Stripped monarch

Kathmandu, July 11 (AP): Nepal’s royal family will not be getting an annual allowance this year, officials and news reports said today, amid government efforts to phase out the monarch's role in the Himalayan nation.

The government last year allocated King Gyanendra and his family about 32.7 million rupees ($ 500,000) in an annual allowance.

But this year, the government decided to scrap the allowance, the popular Kantipur newspaper reported.

Officials at the finance ministry confirmed the report but refused to elaborate.

The government is scheduled to present its annual budget tomorrow, when details about the royal family’s allowance were set to be released.

The measure would not affect the 700 people working in the palace, who would continue to be paid by the government, the officials said.

Gyanendra has been stripped of all his powers and his command over the army since pro-democracy protests forced him to give up his authoritarian rule in April 2006.

A special Contituent Assembly, to be elected later this year to rewrite the constitution, will decide whether Nepal is to remain a monarchy.

Gyanendra has become deeply unpopular since he seized absolute power in February 2005 and sacked the government.

He became king in 2001 after his elder brother, Birendra, and eight royal family members were slain in a palace massacre.

Five people travelling together in a car have been reported missing after their vehicle skidded off a mountain highway and plunged into a river, police said today.

The car drove off the Prithvi highway near Ghoptebhir village, about 120 km west of the capital, Kathmandu, and plunged in the Trishuli river on Tuesday night, the highway patrol said.

Rescuers were searching the river today but the high current was making their work difficult.

Accidents are blamed on poorly maintained roads and vehicles, and driving in the region is more difficult during the rainy monsoon season.