While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, April 13, 2026
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Economic stagnation has played a major role in Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban losing the election to the opposition.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Hungary’s Viktor Orban concedes defeat in landmark election
Hungary’s veteran nationalist leader Viktor Orban conceded defeat on April 12 after a landslide election victory by the upstart opposition Tisza party, in a setback for his allies in Russia and US President Donald Trump’s White House.
Results based on 81.5 per cent of votes counted showed the centre-right, pro-EU Tisza party of Mr Peter Magyar winning 137 seats for a crucial two-thirds majority in the 199-member Parliament, defeating Mr Orban’s Fidesz party.
“The election results are not final yet, but the situation is understandable and clear,” Mr Orban, 62, said at the Fidesz campaign offices. Some of his supporters who had gathered outside cried while watching him speak on TV screens.
“The election result is painful for us, but clear.”
US military to begin blockade of Iranian ports on April 13
PHOTO: REUTERS
The US military said on April 12 it would begin a blockade of all Iranian ports within hours, after peace talks in Pakistan collapsed with Washington blaming the Islamic republic’s refusal to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
The announcement came despite a ceasefire agreed on April 8 aimed at pausing the six-week war until April 22, with tensions centered on whether the United States can force Iran to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, another of its key demands in the stalled negotiations.
“The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” US Central Command said in a statement, adding that it would begin at 2pm GMT on April 13 (10pm Singapore time).
Easter truce between Ukraine and Russia ends
PHOTO: REUTERS
A truce between Russia and Ukraine to mark the Orthodox Easter formally expired on April 13, both sides having accused each other of thousands of violations, despite a lull in Russian air raids.
The truce lasted 32 hours, from 4pm (9pm Singapore time) on April 11 until the end of the day on April 12.
Both sides had agreed to observe the ceasefire, which Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered on April 9 and which Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky proposed more than a week earlier.
UN force in Lebanon says Israeli tank rammed its vehicles in south
PHOTO: AFP
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said that an Israeli tank rammed peacekeeping vehicles on April 12 in the country’s south where Israel and Hezbollah have been at war since March.
“On two occasions today, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers rammed UNIFIL vehicles with a Merkava tank, in one case causing significant damage,” the statement said, adding that the Israeli soldiers had blocked a road in south Lebanon’s Bayada “that is used to access UNIFIL positions”.
“Over the past week, Israeli soldiers have fired ‘warning shots’ in the area, striking and damaging clearly identifiable UNIFIL vehicles. In one case, a ‘warning shot’ landed a metre away from a peacekeeper who had dismounted his vehicle,” the statement added.
Manchester City blow Chelsea away 3-0 to move closer to Arsenal
Manchester City reignited the Premier League title race on April 12, scoring three goals in 17 second-half minutes to crush Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and move within six points of leaders Arsenal.
The visitors, who meet Arsenal at home next weekend in a mouthwatering clash, turned on the style after a pedestrian first half in which Chelsea arguably looked the stronger side.
Pep Guardiola's men began the second half with renewed conviction and simply skipped through the Londoners' shaky defences.
