Page 2 - Latest Updates on West Asia Conflict

Two India bound LPG tankers transit Strait of Hormuz amid energy crisis

One of the LPG carriers, Symi, emerged in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday after turning off its transponder, with the other - NV Sunshine, went dark just after making it through the strait

India seeks extension of US waiver on Russian oil as West Asia war drags on

The US first provided a green light in March, and then widened that with an authorization that runs until May 16, in an effort to limit rising oil prices with additional barrels

War turmoil drains Asian reserves with India, Philippines among hardest hit

Philippines has led losses with its stockpile sinking 8.1 per cent since the conflict started to $104 billion, while India's dropped 5.2 per cent to $691 billion

Japanese crude tanker emerges after going dark near Strait of Hormuz

Eneos Endeavor had sailed into the Persian Gulf in late February to pick up crude from the United Arab Emirates' Das Island and Kuwait's Mina Al Ahmadi

Why Xi Jinping may choose patience over rushing into a deal with Trump

President Xi Jinping of China is buying time for Beijing and may see an opening with a US president weakened by the war in Iran

Israeli drone strikes on vehicles in Lebanon kill 12, including 2 children

Israeli airstrikes Wednesday struck seven vehicles in Lebanon - three of them on the main highway just south of Beirut - killing 12 people including a woman and her two children, the Lebanese Health Ministry said. The Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in several areas in southern Lebanon, hours after telling residents of six southern villages to evacuate. Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to hold another round of direct talks in Washington on Thursday as the Trump administration pushes for a breakthrough between the two neighbours that have been in a state of war since Israel was created in 1948. The United Nations has also accused Hezbollah of drone strikes near its peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon, and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' message to both sides is that they must observe the ceasefire and stop all attacks, UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said. The Health Ministry confirmed the seven airstrikes on vehicles, but didn't provide full detai

'US is not doing serious diplomacy': Iran Dy Foreign Min Kazem Gharibabadi

Trump has discarded Iran's peace proposal plan and said that the ceasefire stands on 'life support'

Iran welcomes India's peace push, blames 'one' BRICS nation over deadlock

Iran will welcome any initiative by major powers like India to bring peace to West Asia and it is developing a new service-and-payment-based framework for the passage of merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in line with international norms, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Wednesday. Gharibabadi, currently in New Delhi, told a select group of journalists that a demand by "one member country" of the BRICS to condemn Iran has prevented the grouping from reaching a unified position on the regional conflict, an apparent reference to the United Arab Emirates. "We want India's BRICS chairship to be successful. It is not a good approach to send a signal to the world that the BRICS is divided. One country is insisting to condemn Iran," he said. "We have not attacked neighbouring countries. They handed their territories to the US to launch an attack on us. We never insisted that Arab countries should be condemned as they allowed their military bases to the .

Trump repeats war threats against Iran ahead of meeting with Xi Jinping

The war on Iran, which has sent energy prices soaring because of Tehran's effective closure of the Hormuz, will be high on the agenda of the talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping

Fuel prices may rise if West Asia war drags on: RBI Guv Sanjay Malhotra

His remarks came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voluntary austerity, including cutting down on petrol and diesel use and putting off gold purchases, to preserve foreign exchange reserves

Inflation, weak economy test Iran's ability to withstand war, US blockade

Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz is throttling the world's energy supplies and inflicting global economic pain, but the struggles of the Islamic Republic's own economy are testing its ability to withstand the war and defy Washington's demands. Iranians have been hit by spiralling prices for food, medicine and other goods. At the same time, the country has seen mass job losses and business closures caused by strike damage to key industries and the government's monthslong shutdown of the internet. The economic cost of the war and the US naval blockade "has been very substantial and unprecedented for Iran," said Hadi Kahalzadeh, an Iranian economist and research fellow at Brandeis University. But Iran has withstood decades of economic pressure and sanctions, and its capacity to adapt has not been dismantled, Kahalzadeh said. "Iran can probably avoid a complete economic collapse or total shortage of essential goods, but at a very high cost," he said. "The main cost will be passed to

Asian markets falter as hot US inflation, shaky Iran ceasefire weigh

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slipped 0.6 per cent, down for a second day ​as Korean shares fell as much as 3.2 per cent before rebounding

'Virtual treason': Trump accuses US media of giving 'false hope' to Iran

Trump made the latest slew of remarks in a post on Truth Social and slammed the press for 'aiding and abetting' by giving 'false hope' to Iran

US lawmakers query Iran war cost as Trump renews destruction threat

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to give a breakdown of costs as he faced questions about the conflict in Congress, as part of a hearing $1.5 trn defence request

'Going to do whatever is necessary': Trump on Russian oil waiver amid war

The United States had eased sanctions on Russian oil in mid-March to counteract global oil shortages resulting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz

Trump, Hegseth claim 'control' over Iran, Hormuz amid stalled peace talks

Kuwait accused Iran of launching a failed attack earlier this month on an island where China is helping build a port in the Middle East nation. The accusation brought Tuesday came just before US President Donald Trump departed for Beijing where he'll meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a high-stakes visit over the war and other issues. Trump said he would have a "long talk" about Iran with Xi but said trade would be a bigger focus. As he left for the summit, Trump again threatened Iran if its leaders don't reach an agreement on its nuclear program. "We have Iran very much under control," Trump said. "We're either going to make a deal or they're going to be decimated. One way or the other, we win." Iran didn't immediately acknowledge the allegation by Kuwait, which came under attack by Iran in the war and during the shaky ceasefire still holding. But that allegation and ongoing attacks throughout the region have threatened to reignite open warfare. The narrow Strait of Hormuz

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From Modi's austerity appeal and India's learning crisis to geopolitical trade shifts, AI accountability and public health reforms - here are today's key Opinion takeaways