Nepal’s government will meet the key demands of protesters in the country’s south, the prime minister said today.

Police opened fire on hundreds of protesters attacking government buildings in a south-eastern Nepalese town today, killing at least three people, officials said.

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.

THE impoverished Himalayan nation of Nepal entered a new era yesterday as Maoist insurgents and the central government signed a peace deal ending a decade of civil war that has claimed at least 12,500 lives.

Nepal’s government and communist rebels signed a peace deal today to end a decade-long insurgency, paving the way for the guerrillas to join the country’s interim government.

A Nepalese government commission has found King Gyanendra responsible for a deadly crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in April that left at least 19 dead and several hundred injured, officials said today.

Nepal’s Maoist rebels, who have waged a decade-long war to seize control of the Himalayan nation, will join an interim government to be formed shortly, the rebels’ leader said today after meeting with top government officials.

Nepal’s parliament today voted to dramatically reduce the powers of King Gyenandra, calling for him to be stripped of his legal immunity, his authority over the army and his freedom from paying taxes.

Nepal’s government today suspended the national police and intelligence chiefs while they are being investigated for alleged human rights abuses against protesters during last month’s pro-democracy movement, an official said.

Nepal could rewrite its constitution within 18 months to meet a key demand of communist rebels who joined the political opposition in a campaign that forced King Gyanendra to relinquish power, the new deputy prime minister said.

Maoist rebels today agreed to peace talks with Nepal’s government, raising hopes for an end to a decade-old insurgency that has killed 13,000 people.

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.

Nepal’s new prime minister conferred with top political leaders today to decide on a cabinet that will have the key task of negotiating peace with the country’s communist rebels, party officials said.

THE newly-recalled Nepalese Parliament called yesterday for a ceasefire with communist rebels and elections for an assembly to rewrite the constitution.

Nepal’s Parliament reconvened today for the first time in four years, after weeks of often-bloody protests forced the king to give up absolute power and return the country to democratic rule.

NEPAL’S newly-appointed prime minister was forced to miss a victory rally yesterday because of an illness which may keep him away from the reopened parliament.

Nepal’s communist rebels today declared a three-month halt in attacks, lifting a key burden on the new government poised to take control after weeks of bloody protests forced King Gyanendra to reinstate Parliament.

COMMUNIST rebels withdrew a blockade of Nepal’s highways yesterday but gave the country’s political parties a two-day deadline to begin the process of rewriting the constitution, their leader said.

Communist rebels withdrew a blockade of Nepal’s highways today but gave the country’s political parties a two-day deadline to begin the process of rewriting the constitution, their leader said.

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.

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

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

Nepal's crown prince has opened fire in the royal palace, killing the king, queen, a prince and princess, and four others before shooting himself.

Nepalese police have used tear gas and baton charges to disperse thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.