For Senegal’s youth, the deadly sea journey to Europe is worth the risk

With greenhouses as far as the eye can see, the southern Spanish region of Andalusia has been nicknamed the "Sea of Plastic". Intensive farming is the norm and it helps feed the European market with fruit and vegetables all year long. It also produces an estimated 33,000 tonnes of plastic waste every year. Until two years ago, this waste was exported to countries such as China, Pakistan and Turkey. But now that these countries are refusing to take rubbish from rich countries, the "Sea of Plastic" is faced with the urgent challenge of recycling its own waste. Our correspondents report.

A giant puppet representing an uprooted Syrian child named Little Amal arrives at the port of Folkestone, in the United Kingdom, as she comes to the end of a journey across Europe that began in Turkey. The 3.5 metre-tall puppet created by Handspring Puppet Company is meant to focus attention on the urgent needs of young refugees.

The first stop for the devout Catholic US president is an audience with the pope, then Biden will make the case for democratic values and US leadership on climate change at the G20 and COP26 meetings.

France's oldest and most prestigious literary prize is won by a Sub-Saharan African writer for the first time. Senegal's Mohamed Mbougar Sarr impressed the judges with his novel "The Most Secret Memory of Men". But first, world leaders pledge more support for Africa, a continent which has contributed the least to climate change but which bears the brunt of rising temperatures and environmental disasters.

Here in northern Europe we've had some very odd weather events in the last few months, including torrential rainfall and deadly floods – which scientists say are a direct consequence of climate change. It's something to focus the mind as leaders and negotiators meet in Glasgow at the United Nations climate summit known as COP26.

As the number of COVID-19 cases rises in Germany, particularly in care homes, politicians are debating what should be done. DW takes a look at where other European countries stand on compulsory vaccines.

France is returning artworks acquired in colonial times to Benin. Germany is also open to restitutions. How are other European countries addressing the issue?

Europe has just marked the second anniversary of Gaia-X. It's a cloud data project intended to help the continent achieve "digital sovereignty," but many companies remain skeptical or have simply never heard of it .

In this special edition, we focus on the migrant crisis brewing on the European Union's eastern border. Thousands of people from the Middle East have travelled to Belarus in the hope of entering the EU. Now they are trapped on the border with Poland, desperately trying to survive in freezing conditions. We take a closer look and speak to Kinda Youssef from our InfoMigrants website.

Poland's PM Mateusz Morawiecki slammed Belarus' efforts to use migrants as "weapons" against the bloc ahead of talks with EU leaders. He also accused Belarus of having the "back-room support" of Russian President Putin.

Germany is deep in the midst of its fourth wave, and many of its European neighbors are no better off. Only in southern Europe is the virus still under control.

Senegal's book industry has been riding high on the wave of Mohamed Mbougar Sarr's Goncourt prize. The 31 year-old sensation is reviving interest in Senegalese writers after he won France's top literary award earlier this month.