Nicaragua Grand Canal construction kicks-off

The Government of Nicaragua and Chinese firm HKND inaugurated on Monday the construction of a $50-billion canal that will connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

The inauguration was preceded by protests from thousands of people who fear their lands will be taken away from them in order to make way for the canal.

The construction of the canal, which includes a port on each coast, will require the removal of between 4.5 and 5 billion metric tons of soil, the largest amount ever removed in history, according to HKND Group.

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