Nepal's king vows to return multiparty democracy to his Himalayan nation after weeks of bloody protests and increasing international pressure. However, King Gyanendra fell short of a key opposition demand: creating a special assembly to write a new constitution.

One of the main opposition parties has rejected his pledge as "incomplete." The king's announcement came hours after more than 100,000 pro-democracy protesters defied a government curfew to rally on the outskirts of Katmandu.

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