Hose-McCann Communications

China's newest nuclear-powered attack submarine sank earlier this year, a senior U.S. defense official said on Thursday, a potential embarrassment for Beijing as it seeks to expand its military capabilities.China already has the largest navy in the world, with over 370 ships, and it has embarked on production of a new generation of nuclear-armed submarines.A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said China's new first-in-class nuclear-powered attack submarine sank alongside a pier sometime between May and June.A Chinese embassy spokesperson in Washington said they had no information to provide.

Singapore commissioned two new advanced submarines on Tuesday, vessels its navy says are meant to protect sea lines of communication, and which experts said would range beyond the waters of the tiny city-state to keep tabs on the region.The country's fifth and sixth submarines, the Invincible and the Impeccable, were ordered from Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems in 2013 in a 1-billion-euro deal, and join older Archer- and Challenger-class boats.They represent a technological step forward for Singapore's fleet, experts say, allowing the wealthy Southeast Asian nation to operate farther from shore using fewer sailors, and making its craft among the quietest in the region.

Britain on Thursday sanctioned five vessels and two associated entities involved in the shipping of Russian LNG, with the government saying it was using new legal powers for the first time to target LNG vessels directly."Earlier this year, the UK sanctioned Arctic LNG 2, alongside our allies in the US and EU. Since then, the project has been forced to slash production," the government statement said."Today’s action builds on this by targeting ships and entities involved in the Russian LNG sector, which engage with projects important to Russia’s future energy production."Thursday's sanctioned entities were White Fox Ship Management and Ocean Speedstar Solutions OPC.

The IMO is celebrating World Maritime Day on 26 September by highlighting the importance of safety at sea in an era of significant transformations and new risks and 50 years since the adoption of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).SOLAS was first adopted in 1914, in response to the Titanic disaster. It is widely recognized as the most important international treaty on maritime safety. The Convention in force today was adopted on November 1, 1974. It contains 15 chapters covering key topics, such as life-saving appliances and arrangements, distress and safety communications and carriage of dangerous goods and many more.

Italy police said on Wednesday they had arrested 61 people across four countries and seized 60 million euros ($67.1 million) following an investigation into international drugs trafficking and money laundering.The case had revealed criminal drugs ties between Albania and Latin America, and once again showed how criminals in Europe are using shadow networks of illicit Chinese money brokers, police said.Finance police in the northern city of Brescia said 400 officers had carried out the arrests and searches in Italy, Albania, Switzerland and Poland, with the cooperation of local law enforcement and European police body Europol.