In Nepal, tens of thousands of opponents of the country’s monarchy defied a protest ban to demonstrate in the capital of Kathmandu on Friday. The protest was the country’s largest since the Maoist Communist Party of Nepal joined with seven mainstream parties to form a pro-democracy alliance opposing King Gyanendra who seized complete control in February. On Friday the Maoists also extended its three-month ceasefire by another month. Last week UN human rights chief Louise Arbour called on the Nepalese monarchy to join the Maoist in declaring a ceasefire. Arbour said “I am seriously concerned about the very real possibility that full-scale armed conflict could resume.”