While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Sept 4, 2026

US’ Vance says Iran conflict is not a warUS Vice-President J.D. Vance on Sept 3 said the fighting between the United States and Iran was not a war and declined to provide a timeline for when the conflict would be over, underscoring the challenge the Trump administration faces as the hostilities enter their seventh month and midterm elections loom.His comments come as Washington and Tehran exchanged back-and-forth attacks this week after a period of relative calm, with no diplomatic talks with the Iranians under way to end the conflict.The war has dragged down President Donald Trump’s approval ratings and driven up gas prices, raising the stakes for Republican candidates fighting to ​preserve their party’s narrow congressional majorities in November.In a briefing at the White House, Vance touted US efforts to facilitate oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranians have disrupted maritime traffic since the war started, crediting Washington’s actions with helping to avert a broader global energy crisis.READ MORE HERELutnick apologises for saying no Americans died in Iran warPHOTO: REUTERSUS Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick apologised on Sept 3 for stating that no Americans had died in the Iran war, acknowledging that 18 service members have been killed and he was thinking about Venezuela when he made the mistaken statement.“I misspoke. Eighteen members of our military have died, and to those families my heart breaks and I am so very sorry for their loss. I was thinking about the Venezuelan military operation where no service members died,” Lutnick said, in a post on X.Lutnick made the comments during an interview with CNBC on Sept 2 in which Venezuela did not come up.READ MORE HEREZelensky says Russian drones hit Coca-Cola plantRussian drones struck and damaged a Coca-Cola plant outside the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Sept 3, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.Officials said there were no injuries in the strike near the town of Brovary, east of the capital.“Today, the Russians have hit a Coca-Cola plant with their drone. Coca-Cola is such an enemy that they set it on fire with their Shaheds,” Zelensky said, in his nightly video address, referring to Iranian-designed drones. “It’s a clear Russian signal to America. The Russians cannot be unaware that this is an American facility.”READ MORE HERERare trio of Pacific hurricanes fuelled by El NinoPHOTO: AFPA rare trio of hurricanes were churning through the Pacific Ocean on Sept 3, which scientists attributed to waters warmed by a historically strong El Nino phenomenon.Tropical Storm Marie strengthened into a hurricane late on Sept 2 off the coast of Baja California, lining up behind Hurricanes Karina and Lowell – both rated as major Category 4 – which were making their way westward across the Pacific.Three tropical cyclones are “definitely rare to see,” Julia Cole, a climate scientist at the University of Michigan, told AFP.READ MORE HERERicharlison omitted from Tottenham’s squadPHOTO: ACTION IMAGESRicharlison may have played his last match for Tottenham after he was left out of the club’s 25-man Premier League squad list on Sept 3.Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi, speaking following a 2-0 home defeat by Newcastle on Aug 29, insisted Richarlison had “said too many times he wants to leave” and could bid farewell to the London club before the summer transfer window closed.The Brazil forward released an incendiary social media post on Aug 31 where he claimed “never again will anyone decide my future for me”.READ MORE HERE