
Damage to Baltic Sea telecoms cable may have occurred in January, Finland's operator says
Swedish and Finnish police said on Friday they were investigating a suspected case of sabotage of the C-Lion1 cable running along the seabed from Finland to Germany, while adding it was not immediately clear when the damage had occurred.
The Baltic Sea region is on alert and the NATO alliance has boosted its presence after a series of power cable, telecom and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Most have been caused by civilian ships dragging their anchors.
Operator Cinia said in an emailed statement on Monday that it believed the damage of the C-Lion1 had occurred on January 26 at 0237 a.m. Finnish time (0037 GMT) and that the cause was still unknown.
The time closely coincides with that of an outage of a nearby subsea fibre optic cable linking Sweden and Latvia, which was reported at the time.
A Swedish prosecutor said on February 3 he had concluded that a Maltese-flagged bulk carrier, the Vezhen, had ruptured the cable linking Sweden and Latvia with its anchor, but that it had been an accident and not sabotage.
The Vezhen passed the Sweden-Latvia cable at 0045 GMT on Jan. 26, MarineTraffic data analyzed by Reuters showed.
Swedish police did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by Reuters on Monday.
Bulgarian shipping company Navigation Maritime Bulgare, which lists the Vezhen among its fleet, also did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Canada News.Net
6 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
No breakthrough in Istanbul, but Erdogan is holding the door
As Ukraine and Russia remain deadlocked, Trkiye positions itself as the only viable platform for a future peace framework with Washingtons quiet backing The third round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, held in Istanbul, lasted less than an hour - barely enough time to suggest progress. While both delegations arrived with talking points, their positions remained fundamentally irreconcilable. The Ukrainian side once again emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire, the release of captives, and a potential meeting between Presidents Zelensky and Putin - ideas that, from Moscow's perspective, lacked a concrete framework. The Russian delegation, meanwhile, proposed a structured dialogue across three tracks - military, political, and humanitarian - and floated the possibility of localized ceasefires for evacuation efforts. But without mutual ground on core issues, even humanitarian coordination remained out of reach. As Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted after the meeting, the sides are still "far apart" on the basic memorandums required to facilitate direct talks between the leaders: "Given the volume of work that lies ahead to align our positions... it is hard to imagine how we could suddenly overcome this gap." Erdogan's bid for strategic leverage While the Istanbul talks yielded no breakthroughs, Ankara framed them as a meaningful step forward. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the meeting as "another brick" in building a foundation for peace and reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to mediation. But behind this diplomatic language lies a broader ambition. President Erdogan sees Türkiye not merely as a neutral host but as a regional power uniquely positioned to engage both Moscow and Kiev. Unlike European intermediaries tied to NATO orthodoxy, Ankara has preserved open communication channels with both sides - and intends to leverage that position. This ambition gained new momentum after a direct request from US President Donald Trump. In May, during a phone call with Erdogan, Trump reportedly asked him to resume Türkiye's role as a key mediator in the Ukraine conflict. According to the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet, Erdogan responded positively - a natural decision, given Ankara's longstanding desire to shape the postwar diplomatic framework. A second conversation in June further underscored this alignment. In addition to addressing escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, Trump and Erdogan reportedly reaffirmed Türkiye's mediating role in Ukraine. For Ankara, this signaled renewed political legitimacy - and a green light to reassert itself on the international stage. Erdoan remains one of the few world leaders to maintain autonomous and working relationships with both Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky. Unlike most Western leaders, he engages each directly and pragmatically - without outsourcing diplomacy to blocs or bureaucracies. This rare access grants Türkiye a unique status in the global mediation landscape and strengthens Ankara's hand in any future settlement. Between NATO and Moscow For Türkiye, mediating the Ukraine conflict is about far more than diplomacy - it is a calculated move to expand its strategic footprint in the Black Sea and Danube regions. Ankara's interests in southern Ukraine, particularly the coastal areas of Bessarabia and the Danube estuaries, are long-standing and rooted in history. These zones are vital arteries for trade, transit, and geopolitical access. Control over maritime supply routes, especially those passing through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, has been a cornerstone of Turkish foreign policy for decades. Amid the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, these routes have acquired even greater importance - linking grain exports, energy flows, and military logistics across multiple theaters. Türkiye's participation in the negotiation process is therefore not just a diplomatic gesture but a matter of national interest. To remain outside the process would mean allowing other powers to redraw the regional map without Ankara at the table. At the same time, Türkiye's posture remains deliberately ambiguous. Officially, Ankara supports Ukraine's territorial integrity and has not objected to its NATO aspirations. Yet President Erdoan continues to cultivate open lines of communication with Moscow. This dual-track strategy allows Türkiye to project loyalty to the West while reminding Russia - and Washington - that it cannot be excluded from any future settlement. This approach is not without cost. Ankara's refusal to take part in Western sanctions against Russia has drawn criticism from Europe, particularly Berlin, Paris, and Brussels. However, Erdoan appears to be shifting focus from multilateral alignment to pragmatic bilateralism. With the Trump administration treating Türkiye as a key partner in stabilizing Eurasia, Ankara has little incentive to follow the EU's lead - or to subordinate its strategic agenda to European bureaucracy. No peace, but a platform For Ankara, the outcome of the third round of talks was less about immediate results and more about preserving its relevance. By publicly assessing the meeting as a positive step, Türkiye signaled that it intends to remain not just a host - but an architect - of whatever post-conflict order may emerge. Both Hakan Fidan and President Erdoan have repeatedly stated their willingness to resume hosting direct negotiations. In February, during talks in Ankara with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Fidan reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to mediation and emphasized that Türkiye remains available as a venue for continued dialogue. This ongoing diplomatic contact reflects Moscow's recognition of Ankara's pragmatic stance - despite Türkiye being a NATO member state. The failure of the West to enforce the original grain deal, and Russia's subsequent withdrawal from it, initially weakened Türkiye's position as a neutral intermediary. But Trump's return to the White House has shifted the equation. Backed by Washington, Ankara now has the political capital to relaunch its mediating role under new geopolitical conditions. In this context, Türkiye's "positive evaluation" of the talks takes on deeper meaning. It's not about what was achieved - but about who gets to stay in the room when the time finally comes for real negotiations. So far, no alternative platform has emerged. And in the long game of regional influence, presence is power.

Globe and Mail
18 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Thailand, Cambodia exchange heavy artillery as border conflict kills at least 15
Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery on Friday as their worst fighting in more than a decade stretched for a second day, despite calls from the region and beyond for an immediate ceasefire in an escalating border conflict that has killed at least 15 people. Thailand's military reported clashes from before dawn in the Ubon Ratchathani and Surin provinces and said Cambodia had used artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket systems. Authorities said 100,000 people had been evacuated from conflict areas on the Thai side. 'Cambodian forces have conducted sustained bombardment utilising heavy weapons, field artillery, and BM-21 rocket systems,' the Thai military said in a statement. 'Thai forces have responded with appropriate supporting fire in accordance with the tactical situation.' Both sides blamed each other for starting the conflict on Thursday at a disputed border area, which quickly escalated from small arms fire to heavy shelling in at least six locations 209 kilometres apart along a frontier where sovereignty has been disputed for more than a century. Reuters journalists in Surin province reported hearing intermittent bursts of explosions on Friday, amid a heavy presence of armed Thai soldiers along roads and gas stations in the largely agrarian area. A Thai military convoy, including around a dozen trucks, armoured vehicles and tanks, cut across provincial roads ringed by paddy fields and moved toward the border. Thailand strikes Cambodian targets as border clash escalates, killing at least 14 The fighting erupted on Thursday just hours after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh the previous night and expelled Cambodia's envoy, in response to a second Thai soldier losing a limb to a landmine that Bangkok alleged had been laid recently by rival troops. Cambodia has dismissed that as baseless. The Thai death toll had risen to 14 as of late Thursday, 13 of them civilians, according to the health ministry. It said 46 people were wounded, including 14 soldiers. Cambodia's national government has not provided details of any casualties or evacuations of civilians. A government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest clashes. Meth Meas Pheakdey, spokesperson for the provincial administration of Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, said one civilian had been killed and five were wounded, with 1,500 families evacuated. Thailand had positioned six F-16 fighter jets on Thursday in a rare combat deployment, one of which was mobilized to strike a Cambodian military target, among measures Cambodia called 'reckless and brutal military aggression.' The United States, a long-time treaty ally of Thailand, called for an 'immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and a peaceful resolution.' Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Thailand and Cambodia are members, said he had spoken to leaders of both countries and urged them to find a peaceful way out. 'I welcome the positive signals and willingness shown by both Bangkok and Phnom Penh to consider this path forward. Malaysia stands ready to assist and facilitate this process in the spirit of ASEAN unity and shared responsibility,' he said in a social media post late on Thursday.

a day ago
Inuit leader says he's been reassured Bill C-5 won't violate modern treaties
The president of the national Inuit organization says he's been given reassurances that Prime Minister Mark Carney's plan to fast-track major nation-building projects won't violate modern treaties and there will be full partnership of the Inuit within these processes. The prime minister is meeting with Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and other Inuit leaders in Inuvik, NW.T., as he ramps up his outreach to Indigenous communities about his plans for major projects in Canada. [Carney] was unequivocal in stating that this legislation will not interrupt the processes that have been set up under our modern treaties when it comes to environmental assessment, when it comes to project reviews, Obed told reporters Thursday afternoon. When asked whether land claim organizations have a veto, Obed said provisions in their agreements could be defined as vetoes, but really we see them as enabling. He said Inuit have spent the last 40 years trying to figure out how to create circumstances where we are a part of the process all the way through. Inuvik, one of Canada's northernmost towns, is hosting the prime minister, several cabinet ministers and Inuit leaders for what's known as the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee. Carney and Obed are co-chairing the meeting, which is expected to have a heavy focus on the Liberal government's major projects law. WATCH | Natan Obed on C-5 and treaty rights: The law, known as Bill C-5, enables the federal cabinet to invoke emergency-like powers for projects deemed in the national interest, such as pipelines, railways and transmission lines, allowing the government to approve them upfront. That approval comes even before an environmental assessment and the Crown's constitutional duty to consult affected Indigenous communities is complete. Carney held a similar summit in Gatineau, Que., with First Nations chiefs earlier this month. Some said they supported his efforts, while others stormed out — calling it political theatre. First Nations in Ontario have launched a court challenge (new window) to C-5 and a similar provincial law. I'm looking forward to hearing from the prime minister himself regarding how he intends to work with us, said Duane Ningaqsiq Smith, CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, which represents six Inuit communities in the western Arctic, including Inuvik, ahead of the meeting. However, there are concerns that the upfront approvals enabled by C-5 could override northern environmental and development assessment regimes. These reviews are fundamental components of the modern treaties (new window) that the federal government signed with Inuit and northern First Nations starting in the 1970s. WATCH | Carney says major projects law respects treaty rights: In his remarks opening the meeting, Carney addressed those worries. The act fully respects treaty rights, including modern treaties, Carney said. It fully respects treaty-based environmental assessment processes. In fact, those will be essential for anything that we move forward on. In addition to discussing major projects, Carney said the meetings will address issues related to Arctic security, defence, education, health and social services for people in the region. The prime minister also announced that Canada is appointing its first Arctic ambassador to advance the interests of the North internationally. Nunavut-based Inuit leader Virginia Mearns was named to that role (new window) . Northern politicians and Inuit leaders have been pitching Inuit-backed projects, hoping they will be among those deemed to be in the national interest. One such project is the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link, with the goal of connecting Nunavut's mainland communities to Manitoba's power grid and joining the rest of the country in enjoying high-speed fibre-optic internet. Another, the Grays Bay Port and Road project, could offer Nunavut easier access to its resource-rich areas and western provinces a direct link to the Northwest Passage. WATCH | More about the port and road project: A subsidiary of the region's Kitikmeot Inuit Association (new window) is proposing to build a deepwater port on Nunavut's mainland in the Coronation Gulf. It's kind of a win-win situation for everybody, said Fred Pedersen, the executive director of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association. He said taxes and royalties earned from the economic development made possible by the port and road would cover the cost in a matter of years. It has so much potential for critical minerals. It will open up, but also it will assert our sovereignty in the Arctic, said Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok. The project is currently undergoing the territorial environmental review process, but already has the backing of Akeeagok and N.W.T. Premier R.J. Simpson. Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok says infrastructure projects in his territory would strengthen Arctic sovereignty. Photo: The Canadian Press / Liam Richards N.W.T. also wants a road down the Mackenzie Valley, which Simpson sees as a critical defence link. The former executive director of the NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines, Tom Hoefer, notes that much of what the North considers a project in the national interest is basic infrastructure that most communities in the rest of the country already have. They've been underinvested in by Canada over the last 50 years, Hoefer, who was born and raised in the North, told CBC News in an interview. And so we've sort of been asleep at the switch on that front. Smith, of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, told CBC News he will be raising these gaps with the prime minister at Thursday's meeting. Inuvik trucks propane about 2,000 kilometres from B.C. and up the gravel-packed Dempster Highway, at tremendous cost, especially when, Smith and others point out, the region sits on substantial natural gas reserves. The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation is attempting to develop a well outside Inuvik to provide a domestic solution to what Smith calls concerns over energy security. At the same time, Inuvialuit leaders say concerns over food security, housing and health care must be addressed. My region right now doesn't even have dental services. So people have to get sent close to a thousand kilometres to the nearest dental facility, if not further, Smith said. The average Canadian would not accept that. David Thurton (new window) · CBC News · Senior reporter, Parliamentary Correspondent David Thurton is a senior reporter in CBC's Parliamentary Bureau. He covers daily politics in the nation's capital and specializes in environment and energy policy. Born in Canada but raised in Trinidad and Tobago, he's moved around more times than he can count. He's worked for CBC in several provinces and territories, including Alberta and the Northwest Territories. He can be reached at LinkedIn (new window) Twitter (new window)