Former Polish minister arrested in cash-for-visas probe – POLITICO

Poland’s former deputy foreign minister was arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the country’s cash-for-visas scandal, Warsaw’s anti-corruption agency said Wednesday. Piotr Wawrzyk, who served as deputy foreign minister from January 2021 until August last year, was detained and charged with exceeding his authority in handling ministry documents, Poland’s Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) … Read more

Rishi Sunak wins Rwanda bill vote after facing down rebels – POLITICO

LONDON — Rishi Sunak’s controversial Rwanda deportation bill survived a crucial House of Commons vote Wednesday after the U.K. prime minister faced down a rebellion from MPs on the right of his party.  The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill passed its third reading Wednesday evening with 320 MPs voting in support, and 276 voting … Read more

UK minister forgets what football team he supports – POLITICO

LONDON — “I don’t really have a football team … Wimborne Town Football Club!” A U.K. minister appeared to temporarily forget, and then suddenly remember, what football team he supports, during an excruciating back and forth with a broadcaster Wednesday morning. Immigration Minister Michael Tomlinson — who was tasked with making the government’s case ahead … Read more

Four migrants die trying to cross English Channel – POLITICO

PARIS — Four migrants died in French waters overnight on Saturday as they tried to reach a small boat setting off from the beach in the northern French town of Wimereux. Dozens were also rescued in the freezing waters by French rescue teams, according to local French media reports. One migrant was in critical condition … Read more

The faded seaside town in Europe given £750m facelift | Travel News | Travel

Throughout the years, Calais has gained a reputation as a seedy haven for booze-loving cruise passengers.  Its image was not helped by the ‘Calais Jungle’ migrant camp constructed in 2015, which became the source of significant political tension.  Needless to say, the port city was neither top of travel agents’ recommendations, nor tourists’ bucket lists.  … Read more

Rishi Sunak previously questioned controversial Rwanda asylum plan: BBC – POLITICO

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak previously expressed doubts on a controversial program to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda, the BBC reported on Saturday. Sunak when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer attempted to convince then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson to scale back a migration scheme before a deal was signed with Rwanda in April 2022, the … Read more

Hezbollah fires rockets at Israel in response to killing of Hamas leader – POLITICO

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets at Israel on Saturday in retaliation for the targeted killing of a Hamas leader in Beirut this week amid mounting fears of a larger regional war, according to media reports. Hezbollah said in a statement Saturday that it targeted an Israeli air surveillance base in northern Israel with … Read more

EU and UK slam Israeli ministers’ call for ‘voluntary emigration’ from Gaza Strip – POLITICO

European governments hit out at statements from two far-right Israeli ministers calling for the resettlement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism Party, on Wednesday doubled down on a call for “voluntary emigration” from Gaza once the current Israel-Hamas war ends, despite criticism from the United States. … Read more

Bulgaria, Romania get official green light for partial entry into Schengen – POLITICO

EU member countries reached agreement Saturday on removing air and maritime internal border controls with Bulgaria and Romania, but the two countries’ full entry into the bloc’s passport-free Schengen zone remains subject to further discussions. Controls at sea and air borders with Romania and Bulgaria will be lifted as of March 31, the Council of … Read more

What is home in the age of exile? – POLITICO

Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. Tatyana Margolin is co-founder of STROIKA, with a mission to reverse the tide of rising authoritarianism by building, resourcing and connecting resistance movements around the globe. One can reliably gauge the latest geopolitical upheaval by who is sleeping on the red pullout couch in … Read more