TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares mostly rose Monday and oil prices plunged after U.S. President Donald Trump said talks on ending the war with Iran are progressing. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 surged 3.1% in morning trading to 65,321.56. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.4% to 8,692.70. The Shanghai Composite edged up 0.4% to 4,127.53. Trading was closed in South Korea and Hong Kong for holidays marking Buddha’s birthday. Trading will be closed in the U.S. on Monday for Memorial Day. Trump said negotiations with Iran were “proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner.” Meanwhile, regional officials told The Associated Press on

JERUSALEM, May 24 (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. President Donald Trump Israel would remain free to act against threats in Lebanon ​during a phone call about an emerging agreement between Washington and Iran ‌on Saturday, an Israeli source said. Trump said Washington and Iran had “largely negotiated” a memorandum of understanding on a peace deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a ​vital shipping passage that has been effectively closed since the U.S. ​and Israel launched their war on Iran in February. “In last night’s ⁠conversation with President Trump, the Prime Minister emphasized that Israel

WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI, May 23 (Reuters) – A “largely negotiated” memorandum of understanding on an Iran peace deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Donald ​Trump said on Saturday, although the Iranian Fars news agency disputed that claim. Trump posted on social media that the emerging agreement would reopen the strait, the vital shipping passage ‌whose closure has upended global energy markets since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Iran in February. He did not say what else would be included in an agreement. “Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will

The Congress on Saturday accused the government of ”burdening” the common people with a post-poll fuel price hike and also denying them the benefits of falling crude oil prices during the past decade. Addressing a press conference, chairman of the Congress’s research department Rajeev Gowda questioned the government on oil imports, inflation and strategic reserves. ”There is a race going on between fuel and the rupee as to which will hit the century first,” he said. He was accompanied by party leader Dolly Sharma at the press conference. Referring to rising fuel prices, with petrol about to touch Rs 100