Nepal Highlights

Multiple fatalities have been reported after a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island, police say. The tremor, which hit at 1251 (2351 GMT on Monday) only 10km (6.2 miles) south-east of the city at a depth of 5km (3.1 miles), caused widespread destruction. The fire service said numerous people were trapped in buildings, and a state of emergency has been declared. The damage is said to be far worse than after September's 7.1-magnitude quake. Two people were seriously injured by the tremor, whose epicentre was further away and deeper. It caused an estimated $3bn in damage. There have been several aftershocks since last September's quake, with a 4.9 magnitude tremor hitting just after Christmas. 'Very black day'   The Pyne Gould Guinness building in central Christchurch suffered severe damage TV pictures of the aftermath of Tuesday's earthquake showed several collapsed buildings in the centre of Christchurch. People c

UJJWAL PRASAIN                     SILIGURI, FEB 22 Kumar Subba, the veteran Nepali singer based in Darjeeling, is convalescing in Siliguri after two months of hospitalization. After he suffered a brain stroke in November—paralysis followed soon after—he could not move the left side of his body and was completely bed-ridden. Finally, after treatment and rest, his health has been improving. He can now walk a bit and can talk to people. An indefatigable singer, Subba has already begun to plan new projects for his listeners. He has been preparing himself mentally for his upcoming music concert in Kathmandu. "Though I cannot play my harmonium and sing now, I am mustering up the energy to be fit for the concert that nepa~laya will organise," says Subba. The concert had been planned before Subba suffered the stroke. Subba has already performed in Paleti, the monthly event organised by nepa~laya that features Nepali singers. Though Subba believes he can regain his health for the c

THIRA L BHUSAL KATHMANDU, Feb 21: The politburo meeting of the ruling CPN-UML has decided to amend the seven-point agreement and forwarded a proposal to this effect to the party´s central committee for final endorsement. The meeting accepted the controversial deal after redefining its main spirit and objective as being to complete the peace process and write a democratic constitution within the given timeframe. The politburo has come up with a middle-way solution to the row in which the two rival factions in the party were engaged in arguments and counterarguments for and against the deal reached between UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal and UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on February 3, just hours before Khanal was elected prime minister with Maoist support. While the Khanal faction defended the deal, the other camp led by former prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and KP Sharma Oli vehemently opposed some points mentioned in the agreement. The Nepal-Oli camp smelt a rat in one

The Supreme Court (SC) has directed the government to ensure free education up to secondary level as per the provision in the interim constitution, Monday. Hearing on a writ filed by All Nepal National Independent Students' Union – Revolutionary (ANNISU-R), the student wing of the UCPN (Maoist), Monday, a division bench of SC justices Balram KC and Bharat Raj Uprety ordered the government to  ensure free education to everyone up to tenth grade by making necessary changes in the laws and regulations. At present, the government is providing free education only up to eighth grade. However, the government is providing free education in community schools up to 12th grade to students from the Dalit community, marginalised community and Karnali region. Sub-article 2 of article 17 in the interim constitution mentions, every citizen shall have the right to get free education up to the secondary level from the State, as provided in law. ANNISU-R had filed the writ at the Supreme Court la