Down with the king
The week's news at a glance.
Kathmandu, Nepal
Crowds of demonstrators defied nationwide daytime curfews this week to demand that Nepal’s King Gyanendra restore democracy. More than 800 protestors have been arrested over the past week as police tried to break up the demonstrations using batons and rubber bullets. At least three demonstrators were killed. The king seized absolute power in a coup last year, claiming that only his direct rule could crush a Maoist insurgency. But many fear that the king’s current wave of repression will play into the hands of the rebels. The U.S. State Department called for Gyanendra to restore the parliament, saying that would be “the best way to deal with the Maoist insurgency and to return peace and prosperity to Nepal.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
An ingredient in Coca-Cola may be funding Sudan's war
Under the Radar Global trade in gum arabic centres on the African nation – and proceeds bankroll conflict between the army and paramilitary rebels
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Homes for multi-generational families
Feature Featuring a 1900 Jacobean-style mansion in Massachusetts and a 22.5-acre compound in California
By The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Foot PSA
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published