The floods that hit the Libyan city of Derna were so severe that little attention was paid to the illegal migrants who were passing through the city on their way to Europe. Derna, once known as the city of poets, lies on the Mediterranean. It is a gateway the Greek islands and, if you turn west, to Italy. Local authorities are overwhelmed by the tragedy, and published casualty figures have not been detailed. Some local sources estimate that around 10 per cent of the victims were of foreign origin, while other sources deny it. The truth is difficult to ascertain, as most of the victims have been buried, some in mass graves.
The only certainty is that the tragedy will affect irregular migration channels. The first victims were migrants who were in Derna at the time of the tragedy. The port was partially spared and the boats at sea were unharmed. It will still be possible to reach Europe by sea, but given the disorganisation on land, it will mean leaving without the possibility of returning if things go bad. Already this summer a boatload of migrants attempting to return to land was turned away by Libyan smugglers. The law of the sea requires ships in distress to be assisted. In this case at least 250 migrants were pushed back out to sea. Their fate is unknown.
The Derna region is a hunting ground for criminal organisations and militias regularly criticised by international NGOs for illegal activities, particularly human trafficking. The floods are likely to have affected its accommodation facilities, often unhygienic warehouses used to hide migrants, as well as its means of transport.
The Derna region is a hunting ground for criminal organisations and militias regularly criticised by international NGOs for illegal activities, particularly human trafficking
This is likely to discourage migrants from going to Derna, at least temporarily, while the city reorganises. However, its geographical location on the edge of European waters will remain an advantage that traffickers will exploit. The journey across usually costs about $6,000. It is unlikely that the temporary cessation of illegal activities in Derna will have the effect of raising prices much. Beyond $8,000 or $9,000 dollars, few migrants would be able to pay.
The choice of a migration route is a decision made long before a migrant physically enters Libyan territory. There are two options. The western route (Derna) is currently compromised. Boat departures are still possible from 20 kilometres towards Benghazi, but there is no indication that the logistical capacity of criminal organisations would be able to cope with a sudden influx of migrants. The second route turns east and climbs the Zliten-Misrata axis. This is likely to be the preferred option in the coming weeks. It should be noted, however, that criminal organisations have no interest in a bottleneck on the Libyan coast. A saturation of the holding areas where the migrants are kept would create logical problems (food, water, availability of boats). The smoother and faster the journey, the more money the criminals make.
Tunis is closely monitoring the situation. The possibility of a mass migrant movement crossing its borders is unacceptable. Tunisian President Kais Saied has taken a very tough stance on migration. In February 2020, he shocked public opinion by declaring the urgent need to halt the flow of migrants, arguing that they were spreading a climate of insecurity and risked “changing the demographic composition of Tunisia”. Moreover, this summer he refused to budge when 140 sub-Saharan migrants from Libya tried to cross the Tunisian border. They were stopped by Tunisian security forces.
It is, therefore, highly likely that Tunis will restrict the passage of migrants. This decision may be both tactical and political. Controlling the flow of migration could be seen as a gesture of goodwill from to the EU. Smugglers are being arrested, migrants are being rescued at sea and channels of dialogue are being opened with the European countries concerned. This change of direction has been welcomed by Brussels, which has just agreed to allocate 67 million euros ($70.6m) to a Tunisian migration aid programme. The project to create a search and rescue zone in Tunisian waters is under way.
The only route left for migrants from Africa trying to reach Europe is Libya. And pressure is increasing with numbers. According to the International Organisation for Migration, a UN agency, the number of would-be migrants rose from 635,051 to 706,062 from January 2022 to February 2023. The death toll is high. At least 780 irregular immigrants have drowned off the Libyan coast since the beginning of the year.
The future of migration routes will depend on the political situation. For now, the soldiers of the 603rd Infantry Reconnaissance Battalion are continuing their work to secure Derna. Soon it will be up to local authorities to use the reconstruction of the city to cleanse it of criminal activity and turn their backs on old grudges between militias.
According to local sources, the President of the House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh, intends to organise local elections and entrust the huge task of reconstruction to a "Provisional Management Council". The aim is to restore order in the city. It remains to be seen how the criminal organisations will react to this desire to regain control. They have always been adept at exploiting political tensions and personal rivalries to buy complicity, bribe the right people in the right places and make their business flourish.
Amid the current drama, Derna finally has a chance to start afresh, after a devastating tragedy. History will tell whether the traffickers will allow this to happen, and whether they will get away with it again.
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
Anna and the Apocalypse
Director: John McPhail
Starring: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Mark Benton
Three stars
Company%C2%A0profile
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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INFO
Everton 0
Arsenal 0
Man of the Match: Djibril Sidibe (Everton)
GROUP RESULTS
Group A
Results
Ireland beat UAE by 226 runs
West Indies beat Netherlands by 54 runs
Group B
Results
Zimbabwe tied with Scotland
Nepal beat Hong Kong by five wickets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Premier League results
Saturday
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Arsenal 1
Bournemouth 0 Manchester City 1
Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Huddersfield Town 0
Burnley 1 Crystal Palace 3
Manchester United 3 Southampton 2
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Cardiff City 0
West Ham United 2 Newcastle United 0
Sunday
Watford 2 Leicester City 1
Fulham 1 Chelsea 2
Everton 0 Liverpool 0
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
