While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, April 8, 2026
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The White House said US President Donald Trump was looking at the Pakistani request for a two-week extension.
PHOTO: KENNY HOLSTON/NYTIMES
Trump weighs plea for Iran deadline extension
US President Donald Trump was looking at a request on April 7 from mediator Pakistan to extend his Iran attacks deadline by two weeks – hours after warning that “a whole civilisation will die” if Tehran fails to make a deal.
Mr Trump’s latest wildly provocative threat against Iran prompted severe criticism, with former allies calling for his removal from office.
But as the clock ticked towards Mr Trump’s 8pm (8am on April 8, Singapore time) deadline, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appeared to offer an off-ramp.
“To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks,” Mr Sharif said on X, saying that efforts to resolve the crisis were moving “steadily, strongly and powerfully.”
China and Russia veto UN resolution on protecting Hormuz shipping
PHOTO: REUTERS
China and Russia vetoed a UN resolution encouraging states to coordinate efforts to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz on April 7 and the US ambassador to the world body called on "responsible nations" to join the US in securing the vital waterway.
The 15-member Security Council voted 11 in favour of the resolution presented by Bahrain, with two against - China and Russia - and two abstentions.
US President Donald Trump threatened that "a whole civilisation will die tonight" as Iran showed no sign of accepting his ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz by April 7 evening, Washington time (8am on April 8, Singapore time).
Iran says ready for anything after Trump warns ‘whole civilisation will die’
PHOTO: REUTERS
Iran said on April 7 it was prepared for any eventuality, after US President Donald Trump warned “a whole civilisation will die” if the Islamic republic did not heed a looming deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz.
Hours ahead of the deadline, Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref said his government was prepared “for all scenarios”.
“No threat is beyond our preparedness and intelligence,” he added.
Intel joins Elon Musk’s Terafab AI chip project to power humanoid, data centre goals
PHOTO: INTEL/X
Intel said on April 7 it will join Elon Musk’s Terafab AI chip complex project with SpaceX and Tesla to make processors powering the tech billionaire’s robotics and data centre ambitions.
Intel’s shares jumped nearly 3 per cent after the announcement. The company also posted a photo of CEO Lip-Bu Tan and Mr Musk shaking hands, saying it hosted the world’s richest man at its campus the past weekend.
The announcement comes months after Mr Musk laid out plans for Tesla to build a massive artificial-intelligence chip fab to power the EV-maker’s autonomous ambitions, and suggested the company could work with Intel.
UN probe blames Israeli fire, Hezbollah IED for peacekeeper deaths in Lebanon
PHOTO: REUTERS
Three UN peacekeepers who died in Lebanon in March were likely killed by Israeli tank fire in one incident and by a Hezbollah improvised explosive device in another, according to a United Nations probe shared on April 7.
“We have requested with the relevant parties that the cases be investigated and prosecuted by national authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure criminal accountability for crimes against peacekeepers,” Mr Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, told reporters.
On March 29, an Indonesian peacekeeper was killed and three others wounded by a projectile that exploded near a UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) position.
