KATHMANDU: Nepal flew flags at half-mast during a national day of mourning Wednesday for the 73 people killed during youth-led anti-corruption protests that toppled the government.
An interim government, which took over after two days of protests last week, declared the day of mourning “in honor of those who lost their lives during the protests,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement.
Protests began on September 8, sparked by a short-lived ban on social media, but fueled by anger at corruption and long-standing economic woes.
At least 19 people were killed in a crackdown on the first day.
Anger over the deaths escalated, triggering an outpouring of rage nationwide, with government offices, a Hilton Hotel and other buildings set on fire.
“The changes we are witnessing today would not be possible without the courage and sacrifice of those who gave their lives during the protests,” Hami Nepal, a key organization in the protests, posted on social media.
Prime Minister Sushila Karki, a 73-year-old former chief justice, has been tasked with restoring order and addressing protester demands for a corruption-free future ahead of elections in six months.
Karki has declared the victims martyrs, promising state honors at their cremations.
Shopkeeper Pooja Shrestha, 22, said that the day of mourning would bring people together.
“Everyone is sad about what happened, the loss of lives — all young people like us,” she said.
“Things have improved now, and we hope the new government will bring the changes we need.”
A fifth of people in Nepal aged 15-24 are unemployed, according to the World Bank, with GDP per capita just $1,447.
Police spokesman Binod Kharel said Wednesday that the number killed during protests had risen to 73, including police officers and prisoners as they staged a mass breakout.
More than a third of the 13,500 prisoners who escaped from two dozen jails during the protests have been recaptured or surrendered themselves, he added.
“So far about 5,000 prisoners who had absconded have returned to the prisons, many voluntarily,” Kharel said.
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Nepal mourns its dead after anti-corruption protests
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Nepal mourns its dead after anti-corruption protests
- Nepal flew flags at half-mast during a national day of mourning Wednesday for the 73 people killed during youth-led anti-corruption protests that toppled the government
Spain busts gang flying hashish helicopters from Morocco
MADRID: Spanish police on Saturday said they had thwarted a criminal gang that flew helicopters to smuggle hashish into the country from Morocco, in a rare operation against aerial drug trafficking.
The helicopters were capable of transporting between 500 and 900 kilograms of drugs, which were stored in rural estates and warehouses in southern Spain before distribution by road to other European countries, the Civil Guard said in a statement.
Police seized one of the helicopters, 657 kilograms (1,448 pounds) of hashish, five firearms, cash and vehicles during raids in the provinces of Malaga, Almeria and Murcia.
Six arrests were made in the operation, which also involved Moroccan, Belgian and Swedish law enforcement.
Spain’s close ties with Latin America and proximity to Morocco make it a key entry point for drugs into Europe, but smuggling typically takes place by sea.
Spanish police have in the past year also uncovered networks that used drones to transport drugs from Morocco.
The helicopters were capable of transporting between 500 and 900 kilograms of drugs, which were stored in rural estates and warehouses in southern Spain before distribution by road to other European countries, the Civil Guard said in a statement.
Police seized one of the helicopters, 657 kilograms (1,448 pounds) of hashish, five firearms, cash and vehicles during raids in the provinces of Malaga, Almeria and Murcia.
Six arrests were made in the operation, which also involved Moroccan, Belgian and Swedish law enforcement.
Spain’s close ties with Latin America and proximity to Morocco make it a key entry point for drugs into Europe, but smuggling typically takes place by sea.
Spanish police have in the past year also uncovered networks that used drones to transport drugs from Morocco.
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