Spanish police have broken up a criminal network accused of illegally exporting hazardous waste to Ghana, authorities said Friday.

Three people were arrested in Seville and a fourth investigated in Murcia after officers intercepted a container at the port of Algeciras holding 19 tonnes of vehicle engines, fuel tanks with gasoline residue and other oil-soaked waste, the regional government of Andalusia said.

“The customs paperwork did not match the container’s contents, indicating alleged document falsification and possible customs fraud,” it said in a statement.

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International rules ban sending hazardous waste to countries without proper treatment facilities.

The suspects, all Ghanaian nationals, face charges including environmental crimes and belonging to a criminal group.

Environmental watchdogs and Interpol have long warned that European countries are a major source of hazardous shipments disguised as second-hand goods.

The lucrative trade exploits weaker enforcement in receiving countries and the high cost of proper recycling in Europe, turning parts of Africa into dumping grounds for the world’s unwanted electronics, machinery and industrial refuse.

Dozens of mourners packed into a cathedral in central Kyiv on Friday to pay their respects to independent journalist Victoria Roshchyna, who died in Russian captivity last year aged 27.

Her body, which Russia returned in February, remained in a closed coffin throughout the service.

Roshchyna, who worked freelance for several Ukrainian news outlets, disappeared in August 2023 on a reporting trip to the Moscow-held part of Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region.

She died in Russian detention just over one year later, her body showing “numerous signs of torture” including abrasions and a broken rib, according to Kyiv.

The circumstances of her arrest were never made public, and Russia has not explained her death.

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The priest at the funeral service said she had endured “torments”.

“The most important thing in journalism is to report the truth. And they don’t like the truth,” he said, referring to Russia.

Many in the crowd were fellow reporters, some of whom wept when the cameras were turned off.

A joint investigation by Reporters Without Borders and Ukrainian investigative news outlet Slidstva reported that she was arrested in Energodar in southern Ukraine, and later held for several weeks in the Russian-held city of Melitopol.

From there, she was transferred to a jail in the Russian port city of Taganrog. Upon arrival, she had scars and “knife wounds” on her body, the investigation found, citing a cellmate.

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During her time in Taganrog, she stopped eating and was placed in solitary confinement, according to the investigation.

Thousands of Ukrainians opposed to Moscow’s rule have been detained in occupied territories since Russia’s invasion in 2022, many of whom face torture at the hands of security forces, according to rights groups.

Ukraine said it would press criminal charges against the governor of the prison in Taganrog where she was held, alleging she was subjected to “systemic torture, beatings, humiliation, threats, severe restrictions on access to medical care, drinking water and food”.

It has described her death as “premeditated murder” and accused Russia of a war crime.

A UN expert panel last year demanded that the Russian government provide answers over her death.

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Russia does not comment on the treatment of individual prisoners but says it is committed to investigating torture and abuse in its penal system.

During the funeral service, her father Volodymyr, fixed his eyes on the coffin while her sister looked on. They held hands throughout the ceremony.

Angelina Karyakina, editor-in-chief at Ukrainian news outlet Hromadske for whom Roshchyna worked, described her as a tireless and ambitious journalist who preferred to work alone.

“She didn’t like to depend on other people,” she told AFP.

“She would take the camera herself, often shoot photos and videos on her own, and was a one-woman band.”

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Roshchyna worked for various independent news outlets, including Ukrainska Pravda, and had collaborated with the Ukrainian service of US-funded media outlet Radio Free Europe.

In 2022, she was awarded the Courage in Journalism award by the International Women’s Media Foundation for her reporting from eastern Ukraine.

After the church service, the mourners moved to Kyiv’s main square, where Radio Liberty editor Taras Ilkiv paid tribute to her “historic work” in the occupied territories, his voice breaking.

“I am convinced that Viktoria believed like no one else that these are our people, in Mariupol, in Berdyansk, in Kherson,” he said, referring to cities that Russia had captured at various points in the war.

“Almost no one is capable of such work,” he said.

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, has called on the Israeli government to reconsider its decision to intensify military operations in Gaza, warning that the move will only deepen the humanitarian crisis and lead to further loss of life.

Starmer made the call in a statement shared via his official X account on Friday.

The PM’s statement sets a clear diplomatic tone, showing the UK’s disapproval of Israel’s latest military escalation.

Starmer argued that heightened military action is counterproductive, declaring that it won’t resolve the conflict or aid hostage negotiations, but will worsen violence.

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This, he said, also signals the UK’s position as advocating restraint over aggression.

“The Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately. This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed”, Starmer’s statement partly read.

Starmer drew attention to the dire humanitarian reality in Gaza. He lamented the worsening living conditions and the plight of hostages.

He called for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid, which reflects a push for immediate relief measures. He insisted that Hamas must “leave and disarm”, which shows the UK’s stance that any future governance of Gaza must exclude the militant group.

“Every day, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens, and hostages taken by Hamas are being held in appalling and inhuman conditions. What we need is a ceasefire, a surge in humanitarian aid, the release of all hostages by Hamas and a negotiated solution. Hamas can play no part in the future of Gaza and must leave as well as disarm”, he added.

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He projected the UK’s broader diplomatic strategy. By invoking the two-state solution, Starmer reaffirms the UK’s long-standing support for an internationally recognised path to peace. He emphasised the need to work with allies, explaining that it shows that Britain’s approach is part of a coordinated international effort, not a solo diplomatic push.

Starmer warned that peace is gradually slipping away due to a lack of mutual trust and genuine dialogue. He emphasised the urgency of negotiations and the need for both sides — not just one — to choose diplomacy over violence.

“Together with our allies, we are working on a long-term plan to secure peace in the region as part of a two-state solution, and ultimately achieve a brighter future for Palestinians and Israelis.”

“But without both sides engaging in good faith in negotiations, that prospect is vanishing before our eyes. Our message is clear: a diplomatic solution is possible, but both parties must step away from the path of destruction”, Starmer’s statement concluded.