Two pregnant women are among a group of migrants left stranded at sea for almost a fortnight after Tunisia became the latest of four countries to refuse their ship entry.

The migrants, recovered by a Tunisian supply vessel after they were found adrift in a small wooden boat reportedly within Malta’s search and rescue zone, are anchored a dozen miles offshore as they enter the 13th day of their ordeal with supplies of food and medicine dwindling. It is understood the 40-strong group initially set sail from Libya, on a route frequently used by those seeking to reach Europe. Refused entry by Malta, France, Italy and now Tunisia, the passengers and crew of the ship, the Sarost 5, have become pawns in a much wider political game, as Europe seeks to increase pressure on north Africa to do more to control migrant routes that pass through its waters.(theguardian)…[+]

Port of Spain- The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) and Department of Sustainable Development, Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development in Saint Lucia engaged government, civil society and private sector stakeholders to input into a national workshop to enhance Saint Lucia’s environmental legislation from June 26-27, 2018.

The national workshop aimed to develop two new pieces of legislation, including a Climate Change Bill and Environmental Management Bill for Saint Lucia. The proposed Climate Change Bill provides a framework for ensuring intersectoral coordination and financing for effective planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of climate change adaptation and mitigation actions. The proposed Environmental Management Bill serves as umbrella legislation that addresses a range of key environmental issues, including biodiversity and protected areas, coastal zone and marine management, pollution, environmental approvals, monitoring and enforcement as well as climate change. In opening remarks at the workshop, the Chief Sustainable Development and Environment Officer, Ms. Annette Rattigan-Leo, highlighted that: “The legislation will provide support in helping the Department lead the process of achieving sustainable development by facilitating an integrated and participatory approach to governance and promoting environmental management“…[+]

Americans should be allowed to jump the border queues at Heathrow by using the e-gates reserved for British and EU travellers, the airport has demanded. Heathrow’s boss said some immigration queues for non-European passengers had reached “completely unacceptable” levels and called on the Home Office to change the rules.

John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow’s chief executive, said queues were increasing, citing a recent queue of close to three hours for non-EU passengers at the airport’s Terminal 4. Allowing low-risk passengers to use e-gates was an easy solution, he said: “There’s no reason we should treat a passenger from the US any differently from one from Lithuania. We have 60 e-gates at Heathrow and you’ll never see them all in use.

“Sajid Javid [the home secretary] could tackle this at the stroke of a pen.” He said he believed Brexit would not worsen immigration queues, but should be used to change the rules: “If the Americans aren’t considered safe then no one is – they’re at least as safe as our European partners. “What better way on 30 March to show the world has changed than have Americans, Canadians and Australians use the e-gates? You know who is coming to your country, why do we need to treat everyone like a criminal when they get to the border?” Currently only travellers from the European Economic Area and Switzerland who are issued with a biometric passport can use the e-gates.(theguardian)…[+]

European Union countries could be offered €6,000 (£5,346) per person to host migrants in secure centres on their territory, as the EU searches for a political answer to managing tens of thousands of people crossing the Mediterranean.

The “controlled centres” would aim for “orderly and effective processing” of the asylum claims of people rescued from the Mediterranean Sea, according to a European commission paper published on Tuesday. Brussels hopes the payments will ease the pressure on Italy, where the far-right interior minister, Matteo Salvini, has refused to allow boats carrying migrants to dock at Italian ports. Softening this line on Monday, the Italian government said it would allow boats to dock for five weeks while the EU works out a new asylum policy.(NU)…[+]