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Iran announces it will cease its strikes so long as the US bombing pause continues
Iran will cease its attacks as long the United States also does,?a senior Iranian official said on Sunday. The United States has paused its bombing campaign after President Donald Trump's advisors informed him that they had run out of targets. They also expressed concern about the depletion of the U.S. weapons arsenal. The Pentagon ended the airstrikes against Iran after 13 nights. No U.S. strikes were reported for Saturday or Sunday. Iran has held off its attacks on the neighbouring countries of U.S. bases for two days. It had followed each night's U.S. airstrikes with its own strikes. An anonymous Iranian official said that Tehran would "continue to 'attack back'" if the U.S. attacks stopped. This message has been sent to the United States." Mike Waltz, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations told Fox News Sunday and other U.S. Media that Trump had decided to pause U.S. Attacks to allow for more time to be spent on diplomacy. Waltz did not provide any further details. "He is giving the talks some room, he gives it a bit of space," Waltz said. One anonymous U.S. official stated that U.S. officials have warned that the bombings in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway which has become a flashpoint in this war, had exhausted the pre-selected targets. The option of resuming major operations is still available, but the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine warned Trump privately that it would be risky due to the impact on munitions stocks. The official said that this includes the interceptors used in U.S. air defences in the Middle East. Caine's Office and U.S. Central Command refused to comment. U.S. officials have historically refused to discuss their private advice given to an American president in Congress, or even during testimony. Waltz told NBC's 'Meet the Press' that the U.S. Military "has everything it needs" but that Pete Hegseth, the Defense Secretary under the Trump Administration, "inherited a situation that was depleted." A senior Iranian source who spoke under condition of anonymity said that Tehran didn't hold much hope that Trump’s decision to pause the strikes would represent a major change in U.S. negotiation position. "There's more skepticism than optimism regarding the stoppage of attacks." It is generally believed that the pause in attacks is a tactical one and not genuine. Iran has had enough of what it perceives as 'U.S. deception,' the source stated. "STUCK IN LIMBO" For the last two weeks, U.S. troops have been attacking Iran every night in what Washington claimed was a retaliation to Iranian attacks against shipping in?"the Strait of Hormuz". Iranian forces responded to U.S. strikes by striking water desalination facilities in Gulf Arab countries nearby. Iran claims it wants to keep control of the Strait through which, before the war, a fifth?of global oil flowed. The U.S. renewed military campaign has effectively destroyed last month's interim deal aimed at ending war. Trump's decision to pause strikes was based on what media outlets have described as a Friday meeting where Caine, other senior military and policy advisers and Trump raised their concerns. CNN reported Vice President JDVance expressed reservations. Axios reported 'the commander of U.S. Forces in the Middle East Admiral Brad Cooper had recommended halting U.S. Bombing Campaign because it has'reached its limits of effectiveness. Residents of Iran are still apprehensive. Nader, a 49-year-old import/export businessman in Tehran, doubted that any strike pause would last. He told him by phone that "everyone in the country was stuck in limbo". Trump is playing with Iran. He does not end the war, leave the region or strike decisively. It's exhausting."
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Ukrainian officials report that a vessel sinks after it was hit by Russian gunfire a week earlier.
A cargo ship sank off the Black Sea port of Odesa in Ukraine on Sunday. This was a week after Ukrainian officials claimed that it had been hit by Russian forces. Ukraine's port authority confirmed that the Golden Leo sank near the port. The vessel was sailing under the Guinea-Bissau Flag. In a statement, it was stated that nine crew members were killed and eight others evacuated. According to the statement, the?ship that left the port Chornomorsk on July 19 with a cargo?of?corn suffered significant damage after it was'shelled' by Russian forces. The ship was passing along a coast line towards Romania, through a corridor that was overseen by the Ukraine. The ports authority stated that Russian actions against the ship violated "the norms of the international maritime law", and put the lives of the crew at risk. A?witness at the time in Odesa?saw smoke billowing from a large ship off the coast. Moscow hasn't?publicly responded to the strike. In the fifth year war, Russia has intensified its attacks on deepwater port in southern Ukraine that handles a large amount of grain and other vital cargo. (Reporting and editing by Chris Reese; Ron Popeski)
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London Gatwick Airport water supply issue
Authorities at Gatwick Airport said that water supplies were interrupted 'on Sunday due to a power 'outage in a local treatment -works. Passengers reported the issue on social media. They said that it had led to the failure of flushing toilets and closures?of bars and restaurants. Water supplies were affected in both terminals of the airport, Britain's second busiest airport after Heathrow. The statement said that "Bottled Water is available to passengers and staff at the airport, and contingency measures have been put in place for the passengers' welfare." Water utility SES Water reported that complications caused by an outage at Bough Beech Water Treatment Works resulted in a temporary loss of water supply or low pressure for some customers. The company stated that "Gatwick Airport is affected, but we are working closely with them to restore service as soon as possible." (Reporting and editing by David Holmes; Paul Sandle)
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Romania shoots down a third Russian drone as the president declares breaches to be 'intolerable.'
The Romanian defence ministry announced on Sunday that an F-16 fighter jet pilot had shot down a Russian drone over the Black Sea. This was the latest in a string of airspace violations by NATO members, which?President Nicusor Dan deemed "inadmissible" and "intolerable". Romania shares a land border of 650 km (400 miles) with Ukraine, and Russian drones repeatedly violated Romania's airspace throughout the four-year Ukraine conflict. Moscow has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian ports located across the Danube River. Romania hadn't destroyed any drones before Friday, when a Romanian was able to safely bring down one in an uninhabited region. Three drones have been destroyed in the last few days. Dan wrote in X Sunday that it was "inadmissible" and "intolerable" for the Russian Federation continue to violate Romania's airspace. This is also NATO and European Union airspace. He said: "Such acts are unacceptable and we treat them seriously, along with our allies." Moscow has not yet made any public comments on the incident. ROMANIA SUMMITS?RUSSIAN ambassador OVER AIRSPACE BREACHES NATO said that additional details about Sunday's incident are being investigated. "The shootdowns are occurring as NATO, Romania and other nations acquire ground-based interceptors in order to enhance the allied and national capabilities of air defence," said U.S. Army Col. Martin O'Donnell. He is a spokesperson for NATO's Military Headquarters. Dan said that Romania identified the drone used on Friday as a Shahed type unmanned aerial vehicle, which is commonly used by Russian forces. Dan also stated that investigations were still ongoing into those who were shot down Saturday and Sunday. The Romanian Foreign Ministry said that it summoned Russia's ambassador "following repeated violations". Ilie Bolojan, the Prime Minister of Romania, called these violations "inacceptable". The defence ministry said that the drone was safely shot down in the incident on Sunday, 12 km north-east of the coastal town of Sulina, above territorial waters. "Romania is committed to protecting its airspace and sovereignty, but we must put an end to these provocations," said Radu?Miruta, Romanian Minister of Defence on Facebook. According to the defence ministry, Russian drones have violated national airspace 33 times without permission since the start of war. This includes Sunday's violation. The prosecution has recovered fragments from the drone that was shot down on Friday but is still searching for the pieces of the other two. Romania's chief of army said on Friday that Russian attacks in the area around Odesa, Ukraine, had intensified ahead of harvest season. This increased pressure on vital energy and trade routes along the Black Sea. (Reporting and editing by Joe Bavier, Alan Charlish, Luiza Ilie)
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Modi's aura is tarnished by India's Instagram generation Z ahead of state elections
Narendra Modi posted a rare video of himself, saying he was sorry for their suffering and promised to take remedial measures. The late-night video posted on Instagram by CJP, which had amassed 22 million mostly Gen Z followers within a few days in May, did not satisfy the thousands who had gathered to protest in central Delhi and braved the massive police crackdown a couple of days before. The education minister resigned on Saturday in response to the main protesters' demand. This was a rare setback for Modi. Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as Education Minister is a major victory for the CJP. Their young supporters openly mocked Modi with raps, posters and graffiti. This was an unthinkable event only a few weeks ago in a nation whose politics have been dominated almost exclusively by Modi ever since he took power in 2014. Sanjay Srivastava is an anthropology professor from SOAS University of London. He said that a large number of those who attended the protest were likely his supporters. "What could be interpreted as an achievement is that a wider cross-section now questions the government." A wider group of people are now questioning the notion that the government is good for the nation. Analysts said that the protests were sparked by a leaked "medical entrance exam". But there are also other issues. These include youth unemployment, and fears among young people that AI might take away their jobs at places like India's IT back offices. Amitabh T. Tiwari, a political analyst, said that the paper leak was a "trigger point". It is "largely" a reflection on the anxiety, nervousness and discontent among youth. Rajnath Singh, Modi's senior colleague in the cabinet, said that "understanding our students' real concerns and addressing them quickly is the top priority of government". GOVERNMENT IS OUT OF TOUCH WITH GEN Z, SAYS ANALYST Tiwari stated that Indians between 18 and 40 years old make up approximately 40% of the population, but only 10% of the seats in lower house parliament. This is down from the more than double the number of seats they held in 1950. The average age of the cabinet is over 60. The CJP, though not a political group, has tried to take advantage of the opportunity they saw in the recent protests against Modi by taking up their cause. Next year, Modi's state Gujarat and the state with the highest population of Uttar Pradesh could see the first test of youth anger. Both Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat are run by the BJP. Modi's biggest risk could be the national elections of 2029 if the CJP becomes a political party. Abhijeet Dimple, its founder, said that no decision has been taken yet about joining electoral politics. Analysts claim that young voters have voted mainly along religious or class lines in the past, resulting in a vote for Modi's Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. But things could be changing. A Gen Z actor, who ran for his party and was allied with the opposition parties, was elected as chief minister of Tamil Nadu in the southern state. His Instagram-first fanbase propelled him to victory. Anurag Minus verma, an author, said: "This has been a moment for reckoning for Modi. It shows that he is completely out of touch with the wants of Gen Z." "For many years, the BJP’s digital strategy focused on platforms such as X where most of the political?conversation occurred. Instagram is now the place where people are talking about politics, especially among young users. The BJP has 23 million followers on X and 18 million on Facebook, while Modi's personal followers are massive, ranging between 60 and 107 millions. Modi has between 60 to 107 million followers across all social media platforms. The BJP only has 18 million followers on Facebook and 23 million on X. Santosh Desai, a columnist, said: "You have to be authentic on Instagram." "Pre-laboured and carefully massaged messages will not work. This medium was developed by this generation, and it is what it is today because of this generation. This generation does not reverence the past." Modi's government has been resisting the pressure to sack ministers for a decade. Modi had to face protests from Indian farmers for almost a year in order to repeal controversial farm laws. Tiwari stated that "a leader who is willing to listen will do well in the future." Modi wants to demonstrate this. Reporting by Tora Aggarwala in New Delhi and Krishna N. Das Editing by Gareth Jones
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Flooding and torrential rains are possible in Southern China following the landfall of Noul
Typhoon Noul hit southern China early Sunday morning, bringing torrential rainfall and gale force winds to the province of Guangdong and Hong Kong. Authorities warned that heavy rains and storms would continue until Tuesday. Noul is the 12th tropical storm of the year, and the third one to strike China in this month. Authorities said that it has forced more than 700,000. people to relocate in Guangdong Province. Noul, China's strongest typhoon in 2026 so far, hit the coast of Huidong County in the southern Guangdong Province at 3:50 am Saturday (1950 GMT) as a powerful typhoon. State broadcaster CCTV said that as the storm moves inland, it will bring heavy rain and strong winds to southern provinces, including Jiangxi, Hunan and Jiangxi. The rainfall is likely to continue 'until Tuesday. The National Meteorological Centre predicted heavy to torrential rainfall from Sunday to 8:00 am Monday in much of southern China. Extremely heavy to extraordinary downpours are expected in certain areas, including southern Fujian. The highest level of alert was placed in several provinces for flash flooding. Local governments should pay special attention to construction sites, mountain-river areas, valleys and bridges. Hong Kong's?Observatory reported on Sunday that the typhoon was weakening while it moved further inland. It also noted that gale-force southwesterly wind continues to?affect parts of the city. The authorities in the Asian financial center downgraded Typhoon Signal No. 8 to Signal No. At 12:40 p.m. on Sunday, authorities in the Asian financial hub downgraded Typhoon Signal No. 3 at 12:40 pm on Sunday. The storm alert was raised to the second highest Typhoon Signal No. 9 overnight. The storm was only 80 miles (50 km) from Hong Kong when it passed. The Hong Kong airport authorities announced that flight operations will slowly resume on Sunday afternoon, after being suspended in large part for over 12 hours.
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Southern China is soaked as Typhoon Noul hits land
Typhoon Noul hit southern China early on Sunday, bringing with it 'heavy rains and gale force winds in the Guangdong province and neighbouring Hong Kong. This led to the cancellation of flights at Hong Kong International Airport. Noul, or the glow of sunrise in Korean, is the third typhoon to hit China in this month and the 12th in the Pacific this year. Authorities said that it has forced more than 340,000 people to relocate in Guangdong Province. Hong Kong's?Observatory reported on Sunday that the typhoon was weakening while it moved further inland. It added that strong?gales continued to affect?much? of the city. The Observatory has issued an Amber Rainstorm Warning due to heavy rains and warned residents of flash floods. The Observatory said that rain exceeding 30 mm an hour (1.2 inches) has fallen, and it is expected to continue. The Asian financial hub upgraded the storm alert from Typhoon Signal No. 9 to Typhoon Signal No. Early on Sunday, as the storm approached Hong Kong within 80 km (50 miles), authorities in the Asian financial hub raised the alert to Typhoon?Signal No. At 7:10 am Saturday morning (2310 GMT), the storm was downgraded to Signal?No. Typhoon 'Signal?No. The observatory said that the Typhoon?Signal No. 8, which closes most businesses and transport routes, would be in effect until at least noon. The airport authorities have announced that flight operations will resume gradually after Sunday evening at 6:00 pm.
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Iran claims that a Ukrainian vessel attacked in the Caspian Sea has killed a sailor
Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned on Saturday an attack by Ukraine on a commercial Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea. It said that a resulting explosion killed one sailor and injured another. Throughout the Ukraine war, Kyiv had to combat drones designed by Iran that were deployed by Moscow. Kyiv offers its drone intercepting expertise to Middle East countries that have been hit by?Iran. Tehran called the attack on the Iranian vessel an act of aggression, and said it would defend national security and interests. It also accused Kyiv of trying to escalate the conflict in Ukraine. The Iranian denial coincided with the comments of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who said that Kyiv noted Russia's passing on of its'satellite observation in?the Middle East' to Iran in order to allow it to direct attacks in the region. Zelenskiy said earlier that Ukraine's military forces had struck a Russian ship and vessels transporting military cargo with ties to Iran in the Caspian Sea. In a series of?remarks on X, the Ukrainian president said that Kyiv has been recording since July 1 "active Russian satellite monitoring of the gulf states and U.S. Military facilities there." These images then appear in Iran." Zelenskiy stated that "there is a correlation between the Russian satellite imagery of the sites and the Iranian strikes - both before they were launched, as a 'preparation,' and afterwards, when assessing the damage done." He claimed that on July 19 and 20, he had observed four air bases, two in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. Reporting by Enas Alashray in Cairo, Editing by Ron Popeski and Rod Nickel
Fuel costs are increasing, so airlines are reducing their prices and cutting back on their outlook.
The U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, which has pushed up jet fuel prices, has shook the aviation industry around the world. Airlines have been forced to increase fares and re-evaluate their financial forecasts.
In recent weeks, jet fuel prices have increased from $85-$90 per barrel up to $150-$200 per barrel. This is a major financial blow to an industry that relies on fuel for as much as a quarter of its operating costs.
Here is an alphabetical list of the ways airlines are responding to this issue:
AEGEAN AIRLINES
The Greek airline anticipates that the suspension of Middle East flights, as well as a spike in fuel costs, will have "notable impacts" on its results for the first quarter.
AIRASIA
Malaysian Airlines executives announced that the company has cut 10% of its flights in the group and imposed a fuel surcharge of around 20%.
AIR FRANCE-KLM
Cabin fares will increase by 58 euros (50 euros) for round-trip flights.
AIR INDIA
The Indian carrier announced that it will change its fuel surcharges from a flat rate domestic to a grid based on distance. The carrier said that surcharges for international routes do not compensate the steep rise in fuel costs.
AIR?NEW ZEALAND
On April 7, the airline announced that it would cut flights in May and June, and raise fares. It was one of the first airlines to announce a large increase in ticket prices after the conflict began. The airline also suspended its earnings forecast for the full year due to volatility in the fuel markets.
AKASA AIR
Akasa Airlines, based in India, announced that it would be introducing fuel surcharges ranging from 199 to 1,300 Indian Rupees ($2 - $14) for domestic and international flights.
ALASKA AIR
The U.S. carrier said that it would raise fees by $5 for the first bag and $10 for the second for flights in North America, including Hawaiian Airlines. The third checked bag was raised from $50 to 200 dollars.
AMERICAN AIRLINES
The U.S. carrier announced that it would increase the fees for checked bags on domestic flights and short-haul flights by $50 for the third bag and $10 for each of the first two. The airline also reduced certain benefits for passengers in economy class.
The company had previously said that it anticipated a $400-million increase in expenses for the first quarter due to rising fuel prices.
CATHAY PACIFIC
Hong Kong Airlines announced that it would cancel about 2% scheduled passenger flights from mid-May to the end of June. Meanwhile, HK Express, its budget airline, was cutting around 6% of flights.
The carrier had previously stated that it would increase its fuel surcharge across all routes by 34% from April 1, and will review the charges every two weeks.
CEBU AIR
The Philippines-based carrier said that the sharp increase in fuel prices is a major concern. It will continue to review pricing and network strategies and try to minimize the impact.
CHINA EASTERN EXPRESS AIRLINES
Air China said that it would increase fuel surcharges on domestic flights starting April?5. Flights of less than 800km will be charged a surcharge of 60 yuan, and flights above 800km will be charged a surcharge 120 yuan.
DELTA AIR LINES
Delta announced that it would reduce capacity by about 3.5 percentage points compared to its original plan, and increase fees for checked baggage in order to offset the rising costs of jet fuel. The increase will be $10 on the first and second bags and $50 on third bags.
The U.S. carrier pulled all planned capacity increases for the current quarter, and forecast profits below Wall Street expectations. Delta CEO stated that it would not update the full-year forecast due to uncertainty about how long fuel prices would rise.
EASYJET
EasyJet has warned that it will suffer a larger half-year loss before tax of between 540 and 560 millions pounds ($731 and $758) in March, including an extra 25 million pounds of fuel costs.
Kenton Jarvis, CEO of British Airways, said that European consumers can expect to pay higher prices for tickets towards the end summer when fuel hedges end.
FRONTIER AÉRIENS
Fuel prices have risen significantly since the airline's forecast, and it is now reviewing its full-year outlook.
GREATER BAY Airlines
The Hong Kong-based firm said that it will increase fuel surcharges for most routes starting April 1, but keep them the same on routes to mainland China and Japan.
The carrier has announced that the surcharge on flights between Hong Kong,?the Philippines and other destinations will double.
HONG KONG Airlines
The airline announced that it would increase fuel?surcharges up to 35% starting March 12. The biggest increases would be on flights between Hong Kong, Bangladesh, and Nepal where the charges would go from HK$284 to HK$384 (US$49).
British Airways' owner IAG stated in March that it does not intend to increase ticket price immediately as it has hedged a large amount of fuel for the short to medium term.
INDIGO
India's largest airline announced that it will begin charging fuel fees on both domestic and international flights as of March 14. The charges include 900 rupees per flight to the Middle East, and 2,300 rupees per flight to Europe. Sources say that the company is lobbying for the Indian government's reduction of fuel taxes.
JETBLUE AERWAYS
Low-cost airline based in the United States has announced that it will increase fees for optional services, such as checked luggage, due to "increasing operating costs". The airline said that baggage prices would rise either by $4 or $9.
Sources with knowledge on the subject have confirmed that KOREAN will be in emergency mode as of April due to rising oil costs. The airline will implement phased responses based on the oil price levels and increase company-wide efficiency to offset rising fuel costs.
AIRLINE OPERATORS IN NIGERIA A letter from the Nigerian industry group, which accuses the country's fuel association of artificially increasing prices, warns that Nigerian airlines will suspend flight operations on April 20 if fuel prices do not drop.
PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
Fuel surcharges are cited as the reason for raising domestic flight prices by $20, and international flights by up to $100.
QANTAS AIRWAYS
Qantas, an Australian airline, said that it has delayed a planned A$150-million ($106-million) buyback. It also increased its fuel estimate for the second half 2026 from A$2.5-billion to A$3.1-3.33 billion.
Scandinavian Airlines announced that it would cancel 1,00 flights in April due to high jet fuel and oil prices. In March, the airline had cancelled "couples of hundred" flights.
SAS, which has already raised flight prices, stated that the surge in fuel costs would be a major blow to the aviation sector, even if they tried to absorb it.
SPRING AIRLINES
Budget Chinese airline announced that it will increase fuel surcharges for domestic flights starting April 5. Details to be announced in due course.
SOUTHWEST SOUTHWEST SOUTHWEST SOUTHWEST SOUTHWEST SOUTHWEST SOUTHWAST AIRLINES
The American carrier announced that it would increase the checked baggage fee by $10 per bag for the first and second bags. This will bring the cost to $45 for first bag, and $55 for a second.
The Portuguese airline claimed that its price increases would partially offset the impact of fuel prices changes on its revenues.
THAI AIRWAYS
The Thailand-based airline said that it would increase fares between 10% and 15% in order to combat rising fuel prices.
TURKISH AIRLINES LUFTHANSA
SunExpress, the joint venture between Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa and Lufthansa announced that it would be imposing a temporary fuel charge of 10 euros per person on routes between Turkey, Europe and North America from May 1. The fuel surcharge will be applied to all bookings made after April 1, for departures on or after May 1,
Turkish Airlines announced on April 10, that it would not be distributing any dividends from its net profit for 2025, instead choosing to keep the earnings and preserve cash.
T'WAY AIR
As part of the measures taken to combat the effects of war, the South Korean low cost carrier announced that it would furlough cabin crew in May and June without pay.
UNITED AIRLINES
Scott Kirby, CEO of the U.S. carrier, said that the airline will cut unprofitable flights in the next two quarters to prepare for the oil price remaining above $100 by the end 2027.
Andrew Nocella, United's Chief Commercial Officer, said that the company was able to increase fares in response to a rapid rise in jet fuel and oil prices.
In an emailed statement, the airline said that it would also be increasing the first and second checked bag fees by $10 to customers traveling in North America, Mexico, Canada, and Latin America.
VIETJET
A potential fuel shortage has led to the Vietnamese budget airline reducing flight frequencies on certain routes.
VIETNAM Airlines
Vietnam's Aviation Authority said that the carrier intends to cancel 23 flights per day on domestic routes starting in April after it requested assistance from the government for the removal of an environmental tax.
VIRGIN ATLANTIC
Corneel Kster, the CEO of the airline, told The Financial Times that despite adding fuel surcharges on fares this year it will struggle to achieve profitability.
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA
Virgin Australia has said that it expects an increase of jet fuel costs of between A$30 and A$40 million in the second half of the fiscal year. It also anticipates a 1% decrease in capacity for the fourth quarter.
The airline had previously stated that it would adjust fares in order to reflect the rising costs.
WESTJET
Canadian Press reported that the airline would add a fuel surcharge of C$60 ($43), and will combine some flights to reduce costs.
(source: Reuters)