live Middle East tensions simmer as U.S.–Iran talks loom and strike kills 13- Friday, 10 April
Amid fragile calm, António Guterres urged constructive U.S.- Iran talks, while Pope Leo XIV warned violence is spreading. Lebanon's Pres...
Georgia has said it will clarify the circumstances surrounding the U.S. seizure of a Russian‑flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic and is seeking information on its Georgian crew members.
Officials said six Georgian citizens were among the 28 crew aboard the tanker Marinera, including one reportedly serving as the vessel’s captain. The Maritime Transport Agency said it is investigating the company that employed the ship and gathering further details about the Georgian crew.
The Marinera was seized by U.S. forces on 7 January for alleged violations of U.S. sanctions, including transporting oil in breach of restrictions linked to Venezuela. Authorities said the vessel had been pursued for weeks in the Atlantic before being intercepted.
U.S. officials described the tanker as part of a “shadow fleet” engaged in sanction evasion and said it was considered stateless after sailing under a false flag, forming the legal basis for its seizure under a U.S. federal court order.
Russia criticised the seizure as a breach of international maritime law, noting the vessel had temporary Russian registration and calling for the humane treatment and return of crew members.
The crew of the Marinera reportedly included citizens of Ukraine, Georgia, India and Russia, reflecting the diverse nationalities on board at the time of interception.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has given an instruction for Israel to begin peace talks with Lebanon that would also include the disarming of Hezbollah.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to continue dialogue and avoid steps that could worsen tensions after China-hosted talks in Urumqi, with Kabul and Beijing saying the meetings focused on easing differences and improving relations.
Amid fragile calm, António Guterres urged constructive U.S.- Iran talks, while Pope Leo XIV warned violence is spreading. Lebanon's President said an Israeli strike killed 13 security personnel in Nabatieh.
Memorial events were held in Tehran’s main squares on Wednesday (8 April) to mark the 40th day since the killing of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died during U.S.-Israeli attacks on 28 February.
Dubai has restricted foreign airlines to one daily flight to its airports until 31 May due to the Iran crisis, raising fears of significant revenue losses for Indian carriers, industry letters show.
A charity co-founded by Prince Harry in honour of his late mother, Princess Diana, is suing him for libel at the High Court in London, according to a court record published on Friday (10 April).
The European Union and Washington are nearing an agreement to coordinate the production and security of critical minerals, Bloomberg News reported on Friday (10 April).
In a forceful rebuke to Washington’s foreign policy in the Americas, a senior Russian diplomat has declared that Moscow will never abandon Cuba, pledging ongoing support to help the Communist-run island overcome a severe energy crisis linked to the United States embargo.
Hungary votes on Sunday in a parliamentary election that could loosen Viktor Orbán’s 16-year hold on power. His ruling Fidesz faces a strong challenge from Péter Magyar’s Tisza party, which has led some polls, though many voters remain undecided.
While a fragile ceasefire in the Iran war may deliver badly needed relief to economies battered by the world’s worst-ever energy crisis, hopes it will quickly restore normal oil and gas flows from the Middle East are almost certainly misplaced.
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