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Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met with senior Iranian officials in Tehran ahead of the second round of nuclear talks between the US and Iran. The visit comes as regional tensions rise and there are mounting concerns about potential conflict if diplomacy fails, Al Jazeera reported.

Prince Khalid conveyed a letter from King Salman to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and addressed bilateral relations and mutual interests. He later verified the meeting on social media.

Riyadh has expressed support for the US-Iran talks, highlighting the need of diplomatic measures to resolve regional and international conflicts, according to Al Jazeera.

Hamas has formally rejected Israel's latest ceasefire offer, saying it is prepared to immediately negotiate a deal that would see the release of all remaining hostages in return for an end to the war and the release of Palestinian prisoners, BBC reported.

Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas' senior negotiator, stated in a video statement that "we will not accept partial deals that serve Israeli PM Netanyahu's political agenda." 59 hostages remain in captivity, with 24 believed to be alive.

Israel's newest offer included a 45-day cease-fire in exchange for the release of ten hostages. Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right Israeli Finance Minister, said it was time to "open the gates of hell" on Hamas, according to BBC.

CPN (Maoist Center) Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal has reignited his efforts to create discord within the ruling coalition, publicly claiming that the government could collapse at any moment due to growing dissatisfaction within the Nepali Congress (NC). His remarks have forced the CPN-UML Chairperson and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to publicly reaffirm the coalition’s stability.

For a brief period, Prime Minister Oli found respite as opposition parties, including Dahal, diverted their attention toward criticizing former King Gyanendra Shah amid pro-monarchy protests. However, with these protests losing momentum, Dahal has returned to his primary objective: toppling the current government and forming a new coalition with the NC. He has openly stated that it would be natural for the largest party to lead a new government, expressing his willingness to support NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba as prime minister. This has pressured Oli into urgent negotiations with senior NC leaders to secure their continued backing. 

NC leaders have publicly criticized the government’s performance, though both parties have agreed to resolve their differences.While Deuba himself may not be actively seeking to destabilize the government, Dahal’s statements have strengthened his bargaining power in key political appointments. Prime Minister Oli, once known for his uncompromising stance, now appears more flexible, offering crucial positions to the NC to maintain their support. UML leaders suspect that certain forces are working to isolate them ahead of the 2027 elections, potentially forming a grand electoral alliance against them. UML members also feel that the NC is increasingly dominating government affairs, creating unease within their ranks. 

Following the March 28 protests, pro-monarchy forces are attempting to regroup. Police recently arrested Durga Prasai, a key figure in the protests, in India’s Assam state, where he was hiding. Authorities are investigating his alleged involvement in arson, vandalism and violence during the demonstrations. The movement also appears fragmented, with Jagman Gurung’s group and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) failing to coordinate unified protests. The RPP plans to launch mass demonstrations soon and is demanding the release of its leaders, Rabindra Mishra and Dhawal Shumsher Rana, though the government has refused negotiations.

In his New Year message, the former king expressed regret over last month’s violence but framed the protests as a sign of growing public awareness about Nepal’s future. Despite skepticism about his commitment to democracy, he reiterated his support for a multi-party system and constitutional monarchy, signaling a tacit approval of the pro-monarchy movement.

Meanwhile, teachers continue to protest, demanding government action on their grievances. Despite ongoing talks, resolution seems not so close, prompting the government to prepare for a House session to pass the Education Bill.

The High-Level Economic Reform Advisory Commission, led by former Finance Secretary Rameshore Khanal, has identified declining consumption and investment as major obstacles to economic growth. 

The commission recommends immediate policy measures to stimulate demand, alongside structural reforms to reduce production costs and improve competitiveness. Key issues include sluggish credit growth, stalled real estate transactions, funds trapped in cooperatives, delayed government payments, and a crisis in the construction sector. The report also highlights how pandemic-era monetary policies, inadequate fiscal stimulus and import restrictions have exacerbated economic stagnation over the past two years.

In yet another development, former President Bidya Devi Bhandari has hinted at her entry into UML politics, suggesting that due to health reasons, Prime Minister Oli may gradually hand over party leadership to her. Meanwhile, former Vice-President Nanda Kishor Pun has joined the Maoist Center.  At the same time, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), the fourth largest party in the parliament, continues to face a crisis disproportionate with its size after Chairperson Rabi Lamichhane’s re-arrest, casting uncertainty over its upcoming general convention. With Lamichhane detained, internal divisions among top leaders have weakened the party’s functionality, though efforts to strengthen grassroots organization continue.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has made it clear that inhuman and heinous crimes committed during the conflict cannot be forgiven while taking the transitional justice to the final conclusion.

Inaugurating the Sixth National Convention of the National Ex-Army and Police Organization of Nepal (NEAPON) today, PM Oli, who is also the Chairman of CPN-UML, said that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on Disappeared Persons would carry out works to provide justice to the conflict victims.

Stating that there would be no further delay in the formation of these commissions, he made it clear that any kind of murder, violence, activities that disturb religious harmony and anarchy would not be acceptable as the country has already adopted the democratic system after defeating authoritarianism.

"We are now in a federal democratic republican system. You can go to the people and contest in the election. After winning the election, when the UML started unprecedented works for development and prosperity by forming a government of its own, we were displaced at the instigation of the reactionaries. We are now in a coalition government," he said on the occasion.

Prime Minister Oli further said: "We have a history of nation building and unity. We will hand over a prosperous and an undivided Nepal to the new generation. We will not allow the country's borders to shrink and the national pride to be harmed. We will move forward by keeping our civilized and cultured society intact.”

Reiterating that national unity with social harmony was necessary in a diverse country, PM Oli stressed the need to further strengthen the trust reposed by the ex-servicemen and police organizations in the country and the party as the UML was leading the campaign to foster national unity and social harmony.

He also called upon the UML to organize a youth conference on the occasion of Democracy Day on April 24 to celebrate people's rights and development.