Northern Japan wildfires: Thousands flee homes as firefighters battle flames
More than 1,000 firefighters are battling to contain two major wildfires in northern Japan for a fourth consecu...
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to unveil fresh sanctions targeting up to 100 Russian oil tankers used to evade international restrictions, in a bid to cut off funding for Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.
The UK will announce new sanctions against Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” of oil tankers, which have reportedly carried more than £18 billion worth of cargo in 2024 alone. The move aims to disrupt clandestine Russian energy exports that continue to fund the Kremlin’s war machine despite existing international sanctions.
Prime Minister Starmer will deliver the announcement at a summit of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in Oslo, where he will meet with leaders from nine other north European nations, including Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands.
Downing Street accused the shadow fleet of "bankrolling the Kremlin's illegal war in Ukraine" and warned that the vessels—many of which are described as “decrepit and dangerous”—pose serious environmental and maritime safety risks. The operation has also been linked to recent incidents, including damage to an undersea cable in the Baltic Sea.
Under the new measures, these tankers will be banned from entering British ports and may be detained if found in UK waters. The action builds on earlier sanctions against 133 Russian-linked vessels announced during a JEF meeting in December 2024.
"Every step we take to cut off Putin’s illicit oil revenues is a step towards peace in Ukraine and security at home,” Starmer said. “We will do everything in our power to destroy this shadow fleet operation and protect subsea infrastructure.”
Members of the JEF are expected to announce additional support for Ukraine as the war nears its third year, with Western allies seeking to tighten economic pressure on Moscow while bolstering Kyiv's defense.
Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war are intensifying, with the White House confirming that U.S. President Donald Trump will send special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner to Islamabad for talks with Iran under Pakistani mediation.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
Russian emergency services have contained a major fire at the Tuapse oil refinery on the Black Sea coast, local officials said on Thursday, ending a four-day effort after a Ukrainian drone strike.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Azerbaijan for talks with President Ilham Aliyev, holding meetings in Gabala on Saturday (25 April) during a working visit to the country.
Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenia has confirmed it will not air the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, joining a widening boycott over Israel’s participation.
More than 1,000 firefighters are battling to contain two major wildfires in northern Japan for a fourth consecutive day, as flames advance towards residential areas and force thousands to flee.
Militants have staged coordinated attacks in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and several locations across the country, the army said on Saturday (25 April), in an assault apparently involving jihadist and Tuareg-led groups.
Two men were killed after the United States carried out a missile strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday (24 April), the military said.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
China has urged the European Union to take its concerns seriously over new cybersecurity and digital regulations, warning they could create difficulties for Chinese companies operating in Europe.
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