There’s no doubt the Iran war is reinforcing China’s favoured narrative: that the US under President Donald Trump is a destabilizing force, while Beijing is a reliable pillar of the international order.

But ensuring that the war is not prolonged further is in Chinese interest & its has an incentive to find the solution.

Watch!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KD_iw7N6G8

Aman Gupta's OffBeat Studios raises ₹100 Crore in seed funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners

https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/aman-guptas-offbeat-studios-raises-rs-100-crore-in-seed-funding-led-by-bessemer-venture-partners-11775549387282.html

Air India on Tuesday announced further revisions to its fuel surcharge structure across domestic and international routes, amid a global energy crisis triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Read more: https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/air-india-revises-fuel-surcharge-again-amid-iran-us-war-check-latest-rates-for-domestic-international-routes-here-11775547877179.html

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson steps down amid mounting challenges—crash fallout, delays, losses & global disruptions.

Despite a Tata-led revival push, questions remain: what triggered the exit, and who will steer the turnaround now?

Watch!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhoeDKc1rqg

US President Donald Trump pulled back on his threats to launch devastating strikes on Iran late Tuesday, swerving to deescalate the war less than two hours before the deadline he set for Tehran to capitulate or else a “whole civilization will die.”

Read more: https://www.livemint.com/news/us-and-iran-agree-to-2-week-ceasefire-as-trump-seizes-diplomatic-offramp-instead-of-escalation-11775607842565.html

Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif reveals the US and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire. He further said he has invited delegations from both US and Iran to Islamabad on 10 April to finalise a ‘a conclusive agreement’.

Read more: https://www.livemint.com/news/world/pakistan-pm-shehbaz-sharif-posts-for-first-time-after-brokering-ceasefire-check-his-full-tweet-11775606743442.html

In the statement shared by Araghchi, Iran added that 'for a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations.'

Read more: https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/did-iran-open-the-strait-of-hormuz-heres-what-abbas-araghchi-said-after-trumps-ceasefire-announcement-11775608966749.html

Read today's Mint e-paper here: https://epaper.livemint.com

➡️Data centre surge to spark change in electricity plans
➡️Sebi grants more time for IPOs as volatility spikes
➡️Tata Trusts CEO defends action after Srinivasan, Singh cry foul
➡️Tatas' battery bet Agratas raises $730mn from banks
➡️Street sees future rate hikes while RBI readies pause

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) monetary policy committee (MPC) on Wednesday kept the repo rate steady at 5.25% and maintained its stance as ‘neutral’.

Read more: https://www.livemint.com/economy/rbi-policy-mpc-repo-rate-india-inflation-gdp-sanjay-malhotra-west-asia-war-11775556079564.html

RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra says, "The Monetary Policy Committee met on 6th, 7th and briefly today in the morning to deliberate and decide on the policy repo rate. After a detailed assessment of the evolving macroeconomic and financial developments and the outlook, the MPC voted unanimously to keep the policy repo rate unchanged under the liquidity facility at 5.25%. Consequently, the STF rate remains at 5% and the MSF rate and the bank rate at 5.5%. The MPC also decided to continue with the neutral strands."

Watch!

As the United States, Israel and Iran agree to a ceasefire, President Donald Trump calls it a ‘big day for World Peace’ and assures that “the US helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz” and “Iran can start the reconstruction process”.

Read more: https://www.livemint.com/news/world/golden-age-for-middle-east-trump-celebrates-ceasefire-vows-us-support-in-hormuz-buildup-11775621774036.html

Elon Musk has launched a fresh new attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and is now looking to get the OpenAI co-founder removed from his role at the company. The billionaire noted in a court filing on Tuesday that the goal of his lawsuit is to “unwind OpenAI’s for-profit conversion and restructuring.”

Musk says this would require the removal of Altman and OpenAI President Greg Brockman from their leadership positions at the AI startup.

https://www.livemint.com/companies/people/elon-musk-wants-to-get-sam-altman-removed-as-ceo-openai-calls-it-harassment-campaign-11775622046867.html

The Iranian Embassy shared a provocative image of Trump kneeling before a Persian king, asserting Iran's historical significance amid tensions.

Read more: https://www.livemint.com/news/trends/ceasefire-iran-posts-provocative-photo-of-donald-trump-kneeling-before-persian-king-internet-goes-wild-11775628817069.html

Iran agrees to a two-week ceasefire proposed by Donald Trump—but the Strait of Hormuz isn’t fully open yet. While tensions ease, ship movement remains limited and tightly controlled, keeping global oil markets on edge.

Is this the start of real de-escalation or just a temporary pause? Watch the full video to understand what’s unfolding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMji6siTrno

India withdraws offer to host the United Nations annual climate Conference Of the Parties (COP33) in 2028, three years after PM Narendra Modi proposed it.

Read more 🔗 https://www.livemint.com/news/india/india-withdraws-bid-to-host-united-nations-climate-summit-cop33-in-2028-11775665410197.html

The Indian economy is likely to grow at 6.6% in financial year 2026-27 (FY27), slowing from an estimated 7.6% expansion for the year ended March, reflecting headwinds from the West Asia conflict, the World Bank said in its South Asia Economic Update.

Full story here 👉 https://www.livemint.com/economy/india-gdp-outlook-fy27-world-bank-report-global-tensions-economic-slowdown-11775660110657.html

🗳Assam, Kerala, Puducherry vote today, elaborate arrangements in place for smooth polling, says election commission

The stage is set for assembly polls in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry in high-stakes electoral battles with the Election Commission making arrangements for free, fair and smooth polling

Read more: https://www.livemint.com/elections/assembly-elections/assam-kerala-puducherry-to-vote-today-elaborate-arrangements-in-place-for-smooth-polling-says-election-commission-11775688258668.html

#USIranWar | A ceasefire aimed at pausing the conflict in Iran appeared increasingly fragile on Wednesday (local time) after Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz once again, reacting to Israeli strikes in Lebanon.

The White House called for the waterway to be reopened and worked to keep diplomatic efforts on course.

Read more: https://www.livemint.com/news/world/us-iran-war-live-updates-9-april-trump-ceasefire-lebanon-hezbollah-strait-of-hormuz-brent-crude-oil-price-gold-today-11775692211444.html

Read today's Mint e-paper here: https://epaper.livemint.com

➡️Street hits the speed lane as ceasefire revives hope
➡️ACT Fibernet up for sale; deal likely at $1 bn valuation
➡️RBI shuns hawkish signals amid war jitters, holds policy rates
➡️DGCA upgrades orders by 2027 to make jets 5G safe

#WATCH | Puducherry Elections 2026 | A robot, Nila welcomes voters arriving at VOC Govt School to exercise their franchise.