] KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepal's embattled government has
] offered to meet a demand by Maoist rebels to end their
] blockade of the capital after the guerrillas set off two
] bombs in and around Kathmandu.

During my travels, I spent a great deal of time in Kathmandu. It was a peaceful city when I was there. Not the cleanest place in the world, but full of beautiful architecture and living history, with Buddhist monks everywhere, and a population so gentle and committed to peace that they wouldn't even force a cow out of the road if it happened to be blocking traffic. They'd just let it stand there, chewing its cud, while cars weaved around it in the heart of the city.

It saddens me to hear of violence there.

Explosions in Kathmandu