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A drone view shows vessels anchored at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman. (Reuters) The United States and Iran reached an agreement yesterday to extend their ceasefire pending the approval of President Donald Trump, after Iran had targeted a US air base in Kuwait following US strikes on what Washington called an Iranian drone operation. According to four sources familiar with the matter, the two sides agreed a memorandum-of-understanding to extend the truce for 60 days but the plan still needed Trump’s signoff. The agreement will state how to address Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which will be among the first issues discussed during the 60-day window, according to an earlier report by Axios, which broke the news. The White House declined to comment. The reports prompted oil prices to reverse course and trade lower on hopes of a potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit route for roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supply. But Iran’s Tasnim news agency, citing a source close to Tehran’s negotiating team, said the text had not been finalised and Iran would inform mediator Pakistan if and when it had been agreed.Iranian sources cited by local media also said a deal would only be complete when announced by Tehran, not unilaterally by Trump. Trump has repeatedly said the end of the war is close but told media at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday he was not yet satisfied by the negotiations and that the US was not discussing easing sanctions, one of Tehran’s demands. The latest attacks, while limited, highlighted the fragility of negotiations to turn the tenuous early-April ceasefire into a lasting agreement to end the three-month-old war – which has killed thousands – and reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command said US forces had shot down five Iranian attack drones and struck a ground control station in the port city of Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a sixth. Kuwaiti forces had then intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the country, which hosts a large US base. “These actions were measured, purely defensive and intended to maintain the ceasefire,” a US official, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about military operations, told Reuters earlier. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted the US base responsible for an early-morning attack near Bandar Abbas airport and that any repeat would lead to a “more decisive response”, Tasnim news agency reported. To Page 11 Kuwait condemned the attack and demanded that Iran immediately halt what it called a serious escalation. The violence, the second flare-up this week, coincided with Eid al-Adha celebrated across the region, where multiple countries have been caught up in the conflict triggered by US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28. Mediator Pakistan said its foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, would meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington today, although the significance of his visit was unclear.The US warned Oman yesterday not to get involved in any effort to impose a toll in the Strait of Hormuz, saying it will penalise any partners involved in such a system. “Oman, in particular, should know that the US Treasury will aggressively target any actors involved – directly or indirectly – in facilitating tolls for the Strait and any willing partners will be penalised,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on X. Trump said that no single country would have control over the waterway, and appeared to threaten Oman, with which the US has decades-long military and economic ties. “It’s international waters, and Oman will behave just like everybody else or we’ll have to blow them up. They understand that, they’ll be fine,” he said on Wednesday.Oman has not mentioned the idea of joint control of the strait with Iran, with which it says it has discussed freedom of navigation. Tehran expressed solidarity with Oman after what it called “US officials’ threats”. Source link
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani received a phone call from US President Donald Trump. They discussed the latest updates in the Middle East, in light of the political and security developments taking place in the region, along with the regional and international efforts aimed at reducing escalation and enhancing stability. The Amir stressed the need to prioritise political and diplomatic solutions and dialogue between all parties in order to consolidate regional security and stability and spare the region further tension and escalation.The US president voiced his appreciation for Qatar’s role in supporting Pakistani mediation efforts and strengthening communication channels between the various parties. He also commended Qatar’s endeavour aimed at bringing viewpoints closer and advancing de-escalation efforts in the region. Yesterday’s call was the latest in a series of direct contacts between the two leaders in recent weeks, reflecting the growing importance Washington attaches to Doha’s mediation role at a critical juncture for regional security. Qatar has consistently maintained that dialogue and diplomacy represent the only viable path to resolving the region’s overlapping crises, a position His Highness the Amir has reaffirmed in successive engagements with world leaders. Doha has played a central back-channel role in ongoing efforts to broker a diplomatic resolution to tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme, leveraging its long-standing ties with all parties to keep lines of communication open. The call also addressed the close strategic relations between Qatar and the US, along with ways to enhance bilateral co-operation in various fields, in order to serve the common interests of the two friendly countries. Related Story Source link
In an atmosphere of deep reverence and unity, the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Doha, in collaboration with the Indonesian Muslim Society in Qatar (IMSQA), once again organised Eid al-Adha prayers in Doha.The spiritually significant gathering drew approximately 1,000 Indonesian nationals residing in Qatar. The strong turnout reflected the enthusiasm of the Indonesian community, with worshippers travelling from various parts of the country to collectively observe one of the most important occasions in the Islamic calendar. The Eid gathering was organised to foster harmony and solidarity among worshippers within the Indonesian community in Qatar. The Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Qatar expressed sincere appreciation and gratitude to all parties whose support contributed to the successful organisation of the event. Special thanks were extended to Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, and Tariq Bin Ziyad School for providing the facilities and assistance necessary to ensure the prayers were conducted in an orderly and solemn manner.The ambassador also conveyed heartfelt gratitude to members of the Indonesian community in Qatar for their enthusiastic participation. He noted that moments of collective worship not only strengthen bonds among Indonesians living abroad, but also offer comfort and a sense of home to members of the diaspora.IMSQA stated that the Eid prayer gathering was organised to foster harmony and solidarity among worshippers, particularly within the Indonesian community in Qatar. The organisation expressed hope that the spirit of Eid al-Adha would continue to inspire peace, unity, and mutual support among Indonesian Muslims in the country.The Eid al-Adha prayers concluded with a warm gathering among members of the Indonesian community, providing an opportunity for attendees to reconnect, exchange greetings, and strengthen the spirit of brotherhood and solidarity while living overseas.The Indonesian Embassy in Doha expressed hope that the spirit of unity and devotion fostered during the Eid celebration would continue to strengthen the Indonesian community in Qatar and further reflect the enduring friendship between Indonesia and Qatar. Source link
IndiGo cuts around 7%-10%, Air India 22% of June-July planned domestic flights; Air India cites high jet fuel prices for temporary domestic route reductions; reductions highlight Indian aviation’s vulnerability to external shocks despite market growthIndiGo and Air India, India’s two largest airlines, have sharply cut their planned domestic flights for June and July, sources familiar with the matter said, as the industry grapples with a rise in jet fuel costs in the wake of the Iran war.IndiGo has cut around 7%-10% of its planned domestic flights for the period, while Air India has cut 22%, the sources said, marking a significant pullback by the two carriers that together control around 90% of India’s domestic air passenger market.The sources declined to be named as they were not authorised to share the information.The cuts could tighten seat availability on some domestic routes and keep fares elevated during the busy summer travel period, even as airlines try to avoid flying loss-making services.The Iran war-driven surge in jet fuel prices has blindsided the aviation industry. Fuel can account for up to 40% of airlines’ operating expenses, forcing them to raise fares and cut unprofitable flights.Air India said in a statement that it had “temporarily rationalised operations on certain domestic routes” between June and August.”These adjustments are driven by the sustained impact of high fuel prices on overall operations. Air India will continue to monitor demand and operating conditions closely, with a view to restoring frequencies as conditions stabilise,” a spokesperson for the airline added.Passengers affected by the changes would be offered places on alternative flights, complimentary date changes or full refunds, the spokesperson added.IndiGo did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. The airline operates over 2,200 daily flights, including international.Air India’s cuts follow reductions to its international routes, which have created room for foreign airlines to add more flights to and from India. IndiGo had cut some long-haul flights prior to the war, citing operational constraints and airport congestion.The reductions also underscore the vulnerability of India’s fast-growing aviation market to external shocks, even as carriers are set to receive new jets in the coming years. Air India recently logged a record annual loss of more than $2bn, also battered by Pakistan’s ban on Indian carriers from its airspace and a strong US dollar. The airline is owned by the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines. Source link
German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche speaks to reporters in Beijing, yesterday. (Reuters) Germany’s economy minister began a visit to China yesterday with Berlin saying it wanted to boost co-operation with a key partner while also warning of worsening trade imbalances.Katherina Reiche arrived in Beijing for the three-day trip, the latest senior German official to head to Berlin’s top trading partner as they seek to navigate increasingly complex ties.China — long a reliable market for German exports, from cars to factory machinery — has in recent years become a fierce competitor in many industries, turning the relationship on its head.Reiche, accompanied by a business delegation and German MPs, said that China and Germany “are linked by one of the most significant economic relationships in the world”.”In times of global uncertainty, we need dialogue, trust and robust partnerships. I will therefore advocate on the ground for modern co-operation — based on openness, competition and mutual benefit,” she said in a statement from her ministry.As well as Beijing, Reiche will visit the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.She will hold talks with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and visit companies.But there are many areas where Beijing and Berlin disagree, from trade practices to human rights, and Reiche will likely broach some of these.The economy ministry noted that in particular there was now a “clear trade imbalance” between the world’s number two and number three economies.German exports fell by around 10% in 2025, to roughly 80bn euros ($93bn), while imports from China rose to around 170bn euros, it said.Increasing competition for German businesses in China has been one factor weighing on Europe’s top economy, which has stagnated in recent years.Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited China in February, and the widening trade gap was also a key focus.Still, both Berlin and Beijing are keen to strengthen ties at a time of global uncertainty sparked by US President Donald Trump’s often erratic policies. Related Story Source link
Norway will come under France's nuclear umbrella, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told news agency NTB yesterday, as concerns grow in Europe over US commitment to the region's security. The move by Norway is significant as it has long been a so-called Atlanticist nation, one which believed its security was best achieved via close alignment with Washington.Stoere travelled to Paris yesterday afternoon to meet President Emmanuel Macron and sign a new defence agreement with France, which includes Norway joining a French-led nuclear weapons initiative. ‘We are doing this in light of the security policy situation in Europe, including Russia's massive rearmament, also in the nuclear domain, and that it is waging a full-scale war against another European country,’ Stoere told Norwegian news agency NTB. No nuclear weapons will be deployed in Norway in peacetime, he added. The Nordic nation of 5.6 mn inhabitants is a member of Nato, but not of the European Union, and shares a border with Russia in the Arctic. In March, France offered to extend the protection of its nuclear umbrella to other European countries which, in practice, means that an attack on Norway could trigger a French nuclear response. Norway becomes the latest country to receive France's nuclear protection, after Poland and Lithuania, which also share borders with Russia. Russia and the US are the world's biggest nuclear powers, with over 5,000 nuclear warheads each. China has about 500, France has 290 and Britain 225, according to the Federation of American Scientists. Source link
President Donald Trump during the cabinet meeting yesterday. (Reuters) President Donald Trump said yesterday the US and Iran still have issues to resolve in peace talks, after Washington dismissed an Iranian state television report of a framework deal to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz within a month and to lift a US naval blockade on Iranian ships.Trump told a cabinet meeting that Iran remained keen to end the war, which has choked global energy supplies through the strategic waterway, but that the terms did not satisfy Washington.”Iran is very much intent, they want very much to make a deal. So far they haven’t gotten there … We’re not satisfied with it, but we will be. Either that or we’ll have to just finish the job,” he said, without elaborating.”The deal has got to be perfect,” he later added, insisting that the Strait of Hormuz would be open immediately after a deal is reached and that no single country would have control over the waterway. Iranian state TV reported that it had obtained an unofficial draft of a memorandum of understanding under which the US would lift its blockade and withdraw its forces from Iran’s vicinity. It said the issue of US troops in the region needed further discussion, without elaborating. It did not mention Iran’s nuclear programme, which the US wants disbanded. In a statement on social media, the White House dismissed the report as a “complete fabrication”, while Tehran did not comment. Publicly, the two sides previously have outlined positions starkly at odds.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the cabinet meeting: “There’s been some progress and some interest, and we’ll see over the next few hours and days whether progress could be made.””The bottom line is Iran’s never going to have a nuclear weapon,” he added.Key sticking points in the talks have included reopening and management of the Strait of Hormuz waterway, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flowed before the conflict, and the issue of the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear capacity.Trump said that once a deal is struck, the US would monitor shipping there. He also said that Oman, on the southern shores of the strait, would have to play its part in the process as well. The strait is covered by international law that guarantees foreign vessels the right to pass through.”We’ll watch over it, but nobody’s going to control it – that’s part of the negotiation that we have…,” he said. Oil prices fell more than 5% after the Iranian television report, before retracing about a fifth of that fall.The US military has some 15,000 troops enforcing a blockade of Iran and has thousands of additional forces at bases throughout the region, including in Gulf states.US naval vessels, some with thousands of sailors and Marines aboard, regularly transit the region, stopping in ports including in Oman. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Iranian sources have said talks on the nuclear issue will come in a second round of negotiations – something that may not be acceptable to some of Trump’s closest supporters. Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only.Earlier yesterday, a senior Iranian official told reporters on the sidelines of the first International Security Forum in Moscow that reopening the Strait of Hormuz remained a sticking point.”As long as we have not agreed on all issues, we consider that nothing has been agreed,” Iran’s deputy secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Bagheri Kani, told reporters when asked about a deal on reopening the waterway.Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Navy said yestersday that 23 ships including oil tankers, container ships and other commercial vessels passed through Hormuz with its permission in the previous 24 hours, a fraction of the daily 125 to 140 vessels passing through before the conflict. The war has killed thousands and caused an unprecedented oil supply shock, pushing up the costs of fuel, fertiliser and food.It has also created political problems for Trump at home. US polls show the war is deeply unpopular with the public six months before midterm elections. Related Story Source link
Youtube will in future automatically detect AI-generated content and flag the information to viewers on its platform, the Google-owned company said Wednesday.The move reverses a previous policy of relying on video creators to self-report if they had used generative AI tools.”If a creator doesn’t specify whether or not they used AI, but our systems detect significant photorealistic AI use, we will now automatically apply a label,” Youtube said in a blog post.The video platform’s last steps on generative AI date back to 2024, when it requested that creators flag content where they had used the technology.Since then there have been major strides in producing photorealistic images and video, with widely available AI models including Google’s Veo 3.1 and Seedance from Tiktok’s parent company Bytedance.Creators will be able to challenge the new flags if they think their content has been unfairly labelled as AI, Youtube said.The platform added that the flags would have no impact on its algorithm for recommending videos to users.Other platforms and social networks to introduce automatic flagging of AI content recently include music streamer Spotify.Many online spaces are flooded with AI-generated images, video or audio, which is growing increasingly difficult to tell apart from human creations as the tools become more capable.mng/tgb/js Source link
The Turkish city of Istanbul will host the third Global Islamic Economy Summit from June 3 to 6, bringing together policymakers, economists, investors, financial institutions, academics and industry representatives.The summit will focus on a range of global economic issues, including ethical finance, real-economy growth, sustainable development and inclusive economic expansion.The event is organized by the Al Baraka Forum for Islamic Economics in strategic partnership with Turkiye’s Presidential Investment and Finance Office, the Turkish Sovereign Wealth Fund, the Istanbul Financial Center, the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum and Ibn Haldun University.Discussions over the four-day program are expected to examine the role of capital within the Islamic economic framework, with sessions addressing productive capital circulation, inclusive participation in economic activity and the development of ethical financing models that support sustainable growth.The summit will also feature dialogue sessions and strategic meetings involving representatives from central banks, global financial institutions and investment bodies, alongside experts in financial technology.Key topics include the global economy and capital flows, Islamic banking, sukuk markets, social finance and waqf (endowments), as well as artificial intelligence, digital financial technologies, entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprise financing. Source link
Almost 50 countries condemned what they said were threats by Russia against embassies in Ukraine in a joint statement at the UN yesterday.Russia called on Washington to evacuate its Kyiv embassy on Monday, threatening “systematic strikes” on the Ukrainian capital amid similar warnings to other diplomatic missions.”We also condemn recent threats by Russia to diplomatic institutions and embassies in Kyiv. This is something which we cannot accept,” said the joint statement delivered by Ukrainian UN representative Andriy Melnyk.The statement was signed by European countries, Japan, South Korea and others. The US was not among the signatories.A weekend barrage by Russia — involving dozens of drones and missiles — killed four people and caused widespread damage across the Ukrainian capital.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres registered his concern over Russian attacks.”I am deeply concerned by a recent announcement by the Russian Federation to launch consistent and systematic strikes against Ukrainian defense enterprises in Kyiv, as well as against decision making centers and command posts following reports of an Ukrainian drone attack on a college building and dormitory in the Ukrainian city of Starobilsk, presently occupied by the Russian Federation,” Guterres told the UN Security Council.”Now more than ever it is imperative to avoid any escalation of a conflict that has already exacted a devastating toll on civilians and that risks making the search for peace even more distant.”Among the weapons Russia used at the weekend was its Oreshnik hypersonic missile, which can travel 10 times the speed of sound and is capable of carrying nuclear warheads, according to Moscow.The strikes followed Russian accusations that Ukraine hit a vocational school in the Russian-occupied Lugansk region, killing 21 people. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military to retaliate. Source link