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European nations, Japan to join ‘appropriate efforts’ to open Hormuz Strait

Several European nations and Japan have issued a joint statement saying they would take steps to stabilise energy markets, a day after several strikes on energy facilities in the Gulf region sent oil and gas prices soaring amid the United States-Israel war on Iran.

The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan issued a joint statement on Thursday expressing their “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the [Hormuz] Strait.”

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They did not specify what those efforts may entail but urged for “an immediate comprehensive moratorium on attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations”.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) last week authorised a coordinated release of its members’ strategic petroleum reserves, the largest in its history, in an attempt to counter rising global energy prices. “We will take other steps to stabilise energy markets, including working with certain producing nations ‌to increase output,” the statement said.

Markets have been hammered since the start of the war on February 28, with Tehran hitting sites across the Gulf and effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global oil and gas flows.

European leaders have rejected demands by United States President Donald Trump ⁠to help ensure freedom of navigation in the Gulf’s key oil chokepoint by deploying warships as part of a naval coalition.

Thursday’s joint statement came ahead of a long-scheduled White House meeting between Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, aimed at burnishing the decades-old security and economic partnership between Washington and its closest East Asian ally.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said before the meeting on Thursday that he would expect that Japan, which gets 95 percent of its crude oil supplies from the Gulf, would want to ensure its supplies are safe.

Takaichi has sought to move Japan away from ⁠a pacifist constitution imposed by Washington after World War II, but with the Iran war unpopular at home, she has so far not offered to assist in clearing the Strait of Hormuz.

The Japanese prime minister told parliament on Monday that Tokyo had received no official request from the US, but was checking the scope of possible action within the limits of its constitution.

Soaring energy prices

Major economies have been scrambling to cushion the impact of soaring energy prices after the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces.

Concerns were compounded on Wednesday when Iran hit the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility, Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, in retaliation for an Israeli attack on its South Pars gas field.

QatarEnergy reported “extensive damage” from Iranian missiles in Ras Laffan, which produces about 20 percent of the world’s LNG supply and plays a major role in balancing Asian and European markets’ demand for the fuel.

The company’s CEO, Saad al-Kaabi, said Iran’s attacks damaged facilities that produce ⁠17 percent of QatarEnergy’s LNG exports and that it would take ‌three to five years to repair.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said Iran’s claims that it is targeting US bases are “unacceptable and unjustified”, as the attack on Ras Laffan shows that it is targeting energy infrastructure that is vital for Qatar and the entire world.

Energy prices have soared and stocks sunk amid the region’s protracted instability, reigniting fears over global supplies and inflation as well as the likely damage to economic growth.

European gas prices were up 25 percent and Brent crude oil futures nearly 6 percent at $113 at 13:00 GMT on Thursday after briefly surging about 10 percent. European gas prices have leapt by over 60 percent since the war began on February 28.

James Meadway, co-director of the Verdant economic policy think tank, said this would not be “a temporary blip” in the prices of oil and gas.

“In addition to the Strait of Hormuz being blocked, we now have a severe disruption to the basic production of oil and gas,” Meadway told Al Jazeera.

Four Ireland players in Six Nations team of year

Richard Petrie

BBC Sport NI journalist
  • 86 Comments

Four Ireland players have been named in the Men’s Six Nations team of the championship, as voted for by fans, but no England players have been selected.

France, who retained the title in the most dramatic of circumstances by beating England in Paris, also have four players chosen, while Italy and Scotland boast three inclusions and Wales one.

Ireland achieving their fourth Triple Crown in five years is reflected in the selection of centre Stuart McCloskey and forwards Tadhg Beirne, Caelan Doris and Jack Conan.

Champions France are represented by prolific wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey, legendary scrum-half Antoine Dupont, full-back Thomas Ramos and second row Mickael Guillard.

Bielle-Biarrey scored nine tries, a new record for the competition, including four in the decisive victory over England, which saw his side edge out Ireland to secure tournament success.

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Wing Kyle Steyn, fly-half Finn Russell and back row Rory Darge are named from a Scotland side which recovered from an opening defeat by Italy to claim three wins and secure third place in the championship.

Italy won two matches in finishing fourth in the table, with their performance reflected in the selection of hooker Giacomo Nicotera, prop Simone Ferrari and centre Tommaso Menoncello.

Prop Rhys Carre, who went over for a storming score against Ireland, is the sole representative from Wales, who finished their campaign on a high by sealing victory over the Italians.

England’s only win of the tournament came against Wales in their opening game as their fifth-place finish, with just eight points, was their worst in the history of the Six Nations.

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Four Irish but no English in Six Nations team of year

Richard Petrie

BBC Sport NI journalist
  • 65 Comments

Four Ireland players have been named in the Men’s Six Nations team of the championship, as voted for by fans, but no England players have been selected.

France, who retained the title in the most dramatic of circumstances by beating England in Paris, also have four players chosen, while Italy and Scotland boast three inclusions and Wales one.

Ireland achieving their fourth Triple Crown in five years is reflected in the selection of centre Stuart McCloskey and forwards Tadhg Beirne, Caelan Doris and Jack Conan.

Champions France are represented by prolific wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey, legendary scrum-half Antoine Dupont, full-back Thomas Ramos and second row Mickael Guillard.

Bielle-Biarrey scored nine tries, a new record for the competition, including four in the decisive victory over England, which saw his side edge out Ireland to secure tournament success.

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Wing Kyle Steyn, fly-half Finn Russell and back row Rory Darge are named from a Scotland side which recovered from an opening defeat by Italy to claim three wins and secure third place in the championship.

Italy won two matches in finishing fourth in the table, with their performance reflected in the selection of hooker Giacomo Nicotera, prop Simone Ferrari and centre Tommaso Menoncello.

Prop Rhys Carre, who went over for a storming score against Ireland, is the sole representative from Wales, who finished their campaign on a high by sealing victory over the Italians.

England’s only win of the tournament came against Wales in their opening game as their fifth-place finish, with just eight points, was their worst in the history of the Six Nations.

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Related topics

  • Scottish Rugby
  • Irish Rugby
  • Northern Ireland Sport
  • Rugby Union

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Tiwa Savage, Odumodublvck Lead SXSW London 2026 Line-Up

SXSW London has announced the first wave of artistes for its 2026 edition, with a diverse lineup set to transform East London into a global hub of music and culture.

The festival, which returns following an inaugural outing, will take place from June 1 to 6, 2026.

Events will be held across multiple venues, clubs and cultural spaces in Shoreditch, reflecting both the UK music scene and its connection to international talent.

Leading the initial line-up are Afrobeats star Tiwa Savage, Nigerian rapper-singer ODUMODUBLVCK, and American rapper Earl Sweatshirt.

They are joined by US sibling group Infinity Song, British alt-pop singer-songwriter Rachel Chinouriri, and London-based artist Amaria BB.

Also featured in the announcement are electronic producer Sega Bodega, post-punk band Shame, indie rock outfit Circa Waves, Grammy-winning producer Fraser T Smith, and DJ Pete Tong.

READ ALSO: Nigerian Artistes Generated Over ₦60bn On Spotify In 2025

Organisers say the 2026 edition will continue to position SXSW London as a meeting point for emerging talent and globally recognised acts, reinforcing its reputation as a platform for musical discovery and collaboration.

Adem Holness, Head of Music at SXSW London, said, “At a moment when technology can generate endless music, what really shapes the future are the communities and scenes where artists push culture forward in their own contexts.

“SXSW London brings those global scenes together in one place. From artists like Sega Bodega reimagining live electronic performance, to bands like Shame building careers on their own terms, and artists like ODUMODUBLVCK bypassing genre and fusing his cultural influences into something entirely his own. The future of music isn’t uniform.”

The festival is also working with a network of industry professionals to curate and judge this year’s programme.

Nearly 100 contributors, drawn from organisations including Universal Music Group, Tileyard, KOKO, Village Underground, and Dreamland Margate, will play a role in identifying breakthrough artists set to perform in June.

SXSW London is an annual festival celebrating the convergence of music, technology, film, and culture, following the model of the original South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas.

Senegal instruct lawyers, while CAF’s Motsepe defends Morocco’s AFCON award

The Senegalese Football Federation has instructed its lawyers to lodge an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the national team were stripped of its Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Tuesday reversed Senegal’s win, awarding the title to Morocco two months after the final.

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“Senegal will remain standing and will legitimately defend this victory on the field, which we acquired on the field with the talent of our players”, the federation’s president, Abdoulaye Fall, told a news conference.

“We have given our lawyers a mandate to pursue this procedure at the level of the Court of Arbitration for Sport”, he added.

The continent’s showpiece football final, in Rabat on January 18, descended into chaos when several Senegalese players walked off the pitch in protest after the hosts were awarded a penalty late in second-half stoppage time.

Senegal’s players were coaxed back onto the pitch by captain Sadio Mane, but Morocco missed the penalty. Pape Gueye went on to score the goal in extra time that gave Senegal a 1-0 victory.

CAF said that, having studied an appeal by Morocco, “the Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the match” and the result was “officially recorded as 3-0” in favour of Morocco.

Asked what would happen to the trophy in the meantime, Fall told reporters the team would “comply with the statutory and regulatory provisions of CAF”.

The revocation of the win elicited a strong response from fans in Senegal, where authorities called for an “independent international investigation” into corruption.

In a resolution issued by the federation’s executive committee and read at the news conference, the federation said it would “use all possible legal, institutional and jurisdictional means to assert its rights and restore sporting fairness”.

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye appeared in his office in front of the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in a social media post on Wednesday, expressing his “outrage” at CAF’s decision.

The Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), meanwhile, has said the decision “upholds the rules and ensures the stability necessary for the smooth running of international competitions.”

African football ⁠remains plagued by trust issues and questions over its integrity, CAF President Patrice Motsepe has admitted after Senegal was stripped of the AFCON title.

Motsepe did, however, defend the decision of his organisation’s Appeal Board to award the title to Morocco after upholding their protest against the outcome of the final.

While Morocco’s initial protest had been rejected by CAF’s Disciplinary Board, the same governing body’s Appeal Board found Senegal had transgressed tournament regulations by staging a walkoff and handed ‌Morocco the title.

“I previously expressed my extreme disappointment with the incidents that took place at the final,” Motsepe said in a video statement released on Wednesday evening.

“It undermines the good work that CAF has done over many, many years to ensure that there’s integrity, there’s respect, there’s ethics, there’s governance, as well as the credibility of the results of our football matches.

“We are still dealing with suspicion and mistrust. It’s a legacy issue. When I became president, one of the major concerns was the impartiality, independence and the ⁠respect of referees and match commissioners, and a lot of good work has been ⁠done,” he insisted.

Motsepe highlighted that both of CAF’s disciplinary and appeal boards were independent entities, made up of legal practitioners, chosen with the help of member associations. Senegal’s government called for an independent international investigation of the decision, alleging corruption within CAF.

“It is important that the decisions of our Disciplinary Board and Appeals Board are viewed with respect ⁠and integrity,” he said.

“If you look at the composition of those bodies, they reflect some of the most respected lawyers and judges on the continent.

“But we will ⁠still have to deal with this perception and concerns about the ⁠integrity. It’s an ongoing issue.”

Motsepe, who was chosen as CAF president in 2021 and re-elected one year ago, said CAF was committed to fair play and denied there was any preferential treatment amid perceptions that Morocco has too much sway over the African game.

“I’m told that Senegal ‌is going to appeal, which is very important. Every one of the 54 nations in Africa have a right to pursue appeals, and we will adhere and respect the decision that’s taken at the highest level.

Actor Aremu Afolayan Apologises Over Comment On Insecurity, Economic Hardship

Nollywood actor Aremu Afolayan has apologised to Nigerians following backlash over comments he made at a recent EKO57 campaign gathering, a political support group mobilising for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid.

The event, held on Sunday, brought together several Nollywood figures, including Yomi Fash-Lanso, Remi Surutu and Adams Kehinde, among others, to rally support ahead of the 2027 general election.

During the gathering, Afolayan openly endorsed the president’s re-election and appeared to dismiss concerns about the rising cost of living, stating that he was not affected by the economic hardship facing many Nigerians.

The brother to filmmaker Kunle Afolayan also downplayed reports of insurgency, describing them as exaggerated.

“When you watch the news about insurgency, don’t mind them, it’s all scripted,” he said in a video from the event that later went viral.

The remarks triggered widespread criticism on social media, with many Nigerians accusing the actor of being insensitive and alleging that he had been paid to make the statements.

Apology, Clarification

In response, Afolayan issued a public apology in a video posted on his Instagram page on Thursday, saying his comments had been misunderstood.

“I’m sorry. The curse has been too much, and I didn’t offend anyone but just went wrong. I picked what I shouldn’t have picked,” he said.

“My heart is heavy because I’ve hurt a lot of Nigerians. The second narration concerns insecurity, and it’s obvious that insecurity is in town and everywhere in Nigeria, and the government isn’t doing anything about it.”

The actor explained that his intention was to highlight the seriousness of insecurity in the country, not to deny its existence.

“What I was trying to say in the video was that if you saw anybody shouting ‘they’re coming from this side’ and someone on the news was saying ‘don’t worry, nothing is happening, be calm, don’t answer that person’ because they were reading a script, that was all I was trying to say,” he said.

“My best friend’s mother was kidnapped… How could I say there’s no insecurity? We didn’t bring it out because we had to pay millions of people to get her released.”

Withdrawal From Politics

Amid the backlash, Afolayan also announced his withdrawal from partisan political activities, stating that he would no longer support any candidate in future elections.

He maintained that his attendance at the EKO57 event was not politically motivated but driven by his appreciation for what he described as increased accessibility to local government officials.

“Due to this heat and curse I have received, I’m saying I’m at my lowest stage… I’m withdrawing from everything to do with politics and standing with my people. Please forgive me,” he said.