While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Oct 13, 2025
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia is taking advantage of the maximum attention given to the Middle East.
PHOTO: EPA
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Zelensky warns Russia exploiting lack of ‘attention’ on war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lobbied his allies for more air defences on Oct 12, warning that Russia was “taking advantage” of attention shifting away from the Ukraine war to intensify its bombardment of the country.
Diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s three-and-a-half year invasion of Ukraine have stalled in recent months.
Moscow has meanwhile renewed its campaign of air strikes against Ukraine’s energy grid, cutting power to hundreds of thousands of people ahead of winter.
In separate calls with US President Donald Trump and France’s Emmanuel Macron on Oct 12, Mr Zelensky requested more missiles and help strengthening his country’s “long-range capabilities”.
Israel declares victory over Hamas as hostages set to return home
PHOTO: REUTERS
Israel declared victory on Oct 12 in its war with Hamas as the militant group prepared to release its surviving hostages, a key step in Mr Donald Trump’s Gaza plan hours before he hosts a peace summit in Egypt.
Under the US president’s proposed roadmap, once the Palestinian militants have handed over the hostages, Israel will begin releasing around 2,000 detainees in exchange.
But negotiators were still wrangling late on Oct 12 over the final arrangements, with two Hamas sources telling AFP the group was insisting that Israel include seven senior Palestinian leaders on the list of those to be released.
US trade chief says China ‘deferred’ when US reached out to discuss export controls
PHOTO: REUTERS
Trade Representative Jamison Greer said on Oct 12 that the US reached out to China for a phone call following an announcement that it was expanding its rare earths export controls but Beijing deferred, while China accused the US of what it called “double standards.”
“I can tell you that we were not notified, and quickly, as soon as we found out from public sources, we reached out to the Chinese to have a phone call, and they deferred,” Mr Greer told Fox News’ Sunday Briefing, while calling China’s move “a power grab.”
US President Donald Trump responded on Oct 10 to China’s expansion by imposing 100 per cent tariffs on China’s US-bound exports, along with new export controls on “any and all critical software” by Nov 1.
French presidency unveils new Cabinet as budget pressure intensifies
PHOTO: AFP
The French presidency announced Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s new Cabinet line-up on Oct 12, with most top jobs remaining unchanged at a time when opponents are demanding a political shift to win their support for urgent budget talks.
Mr Lecornu, who was reappointed prime minister last week after a previous stint that lasted just 27 days, had pledged to deliver a Cabinet of “renewal and diversity,” but stuck with his previous picks for most of the choice jobs.
It remains to be seen if Mr Lecornu’s new Cabinet will satisfy opponents. The hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) has said it will file a motion of no confidence on Oct 13, as did the far-right National Rally, meaning the new government will face a nail-biting vote before the end of the week.
Eighty-year-old becomes oldest woman to finish Ironman World Championship
PHOTO: LEEGRUENFELD/X
Natalie Grabow proved that age really is just a number when the 80-year-old became the oldest woman ever to complete the gruelling Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii on Oct 11.
The American age-grouper completed the 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and 42km run in 16 hours, 45 minutes and 26 seconds, winning the F80-84 division in her 10th start at the iconic Hawaii event.
Grabow, from New Jersey, discovered triathlon in her 60s after years of running and qualified for this year's World Championship with a time of 15 hours and 53 minutes at Ironman Maryland, becoming the first woman to complete that race in the 75–79 category.
