Migrants turn to deadly sea route as options narrow

At least 27 people died as they were attempting to cross from France to England in a rubber dinghy. This tragedy is the result of a collective failure, says Barbara Wesel.

The Belarusian strongman has encouraged migrants to continue their journey into the European Union. "We will not try to catch you, beat you, and hold you behind barbed wire," he said.

Many of the migrants currently languishing at the Poland-Belarus border come from Iraq. Most of them hail from the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan in the north of the country. This area is often described as a haven of peace, but the reality is somewhat darker. Our correspondent Lucile Wassermann went to meet the Iraqis ready to risk everything to flee their region.

The European rights body has said it will launch disciplinary action over Turkey's repeated refusal to comply with a 2019 ruling to release jailed activist Osman Kavala by the European Court of Human Rights.

Citizens of Afghanistan were by far the biggest group of people applying for asylum in the EU, Switzerland and Norway in September 2021.

Activists who helped migrants reach Greece in 2018 are on trial on the island of Lesbos. The accusations against them include spying and human trafficking. DW caught up with some of those facing the most serious charges.

Concerns are rising across Europe as a number of countries bring in additional measures to combat a surge in infections.

Across the continent, European governments are introducing restrictions such as limiting opening times for restaurants, pubs and venues.

The EU strives to promote press freedom around the world, but how free are journalists to report inside the bloc? DW reports from Hungary, Poland and Slovenia.

The Greek and Tunisian coast guards have also reported successful rescue missions. Nonetheless, dozens of people have died in shipwrecks in the Mediterranean over the past several days.

Berlin Zoo bids farewell to Katjuscha the polar bear, who has died at the ripe old age of 37. The elderly bear had been suffering from a heart condition for some time.

Germany's fastest marathon runner has broken record upon record. While Amanal Petros' sporting career could hardly be going any better, he finds it hard to keep his mind off a military conflict back home.