Migration

Calls for assistance for a boat with 100 migrants unanswered for seven hours (so far) (Updated)

Update The Libyan Coast Guard intervened and provided assistance and took migrants to Libya. The Pilotes Volontaires tweeted about this development claiming that Libya remains an unsafe harbour. Earlier Calls…

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Any major offensive in Idlib would cause new refugee crisis from Turkey to Europe

Turkey's presidential spokesperson has said a major offensive targeting Syria's northwestern province of Idlib could cause a new refugee crisis from Turkey to Europe."Everyone's common point is that the solution must be…

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Italy accuses Malta of ‘dumping’ another immigration problem on it, as 184 migrants land in Lampedusa

184 immigrants landed in Lampedusa using small boats. Sources of the Interior Ministry in Italy said that "Malta, for the umpteenth time, has dumped the problem on Italy". The Italian Ministry…

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A new crisis for Merkel?

A scandal over migrants being chased through the streets has exposed a rift between Angela Merkel and Germany’s security establishment that is dividing her coalition and hindering efforts to contain…

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21 bodies or people found lifeless on Mediterranean shores as more migrants try to reach Spain

The bodies of 21 people, thought to be migrants trying to reach Spain, washed up on the shores of the Mediterranean this month, the U.N. migration agency said in statement…

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Since 26 August, no NGO rescue vessel has operated on the main migration routes between north Africa and southern Europe

Thousands of migrants risk dying at sea because of a clampdown on NGO rescue ships, aid agencies have warned, in what has been their longest period of absence from the central Mediterranean…

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100 people, including 20 children died in the latest Mediterranean tragedy

A pair of twins about 17 months old, as well as their parents were among the more than 100 people, including 20 children, who died in early September when their rubber…

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Friday Morning Briefing

Good morning, This is the Morning Briefing for Friday, with the latest news to start informed, the Maltese papers review to get an overview of what the headlines are, and…

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Migration worries German people, but Trump’s policies worries them even more – Survey

More than two-thirds of Germans — or 69 percent — are extremely concerned that US President Donald Trump's policies are having a dangerous impact worldwide, according to the annual survey…

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Five persons drowned, 193 rescued after six rafts carrying migrants sank

Five migrants drowned and 193 were rescued in the western Mediterranean sea off the Spanish coast, the Spanish coastguard said on Thursday, after six rafts sank. Reuters Dozens of migrants…

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Reports: Hundreds of African migrants escape from detention centre in Tripoli -Libyan government department denies

According to news agency Reuters, hundreds of African migrants escaped from a detention center in Tripoli on Tuesday as fighting between rival groups raged nearby, an aid official said, though the…

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Italian speaker reiterates that the people on board Diciotti had to be let land on the first day

There is no doubt, and I say without any hesitation that all 179 people, including the 29 unaccompanied minors, had to get off the first day and we did not…

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People losing their lives in the Mediterranean has risen sharply – UNHCR

Fewer people are making the journey across the Mediterranean to Europe, but the proportion of those losing their lives trying has risen sharply, the UN refugee agency has said in its…

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Migration tops the agenda in meeting between Maltese and Czech Prime Ministers

The obligatory sharing of migrants or the drawing of quotas is not an acceptable solution to the migration crisis, Andrej Babiš, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic said after…

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Hell on earth – Videos and images of the torture, martyrdom and humiliation African migrants go through in Libya which Pope Francis wanted to see (Viewer discretion required)

Before reading and viewing the strong video and images, viewer discretion is required. Tortured, martyred, humiliated, bound and hung with ropes as salami. Paradoxically, death also represents a…

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Alleged smugglers who led boats with migrants rescued by Diciotti arrested

Corriere Della Sera reports that the Italian police identified the alleged smugglers who led the boat with the migrants on board, which were eventually rescued by the MV Diciotti. They are…

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Venezuela refugee situation likened to refugee crisis in the Mediterranean

The Venezuela refugee situation is "building towards a crisis moment", the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) has warned, with the organisation's spokesperson likening it to the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean. Many…

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Sunday Morning Briefing

Good morning, The morning briefing for Sunday leads with the death of Senator John McCain, who at 81, passed away after losing the battle with cancer. During the night, the…

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The Update – End of Diciotti Saga – Salvini investigated for abuse of power

Catholic bishops, tiny Albania and Ireland agreed to take the 140 migrants blocked aboard an Italian coast guard vessel, Premier Giuseppe Conte said Saturday, announcing the end of 10-day standoff…

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12 migrants disembarked from Diciotti on medical grounds as UNHCR implores EU states to take in some of the refugees on board

Matteo Salvini has warned that unless the EU will solve the migrant issue, it will veto the European Union's budget. Salvini said this in a Tv interview on Saturday. ANSA…

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Italy never fulfilled pledge to take migrants from Malta – EU replies to Di Maio threat to pull country’s EU funding Updated

The Times of Malta reports that Italy never fulfilled its pledge to take 50 migrants from Malta, undermining Rome's political posturing as it continues to lash out at EU States for failing…

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Saturday Morning Briefing

Good morning, Today's morning briefing. The migrants on the Diciotti saga continues as no deal was agreed on Friday. Trump's challenges continues, while he 'engages' in new diplomatic twists in…

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The Update – Diciotti Migrants saga

The Diciotti ship saga, moored in the port of Catania with 150 migrants still on board entered its third day and is charged with new political and judicial tensions. The ship…

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Hungarian authorities stopped food distribution for rejected asylum seekers – HRW

Hungarian authorities have stopped food distribution for rejected asylum seekers held in transit zones on the country's border with Serbia since early August, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). In…

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The Update – Mediterranean Migration

Euronews: Italy’s prime minister has allowed all child migrants on the coastguard ship that docked in the port of Catania on Monday into Italy. The legal agency in Sicily responsible for…

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Conte argues that Malta (and other countries) did not honour its commitment in the last Pozzallo disembarking of migrants

Italy's prime minister has allowed all child migrants on the coastguard ship that docked in the port of Catania on Monday into Italy The legal agency in Sicily responsible for…

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100 migrants rescued by Maltese army patrol boat as 177 remain onboard Diciotti in Sicily as Salvini insists in defying Transport Minister, Speaker of Parliament concerns and Guarantor of Human right pleas

A Maltese army patrol boat rescued 100 migrants from a boat 68 miles south of Malta early on Wednesday. Two people had already died by the time rescuers reached the…

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Salvini refuses the disembarkation of people on board Diciotti

CNN reports that Italian interior minister Matteo Salvini is refusing to give permission to an Italian Coast Guard ship to disembark 177 people it rescued off the island of Lampedusa…

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Will the MV Diciotti berth in Catania?

The #Diciotti ship will dock in Catania. The Minister of Transport Danilo Toninelli wrote on Twitter. "The brave men of the coastguard - the minister's tweet continues - have fulfilled their duty…

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Monday Morning Briefing

Good morning, Today's morning briefing is served. Latest: In Afghanistan, Taliban took more than 100 people, including women and children hostage in ambush in North. (AP) The issue…

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War of Tweets between Malta and Italy on MV Diciotti

The MV Diciotti saga took a new twist as the tensions between the Malta and Italy went to new highs. Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on One Radio that…

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Saturday Morning Briefing

Good morning Today's morning briefing covering news from Malta, the Mediterranean, Europe and the World as reported by the main news agencies and outlets. Special counsel prosecutors are asking…

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Australian senator proposes ‘final solution’ for Muslim immigrants

BBC reports thatOn Wednesday, lawmakers across the political divide moved to pass parliamentary motions censuring Australian senator Fraser Anning for his "racist hate speech", noting in particular his use of…

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Thursday Morning Briefing

Good morning, The following Morning Briefing presents the salient news as reported from the main newspapers and news media. Malta’s frontpages report the settlement of the MV Aquarius stalemate…

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Malta to allow MV Aquarius enter its ports

Following discussions between France and Malta, a number of European Union member states, with the support of the European Commission, agreed on a responsibility sharing exercise regarding the rescued migrants…

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MV Aquarius: Spain won’t take ship in its harbour (Updated)

Updated: TGCOM reports that sources close to the Spanish government said that Spain is maintaining a position where it would not be allowing the MV Aquarius in its harbour as…

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Monday Morning Briefing

Good morning, Our morning briefing for today covers news in Malta, the Mediterranean, Syria, the US, Turkey, the Korean peninsula and the Sun. (more…)

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MSF asks EU where to take people on board Aquarius

TGCOM reports that after saving 141 migrants off Libya with the ship Aquarius, Sos Mediterranée and Doctors Without Borders launched the alarm saying that “The rescued people said they had crossed…

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Merkel & Sanchez discuss fair distribution of migrants across the EU

DW reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel advocated a "fair distribution" of migrants across the EU. She also spoke out against racism during a press conference in Spain after a working lunch…

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Saturday Morning Briefing

Good morning, Your morning briefing for today. We wish you a good day. The Police issued a statement stating that former Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit and Economic Crimes Unit…

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61 Pakistani men intercepted onboard sailboat by Italian coastguard as smugglers escape

Tgcom reports that the Italian coast guard intercepted a sailboat carrying 61 men near the shores of Portopalo di Capo Passero (Syracuse). They are Pakistani, who told the authorities that they paid…

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Spain takes over 40% of all irregular migrants crossing the Mediterranean

Euronews : Spain has taken just over 40 percent of all irregular migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea into Europe this year, according to the UN Migration Agency. The International Organization for…

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Dignity takes centre-stage in Italy’s political day

Premier Giuseppe Conte said Tuesday that his government is determined to boost measures to stop the exploitation of migrant workers after 16 farm labourers died in two separate road accidents…

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Twelve persons, all migrants die in collision between their work van and a truck in Foggia, two days after a similar accident which saw four die and five injured

Twelve people, all migrant workers, have died in a collision between their work van and a truck loaded with tomatoes in countryside near Foggia, Puglia. The victims were returning from…

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