While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, March 13, 2026
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A girl watches a televised statement by Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, on a mobile phone. His remarks were read out by a state TV presenter.
PHOTO: AFP
Defiant first remarks from Iran’s new supreme leader
Iran will fight on and keep the Strait of Hormuz shut as leverage against the United States and Israel, new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on March 12 in the first comments attributed to him since he succeeded his slain father.
Ayatollah Khamenei did not appear in person and the remarks were read out by a state television presenter.
No images have been released of him since an Israeli strike at the start of the war that killed much of his family, including his father and wife.
The March 12 statement struck a defiant tone, with Ayatollah Khamenei calling on Iran’s neighbours to shut US bases on their territory and warning that Iran would continue to target them.
US refuelling aircraft crashes in western Iraq
AFP
An American KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq while a second plane involved in the incident landed safely, the US military said on March 12.
“One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely. This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” US Central Command (CENTCOM), which is responsible for American forces in the Middle East, said in a statement.
The KC-135 is at least the fourth US military aircraft lost during the war in the Middle East, after three F-15s were shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait.
Suspect shot after ramming vehicle into US synagogue
PHOTO: VIA REUTERS
A male suspect was killed in a confrontation with security personnel after crashing his truck through the doors and into the hallway of a Detroit-area synagogue on March 12, with no one else reported seriously injured in the incident, authorities said.
Michigan State Police reported an active shooting incident at about 12.30pm local time (1.30am on March 13 in Singapore) at Temple Israel Synagogue, in the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield.
It was unclear from preliminary briefings by law enforcement officials whether the suspect was actually armed with a gun.
Gunman shot dead at Virginia university in US
A gunman opened fire on the morning of March 12 at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, injuring two people before being shot dead, according to the university.
In an emergency alert, the university said the two injured individuals were transported to hospital and classes and campus operations were cancelled for the rest of the day.
The university’s alert said that the gunman opened fire shortly before 10.49am in Constant Hall, the centre of the university’s college of business.
Air France-KLM hikes long-haul ticket prices
PHOTO: AFP
Air France-KLM said on March 12 it is raising long-haul ticket prices due to soaring jet fuel prices caused by the Iran war.
“The current geopolitical situation in the Middle East has led to a sudden and significant increase in fuel prices, particularly kerosene. As a result, Air France and KLM are increasing their fares on long-haul flights for tickets issued from March 11, 2026,” the group said in a statement, confirming a report in financial daily Les Echos.
The group said economy class return fares would typically increase by €50 (S$73) as it followed carriers such as SAS, Cathay Pacific, Air India and Qantas in hiking fares.
