PARIS – At least three migrants died in the Channel off northern France on Sunday as a group of around 50 people tried to set off in a small boat heading for Britain, authorities said. The incident occurred at Sangatte at around 6 a.m. (0500 GMT) during a series of attempted crossings by migrants aiming for the southern coast of England, the French maritime prefecture for the Channel said in a statement. Three migrants were confirmed dead after being found unconscious, while another 45 people were rescued and treated mostly for hypothermia, the authority said. A search operation continued for other possible victims, it added. Several dozen migrants have died this year attempting to cross the Channel, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, in crowded makeshift vessels to reach Britain. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose Labour Party swept to office after an election in July, has prioritised cracking down on illegal migration by tackling the gangs who smuggle people across the Channel.

“This morning, lives have been lost at sea because ruthless criminals running the small boat trade are overloading people into unseaworthy vessels,” Angela Eagle, British minister for border security and asylum, said in a statement on Sunday. The British government is supporting the French authorities who are leading on the response to the incident, which took place in French waters, she added. Nearly 30,000 people arrived in Britain by small boats in the year ending September, 2024, government data showed in November. Close to 1,500 people have arrived in the four days since Christmas. (Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his annual end-of-year press conference in Moscow on December 19, 2024. Emergency specialists work at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet near the western Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25, 2024. The Embraer 190 aircraft was supposed to fly northwest from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to the city of Grozny in Chechnya in southern Russia, but instead diverted far off course across the Caspian Sea. It crashed on December 25, 2024 near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. (Photo by Issa Tazhenbayev  South Korea’s ruling People Power Party lawmakers, bottom, argue to National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, center top, during the plenary session for the impeachment vote of acting president Han Duck-soo at the National Assembly in Seoul on December 27, 2024. South Korea’s ruling People Power Party lawmakers, bottom, argue to National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, center top, during the plenary session for the impeachment vote of acting president Han Duck-soo at the National Assembly in Seoul on December 27, 2024.

The signs point to a Russian system striking Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 before it crashed near the city of Aktau, the US official said Thursday. Russian air defense units may have fired on the commercial airliner believing it was a long-range Ukrainian attack drone, they added Friday. On Saturday, Putin “apologized for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace” in a phone call with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, adding that Russian air defenses were active at the time but stopping shot of admitting fault.

Thirty-eight of the 67 people on board died in the crash. Among the survivors were two children. The plane was traveling from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to Grozny, the capital city of the southern Russian republic of Chechnya, before it made an emergency landing approximately 3 kilometers 1.8 miles from Aktau, Azerbaijan Airlines said on Wednesday. According to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, the plane set off on Wednesday at 7:55 a.m. Azerbaijan Standard Time 10:55 p.m. Tuesday ET and crashed about two-and-a-half hours later. Officials did not immediately explain why the plane had crossed the Caspian Sea, when Baku and Grozny are to its west and Aktau is to its east.  (CNN)

The Private Sector Commission PSC has praised the United States Export Import US EXIM Bank for approving a US$527 million loan to support the transformative” Gas-to-Energy GTE project in Guyana. In a statement to the media on Friday, the body said this initiative marks a significant milestone in Guyana’s efforts to enhance its energy capacity and reduce dependence on oil imports. On December 26, the Bank announced, “Today, the Board of Directors at the Export-Import Bank of the United States EXIM approved $527 million to the Ministry of Finance of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to support a gas-to-energy project that will strengthen the country’s energy security by doubling the country’s installed electric capacity.

The local private sector body noted that the project, which will see the construction of a natural gas separation plant, a 300 MW combined-cycle gas turbine power plant, and a gas supply pipeline, underscores the strong partnership between Guyana and the United States. It was keen to point out that the investment is not only expected to double Guyana’s installed electric capacity, but will substantially reduce carbon emissions and stimulate economic activity through job creation and infrastructure development. The PSC welcomes this collaboration between the U.S., ExxonMobil, and joint venture partners Lindsayca and CH4 Systems. By facilitating cutting-edge technology and expertise, this project positions Guyana to achieve greater energy security and economic diversification while fostering regional competitiveness,” the body stated.

It also commended the United States Embassy in Guyana for its continued support and proactive engagement in advancing initiatives that contribute to Guyana’s sustainable development. The PSC said the Embassy’s role in fostering bilateral partnerships has been instrumental in securing critical investments like this, which align with the country’s growth priorities. Meanwhile, Chairman of the PSC, Komal Singh noted, “The Private Sector Commission acknowledges the U.S. EXIM Bank’s commitment to advancing energy solutions that align with Guyana’s development agenda. We believe this project will serve as a cornerstone for sustainable economic growth and support the aspirations of our people.

(Kaieteur News)

Photo: Chairman of the PSC, Komal Singh.

FINLAND – The Helsinki police department say the vessel, which was boarded on Thursday, was moved to inner anchorage near Porvoo as a better place to carry out an investigation. Authorities in Finland have moved an impounded Russia-linked tanker closer to port after seizing control of the vessel earlier this week. The Eagle S is suspected of damaging the Estlink-2 power cable which runs under the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia by dragging its anchor along the seabed. The Estlink-2 power cable, which takes electricity from Finland to Estonia under the Baltic Sea, went down on Wednesday but there was little impact to services. The Helsinki police department say the vessel, which was boarded on Thursday, was moved to inner anchorage near Porvoo as a better place to carry out an investigation.

The Eagle S is flagged in the Cook Islands but has been described by Finnish customs and EU officials as being part of Russia’s shadow fleet of tankers shipping oil and gas in defiance of international sanctions imposed over the war in Ukraine.

The aging vessels, often with obscure ownership, routinely operate without Western-regulated insurance. Russia’s use of the vessels has raised environmental concerns about accidents given their age and uncertain insurance coverage. On Friday, NATO chief Mark Rutte said he’d spoken to Finland’s President Alexander Stubb and agreed that, “NATO will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea.” Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia, abandoned its decades-old policy of military neutrality and joined NATO in 2023 in response to the invasion of Ukraine. (Euronews)

Photo: The Eagle S oil tanker at sea outside Porkkalanniemi. (AP)