Nepal's former Maoist rebels begin handing over weapons

Nepal’s former communist guerrillas began handing over weapons to UN monitors today, launching a landmark peace deal calling for thousands of fighters to disarm and stay in camps, officials said.

The Maoists entered mainstream politics for the first time two days earlier, when 83 former guerrillas took oaths of office and were sworn in as lawmakers in Nepal’s 330-seat interim parliament. They are now the second-largest group in the legislature.