Josh Cheetham
Open Source Analyst, BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

Fiji's public prosecutor has revealed the US is trying to seize a superyacht allegedly owned by Suleiman Kerimov - a Russian oligarch and politician sanctioned by the US, UK and EU.

In a statement, the public prosecutor says , externalit has appealed for a restraining order against the ship - named the Amadea - which docked in the island nation last week after sailing from Mexico.

The superyacht is one of the largest in the world, complete with an onboard cinema, swimming pool and deck area for hosting parties.

Last week, in an interview with Reuters news agency, an agent for the Amadea said the vessel's owners were contesting that it was owned by Kerimov, who's been sanctioned by the US since 2018.

US authorities have yet to publicly comment on the appeal against the vessel, which is flagged to the Cayman Islands.

The ship's captain has already been handed two penalty notices by Fijian authorities, according to the Fiji Times newspaper. They relate to offences committed on the ship's arrival, and carry thousands of dollars in fines.

If the fines aren't paid, the captain will be taken to court, says Police Commissioner Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho.

Kalkidan Yibeltal
BBC News, Addis Ababa

Dozens of young Ethiopian men are gathering at the Russian embassy in the capital, Addis Ababa, following rumours of soldiers being recruited to fight in the war in Ukraine.

But the embassy’s spokeswoman, Maria Chernukhina, says no recruitment is being carried out in Ethiopia.

"We have a lot of visitors to the embassy in order to express support for Russia," she tells the BBC.

"Some of them are telling us they are willing to help in any way they can. But we are not a recruitment agency," Chernukhina adds.

Many of the Ethiopians at the embassy are carrying their personal documents. Some say they have heard rumours of high wages in Russia.

A young man waiting at the entrance tells the BBC he's looking for a good salary as a soldier or to be hired in any other job available.

"I also like Russia," he says.

Ethiopia was among countries that missed a UN session to vote on a resolution on the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

The UK's Ministry of Defence has given its latest update on the fighting in Ukraine, with a focus on the situation in the east of the country.

In a tweet, external, the MoD says:

• The MoD says Ukrainians are repelling "numerous" attempted advances from Russian forces
• Russian shelling and strikes on the line of control in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region are continuing to increase

• Russia is still hampered by "environmental, logistical and technical challenges" already seen in the war - as well as "highly-motivated" resistance from defending Ukrainians
• Russia is resorting to "indiscriminate attacks" in the besieged port city of Mariupol. The MoD says this reflected Moscow's inability to achieve its aims as quickly as they would like

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Here's a roundup of the latest:

On the ground

• Ukrainian and Russian forces are locked in combat along a 300-mile (480km) frontline in eastern Ukraine
• President Zelensky said the situation in Mariupol remained "as tough as possible without any changes", and the fate of tens of thousands of civilians remains unknown
• In his latest video, the Ukrainian leader also said Russian fire had intensified in the Kharkiv direction, and in the Donbas and Dnipro regions, after Russia ramped up its eastern offensive
• Zelensky again accused Russia of targeting civilians (something Moscow denies), saying this marked the Russian state as a "source of absolute evil"
• The Ukrainian armed forces say they've come under bombardment in Kherson and elsewhere. But they claim to have sprung counter-attacks on their enemies, and say they've retaken the town of Maryinka near Donetsk
• Russia has handed back 76 Ukrainians in a prisoners-of-war exchange, Ukraine's deputy prime minister said

Image source, Reuters

In diplomacy

• Western leaders have spoken by videolink about increasing support for Ukraine
• The US pledged to send more artillery systems and military assistance to Kyiv
• UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was supplying Brimstone anti-ship missiles
• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Berlin would provide finance to help Ukraine buy German-made weapons
• European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said sanctions against Russia would be tightened
• The Czech Republic has offered to repair Ukrainian tanks damaged in combat

You can read more here about the fresh pledges from Western nations.