News highlights: police clash with refugees in Rome, boats blocked in Libya, floods in Sudan

In this week’s news highlights, the police in Rome use a water cannon to disperse protesting refugees; two opinion articles state that the EU’s migration policy may cause dehumanising conditions in Greek camps and more deaths in the Sahara desert; an armed group is stopping boats from leaving in Libya; Eritrea gets a new EU head of delegation; Eritrea’s biggest mine sees its production life cut in half; and flash floods cause damage in Sudan.

News Highlights: Eritrean Patriarch Antonios seen at Mass, Italy threatens EU, summer break

This week in the News Highlights: EEPA takes a summer break and the News Highlights will continue 17 August; Italy is keeping the option open of granting temporary visas for migrants; right-wing group aims to help returning migrants and refugees to Libya; Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church, Abune Antonios, was seen at a Mass but according to witnesses, he was not allowed to speak; shots were fired in a three-hour exchange between the Eritrean and Ethiopian military; negotiations on sanctions US-Sudan continue; and state of emergency is declared in four South Sudan states.

News Highlights: resolution Eritrea passed, lifting sanctions Sudan delayed, Eritrean festival tensions

In this week’s news highlights, the European Parliament has passed a strong resolution on Eritrea; EU development aid for strengthening the military in countries like Somalia stirs criticism and fear of increasing militarisation of aid; tensions in the Netherlands and Italy over Eritrean festivals; Eritrean capital named World Heritage; U.S. decision on lifting of sanctions for Sudan delayed, Sudan freezes negotiations; and Libya coast guard involved in criminal activity, but still receiving EU support.