Briefly

MEXICO

Two aid boats en route to Cuba go missing

Mexico's navy said on Thursday it had activated a search-and-rescue operation in the Caribbean to locate two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba after the vessels failed to arrive in Havana as scheduled. In a statement, the navy said the two boats left Isla Mujeres, in the Mexican Caribbean state of Quintana Roo, last week bound for Havana. The vessels were expected to arrive between Tuesday and Wednesday, but there had been no communication from them, the navy said.

NEPAL

Prime minister takes the oath of office

Nepal's youngest prime minister took the oath of office on Friday after his party won a landslide victory in elections earlier this month and following a youth-led uprising that toppled the government in September. The 35-year-old Balendra Shah was appointed prime minister on Friday after his Rastriya Swatantra Party won nearly two-thirds of the seats in the House of Representatives in the March 5 polls.

Agencies - Xinhua