King Gyanendra dismissed Nepal?s government today and said he was taking control of the Himalayan kingdom ? the second time he has done so in three years. The monarch made the announcement over the state-run television, accusing the government of failing to conduct parliamentary elections and restore peace in the country. He fired Sher Bahadur Deuba, who was appointed prime minister last year with the task of holding parliamentary elections and conducting peace talks with the Maoist rebels who have been fighting since 1996 for a socialist state. Deuba also was fired in October 2002, but was reinstated in 2004 after massive street protests. The rebels, who say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting since February 1996 to replace Nepal?s monarchy with a communist state. The insurgency has claimed more than 10,500 lives.