The U.S. State Department has announced sanctions on an unknown number of current and former Thai officials for their role in deporting at least 40 Uyghur men to China despite worries that they could be jailed or even face death there.

The State Department said it was “combating China’s efforts to pressure governments to forcibly return Uyghurs and other groups to China.”

The EU Friday agreed to drop three Russian individuals from its sanctions list as the price for Hungary's Viktor Orban to drop a threat to veto Europe's sanctions against Russia.

The European Union agreed on Friday to renew sanctions on Russian individuals and entities but kept Russian tycoon Mikhail Fridman on the list despite pressure from Hungary, EU diplomats said. EU sanctions must be renewed every six months in a unanimous vote by the 27 member states' ambassadors to Brussels.

G7 nations emphasised on Friday the need for robust "security arrangements" to ensure a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, warning Moscow to follow Kyiv in agreeing a ceasefire or face further sanctions,