Encouraged by nationwide protests against the king, Nepal’s Maoist rebels are coming out of their rural strongholds to spread the message of a communist republic to the country’s cities. The rebels have long controlled vast swathes of the countryside but have been emboldened to extend their reach after urban demonstrators took up Maoist slogans during rallies in recent weeks against King Gyanendra’s absolute rule. The guerrillas, who have waged a bloody insurgency to install a communist republic for the past 10 years, plan to focus on cities when campaigning gets under way for a special assembly to write a new constitution. Full Story