Nepal's Supreme Court has recognised the Gagan Thapa-led faction as the official Nepali Congress, ending a three-month dispute over the party's legitimate leadership. The ruling resolves parallel claims to the party's identity that had left the organisation in a state of contested authority since the internal division emerged. The court's verdict effectively validates Thapa's leadership structure as the binding representative of one of Nepal's oldest and most influential political parties. Nepali Congress holds significant weight in the country's coalition politics and parliamentary arithmetic, making clarity over its leadership directly relevant to government stability. The ruling removes a key legal ambiguity that had complicated intra-party decision-making and external political negotiations. Observers will now watch whether the sidelined faction accepts the verdict or pursues further legal or organisational challenges, and how quickly Thapa consolidates control to position the party ahead of future electoral and legislative contests.
Venezuela's earthquake death toll has reached 1,430 with the US Geological Survey warning fatalities could top 10,000, placing it among Latin America's deadliest in a century. US military planes are landing in Caracas, Washington is mobilising $150 million in aid, and rescue teams from 17 countries are on the ground.
Iranian armed forces attacked a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, briefly halting traffic through the waterway. The strike threatens a fragile US-Iran arrangement and could push shipping insurance costs and oil prices higher.
The US has struck Iran, with President Trump citing an Iranian attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz as justification. The action raises immediate risks for global oil flows through one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints.
The US struck ten Iranian targets on the second consecutive day of military action, putting a fragile ceasefire under serious pressure. The escalation raises immediate risks for Gulf shipping, global oil supply, and regional stability.
