New Indian foreign secretary Rao arrives

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 14 Sept: Newly appointed Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao arrived for a two-day official visit Monday morning.
She is holding bilateral talks with Foreign Secretary Gyan Chandra Acharya
to push agreements agreed during Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal’s just concluded India visit.
She is holding talks with Nepal, Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala and leaders of political parties.
Sujata returned home Sunday night from China where she laid the groundwork for PM Nepal’s impending China visit.
India’s trouble shooter Prof SD Muni, a government if India operative in the guide of an academic, laid the groundwork for the Rao visit by meeting top party leaders including Prachanda and Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala.
India is concerned with deep political differences between political parties delaying the drafting of a constitution to replace the interim constitution.
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Maoists shut down schools

Kathmandu, 14 Sept: Maoists shut down higher secondary schools nation-wide Monday for the second successive day forcing thousands of students to stay away from schools.
Maoists said they will force closure for four consecutive days pressing 13 demands.
Maoists demanded fives teachers for every higher secondary school where fees should be uniform; education should be free up to 12 class and education should be standardized.
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Auspicious time for tika at 1.55 in the morning

Kathmandu, 14 Sept: The auspicious for tika on Bijaya dashami [28 Sept] is at 10.55 in the morning, Annapurna Post reports.
The Panchayan decision committee fixed the time following a meeting.
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Prachanda Hong Kong bound

Kathmandu, 14 Sept: Chairman Prachanda flew for Hong Kong overnight to organize a training camp for party workers in the island.
He is scheduled to return home Thursday.
Foreign department Chief Krishna Bahadur Mahara is in the chairman’s team.
The Maoist chief is accompanied by wife Sita.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

Remittances increase 47 percent

Kathmandu, 14 Sept: Remittances surged 47 percent to Rs 209.69 billion in fiscal year 2008/09, Nepal Rashtra Bank said.
Remittances in 2007/08 was Rs. 142.7 billion.
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