Spain has asked the European Commission for additional support from EU agencies to help process migrants remaining in Ceuta after a mass influx into the North African enclave triggered growing tensions and protests.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska requested assistance from Frontex, Europol and the European Union Agency for Asylum to strengthen the screening and processing of migrants who remain in Ceuta irregularly.

Madrid has also asked for the extension of Operation Minerva, a joint Spanish police and Frontex initiative, until September 2. The Interior Ministry said the operation should continue while authorities deal with the situation created by the mass arrival of migrants.

Spain wants the EU asylum agency to assist with interviews and provide interpreters during the screening process. Because of limited space in Ceuta, officials expect some of the work to be carried out electronically.

The government also announced additional security measures for Ceuta’s border, including extensions to the Tarajal and Benzú breakwaters, a permanent maritime containment buoy system, drone surveillance, light intervention vessels and remotely operated underwater equipment.

The measures come as tensions have increased in the territory, which has a population of about 80,000 and covers only 18.5 square kilometres.

At least 72,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta from Morocco over several days in July, creating a major humanitarian and political challenge. The Spanish government says most have since left the enclave, but thousands remain, with some sleeping on beaches and staying in public areas.

Protests have intensified in recent days. Residents clashed with police on Thursday at a beach where migrants had been sleeping, and some migrant belongings were burned.

A soldier was also injured in a separate incident after migrants threw stones at troops. Twelve Moroccan migrants were arrested, while two additional arrests were made after an alleged attack on a police officer.

Grande-Marlaska appealed for calm and condemned violence from all sides.

“Violence is not the answer,” he told parliament, urging an end to confrontations as authorities attempt to manage the situation.

Ceuta’s Assembly has also called on the central government to act immediately, describing the situation as extreme and warning that the city was approaching a point of collapse.

Ceuta President Juan Vivas said the mass influx had disrupted the territory’s normal way of life and called for migrants who entered during the mass crossing and remain there to be returned to their countries in accordance with Spanish and international law.

The assembly also backed residents’ right to demonstrate peacefully while condemning violent incidents. Vivas said the city’s interests could only be defended through legal means.

Spain’s government has stressed that each migrant must be identified individually to determine whether they qualify for asylum or can legally be returned. Unaccompanied children are subject to additional protection requirements.

Right-wing and far-right parties have demanded the mass return of migrants, while Grande-Marlaska accused them of encouraging hostility and confrontation.

Ceuta and Melilla are Spain’s two territories in North Africa and represent the European Union’s only land borders with Africa, making migration there a particularly sensitive issue for Spain and the wider bloc.

With just over two months remaining before the US midterm elections, Democrats are facing a political challenge that extends beyond their efforts to oppose President Donald Trump. The party is divided over its policy direction, with progressives and moderates offering competing ideas about how Democrats can regain support.

The divide has become increasingly visible during this year’s primary elections. Progressive candidates have secured several notable victories, raising hopes among the party’s left wing. Moderates, however, are warning that candidates associated with the progressive movement could struggle in competitive districts and Republican-leaning states.

Both factions say the 2024 election defeat exposed weaknesses in the party, but they draw different lessons from it.

Progressives argue Democrats were too cautious and failed to offer voters a strong economic alternative. They want the party to focus on issues such as lower healthcare costs, higher wages, stronger unions and greater restrictions on corporate power.

Moderates say Democrats need to avoid positions that Republicans can portray as extreme. They believe candidates must appeal to independent and conservative-leaning voters, particularly in closely contested states.

Recent primary results have intensified the debate. In Florida, democratic socialist Angie Nixon defeated moderate Alex Vindman in the Democratic Senate primary. In Michigan, progressive Abdul El-Sayed defeated establishment-backed Haley Stevens, while in California, Aisha Wahab won a special congressional election after facing substantial spending from outside groups.

Progressives view the results as evidence that Democratic voters are becoming less interested in traditional party leadership.

However, winning a primary does not guarantee success in November. Florida presents a major test for Nixon because the state has shifted strongly toward Republicans in recent elections. Her nomination has already prompted debate among Democrats over whether the party should embrace the democratic socialist label.

At the same time, Democrats in Florida selected former Republican David Jolly as their candidate for governor, highlighting the ideological range within the party.

Polling suggests many voters support economic policies associated with progressives, including higher taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals, government-supported healthcare, paid family leave and a higher federal minimum wage. Yet support for these policies does not necessarily mean voters will choose candidates who identify as progressive.

Democratic voters can hold moderate political identities while supporting populist economic measures. Some cultural issues associated with the left have attracted less support among swing voters.

This creates an opportunity for Democrats to build an economic message centred on affordability and corporate power while avoiding divisive cultural battles.

Trump remains another major factor. Republicans are using progressive primary victories to argue that Democrats are moving toward socialism, while Democrats have an incentive to keep attention on Trump’s record and economic concerns.

The November results could shape the party’s direction well beyond the midterms. A strong Democratic performance could strengthen either moderates or progressives, depending on which candidates succeed.

The outcome may also influence the 2028 presidential race. For now, Democrats face a shared objective: defeating Republicans in November while managing a growing dispute over what the party should become.

Two people were killed and several others injured after a car was deliberately driven into a group of pedestrians outside a railway station in Caen, Normandy, French authorities said.

The incident happened near Caen railway station, where a vehicle struck people in a street opposite the station. Calvados prefect David Claviere said the driver had deliberately driven into pedestrians.

Seven people were reported to be in critical condition, while three others suffered less serious injuries. Emergency services and security personnel quickly responded to the scene, which was later sealed off as investigators began examining what happened.

According to French media reports, the vehicle was a black German-made car that struck people waiting near a tram stop. The incident reportedly followed an altercation, although authorities have not established a clear motive.

The suspect, a 26-year-old man born in Russia, fled the scene after the crash. Police arrested him later in the evening in Ouistreham, about 20 kilometres from Caen.

Authorities said the suspect was not previously known to France’s intelligence services. He was known to police only in connection with traffic offences.

Senior Caen security official Bruno Coutanceau said the victims were believed to be men between the ages of 17 and 40. Most of those injured were thought to be foreign nationals.

French authorities have opened an investigation into murder and aggravated intentional assault. Investigators are expected to examine witness statements, surveillance footage and other evidence to establish the circumstances leading to the incident and determine whether it was linked to the reported altercation.

The attack caused significant disruption around the railway station as emergency workers treated the injured and police secured the area.

Caen Mayor Aristide Olivier described the incident as an “absolute tragedy” and praised emergency and security services for their rapid response.

The authorities have not indicated that the suspect was linked to any extremist organisation, and his motive remains under investigation.

The incident has prompted heightened security around the station while investigators continue their work. Officials are expected to provide further details as the investigation progresses and the condition of those critically injured becomes clearer.