Ukraine announces arrest of "Russian agent" plotting attacks in Odessa

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) said Monday it had detained a Russian military intelligence agent who was planning attacks on Odessa, the country's largest port on the Black Sea.

The agency added: "His main task was to destabilize the political situation in the Odessa region through sabotage and terrorist acts," referring to his arrest while trying to recruit a person to carry out attacks.

Officials from the Russian foreign and defense ministries did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Ukrainian statement, which did not elaborate.

Kiev, Washington and Western capitals have raised fears of an increase in Russian forces near Ukraine and the possibility of an invasion.

US and Russian officials concluded security talks in Geneva on Monday, which were held to try to calm the crisis.

The announcement of the arrest comes amid tension between the two countries, with Kiev saying it "fears an imminent invasion" and Moscow facing accusations of amassing troops on the border.

Russia denies any military intentions, and in turn accuses Ukraine of posing a threat to it, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) of seeking to expand to its borders.

In turn, Russia regularly announces the arrests of people it considers spies or saboteurs working for Ukraine, especially in Crimea, the peninsula it annexed in 2014.

On December 2, the Russian authorities announced the arrest of 3 Ukrainian intelligence agents on its territory.

Moscow also accused one of the detainees of planning a bomb attack on Russian soil, according to the Russian Interfax news agency.

According to a statement issued by the Russian security services, "two of the detainees arrived in Russia to collect information, record videos and photos of facilities of vital strategic importance and transport infrastructure."

He added, "A pistol and an automatic weapon, as well as personal protective equipment, were found in the car they were using."

According to the security services, "these two men confessed to recruiting them from the Ukrainian security services in exchange for ten thousand dollars."

Trillion cubic feet A British company announces a gas discovery off the coast of Morocco

The British energy company Chariot announced the discovery of natural gas in the Anchoua 2 field off the Moroccan coast, the volume of which may exceed one trillion cubic feet.

British energy company Chariot announced on Monday a natural gas discovery off the Moroccan coast.

The company said in a statement, "It achieved positive results in the start of drilling operations in the Anchoua 2 field, off the coast of the city of Larache, on the Atlantic Ocean."

The company stated that the exploration work at a depth of 2512 meters showed a significant increase in gas reserves compared to previous expectations.

Chariot owns 75% of the results of the exploration work, compared to 25% of the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Minerals (government), according to a statement by the British company.

The company confirmed that the initial evaluation and drilling operations for this field showed the presence of large accumulations of gas, which are expected to exceed the volume of discovered natural gas of one trillion cubic feet.

The company indicated that a drilling platform will move to the Anchoa 1 gas discovery well to re-evaluate potential quantities that can be produced in the future.

In turn, the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Minerals described in a separate statement the results of drilling in the Anshwa 2 field as encouraging.

The office said that "the Chariot company found high-quality reservoirs of natural gas."

Last November, Moroccan Energy Minister Leila Benali said that "despite the efforts made in the field of exploration, the Moroccan sedimentary basins remain underexplored."

The Moroccan minister explained that "natural gas was discovered in modest quantities in several wells in the onshore Gharb region and the Tendrara region."

"70 years is enough" British Republicans launch a campaign to end the monarchy

A group of British anti-monarchical Republicans are using the occasion of celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne, to say they will "begin a campaign to demand an end to Britain's historic monarchy".

British Republicans said on Monday they would campaign to end the monarchy in their country in the run-up to celebrations of the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne.

Elizabeth, 95, is the world's oldest and longest-reigning monarch, and next month she will celebrate the 70th anniversary of her accession to the British throne. On Monday, Buckingham Palace revealed detailed plans for four days of celebrations to mark the occasion.

But a group of anti-monarchical republicans seized the occasion to say they would "begin a campaign to demand the end of Britain's historic monarchy".

One of the group, Graham Smith, said: "While a vocal minority want to celebrate the Queen's 70th anniversary, we must all start looking to the future. The idea of ​​Prince Charles on the throne is not rosy, and there is a good democratic alternative on the table. before us."

"It is time for a serious conversation about our constitution and recognition that Charles is not the best fit for the job and that we as a nation are fully capable of choosing our head of state," he added.

Opinion polls indicate that the vast majority of people in Britain support the monarchy and that the Queen herself is overwhelmingly popular. However, her eldest son and heir to the throne, Prince Charles, does not have the same amount of support.