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European Commission delays decision on asylum seeker quotas

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European Commission delays decision on asylum seeker quotas

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The European Commission will not meet the deadline to adopt its report on migration in the EU over the previous year, which will serve as the basis for decisions on the matter at the bloc’s level, Euronews has learned.

“The Commission will take more time to fine-tune the report, which should be adopted soon, in the next weeks”, internal sources told Euronews, explaining that consultations with member states are still ongoing.

The EU executive was required, through new regulations, to adopt the migration report by Wednesday and to pass it to the European Parliament and the Council.

The European Annual Asylum and Migration Report should include an assessment of the overall migratory situation across EU countries, such as the number of asylum applications, the number of persons granted international protection, irregular entries, and reception capacity.

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It will designate some EU countries as being “under migratory pressure”, “at risk of migratory pressure” or “facing a significant migratory situation”. This designation would pave the way for a so-called solidarity mechanism, under which asylum seekers would be relocated to other member states.

Alongside the report, the Commission plans to establish an Annual Solidarity Pool to determine the total number of asylum seekers to be relocated and the amount each member state should allocate.

Together, the report and the solidarity pool would be the basis for developing the system of “mandatory solidarity” envisaged in the Pact on Migration and Asylum, the major reform of migration policy adopted in 2024.

This “mandatory solidarity” should be provided by each member state in proportion to its population and total GDP. This means that the most prominent and wealthiest EU countries are asked to do more to manage the EU asylum system.

According to this system, EU members’ governments could choose among hree options to meet the needs outlined in the solidarity pool: relocate a certain number of asylum seekers to their own territory, pay €20,000 per person they do not relocate, or finance operational support in member states under migratory pressure.

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According to the regulations, each solidarity pool should include at least 30,000 relocations and €600 million in financial contributions.

Once proposed by the Commission, the Annual Solidarity Pool must be approved by the EU member states, which can reject the proposal only with a qualified majority — meaning at least 15 countries out of 27 representing at least 65% of the total EU population have to say no.

Criticising the Commission’s failure to meet the deadline, German lawmaker Birgit Sippel, one of the leading MEPs in the negotiations on the migration pact, announced on social media that she is calling for an urgent meeting in the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.

According to the mid-year review of the European Union Agency for Asylum, Germany lost the top spot among EU countries for the most asylum requests in the first half of 2025. France (78,000) and Spain (77,000) both received more applications than Germany, which has been the leading destination for asylum seekers in recent years.

Spain is the EU country that has granted the highest number of protection status to asylum seekers in the second quarter of 2025 (16,060, 24.4% of the EU total), ahead of France (14,220, 21.6%), Germany (13,450, 20.5%), and Italy (7,360, 11.2%).

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Video: Devastating Rains in Mexico Leave Dozens Dead and Missing

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Video: Devastating Rains in Mexico Leave Dozens Dead and Missing

new video loaded: Devastating Rains in Mexico Leave Dozens Dead and Missing

Floods and landslides in Mexico killed several dozen people, destroying homes and isolating communities in the central and eastern parts of the country.

By Axel Boada

October 14, 2025

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Trump admin pulls visas for 50 Mexican officials in effort to crush drug cartels: report

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Trump admin pulls visas for 50 Mexican officials in effort to crush drug cartels: report

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The Trump administration has revoked the visas of at least 50 politicians and government officials in Mexico as part of its crackdown against drug cartels and their suspected political allies, according to Reuters.

The politicians and officials are members of the country’s ruling Morena party, headed by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, along with dozens from other parties, two Mexican officials told the outlet.

Their names haven’t been publicly confirmed, but at least four officials have acknowledged losing visas — including Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila, who has denied any links to organized crime.

The Trump administration revoked visas of at least 50 Mexican politicians and officials as part of its crackdown on drug cartels, according to a report. President Donald Trump has targeted Venezuelan drug boats with military strikes.  (@realDonaldTrump via Truth Social/AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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HOW TRUMP’S STRIKES AGAINST ALLEGED NARCO-TERRORISTS ARE RESHAPING THE CARTEL BATTLEFIELD: ‘ONE-WAY TICKET’

A State Department official did not confirm the report but said that visas can be revoked for a variety of reasons that violate U.S. law and other activities that run contrary to America’s national interest. The official emphasized that visas are a privilege, not a right. 

The official told Fox News Digital that the Trump administration has had a good working relationship with the Sheinbaum government and looks forward to continuing to advance its bilateral relationship in support of the “America First” foreign policy agenda. 

The Trump administration has taken a zero-tolerance approach to drug trafficking — a key presidential campaign promise — and several suspected drug boats on their way to the U.S. have been struck by the U.S. military, many of which were alleged to have come from Venezuela.

Last month, the Trump administration revoked the U.S. visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro over what officials called “reckless and incendiary actions” in New York City after he took part in a demonstration against Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

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Image shows Tren de Aragua cartel

Video footage showed a vessel shortly before it was destroyed off of Venezuela on Sept. 2, 2025. (@realDonaldTrump via Truth Social)

WAR ON CARTELS? WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT HAS AN IRON-CLAD CASE TO STRIKE NARCO-TERRORIST GROUPS

Petro also called for a criminal investigation against President Donald Trump and other administration officials over deadly strikes on boats in the Caribbean that the White House said were carrying drugs. 

The administration has also revoked visas for more than 20 judges in Brazil and 14 political and business figures in Costa Rica, including former president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oscar Arias.

“The Trump administration is finding new ways to exert more pressure on Mexico,” said Tony Wayne, U.S. ambassador to Mexico from 2011 to 2015. 

The revocations form part of Trump’s security strategy and a new front in his “drug war” — one that targets political networks, as well as traffickers.

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The White House issued a memo sent to lawmakers on Sept. 30, alerting them that the U.S. is now engaged in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug smugglers after several strikes against alleged drug vessels from Venezuela since September in the Caribbean. 

Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum

Members of Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum’s party have had their U.S. visas revoked. (Rodrigo OropezaA/AFP via Getty Images)

 

In February, Trump designated drug cartel groups like Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel and others as foreign terrorist organizations. 

Fox News Digital also reached out to Mexico’s foreign ministry, the office of the president, the Morena party and Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila’s office for comment.

Fox News’ Diana Stancy and Reuters contributed to this report. 

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Apple TV+ Rebrands to Apple TV, Ditching the Plus Sign for ‘Vibrant New Identity’

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Apple TV+ Rebrands to Apple TV, Ditching the Plus Sign for ‘Vibrant New Identity’

It’s just Apple TV now, no plus.

Apple has rebranded its six-year-old streaming service Apple TV+ to Apple TV — which is the same name as its connected smart TV device product and app.

The tech company quietly revealed the news Monday in a press release announcing the streaming debut for its “F1: The Movie,” stating: “Apple TV+ is now simply Apple TV, with a vibrant new identity.”

Representatives for Apple did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for further comment on the decision, which leaves the streaming service, device and app with the same name.

Formerly known as Apple TV+, Apple’s paid streaming service launched in November 2019 with “The Morning Show” and a slew of other originals starring A-list talent as its starting lineup, amid the standalone streaming service wars between Disney, Paramount, HBO, Netflix, Amazon and more.

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This marks the first name change for the platform, while its competitors, including HBO Max and Paramount+, have undergone a couple rounds of switches (and some changing back).

Since the launch of Apple’s streaming service, Apple’s original films, documentaries and series have earned 553 wins and 2,562 award nominations and counting, including the multiple Emmy-winning series “Ted Lasso,” “The Studio” and “Severance,” as well as Oscar best picture winner “Coda.”

Other notable Apple TV originals include “Pluribus,” “Slow Horses,” “Presumed Innocent,” “Shrinking,” “Dope Thief,” “Your Friends and Neighbors,” “The Buccaneers,” “Foundation,” “Invasion,” “Loot,” “The Last Frontier,” “Acapulco,” “Chief of War,” “Palm Royale,” “For All Mankind,” “Schmigadoon!,” “See,” “Dickinson” and “Pachinko.”

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