Nepal begins historic vote; army on alert after a series of small blasts

The Army has blamed a rogue Maoist group for the blasts

Nepalis began voting for a new parliament on Sunday with the army on alert as a series of small blasts blamed on a rogue Maoist group reminded the Himalayan nation of the violence and instability it is hoping to leave behind.

More than decade after the end of a civil war between Maoist peasant guerrillas, Nepal is hoping this election - the first parliamentary polls since 1999 - will complete its long journey from a monarchy to becoming a federal republic.

A second phase of the election will take place on Dec. 7, and the election commission has said that