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And British expat Eric Kempson, who is battling to save lives on the front line of Greeces refugee crisis, warns the problem is far from over.

The 61-year-old, originally from Hampshire, said even in winter the boats are still coming with refugees at risk of hypothermia and frostbite.

Artist Mr Kempson, who has lived on Lesbos for 16 years, said although there are at least 150,000 life jackets there, the number used to be double.

It looks impressive but before it was unbelievable. The majority of them are fake. They have normal sponge inside. If you jump in the water, it soaks the water up.

He said many more people would have survived if their life jackets had been real, with many of those making the dangerous four-and-a-half-mile crossing from Turkey forking out 85 for each buoyancy aid.

Eric Kempson

Gettty

REUTERS

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Migrants try to reach a rescue craft from their overcrowded raft, as lifeguards from the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue all 112 on aboard

"Along with his wife Philippa, 44, and daughter Elleni, 18, Mr Kempson runs Project Hope, offering food, dry clothes and medical help to soaking wet migrants landing near their home on the north coast of the island.

Of the numbers arriving, he says: I think they are going to lift up again when the spring comes in.

He said the islands migrant camps were freezing and disgusting.

Read more:
Migrant Crisis: British expat shows mountain of 'fake' lifejackets on coastline - Express.co.uk

Last year more than 5,000 migrants and asylum seekers drowned attempting to reach Europe from Turkey and North Africa.

In an ongoing wave of migration across the Mediterranean, 2016 was the worst year for fatalities so far, with smugglers filling increasingly unseaworthy vessels far beyond capacity.

More than 250 people have been reported dead or missing in the first weeks of 2017.

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Mediterranean countries and local NGOs have rescued tens of thousands from the sea in recent years. Well over one million people have risked their lives.

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Migrants flail in the water seeking rescue from Proactiva Open Arms NGO 12 miles from Libya on 4/10/2016.

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3-year-old Idris, from Mali, sleeps next to his mother Aicha Keita on the deck of a Spanish rescue ship 13/1/2017.

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Ushman, 19, from Guinea, in a heating blanket after being rescued by members of Proactive Open Arms NGO, about 24 miles north of Libya, 27/1/2017.

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Cyprus police rescued 123 migrants, believed to be Syrians, left adrift off the island's northwest coast by a boatman who made off on a jet ski 10/11/2016.

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Migrants and refugees panic as they fall in water during a rescue operation run by Maltese NGO Moas and Italian Red Cross 3/11/2016.

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Hundreds of thousands of people risk their lives on the Mediterranean each year, with thousands drowning in unseaworthy, overcrowded vessels.

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A pacifier lies next to the body of a baby on a beach in Canakkale on 1/30/ 2016 after at least 33 migrants drowned crossing to Greece from Turkey.

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A Turkish gendarme carries the body of a child on a beach in Canakkale on 30/1/2016.

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Tombstones are placed on graves of unidentified 85 refugees, mostly women and children, who drowned at sea in an attempt to cross from Turkey 4/4/2016.

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Locals from coastal areas have made grizzly discoveries of wreckages, lifejackets and bodies washed ashore.

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A child wrapped in a survival blanket looks on as migrants and refugees arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing from Turkey 2/3/2016, in Mytilene.

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Sub-saharan migrants on a rescue ship after being rescued from a rubber boat sailing out of control about 21 miles north of Libya, on Friday, 3/2/2017.

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Two days after being rescued, migrants catch sight of the Italian coast for the first time, Strait of Sicily, Mediterranean Sea, 23/8/2015.

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There are numerous migrant routes accross the Mediterranean from Egypt, Turkey, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco to Greece, Spain and Italy.

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Many of the boats are overcrowded, some are just inflatable rubber dinghies 27/1/2017.

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Women from Mali after being rescued about 20 miles north of Libya. Rescuers also retrieved several bodies from the water 13/1/2017.

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Spanish, Italian, Greek and Cypriot authorities work alongside NGOs to rescue as many migrants as possible, with thousands making the trip every week 14/1/2017.

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Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms assists migrants aboard a wooden boat sailing out of control off the coast of Libya 3/2/2017.

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A Syrian refugee child sleeps on his father's arms after arriving on a dinghy from the Turkish coast to the Lesbos, Greece Sunday, 4 /10/2015.

Originally posted here:
In photos: The ongoing Mediterranean migrant crisis - SBS

SBS

Mediterranean migrant crisis in pictures [Warning: Graphic content] SBS Mediterranean countries and local NGOs have rescued tens of thousands from the sea in recent years. Well over one million people have risked their lives. AFP · 02 / 20. Migrants flail in the water seeking rescue from Proactiva Open Arms NGO 12 miles ... German opposition slams EU refugee planDeutsche Welle all 25 news articles »

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Mediterranean migrant crisis in pictures [Warning: Graphic content] - SBS

Vincent Huston is a student in Human Environment at Concordia University.

2017-02-06

After Donald Trumps somewhat surprising victory in the 2016 presidential election, there was a lot of anxiety in regards to the potential impact his presidency would have. With a large portion of the senate controlled by republicans along with many controversial political figures representing it, the world wondered if the president-elects most divisive campaign promises would really be implemented.

On the 25th of January, Donald Trump signed the immigration executive order for the construction of a wall separating Mexico from the United States. In addition, 10 000 additional immigration officers would be hired and sanctions could be implemented on sanctuary cities unwilling to take a harsher stance on illegal immigration.

In the following days, the executive order Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States was signed by the president. This order means that all non-Americans from seven identified countries (Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen and Syria) would not be allowed to enter the country. The US administration believes that this order will help prevent the entry of radical Islamic terrorists. Its conception drew upon the visa waiver program requirements for people that visited these countries. It would have forced them to have a visa in order to enter the country.

Donald Trumps recent ban on several countries has led to the detaining of hundreds of people in American airports. Many non-Americans hoping to come back to the United-States for school or work are stranded abroad as their visas arent valid for a period of 90 to 120 days.

Max Aitken and the limits of unidirectional power by Neil Cameron

Leitch: I do have 22 letters at the end of my name, Im not an idiot by PAH Staff

Corporate Donations & US Elections by Vincent Huston

In terms of international politics, these policies may pose big problems for European countries dealing with the current migrant crisis on their borders, constituting the biggest mass movement of people since World War Two.The so called Muslim ban will have an impact on the countries comprising the European Union, since the United States originally accepted to take 100 000 Syrian refugees.

The divisive implications that Trumps policies brings forward are not in line with the burden sharing notion which is agreed upon through Non-governmental organizations and through the signing of treaties between all countries but especially its allies. By reducing the number of migrants that the US is willing to take in, enormous pressure will be put on European countries which are already scrambling to provide migrants with adequate living standards.

The migrant crisis started in 2015 as the percentage of migrants rose by 86% compared to the previous year. Nowadays, many people are still trying to flee from war stricken zones such as Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq which are still being ravaged by terrorist groups such as ISIS. Many other migrants come from Balkan countries such as Albania and Serbia in order to flee ethnic persecution. The former issue can also be attributed to migrants coming from African nations such as Eritrea and Congo. Many of them also flee the continent due to civil war, extremist groups (Boko Horam) and socio-economic constraints.

The vast amount of countries involved with the current crisis will prove to be a great test for Europe. With that being said, it must protect its borders in order to ensure the safety of its population from extremist groups and radicalized individuals. It must also do this in order to minimize socio-economic constraints. On the other hand, all EU countries must come together and show solidarity towards the many migrants coming from various regions. It is important for them to do this in order to promote democracy and the advantages it can bring to their lives. With that being said, the Trump administration clearly undermines the strategic implications of consensus building with the EU. It is especially strange since it is a relatively similar socio-economic reality that binds them together and which they agree on.

With the previous mentioned factors, it is clear that the key to solving the migrant crisis is for EU countries to provide incoming migrants with the best possible care in order to uphold the benefits that are found in a democratic society. Having said that, it is also important to maintain a presence in war torn regions in order to create a peaceful environment that will not lead to the rise of autocracy and extremist groups which we have seen time and time again. The United-States must then play its part by alleviating the pressure that is being put on European countries, especially if it wants to promote the benefits of democracy and the socio-economic conditions that bind them together.

The Prince Arthur Herald

Photo Credit: Twitter, @mcspocky

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Donald Trump's Impact on the Migrant Crisis - The Prince Arthur Herald

Almost half of new homes built in the next five years will go to migrants, according to government stats

A NEW home will need to be built every five minutes to cope with Britains migrant crisis and booming population.

And almost half of new homes built in the next five years will go to migrants, government figures have revealed.

Alamy

An extra 5.3million new properties could be needed to house the growing population with 2.4million of those going to migrants, says the Department forCommunities and Local Government.

Soaring immigration means Britain will have to house up to 243,000 new households each year for the next 22 years, according to government statistics.

Integration minister Nicholas Bourne told peers that an 109,000 extra homes will be needed every year by migrants and their families as Britains population grows.

Lord Bourne said: Net migration accounts for an estimated 45 per cent of this growth.

The figures were published after a question by Lord Green of Deddington, chairman of think tankMigration Watch.

The group claims at least 300 homes a day will need to be built just to house new arrivals, reports the Sunday Express.

Addressing the House of Lords, Lord Green said: To put the point slightly more dramatically, that would mean building a new home every five minutes night and day, for new arrivals until such a time as we can get those numbers down.

Channel 4

I know there is a strong view in the House that there is a lot to be said for migration. All I am pointing out is that there are also costs.

But the estimates are based on projections of popular growth from 2014 and doesnt take Brexit into account, which is expected to reduce net migration by ending free movement.

Migration Watch claims the most recent projections are lower than actual net migration numbers.

And new immigration controls are likely to be phased in after Brexit so the number of new migrants could take years to fall.

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Britain will have to build a house every FIVE MINUTES to deal with migrant crisis, figures reveal - The Sun