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Greece’s Asylum Freeze Sparks Global Outcry Amid Crete Migrant Surge

In a move that has ignited fierce backlash from human rights organizations and the United Nations, Greece has passed legislation temporarily halting asylum applications from migrants arriving by sea from North Africa. The three-month suspension, approved by parliament with 177 votes in favor and 74 against, allows for expedited repatriation without prior identification. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis defended the measure as a “difficult but necessary decision” in response to a sharp rise in irregular arrivals, particularly from Libya to the island of Crete. Over 7,000 migrants have reached Crete and nearby Gavdos this year, straining local resources and prompting concerns from the tourism industry. Rights groups, including the International Rescue Committee, have condemned the ban as illegal and inhumane, warning it violates international and European law. The UNHCR echoed these concerns, emphasizing that the right to seek asylum is a fundamental human right regardless of how or wh...

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Ukrainian Strike Kills Senior Russian Naval Commander in Kursk Region

Major General Mikhail Gudkov, the deputy head of the Russian Navy, was killed during combat operations in Russia’s Kursk region, according to the Russian Ministry of Defence. The 42-year-old officer, appointed to the role by President Vladimir Putin in March, is among the highest-ranking Russian military officials to have died since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Unofficial Russian and Ukrainian military sources reported that Gudkov was killed in a Ukrainian missile strike targeting a command post near the border. The strike, allegedly carried out using a U.S.-supplied HIMARS system, also claimed the lives of several other Russian officers.

Gudkov previously commanded the 155th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade, a unit accused by Ukraine of committing war crimes during operations in Mariupol and other regions. Despite his promotion, he was known for continuing to visit frontline positions, according to Russian officials.

His death comes amid ongoing clashes in the Kursk region, which saw a brief Ukrainian incursion in August 2024. Although Moscow claimed to have regained control, fighting has persisted along the border.

The Kremlin has not commented on the circumstances of Gudkov’s death, and Kyiv has yet to issue an official statement.

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