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The debate among Iranian hardliners over whether Tehran should seek a nuclear bomb in defiance of an escalating U.S.-Israeli attack is getting louder, more public and more insistent, sources in the country say, Reuters reported. 

With the Revolutionary Guards ​now dominant following the killing of veteran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the start of the war on February 28, hardline views on Iran's nuclear approach are in the ascendant, two senior Iranian sources said.

While Western countries have long believed that Iran wants the bomb - or at least the ability to make one very quickly - it has always denied that, saying Khamenei had banned nuclear arms as forbidden in Islam and citing its membership of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, according to Reuters. 

The United States has deployed ​uncrewed drone speedboats for patrols as part of its operations against Iran, the Pentagon said, the first time Washington has confirmed using such vessels in an active conflict, Reuters reported. 

The deployment of the vessels -- which can be used for surveillance or kamikaze strikes -- has not been previously reported. It comes despite a series of setbacks in the U.S. Navy’s ​years‑long effort to field a fleet of uncrewed surface vessels, Reuters reported last year.

Uncrewed vessels have risen ​to prominence in recent years after Ukraine used explosive‑laden speedboatsto inflict significant damage on Russia’s ⁠Black Sea Fleet, according to Reuters. 

President Donald Trump announced that he will pause attacks on Iran's energy plants for 10 days at Tehran's request and said talks with Iran were going "very well," although an ​Iranian official dismissed a U.S. proposal for ending the conflict as "one-sided and unfair."

The war has killed thousands of people, spread to neighboring nations and hit the global economy with soaring energy prices since the United States and Israel launched strikes on February 28, after talks about Tehran's nuclear program failed to yield a deal, Reuters reported. 

On Thursday, Trump threatened during a cabinet meeting at the White House to increase pressure on Iran if it did not make a deal, before later posting on social media that he would pause attacks on Iranian energy plants for 10 days until April 6, 2026 ​at 2000 EDT (0000 GMT on April 7).

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, after saying earlier that Ukrainian drones could help improve security in the Gulf region, BBC reported. 

"Important meetings are scheduled. We appreciate the support of those who are ready to work with us to ensure security, and we support them too", he said in a message on social media.

Earlier on Thursday, Zelensky offered Ukraine's expertise in drone technology as a way of improving security across the globe, particularly in the Gulf, according to BBC. 

Of total 275 House of Representatives (HoR) members, more than 63 lawmakers took the oath in their mother languages Thursday.

Senior most HoR member Arjun Narsing KC administered the oath to other members in the federal parliament building, Singha Durbar.

HoR member Yagya Bahadur Bogati took the oath in Achhami language, while Mohammad Ishtiyak Rae in Abadhi, Akriti Awasthi and Dipak Bohara in Doteli, Ganga Chhantyal in Chhantyal and Karisma Kathariya in Kathariya Tharu language. 

Similarly, Nishcal Rai took the oath in Chamling language, Parshuram Tamang in Tamang language; Kant Chaudhari, Ashok Kumar Chaudhari, Gita Chaudhari, Pushpa Kumari Chaudhari, Pramila Kumari Gachchhadar and Surendra Chaudhari in Tharu language.

The lawmakers taking oath in Nepalbhasa were Anushka Shrestha, Kulbhakta Shakya, Kushum Maharjan, Kapa Maharjan, Biraj Bhakta Maharajan, Ganga Laxmi Awal, Buddha Ratna Maharjan, Madan Krishna Shrestha, and Rukesh Ranjit. 

Those taking oath in Bajjika language were Nitima Bhandari (Karki), Rabin Mahato, Rabindra Patel and Rajesh Kumar Chaudhari. It was Ain Bahadur Mahar taking oath in Bajhangi language. 

Madhav Raj Rai selected Bantawa language for oath taking, while Kanhaiya Baniya selected Baniya language. Those taking oath in Bhojpuri language were Arbinda Sah, Buddhi Prasad Pant and Sushil Kumar Kanu. Renua Kaucha Magar picked Magar Kham language while Pramod Kumar Mahato and Raj Kishor Mahato used Maghi language. 

Ankita Thakur, Asha Jha, Ujjwal Kumar Jha, Dipak Kumar Saha, Kamini Kumari, Jog Kumar Barbariya Yadav, Tapeshwor Yadav, Dipak Kumar Saha, Narendra Saha Kalwar, Nisha Mehata, Purushottam Suprabhat Yadav, Manish Jha, Matrika Prasad Yadav, Ramaji Yadav, Rubi Kumari, Shambhu Kumar Yadav, Shiva Shankar Yadav, Sitaram Sah selected Maithili language for the solemn declaration as HoR member.

It was Kripa Ram Rana selecting Ranatharu language, while Limbu language was selected by Purna Prasad Limbu, Santosh Subba, Suhang Nembang for the solemn declaration as HoR member. 

Khusbu Oli took the oath in Sanskrit language. 

Initially, 62 lawmakers had registered their names for oath taking in their mother language, according to Assistant Spokesperson at HoR, Anant Prasad Koirala. However, the number grew later, so fixing the actual number of language used for solemn declaration as HoR member is going on, he added.

Balendra Shah (Balen) has been elected as the Parliamentary Party leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party.

Spokesperson Manish Jha said that the Central Committee meeting held today unanimously passed the proposal of party President Rabi Lamichhane to appoint Shah as the Parliamentary Party leader.

Shah is set to become the Prime Minister from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which is going to form a single government after winning 182 seats in the House of Representative elections held on March 5.

He is scheduled to take the oath of office and secrecy at 12: 34 pm on Friday. 

Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je has been found guilty in a Taiwan court for corruption and misuse of political donations.

Wen-je has been sent to jail for 17 years and was arrested previously in 2024 who was out on bail since September.

BBC reported, he has promised not to give up on his political career and was expected to seek the presidency again in 2028. Wen-je is the founder of the Taiwan People's Party.

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Vice President Dr Swarnim Wagle has said that the government's priority now will be good governance and economic restructuring.

Dr Wagle, while attending the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected member of the House of Representatives, expressed the view that the priority of the upcoming government is to ensure good governance along with quality reconstruction.

The RSP has secured 182 seats in the House of Representatives (HoR), the lower house of the Federal Parliament, in the HoR Member election held on March 5.

RSP Senior Leader, Balendra Shah, is being appointed as Nepal's 43rd Prime Minister on Friday.