Oil prices surge more than 4% after US strike kills Iranian general
Hong Kong, Jan 3: Oil prices soared more than four per cent Friday following news that the US had killed a top Iranian general, fanning fresh fears of a conflict in the crude-rich region.
The head of Iran's Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, was hit in an attack on Baghdad's international airport early Friday, according to Hased, a powerful Iraqi paramilitary force linked to Tehran.
Later, Donald Trump tweeted a picture of the American flag, and the Pentagon said he had ordered Soleimani's killing.
Brent surged 4.4 per cent to USD 69.16 and WTI jumped 4.3 per cent to USD 63.84 as investors grow increasingly worried about the effects of a possible flare-up in the tinderbox Middle East on supplies of the commodity.
Both contracts later pared the gains but remained well up.
"This is more than just bloodying Iran's nose," said AxiTrader's Stephen Innes.
"This is an aggressive show of force and an outright provocation that could trigger another Middle East war."
The killing of Soleimani is a dramatic escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran and comes after a pro-Iran mob this week laid siege to the US embassy in Iraq following deadly American air strikes on the hardline Hashed faction.
The attack on the embassy highlighted new strains in the US-Iraqi relationship, which officials from both countries have described to AFP as the "coldest" in years.
Oil prices saw a record surge in September after attacks on two Saudi Arabian facilities briefly slashed output in the world's top exporter by half, with Trump blaming Iran for the attack and previous other blasts on tankers in the Gulf last year.
The crisis also comes as tensions between the US and North Korea worsen, with Kim Jong Un declaring a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests had ended, with US talks going nowhere.
"We are waking up to a less safe world than it was only hours ago, especially if we combine this with simmering tension in the Korean peninsula," Innes added.
The drama sent investors rushing for the hills and safe-haven units rallied with the yen up 0.7 per cent against the dollar and gold climbing more than one percent.
High-risk currencies retreated against the greenback, with South Korea's won down 0.6 per cent, Australia's dollar down 0.4 per cent and the South African rand down more than one per cent.
Equities were mixed, having been enjoying the second day of the year rallying on trade optimism.
Hong Kong fell 0.2 per cent by the break, while Shanghai shed 0.3 per cent. Singapore retreated 0.5 per cent and Taipei dropped with Mumbai.
But Seoul, Sydney, Wellington, and Manila were in positive territory.
Markets had all been well up before news of the strike, thanks to ongoing optimism fuelled by the China-US trade agreement, looser central bank monetary policies and easing Brexit worries.
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Prominent temples in UP closed during lunar eclipse
Lucknow (PTI): Prominent temples across Uttar Pradesh, including the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple and the Vindhyavasini temple in Mirzapur, were closed on Tuesday in view of the lunar eclipse and will reopen in the evening after rituals.
According to Kashi Vishwanath temple authorities, the lunar eclipse will be visible in India and observed between 3.27 pm and 6.47 pm.
In keeping with religious scriptures, temples will observe ‘Sutak Kaal’, the inauspicious period preceding and during the eclipse, during which regular rituals and darshan are restricted.
The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust in Varanasi said that as per tradition, the temple gates are closed before the commencement of the eclipse. Following this custom, the temple doors were shut at 4.30 am.
After the conclusion of the eclipse, rituals related to ‘moksha’ (conclusion of the eclipse) would be performed in accordance with scriptures, followed by purification ceremonies.
The temple was scheduled to reopen for devotees after 7.15 pm.
In Ayodhya, the Ram Temple was closed from 9 am onwards due to the Sutak Kaal hours prior to the eclipse.
Temple sources said the Mangala Aarti at 4.30 am and the Shringar Aarti at 6.30 am were conducted as per schedule.
‘Bal Bhog’ was offered to Ram Lalla at 8.15 am. After the Shringar Aarti, darshan was allowed from 6.30 am to 9 am. The temple doors were then closed and were to reopen after evening aarti, with darshan available from 8.30 pm to 11 pm, Ram temple trust officials said.
In Mathura and Vrindavan, most temples closed early for morning darshan and were scheduled to reopen after the eclipse ended around 7 pm.
However, the historic Dwarkadhish Temple followed its regular schedule and remained open during the eclipse.
Rakesh Tiwari, media in-charge of the temple, said that in the Pushtimarg tradition, Lord Krishna is worshipped in his child form and devotees believe they must remain with the deity during difficult times.
The Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan opened early at 5.15 am and closed at 8.30 am.
According to a press release issued by the temple’s high-powered committee, it was scheduled to reopen for evening darshan at 7 pm and close at 10 pm.
At the Shri Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura, the temple opened at 5 am for Mangala Aarti and closed at 6 am for darshan.
Kapil Sharma, secretary of the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan, said the temple would reopen for evening darshan at 8 pm and close at 9 pm.
The Radha Rani Temple in Barsana was also scheduled to reopen at 7 pm for evening darshan and close at 9 pm, Madhav Krishna Goswami, sewayat of the temple, said.
In Mirzapur, the Vindhyavasini Temple remained closed in the morning in view of the eclipse.
Bhanu Pathak of the Vindhya Panda Samaj, said the temple doors were shut from 3.15 pm to 8 pm during the Sutak and eclipse period.
After completion of rituals and aarti, devotees will be allowed to offer prayers.
Temple authorities across the state appealed to devotees to adhere to the revised schedules and cooperate with the arrangements made in view of the eclipse.
