Nepal’s prime minister wins confidence vote in parliament, his fourth since taking office

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepal’s prime minister will continue leading his shaky governing coalition after winning his fourth vote of confidence in two years on Monday. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal called the vote in Nepal’s lower house of parliament after a small party in his coalition split up and withdrew support. Dahal won the vote with 157 votes, a majority of the 272-member house. The vote came as Dahal faces allegations that his Home Minister was involved in financial irregularities involving cooperatives. Opposition lawmakers are demanding the minister resign and have been protesting for days inside the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, shouting slogans and trying to block the vote of confidence on Monday. Security officers had to block the protesters to make the vote possible.