[ouhite]

um, sorry for not posting the article and just the link..<br /> <br /> an excerpt:<br /> ---<br /> King Gyanendra of Nepal has pledged that controversial municipal elections next week will go ahead.<br /> <br /> He was speaking one year after he took direct power and sacked elected politicians.<br /> <br /> He also said that new parliamentary elections would be held by April 2007. Parliament was dissolved in 2002.<br /> <br /> Hundreds of opposition activists were detained across the country on the eve of the first anniversary of the royal coup, according to the opposition.<br /> <br /> Speaking on television, looking as grave as he did last year, he said that during the past 12 months Nepal had been on the right track.<br /> <br /> "Terrorist activities have narrowed down to just a few sporadic criminal activities," he said.<br /> <br /> The speech was peppered with references to democracy - he said democracy was on the rise and urged Nepalis to take part in the town and city council elections scheduled for next week. <br /> <br /> ---