08

Jul

Abela insists with EU High Representatives on need for solidarity and automatic relocation of migrants

Prime Minister Robert Abela has shared Malta's concerns on migration and insisted on the need for automatic relocation of migrants rescued in the Mediterranean during a meeting with Josep Borrell,…

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07

Jul

180 migrants disembark Ocean Viking ship in Sicily

At least 180 migrants rescued by a humanitarian aid boat in the Mediterranean Sea began to leave the vessel in Porto Empedocle, Sicily late on Monday after nine days stuck…

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05

Jul

180 migrants onboard Ocean Viking aid ship will disembark in Sicily

The 180 migrants on the Ocean Viking aid ship will arrive in Porto Empedocle on Monday, where they will be transferred onto another ship, the Moby Zaza, and placed in…

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03

Jul

Malta: Migration: 52 migrants in distress in Maltese waters

Migration NGO Alarm Phone reported that it detected a migrant vessel with a faulty engine in Malta's Search and Rescue (SAR) zone leaving around 52 migrants on board in distress.…

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23

Jun

Danish Refugee Council calls for solutions For the world’s 79.5 million refugees

By the end of 2019, 79.5 million refugees and displaced persons were driven out of their homes and communities, marking an increase of 8.7 million compared to the year before.…

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18

Jun

UN reports refugee numbers hit record high in 2019

The number of people fleeing war and persecution rose to a record 79.5 million in 2019, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said Thursday. That figure represents "approximately 1%…

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14

Jun

15 die in latest reported Mediterranean Migration Tragedy – UN

At least 15 persons were missing and feared drowned off the coast of Libya on Saturday after a boat carrying around three dozen migrants bound for Europe capsized in the…

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12

Jun

Death toll from Tunisia migrant shipwreck rises to 54

The death toll from the sinking of a boat carrying migrants off the Tunisian coast has risen to 54 as more bodies were recovered during the search operations. The boat,…

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11

Jun

Charity boats resume Mediterranean migrant rescue

Two charity boats have headed back to the Mediterranean after a two-month hiatus in migrant rescue operations, as humanitarian groups await a new wave of arrivals. Italian NGO Mediterranea Saving…

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10

Jun

Seven eastern EU member states set to oppose asylum seekers relocation mechanism

Seven eastern EU member states are opposing the possibility of the EU creating a mechanism to relocate asylum seekers between countries. In a letter to the European Commission, the interior…

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10

Jun

Bodies of twenty lifeless persons recovered after latest migrant tragedy in the Mediterranean Sea

The bodies of 20 persons were recovered on Wednesday following the sinking of a fishing boat carrying irregular migrants. A search is underway for 30 others who are believed to…

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08

Jun

Temperature heats up as EU states share divergent views on migration

Summer is not yet here and migratory challenges across Europe have already increased tensions across EU Member States. As countries insisted with their standoffs to raise visibility of their plight,…

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07

Jun

425 asylum seekers allowed to disembark in Malta

425 asylum seekers held offshore on four tourist boats will be allowed to disembark in Malta, the government announced on Saturday night. Newsbook reports that the government said that while…

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02

Jun

COVID-19 could lead to more resilient EU asylum procedure

Initially limited by the emergency measures, national asylum authorities largely made strong efforts to resume services wherever possible, often within weeks. At the same time, Member States should be prepared…

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01

Jun

Eurojust steps up the fight against migrant smuggling

To further strengthen the fight against migrant smuggling, Eurojust, the EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, has launched a new initiative, the Focus Group for Prosecutors on Migrant Smuggling. In…

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30

May

Migration, Military developments and Coronavirus discussed between Al-Sarraj and Conte

Fayez Al-Sarraj in a phone call with the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on discussed the ongoing developments in Libya, both in military and health fields as the Tripoli offensive…

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28

May

Malta and Libya agree to set up a coordination unit in each country to assist in operations against illegal migration

During an official visit to Libya, Prime Minister Robert Abela met Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord Fayez al-Sarraj and discussed the unprecedented challenges and disproportionate pressures which…

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21

May

Migrant boat crossings to UK surge during coronavirus lockdown

The number of unaccompanied young migrants crossing the English Channel from France to Britain has spiked during the coronavirus outbreak, as travel restrictions force them onto boats rather than trucks.…

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17

May

Migrants intercepted in small boats in English Channel

Six boats carrying 90 migrants which were attempting to cross the English Channel have been intercepted by Border Force boats over the weekend. The occupants of the six boats, one…

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15

May

Fears mount over migrants dying ‘out of sight’ in Mediterranean

More and more migrants are crossing, Europe is closing its ports and no humanitarian ships are carrying out rescues. As the coronavirus pandemic dominates headlines, activists fear the Mediterranean is…

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11

May

Migrants stranded in Greece by Covid-19 fly to UK

A group of 50 refugees and asylum seekers flew from Greece to Britain on Monday to reunite with relatives in a transfer that had been held up by the coronavirus…

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10

May

European diplomatic feuds on Libya and migration, as clashes and bombing keep going on

Shelling of Tripoli's Mitiga airport early on Saturday, part of an intensified barrage of artillery fire on the capital in recent days, hit fuel tanks and damaged passenger planes, the…

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09

May

More than 140 migrants intercepted in English Channel

Sky News on Saturday reported that a record number of migrants crossed the English Channel yesterday. It is thought more than 140 people were brought ashore to Dover. On Saturday,…

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08

May

Photo Story: Asylum seekers protest in Brisbane

A refugee supporter holds up a sign as asylum seekers, who are being held in detention, protest at an inner-city motel in Brisbane, Australia, 08 May 2020. The men claim…

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06

May

UNHCR begins emergency distributions in Libya to refugees and asylum-seekers

  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has begun a series of emergency distributions in the Libyan capital Tripoli, to assist refugees and asylum-seekers during the holy fasting…

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04

May

Photo Story: Migrants and refugees transferred to Greece mainland

A migrant child wearing a protective face mask sits next to plastic sacks, during her arrival at the port of Piraeus near Athens, Greece, 04 May 2020. Ferry boat Nisos…

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04

May

EPP calls for stronger EU migration policy based on solidarity

In the wake of recent migratory crisis, particularly in the Mediterranean, the EPP Group in the European Parliament has insisted for a stronger, more efficient EU migration policy that is…

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03

May

Afghanistan probes report Iranian border guards threw migrants into river with many drowning

  Afghan officials on Sunday launched a hunt to retrieve bodies of Afghan migrants from a river in a western province after reports that Iranian border guards tortured and threw…

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30

Apr

Asylum applications in Europe down by 43% in March

Applications for asylum in the EU+ dropped by almost half in March as COVID-19 containment measures took effect, following persistently high levels of applications in the first two months of…

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30

Apr

Malta: Top Italian Journalist gives evidence in Maltese courts

Top Italian journalist Nello Scavo has confirmed to Newsbook.com.mt that he has given evidence to the Maltese courts in the criminal investigation being carried out on the Pasquetta Tragedy. Twelve…

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30

Apr

Malta: Anger as Neville Gafà says he coordinated Libya pushback on OPM orders

Notorious government official Neville Gafà has said under oath that he had co-ordinated the pushback to Libya of 51 migrants involved in a tragedy over Easter following the instructions of…

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23

Apr

Trump signs order on immigration green card suspension

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to temporarily suspend the approval of some green cards. The order, which contains a number of exemptions, is to last for…

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19

Apr

Migrants from Spanish vessel ‘Aita Mari’ transferred to Italian ferry off Palermo

A handout photo made available by the Salvamento Maritimo Humanitario (SMH, Humanitarian Sea Rescue) non-governmental organization (NGO) shows some of the 34 migrants, who were rescued at sea, prior to…

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19

Apr

MSF and SOS Mediterranee split up amid disagreement over the rescue of migrants

Aid group Doctors without Borders (MSF) said it is ending its cooperation with partner SOS Mediterranee amid disagreement over the continued rescue of migrants. Doctors without Borders said it wants…

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16

Apr

UN agencies welcome first relocation of unaccompanied children from Greece 

IOM, the International Organization for Migration, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and UNICEF, the UN Children’s Fund today welcomed the relocation of 12 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children from Greece to Luxembourg. The…

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16

Apr

Another migrant tragedy off the Maltese coast

At least five migrants died and seven were missing when the coast guard returned 49 others to Libya's capital Tripoli on Wednesday as fighting there raged, the U.N. migration agency…

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14

Apr

A crisis within a crisis

Malta’s shoreline was facing two sets of visitors on opposite sides over the Easter weekend. On the landside, families gathered on beaches to enjoy the holiday weather and escape life…

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13

Apr

No boat capsized as FRONTEX accounts for all boats in the Med

Frontex, told AFP on Monday it said "all four boats have been accounted for" and there had been no shipwreck in the Mediterranean. "Two arrived in Sicily and two remain…

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13

Apr

Malta: Social welfare board distances itself from CEO’s migration comments

The Foundation for Social Welfare Services board has disassociated itself from comments made by its chief executive Alfred Grixti, in which he said NGO rescue ships should be impounded and…

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13

Apr

Claim of shipwreck of boat carrying persons in migratory journey and its location confirmed to be unfounded – Malta’s Foreign Affairs Minister

Allegations that a boat carrying dozens of migrants had sunk in Malta’s Search and Rescue Area were confirmed to be unfounded. Malta's foreign affairs minister Evarist Bartolo made this declaration…

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13

Apr

Italy orders migrants from Alan Kurdi transferred onto quarantine ship

  Italy has ordered 156 migrants on board a German rescue ship off the western coast of Sicily to be transferred to another vessel and quarantined. The migrants, mostly from…

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12

Apr

Turkey allegedly has a plan to push migrants infected with the coronavirus to cross into Greece and other parts of Europe

Greek authorities were reported to have found out that numerous migrants in Turkey have been concentrating in the country's western seaside towns, as if ready to cross into neighboring Greece's…

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12

Apr

Persons on the migratory route between Malta and Libya believed to have died after barge capsizes

A number of persons are believed to have died following the wreck of a barge between Malta and Tripoli. Sea Watch in a tweet, said that "250 people were drifting…

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12

Apr

UN calls on European countries not to return asylum seekers to Libya

The United Nations has called on the European countries to end the suffering of asylum seekers rescued in the Mediterranean, and not to return them to Libya. The Libyan Observer…

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08

Apr

Malta: Government slams Identity Malta for telling non-EU children to go home

The government said on Tuesday that children of non-EU families facing deportation will not be sent home and letters they had received from Identity Malta should never have been issued.…

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05

Apr

Greece quarantines second migrant camp after COVID-19 case confirmed

Greece has quarantined a second migrant facility on its mainland after a 53-year-old man tested positive for the new coronavirus, the migration ministry said on Sunday. The Afghan man lives…

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02

Apr

Top EU court says eastern states broke law by refusing to host refugees

  The European Union’s top court ruled on Thursday that Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic had broken the law by refusing to host refugees to help ease the burden…

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02

Apr

Greece quarantines camp after migrants test coronavirus positive

  Greece has quarantined a migrant camp after 20 asylum seekers tested positive for coronavirus, the migration ministry said on Thursday, its first such facility to be hit since the…

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01

Apr

EU launches new naval mission to police Libya arms embargo

  The European Union announced Tuesday the launch of a new naval mission in the Mediterranean Sea aimed at enforcing the U.N. arms embargo on Libya. The new operation, dubbed…

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29

Mar

Portugal to treat migrants as ‘residents’

All foreigners in Portugal with pending applications will be treated as permanent residents from Monday until at least July 1, authorities said on Saturday, to ensure migrants have access to…

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27

Mar

EU launches naval mission to police Libya arms embargo

EU ambassadors agreed to deploy a new naval mission in the Central Mediterranean to police the U.N. arms embargo on Libya. The new Irini mission (the Greek word for "peace"),…

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25

Mar

Dozens of migrants die in shipping container in Mozambique

The bodies of 64 men were discovered asphyxiated in a sealed shipping container on the back of a truck at a checkpoint in Tete, Mozambique on Tuesday. Fourteen others rescued…

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24

Mar

Greece registers increase in victims, as it is preparing for rise in the spread in the migrant camps

On the Greek islands at the forefront of Europe’s unresolved migration crisis, social distancing and self-isolation are luxuries many can’t afford. In Moria, Europe’s largest informal migrant camp, some 20,000…

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21

Mar

Coronavirus: NGOs are stopping their rescue missions on the sea

“The pandemic is forcing us to freeze our activities. This is a necessary decision, despite the fact that the embarkments have started again,” said a spokesperson from Mediterranea. Ocean Viking,…

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14

Mar

MSF urges immediate evacuation of migrant camps in Greece to contain coronavirus

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has called for the immediate evacuation of migrant camps on Greece's islands, arguing that the conditions there provide "the perfect storm" for a COVID-19 outbreak. One…

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13

Mar

EU to give migrants in Greece €2,000 to go home

  The EU says it will pay €2,000 (£1,770; $2,225) each to migrants in overcrowded camps on the Greek islands willing to go back to their home countries. EU Home…

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11

Mar

Turkey’s Erdogan likens Greek authorities to Nazis for returning migrants

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that there was "no difference" between the Nazis and the Greek authorities forcibly repelling thousands of migrants seeking to reach Greece…

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