Five arrested for smuggling migrants in Europe via private jet
Five alleged smugglers have been arrested in Rome and Brussels for their role in bringing migrants from Turkey to Europe on private jets. Two others are reported to still be on the run.
Belgium
Belgium opens new reception center for asylum seekers in Berlaar
A new temporary reception center has opened in the Belgian town of Berlaar to house asylum seekers and reduce pressure on the reception network. Belgium has been facing a housing crisis.
Human Rights Watch accuses Frontex drones of posing 'a threat to migrants and refugees'
A joint report from Human Rights Watch and Border Forensics says Frontex and the EU's use of drones is posing a "threat to migrants and refugees."
Refugees remain stranded at Brussels transit center
A transit center for Ukrainian refugees in Brussels has hit a record number of residents. Many residents have remained there for several weeks, amid a worsening housing crisis in the Belgian capital.
Suspected migrant smuggling network across the EU dismantled in major operation
In a massive police operation across Europe, the suspected ringleader of a network suspected of trafficking up to 10,000 people on small boats across the English Channel has been arrested alongside 38 other suspects. Almost half of the suspects were detained in Germany.
Belgian army to provide help in housing asylum seekers
The Belgian army has announced plans to create 750 temporary places for asylum seekers in military barracks. The move is intended to help the EU nation's overburdened asylum reception system.
Refugees celebrate football in new UEFA event designed to promote understanding
A team with refugee football players in Germany has won the first UNITY EURO Cup in Nyon -- an international football tournament for refugees and migrants. The new competition organized by the European Football Union (UEFA) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) aims to promote the integration of refugees.
'I could already see myself dead': Serge, a Congolese migrant, recalls his crossing to the Canary Islands
Having been pushed back by the Spanish authorities to Morocco, Serge decided to try the 'Atlantic route' to Europe. But once at sea, the boat lost its motor, and Serge thought he was going to die.
Belgian authorities accused of 'systematically' denying asylum seekers shelter
A court in Belgium ruled this week that state authorities violated asylum seekers' right to reception in a 'deliberate, coordinated and persistent' fashion. Rights activists have long criticized that many migrants and refugees in Belgium are left homeless as reception facilities are at capacity.
Cannes Film Festival favourites stick up for migrant kids in EU
Two-time Cannes winners Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's new film "Tori and Lokita" is a call for the EU to do a better job in protecting the most vulnerable: child migrants.
UK authorities arrest alleged small-boat smuggler 'kingpin'
The UK’s National Crime Agency has arrested a man in east London who they suspect was a "leading figure in an organized crime group supplying significant numbers of small boats to people smugglers."
Belgium rejects asylum claims of hundreds of Afghans
Hundreds of Afghans have had their asylum applications refused by Belgian authorities. They could face deportation to Afghanistan, where the Belgian Commissioner General for Refugees says the security situation has improved.