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Mr Juncker described both countries as heroic and promised to step up efforts to help them tackle the crisis which is again threatening to explode out of control.

He was speaking after Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni demanded urgent help to manage the Mediterranean asylum-seeker crisis which is stretching cash-strapped southern European countries to their limits.

Mr Gentiloni said: "We are under pressure and we ask for a concrete contribution from the Europeans.

"Italy has never ducked its commitments and it does not intend to do so.

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But we call for a discussion of the role of the NGOs rescuing asylum seekers at sea, the Frontex mission and the resources available to work in Libya and other African countries".

Italy has taken formal steps to protest against the lack of emergency support from Brussels and warned foreign ships may be stopped from docking in Italian ports unless the situation improves.

Rome said the massive migrant influx, with its impact on social and political life, was "unsustainable" and "at the limit" after over 12,000 migrants landed within 48 hours.

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Together we must make an effort to support these two heroic nations

Jean-Claude Juncker

An Italian government official said: "The idea of blocking humanitarian ships flying foreign flags from returning to Italian ports has been discussed. Italy has reached saturation point."

Mr Juncker tried to head off a full-blown row by hailing Italy and Greece for their efforts to cope with the crisis.

He told a press conference in Berlin: For some time we in the Commission have been convinced that we cannot abandon Italy or Greece.

"Together we must make an effort to support these two heroic nations."

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Refugees and migrants wait to be rescued in the early hours of the morning off Lampedusa, Italy

An estimated 10,000 people are believed to have attempted the journey from North Africa in the past week.

More than 73,000 migrants have landed in Italy this year, an increase of 14 per cent on the same period last year.

On Thursday Spanish ship Rio Segura arrived at the Italian port of Salerno with 1,216 migrants on board, double the number expected and allowed.

Migrants on board included 11 pregnant women, 256 children and 13 babies.

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Greece & Italy are 'heroic' Shameless Juncker tries to woo nations to dodge migrant crisis - Express.co.uk

In his newly released book, The New Migration to Europe, the German historian has analysedthe current immigration trends in Germany and the exploding demographic growth in Africa and the Middle East, concluding the next migrant crisis is only a matter of time,Kronen Zeitung reports.

We are not prepared for migration, Schwarz said and claimed that the current legislation dealing with asylum seekers in Europe is from another time.

He said the legislation, which was meant to be able to deal with small numbers of asylum seekers, is simply inefficient in handling mass waves of thousands of migrants at a time.

As long as the European Union abides by its well-intentioned but out of date refugee rights, any attempt to effectively protect the EUs external borders will fail due to legal self-restraint, he said.

Schwarz laid the blame for the crisis on German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the German federal government. Never before in the 65 years of German history has a federal government caused such chaos, he said and noted that if it had not been for the Austrian government closing the Balkan route the chaos would have continued.

The solution to the problem, according to Schwarz, is to reform the EU and largely scrap the open-bordersSchengen agreement, opting instead for some border controls.

Managing the number of migrants is also important and Schwarz recommended the number of asylum seekers never grow to more than 1.5 per cent of the population of a country. In 2015 alone, Sweden took in the equivalent of 1.6 per cent of its population and Germany took around 1.2 per cent.

Though the Balkan migrant route has been largely secured, the Mediterranean route into Italy and Spain continues to grow. In a 48-hour period, Italy saw 13,500 migrants arrive on its shores and days before 400 migrants attempted to storm the border with France.

Estimates of how many migrants are looking to cross the sea to Europe vary, though some likeEuropean Parliament President Antonio Tajani say as many as 30 million people could come in the next few years.

A leaked report from German authorities estimated a smaller number saying they expected around 6.6 million migrants to cross the sea in coming years from North Africa, Jordan, and Turkey. The confidential report notes that despite it being closed, thereare 76,000 migrants still on the Balkan route,62,500 of them in Greece alone.

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Peter, 55, and Jill Stubbs, 57, were reportedly targeted by a dozen robbers as they were stuck in traffic en route home from a holiday in the south of France, the Sun reports.

They were briefly unable to escape as their black BMW was surrounded by three other vehicles and motorbikes held up the traffic.

Two men on foot allegedly began circling them with one carrying a gun or knife approached the drivers side.

The second then used a brick to smash the passenger window before leaning in and grabbing Jills bag.

Jill, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, was left covered in glass after the robbers smashed the front window.

The couple from Cornwall managed to escape by driving down a side road near Saint-Denis on Saturday night.

Peter, a father-of-five, said: It all happened so quickly. We are lucky because it could have been much worse. I thought they might smash in all the windows and take the car or hurt us.

I still cant believe the police wouldnt help us and nobody came to our aid.

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Aid workers help migrants up the shore after making the crossing from Turkey to the Greek island of Lesbos on November 16, 2015 in Sikaminias, Greece

I thought they might smash in all the windows and take the car or hurt us.

Peter Stubbs, 55, driver of the ambushed car

Calais border officials explained to the shock-ridden couple why they were targeted amidst a cue of cars in traffic.

The officials reportedly said they were targeted for their number plate rather than their possessions which included a handbag containing passports, 400 and the equivalent of 300 in Euros.

Peter added: We managed to get back to the Euro tunnel but my wife was covered in glass.

We were really shook up. When we go to border control we explained what happened and were told it is very common.

I said to him, Ive got a new car, its a BMW but he told me its not your car theyre after, its your number plate, you were targeted by migrants because youre British and they want to get into the country.

Dover MP Charlie Elphicke condemned the shocking attack, saying: We cannot have a situation where Brits are being targeted by ruthless people traffickers whether it be in Paris or Calais.

Thats why its more important than ever that our borders are strong and secure particularly at the Dover frontline.

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Migrant crisis: 'Migrant gang' ambush couple in Paris for UK car reg ... - Express.co.uk

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Migrant crisis: Italy threatens to shut ports BBC News Italy has threatened to stop vessels of other countries from bringing migrants to its ports. The warning came as Italy's EU representative, Maurizio Massari, warned in a letter to the bloc the situation had become "unsustainable". Prime Minister Paolo ... EU facing new migrant chaos: Summer sees surge in crossings into Spain, Italy and GreeceExpress.co.uk Italy warns migrant crisis 'at the limit'New Europe Smuggler who 'revelled in' torturing migrants arrested in Italy as almost 9000 refugees rescued in two daysThe Independent Financial Times -EUobserver -Daily Mail all 49 news articles »

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Migrant crisis: Italy threatens to shut ports - BBC News

The Latest on Europe's response to the large numbers of migrants and refugees trying to reach the continent (all times local):

7:35 p.m.

The aid group Doctors Without Borders says it's worried about minors and other migrants who have disappeared in hills near the French border with Italy.

The group, which also is known by its French acronym MSF, said Tuesday about 100 migrants had been sleeping for weeks near a river bank by Ventimiglia, an Italian border town. It said it hasn't been able to make contact with them since Monday.

MSF's doctors tend migrant patients at Ventimiglia. The group reported a few days ago that a 16-year-old boy died while washing his belongings in the river.

French authorities repeatedly have blocked the migrants from entering France.

Early Monday, 400 refugees from South Sudan tried in vain to enter France through woods along the border.

5:35 p.m.

Nearly 8,900 migrants have been rescued in the Mediterranean Sea during the last few days.

The United Nations migration agency said on Tuesday that 8,864 migrants trying to reach Europe on unseaworthy smugglers' dinghies and fishing boats have been safely rescued since June 24.

Libya-based smugglers take advantage of calm seas to launch as many boats as they can toward Italy, and conditions on the Mediterranean have been calm lately.

The Italian coast guard coordinates the transfer to southern Italian ports of migrants rescued at sea by Italian and European military or coast guard boats and private volunteer. A Spanish military vessel that took on some 800 migrants was expected in Sardinia Wednesday.

A European Frontex patrol ship arrived in Calabria on Tuesday with 520 migrants and the bodies of two more aboard.

5:15 p.m.

Italian authorities in Sicily have detained a 23-year-old man for alleged torture of migrants awaiting passage in Libya on smugglers' boats to Italy.

Police said the man was held for investigation of belonging to an armed criminal association involved in human trafficking. They say he is the sixth such torture suspect detained since March.

The ANSA news agency said migrants who were brought to Italy after being rescued at sea reported that the suspect beat people with rubber tubes and burned them with gasoline in Libya near the border with Sudan.

As in similar past cases, police say the migrants were sometimes tortured while traffickers were on the phone with the migrants' relatives to pressure them to pay more money for their loved ones' trips.

4:55 p.m.

A French court has ruled against creating a new center for migrants in the western port city of Calais but says they should have access to water, showers and toilets, services the city's mayor is refusing to provide.

The Pas-de-Calais region welcomed part of Monday's ruling, arguing in a statement that a camp isn't a "worthy response" to the migrant crisis. Mayor Natacha Bouchart says she will appeal and tweeted that she would not apply the ruling because she doesn't want Calais to again become a magnet for migrants.

Aid group Auberge des Migrants tweeted Tuesday the mayor was setting a "bad example."

Tensions are resurfacing in Calais as hundreds of people gather there in hopes of making it across the English Channel to Britain.

Last year, French authorities closed a makeshift camp that sprung up in Calais and housed thousands of people at its height.

The French human rights ombudsman recently warned of dire conditions for migrants in Calais.

3:25 p.m.

Romanian border police have found 91 migrants from Iraq and Syria hidden in a truck transporting auto parts. They told police they were trying to reach the visa-free Schengen travel zone.

Police stopped and searched the vehicle with Turkish plates early Tuesday at the crossing point between Nadlac and Csanadpalota in Hungary. According to documents, it was transporting the auto parts to Norway.

Police found 44 men, 18 women and 29 minors aged 2 to 17. The migrants told police they wanted to reach the Schengen zone. Hungary is a member, but Romania isn't.

The driver told Romanian authorities he did not know about the migrants.

The migrants are being probed on suspicion of illegally attempting to cross the border, while the driver is suspected of being an accomplice.

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The Latest: Aid group fears for migrants at Italy border - ABC News