King sacks Nepal government

King Gyanendra last night dismissed Nepal's Government and declared a state of emergency, taking control of the Himalayan kingdom for the second time in three years.

He denied his takeover was a coup, although soldiers surrounded the houses of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and other Government leaders.

Armoured military vehicles with mounted machine guns were patrolling the streets of Kathmandu and phone lines in the capital had been cut.

In an announcement on state-run television, the King accused the Government of failing to conduct parliamentary elections and of being unable to restore peace in the country, which is beset by rebel violence.