Nepal Closer to Abolishing Centuries-Old Monarchy

The government came a step closer to abolishing the monarchy that has ruled this Himalayan nation for centuries on Wednesday when the leading party announced its support for declaring Nepal a republic, officials said.

Leaders of Nepal's largest political party, the Nepali Congress, passed a resolution calling for the special assembly, which is expected to be elected in November, to order the world's last Hindu king to give up his throne, a key demand of former communist rebels, said Sushil Koirala, acting president of the Nepali Congress.