At least 48 Maoist rebels have been killed in clashes with security forces in Nepal.
The deaths came as parliament prepared to vote on a proposal to extend a state of emergency. This was first imposed in November to counter increasingly violent Maoist insurgency which has claimed more than 2,400 lives since 1996.
This violence followed Maoist raids at the weekend which were the bloodiest since the insurgency began. One hundred and forty one police, soldiers and civilians were killed, as were 13 rebels.
