Rapper Balen Shah set to become Nepal's youngest PM
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) election candidate Balendra Shah waits to collect a certificate for his victory in parliamentary elections at the counting centre in Damak in Nepal's Jhapa district on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Prakash MATHEMA / AFP)Nepal had two per cent of votes left to count on Wednesday after parliamentary elections, with rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah’s centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) having secured a majority. The March 5 parliamentary vote was the first since youth-led, deadly anti-corruption protests toppled the government in September. Shah himself defeated veteran four-time prime minister KP Sharma Oli — whose Marxist-led government was ousted in the violence last year — in his own seat. In direct elections, RSP won three-quarters of seats, 125 of 165, according to official results.
Source:Punch
March 11, 2026 17:28 UTC
Terrorists suffer heavier losses, troops intensifying operations — Defence Minister
The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, on Wednesday said terrorists and bandits operating across Nigeria have suffered heavier losses than government troops, saying that the Armed Forces are intensifying operations across various theatres. The minister acknowledged that the military had recorded casualties in recent engagements but stressed that the terrorists were suffering greater losses. The Armed Forces are on top of their game and we are putting in every effort to ensure the country is secured,” he said. “This challenge is a Nigerian challenge; it is not only the armed forces’ challenge. The defence minister also warned individuals providing logistics or intelligence to terrorists that they would be treated as accomplices.
Source:Punch
March 11, 2026 16:07 UTC
Mojtaba Khamenei injured but 'safe', says Iran official
Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is injured but “safe and sound”, the son of the president said Wednesday, offering the first official explanation for why the 56-year-old has not been seen since his appointment at the weekend. “I heard news that Mr Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. Mojtaba Khamenei, until now a low-profile but powerful behind-the-scenes figure, was named Iran’s number one following the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, in an air strike at the start of the US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic. The Iranian supreme leader position is for life and he also serves as a religious guide for Shia Muslims. Before his nomination to the position, US President Donald Trump had warned that Khamenei would be “unacceptable” as the new supreme leader.
Source:Punch
March 11, 2026 16:07 UTC
Punch the baby monkey isn’t being bullied, spends day peacefully: Japan zoo
Photo credit: APPunch, a tiny seven-month-old baby monkey, is not being bullied and spends most of his day peacefully, Ichikawa City Zoo near Tokyo clarified in a statement on Tuesday.The Japanese zoo’s statement came after videos circulated online showing him being chased by other monkeys, sparking widespread concern.The abandoned baby monkey, along with his heartwarming bond with a plush toy, has captured hearts around the world, making him an internet sensation as fans cheer him on while he adjusts to life with his troop.Punch, a seven-month-old Japanese macaque, was abandoned and spurned by his mother shortly after birth. Without maternal guidance to help him integrate with the troop, he turned to a plush orangutan toy provided by the Zoo keeper for comfort and often carrying it around with him for support.Last month, the zoo posted on X that Punch “had been scolded many times by other monkeys.” Videos showing him being chased by troop members circulated online, prompting some viewers to claim he was being mistreated.He also had been filmed multiple times being dragged and chased by older macaques inside the enclosure, which netizens described as clear bullying. “While dominant individuals may show disciplining actions toward their subordinates, as macaques do naturally, these actions in the macaque society ‘differ from human abuses’,” it said.“Punch spends most of the day peacefully,” the zoo added, while cautioning that removing him now could harm his reintegration. “Punch has become accustomed to living in this troop, so separating him now would create the risk that he would never be able to return to the group and would have to continue living that way for the rest of his life.”Raised in an artificial environment after being abandoned, Punch began training to rejoin his troop earlier this year. His story has inspired a devoted fanbase under the hashtag #HangInTherePunch, drawing large crowds to the zoo and boosting sales of his IKEA orangutan toy.Animal rights group PETA said Punch’s situation highlights the challenges of zoos and urged his relocation to a “reputable sanctuary, where he could live in a more natural environment.”
Source:Punch
March 11, 2026 15:11 UTC
Punch the monkey: Why do we love him so much and how is he doing now?
Punch the monkey: Why do we love him so much and how is he doing now? Advertisement Punch the monkey: Why do we love him so much and how is he doing now? And many of those followers have visited the zoo to see Punch in person. "We need this warmth and love right now," said Melanie Fortier, a fan of the baby monkey. Nasser Hashem, who has followed Punch's story and visited the zoo, has an idea as to why people are so interested in Punch and his progress.
Source:Punch
March 11, 2026 13:08 UTC
"Spends Day Peacefully": Japan Zoo Says 'Punch The Monkey' Isn't Being Bullied
"As a result, we have received many voices of concern from people both in Japan and overseas," the zoo said in a statement Tuesday. The zoo added that Punch was becoming less reliant on the stuffed orangutan toy because increasing numbers of monkeys were looking after or playing with him. "Punch spends most of the day peacefully," the zoo added. Spurned by its mother, Punch was raised in an artificial environment after being born in July, and began training to rejoin his troop earlier this year. Punch's predicament sparked huge interest online, spawning a devoted fanbase under the hashtag #HangInTherePunch, as large crowds thronged the zoo, and sales of his IKEA orangutan toy boomed.
Source:Punch
March 11, 2026 12:48 UTC
Italian PM condemns 'massacre' of girls in Iran school attac
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned on Wednesday a deadly missile strike on a school in Iran early in the Middle East war, calling for those responsible to be identified. “On behalf of the government, I express my firm condemnation of the massacre of girls at the school in Minab, southern Iran,” the far-right leader told the Italian Senate. Iran has accused the United States and Israel of conducting a deadly missile attack on a school. US President Donald Trump has blamed Tehran, while Israel has denied any connection to the strike. Trump said Monday that the United States was investigating the strike, which Iranian media said killed at least 165 people, “right now”.
Source:Punch
March 11, 2026 11:42 UTC
‘So much disrespect’: outrage grows over postponement of Women’s Africa Cup of Nations
The recurring uncertainty about Wafcon, which has been continually disrupted since 2020, has enraged African women’s football. Firdose Moonda, a Guardian contributor, was to travel from Kolkata in India to Morocco, with her return home to South Africa being the final leg of her journey. He said that South Africa was prepared to host the tournament should Morocco abandon the responsibility. Mid-level Caf staff charged with Wafcon preparations have also had to abruptly stop what they were doing. Bestine Kazadi Ditabala [of DR Congo, Caf’s fourth vice-president] is the head of the women’s football committee.
Source:The Guardian
March 11, 2026 02:49 UTC
Israel Says Iran Hacked Dozens of Security Cameras
Israel’s cybersecurity directorate said it had identified “dozens of Iranian breaches into security cameras for espionage purposes” since the start of the war in the Middle East, urging the public to be vigilant. “The directorate is working to alert hundreds of camera owners and calls on the public to change their passwords and update their software to prevent any security risk, whether national or personal,” Cyber Israel wrote on X Monday. Cyberattacks between Iran and Israel have been a frequent occurrence in recent years, as the two foes conducted a shadow war that culminated in open conflict last June and again on February 28. Iran‑linked hackers have stepped up their operations in the region since strikes began on the country, an expert told AFP. Last week, the Financial Times reported that Israel had hacked nearly all of Tehran’s traffic cameras for years in preparation for the operation that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, on the first day of the offensive.
Source:Punch
March 10, 2026 22:31 UTC
EFCC declares Chinese national wanted over fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared a Chinese national, Peiyuan Niu, wanted over an alleged case of obtaining money by false pretence. The anti-graft agency made the announcement in a notice issued on Tuesday and signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale. According to the commission, the 40-year-old Niu is a Chinese national whose last known address is 111, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Lagos State. “The public is hereby notified that Peiyuan Niu, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in an alleged case of obtaining money by false pretence,” the notice read. The commission urged members of the public with useful information about his whereabouts to contact its offices across the country or report to the nearest police station and other security agencies.
Source:Punch
March 10, 2026 20:48 UTC
Harvey Weinstein Says Rikers Is ‘Hell’ After Alleged Punch From Fellow Inmate | WATCH
Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein says life behind bars at New York’s Rikers Island has been miserable and dangerous. In a new interview, Weinstein claims a fellow inmate punched him in the face while he was waiting to use a phone, leaving him bleeding on the floor. The former movie mogul also described spending nearly 23 hours a day in his cell and feeling constantly threatened by other prisoners as he awaits further legal proceedings.
Source:Punch
March 10, 2026 18:39 UTC
US Warns Citizens of Fresh Terror Threat in Nigeria
The United States Embassy in Nigeria has warned of a possible terrorist threat targeting US facilities and US-affiliated schools in the country. The notice asked US citizens to exercise increased vigilance when travelling to its offices in Abuja and Lagos, as well as schools affiliated with the United States. “The U.S. Embassy in Abuja informs U.S. citizens of a possible terrorist threat against U.S. facilities and U.S.-affiliated schools in Nigeria. The development comes as Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, wife of Iran’s Supreme Leader, reportedly died from injuries sustained during recent United States and Israeli strikes at her residence in Tehran. Recall that President Donald Trump on Christmas Day ordered US bombings of Nigeria, saying he was targeting jihadists.
Source:Punch
March 10, 2026 15:55 UTC
Aruna vs Lebrun at the WTT Champions Chongqing
Nigeria’s table tennis star Quadri Aruna will return to action at the WTT Champions Chongqing on Tuesday (today), when he takes on France’s Félix Lebrun in the men’s round of 32, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. He lost his two previous matches at the WTT Star Contender Doha and the Singapore Smash in February. His last victory over the Frenchman was a hard-fought 3–2 win at the WTT Contender Durban in South Africa in January 2023. They met twice in 2024 at the WTT Star Contender Goa and the WTT Champions Chongqing, where the teenager recorded 3–0 and 3–2 victories, respectively. At last year’s WTT Champions Chongqing, Aruna lost 3–0 to Wang Chuqin in the opening round, and he will be hoping for better fortune against Lebrun this time.
Source:Punch
March 10, 2026 15:55 UTC
Aiyedatiwa loses bid to amend re-election eligibility suit
In a ruling on November 24, 2025, Justice Toyin Adegoke of the Federal High Court in Akure granted the plaintiff’s request to amend the originating processes. Dissatisfied with the ruling, Aiyedatiwa lodged an appeal, alleging a breach of his constitutional right to a fair hearing. The appellate court, therefore, dismissed the appeal for lacking merit and awarded N2m in costs against the governor. The ruling affirmed the November 24, 2025, decision of the Federal High Court in Akure, which granted Egbuwalo leave to amend the originating summons in his suit challenging Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility for re-election. The panel further held that the order was necessary to preserve the res in the matter and prevent the appellate proceedings from being rendered nugatory.
Source:Punch
March 10, 2026 15:55 UTC
Egypt raises fuel prices by up to 30% amid global pressure
Egypt raised domestic fuel prices by up to 30 per cent on Tuesday, blaming “exceptional” global energy pressures caused by the Middle East war, which has disrupted oil supplies and shipping routes. Prices for 80-octane gasoline rose by about 16.9 percent, to 20.75 pounds per litre, while 92-octane gasoline increased by roughly 15.6 per cent to 22.25 pounds. Prices for 95-octane climbed by about 14.3 per cent to 24 pounds, the ministry said. Natural gas used for vehicles saw the largest hike, jumping 30 per cent to 13 pounds per cubic metre. Egypt has raised fuel prices four times over the past two years under an $8 billion loan programme from the International Monetary Fund.
Source:Punch
March 10, 2026 11:19 UTC