Wife of ex-Nepali prime minister burnt alive

The wife of former prime minister of Nepal Jhala Nath Khanal has died after she was burned alive when her home was set on fire amid violent anti-government protests in the country, regional media reported.

The Nepalese parliament building and the homes of political leaders were torched in the unrest, which has plunged the Himalayan state into a full-blown crisis.

The protests are led by younger people and burst open when the government banned social media, though deeper anger about political corruption and a lack of opportunities is the primary driver of the disorder.