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Iran has told the United Nations Security Council and the International Maritime ​Organization that "non-hostile vessels" may transit the Strait of Hormuz if ‌they coordinate with Iranian authorities, according to a note seen by Reuters on Tuesday, Reuters reported. 

The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has all but halted shipments of about ​one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas ​through the strait, causing oil supply disruption.

The note from Iran's Ministry ⁠of Foreign Affairs was sent to the 15-member Security Council ​and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday. It was then circulated ​on Tuesday among the 176 members of the London-based U.N. shipping agency responsible for regulating the safety and security of international shipping and preventing pollution, according to Reuters. 

The Pentagon is expected to send ​thousands of soldiers from the U.S. Army's elite 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday, adding to a massive U.S. military buildup even as President Donald Trump talks about a possible deal with Tehran to end the war, Reuters reported. 

Reuters first reported on March 18 that Trump's administration was considering deploying thousands of additional U.S. troops, a move that would expand options to include deployment of forces ​inside Iranian territory. Such an escalation could dramatically raise the stakes in the conflict, which is already in its fourth week ​and has roiled global markets.

The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not specify where in the ⁠Middle East the troops would go or when they would arrive in the region. The soldiers are stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, according to Reuters. 

Russia has launched the largest aerial attack on Ukraine over a 24-hour period since the war began, hitting cities across the country with 948 drones, BBC reported. 

Ukraine's Air Force said 556 drones had been fired since 09:00 local time (07:00 GMT) on Tuesday, in an unusual daytime attack which killed at least three people and injured dozens. 

In the western city of Lviv, the 16th century Bernardine monastery - part of a Unesco World Heritage site in the city centre - was damaged, local officials said, according to BBC. 

The Philippines has become the world's first country to declare a state of national energy emergency in response to the conflict in the Middle East, BBC reported. 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he had signed an executive order to safeguard energy security, citing the "imminent danger posed upon the availability and stability" of the country's energy supply.

The US-Israel war with Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz - a key shipping route - have sent shock waves through global energy markets, causing shortages and price rises, according to BBC. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald ​Trump spoke by phone on Tuesday and discussed ‌the situation in the Middle East, including the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, U.S. envoy to ​India Sergio Gor and Modi said in ​separate posts on X, Reuters reported. 

This was the first ⁠call between the two leaders since the U.S. ​and Israel launched co-ordinated attacks against Iran on February ​28.

"India supports de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest. Ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and ​accessible is essential for the whole world," Modi ​said in his post, according to Reuters. 

Nepali Congress President Gagan Kumar Thapa has said that the party will responsibly fulfill its role as the opposition. 

Addressing the Central Working Committee meeting of the party, which started today at the party's central office in Sanepa, he stated that the party would responsibly fulfill the opposition role given by public mandate in the federal parliament as expressed through the March 5 House of Representatives (HoR) Member election.

“We will fulfill the role of the opposition based on the constitution, the party statute, and manifesto. From 2082 to 2087, the Nepali Congress will support the Rastriya Swatantra Party in matters of good governance, service delivery, and development. In the next five years, we will perform our role in a way that no political conflict or mishap occurs,” he elaborated.

The party president stated that the party had to contest the election under adverse circumstances and mentioned that he resigned from the position of the party president to be accountable following the 'dismal' election results for the party.

He said, "The central committee has made a decision different from my expectation, the remaining right or wrong decisions will be made by the party's upcoming general convention. Now we will move forward towards the general convention."

President Thapa mentioned that there are specific expectations of citizens from the next government regarding good governance.

He emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the misuse of the authority and policy-related corruption.

"After 1990, the assets of everyone who held public office should be investigated, illegal assets should be confiscated, and a commission should be established for this," he said.

The NC president stated that the party's review on the election had been completed and that a decision would be made at today's meeting to conduct a review in all seven provinces.

Nepali Congress President Gagan Kumar Thapa has presented a proposal of holding the party's 15th general convention from September 9 to September 11 in the Central Committee.

In today's NC Central Working Committee meeting held at the party central office, Sanepa, President Thapa presented a schedule for the preparation of the general convention from April 4 as well as the schedule to hold the general convention on September 9. 

As per the schedule, a special campaign would be launched from April 4  to update active membership and active membership would be distributed in all 6, 743 wards from April 14.

Similarly, an action plan has been prepared to send membership in distribution centers till June 14 and the center would finalize the membership after necessary investigation till June 29.  

Likewise, the name list of updated active members would be submitted to the central election committee by July 16 and hold municipal level convention on July 22. 

Two thousand nine hundred and forty-eight people have acquired citizenship in their mother's name since the enforcement of the Nepal Citizenship (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2082 BS.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has stated that many citizens have obtained citizenship according to the new provisions so far after the regulations were issued. 

The Nepal Citizenship Regulations, which were amended for the fourth time, had been published in the Nepal Gazette.

The cabinet meeting held on December 26, 2025 had decided to approve the fourth amendment to the Nepal Citizenship Regulations. Rule 3 of the Nepal Citizenship Regulations, 2063 has been amended.

Similarly, rules 5, 7, 8 and 14 of the original regulations have been amended. Rule 16 (a) has been added to the original regulations while the schedule of the original regulations has been amended.

According to the new provisions, the Chief District Officer may provide naturalized Nepali citizenship after necessary investigation in cases where one parent has obtained Nepali citizenship by birth and the other parent has died without acquiring citizenship or the father's address is unknown, and in cases of children born abroad to a Nepali mother whose father's identity is not known but who reside permanently in Nepal.

As per the new provisions, in addition to the documents specified by the regulations, self-declaration will also be considered an important basis while issuing citizenship in the name of mother.