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Mojtaba Khamenei’s Rise Sparks Market Turmoil as Hardliners Mobilize

People attend a gathering to support Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 9, 2026.  Iran’s hardline factions mounted a powerful show of support for newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei , rallying across Tehran in a display that signaled a tightening of conservative control and diminished hopes for de-escalation in the Middle East.  The demonstrations, marked by mass gatherings and imagery linking Mojtaba to his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, underscored the regime’s consolidation at a moment of heightened regional conflict.  Analysts warn that the hardliners’ unified backing suggests Iran is unlikely to soften its stance amid ongoing tensions with the U.S. and Israel. Global markets reacted sharply. Fears that prolonged instability could further disrupt energy supplies sent oil prices soaring and triggered steep declines in major stock indices. With one of the most significan...
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Typhoon Kalmaegi Leaves Trail of Destruction Across Southeast Asia

Part of a damaged building blocks a road in Dak Lak, Vietnam, on Friday, after Typhoon Kalmaegi lashed the country with fierce winds and torrential rains.

Typhoon Kalmaegi has wreaked havoc across Southeast Asia, striking Vietnam after devastating the Philippines earlier this week. The storm killed at least 188 people in the Philippines and displaced hundreds of thousands, making it one of the deadliest cyclones of 2025. Floodwaters swept through Cebu province, destroying homes, vehicles, and infrastructure, while landslides buried communities under heavy rains.

By Thursday, Kalmaegi made landfall in central Vietnam with winds reaching 149 km/h (92 mph), uprooting trees, damaging homes, and cutting power to more than 1.6 million households. Authorities evacuated over half a million residents from vulnerable coastal and mountainous areas, while airports were closed and flights canceled. Despite weakening as it moved inland, the storm continued to unleash torrential rains, raising fears of flooding and landslides across provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri.

Vietnamese officials confirmed at least five deaths and several missing fishermen after boats were swept away by powerful waves. Emergency response teams remain on high alert as rivers rise and landslides threaten communities. Meanwhile, the Philippines, still reeling from Kalmaegi’s destruction, is bracing for another tropical storm expected to approach within days.

Kalmaegi’s impact underscores the growing vulnerability of Southeast Asia to extreme weather events. With 13 storms hitting Vietnam this year alone, the country faces mounting challenges in disaster preparedness and recovery. Both Vietnam and the Philippines are now racing to provide aid, restore power, and rebuild communities shattered by the storm’s fury.

This latest disaster serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for stronger climate resilience measures in the region, as storms grow more frequent and more destructive.


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