Two arrests related to Mediterranean migrant boating disaster; EU warns of possible ban on Thai seafood; Japan sets new train speed record; Morsi sentenced to 20 years in prison for violence against protesters; EU to file antitrust charges against Russian power giant; and more
TOP OF THE AGENDA
Two Tied to Deaths of Migrants in Mediterranean
Italian authorities arrested (AP) the Tunisian captain and a Syrian crewmember in connection to the trafficking and deaths of hundreds of migrants on a fishing boat that capsized in the Mediterranean on Sunday. Twenty-seven survivors arrived in Sicily, while as many as 950 others are feared dead. On Monday, Italian coast guard authorities said they rescued (FT) 638 people from six different vessels. EU foreign ministers set out a ten-point plan (EU News) on Monday to address the migrant crisis, including combatting human trafficking vessels, bolstering European search-and-rescue programs, fingerprinting all migrants upon arrival, and joint processing of asylum requests. More than 1,750 migrants have died crossing the Mediterranean this year, a death toll thirty times higher (Telegraph) than in 2014.
ANALYSIS
"Contrary to what European leaders and interior ministers claim, deaths at Europe's borders can be prevented. At the very least, their numbers could be dramatically reduced. But that requires a readiness on the part of Europeans to protect people and not just borders," writes Maximilian Popp in Der Spiegel.
"The fact that more Syrians and Eritreans crossed the Mediterranean in 2014 than any other nationality should tell its own story. Ultimately the most sustainable way of decreasing demand for the boats is to curb repression in countries like Eritrea, and end wars in countries of transit or origin like Libya and Syria," writes Harriet Grant in the Guardian.
"Solidarity must extend to the point where we can guarantee that this aging, graying continent can provide a future for those who have suffered because of war and genocide, because if anything, they are giving us an economic future in return. It’s more than just an obligation: It’s an insult to our shared history if we fail to do our best for these people," writes Yiannis Baboulias in Al Jazeera America.
PACIFIC RIM
EU Warns Thailand Over Illegal Fishing
The EU warned (WSJ) Thailand that it would impose a ban on its seafood exports in six months unless it curbs illegal fishing in its waters, while lifting a similar threat to both the Philippines and South Korea. Thailand is the world's third largest fisheries exporter.
JAPAN: Japan's high-speed maglev train set (Japan Times) a new world record in speed on Tuesday during a test run near Mount Fuji, traveling at over 370 miles per hour.
ELSEWHERE:
Morsi sentenced to 20 years in prison for violence against protesters