Senior US official in Nepal

The US assistant secretary of state for South Asia, Christina Rocca, is due in Nepal on Thursday for a four-day visit.

She is expected to hold talks with the Nepalese authorities on American assistance in tackling the long-running Maoist insurgency.

The United States has backed Nepal in fighting terrorism and has pledged $20m in military and economic assistance.

US concerns have increased after the Maoist rebels killed two Nepali security guards of the American embassy in Kathmandu.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service