Nepal heading for a majorcrisis as protests continue

KATHMANDU, Nepal - Time is running out for Nepal. More than two years after a Constituent Assembly was elected to help guide Nepal out of years of civil war and political upheaval, the constitution it was supposed to draft remains unwritten amid endless political bickering.

On May 28, the Assembly's tenure - and the provisional constitution governing the nation - expires. Without a new constitution or an extension of that deadline, chaos is almost certain.

With the deadline approaching, the former Maoist rebels who now control the largest party in parliament have repeatedly shut down the streets of Kathmandu with protests, demanding they be given the reigns of power. The government has resisted, but still needs Maoist votes to come to a resolution.