While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, April 4, 2026
· The Straits TimesIran downs US fighter jet, raising stakes in war
Iran shot down a US warplane on April 3 in the first such known incident of the five-week war, officials from both nations said, with one of the crew members rescued after ejecting and the other still missing, according to a US source.
The incident showed the risks still faced by US and Israeli aircraft over Iran despite assertions by US President Donald Trump and his Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth that their forces had total control of the skies.
Meanwhile, a second US Air Force combat plane crashed in the Gulf region on April 3, the New York Times reported, citing two US officials. Its only pilot was then rescued, the Times said.
Iranian media said residents were shooting at US helicopters on a search-and-rescue mission after the downing of what US sources said was a two-seat F-15E jet.
French, Japanese ships make first Hormuz crossings
A French container ship and a Japanese-owned tanker have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, in what appears to be the first such transits since the war in Iran shuttered the crucial waterway.
The CMA CGM Kribi container ship exited the strait on April 3, according to ship tracking data compiled by Bloomberg and two people familiar with the situation. That’s the first ship linked to Western Europe that’s known to have made it through since the war began more than a month ago.
Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines confirmed on April 3 that the liquefied natural gas tanker it part-owns also crossed – another first.
Free public transport in Pakistan as energy crisis bites
State-run public transport in Pakistan’s capital and most populous province will be free for the coming month, officials said on April 3, after the government drastically raised fuel prices due to spiking global energy prices caused by the Iran war.
The announcement follows a late-night decision to impose a 42.7 per cent rise in the price of petrol and 54.9 per cent on diesel, which prompted several street protests.
Long queues of motorbikes were also seen at fuel stations.
White House seeks $1.93 trillion defence budget
US President Donald Trump asked lawmakers on April 3 to approve a massive US$1.5 trillion (S$1.93 trillion) defence budget for 2027, as the United States faces rising costs from its war with Iran and mounting global security commitments.
The proposal would lift Pentagon spending by more than 40 per cent in a single year – the sharpest increase since World War II – as Washington seeks to sustain military operations and rebuild depleted weapons stockpiles.
The request highlights the growing financial pressure of a conflict now in its fifth week, and sets up a political battle in Congress over how to fund a dramatic expansion of military spending.
Chelsea’s Fernandez dropped over Spain remarks
Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez will miss Chelsea’s next two matches after he “crossed a line”, with comments that cast doubt on his future at Stamford Bridge.
The 25-year-old, linked with Real Madrid, fuelled speculation by telling a podcast he would like to live in the Spanish capital.
Defender Marc Cucurella also spoke openly about “instability” at the club and questioned its recruitment strategy.