World

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has warned that oil prices reaching $150 per barrel would trigger a "stark and steep" global recession, as the Iran conflict continues to disrupt energy markets and threaten economic stability worldwide.

In a seemingly contradictory move, President Trump says he is considering winding down military operations against Iran while simultaneously deploying 2,200 additional Marines and three warships to the region, as he demands allies help secure the Strait of Hormuz.

Seven major economies — the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Canada — issued a joint statement expressing readiness to contribute to efforts ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, as the Iran conflict sends oil prices soaring and threatens global energy stability.

At Nvidia's GTC event in San Jose, CEO Jensen Huang unveiled a vision of doubling chip orders to $1 trillion by year-end, announced a multi-billion dollar deal with Groq for inference chips, and claimed Nvidia's market value will hit $6 trillion.

Brent crude surged past $106 as Trump's call for a multinational naval coalition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz meets muted resistance — Japan and Australia declined, the UK is hesitant, and Iran has reduced daily ship transits from 138 to just 5.

As Trump calls on China, France, Japan, South Korea and the UK to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, Iran declares the waterway "open to everyone except our enemies" — while demanding yuan payments from oil tankers seeking passage.

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Iran's Assembly of Experts has appointed Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the new supreme leader, defying US President Trump's rejection of the candidate and signaling continued hardline rule as the war enters its tenth day.

Iran's Assembly of Experts has reached a majority consensus on a successor to the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, though wartime obstacles and procedural disagreements have delayed the final announcement.

President Donald Trump declared there will be "no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER" as the US-Israeli military campaign enters its second week, marking the latest expansion of war aims that could signal a prolonged conflict.