Migrants disembark from German rescue ship seized in Italy
September 2, 2019, 3:30 pm

Migrants disembark from German rescue ship seized in Italy

More than 100 migrants aboard a German migrant rescue ship that had been stranded at sea for a week were allowed to disembark in Sicily on Monday after Italian police confiscated the boat.

The ship’s captain had earlier set course for the Sicilian port of Pozzallo, citing an emergency because of bad weather and sparking a new standoff between rescuers and Italy’s far-right interior minister just as he looks set to lose his job.

“The people who were aboard the Eleonore for eight days now land in Pozzallo. They are first searched by the police and then handed over to the Red Cross,” a journalist onboard the ship said in a tweet, posting a photo of the migrants coming ashore.

The boat’s captain, Claus-Peter Reisch, had earlier said he had decided to enter Italian waters and head for shelter, in defiance of the authorities, because of storms.

“After eight days of waiting for a safe harbour, after countless attempts to convince states to care for 104 people, tonight the weather has decided,” he tweeted.

“I need to declare Eleonore a case of emergency due to the life-threatening situation on board.”

Axel Steier, head of Mission Lifeline, the German charity which operates the ship, told Reuters people aboard were soaked and at risk of hypothermia. Photos of the ship posted on social media showed migrants huddling on the deck under the rain.

Matteo Salvini, leader of the League and interior minister in Italy’s outgoing government, signed a decree last week banning the Eleonore from entering Italian waters as part of his closed-door policy on migrants arriving by boat from Africa.

A succession of charity vessels have struggled over the past year to bring migrants rescued at sea to Italian shores as Salvini has taken a tough line.

Salvini is on the verge of leaving the interior ministry after he decided to pull his League party from a coalition with the 5-Star Movement. 5-Star is now in talks to form a new government with the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), which is highly critical of Salvini’s uncompromising stance.

“Laws and borders will be respected. If someone thinks he can ignore them without consequences, he is making a big mistake ... I am doing and will do everything to defend Italy,” Salvini said in a statement on the Eleonore’s attempt to dock.

As the Eleonore arrived in Pozzallo, the Mare Jonio, a rescue ship operated by an Italian non-governmental organisation, docked at Lampedusa with 31 people aboard, ending its own stand-off with Salvini.

The Mare Jonio picked up around 100 migrants adrift off Libya in a rubber dinghy last Wednesday. Many of those rescued were women and young children who were transferred to another ship and brought ashore last week.

Salvini has been using the issue of immigration to try to drive a wedge between 5-Star and the PD, and has called for a snap election. However, his efforts look likely to fail and the new government could take office before the end of the week.

Reuters.

White House to propose expedited death penalty for perpetrators of mass shootings Hong Kong police fire tear gas to try to clear protesters

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”