Nepal opened the first session of a newly elected parliament today with a resolution to abolish the monarchy and declare a republic, ending 239 years of royal rule.

Nepal’s Maoist former rebels continued today to sweep initial results announced in elections key to a peace process that saw them give up their 10-year armed revolt.

The former leader of Nepal’s Maoist insurgency captured a seat today on a new assembly that will chart the Himalayan country’s future, election officials said.

The former leader of Nepal’s bloody Maoist insurgency captured a seat today on a new assembly that will chart the Himalayan country’s future, election officials said.

Nepal’s government has agreed to abolish the monarchy in a deal to persuade former insurgents to join the government.

Six former communist rebels were sworn in to Nepal’s new government today as part of a landmark peace pact that ended a decade-long insurgency.

Nepal celebrated the end of a bloody 10-year insurgency by declaring a public holiday today, as the international community hailed the deal under which communist rebels will join an interim government.

Nepal’s opposition alliance called off weeks of devastating pro-democracy protests today after King Gyanendra gave in to a demand to reinstate Parliament, but Maoist insurgents quickly rejected the royal announcement.

NEPAL’S embattled king last night reinstated the lower house of parliament that was dissolved in 2002, meeting a key demand of the seven-party alliance leading weeks of pro-democracy protests that have pushed the Himalayan country to the brink of chaos.

SECURITY forces in a southern town shot into a crowd marching on the main highway to protest Nepal’s royal dictatorship yesterday, killing one and wounding five, a local administrator said.

Police in Nepal fought frenzied street battles today with activists during their four-day general strike against the king’s rule, and 150 people were reported arrested in a crackdown that has sparked international condemnation.

Thousands of troops fanned out across the Nepalese capital Katmandu today to enforce a curfew aimed at derailing opposition plans for a massive rally to protest the king’s seizure of absolute power nearly a year ago.

Nepal’s royal government today charged a prominent student leader with sedition for leading street protests against King Gyanendra.

Nepalese police raided a hide-out and arrested a democracy activist on their most-wanted list and two other student leaders who had eluded capture since the king’s crackdown on dissidents in February, officials said today.

DEFYING a ban, five political parties in Nepal yesterday organised rallies to protest against the royal takeover during which at least 50 protestors, including eight former ministers, were taken into custody.

Nepal’s finance minister has said the suspension of foreign aid will fuel terrorism in the insurgency-wracked nation.

KING Gyanendra dismissed Nepal’s government and imposed a state of emergency yesterday, cutting off his Himalayan nation from the rest of the world as telephone and internet lines were severed, flights diverted and civil liberties severely curtailed.

Police detained more than 1,000 protesters for defying a ban on public rallies today, as demonstrators flooded the streets of the Nepalese capital Katmandu to demand that the king restore democracy.