The captain of a shadow Russian ship carrying oil captured by commandos is to appear in a British court.

Ajay Pant, 38, will appear at Southampton Magistrates Court tomorrow charged with contravening sanctions.

The Indian national and captain of the Smyrtos, has also been charged with directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited oil or oil products from Russia to a third country during June 2026, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

Royal Marine commandos and NCA officers seized the tanker in the Channel early on Sunday in the first UK-led operation to capture a sanctioned vessel.

The Smyrtos vessel is anchored off Weymouth, in Dorset where it is being monitored.

The 24 Smyrtos crew members, from Georgia and India, remain on board the ship.

Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ carries 75% of the country’s sanctioned oil, according to the MoD, and operates under obscure ownership as a way of getting around international sanctions.

Despite this, the UK has sanctioned more than 500 of its 700 vessels.

In another operation on June 1, the country intercepted a sanctioned oil tanker suspected of being part of the shadow fleet with UK support.

Speaking on Sky News hours after the capture, Lisa Nandy said: ‘One of the instructions the prime minister gave early on was that he wanted us to be on the front foot, taking that decisive action in order to keep the country safe and deal with the threat posed by Russia.

‘We’ve been able to successfully do that. I want to pay tribute to all the Navy officers involved in that; it is no small achievement, but it is also a significant blow to the Russians.’

MORE: World heritage site badly damaged in fire after latest Putin attack

MORE: Putin mouthpiece says Russia could ‘rig ships with bombs’ after UK intercepts oil tanker

MORE: British forces intercept Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in Channel

A ban takes the onus off the social media companies to clean-up their sites. If these sites are too dangerous for 15-year-olds to use them, what harm will they do to 16-year-olds when they are suddenly exposed to them for the first time with all the harmful content and algorithms unchecked. What is this content and continual doomscrolling doing to the rest of us – surely it would be better if the vastly profitable companies were forced to be more responsible for the sake of us all.

It is also unlikely that a ban will be watertight. Clever children will find a way round it; dark communication sites will appear long before parents know what is going on. Again, it feels that a better way would be for the existing sites to be made safe for use.

And an outright ban means our young people will not be able to benefit from the positive side of social media: its educational, organisational and social functions which so many adults find useful in this digital world.

The Government wants to act fast and look tough, and says its ban could be in place within six or so months.

We all want to see social media cleaned of its sexual and graphic content, of its lies and deliberate misinformation, and of its addictive algorithms, and the Government is right so the Parliamentary debate will need convince that this simple solution is the best way to tackle a complex problem.

The 24-year-old was missing for around nine hours before he got in contact with a relative, and although a suicide note was found in his car, it transpired that he had flown to Boston

A man charged with the sexual assault of two young girls faked his suicide and flew to Boston, a police detective told a court.

The Detective Constable also told Ballymena Magistrates Court that the PSNI had sent out an appeal regarding the safety and whereabouts of Curtis McCarthy as a “high risk missing person”.

The 24-year-old was missing for around nine hours before he got in contact with a relative, and although a suicide note was found in his car, it transpired that he had flown to Boston.

Having returned to Northern Ireland, McCarthy, from Joanmount Gardens in North Belfast, appeared in the dock and confirmed that he understood the 10 charges against him.

Alleged to have been committed against two girls in July 2024, McCarthy faces eight charges of sexual assault and two counts of possessing indecent images of children.

Giving evidence to the court, the detective said she believed she could connect McCarthy to each of the offences.

The investigator said while police were content for McCarthy to be released on continuing bail, given his weekend trip to Boston and “trying to fake his own suicide to avoid this court,” police were applying for extra conditions.

Releasing McCarthy on his own bail of £500 and adjourning the case to 2 July, District Judge Nigel Broderick ordered the defendant to surrender his passport and to report to police once a week.

The judge also ordered that McCarthy must reside at his home address and is barred from contacting the witnesses or complainants and prohibited from any unsupervised contact with children.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The Tartan Army have swapped pub crawls for sightseeing as supporters make the most of Boston’s attractions after Scotland’s opening World Cup win over Haiti.

The cultured Tartan Army are taking in sightseeing tours in a rare quiet moment before the chaos resumes later this week.

Scotland fans are enjoying some downtime in Boston, with fans able to relax and put their feet up thanks to our 1-0 win over Haiti at the weekend.

Supporters brushing off Boston Red Sox hangovers headed down to the Museum of Science on Monday before booking tickets for the city’s famous duck tours.

The popular sightseeing attraction, features a fully narrated 80-minute tours in replica World War II amphibious vehicles that travel on both land and water.

The signature highlight of the experience is a dramatic “big splash” directly into the Charles River for panoramic views of the Boston and Cambridge skylines.

Speaking to the Record before boarding, Fraser MacKenzie, 43, from Kilwinning, and his dad Donald, 73, from Paisley said they have been loving the American hospitality.

Donald, a retired operations manager, added: “It’s a great city. The people have been so welcoming. Every time they see the Scotland badge they come up to us – it’s been superb.

“We’ve really been making the most of the trip. We walked 13.4miles yesterday.

Fraser, who works in IT sales, added: “We’re heading on the tour of Boston down Charles River to see the main sights. We’ll be taking it easy on the step count today but still exploring the city. It’s been phenominal.”

Nieshia Boal, a 35-year-old change manager, and her dad John, a 60-year-old electrician, were watching on enviously after accidentally buying their duck tour tickets for the wrong day.

Nieshia, from Stevenston, said: “We just missed the duck tour there which is gutting – everything is fully booked. We are all getting right in amongst it.

“We’ve absolutely loved our trip. It’s been amazing. I feel so proud. When you see all our fans and the impact we’ve had on the city. People have come up to us and said ‘thank you so much for bringing joy to Boston’.

“I guarantee there will be no other fans that will come here and leave this mark on the city.

“We’ve done a lot of pub crawling bnut we’ve seen loads of the city too. We went to the game at Fenway Park yesterday. That was absolutely pumping – the Red Sox fans didn’t know what had hit them! It was so great to see all the Scotland fans there.”

John added: “We were at the game on Saturday too. The atmosphere was amazing. When Flower of Scotland was sang – that will stay with me forever. I think we will do enough to get out the group now. We’ve never been in a better position.”

Richard Taylor, who is 45 and works for Police Scotland, was heading to towards the museum with his son Lewis, 16.

Richard, from Cambuslang, told the Record: “It’s been a fantastic trip – it’s been like nothing we have ever experienced.

“We went to the fan zone yesterday which was brilliant and today we are going on the tour of the city before gearing up for the Morocco match on Friday.

“We’ve been squeezing in as much as we can. It has been a Scotland takeover. Everyone has been so nice and so grateful that we are here.”

Lewis added: “It’s been unreal. The atmosphere at the stadium was like nothing I’ve ever seen in my life too. I think the Morocco match will be a tough one but I think we will do enough to get the point.”

It was a quiet atmosphere in the city centre compared to the chaotic scenes on Saturday.

Mark Dunlop, 64, a publican from Ayr, Alan Gourlay, 64, a retired mechanic originally from Glasgow but now living in Sydney, Mark Craig, 64, a retired accountant originally from Ayr now living in Sydney, and Douglas Simpson, who is 64, retired and from Ayr, were heading on the city cruise.

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Mark said: “We’ve absolutely lucked out. It’s an amazing city and has been an amazing trip. We’re heading on the duck tour now and we’re heading to the baseball tomorrow. It think we are a couple of days late for that and a dollar short, but what can you do! That’s how we roll.

“We just need to be better organised and play a bit more positive on Friday. If we do that, we’ll get the result we need.”

Elsewhere Barbara Wilson, 79, Sheena Henderson, 79, and her son Alistair Henderson, 45, have been savouring every moment of their World Cup adventures.

The trio were also there at Fenway Park to embrace the chaos at the “Scotland celebration” baseball match.

Barbara said: “I don’t think the Red Sox actually knew what was coming.

“The whole stadium was singing Flower of Scotland and Super John McGinn.”

She laughed: “One fan turned around and said to me, ‘I have no idea who John McGinn is, but I like the sound of him!’”

Sheena said: “The atmosphere was just incredible. Everyone was so friendly. A couple of Red Sox fans who we were chatting to just couldn’t believe it. They’d never seen anything like it.

“We’re heading on the duck tour now. We are away home tonight but we’ve been making the most of our time here. I just wish we could stay for the Morocco game.”

Barbara piped back in: “You never know, we could be back if we get through this group! I was there in Turin 36 years ago we we suffered the heartbreak against Brazil but it’s going to be different this time. We’re going to beat Morocco and draw with Brazil.”

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The PSNI released the figures as it defended its approach to policing the violence that erupted after last week’s knife attack

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There have been 35 arrests made and 23 people charged to date after disorder broke out following the Belfast stabbing last Monday.

The PSNI released the figures as it defended its approach to policing the violence that erupted after a knife attack in North Belfast in which the victim lost an eye.

Homes, a bus and cars were set on fire in Belfast and elsewhere as people were targeted based on their race.

A week on from the disorder, senior officers defended the PSNI’s approach to tackling the disorder and said its officers had “undoubtedly saved lives”.

Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson rejected claims its response was “anything other than appropriate” and praised the work of officers, 42 of whom were injured during violence that erupted last week.

“Within 24 hours of the attempted murder of the man in Kinnaird Avenue, police officers had arrested and charged a man in relation to this horrendous attack,” he said.

“That day, we extensively appealed for calm and to allow justice to take its course. Sadly, what we saw following was inexcusable lawlessness and disorder across Belfast and beyond.

“Our officers worked under incredibly challenging conditions to calm disorder, protect lives and restore calm.

“During the peak of the disorder, people intent on chaos came out to burn homes and cars with people fleeing.

“Police officers were first to many of these scenes and helped people to safety, including a two-month-old baby.

“Responsibility for the violence, criminal damage, intimidation and disorder lies squarely with those who came out on the streets.

“Throughout this time, our officers have worked around the clock to protect life, prevent further harm and facilitate lawful, peaceful protests.”

He paid tribute to the officers for their display of “unwavering professionalism, courage, and resolve”.

“Once again putting themselves in harm’s way to keep people safe resulting in unacceptable injuries to 42 of them – they are a credit to us all,” he said.

“Throughout the disorder, there has been extreme, anti-immigration disinformation on social media, underscoring the reality that there are those in society who seek to use any incident in our communities to create misunderstanding, generate fear and provoke anti-migrant sentiment.

“We have been working night and day to ensure those who chose to bring violence to our streets are brought to justice.

“To date, there have been 35 arrests and 23 people charged to court by the Public Order Enquiry Team.

“The charges are for a number of offences including riotous behaviour, attempted criminal damage, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of an article with intent to damage property, disorderly behaviour and assault on a police-designated person.

“Those responsible will face the full force of the law.”

He added: “There can be no justification for the violence and disorder we have seen last week. The public can be reassured that they will continue to see a heightened police presence in towns and cities, and engagement will continue as we work to keep people safe.

“Our increased presence and engagement in local communities includes communicating through digital channels to ensure anyone caught up in potential disorder thinks again and walks away.

“We would also repeat our appeal to anyone who has been the victim of, or has any information on, any crime to contact police on 101, or 999 in an emergency. We can assure you that we will always act on concerns and information we receive.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

European champions Spain were held to surprise 0-0 draw by debutants Cape Verde in their World Cup opener, with 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha producing a standout performance for his side in their Group H clash.

MATCH REPORT: Spain 0-0 Cape Verde

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A last-minute meeting took place in America just before Iran’s World Cup opener vs New Zealand.

FIFA’s ban on pre-revolutionary Iran flags during the World Cup tournament will remain following a late meeting just before the nation’s tournament opener. Iran take on New Zealand at 2am BST on Tuesday morning.

It seems that the flag in question will not allowed to be seen. It was banned by FIFA, but was the subject of a lawsuit filed by an Iran fan intending to attend the game.

The flag is similar to the official flag but also features a lion and sun motif in the middle. It’s associated with the previous regime which was overthrown in 1979.

There will be more to follow on this breaking news story and Mirror Sport will bring you the very latest updates, pictures and video as soon as possible.Please check back regularly for updates on this developing story.Follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, Twitter, Facebook or visit The Mirror homepage.

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Marc Cucurella completed a move to Real Madrid from Chelsea on Monday with the Spain defender returning to La Liga in a £51.7million transfer

Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso is anticipated to explore the transfer market for a Marc Cucurella replacement. The defender has completed a £51.7 million move to Real Madrid.

The 27-year-old had been widely tipped to depart Stamford Bridge after four years with the Blues, though the swift nature of his exit caught many off guard. Cucurella disclosed just last week that he had been “filled with confidence” following discussions with Alonso while away with Spain on international duty.

Yet interest from La Liga swayed his thinking, with the prospect of Champions League football ultimately proving irresistible. Cucurella’s exit was formally confirmed on Monday morning, with the Spaniard penning a six-year deal with LaLiga heavyweights Real Madrid.

Cucurella established himself as one of the squad’s most vital players under both Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior last term. His departure leaves Alonso with a significant void to fill on the left flank of his backline, with only Jorrel Hato arguably viewed as a natural successor from their existing squad.

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Hato’s recent emergence was a key factor in sanctioning the Spain international’s exit. But Chelsea are said to be weighing up their options in the transfer market and may choose to recruit a replacement to prevent Alonso being left undermanned.

Here, Mirror Football examines five potential targets for the west London outfit to pursue this summer.

Valentin Barco

If reports emerging from France are to be believed, Barco is already a Chelsea player in all but name – with only a formal announcement still to come. The Argentina international posted a farewell message on his Instagram page in May without disclosing his next destination, yet every indication points to a short hop through the Channel Tunnel from the French Riviera to London.

The 23-year-old features in the Albicelesti’s World Cup squad, and his international commitments may be holding up proceedings. Nevertheless, rumours persist that Chelsea have struggled to agree a fee – despite the curious fact that their parent company, BlueCo, also owns the Ligue 1 outfit.

Should Barco make the move, he is well-acquainted with the wing-back role favoured by Alonso, though more recently he has been deployed as a central midfielder.

Lewis Hall

More than two years after departing the club under unusual circumstances, Hall could be set for a surprise return to Stamford Bridge. The left-back completed a permanent £28 million switch to Newcastle following an impressive loan stint at St. James’ Park.

Even so, Hall is a product of Chelsea’s academy, having come through the ranks at Cobham, and remains highly thought of by both the club’s hierarchy and its supporters. Hall is thought to be firmly on Manchester United’s radar as they hunt for a long-term successor to Luke Shaw, and should Chelsea intensify their pursuit, it could trigger a bidding war for the 21- year-old.

Newcastle may find themselves with little choice but to cash in after failing to qualify for European football next season, with reports indicating a fee of around £50 million could be sufficient to seal the deal.

Fran Garcia

Garcia looks set to be the casualty of Cucurella’s switch to Real Madrid after falling out of favour during the previous campaign. Madrid are already well-stocked at left-back ahead of signing Cucurella, with Ferland Mendy and Alvaro Carreras also vying for a starting berth, and at least one is expected to be moved on by incoming boss Jose Mourinho.

Garcia featured under Alonso at Real Madrid with mixed fortunes, though he ultimately edged out Carreras, who spent lengthy spells warming the bench.

The Spaniard flourished as a left wing-back under Alonso, a role he could slot back into should the manager implement his favoured 3-4-2-1 system at Stamford Bridge. The 26-year-old could be made available on loan if Chelsea wish to channel their transfer funds elsewhere, and the two clubs’ cordial relationship could prove influential should they register an interest in Garcia.

Maxi Araujo

Chelsea scouts may well have had their attention drawn to loanee Geovany Quenda during Sporting CP’s Champions League clash with Arsenal last season. Yet few would be shocked if those same scouts returned with glowing reports about Araujo, who shone brightest for the Portuguese outfit across their 1-0 aggregate exit.

Portuguese publication Record recently claimed Chelsea had been keeping close tabs on his situation at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

The Uruguayan has a £69.1 million release clause written into his contract, though the Lisbon club may be willing to accept a lower figure. They have shown a willingness to do business with the Premier League side previously, having sold Quenda and Dario Essugo in a double deal last summer.

Araujo, 25, is representing his country at the World Cup this summer, and Chelsea may feel a sense of urgency to get a deal over the line swiftly should the wing-back continue to catch the eye.

Alejandro Grimaldo

Experienced, creative and well-versed in the system. There can be few more obvious candidates for Alonso to bring in as a replacement for Cucurella than Grimaldo, who flourished under his management at Bayer Leverkusen.

The Spaniard enjoyed the finest spell of his career working alongside his compatriot, playing a pivotal role in Leverkusen’s remarkable title triumph in 2023/24, when they went the entire 34-game league season unbeaten. Despite operating as an attacking wing-back, the Spain international racked up 10 goals and 15 assists in the Bundesliga.

Even with his form tailing off last term, he still managed 26 goal contributions across all competitions for the German outfit. Yet recent reports indicate the 30 year old is edging closer to a switch to Atletico, potentially denying Alonso the chance to reunite with the seasoned former Benfica player.

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