Lesotho's king 'to abdicate'

JOHANNESBURG (Reuter) - Lesotho's king is ready to abdicate within days and reinstate his deposed father, Moshoeshoe, to settle the crisis he started by sacking the government, sources said yesterday. They said King Letsie III, who angered his Southern African neighbours by firing the democratically elected government on 17 August, would step down before 1 September and the government would return to power. That date is the deadline set by the presidents of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana, meeting in Pretoria on Thursday, for King Letsie to restore democracy.