Balendra Shah Challenges Oli in Nepal Election

0:00What's up? I'm Corey, and these are your global headlines. Nepal heads into a key election on March 5th, where rapper-turned politician Belinda Shah, known as Balan, is challenging veteran leader K.P. Sharma. Ali. The 30-something former mayor of Kathmandu is running with the centrist, Rastria-Swatantra party, and drawing huge crowds, especially from young. Voters tired of the old guard. Shah rose to fame after youth protests last September against corruption and joblessness forced Ali to step down. Those demonstrations turned deadly, with 77 lives lost and propelled Shah from local politics to a national stage. Now, he's taking on Ali in the leader's home district of Japa, where Ali has won six times before. Supporters are flocking to Shah, skipping doctor visits or traveling from abroad just for a photo. A young migrant worker from Kuwait says her future job prospects back home, hinge on his win. Yet, in some rural areas, loyalties to established parties like Ali's communists and the Nepali

1:04Congress run deep. Shah's campaign skips the usual playbook, relying on social media with millions of followers and spontaneous stops to chat with everyday folks. His team notes voter complaints and turns them into targeted promise letters. Meanwhile, Ali is hitting the trail personally, too. Sitting up in village squares to meet people up close after years away. Analysts say a Shah victory could shake up Nepal's unstable politics, dominated for decades by the same veteran parties. Public frustration is high after repeated failures to deliver, but the outcome in Japa could signal a big shift for the Himalayan nation squeezed between China and India. D&N is brought to you by our sponsor. Your favorite podcasts, music or sleep sounds coming from your pillow, no earbuds, no distractions, just listen and relax. O-L-I-SOLY-PILLOW.com