National

More than 3,000 people died or went missing trying to reach Europe via Mediterranean or Atlantic sea routes last year, the UN refugee agency said in a report Friday.

The big picture: The figure is nearly double the number from the previous year, when 1,776 asylum seekers, refugees and others were reported dead or missing while trying to cross central and western Mediterranean routes or the northwest African maritime route to the Canary Islands, the agency added.

Since the beginning of this year, more than 475 people have died or gone missing at sea.

What they're saying: "We are seeing the increases soar," UNHCR's Shabia Mantoo said at a press conference in Geneva Friday. "It's alarming."

"Most of the sea crossings took place in packed, unseaworthy, inflatable boats — many of which capsized or were deflated, leading to the loss of life," Mantoo added.

Driving the news: Pandemic-related border restrictions continued to result in many "desperate refugees and migrants turning to smugglers to facilitate these perilous journeys," UNHCR said.

The agency warned that "continued political instability and conflicts, deteriorating socioeconomic conditions as well as the impact of climate change may increase displacement and dangerous onward movement."

State of play: UNHCR called on European and African countries "to help provide meaningful alternatives to these dangerous journeys and prevent people from becoming victims of traffickers."

It also launched an appeal for $163.5 million to assist and protect thousands of refugees and others.

Some European countries are facing growing criticism for their policies toward migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

UNHCR and other human rights groups have slammed a U.K. plan to send some asylum-seekers to Rwanda for processing and settlement. 

"People fleeing war, conflict and persecution deserve compassion and empathy. They should not be traded like commodities and transferred abroad for processing," the agency said earlier this month.

Fabrice Leggeri, the head of the European Union's border agency, Frontex, resigned Friday after accusations that Frontex mistreated migrants and asylum-seekers, including being involved in illegal pushbacks — the forcing of refugees away from a border before they can claim asylum.

Go deeper: UN leaders urge the world to not forget about other global crises

UN: Over 3,000 died or went missing trying to reach Europe by sea last year

"We are seeing the increases soar," UNHCR said. "It’s alarming."

Migrants in a wooden boat, which left the coast of Libya, are waiting to be rescued by members of the NGO Open Arms, March 5, 2022, off the coast of Libya, in the Mediterranean Sea.

Migrants in a wooden boat waiting to be rescued by members of the NGO Open Arms in March off the coast of Libya. Photo: Antonio Sempere/Europa Press via Getty Images

Refugees

World

Data: Center for Reproductive Rights; Note: Some countries with restrictions may permit abortion in cases of rape, incest and/or fetal impairment. Map: Axios Visuals 

If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade and paves the way for states to implement abortion bans, the U.S. would join only three countries — El Salvador, Nicaragua and Poland — that have rolled back abortion rights since 1994, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. 

The big picture: Nearly 60 countries have liberalized their abortion laws — though some only incrementally — over the last 25 years. 

The rollback of abortion rights has come in countries "where democracies have eroded," says Margaret Harpin, a legal adviser at the Center for Reproductive Rights, which advocates for abortion rights advocacy and tracks abortion laws worldwide. 

At the same time, "we've seen a considerable amount of change in recent years, [and] an overall global trend towards liberalization" of abortion laws, Harpin tells Axios. 

Here's a look at current abortion laws worldwide, according to research from the Center for Reproductive Rights: 

About 91 million women of reproductive age live in 24 countries or territories that prohibit abortion under all circumstances.

El Salvador has some of the strictest abortion laws in the world. At least 180 women have been prosecuted for abortion or aggravated homicide after having obstetric emergencies, such as a miscarriage or stillbirth. After public pressure, some of these women have been released in recent years, though many remain in prison serving decades-long sentences. 

Nicaragua implemented a total ban on abortion in 2006. 

Honduras, which has banned abortion under any circumstance since 1985, hardened its abortion law last year by adding an amendment to its constitution, making it harder to change the ban in the future, abortion rights advocates say. 

Malta is the only EU member state to ban abortion with no exceptions. 

Other countries on this list include the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Haiti, Iraq, Madagascar, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Senegal and Suriname. 

Abortion is permitted to save a woman's life

42 countries or territories allow abortions to save a pregnant person's life. 

Chile currently falls into this category, but as the country drafts a new constitution, there are indicators it may include reproductive rights. 

Other countries on this list include Bahrain, Guatemala, Kiribati, Lebanon, Libya, Malawi, Myanmar, Nigeria, Oman, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

Nearly 50 countries or territories allow abortion for health or therapeutic reasons. Health is sometimes specified to include physical and/or mental health. 

Poland, where a large portion of the population identifies as Catholic, is among the countries that have rolled back abortion rights in recent years. Abortion is allowed in cases of rape, incest or if there's a risk to a woman's health or life, but "it is almost impossible for those eligible for a legal abortion to obtain one," according to Amnesty International.

Other countries in this category include Algeria, Bolivia, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Ecuador, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Togo and Zimbabwe. 

Abortion is permitted on broad social or economic grounds

13 countries or territories allow "abortion under a broad range of circumstances." Some also provide exceptions in cases of rape, incest, fetal impairment or on other grounds. 

"These countries often consider a woman’s actual or reasonably foreseeable environment and her social or economic circumstances in considering the potential impact of pregnancy and childbearing," the Center for Reproductive Rights said in its research.

Among the countries on this list are Ethiopia, Finland, India, Rwanda, Taiwan and Zambia. 

Note: Some countries that allow abortion to save a woman's life, to preserve health and on broad social and economic grounds, may also have exceptions for cases of rape, incest, fetal impairment and/or other circumstances. 

Abortion is permitted on request (gestational limits vary)

76 countries allow abortion on request, with varying gestational limits.

The most common gestational period is 12 weeks, but Harpin points out many countries, particularly in Europe, offer legal protections for abortion beyond that limit and/or other broad exceptions. 

Colombia this year decriminalized abortion. Abortion became legal in Argentina last year. Ireland legalized it in 2018. South Korea, New Zealand and other nations have also liberalized their abortion laws in recent years. 

Keep in mind: A country's laws don't always accurately reflect the reality on the ground, Harpin says. 

Costs, geography, health care and other factors can limit access — as they have often done in the U.S.

Methodology, per the Center for Reproductive Rights: 

The categorizations reflect "a reading of the black letter law in effect in each country. Abortion laws are categorized according to provisions in national statutes, legal regulations, and court decisions."

Mexico's Supreme Court has liberalized abortion at the national level, but "each state will need to change its laws to adhere to this decision before we can change it on our map, in accordance with our methodology for federal systems." 

Go deeper: The state of abortion in America

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that nearly 60 countries have liberalized their laws in the last 25 years, not nearly 50.

Only 3 countries have rolled back abortion rights since 1994

Nearly 60 countries have liberalized their abortion laws over the last 25 years, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Abortion

Axios Explains: Abortion

If the Supreme Court <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="overturns Roe v. Wade" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/03/roe-v-wade-supreme-court-leak-stuns-nation" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/03/roe-v-wade-supreme-court-leak-stuns-nation" target="_self">overturns Roe v. Wade</a> and paves the way for states to implement abortion bans, the U.S. would join only three countries — El Salvador, Nicaragua and Poland — that have rolled back abortion rights since 1994, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. The big picture: Nearly 60 countries have liberalized their abortion laws — though some only incrementally — over the last 25 years.

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Ukrainian lawmakers Tuesday that their  country's defense against Russia's aggression is its "finest hour," echoing Britain's wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill. 

The big picture: Johnson, in the the first address to Ukraine's parliament by a Western leader since Russia's invasion began, predicted "Ukraine will win. Ukraine will be free." 

What he's saying: "You have exploded the myth of [Vladimir] Putin’s invincibility and you have written one of the most glorious chapters in military history and in the life of your country," Johnson said in the video address to the Ukrainian parliament, known as the Verkhovna Rada.  

"The so-called irresistible force of Putin’s war machine has broken on the immoveable object of Ukrainian patriotism and love of country," he added

"This is Ukraine’s finest hour, that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come," he said, echoing the famous speech Churchill delivered on June 18, 1940, as Britain faced the threat of a Nazi invasion. 

"Your children and grandchildren will say that Ukrainians taught the world that the brute force of an aggressor counts for nothing against the moral force of a people determined to be free."

Flashback: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky echoed Churchill in early March when he became the first foreign leader to virtually address the U.K.'s House of Commons. 

"We will not give up, and we will not lose. We will fight till the end — at sea, in the air, we will continue fighting for our land whatever the cost. We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets," Zelensky said at the time, channeling Churchill's famous June 4, 1940, speech following the miraculous evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk. 

Zelensky and Johnson have developed a strong bond since the war began, with the British leader visiting Kyiv last month. 

The big picture: Johnson on Tuesday announced that U.K. will provide additional weapons and other aid to Ukraine as part of a new $375 million package, including "radars to pinpoint the artillery bombarding your cities, heavy lift drones to supply your forces, and thousands of night vision devices."

In the coming weeks, the U.K. will also send Brimstone anti-ship missiles and Stormer anti-aircraft systems, Johnson told the Ukrainian lawmakers. 

The U.K. leader said the the West was "too slow to grasp" the threat Russia posed when it annexed Crimea in 2014. "We cannot make the same mistake again."

The bottom line: "We will carry on supplying Ukraine, alongside your other friends, with weapons, funding and humanitarian aid until we have achieved our long-term goal, which must be so to fortify Ukraine that no one will ever dare to attack you again," Johnson concluded. 

"Ukraine's finest hour": Johnson echoes Churchill in speech to Ukraine's parliament

"You have exploded the myth of Putin’s invincibility and ... written one of the most glorious chapters in military history."

Boris Johnson. Photo: Andy Rain/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Boris Johnson

Russia

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="told Ukrainian lawmakers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/prime-minister-boris-johnsons-address-to-the-ukrainian-parliament-3-may-2022" data-vars-content-id="953afa49-a0ba-4a0e-9e7b-ff6149a3ac20" data-vars-headline="&quot;Ukraine&#x27;s finest hour&quot;: Johnson echoes Churchill in speech to Ukraine&#x27;s parliament" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/prime-minister-boris-johnsons-address-to-the-ukrainian-parliament-3-may-2022" target="_blank">told Ukrainian lawmakers</a> Tuesday that their country&#x27;s defense against Russia&#x27;s aggression is its &quot;finest hour,&quot; echoing Britain&#x27;s wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The big picture: Johnson, in the the first address to Ukraine&#x27;s parliament by a Western leader since Russia&#x27;s invasion began, predicted &quot;Ukraine will win. Ukraine will be free.&quot;

Axios World

French President Emmanuel Macron defeated far-right leader Marine Le Pen to win re-election Sunday, with projections as polls closed showing him winning 58% to 42%. 

Why it matters: Macron is the first French president in 20 years to win a second term. While polls consistently showed him in the lead, there will be relief in Washington and Brussels as his victory is confirmed.

A Le Pen victory would have been a major blow to EU cooperation, particularly on Ukraine.

Turnout was estimated at around 72%, the lowest in decades but only 2% lower than in 2017, when Macron beat Le Pen 66% to 34%.

The latest: Le Pen conceded defeat but said the results showed there were "winds of change afoot," and she would continue to "stand up for the French people," and against Macron, whom she said would "destroy France" with his policies.

She said her party would fight hard in June's legislative elections. That's the next major test for Macron, whose party won a majority in 2017 but might struggle to do so again.

The big picture: The rising cost of living and the war in Russia dominated the campaign. 

While Le Pen has attempted to rebrand herself and party in recent years, Macron emphasized on the campaign trail that her far-right positions would divide France. He warned Le Pen's plan to ban headscarves for Muslim women could "create a civil war." He also hit her hard over her ties to Russia during their debate on Wednesday.

The election is a “referendum for or against a secular, united, indivisible Republic," Macron said on Friday, the final day of campaigning. 

For her part, Le Pen attempted to make the case that she better understood the struggles of voters and capitalized on criticism of Macron as "president of the rich."

How it happened: Le Pen narrowed Macron's once-formidable lead ahead of the first round on April 1o, when Macron finished first with 28% to Le Pen's 23%. 

But in the past two weeks, Macron belatedly stepped up his campaigning, gained endorsements from all of the other mainstream candidates, and saw the polls start to shift in his direction.

A large plurality of voters found him "more convincing" in the lone debate, according to an Ipsos poll.

This is a developing story and has been updated throughout.

Macron defeats Le Pen to win re-election in France

He's the first French president in 20 years to win second term.

Emmanuel Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron defeated far-right leader Marine Le Pen to win re-election Sunday, with projections as polls closed showing him winning 58% to 42%. Why it matters: Macron is the first French president in 20 years to win a second term. While polls consistently showed him in the lead, there will be relief in Washington and Brussels as his victory is confirmed.

Axios from Tel Aviv

Israeli police beat mourners carrying the casket of Shireen Abu Akleh during the start of the Palestinian American journalist's funeral procession on Friday. 

The big picture: The death of the veteran Al Jazeera journalist, who was shot dead Wednesday while covering an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, sent shockwaves throughout the Middle East and across the rest of the world.  

Palestinians, journalists who witnessed Abu Akleh's death and Al Jazeera say she was killed by Israeli gunfire. 

The Israeli military earlier Friday released preliminary findings of its investigation into the journalist's death, saying it's impossible to know from whose fire Abu Akleh was killed without a ballistic examination of the piece of the bullet that was removed from her body. 

The military said it had offered to do a joint ballistic examination of the bullet with the Palestinians and U.S. experts, but Palestinian officials refused the proposal.

What happened: Video aired by Al Jazeera on Friday shows Israeli police shoving and beating mourners, including those carrying Abu Akleh's coffin, with batons as they attempted to leave a hospital in East Jerusalem. They also used stun grenades. 

"We're all still shocked when we saw the Israeli [police] moving into the courtyard of the hospital, beating mourners. Her coffin almost fell to the ground," Al Jazeera English's Stefanie Dekker said from the cemetery where Abu Akleh was laid to rest. 

A ceremony was later held at a Catholic church in Jerusalem's Old City before Abu Akleh's body was taken to a cemetery outside the Old City and laid to rest as thousands gathered to mourn her.  

Behind the scenes: There is anger and frustration among Biden administration officials over the events of the funeral, two U.S. and Israeli sources told Axios. 

U.S. officials conveyed a protest to the Israeli government about the actions of the Israeli police during the funeral procession. 

President Biden told reporters later Friday that he doesn't know "all the details" about Abu Akleh's death, but it "has to be investigated.” It was the first time he publicly addressed the Palestinian American's killing. 

The latest: Israel's chief of police ordered an investigation into the "operational incident," a spokesperson announced Saturday. The statement claimed "hundreds of rioters tried to sabotage the ceremony and harm the police" and that "force was subsequently used by the police."

"The Israel Police supporters its police officers, but as a professional organization that seeks to learn and improve, it will also draw lessons from the incident," the spokesperson said.  

After the incident on Friday, the police spokesperson had claimed the police intervened at the start of the procession to disperse a "mob and prevent them from taking the coffin, so that the funeral could proceed as planned in accordance with the wishes of the family." 

The spokesperson said that police had coordinated plans for the funeral procession in advance with Abu Akleh's family. According to police, the coffin was supposed to be loaded into a hearse. 

Esawi Frej, the Israeli minister for regional cooperation, criticized the police and said they acted in a disgraceful way. 

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information from the Israeli police, U.S. and Israeli officials. 

Israeli police beat Palestinian mourners at Shireen Abu Akleh funeral

The veteran journalist was killed while covering an Israeli military raid.

Israeli police beat mourners carrying Shireen Abu Akleh's casket outside a hospital in Jerusalem. Photo: Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images

Palestine

Israeli police beat mourners carrying the casket of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Shireen Abu Akleh" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/11/al-jazeera-journalist-dead-israeli-raid-west-bank" data-vars-content-id="fd7e1995-76e1-490f-979b-055aec4280bf" data-vars-headline="Israeli police beat Palestinian mourners at Shireen Abu Akleh funeral" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/11/al-jazeera-journalist-dead-israeli-raid-west-bank" target="_self">Shireen Abu Akleh</a> during the start of the Palestinian American journalist&#x27;s funeral procession on Friday. The big picture: The death of the veteran Al Jazeera journalist, who was shot dead Wednesday while covering an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, sent shockwaves throughout the Middle East and across the rest of the world.

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Stories

Israeli police beat Palestinian mourners at Shireen Abu Akleh funeral

Only 3 countries have rolled back abortion rights since 1994

"Ukraine's finest hour": Johnson echoes Churchill in speech to Ukraine's parliament

UN: Over 3,000 died or went missing trying to reach Europe by sea last year

Macron defeats Le Pen to win re-election in France