Eurotopics.net

The number of refugees worldwide increased by 19 million in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to the UNHCR. Of these, 11.6 million were Ukrainians. The EU has just introduced tighter asylum laws, while Europeans are discussing the latest boat tragedy in the Mediterranean in which hundreds of migrants reportedly drowned. In Europe's press we see disillusionment and appeals to humanity.

The rescue operation in the search for the submersible vessel Titan in the North Atlantic is growing after the latter disappeared on Sunday on its way to the wreck of the Titanic. The oxygen on board is only expected to last until Thursday noon. On Tuesday, the US Coast Guard detected via sonar underwater noises that could potentially be signs of life. The five people on board are mostly wealthy tourists, and it had been known for some time that there were safety issues with the submersible.

Portuguese police have found 80 undocumented migrant youths, mostly from South America and Africa, living in prison-like conditions in a private football training centre. Mário Costa, president of the general assembly of the Portuguese Professional Football League, is now suspected of organising the trafficking of the young people. Commentators are outraged by this form of "promoting talent".

Despite her popularity, Slovakian President Zuzana Čaputová will not run for a second five-year term next spring. She does not have the strength this would require, the president said explaining her decision. Is the country's stability under threat now?

After his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Beijing's chief diplomat Wang Yi, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also met President Xi Jinping for talks on Monday. Europe's press sees this as an important signal, even if the discussions seem to have produced few concrete results.

The tragedy surrounding the boat accident off the southwest coast of Greece is taking on ever worse proportions. Hundreds of people are said to have been below deck with no chance of survival. More than 500 are now thought to have died, and nine suspected smugglers have been arrested. What responsibility do the authorities bear, and how to address the failures in EU migration policy?