25,000 riot against king in Nepal

More than 25,000 pro-democracy activists rioted in the streets of a southern Nepalese town today, prompting police to fire shots that injured at least three people, an official said.

The protesters – who were demanding King Gyanendra restore democracy in the Himalayan kingdom – set fire to at least half a dozen government offices and forced riot police to retreat from the main square in Bharatpur, a government official said.