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Balendra Shah, Nepal's youngest prime minister, has been officially sworn in following his party's decisive election victory that came after months of youth-led protests which resulted in the government's collapse in September.The rapper-turned-politician was appointed prime minister by President Ram Chandra Paudel on Friday, after his three-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) secured 182 seats in the 275-member parliament during the March 5 election. This vote marked Nepal's first election since the anticorruption Gen Z-led demonstrations that tragically claimed 76 lives.The 35-year-old leader made a distinctive appearance during his swearing-in ceremony at the President House, wearing black trousers, a matching jacket, his signature black Nepali cloth cap, and sunglasses, in the presence of diplomats and senior government officials.A day prior to his formal appointment, the new premier, better known as Balen, released his first public statement since the historic election through a rap song shared on social media platforms. Titled Jay Mahakaali (Victory to Goddess Mahakali), the song features lyrics such as 'Nepal is not scared this time, the heart is full of red blood … Laughter and happiness will reach every household this time.' The accompanying music video, showcasing large crowds cheering during his campaign, has garnered nearly three million views.'The strength of unity is my national power,' Shah raps in the track that emphasizes his political message of national cohesion.A former mayor of Kathmandu, Shah holds the distinction of being Nepal's first Madhesi premier – representing people from the southern plains bordering India – to lead the Himalayan nation.China extended its official congratulations to Nepal on Shah's swearing-in, with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressing support for its Himalayan neighbor in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.The political transition follows months of protests driven by widespread discontent over unemployment and systemic corruption in the nation of 30 million people. Approximately one-fifth of Nepal's population lives in poverty, with an estimated 1,500 citizens leaving the country daily for work abroad.Although Shah did not directly participate in the demonstrations, he publicly expressed solidarity with the largely Generation Z protesters who spearheaded the movement that brought down the previous administration.Political instability has long plagued Nepal, with 32 governments taking office since 1990, none of which have completed a full five-year term. The Nepali Congress party, the country's oldest political organization, secured only 38 seats in the recent election, placing it a distant second. The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) of KP Sharma Oli, who resigned following the Gen Z unrest, now controls 25 parliamentary seats.Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki had been leading the nation through the interim period preceding the parliamentary election that brought Shah to power.

Golf legend Tiger Woods was involved in a rollover crash in Florida on Friday afternoon, according to a report by ABC News, citing the local sheriff's office.The incident occurred in Martin County, with local CBS affiliate WPEC reporting that the crash involved two vehicles, one of which rolled over. Fortunately, fire rescue officials confirmed that there were no injuries, with one person reported in stable condition and another declining medical treatment.Sheriff John Budensiek is expected to hold a press conference to provide further details about the cause of the crash and Woods's condition. This development comes as Woods has been dealing with ongoing fitness concerns and a limited golf schedule in recent years, following a serious car crash in February 2021 that left him with significant leg injuries.The 50-year-old golf icon, an 82-time PGA Tour winner and 15-time major champion, has not appeared in an official tournament since July 2024. His participation in upcoming events, including the US Senior Open and the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, remains uncertain.This is a developing story.

The recent developments in the conflict between the US and Iran have left global markets reeling. President Donald Trump's threat to attack Iran's civilian power infrastructure led to a surge in oil prices, a plummet in stock futures, and a climb in bond yields. However, the president quickly walked back his statement, announcing that talks with Iran were going well. This move, dubbed 'Taco' (Trump Always Chickens Out), was first seen during the tariffs crisis last year. The immediate market reaction was significant, with bonds and stocks recovering rapidly after Trump's statement. The S&P; 500 stock index jumped 1.5% by 9:30 am in New York, defying earlier futures contracts that signaled a 1% daily decline. However, Iran's response has shown that Trump's tactic may be losing steam. Iranian officials denied the 'productive conversations' Trump claimed had taken place, and launched missile attacks on Israel, Iraq, and other American allies in the Gulf. This has led to renewed market volatility, with oil prices rebounding and stocks giving up their gains. The article suggests that Trump no longer has control of events in Iran and that the conflict's outcome will likely be decided by Tehran. The Iranian regime has little incentive to back down, having already suffered significant losses but still capable of imposing enormous costs on the world by throttling the Strait of Hormuz and depriving the global economy of 12.5 million barrels of oil and 11.5 billion cubic feet of gas per day. As markets continue to react to the situation, it appears that Trump's 'Persian Tacos' may not be enough to calm investor nerves. The S&P; index lost 1.78% on Thursday, closing at a new low for the year, and the price of Brent crude hovered around $108.

Iran's men's football team, Team Melli, has been training in southern Turkiye as they prepare for two upcoming friendly matches before the FIFA World Cup. The team's preparations come against the backdrop of the US-Israel war on Iran, which is likely to attract heightened attention during the World Cup.The team held a training session in Belek, Antalya, with tightly restricted media access. Officials stated that they wanted to avoid distractions before the matches, which are critical to their World Cup preparations.Iran's football federation is in discussions with FIFA about moving its World Cup matches to Mexico from the US due to concerns over player safety. The friendly matches were originally scheduled to take place in Jordan but were moved to Turkiye following the outbreak of the war on Iran.The team will play against Nigeria on Friday and Costa Rica on Tuesday. Striker Sardar Azmoun was omitted from the squad after posting a picture on his Instagram feed of a meeting with Dubai's ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Iranian media reported that Azmoun had been expelled from the national team for a perceived act of disloyalty to the government.

A devastating bus accident occurred in central Bangladesh on Wednesday, resulting in at least 24 fatalities. The bus, which was carrying 40 passengers, lost control while approaching a ferry at Daulatdia in Rajbari district, about 100km from Dhaka.The bus sank nearly 9 metres into the river, making rescue efforts challenging. Rescuers recovered 22 bodies from inside the submerged bus, including five children, 11 women, and six men. Two more women died later after being rescued.Search and rescue efforts were led by four fire service units and 10 divers, supported by the army, police, coastguard, and local authorities. Officials fear that more passengers may still be missing.The accident highlights the poor road safety record in Bangladesh, where hundreds of people die each year in road and ferry accidents. The World Health Organization estimates that over 31,500 traffic-related deaths occur annually, translating to more than 85 deaths per day in the country of 170 million people.Deadly crashes are relatively common in Bangladesh due to poor roads, badly maintained vehicles, and reckless driving. The country's Road Safety Foundation reported over 200 deaths during the recent Eid holidays, including a train-bus collision that killed 12 people.

The ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran has created a significant disruption in the global helium supply chain, affecting approximately one-third of worldwide production. This critical resource, essential for both medical diagnostics and advanced manufacturing, faces unprecedented challenges as shipping restrictions and production halts impact markets worldwide.The disruption stems primarily from Qatar, the world's largest helium producer, which accounts for about 63 million cubic meters of the roughly 190 million cubic meters of helium produced globally annually. Following Iranian attacks on Qatari energy infrastructure, QatarEnergy has announced a 14% annual reduction in helium exports, citing damage to its LNG facilities that also produce helium as a byproduct.The Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint, has seen traffic nearly grind to a halt after Iranian officials announced new transit restrictions. This waterway serves as the primary export route for Qatar's helium, with no viable alternative maritime outlet available.The impact of this helium shortage extends across multiple sectors. MRI machines, which rely on helium's unique cooling properties, face potential operational delays, while the semiconductor industry—a cornerstone of modern technology—also depends on this irreplaceable resource for chip manufacturing. South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and China stand as the most vulnerable economies, being the largest consumers of Gulf-sourced helium.Market analysts project that helium prices could surge by 10-50% depending on the duration of the supply disruption, with buyers lacking long-term contracts experiencing the most immediate price increases. The medical industry, in particular, has been attempting to develop alternatives, including helium-free MRI technologies and helium recycling systems, though most current systems remain dependent on liquid helium.The United States, as the largest global helium producer at over 40% of worldwide supply, cannot fully compensate for the Gulf shortfall. Even North American consumers face challenges, with major distributors like Airgas already cutting shipments by half and parent company Air Liquide reallocating its supply chain to access helium from other regions.This helium crisis represents the fifth significant supply shortage since 2006, highlighting the vulnerability of global supply chains for critical industrial materials with no artificial substitutes. The situation underscores how geopolitical conflicts can have far-reaching consequences beyond traditional energy markets, potentially impacting healthcare accessibility and technological innovation worldwide.

A high-stakes diplomatic effort is underway as a delegation of Russian officials has arrived in the United States for meetings with their American counterparts. This visit, which began on Thursday, marks a significant development in the strained relations between Moscow and Washington, particularly over Moscow's ongoing war in Ukraine.Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed optimism about the talks, stating, 'We hope that these first tentative steps will, of course, make their contribution to the further revival of our bilateral engagement.' President Vladimir Putin has set the main directives for the trip and will be thoroughly briefed on the meeting.The visit occurs against the backdrop of US-brokered talks to end the war in Ukraine, which are currently in a state of limbo. Despite several rounds of negotiations since US President Joe Biden's administration took office, a deadlock persists, with the Kremlin ruling out compromises to halt its military campaign.Russia, a key ally of Iran, has been accused by Western intelligence officials of supporting the Iranian government as it faces a war launched by the US and Israel. A recent report alleged that Russia was close to completing a shipment of drones to Iran, which Moscow has vehemently denied, calling such claims 'lies being spread by the media.'In a related development, Russia has intensified its military actions in Ukraine, carrying out one of the largest aerial attacks since the start of the war, launching 948 drones in 24 hours. This escalation has prompted Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to appeal for air defence munitions from allies, warning of a potential deficit in missiles while Washington focuses on the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that an Israeli air strike killed Alireza Tangsiri, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy, on Wednesday night. Katz stated that the assassination targeted other 'senior officers of the naval command'.Katz described Tangsiri as the man 'directly responsible for the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz to shipping'. He added that Tangsiri was 'blown up and eliminated'. Tangsiri was a 'well-known commander' who shaped Iran's naval doctrine and developed drones for military maritime use. He was also involved in overseeing Iran's efforts to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz by blocking some vessels.Since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28, Israel has announced the assassination of several top Iranian officials. The civilian toll is significant, with at least 1,937 people killed, including 452 women and children, and 24,800 injured, according to Iran's Deputy Health Minister Ali Jafarian.Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, said the assassination of Tangsiri 'makes the region safer'. US forces have destroyed about 92 percent of Iran's large naval vessels in ongoing operations.

US President Donald Trump has extended his deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz by 10 days to April 6, 2026. The decision comes as talks between the US and Iran are described as 'going very well'.In a social media post, Trump stated: 'As per Iranian Government request, please let this statement serve to represent that I am pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction by 10 Days to Monday, April 6, 2026, at 8 P.M., Eastern Time.'Trump also mentioned that despite 'erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media,' talks with Iran are ongoing and progressing well. He had previously urged Iranian leaders to negotiate an end to the near-month-long war or face further assassinations of senior officials.The conflict has resulted in significant escalation, with Israel conducting strikes on Iranian targets, including the killing of Alireza Tangsiri, the Revolutionary Guards' naval commander. Iran has retaliated with strikes across the Middle East, including in Tel Aviv, Modi'in, and Jerusalem.Trump has claimed victory in the war, stating, 'In a certain sense, we have already won.' He has also criticized NATO allies and described Iran as producing 'great negotiators' but 'lousy fighters.'The US and Israel have destroyed much of Iran's naval capabilities, but Tehran still possesses smaller boats capable of laying mines and launching anti-ship cruise missiles. These could render the Strait of Hormuz impassable to shipping.Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, accused the US of 'double standards,' citing the US support for Israel's actions in Gaza while condemning Iran's defense in the Strait of Hormuz.The conflict has resulted in a significant death toll, with over 1,900 people killed in Iran and nearly 1,100 in Lebanon. The situation remains volatile, with fears of further escalation and potential ground invasion.