AP - A mountaineering company claimed that a 70-year-old Japanese man on one of its expeditions Wednesday became the oldest person to scale Mount Everest, edging the record-holder by three days.

AFP - Until a few years ago, triumphant messages from mountaineers who conquered Everest would usually take a week to make it to the outside world.

- Jailed Maoists in Nepal have begun a hunger strike demanding release of all their personnel. In addition, they have asked the government to meet various demands, including publicizing the names of all people who have disappeared from...

AFP - A plan to cut the powers of Nepal's King Gyanendra will be formally presented to parliament Thursday, an official said.

AP - A proclamation to strip Nepal's king of his political and military powers was delayed Monday by differences within the Himalayan country's ruling seven-party alliance, party officials said.

AFP - Nepal's interim parliament is set to debate and approve a proclamation that would drastically clip the powers of King Gyanendra, including his control of the army.

AFP - Nepal's new government is set to wrest control of the 100,000-strong army away from the king, analysts say, in a move which would dramatically alter the balance of power in the Himalayan kingdom.

AP - Nepal's new government is preparing to curtail King Gyanendra's powers and privileges, the finance minister said Saturday, further eroding the monarch's authority after mass demonstrations ended his authoritarian rule.

AP - Nepal's new government has arrested or suspended at least five key members of the king's ousted regime as an elusive rebel chief agreed on Friday to head a peace delegation to end a decade-long Maoist insurgency.

Shaveta Bansal - AHN Contributor Kathmandu, Nepal (AHN) – The new Nepalese government has arrested four former ministers appointed by King Gyanendra during his 14 months of absolute ruling. A family member of former government spokesman Shrish Shumshere Rana said he was being held on...

AFP - Nepal's new government plans to hold polls for a body to redraft the constitution within a year but inter-party rows and problematic peace talks may interfere, according to analysts and politicians.

AFP - Nepal's new government is planning to hold elections for a body to redraft the constitution within a year but the Maoists will have to disarm before then, a minister said.

AP - Communist rebels on Wednesday named a three-member team for peace talks with Nepal's new government aimed at ending years of fighting that has killed more than 13,000 people, news reports said.

Nepal's Maoist rebel movement kidnapped seven people on Wednesday, defying their three months cease fire. According to a Reuters report, five of the kidnapped people were policemen. In April, the rebels promised to put their ten-year-old...

AFP - Maoist rebels have kidnapped five police officers in southwest Nepal despite a ceasefire, police said.

Som Patidar - AHN Contributor Kathmandu, Nepal (AHN) – At least 13 school children killed and several missing when a tempo carrying 24 school children fell into a canal on Tuesday, in Sunsari district, located in eastern part of Nepal. The accident took place early morning in Jhumka...

AFP - Nepal's government will this week name a team to begin peace talks with Maoist rebels, a senior government official said.

AFP - Nepal's King Gyanendra has offered prayers to the Hindu goddess of power in his first public appearance since being forced to give up absolute rule, local media reported.

AFP - Nepal's new government has taken a tentative step towards peace with the Maoist rebels after the militants agreed to take part in talks to end their decade-old insurgency.

AFP - Nepal's rebel Maoists have agreed to hold talks on ending their decade-long insurgency, clearing the way for the release of hundreds of jailed fighters.