Pope Francis heads Friday (September 22) to Marseille for a two-day visit focused on the Mediterranean and migration, and bringing a message of tolerance amid bitter debate over how Europe manages asylum seekers.

Aid agencies in Libya said local authorities and charities are struggling with the scale of the disaster. Survivors are now at risk from the spread of diseases such as cholera.

For one group, at least, the erection of the Berlin Wall on August 13, 1961 was a stroke of luck. Over the following decades, the Wall would be the lifeblood of the East German secret police, known as the Stasi.

Often the only way to identify the dead after natural disasters, like Libya's floods or Hawaii's wildfire, is with DNA, fingerprints and dental records.

Polish consulates reportedly handed out visas to migrants from Asia and Africa in exchange for thousands of dollars. The allegations could hurt Poland's anti-migration ruling party in upcoming elections.

Many people in Libya have been left without fresh drinking water since the floods contaminated sources, but there's a new danger if they travel to get water: landmines displaced by strong currents.