In Nepal, pro-democracy protests and strikes have entered their 12th day. On Sunday over 30,000 people defied a government ban on public gatherings and demonstrated in the capital of Katmandu in some of the largest protests to date. Meanwhile the general strike is being felt throughout the country. Widespread fuel and food shortages have been reported. And the nation’s banks have closed in support of the general strike. On Saturday police beat and detained a number of journalists protesting curbs on press freedom.