Greece is facing mounting calls to agree to a European investigation into the deaths of more than 500 migrants who were killed after a boat capsized.
The packed fishing vessel, which is believed to have set sail from Libya, overturned and sank last month in deep waters about 80km from the southern coastal town of Pylos in Greece.
About 100 children are feared to have been on board and trapped in the hold.
On Thursday, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) continued to put pressure on the EU to ensure a full, transparent investigation is carried out into the incident – one of the deadliest on record in the Mediterranean Sea.
So far, there have been no moves to launch such an inquiry.
Harlem Desir, IRC senior vice president in Europe, said accountability was needed.
“It’s deeply shameful that hundreds have perished in one of the deadliest ever shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea, yet a month on we have yet to see a full, transparent investigation," he said.
"It’s time for concrete steps towards accountability and to finally put an end to these needless and avoidable deaths.
"Rather than focusing on stopping people from reaching its territory, we urge the EU to shift its efforts towards improving rights and conditions for people on the move, better supporting state-led search and rescue operations and expanding safe routes to Europe so people are not forced to risk their lives on these treacherous journeys in the first place.”
'EU approach not working'
There have been at least 22 other incidents in the Central Mediterranean killing at least 50 people this year, the International Organisation for Migration says.
The IRC has said new migration agreements with non-EU countries are disproportionately focused on deterring refugees and other migrants from Europe, rather than supporting vulnerable people on the move and addressing the root causes of their displacement.
"They risk further undermining people’s rights, exposing them to abuse and exploitation and driving them to risk their lives on even more dangerous routes," the IRC said.
Tom Garofalo, IRC's Libya director, said the EU's approach was not working.
“The hundreds of people who perished in this shipwreck boarded the boat in Libya – a country they were desperate to leave, even if it meant risking their lives on an unseaworthy vessel. Libya is not a safe country for migrants and people seeking protection, who know each day they could be abducted, arbitrarily detained or subjected to violence and abuse," he said.
“The EU’s approach, rooted in deterring people from reaching Europe at any cost, is not working – neither for states on the EU’s southern borders, nor for the thousands who have died or gone missing as a direct result of these cruel policies.
"Doubling down on this approach by making more deals with non-EU countries will only serve to put people at greater risk, driving them on to ever more dangerous routes in search of protection.
"The EU’s approach should be firmly rooted in upholding people’s fundamental rights. If it fails to achieve this, the Mediterranean will continue to be a graveyard for people seeking protection.”
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
More from our neighbourhood series:
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South Africa v India schedule
Tests: 1st Test Jan 5-9, Cape Town; 2nd Test Jan 13-17, Centurion; 3rd Test Jan 24-28, Johannesburg
ODIs: 1st ODI Feb 1, Durban; 2nd ODI Feb 4, Centurion; 3rd ODI Feb 7, Cape Town; 4th ODI Feb 10, Johannesburg; 5th ODI Feb 13, Port Elizabeth; 6th ODI Feb 16, Centurion
T20Is: 1st T20I Feb 18, Johannesburg; 2nd T20I Feb 21, Centurion; 3rd T20I Feb 24, Cape Town
Friday's schedule at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
GP3 qualifying, 10:15am
Formula 2, practice 11:30am
Formula 1, first practice, 1pm
GP3 qualifying session, 3.10pm
Formula 1 second practice, 5pm
Formula 2 qualifying, 7pm
Bharat
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh810,000
Abu Dhabi race card
5pm Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige | Dh110,000 | 1,400m
5.30pm Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige | Dh110,000 | 1,400m
6pm Abu Dhabi Championship Listed | Dh180,000 | 1,600m
6.30pm Maiden | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap | Dh80,000 | 1,400m
7.30pm Handicap (TB) |Dh100,000 | 2,400m
THE SPECS
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 258hp at 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.4L/100km
Price, base: from D215,000 (Dh230,000 as tested)
On sale: now
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Cologne v Hoffenheim (11.30pm)
Saturday
Hertha Berlin v RB Leipzig (6.30pm)
Schalke v Fortuna Dusseldof (6.30pm)
Mainz v Union Berlin (6.30pm)
Paderborn v Augsburg (6.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (9.30pm)
Sunday
Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen (4.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)
SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (9on)
The%20specs
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
