Spain faces a geopolitical dilemma between Morocco and Algeria amid unprecedented migration into Ceuta, with over 70,000 Moroccans arriving and more than 70 deaths, sparking scrutiny of Madrid's competing interests.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino retains support after a crisis meeting in Rabat, Morocco, following the fallout from a scrapped private investment plan that sparked widespread backlash.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez traveled to Algeria for talks to resolve a 2022 diplomatic row stemming from Spain's stance on the Western Sahara conflict, highlighting deep regional rivalries between Algeria and Morocco.
FIFA strongly denied reports that President Gianni Infantino promised Morocco the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for political backing ahead of his re-election campaign.
Fifa apologised for errors regarding Gianni Infantino's failed plan to sell World Cup stakes, while senior staff in Morocco reaffirmed their support for his presidency.
Protests erupt in Ceuta as residents express fear, anger, and feelings of abandonment following a massive migrant arrival, while remaining migrants struggle on the streets and NGOs provide emergency aid.
Misleading social media posts misinterpreting a Spanish Supreme Court ruling sparked a massive migrant surge into Ceuta, leading to dozens of deaths and a political dispute between Spain and Morocco.
An estimated 72,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco last week before most returned home, with at least 88 deaths reported and right-wing figures seizing on the images to push hardline anti-immigration policies.
The European Union has praised Spain's swift response to a massive migrant influx into Ceuta, where around 72,000 people crossed the border between 30 and 31 July, leading to diplomatic tensions and Italy temporarily suspending its Schengen agreement with Spain.
Misleading social media posts on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok sparked a massive migration surge as some 72,000 Moroccans rushed to the Spanish territory of Ceuta, resulting in over 80 deaths.
Journalist Martin Jay suggests a mass migrant crossing into Spain's enclave of Ceuta could be part of a coordinated US-Israeli campaign to challenge control of the Strait of Gibraltar.
Morocco blamed misinformation for a migrant surge into Spain's Ceuta exclave, while experts debate whether Rabat orchestrated the breach or if the situation escalated out of control amid underlying socioeconomic pressures.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has announced plans to deploy the Royal Navy to the English Channel to intercept asylum seeker dinghies and return them to France or Belgium under 'Operation Fortress', drawing skepticism from experts and swift rejection from French officials.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has unveiled plans for a major military operation in the Channel to stop migrant boats, as the party faces separate financial investigations.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen calls for unified EU action on border security after thousands breached the border into Spain's Ceuta enclave, with EU interior ministers set to discuss responses in an emergency meeting.
Spain's enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, along with other territories on Africa's north coast, are a long-standing point of contention with Morocco, which claims them. Recent migrant surges into Ceuta have intensified these tensions, highlighting the complex historical and political dispute over their sovereignty.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage proposes "Operation Fortress" to use the Royal Navy to intercept small boats in the English Channel and return asylum seekers to France or Belgium. Experts question the legality and practicality, citing potential violations of French sovereignty and international maritime law, while France calls the plans "unacceptable."
Hundreds of migrants have established a makeshift camp on a Ceuta beach after a massive border surge, with Spain returning 69,500 to Morocco. The crisis has fueled anti-immigration rhetoric and sparked diplomatic tensions within the EU and between Spain and Morocco.
Spanish officials reported 69,500 people returned to Morocco after an influx into Ceuta, a Spanish enclave, with 2,500 remaining. Spanish leaders and intelligence suspect Morocco encouraged or permitted the crossings, described as an attack on Spain's territorial integrity, amidst EU calls for solidarity and concerns over Russian disinformation.
Morocco's King Mohammed VI confirmed that a major highway, formerly the Tiznit-Dakhla highway, has been named after US President Donald Trump. This honor is a "personal expression of high regard" following Trump's 2020 recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Spain's intelligence services assess that Moroccan authorities failed to stop migrants to Ceuta and gained politically from the crisis, despite not planning the influx. The crisis, which caught Madrid off guard, also saw human trafficking networks spreading misinformation.
Spanish politicians from across the spectrum are pressuring Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to hold Morocco accountable for the sudden influx of 50,000 migrants into Ceuta, despite Sánchez's focus on human smugglers. Critics cite Moroccan gendarmes abandoning posts and Rabat's potential leverage over Western Sahara.
Morocco's Interior Ministry attributes the mass migrant crossing into Spain's Ceuta enclave to social media misinformation and human trafficking. The incident, involving about 40,000 people, alarmed the EU and led Italy to suspend Schengen travel from Spain. Spain seeks more border resources.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledges "relentless" action on small boat crossings, advocating for safe routes and EU dialogue, following Spain's return of 98% of 50,000 migrants from Ceuta to Morocco. UK crossings are down 43% year-on-year.
