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- Iran warns of imminent retaliation after US Marines seize cargo ship M/V Touska
- Police investigations reveal limits of crime statistics on convictions
- Tourist injured after falling into fish pond at Lanzarote hotel
- France and Poland enhance defence cooperation amid Russia’s threat
- Japan issues mega-quake warning after 7.7-magnitude earthquake today
- Slovakia to hold referendum on payment cuts for leaders on 4 July
- Shreveport authorities confirm identities of eight children killed in shooting
- Shooter kills Canadian woman and injures several at Mexico’s Teotihuacan
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Iran warns of imminent retaliation after US Marines seize cargo ship M/V Touska
5:00 am
Get you up to speed: Iran warns of imminent retaliation after US Marines seize cargo ship M/V Touska
U.S. Marines from the USS Tripoli seized the Iranian-flagged cargo ship M/V Touska during a six-hour standoff in the Gulf of Oman. The USS Spruance fired several rounds and disabled Touska’s propulsion before the boarding operation commenced.
Iran has indicated that it will “soon retaliate” following the US Marine Corps’ seizure of the M/V Touska, as stated by the Hazrat Khatam al-Anbiya military chiefs. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) noted that the M/V Touska “failed to comply with repeated warnings” prior to its boarding.
Iran’s top military command has stated that its Armed Forces will “soon respond to and retaliate against” the US military’s actions involving the M/V Touska. The ship is currently located off the coast of the port city of Beris.
Iran warns it will ‘soon retaliate’ after US forces seize tanker near Strait of Hormuz | News World
Iran has warned it will ‘soon retaliate’ after the US Marine seized one of its ships along the Strait of Hormuz.
The country’s top military command said the US has violated the eleventh-hour two-week ceasefire by firing at the M/V Touska.
Hazrat Khatam al-Anbiya chiefs said: ‘Aggressor America, violating the ceasefire and engaging in maritime piracy, fired upon one of Iran’s commercial ships in the waters of the Sea of Oman and disabled its navigation system.
‘They further assaulted the vessel by landing a number of their terrorist riflemen onto the deck of the mentioned vessel.’
The statement shared by the Iranian Mehr News Agency added: ‘We warn that the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon respond to and retaliate against this armed piracy by the US military.’
A helicopter ahead of an operation to board and seize the Iranian-flagged cargo ship M/V Touska (Picture: Reuters)
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Marines from the USS Tripoli seized the cargo ship yesterday during a six-hour standoff in the Gulf of Oman.
The USS Spruance, a guided missile destroyer, intercepted the tanker as it tried to sail towards the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.
Iranian ports are currently under a US blockade, a policy in response to Iran’s saying that ships passing through the Strait would need to pay a toll.
The Spruance fired several rounds into the area and boarded the ship after telling the Touska crew to evacuate the engine room.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that the M/V Touska had ‘failed to comply with repeated warnings’.
CENTCOM said Marines departed the Tripoli assault ship by helicopter and rappelled (descended by rope) and ‘disabled Touska’s propulsion’.
U.S. Marines depart amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) by helicopter and transit over the Arabian Sea to board and seize M/V Touska. The Marines rappelled onto the Iranian-flagged vessel, April 19, after guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) disabled Touska’s… pic.twitter.com/mFxI5RzYCS
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 20, 2026
Donald Trump added in a Truth Social post: ‘The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom.’
Iranian media reported that ‘aggressive’ American forces ‘opened fire on an Iranian merchant ship to force it to return to Iranian territorial waters’.
The ship is currently off the coast of the port city of Beris, according to the monitoring website MarineTraffic.
It comes after Tehran rejected taking part in a second round of peace talks as the US President threatened to flatten Iran’s civilian infrastructure.
Iran’s official state news agency, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), reported that Iran would not be taking part in the ongoing peace talks.
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Police investigations reveal limits of crime statistics on convictions
4:00 am
Police investigations reveal limits of crime statistics on convictions
Police Data Limitations
The statistics only cover police investigations, meaning no conclusions can be drawn about convictions or the actual number of offenders.
The statistics only cover police investigations, meaning no conclusions can be drawn about convictions or the actual number of offenders.
Study Limitations
The study’s findings are limited to police investigations, excluding conclusions on convictions or unreported cases, which affects the overall reliability of the statistics.
The study’s findings are limited to police investigations, excluding conclusions on convictions or unreported cases, which affects the overall reliability of the statistics.
Critical Insight
The statistics only cover police investigations, meaning no conclusions can be drawn about convictions or the actual number of offenders, raising concerns over the data’s completeness.
The statistics only cover police investigations, meaning no conclusions can be drawn about convictions or the actual number of offenders, raising concerns over the data’s completeness.
Latest details
The recent police investigations report highlights that the data does not encompass convictions or reflect the actual number of offenders involved. This limitation raises questions on broader crime statistics.
Additionally, the findings overlook unreported cases, further narrowing the scope of the research. This absence of data could potentially misrepresent the true extent of the issue.
Crime rates in Germany are falling but sexual offences are significantly on the rise
The statistics only cover police investigations so no conclusions can be drawn about convictions or the actual number of offenders. The study also does not include cases that are not reported.
Tourist injured after falling into fish pond at Lanzarote hotel
3:00 am
Get you up to speed: Tourist injured after falling into fish pond at Lanzarote hotel
A tourist has been injured at the five-star H10 Rubicon Horizons Collection in Playa Blanca after falling from the second floor into a fish pond filled with Koi carp and terrapins. Firefighters and medical staff were called to rescue the victim, who was then taken to Molina Orosa Hospital in Arrecife.
A tourist was injured after falling from the second floor into a fish pond at the five-star H10 Rubicon Horizons Collection in Playa Blanca, according to emergency services. The hotel stated it would not provide further comment, citing “client confidentiality.”
The tourist was transported to Molina Orosa Hospital in Arrecife for medical treatment after being rescued from the fish pond at the H10 Rubicon Horizons Collection. The hotel’s management has stated it will not make any public comments due to “client confidentiality.”
Tourist injured after falling two storeys into koi carp pond in Lanzarote hotel | News World
Firefighters and medical staff had to be called to rescue the plunge victim after the bizarre incident at the five-star H10 Rubicon Horizons Collection in the popular resort of Playa Blanca (Picture: SOLARPIX.COM)
A tourist has been injured at a Lanzarote holiday hotel after falling from the second floor into a knee-deep fish pond filled with Koi carp and terrapins.
Firefighters and medical staff had to be called to rescue the victim after the bizarre incident at the five-star H10 Rubicon Horizons Collection in the popular resort of Playa Blanca.
The alarm was raised around 11:30pm on Saturday.
The water in the fish pond the man fell into, thought to be two floors below street level next to a hotel buffet restaurant, was just over a foot deep.
Medical staff had already fitted him with a neck brace by the time firefighters arrived.
Emergency services are seen outside of the hotel after the incident on Saturday evening (Credits: SOLARPIX.COM)
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They lifted him out on a rescue board they had strapped him onto before taking him to a waiting ambulance.
He was then transported to Molina Orosa Hospital in the Lanzarote capital Arrecife.
The tourist’s nationality and age has yet to be released.
It was not immediately clear this morning what his current condition is and how he managed to fall and end up where he did.
The water in the fish pond the man fell into, thought to be two floors below street level by a hotel buffet restaurant, was only about 15 inches deep (Credits: SOLARPIX.COM)
Local police and Civil Guard officers were also mobilised by a regional government emergency response coordination centre but could not be reached today for comment.
The hotel where the incident occurred, which recently changed its name from the H10 Rubicon Palace, said it would not be saying anything because of ‘client confidentiality.’
The seafront adults-only establishment bills itself online as an iconic five star resort with an interior design inspired by the island of Lanzarote.
Playa Blanca is Lanzarote’s southernmost town and is very popular with British tourists.
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France and Poland enhance defence cooperation amid Russia’s threat
2:00 am
France and Poland enhance defence cooperation amid Russia’s threat
Defence Cooperation
France and Poland agreed to enhance defence cooperation, covering areas such as nuclear deterrence, military satellites, and joint exercises, amidst concerns over Russia’s military actions.
France and Poland agreed to enhance defence cooperation, covering areas such as nuclear deterrence, military satellites, and joint exercises, amidst concerns over Russia’s military actions.
Strategic Alignment
France and Poland are enhancing defence cooperation, focusing on nuclear deterrence and joint military exercises, demonstrating a significant response to the evolving security landscape in Europe.
France and Poland are enhancing defence cooperation, focusing on nuclear deterrence and joint military exercises, demonstrating a significant response to the evolving security landscape in Europe.
Joint Cooperation
“Our cooperation, whether in the nuclear domain or in joint exercises…is a cooperation that knows no bounds,” said Polish premier Donald Tusk.
“Our cooperation, whether in the nuclear domain or in joint exercises…is a cooperation that knows no bounds,” said Polish premier Donald Tusk.
Key developments
France and Poland have initiated plans for increased defence cooperation, emphasising areas such as nuclear deterrence and joint military exercises amidst evolving security concerns from Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
During the meeting in Gdansk, French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish premier Donald Tusk confirmed that French warplanes capable of carrying nuclear warheads could be deployed to Poland as part of this enhanced partnership.
France and Poland discuss boosted defence ties as US commitment to Europe wavers
France and Poland planned increased defence cooperation in a meeting of their leaders held on Monday against a background of Russia’s expansionist threat and a waning US commitment to Europe.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish premier Donald Tusk told a news conference in Gdansk, northern Poland, that the scope of the boosted ties between the two NATO members could cover elements of nuclear deterrence, military satellites, joint drills, defence industry and shared intelligence.
“Our cooperation, whether in the nuclear domain or in joint exercises…is a cooperation that knows no bounds,” Tusk said.
Macron said work would be done in the next few months allowing “concrete progress,” notably when it came to nuclear deterrence.
“There may be deployments” to Poland of French warplanes carrying nuclear warheads, he said.
While France has specified it would retain full control over the decision to use force, Polish forces could contribute in areas such as early warning and air defence, both sides say.
The public display of closer relations between the countries reflected adaptation by European Union nations of a changed threat environment and to US President Donald Trump publicly disparaging NATO and toying with the idea of pulling his country out of the alliance.
Trump has called NATO allies “cowards” and the alliance itself a “paper tiger” in frustration that its members did not join the US-Israeli war in Iran.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which shares a border with Poland, and growing concern, particularly among Baltic states, that Moscow may use its military and wartime economy to threaten NATO’s eastern rim are also spurring greater focus on defence.
‘Similar views’
Macron’s trip to Gdansk to see Tusk followed their two countries signing a treaty of friendship and enhanced cooperation in May last year.
During Monday’s visit, European industry giant Airbus, France’s Thales and Poland’s Radmor group announced an agreement on developing military communications satellites.
The accord on the geostationary orbiters, which would serve Poland’s armed forces, was signed in the presence of the French and Polish defence ministers.
On the eve of Macron’s arrival, Tusk said Warsaw and Paris “have very similar views on how to build Europe’s strength.”
One theme Macron has repeatedly come back to is a “European preference” for military procurement to ensure greater independence and self-reliance on the continent.
That has led to some tension with eastern European countries, including Poland, which are strongly attached to their relationship with the United States and whose forces rely on US-made weapon systems.
Poland, though, has in recent years massively invested in modernising its armed forces. Its military spending is among the highest in NATO and is expected to exceed 4.8% of GDP in 2026.
But the country has placed “colossal orders for American F-35s, Apache attack helicopters, Patriot missiles, and Abrams tanks”, a European diplomat close to the matter told the AFP news agency.
Poland participates in a new EU programme called SAFE (Security Action For Europe) that came into effect last year and under which countries can get EU loans to buy weapons and expand defence manufacturing.
But Tusk faces friction over that from his country’s nationalist president, Karol Nawrocki, who has called SAFE as a threat to Poland’s “independence.”
Poland is now led once again by a pro-European government following Tusk’s electoral victory in 2023 but it remains fundamentally attached to its relationship with the United States.
“Washington’s strategy has indeed changed” toward Europeans, Tusk said at a press conference. But “Polish-American and Euro-American relations” remain “very important,” he added.
Additional sources • AFP
Japan issues mega-quake warning after 7.7-magnitude earthquake today
1:00 am
Get you up to speed: Japan issues mega-quake warning after 7.7-magnitude earthquake today
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan, prompting tsunami warnings for waves as high as 3 metres. The Japan Meteorological Agency advised residents to prepare emergency supplies due to an increased risk of a mega-quake.
Japanese officials have warned of a potential mega-quake following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, which advised citizens to prepare emergency supplies. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that the government has established an emergency task force and urged residents in the affected areas to evacuate to safety.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has indicated an increased risk of a mega-quake off Japan’s northern coast, advising residents to prepare emergency food and grab bags. Additionally, non-binding evacuation orders have been issued to over 1,280,000 residents in various affected areas.
Fears of a mega-quake rise after powerful earthquake rocks Japan | News World
Japanese officials have warned the country could be struck by a mega-quake following the 7.7-magnitude tremor that sparked tsunami fears earlier today.
The strong quake erupted off the northeastern coast of Japan on Monday afternoon local time and prompted warnings of tsunami waves as high as 3 metres.
Locals in the Iwate prefecture and parts of Hokkaido were told to evacuate to higher ground before the tsunami warnings were downgraded to advisories.
This afternoon, around 4pm UK time, all tsunami warnings were lifted.
However, the Japan Meteorological Agency said there was an increased risk of a mega-quake off Japan’s northern coast, telling people to prepare emergency food and grab bags.
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Officials stressed there was still only a 1 per cent chance of such a major earthquake, which is classified as when a tremor is magnitude 8 or higher.
Tsunami waves as large as 80cm were recorded at a port in Kuji in Iwate after today’s 7.7-quake, with other areas of Japan recording smaller swells.
Non-binding evacuation orders have been issued to more than 1280,000 residents.
Milder tsunami advisory alerts have also been issued for the coasts of Miyagi and Fukushima, south of the epicentre.
The initial 7.5-magnitue earthquake was so strong people in Tokyo reported the capital ‘shook quite a bit’.
The tremor had an epicentre in the Pacific Ocean and was 10 km deep, according to the JMA.
A man in his 60s was injured in Hachinohe after falling down the stairs due to the shaking, while the exterior wall of a building peeled off elsewhere in the city.
Earthquakes with a magnitude between 7.0 and 7.9 are considered major and could cause serious damage, according to Michigan Tech university.
Iwate Garrison departed from Iwate Prefecture Office at 17:26 on April 20 (Mon) to gather information in response to the tsunami warning (Picture:@Gsdf_Camp_Iwate)
Tokyo-Aomori bullet train halted its operations after the earthquake, which measured an’upper 5′ on Japan’s seismic intensity scale.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters the government had set up an emergency task force and urged citizens in the affected areas to evacuate to safety.
Ships have begun sailing out of Hachinohe port in Hokkaido in anticipation of the tsumani.
Alerts have flashed across local TV blaring ‘Tsunami! Evacuate!’.
No abnormalities have been reported at the nuclear plants in the Aomori and Miyagi prefectures.
There are also no abnormalities at the Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant, which saw meltdowns in 2011 following a massive earthquale and tsunami.
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Slovakia to hold referendum on payment cuts for leaders on 4 July
11:00 pm
Slovakia to hold referendum on payment cuts for leaders on 4 July
Scheduled Referendum
Slovakia will hold a referendum on 4 July to decide whether to cancel lifelong payments for Prime Minister Robert Fico and other leaders after their terms expire.
Slovakia will hold a referendum on 4 July to decide whether to cancel lifelong payments for Prime Minister Robert Fico and other leaders after their terms expire.
Voter Engagement
Over 350,000 citizens signed the petition for the referendum, demonstrating substantial public interest in governance reforms and accountability in Slovak leadership.
Over 350,000 citizens signed the petition for the referendum, demonstrating substantial public interest in governance reforms and accountability in Slovak leadership.
Official Statement
President Peter Pellegrini confirmed, “The referendum is scheduled to take place on 4 July, alongside a vote on whether to reopen the office of the special prosecutor.”
President Peter Pellegrini confirmed, “The referendum is scheduled to take place on 4 July, alongside a vote on whether to reopen the office of the special prosecutor.”
Key developments
Slovakia will hold a referendum on 4 July to address the discontinuation of lifetime payments for Prime Minister Robert Fico and fellow leaders after their terms end, confirmed President Peter Pellegrini.
Alongside payment cancellation, voters will decide on reopening the special prosecutor’s office, previously involved in tackling major crime and corruption, following widespread protests against its closure.
Slovakia to vote in July referendum on scrapping lifelong payments for politicians
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Slovakia will hold a referendum in summer to decide whether to cancel lifelong payments for Prime Minister Robert Fico and other leaders after their terms in office expire, the country’s president said on Monday.
According to President Peter Pellegrini, the vote is scheduled to take place on 4 July.
At the same time, Slovaks will also vote on whether to reopen the office of the special prosecutor that used to deal with major crime and corruption.
The referendum follows a petition organised by the Democrats, a non-parliamentary pro-Western opposition party, and signed by more than 350,000 citizens, the threshold required by law.
However, Pellegrini said the referendum would not ask people whether they support an early parliamentary election.
Based on a 2021 ruling by the country’s highest legal authority, the Constitutional Court, such a question is unconstitutional, he said.
Slovak prime ministers and parliament speakers who served at least two terms in office receive a lifelong payment, a monthly sum that equals the salaries of lawmakers in Parliament, as part of measures to boost security for leading politicians.
The payments were introduced following a 2024 assassination attempt on Fico, who was shot and gravely wounded at a pre-election event, shocking the country and reverberating across Europe. Before, the benefit was provided only to former presidents.
Later in 2024, Slovak lawmakers approved a plan by Fico’s coalition government to abolish the special prosecutor’s office, which handled serious crimes such as graft, organised crime and extremism.
The legislation faced sharp criticism at home and abroad while thousands of Slovaks repeatedly took to the streets to protest against the law. A number of people linked to Fico’s party faced prosecution in corruption scandals.
Only one referendum in Slovakia’s history, the 2003 vote on the country’s European Union membership, was successful. Others failed due to low turnout.
Fico has been a divisive figure since returning to power in 2023. There have been numerous protests against his perceived pro-Russia stance.
Additional sources • AP
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