Nepal’s prime minister said today he took a major political gamble partnering with communist rebels, which has resulted in peace being restored.

NEPAL’S new prime minister announced a seven-member Cabinet yesterday, designating a communist as his deputy and foreign minister.

Nepal’s new prime minister announced a cabinet today that includes a communist party leader as his deputy, and he faces the daunting tasks of negotiating peace with Maoist rebels and cementing the return of democracy.

TENS of thousands of people celebrated in the streets of Nepal yesterday as weeks of pro-democracy protests were called off after the king gave in to a key demand to reinstate parliament.

Nepalese security forces fought back a communist rebel attack today, as foreign diplomats sought to halt the country’s political crisis and officials placed the capital, Kathmandu under curfew for the fifth day due to anti-monarchy protests.

Nepalese police opened fire today as thousands of protesters marched toward the capital Kathmandu in defiance of a government-imposed curfew, killing at least three people and wounding dozens more.

Soldiers and police patrolled Nepal’s capital today as thousands of protesters from surrounding areas marched toward the city limits, where troops had orders to shoot on sight anyone breaking a curfew.

Soldiers and police patrolled Nepal’s capital Kathmandu today to enforce a shoot-on-sight curfew aimed to keep anti-monarchy protesters off the streets, but opposition leaders said they would still hold a planned rally.

Baton-wielding police beat journalists who were protesting against a media clampdown in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu today, as a general strike called by the opposition to demand the king’s departure shut down the Himalayan nation.

Nepal’s royal government pledged today to hold municipal elections next month despite a boycott by major parties, disruptive demonstrations, the assassination of a candidate and rebel violence that left 26 dead over the weekend.

NEW rebel violence killed at least 25 people in Nepal yesterday, while political parties continued to defy a government crackdown on protests against King Gyanendra’s direct rule over the Himalayan kingdom.

New rebel violence killed at least 26 people in Nepal today, while political parties continued to defy a government crackdown on protests against King Gyanendra’s direct rule over the Himalayan kingdom.

Nepal’s political parties today rejected on offer from communist rebels to help the campaign to restore democracy in the Himalayan nation, saying the guerrillas must renounce violence before the two groups can unite to challenge King Gyanendra.

Police in Nepal stormed the house of former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and took him into custody today after he failed to appear before an anti-corruption commission, in a crackdown by the royalist government that critics say is politically motivated.

Dozens of politicians have been arrested in Nepal since King Gyanendra declared a state of emergency and many more have gone underground, an opposition figure said today.

Nepalese police arrested more than 2,000 protesters and beat others with batons during a violent rally in the capital Kathmandu today.