Moscow: Russia on Wednesday criticised the United States over the seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic, saying no country has the right to use force against vessels on the high seas, The New Indian Express reported.
Russia’s transport ministry reportedly said, "In accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, freedom of navigation applies in waters on the high seas, and no state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered under the jurisdiction of other states," Russia's transport ministry said in a statement.
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The vessel, earlier named Bella-1 and later renamed Marinera, was granted temporary permission to sail under the Russian flag on December 24, the ministry said. It added that contact with the ship was lost after US naval forces boarded it in international waters, beyond the territorial limits of any state.
US officials said the tanker was part of a so-called shadow fleet used to transport oil for countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran in violation of US sanctions.
The ship had earlier evaded a boarding attempt near Venezuela last month. US forces eventually seized it in the North Atlantic under a warrant issued by a US federal court," US European Command, which oversees American forces in the region, said in a statement on X.
Following the operation, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said the US blockade on Venezuelan oil was in full effect "anywhere in the world."
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Jhajjar (PTI): A chartered accountant has been arrested for allegedly killing his pregnant wife by slitting her throat with a pair of scissors and trying to pass it off as a robbery attempt, police said on Wednesday.
According to police, Anshul Dhawan (31) got married to Mehak (27) in September last year. Both worked in Gurugram.
Police received a call on Sunday night reporting that some unidentified people tried to rob Anshul, took his car and kidnapped his wife, SHO Badli, Inspector Suresh said.
When police reached the spot, they found the woman's body near a dry canal with injury marks on her neck, he said.
Suspecting inconsistencies in Anshul's version of events, police took him into custody for interrogation. He confessed that he had killed Mehak with a pair of scissors, wearing gloves, over suspicions about her character, SHO said.
"During his questioning, it came to light that he had pre-planned the murder. His wife worked in a private bank in Gurugram. He had doubts that she talked to her friends, and he did not like it," SHO added. Following the confession, Anshul was arrested on Monday.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police said.
Mehak's sister, Shruti, told the reporters that the family had doubts that Anshul was involved in the murder. She said, "We want justice; the killer should be hanged. He did not even think that his wife was two months pregnant."
She said on February 15, Anshul came to their house and stayed only for ten minutes and left with Mehal for Gurugram.
Shruti alleged that Anshul had pre-planned the murder.
