Spain is on tenterhooks as the crisis between Catalan separatist leaders and the central government reaches fever-pitch ahead of an independence referendum banned by Madrid&nbsp;on Sunday.

The showdown is one of Spain&#39;s biggest political crisis since the end of the dictatorship of Francisco Franco four decades ago and it has Catalonia deeply divided.

So how did the situation get so out of hand?

Catalan separatists called the referendum on September 6 despite a ban by Spain&#39;s Constitutional Court and with little debate allowed in the regional parliament.

Since then, web closures, detentions and the seizure of millions of ballots don&#39;t appear to have dampened the enthusiasm of the separatists in this wealthy northeastern region which is home to 16 percent of Spain&#39;s population.

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<h5>On the subject of independence, Catalonia is divided almost down the middle... even within families</h5>
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When the organisers have been fined thousands of euros, activists have raised funds.

Ballot papers seized? They have called on people to print more.

And when internet sites promoting the referendum are blocked, others re-open.

Determined to block the illegal vote, the state has deployed thousands of police to Catalonia, some of them housed in ferries in the ports of Barcelona and Tarragona. One of the boats is decorated with giant Looney Tunes cartoon characters, including Tweety.

Cue the hashtag #FreeTweety, which has become a worldwide trending topic on Twitter, the little yellow bird becoming an emblem of Catalans who want to vote.

Catexit

But the potential independence of Catalonia, roughly the size of Belgium and contributing 19 percent of Spain&#39;s economy, is no laughing matter.

The consequences are hard to predict, leading to comparisons with Britain&#39;s decision to quit the European Union, which was made at a referendum in June 2016.

&quot;It&#39;s like the Brexit, just as stupid,&quot; says Beatriz Migens, a 43-year-old from the southern city of Seville, on the high-speed train from Madrid to Barcelona where she spends two days a week for work.

In Madrid, Rodrigo Marrero, a lawyer from the Canary Islands who works in the Spanish capital, says: &quot;If Catalonia left, it would be like losing a limb.&quot;

&quot;Everyone I know is dismayed, we talk of nothing else.&quot;

For his part, Ferran Mascarell, who represents the Catalan executive in Madrid, says there has long been resentment among Catalans who feel that Madrid holds them in contempt.

But the impact of Spain&#39;s economic crisis, followed by the Constitutional Court&#39;s partial cancellation in 2010 of a statute giving Catalonia greater autonomy, turned this into outright anger, he adds.

&quot;It&#39;s the result of a revolt of the middle-class against the state, which isn&#39;t doing its job right.&quot;

But those who oppose independence, particularly the Ciudadanos party, believe it is about more than that

They claim that some politicians have used the struggle for independence as a way to divert attention from corruption cases in Catalonia and mismanagement of the region.

&#39;We will vote&#39;

Catalonia has its own language and culture but out of its 7.5 million inhabitants, more than half come from elsewhere, such as those whose parents or grandparents migrated from other parts of Spain.

And on the subject of independence, Catalonia is divided almost down the middle... even within families.

But more than 70 percent of Catalans want to settle the matter once and for all in a legal referendum, according to opinion polls.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, though, refuses. He has repeatedly said any such referendum would contravene the very Constitution that Catalans overwhelmingly ratified in 1978.

He is also reluctant to open a Pandora&#39;s box in a fragile decentralised Spain where regions have differing levels of autonomy.

Still, after managing to emerge from a damaging economic crisis and put a stop to attacks by Basque separatist group ETA, Spain&#39;s image has taken a hit.

For weeks, the state, its judges and police forces have pulled out the stops to stop the Catalan vote.

Protests have broken out in Barcelona and other Catalan cities -- all peaceful except that several police vans were damaged.

Firefighters, dockers, farmers and school children have shown their determination with slogans like &quot;Votarem&quot; (Catalan for &quot;we will vote&quot;) or &quot;love democracy.&quot;

Madrid has however emphasised that even if Catalans manage to vote en masse&nbsp;on Sunday, it will not be a referendum with any semblance of legitimacy.

There is no electoral census, the board set up to oversee the vote has been dissolved, and parties against independence have called on their followers to boycott&nbsp;Sunday&#39;s&nbsp;vote.

The state is determined to block the vote, which it calls illegal

Spain is on tenterhooks as the crisis between Catalan separatist leaders and the central government reaches fever-pitch ahead of an independence referendum banned by Madrid on Sunday. The showdown is one of Spain's biggest political crisis since the end of the dictatorship of Francisco Franco four decades ago and it has Catalonia deeply divided. So how did the situation get so out of hand? Catalan separatists called the referendum on September 6 despite a ban by Spain's Constitutional Court and with little debate allowed in the regional parliament. Since then, web closures, detentions and the seizure of millions of ballots don't appear to have dampened the enthusiasm of the separatists in this wealthy northeastern region which is home to 16 percent of Spain's population. On the subject of independence, Catalonia is divided almost down the middle... even within families × When the organisers have been fined thousands of euros, activists have raised funds. Ballot papers seized? They have called on people to print more. And when internet sites promoting the referendum are blocked, others re-open. Determined to block the illegal vote, the state has deployed thousands of police to Catalonia, some of them housed in ferries in the ports of Barcelona and Tarragona. One of the boats is decorated with giant Looney Tunes cartoon characters, including Tweety. Cue the hashtag #FreeTweety, which has become a worldwide trending topic on Twitter, the little yellow bird becoming an emblem of Catalans who want to vote. Catexit But the potential independence of Catalonia, roughly the size of Belgium and contributing 19 percent of Spain's economy, is no laughing matter. The consequences are hard to predict, leading to comparisons with Britain's decision to quit the European Union, which was made at a referendum in June 2016. "It's like the Brexit, just as stupid," says Beatriz Migens, a 43-year-old from the southern city of Seville, on the high-speed train from Madrid to Barcelona where she spends two days a week for work. In Madrid, Rodrigo Marrero, a lawyer from the Canary Islands who works in the Spanish capital, says: "If Catalonia left, it would be like losing a limb." "Everyone I know is dismayed, we talk of nothing else." For his part, Ferran Mascarell, who represents the Catalan executive in Madrid, says there has long been resentment among Catalans who feel that Madrid holds them in contempt. But the impact of Spain's economic crisis, followed by the Constitutional Court's partial cancellation in 2010 of a statute giving Catalonia greater autonomy, turned this into outright anger, he adds. "It's the result of a revolt of the middle-class against the state, which isn't doing its job right." But those who oppose independence, particularly the Ciudadanos party, believe it is about more than that They claim that some politicians have used the struggle for independence as a way to divert attention from corruption cases in Catalonia and mismanagement of the region. 'We will vote' Catalonia has its own language and culture but out of its 7.5 million inhabitants, more than half come from elsewhere, such as those whose parents or grandparents migrated from other parts of Spain. And on the subject of independence, Catalonia is divided almost down the middle... even within families. But more than 70 percent of Catalans want to settle the matter once and for all in a legal referendum, according to opinion polls. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, though, refuses. He has repeatedly said any such referendum would contravene the very Constitution that Catalans overwhelmingly ratified in 1978. He is also reluctant to open a Pandora's box in a fragile decentralised Spain where regions have differing levels of autonomy. Still, after managing to emerge from a damaging economic crisis and put a stop to attacks by Basque separatist group ETA, Spain's image has taken a hit. For weeks, the state, its judges and police forces have pulled out the stops to stop the Catalan vote. Protests have broken out in Barcelona and other Catalan cities -- all peaceful except that several police vans were damaged. Firefighters, dockers, farmers and school children have shown their determination with slogans like "Votarem" (Catalan for "we will vote") or "love democracy." Madrid has however emphasised that even if Catalans manage to vote en masse on Sunday, it will not be a referendum with any semblance of legitimacy. There is no electoral census, the board set up to oversee the vote has been dissolved, and parties against independence have called on their followers to boycott Sunday's vote.

Spain on tenterhooks ahead of Catalan independence referendum

The government and opposition parties in the DR Congo on Saturday clinched a hard-won deal over President Joseph Kabila&#39;s fate, ending a political crisis that sparked months of deadly unrest.

Under the terms of the deal, Kabila will stay until the &quot;end of 2017&quot; but a transition council will be established, headed by opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi.

In addition, a prime minister will be named from the opposition ranks.

The talks were launched by the Roman Catholic Church to ward off violence as Kabila&#39;s second and final mandate ended on December 20 with no sign of him stepping down and no election in sight.

The final deal was signed after 13 hours of negotiation on Saturday and only after several last-minute hitches nearly derailed an accord.

According to a working document for the deal previously seen by AFP, Kabila guarantees that he will not seek a third mandate.

In return, the opposition accepted the president remain in office until handing over to an elected successor.

The opposition had previously demanded his immediate departure from public life.The Catholic Church, which plays a key role in the vast central African country of some 70 million people, launched the negotiations on December 8 and had initially hoped to see a deal before Christmas.

Voters in DR Congo were originally to have chosen a new president in 2016, but the authorities said the electoral registers must be revised, a huge enterprise in a country almost the size of Europe.

And in a highly controversial ruling, the constitutional court said Kabila could remain in office until an election was held. 
The ruling fed opposition fears that he planned to amend the constitution to allow him to run for a third term.

Kabila, 45, has been in power since the 2001 assassination of his father Laurent at the height of the Second Congo War. 
He was confirmed as leader in 2006 during the first free elections since independence from Belgium in 1960, and re-elected for a second term in 2011 in a vote marred by allegations of massive fraud.

Sixteen representatives met on Saturday, comprising eight from the opposition coalition, called Rassemblement (&quot;Gathering&quot;), and eight from the government and groups which had signed a deal with the regime in October.

One dispute was over wording for the appointment of the prime minister -- the government side want the individual to be &quot;drawn from the opposition,&quot; whereas Gathering want the premier to be &quot;appointed by the opposition.&quot;

The opposition side also want the deal to allow a wealthy businessman and potential presidential candidate, Moise Katumbi, to be allowed to return to the country.

Katumbi has been sentenced to a three-year term in prison in an alleged case of property fraud and faces another trial in an alleged case of mercenary recruitment.

DR Congo has never witnessed a democratic transfer of power following polls since independence from Belgium in 1960. 
Two decades ago, the country collapsed into the deadliest conflict in modern African history.

Its two wars in the late 1990s and early 2000s dragged in at least six African armies and left more than three million dead. Its restive east remains a battleground for rival ethnic militias.

&nbsp;

(AFP)

President Kabila will stay until the 'end of 2017' but a transition council will be established

The government and opposition parties in the DR Congo on Saturday clinched a hard-won deal over President Joseph Kabila's fate, ending a political crisis that sparked months of deadly unrest. Under the terms of the deal, Kabila will stay until the "end of 2017" but a transition council will be established, headed by opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi. In addition, a prime minister will be named from the opposition ranks. The talks were launched by the Roman Catholic Church to ward off violence as Kabila's second and final mandate ended on December 20 with no sign of him stepping down and no election in sight. The final deal was signed after 13 hours of negotiation on Saturday and only after several last-minute hitches nearly derailed an accord. According to a working document for the deal previously seen by AFP, Kabila guarantees that he will not seek a third mandate. In return, the opposition accepted the president remain in office until handing over to an elected successor. The opposition had previously demanded his immediate departure from public life.The Catholic Church, which plays a key role in the vast central African country of some 70 million people, launched the negotiations on December 8 and had initially hoped to see a deal before Christmas. Voters in DR Congo were originally to have chosen a new president in 2016, but the authorities said the electoral registers must be revised, a huge enterprise in a country almost the size of Europe. And in a highly controversial ruling, the constitutional court said Kabila could remain in office until an election was held. The ruling fed opposition fears that he planned to amend the constitution to allow him to run for a third term. Kabila, 45, has been in power since the 2001 assassination of his father Laurent at the height of the Second Congo War. He was confirmed as leader in 2006 during the first free elections since independence from Belgium in 1960, and re-elected for a second term in 2011 in a vote marred by allegations of massive fraud. Sixteen representatives met on Saturday, comprising eight from the opposition coalition, called Rassemblement ("Gathering"), and eight from the government and groups which had signed a deal with the regime in October. One dispute was over wording for the appointment of the prime minister -- the government side want the individual to be "drawn from the opposition," whereas Gathering want the premier to be "appointed by the opposition." The opposition side also want the deal to allow a wealthy businessman and potential presidential candidate, Moise Katumbi, to be allowed to return to the country. Katumbi has been sentenced to a three-year term in prison in an alleged case of property fraud and faces another trial in an alleged case of mercenary recruitment. DR Congo has never witnessed a democratic transfer of power following polls since independence from Belgium in 1960. Two decades ago, the country collapsed into the deadliest conflict in modern African history. Its two wars in the late 1990s and early 2000s dragged in at least six African armies and left more than three million dead. Its restive east remains a battleground for rival ethnic militias. (AFP)

Deal to end DR Congo political crisis reached

Congolese Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo resigned Monday to make way for an opposition figure to take his place following talks aimed at averting a political crisis.

&quot;I have offered my resignation as well as those of the members of my government... to respond to the spirit and the letter of the accord,&quot; said Matata as he left a meeting with President Joseph Kabila, referring to the deal struck after a political dialogue boycotted by the main opposition parties.

DRC&#39;s political crisis deepened last month after a presidential election, which had been due before the year&#39;s end, was postponed until April 2018.&nbsp;

The opposition has accused Kabila, who has been in office since 2001, of manipulating the electoral system to stay in power after his second term ends on December 20.&nbsp;

The decision to delay the vote was taken in October by the government and fringe opposition groups following a &quot;national dialogue&quot; - boycotted as a sham by much of the opposition -&nbsp;aimed at calming soaring political tensions.

Kabila will address the nation Tuesday when he speaks to parliament. &nbsp;

A UN Security Council delegation in the country has called for a peaceful transition of power following the government&#39;s decision to delay elections.

(AFP)

The country's political crisis deepened last month after the opposition accused President Kabila of manipulating the electoral system

Congolese Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo resigned Monday to make way for an opposition figure to take his place following talks aimed at averting a political crisis. "I have offered my resignation as well as those of the members of my government... to respond to the spirit and the letter of the accord," said Matata as he left a meeting with President Joseph Kabila, referring to the deal struck after a political dialogue boycotted by the main opposition parties. DRC's political crisis deepened last month after a presidential election, which had been due before the year's end, was postponed until April 2018. The opposition has accused Kabila, who has been in office since 2001, of manipulating the electoral system to stay in power after his second term ends on December 20. The decision to delay the vote was taken in October by the government and fringe opposition groups following a "national dialogue" - boycotted as a sham by much of the opposition - aimed at calming soaring political tensions. Kabila will address the nation Tuesday when he speaks to parliament. A UN Security Council delegation in the country has called for a peaceful transition of power following the government's decision to delay elections. (AFP)

Congolese Prime Minister Ponyo offers resignation to avert political crisis

Venezuela freed four activists and the opposition postponed a symbolic trial in congress of President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday even as it warned it would quit Vatican-backed talks in a matter of days if tough conditions were not met.

Maduro met with opposition leaders on Sunday for the start of talks to ease a political standoff between the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition-led parliament during a spiraling economic crisis.

As well as suspending its parliamentary proceedings against Maduro, the opposition also agreed to postpone a march planned for Thursday to the presidential palace that the government had described as part of a coup plot.

But it demanded that the government release around 100 jailed opposition activists and bring forward the next presidential election - conditions that are likely to meet with significant resistance from government leaders.

Venezuela&#39;s next presidential election is due in late 2018.

&quot;We have put these points on the table, not so that they can be addressed in months but rather in the coming days and weeks,&quot; said opposition legislative leader Julio Borges during Tuesday&#39;s session. &quot;Otherwise, we will walk away from the negotiating table and continue with our struggle.&quot;

Without concrete progress, Borges said, the opposition would reopen the political trial and resume protests. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets last week in demonstrations that left dozens arrested and wounded.

Maduro&#39;s adversaries accuse him of creating a dictatorship by leaning on compliant institutions to block the recall referendum and sideline the National Assembly.

The Socialist Party lost control of the legislature in a landslide election in 2015 that was driven primarily by voter outrage over triple-digit inflation and widespread product shortages that have left many unable to eat three meals per day.

Activists freed

Maduro insists economic troubles are the result of an &quot;economic war&quot; imposed by hostile businessmen with the help of Venezuela&#39;s ideological adversaries in Washington.

The two sides have held repeated dialogue processes over the years that generally produced limited results.

&quot;I congratulate the opposition because they are calming down,&quot; Maduro said in a radio show.

&quot;What is the alternative to dialogue? War.&quot;

Many in the opposition have called the dialogue a stalling tactic and insist Maduro has no intention of allowing a referendum or an early presidential vote.

Authorities on Monday night freed three activists - Carlos Melo, Andres Moreno and Marco Trejo.

Moreno and Trejo spent a month in jail, accused of damaging military morale in a political propaganda video that showed a soldier suffering the same economic hardships as protesters.

The opposition&#39;s coalition on Tuesday said authorities had also released Coromoto Rodriguez, head of security for the legislature who was arrested during an opposition rally in May.

Government critics had said the detention was illegal and called it an effort to intimidate the legislature.

Investigations of the activists will continue, the government says. The three deny the charges.

As well as the Vatican, three former heads of state from Panama, Dominican Republic and Spain plus the regional bloc Unasur are trying to foster dialogue in Venezuela.

Senior U.S. diplomat Tom Shannon is also in Caracas and met with Maduro on Monday to try and support the talks.

Having narrowly won election in 2013 to replace Hugo Chavez, who died of cancer, Maduro has seen his popularity plummet, largely due to the OPEC nation&#39;s unprecedented economic crisis.

(Reuters)

It also agreed to postpone a march planned for Thursday to the presidential palace that the government had described as part of a coup plot

Venezuela freed four activists and the opposition postponed a symbolic trial in congress of President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday even as it warned it would quit Vatican-backed talks in a matter of days if tough conditions were not met. Maduro met with opposition leaders on Sunday for the start of talks to ease a political standoff between the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition-led parliament during a spiraling economic crisis. As well as suspending its parliamentary proceedings against Maduro, the opposition also agreed to postpone a march planned for Thursday to the presidential palace that the government had described as part of a coup plot. But it demanded that the government release around 100 jailed opposition activists and bring forward the next presidential election - conditions that are likely to meet with significant resistance from government leaders. Venezuela's next presidential election is due in late 2018. "We have put these points on the table, not so that they can be addressed in months but rather in the coming days and weeks," said opposition legislative leader Julio Borges during Tuesday's session. "Otherwise, we will walk away from the negotiating table and continue with our struggle." Without concrete progress, Borges said, the opposition would reopen the political trial and resume protests. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets last week in demonstrations that left dozens arrested and wounded. Maduro's adversaries accuse him of creating a dictatorship by leaning on compliant institutions to block the recall referendum and sideline the National Assembly. The Socialist Party lost control of the legislature in a landslide election in 2015 that was driven primarily by voter outrage over triple-digit inflation and widespread product shortages that have left many unable to eat three meals per day. Activists freed Maduro insists economic troubles are the result of an "economic war" imposed by hostile businessmen with the help of Venezuela's ideological adversaries in Washington. The two sides have held repeated dialogue processes over the years that generally produced limited results. "I congratulate the opposition because they are calming down," Maduro said in a radio show. "What is the alternative to dialogue? War." Many in the opposition have called the dialogue a stalling tactic and insist Maduro has no intention of allowing a referendum or an early presidential vote. Authorities on Monday night freed three activists - Carlos Melo, Andres Moreno and Marco Trejo. Moreno and Trejo spent a month in jail, accused of damaging military morale in a political propaganda video that showed a soldier suffering the same economic hardships as protesters. The opposition's coalition on Tuesday said authorities had also released Coromoto Rodriguez, head of security for the legislature who was arrested during an opposition rally in May. Government critics had said the detention was illegal and called it an effort to intimidate the legislature. Investigations of the activists will continue, the government says. The three deny the charges. As well as the Vatican, three former heads of state from Panama, Dominican Republic and Spain plus the regional bloc Unasur are trying to foster dialogue in Venezuela. Senior U.S. diplomat Tom Shannon is also in Caracas and met with Maduro on Monday to try and support the talks. Having narrowly won election in 2013 to replace Hugo Chavez, who died of cancer, Maduro has seen his popularity plummet, largely due to the OPEC nation's unprecedented economic crisis. (Reuters)

Venezuela opposition scraps Maduro trial but presses demands

Nepal was thrown into political crisis today when the main Maoist party withdrew its support from the ruling coalition and called for the formation of a new government, threatening to topple Prime Minister KP Oli. 
 
The Maoists tried to unseat Oli in May but he clung on after reaching a power-sharing deal.&nbsp; 
 
An official from the prime minister&#39;s communist UML party said Oli would meet officials later on Tuesday to discuss his next move.&nbsp; 
 
Oli came to power in October when the Maoists offered his party parliamentary backing to build a coalition in the impoverished Himalayan country.&nbsp; 
 
Maoists accuse Oli of breaking promise&nbsp; 
 
The Maoists - who ended a decade-long insurgency in 2006 before joining mainstream politics - said Oli had broken promises he made in May.&nbsp; 
 
They also accuse him of failing to resolve festering anger in the south of the country over the terms of a new constitution, and of failing to speed up rebuilding of homes and roads destroyed in an earthquake last year.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We believe that our decision to withdraw support to this government will help form a new alliance on the basis of national consensus among major political parties,&quot; Krishna Bahadur Mahara, a top Maoist official, told reporters in Kathmandu.&nbsp; 
 
Congress ready to back Maoists &nbsp; 
 
Mahara said the opposition Nepali Congress party was ready to throw its support behind Maoist leader Prachanda to form a new government. Congress party officials were not immediately available for comment.&nbsp; 
 
Commentator Lok Raj Baral said the Maoists&#39; move could force a no-confidence vote and end Oli&#39;&#39;s term in office.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I suspect these two parties have already made a deal, but we will need to wait and see how Oli and the UML respond,&quot; he told Reuters, referring to the Maoists and the Congress. 
 
The Maoists&#39; withdrawal of support is the latest political twist for Nepal since it adopted its first post-monarchy constitution in September. 
 
The passing of the constitution looked like a rare moment of political consensus for the country, which became a republic in 2008, but it soon sparked protests. 
 
Minority Madhesis, who live mostly in Nepal&#39;s lowlands near India, imposed a four-month border blockade to protest against a proposal to carve Nepal into seven federal states, which they say would divide their homeland and deprive them of a fair say. 
 
More than 50 people were killed in clashes before protesters called off the blockade in February. 
 
Neighbours India and China compete for influence in Nepal and are both likely to be concerned by the prospect of more instability. 
 
(Reuetrs)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Maoists - who ended a decade-long insurgency in 2006 before joining mainstream politics - say PM Oli has broken promises he made in May

Nepal was thrown into political crisis today when the main Maoist party withdrew its support from the ruling coalition and called for the formation of a new government, threatening to topple Prime Minister KP Oli. The Maoists tried to unseat Oli in May but he clung on after reaching a power-sharing deal. An official from the prime minister's communist UML party said Oli would meet officials later on Tuesday to discuss his next move. Oli came to power in October when the Maoists offered his party parliamentary backing to build a coalition in the impoverished Himalayan country. Maoists accuse Oli of breaking promise The Maoists - who ended a decade-long insurgency in 2006 before joining mainstream politics - said Oli had broken promises he made in May. They also accuse him of failing to resolve festering anger in the south of the country over the terms of a new constitution, and of failing to speed up rebuilding of homes and roads destroyed in an earthquake last year. "We believe that our decision to withdraw support to this government will help form a new alliance on the basis of national consensus among major political parties," Krishna Bahadur Mahara, a top Maoist official, told reporters in Kathmandu. Congress ready to back Maoists Mahara said the opposition Nepali Congress party was ready to throw its support behind Maoist leader Prachanda to form a new government. Congress party officials were not immediately available for comment. Commentator Lok Raj Baral said the Maoists' move could force a no-confidence vote and end Oli''s term in office. "I suspect these two parties have already made a deal, but we will need to wait and see how Oli and the UML respond," he told Reuters, referring to the Maoists and the Congress. The Maoists' withdrawal of support is the latest political twist for Nepal since it adopted its first post-monarchy constitution in September. The passing of the constitution looked like a rare moment of political consensus for the country, which became a republic in 2008, but it soon sparked protests. Minority Madhesis, who live mostly in Nepal's lowlands near India, imposed a four-month border blockade to protest against a proposal to carve Nepal into seven federal states, which they say would divide their homeland and deprive them of a fair say. More than 50 people were killed in clashes before protesters called off the blockade in February. Neighbours India and China compete for influence in Nepal and are both likely to be concerned by the prospect of more instability. (Reuetrs)

Nepal in crisis after Maoists withdraw support, call for formation of new government

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