Preliminary and partial results show that a new political party led by an ex-rapper leading Nepal’s parliamentary election, the country’s first since last year’s youth-led revolt. The Rastriya Swatantra, or National Independent, Party, had already won 27 of 165 directly elected seats and was leading in 90 other constituencies in the results published by Nepal’s Election Commission on Saturday. Its prime ministerial candidate is rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, who won the 2022 Kathmandu mayoral race and emerged as a leading figure in the 2025 uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli. The 35-year-old rode a wave of public anger toward traditional political parties to emerge as frontrunner during the campaign.
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Strict citizen voting requirements sought by President Donald Trump have stalled in the U.S. Senate. But Republicans in some states are pressing ahead with similar measures. Bills requiring people to show proof of citizenship to register to vote won final approval this week in South Dakota and Utah. A similar measure has passed the Florida House. And supporters in Michigan turned in 750,000 petition signatures this week to try to get a proof-of-citizenship measure on the November ballot. Federal law already requires people registering to vote to affirm they are U.S. citizens. But Trump contends more proof should be required.
Hungary detains 7 Ukrainians and seizes $80 million cash shipment. Kyiv calls move 'taking hostages'
Hungary says it has detained seven Ukrainians working for a state bank and seized armored vehicles full of cash, setting off a sharp dispute with Kyiv. On Friday, Hungarian customs officials say they opened a money laundering case. Ukraine’s foreign minister called the detentions “state terrorism” and accused Hungary of taking the bank employees hostage. Ukraine’s Oschadbank says the shipment included millions in dollars and euros, plus gold. The bank says GPS shows the vehicles in central Budapest, but staff locations stay unclear. The clash adds fuel to a wider dispute over blocked Russian oil flows through Ukraine.
Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, long has been considered a contender to the post of the country’s next paramount ruler even before his father's death. He has never been elected nor appointed to a government position. Khamenei has been a secretive figure within the Islamic Republic. He has not been seen publicly since Saturday. That is when an Israeli airstrike targeting the supreme leader’s offices killed his 86-year-old father and sparked the war raging across the Middle East. That attack also killed the younger Khamenei’s wife, Zahra Haddad Adel, who came from a family long associated with the country’s theocracy.
AP Wire
Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas is withdrawing from his reelection race, after having admitted an affair with a former staff member who later died by suicide. He is vowing to finish out his term in Congress. Gonzales had faced calls from GOP leadership to end his reelection bid, and from others in Congress to resign. “After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek re-election,” Gonzales said in a statement posted late Thursday to X. The move is the latest in a quickly changing situation that stunned Capitol Hill and resulted in a House Ethics Committee investigation.
After James Talarico won the Democratic Senate nomination in Texas, Republicans are racing to paint him as too progressive. Conservatives started flooding social media with old clips highlighting his comments on gender, immigration and race. Republican strategists believe they can use his comments as fodder for attack ads in the general election. On Wednesday, Talarico warned supporters that powerful elites will smear him because they find him threatening. Although Talarico gained prominence through viral videos, Republicans hope to use years of on-camera musings against him.
Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales ends reelection bid after admitting to affair with aide.
Republican Jace Yarbrough advances to primary runoff election in Texas' 32nd Congressional District.
Republican Ryan Binkley advances to primary runoff election in Texas' 32nd Congressional District.
Sen. John Cornyn is going on offense against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as they fight for a Republican Senate runoff, and President Donald Trump’s endorsement hangs over it all. On Thursday, Cornyn’s campaign is releasing a new video that highlights corruption and personal allegations against Paxton. The video revisits Paxton’s impeachment trial and a securities fraud case. On Wednesday, Trump said he plans to endorse one of them before the May 26 runoff and expects the other candidate to quit. Paxton says he'll stay in the race even if Trump picks Cornyn. Republican leaders worry that Paxton’s troubles may risk the seat in the fall election.