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Issued on: 14/04/2026 – 03:22Modified: 14/04/2026 – 03:41
Mohamed El Junayd, 43, who said he survived the Israeli strike, sits beside piled damaged cars at the site of an Israeli strike, in Beirut, April 13, 2026 © Zohra Bensemra, Reuters
The leader of the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group urged Lebanon on Monday to pull out of direct talks with Israel set to take place in Washington the following day, the first such talks in decades. Naim Kassem spoke in a televised address on the eve of the scheduled meeting between Lebanon and Israel’s ambassadors to the United States, as both sides set a framework for negotiations. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments.
14/04/2026 – 03:41Singapore tightens monetary policy as Iran war fuels inflation risks
Singapore’s central bank tightened its monetary policy settings on Tuesday, flagging the risk that an Iran war-fuelled energy shock could push up core inflation even as mounting pressure on growth was underscored by a first-quarter economic contraction.
The Middle East conflict has upended global growth and inflation trajectories, throwing interest-rate expectations into disarray. As a small trade-dependent hub, Singapore is especially vulnerable to supply-chain disruptions and volatile energy prices.
14/04/2026 – 03:35Hezbollah leader urges Lebanon’s government to cancel Israel talks
The leader of the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group urged Lebanon on Monday to pull out of direct talks with Israel set to take place in Washington the following day, the first such talks in decades.
Naim Kassem spoke in a televised address on the eve of the scheduled meeting between Lebanon and Israel’s ambassadors to the United States, as both sides set a framework for negotiations.
Lebanon’s government, which says it’s committed to disarming Hezbollah, had called for direct talks early on in the war. Last week, Israel announced their approval of talks, but both sides don’t appear to be on the same page.
14/04/2026 – 03:22Trump says US military has blockaded Iranian ports to pressure Tehran
US President Donald Trump said Monday the American military had begun a blockade of Iranian ports as part of his effort to force Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz and accept a deal to end the war that has raged for more than six weeks.
Iran responded with threats on all ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, taking aim at US-allied countries.
At least two tankers approaching the strait Monday turned around soon after the US blockade began, vessel tracker MarineTraffic said in a post on X.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said the blockade restricted “the entirety of the Iranian coastline, including ports and energy infrastructure.” Its notice to mariners said transit through the strait to or from non-Iranian places was not reported to be impeded though ships “may encounter military presence.”
The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah will not abide by any agreements that may result from the direct Lebanon-Israel talks in the United States, negotiations it firmly opposes, a senior Hezbollah official said Monday. US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran wants to make a deal and that he will not come to any agreement that allows Tehran to have a nuclear weapon. A prolonged crisis in the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a global agrifood catastrophe by disrupting fertiliser and energy exports, driving up food prices and squeezing crop yields, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation said on Monday.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)