Morocco foils 75,184 illegal migration attempts to Europe in 2023
Rabat, Morocco Reuters Morocco stopped 75,184 people from illegally migrating to Europe in 2023, up six per cent compared to a year earlier, the interior ministry said on Tuesday. The figures reflected “the resilience of border and coast surveillance apparatus,” the ministry said in response to Reuters emailed questions. A female migrant is led by […]
Italy’s Lampedusa pleads for help after thousands of migrant arrivals
Lampedusa, Italy Reuters The small Italian island of Lampedusa is being overwhelmed by the number of migrants arriving on its shores, its mayor said on Thursday, after thousands of people landed from North Africa on flimsy boats over the past two days. Lampedusa sits in the Mediterranean between Tunisia, Malta and the larger Italian island […]
Amnesty accuses Spain and Morocco of cover-up over Melilla enclave migrant deaths
Barcelona, Spain Reuters Amnesty International on Friday accused Spain and Morocco of a cover-up for failing to properly investigate events at the border of the Spanish enclave of Melilla last year, when tens of migrants and refugees died during a mass attempted crossing. On 24th June, 2002, around 2,000 Sub-Saharan African migrants and refugees attempted […]
People facing acute food insecurity reach 345 million worldwide – WFP
Baghdad, Iraq Reuters The number of people facing acute food insecurity worldwide has more than doubled to 345 million since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict and climate change, the World Food Programme said on Wednesday. Before the coronavirus crisis, 135 million suffered from acute hunger worldwide, said Corinne Fleischer, the WFP’s regional director, […]
“No one can stop them”: African migrants aim for Spain’s Canary Islands
Gran Canaria, SpainReuters Standing in a cemetery of abandoned boats, Mohamed Fane picks a West African franc off the floor and shudders at the traumatic memory of his voyage from Senegal to the Canary Islands. After an arduous overland trip and months waiting, smugglers shepherded the 33-year-old carpenter into a flimsy wooden vessel with two […]
Ukraine war raising malnutrition risk in Middle East – UNICEF
Beirut, LebanonAP Rising food prices as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine are increasing the risk of malnutrition of millions of children in the Middle East and North Africa, the UN children’s agency warned Thursday. UNICEF added that families are struggling to put food on the table during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when observant Muslims […]
Desert-fringed Middle East, North Africa put on new drought warning
Thomson Reuters Foundation With dusty desert sprawled across the region, Middle Eastern and north African nations must prepare better for drought as water shortages look set to worsen, the United Nations said on Friday. Over the past 40 years, droughts have become longer and more frequent in the region, where fresh water resources are among […]
‘Migrant TripAdvisor’ app helps new arrivals navigate Italy and escape abuse
Thomson Reuters Foundation A new smartphone app aims to help migrants in Italy find hospitals, schools and police stations at the press of a button – and quickly seek help if they face abuse or exploitation. More than 600,000 migrants have reached Italy from North Africa in the last four years, many fleeing war and […]
More than 80 countries ‘favour’ one religion over others, says Pew report
World Watch Monitor More than 80 countries favour a specific religion, either officially as a state religion or tacitly through special treatment, according to a new report by the US-based Pew Research Center. Islam is the most common state religion – 27 countries have it as their official religion, including 16 of the 20 countries in the […]
Churches chief highlights continuing support for Middle East, North Africa region
Ekklesia The plight of Christian communities in the Middle East and North Africa, and the region as a whole, will continue to be a key focus for the World Council of Churches, WCC General Secretary Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit affirmed at the end of the opening plenary of the 10th Assembly meeting in Busan, […]