South Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun on Friday met visiting US lawmakers and urged measures to minimise negative impacts on bilateral cooperation in energy and supply chains from Washington's tariff scheme, his office said.

Ahn held talks with Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR), chair of the committee; Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska); Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY); Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT); and Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD) in a closed-door meeting in Seoul, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The lawmakers are members of the Committee of Natural Resources in the U.S. House of Representatives, reports news agency.

South Korea's financial watchdog said on Thursday it has placed 41 highly indebted conglomerates under closer watch for debt reductions.

According to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), the conglomerates that owe more than 2.4 trillion won ($1.74 billion) in total to local banks have been designated as heavy corporate debtors this year.

The number of heavily indebted conglomerates marks the largest ever in a decade. This compares with 36 such business groups last year, reports news agency.

Hyundai Department Store, Booyoung and seven others were among the firms that were newly included on the list, while Kumho Asiana, SM and two others were delisted, the FSS said.

Israeli warplanes on Wednesday struck Sanaa's main airport in Yemen and several aircraft belonging to the Houthi forces, Israel's military said in a statement.

The attack destroyed the last aircraft used by the Houthi forces, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a separate statement.

The strike was part of what Israel called "Operation Golden Jewel," a campaign that aims to degrade the Houthis' ability to launch further attacks on Israel, said Katz.

"This is a clear message and a direct continuation of the policy we have set: whoever fires at Israel will pay a heavy price," Katz warned.

South Korean former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said on Wednesday that he supports People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo and plans to cast an early vote this week.

Han wrote the message on his Facebook page a day before two-day early voting for the June 3 presidential election kicks off.

"With every person I have met, I have earnestly asked that they cheer for candidate Kim with the same heart with which they supported me," he said, referring to his brief presidential campaign that ended with the PPP's selection of Kim as its final contender.

"As I cheer for and support candidate Kim, I plan to go to a nearby polling station early tomorrow morning," he said.

The Indian all-party delegation led by BJP MP Baijayant Jay Panda, on Tuesday interacted with representatives of Indian regional media based in Kuwait and the local press, conveying India’s united and unwavering national consensus to combat terrorism. The delegation highlighted the strong strategic partnership between India and Kuwait, including the shared objective of fighting against terror and India's recent actions to combat cross-border terrorism.

"India stands firm — we will confront terrorism with strength, unity and determination, with no compromise and no tolerance. Along with our all-party delegation, engaged with Indian regional media and local press in Kuwait, sharing India’s unwavering resolve against cross-border terror and our deepening strategic partnership with Kuwait in this shared fight," Panda posted on X.

Earlier in the day, the delegation visited an exhibition of 'Rihla-e-Dosti: 250 Years of India-Kuwait Friendship', at National Library in Kuwait city showcasing rare manuscripts, historical books, coins, and artefacts, underscoring India-Kuwait deep historical connections.

A vast dust storm moving across Australia has shrouded Sydney in a dense haze, sparking health alerts and underscoring the growing impact of climate extremes nationwide.

New South Wales (NSW) Health on Tuesday issued alerts for very poor air quality in some areas, as the haze, driven by drought and strong winds in South Australia, settles over NSW.

Experts said the event is a stark reminder of Australia's vulnerability to shifting weather patterns and land degradation.

According to Milton Speer, visiting fellow at the University of Technology Sydney, long-term atmospheric changes are contributing to both droughts in southern Australia and heavy rains along the east coast, news agency reported.

South Korean former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok have been banned from leaving the country as suspects in the alleged insurrection case related to former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law attempt, police said on Tuesday.

The exit ban was reportedly imposed on Han and Choi around the middle of this month.

The police's special investigation unit handling the high-profile case called in Han, Choi and former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min on Monday for questioning for about 10 hours about their alleged involvement in Yoon's martial law declaration on December 3 last year. Lee was slapped with the exit ban earlier in December.

South Korean Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung's lawyer on Tuesday denied all charges related to allegations that Lee misused public funds for personal purposes during his term as the governor of Gyeonggi province.

The attorney's denial came during the third preparatory hearing of Lee's trial at the Suwon District Court, which the candidate did not attend.

Lee is accused of using 106.5 million won ($77,800) from his corporate card and provincial government funds to pay for food and other goods while serving as governor from 2018 to 2021.

"The defendant has not colluded in the crime, nor did he give orders (to do so)," Lee's lawyer said, claiming the indictment was "illegal" as the police had previously decided to not transfer the case to the prosecution.

Banks' loan rates fell for the fifth straight month in April, data showed on Tuesday, as the central bank has been on a monetary easing cycle.

The average lending rate of banks applied to new loans came to 4.19 percent last month, down 0.17 percentage point from a month earlier, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).

The rate has been on a constant decline since December 2024, reports news agency.

In detail, banks' average lending rate for corporate loans shed 0.18 percentage point to 4.14 percent, while their lending rate on household loans lost 0.15 percentage point to 4.36 percent.

Israel has rejected a new proposal aimed at halting its offensive in Gaza and securing the release of 10 more hostages, Israel's state-owned Kan TV reported on Monday.

A senior Israeli official from the country's negotiation team told Kan TV that US mediators presented the proposal overnight. It included the release of five living hostages and five deceased, the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, a 70-day ceasefire, and negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire, according to the official.

The official said Israel rejected the deal, describing it as a "surrender to Hamas."

Israel has insisted on the so-called Witkoff framework, a deal proposal presented by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in early March, which calls for the release of additional Israeli hostages in return for a 50-day truce, and a promise to engage in talks on a longer truce. It doesn't mention a withdrawal of Israeli forces or the release of Palestinian prisoners, two of Hamas's key demands.