“I have just been informed by our Great Military ​that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly ⁠sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote in a ​social media post.

He said the two US pilots involved in the incident were both safe ​and uninjured.

“Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack,” he added.

His remarks threw into deeper uncertainty the prospects for a truce announced on April 8 in the war in the Gulf.

On ​Monday, Israel and Iran said they would halt attacks on each other after an ​appeal by Trump to end their first direct exchanges of fire since April, but Tehran warned it ‌would ⁠resume hostilities if Israel continued to attack its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Monday’s flare-up added further strain to efforts to broker a peace deal to end the wider Middle East war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

In remarks earlier on Tuesday about the downing of the ​Apache helicopter, Trump had ​said the two US ⁠helicopter crew members were “fine” following their rescue by a US Navy drone, but he had made no comment about what brought the Apache ​down.

A US Navy surface drone found and rescued the two crew, ​the US ⁠military told Reuters. US Central Command said the AH-64 Apache went down at around 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday (2300 GMT on Monday).

ISRAEL HITS LEBANON’S TYRE PORT CITY, KILLING EIGHT

On Monday, Israel and Iran said they would halt attacks on each other after an appeal by Trump to end their first direct ​exchanges of fire since April, but Tehran warned it would resume hostilities if Israel continued to attack its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In Tehran, two Iranian air defence personnel killed in Israeli strikes on Monday were due ​to be buried on Tuesday afternoon, Iran’s military said. No deaths were reported in Israel after the Iranian strikes.

In a parallel conflict, Israel struck the historic port city of Tyre in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, killing at least eight people. It was the deadliest strike on the city since fighting erupted in Lebanon in early March, when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in support of Tehran after Israel and the United States began their war against Iran.

Israel had issued an evacuation order ​for the city earlier on Tuesday. Residents fled and civil defence teams transported elderly residents into temporary shelters, state media reported. The eight victims were killed in a single strike on the city’s eastern edge, ​Lebanon’s health ministry said.

A video verified by Reuters showed debris strewn across a road at the site of the attack.

Israel’s refusal to end its campaign in Lebanon, as Iran demands, has hindered Trump’s efforts to extend a tenuous ceasefire ‌in the ⁠wider U.S.-Israeli war with Iran into a durable settlement.

Trump told reporters in earlier remarks he might have “an idea” for an Iran deal within a few days, without elaborating. The Republican president, struggling with record-low approval ratings as November’s midterm elections approach, has often hinted at an imminent deal with Tehran, but none has yet materialised.

US and Israeli officials said Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had spoken on Monday.

In an interview with Axios, Trump said he had warned the Israeli leader not to return to war with Iran: “I said, ‘Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon.’”

ISRAEL’S ZAMIR SAYS MILITARY READY TO STRIKE ​IRAN AGAIN

However, Israel’s military chief Eyal Zamir said ​on Tuesday that the attack Israel carried out ⁠against Iran the previous day was “in preparation for a much more significant and heavy blow”.

“We are prepared to return and deliver another severe and deep strike against Iran,” he said during a visit to training exercises in northern Israel.

Tehran has long said any peace deal with Washington depends in part on an end to ​fighting in Lebanon, which Israel invaded in March in pursuit of Hezbollah fighters who had fired across the border.

In northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli troops operating ​in the Ramim Ridge area ⁠close to Lebanon’s border killed one person in an incident in which they returned fire, the military said.

Israel has never halted its Lebanon campaign, which has killed thousands of people, saying the conflict should be treated separately from any US-Iranian ceasefire. Hezbollah has also continued its attacks.

At the same time, Tehran has continued to block most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which before the war carried a fifth of the world’s crude oil and ⁠liquefied natural gas. ​Washington has imposed its own blockade of Iranian ports.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Tuesday that ship traffic through Hormuz ​is rising “very meaningfully”, but added it would take many months to get back to normal flows of energy once the war is over.

Trump has said any peace deal must ensure Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon. Iran’s demands include the lifting of international sanctions, ​the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets and recognition of its control of the strait.

A US Navy surface drone found and rescued the two crew from the waters of the strait, the US military’s Central Command told Reuters.

The pair were rescued within about two hours and were in stable condition, Centcom said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear whether the Apache had been shot down by Iranian fire, experienced mechanical failure, or encountered some other problem, the New York Times report said.

“The ​pilots are fine,” Trump said, speaking on the runway at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport before returning to ⁠Washington, DC “Nobody injured.”

Iran and Israel stop attacks on each other

Iran and Israel said on Monday that they had halted attacks on each other after an appeal ​from Trump, settling back into a tenuous ceasefire announced on April 8.

Tehran warned, however, that it would resume hostilities if Israel continued to hit Iran’s Hezbollah allies in Lebanon. On ​Tuesday, the Israeli military issued an evacuation order for the Lebanese city of Tyre ahead of possible strikes.

The order included the Christian quarter, an area previously excluded from evacuation warnings. The military said Hezbollah militants were operating there, without providing evidence.

Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon helped trigger the latest missile exchanges between Iran and Israel — the most confrontation since ​the April ceasefire — complicating Trump’s push to end a war that the US and Israel launched on February 28.

Trump also told reporters he might have “an idea” ​for an Iran deal within a few days, without elaborating. The Republican president, struggling with record-low approval ratings as November’s midterm elections approach, has often hinted at an imminent ‌deal with ⁠Tehran, but none has yet materialised.

Iran had fired missiles towards Israeli territory late on Sunday, calling the strikes retaliation for attacks on the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia on the outskirts of Beirut.

Israel then hit Iranian air defence systems and a petrochemical plant that it said was used to produce ballistic missiles. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it retaliated with a strike aimed at a similar Israeli plant in the city of Haifa. No deaths were reported by authorities on either ​side.

Trump tells Netanyahu to ‘Be careful’

US and Israeli ​officials said Trump and Israeli Prime ⁠Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Monday.

In an interview with Axios, Trump said he had warned the Israeli leader not to return to war with Iran: “I said, ’Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon.”

Tehran has ​long said any peace deal with the US depends in part on an end to fighting in Lebanon, which ​Israel invaded in March ⁠in pursuit of Hezbollah fighters who had fired across the border.

Israel has never halted its Lebanon campaign, which has killed thousands of people, saying the conflict should be treated separately from any US-Iranian ceasefire. Hezbollah has also continued its attacks.

At the same time, Tehran has continued to block most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which, ⁠before the war, ​carried a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas. Washington has imposed ​its own blockade of Iranian ports.

Trump has said any peace deal must ensure Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon. Iran’s demands include the lifting of international sanctions, the release of billions of dollars ​in frozen assets and recognition of its control of the strait.

“We are ready, we are willing, we are committed. Are you? If you are, let’s ​sit and talk,” said Aoun.

The Lebanese government is in direct talks with Israel, mediated by Washington, ​to reach a full cessation of hostilities, despite opposition by the armed group Hezbollah, which ⁠is fighting Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.

Aoun said he would not meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before ​reaching an agreement to end the war. He said any deal would be a non-aggression pact and not a ​full peace deal.

“We need to end the state of hostility between Lebanon and Israel. Forever. And this (pact) could be a path forward for a just and lasting peace,” Aoun said.

Aoun said Lebanon would move in line with the 2002 Arab Peace ​Initiative, which offers normalisation with Israel across the Arab world in exchange for Palestinian statehood and Israel’s withdrawal ​from occupied territories.

“But we cannot jump from A to B directly. We have to go through different steps,” Aoun said.

Lebanese dying for Iran’s interests, Aoun says

The war erupted on March 2 when Hezbollah fired on Israel in support of its ally Tehran.

Israel responded with an air campaign and ground operations that have left swathes of southern Lebanon occupied.

More than 3,600 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, and more than one million ​Lebanese are displaced.

The US ​declared a ceasefire on ⁠April 16, but fighting has continued, and Lebanon says Israel has carried out nearly 3,500 strikes since the truce was announced.

Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday in ​retaliation for Hezbollah fire on northern Israel, triggering a 24-hour direct exchange of fire ​between Iran and ⁠Israel that threatened to wreck Washington’s efforts to reach an agreement with Tehran to end their more than three-month-old war.

Aoun told CNN that Lebanon sought a good relationship with Iran based on mutual respect and non-interference, and ⁠said Lebanon’s ​people were being killed to serve Iran’s interests.

In an earlier ​clip from the interview aired on Friday, Aoun accused Iran of using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in its talks with the United States, ​in some of his toughest criticism yet of Tehran.

The wave of attacks over the ‌past 24 hours marked the most direct confrontation between Iran and Israel since an April ceasefire, threatening to wreck Washington’s efforts to reach an agreement with Tehran to end their more than three-month war.

Oil prices — which had risen by as much as 5% after the flurry of attacks — later pared gains when Iran’s military said its first wave of strikes on Israel was over. The dollar retreated from its highest level in nearly two months.

A source briefed on the matter told Reuters that Israel had also decided to halt its ​attacks on Iran.

Israel struck Iranian targets after Tehran fired missiles towards Israeli territory late on Sunday. Tehran said its strikes were retaliation for Israeli attacks on strongholds of Iran-backed Hezbollah on the outskirts of ​Beirut.

Israel hit a petrochemical plant in southwestern Iran that it said was used to produce ballistic missiles. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it retaliated with a strike ⁠aimed at a similar Israeli plant in the city of Haifa.

‘PAINFUL RESPONSE’

Iran’s military headquarters said it had “delivered a painful response” against Israel for its attacks on Lebanon, including Sunday’s strikes on the outskirts of Beirut.

“Accordingly, the operations ​of the armed forces are hereby declared halted; however, it is emphasised that if the aggressions and acts of mischief continue — including in southern Lebanon — much more severe and crushing actions than before will follow.”

The exchange has complicated ​Trump’s push to end the war, launched by the US and Israel on February 28, and underscores how easily the conflict could widen into a broader regional confrontation. A ceasefire announced on April 8 had paused all-out warfare but flare-ups in the Gulf have continued.

In one of several posts on social media, Trump said Israel and Iran both wanted “an immediate CEASEFIRE! Final negotiations on ‘Peace’ are proceeding, subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in its way.” He added that a US blockade of Iranian ports would remain in ​place till a final deal was reached.

An Israeli official said Trump had spoken with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.

Earlier, an Israeli military official said Israel was prepared to continue operations for “as long as it takes,” and ​confirmed strikes on newly rebuilt Iranian air defence systems in addition to the petrochemical target.

Iranian officials struck a similarly defiant tone. A military source quoted by the semi-official Tasnim news agency said Tehran was ready for a prolonged conflict and could ‌renew strikes against ⁠US interests in the region.

‘EXTREME SUSPICION’

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was exchanging messages with Washington in an atmosphere of “extreme suspicion”. Israel’s actions in Lebanon, whether carried out with US knowledge and consent or not, were aimed at sabotaging diplomacy, he added.

In Tehran, Iranian media reported explosions on Monday, with air defences shooting down a drone over the capital. There were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage.

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis pledged in a statement to stop Israel’s maritime navigation in the Red Sea, and said they had also fired missiles at Israel.

The Houthis have so far largely stayed out of the regional war. They control territory at the mouth of the Red Sea, increasingly ​important as an alternative route for millions of barrels ​per day of Middle East oil otherwise blocked ⁠by Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

The Israeli military official said Iran had fired “close to 30 ballistic missiles” at Israel since Sunday evening, and the Houthis a further two missiles.

Israel said it struck targets at the Mahshahr petrochemical complex that were used to produce and export raw materials for Iran’s missile programme. A provincial official told ​Iranian media that parts of the plant were damaged.

Fifteen people were injured across Iran in the latest Israeli attacks — 14 of them in Mahshahr County — but no deaths ​have been reported, Iran’s National ⁠Emergency Organisation said.

The Israeli ambulance service said no casualties were reported from the missile launches toward Israel.

LEBANESE-ISRAELI TALKS TO RESUME

Israel has never halted its Lebanon campaign, which has killed thousands of people, saying it should be treated separately from any Iran ceasefire. Hezbollah has also continued its attacks.

Tehran has long said any peace deal with the US would depend on an end to fighting in Lebanon, which Israel invaded in March in pursuit of Hezbollah fighters who fired across the border in solidarity with ⁠Tehran.

The US ambassador ​to Lebanon, Michel Issa, said on Monday that Lebanese-Israeli negotiations were scheduled to resume in Washington.

Tehran has continued to block most shipping ​through the Strait of Hormuz, which carried a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas before the war. Washington has imposed its own blockade of Iranian ports.

Trump has said any peace deal must prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran’s demands include the ​lifting of international sanctions, the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets and recognition of its sway over the strait.

Speaking to USA Today in an exclusive telephone interview, Vance said he felt “extremely confident” that the US would not be talking about its involvement in Iran “even a year down the road.”

“I think that we’re going to be successful,” Vance told USA Today.

“If this diplomacy ultimately falls apart, then the president has further tools at his disposal. But so long as we keep this thing anchored to the core mission — prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon — it’s not going to become a quagmire.”

The armed conflict — triggered by the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 — hit its 100-day mark this week. Since April, the war has been in a ceasefire that US officials, including Vance, have sought with limited results to advance to a comprehensive peace agreement.

Trump has repeatedly signalled that a deal is close, but negotiations have hit repeated deadlocks. Recent exchanges of fire between Iran and Israel had raised fears the ceasefire was fraying.

Vance, an Iraq war veteran and the administration’s most vocal skeptic of American military engagement abroad, did not rule out intensified US military action if diplomacy fails.

The vice president’s remarks came during a telephone interview tied to the release of his new book, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, due for release June 16, a follow-up to his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy

India and China, the world’s two most populous nations, are intense rivals competing for strategic influence across South Asia. Ties have thawed since a 2020 border clash, but their 3,500-kilometre (2,200-mile) frontier has been a perennial source of tension.

The tunnel forms part of a broader infrastructure push, creating a link with roads and railways that will allow trade, troops and supplies to move year-round from India’s sweltering lowland plains to the soaring icy border zones.

“This is not just a tunnel but a lifeline,” said India’s minister of roads, Nitin Gadkari, during a breakthrough ceremony on Tuesday at the high-altitude tunnel, which is part of a route designed to rapidly improve connectivity between Srinagar, the main city in Indian occupied Kashmir, and Leh, Ladakh’s key city.

At present, road travel between the cities is blocked during winter due to heavy snowfall, which can often rise higher than a truck.

Diggers cut through the final stretch of rock in a milestone in the creation of the 13.14-kilometre (8.17-mile) Zojila tunnel, which will connect two sides otherwise cut off by snow during the bitter winters.

More than 3,000 workers have been involved since 2020 in excavating the tunnel, which passes beneath the 3,528-metre (11,575-foot) Zojila Pass.

Gadkari pressed a button to remotely trigger the final blast, connecting tunnels dug from both sides and creating what will be India’s longest road tunnel.

“We have worked for this tunnel day and night in challenging weather conditions, and completed it without any accident,” project engineer Manmohan Singh told AFP.

The project is part of a broader network of four major tunnels, including the 6.5-kilometre Sonamarg tunnel, a $712-million initiative expected to be fully operational by 2028.

India has also developed a $3.9-billion railway line connecting the lowland plains with occupied Kashmir, including the construction of the Chenab Rail Bridge, currently the highest of its kind in the world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the railway route in June 2025.

The 272-kilometre railway begins in the garrison city of Udhampur, headquarters of the army’s northern command, and runs through Srinagar.

Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947, and both claim the Himalayan territory in full.

People of occupied Kashmir demand merger with Pakistan.

Speaking to reporters, as cited by CNN, Trump said discussions between the United States and Iran were continuing even after a reported pause in hostilities between Iran and Israel, suggesting what he described as steady diplomatic progress.

He said he hoped a formal agreement to end the conflict could be finalised within days, adding that any deal would be a signed document rather than an informal understanding.

Trump also said Iran appeared interested in reaching an agreement and that diplomatic efforts were moving forward, though he cautioned that normalisation of relations would not happen immediately even if a deal is reached.

Warning against escalation, he said the United States could carry out significant military strikes but did not want to pursue that option.

He added that prolonged conflict could lead to heavy casualties and disrupt key global shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, which he said could face prolonged closure in a worst-case scenario.

He reiterated that the US position is focused on securing a diplomatic settlement aimed at regional stability rather than expanding military action.

“All attacks must stop immediately. The ceasefires in Lebanon, Iran & Gaza must be fully respected,” he said in a post on ​X.

Israel struck targets in Iran on Monday for the first ​time since a ceasefire in April, after Iran fired ⁠missiles at Israel in what Tehran said was retaliation for ​Israeli strikes on Lebanon’s capital.

Israel and Iran both called a halt ​to the exchange on Monday shortly after Trump told them to stop shooting, although they each left the door open to a possible resumption.

The most direct ​confrontation between the two countries since April threatened to wreck ​Washington’s efforts to reach an agreement with Tehran to end their more than ‌3-month-old ⁠war.

Guterres also said Israel should open crossings it has closed into Gaza to allow for the flow of humanitarian aid.

“I’m also deeply concerned by Israel’s decision to close crossings into Gaza & reiterate my ​call for the ​immediate reopening of ⁠all crossings to ensure the rapid, safe & unhindered passage of humanitarian assistance at scale throughout Gaza,” ​he said.

A US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been in ​place ⁠since October 2025, which includes guarantees of increased aid.

Israel and Hamas have repeatedly accused each other of violating the truce. Israeli strikes have ⁠killed ​more than 950 people since the truce, ​health officials say, while Israel says four soldiers were killed by militants during the ​same period.

The source, who asked not to be named, confirmed earlier reports by Italian news agencies and said Ben-Gvir was being investigated ​on suspicion of torture and kidnapping of Italian citizens who were ​among the activists.

If the probe determines charges are warranted, prosecutors ⁠could lodge a formal request for trial.

In response to the Italian ​investigation, Ben-Gvir said in a statement: “I will not shy away from one ​investigation or another and will continue to stand proudly alongside our fighters.”

Israel and Ben-Gvir have faced mounting international criticism after the minister, in late May, released a video showing ​detained Gaza activists kneeling with their hands bound after Israel intercepted the aid ​flotilla in international waters.

Organisers said the 430 activists detained by Israeli police included citizens of ‌Italy ⁠and South Korea.

In a video Ben-Gvir posted on X, officers forced an activist to the ground after she chanted “Free, free Palestine”.

The government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the treatment of the activists “unacceptable” and summoned ​the Israeli ambassador ​for an ⁠explanation.

Italy subsequently asked the European Union to discuss sanctions against Ben-Gvir, while France has decided to ban Ben-Gvir from its ​territory.

Flotilla organisers say they aimed to break Israel’s blockade ​of Gaza ⁠by delivering humanitarian assistance, something aid bodies say is still in short supply despite a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in place since ⁠October ​2025 that includes guarantees of increased aid.

Israel ​says its naval blockade of Gaza is lawful.

Previous evacuation orders had excluded the ​Christian quarter, ​but the military said ‌Hezbollah ⁠militants were operating there, without providing evidence. It ​had ​warned ⁠residents that the area ​could be ​subject ⁠to evacuation orders if ⁠Hezbollah ​remained present.

It was not immediately ‌clear ⁠whether the Apache was shot down by Iranian ​fire, experienced ​mechanical ⁠failure or encountered some ​other problem, the ​report ⁠added.

Reuters could not immediately verify ⁠the ​report.

\

A light ‌aircraft was briefly blown over by strong winds at Wellington airport after a gust of wind tipped the plane onto its wing and wheel, an airport spokesperson ​said by email.

“Nobody was injured, and it was quickly righted,” ​it said.

The New Zealand Herald said the plane had just ⁠landed and passengers had disembarked when the craft tipped.

Around eight flights ​were cancelled at Wellington’s airport. Air New Zealand has informed passengers that ​forecast high winds could disrupt some flights from Wellington and offered rebooking options, Radio New Zealand reported.

A state of emergency has been declared for parts of Wellington ​as the weather bureau warned of waves up to 9 metres along the city’s south coast.

“We are now entering the forecast period for the most ‌significant ⁠swell impacts.

If you are in the evacuation zone and have not left your property, please shelter in place,“ the Wellington City Council said in a post on Facebook.

Ferry services between New Zealand’s North and ​South Islands were ​cancelled on Tuesday.

Waves ⁠are forecast to rise rapidly through Tuesday morning and early afternoon along the east coasts of the North ​and South Islands and at the Chatham Islands, the ​weather ⁠bureau said.

Island Bay resident Jonathan Delich, who owns Cook Strait Fishing Charters, told the New Zealand Herald he has cancelled all operations scheduled for Tuesday ⁠and ​Wednesday.

“We wouldn’t take you fishing even if ​you wanted to … no one in their right mind would go out on the water ​today,” Delich said.

He said the arrangement would apply to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for about one-fifth of global seaborne oil.

The strait has reportedly seen a 90–95% drop in traffic since the US-Israeli conflict began in late February 2026, contributing to what Jalali described as a 13 million barrel per day shortfall.

The United States, European countries and Gulf states have opposed any toll system on the international waterway, even as regional tensions continue with incidents including Israeli airstrikes.

Jalali also told the Tasnim News Agency that Europe has no role in Tehran–Washington negotiations aimed at resolving the Middle East crisis, saying talks are strictly between Iran and the US administration.

Oman’s ambassador to Washington, Talal bin Suleiman al-Rahbi, recently told The Guardian that Oman opposes any toll-based system and supports freedom of navigation.

Oman, which shares stewardship of the strait and has traditionally acted as a neutral mediator, continues to resist US pressure to sever ties with Iran.

It has been discussing a potential management framework for the strait that would comply with international law, in consultation with the International Maritime Organisation.

Oman has also been critical of violations of international law in the region and has condemned Iranian attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait.

Any future reopening of the waterway could significantly increase global oil supply and ease shortages, although enforcement mechanisms remain unclear.

Now, India is increasingly counting the cost of the Iran war, which ​economists say will keep mounting if the deadlock between the US and Iran remains unresolved and the blockage of oil supplies continues.

As the world’s third-largest oil importer and consumer, India ‌ships in about 90% of its oil, making its economy one of the most exposed to the war and the prolonged war-related disruptions, which include the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz through which a fifth of global oil and gas transit.

While India has announced a flurry of measures to contain the impact on the rupee and foreign exchange reserves, the latest of which were from the Reserve Bank of India on Friday, analysts say the broader drag on economic growth, inflation and government finances is set ​to increase so long as oil prices remain elevated.

“India is set for a series of supply shocks,” Michael Langham, emerging markets economist at Aberdeen Investments, said.

Apart from pressure on oil prices, the country ​also faces supply disruptions to fertiliser as a result of the Iran war, which will impact key crops like wheat when farmers are already bracing for an ⁠El Niño weather phenomenon that often portends drought.

“This will all drag on India’s growth outlook, yet the ability of the RBI to look through the energy price shock from the Strait of Hormuz will be increasingly difficult ​given the overlapping nature of these supply shocks,” Langham said.

At the end of last year, India’s central bank governor, Sanjay Malhotra, talked about a “rare Goldilocks” phase for the economy as it headed into 2026.

Inflation levels were falling ​, and growth remained relatively strong.

The Iran war upended that outlook.

India’s oil-and-gas import bill jumped 53% in April from March, prompting forecasts for the balance of payments (BoP) deficit — essentially money coming into the economy netted off against money going out — to balloon.

HSBC says that Friday’s series of steps may do a lot to limit the currency damage.

Until Friday, it had expected India’s BoP deficit to swell to about $65 billion in 2026-27, but now expects the measures to improve the balance by about $30 billion.

In 2025-26, India’s BoP ​deficit was at $25.2 billion or 0.6% of GDP.

India is also curbing gold imports, urging citizens to limit foreign travel and calling for more use of public transport to reduce oil demand.

“Difficult position”

But the macro picture is ​more challenging.

Benchmark international oil prices surged after the war began on Feb. 28, climbing to nearly $120 per barrel.

Prices have eased, but they remain about 30% higher overall, while gas prices have risen 75% over the same period.

As a result, the ‌central bank ⁠sees inflation averaging 5.1% in the financial year to the end of March 2027, up from a 3.48% reading in April, and economic growth slipping to 6.6% from 7.7% in the previous year.

While the RBI kept rates on hold last week, interest rate swap markets are pricing in at least 25 basis points of rate hikes over the next three months and more than 75 basis points over the next year.

“India continues to face deeper structural challenges which have weighed on foreign direct investment, employment, manufacturing expansion, consumption, and nominal GDP growth,” said Sat Duhra, portfolio manager at the Asia ex-Japan equity team at Janus Henderson Investors.

Duhra said the energy shock will undermine growth and ​pressure government finances.

“Any move to rein in public-sector capex ​to stabilise conditions would risk further slowing growth,” ⁠he said. “This leaves policymakers in a difficult position.”

Strong oil demand

India delayed raising retail fuel prices as import costs mounted. Petrol and diesel are up less than 10% since then, compared with 50% or more in some other oil-importing countries in Asia.

Petrol and diesel prices are deregulated, but the government exerts significant influence as the majority shareholder ​of the key retail companies.

Elsewhere, high prices have reduced demand and helped balance undersupplied markets.

The government has said it will not compensate fuel retailers for losses, ​a strategy analysts say will ⁠come at a cost for the government, such as through reduced dividends, and so cut its financial firepower to handle the crisis.

The government’s fertiliser subsidy is likely to jump 20% in 2026/27, a government official said.

Fertiliser is vital for India’s agrarian economy, which supports nearly half the population, but may be more so this year given the risk of drought owing to El Niño.

The government also cut gasoline and gasoil taxes, forgoing 140 billion rupees in monthly revenues.

The government is targeting ⁠a fiscal deficit ​of 4.3% of GDP this financial year, but a Reuters poll forecast it would swell to 4.7%, and some economists see it ​going as high as 5%.

India-based credit rating agency Crisil expects further small price increases in retail oil prices, which will have a wider impact.

“The broader effect will reverberate across the economy through higher transport costs, pushing up both food and core inflation,” it said in a ​report.

The strikes follow large attacks by Russia and Ukraine on each other in recent weeks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week called for an end to the war and proposed direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia, with active US and European participation.

The latest attacks ​came as Zelensky was returning to Kyiv from talks in London with the leaders of Britain, France and Germany ​, who said they were ready to support ceasefire talks.

Zelensky also said he had had a “positive” conversation with US ⁠envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, praising what he called their readiness to work on a settlement of the war in ​the coming weeks.

The latest strikes on Ukraine resulted in the deaths of two men, one 70 and the other 56, as well ​as two women, a 22-year-old and a 70-year-old, in the town of Chuhuiv in northeastern Kharkiv, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said on Telegram, posting a photo of a destroyed apartment building on fire.

He also noted that an overnight drone attack on the regional capital of Kharkiv had caused 15 ​people, including three children, to seek medical assistance.

A separate post from Chuhuiv’s mayor, Galina Minaeva, said six people in the town were ​injured.

In Sevastopol in Russia-annexed Crimea, home to Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet, defence systems were repelling a drone attack, the local Russian-installed governor, Mikhail ‌Razvozhayev, ⁠said on Telegram.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports.

Over the past month, Russia has hit Ukraine with Oreshnik missiles, while Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.

Moscow and Kyiv have both said that gaining battlefield advantages assists their diplomatic efforts.

Cautious steps to resume peace talks

US-led peace efforts between Ukraine and Russia have largely stalled as Washington is focused on finding a solution to the Iran war.

US and Ukrainian officials continue to discuss a possible visit to Kyiv by Witkoff and Kushner, potentially in the coming weeks, a source familiar with the matter said.

It would be the first official visit to Ukraine for the two envoys, who have previously travelled to Moscow ​for talks with Russia.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen also told the UN Security Council on ​Monday that Nordic countries ⁠supported Zelenskiy’s proposal for an immediate ceasefire and direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In London, Zelensky told UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer about his country’s need for additional missiles for air defence systems.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin was quoted on Tuesday as saying that ⁠NATO countries were increasing their presence in areas near Russia and Belarus.

“We remain in ​a constant state of readiness to employ all means, including nuclear ones, to ensure the security of the Union State,” he told the Izvestia newspaper, referring to ​a political, security and economic alliance between Russia and Belarus.

The neighbours should strengthen strategic ties and firmly protect their ‌sovereignty, security, and development interests, Xi told Kim, an official Chinese summary of the meeting showed, as Beijing looks to draw Pyongyang closer.

Xi’s two-day visit, his first in seven years to China’s reclusive neighbour, comes at a time when its economy, strengthened by growing trade and military ties to Russia, could boost Kim’s confidence in talks.

“I am deeply pleased and also feel a special sense of closeness,” Xi told Kim on his first ​international trip this year.

No matter how the international situation changed, he reaffirmed to Kim that China would continue to highly value its traditional friendship with North Korea, the ​summary showed.

“The firm support for Comrade General Secretary Kim Jong Un’s leadership of the DPRK socialist cause will not change, and the firm ⁠determination to safeguard common interests and good strategic environment… will not change,” Xi added.

He was referring to the North’s formal name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The Chinese leader arrived ​at a red-carpet welcome from Kim and his wife Ri Sol Ju, alongside a guard of honour, while children presented bouquets, a video from Chinese state media showed.

A 21-gun salute was ​fired at the capital’s Kim Il Sung Square, a site of military parades and state celebrations, as spectators, dwarfed by huge portraits of the leaders, chanted slogans and released balloons, the Xinhua news agency said.

Ties were at a “new historical starting point”, Xi said earlier, before urging stronger exchanges in areas from diplomacy, law enforcement and the military to agriculture, trade, technology and construction.

“Important consensus” was reached during the talks, Xi said ​during a banquet Kim held for the Chinese first couple on Monday evening, according to Chinese state media.

‘STRATEGIC ASSET’

Xi had called on Kim to “oppose hegemony, authoritarianism and all attempts and ​conspiracies to revive militarism that endanger regional security and stability” in remarks published in the North’s state media on Monday.

“The Xi-Kim summit is a reminder that Beijing still sees Pyongyang as a strategic asset,” ‌said Craig ⁠Singleton, a senior China fellow at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies.

The neighbours, along with Russia and Iran, share an interest in blunting US power and straining its alliances, he added.

Xi also pledged to work with North Korea to promote fair and orderly multilateralism and inclusive economic globalisation, with long-term regional peace and stability a common pursuit.

“His visit is about keeping the tradition alive in very different conditions than his last trip,” John Delury, a senior fellow of the Asia Society, said in a post on X.

FLAGS LINE PYONGYANG AVENUES

Flags of both countries ​lined the main avenues of the North Korean ​capital in a video issued by Xinhua.

Xi ⁠is accompanied on the state visit by his wife Peng Liyuan, de facto chief of staff Cai Qi, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Defence Minister Dong Jun and Commerce Minister Wang Wentao.

He hosted Kim and other leaders last year at a massive military parade in Beijing, alongside ​Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Since then, Pyongyang has resumed crossings at the Chinese border and stepped up exchanges frozen during the COVID-19 pandemic, ​while Air China resumed ⁠flights between the capitals in March.

Both should capitalise on the restored links as “an opportunity to expand people-to-people exchanges,” Xi told Kim during their meeting.

“The sustainability of improved North Korea-Russia and increasing North Korea-China relations may influence just how long Kim can continue to ignore Washington and Seoul,” said Sydney Seiler, of Washington’s Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

On the eve of Xi’s arrival, Pyongyang sought ⁠to flex its ​strength by unveiling plans for a 10,000-ton naval destroyer and reaffirming its status as a nuclear-armed state.

North Korea probably has ​a nuclear arsenal of about 60 warheads, up from 50 a year ago, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said on Sunday.

It also estimates the North is stepping up output of fissile material beyond a level now sufficient ​for at least 30 more warheads.

“Diplomacy and defence are the two wings of national power; we have neither left the battlefield nor the negotiating table,” Pezeshkian wrote on X, adding that Iran “will not retreat in the face of any threat.”

The Iranian president said the country’s foremost priority was national security and the protection of its people, expressing confidence that Iran would overcome current challenges through unity and wisdom.

The statement came after the most serious exchange of fire between Iran and Israel since the April ceasefire. Tensions escalated after Israel struck the southern suburbs of Beirut, killing at least two people and wounding 20.

Iran responded with multiple missile strikes on Israeli-held territories overnight into Monday, accusing Israel of violating ceasefire agreements.

Iranian officials said diplomacy and defence strategy were advancing simultaneously to safeguard the Islamic Republic’s national interests and dignity.

Iran later announced a halt to its first wave of strikes, though it warned of a far stronger response if Israeli aggression continued, particularly in Lebanon.

US District Judge Leo Sorokin in Boston issued the ruling, opens new tab in a lawsuit filed by 20 Democratic state ​attorneys general challenging a fee Trump announced in September ​that dramatically raised the cost of obtaining H-1B visas.

The ⁠H-1B programme offers 65,000 visas annually, with another 20,000 visas ​for workers with advanced degrees, approved for three to six years. ​Employers seeking a visa for a foreign worker before Trump’s proclamation typically paid about $2,000 to $5,000 in fees depending on various factors.

The increase in fees ​has discouraged H-1B visa requests, according to court filings. As ​of February 15, US Citizenship and Immigration Services had received just 85 ‌payments ⁠of the $100,000 fee, the administration said in a March filing.

The administration argued that the fee constituted a monetary penalty that the president had lawful authority to impose under federal immigration ​law to restrict ​the entry of ⁠certain foreign nationals.

But Sorokin, who was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, concluded that ​the fee was not a penalty but a ​tax that ⁠the Republican president lacked any authorization from Congress to issue.

“Here, the substance and application of the $100,000 payment reveal that it is ⁠a tax, ​regardless of what the payment is ​called,” he wrote.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request ​for comment.

Apple announced the revamp, ‌called “Siri AI,” at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference at its Cupertino, California, headquarters. Siri AI is capable of analysing what is on the device screen, and has what Apple called “broad world knowledge” that allows it to reach out to the web for more information, Apple said.

Users will also be able to refer back to a previous Siri conversation, and the assistant will be able to find bits of information like a friend’s address sent in a message, even if that information was not formally saved, Apple executives said.

“Truly ​helpful AI must be centred around you and your needs,” Apple software chief Craig Federighi said.

“This means integrating AI deep into the products you use every day, grounding it in your personal context and ​the apps you rely on, and designing it with privacy at every step. This is our vision for Apple Intelligence.”

APPLE’S LAGGING POSITION IN AI RACE

Apple’s Siri overhaul has ⁠been the central focus for this year’s developer conference, after the company’s initial promise of a Siri revamp in 2024 was followed by multiple delays, leaving the company lagging in the AI race.

Apple has been seeking to ​close a gap with rivals such as Microsoft and Alphabet’s Google, which have moved faster to embed “agentic” AI — software that can carry out complex tasks — into everyday computing.

With OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini AI chatbots gaining strong ​traction among consumers, Apple’s Siri — which became the first mainstream voice assistant following its launch in 2011 — has been on a losing streak.

Apple on Monday said Siri AI comes with a new voice experience that allows the assistant to sound “a lot more expressive” and more conversational. Apple said Siri AI will also be available on its iPads, and that it was still working on tailoring the assistant for its smartwatches.

Apple said Siri AI will not be available “initially” in the EU on iPhones or iPads, and that it ​will not be available in China at all, as the company works through regulatory issues.

Apple said it is also adding new features to blur, by default, images of gore in messaging apps and alert parents, building on earlier tools that took such steps for images containing nudity.

The company said it was working ​with the American Academy of Pediatrics to create a guide ​for parents that helps them establish healthy digital ⁠habits for their children.

APPLE’S AI CHALLENGE

Apple has long kept tight control over its software and user data, and has taken a cautious approach to AI, leaning in part on partnerships, including with Google’s Gemini models, to power new capabilities.

That caution contrasts with competitors betting on AI agents that could eventually replace traditional apps and reshape how people ​use their devices. Rivals such as Microsoft have teased a future where AI “agents” supersede traditional operating systems and apps, and Nvidia is working with PC makers to offer laptops ​that would directly target Apple’s own ⁠high-end MacBooks.

“AI is incredibly powerful technology with the potential to shape society in profound ways, and with proper care, unlock meaningful benefits for people everywhere. Still, some appear to be racing forward, seemingly pursuing AI for the sake of AI, without clear regard for the people,” Federighi said.

APPLE’S SPENDING PIVOT

Apple’s slower approach, though, has meant the company has so far avoided the massive spending on data centres seen at rivals. But it may now be shifting gears, with financial chief Kevan ⁠Parekh saying on ​Apple’s latest earnings conference call that the company would end its longtime goal of returning its spare cash directly to shareholders, signalling room for ​greater investment.

But in chasing AI, Apple possesses something held by few of its rivals: powerful chips in many of its phones and laptops that can run AI agents for free because consumers already paid for the computing power when they purchased the devices. Apple also has ​a massive trove of personal data sitting on iPhones.

In a statement on X, PM Shehbaz said the latest surge in violence underscored the devastating consequences that could follow if hostilities intensified.

“As we work earnestly and painstakingly, together with our brothers and partners, to find a peaceful diplomatic solution to the conflict, and especially when the final objective is just about to be achieved, we sincerely urge all sides to exercise restraint and give peace a little more chance,” he said.

Pakistan and its regional partners remained committed to a diplomatic resolution, he added, urging all parties to choose dialogue over confrontation.

“Let us continue to remain on the path of peace and diplomacy, which have bright prospects of success, instead of violence and destruction,” he said.

The statement follows the first exchange of fire between Iran and Israel since the Pakistan-brokered ceasefire took hold in April, despite calls for restraint from US President Donald Trump.

The flare-up was triggered after Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs on Saturday, prompting Iranian retaliation. Israel carried out the Beirut strike despite a US-announced truce plan the previous week.

Lebanon’s ceasefire has remained fragile, with hostilities continuing amid Israeli military operations, displacement orders and the seizure of the historic Beaufort Castle.

Later on Monday, Iran and Israel said they had halted attacks on each other ​following an appeal from Trump that they immediately “stop ‘shooting’”, though Tehran said it would resume strikes if Israel continued to hit Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a sweeping victory in elections in the eastern border state of more than 100 million people, promising to “detect, delete and deport” illegal migrants.

India shares a long and porous border with Muslim-majority Bangladesh, where migration has historically been driven by economic hardship and longstanding family links.

On taking power, the new West Bengal government ordered the establishment of detention centres for undocumented Bangladeshis and Rohingya refugees, a mainly Muslim people who fled persecution in Myanmar.

State Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, speaking in the capital Kolkata on Sunday, said nearly 5,000 Bangladeshi citizens had been deported across the border.

“We have started the work of deporting Bangladeshi infiltrators who do not fall under the purview of the Citizenship Amendment Act,” Adhikari said, saying the government had “established holding centres in all districts of the state” in May.

“From these centres, 4,800 Bangladeshi infiltrators have already been deported so far,” he added.

“Another 836 people are currently in the holding centres… we are making arrangements to deport the 836 soon,” Adhikari said.

The deportation campaign comes against a backdrop of longstanding political tensions over immigration in the border state.

Top Indian officials have referred to migrants as “termites” and “infiltrators”.

Critics say the BJP’s rhetoric and policies have added to the unease and marginalisation of India’s more than 200 million Muslims, accusing the party of conflating religious identity with illegal migration.

Rights groups have previously accused India of also pushing hundreds of Bengali-speaking Muslims into Bangladesh without due process.

Relations between India and Muslim-majority Bangladesh soured after a 2024 revolution in Dhaka ended the autocratic rule of then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, an ally of New Delhi, who fled to India.

A new government in Dhaka was elected in February, and relations have since slowly improved. Bangladesh and Indian border force chiefs are due to meet in New Delhi on Monday.

The quake, which triggered tsunami warnings across several ‌countries, hit early in the morning about 20km (12.4 miles) off the coast of Sarangani province, with tremors felt strongly across Mindanao and 420 km away in the city of Manado on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

Residents in the worst-affected location, General Santos City, home to about 700,000 people, recalled the fear they felt as tremors shook the area, saying they were unlike anything they had experienced in the past.

“It was the first time I experienced something that strong, that I ​really couldn’t stop myself from tearing up. I thought about my children and my niece, what if something had happened to them?” said Jojo Calma, 44, who was driving his motorised ​tricycle taxi in front of a building when it collapsed.

BUILDING COLLAPSE CAUGHT ON VIDEO

The collapse of that building housing a fast-food outlet was captured in a ⁠video released by the local government, showing panicked onlookers fleeing as a cloud of dust spread quickly through the air.

Calma said his children were in school when the earthquake struck, but are safe, although ​his sibling’s home was destroyed. “Thank God they’re okay,” he said.

The quake struck just as schools were returning from a long break.

The Philippines mobilised military and disaster response teams and authorities were verifying preliminary reports of 32 ​people killed and 134 injured across Mindanao, mostly from falling debris and landslides, according to civil defence officials.

Tsunami warnings were cancelled after more than six hours in the southern Philippines, northern Indonesia and the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo island, where residents in coastal areas had been told to evacuate immediately to higher ground.

The disaster came eight months after the Philippines suffered its deadliest tremor in 12 years, opens new tab, when a shallow 6.9 magnitude quake hit off the central island of ​Cebu, killing 79 people. Two powerful quakes struck Mindanao two weeks later, the strongest at a magnitude 7.4.

‘WE WILL NOT LEAVE MINDANAO BEHIND,’ PRESIDENT SAYS

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered an immediate disaster response in Mindanao, ​with agencies directed to prepare relief supplies and evacuation centres and be ready for possible rescue operations.

“The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” Marcos said in a statement.

The Philippines and Indonesia experience hundreds of quakes ‌each year ⁠and sit on tectonically complex parts of the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, a seismically active belt stretching from South America to the Russian Far East.

Damage to buildings, utilities and infrastructure was still being assessed in other affected provinces, but disaster officer Bong Dacera told a media briefing that authorities could not yet begin structural assessments in General Santos due to ongoing aftershocks.

‘NO ELECTRICITY OR WATER’

The Philippine seismology agency said there were more than 200 aftershocks, at least nine of those strong and felt across Mindanao, the highest at a magnitude 6.7.

Shops and buildings in General Santos were damaged, some with broken signs and glass, others reduced to piles ​of concrete and rubble.

“When I got home, there ​was no electricity and water. We are all ⁠affected, we don’t have anything to drink,” said 30-year-old tricycle driver Jayson Manarca.

One hospital was evacuated due to concerns about cracks on higher floors. One of the buildings at the city’s Notre Dame of Dadiangas University collapsed, but no one was inside.

A video shared by one school the moment the quake struck showed ​a large group of children sitting on the floor swaying rapidly from side to side, some hugging teachers, before fleeing en masse as a ​makeshift shelter collapsed behind them.

Benjie ⁠Ancheta, police chief of Sarangani’s Alabel town, said the quake occurred during a police flag-raising ceremony, causing some people to faint.

INDONESIAN ISLANDERS MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said multiple countries could be affected, and Australia initially warned of potential tsunami waves on its northern coasts.

Japan’s meteorological agency issued an advisory and said a tsunami of 0.2 m or lower had been observed, with some disruption to ferries and precautionary beach closures.

Witnesses in ⁠Indonesia’s Manado said ​they felt the quake strongly. Only minor damage was reported, according to Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency.

A ​tsunami with a wave the height of up to 0.75 m was detected in some regions in North Sulawesi, where people started moving to safer areas, including residents of the remote Sangihe Islands, among the closest to the Philippines.

“We are thankful to the Omani authorities for their swift response and rescue of all the 24 crew members of Indian nationality, onboard MT Marivex, and ensuring their safety,” the Indian embassy in Oman said in a statement on social media.

India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said a fire was reported at around 1:30 p.m. (0800 GMT) on the MT Marivex, a Palau-flagged tanker.

“There has been a fire reported on a vessel, MT Marivex, on which there were 24 Indian seafarers… all Indian seafarers are safe,” ministry director Opesh Kumar Sharma told reporters.

Images posted on social media by the Forward Seamen’s Union of India showed crew members being winched from the vessel by helicopter as thick black smoke billowed from its bridge and accommodation cabins.

The tanker’s position was shown by ship-tracking service MarineTraffic as being off the coast of Oman, south of the capital Muscat.

Indian authorities did not provide details about the extent of the damage to the vessel and did not indicate what may have sparked the fire.

Iran has largely blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel on February 28. The vital waterway normally carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil and LNG shipments in peacetime.

New Delhi’s foreign ministry condemned recent violence in a statement earlier on Monday.

“This conflict has now lasted over 100 days and has already caused immense human suffering,” it said.

“It has also had a debilitating impact on the global economy and energy supplies.”

“We are ​working with them in ​motor technology as well as mechanical systems so ​that we can ​bring together humanoid robotics and ‌the ⁠future of robotics,” he told reporters after a meeting ​with LG ​Group ⁠Chairman Koo Kwang-mo in Seoul.

“We’re ​also working with ​LG ⁠in architecting the future data centres,” ⁠he ​said.

The ​move marked the first time the bloc has ​used a new powers to sanction Iran for ⁠restricting freedom of navigation.

The EU said in a written statement ​that it had added the Hormozgan Provincial Command of ​the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy to its sanctions list, as well as Mohammad Akbarzadeh and Hamid Hosseini.

It said Akbarzadeh ​is Deputy Commander for Political Affairs of the ​IRGC Navy and Hosseini is a representative of Iran’s Oil, Gas ‌and ⁠Petrochemical Products Exporters’ Union.

Iran moved to close the Strait of Hormuz after US-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28.

“Iran’s actions are unacceptable. In response member ​states have approved ​sanctions against ⁠Iranian entities and individuals involved in disrupting transit through the Strait of Hormuz,” ​Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, ​said ⁠earlier at a news conference in Cyprus.

“This is the first time the EU has applied its new freedom ⁠of ​navigation regime and when necessary ​we will apply it again,” added Kallas.

The agreements come during a high-profile trip by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to South Korea that began on Friday and has seen him dine on grilled pork belly and local spirit soju with the country’s top corporate bosses, throw a baseball pitch and meet with a well-known gamer.

Nvidia and its partners, which also included SK Telecom and conglomerate Doosan Group, did ​not disclose the value of the deals.

SK Group, South Korea’s second-largest family-owned conglomerate, said its SK Hynix and SK Telecom arms had agreed deals with Nvidia.

Memory chip ​maker SK Hynix signed a multi-year technology partnership that will see it commit to developing advanced types of memory for global AI ⁠data centres, SK Group said.

SK Hynix and Nvidia said the agreement, which comes as memory chip makers have been straining to keep up with demand, would enable supply ​to keep pace with Nvidia’s plans, which have expanded to robotics, personal computers and AI supercomputers.

“SK Hynix has been Nvidia’s largest memory partner. SK Hynix will continue to be Nvidia’s ​largest memory partner,” Huang said after a meeting with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won at the headquarters of the chipmaker’s parent.

Huang said the deal with SK Hynix, a rival to Samsung Electronics and US-based Micron Technology, was for more than two years, with the option to keep extending.

“We already procure, and we buy from SK Hynix already billions and billions of dollars each year, and it’s going to ​grow substantially,” he said.

Ryu Young-ho, a senior analyst at NH Investment & Securities, said the SK Hynix-Nvidia partnership reinforced the view that memory chips were evolving from a commodity ​product into a more customer-specific business.

Other deals

SK Telecom said it would build a gigawatt-scale AI cloud in South Korea using Nvidia technology, with the first AI data centre to come online in 2027. ‌

NVIDIA said ⁠internet giant Naver and conglomerate Doosan would also use its technology to help build AI data centres.

Doosan, which is developing robots and makes materials used in Nvidia’s most powerful Blackwell chips, said it expected its energy solution to be used in Nvidia’s data centre platforms and for it to use the US firm’s physical AI technology as well.

NVIDIA is also partnering with LG Group on electronics, mechanical systems and AI for humanoid robots, Huang said after a meeting with the tech conglomerate’s Chairman Koo Kwang-mo.

Huang said the pair were also ​working on the architecture of future data centres ​, including cooling, power delivery and the ⁠entire design and building of the data centres.

South Korea stock rally falters

South Korea is an Asian manufacturing powerhouse, home to major producers of chips, electronics, cars and ships.

SK Hynix and Samsung are the world’s two largest makers of memory chips, which are key ​components in data centres.

The country’s benchmark Kospi index has doubled in six months as heavyweights SK Hynix and Samsung benefited from ​the AI wave, but dove almost ⁠9% on Monday after robust US jobs data fanned bets on a Federal Reserve rate hike this year and sparked a rout in global tech stocks.

Shares in Samsung and SK Hynix both plunged more than 10% in early trading before trimming some losses, with Samsung later down 4.6% and SK Hynix falling 0.6%.

When asked about the global chip stock rout, Huang waved ⁠off concerns. “Everybody ​should be very excited; they can now buy stock at a cheaper price, and the future of AI is indeed very bright.”

Huang also told reporters after a fried chicken dinner with Chey on Sunday that he planned to meet Samsung’s Jun Young-hyun, who leads the company’s semiconductor business, on Monday.

He will ​also meet with Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung on Monday afternoon.

The group said in a statement that it had launched ​an attack on Israel and enacted a total ban on Israeli shipping in the Red Sea, warning of further ‌escalation.

Any Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping would worry energy markets more than three months into Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with the war reigniting overnight.

The Red Sea, leading to the Suez Canal, is a crucial shipping lane in its own right, and during the Iran war has become the main alternative outlet for ​millions of barrels per day of Middle East oil sent by pipeline, bypassing the Gulf.

The Houthis disrupted shipping in 2023 ​to 2025 out of what they said was solidarity with the Palestinians, but had so far largely stayed ⁠out of the wider Middle East war that began with U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran in February this year.

A Houthi source told Reuters ​that preventing Israeli ships from transiting the Red Sea was a first step, and that further escalation could lead it to stop the passage ​of any ships bound for Israel as well as other measures.

The announcement did not amount to a ban on all commercial shipping in the Red Sea and was instead “directed at vessels assessed by the Houthis as Israeli-affiliated”, British maritime risk management group Vanguard said on Monday in a note.

“Given the broad wording used, ​vessels operating in the region should maintain heightened vigilance and conduct enhanced affiliation screening.”

Shipping sources said the action could cause a wider impact because ​the Houthis have targeted ships in the past with no direct link with Israel.

“The announcement… will cause every ship to think carefully about the wisdom ‌of making ⁠a transit,” one source said. “The Houthis don’t have a good record of determining which ships have ‘links’ to Israel, so it’s probably better to go around Africa, pay the fuel bill, and benefit from lower war risk insurance costs.”

Red Sea war risk insurance rates were unchanged on Monday at around 0.3% of the value of a ship, with little movement in recent weeks, an insurance industry source said. The rates are reviewed every 24 hours, so levels could change rapidly, the source added.

Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping during the two-year Gaza war that began in October 2023 led major companies, including Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, to divert around Africa - a far longer, more expensive route. During that ​period, Houthi attacks on what the group called Israeli-linked vessels were expanded to include any shipping companies that ​used Israeli ports.

Shipping ⁠traffic through the southern Red Sea and the critical Bab al-Mandab strait has still not returned to pre-October 2023 levels. Average monthly sailings in March 2026 reached 1,034 crossings, compared with over 2,000 in September 2023, according to analysis from Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

The impact of any sustained threat to Red ⁠Sea shipping ​could be bigger now, however, given the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Most Gulf energy ​production has been unable to leave the region since the war began on February 28. However, significant volumes of Saudi crude have been transported by pipeline to its ​Red Sea export terminal at Yanbu.

Hours earlier, Trump said new strikes by Israel and Iran would not affect his administration’s peace talks ‌with Tehran, adding that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “doesn’t call the shots.“

Trump has leaned on Israel to stop its attacks in Lebanon to allow room for a deal to end the wider war with Iran, including rebuking Netanyahu with obscenities in a phone call last week.

However, Israel earlier on Sunday launched strikes in the Beirut area for the first time since the US announced a truce plan for Lebanon last week.

Iran fired a salvo of missiles at Israeli targets in retaliation, putting US-Iran peace talks at risk.

But ​Trump insisted that an agreement to end the wider war remains well within reach.

“It’s not going to have any impact on the deal,” Trump told the Financial Times.

“I call the shots. I call ​all the shots. He (Netanyahu) doesn’t call the shots.”

A few hours later, Israel’s defence forces said they had struck Iranian military targets.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Israel had carried out ⁠attacks on targets inside Iran using air-launched ballistic missiles.

The latest hostilities drove oil prices up more than 3% in early trading on Monday, with benchmark Brent futures back above $96 a barrel.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had ​targeted Ramat David air base, near Nazareth.

The Israeli military said it identified missiles launched from Iran and that its defence systems had intercepted them.

Trump urged Netanyahu to hold off further strikes

Trump, who was spending the weekend at ​his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, and Netanyahu spoke by phone for a little less than half an hour on Sunday, an Israeli official said, without giving further details.

The White House and the Israeli prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump told Netanyahu during the call to refrain from further strikes because “we are close to doing something good in terms of a deal,” according to a US official quoted by Axios.

Since the start of US-Iran talks aimed at halting the ​war, Israel has continued attacks in Lebanon in a conflict with Hezbollah that Israeli officials insist should be treated separately from any ceasefire with Iran.

Tehran has long said any peace deal with the US would depend on a ​ceasefire also holding in Lebanon, which Israel invaded in March in pursuit of Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters who fired rockets and drones across the border in solidarity with Tehran.

Iran’s chief peace negotiator, parliamentary speaker Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf, said US bases and ‌Israeli assets are ⁠legitimate targets because of hostile acts, including the “violation of agreements over Lebanon.”

Before Sunday, Iran had not attacked Israel since a ceasefire in the wider war started in April, although Hezbollah has done so.

Trump has repeatedly insisted that Washington and Tehran were close to an agreement on ending the war.

“We’re very close to a deal, or I’m going to blow the hell out of them,” Trump told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” in a prerecorded interview that aired on Sunday to mark 100 days of the conflict.

Trump wants to attack in Lebanon

Israel has never halted its Lebanon campaign, which has killed thousands of people and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes.

Hezbollah, which did not ​take part in the truce talks, has also continued ​its attacks and says it will not give up ⁠its weapons unless Israel halts its attacks and withdraws from Lebanon.

Netanyahu said the Israeli strikes on Sunday on Beirut’s southern outskirts, a district known as Dahiyeh that has long been a Hezbollah stronghold, were ordered in response to Hezbollah firing toward Israel.

The wider war has been stalemated since the US and Israel paused their attacks on ​Iran in early April, with Tehran blocking most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the main transit route for one-fifth of the world’s oil.

Washington has ​imposed its own blockade of ⁠Iranian ports.

Though Washington and Tehran have said they are close to a preliminary agreement that would reopen the strait, they have repeatedly traded strikes, with escalations in recent days that have included attacks on nearby Arab states hosting US bases.

Trump has said any agreement to end the war must prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, and he is under pressure to deliver terms tougher than those agreed in 2015 under then-President Barack Obama in a deal Trump later repudiated.

Tehran’s ⁠demands include the ​lifting of US and international sanctions, recognition of its sway over the strait and the release of billions of dollars in frozen ​assets.

A source familiar with US plans told Reuters on Saturday that Washington could make Iranian assets available to Gulf neighbours to repair damage inflicted by Iran.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Sunday that any such diversion of Iranian assets would be illegal and Tehran would take ​measures in response.

Netanyahu was criticised last week by political rivals over a new ceasefire in Lebanon ahead of this year’s national election.

Iran has long said any peace deal with the United States would depend on a ceasefire also holding in Lebanon, which Israel invaded in March in pursuit of Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters who fired across the border in solidarity with Tehran.

Iran’s chief peace negotiator, parliamentary speaker Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf, said US bases and Israeli assets were legitimate targets because of hostile acts, including the “violation of agreements over Lebanon”.

“They showed that they only understand the language of ​power,” he wrote on X.

Ebrahim Rezaei, an influential hardline lawmaker who serves as spokesperson for the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, posted on X that Iran would deliver a “decisive and painful ​response” to Sunday’s Israeli strikes on Lebanon.

“Look at the sky of the occupied territories tonight,” he wrote, an apparent reference to some form of attack ⁠on Israel itself. Iran has not targeted Israel directly since a ceasefire in the wider war in April.

Washington and Tehran have shown little progress in reaching a deal to end the war that President Donald ​Trump launched in February with a campaign of air strikes alongside Israel against Iran. Trump has repeatedly threatened to restart the strikes unless there is an agreement soon.

“We’re very close to a deal, or I’m ​going to blow the hell out of them,” Trump told NBC News in an interview, broadcast to mark 100 days of the conflict. The comments were recorded on Friday and broadcast on Sunday as Trump visited his New Jersey golf course.

Trump leans on Netanyahu

Trump has leaned on Israel to scale back its campaign in Lebanon to allow room for a peace deal with Iran, including rebuking Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu with obscenities in a phone call last week. After the ​call, Netanyahu called off air strikes on Beirut and agreed to the latest truce plan with the Lebanese government.

But Israel has never fully halted its campaign in Lebanon, which has killed thousands of people ​and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes. Hezbollah, which was not party to the truce and would be dismantled under its terms, has also continued attacks and says it will not give up its weapons unless Israel ‌halts fighting ⁠and withdraws.

Netanyahu said Sunday’s strike on Beirut’s southern outskirts, a district known as Dahiyeh that has long been a Hezbollah stronghold, was ordered in response to Hezbollah firing toward Israel.

The Israeli military had earlier said it had intercepted two projectiles fired over the border. It issued an evacuation order for the southern Lebanese city of Tyre and the surrounding areas ahead of possible strikes there.

Elsewhere in Beirut on Sunday, mourners held a military funeral for Brigadier General Wissam Sabra, a senior military officer killed in a strike on his vehicle in the south the previous day.

The wider war has been stalemated since the United States and ​Israel paused their attacks on Iran in early ​April, with Tehran blocking most shipping through the ⁠Strait of Hormuz, the main transit route for Middle East oil. Washington has imposed its own blockade of Iranian ports.

Though the sides have both said they are close to a preliminary agreement that would reopen the strait, they have repeatedly traded strikes, with escalations in recent days that have included attacks on ​nearby Arab states hosting US bases.

US forces struck Iranian coastal radar sites in Goruk and Qeshm Island, both in the Strait of Hormuz, early ​on Saturday after shooting down ⁠drones launched by Iran that US Central Command said posed a threat to maritime traffic. Two more Iranian attack drones that were threatening shipping in the strait were shot down, the US military said late on Saturday.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they retaliated against US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Kuwait’s army said it engaged seven ballistic missiles that passed over residential areas, resulting in material damage but no casualties.

Trump has said any agreement ⁠to end the ​war must prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, and he is under pressure to deliver terms tougher than those ​agreed in 2015 under then-President Barack Obama in a deal Trump later repudiated.

Tehran’s demands include the lifting of US and international sanctions, recognition of its sway over the strait and the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets. A source familiar ​with US plans said on Saturday that Washington could make Iranian assets available to Gulf neighbours to repair damage inflicted by Iran.

The quake came early in ‌the morning as schools were reopening in the Philippines after a long break, with the tremors felt strongly in a dozen provinces and 420 km away in the city of Manado on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

Tsunami alerts were issued in the southern Philippines, northern Indonesia and the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo island after the quake, with an epicentre located about 20 km off Mindanao’s Sarangani province.

Philippine authorities were assessing the ​damage from the quake, with the office of civil defence seeking to verify initial reports that 15 people had been killed and 129 injured in the region, mostly from ​falling debris.

‘We will not leave Mindanao behind,’ President says

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered an immediate disaster response in Mindanao, an island the size of ⁠South Korea, with agencies directed to prepare relief supplies and evacuation centres and be ready for possible rescue operations.

“The national government is moving, and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” he said in ​a statement.

It comes eight months after the Philippines suffered its deadliest tremor in 12 years, when a shallow 6.9 magnitude quake hit off the island of Cebu, killing 79 people.

Two powerful quakes struck Mindanao ​two weeks later, the strongest at a magnitude of 7.4.

The Philippines and Indonesia experience hundreds of quakes each year and sit on tectonically complex parts of the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, a seismically active belt stretching from South America to the Russian Far East.

The Philippine seismology agency said at least nine strong aftershocks were felt across Mindanao on Monday morning, the highest at a magnitude of 6.7.

The full extent of the damage was not yet clear, and authorities said ​assessments were underway.

Video shared by the local government in General Santos, a city of about 700,000 people, showed the collapse of a building housing a fast food restaurant, with panicked onlookers fleeing ​as a cloud of dust spread quickly through the air.

One General Santos hospital was evacuated due to concerns about cracks on higher floors, while one of the buildings at the city’s Notre Dame of Dadiangas ‌University collapsed, but ⁠no one was inside.

“I had to duck and shelter myself under the table. And it was very long and strong,” the university’s president, Manuel de Leon, told broadcaster DZMM.

Images from authorities in Sarangani province showed damaged shop fronts with collapsed signs, smashed windows and piles of rocks from crumbled concrete.

Military deployed, Malaysia offers assistance

The Philippine military said its disaster response units had been deployed to affected areas.

A video shared by a local school the moment the quake struck showed a large group of children sitting on the floor swaying rapidly from side to side, some hugging teachers, before fleeing en ​masse as a makeshift shelter collapsed behind them.

Benjie ​Ancheta, police chief of Sarangani’s Alabel town, ⁠said the quake occurred during a police flag-raising ceremony, causing some people to faint.

“This is the strongest earthquake we’ve experienced,” Ancheta said by phone.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his government was ready to assist the Philippines.

“I pray for the safety and wellbeing of all those affected, wishing them ​strength and courage in the difficult days ahead,” Anwar posted on X.

Indonesian islanders move to higher ground

The US Tsunami Warning System said multiple countries ​could be affected, and ⁠Australia initially warned of potential tsunami waves on its northern coasts.

Japan’s meteorological agency issued an advisory and said a tsunami of 0.2 m or lower had been observed, with some disruption to ferries and precautionary beach closures.

Witnesses in Indonesia’s Manado said they felt the quake strongly.

Only minor damage was reported, according to Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency.

A tsunami with a wave height up to 0.75 m ⁠was detected in ​some regions in North Sulawesi, where people started moving to safer areas, including residents of the remote Sangihe Islands, ​among the closest to the Philippines.

“They are now evacuating to the higher ground… away from the coast, to avoid the potential tsunami,” resident Jufry Dalita said, according to state news agency Antara.