LivePM Wong thanks Saudi Arabia, regional partners for helping to facilitate safe return of S’poreans

North Korea tests missiles amid reports of US moving arms to Mid-East

North Korea test-fired cruise missiles from its latest warship, the second time in a week it has launched its new sea-to-surface weapons system.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accompanied by his daughter Ju Ae, oversaw the test on TV on Tuesday, a photo released by state media showed.

The back-to-back tests come as the US reportedly transfers military assets to the Middle East, raising concerns over a weakened deterrence against nuclear-armed North Korea.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has said his government is unhappy with the reported asset move but acknowledged there was little it could do about the move.

South Korea said on Wednesday it could deter threats from the North even if the US relocated some of its military assets to the Middle East amid the war in Iran.

Washington, Seoul’s key security ally, stations about 28,500 troops and a range of air and missile defence systems in the South to help deter aggression from the North, reported AFP news agency.

FIFA chief Infantino says Trump welcomes Iran’s World Cup participation

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that he met US President Donald Trump, who told him he welcomed Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Iran was the only nation missing from a FIFA planning summit for World Cup participants held last week in Atlanta, deepening questions over whether the country’s football team will compete on US soil this summer amid an escalating regional war.

“We also spoke about the current situation in Iran, and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026,” Mr Infantino, who heads the world governing body for football, said in a post on his official social media account.

“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.

Iran secured a trip to a fourth successive World Cup by topping Group A in the third round of the Asian Football Confederation qualifying last year, but Mr Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said the viciousness of the attacks by US and Israeli forces did not augur well for the World Cup.

If both the US and Iran finish second in their respective groups, the two countries could meet in a July 3 elimination match in Dallas in Texas, US.

PHOTO: AFP

Iran women footballers evacuate from safe house in Australia

Iranian women footballers claiming asylum in Australia evacuated from their safe house on Wednesday after one team member changed her mind and revealed their location to the Iranian embassy, Canberra said.

Seven members of Iran’s visiting women’s football delegation had sought sanctuary in Australia after they were branded “traitors” at home for refusing to sing the national anthem.

But one member of the group had second thoughts after speaking to other players who had turned down asylum in favour of returning to Iran, Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said.

The woman exposed the location of the other asylum seekers when she contacted Iran’s embassy in Australia.

“As a result of that it meant the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was,” Mr Burke said. “I immediately gave them instructions for people to be moved and that has been dealt with immediately.”

Australian officials had “made sure this was her decision”, he added.

There were fears male minders travelling with the team might try to prevent them seeking asylum.

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Oil falls on reports of International Energy Agency proposing biggest oil release ever

Oil prices fell further on Wednesday as reports on the International Energy Agency (IEA) proposing the largest release of oil reserves in its history, owing to potential supply disruptions, dragged on sentiment.

The IEA’s proposed drawdown would exceed the 182 million barrels of oil that IEA member countries put into the market in two releases in 2022 when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal said, citing officials familiar with the matter.

“Oil prices continued to normalise lower in a volatile fashion following Monday’s sharp spike,” said UOB analysts in a client note.

Group of Seven (G-7) officials have since gathered online to discuss a potential release of emergency oil stockpiles to soften the market blow.

French President Emmanuel Macron will host a video call with other G-7 country leaders on Wednesday to discuss the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on energy and measures to address the situation.

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PHOTO: REUTERS

New Iranian leader wounded early in the war, Iranian and Israeli officials say

Three days after Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei succeeded his slain father as Iran’s supreme leader, he has not appeared on video or in public nor issued any written statements.

One reason for this is concern that any communication could reveal his location and put him in danger, according to three Iranian officials speaking on condition of anonymity.

Another factor is that Mr Khamenei, 56, was injured on the opening day of the attack by Israel and the United States, they said.

The three Iranian officials said they were told by more senior figures in the government over the past two days that Mr Khamenei had suffered injuries, including to his legs, but that he was alert and sheltering at a highly secure location with limited communication.

Two Israeli military officials said information gathered by Israel had also led the defence establishment to believe that Mr Khamenei suffered leg injuries on Feb 28 – a conclusion they reached even before he was selected as the new supreme leader on Sunday. The Israeli officials spoke on condition of anonymity.

The full circumstances and extent of Khamenei’s injuries were unclear.

PHOTO: AFP

Protesters to be treated as ‘enemies’, says Iran police chief

Iran’s top police officer warned protesters who support the positions of the country’s enemies that they would be treated as such by the authorities, reported AFP news agency, citing footage posted by state broadcaster IRIB late on March 10.

“If anyone comes forward in line with the wishes of the enemy, we will no longer see them as merely a protester, we will see them as an enemy. And we will do to them what we do to an enemy. We will deal with them in the same way we deal with enemies,” said national police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan in comments aired by IRIB.

“All our forces are also ready, with their hands on the trigger, prepared to defend their revolution.”

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Satellite firm extends Middle East image delay to prevent use by US adversaries

California-based satellite firm Planet Labs has expanded restrictions on accessing its imagery of the Middle East to prevent adversaries from using it to attack the US and its allies, a sign of how the expansion of commercial space business can impact conflicts.

Planet, which operates a large fleet of Earth-imaging satellites and sells frequently updated images to governments, companies and media, told customers on Monday that it was extending restrictions to a period of 14 days from a delay of four days imposed last week.

The move was temporary and in “an effort to limit any uncontrolled distribution of the images that might result in their unintentional access and use as tactical leverage by adversarial actors”, a Planet spokesperson told Reuters in a statement.

“This conflict is dynamic and in many ways unique to others, and thus Planet is taking robust steps to help ensure our images do not contribute in any way to attacks on allied and NATO personnel and civilians,” the spokesperson said.

Some space specialists say that Iran could be accessing commercial imagery, including via other US adversaries.

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PHOTO: AFP

Iran women’s football team member changes mind on Australia asylum offer

The Australian police helped two more members of the Iranian women’s football delegation slip past their minders to claim asylum, but one of them has changed her mind and decided to go back to Iran, the country’s interior minister said on Wednesday.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced in Parliament the squad member’s decision to return home, after five players from the team were granted asylum a day earlier.

A player and a team staffer had accepted the government’s open offer of aid on Tuesday evening.

“One of the two who had made the decision to stay last night had spoken to some of the teammates who had left, and had changed her mind,” Mr Burke told Parliament.

It was not immediately clear who had decided to return to Iran.

The rest of the travelling squad arrived in Malaysia early on Wednesday morning, AFP news agency photos at Kuala Lumpur International Airport showed.

There were fears that male minders travelling with the team might try to prevent other women within the squad from seeking asylum.

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PHOTO: REUTERS

164 Malaysians evacuated from four countries, reports Bernama news agency

A total of 164 Malaysians who were stranded in the conflict-ravaged Middle East region were evacuated on Malaysia’s first repatriation mission, Bernama news agency reported on Wednesday.

The evacuees from four countries – Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan and Qatar – were among 170 passengers on board a specially chartered Malaysia Airlines flight, which was scheduled to have arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 11am on Wednesday, Bernama said.

Five Thai citizens related to Malaysians, as well as an Indonesian citizen, were also on board the flight.

US targets Iran mine-laying as war causes oil market havoc

The United States said on Tuesday that it was striking Iranian ships capable of mining the crucial Strait of Hormuz and threatened escalation if Tehran presses ahead, as the Middle East war wreaks havoc on global oil markets.

Israel in the early hours of Wednesday launched new waves of strikes both in Beirut and Tehran, which was hunkered down for intense attacks after being smothered by black rain from Israeli-bombed fuel depots.

The US military posted video footage of Iranian boats blasted by missiles and other projectiles as it said it had destroyed 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz.

“If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before,” US President Donald Trump wrote on social media.

Mr Trump faces mounting political risks over the surging cost of oil, months before US elections.