Protesters, Journalists Are Detained After Rally

Police fired tear gas and used bamboo canes to disperse protesters who burned tires and blocked roads in Katmandu in the latest round of rallies demanding a return to democracy. About 160 journalists and an unspecified number of protesters were detained, officials said.

Nepal’s opposition parties have called for new elections since King Gyanendra dissolved parliament and fired the elected prime minister in 2002, accusing him of incompetence and failure to control a Maoist insurgency. The opposition has recently stepped up its campaign, holding massive demonstrations even though the government recently banned public gatherings.