Rejects

• US President Donald Trump dismissed Iran's response to a US peace proposal as 'totally unacceptable' on Monday, escalating tensions amid ongoing Middle East conflict. • Tehran warned of new attacks in retaliation, as reported by Asia News Network, heightening fears of prolonged disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. • The rejection triggered market volatility across Asia, with investors seeking safe-haven assets amid potential impacts on regional energy security.

• U.S. stock-index futures fell early Monday, with Dow Jones futures down 0.30% at 49,540, Nasdaq 100 futures off 0.03% at 29,324, and S&P 500 futures dropping 0.4% amid rising geopolitical risks. • President Donald Trump called Iran's latest response to the U.S. proposal to end the war 'totally unacceptable,' triggering a surge in oil prices as markets braced for escalation. • The reaction compounds pressure from recent strong NFP data at +312K jobs versus +185K expected, with 2-year Treasury yields watched above 5% for further equity downside.

• Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Vijay, secured 107 seats and gained 5 from Congress, totaling 112, but remains 6 short of the 118 needed for majority. • Governor Rajendra Arlekar is not convinced of TVK's numbers, delaying Vijay's swearing-in as Chief Minister despite his request for time to prove majority. • VCK remains undecided on support, while Left parties and IUML have declined, heightening political uncertainty in the state.

• Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian declared on May 6, 2026, that 'no one can make us surrender' to US pressure during talks with Iraq's Prime Minister. • He urged Washington to remove military threats from the Middle East, reinforcing Iran's resolve amid ongoing conflict. • The IRGC introduced a new 'Hormuz security plan' to block weapons and supplies to US bases in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating strategic tensions.

Pontiff responds after US president accuses him of ‘endangering a lot of Catholics’ with stance on Iran warMiddle East crisis – live updatesPope Leo has said he has never supported nuclear weapons and that those who criticise him need to speak the truth, in response Donald Trump’s latest tirade accusing him of “endangering a lot of Catholics” with his stance on the Iran war.Speaking to journalists on Tuesday night after leaving the papal retreat in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, the first US-born pontiff said: “The mission of the church is to preach the gospel, to preach peace.” Continue reading...

• India has rejected Nepal's claim and objection to the upcoming Kailash Mansarovar Yatra (pilgrimage) scheduled to proceed via the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand. • The dispute underscores ongoing border demarcation issues between India and Nepal, specifically regarding the Lipulekh region in the western Himalayas. • The disagreement could impact bilateral relations and regional stability, with implications for trade and cross-border cooperation between the two nations.

Pete Hegseth argued that a ceasefire agreement with Iran more than three weeks ago ‘means the 60 day clock pauses, or stops’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxHello and welcome to our live coverage of the day.Today marks 60 days since the Trump administration notified Congress that it was carrying out strikes on Iran – meaning that under the War Powers Act of 1973, today is the deadline for Donald Trump to either end the Iran war or seek congressional authorization to extend it.Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor in Washington DC, released edited security-camera video of the incident at the White House correspondents’ dinner amid questions about whether or not the suspected gunman, Cole Allen, fired his weapon before being subdued. While the video shows four muzzles flashes from the agent’s gun as he fired at Allen, it was not immediately clear that it does show Allen discharging his weapon after he pointed it at the agent.Sean Curran, the director of the US Secret Service, told Fox News that Allen was stopped not by secret service gunfire, but by a box used to transport a metal detector, which he tripped over.Congress has passed a 45-day extension of section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a law that grants US intelligence agencies warrantless spying powers.Trump has threatened to withdraw troops from Spain and Italy, two countries that countries have been vocally critical of his war in the Middle East. This comes after Trump suggested reviewing US military presence in Germany after the country’s chancellor said America was being “humiliated” by Iran. Continue reading...