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Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
US, Israel diverge on how to pursue Iran endgame after strikes, diplomats say
FILE PHOTO: A view shows the aftermath of an Israeli strike on Evin Prison that took place on June 23 in Tehran, Iran, June 29, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS/File Photo DUBAI - When they met on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu basked in the glow of their triumph over Iran. But the show of unity masked a divergence over their endgames in Iran, Gaza and the wider Middle East. Both leaders have touted the success of last month's strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, declaring they had set back a programme they say is aimed at acquiring a nuclear bomb. Yet, with intelligence assessments suggesting that Iran retains a hidden stockpile of enriched uranium and the technical capacity to rebuild, both Trump and Netanyahu know that their victory is more short-term than strategic, two diplomats say. Where they diverge is on how to further pressure Iran, the diplomats said. Trump says his priority is to lean on diplomacy, pursuing a limited objective of ensuring Iran never develops a nuclear weapon - a goal Tehran has always denied pursuing. In contrast, Netanyahu wants to use more force, a source familiar with the Israeli leader's thinking said, compelling Tehran -- to the point of government collapse if necessary -- into fundamental concessions on quitting a nuclear enrichment programme seen by Israel as an existential threat. The divide over Iran echoes the situation in the Gaza Strip. Trump, eager to cast himself as a global peacemaker, is pushing for a new ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian territory, but the contours of any post-war deal remain undefined and the endgame uncertain. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDP celebrations to be held at 5 heartland sites, including Bishan and Punggol, on Aug 10 Singapore Keep citizens at the centre of public service, Chan Chun Sing tells civil servants Singapore Man arrested for allegedly throwing bottle at SMRT bus, injuring passenger Asia As Trump plays tariffs hard ball, Asean has little choice but to play on Asia PM Anwar called out by his own lawmakers as Malaysia's judicial crisis heats up Singapore SIA flight from Brisbane to Singapore diverted to Perth due to technical issue Singapore New Draft Master Plan could reignite developers' interest to buy land Business Great Eastern could resume trading after delisting vote fails to pass; OCBC's exit offer lapses Netanyahu, while publicly endorsing ceasefire talks, says he is committed to the total dismantling of Hamas, a strategic ally of Iran. The Israeli prime minister wants the remaining Hamas leadership deported, possibly to Algeria -- a demand Hamas flatly rejects. The gap between a temporary pause and a lasting resolution remains wide, two Middle East officials say. On Iran, Netanyahu was displeased to see Washington revive nuclear talks with Tehran expected in Norway this week, the first diplomatic overture since the strikes, said the person familiar with his thinking. He opposes any move that could give the Iranian authorities an economic and political lifeline. THE LIBYA MODEL Netanyahu wants nothing less than the Libya model for Iran, the source said. That means Iran fully dismantling its nuclear and missile facilities under strict oversight, and renouncing uranium enrichment on its soil even for civilian needs. Israel is seeking not diplomacy but regime change, Western and regional officials have said. And Netanyahu knows he needs at least a green light from the White House -- if not direct backing -- to carry out further operations if Tehran refuses to relinquish its nuclear ambitions, they said. But Trump has different objectives, the diplomats said. After the June strikes, he sees an opportunity to press Iran to cut a deal and seize a grand diplomatic feat of restoring ties with Iran that has long eluded him, the diplomats said. On Monday, Trump said he would like to lift sanctions on Iran at some point. And in an eye-catching post on X suggesting Tehran sees economic ties as a potential element in any deal, President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei believed American investors can come to Iran with "no obstacles to their activities". Iranian rulers, however, face two unpalatable options: renewed strikes if they do not surrender their nuclear ambitions and humiliation at home if they do. That means they may try to make talks drag out, unwilling to fully quit their nuclear project and presenting a difficulty for a U.S. president impatient for a deal and its economic benefits for the U.S., Western and regional officials say. For Israel, the fallback option is clear, the person familiar with Netanyahu's thinking said: a policy of sustained containment through periodic strikes to prevent any nuclear resurgence. In the wake of its air war against Iran, Israel has reasserted itself as the region's unrivalled military power, more willing than ever to use force and more capable of doing so with precision and relative impunity. Washington, meanwhile, is hedging its bets. While Israeli and U.S. hawks still hope for regime change in Tehran, Trump appears unwilling to shoulder the huge military, political and economic costs that such a project would demand. Trump rapidly claimed victory after the U.S. attack. And while he has said he would consider bombing Iran again if it continued to enrich uranium to worrisome levels, he has portrayed the June 22 operation as a bold, surgical one-off. NO BOOTS ON THE GROUND His repeated declarations that Iran's program has been 'obliterated' are less triumph than warning: don't ask for more -- a signal that he's done enough and won't be drawn further in, says Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran Program at the Middle East Institute think-tank in Washington. For all their rhetoric, Netanyahu and his hawkish allies offer no viable blueprint or roadmap for regime change, says Alan Eyre, a former U.S. diplomat and Farsi-speaking expert on Iran. Unlike Iraq, there are no boots on the ground and no credible opposition that could topple the ruling elite, guarded by the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The U.S. may support Israel's military actions, even supplying advanced weaponry, but it is betting mainly on economic pressure and diplomatic leverage to force Tehran's hand. The result is a fragile standoff, with no clear endgame, the diplomats said. Netanyahu sees a fleeting strategic opportunity, one that demands acceleration, not hesitation, the source close to him said. In his calculus, the time to strike harder is now, before Iran regains its footing, the source said. Iran's air defences are battered, its nuclear infrastructure weakened, its proxies decapitated and its deterrence shaken. But Tehran's window to regroup and rebuild will grow with time, says the person familiar with Netanyahu's thinking. So for Netanyahu, this is unfinished business -- strategic, existential, and far from over, the diplomats and the two Middle East officials said. REUTERS
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Chinese man held in Italy on US warrant claims mistaken identity
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox MILAN - A Chinese man arrested in Italy on a U.S. warrant over alleged industrial espionage has opposed extradition, claiming he is a victim of mistaken identity, his lawyer said on Tuesday. Xu Zewei, a 33-year-old IT manager at a Shanghai company, appeared on Tuesday before an appeals court in Milan, which will decide whether to send him to the United States. The man was arrested last week after he arrived at Milan's Malpensa airport for a holiday in Italy with his wife. U.S. authorities allege that he was part of a team of hackers who tried to access a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Texas in 2020. "He told the judge that he had no reason to do what he is accused of and suggested that someone may have hacked into and used his account," his lawyer Enrico Giarda told reporters at the end of the hearing, which was held behind closed doors. The lawyer added that his client said his surname is quite common in China and that his mobile phone had been stolen in 2020. "We are now waiting for the U.S. authorities to send us the investigation files so that we can understand how they came to identify him as the perpetrator," Giarda said, adding that Washington has 40 days to send the documents. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDP celebrations to be held at 5 heartland sites, including Bishan and Punggol, on Aug 10 Singapore Keep citizens at the centre of public service, Chan Chun Sing tells civil servants Singapore Man arrested for allegedly throwing bottle at SMRT bus, injuring passenger Asia As Trump plays tariffs hard ball, Asean has little choice but to play on Asia PM Anwar called out by his own lawmakers as Malaysia's judicial crisis heats up Singapore SIA flight from Brisbane to Singapore diverted to Perth due to technical issue Singapore New Draft Master Plan could reignite developers' interest to buy land Business Great Eastern could resume trading after delisting vote fails to pass; OCBC's exit offer lapses The lawyer specified that they plan to request house arrest, but only at a later stage. In the meantime, he said he expects the next hearing to be scheduled after the summer break. The charges listed on the arrest warrant are wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and unauthorised access to protected computers. REUTERS
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Djokovic, Swiatek eye Wimbledon last four as Sinner faces injury worry
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 7, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during his round of 16 match against Australia's Alex de Minaur REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge/File Photo Novak Djokovic continues his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam title against Flavio Cobolli and Poland's Iga Swiatek looks to get past Liudmila Samsonova, while Jannik Sinner battles an injury going into the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. TOP MEN'S MATCH: FLAVIO COBOLLI V NOVAK DJOKOVIC Djokovic's pursuit of a 25th major has been the tale of a climber repeatedly falling just feet from the summit, with the Serbian knocked out in three semi-finals and losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final for the second year in a row. The 38-year-old was struggling against a young contender yet again in the last 16 as he lost the first set to Australian Alex de Minaur, making double-faults and hitting errant forehands. But he fought back to win the next three sets. "He was exposing my game, exposing my weaknesses," Djokovic said of De Minaur. "I went into kind of full lock-in mode ... I finally was able to kind of do what I wanted to do and swing through the ball." Despite the confidence-boosting win over a difficult opponent like De Minaur, Djokovic sounded cautious about facing 22nd seed Flavio Cobolli in the last eight, saying he was "pleasantly surprised" to see the Italian make it this far in the tournament. "He doesn't strike me as a grasscourt specialist with his game, but he reached the quarter-finals," Djokovic said of the 23-year-old, who has reached the last eight of a Grand Slam for the first time. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDP celebrations to be held at 5 heartland sites, including Bishan and Punggol, on Aug 10 Singapore Keep citizens at the centre of public service, Chan Chun Sing tells civil servants Singapore Man arrested for allegedly throwing bottle at SMRT bus, injuring passenger Asia As Trump plays tariffs hard ball, Asean has little choice but to play on Asia PM Anwar called out by his own lawmakers as Malaysia's judicial crisis heats up Singapore SIA flight from Brisbane to Singapore diverted to Perth due to technical issue Singapore New Draft Master Plan could reignite developers' interest to buy land Business Great Eastern could resume trading after delisting vote fails to pass; OCBC's exit offer lapses 'He's beaten (Marin) Cilic and some big servers and big players that are grasscourt specialists, so to say. So huge credit to him. He's a big fighter." Cobolli, who has won only two claycourt titles on the ATP tour, has surprised many with his improvement on grass as he discovers how high he can climb, putting the 38-year-old Djokovic at risk of yet another fall from close to the peak. TOP WOMEN'S MATCH: IGA SWIATEK V LIUDMILA SAMSONOVA Swiatek, known as the 'Queen of Clay' due to her success on the surface, has a new-found love for grasscourts after reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the second time in her career. The five-times Grand Slam winner looked like a natural as she brushed aside her last two opponents as the eighth-seeded Pole aims to win her first title on the surface. "I feel like I'm doing a great job at just learning how to play on grass. First time I feel, like, more comfortable. I feel like the process has some kind of logic," said Swiatek, who reached her maiden grasscourt final last month at the Bad Homburg Open. "It's tough when the expectations are high and people talk to you like you're underperforming. I guess this year is just different." The 24-year-old was confident ahead of facing Russian 19th seed Samsonova in the last eight, having won all four of their previous meetings. But the two have never before met on grass. "She's a player that likes fast surfaces," Swiatek said of Samsonova, who has won two grasscourt titles on the tour. "She's pretty experienced too so it's going to be a challenge. I'll just prepare the same way as before any other match and I'll be ready." SINNER FACES HIGH-FLYING SHELTON AT A LOW POINT Top seed Jannik Sinner was two sets down when his last-16 opponent Grigor Dimitrov retired due to a pectoral injury, but the walkover win was no comfort for the top seed, who also suffered an elbow injury during a fall early in the match. "I don't take this as a win at all," Sinner said after the match, adding that he would have an MRI scan later to check his elbow injury. "It didn't seem a tough one, but I still felt (the injury) quite a lot, especially (during) serve and forehand." For American Ben Shelton, who has lost the last five times he has met Sinner, this may be a golden opportunity to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time. Tenth seed Shelton, a crowd favourite, said Sinner is "like a machine" but the 22-year-old was ready for a long battle. 'When I get to the big tournaments, I'm more confident about getting in the second week and having deep runs because I've done it a lot,' he said. WIMBLEDON ORDER OF PLAY ON WEDNESDAY (prefix number denotes seeding) Centre Court (Play begins 1230 GMT) 7-Mirra Andreeva (Russia) v Belinda Bencic (Switzerland) 22-Flavio Cobolli (Italy) v 6-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Court Number One (Play begins 1200 GMT) 8-Iga Swiatek (Poland) v 19-Liudmila Samsonova (Russia) 1-Jannik Sinner (Italy) v 10-Ben Shelton (U.S.) REUTERS
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
UK inquiry to seek answers over Southport girls' murders
FILE PHOTO: Floral tributes left by members of the public are seen following the fatal knife attack on three young girls in July in Southport, Britain, September 2, 2024. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo LONDON - A public inquiry into the murders of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in Britain last year opened on Tuesday, with the chair saying it must find answers for the victims' families and help to prevent any similar atrocity. Teenager Axel Rudakubana, who was obsessed with violence and genocide, launched the knife attack at the summer vacation event in northern England last July, killing the girls and wounding another 10. The incident shocked the nation and was followed by days of nationwide rioting. Just 17 at the time of the attack, Rudakubana was jailed in January for at least 52 years after he admitted the offences just as his trial was about to start. Prosecutors said his motive was not clear and it appeared to be simply the desire to commit mass murder. After the conviction, Prime Minister Keir Starmer ordered the inquiry into state failings as it emerged in the trial that Rudakubana had been referred to a counter-radicalisation scheme three times, but no action had been taken. Rudakubana had been involved in previous troubling incidents where he had been arrested carrying a knife, whilst he had purchased other weapons including machetes as well as ingredients to make Molotov cocktails. He also had an Al-Qaeda training manual and had produced the lethal poison ricin. "As the government at the highest levels has recognised, the perpetrator is responsible for one of the most egregious crimes in our country's history," said the inquiry chair, Adrian Fulford, who added that the killer's name would not be used out of sensitivity for the victims' families. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDP celebrations to be held at 5 heartland sites, including Bishan and Punggol, on Aug 10 Singapore Keep citizens at the centre of public service, Chan Chun Sing tells civil servants Singapore Man arrested for allegedly throwing bottle at SMRT bus, injuring passenger Asia As Trump plays tariffs hard ball, vexed Asean countries have little choice but to play on Asia PM Anwar called out by his own lawmakers as Malaysia's judicial crisis heats up Singapore SIA flight from Brisbane to Singapore diverted to Perth due to technical issue Singapore New Draft Master Plan could reignite developers' interest to buy land Business Great Eastern could resume trading after delisting vote fails to pass; OCBC's exit offer lapses The inquiry will begin by looking at the teenager's history and repeated prior involvement with public bodies, such as the police, social services and mental health services, before a second phase examines the wider issue of children being drawn into violence, an increasing concern for British authorities. "We need to understand what went wrong and thereafter to identify and implement the most effective measures to ensure, to the extent that we are able, that there is no repetition," Fulford said. Lawyers for the three murdered girls - Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine - said they hoped it would uncover the truth. "We know that nothing the inquiry reveals, or subsequently recommends will change the unimaginable loss felt by the families of Elsie, Alice and Bebe, but we all now have a responsibility to ensure that something like this never happens again," they said in a statement. REUTERS
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Speeding likely cause of Diogo Jota car crash: police
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Fans pay their respects outside Anfield Stadium, following the death of Diogo Jota. MADRID – Liverpool and Portugal star forward Diogo Jota was likely speeding when his car veered off a motorway in Spain last week killing him and his brother, Spanish police said on July 8. The shock deaths of Jota, 28, and Andre Silva, 25, on July 3 plunged the football world into mourning, less than two weeks after the striker had got married. An ongoing investigation is examining 'the marks left by one of the vehicle's wheels... everything points to a possible excessive speed beyond the road's speed limit', the Civil Guard said. 'All the tests conducted so far indicate that the driver of the vehicle was Diogo Jota,' it added. The force had previously said a tyre had probably blown out while the vehicle was overtaking, causing it to crash and burst into flames in the northwestern province of Zamora. According to a report in the Daily Mail, a road expert said that the road the pair were driving on was rife with issues, while the speed they were travelling would not have been the only factor in the accident. Javier Lopez Delgado believed the road surface had been a contributing factor to the tragedy, adding: 'You can clearly see it had many faults.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDP celebrations to be held at 5 heartland sites, including Bishan and Punggol, on Aug 10 Singapore Keep citizens at the centre of public service, Chan Chun Sing tells civil servants Singapore SIA flight from Brisbane to Singapore diverted to Perth due to technical issue Asia As Trump plays tariffs hard ball, vexed Asean countries have little choice but to play on Singapore Man arrested for allegedly throwing glass bottle at SMRT bus Singapore New Draft Master Plan could reignite developers' interest to buy land Business Great Eastern could resume trading after delisting vote fails to pass; OCBC's exit offer lapses Multimedia 'I suspect he's cheating': She finds proof when spouses stray The newspaper also said that Lopez Delgado, president of the Spanish Association of Road Safety Auditors (ASEVI), pointed the finger at 'multiple factors' including the driving speed, saying: 'If they had been going at 55mph they probably wouldn't have been killed. 'It seems very clear they were going very fast because of the skid marks.' Just hours before the accident, Jota had posted a video of his June 22 wedding to partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he had three children. The deaths sparked an outpouring of grief, particularly in the brothers' native Portugal and at Jota's Premier League club Liverpool. Political leaders as well as star players from Portugal and Liverpool joined family and friends at the funeral on Saturday in the Porto suburb of Gondomar. Following spells at Atletico Madrid, Porto and Wolverhampton Wanderers, Jota became a fan favourite at Liverpool after joining the Premier League giants in 2020. He netted 65 times for the Reds in five seasons, lifting the League Cup and FA Cup in 2021/22 and helping them win a record-equalling 20th English league title last season. The striker also earned 49 caps for Portugal and was part of the team that won this year's UEFA Nations League. Younger brother Andre played in midfield for FC Penafiel in Portugal's second tier. AFP
