.</span><br></p><p>The Bill defines former officer-bearers as former Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Prime Ministers/Chairs of Council of Ministers, Chief Justices, Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly (CA), the Speaker of the Parliament and the Chairperson of the National Assembly, the Upper House of Parliament.</p><p>Clause 4 of the Bill states the perk, pay and privileges incorporated in the Bill for the VIPs include Rs 200,000 every month for the former Presidents not having house of their own in the Kathmandu Valley as a house rent while other former office-bearers would receive Rs 75,000 monthly.</p><p>Similarly, the former Presidents who would own house in the Kathmandu Valley would be provided one million rupees in lump sum annually for the maintenance of the houses while other former office-bearers would receive Rs 300,000 in lump sum for the same purpose, according to the Bill.</p><p>In case of death of former office-bearers receiving the facilities , the families of him/her should return vehicle provided to him/her to the concerned authority within three months, according to a provision in the Bill. &nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p>The former CA members, and members of the Legislature-Parliament, Parliament, the House of Representatives and the National Assembly will be provided with free treatment facility at government hospital, according to the clause 7 of the Bill. &nbsp;</p><p>The Bill will be tabled at the Legislature-Parliament after being passed by the SAC. It will come into effect after the parliament endorses it.&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The government has condemned the recent missile test carried out by North Korea.</span><br></p><p>Government of Nepal deplores the missile test carried out by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 15 September 2017 in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, including the latest ones, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release today.&nbsp;</p><p>It is regretted that DPRK has for some time carried out nuclear tests and launched missiles despite the repeated calls of the UN Security Council and international community, the press release further stated.</p><p>Noting that in line with her consistent policy of general and complete disarmament of all weapons of mass destruction, the press release stated that Nepal stands against such tests and launches.</p><p>Nepal wishes to see peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, the press release adds.&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Nepal has become the champion of ACC Under-19 Eastern Region Cricket Tournament by defeating Hong Kong.</span><br></p><p>Nepal defeated Hong Kong by five wickets in the final match held at Kinrara Oval Cricket Ground of Malaysia today.</p><p>With this title, Nepal has been selected in the ACC U-19 Asia Cup to be organised in Malaysia next month.</p><p>The Nepali team achieved the 77-run target put by Hong Kong in 14.4 overs. Captain Dipendra Singh Airee secured highest 22 runs in the match.</p><p>Opener Sandeep Sunara and Anil Kumar Shah contributed 19 runs and 16 runs respectively to win the match. &nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is leaving for New York on 19 September 2017 leading Nepali delegation to the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).</span><br></p><p>The High Level Segment of the UNGA will begin on 19 September 2017 with the theme of ‘Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet’, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release today.</p><p>While in New York, the Prime Minister will address the United Nations General Assembly on 23 September 2017. The Prime Minister will hold bilateral meeting with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres the same day.&nbsp;</p><p>On the sidelines of the UNGA, the Prime Minister will have bilateral meetings with the President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani; President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena; Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina; and Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi &nbsp;on 21 September.&nbsp;</p><p>On the same day, the Prime Minister will address the Columbia University's World Leaders Forum.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Prime Minister Deuba will have a bilateral meeting with the President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid on 22 September.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>The Prime Minister will then address and give directions to the Americas-based Heads of Nepali Diplomatic Missions.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>The Prime Minister will attend the National Day reception to be hosted by the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations in New York on 22nd of September as the Chief Guest. Similarly, the Prime Minister will attend the National Day programme being organized by the Consulate General of Nepal in New York on 23 September.</p><p>Prime Minister Deuba will leave New York for Muscat, Oman on 24 September where he is scheduled to address Heads of Nepali Diplomatic Missions based in the Gulf region and provide direction on matters relating to promoting and protecting interest of Nepal and Nepali migrant workers in the region.</p><p>Prior to the departure of the Prime Minister from Kathmandu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara will leave for New York today to participate in the 72 UNGA.&nbsp;</p><p>The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs will Chair the Informal Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers on 21 September 2017.</p><p>While in New York, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs will participate and address the ministerial meetings of the Non-Alignment Movement, G77 and China, Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Land-locked Developing Countries. He will represent Nepal at the Ministerial Meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue.</p><p><br></p><p>Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs will attend the reception hosted by Mr. Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, in the evening of 19 September and will join the luncheon hosted by the UN Secretary General in the same afternoon.</p><p><br></p><p>During his stay in New York, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Mahara will participate in the high-level Open Debate on Reform of UN Peacekeeping organized by the UN Security Council; high-level meeting hosted by the UN Secretary General on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse; high-level event on Water for Sustainable Development; high level event to End Forced Labor, Slavery, Child Labor and Trafficking- A Call to Action; and high-level event on South-South and Triangular Cooperation.</p><p><br></p><p>On the sidelines, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs will have bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Bahrain, Bhutan, Norway, Oman and Qatar. He will also have bilateral meetings with senior officials of the United Nations.</p><p><br></p><p>The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs will sign the Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty adopted at the United Nations Conference in July this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The Election Commission (EC) has arranged an alternative option for a voter lacking voter identity card with photo issued by the EC to exercise his or her franchise in the third phase of September 18 local elections in Province 2.&nbsp;</span></p><p><br></p><p>In case a voter loses his or her voter ID card, or gets it destroyed, he or she can vote by producing other identity cards issued by the government like citizenship card, passport, driving license, and land ownership certificate, said EC's assistant Spokesperson Mukunda Sharma.&nbsp;</p>