A Syrian-flagged ship that had moored at a port in the north with a cargo of Ukrainian grain on board that Kyiv‘s embassy in Beirut claimed was “illegal” was seized on Saturday by a Lebanese prosecutor. According to a judicial official, prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat ordered police to look into the Laodicea, which docked in Tripoli earlier this week. 
 
The Ukrainian embassy reported that the grain on board the ship flying the Syrian flag was loaded from a location controlled by Russian soldiers, thus Lebanese police were also urged to contact them.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February, and Kyiv has frequently accused Moscow soldiers of pillaging its grain storage facilities. “The Syrian-flagged ship is carrying barley and flour,” according to the Lebanese foreign ministry. Ihor Ostash, the ambassador for Ukraine, informed Michel Aoun, the president of Lebanon, on Thursday that the ship was carrying “illegal barley from occupied Ukrainian territory”.

According to early reports, the grain belongs to a Syrian businessman, and the shipping company’s owner is a Turkish person, the court official added. The person further stated that some of the goods will be transferred to Syria and others would be unloaded in Lebanon. The documentation for the ship was “all in order and there is no proof that the merchandise was stolen,” a customs official told AFP.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-halts-gas-supply-to-latvia-following-deadly-prison-attack-502043">Russia halts gas supply to Latvia following deadly prison attack</a>

Some media reports claim that the US had imposed sanctions on the Laodicea years ago as part of its campaign against the Bashar al-Assad administration in Syria. The event occurred as Ukraine, one of the biggest grain exporters in the world, prepared to begin grain exports as a result of a deal supported by the UN. 
 
A Russian naval blockade and Ukrainian mines set to prevent an amphibious landing on the Black Sea coast have left millions of tonnes of food in Ukraine trapped. The Laodicea was taken over as Lebanon, which is dealing with one of the worst financial crises in history, was also experiencing a severe bread shortage.

(with inputs from agencies) 
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A Syrian-flagged ship that had moored at a port in the north with a cargo of Ukrainian grain on board that Kyiv‘s embassy in Beirut claimed was “illegal” was seized on Saturday by a Lebanese prosecutor.

A Syrian-flagged ship that had moored at a port in the north with a cargo of Ukrainian grain on board that Kyiv‘s embassy in Beirut claimed was “illegal” was seized on Saturday by a Lebanese prosecutor. According to a judicial official, prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat ordered police to look into the Laodicea, which docked in Tripoli earlier this week. The Ukrainian embassy reported that the grain on board the ship flying the Syrian flag was loaded from a location controlled by Russian soldiers, thus Lebanese police were also urged to contact them. Russia invaded Ukraine in February, and Kyiv has frequently accused Moscow soldiers of pillaging its grain storage facilities. “The Syrian-flagged ship is carrying barley and flour,” according to the Lebanese foreign ministry. Ihor Ostash, the ambassador for Ukraine, informed Michel Aoun, the president of Lebanon, on Thursday that the ship was carrying “illegal barley from occupied Ukrainian territory”. According to early reports, the grain belongs to a Syrian businessman, and the shipping company’s owner is a Turkish person, the court official added. The person further stated that some of the goods will be transferred to Syria and others would be unloaded in Lebanon. The documentation for the ship was “all in order and there is no proof that the merchandise was stolen,” a customs official told AFP. Also Read: Russia halts gas supply to Latvia following deadly prison attack Some media reports claim that the US had imposed sanctions on the Laodicea years ago as part of its campaign against the Bashar al-Assad administration in Syria. The event occurred as Ukraine, one of the biggest grain exporters in the world, prepared to begin grain exports as a result of a deal supported by the UN. A Russian naval blockade and Ukrainian mines set to prevent an amphibious landing on the Black Sea coast have left millions of tonnes of food in Ukraine trapped. The Laodicea was taken over as Lebanon, which is dealing with one of the worst financial crises in history, was also experiencing a severe bread shortage. (with inputs from agencies)

Ship carrying ‘stolen’ Ukrainian grain intercepted by Lebanon

US Navy destroyer sunk during World War II was found nearly 7,000 meters below sea level off the Philippines, making it the world’s deepest shipwreck.

US ship, sunk during World War II, found in Philippines; world’s deepest shipwreck

IRIS-T air defence system will be supplied to Ukraine by Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said. The move has been taken after requests were made by Kyiv and opposition parties of Germany to hike the deliveries of heavy weapons. Germany had been "delivering continuously since the beginning of the war", Scholz added. Since the beginning of the invasion, Germany has already sent over 15 million rounds of ammunition, 100,000 grenades and over 5,000 anti-tank mines to Ukraine. In Bundestag, Scholz told lawmakers, "Most recently, the government has decided that we will deliver the most modern air defence system that Germany has in the form of the IRIS-T." &nbsp;&nbsp;

IRIS-T SLM is a medium-range surface-to-air defence system. Scholz, while responding to critics in his speech in parliament, said that his government responded to the Russian invasion with a "massive change of policy in Germany" by sending heavy weapons into a war zone. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-provide-more-advanced-rocket-systems-to-ukraine-says-biden-483962" hreflang="en">US to provide more advanced rocket systems to Ukraine, says Biden</a>

To deliver arms to Ukraine, Germany is holding talks with partners, the chancellor said. Germany will deliver infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) to Greece so that it can handover Soviet-style weapons to Ukraine, Scholz announced on Tuesday. &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;US President Joe Biden agrees to provide Ukraine with longer range missiles

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In recent weeks, the requests for heavy weapons by Ukraine has intensified as Russia has escalated its military campaign after failing to capture the capital, Kyiv. &nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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IRIS-T air defence system will be supplied to Ukraine by Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said. The move has been taken after requests were made by Kyiv and opposition parties of Germany to hike the deliveries of heavy weapons.

IRIS-T air defence system will be supplied to Ukraine by Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said. The move has been taken after requests were made by Kyiv and opposition parties of Germany to hike the deliveries of heavy weapons. Germany had been "delivering continuously since the beginning of the war", Scholz added. Since the beginning of the invasion, Germany has already sent over 15 million rounds of ammunition, 100,000 grenades and over 5,000 anti-tank mines to Ukraine. In Bundestag, Scholz told lawmakers, "Most recently, the government has decided that we will deliver the most modern air defence system that Germany has in the form of the IRIS-T." IRIS-T SLM is a medium-range surface-to-air defence system. Scholz, while responding to critics in his speech in parliament, said that his government responded to the Russian invasion with a "massive change of policy in Germany" by sending heavy weapons into a war zone. Also Read: US to provide more advanced rocket systems to Ukraine, says Biden To deliver arms to Ukraine, Germany is holding talks with partners, the chancellor said. Germany will deliver infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) to Greece so that it can handover Soviet-style weapons to Ukraine, Scholz announced on Tuesday. Watch: US President Joe Biden agrees to provide Ukraine with longer range missiles × In recent weeks, the requests for heavy weapons by Ukraine has intensified as Russia has escalated its military campaign after failing to capture the capital, Kyiv. WATCH WION LIVE HERE (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Now, Germany to ship IRIS-T air defence system to Ukraine, says Chancellor Scholz

New photos and videos have emerged online of the sinking Russian Moskva ship, the leading Russian warship sank in the Black Sea. Video circulating online shows that it was probably struck by anti-ship missiles, the ship was abandoned before the ship sank in the Black Sea.

First Images of damaged Russian Cruiser Moskva emerges

A ship carrying close to 3 mn litres of oil from Egypt to Malta sank in Tunisia's southeast coast. The incident has sparked a rush to avoid a spill. The environment ministry said the sinking was caused due to bad weather.

Ship carrying close to 3 mn litres of oil sinks off Tunisia's coast

In what could turn into an "environmental disaster", a fuel-laden ship has sunk off the coast of Tunisia on Saturday. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The ship, which was carrying diesel fuel from Egypt to Malta, had ran into difficulty near Tunisia’s coast. &nbsp;

The ship has over 750 tonnes of diesel. It has sunk in the Gulf of Gabes, an AFP report said, citing a local court's spokesman. &nbsp;

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Mohamed Karray told AFP, "The ship sank this morning in Tunisian territorial waters. For the moment, there is no leak. A disaster prevention committee will meet to decide on the measures to be taken." &nbsp;

Earlier, the authorities in Tunisia had said that the ship risks leaking and may result in an "environmental disaster". &nbsp;&nbsp;

In a statement, the environment ministry said that the merchant ship, Xelo, requested entry into Tunisian waters on Friday evening due to bad weather. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Ukraine's Neptune missile lead to wreckage of Russian warship 'Moskva': US

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It also said that the ship's situation seems to be "alarming". It had also put in place an "urgent national intervention plan" to avert any untoward incident. &nbsp;

According to the environment ministry, the interior, defence, transport and customs ministries were making concerted efforts to avoid "a marine environmental disaster in the region and limit its impact." For now, the situation was "under control". &nbsp;

The seven-member crew of the ship were also evacuated by the authorities in Tunisia. &nbsp;

The Equatorial Guinea-flagged ship had started to taking water around seven kilometres off Tunisia's southeast Gulf of Gabes. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In what could turn into an "environmental disaster", a fuel-laden ship has sunk off the coast of Tunisia on Saturday. The ship, which was carrying diesel fuel from Egypt to Malta, had ran into difficulty near Tunisia’s coast.

In what could turn into an "environmental disaster", a fuel-laden ship has sunk off the coast of Tunisia on Saturday. The ship, which was carrying diesel fuel from Egypt to Malta, had ran into difficulty near Tunisia’s coast. The ship has over 750 tonnes of diesel. It has sunk in the Gulf of Gabes, an AFP report said, citing a local court's spokesman. Also Read: Germany officially seizes world's largest yacht owned by Russian oligarch Mohamed Karray told AFP, "The ship sank this morning in Tunisian territorial waters. For the moment, there is no leak. A disaster prevention committee will meet to decide on the measures to be taken." Earlier, the authorities in Tunisia had said that the ship risks leaking and may result in an "environmental disaster". In a statement, the environment ministry said that the merchant ship, Xelo, requested entry into Tunisian waters on Friday evening due to bad weather. Watch: Ukraine's Neptune missile lead to wreckage of Russian warship 'Moskva': US × It also said that the ship's situation seems to be "alarming". It had also put in place an "urgent national intervention plan" to avert any untoward incident. According to the environment ministry, the interior, defence, transport and customs ministries were making concerted efforts to avoid "a marine environmental disaster in the region and limit its impact." For now, the situation was "under control". The seven-member crew of the ship were also evacuated by the authorities in Tunisia. The Equatorial Guinea-flagged ship had started to taking water around seven kilometres off Tunisia's southeast Gulf of Gabes. (With inputs from agencies)

Environmental disaster in making? Ship with 750 tonnes of diesel sinks off Tunisia’s coast, says official

Dubai-based Salem Al Makrani Cargo Company confirmed on Thursday that one of their ships capsized off the coast of Iran in the Persian Gulf and that Iranian authorities had sent a vessel to rescue the 30 crew members abroad the ship. <o:p></o:p>

The ship, which had left Dubai few days ago, was bound for the port of Umm Qasr in Southern Iraq and it was carrying cars and other cargo.

<o:p></o:p>

According to the AFP report, captain Nizar Qaddoura, the firm’s operations manager, said that 16 crew members were rescued till now while 11 survivors made it into life rafts. The Iranian authorities said all but one member of the cargo ship was rescued by the rescue forces.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/everything-we-know-about-the-new-covid-19-variant-found-in-israel-463112">Everything we know about the new COVID-19 variant found in Israel</a>

The authorities also said two Iranian rescue vessels were present at the scene of the accident and that meteorologists reported wind speeds of 70 kilometres per hour, according to Reuters.<o:p></o:p>

"Twenty-nine crew members have so far been saved, and rescue operations are continuing to find another team member," an official from Iran's Bushehr Province told IRNA.

<o:p></o:p>

Although the reason is not clear yet, the company said the turbulent waters due to bad weather resulted in the capsizing. The crew mainly comprised of individuals from India, Pakistan, Uganda, Sudan, Tanzania and Ethiopia.&nbsp;

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-to-get-us-stingers-javelin-anti-armour-systems-is-it-a-gamechanger-463142" hreflang="en">Ukraine to get US Stingers, Javelin, anti-armour systems; is it a gamechanger?</a>

The incident took place around 30 miles (50 km) off the coast of Asaluyeh in Southern Iran, according to the IRNA news agency. They further reported that the authorities faced a lot of challenges while conduction the rescue operation due to stormy weather.

<o:p>Watch |&nbsp;First cargo ship powered by liquid hydrogen unveiled in France</o:p>

&nbsp;

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(With inputs from agencies)

Dubai-based Salem Al Makrani Cargo Company confirmed on Thursday that one of their ships capsized off the coast of Iran in the Persian Gulf and that Iranian authorities had sent a vessel to rescue the 30 crew members abroad the ship.

Dubai-based Salem Al Makrani Cargo Company confirmed on Thursday that one of their ships capsized off the coast of Iran in the Persian Gulf and that Iranian authorities had sent a vessel to rescue the 30 crew members abroad the ship. The ship, which had left Dubai few days ago, was bound for the port of Umm Qasr in Southern Iraq and it was carrying cars and other cargo. According to the AFP report, captain Nizar Qaddoura, the firm’s operations manager, said that 16 crew members were rescued till now while 11 survivors made it into life rafts. The Iranian authorities said all but one member of the cargo ship was rescued by the rescue forces. Also read | Everything we know about the new COVID-19 variant found in Israel The authorities also said two Iranian rescue vessels were present at the scene of the accident and that meteorologists reported wind speeds of 70 kilometres per hour, according to Reuters. "Twenty-nine crew members have so far been saved, and rescue operations are continuing to find another team member," an official from Iran's Bushehr Province told IRNA. Although the reason is not clear yet, the company said the turbulent waters due to bad weather resulted in the capsizing. The crew mainly comprised of individuals from India, Pakistan, Uganda, Sudan, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Also read | Ukraine to get US Stingers, Javelin, anti-armour systems; is it a gamechanger? The incident took place around 30 miles (50 km) off the coast of Asaluyeh in Southern Iran, according to the IRNA news agency. They further reported that the authorities faced a lot of challenges while conduction the rescue operation due to stormy weather. Watch | First cargo ship powered by liquid hydrogen unveiled in France (With inputs from agencies)

UAE cargo ship carrying 30 crew members sinks off Iran coast

China on Monday denied that one of its naval vessels shone a laser at Australian military aircraft. The incident was termed an 'act of intimidation' by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.&nbsp;

A Chinese ship sailing off Australia's northern coast last week illuminated the plane, Canberra's defence department said Sunday, adding that the act had "the potential to endanger lives."

Beijing said that the laser accusation was "not true". It defended movement of the Chinese ship as "normal navigation ... in line with relevant international law."

"We urge Australia to respect the legitimate rights of Chinese ships in relevant sea areas in accordance with international law and stop spreading false information related to China," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a routine press briefing.

"I think the Chinese government is hoping that nobody talks about these aggressive bullying acts," Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton said previously, calling the incident "very aggressive".

China also was accused of targeting Australian aircraft using military-grade lasers in 2019, when Australian Defence Force helicopters were illuminated over the South China Sea.

Relations between China and Australia have nosedived in recent years after Morrison called for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, which first emerged globally in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

China responded by placing tariffs on Australian goods worth billions of dollars, dragging both countries into a protracted trade standoff.&nbsp;

Beijing also reacted with fury last year when Canberra joined a trilateral defence pact with the United States and Britain that would allow it to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, to counter China's growing military might in the Asia-Pacific region.

(With inputs from agencies)

China on Monday denied that one of its naval vessels shone a laser at Australian military aircraft. The incident was termed an 'act of intimidation' by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

China on Monday denied that one of its naval vessels shone a laser at Australian military aircraft. The incident was termed an 'act of intimidation' by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. A Chinese ship sailing off Australia's northern coast last week illuminated the plane, Canberra's defence department said Sunday, adding that the act had "the potential to endanger lives." Beijing said that the laser accusation was "not true". It defended movement of the Chinese ship as "normal navigation ... in line with relevant international law." "We urge Australia to respect the legitimate rights of Chinese ships in relevant sea areas in accordance with international law and stop spreading false information related to China," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a routine press briefing. "I think the Chinese government is hoping that nobody talks about these aggressive bullying acts," Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton said previously, calling the incident "very aggressive". China also was accused of targeting Australian aircraft using military-grade lasers in 2019, when Australian Defence Force helicopters were illuminated over the South China Sea. Relations between China and Australia have nosedived in recent years after Morrison called for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, which first emerged globally in the Chinese city of Wuhan. China responded by placing tariffs on Australian goods worth billions of dollars, dragging both countries into a protracted trade standoff. Beijing also reacted with fury last year when Canberra joined a trilateral defence pact with the United States and Britain that would allow it to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, to counter China's growing military might in the Asia-Pacific region. (With inputs from agencies)

China refutes Australia's ship laser 'intimidation' claim

None of the crew on the Navy combat ship USS Milwaukee who have been infected with the coronavirus have needed hospitalisation, the Guantánamo Bay base hospital said Sunday, two days after the Navy disclosed an outbreak among fully vaccinated sailors aboard the ship.

The Milwaukee departed its home port in Jacksonville, Florida, on Dec. 14 with a crew of 105 sailors, including a Navy helicopter combat crew and a Coast Guard law enforcement unit as part of the U.S. Southern Command’s efforts to fight drug trafficking in the Caribbean. It reached Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, on Monday for a refuelling and resupply stop and extended its stay there because of the outbreak.

“Our medical and public health teams are in close contact with medical on board ship,” hospital spokesperson Dawn Grimes said Sunday. At the request of the ship, she added, the hospital was providing medical staff on board with COVID-19 vaccine booster doses “to administer to those” who want an extra shot.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-lethal-virus-and-alien-invasion-here-is-what-baba-vanga-predicted-for-2022-440276">Also read |&nbsp;New lethal virus and alien invasion? Here is what Baba Vanga predicted for 2022</a>

None of the Milwaukee’s crew members were permitted to leave the ship and adjoining pier after docking at the base, Cmdr. Kate Meadows said Saturday, sparing the 6,000 residents at Guantánamo Bay the risk of being exposed. The ship held its own open-air, socially distanced Christmas service on the pier, rather than attending services at the base chapel, and chefs on board prepared a holiday meal instead of joining Guantánamo personnel for their meals.

Active-duty troops in the Army and Navy were fired this month over their refusal to get vaccinated after President Joe Biden in August mandated vaccination for the armed services. But there were only a small group of holdouts last week, with the Navy reporting that more than 98% of its members had been vaccinated.

Only 85% of the residents of the base were fully vaccinated as of Sunday, Grimes said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spanish-minister-says-people-should-cut-on-eating-meat-to-curb-climate-crisis-440251">Also read |&nbsp;Spanish minister says people should cut on eating meat to curb climate crisis</a>

The outbreak aboard the Milwaukee is the first significant COVID-related health crisis aboard a U.S. ship sailing for the Southern Command since April 2020, when the Navy sent the USS Kidd from similar drug-interdiction operations back to San Diego with dozens of infected sailors on board. That episode occurred before the development of a vaccine.

In March 2020, one of the military’s first encounters with the virus occurred aboard the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt. The ship docked in Guam, in the South Pacific, and ended up stranded there for months after dozens of sailors were infected and one died. The ship’s commander at the time sent a letter to Navy officials pleading for help tackling the outbreak and criticising the Navy’s failure to provide the proper resources. He was later removed from command of the ship.

None of the crew on the Navy combat ship USS Milwaukee who have been infected with the coronavirus have needed hospitalisation, the Guantánamo Bay base hospital said Sunday, two days after the Navy disclosed an outbreak among fully vaccinated sailors aboard the ship.

None of the crew on the Navy combat ship USS Milwaukee who have been infected with the coronavirus have needed hospitalisation, the Guantánamo Bay base hospital said Sunday, two days after the Navy disclosed an outbreak among fully vaccinated sailors aboard the ship. The Milwaukee departed its home port in Jacksonville, Florida, on Dec. 14 with a crew of 105 sailors, including a Navy helicopter combat crew and a Coast Guard law enforcement unit as part of the U.S. Southern Command’s efforts to fight drug trafficking in the Caribbean. It reached Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, on Monday for a refuelling and resupply stop and extended its stay there because of the outbreak. “Our medical and public health teams are in close contact with medical on board ship,” hospital spokesperson Dawn Grimes said Sunday. At the request of the ship, she added, the hospital was providing medical staff on board with COVID-19 vaccine booster doses “to administer to those” who want an extra shot. Also read | New lethal virus and alien invasion? Here is what Baba Vanga predicted for 2022 None of the Milwaukee’s crew members were permitted to leave the ship and adjoining pier after docking at the base, Cmdr. Kate Meadows said Saturday, sparing the 6,000 residents at Guantánamo Bay the risk of being exposed. The ship held its own open-air, socially distanced Christmas service on the pier, rather than attending services at the base chapel, and chefs on board prepared a holiday meal instead of joining Guantánamo personnel for their meals. Active-duty troops in the Army and Navy were fired this month over their refusal to get vaccinated after President Joe Biden in August mandated vaccination for the armed services. But there were only a small group of holdouts last week, with the Navy reporting that more than 98% of its members had been vaccinated. Only 85% of the residents of the base were fully vaccinated as of Sunday, Grimes said. Also read | Spanish minister says people should cut on eating meat to curb climate crisis The outbreak aboard the Milwaukee is the first significant COVID-related health crisis aboard a U.S. ship sailing for the Southern Command since April 2020, when the Navy sent the USS Kidd from similar drug-interdiction operations back to San Diego with dozens of infected sailors on board. That episode occurred before the development of a vaccine. In March 2020, one of the military’s first encounters with the virus occurred aboard the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt. The ship docked in Guam, in the South Pacific, and ended up stranded there for months after dozens of sailors were infected and one died. The ship’s commander at the time sent a letter to Navy officials pleading for help tackling the outbreak and criticising the Navy’s failure to provide the proper resources. He was later removed from command of the ship.

No sailors on a navy ship have needed hospitalisation after outbreak

Ambassador of France to India Emmanuel Lenain has said that all contracted Rafales to be delivered to India by April 2022. France and India have formed key partnerships in defense. Speaking to our principal diplomatic correspondent, Sidhant Sibal on board the French Navy ship Chevalier Paul he said, "We feel that we are country of the region... we feel we are India's neighbour... we have territories in the region". He also spoke on the AUKUS pact, calling it a "surprise and major disappointment" and was "a major breach of trust". The AUKUS pact between Australia, US, UK&nbsp;allows Canberra&nbsp;to acquire&nbsp;nuclear submarines even as the previous deal with France was called off.

WION: How do you see Indo-French Relationship? The two heads met recently on the sidelines of G20 in Rome. &nbsp;

Emmanuel Lenain: All along since past two years, we have been talking over phone due to Covid crisis. There is an exceptional level of trust and confidence between the two leaders. They share the same aspiration for strategic autonomy for their country. &nbsp;

WION: Defence has become a key pillar in this relationship. In fact, it's also being said that France might replace Russia when it comes to India's defence relationship. How do you see this relationship prospering &amp; the two countries engaging in future? &nbsp;

Emmanuel Lenain: I would say it's nothing new. We have been cooperating for decades now. First jet aircrafts were supplied in 1950s k/a 'TOOFANI' and since then, we have been cooperating on Jaguar, Mirage 2000 and now Rafale. &nbsp;

Same goes for navy, we have had outstanding cooperation. Varuna Naval Exercise was held recently. La Pérouse was in April this year along with QUAD countries. &nbsp;

&nbsp;WION: How do you see arrival of Chevalier Paul in Mumbai? &nbsp;

Emmanuel Lenain: It's a nice symbol of our joint commitment to ensure security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific. We want to do more in this regard. This isn't a pure visit by a ship of the French Navy.

It was also the occasion to have two-day exercise where we have been texting planes from both countries (16 of them), testing the ability of India and its capability to resist an attack from the air successfully. I think it's been very encouraging to see it. &nbsp;

WION: Can you give us details about the Rafale&nbsp;jet arrival in India.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Emmanuel Lenain: Most of them have arrived and it’s a matter of pride for us. Despite all the hardship of last two years during the COVID-19 crisis,&nbsp;we have been able to deliver on time. In France, teams have been working extra shifts to be able to fulfill the commitment. As of today, 30 have been delivered to India. So, we are on time and we are going to reach the target of having all the 36 delivered by April of next year. &nbsp;

WION: You are among the first countries to have come out with a statement on the vision regarding Indo-Pacific Region. What kind of role can the French play in the region? &nbsp;

Emmanuel Lenain: We feel that we are a country of the region. We feel we are India's neighbour. We have territories in the region with substantial area and withholding two million French people. We have second Economic Zone worldwide, which is something very important. We also have 7,000 troops in the region and ships ensuring freedom of navigation.

So, we see we have a very big role to play in the region. We have a role alone as well as with European partners as you may have seen we have been a driving force to craft European Indo-Pacific Strategy, which has been very recently announced and which is going to be our common framework for the future. &nbsp;

It's a very broad and ambitious strategy. Obviously on military aspects as well as everything pertaining to infrastructure, connectivity, etc, I think how we have to deal with the global strategy. &nbsp;&nbsp;

WION: What do you think about impact of AUKUS with regard to trilateral talked about, India-France-Australia? &nbsp;

Emmanuel Lenain: AUKUS was a surprise and major disappointment. It will take some time to draw the consequences of the pact. It's not a commercial issue as you know. It's a major breach of trust between allies and that's something which is very important. &nbsp;

Now, our commitment to security in Indo-Pacific is total. It doesn't change it and on contrary, it may increase it. We know we are on the same page and we have partners like India and we also want to speed up because we share the same vision. &nbsp;

We don't want any other country to provide us our security. We want our means, our autonomy. We are a sovereign country and want to decide our own future. &nbsp;

We believe in global strategy and don't believe in purely military confrontation block against block strategy. We think many countries in the region share same feeling that this would increase tension in the region. We don’t want to see it.

We feel that strategy must be a holistic one that we need not only to build some military assets but also provide alternative and positive ones. Countries in the region want to develop, which is legitimate. They want to build infrastructure, roads, ports, means to finance them. We want to be there with India to provide this alternative and have more global strategy with India and our European partners. &nbsp;

&nbsp;WION: What about counterterrorism? &nbsp;

Emmanuel Lenain: Our cooperation on counterterrorism is very strong. Both nations have been a victim of it. It's a very operational cooperation. Our agencies share inputs, intelligence through best practices. Our elite teams are working together with Black Cats and NSGs. We are also working on multilateral framework in UNSC and India's presence in UNSC this year is very important.

We are proponent of the idea and we would like to see India getting a permanent seat in UNSC. Our cooperation has made it possible to enlist terrorists like Massoud Azhar in sanctions list. It's also true that we want to tackle the roots of terrorism like attacking on the financing of terrorism. India has accepted to host the next summit or conference on 'No Money Against Terror', which is the process started by France three years ago. &nbsp;

WION: Can we see some high-level engagement in physical terms? &nbsp;

Emmanuel Lenain: The two leaders are very eager to meet in person to have a substantive discussion. In the near future, this can take place. I won't be surprised.&nbsp;

Ambassador of France to India Emmanuel Lenain has said that all contracted Rafales to be delivered to India by April 2022. France and India have formed key partnerships in defense.

Ambassador of France to India Emmanuel Lenain has said that all contracted Rafales to be delivered to India by April 2022. France and India have formed key partnerships in defense. Speaking to our principal diplomatic correspondent, Sidhant Sibal on board the French Navy ship Chevalier Paul he said, "We feel that we are country of the region... we feel we are India's neighbour... we have territories in the region". He also spoke on the AUKUS pact, calling it a "surprise and major disappointment" and was "a major breach of trust". The AUKUS pact between Australia, US, UK allows Canberra to acquire nuclear submarines even as the previous deal with France was called off. WION: How do you see Indo-French Relationship? The two heads met recently on the sidelines of G20 in Rome. Emmanuel Lenain: All along since past two years, we have been talking over phone due to Covid crisis. There is an exceptional level of trust and confidence between the two leaders. They share the same aspiration for strategic autonomy for their country. WION: Defence has become a key pillar in this relationship. In fact, it's also being said that France might replace Russia when it comes to India's defence relationship. How do you see this relationship prospering & the two countries engaging in future? Emmanuel Lenain: I would say it's nothing new. We have been cooperating for decades now. First jet aircrafts were supplied in 1950s k/a 'TOOFANI' and since then, we have been cooperating on Jaguar, Mirage 2000 and now Rafale. Same goes for navy, we have had outstanding cooperation. Varuna Naval Exercise was held recently. La Pérouse was in April this year along with QUAD countries. WION: How do you see arrival of Chevalier Paul in Mumbai? Emmanuel Lenain: It's a nice symbol of our joint commitment to ensure security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific. We want to do more in this regard. This isn't a pure visit by a ship of the French Navy. It was also the occasion to have two-day exercise where we have been texting planes from both countries (16 of them), testing the ability of India and its capability to resist an attack from the air successfully. I think it's been very encouraging to see it. WION: Can you give us details about the Rafale jet arrival in India. Emmanuel Lenain: Most of them have arrived and it’s a matter of pride for us. Despite all the hardship of last two years during the COVID-19 crisis, we have been able to deliver on time. In France, teams have been working extra shifts to be able to fulfill the commitment. As of today, 30 have been delivered to India. So, we are on time and we are going to reach the target of having all the 36 delivered by April of next year. WION: You are among the first countries to have come out with a statement on the vision regarding Indo-Pacific Region. What kind of role can the French play in the region? Emmanuel Lenain: We feel that we are a country of the region. We feel we are India's neighbour. We have territories in the region with substantial area and withholding two million French people. We have second Economic Zone worldwide, which is something very important. We also have 7,000 troops in the region and ships ensuring freedom of navigation. So, we see we have a very big role to play in the region. We have a role alone as well as with European partners as you may have seen we have been a driving force to craft European Indo-Pacific Strategy, which has been very recently announced and which is going to be our common framework for the future. It's a very broad and ambitious strategy. Obviously on military aspects as well as everything pertaining to infrastructure, connectivity, etc, I think how we have to deal with the global strategy. WION: What do you think about impact of AUKUS with regard to trilateral talked about, India-France-Australia? Emmanuel Lenain: AUKUS was a surprise and major disappointment. It will take some time to draw the consequences of the pact. It's not a commercial issue as you know. It's a major breach of trust between allies and that's something which is very important. Now, our commitment to security in Indo-Pacific is total. It doesn't change it and on contrary, it may increase it. We know we are on the same page and we have partners like India and we also want to speed up because we share the same vision. We don't want any other country to provide us our security. We want our means, our autonomy. We are a sovereign country and want to decide our own future. We believe in global strategy and don't believe in purely military confrontation block against block strategy. We think many countries in the region share same feeling that this would increase tension in the region. We don’t want to see it. We feel that strategy must be a holistic one that we need not only to build some military assets but also provide alternative and positive ones. Countries in the region want to develop, which is legitimate. They want to build infrastructure, roads, ports, means to finance them. We want to be there with India to provide this alternative and have more global strategy with India and our European partners. WION: What about counterterrorism? Emmanuel Lenain: Our cooperation on counterterrorism is very strong. Both nations have been a victim of it. It's a very operational cooperation. Our agencies share inputs, intelligence through best practices. Our elite teams are working together with Black Cats and NSGs. We are also working on multilateral framework in UNSC and India's presence in UNSC this year is very important. We are proponent of the idea and we would like to see India getting a permanent seat in UNSC. Our cooperation has made it possible to enlist terrorists like Massoud Azhar in sanctions list. It's also true that we want to tackle the roots of terrorism like attacking on the financing of terrorism. India has accepted to host the next summit or conference on 'No Money Against Terror', which is the process started by France three years ago. WION: Can we see some high-level engagement in physical terms? Emmanuel Lenain: The two leaders are very eager to meet in person to have a substantive discussion. In the near future, this can take place. I won't be surprised.

All Rafale jets to be delivered by April, says French envoy to India Emmanuel Lenain

In order to enter the sea of Sri Lanka, the ship carrying Chinese organic fertiliser to Sri Lanka has reportedly changed its name from ‘Hippo Spirit’ to 'Seiyo Explorer'. &nbsp;

'Hippo Spirit' carrying 20,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser left China on September 22 to reach Sri Lanka. &nbsp;

But after confirmation that the stock on board ship contained hazardous bacteria, the Sri Lankan government decided to suspend the import of fertiliser. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-pla-border-troops-receive-all-terrain-vehicle-report-424247" hreflang="en">China's PLA border troops receive 'all-terrain vehicle': Report</a>

Then, the ship set sail for Singapore. According to the Live AIS Vessel Tracker, the ship was anchored off the Malakka Strait for several days. &nbsp;

The Live AIS Vessel Tracker shows the next destination of the 'Hippo Spirit' ship is Colombo. It is going to arrive in the city. &nbsp;

The 'Hippo Spirit' and the 'Seiyo Explorer' appear to have the same IMP number, which is 9135523, a ship-tracking website said. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-has-been-breaching-nepal-china-border-rules-in-humla-report-423358" hreflang="en">China has been breaching Nepal-China border rules in Humla: Report</a>

The IMO Ship Identification Number is a unique seven digit number. It remains unchanged through a vessel’s lifetime, regardless of any changes of names, flags, or owners. It is linked to its hull. &nbsp;

The 'Seiyo Explorer' has already closed in on Sri Lanka. It is currently located in the southeast part of the sea of Sri Lanka said the vessel-tracking data. &nbsp;

Dr&nbsp;Ajantha De Silva, Director-General, Agriculture confirmed to News 1st that he was informed that the vessel is located 12 nautical miles away from Sri Lanka. &nbsp;

However, Sri Lanka has also agreed to retest the earlier rejected Chinese organic fertiliser by directing samples to an institution that can be accepted by both Sri Lanka and China, said State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa to News 1st on Tuesday. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In order to enter the sea of Sri Lanka, the ship carrying Chinese organic fertiliser to Sri Lanka has reportedly changed its name from ‘Hippo Spirit’ to 'Seiyo Explorer'.

In order to enter the sea of Sri Lanka, the ship carrying Chinese organic fertiliser to Sri Lanka has reportedly changed its name from ‘Hippo Spirit’ to 'Seiyo Explorer'. 'Hippo Spirit' carrying 20,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser left China on September 22 to reach Sri Lanka. But after confirmation that the stock on board ship contained hazardous bacteria, the Sri Lankan government decided to suspend the import of fertiliser. Also Read | China's PLA border troops receive 'all-terrain vehicle': Report Then, the ship set sail for Singapore. According to the Live AIS Vessel Tracker, the ship was anchored off the Malakka Strait for several days. The Live AIS Vessel Tracker shows the next destination of the 'Hippo Spirit' ship is Colombo. It is going to arrive in the city. The 'Hippo Spirit' and the 'Seiyo Explorer' appear to have the same IMP number, which is 9135523, a ship-tracking website said. Also Read | China has been breaching Nepal-China border rules in Humla: Report The IMO Ship Identification Number is a unique seven digit number. It remains unchanged through a vessel’s lifetime, regardless of any changes of names, flags, or owners. It is linked to its hull. The 'Seiyo Explorer' has already closed in on Sri Lanka. It is currently located in the southeast part of the sea of Sri Lanka said the vessel-tracking data. Dr Ajantha De Silva, Director-General, Agriculture confirmed to News 1st that he was informed that the vessel is located 12 nautical miles away from Sri Lanka. However, Sri Lanka has also agreed to retest the earlier rejected Chinese organic fertiliser by directing samples to an institution that can be accepted by both Sri Lanka and China, said State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa to News 1st on Tuesday. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Hippo Spirit’ to 'Seiyo Explorer': Ship carrying rejected Chinese organic fertiliser to Lanka changes name

The 220,000-tonne container ship, Ever given, which was stuck in the Suez Canal for nearly one week, is now having another go.&nbsp;

The vessel has finally returned to Port Said, Egypt, on Thursday night.

Also, on Friday, the Panamanian-flagged, Japanese-owned ship began its journey through the canal. It was accompanied by two tug boats, reported state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram reported.&nbsp;

Live ship-tracking showed the vessel successfully negotiating the early stages of the canal on its way toward the Red Sea.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/settlement-agreed-to-release-ever-given-ship-that-blocked-suez-canal-395842">Also read |&nbsp;Settlement agreed to release Ever Given ship that blocked Suez Canal</a>

Earlier, owners and insurers of the vessel said that a formal settlement had been agreed upon in a compensation dispute.

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has held the giant ship and its crew in a lake between two stretches of the waterway since it was dislodged on March 29, amid a dispute over demand for compensation by the SCA.

The Japanese-owned Ever Given had become stuck in high winds and remained wedged across the canal for six days, disrupting global trade.

"Preparations for the release of the vessel will be made and an event marking the agreement will be held at the Authority's headquarters in Ismailia in due course," Faz Peermohamed of Stann Marine, which represents owner Shoei Kisen and its insurers, said in a statement.

The 220,000-tonne container ship, Ever given, which was stuck in the Suez Canal for nearly one week, is now having another go. The vessel has finally returned to Port Said, Egypt, on Thursday night.

The 220,000-tonne container ship, Ever given, which was stuck in the Suez Canal for nearly one week, is now having another go. The vessel has finally returned to Port Said, Egypt, on Thursday night. Also, on Friday, the Panamanian-flagged, Japanese-owned ship began its journey through the canal. It was accompanied by two tug boats, reported state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram reported. Live ship-tracking showed the vessel successfully negotiating the early stages of the canal on its way toward the Red Sea. Also read | Settlement agreed to release Ever Given ship that blocked Suez Canal Earlier, owners and insurers of the vessel said that a formal settlement had been agreed upon in a compensation dispute. The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has held the giant ship and its crew in a lake between two stretches of the waterway since it was dislodged on March 29, amid a dispute over demand for compensation by the SCA. The Japanese-owned Ever Given had become stuck in high winds and remained wedged across the canal for six days, disrupting global trade. "Preparations for the release of the vessel will be made and an event marking the agreement will be held at the Authority's headquarters in Ismailia in due course," Faz Peermohamed of Stann Marine, which represents owner Shoei Kisen and its insurers, said in a statement.

Container ship Ever Given returns to Suez canal

A cargo ship ran aground and broke into two off northern Japan, the coastguard said Thursday, with the crew of the Panama-flagged vessel taken to safety.

Aerial images showed the separated stern of the Crimson Polaris tipped upwards and the other part of the stricken boat listing into the sea.

A fuel leak from the ship has spread around 24 kilometres (15 miles), a coastguard spokesman told AFP, but the extent of any environmental impact was unclear.

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VIDEO: A cargo ship ran aground and broke into two off northern Japan, the coastguard said Thursday, with the crew of the Panama-flagged vessel taken to safety <a href="https://t.co/Vr6HEMg5KA">pic.twitter.com/Vr6HEMg5KA</a>
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The 39,910-tonne vessel, the "Crimson Polaris," was carrying wood chips when it ran aground on Wednesday morning in Hachinohe harbour. It managed to free itself, but due to poor weather was unable to move far and ended up anchoring about 4 km (2.4 miles)out from the port.

"Crimson Polaris ran aground in Hachinohe port in Aomori," said the spokesman, who declined to be named.

"All the 21 crew members -- Chinese and Filipino -- were rescued safely," he said.

Three patrol boats and three aircraft were dispatched after the ship ran aground on Wednesday in the port off Japan's northeastern coast.

Authorities were trying to contain the oil leak but had not yet been able to erect an oil fence around the boat, the spokesman said.

"The patrol boats will operate overnight" to avoid collisions, he said, adding that no other ship was known to be involved in the accident.

A cargo ship ran aground and broke into two off northern Japan, the coastguard said Thursday, with the crew of the Panama-flagged vessel taken to safety. Aerial images showed the separated stern of the Crimson Polaris tipped upwards and the other part of the stricken boat listing into the sea.

A cargo ship ran aground and broke into two off northern Japan, the coastguard said Thursday, with the crew of the Panama-flagged vessel taken to safety. Aerial images showed the separated stern of the Crimson Polaris tipped upwards and the other part of the stricken boat listing into the sea. A fuel leak from the ship has spread around 24 kilometres (15 miles), a coastguard spokesman told AFP, but the extent of any environmental impact was unclear. VIDEO: A cargo ship ran aground and broke into two off northern Japan, the coastguard said Thursday, with the crew of the Panama-flagged vessel taken to safety pic.twitter.com/Vr6HEMg5KA — AFP News Agency (@AFP) August 12, 2021 × The 39,910-tonne vessel, the "Crimson Polaris," was carrying wood chips when it ran aground on Wednesday morning in Hachinohe harbour. It managed to free itself, but due to poor weather was unable to move far and ended up anchoring about 4 km (2.4 miles)out from the port. "Crimson Polaris ran aground in Hachinohe port in Aomori," said the spokesman, who declined to be named. "All the 21 crew members -- Chinese and Filipino -- were rescued safely," he said. Three patrol boats and three aircraft were dispatched after the ship ran aground on Wednesday in the port off Japan's northeastern coast. Authorities were trying to contain the oil leak but had not yet been able to erect an oil fence around the boat, the spokesman said. "The patrol boats will operate overnight" to avoid collisions, he said, adding that no other ship was known to be involved in the accident.

Watch: 39, 910-tonne ship splits in two and spills oil off Japan's coast

The container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March and has been detained there since is due to finally resume its journey on Wednesday after the owner and insurers reached a compensation settlement with the canal authority. 
 
One of the world's largest container ships, the Ever Given became wedged diagonally across a single-lane stretch of the canal for six days, disrupting global trade. 
 
The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) demanded more than $900 million in compensation for the salvage operation and other losses, later lowered to $550 million. It held the ship under court order as it pursued the claim, creating a dispute with the ship's insurers and Japanese owner Shoei Kisen. 
 
The ship and its Indian crew have been anchored for more than three months in the Great Bitter Lake, between two stretches of the canal. 
 
After protracted negotiations, an undisclosed settlement between the parties was reached and the SCA announced that the ship would be released on Wednesday. 
 
A ceremony is due to be held at the canal to mark the departure of the vessel, which is loaded with about 18,300 containers. 
 
Canal sources said the Ever Given will be escorted by two tugboats and guided by two experienced pilots.

The container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March and has been detained there since is due to finally resume its journey on Wednesday after the owner and insurers reached a compensation settlement with the canal authority.

The container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March and has been detained there since is due to finally resume its journey on Wednesday after the owner and insurers reached a compensation settlement with the canal authority. One of the world's largest container ships, the Ever Given became wedged diagonally across a single-lane stretch of the canal for six days, disrupting global trade. The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) demanded more than $900 million in compensation for the salvage operation and other losses, later lowered to $550 million. It held the ship under court order as it pursued the claim, creating a dispute with the ship's insurers and Japanese owner Shoei Kisen. The ship and its Indian crew have been anchored for more than three months in the Great Bitter Lake, between two stretches of the canal. After protracted negotiations, an undisclosed settlement between the parties was reached and the SCA announced that the ship would be released on Wednesday. A ceremony is due to be held at the canal to mark the departure of the vessel, which is loaded with about 18,300 containers. Canal sources said the Ever Given will be escorted by two tugboats and guided by two experienced pilots.

Ever Given container ship set to leave Suez Canal

The migrant rescue ship Ocean Viking has rescued 203 people, including 67 minors, in recent days, its owner SOS Mediterranee said Sunday.

The migrants came from Egypt, Gambia, Libya, South Sudan, Syria and Tunisia, the non-governmental organisation said in comments posted on Twitter.

They were rescued in four separate operations since Thursday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rest-of-collapsed-florida-apartment-demolished-ahead-of-tropical-storm-395845">Also read |&nbsp;Rest of collapsed Florida apartment demolished ahead of tropical storm&nbsp;</a>

In once rescue in the waters around Malta on Sunday, Ocean Viking picked up 71 migrants who were in an overloaded wooden boat that had embarked from Libya three days earlier, SOS Mediterranee said.

They had used up reserves of food and water and four people "had to be evacuated on stretchers", the group added.

Since the start of the year, 886 migrants have died in the Mediterranean while trying to reach Europe, according to figures compiled by the International Organisation for Migration.

SOS Mediterranee says it has rescued more than 30,000 people since February 2016.&nbsp;

The migrant rescue ship Ocean Viking has rescued 203 people, including 67 minors, in recent days, its owner SOS Mediterranee said Sunday. The migrants came from Egypt, Gambia, Libya, South Sudan, Syria and Tunisia, the non-governmental organisation said in comments posted on Twitter.

The migrant rescue ship Ocean Viking has rescued 203 people, including 67 minors, in recent days, its owner SOS Mediterranee said Sunday. The migrants came from Egypt, Gambia, Libya, South Sudan, Syria and Tunisia, the non-governmental organisation said in comments posted on Twitter. They were rescued in four separate operations since Thursday. Also read | Rest of collapsed Florida apartment demolished ahead of tropical storm In once rescue in the waters around Malta on Sunday, Ocean Viking picked up 71 migrants who were in an overloaded wooden boat that had embarked from Libya three days earlier, SOS Mediterranee said. They had used up reserves of food and water and four people "had to be evacuated on stretchers", the group added. Since the start of the year, 886 migrants have died in the Mediterranean while trying to reach Europe, according to figures compiled by the International Organisation for Migration. SOS Mediterranee says it has rescued more than 30,000 people since February 2016.

Rescue ship picks up over 200 migrants in Mediterranean

The 'CSAV Tyndall,' a cargo ship, was struck by an explosion in the Indian Ocean this weekend as it was making its way from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/iran-and-israel-from-allies-to-deadly-enemies-377928">Pictures: Iran and Israel: From allies to deadly enemies</a> 
 
According to a report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, defence authorities said they suspect Iran was behind the attack on the ship Tyndall, which was owned by a company chaired by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer, corroborating earlier accusations by the Lebanese media network Al Mayadeen.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-israels-policy-wont-change-with-bennetts-new-government-391297">Also read: Iran says Israel's policy won't change with Bennett's new government</a> 
 
The cargo ship was previously partially owned by Eyal Ofer, an Israeli shipping and real estate tycoon who sold his stake in the vessel a few months ago.&nbsp;

According to Israeli sources published by local media on Saturday, the alleged strike was carried out by Iran, possibly in retaliation for the bombing of an Iranian centrifuge production facility last month.&nbsp;

Longtime rivals Iran and Israel have been trading tit-for-tat strikes on each other's ships for months.

In February and April, Israeli-owned commercial vessels were attacked in the Gulf of Oman.

In April, an Iranian cargo ship was attacked in the Red Sea, and in June, Iran's largest navy ship sank in the Gulf of Oman after a fire.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The 'CSAV Tyndall,' a cargo ship, was struck by an explosion in the Indian Ocean this weekend as it was making its way from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates.

The 'CSAV Tyndall,' a cargo ship, was struck by an explosion in the Indian Ocean this weekend as it was making its way from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates. Pictures: Iran and Israel: From allies to deadly enemies According to a report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, defence authorities said they suspect Iran was behind the attack on the ship Tyndall, which was owned by a company chaired by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer, corroborating earlier accusations by the Lebanese media network Al Mayadeen. Also read: Iran says Israel's policy won't change with Bennett's new government The cargo ship was previously partially owned by Eyal Ofer, an Israeli shipping and real estate tycoon who sold his stake in the vessel a few months ago. According to Israeli sources published by local media on Saturday, the alleged strike was carried out by Iran, possibly in retaliation for the bombing of an Iranian centrifuge production facility last month. Longtime rivals Iran and Israel have been trading tit-for-tat strikes on each other's ships for months. In February and April, Israeli-owned commercial vessels were attacked in the Gulf of Oman. In April, an Iranian cargo ship was attacked in the Red Sea, and in June, Iran's largest navy ship sank in the Gulf of Oman after a fire. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran hit ship thinking it's owned by Israeli who had already sold stake

The owners and insurers of the Ever Given container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March said on Sunday a formal settlement had been agreed in a compensation dispute, and the canal authority said the vessel would be allowed to sail on July 7. 
 
The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has held the giant ship and its crew in a lake between two stretches of the waterway since it was dislodged on March 29, amid a dispute over a demand for compensation by the SCA. 
 
The Japanese-owned Ever Given had become stuck in high winds and remained wedged across the canal for six days, disrupting global trade. 
 
"Preparations for the release of the vessel will be made and an event marking the agreement will be held at the Authority's headquarters in Ismailia in due course," Faz Peermohamed of Stann Marine, which represents owner Shoei Kisen and its insurers, said in a statement. 
 
The SCA said the settlement contract would be signed on Wednesday at a ceremony, and that participants would be able to watch the ship leaving. 
 
Stann Marine gave no details of the settlement. 
 
Osama Rabie, the SCA chairman, said the canal will receive a tug boat with a pulling capacity of about 75 tonnes as part of a settlement, without mentioning any other details. 
 
"We preserved the rights of the authority in full, preserved our relationship with the company and also political relations with Japan," he told a private TV channel on Sunday evening. 
 
The canal earned revenue of $3 billion in the first six months of 2021, up 8.8% compared with the same period last year, despite the Ever Given accident, Rabie said. 
 
Shoei Kisen and its insurers said last month they had reached an agreement in principle with the SCA. 
 
The SCA had demanded $916 million in compensation to cover salvage efforts, reputational damage and lost revenue before publicly lowering the request to $550 million. 
 
Shoei Kisen and the ship's insurers had disputed the claim and the ship's detention under an Egyptian court order. 
 
Earlier on Sunday, an Egyptian court adjourned hearings in the compensation dispute to July 11 to allow the canal and the ship's owner to finalise the settlement, court sources and a lawyer said. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The owners and insurers of the Ever Given container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March said on Sunday a formal settlement had been agreed in a compensation dispute, and the canal authority said the vessel would be allowed to sail on July 7.

The owners and insurers of the Ever Given container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March said on Sunday a formal settlement had been agreed in a compensation dispute, and the canal authority said the vessel would be allowed to sail on July 7. The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has held the giant ship and its crew in a lake between two stretches of the waterway since it was dislodged on March 29, amid a dispute over a demand for compensation by the SCA. The Japanese-owned Ever Given had become stuck in high winds and remained wedged across the canal for six days, disrupting global trade. "Preparations for the release of the vessel will be made and an event marking the agreement will be held at the Authority's headquarters in Ismailia in due course," Faz Peermohamed of Stann Marine, which represents owner Shoei Kisen and its insurers, said in a statement. The SCA said the settlement contract would be signed on Wednesday at a ceremony, and that participants would be able to watch the ship leaving. Stann Marine gave no details of the settlement. Osama Rabie, the SCA chairman, said the canal will receive a tug boat with a pulling capacity of about 75 tonnes as part of a settlement, without mentioning any other details. "We preserved the rights of the authority in full, preserved our relationship with the company and also political relations with Japan," he told a private TV channel on Sunday evening. The canal earned revenue of $3 billion in the first six months of 2021, up 8.8% compared with the same period last year, despite the Ever Given accident, Rabie said. Shoei Kisen and its insurers said last month they had reached an agreement in principle with the SCA. The SCA had demanded $916 million in compensation to cover salvage efforts, reputational damage and lost revenue before publicly lowering the request to $550 million. Shoei Kisen and the ship's insurers had disputed the claim and the ship's detention under an Egyptian court order. Earlier on Sunday, an Egyptian court adjourned hearings in the compensation dispute to July 11 to allow the canal and the ship's owner to finalise the settlement, court sources and a lawyer said. (With inputs from agencies)

Settlement agreed to release Ever Given ship that blocked Suez Canal

Israeli defence officials were checking whether Iranian forces were behind a possible attack on a cargo ship under partial&nbsp;Israeli ownership on Saturday (July 3) on its way from Jeddah to the United Arab Emirates,&nbsp;Israel's N12 Television News reported.

The crew were not hurt and the ship, possibly hit by a missile, was not badly damaged and continued on its journey after the incident, N12 said, citing unnamed sources within&nbsp;Israel's defence establishment. Lebanese pro-Iranian TV channel Al Mayadeen had reported the incident earlier.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippine-military-plane-carrying-92-people-crashes-40-rescued-17-dead-395665">Also read |&nbsp;Philippine military plane carrying 92 people crashes; 40 rescued, 17 dead</a>

Ship-tracking data from Refinitiv Eikon showed the CSAV Tyndall container ship, which sails under a Liberian flag, was last docked in Jeddah and was now off the coast of Dubai.

Israeli defence officials were checking whether Iranian forces were behind a possible attack on a cargo ship under partial Israeli ownership on Saturday (July 3) on its way from Jeddah to the United Arab Emirates, Israel's N12 Television News reported.

Israeli defence officials were checking whether Iranian forces were behind a possible attack on a cargo ship under partial Israeli ownership on Saturday (July 3) on its way from Jeddah to the United Arab Emirates, Israel's N12 Television News reported. The crew were not hurt and the ship, possibly hit by a missile, was not badly damaged and continued on its journey after the incident, N12 said, citing unnamed sources within Israel's defence establishment. Lebanese pro-Iranian TV channel Al Mayadeen had reported the incident earlier. Also read | Philippine military plane carrying 92 people crashes; 40 rescued, 17 dead Ship-tracking data from Refinitiv Eikon showed the CSAV Tyndall container ship, which sails under a Liberian flag, was last docked in Jeddah and was now off the coast of Dubai.

Israeli officials say cargo ship possibly attacked en route to UAE

Hundreds&nbsp;of&nbsp;turtles&nbsp;have&nbsp;washed&nbsp;ashore&nbsp;after&nbsp;a&nbsp;ship&nbsp;caught fire and sank off the west coast of&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;in June in the country's worst-ever marine disaster, a court in the capital Colombo heard this week.

A fire erupted on the Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl on May 20, carrying 1,486 containers, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid along with other chemicals and cosmetics. It sank on June 2 even as salvage crew tried to tow the vessel away from the coast.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-launches-probe-into-fashion-groups-over-forced-uyghur-labour-395237">Also Read |&nbsp;France launches probe into fashion groups over forced Uyghur labour</a>

The Russian captain of the&nbsp;ship&nbsp;appeared in court on Thursday but has yet to be charged in a case environmental experts say is&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's worst man-made environmental disaster.

The toxins released from the&nbsp;ship&nbsp;have killed 176&nbsp;turtles, 20 dolphins and four whales, Deputy Solicitor General, Madawa Tennakoon, said at an initial court hearing on Wednesday.

A video by a local television station seen by Reuters showed carcasses of&nbsp;dead&nbsp;sea&nbsp;turtles&nbsp;and countless plastic pellets scattered over the shore with several volunteers working to clear them.

"There were more than 190 items of&nbsp;cargo&nbsp;(on the&nbsp;ship) and most of it was plastic-based," Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told reporters.

Hundreds of turtles have washed ashore after a ship caught fire and sank off the west coast of Sri Lanka in June in the country's worst-ever marine disaster, a court in the capital Colombo heard this week.

Hundreds of turtles have washed ashore after a ship caught fire and sank off the west coast of Sri Lanka in June in the country's worst-ever marine disaster, a court in the capital Colombo heard this week. A fire erupted on the Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl on May 20, carrying 1,486 containers, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid along with other chemicals and cosmetics. It sank on June 2 even as salvage crew tried to tow the vessel away from the coast. Also Read | France launches probe into fashion groups over forced Uyghur labour The Russian captain of the ship appeared in court on Thursday but has yet to be charged in a case environmental experts say is Sri Lanka's worst man-made environmental disaster. The toxins released from the ship have killed 176 turtles, 20 dolphins and four whales, Deputy Solicitor General, Madawa Tennakoon, said at an initial court hearing on Wednesday. A video by a local television station seen by Reuters showed carcasses of dead sea turtles and countless plastic pellets scattered over the shore with several volunteers working to clear them. "There were more than 190 items of cargo (on the ship) and most of it was plastic-based," Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told reporters.

Hundreds of dead turtles wash ashore in Sri Lanka after cargo ship wreck

Shipwrecks are certainly not a pleasant thing. Such incidents may have been given a cinematic touch in popular media but these are horrific tragedies. Fortunately, with modern technology and machinery, we are able to save lives in a much better manner but these events remain dramatic nonetheless.

Three ships sank in past one year. In Mauritius, near Sri Lanka and Iran. These events resulted in the spillage of pollutants into sea and beaches, while another blocked the most crucial trade waterway, the Suez Canal. And now, there are fears of an impending ship disaster in Yemen.

Yemen

<img alt="Yemen" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1a8c0100-7d9c-4c1d-b049-bd1e4679054c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9B99KV.jpg" />

Greenpeace, the environmental organisation warned on Thursday that a long-abandoned fuel tanker ship off the coast of Yemen may explode any time. Such a disaster will cause an oil slick in the Red Sea that can be disastrous.

As per media reports FSO Safer, the ship, has 1.1 million barrels of crude oil on board.

Sri Lanka

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Sri Lanka is bracing for an oil slick in seas off capital Colombo as container ship MV Express Pearl remains partially sunk as of June 4. The ship contains 350 tonnes of oil and other material. Sri Lankan navy and Indian coastguard battled flames on the ship for more than 10 days

 
Mauritius

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Last year, on July 25 Japanese-owned bulk carrier MV Wakashio crashed off Mauritius with 4,000 tonnes of fuel. It began leaking oil for more than a week. Later the oil slick reached the shore and coated corals, mangroves and other ecosystems that are very fragile. The ship split in two, and was forcibly sunken.

Iran

<img alt="Iran" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c27450ca-aa8f-4afd-9f5d-009e5c8834da" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9B88Q3.jpg" />

Iran navy ship Kharg 431 sank on June 2, 2021 after it caught fire while on a "training mission". It was one of Iran's largest naval ships. The circumstances leading its sinking are not yet clear.

Suez Canal blockage

<img alt="Suez Canal" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3fe819b7-07f9-49e0-8336-a6938d0bad40" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_96Z2NA.jpg" />

This is perhaps the most famous ship mishaps in recent times. In this case, the ship did not sink, but caused one of the biggest of global disruptions. MV Ever Given got stuck in the Suez Canal in an awkward position, stalling the traffic completely and affecting global trade.

(With inputs from agencies)

Shipwrecks are certainly not a pleasant thing. Such incidents may have been given a cinematic touch in popular media but these are horrific tragedies. Fortunately, with modern technology and machinery, we are able to save lives in a much better manner but these events remain dramatic nonetheless.

Shipwrecks are certainly not a pleasant thing. Such incidents may have been given a cinematic touch in popular media but these are horrific tragedies. Fortunately, with modern technology and machinery, we are able to save lives in a much better manner but these events remain dramatic nonetheless. Three ships sank in past one year. In Mauritius, near Sri Lanka and Iran. These events resulted in the spillage of pollutants into sea and beaches, while another blocked the most crucial trade waterway, the Suez Canal. And now, there are fears of an impending ship disaster in Yemen. Yemen Greenpeace, the environmental organisation warned on Thursday that a long-abandoned fuel tanker ship off the coast of Yemen may explode any time. Such a disaster will cause an oil slick in the Red Sea that can be disastrous. As per media reports FSO Safer, the ship, has 1.1 million barrels of crude oil on board. Sri Lanka Sri Lanka is bracing for an oil slick in seas off capital Colombo as container ship MV Express Pearl remains partially sunk as of June 4. The ship contains 350 tonnes of oil and other material. Sri Lankan navy and Indian coastguard battled flames on the ship for more than 10 days Mauritius Last year, on July 25 Japanese-owned bulk carrier MV Wakashio crashed off Mauritius with 4,000 tonnes of fuel. It began leaking oil for more than a week. Later the oil slick reached the shore and coated corals, mangroves and other ecosystems that are very fragile. The ship split in two, and was forcibly sunken. Iran Iran navy ship Kharg 431 sank on June 2, 2021 after it caught fire while on a "training mission". It was one of Iran's largest naval ships. The circumstances leading its sinking are not yet clear. Suez Canal blockage This is perhaps the most famous ship mishaps in recent times. In this case, the ship did not sink, but caused one of the biggest of global disruptions. MV Ever Given got stuck in the Suez Canal in an awkward position, stalling the traffic completely and affecting global trade. (With inputs from agencies)

Ships of woes: When ship disasters hit global headlines

A fire broke out in an Iranian navy vessel near the mouth of the Gulf, but the entire crew was able to safely disembark, the semi-official news agency Fars quoted a navy statement as saying on Wednesday. 
 
Firefighting operations continued on board the ship, which was near the Iranian port of Jask, situated on the Gulf of Oman, the statement said, adding that the vessel was on a training mission. 
 
The statement did not give the cause of the fire. 
 
In April, Iran said one of its vessels, the Saviz, had been targeted in the Red Sea, after media reports, the ship had been attacked with limpet mines. 
 
It was the latest in a reported series of attacks on Israeli- and Iranian-owned cargo ships since late February in which the two arch-enemies accused each other of responsibility. 
 
Last year, an Iranian warship accidentally struck another with a missile during an exercise, killing 19 sailors and wounding 15 others. 
 
The incident took place during training in the Gulf of Oman, a sensitive waterway that connects to the Strait of Hormuz through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes. Iran regularly conducts exercises in the area. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

A fire broke out in an Iranian navy vessel near the mouth of the Gulf, but the entire crew was able to safely disembark, the semi-official news agency Fars quoted a navy statement as saying on Wednesday.

A fire broke out in an Iranian navy vessel near the mouth of the Gulf, but the entire crew was able to safely disembark, the semi-official news agency Fars quoted a navy statement as saying on Wednesday. Firefighting operations continued on board the ship, which was near the Iranian port of Jask, situated on the Gulf of Oman, the statement said, adding that the vessel was on a training mission. The statement did not give the cause of the fire. In April, Iran said one of its vessels, the Saviz, had been targeted in the Red Sea, after media reports, the ship had been attacked with limpet mines. It was the latest in a reported series of attacks on Israeli- and Iranian-owned cargo ships since late February in which the two arch-enemies accused each other of responsibility. Last year, an Iranian warship accidentally struck another with a missile during an exercise, killing 19 sailors and wounding 15 others. The incident took place during training in the Gulf of Oman, a sensitive waterway that connects to the Strait of Hormuz through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes. Iran regularly conducts exercises in the area. (With inputs from agencies)

Fire on Iran navy ship at mouth of Gulf, crew evacuated: Report

International cruise ships will be able to dock in Spanish ports from June 7, the Spanish government said on Saturday, lifting a ban imposed when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The measure will be lifted due to the easing of the virus in Europe where most cruise passengers come from, as well as rising vaccination numbers, a transport ministry statement said.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-major-cruise-lines-to-restart-voyages-for-vaccinated-passengers-387358" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-major-cruise-lines-to-restart-voyages-for-vaccinated-passengers-387358&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjG-dXSm-_wAhW8wzgGHRu-DoIQFjAFegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0jMRQil-9M7Rj7Tw3vKef1" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-major-cruise-lines-to-restart-voyages-for-vaccinated-passengers-387358" target="_blank">Major&nbsp;cruise&nbsp;lines to restart voyages for vaccinated passengers</a>

It was also due to the falling numbers of virus cases in regions where most cruise ships dock.

The ban was first imposed in mid-March 2020 and later took the form of a resolution which was published on June 23 by Spain's Directorate General of Shipping (DGMM).&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-cruise-ships-could-sail-again-by-july-cdc-381640" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/us-cruise-ships-could-sail-again-by-july-cdc-381640&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjxhPLnm-_wAhVrxDgGHU7PCL84ChAWMAZ6BAgGEAI&amp;usg=AOvVaw3spKLrEtExRDaWdCBEAYl2" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-cruise-ships-could-sail-again-by-july-cdc-381640" target="_blank">US&nbsp;cruise ships&nbsp;could sail again by July: CDC</a>

Before the pandemic, Spain was Europe's second-most popular destination for cruise ship stopovers, the ministry said, indicating it played an important economic role for the Spanish economy.&nbsp;

In 2019, international cruises contributed around 2.8 billion euros ($3.4 billion)to Spain's GDP, accounting for some 50,000 jobs and 1.5 billion euros ($1.8 billion) in wages, the ministry said, citing figures from the Cruise Lines International Association.&nbsp;

With nearly 80,000 deaths and more than 3.6 million infections, Spain has been badly hit by the pandemic but the number of cases has slowed significantly as its vaccination programme has gathered pace.

International cruise ships will be able to dock in Spanish ports from June 7, the Spanish government said on Saturday, lifting a ban imposed when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

International cruise ships will be able to dock in Spanish ports from June 7, the Spanish government said on Saturday, lifting a ban imposed when the COVID-19 pandemic began. The measure will be lifted due to the easing of the virus in Europe where most cruise passengers come from, as well as rising vaccination numbers, a transport ministry statement said. Also read | Major cruise lines to restart voyages for vaccinated passengers It was also due to the falling numbers of virus cases in regions where most cruise ships dock. The ban was first imposed in mid-March 2020 and later took the form of a resolution which was published on June 23 by Spain's Directorate General of Shipping (DGMM). Also read | US cruise ships could sail again by July: CDC Before the pandemic, Spain was Europe's second-most popular destination for cruise ship stopovers, the ministry said, indicating it played an important economic role for the Spanish economy. In 2019, international cruises contributed around 2.8 billion euros ($3.4 billion)to Spain's GDP, accounting for some 50,000 jobs and 1.5 billion euros ($1.8 billion) in wages, the ministry said, citing figures from the Cruise Lines International Association. With nearly 80,000 deaths and more than 3.6 million infections, Spain has been badly hit by the pandemic but the number of cases has slowed significantly as its vaccination programme has gathered pace.

Spain lifts ban on cruise ship arrivals from June 7

Pakistan authorities have initiated a probe regarding a ship containing dangerous liquid which has arrived in Pakistan`s Gadani shipbreaking yard despite Interpol's warning.

Dawn reported that authorities have launched an investigation into the anchoring of a ship at the Gadani shipbreaking yard despite Interpol`s warning that the ship contains dangerous chemicals.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-fm-qureshi-rules-out-providing-military-bases-to-us-for-operations-in-afghanistan-387459">Pakistan FM Qureshi rules out providing military bases to US for operations in Afghanistan</a>

The Environment Protection Agency, Balochistan, has sealed the plot of Gadani shipbreaking yard, where the ship has anchored for scrapping and sent the samples of loaded material to three private laboratories in Karachi.

The Lasbela deputy commissioner has ordered the investigation and asked the authorities concerned to ascertain as to how the ship reached Gadani despite information shared with Pakistani authorities about the presence of dangerous material in the ship.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-security-assistance-to-pakistan-remains-suspended-pentagon-387246">US security assistance to Pakistan remains suspended: Pentagon</a>

"We have sealed plot No-58 where the ship was brought for scrapping," Imran Saeed Kakar, Deputy Director of Environment Department, Balochistan said.&nbsp;No permission was granted to the owner who brought the ship to Gadani for scrapping, he added.

The newspaper continued to report that the Deputy Director said the further process would start after receiving reports from the three laboratories."If the mercury sludge is found in more than the authorised quantity then a case would be registered against the person who purchased the ship through his agent from Mumbai and the plot would be sealed permanently and the owner would face legal action," he added.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistan-journalist-asad-ali-toor-attacked-by-masked-men-at-home-in-islamabad-387584/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to The News International, on April 22, Interpol had asked the Pakistan Interpol and FIA to&nbsp;not allow&nbsp;the ship into Pakistan.

The ship contains 1,500 tonnes of mercury mixed oil. Due to this, Bangladesh and India did not allow the ship. In Mumbai, the name of the ship was changed from FS Ordient to Cherish. After changing the name, the ship reached Karachi from Mumbai on April 21. The owners of the ship had succeeded to bring it to Gadani.

Pakistan authorities have initiated a probe regarding a ship containing dangerous liquid which has arrived in Pakistan`s Gadani shipbreaking yard despite Interpol's warning.

Pakistan authorities have initiated a probe regarding a ship containing dangerous liquid which has arrived in Pakistan`s Gadani shipbreaking yard despite Interpol's warning. Dawn reported that authorities have launched an investigation into the anchoring of a ship at the Gadani shipbreaking yard despite Interpol`s warning that the ship contains dangerous chemicals. Also Read | Pakistan FM Qureshi rules out providing military bases to US for operations in Afghanistan The Environment Protection Agency, Balochistan, has sealed the plot of Gadani shipbreaking yard, where the ship has anchored for scrapping and sent the samples of loaded material to three private laboratories in Karachi. The Lasbela deputy commissioner has ordered the investigation and asked the authorities concerned to ascertain as to how the ship reached Gadani despite information shared with Pakistani authorities about the presence of dangerous material in the ship. Also Read | US security assistance to Pakistan remains suspended: Pentagon "We have sealed plot No-58 where the ship was brought for scrapping," Imran Saeed Kakar, Deputy Director of Environment Department, Balochistan said. No permission was granted to the owner who brought the ship to Gadani for scrapping, he added. The newspaper continued to report that the Deputy Director said the further process would start after receiving reports from the three laboratories."If the mercury sludge is found in more than the authorised quantity then a case would be registered against the person who purchased the ship through his agent from Mumbai and the plot would be sealed permanently and the owner would face legal action," he added. According to The News International, on April 22, Interpol had asked the Pakistan Interpol and FIA to not allow the ship into Pakistan. The ship contains 1,500 tonnes of mercury mixed oil. Due to this, Bangladesh and India did not allow the ship. In Mumbai, the name of the ship was changed from FS Ordient to Cherish. After changing the name, the ship reached Karachi from Mumbai on April 21. The owners of the ship had succeeded to bring it to Gadani.

Ship containing hazardous material reaches Pakistan's Gadani, probe ordered

The owner of a container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March says the canal authority was at fault over its grounding as it disputes the vessel’s detention and a compensation claim, a lawyer representing the owner said on Saturday.&nbsp;

The Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, became jammed across the canal in high winds on March 23, and remained grounded for six days, blocking traffic in both directions and disrupting global trade.&nbsp;

The vessel has since been held in a lake between two stretches of the canal as the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) pursues a $916.5 million claim against Japanese owner Shoei Kisen.&nbsp;

An appeals chamber at Ismailia Economic Court held hearings on Saturday over the ship's detention, which the SCA is seeking to uphold following an appeal by the owner, as well as the SCA's financial claim.&nbsp;

Lawyers representing Shoei Kisen argued that the SCA had been at fault for allowing the ship to enter the waterway amid bad weather, Ahmed Abu Ali, a member of the legal team, said, adding that the authority failed to prove any fault by the ship.&nbsp;

Recordings from the ship that were presented to the court showed disagreements between SCA pilots and its control centre over whether it should enter the canal, Abu Ali said.&nbsp;

Lawyers for Shoei Kisen said the ship should have been accompanied by at least two tug boats suitable for the ship's size "but this didn't happen", he added.&nbsp;

The SCA did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but it has publicly denied being at fault.&nbsp;

Lawyers for Shoei Kisen also argued that the Ever Given's detention was legally flawed and that the work to release the ship was not "a salvage (operation) in the proper legal sense", meaning the SCA could not seek compensation for such an operation, Abu Ali said.&nbsp;

"This was one of the duties of the authority according to the traffic contract," he said.&nbsp;

Shoei Kisen is claiming $100,000 in initial compensation for losses related to its detention, he said.&nbsp;

The court was expected to issue a decision on the case on Sunday, lawyers and witnesses said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

The owner of a container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March says the canal authority was at fault over its grounding as it disputes the vessel’s detention and a compensation claim, a lawyer representing the owner said on Saturday.

The owner of a container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March says the canal authority was at fault over its grounding as it disputes the vessel’s detention and a compensation claim, a lawyer representing the owner said on Saturday. The Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, became jammed across the canal in high winds on March 23, and remained grounded for six days, blocking traffic in both directions and disrupting global trade. The vessel has since been held in a lake between two stretches of the canal as the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) pursues a $916.5 million claim against Japanese owner Shoei Kisen. An appeals chamber at Ismailia Economic Court held hearings on Saturday over the ship's detention, which the SCA is seeking to uphold following an appeal by the owner, as well as the SCA's financial claim. Lawyers representing Shoei Kisen argued that the SCA had been at fault for allowing the ship to enter the waterway amid bad weather, Ahmed Abu Ali, a member of the legal team, said, adding that the authority failed to prove any fault by the ship. Recordings from the ship that were presented to the court showed disagreements between SCA pilots and its control centre over whether it should enter the canal, Abu Ali said. Lawyers for Shoei Kisen said the ship should have been accompanied by at least two tug boats suitable for the ship's size "but this didn't happen", he added. The SCA did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but it has publicly denied being at fault. Lawyers for Shoei Kisen also argued that the Ever Given's detention was legally flawed and that the work to release the ship was not "a salvage (operation) in the proper legal sense", meaning the SCA could not seek compensation for such an operation, Abu Ali said. "This was one of the duties of the authority according to the traffic contract," he said. Shoei Kisen is claiming $100,000 in initial compensation for losses related to its detention, he said. The court was expected to issue a decision on the case on Sunday, lawyers and witnesses said. (With inputs from agencies)

Ship owner says Suez Canal was at fault over Ever Given grounding: Lawyer 

A US Coast Guard ship fired about 30 warning shots after 13 vessels from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) came close to it and other American Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon said on Monday.&nbsp;

This is the second time within the last month that US military vessels have had to fire warning shots because of what they said was unsafe behaviour by Iranian vessels in the region, after a relative lull in such interactions over the past year. &nbsp;

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the warning shots were fired after the Iranian fast boats came as close as 150 yards (450 feet) of six US military vessels, including the USS Monterey, that were escorting the guided-missile submarine Georgia. &nbsp;

The US Coast Guard cutter Maui fired the warning shots from a .50-caliber machine gun before the Iranian vessels left, Kirby said. &nbsp;

"It's significant... and they were acting very aggressively," he said, adding that the number of Iranian vessels was more than in the recent past. &nbsp;

In April, a US military ship fired warning shots after three vessels from IRGCN came close to it and another American patrol boat in the Gulf.&nbsp;

The latest incident comes as world powers and Iran seek to speed up efforts to bring Washington and Tehran back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear accord.&nbsp;

US officials returned to Vienna last week for a fourth round of indirect talks with Iran on how to resume compliance with the deal, which former US President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018, prompting Iran to begin violating its terms about a year later.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A US Coast Guard ship fired about 30 warning shots after 13 vessels from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) came close to it and other American Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon said on Monday.

A US Coast Guard ship fired about 30 warning shots after 13 vessels from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) came close to it and other American Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon said on Monday. This is the second time within the last month that US military vessels have had to fire warning shots because of what they said was unsafe behaviour by Iranian vessels in the region, after a relative lull in such interactions over the past year. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the warning shots were fired after the Iranian fast boats came as close as 150 yards (450 feet) of six US military vessels, including the USS Monterey, that were escorting the guided-missile submarine Georgia. The US Coast Guard cutter Maui fired the warning shots from a .50-caliber machine gun before the Iranian vessels left, Kirby said. "It's significant... and they were acting very aggressively," he said, adding that the number of Iranian vessels was more than in the recent past. In April, a US military ship fired warning shots after three vessels from IRGCN came close to it and another American patrol boat in the Gulf. The latest incident comes as world powers and Iran seek to speed up efforts to bring Washington and Tehran back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear accord. US officials returned to Vienna last week for a fourth round of indirect talks with Iran on how to resume compliance with the deal, which former US President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018, prompting Iran to begin violating its terms about a year later. (With inputs from agencies)

US military ship fires 30 warning shots after encounter with Iranian vessels 

A tanker carrying around one million barrels of oil products was involved in a collision near the Chinese port city of Qingdao, spilling oil into the Yellow Sea, China's Shandong Maritime Safety Administration and tanker representatives said on Tuesday.

The collision involving anchored Liberia-flagged tanker A Symphony and the Sea Justice took place at 0850 local time (0050 GMT), A Symphony's manager Goodwood Ship Management said in an e-mail.

"The force of the impact on the forward port side caused a breach in cargo tanks and ballast tanks, with a quantity of oil lost into the ocean," Goodwood said, adding all of the crew had been accounted for and there were no injuries.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="China's airline suspends cargo flights bringing medical supplies to India">China's airline suspends cargo flights bringing medical supplies to India</a>

It was not immediately possible to contact the owner of the Sea Justice.

"The oil spill came after a clash between two vessels," an official at the maritime safety authority told Reuters on condition of anonymity, confirming that no one was injured.

The A Symphony, a Suezmax tanker was last seen near the Qingdao port, live shipping data on Refinitiv Eikon showed.

The tanker called at Linggi International Transhipment Hub, near Malacca in peninsular Malaysia, earlier this month, where it fully loaded oil and set sail for China, the data showed.

When contacted by Reuters, an executive at Run Cheng International Resource (HK) Co said the company owned the 150,000-tonne cargo of bitumen on board A Symphony.

Bitumen, a mixture of hydrocarbons from residue in refining, is used for road surfacing and roofing. However, shipping sources said bitumen is typically moved in smaller vessels with specialised heating rather than suezmaxes.

The 272-metre-long and 46-metre-wide oil tanker was sold in May 2019 to its new owners Symphony Shipholding SA and NGM Energy, Equasis data showed.

Symphony Shipholding SA and NGM Energy could not be immediately reached for comment.

A tanker carrying around one million barrels of oil products was involved in a collision near the Chinese port city of Qingdao, spilling oil into the Yellow Sea, China's Shandong Maritime Safety Administration and tanker representatives said on Tuesday.

A tanker carrying around one million barrels of oil products was involved in a collision near the Chinese port city of Qingdao, spilling oil into the Yellow Sea, China's Shandong Maritime Safety Administration and tanker representatives said on Tuesday. The collision involving anchored Liberia-flagged tanker A Symphony and the Sea Justice took place at 0850 local time (0050 GMT), A Symphony's manager Goodwood Ship Management said in an e-mail. "The force of the impact on the forward port side caused a breach in cargo tanks and ballast tanks, with a quantity of oil lost into the ocean," Goodwood said, adding all of the crew had been accounted for and there were no injuries. Also read: China's airline suspends cargo flights bringing medical supplies to India It was not immediately possible to contact the owner of the Sea Justice. "The oil spill came after a clash between two vessels," an official at the maritime safety authority told Reuters on condition of anonymity, confirming that no one was injured. The A Symphony, a Suezmax tanker was last seen near the Qingdao port, live shipping data on Refinitiv Eikon showed. The tanker called at Linggi International Transhipment Hub, near Malacca in peninsular Malaysia, earlier this month, where it fully loaded oil and set sail for China, the data showed. When contacted by Reuters, an executive at Run Cheng International Resource (HK) Co said the company owned the 150,000-tonne cargo of bitumen on board A Symphony. Bitumen, a mixture of hydrocarbons from residue in refining, is used for road surfacing and roofing. However, shipping sources said bitumen is typically moved in smaller vessels with specialised heating rather than suezmaxes. The 272-metre-long and 46-metre-wide oil tanker was sold in May 2019 to its new owners Symphony Shipholding SA and NGM Energy, Equasis data showed. Symphony Shipholding SA and NGM Energy could not be immediately reached for comment.

Oil spills off China's Qingdao port after ship collision

Sri Lanka has asked a Chinese ship to leave the southern port of Hambantota after it was found to be carrying radioactive material, officials said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Anil Ranjith, the top official of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority (SLAEA), said that the ship was on its way to China from the port of Rotterdam when it developed technical difficulties and entered the Hambantota Port.&nbsp;

The SLAEA said the vessel had failed to disclose its radioactive cargo when it docked in at the port. &nbsp;

The ship was managed by the China Merchants Port Holding Company.&nbsp;

The main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa said in parliament that the Sri Lanka Navy, who is in charge of the Hambantota port security, had not been allowed to carry out inspections on the vessel. &nbsp;

"The local agent of the vessel had not informed the presence of dangerous cargo on board cargo when they sought permission from the Harbour Master to enter the port."&nbsp;

Ranjith said it was a commercial vessel, which carried radioactive material, the particular material served as fuel for nuclear power plants. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Sri Lanka has asked a Chinese ship to leave the southern port of Hambantota after it was found to be carrying radioactive material, officials said on Wednesday. Anil Ranjith, the top official of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority (SLAEA), said that the ship was on its way to China from the port of Rotterdam when it developed technical difficulties and entered the Hambantota Port.

Sri Lanka has asked a Chinese ship to leave the southern port of Hambantota after it was found to be carrying radioactive material, officials said on Wednesday. Anil Ranjith, the top official of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority (SLAEA), said that the ship was on its way to China from the port of Rotterdam when it developed technical difficulties and entered the Hambantota Port. The SLAEA said the vessel had failed to disclose its radioactive cargo when it docked in at the port. The ship was managed by the China Merchants Port Holding Company. The main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa said in parliament that the Sri Lanka Navy, who is in charge of the Hambantota port security, had not been allowed to carry out inspections on the vessel. "The local agent of the vessel had not informed the presence of dangerous cargo on board cargo when they sought permission from the Harbour Master to enter the port." Ranjith said it was a commercial vessel, which carried radioactive material, the particular material served as fuel for nuclear power plants. (With inputs from agencies)

Sri Lanka asks Chinese ship to leave Hambantota port after finding radioactive material aboard

The stranding of a container ship in the Suez Canal has created disruptions in the global shipping industry that could take weeks and possibly months to clear, top container shipping lines said.&nbsp;

Around 30% of the world's shipping container volume - including goods like sofas, consumer electronics, apparel and shoes - moves through the 193 km (120 miles) Suez Canal daily. Empty containers, which Asian factories need to ship goods, are also caught up in the backlog.&nbsp;

"Even when the canal gets reopened, the ripple effects on global capacity and equipment are significant," the world's largest container shipping company Maersk said in a customer advisory on Monday.&nbsp;

Maersk has three vessels stuck in the canal and another 29 waiting to enter, it said, adding that it had so far rerouted 15 vessels to sail south of Africa instead.&nbsp;

"Assessing the current backlog of vessels, it could take six days or more for the complete queue to pass," it said.&nbsp;

Switzerland's MSC, the world's number 2 line, said separately on Saturday, the situation was 'going to result in one of the biggest disruptions to global trade in recent years'.&nbsp;

"Unfortunately, even when the canal re-opens for the huge backlog of ships waiting at anchorage, this will lead to a surge in arrivals at certain ports and we may experience fresh congestion problems," Caroline Becquart, Senior Vice President with MSC said in a statement.&nbsp;

"We envisage the second quarter of 2021 being more disrupted than the first three months, and perhaps even more challenging than it was at the end of last year."&nbsp;

Container shipping companies have been struggling for months with disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic and a surge in demand for retail goods that led to wider logistical bottlenecks around the world.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The stranding of a container ship in the Suez Canal has created disruptions in the global shipping industry that could take weeks and possibly months to clear, top container shipping lines said.

The stranding of a container ship in the Suez Canal has created disruptions in the global shipping industry that could take weeks and possibly months to clear, top container shipping lines said. Around 30% of the world's shipping container volume - including goods like sofas, consumer electronics, apparel and shoes - moves through the 193 km (120 miles) Suez Canal daily. Empty containers, which Asian factories need to ship goods, are also caught up in the backlog. "Even when the canal gets reopened, the ripple effects on global capacity and equipment are significant," the world's largest container shipping company Maersk said in a customer advisory on Monday. Maersk has three vessels stuck in the canal and another 29 waiting to enter, it said, adding that it had so far rerouted 15 vessels to sail south of Africa instead. "Assessing the current backlog of vessels, it could take six days or more for the complete queue to pass," it said. Switzerland's MSC, the world's number 2 line, said separately on Saturday, the situation was 'going to result in one of the biggest disruptions to global trade in recent years'. "Unfortunately, even when the canal re-opens for the huge backlog of ships waiting at anchorage, this will lead to a surge in arrivals at certain ports and we may experience fresh congestion problems," Caroline Becquart, Senior Vice President with MSC said in a statement. "We envisage the second quarter of 2021 being more disrupted than the first three months, and perhaps even more challenging than it was at the end of last year." Container shipping companies have been struggling for months with disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic and a surge in demand for retail goods that led to wider logistical bottlenecks around the world. (With inputs from agencies)

Ship backlogs from Suez chaos could take months to clear: Container lines  

Iran on Saturday denounced an attack on Iranian ship as "sabotage". The ship named Shahr-e-Kord was hit with "an explosive device" while it was en route from Iran to Europe on Wednesday, as per spokesperson of Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines group (IRISL) which owns the ship.

Iran "received information confirming that the ship suffered a sabotage attack", foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement.

Khatibzadeh confirmed that the incident "caused damage to the vessel". He did not elaborate on type and extent of the damage.

He condemned the attack as "a flagrant violation of international law and maritime law".

IRISL&nbsp;called the incident a "terrorist action and an example of maritime piracy".

"A small fire started where the explosion had occurred, but it was quickly extinguished... and none of the crew were hurt," he said.

Khatibzadeh said Tehran was following up on the incident to "identify the perpetrators".

The ship was struck less than two weeks after Israel accused arch nemesis Iran of being behind an attack on an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman, charges Tehran has strongly denied.

The United States blacklisted IRISL in mid-2020 over what the State Department described as the transportation of items related to Iran's missile and nuclear programme.

Iran on Saturday denounced an attack on Iranian ship as "sabotage". The ship named Shahr-e-Kord was hit with "an explosive device" while it was en route from Iran to Europe on Wednesday, as per spokesperson of Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines group (IRISL) which owns the ship.

Iran on Saturday denounced an attack on Iranian ship as "sabotage". The ship named Shahr-e-Kord was hit with "an explosive device" while it was en route from Iran to Europe on Wednesday, as per spokesperson of Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines group (IRISL) which owns the ship. Iran "received information confirming that the ship suffered a sabotage attack", foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement. Khatibzadeh confirmed that the incident "caused damage to the vessel". He did not elaborate on type and extent of the damage. He condemned the attack as "a flagrant violation of international law and maritime law". IRISL called the incident a "terrorist action and an example of maritime piracy". "A small fire started where the explosion had occurred, but it was quickly extinguished... and none of the crew were hurt," he said. Khatibzadeh said Tehran was following up on the incident to "identify the perpetrators". The ship was struck less than two weeks after Israel accused arch nemesis Iran of being behind an attack on an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman, charges Tehran has strongly denied. The United States blacklisted IRISL in mid-2020 over what the State Department described as the transportation of items related to Iran's missile and nuclear programme.

Iran condemns 'sabotage' of ship in Mediterranean

As part of increased defense cooperation, India &amp; Vietnam have agreed on joint training of pilots by the respective Air Forces and training of forces to be deployed in UN Peacekeeping missions.

This was one of the key outcomes of the virtual meet between India's defence minister Rajnath Singh and Vietnamese defence minister General Ngo Xuan Lich that took place on Friday.

A readout of the meet from Indian defense ministry said both ministers,"discussed various ongoing projects and the future trajectory of bilateral Defense engagements...(and) expressed satisfaction that despite the COVID-19 situation Defense exchanges between both Armed Forces have maintained positive momentum.".

Both countries are also looking at collaborating in a number of domains of defense cooperation like shipbuilding, surface and subsurface capacities like submarines at sea. New Delhi has already extended defence Lines of Credit worth USD 600 million to strengthen Vietnam’s domestic defence manufacturing.

The release explained out,"Ministers discussed collaboration in Defence Industry capability building, training and cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Operations"

India assured Vietnam, a key partner in Indo-Pacific that it remains committed to the modernization of the Vietnamese Armed Forces during. Both sides also signed the agreement on Hydrographic cooperation that will enable the sharing of Hydrographic data and assist in the production of navigational charts by both sides.

The Vietnamese defence minister invited the Indian defence minister for ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) and also the meeting being hosted by Vietnam on 10 Dec through virtual mode.

As part of increased defense cooperation, India & Vietnam have agreed on joint training of pilots by the respective Air Forces and training of forces to be deployed in UN Peacekeeping missions.

As part of increased defense cooperation, India & Vietnam have agreed on joint training of pilots by the respective Air Forces and training of forces to be deployed in UN Peacekeeping missions. This was one of the key outcomes of the virtual meet between India's defence minister Rajnath Singh and Vietnamese defence minister General Ngo Xuan Lich that took place on Friday. A readout of the meet from Indian defense ministry said both ministers,"discussed various ongoing projects and the future trajectory of bilateral Defense engagements...(and) expressed satisfaction that despite the COVID-19 situation Defense exchanges between both Armed Forces have maintained positive momentum.". Both countries are also looking at collaborating in a number of domains of defense cooperation like shipbuilding, surface and subsurface capacities like submarines at sea. New Delhi has already extended defence Lines of Credit worth USD 600 million to strengthen Vietnam’s domestic defence manufacturing. The release explained out,"Ministers discussed collaboration in Defence Industry capability building, training and cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Operations" India assured Vietnam, a key partner in Indo-Pacific that it remains committed to the modernization of the Vietnamese Armed Forces during. Both sides also signed the agreement on Hydrographic cooperation that will enable the sharing of Hydrographic data and assist in the production of navigational charts by both sides. The Vietnamese defence minister invited the Indian defence minister for ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) and also the meeting being hosted by Vietnam on 10 Dec through virtual mode.

India, Vietnam to jointly train pilots, collaborate in shipbuilding

Lebanon has asked Interpol to issue arrest warrants for the Russian captain and owner of the ship that brought the explosive material that detonated at Beirut port in August, killing nearly 200 people, state media reported on Thursday.

About two months after the explosion that injured thousands and ravaged the Lebanese capital, questions remain about why and how the cargo was abandoned in Beirut.

Authorities have blamed it on the huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate, used for fertiliser but also for explosives, going up in flames after being stored in poor conditions at the port for years.

There have also been accusations of negligence against Lebanese authorities. Nearly 20 people have been detained in Lebanon after the blast including port and customs officials.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanon-army-finds-13-tonnes-of-fireworks-at-destroyed-beirut-port-328663">Also read:&nbsp;Lebanon army finds 1.3 tonnes of fireworks at destroyed Beirut port</a>

Lebanon’s public prosecution asked Interpol to issue warrants to detain the owner and captain, state news agency NNA said on Thursday, without naming them.

Boris Prokoshev was captain of the Rhosus ship when it arrived in Beirut in 2013, and he had identified Igor Grechushkin, a Russian businessman in Cyprus, as the owner. A security source and a judicial source said they were the two for whom Lebanon asked for arrest warrants on Thursday.

Russia’s national Interpol bureau declined to comment.

Grechushkin, 43, was questioned in Cyprus in August. Attempts by Reuters to reach Grechushkin were unsuccessful.

Cyprus police spokesman Christos Andreou said, regarding an Interpol request on Thursday: “We have not received such a request.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanese-artists-in-overdrive-to-restore-beiruts-beauty-331886">Also read:&nbsp;Lebanese artists in overdrive to restore Beirut's beauty</a>

Prokoshev, who is in Russia, said he had not heard anything about it and that he has not been contacted by investigators before.

He has told Reuters that 2,750 tonnes of the chemicals ended up in Beirut after the ship’s owner told him to divert to Beirut to pick up extra cargo in 2013. He has also said Lebanese authorities paid little attention to the ammonium nitrate, which had been stacked in the hull in large sacks.

The Rhosus had loaded ammonium nitrate in Georgia, shipping records show, before making the unscheduled stop in Lebanon.

But it never left, becoming tangled in a legal dispute over unpaid port fees and ship defects.

Beirut port authorities impounded the vessel after it arrived in late 2013 due to outstanding debts, according to a state security report which Reuters revealed in August. In 2014, the ship was deemed unseaworthy and its cargo was unloaded in October and warehoused in what was known as Hangar 12, the epicentre of the explosion.

The ship sank near the port’s breakwater in February 2018, the report said.

Lebanon has asked Interpol to issue arrest warrants for the Russian captain and owner of the ship that brought the explosive material that detonated at Beirut port in August, killing nearly 200 people, state media reported on Thursday.

Lebanon has asked Interpol to issue arrest warrants for the Russian captain and owner of the ship that brought the explosive material that detonated at Beirut port in August, killing nearly 200 people, state media reported on Thursday. About two months after the explosion that injured thousands and ravaged the Lebanese capital, questions remain about why and how the cargo was abandoned in Beirut. Authorities have blamed it on the huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate, used for fertiliser but also for explosives, going up in flames after being stored in poor conditions at the port for years. There have also been accusations of negligence against Lebanese authorities. Nearly 20 people have been detained in Lebanon after the blast including port and customs officials. Also read: Lebanon army finds 1.3 tonnes of fireworks at destroyed Beirut port Lebanon’s public prosecution asked Interpol to issue warrants to detain the owner and captain, state news agency NNA said on Thursday, without naming them. Boris Prokoshev was captain of the Rhosus ship when it arrived in Beirut in 2013, and he had identified Igor Grechushkin, a Russian businessman in Cyprus, as the owner. A security source and a judicial source said they were the two for whom Lebanon asked for arrest warrants on Thursday. Russia’s national Interpol bureau declined to comment. Grechushkin, 43, was questioned in Cyprus in August. Attempts by Reuters to reach Grechushkin were unsuccessful. Cyprus police spokesman Christos Andreou said, regarding an Interpol request on Thursday: “We have not received such a request.” Also read: Lebanese artists in overdrive to restore Beirut's beauty Prokoshev, who is in Russia, said he had not heard anything about it and that he has not been contacted by investigators before. He has told Reuters that 2,750 tonnes of the chemicals ended up in Beirut after the ship’s owner told him to divert to Beirut to pick up extra cargo in 2013. He has also said Lebanese authorities paid little attention to the ammonium nitrate, which had been stacked in the hull in large sacks. The Rhosus had loaded ammonium nitrate in Georgia, shipping records show, before making the unscheduled stop in Lebanon. But it never left, becoming tangled in a legal dispute over unpaid port fees and ship defects. Beirut port authorities impounded the vessel after it arrived in late 2013 due to outstanding debts, according to a state security report which Reuters revealed in August. In 2014, the ship was deemed unseaworthy and its cargo was unloaded in October and warehoused in what was known as Hangar 12, the epicentre of the explosion. The ship sank near the port’s breakwater in February 2018, the report said.

Lebanon asks Interpol to arrest Russian ship captain, owner over port explosion

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