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LiveTrump mulls 'targeted churn' in Cabinet amid pressure from war: Sources

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Meanwhile, Indonesia has slammed as unacceptable the injuries to three of its peacekeepers in Lebanon.

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Calista Wong, BNB Diviyadhaarshini

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Published: Feb 28, 2026

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Over the next two to three weeks, we\\u2019re going to bring them back to the Stone Age, where they belong. In the meantime, discussions are ongoing.\\u201dCloser to home, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said some support measures announced at Budget 2026 will be brought forward to provide earlier relief and cushion the Middle East conflict\\u2019s impact on Singapore households and businesses.Here are other recent developments:French President Emmanuel Macron said it would be unrealistic to launch a military operation to force open the Strait of Hormuz, after Mr Trump challenged US allies to work towards reopening it.France has increased security at sensitive sites across Paris after a foiled bomb attack on Bank of America\\u2019s offices suspected to be linked to a pro-Iranian group.NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will visit Washington next week after Mr Trump blasted European allies over differences on the Iran war.Malaysia has clarified that its WFH policy, which was rolled out to safeguard the country\\u2019s energy security, will apply only to civil servants living more than 8km from the office.Oil prices jumped after Mr Trump\\u2019s address earlier today, undermining expectations for an imminent resolution to the five-week-old conflict.China said US-Israeli strikes on Iran were the \\u201croot cause\\u201d of the Strait of Hormuz blockage.Singaporeans in Qatar have been urged to be vigilant amid Iranian public threats.PHOTO: BLOOMBERG\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ssherlyn\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Opinion: The war in Iran threatens America\\u2019s borrowing machine, which spells danger for global finance\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T23:00:09+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T23:00:09+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The Iran war is rattling the financial architecture that underpins the global economy, says senior columnist Vikram Khanna.Oil prices are up 60 per cent since hostilities began and Treasury yields have hit an eight-month high. But just as importantly, a quiet recycling operation of Gulf petrodollars into US government bonds - a system that has kept American borrowing costs artificially low for decades - is under threat.Central banks that were preparing to cut rates are now facing the opposite pressure, with Australia already hiking and the Fed increasingly expected to follow. The US Treasury market, which sets the price of everything from mortgages to corporate loans, entered this crisis already fragile, with foreign holdings of Treasuries at their lowest share in years.The war doesn't need to trigger a financial collapse to do serious damage \\u2014 it only needs to make the world's lenders a little more reluctant. Financial markets run on confidence. Right now, uncertainty is extreme.READ HIS OPINION HERE\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ssherlyn\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Taiwan airlines to hike fuel surcharges by 157% on international flights\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T22:30:04+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T22:30:04+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Taiwanese airlines announced that they will raise their fuel surcharges on international flights by 157 per cent on Tuesday, as the Middle East conflict sends global oil prices soaring, Reuters reported.Surcharges will increase by US$27.50 (S$35) on short-haul flights and US$71.50 for longer flights, the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) and transportation ministry said on Wednesday.This would raise the surcharges on short-haul routes to US$45 and US$117 for long-haul routes.China Airlines and Eva Air confirmed that passengers will be affected by the hikes from April 7.Ticket prices for domestic routes will increase by an average of around US$3, CAA director-general Ho Shu-ping told parliament.\\u201cIn response to international trends, prices often go up and down, so we need to make appropriate adjustments to reflect that,\\u201d Ms Ho said.READ MORE HERE\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ssherlyn\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Malaysia clarifies WFH policy only for civil servants living more than 8km from office\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T22:00:02+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T22:00:02+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Only Malaysian civil servants who stay more than 8km away from the office will be allowed to work from home three times per week, The Star reported.In a circular issued on Thursday, Malaysia\\u2019s Public Service Department director-general Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said this arrangement applies only to those working in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and all state capitals from April 15.\\u201cCivil servants working in the security and defence, health and education sectors are exempted from the arrangement,\\u201d he said.He also said the home address of civil servants to determine the distance to the workplace would be based on information in the Human Resources Information Management System.Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had announced the WFH directive on Wednesday, saying the move was to safeguard the country\\u2019s energy security.READ MORE HERE\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ssherlyn\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"S\\u2019pore hopes talks to end Middle East war succeed, but expects impact of conflict to persist\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T17:31:03+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T21:47:32+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Singapore hopes talks between parties to end the war in the Middle East will succeed, says PM Wong on Thursday.But even if a ceasefire is achieved tomorrow, the Republic must expect the impact of the conflict to persist, he adds.He notes that despite recent diplomatic efforts, the differences between the parties remain wide.Singapore must be prepared for further escalation in the coming days and weeks, he adds, with the risk of additional strikes and of other groups like the Iran-backed Houthis joining in the conflict.He notes that the geopolitical situation in the Middle East will have been \\u201cadversely affected\\u201d even after the US eventually ends its military campaign.\\u201cWe are entering a more uncertain and unstable phase, with wide-ranging implications for regional security and global energy flows. In such an environment, the risk of disruption is significantly higher,\\u201d he says.Also worrying is the possibility of a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz and key shipping routes in the region like the Red Sea, he says.He adds the consequences could be severe if the critical Middle Eastern energy sources and supply routes remain constrained for an extended period.It will not just mean higher prices, but countries could also face a global energy crunch.He says: \\u201cOutput would weaken sharply, even as prices continue to rise. It\\u2019s what economists describe as stagflation. Once that takes hold, it is deeply damaging and very hard to bring under control.\\u201dPHOTO: MDDIREAD MORE HERE\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ssherlyn\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"South Korea's President Lee urges citizens to save \\u2018every drop of fuel\\u2019, as Iran crisis hits\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T21:30:06+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T21:31:02+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday urged citizens to \\u201csave every drop of fuel\\u201d, ramping up an official call for energy conservation as the deepening Iran conflict hits the energy-importing nation hard, straining households and businesses.In a parliamentary address, Mr Lee warned that the Middle East crisis has triggered one of the most severe energy security threats in decades.\\u201cI earnestly appeal to all citizens to actively participate in energy-saving movements in daily lives, such as taking public transportation and conserving electricity,\\u201d Mr Lee said.\\u201cThe current crisis is not a passing shower that quickly subsides, but rather a massive storm whose duration is uncertain, making it all the more severe.\\u201dREAD MORE HERE PHOTO: EPA\\/ YONHAP\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ssherlyn\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"China says US, Israeli attacks on Iran the \\u2018root cause\\u2019 of Hormuz blockage\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T21:00:08+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T21:00:08+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"China said on Thursday that US and Israeli strikes on Iran were the \\u201croot cause\\u201d of the Strait of Hormuz blockage, after US President Donald Trump called on affected countries to seize the key waterway.AFP reported Mr Trump saying countries that receive oil through the Strait of Hormuz should \\u201ctake care of that passage\\u201d, which has been effectively closed by Tehran in retaliation for the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.He urged such countries to \\u201cjust take it, protect it, use it for yourselves\\u201d.China is a major importer of oil through the vital waterway and the foreign ministry in Beijing blamed the US and Israel on Thursday.\\u201cThe root cause of interruptions to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is the US and Israel\\u2019s illegal military operations against Iran,\\u201d ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a news conference.READ MORE HERE\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ssherlyn\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"News analysis: Is Trump torn between escalating and exiting the war in Iran?\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T20:36:44+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T20:37:18+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"US President Donald Trump\\u2019s first prime-time address on the Iran war offered Americans, and the rest of the world, little that they had not heard before.But it was not without design. Militarily, he kept every option open, including escalation. Politically, he bought time, reminding Americans that this war was an \\u201cinvestment\\u201d in their children and grandchildren\\u2019s future and would end \\u201cvery shortly\\u201d.But Mr Trump appeared to have sidestepped key issues even as he outlined his goals and timelines.READ MORE HEREPHOTO: REUTERS\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Ng Huiwen\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Singaporeans in Qatar urged to be vigilant amid Iranian public threats \",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T19:44:37+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T19:44:37+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The Singapore Embassy in Doha has urged Singaporeans in Qatar to maintain vigilance amid recent public threats by the Iranian regime to target US-linked organisations, such as businesses and institutions.In a Facebook post on Thursday, the embassy advised Singaporeans to stay safe as they proceed with their daily activities, heed the advice of the Qatari authorities and adhere to the instructions of the National Warning Alerts when these are issued.These include remaining in safe areas within buildings and staying away from windows and other exposed areas during such alerts.The embassy said it will continue to monitor the situation and urged Singaporeans to e-register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. \",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ssherlyn\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Malaysia to raise air-con temperatures in government offices to cut energy costs\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T19:00:48+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T19:00:48+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said on Thursday he had been informed that the government has decided to increase air-conditioner temperatures in all its offices.The Star reported the commissioner saying that the decision was made by the Cabinet, adding that the move will apply across all government offices, not just the MACC.\\u201cFollowing Cabinet instructions, the temperature of air-conditioners will be raised, and we may be allowed to wear more casual attire to the office as the temperature increases.\\u201cWe may be able to wear short-sleeved shirts and so on,\\u201d he said during a media engagement session on Thursday.This latest cost-saving measure comes amid global supply chain disruptions linked to the war in Iran, which has led to rising prices of coal and natural gas \\u2014 both of which Malaysia imports in large quantities for electricity generation.READ MORE HERE\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ssherlyn\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Grab announces fuel subsidies for delivery riders with petrol-based vehicles\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T18:15:05+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T18:15:05+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Grab Singapore on Thursday announced fuel vouchers for delivery riders with petrol-based vehicles, amid rising fuel costs.\\u201cThe current fuel situation is a challenge felt across our entire partner network, and we are committed to supporting our delivery-partners as they navigate these rising costs,\\u201d a Grab spokesperson said.\\u201cAs a vital pillar of Singapore\\u2019s F&B ecosystem, their resilience is essential to the reliability our consumers and merchant-partners depend on.\\u201dThe targeted fuel support was developed in consultation with the National Delivery Champions Association, Grab said.The fuel vouchers will vary based on vehicle type and Emerald Circle tier, and eligible delivery riders will receive an app notification with the details on voucher collection.All Grab transport and delivery drivers will also continue to receive fuel discounts at Esso, Caltex and Sinopec petrol stations, it said. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ssherlyn\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Govt to provide targeted support for sectors severely affected by Middle East conflict, bring Budget measures forward: PM Wong\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T17:32:39+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T17:40:12+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\" The government will provide targeted support for sectors in Singapore that are more severely affected by the conflict in the Middle East, says Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday.To cushion the immediate impact on households and businesses, PM Wong adds that the government has rolled out measures such as U-Save rebates, and will bring some more support forward for earlier relief.Details on the targeted measures for sectors will be shared in Parliament next week, he says.Addressing the Middle East situation, he says a ministerial committee has been convened to guide Singapore\\u2019s response to the crisis.The Homefront Crisis Ministerial Committee has begun updating existing contingency plans and developing new ones in light of unprecedented developments, he adds.It is chaired by Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam while Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong serves as an adviser.In his address, PM Wong notes that Singapore has been strengthening its energy and supply chain resilience by having the country\\u2019s refiners and chemical companies scale back production and source crude oil and feedstock beyond the Middle East.For example, Singapore is working with Australia, a key supplier of liquefied natural gas, and New Zealand for essential goods and food.PM Wong adds that he has spoken to the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand to ensure the arrangements remain robust.He also urges Singaporeans to stand together, saying: \\u201cIn times like these, our strength lies in our unity. Government support matters. But so does the resolve of our people \\u2013 to look out for one another, to act responsibly, and to pull together as one society.\\u201dREAD MORE HERE\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ssherlyn\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Families, comrades mourn Indonesian soldiers killed in Lebanon\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T16:53:22+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T16:53:22+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Family members and fellow soldiers mourned the three Indonesian soldiers killed while serving with a United Nations mission in Lebanon last week.One soldier, Chief Private Farizal Rhomadhon, was killed on the night of March 29 by \\u201cindirect artillery fire in the vicinity\\u201d of an Indonesian base near the municipality, according to the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta.Mr Farizal\\u2019s family in his hometown in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, expressed profound grief, saying they had not expected such a sudden loss, with his father saying he had barely communicated with his son before the attack.He added that Mr Farizal - who is survived by his wife and their daughter - will be laid to rest in Kulon Progo.Two other Indonesian peacekeepers were killed in an explosion that struck and destroyed a vehicle operating under the UNIFIL flag near Bani Hayyan village in southern Lebanon.Both soldiers - First Sergeant Muhammad Nur Ichwan and Captain Zulmi Aditya Iskandar - joined the Indonesian Blue Helmets contingent in April 2025.The two separate attacks also wounded five Indonesian peacekeepers.READ MORE HEREPHOTO: REUTERS\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"gabriellea\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"NATO chief to visit Washington next week as Trump threatens exit from alliance\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T15:18:59+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T16:00:18+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will visit Washington next week for what a spokesperson for the military alliance called a \\u201clong-planned visit\\u201d that comes after US President Donald Trump blasted European allies over differences on the Iran war.No further details of the trip were immediately available.Mr Trump said he was considering pulling the US out of the Western military alliance due to the refusal of European members to send ships to unblock the Strait of Hormuz.In remarks on Wednesday to allies gathered for an Easter lunch at the White House, he criticised France and the United Kingdom, among other US allies, as a \\u201cpaper tiger\\\".READ MORE HEREPHOTO: REUTERS\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"alessiamah\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Chinese airlines to raise fuel surcharges on domestic flights\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T16:00:02+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T16:00:02+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Several Chinese airlines said they will raise their fuel surcharges on domestic flights from Sunday, as the war in the Middle East drives up oil prices globally.National carrier Air China, China Southern and its subsidiary Xiamen Airlines said in statements that they will increase surcharges on flights of up to 800km by 60 yuan (S$11.24), and 120 yuan for longer flights.Spring Airlines and Juneyao Airlines also announced fuel surcharge hikes.International flights will be subject to the system\\u2019s calculations, according to the statements issued on Wednesday that did not mention the conflict.READ MORE HEREPHOTO: EPA\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"ssherlyn\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Australian state triggers emergency powers amid fuel crisis\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T14:45:40+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T14:45:40+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Western Australia invoked emergency powers to force fuel suppliers to provide detailed information on their supply chains, as the nation seeks to manage an ongoing shortage spurred by panic-buying in the wake of the war in Iran.The state government activated the powers under the Fuel, Energy and Power Resources Act after several companies failed to provide specific data and information on fuel shipments, it said in a statement on Wednesday.Western Australia is a major global exporter of iron ore, gold and other minerals, as well as of agricultural products including grains and livestock, all of which are reliant on diesel to run their operations.Most of Australia\\u2019s fuels are imported, and the conflict in the Middle East has squeezed global supplies, sending prices at the pump to records.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"alessiamah\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Iran\\u2019s military warns of \\u2018more destructive\\u2019 attacks until adversaries\\u2019 \\u2018surrender\\u2019\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T14:30:19+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T14:30:19+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Tehran will press on with the Middle East war until the United States and Israel face \\u201cpermanent regret and surrender\\u201d, the spokesperson of its armed forces\\u2019 unified command said on Thursday, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.The threat followed comments by US President Donald Trump that Washington would hit Iran \\u201cextremely hard\\u201d within weeks, although Iran was \\u201cessentially decimated\\u201d with the United States on track to achieve its military objectives.Mr Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson of the Khatam al-Anbiya central headquarters, responded that US and Israeli assessments of Iran\\u2019s military capabilities were \\u201cincomplete\\u201d.Iran would step up its military actions, with \\u201cmore crushing, broader and more destructive\\u201d attacks in store for its adversaries, he added.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"alessiamah\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Indonesia, Malaysia roll out remote work to conserve energy\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T13:40:26+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T14:16:13+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Indonesian ministries, state agencies and regional administrations are ready to enforce the newly announced remote work policy for civil servants as the government seeks to conserve energy supplies amid soaring global prices.The remote work policy was announced by Coordinating Economy Minister Airlangga Hartarto on the sidelines of a presidential visit to Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday night, as part of energy-savings measures called the \\u201ceight-point work culture transformation policy\\u201d.Civil servants at the central and regional levels will begin working from home every Friday starting this week, with exemptions for sectors deemed essential. The private sector is encouraged to consider similar arrangements.The policy is expected to save 65 trillion rupiah (S$4.8 billion) and ministries and regional administrations were quick to welcome it.Malaysia\\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also announced on Thursday that the country will introduce a work\\u2011from\\u2011home policy for ministries, agencies, statutory bodies and government\\u2011linked companies starting April 15 to conserve energy.\\u201cThe Cabinet has agreed to the work\\u2011from\\u2011home policy. It aims to reduce fuel consumption and ensure a stable energy supply,\\u201d Mr Anwar said during a special briefing late on Wednesday.READ MORE HEREPHOTO: EPA\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"gabriellea\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Lebanon\\u2019s Hezbollah claims drone, rocket attacks on northern Israel\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T13:00:25+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T13:37:00+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said its fighters launched drones and rockets at northern Israel on Thursday, with the Israeli military\\u2019s Home Front Command saying air raid sirens were activated across the border.In separate statements, the Iran-backed group claimed rocket fire targeting Israeli troops in border areas and a drone attack targeting a village.Sirens were activated in those areas, according to the Israeli Home Front Command, with no reports of any casualties or damage.Israel earlier said it responded to three missile attacks from Iran, with police saying that officers were called to \\u201cseveral\\u201d impact sites in central Israel after the first attack.\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"gabriellea\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Australia PM says Iran war objectives met, \\u2018not clear\\u2019 what more to achieve\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T11:31:52+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T12:30:43+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday that the original objectives of the war in Iran had been met and it was not clear what more remained to be achieved.Speaking after US President Donald Trump\\u2019s speech on his view of the war, Mr Albanese called for de-escalation, noting that US-Israeli attacks had degraded Iran\\u2019s air force, navy and military industrial base.\\u201cNow those objectives have been realised it is not clear what more needs to be achieved or what the end point looks like,\\u201d he said.\\u201cWhat is clear is that the longer the war goes on the more significant the impact on the global economy will be.\\u201dREAD MORE HEREPHOTO: EPA\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"gabriellea\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Top Democrat Schumer calls Trump speech \\u2018rambling\\u2019 and \\u2018disjointed\\u2019\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T12:15:19+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T12:15:19+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Senate Democrat leader Chuck Schumer, in a post on social media platform X, blasted US President Donald Trump\\u2019s address to the American public on the war in Iran as \\u201crambling, disjointed, and pathetic\\u201d.In his address, Mr Trump defended his handling of the month-old war and said that the US military was nearing completion of its mission, warning that the US would bomb the Islamic republic \\u201cback to the Stone Age\\u201d.\\u201cDonald Trump\\u2019s actions in Iran will be considered one of the greatest policy blunders in the history of our country, failing to articulate objectives, alienating allies, and ignoring the kitchen table problems Americans are facing,\\u201d Mr Schumer wrote.\\u201cHe is completely unfit to be Commander-in-Chief and the whole world knows it.\\u201dHas there ever been a more rambling, disjointed, and pathetic presidential war speech? Donald Trump\\u2019s actions in Iran will be considered one of the greatest policy blunders in the history of our country, failing to articulate objectives, alienating allies, and ignoring the\\u2026 https:\\/\\/t.co\\/3An0nd3h1y\\u2014 Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 2, 2026Another top-ranking Democrat, House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, also posted on X, saying that the American people are \\u201csick and tired of the chaos, high costs and extreme Republican agenda\\u201d.\\u201cDonald Trump must end his reckless war of choice in the Middle East. Now,\\u201d he said.PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES\\/AFP\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"gabriellea\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Israel says it is intercepting an Iran missile attack, first after Trump speech\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T10:17:14+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T11:36:30+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Israel\\u2019s military said its air defences were responding to an Iranian missile attack on Thursday, shortly after US President Donald Trump delivered an address to the American public about the war in Iran.It said in a statement it had \\u201cidentified missiles launched from Iran towards the territory of the State of Israel\\u201d for the third time in just over three hours, adding that \\u201cdefensive systems are operating to intercept the threat\\u201d.Air raid sirens sounded across northern Israel, according to the military\\u2019s Home Front Command, and there were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage.PHOTO: AFP\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"msazali\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Stocks slide, dollar advances after Trump speech on Iran war\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T09:53:41+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T10:48:19+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Stocks fell, the dollar firmed and oil rose on Thursday after US President Donald Trump said Washington\\u2019s \\u201ccore strategic objectives\\u201d in the Iran war were nearing completion but stopped short of providing a clear outline of when the conflict would end.The prospect of the end to the month-long US-Israeli war with Iran has lifted global stocks and knocked the dollar off its recent highs in the past two sessions after a brutal March where soaring oil prices sent risk assets into a tailspin.Mr Trump\\u2019s comments on striking Iran \\u201cextremely hard\\u201d over the next two to three weeks sent stocks retreating, with US stock futures down 0.67 per cent while European futures were 0.1 per cent lower.Brent crude futures rose US$4.88, or 4.8 per cent, to US$106.04 per barrel by 2am GMT (10am, Singapore time).US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up US$4.17, or 4.2 per cent, to US$104.29 per barrel.Ahead of Mr Trump\\u2019s speech, Bloomberg reported that Brent crude declined as much as 1.8 per cent to $99.37 a barrel, after shedding 2.7 per cent on Wednesday.The West Texas Intermediate, meanwhile, traded near $98.Bloomberg reported that gold bullion dropped as much as 2.3 per cent, reversing an earlier gain.Spot gold fell 1.3 per cent to $4,695.15 an ounce at 9.43am Singapore time.Silver dropped 2.7 per cent to $73.05m while platinum and palladium also fell.READ MORE: Oil prices surge after Trump threatens to blast Iran \\u2018back to the Stone Ages\\u2019\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"gabriellea\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"French navy chief says China will have to engage more in Strait of Hormuz discussion\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T10:46:17+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T10:47:30+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"China will at one point have to engage more directly on how to restore oil traffic flows in the Strait of Hormuz because the number of vessels it has going through is probably insufficient, France\\u2019s navy chief said on Wednesday.Admiral Nicolas Vaujour said France was working to bring a number of countries around the table at a political level first to determine the conditions under which the strait could be reopened in a lasting way.He said militaries were also assessing whether mines had been laid and would need to be cleared.\\u201cThis is obviously not a question for France alone. It concerns all partner countries, Gulf states, the United States and other European countries as well,\\u201d he added.READ MORE HEREPHOTO: REUTERS\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"gabriellea\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"A nuclear Iran an \\u2018intolerable threat\\u2019, says Trump\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T09:28:12+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T10:41:35+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Mr Trump says he is making this address to explain why Operation Epic Fury is \\u201cnecessary for the safety of America\\u201d and the world.Listing terrorist attacks and other acts carried out by Iran or its proxies over the past 47 years, he calls the regime running Iran \\u201cthuggish and murderous\\u201d, noting also a recent crackdown on protest in the country which killed thousands of citizens.Leaders like these cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon, he says.\\u201cI will never let that happen.\\u201dIran did not give up on its nuclear programme and was fast developing longer range missiles, says Mr Trump.They were \\u201cright at the doorstep\\u201d of developing a nuclear weapon, he claims.READ MORE HERE\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Ling Chang Hong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"We haven\\u2019t needed Strait of Hormuz and we don\\u2019t need it: Trump\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T09:30:23+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T10:06:57+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Moving on to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Mr Trump says the US does not need it.He adds that it will open up naturally when the conflict is over, while also urging other countries to show \\u201ccourage\\u201d and take care of the strait.On Iran, Mr Trump says: \\u201cWe\\u2019re going to hit them extremely hard. Over the next two to three weeks, we\\u2019re going to bring them back to the Stone Age, where they belong. In the meantime, discussions are ongoing.\\u201dIran has previously denied being in negotiations with the US.\\u201cWe have all the cards. They have none,\\u201d Mr Trump adds.READ MORE HEREPHOTO: REUTERS\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Ling Chang Hong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Trump speech may leave the public \\u2018more confused\\u2019, analysts tell BBC\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T10:02:53+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T10:04:43+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"In comments made on the BBC, Mr Ivo Daalder, former US ambassador to Nato, says Mr Donald Trump\\u2019s speech was not clear on why the US is still carrying out attacks in Iran if its nuclear capabilities and military have been destroyed, as the US president claims.\\u201cI don't see why we think we should be safer... and I think the American public have a similar sense of doubt,\\u201d says Mr Daalder.He also expects Mr Trump to come out on social media strongly against Nato allies and repeat threats to pull out of the alliance, which he did not do during his address.Ms Melissa Toufanian, a senior adviser to former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, also tells BBC that she thinks American audiences would likely be left \\u201cmore confused\\u201d about the war after Mr Trump\\u2019s speech.\\u201cI don't think there\\u2019s a single American who was watching that speech today who is going to feel like there is a clear plan, like there is a clear timeline, that we are safer and more secure,\\\" she says.PHOTO: REUTERS\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"msazali\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"\\u2018America is winning, and winning bigger than ever before\\u2019, Trump says\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T09:17:21+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T09:39:31+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Marking one month since the start of Operation Epic Fury against Iran, Mr Trump says: \\u201cTonight Iran\\u2019s navy is gone, their air force is in ruins, their leaders, most of them\\u2026 are now dead.\\u201d He adds that Iran\\u2019s ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed.In his remarks, Mr Trump says that the US has scored \\u201cswift, decisive and overwhelming\\u201d victories in the war, including the deaths of senior Iranian leadership and the nation\\u2019s \\u201cdramatically curtailed\\u201d ability to launch missiles and drones.\\u201cAmerica is winning, and winning bigger than ever before,\\u201d Mr Trump adds. \\u201cIn these past four weeks, our armed forces have delivered swift, decisive, overwhelming victories on the battlefield \\u2013 victories like few people have ever seen before,\\u201d he says.He also says that the US\\u2019 core strategic objectives are nearing completion, adding that the US is planning to hit Iran \\\"extremely hard over the next two to three weeks\\\".READ MORE HEREPHOTO: REUTERS\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"gabriellea\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Trump blames Iran for rising oil prices, calls it \\u2018short-term\\u2019\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T09:32:16+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T09:38:36+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"In his remarks, Mr Trump blames Iran for the increase in oil prices and says the rising costs are \\u201cshort-term\\u201d.He acknowledges that many Americans have been concerned over the increases.This is \\u201centirely the result of the Iranian regime launching deranged terror attacks against commercial oil tankers and neighbouring countries that have nothing to do with the conflict\\u201d, he says.He adds that this is further proof that Iran can never be trusted with nuclear weapons.READ MORE HEREPHOTO: AFP\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"gabriellea\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Trump is addressing the nation at the White House\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T09:05:39+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T09:34:06+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"It is US President Donald Trump's first major national address on the Iran war since it began on Feb 28 .Watch it live at the top of this page, as we bring you the key updates from his speech. \",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Ling Chang Hong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Oil prices drop on hopes of US pullback from Iran war\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T08:50:10+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T08:50:10+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Oil prices fell more than US$1 early on Thursday as markets awaited an address to the nation by US President Donald Trump that could signal a US pullback from the war in Iran.Brent crude futures fell US$1.16, or 1.15 per cent, to US$100 per barrel by 12.04pm GMT (8.04 pm Singapore time). US West Texas Intermediate crude futures slipped US$1.41, or 1.41 per cent, to US$98.71 per barrel. Both benchmarks settled lower in the previous session.\\u201cThe overnight sell-off gathered pace on mounting hopes that the Iran conflict could finally be winding down,\\u201d IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said in a note.\\u201cThe market is widely expecting a decidedly dovish tone.\\u201dREAD MORE HERE\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"alessiamah\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Can Trump pull the US out of NATO?\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T08:40:04+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T08:40:04+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"US President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday to pull the United States out of NATO due to its European members\\u2019 refusal to send ships to unblock the Strait of Hormuz near Iran, as he intensified his denunciations of the military alliance.Experts say it is not clear whether Mr Trump could act unilaterally to leave the 77-year-old trans-Atlantic coalition, even though he frequently makes major decisions without congressional approval, some of which are held up by US courts.In 2023, Congress passed, and then-president Joe Biden signed into law, legislation barring any US president from suspending, terminating, denouncing or withdrawing the US from the treaty that established NATO unless the withdrawal is backed by a two-thirds majority in the Senate.If the issue ends up in the courts, the challenge to Mr Trump\\u2019s decision would face steep hurdles. However, to date, no NATO member has ever rescinded its membership.READ MORE HEREPHOTO: REUTERS \",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Ling Chang Hong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Britain to host multi-nation meeting on Strait of Hormuz shipping\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T08:30:33+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T08:30:33+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Britain will on Thursday hold a virtual meeting of about 35 countries to discuss how to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz which has been crippled by the Middle East war.The meeting will \\u201cassess all viable diplomatic and political measures that we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers and resume the movement of vital commodities\\u201d, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.\\u201cFollowing that meeting, we will also convene our military planners to look at how we can marshal our capabilities and make the strait accessible and safe after the fighting has stopped,\\u201d he added.The discussions will include countries who recently signed a statement saying they were ready \\u201cto contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz\\u201d, said Mr Starmer. These include Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands.READ MORE HERE\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"alessiamah\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Messy outcome of Iran war the most important lesson for S\\u2019poreans: Ex-diplomat Bilahari Kausikan\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T08:00:05+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T08:04:57+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The war with Iran raises two questions: whether it was necessary and how it would end, says former diplomat Bilahari Kausikan in an Opinion piece for The Straits Times.Nuclear weapons are not just any kind of weapon. Their destructive power is so great that any risk that a country will use them to destroy or intimidate its rivals, however slight, is unacceptable, he says.All US administrations across both parties have been consistent in ensuring Iran does not gain possession, he adds, with the only debates being over how best to prevent Iran from doing so.Was war the only way of stopping Iran? The record of diplomacy on the Iranian nuclear issue is not encouraging. That Iran had managed to acquire a large stockpile of highly enriched uranium shows Tehran had bamboozled the International Atomic Energy Agency, he says.Some have argued that since North Korea has nuclear weapons, why couldn\\u2019t Iran? But there is no equivalence because Pyongyang\\u2019s primary objective is regime survival, not expansion or elimination of another state, so it can be rationally deterred, he argues. Iran also poses a global threat in sponsoring terrorism around the world.How the war ends is less easy to answer. A negotiated end is unlikely. The US demand that Iran end all enrichment is unacceptable to Tehran as this will essentially leave Iran unable to deter future attacks.The Iranian demand that its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz be recognised is unacceptable not just to the US but to the world because it leaves the world economy hostage to Tehran\\u2019s whims.The messy outcome of this Iran war is the single most important lesson Singaporeans should take away, International relations are not sporting events with clear outcomes. Few issues lend themselves to neat solutions. The choices are usually not between good options and bad options, but between bad and worse options, he concludes.READ HIS OPINION HEREPHOTO: EPA\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"alessiamah\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Tehran denies Trump\\u2019s claim that Iran president requests ceasefire\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T06:15:29+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T07:56:03+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran\\u2019s president had asked for a ceasefire but insisted that the Islamic republic must first reopen the Strait of Hormuz, ahead of a national address expected to touch on the state of the war.Tehran flatly denied that President Masoud Pezeshkian had sought a truce with Washington, and announced on the evening of April 1 another barrage of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases in the Gulf.The United States will consider a ceasefire \\u201cwhen Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!\\u201d Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.But foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei rejected Mr Trump\\u2019s assertion that he had asked for a ceasefire, calling it \\u201cfalse and baseless\\u201d.READ MORE HERE\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Ling Chang Hong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Trump to address nation as Iran war batters approval\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T07:01:04+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T07:55:51+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"US President Donald Trump will deliver a prime-time address to Americans on the Iran war in the face of plunging approval ratings, economic jitters and spiralling diplomatic fallout.The remarks at 9pm on Wednesday (9am on Thursday, Singapore time) will be his first formal national speech on Iran from the White House since launching the war a month ago.He is expected to try and reassure the nation that US goals are being met and that he has a plan for completing the war, which has roiled the US economy and helped drive the 79-year-old Republican\\u2019s polls into deeply negative territory.Earlier on Wednesday, he claimed a major breakthrough, saying Iran\\u2019s president was seeking a ceasefire. This was swiftly denied by Iran\\u2019s foreign ministry. https:\\/\\/www.straitstimes.com\\/world\\/middle-east\\/tehran-denies-trumps-claims-that-iran-president-requests-ceasefireMr Trump has said he can see the war winding down within three weeks, repeatedly insisting that main objectives have been all but met.Watch Mr Trump\\u2019s address live at the top of this page from 9am.READ MORE HEREPHOTO: AFP\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Ling Chang Hong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Iran president asks US people if Mid-East war puts \\u2018America First\\u2019\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T06:30:13+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T07:55:32+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Iran\\u2019s president asked the people of the United States if the Middle East conflict was truly putting \\u201cAmerica First\\u201d, accusing the US of war crimes and being influenced by Israel.\\u201cAttacking Iran\\u2019s vital infrastructure \\u2013 including energy and industrial facilities \\u2013 directly targets the Iranian people,\\u201d Mr Pezeshkian said in an open letter, published to his website on April 1.\\u201cBeyond constituting a war crime, such actions carry consequences that extend far beyond Iran\\u2019s borders.\\u201dThey sow \\u201cinstability, increase human and economic costs\\u201d, and plant \\u201cseeds of resentment that will endure for years\\u201d, he continued.\\u201cExactly which of the American people\\u2019s interests are truly being served by this war?\\u201cREAD MORE HEREREAD HERE: Full text of Iranian President\\u2019s letter to AmericansPHOTO: AFP\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Ling Chang Hong\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"Iranians vow to \\u2018resist until the end\\u2019 at Guards naval chief\\u2019s funeral\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T07:45:16+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T07:45:16+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"Thousands of Iranians gathered on Wednesday in Tehran for the funeral of the Revolutionary Guards\\u2019 naval commander Alireza Tangsiri, killed in an Israeli strike, with mourners vowing to fight to the end despite tough talk from Washington.The procession took place on the 47th anniversary of the Islamic republic and this year, the public holiday carried particular weight, as Tehran fights for survival under relentless US-Israeli bombardment since Feb 28.\\u201cThis war has lasted a month. However long it takes, we will continue,\\u201d said 57-year-old Moussa Nowruzi, a pensioner. \\u201cWe will resist until the end.\\u201d\\u201cRevenge,\\u201d read one sign held high by a young boy, while other attendees unfurled massive Iranian flags as government supporters filled the symbolic Enghelab Square \\u2013 named for the Islamic revolution \\u2013 in the heart of the capital.READ MORE HEREPHOTO: ARASH KHAMOOSHI\\/NYTIMES\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"alessiamah\"}},{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"headline\":\"The situation so far\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T06:00:11+08:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T06:00:11+08:00\",\"articleBody\":\"The United States will end its war on Iran fairly soon and could return for \\u201cspot hits\\u201d if needed, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, hours before he was scheduled to make a prime-time address to the nation.Mr Trump also said he would announce in the speech, which is slated for 9pm EDT (9am on Thursday Singapore time), that he was considering withdrawing the US from the NATO alliance over what he sees as its failure to support the US in the war.Meanwhile, Iran has denied Mr Trump\\u2019s assertion that Tehran had asked for a ceasefire, calling it \\\"false and baseless\\\".Here are the other latest developments:\",\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Straits Times\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Ling Chang Hong\"}}]}","keywords","Iran, Israel, US, attack, war, Donald Trump, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Middle East, missiles, strikes, Iran news, live coverage, flight cancellations, Singapore, Singaporeans Middle East, live updates, latest, Iran news, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Dubai flights, gold, dollar, flights, oil, petrol prices, Trump live, Trump speech today, Trump address","robots","index, follow, max-image-preview:large, max-snippet:-1, max-video-preview:-1","gaData",{"_189":190,"_191":21,"_192":21,"_20":193,"_194":195,"_196":197,"_198":199},"level2","23","chapter1","chapter2","Live:_‘False_and_baseless’:_Iran_denies_Trump's_claim_that_Tehran_requested_ceasefire","title_ga","Live: ‘False and baseless’: Iran denies Trump's claim that Tehran requested ceasefire","pagination","1","contenttype","live blog","additionalVariants","dependentPaths",[],"actionData","errors"]