The United States military has seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean, as it continues to target vessels sanctioned by Washington in its pressure campaign against Venezuela.
In a statement on Friday, the US military Southern Command said its forces had “apprehended” the Olina tanker “without incident”.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
It did not say why the tanker was targeted or offer further details on alleged violations. The Wall Street Journal reported the tanker had previously been sanctioned by Washington for transporting Russian oil.
The operation comes two days after US forces seized two oil tankers, including the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker, originally known as the Bella-1.
The US Department of Justice has since said it was investigating the crew of the ship, which was seized in the northern Atlantic, for failing to comply with coastguard orders and would pursue charges.
Russia has decried the seizure as a “gross violation” of international maritime law and called on the US to release the crew.
Since US military forces abducted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on Saturday, Washington has pledged to maintain its blockade on sanctioned oil tankers. It has also called on Venezuela to staunch its ties with Russia and China.
US President Donald Trump has said the operation against Maduro – which has been roundly condemned as a flagrant violation of international law – as well as the continued sanctions and military pressure, is aimed at opening the country’s vast oil reserves to US companies.
He was set to meet with oil and gas executives at the White House later on Friday.
The US seized another tanker in the Caribbean earlier this week, the M Sophia, which the military described as a “stateless” vessel. Panama later said the ship’s flag had been cancelled by the country last year.
US forces had previously seized the Skipper tanker and the Centuries vessel in December.
That month, four United Nations experts said the US had no “right to enforce unilateral sanctions through an armed blockade”. It said the blockade constituted an “illegal armed aggression” under international law.
A group of UN experts has more recently said that the Trump administration’s plan to indefinitely control Venezuela’s oil industry represents a violation of its citizens’ right to self-determination.
Early on Friday, Trump said on Truth Social that the US and Venezuela were “working well together, especially as it pertains to rebuilding, in a much bigger, better, and more modern form, their oil and gas infrastructure”.
Former The Only Way is Essex star Mark Wright has been competing against X Factor contestant Olly Murs in a series of humorous challenges on Heart Breakfast
View 4 Images
Mark Wright says Michelle Keegan has seen his latest project with Olly Murs
Mark Wright joked that one of his recent projects has been so “bad” that wife Michelle Keegan won’t even watch. Former The Only Way is Essex star Mark has been married to Coronation Street actress Michele Keegan since 2015.
In March the couple announced they had welcomed their first child, Palma into the world. Since quitting TOWIE almost 15 years ago Mark, 38, has appeared on a host of shows including Strictly Come Dancing and The Bachelor.
In 2024 he took on a Saturday morning radio slot on Heart FM with former X Factor contestant Olly Murs, 41. As part of their work with the station, Mark and Olly have been going head-to-head in a series of light-hearted challenges on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
The challenges have seen the pair attempting to get selfies with cartoon characters at Warner Bros World, tackling the 149mph Formula Rossa rollercoaster at Ferrari Land, and racing against each other in speed boats.
The pair however found themselves feeling slightly red-faced as they sampled Yas Waterworld, tackling the tallest drop slide, the fastest slide, and had to grab items from the rapids.
When asked which challenge was toughest during an appearance on Heart Breakfast, Mark replied: “It was probably the rapids because we had flippers on which didn’t really fit us and this dinghy where ducks and items were flying past and you couldn’t catch them because they were faster than us.”
Presenter Amanda Holden then pressed Mark about his wife’s reaction to Mark vs Olly. She quizzed: “Has Michelle come down and laughed at you at any of these challenges?”
The former reality star responded: “It’s that bad she doesn’t even come down, she just let’s us get on with it. She’s seen the video and she’s said by the pool with a pina colada and Palma.”
Amanda joked: “It’s so bad that she has nothing to do with you.” Mark went on to joking thank his “family who supported him” throughout the challenge, with Amanda interjecting: “You just said she doesn’t watch.”
Mark later explained he was thanking his mum and not Michelle. Mark’s mum Carol recently opened up about her relationship with baby Palma on the family’s Wright at Home podcast.
Carol, 65, declared that Palma is a delight to babysit. She added: “I took Palma shopping the other day and she is just so good, she just loves to be noisy, busy, shopping.”
To which Mark’s sister Jess, 40, a fellow TOWIE alum, replied: “It is not normal how amazing that child is, it is not normal,” which came after she became emotional while speaking about the ‘ups and downs’ with her own son, Presley.
Article continues below
Later in the episode Carol admitted that she finds herself feeling the need to “hold back” when it comes to 38-year-old Michelle. She says she is far from the stereotype of a “wicked mother-in-law”.
In a previous podcast episode, Jess asked her mother about her approach to being a mother-in-law, prompted by a letter from a listener who felt as though her own mother-in-law treated her like she had stolen her son. Quick to respond, Carol said: “It’s a hard one because everyone’s sons are like, you know, they’re your sons and… a woman comes along and they do take your son.
Katie Price split claims in full as JJ ‘packs his bags and moves out’ – The Mirror
Skip to main content
Need to know
Katie Price has reportedly split from her boyfriend JJ Slater, just hours after admitting she no longer needs a man in her life
Katie Price and JJ have reportedly split(Image: PA)
All you need to know about Katie Price’s split claims
Katie Price and JJ Slater have reportedly split after nearly two years together. Sources say the decision was mainly Katie’s, after she began doubting whether the relationship had a long-term future.
Marriage was a key issue in the break-up. Friends close to Katie reportedly felt JJ was not “husband material” and she eventually agreed after giving the relationship time.
JJ is said to have already moved out of Katie’s home. He has reportedly returned to Essex, suggesting the split was decisive rather than a temporary break.
The couple had appeared happy publicly in recent months. They shared photos together over Christmas and denied split rumours as recently as last month, despite problems behind the scenes.
Katie has not officially confirmed the split herself yet. However, insiders say the relationship had been struggling privately for some time, even while they maintained a united front in public.
Speaking on the latest episode of her podcast, The Katie Price Show, the star explained how years ago she was “afraid of being on my own” but that was no longer the case. Not mentioning JJ, she said: “Years ago, I was always afraid of being on my own. I always felt I needed someone. How I am now, I always say, I don’t need a man. If I want a man, it’s because I want them. I don’t need a man, whereas years before, I needed a man.”
Katie began dating JJ – who appeared on the 2023 series of Married At First Sight UK – soon after her split from Carl Woods. In December, she was forced to deny the pair had parted ways.
READ THE FULL STORY Katie Price and JJ ‘split’ after 2 years as she makes telling podcast confession
Follow Daily Mirror:
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions.
Danielle Scott-Haughton, who was a leading TV producer who worked on Death in Paradise and EastEnders, has died aged 37 leading to tributes from a host of colleagues and fans
View 4 Images
Death In Paradise had some sad news for followers
Death In Paradise and Beyond Paradise’s commissioning editor has died aged just 37, prompting an outpouring of tributes across social media. The devastating news of the BBC’s Danielle Scott-Haughton passing was first announced by The British Blacklist before being confirmed on Death in Paradise’s official Instagram page.
The tribute read: “We are heartbroken to share the passing of Danielle Scott-Haughton, a brilliant BBC Commissioning Editor, producer, and a cherished friend of The British Blacklist and the wider Black British creative community. Danielle truly showed up. In action, care, and belief. She was a steadfast supporter of Black creatives, Black stories, and Black-led platforms, always believing our stories deserved space, scale, and respect.”
The corporation is yet to release an official statement regarding the producer’s untimely death. Death in Paradise released an emotional tribute on their official show Instagram.
It read: “We were devastated to learn of the passing of our friend and colleague Danielle Scott-Haughton. Dani was the BBC Commissioning Editor for Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise and was a passionate champion of both shows, as well as every programme she worked on.
“It is impossible to put into words the energy and joy she brought with her each time she visited our shoots, or the wonderful collaboration of working with her. Her enthusiasm, positivity and determination not only to make every project as good as it could be, but also to take care of the people and world around her, was infectious and inspiring.
“We will all miss her enormously. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and colleagues at this difficult and very sad time.” Following the announcement, numerous well-known personalities and supporters expressed their condolences online.
Radio host Clara Amfo wrote: “We love her beyond measure,” whilst relationship expert Paul C Brunson from Celebs Go Dating commented: “May Dani rest in paradise [dove emoji].”, reports the Express.
Lorraine’s Ria Hebden shared: “The saddest news. Thinking of all her family and loved ones [heartbroken emoji, white dove emoji],” with comedian Eddie Kadi posting four heartbroken emojis.
Brought up by her Jamaican grandparents, something she treasured deeply, Danielle began her professional journey as a multi-talented creator, working across production, writing and directing on various ventures including Dear Jesus and The Alexis Show.
Prior to her tenure at the BBC, Danielle spent seven years at Balloon Entertainment, where she held the roles of Development Executive and Executive Producer on Champion, a groundbreaking musical by Candice Carty-Williams for BBC One and Netflix.
Article continues below
In her role as Commissioning Editor, Drama at the BBC, she played a pivotal part in the creation of many cherished programmes, including EastEnders, Just Act Normal, Death in Paradise, and Beyond Paradise, where she served as executive producer on the BBC’s contribution.
She was instrumental in bringing major adaptations and original content to the screen, such as A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder in 2024 and Towards Zero.
Brooklyn Beckham and wife Nicola Peltz were absent from David Beckham’s knighthood ceremony at Windsor Castle as the family rift continues
View 5 Images
Brooklyn and Nicola are thought to have been contacted by David(Image: nicola anne peltz beckham)
Sir David Beckham made a last-minute effort to mend fences with his estranged son by reaching out to Brooklyn and his wife, it has been claimed. The ex-Manchester United and England footballer was knighted by King Charles in October, but Brooklyn and Nicola Peltz were conspicuously missing as he received the honour.
It’s understood that Sir David offered Brooklyn the chance to join them at Windsor Castle for the investiture, while also extending an invitation to Nicola for his late-night dinner in west London. However, Brooklyn, 26, who resides in the United States with his actress wife, declined the offer, reports The Sun.
The former midfielder’s three other children, his parents Ted and Sandra, and fashion designer wife Lady Victoria were left to attend the Berkshire ceremony and its subsequent after-party, held at Gordon Ramsay’s Chelsea restaurant, without them.
This event marked the latest major family occasion missed by Brooklyn and Nicola throughout the year, with the pair previously skipping Sir David’s landmark 50th birthday bash and the red carpet premiere of his mother’s new Netflix show.
This comes after Brooklyn is reported to have contacted his grandparents directly, despite accusations of him abandoning them in the feud with his parents.
David and Victoria Beckham’s eldest son Brooklyn, 26, has been criticised by fans in recent weeks after his brother Cruz revealed he had blocked his parents and siblings shortly before Christmas, in a family feud that has been going on for months.
Brooklyn then opted to stay in the US and celebrate the festive period with wife Nicola and her family, despite Victoria’s mother Jackie Adams hanging a stocking for him on the mantlepiece of her fireplace.
Meanwhile Sandra’s comment on a post of Brooklyn’s also appeared to go ignored. Brooklyn filmed himself wrapping a bottle of his hot sauce, to which David’s mum Sandra posted: “That for me?”, followed by a series of sweet emojis. The comment went without a reply from Brooklyn.
These sparked rumours that Brooklyn wasn’t in contact with his grandparents as well as his parents, drawing criticism from fans. But, it has since been reported that the Cloud23 founder is in fact in private contact with his grandparents. However, last week the Mirror revealed that Brooklyn does still have a relationship with his grandparents on both sides. A source told us last week: “There is a lot of love for them, and that has never faltered.”
Brooklyn has previously reached out to his grandma, Sandra, who is dad David’s mum. Last June, he posted online: “Happy birthday nanny xx love you so much.” It was the first – and perhaps last time – he publicly acknowledged his family.
Meanwhile, it has now been claimed he has had phone conversations and texts with both Tony and Jackie Adams and a Ted and Sandra Beckham – it has also been claimed he called them all over the Christmas period.
While Brooklyn is reportedly in a good place with his grandparents, the same can’t be said for his parents David and Victoria. It has been claimed Brooklyn sent a legal letter to his parents requesting them to not contact him or tag him on social media – and to contact him via lawyers only.
It has been claimed by The Sun the letter was sent “at the end of last summer” and requested for “any correspondence to go via lawyers only” in an attempt to “try and make amends privately not publicly”. However, the move has reportedly left the parents not knowing what to do as they “had no other physical means of reaching out to” Brooklyn.
The eldest of the Beckham clan is said to have then blocked his immediate family after Victoria liked a post on Brooklyn’s page which saw him share his chicken-in-beer recipe.
The source went on to say that the Beckhams were “utterly bemused and devastated” by what had happened, with the chance of a reconciliation seeming further away than ever.
It’s been claimed the feud between the Beckhams and the Beckam Peltz’s has been boiling for almost four years – and is said to have begun in the lead-up to Brooklyn and Nicola’s wedding and worsened over the past year as Brooklyn snubbed his parents birthdays and several other special occasions including David’s knighthood and Victoria’s Netflix documentary premiere and fashion show.
Nicola recently returned to Instagram with several new posts as she celebrates her 31st birthday with Brooklyn and her family in Florida. On Friday, the actress took to the social media platform to share home photos of her husband – who spends a good deal of his time filming cooking tutorials.
Article continues below
As for his own Instagram followers, he was seen preparing a meal. The snapshot, which also showcased a bottle of Brooklyn’s Cloud 23 sauce, was captioned by her: “Nights like this.”
The sight of Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank drinking from an Arsenal-branded cup was a meaningless mishap – but only added to the sense his tenure is turning into an unhappy accident.
Frank was correct to dismiss the nonsensical notion it was done knowingly, except that the incident was revealed after another damaging defeat at Bournemouth that ended in more toxicity involving Spurs fans and players, prompting more questions about the Dane’s perceived lack of authority.
In his current position, Frank could do without the predictable mockery that followed from Arsenal fans, who deluged social media with photoshopped images of the Dane lounging in Gunners pyjamas on a red and white duvet.
The Bournemouth loss was then followed by an Instagram outburst from captain Cristian Romero in which he appeared to accuse the club’s hierarchy of telling “lies” in a post that was later edited.
Is Frank doomed to failure at Spurs?
Not yet – but Frank is struggling desperately on several fronts to prove he can cope with the huge expectations and high-profile at Spurs after operating so successfully in the more calm and organised conditions of Brentford.
Frank was surrounded by stability at Brentford, a structure formed by owner Matthew Benham and director of football Phil Giles. He has stepped into a high-stakes environment at Spurs, where even winning the Europa League, the club’s first trophy in 17 years, did not spare predecessor Ange Postecoglou the sack.
It has left him vulnerable to a combination of poor results, a deteriorating relationship with many supporters unconvinced he has the pedigree or playing style to manage Spurs, and a lack of discipline from his players that has publicly undermined his authority.
Frank started with two wins at home to Burnley then away at Manchester City, but since then his reign has turned sour to leave him under growing pressure going into the Villa game.
Trouble started on and off the pitch after the 1-0 home defeat against Chelsea in November, when Spurs generated just 0.1 xG (expected goals) in a turgid display.
Frank was publicly ignored by defensive duo Djed Spence and Micky van de Ven when he wanted them to acknowledge supporters after the game. They brushed past the head coach, refusing to join in, walking straight off.
The pair later apologised, but even if their frustration was directed at fans, it still sent out poor signals about the control Frank had over his players.
23 hours ago
1 day ago
Getty Images
The club hierarchy is aware of the current disconnect between Frank and Spurs fans, arguably exacerbated by his high-risk strategy of going public with criticism after keeper Gugliemo Vicario was booed, then cheered ironically, after making an error in the home reverse against Fulham at the end of November.
Frank described Vicario’s treatment as “unacceptable” and not the actions of “true Spurs supporters”. Bold – but an approach that rarely goes down well, or ends well.
The fact the discontent was so public brought Frank’s turmoil into sharper relief, with travelling supporters making their feelings known loudly in Monaco after a goalless draw in the Champions League, in a fierce reaction to another 0-0 stalemate at his former club Brentford, then again when Spurs went down at Bournemouth.
Van de Ven and other players appeared to confront supporters at The Vitality Stadium following Antoine Semenyo’s late winner, with Romero later launching his public broadside at the club.
Frank defended Romero, saying he is “a young leader”, when in fact the Argentine – too often a disciplinary and playing liability – is 27 and a World Cup winner for his country.
He appeared to treat Romero with kid gloves when a heavier punishment could easily have been in order, only increasing the impression, publicly at least, that Frank struggles to impose himself on his players.
And at the heart of it all is a stodgy playing style which has not won enough matches, or favour with Spurs fans.
The timid five-man defence Frank employed in the 4-1 hammering in the north London derby at Arsenal on 23 November was another point of heavy contention, while Spurs still show no signs of true identity.
Spurs – as a club and fanbase – is currently a joyless place.
They are reasonably placed at 11th in the Champions League table, with a chance of reaching the top eight to automatically qualify for the knockout phase, but there has been no improvement in the Premier League.
They are currently 14th on 27 points, while after 21 games last season they were 13th with 24 points under Postecoglou.
Frank’s Brentford played long and quick to put opponents under pressure with the quality of forwards Ivan Toney, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa to carry out the gameplan successfully. Frank’s communication and strategy was clear.
1 day ago
In defence of Thomas Frank
Frank’s time at Spurs deserves context, especially as he has only been at the club seven months. The idea past faults could be corrected swiftly is flawed.
He may have inherited a team that won the Europa League. He also inherited one that finished 17th in the Premier League last season. The long-awaited trophy was a sticking plaster covering up deep cracks.
Whatever problems Frank is currently fighting to resolve, they are not solely of his making.
Frank also had to deal with the departure of the iconic Son Heung-min, while he has also been robbed of key creators Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison for the entirety of his time so far because of injury.
Striker Dominic Solanke has also barely figured because of injury, while Mohammed Kudus, bought from West Ham United for £55m to add threat, is out until April with a thigh injury.
Getty Images
The pain Spurs felt at being beaten to the punch by Arsenal only worsened when Eze scored a hat-trick in the north London derby.
Spurs have lacked a game-changing threat this season. Eze could have been that player.
In response to questions about Romero’s statements, Frank said: “I have been here for seven months and I see a very aligned club. It is just up to us to prove that.”
He needs to prove it quickly.
It may help Frank, for now, that chief executive Vinai Venkatesham is a renowned cool head, who offered crucial support to Mikel Arteta during his early struggles at Arsenal.
