SARAJEVO: Spain’s Maritime Rescue Service says that nearly 900 people have been rescued from waters south of the Iberian Peninsula over the past two days, as an increase in arrivals increases pressure on the country’s infrastructure to deal with migration.
Some of the migrants are being kept overnight in a rescue boat docked in the port of Algeciras, as the makeshift emergency centers to host and identify them in sports facilities are already over capacity.
The maritime rescue service says more than 100 migrants were waiting on Wednesday to be transferred to land, 48 of them having spent the night on board.
The service rescued on Wednesday 387 people from 29 boats in the Strait of Gibraltar, the shortest stretch of water separating Europe from North Africa.
On Tuesday, 484 migrants were rescued from 30 boats, including 150 in an area further east into the Mediterranean.
The number of migrants and refugees crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Spain this year has surpassed arrivals in Italy.
According to the International Organization for Migration, a UN agency, 18,653 people reached Spain by sea from January until July 18.
Spain says nearly 900 migrants rescued in 2 days
Spain says nearly 900 migrants rescued in 2 days
- Some of the migrants are being kept overnight in a rescue boat docked in the port of Algeciras
Hungary PM to attend Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ inaugural meeting
- Orban attended the launch of the initiative last month in the Swiss ski resort of Davos
- “Two weeks from now we will meet again in Washington,” he said
BUDAPEST: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Saturday that he will be going to Washington “in two weeks” to attend the first meeting of US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace.”
Although originally intended to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding, the board’s charter does not seem to limit its role to the Palestinian territory and appears to want to rival the United Nations.
One of the US leader’s closest allies in the European Union, the nationalist Orban attended the launch of the initiative last month in the Swiss ski resort of Davos.
“Two weeks from now we will meet again in Washington, because the Board of Peace, the peace body, will have an inaugural meeting,” he told a campaign event in the western town of Szombathely.
Permanent members must pay $1 billion to join, leading to criticism that the board could become a “pay to play” version of the UN Security Council.
Orban — currently the longest-serving national leader in the EU — faces an unprecedented challenge at a general election slated for April 12.
Independent polls show the opposition led by Peter Magyar, an ex-government-insider-turned-critic, is ahead with a stagnating economy and growing discontent with public services, among key issues.
