LAVRIO: More than 500 migrants arrived at the port of Lavrio near Athens Thursday after being intercepted south of the island of Crete, as Greece implements emergency measures to address a surge in Mediterranean crossings from Libya.
The migrants, consisting mostly of young men, were transferred overnight aboard a bulk carrier after their fishing trawler was intercepted by Greek authorities. Service vessels helped bring them ashore at the mainland port. They will be sent to detention facilities near the capital.
Their transfer to the mainland was ordered because makeshift reception centers on Crete have reached capacity, with roughly 500 news arrivals per day on the Mediterranean island since the weekend.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced Wednesday that Greece would suspend asylum processing for migrants arriving by sea from North Africa for three months. The measure targets arrivals on Crete and was taken during a diplomatic strain between the European Union and Libya over migration cooperation. EU officials earlier this week were turned away from eastern Libya following an apparent disagreement on the format of talks planned on curbing crossings.
Authorities on Crete are struggling to provide basic services, using temporary facilities to house migrants, primarily from Somalia, Sudan, Egypt and Morocco, according to island officials.
Hundreds of migrants moved from Crete to Greek mainland as island struggles with Libya arrivals
https://arab.news/9cabu
Hundreds of migrants moved from Crete to Greek mainland as island struggles with Libya arrivals
- EU officials earlier this week were turned away from eastern Libya following an apparent disagreement on the format of talks planned on curbing crossings
Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in green at 10,450
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index rose on Thursday, gaining 36.21 points, or 0.35 percent, to close at 10,450.27.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR5.87 billion ($1.57 billion), as 100 of the listed stocks advanced, while 154 retreated.
The MSCI Tadawul Index increased 7.34 points, or 0.54 percent, to close at 1,375.70.
The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu lost 74.39 points, or 0.32 percent, to close at 23,354.28. This comes as 32 of the listed stocks advanced, while 39 retreated.
The best-performing stock was Arabian Cement Co., with its share price surging by 5.62 percent to SR21.80.
Other top performers included National Shipping Co. of Saudi Arabia, which saw its share price rise by 5.07 percent to SR30.28, and Kingdom Holding Co., which saw a 4.40 percent increase to SR8.55.
On the downside, Alramz Real Estate Co. led the declines, with its share price falling 14.29 percent to SR60.
Nama Chemicals Co. fell 4.28 percent to SR20.35, while Sinad Holding Co. declined 3.51 percent to SR8.51.
On the announcements front, Arabian Contracting Services Co. said it has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Alrai Media Group Co. to reshape Kuwait’s advertising landscape.
The 12-month, extendable agreement initiates a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening cooperation in advertising and marketing, specifically targeting the outdoor advertising sector.
The collaboration focuses on combining both entities’ expertise to explore and invest in high-impact, technology-driven outdoor advertising solutions, with a vision to elevate industry standards and boost the sector’s contribution to Kuwait’s economic and media growth.
Alarabia’s shares traded 0.66 percent lower on the main market to close at SR120.30.
