Maoist strike closes thousands of schools in Nepal

A strike called by former communist rebels shut down more than 8,000 private schools across this Himalayan nation over demands that school authorities reverse a decision to increase fees.

The student wing of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the former communist rebels, warned the schools to stay closed or face violence until the new fees are withdrawn.

Surya Krishna Shrestha of the Private and Boarding Schools of Nepal, which decides school fee rates for its member schools, said more than 1 million students were forced to stay at home Monday.

Initial reports said a handful of schools that defied the strike call and opened were attacked, …