देश-विदेश

Spain has deployed additional security forces to its North African territory of Ceuta after a massive wave of migrants crossed from Morocco, creating one of the largest border crises in the region’s recent history. Ceuta’s President Juan Jesús Vivas said around 60,000 migrants entered the Spanish enclave within 24 hours, while at least 43 people died during the crossing attempts. The sudden influx overwhelmed local authorities and triggered an emergency response from Madrid. Spain’s Interior Ministry gave a lower estimate, saying around 50,000 people had reached Ceuta since early Thursday. Officials said more than 25,000 migrants had already returned voluntarily to Morocco. The crisis intensified after Spain’s Supreme Court ruled that migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Ceuta or Melilla could not be immediately returned to Morocco. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the situation as an “attack” and promised that those who entered illegally would be sent back as quickly as possible. During a visit to Ceuta, Sánchez said Spain would strengthen border security and accused criminal networks of spreading misleading information about the court ruling to encourage migration attempts. He added that Moroccan authorities were cooperating with plans to return migrants. Spanish authorities have now increased military deployment in Ceuta and Melilla, another Spanish territory in North Africa, after several hundred additional crossings were reported there. Many of those arriving were young men, but women, children and infants were also among the migrants. Officials estimated that around 7,000 minors were part of the latest arrivals. Ceuta, located on Morocco’s northern coast, is one of the European Union’s only land borders with Africa. The territory has long been a major route for migrants seeking entry into Europe and remains a sensitive issue in Spain-Morocco relations. The latest arrivals have caused concern among European leaders. Several governments called for stronger border controls, while EU officials described the scenes in Ceuta as unacceptable and urged an immediate halt to irregular crossings. The last major migration surge in Ceuta occurred in 2021, when thousands crossed the border amid a diplomatic dispute between Spain and Morocco. However, officials said the current movement is far larger and has created an unprecedented challenge for local authorities.

ISTANBUL: Former Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu has announced his decision to step away from politics and dissolve his Future Party, ending a decades-long political career that saw him rise as one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s closest allies before becoming a vocal critic. Davutoglu announced the decision this week, saying he wanted to distance himself from what he described as a “dirty political climate” in Turkiye. He said the move was not a surrender but a step taken on moral grounds and a call for a broader rethink of politics. The former premier criticized issues including corruption, favouritism and weak accountability, saying these challenges had damaged public trust. He also raised concerns over the country’s presidential system introduced in 2018, arguing that it weakened checks and balances. Davutoglu began his career as an academic before entering politics. Born in Konya in 1959, he studied political science and international relations at Bosphorus University and later earned a doctorate in the same field. Before joining government, he worked as a professor and wrote several books on foreign policy. His academic reputation helped him become a key figure in shaping Turkiye’s international strategy. After the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in 2002, Davutoglu joined the party and became a close adviser to Erdogan. He played an influential role in developing the “zero problems with neighbours” foreign policy approach, which aimed to improve relations with regional countries. He served as Turkiye’s foreign minister from 2009 to 2014 and became prime minister after Erdogan moved to the presidency in 2014. However, relations between the two leaders gradually weakened due to differences over governance, foreign policy and the distribution of political power. In 2016, Davutoglu resigned as prime minister and was replaced by Binali Yildirim. Three years later, Davutoglu left the AKP and launched the Future Party, presenting it as a conservative alternative focused on democracy and reforms. However, the party struggled to gain major public support and received a small share of votes in the 2024 elections.

At least 25 people were killed and 44 others injured after a passenger bus veered off the road and plunged into a ravine near the coastal city of Boumerdes in northern Algeria on Friday. According to Algeria’s civil defence agency, the crash occurred at around 9:40am local time, prompting an immediate emergency response. Rescue teams rushed to the scene to recover victims, provide medical assistance and transport the injured to nearby hospitals. Officials said the bus left the roadway for reasons that are still under investigation. Authorities warned that the death toll could increase as several of the injured remain in critical condition. The accident is one of Algeria’s deadliest road tragedies in recent years. Investigators are working to determine the exact cause of the crash. Road accidents continue to claim thousands of lives across Algeria each year. Safety officials have repeatedly identified speeding, reckless driving and human error as the leading causes of fatal crashes. The latest tragedy follows several major bus accidents in recent years. In August 2025, 18 people were killed when a bus plunged into a ravine near Algiers. A few months later, in December, another bus overturned in the Bechar region, leaving 14 people dead. Official road safety data shows that traffic accidents claimed 3,838 lives and injured more than 37,000 people across Algeria in 2025, highlighting the country’s ongoing road safety challenges.