Guatemalan police fired tear gas Sunday to disperse thousands of migrants headed for the United States on foot, and soldiers beat back a group that tried to push through barriers, AFP journalists witnessed.

Security forces surrounded the migrant caravan on a road in the town of Vado Hondo, near the border with Honduras where they came from, and fired tear gas.

Also read|&nbsp;U<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-bound-migrant-caravan-in-guatemala-swells-to-over-8000-people-357193">S-bound migrant caravan in Guatemala swells to over 8,000 people</a>

Police say at least 6,000 people had arrived in the town, out of some 9,000 who left Honduras in recent days in the hopes of making it to the United States to start a new life there.

The deafening explosions of gas and smoke cannisters caused thousands of the migrants to turn back, while others fled into nearby mountains. Many dropped their sparse belongings in their haste to get out of harm's way.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-of-us-bound-honduran-migrants-cross-border-into-guatemala-357082">Thousands of US-bound Honduran migrants cross border into Guatemala</a>

Some who tried to break through a fence were beaten back by uniformed personnel kitted out with clubs and plastic shields.

A health official from the region, who did not give their name, said several of the migrants were injured after being struck.

Some in the police contingent were carrying firearms.

Guatemalan police fired tear gas Sunday to disperse thousands of migrants headed for the United States on foot, and soldiers beat back a group that tried to push through barriers, AFP journalists witnessed.

Guatemalan police fired tear gas Sunday to disperse thousands of migrants headed for the United States on foot, and soldiers beat back a group that tried to push through barriers, AFP journalists witnessed. Security forces surrounded the migrant caravan on a road in the town of Vado Hondo, near the border with Honduras where they came from, and fired tear gas. Also read| US-bound migrant caravan in Guatemala swells to over 8,000 people Police say at least 6,000 people had arrived in the town, out of some 9,000 who left Honduras in recent days in the hopes of making it to the United States to start a new life there. The deafening explosions of gas and smoke cannisters caused thousands of the migrants to turn back, while others fled into nearby mountains. Many dropped their sparse belongings in their haste to get out of harm's way. Also read| Thousands of US-bound Honduran migrants cross border into Guatemala Some who tried to break through a fence were beaten back by uniformed personnel kitted out with clubs and plastic shields. A health official from the region, who did not give their name, said several of the migrants were injured after being struck. Some in the police contingent were carrying firearms.

Guatemala police fire tear gas at US-bound migrant caravan

At least 4,500 Honduran migrants pushed past police and crossed into Guatemala Friday night, passing the first hurdle of a journey north they hope will take them to a better life in the United States.

Seeking to escape poverty, unemployment, gang and drug violence and the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes, the migrants plan to walk thousands of kilometers through Central America to Mexico and then on to the US.

The crowd of men, women and children -- many wearing masks due to the Covid-19 pandemic -- pushed their way past police and border gates diving the two countries at the town of El Florido, an AFP correspondent said.

A Guatemalan police official said the force had let the migrants cross as there were many families with children in the crowd and that using tear gas at night could have resulted in casualties.

"We won't leave here until they let us through," said domestic worker Dania Hinestrosa, 23, shortly before attempting to cross the border with one of her young daughters.

"We have no work or food, so I decided to go to the United States."&nbsp;

The migrants are seeking a better life in America under Joe Biden after years of tough anti-immigrant policy under Donald Trump, but the quest is likely to end in heartbreak for many, with US authorities already having warned off the group.

Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras also have an agreement with the US to stop north-bound migratory flows from the south of the continent.

Biden has promised "a fair and humane immigration system" and pledged aid to tackle the root causes of poverty and violence that drive Central Americans to the United States.

But Mark Morgan, acting commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection, warned the group last week not to "waste your time and money."

The US commitment to the "rule of law and public health" is not affected by the change in administration, he said in a statement.

More than a dozen caravans, some with thousands of migrants, have set off from Honduras since October 2018.

But all have run up against thousands of US border guards and soldiers under Trump, who has characterized immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" who were "bringing drugs" and other criminal activity to the United States.

Mexican authorities said late Thursday that 500 immigration officers were being deployed to its border with Guatemala in anticipation of the caravan's arrival.

But the migrants are keeping the end goal in sight.

Among them, 28-year-old Eduardo Lanza said he dreamed of living in a country where people of different sexual orientations can live with &nbsp;dignity, "respect... and a job opportunity."

Norma Pineda, 51, said last year's hurricanes left her "on the street."

"We are leaving because here is no work, no state support, we need food, clothes..." she told AFP. 
&nbsp;

At least 4,500 Honduran migrants pushed past police and crossed into Guatemala Friday night, passing the first hurdle of a journey north they hope will take them to a better life in the United States.

At least 4,500 Honduran migrants pushed past police and crossed into Guatemala Friday night, passing the first hurdle of a journey north they hope will take them to a better life in the United States. Seeking to escape poverty, unemployment, gang and drug violence and the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes, the migrants plan to walk thousands of kilometers through Central America to Mexico and then on to the US. The crowd of men, women and children -- many wearing masks due to the Covid-19 pandemic -- pushed their way past police and border gates diving the two countries at the town of El Florido, an AFP correspondent said. A Guatemalan police official said the force had let the migrants cross as there were many families with children in the crowd and that using tear gas at night could have resulted in casualties. "We won't leave here until they let us through," said domestic worker Dania Hinestrosa, 23, shortly before attempting to cross the border with one of her young daughters. "We have no work or food, so I decided to go to the United States." The migrants are seeking a better life in America under Joe Biden after years of tough anti-immigrant policy under Donald Trump, but the quest is likely to end in heartbreak for many, with US authorities already having warned off the group. Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras also have an agreement with the US to stop north-bound migratory flows from the south of the continent. Biden has promised "a fair and humane immigration system" and pledged aid to tackle the root causes of poverty and violence that drive Central Americans to the United States. But Mark Morgan, acting commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection, warned the group last week not to "waste your time and money." The US commitment to the "rule of law and public health" is not affected by the change in administration, he said in a statement. More than a dozen caravans, some with thousands of migrants, have set off from Honduras since October 2018. But all have run up against thousands of US border guards and soldiers under Trump, who has characterized immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" who were "bringing drugs" and other criminal activity to the United States. Mexican authorities said late Thursday that 500 immigration officers were being deployed to its border with Guatemala in anticipation of the caravan's arrival. But the migrants are keeping the end goal in sight. Among them, 28-year-old Eduardo Lanza said he dreamed of living in a country where people of different sexual orientations can live with dignity, "respect... and a job opportunity." Norma Pineda, 51, said last year's hurricanes left her "on the street." "We are leaving because here is no work, no state support, we need food, clothes..." she told AFP.

Thousands of US-bound Honduran migrants cross border into Guatemala

In Bosnia, thousands of migrants are in dire need of proper shelter to survive the harsh zero temperature as their temporary accommodation has burned down.

Migrants stuck in miserable conditions at EU border

The European Union has denounced the living conditions of hundreds of homeless migrants in Bosnia.

The migrants have been left homeless in freezing and rainy conditions since their camp near the northwestern town of Bihac burned down last month.

To this end, EU envoy Johann Sattler said Saturday the conditions were "completely unacceptable".

“The situation is completely unacceptable,” he said&nbsp;

Sattler, the EU’s Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, said after a meeting with Bosnia’s Security Minister Selmo Cikotic: "Lives and basic human rights of many hundreds of people are seriously jeopardised."

The aim of the meeting was “to discuss urgent solutions for the extremely concerning migration situation”, the statement said.

Fire engulfed the Lipa migrant centre in northwestern Bosnia on December 23. There were no casualties from the blaze but much of the infrastructure of the site was destroyed.

Police believe the blaze was started deliberately by migrants living there to protest the withdrawal of the UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which had been running the camp.

The IOM had left complaining that the accommodation was not fit to house people during the cold winter months.

Opened in April, the Lipa camp had never been hooked up with electricity or running water.

Bosnia lies on the so-called Balkans route used since 2018 by tens of thousands of migrants heading towards Western Europe as they flee war and poverty in the Middle East, Asia and in Africa.

The country currently hosts some 8,500 migrants.

The European Commission, which finances the running of several migrant camps in Bosnia, has called for another centre in Bihac to be reopened, but local and regional officials oppose the idea.

The UN’s human rights office had already warned against “unacceptable suffering” of the migrants from the Lipa camp, calling for an urgent solution of the issue.

(with inputs)

The European Union has denounced the living conditions of hundreds of homeless migrants in Bosnia. The migrants have been left homeless in freezing and rainy conditions since their camp near the northwestern town of Bihac burned down last month.

The European Union has denounced the living conditions of hundreds of homeless migrants in Bosnia. The migrants have been left homeless in freezing and rainy conditions since their camp near the northwestern town of Bihac burned down last month. To this end, EU envoy Johann Sattler said Saturday the conditions were "completely unacceptable". “The situation is completely unacceptable,” he said Sattler, the EU’s Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, said after a meeting with Bosnia’s Security Minister Selmo Cikotic: "Lives and basic human rights of many hundreds of people are seriously jeopardised." The aim of the meeting was “to discuss urgent solutions for the extremely concerning migration situation”, the statement said. Fire engulfed the Lipa migrant centre in northwestern Bosnia on December 23. There were no casualties from the blaze but much of the infrastructure of the site was destroyed. Police believe the blaze was started deliberately by migrants living there to protest the withdrawal of the UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which had been running the camp. The IOM had left complaining that the accommodation was not fit to house people during the cold winter months. Opened in April, the Lipa camp had never been hooked up with electricity or running water. Bosnia lies on the so-called Balkans route used since 2018 by tens of thousands of migrants heading towards Western Europe as they flee war and poverty in the Middle East, Asia and in Africa. The country currently hosts some 8,500 migrants. The European Commission, which finances the running of several migrant camps in Bosnia, has called for another centre in Bihac to be reopened, but local and regional officials oppose the idea. The UN’s human rights office had already warned against “unacceptable suffering” of the migrants from the Lipa camp, calling for an urgent solution of the issue. (with inputs)

EU denounces conditions for hundreds of migrants in Bosnia

The forcible 'clean up' of a migrant camp in Paris has reignited the debate on the alleged high-handedness of the French police. WION's Molly Gambhir gets you a report.

Gravitas: Decoding the Paris Migrant camp clean up

The infant was among five migrants who perished after an inflatable dinghy laden with 116 people sank on Wednesday morning after setting sail from Libya.

Desperate cry of a mother in search of her 6-month-old baby at sea

The Mexican&nbsp;President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrado has ordered for the national army to be deployed along its southern border to put a stop to the incoming migrant caravan.

This decision was announced as&nbsp;thousands of mostly Honduran migrants were traveling through Guatemala, heading for the United States via Mexico.

Obrado has balmed the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/us-election">US election</a>&nbsp;for this sudden movement.&nbsp;"It seems very strange to us. It's very strange that this caravan leaves on the eve of the election in the United States," he told reporters.

"It has to do with the election in the United States. I don't have all the elements but I think there are indications that it was put together for this purpose," Lopez Obrador added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-of-us-bound-migrants-surge-into-guatemala-331883">Also read:&nbsp;Thousands of US-bound migrants surge into Guatemala</a>

These migrants were mainly young men and were seen across the border from Honduras into Guatemala. The area is under strict regulations right now due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Majority&nbsp;of these migrants were spotted without a face mask.

Asking the migrants to "respect the immigration law",&nbsp;Francisco Garduno, the head of the Mexican migration authority, told reporters that the migrants are "not going to cross". However, he also assured that the government wants to avoid any confrontation and solve the mater peacefully.

Hundreds of military and immigration personnel have been deployed across the border on an emergency basis.

Some migrants returned to their country after the Guatemalan government ordered them to be detained and deported.

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The surge in migrants travelling across the border came after the&nbsp;US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;threatened steep tariffs on Mexico if it fails to restrict the flow of undocumented migrants travelling into the US. Mexico, however, deployed nearly 26,000 troops across the border as a response to the threat.

Trump's administration on Thursday announced the US will admit a record low of 15,000 refugees in the coming year.

The Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrado has ordered for the national army to be deployed along its southern border to put a stop to the incoming migrant caravan.

The Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrado has ordered for the national army to be deployed along its southern border to put a stop to the incoming migrant caravan. This decision was announced as thousands of mostly Honduran migrants were traveling through Guatemala, heading for the United States via Mexico. Obrado has balmed the US election for this sudden movement. "It seems very strange to us. It's very strange that this caravan leaves on the eve of the election in the United States," he told reporters. "It has to do with the election in the United States. I don't have all the elements but I think there are indications that it was put together for this purpose," Lopez Obrador added. Also read: Thousands of US-bound migrants surge into Guatemala These migrants were mainly young men and were seen across the border from Honduras into Guatemala. The area is under strict regulations right now due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Majority of these migrants were spotted without a face mask. Asking the migrants to "respect the immigration law", Francisco Garduno, the head of the Mexican migration authority, told reporters that the migrants are "not going to cross". However, he also assured that the government wants to avoid any confrontation and solve the mater peacefully. Hundreds of military and immigration personnel have been deployed across the border on an emergency basis. Some migrants returned to their country after the Guatemalan government ordered them to be detained and deported. × The surge in migrants travelling across the border came after the US President Donald Trump threatened steep tariffs on Mexico if it fails to restrict the flow of undocumented migrants travelling into the US. Mexico, however, deployed nearly 26,000 troops across the border as a response to the threat. Trump's administration on Thursday announced the US will admit a record low of 15,000 refugees in the coming year.

Mexico deploys military to block migrant caravan; blames US election

Are we becoming more intolerant of migrants? Are our current political discourses changing people’s perception and treatment of migrants?

According to new poll by “Gallup”, the world is now less tolerant of migrants. The poll results were divulged on Wednesday, in the wake of Europe setting ground for its asylum plan for migrants.

Countries least accepting

The world’s least accepting countries are led by European nations: North Macedonia, Hungary, Serbia, and Croatia.&nbsp;

In terms of recent change of attitude, the sharpest changes were seen in Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia, which have received more migrants from Venezuela, where the economy has collapsed. In terms of the most welcoming countries for migrants, Canada topped the list. Following Canada were Iceland and New Zealand.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/trump-administration-seeks-sweeping-dna-collection-of-immigrants-327048" hreflang="en">Trump administration seeks sweeping DNA collection of immigrants</a>

To ascertain this, the poll took 140,000 interviews across 145 countries.

The questions were about people responding to the idea of migrants living in their country, and additionally becoming their neighbours, and/or considering the probability of marrying into their families.

The scores on the index ranged from North Macedonia’s 1.49 to Canada’s 8.46, which is almost close to the maximum possible score, which is 9!

What's triggering this change?

Reuters reported that Gallup’s migrant expert Julie Ray acknowledged this shifting pattern, and said that this global fall from 5.21 in 2019, which was down from 5.34 in 2016, is a product of apparent changes in South America.

In Peru alone, people who believed migrants living in their country was a good thing dropped from 61 per cent to 29 per cent.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/lake-turns-into-graveyard-for-migrants-in-turkey-324065" hreflang="en">Lake turns into graveyard for migrants in Turkey</a>

The first ever Gallup Migrant Acceptance Index was conducted in 2015 when over a million people left their countries for parts of Europe in a bid to flee poverty and war.

The US was at #6 on the index, just behind Sierra Leone. According to Ray, as opposed to common belief, Trump supporters were more accepting of migrants than the global average, with a score of 7.10

Taking into account the global pattern, the poll found that migrants were better accepted among younger generations, people with better education, and those who live in urban areas.

Are we becoming more intolerant of migrants? Are our current political discourses changing people’s perception and treatment of migrants? According to new poll by “Gallup”, the world is now less tolerant of migrants.

Are we becoming more intolerant of migrants? Are our current political discourses changing people’s perception and treatment of migrants? According to new poll by “Gallup”, the world is now less tolerant of migrants. The poll results were divulged on Wednesday, in the wake of Europe setting ground for its asylum plan for migrants. Countries least accepting The world’s least accepting countries are led by European nations: North Macedonia, Hungary, Serbia, and Croatia. In terms of recent change of attitude, the sharpest changes were seen in Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia, which have received more migrants from Venezuela, where the economy has collapsed. In terms of the most welcoming countries for migrants, Canada topped the list. Following Canada were Iceland and New Zealand. Also read: Trump administration seeks sweeping DNA collection of immigrants To ascertain this, the poll took 140,000 interviews across 145 countries. The questions were about people responding to the idea of migrants living in their country, and additionally becoming their neighbours, and/or considering the probability of marrying into their families. The scores on the index ranged from North Macedonia’s 1.49 to Canada’s 8.46, which is almost close to the maximum possible score, which is 9! What's triggering this change? Reuters reported that Gallup’s migrant expert Julie Ray acknowledged this shifting pattern, and said that this global fall from 5.21 in 2019, which was down from 5.34 in 2016, is a product of apparent changes in South America. In Peru alone, people who believed migrants living in their country was a good thing dropped from 61 per cent to 29 per cent. Also read: Lake turns into graveyard for migrants in Turkey The first ever Gallup Migrant Acceptance Index was conducted in 2015 when over a million people left their countries for parts of Europe in a bid to flee poverty and war. The US was at #6 on the index, just behind Sierra Leone. According to Ray, as opposed to common belief, Trump supporters were more accepting of migrants than the global average, with a score of 7.10 Taking into account the global pattern, the poll found that migrants were better accepted among younger generations, people with better education, and those who live in urban areas.

World is now more intolerant of migrants than ever before, new poll reveals

UNHRC reports spike in Lebanese migrants, watch video

Video: Cyprus sends back Lebanese migrants

Germany wants to take in about 1,500 migrants stranded on Greek islands after a fire destroyed an overcrowded camp, government sources said on Tuesday, in a gesture of solidarity with its fellow European Union member state.

The decision by Chancellor Angela Merkel follows a rise in opinion polls by her conservative party, at the expense of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, after what is widely seen as her steady handling of the coronavirus crisis.

More than 12,000 people, mostly asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Africa and Syria, were left without shelter, proper sanitation or access to food after a fire destroyed the Moria migrant camp on the island of Lesbos last week.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/teargas-fired-during-migrant-protests-on-greek-island-of-lesbos-327068" hreflang="en">Teargas fired during migrant protests on Greek island of Lesbos</a>

The German government sources told Reuters that Germany would house migrants whose asylum applications have already been accepted and had been on Lesbos.

An interior ministry spokesman said a proposal had been made which conservative members of parliament would discuss later on Tuesday, and sources in their Social Democrat coalition partners later said they had agreed to the plan.

Greece has long been burdened by the number of migrants arriving by sea, and there are around 30,000 refugees and migrants on the Greek islands.

The issue of migration continues to divide the EU, which has failed to craft a common asylum policy five years after Merkel opened Germany's doors to 1.2 million people seeking protection.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/did-refugees-set-moria-camp-ablaze-over-covid-19-quarantine-greek-minister-thinks-so-326698" hreflang="en">Did refugees set Moria camp ablaze over COVID-19 quarantine? Greek minister thinks so!</a>

The AfD entered German parliament for the first time two years later, and is the main opposition party.

Newspaper Bild reported that Germany would take 408 families from the Greek islands, most of them parents with children, from Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, making a total of 1,552 people. They are in addition to the 100-150 children Germany has already agreed to take.

Polls show a majority of Germans favour welcoming migrants who need protection, and she and Interior Minister Horst Seehofer have faced calls from regional and local politicians to ease the burden on Greece by taking in migrants.

Germany wants to take in about 1,500 migrants stranded on Greek islands after a fire destroyed an overcrowded camp, government sources said on Tuesday, in a gesture of solidarity with its fellow European Union member state.

Germany wants to take in about 1,500 migrants stranded on Greek islands after a fire destroyed an overcrowded camp, government sources said on Tuesday, in a gesture of solidarity with its fellow European Union member state. The decision by Chancellor Angela Merkel follows a rise in opinion polls by her conservative party, at the expense of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, after what is widely seen as her steady handling of the coronavirus crisis. More than 12,000 people, mostly asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Africa and Syria, were left without shelter, proper sanitation or access to food after a fire destroyed the Moria migrant camp on the island of Lesbos last week. Also read: Teargas fired during migrant protests on Greek island of Lesbos The German government sources told Reuters that Germany would house migrants whose asylum applications have already been accepted and had been on Lesbos. An interior ministry spokesman said a proposal had been made which conservative members of parliament would discuss later on Tuesday, and sources in their Social Democrat coalition partners later said they had agreed to the plan. Greece has long been burdened by the number of migrants arriving by sea, and there are around 30,000 refugees and migrants on the Greek islands. The issue of migration continues to divide the EU, which has failed to craft a common asylum policy five years after Merkel opened Germany's doors to 1.2 million people seeking protection. Also read: Did refugees set Moria camp ablaze over COVID-19 quarantine? Greek minister thinks so! The AfD entered German parliament for the first time two years later, and is the main opposition party. Newspaper Bild reported that Germany would take 408 families from the Greek islands, most of them parents with children, from Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, making a total of 1,552 people. They are in addition to the 100-150 children Germany has already agreed to take. Polls show a majority of Germans favour welcoming migrants who need protection, and she and Interior Minister Horst Seehofer have faced calls from regional and local politicians to ease the burden on Greece by taking in migrants.

Germany to take in about 1,500 migrants from Greek islands

Rapid population growth, lack of access to food and water, and increased exposure to natural disasters mean more than 1 billion people face being displaced by 2050

1 Billion people will have to forcefully migrate: New report predicts humanitarian crisis

As a symbol of protest against the terrible situation of the&nbsp;Greek migrant camps, four groups got together and placed 13,000 chairs outside the German parliament building in Berlin, Germany.

Moria camp, located on Lesbos island, is Greece's largest reception camp. The camp has a capacity of less than 2,800 people. However, at present, there are 13,000 people stuck there.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/44-of-people-in-greece-to-skip-coronavirus-vaccine-study-325662">Also read|&nbsp;44% of people in Greece to skip coronavirus vaccine: Study</a>

Overall, thee are five camps in Greece which have nearly 24,000 people stuck in them. the camps, however, can only&nbsp;handle less than 6,100 people.

The protesting groups said the capacity of the camps versus the present number of people in these migrant camps directly points out the terrible conditions that the migrants are being out through.

Germany has taken in 465 people from these camps, mostly sick children and their families.&nbsp;Berlin alone has promised to take in over a thousand.

"The Bundestag was on holiday this summer, the humanitarian catastrophe at the EU external borders was not," the groups said in a statement.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/turkey-issues-fresh-threat-to-greece-warning-amid-row-over-gas-oil-resources-325510">Also watch|&nbsp;Turkey issues fresh threat to Greece, warning amid row over gas &amp; oil resources</a>

The demonstration was collectively organised by&nbsp;Seebruecke, Sea-Watch, Campact and LeaveNoOneBehind on Monday in Berlin.

These protests came a week after Greece reported first coronavirus case in the&nbsp;Moria camp.

During the protests, a mock stage was also planted with three chairs placed as a symbol for the chairs of&nbsp;German Chancellor Angela Merkel, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.&nbsp;The chair installation is taking place in the context of the anti-racist action days by "We’ll Come United" and is organised by several groups such as Sea-Watch, Campact and LeaveNoOneBehind.

As a symbol of protest against the terrible situation of the Greek migrant camps, four groups got together and placed 13,000 chairs outside the German parliament building in Berlin, Germany.

As a symbol of protest against the terrible situation of the Greek migrant camps, four groups got together and placed 13,000 chairs outside the German parliament building in Berlin, Germany. Moria camp, located on Lesbos island, is Greece's largest reception camp. The camp has a capacity of less than 2,800 people. However, at present, there are 13,000 people stuck there. Also read| 44% of people in Greece to skip coronavirus vaccine: Study Overall, thee are five camps in Greece which have nearly 24,000 people stuck in them. the camps, however, can only handle less than 6,100 people. The protesting groups said the capacity of the camps versus the present number of people in these migrant camps directly points out the terrible conditions that the migrants are being out through. Germany has taken in 465 people from these camps, mostly sick children and their families. Berlin alone has promised to take in over a thousand. "The Bundestag was on holiday this summer, the humanitarian catastrophe at the EU external borders was not," the groups said in a statement. Also watch| Turkey issues fresh threat to Greece, warning amid row over gas & oil resources The demonstration was collectively organised by Seebruecke, Sea-Watch, Campact and LeaveNoOneBehind on Monday in Berlin. These protests came a week after Greece reported first coronavirus case in the Moria camp. During the protests, a mock stage was also planted with three chairs placed as a symbol for the chairs of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. The chair installation is taking place in the context of the anti-racist action days by "We’ll Come United" and is organised by several groups such as Sea-Watch, Campact and LeaveNoOneBehind.

13,000 chairs placed outside German parliament to protest against Greek migrant camps

Hundreds of migrants are stuck in detention centres un Saudi Arabia, and&nbsp;Ethiopia has admitted that it is not doing enough to assist the migrants out of the detention centres.

A statement released by the foreign ministry of&nbsp;Ethiopia read, "The Ethiopian government needs to exert higher effort in fighting human traffickers and brokers, making border controls more effective, and creating awareness for the youth."

"We are not doing enough."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-saudi-arabia-and-pakistan-are-influencing-uns-counter-terrorism-wing-324820">Also read|&nbsp;How Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are influencing UN's counter-terrorism wing</a>

The statement came after the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed faced immense criticism at home and from overseas for facilitating the return of the migrants who got stuck due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The&nbsp;Ethiopians stuck in the detention camps are majority of those who went to Saudi Arabia to look for work. Majority of immigrants reach Saudi by putting their lives at risk by travelling in overcrowded boats that face the risk of sinking&nbsp;during sea crossings that usually continue for more than a day.

Up to half a million Ethiopians were in Saudi Arabia when officials there launched a crackdown on illegal migrants in 2017, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM).&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabias-petrodollar-diplomacy-pakistan-asked-to-return-billion-dollar-loans-324818">Also read|&nbsp;Saudi Arabia's petrodollar diplomacy: Pakistan asked to return billion dollar loans</a>

Since then, approximately 10,000&nbsp;Ethiopians were being deported back to their home country on a monthly basis, until the start of this year. However, since the start of this year, migrants are now being detained under&nbsp;"arbitrary and abusive" conditions, as reported by Human Rights Watch.&nbsp;

The issue came to light after a British newspaper published interviews of the immgrants, along with pictures of the detention camps, highlighting the unsanitary and inhumane conditions of the camps.

Saudi Arabia's embassy in the UK, after the report, quickly shifted the blame on the&nbsp;Ethiopian authorities accusing them of refusing to take the migrants back.

Ethiopia disputed this in its statement Thursday, saying it had "never refused to receive its citizens from any country but operates on according to principle and the availability of resources".&nbsp;

However, now, the Ethiopian government, on Thursday,&nbsp;praised Saudi Arabiafor "outstanding support extended to our citizens in general and Ethiopian irregular migrants in particular".

Hundreds of migrants are stuck in detention centres un Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia has admitted that it is not doing enough to assist the migrants out of the detention centres.

Hundreds of migrants are stuck in detention centres un Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia has admitted that it is not doing enough to assist the migrants out of the detention centres. A statement released by the foreign ministry of Ethiopia read, "The Ethiopian government needs to exert higher effort in fighting human traffickers and brokers, making border controls more effective, and creating awareness for the youth." "We are not doing enough." Also read| How Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are influencing UN's counter-terrorism wing The statement came after the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed faced immense criticism at home and from overseas for facilitating the return of the migrants who got stuck due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Ethiopians stuck in the detention camps are majority of those who went to Saudi Arabia to look for work. Majority of immigrants reach Saudi by putting their lives at risk by travelling in overcrowded boats that face the risk of sinking during sea crossings that usually continue for more than a day. Up to half a million Ethiopians were in Saudi Arabia when officials there launched a crackdown on illegal migrants in 2017, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM). Also read| Saudi Arabia's petrodollar diplomacy: Pakistan asked to return billion dollar loans Since then, approximately 10,000 Ethiopians were being deported back to their home country on a monthly basis, until the start of this year. However, since the start of this year, migrants are now being detained under "arbitrary and abusive" conditions, as reported by Human Rights Watch. The issue came to light after a British newspaper published interviews of the immgrants, along with pictures of the detention camps, highlighting the unsanitary and inhumane conditions of the camps. Saudi Arabia's embassy in the UK, after the report, quickly shifted the blame on the Ethiopian authorities accusing them of refusing to take the migrants back. Ethiopia disputed this in its statement Thursday, saying it had "never refused to receive its citizens from any country but operates on according to principle and the availability of resources". However, now, the Ethiopian government, on Thursday, praised Saudi Arabiafor "outstanding support extended to our citizens in general and Ethiopian irregular migrants in particular".

'We are not doing enough': Ethiopia admits not helping enough to assist migrants in Saudi

All of the migrants on board a rescue ship funded by British street artist Banksy have been transferred to other vessels, the team behind the mission said.

An Italian patrol vessel rushed to the stranded MV Louise Michel in the Mediterranean and took in 49 of the most vulnerable people on Saturday, after their pink-and-white ship carrying more than 200 passengers sent an urgent call for help.

The remaining migrants on board, around 150 people, were received by a vessel chartered by German NGO Sea Watch and medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF), according to tweets from both organisations and the Louise Michel's crew.

The German-flagged Louise Michel had said it needed aid after helping a boat carrying at least one dead migrant in the sea that divides Africa and Europe.

Its crew said the 31-metre (101-foot) ship had become overcrowded and unable to move, warning that some of the migrants had fuel burns and had been at sea for days.

"Given the danger of the situation, the coastguard sent a patrol boat to Lampedusa which took in 49 people deemed the most fragile, including 32 women, 13 children and four men," said a coastguard statement.

The rescued migrants later said three people had died at sea before the arrival of the Louise Michel.

Banksy, who keeps his identity a secret, explained in an online video that he had bought the boat to help migrants "because EU authorities deliberately ignore distress calls from non-Europeans".

Sea-Watch 4, which has a clinic on board and is itself in search of a host port, said it was now carrying 350 people after sailing for four hours to help the Louise Michel.

Its crew decided to take action "in the face of the lack of reaction" from the authorities.

The Louise Michel vessel's crew of 10 had already rescued 89 people from a rubber boat in distress on Thursday.

They had tweeted that there were a total 219 people on board and that they had requested assistance from both the Italian and Maltese authorities.

The boat -- a former French customs vessel named after 19th-century French anarchist Louise Michel -- was around 90 kilometres (55 miles) southeast of Lampedusa on Saturday, according to the global ship tracking website Marine Traffic.

It features a Banksy artwork depicting a girl in a life vest holding a heart-shaped safety buoy.

Its crew is "made up of European activists with long experience in search and rescue operations" and is captained by German human rights activist Pia Klemp, who has also captained other such rescue vessels, The Guardian newspaper reported.

Thousands of people are thought to have died making the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean to flee conflict, repression and poverty in Africa and the Middle East.

According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, attempts by migrant boats to cross the Mediterranean into Europe have increased this year, up 91 percent from January to July over last year's figures, to 14,481 people.

Banksy's involvement in the rescue mission goes back to September 2019 when he sent Klemp an email asking how he could contribute.

 
&nbsp;

All of the migrants on board a rescue ship funded by British street artist Banksy have been transferred to other vessels, the team behind the mission said. An Italian patrol vessel rushed to the stranded MV Louise Michel in the Mediterranean and took in 49 of the most vulnerable people on Saturday, after their pink-and-white ship carrying more than 200 passengers sent an urgent call for help.

All of the migrants on board a rescue ship funded by British street artist Banksy have been transferred to other vessels, the team behind the mission said. An Italian patrol vessel rushed to the stranded MV Louise Michel in the Mediterranean and took in 49 of the most vulnerable people on Saturday, after their pink-and-white ship carrying more than 200 passengers sent an urgent call for help. The remaining migrants on board, around 150 people, were received by a vessel chartered by German NGO Sea Watch and medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF), according to tweets from both organisations and the Louise Michel's crew. The German-flagged Louise Michel had said it needed aid after helping a boat carrying at least one dead migrant in the sea that divides Africa and Europe. Its crew said the 31-metre (101-foot) ship had become overcrowded and unable to move, warning that some of the migrants had fuel burns and had been at sea for days. "Given the danger of the situation, the coastguard sent a patrol boat to Lampedusa which took in 49 people deemed the most fragile, including 32 women, 13 children and four men," said a coastguard statement. The rescued migrants later said three people had died at sea before the arrival of the Louise Michel. Banksy, who keeps his identity a secret, explained in an online video that he had bought the boat to help migrants "because EU authorities deliberately ignore distress calls from non-Europeans". Sea-Watch 4, which has a clinic on board and is itself in search of a host port, said it was now carrying 350 people after sailing for four hours to help the Louise Michel. Its crew decided to take action "in the face of the lack of reaction" from the authorities. The Louise Michel vessel's crew of 10 had already rescued 89 people from a rubber boat in distress on Thursday. They had tweeted that there were a total 219 people on board and that they had requested assistance from both the Italian and Maltese authorities. The boat -- a former French customs vessel named after 19th-century French anarchist Louise Michel -- was around 90 kilometres (55 miles) southeast of Lampedusa on Saturday, according to the global ship tracking website Marine Traffic. It features a Banksy artwork depicting a girl in a life vest holding a heart-shaped safety buoy. Its crew is "made up of European activists with long experience in search and rescue operations" and is captained by German human rights activist Pia Klemp, who has also captained other such rescue vessels, The Guardian newspaper reported. Thousands of people are thought to have died making the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean to flee conflict, repression and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, attempts by migrant boats to cross the Mediterranean into Europe have increased this year, up 91 percent from January to July over last year's figures, to 14,481 people. Banksy's involvement in the rescue mission goes back to September 2019 when he sent Klemp an email asking how he could contribute.

All migrants moved off Banksy-funded rescue vessel stranded in Mediterranean

A migrant rescue boat financed by Banksy called for help after it was stranded in the Mediterranean Sea. After which Italian coastguard came forward to help Banksy's boat.

Italian coastguard helps rescue boat funded by Banksy

A fishing boat carrying nearly 370 migrants landed overnight on the Italian island of Lampedusa, the country's news agencies said on Sunday, fueling anger from local officials over a recent rise in illegal arrivals.&nbsp;

Italy has been struggling in recent months with daily arrivals of hundreds of migrants leaving from North Africa to its southern shores, a task complicated by security measures imposed by the ongoing coronavirus crisis.&nbsp;

Local Lampedusa Mayor Toto Martello called for a general strike on the island from Monday to protest the national government's "frightening silence" on the issue.

"Lampedusa can no longer cope with this situation. Either the government takes immediate decisions or the whole island will go on strike," Martello told ANSA news agency. "We can't manage the emergency and the situation is now really unsustainable."

The boat carrying 367 people, which was in danger of sinking due to high winds, was escorted by the Italian coast guard and police to the island's port, ANSA news agency said.

Those onboard included 13 women and 33 minors.

They were met at the port by a demonstration organised by the far-right, anti-immigrant League party.

The migrants, whose nationalities were not known, underwent temperature checks before they were taken to an emergency reception centre on the island which now houses some 1,160 people, ten times its planned maximum capacity, Martello told ANSA.

About 30 other small boats, mostly from the Tunisian coast, had already reached the island since Friday carrying a total of around 500 migrants, the Italian press reported.

"If a fishing boat of this size with hundreds of people arrives here and nobody notices it, it means that there are no controls in the Mediterranean," Martello said. "But what do the military vessels do? We are not at war, why not use them for security interventions at sea and to transfer migrants."

Nello Musumeci, the right-leaning leader of sister island Sicily, on Sunday wrote on Facebook that he would ask the government for a meeting on the "humanitarian and health crisis".&nbsp;

"Lampedusa can't do it anymore. Sicily cannot continue to pay for the indifference of Brussels and the silence of Rome," he wrote.

Musumeci issued a decree last week ordering the closure of migrant centres in Sicily to curb the spread of coronavirus, a move that was rejected by the Italian courts.

Mayors on the island have voiced fears that the presence of migrants could discourage tourism.

Thousands of people are thought to have died making the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean to flee conflict, repression and poverty in Africa and the Middle East.

The migrant crisis has divided the European Union. Italy two years ago closed its ports to rescue boats, until in 2019, France and Germany agreed to share intake of migrants landing in Italy and Malta.

<h2>'Traumatic injuries'&nbsp;</h2>

According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, attempts by migrant boats to cross the Mediterranean into Europe have increased this year, up 91 percent from January to July over last year's figures, to more than 14,000 people.

The Italian coast guard on Saturday also transported 49 people who had been rescued in the Mediterranean by the MV Louise Michel, a vessel funded by the British street artist Banksy.

The 150 other passengers on that ship were transferred late Saturday to the humanitarian rescue boat Sea-Watch 4, which now has some 350 people on board and is looking for a port of disembarkation.

The crew of the vessel chartered by German NGO Sea Watch and medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) wrote on Twitter that it was treating people for "fuel burns, dehydration, hypothermia &amp; traumatic injuries".

The German-flagged Louise Michel had said it needed aid after helping a boat carrying at least one dead migrant in the sea that divides Africa and Europe.

Its crew said the 31-metre (101-foot) Louise Michel had become overcrowded and unable to move, warning that some of the migrants had fuel burns and had been at sea for days.

The rescued migrants later said three people had died at sea before the arrival of the Louise Michel.

Banksy, who keeps his identity a secret, explained in an online video that he had bought the boat to help migrants "because EU authorities deliberately ignore distress calls from non-Europeans".

A fishing boat carrying nearly 370 migrants landed overnight on the Italian island of Lampedusa, the country's news agencies said on Sunday, fueling anger from local officials over a recent rise in illegal arrivals.

A fishing boat carrying nearly 370 migrants landed overnight on the Italian island of Lampedusa, the country's news agencies said on Sunday, fueling anger from local officials over a recent rise in illegal arrivals. Italy has been struggling in recent months with daily arrivals of hundreds of migrants leaving from North Africa to its southern shores, a task complicated by security measures imposed by the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Local Lampedusa Mayor Toto Martello called for a general strike on the island from Monday to protest the national government's "frightening silence" on the issue. "Lampedusa can no longer cope with this situation. Either the government takes immediate decisions or the whole island will go on strike," Martello told ANSA news agency. "We can't manage the emergency and the situation is now really unsustainable." The boat carrying 367 people, which was in danger of sinking due to high winds, was escorted by the Italian coast guard and police to the island's port, ANSA news agency said. Those onboard included 13 women and 33 minors. They were met at the port by a demonstration organised by the far-right, anti-immigrant League party. The migrants, whose nationalities were not known, underwent temperature checks before they were taken to an emergency reception centre on the island which now houses some 1,160 people, ten times its planned maximum capacity, Martello told ANSA. About 30 other small boats, mostly from the Tunisian coast, had already reached the island since Friday carrying a total of around 500 migrants, the Italian press reported. "If a fishing boat of this size with hundreds of people arrives here and nobody notices it, it means that there are no controls in the Mediterranean," Martello said. "But what do the military vessels do? We are not at war, why not use them for security interventions at sea and to transfer migrants." Nello Musumeci, the right-leaning leader of sister island Sicily, on Sunday wrote on Facebook that he would ask the government for a meeting on the "humanitarian and health crisis". "Lampedusa can't do it anymore. Sicily cannot continue to pay for the indifference of Brussels and the silence of Rome," he wrote. Musumeci issued a decree last week ordering the closure of migrant centres in Sicily to curb the spread of coronavirus, a move that was rejected by the Italian courts. Mayors on the island have voiced fears that the presence of migrants could discourage tourism. Thousands of people are thought to have died making the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean to flee conflict, repression and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. The migrant crisis has divided the European Union. Italy two years ago closed its ports to rescue boats, until in 2019, France and Germany agreed to share intake of migrants landing in Italy and Malta. 'Traumatic injuries' According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, attempts by migrant boats to cross the Mediterranean into Europe have increased this year, up 91 percent from January to July over last year's figures, to more than 14,000 people. The Italian coast guard on Saturday also transported 49 people who had been rescued in the Mediterranean by the MV Louise Michel, a vessel funded by the British street artist Banksy. The 150 other passengers on that ship were transferred late Saturday to the humanitarian rescue boat Sea-Watch 4, which now has some 350 people on board and is looking for a port of disembarkation. The crew of the vessel chartered by German NGO Sea Watch and medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) wrote on Twitter that it was treating people for "fuel burns, dehydration, hypothermia & traumatic injuries". The German-flagged Louise Michel had said it needed aid after helping a boat carrying at least one dead migrant in the sea that divides Africa and Europe. Its crew said the 31-metre (101-foot) Louise Michel had become overcrowded and unable to move, warning that some of the migrants had fuel burns and had been at sea for days. The rescued migrants later said three people had died at sea before the arrival of the Louise Michel. Banksy, who keeps his identity a secret, explained in an online video that he had bought the boat to help migrants "because EU authorities deliberately ignore distress calls from non-Europeans".

More migrant arrivals fuel local anger in Italy's Lampedusa

According to UN Refugee Agency official, Turkey is the country that has hosted the largest number of refugees for five consecutive years, including more Syrian refugees than any other country.

Turkey hosts 4 million refugees, migrants cross country to enter Europe

Two fishing boat carrying a group of Turkish asylum-seekers reached the Greek island of Chios, Greece's coast guard said Sunday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lake-turns-into-graveyard-for-migrants-in-turkey-324065" hreflang="en">Lake turns into graveyard for migrants in Turkey</a>

These asylum-seekers were rescued by the Greek coast guard as it approached the shore on Saturday.&nbsp;

According to the local news site politischios.gr, 26 Turkish citizens including children were seeking political asylum from Greece and had claimed that they were being persecuted by the Erdogan government.&nbsp;

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/now-turkey-stages-military-exercises-in-eastern-mediterranean-amid-tensions-with-greece-323929" hreflang="en">Now, Turkey stages military exercise in eastern Mediterranean</a>

Two passengers had drilled holes in the boat as it approached the shore of the island to prompt a rescue operation. These passengers were later arrested.

The Turkish group was tested for coronavirus and have been sent to a quarantine centre in Lefkonia.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/turkey-versus-greece-a-long-history-of-disputes-323392">Turkey versus Greece: A long history of disputes</a>

Three weeks ago, another boat with 23 Turkish citizens seeking asylum had reached Chios.&nbsp;

Such incidents of Turkish people reaching the Greek islands and illegally entering via the land border along the Evros River have been reported since the 2016 failed coup against Erdogan's government. These people are mainly civil servants and military personnel.&nbsp;

Relations between Turkey and Greece have worsened after the deployment of the Turkish research vessel Oruc Reis into Greek waters accompanied by Turkish warships on August 10.&nbsp;

The confrontation has reignited a longstanding rivalry over disputed maritime rights and gas resources between Greece and Turkey and they have begun staging competing naval drills.

(Inputs from AFP)&nbsp;

Two fishing boat carrying a group of Turkish asylum-seekers reached the Greek island of Chios, Greece's coast guard said Sunday. Also read: Lake turns into graveyard for migrants in Turkey These asylum-seekers were rescued by the Greek coast guard as it approached the shore on Saturday.

Two fishing boat carrying a group of Turkish asylum-seekers reached the Greek island of Chios, Greece's coast guard said Sunday. Also read: Lake turns into graveyard for migrants in Turkey These asylum-seekers were rescued by the Greek coast guard as it approached the shore on Saturday. According to the local news site politischios.gr, 26 Turkish citizens including children were seeking political asylum from Greece and had claimed that they were being persecuted by the Erdogan government. Also see: Now, Turkey stages military exercise in eastern Mediterranean Two passengers had drilled holes in the boat as it approached the shore of the island to prompt a rescue operation. These passengers were later arrested. The Turkish group was tested for coronavirus and have been sent to a quarantine centre in Lefkonia. Also see: Turkey versus Greece: A long history of disputes Three weeks ago, another boat with 23 Turkish citizens seeking asylum had reached Chios. Such incidents of Turkish people reaching the Greek islands and illegally entering via the land border along the Evros River have been reported since the 2016 failed coup against Erdogan's government. These people are mainly civil servants and military personnel. Relations between Turkey and Greece have worsened after the deployment of the Turkish research vessel Oruc Reis into Greek waters accompanied by Turkish warships on August 10. The confrontation has reignited a longstanding rivalry over disputed maritime rights and gas resources between Greece and Turkey and they have begun staging competing naval drills. (Inputs from AFP)

Group of Turkish asylum-seekers reach Greek island via boats: Coast guards

Malaysia has deported a Bangladeshi worker who criticised the government`s treatment of migrants in a documentary made by broadcaster Al Jazeera, the country`s director general of immigration confirmed on Saturday.

Mohammad Rayhan Kabir was deported to Bangladesh late on Friday, Khairul Dzaimee Daud told Reuters. He did not respond to further queries on why Rayhan was deported.

Accompanied by immigration officers, he was seen waving and giving a thumbs up to reporters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Friday night, state media outlet Bernama reported.

Malaysia arrested 25-year-old Rayhan and blacklisted him from entering the country last month, after Al Jazeera`s July 3 documentary on Malaysia`s treatment of undocumented foreign workers during the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a backlash in the Southeast Asia nation.

At that time, Qatar-based Al Jazeera said it was disturbing Rayhan had been arrested "for choosing to speak up about some of the experiences of the voiceless and the vulnerable."

Rights groups have accused the government of suppressing media freedom after authorities questioned Al Jazeera`s journalists, raided their office, and opened into alleged sedition, defamation and violation of a communications law.

Malaysia arrested hundreds of undocumented foreigners, including children and Rohingya refugees, after the country imposed a lockdown to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

Malaysian officials said the arrests were necessary to prevent the spread of the virus, which human rights activists have condemned as inhumane.

Activists have also voiced concerns that the nearly six-month-old administration of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is stifling dissent amid a series of clampdowns, an accusation the government has denied.

Malaysia has deported a Bangladeshi worker who criticised the government`s treatment of migrants in a documentary made by broadcaster Al Jazeera, the country`s director general of immigration confirmed on Saturday.

Malaysia has deported a Bangladeshi worker who criticised the government`s treatment of migrants in a documentary made by broadcaster Al Jazeera, the country`s director general of immigration confirmed on Saturday. Mohammad Rayhan Kabir was deported to Bangladesh late on Friday, Khairul Dzaimee Daud told Reuters. He did not respond to further queries on why Rayhan was deported. Accompanied by immigration officers, he was seen waving and giving a thumbs up to reporters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Friday night, state media outlet Bernama reported. Malaysia arrested 25-year-old Rayhan and blacklisted him from entering the country last month, after Al Jazeera`s July 3 documentary on Malaysia`s treatment of undocumented foreign workers during the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a backlash in the Southeast Asia nation. At that time, Qatar-based Al Jazeera said it was disturbing Rayhan had been arrested "for choosing to speak up about some of the experiences of the voiceless and the vulnerable." Rights groups have accused the government of suppressing media freedom after authorities questioned Al Jazeera`s journalists, raided their office, and opened into alleged sedition, defamation and violation of a communications law. Malaysia arrested hundreds of undocumented foreigners, including children and Rohingya refugees, after the country imposed a lockdown to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. Malaysian officials said the arrests were necessary to prevent the spread of the virus, which human rights activists have condemned as inhumane. Activists have also voiced concerns that the nearly six-month-old administration of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is stifling dissent amid a series of clampdowns, an accusation the government has denied.

Malaysia deports Bangladeshi man who criticised treatment of migrants in documentary

The number of migrants landing on Italy’s shores has more than doubled in the last year as an economic crisis in Tunisia fuels migration in boats across the Mediterranean, Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese said on Saturday.

More than 21,000 people reached Italy between August 2019 and the end of July, up 148 per cent year-on-year, the minister said, speaking at an annual Aug. 15 press conference.

Lamorgese said the majority of the arrivals were “autonomous landings, hard to manage... with small boats and dinghies”, rather than those rescued at sea and brought ashore. Many of them land on Italy’s southern Mediterranean island of Lampedusa.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italy-approves-outpatient-use-for-abortion-pill-319128">Also read:&nbsp;Italy approves outpatient use for abortion pill</a>

In the 12-month period, just over 5,000 people were rescued, mainly by ships operated by NGOs, according to data from the ministry.

Over 80 per cent of the migrants reaching Italy left from Tunisia and Libya, the data showed, with Tunisia’s crisis stoking the numbers attempting the treacherous crossing.

“The numbers aren’t very high - they are certainly higher than last year’s but we must put them into context: Tunisia is in a deep economic, social and political crisis,” Lamorgese told reporters.

“We have seen entire families leave to reach Italian territory.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-germany-italy-threaten-sanctions-over-arms-for-libya-314396">Also read:&nbsp;France, Germany, Italy threaten sanctions over arms for Libya</a>

For years Italy has been the primary route into Europe for hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers and other migrants and Libya’s west coast a main departure point for African migrants hoping to reach Europe.

A peak was reached between August 2016 and July 2017, when almost 183,000 migrants reached Italy.

Numbers started falling due to an Italian-led effort to disrupt smuggling networks and support the Libyan coastguard to intercept boats, but have picked up in 2020.

Lamorgese’s predecessor, head of the anti-immigrant League party Matteo Salvini, took a hardline against charity ships that rescued migrants at sea, closing Italian ports and accusing the rescue groups of de facto collaboration with human traffickers.

Lamorgese said that she would meet Tunisian President Kais Saied on Monday to discuss the issue, along with Italy’s Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio and EU Commissioners Ylva Johansson and Olivér Várhelyi.

The number of migrants landing on Italy’s shores has more than doubled in the last year as an economic crisis in Tunisia fuels migration in boats across the Mediterranean, Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese said on Saturday.

The number of migrants landing on Italy’s shores has more than doubled in the last year as an economic crisis in Tunisia fuels migration in boats across the Mediterranean, Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese said on Saturday. More than 21,000 people reached Italy between August 2019 and the end of July, up 148 per cent year-on-year, the minister said, speaking at an annual Aug. 15 press conference. Lamorgese said the majority of the arrivals were “autonomous landings, hard to manage... with small boats and dinghies”, rather than those rescued at sea and brought ashore. Many of them land on Italy’s southern Mediterranean island of Lampedusa. Also read: Italy approves outpatient use for abortion pill In the 12-month period, just over 5,000 people were rescued, mainly by ships operated by NGOs, according to data from the ministry. Over 80 per cent of the migrants reaching Italy left from Tunisia and Libya, the data showed, with Tunisia’s crisis stoking the numbers attempting the treacherous crossing. “The numbers aren’t very high - they are certainly higher than last year’s but we must put them into context: Tunisia is in a deep economic, social and political crisis,” Lamorgese told reporters. “We have seen entire families leave to reach Italian territory.” Also read: France, Germany, Italy threaten sanctions over arms for Libya For years Italy has been the primary route into Europe for hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers and other migrants and Libya’s west coast a main departure point for African migrants hoping to reach Europe. A peak was reached between August 2016 and July 2017, when almost 183,000 migrants reached Italy. Numbers started falling due to an Italian-led effort to disrupt smuggling networks and support the Libyan coastguard to intercept boats, but have picked up in 2020. Lamorgese’s predecessor, head of the anti-immigrant League party Matteo Salvini, took a hardline against charity ships that rescued migrants at sea, closing Italian ports and accusing the rescue groups of de facto collaboration with human traffickers. Lamorgese said that she would meet Tunisian President Kais Saied on Monday to discuss the issue, along with Italy’s Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio and EU Commissioners Ylva Johansson and Olivér Várhelyi.

Number of migrants landing in Italy more than doubles in past year

French maritime authorities rescued 31 migrants in the English Channel on Sunday. According to the authorities, the rescued include three children and an infant and were trying to cross the English Channel to the British coast in small boats.

French maritime authorities rescued 31 migrants in the English Channel on Sunday. According to the authorities, the rescued include three children and an infant and were trying to cross the English Channel to the British coast in small boats. Also read: India sends team to Mauritius to assist in oil spill On Saturday, two boats carrying a total of nine migrants found themselves in trouble in the bay of Wissant and a ferry spotted another boat, with six more, in difficulty in the access channel to the port of Calais. On the same evening, French Navy patrol vessel rescued 16 migrants after being alerted by a fishing vessel, including the infant and three children, off Dunkirk. Four Sudanese migrants needed medical assistance. French authorities picked up 38 migrants in the Channel on Friday. British government has increased pressure on France to prevent migrants coming into UK waters. (Inputs from AFP)

French authorities rescue 31 migrants in English Channel

The interior ministers of France and Britain on Sunday signed an agreement creating a new joint police intelligence unit to combat migrant traffickers and reduce the "unsustainable" numbers crossing the Channel illegally.&nbsp;

France's new Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin and his British counterpart Priti Patel met on Sunday in Calais in northern France, a regio where migrants have traditionally gathered in a bid to find a way to get to Britain.

"We signed a new agreement to create a joint intelligence cell which will crack down on gangs behind vile people smuggling operation," Patel wrote on Twitter after the meeting.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Pleased to meet newly appointed French Interior Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/GDarmanin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GDarmanin</a> to discuss the unsustainable levels of illegal migration across the Channel. 
 
We signed a new agreement to create a joint intelligence cell which will crack down on gangs behind vile people smuggling operation. <a href="https://t.co/t60e60sxP9">pic.twitter.com/t60e60sxP9</a>
— Priti Patel (@pritipatel) <a href="https://twitter.com/pritipatel/status/1282329647150247936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
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She said they had discussed "the unsustainable levels of illegal migration across the Channel."

The Franco-British unit will allow services to share intelligence quickly and will consist of six British and six French police officers based in Coquelles outside Calais, Darmanin told reporters.

Traffickers "are those who take advantage of the human distress of people who want to cross the English Channel and who, no doubt, are not being punished sufficiently at the moment," said Darmanin.

Channel crossing attempts have increased over the last year despite the danger of heavy maritime traffic, strong currents and low water temperatures.

"Together, we must strengthen our security cooperation, in particular in fight against the illegal crossings of the English Channel by migrants risking their lives," Darmanin wrote on Twitter as he hosted Patel.

In 2019, 2,758 migrants were rescued by the French and British authorities while trying to make the crossing -- four times more than in 2018, according to French officials.

The coronavirus pandemic has reinforced the trend, with the reduced number of trucks going through the Channel Tunnel leading migrants to opt for small boats instead.&nbsp;

French emergency services rescued 21 migrants in three operations on Saturday after their bids to reach Britain floundered in the Channel, officials said.

Darmanin said he had told Patel that more resources were needed to combat the migrant trafficking.

"The British government has done a lot to protect the coast but we still need more resources both in terms of equipment and human resources."

The interior ministers of France and Britain on Sunday signed an agreement creating a new joint police intelligence unit to combat migrant traffickers and reduce the "unsustainable" numbers crossing the Channel illegally.

The interior ministers of France and Britain on Sunday signed an agreement creating a new joint police intelligence unit to combat migrant traffickers and reduce the "unsustainable" numbers crossing the Channel illegally. France's new Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin and his British counterpart Priti Patel met on Sunday in Calais in northern France, a regio where migrants have traditionally gathered in a bid to find a way to get to Britain. "We signed a new agreement to create a joint intelligence cell which will crack down on gangs behind vile people smuggling operation," Patel wrote on Twitter after the meeting. Pleased to meet newly appointed French Interior Minister @GDarmanin to discuss the unsustainable levels of illegal migration across the Channel. We signed a new agreement to create a joint intelligence cell which will crack down on gangs behind vile people smuggling operation. pic.twitter.com/t60e60sxP9 — Priti Patel (@pritipatel) July 12, 2020 × She said they had discussed "the unsustainable levels of illegal migration across the Channel." The Franco-British unit will allow services to share intelligence quickly and will consist of six British and six French police officers based in Coquelles outside Calais, Darmanin told reporters. Traffickers "are those who take advantage of the human distress of people who want to cross the English Channel and who, no doubt, are not being punished sufficiently at the moment," said Darmanin. Channel crossing attempts have increased over the last year despite the danger of heavy maritime traffic, strong currents and low water temperatures. "Together, we must strengthen our security cooperation, in particular in fight against the illegal crossings of the English Channel by migrants risking their lives," Darmanin wrote on Twitter as he hosted Patel. In 2019, 2,758 migrants were rescued by the French and British authorities while trying to make the crossing -- four times more than in 2018, according to French officials. The coronavirus pandemic has reinforced the trend, with the reduced number of trucks going through the Channel Tunnel leading migrants to opt for small boats instead. French emergency services rescued 21 migrants in three operations on Saturday after their bids to reach Britain floundered in the Channel, officials said. Darmanin said he had told Patel that more resources were needed to combat the migrant trafficking. "The British government has done a lot to protect the coast but we still need more resources both in terms of equipment and human resources."

Britain, France agree joint unit to fight migrant traffickers

Italy has authorised charity vessel Ocean Viking to disembark 180 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean in Sicily, ship operator SOS Mediterranee said on Sunday.

"We have received instructions from the Italian maritime authorities to disembark those on board in Porto Empedocle," a spokesman for the charity told AFP, which has a correspondent on board.

The Ocean Viking is now heading for the port where it expects to arrive by Monday.

They have been on the Ocean Viking for over a week, with fights and suicide attempts on board prompting the charity to declare a state of emergency on Friday.

Tensions have risen in the past week, as witnessed by an AFP reporter, with the migrants increasingly desperate to reach land. Others have become distraught at not being able to telephone their families to let them know they were safe.

The migrants, who include Pakistanis, North Africans, Eritreans, Nigerians and others, were picked up after fleeing Libya in four separate rescues by the Ocean Viking on June 25 and 30.&nbsp;

The migrants include 25 children, most of whom are unaccompanied by adults, and two women, one of whom is pregnant.&nbsp;

More than 100,000 migrants tried to cross the Mediterranean last year with more than 1,200 dying in the attempt, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The arrival of summer and more favourable conditions at sea may lead to an increase of attempts to cross the Mediterranean with the hope of arriving in Europe.

Italy has authorised charity vessel Ocean Viking to disembark 180 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean in Sicily, ship operator SOS Mediterranee said on Sunday.

Italy has authorised charity vessel Ocean Viking to disembark 180 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean in Sicily, ship operator SOS Mediterranee said on Sunday. "We have received instructions from the Italian maritime authorities to disembark those on board in Porto Empedocle," a spokesman for the charity told AFP, which has a correspondent on board. The Ocean Viking is now heading for the port where it expects to arrive by Monday. They have been on the Ocean Viking for over a week, with fights and suicide attempts on board prompting the charity to declare a state of emergency on Friday. Tensions have risen in the past week, as witnessed by an AFP reporter, with the migrants increasingly desperate to reach land. Others have become distraught at not being able to telephone their families to let them know they were safe. The migrants, who include Pakistanis, North Africans, Eritreans, Nigerians and others, were picked up after fleeing Libya in four separate rescues by the Ocean Viking on June 25 and 30. The migrants include 25 children, most of whom are unaccompanied by adults, and two women, one of whom is pregnant. More than 100,000 migrants tried to cross the Mediterranean last year with more than 1,200 dying in the attempt, according to the International Organization for Migration. The arrival of summer and more favourable conditions at sea may lead to an increase of attempts to cross the Mediterranean with the hope of arriving in Europe.

Italy to allow 180 migrants to disembark charity vessel Ocean Viking

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre and States to ensure compliance of its June 9 order and transport all those migrant labourers wanting to go to their respective villages within the stipulated time period given by it.

A bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan had passed the order after taking suo motu cognisance in the matter related to the plight of migrant labourers amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

The top court today said that it's June 9 order was very clear and asked the Central government and States to ensure that all migrants reach their home within 15 days.

The court asked the authorities concerned to ensure that no migrants have to pay anything to go back to their respective states, villages, and towns.

Hearing the matter few days before the completion of the stipulated time period, the court also asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to speak with all the States and Union Territories to comply with the order dated June 9 in the matter.

The apex court asked the Central government to ensure that due publicity is given to the orders and fixed the matter for further hearing in July.

The Supreme Court had on June 9 directed States and Union Territories to identify stranded migrant workers across the country willing to go back to their native places and transport them home within a period of 15 days.

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre and States to ensure compliance of its June 9 order and transport all those migrant labourers wanting to go to their respective villages within the stipulated time period given by it.

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre and States to ensure compliance of its June 9 order and transport all those migrant labourers wanting to go to their respective villages within the stipulated time period given by it. A bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan had passed the order after taking suo motu cognisance in the matter related to the plight of migrant labourers amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown. The top court today said that it's June 9 order was very clear and asked the Central government and States to ensure that all migrants reach their home within 15 days. The court asked the authorities concerned to ensure that no migrants have to pay anything to go back to their respective states, villages, and towns. Hearing the matter few days before the completion of the stipulated time period, the court also asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to speak with all the States and Union Territories to comply with the order dated June 9 in the matter. The apex court asked the Central government to ensure that due publicity is given to the orders and fixed the matter for further hearing in July. The Supreme Court had on June 9 directed States and Union Territories to identify stranded migrant workers across the country willing to go back to their native places and transport them home within a period of 15 days.

Supreme Court asks Centre, States to ensure compliance of order to transport migrants back home

Catapulted to the national spotlight for his work in helping migrants reach their homes, actor Sonu Sood brushes off allegations that he is interested in politics and says he is doing what he is purely out of love.

The actor, viewed as a messiah of sorts for migrants and also the unlikely centre of debates over his motivations and possible political leanings, has been arranging for transport for thousands of migrants desperate to return to their home states.

"I have nothing to do with politics. I am doing this purely out of my love for migrants. I want to help reunite them with their families," Sood told PTI.

He estimates that he has helped 18,000-20,000 workers to go back to their homes in states such as Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

"I intend to work till the last migrant reaches his home. The journey has to continue in full force. No one should be rendered homeless. We want them to reach home safely," Sood said.

On Monday night, he was stopped outside the Bandra Terminus by police from meeting labourers.

The last days have been a ceaseless whirl for the 46-year-old, who came to Mumbai from Moga in Punjab and has made his mark in films such as Dabangg and Jodha Akbar.

Sood has met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari who praised him for helping the workers as well as Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

He also came under attack from Maharashtra's ruling Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, who asked whether the BJP had propped him to offer help to workers from north India, stranded in Maharashtra amid the lockdown, to show the Thackeray government in poor light.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh backed Sood for his work for migrant labourers, stranded in the state with no work and no money in the extended lockdown to stave off COVID-19.

"I feel strongly about them because I came to Mumbai as a migrant. I boarded a train one day and landed up here. Everyone comes to a city with a dream of a better life," Sood said.

He said he can empathise with their plight.

It was heartbreaking to see migrants travelling on foot for their homes, Sood said.

The lockdown led to a massive exodus with tens of thousands of people leaving the cities to return to their villages  walking, cycling or hitching their way home, hundreds, maybe thousands, of kilometres away.

Some died of hunger or collapsed in sheer exhaustion.

"Seeing their struggle reminds me of my own here as an actor. It was difficult initially for me. When I see them I can recollect my journey," Sood said.

He said he first came to know about migrants leaving Mumbai while distributing food to workers on May 9 with his childhood friend Niti Goel.

The workers told him that they were going back to their homes in Karnataka.

"It is because of them that we have houses and offices, roads, etc. How can we leave them like this? The images that I saw gave me sleepless nights.

And when I saw migrants walking on the highway, risking their lives, I realised it is important to come forward and do something.

"I spoke to them and was able to convince them to stop so that I can get permission from the authorities to help them go back home safely," Sood said.

Within two days, the first batch of buses was arranged for about 300 people after acquiring permissions from various state authorities and getting their medical tests done.

He was there to see the workers off and has continued the practice since.

The actor has been inundated with requests from every corner of India.

He said his friends and family are helping him connect with every request that comes to him personally, through social media or through the helpline number he has launched.

"The whole wave started when people from different states started approaching me and they would cry. They were in bad shape. I have kept all my focus on that.

"I spoke to a lot of people from ground to top-level, got all the permissions, be it from the police or medical department. We do all the required paperwork."

The actor said he is happy that people have faith in him and send him messages for help.

"They feel they will be able to reach their destination. That's why I have to be active and convey to them that I will make this journey possible."

Sometimes, the actor said, there are challenges in implementing the requests that come to him.

"The biggest difficulty has been getting permissions. It is not an easy job to convince everyone. I want to help people in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana.

"But Telangana is not accepting people from Maharashtra. Some people respond fast and some take time."&nbsp;

The philanthropic work has led to memes and cartoons on social media and even some quirky requests, one asking him for help to meet his girlfriend, and another if he can help procure alcohol.

Sood accepts it all with a smile.

"This kind of banter on Twitter will keep people entertained," he said.

He credits his parents Shakti and Saroj Sood for inspiring him in his humanitarian efforts said celebrity status can be put to use in speeding up the process.

"Everyone should come forward to do their bit. Every kitchen should make an extra meal for someone, be it a vegetable vendor or a watchman or anyone else. No one in the country should sleep hungry or stay homeless," he concluded.

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is among those who have spoken out in his support.

"You are doing a great job @SonuSood. Ignore the naysayers and haters. You are doing more than the respective governments even when it's not supposed to be your responsibility. More power to you. Just be at it brother," he tweeted.

Catapulted to the national spotlight for his work in helping migrants reach their homes, actor Sonu Sood brushes off allegations that he is interested in politics and says he is doing what he is purely out of love.

Catapulted to the national spotlight for his work in helping migrants reach their homes, actor Sonu Sood brushes off allegations that he is interested in politics and says he is doing what he is purely out of love. The actor, viewed as a messiah of sorts for migrants and also the unlikely centre of debates over his motivations and possible political leanings, has been arranging for transport for thousands of migrants desperate to return to their home states. "I have nothing to do with politics. I am doing this purely out of my love for migrants. I want to help reunite them with their families," Sood told PTI. He estimates that he has helped 18,000-20,000 workers to go back to their homes in states such as Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. "I intend to work till the last migrant reaches his home. The journey has to continue in full force. No one should be rendered homeless. We want them to reach home safely," Sood said. On Monday night, he was stopped outside the Bandra Terminus by police from meeting labourers. The last days have been a ceaseless whirl for the 46-year-old, who came to Mumbai from Moga in Punjab and has made his mark in films such as Dabangg and Jodha Akbar. Sood has met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari who praised him for helping the workers as well as Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. He also came under attack from Maharashtra's ruling Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, who asked whether the BJP had propped him to offer help to workers from north India, stranded in Maharashtra amid the lockdown, to show the Thackeray government in poor light. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh backed Sood for his work for migrant labourers, stranded in the state with no work and no money in the extended lockdown to stave off COVID-19. "I feel strongly about them because I came to Mumbai as a migrant. I boarded a train one day and landed up here. Everyone comes to a city with a dream of a better life," Sood said. He said he can empathise with their plight. It was heartbreaking to see migrants travelling on foot for their homes, Sood said. The lockdown led to a massive exodus with tens of thousands of people leaving the cities to return to their villages  walking, cycling or hitching their way home, hundreds, maybe thousands, of kilometres away. Some died of hunger or collapsed in sheer exhaustion. "Seeing their struggle reminds me of my own here as an actor. It was difficult initially for me. When I see them I can recollect my journey," Sood said. He said he first came to know about migrants leaving Mumbai while distributing food to workers on May 9 with his childhood friend Niti Goel. The workers told him that they were going back to their homes in Karnataka. "It is because of them that we have houses and offices, roads, etc. How can we leave them like this? The images that I saw gave me sleepless nights. And when I saw migrants walking on the highway, risking their lives, I realised it is important to come forward and do something. "I spoke to them and was able to convince them to stop so that I can get permission from the authorities to help them go back home safely," Sood said. Within two days, the first batch of buses was arranged for about 300 people after acquiring permissions from various state authorities and getting their medical tests done. He was there to see the workers off and has continued the practice since. The actor has been inundated with requests from every corner of India. He said his friends and family are helping him connect with every request that comes to him personally, through social media or through the helpline number he has launched. "The whole wave started when people from different states started approaching me and they would cry. They were in bad shape. I have kept all my focus on that. "I spoke to a lot of people from ground to top-level, got all the permissions, be it from the police or medical department. We do all the required paperwork." The actor said he is happy that people have faith in him and send him messages for help. "They feel they will be able to reach their destination. That's why I have to be active and convey to them that I will make this journey possible." Sometimes, the actor said, there are challenges in implementing the requests that come to him. "The biggest difficulty has been getting permissions. It is not an easy job to convince everyone. I want to help people in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana. "But Telangana is not accepting people from Maharashtra. Some people respond fast and some take time." The philanthropic work has led to memes and cartoons on social media and even some quirky requests, one asking him for help to meet his girlfriend, and another if he can help procure alcohol. Sood accepts it all with a smile. "This kind of banter on Twitter will keep people entertained," he said. He credits his parents Shakti and Saroj Sood for inspiring him in his humanitarian efforts said celebrity status can be put to use in speeding up the process. "Everyone should come forward to do their bit. Every kitchen should make an extra meal for someone, be it a vegetable vendor or a watchman or anyone else. No one in the country should sleep hungry or stay homeless," he concluded. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is among those who have spoken out in his support. "You are doing a great job @SonuSood. Ignore the naysayers and haters. You are doing more than the respective governments even when it's not supposed to be your responsibility. More power to you. Just be at it brother," he tweeted.

I have nothing to do with politics, working purely out of love for migrants, says Sonu Sood

Millions of India's migrant workers are caught in the crossfire of systemic and political indifference. For them the last few weeks have been so tough about survival. Watch report.

The plight of Indian migrants workers: Battling hunger and poverty

Uttar Pradesh Congress has launched a chat portal 'UP Mitra' to help migrant workers and common man in the coronavirus crisis.

UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu said people can go to the chat portal and mention their problems. "Through this chat portal, problems of common people will be listed and the UPCC will help them as much as possible," Lallu told ANI.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/migrant-workers-protest-against-lockdown-in-gujarat-60-arrested-297657">Also read:&nbsp;500 migrant workers protest in Gujarat; 60 arrested</a>

He said a list of the problems will be sent to the chief minister so that the government also provides help. He said people of the state stranded in various states in the crisis need help.

The Congress leader said the state unit will publicize the chat portal link - https://tinyurl.com/UPmitra - through social media, messages and other communication channels so that problems of people are known and they can be helped.

Lallu said that the UPCC has launched many programmes to reach to people and help them including Highway Task Force, `Congress ke Sipahi`, district-wise helpline and corona fighter group.

The group includes senior leaders and and is monitored by party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

The state unit also started community kitchens in 17 districts including Ghaziabad, Hapur, Kanpur, Allahabad, Lakhimpur Kheri and Lucknow.

"Our district committees are providing ration to the needy people all over the state. Help is being provided to workers who are stranded outside the state. Besides the relief work, we are also raising issues with state government. Our incharge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the state unit have written several letters regarding problems of farmers and migrant workers," he added.

Lallu said that the bigger problem relates to migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh stranded in states like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab and Karnataka.

"We are in touch with state authorities to make arrangements for the return of migrant worker but UP Government is not showing interest," Lallu alleged.

The portal has been developed free of cost by ValueFirst.&nbsp;

Uttar Pradesh Congress has launched a chat portal 'UP Mitra' to help migrant workers and common man in the coronavirus crisis. UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu said people can go to the chat portal and mention their problems.

Uttar Pradesh Congress has launched a chat portal 'UP Mitra' to help migrant workers and common man in the coronavirus crisis. UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu said people can go to the chat portal and mention their problems. "Through this chat portal, problems of common people will be listed and the UPCC will help them as much as possible," Lallu told ANI. Also read: 500 migrant workers protest in Gujarat; 60 arrested He said a list of the problems will be sent to the chief minister so that the government also provides help. He said people of the state stranded in various states in the crisis need help. The Congress leader said the state unit will publicize the chat portal link - https://tinyurl.com/UPmitra - through social media, messages and other communication channels so that problems of people are known and they can be helped. Lallu said that the UPCC has launched many programmes to reach to people and help them including Highway Task Force, `Congress ke Sipahi`, district-wise helpline and corona fighter group. The group includes senior leaders and and is monitored by party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The state unit also started community kitchens in 17 districts including Ghaziabad, Hapur, Kanpur, Allahabad, Lakhimpur Kheri and Lucknow. "Our district committees are providing ration to the needy people all over the state. Help is being provided to workers who are stranded outside the state. Besides the relief work, we are also raising issues with state government. Our incharge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the state unit have written several letters regarding problems of farmers and migrant workers," he added. Lallu said that the bigger problem relates to migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh stranded in states like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab and Karnataka. "We are in touch with state authorities to make arrangements for the return of migrant worker but UP Government is not showing interest," Lallu alleged. The portal has been developed free of cost by ValueFirst.

UP Congress launches chat portal to reach out to people, migrant workers

Guidelines by MHA for interstate movement of people stranded because of lockdown

The Shiv Sena on Monday said it is the Centre's responsibility to make arrangements for sending migrant labourers to their native places in the wake of the lockdown enforced to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Several migrant labourers have been residing in the coronavirus hotspots of Mumbai's Dharavi slum area, it noted.

"It is the Centres responsibility to arrange trains and buses so that labourers could reach their homes," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.

If these people continue to flock the streets, it is not safe for their health, the Marathi publication said, adding that the Centre cannot shrug off its responsibility.

"We wish that the kind of promptness shown by the Centre for the return of some Gujarati tourists from Haridwar (in Uttarakhand), should also be shown for migrant labourers," it said.

"These people are homesick and we cannot assess what would happen if they gather on streets," it added.

Without taking any names, the Sena said it feared that some people in Maharashtra would "instigate" the migrant labourers for their petty political gains.

It also took a dim view of the incident where hundreds of migrants gathered near Bandra station in Mumbai earlier this month and demanded that authorities make transport arrangements for them to go back to their native places.

The Sena said Maharashtra needs to take note of each and every labourer who gathered there, make necessary arrangements to send them back home and ensure to "foil" their any future attempt to come back to the state.

"These migrants should have trusted the state as it is trying to arrange food and shelter for them. If any other state has done so much for them, they should bring it to our notice," the Uddhav Thackeray-led said.

It also referred to some recent comments of Union minister Nitin Gadkari on the need for policy measures to create jobs in rural areas and check migration to cities for employment.

"What Gadkari has said is crucial. If these people wish to return to Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, how are they going to feed themselves?&nbsp;

There is no work for these people anywhere in the country during the current crisis," the Sena said.

The Shiv Sena on Monday said it is the Centre's responsibility to make arrangements for sending migrant labourers to their native places in the wake of the lockdown enforced to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The Shiv Sena on Monday said it is the Centre's responsibility to make arrangements for sending migrant labourers to their native places in the wake of the lockdown enforced to contain the spread of coronavirus. Several migrant labourers have been residing in the coronavirus hotspots of Mumbai's Dharavi slum area, it noted. "It is the Centres responsibility to arrange trains and buses so that labourers could reach their homes," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said. If these people continue to flock the streets, it is not safe for their health, the Marathi publication said, adding that the Centre cannot shrug off its responsibility. "We wish that the kind of promptness shown by the Centre for the return of some Gujarati tourists from Haridwar (in Uttarakhand), should also be shown for migrant labourers," it said. "These people are homesick and we cannot assess what would happen if they gather on streets," it added. Without taking any names, the Sena said it feared that some people in Maharashtra would "instigate" the migrant labourers for their petty political gains. It also took a dim view of the incident where hundreds of migrants gathered near Bandra station in Mumbai earlier this month and demanded that authorities make transport arrangements for them to go back to their native places. The Sena said Maharashtra needs to take note of each and every labourer who gathered there, make necessary arrangements to send them back home and ensure to "foil" their any future attempt to come back to the state. "These migrants should have trusted the state as it is trying to arrange food and shelter for them. If any other state has done so much for them, they should bring it to our notice," the Uddhav Thackeray-led said. It also referred to some recent comments of Union minister Nitin Gadkari on the need for policy measures to create jobs in rural areas and check migration to cities for employment. "What Gadkari has said is crucial. If these people wish to return to Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, how are they going to feed themselves? There is no work for these people anywhere in the country during the current crisis," the Sena said.

Shiv Sena pushes for evacuation of migrants, says Centre should arrange for workers to go home

Germany will welcome up to 500 unaccompanied minors from Greek migrant camps in the coming weeks, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Wednesday, while urging other EU countries to follow suit.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-china-is-muzzling-voices-that-speak-against-president-xi-jinping-291386">How China is muzzling voices that speak against President Xi Jinping</a>

"We said (to the Greek authorities and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees) that we want to take in between 350 and 500 children in the next few weeks," Maas said in an interview with the RTL/ntv broadcaster.&nbsp;

The minister said he hoped other countries would also take in young migrants. "We want to set an example here."

The German cabinet on Wednesday agreed to initially accept 50 children from overcrowded camps on the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios.

The "unaccompanied minors under the age of 14" will be placed in quarantine for two weeks in the state of Lower Saxony before relocating to different regions of the country, according to a spokesman for the Interior Ministry.&nbsp;

A test for the new coronavirus will also be carried out no more than three days before their arrival in Germany.

Transfers from the migrant camps could begin next week, an Interior Ministry statement said Tuesday.

Tens of thousands of asylum-seekers live in dire circumstances in Greek camps, and conditions have worsened recently due to outbreaks of the coronavirus.

Ten European countries have agreed to participate in an EU programme announced at the beginning of March to take in some of the 1,600 vulnerable minors in Greek camps.

However, most have yet to take any concrete action, with border restrictions imposed by the coronavirus crisis complicating the situation.

German Development Minister Gerd Mueller has called the camps a "disgrace", and urged Brussels to act to avert a "catastrophe".

"Apart from Luxembourg, we are the only ones who are still willing to accept minors," Maas said Wednesday.

Luxembourg has agreed to take in 12 minors.

Other countries that said they would participate are Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, France, Ireland, Lithuania and Portugal.

Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn has also called for more action.&nbsp;

"In recent weeks we have flown 300,000 EU citizens back to the European Union from all over the world because of the virus outbreak. Surely it should be possible to get several thousand young people out of Greece for humanitarian reasons," he said in an interview with German broadcaster RND.

Claudia Roth, a German Green party politician and vice-president of the Bundestag, told news agency DPA that the government decision to accept 50 minors was "long overdue and just a drop in the ocean".

German NGO Pro Asyl, meanwhile, said the plan was "completely insufficient" and called for the camps to be evacuated immediately.

Germany will welcome up to 500 unaccompanied minors from Greek migrant camps in the coming weeks, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Wednesday, while urging other EU countries to follow suit.

Germany will welcome up to 500 unaccompanied minors from Greek migrant camps in the coming weeks, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Wednesday, while urging other EU countries to follow suit. Also read: How China is muzzling voices that speak against President Xi Jinping "We said (to the Greek authorities and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees) that we want to take in between 350 and 500 children in the next few weeks," Maas said in an interview with the RTL/ntv broadcaster. The minister said he hoped other countries would also take in young migrants. "We want to set an example here." The German cabinet on Wednesday agreed to initially accept 50 children from overcrowded camps on the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios. The "unaccompanied minors under the age of 14" will be placed in quarantine for two weeks in the state of Lower Saxony before relocating to different regions of the country, according to a spokesman for the Interior Ministry. A test for the new coronavirus will also be carried out no more than three days before their arrival in Germany. Transfers from the migrant camps could begin next week, an Interior Ministry statement said Tuesday. Tens of thousands of asylum-seekers live in dire circumstances in Greek camps, and conditions have worsened recently due to outbreaks of the coronavirus. Ten European countries have agreed to participate in an EU programme announced at the beginning of March to take in some of the 1,600 vulnerable minors in Greek camps. However, most have yet to take any concrete action, with border restrictions imposed by the coronavirus crisis complicating the situation. German Development Minister Gerd Mueller has called the camps a "disgrace", and urged Brussels to act to avert a "catastrophe". "Apart from Luxembourg, we are the only ones who are still willing to accept minors," Maas said Wednesday. Luxembourg has agreed to take in 12 minors. Other countries that said they would participate are Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, France, Ireland, Lithuania and Portugal. Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn has also called for more action. "In recent weeks we have flown 300,000 EU citizens back to the European Union from all over the world because of the virus outbreak. Surely it should be possible to get several thousand young people out of Greece for humanitarian reasons," he said in an interview with German broadcaster RND. Claudia Roth, a German Green party politician and vice-president of the Bundestag, told news agency DPA that the government decision to accept 50 minors was "long overdue and just a drop in the ocean". German NGO Pro Asyl, meanwhile, said the plan was "completely insufficient" and called for the camps to be evacuated immediately.

Germany to take up to 500 children from Greek camps

Indiscriminate in targeting its victims, the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) casts a very different light on the need to enforce international law governing wars as well as human and minority rights. It exposes the needs of tens of millions of refugees and displaced persons in destitute camps in Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Bangladesh and shantytowns across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

It also puts issues of basic rights, poverty, homelessness, and equitable income distribution from a different perspective. Refugees, displaced persons, and embattled minorities that have been for the longest time viewed as humanitarian or political problems that needed to be contained and kept beyond one’s borders. now constitute a global public health hazard.

The public health hazard is enhanced by punitive, crippling sanctions and blockades designed to impose the will of one country on another with little measurable effect beyond economic degradation, making often weak health systems even more feeble.

In Iran, one of the world’s hardest-hit countries, and the Gaza Strip, that reported its first infections in recent days, the hazard is enhanced not only by corruption and mismanagement but also punitive and crippling sanctions and blockades designed to impose the will of one country on another with little measurable effect beyond economic degradation and making often weak health systems even more feeble.

It’s a hazard that raises the threat level not only in the current pandemic that has already wreaked havoc on lives, economies, and social life, but also in future ones.

“The storm will pass, humankind will survive, most of us will still be alive — but we will inhabit a different world,” predicted historian Yuval Noah Harari.

“Pandemics are a part of biologic history. They reshape economics, they reshape sociology,” added Mike Leavitt, a former Republican US Secretary of Health and Human Services and Governor of Utah.

Writer and activist Susan Sontag noted some four decades ago that “illness as a metaphor for political disorder is one of the oldest notions of political philosophy.”

By implication, Harari and Leavitt and Sontag suggest that pandemics create opportunities to rethink political, economic, and social relations. That may be what is needed but the odds are against it.

More likely is that a different world will mostly be shaped by elements of reactive measures taken by governments across the globe who failed to initially take the coronavirus seriously on day one—Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan being notable exceptions.

Leaving aside the fundamental issues of striking a balance between privacy and surveillance, those reactive actions and procedures are likely to amount to band-aids rather than lessons learned. They will not lead to a fundamental rethinking of issues that pose a major threat to millions of lives far beyond the boundaries of refugee camps and shantytowns. And they are unlikely to result in the social cohesion needed to confront the inevitable next crisis.

The coronavirus also spotlights the inherent threat posed by the lack of transparency and the politicization of a global health crisis by civilizationalist and illiberal, authoritarian or autocratic leaders. Such leaders, including US President Donald J. Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Egyptian General-turned-President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Turkey’s leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who prioritize domestic political and geopolitical gain and economic preservation rather than timely public health policy and simple decency and humanity.

Even though senior government officials across the globe have been infected, it’s the hundreds of thousands of victims of the coronavirus and the hundreds of millions whose social and economic lives have been disrupted that pay the price of delayed and inadequate responses.

“Sanctions are the number one cause of Iran’s limited access to medicine and other basic resources. These pressures are severely compounded during this global health crisis and are felt acutely in the day-to-day lives of Iranian citizens . . . Just as outbound travel has been suspended, the import of aid coming into Iran is limited, if at all, furthering the sense that even when dealing with a concern that affects the whole world, Iranians are largely on their own,” reflected comparative literature PhD candidate Donna Honarpisheh from self-isolation during a family visit to Shiraz.

The fact that a contagious health hazard in one country threatens public health worldwide, makes ensuring the universal existence of robust national healthcare systems a global concern.

The fact that a contagious health hazard in one country potentially threatens public health worldwide, makes ensuring the universal existence of robust national healthcare systems a global rather than a national concern.

Prioritising politics rather than common sense self-preservation that fails to strike a balance between humanity, global public health, and national security is likely to harden positions rather than create opportunities for conflict resolution.

As a result, Iran’s isolation and Gaza’s blockade by Israel and Egypt for the past 13 years are likely to be reflected in longer-term Iranian and Palestinian political wrath and other hostile attitudes towards the outside world.

The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar – the only countries to have come to Iran’s aid – were among the few in the international community to recognize that how the world handles the crisis has consequences that go far beyond healthcare.

That is true even if the UAE and Kuwait acted to ensure that they would not be targets in any future US-Iranian confrontation. Whereas Qatar honoured its relations with Iran since Tehran provides crucial logistical support, enabling Doha to withstand the almost three-year-old UAE-Saudi-led economic and diplomatic boycott of the Gulf state.

Adding to the woes of Iran, like other countries with governments that are untransparent or at best economical with the truth, is the fact that the regime’s trust deficit complicates getting public compliance with extraordinary measures and raises the specter of protests at a time of quarantines and social distancing.

Egyptian authorities arrested four prominent women in recent days for protesting in demand of the release of prisoners as a healthcare measure. Hundreds of Egyptians reportedly attempted to storm public laboratories to obtain a coronavirus test.

The locked-down Philippines capital of Manila is awash with rumours of food shortages and fears of rioting and looting.

It’s at best a matter of time before the human carnage hits camps for refugees and displaced persons across the Middle East and in Asia and Africa as well as countries like Venezuela that have failing health systems as a result of mismanagement and corruption. All failures are compounded by sanctions.

“Millions of conflict-affected people are living in cramped refugee and displacement sites with desperately poor hygiene and sanitation facilities. There will be carnage when the virus reaches parts of Syria, Yemen, and Venezuela where hospitals have been demolished and health systems have collapsed,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Yemen already knows the consequences. It suffered in 2017 a dramatic surge of cholera, a disease that had been virtually eradicated from the planet.

The question is not only what happens when disease and death on a large scale or food shortages and/or famine hit the world’s most vulnerable holed up in inhuman conditions with nothing more to lose.

It is also whether governments and elites have the foresight and political will to build a new world order that is not only equitable but also creates the political, economic, and social conditions for the management of future pandemics at a potentially lower social and economic cost for all.

That may be a tall order in a world dominated by civilizational and nationalist leaders whose primary concern are not ensuring robust structures capable of fighting indiscriminate global threats but short-term political gain, self-aggrandizement, the settling of political scores, and narrow visions of ethnic or religious supremacy.

It’s an approach that adds to already mounting threats of increased political instability and violence as well as migration in magnitudes that could dwarf the world’s current problem of coping with large-scale dislocation. 
 
(The article was first published on<a href="https://insidearabia.com/refugees-and-shantytowns-in-mena-and-beyond-imperil-global-public-health/"> Inside Arabia</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

Indiscriminate in targeting its victims, the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) casts a very different light on the need to enforce international law governing wars as well as human and minority rights.

Indiscriminate in targeting its victims, the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) casts a very different light on the need to enforce international law governing wars as well as human and minority rights. It exposes the needs of tens of millions of refugees and displaced persons in destitute camps in Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Bangladesh and shantytowns across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It also puts issues of basic rights, poverty, homelessness, and equitable income distribution from a different perspective. Refugees, displaced persons, and embattled minorities that have been for the longest time viewed as humanitarian or political problems that needed to be contained and kept beyond one’s borders. now constitute a global public health hazard. The public health hazard is enhanced by punitive, crippling sanctions and blockades designed to impose the will of one country on another with little measurable effect beyond economic degradation, making often weak health systems even more feeble. In Iran, one of the world’s hardest-hit countries, and the Gaza Strip, that reported its first infections in recent days, the hazard is enhanced not only by corruption and mismanagement but also punitive and crippling sanctions and blockades designed to impose the will of one country on another with little measurable effect beyond economic degradation and making often weak health systems even more feeble. It’s a hazard that raises the threat level not only in the current pandemic that has already wreaked havoc on lives, economies, and social life, but also in future ones. “The storm will pass, humankind will survive, most of us will still be alive — but we will inhabit a different world,” predicted historian Yuval Noah Harari. “Pandemics are a part of biologic history. They reshape economics, they reshape sociology,” added Mike Leavitt, a former Republican US Secretary of Health and Human Services and Governor of Utah. Writer and activist Susan Sontag noted some four decades ago that “illness as a metaphor for political disorder is one of the oldest notions of political philosophy.” By implication, Harari and Leavitt and Sontag suggest that pandemics create opportunities to rethink political, economic, and social relations. That may be what is needed but the odds are against it. More likely is that a different world will mostly be shaped by elements of reactive measures taken by governments across the globe who failed to initially take the coronavirus seriously on day one—Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan being notable exceptions. Leaving aside the fundamental issues of striking a balance between privacy and surveillance, those reactive actions and procedures are likely to amount to band-aids rather than lessons learned. They will not lead to a fundamental rethinking of issues that pose a major threat to millions of lives far beyond the boundaries of refugee camps and shantytowns. And they are unlikely to result in the social cohesion needed to confront the inevitable next crisis. The coronavirus also spotlights the inherent threat posed by the lack of transparency and the politicization of a global health crisis by civilizationalist and illiberal, authoritarian or autocratic leaders. Such leaders, including US President Donald J. Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Egyptian General-turned-President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Turkey’s leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who prioritize domestic political and geopolitical gain and economic preservation rather than timely public health policy and simple decency and humanity. Even though senior government officials across the globe have been infected, it’s the hundreds of thousands of victims of the coronavirus and the hundreds of millions whose social and economic lives have been disrupted that pay the price of delayed and inadequate responses. “Sanctions are the number one cause of Iran’s limited access to medicine and other basic resources. These pressures are severely compounded during this global health crisis and are felt acutely in the day-to-day lives of Iranian citizens . . . Just as outbound travel has been suspended, the import of aid coming into Iran is limited, if at all, furthering the sense that even when dealing with a concern that affects the whole world, Iranians are largely on their own,” reflected comparative literature PhD candidate Donna Honarpisheh from self-isolation during a family visit to Shiraz. The fact that a contagious health hazard in one country threatens public health worldwide, makes ensuring the universal existence of robust national healthcare systems a global concern. The fact that a contagious health hazard in one country potentially threatens public health worldwide, makes ensuring the universal existence of robust national healthcare systems a global rather than a national concern. Prioritising politics rather than common sense self-preservation that fails to strike a balance between humanity, global public health, and national security is likely to harden positions rather than create opportunities for conflict resolution. As a result, Iran’s isolation and Gaza’s blockade by Israel and Egypt for the past 13 years are likely to be reflected in longer-term Iranian and Palestinian political wrath and other hostile attitudes towards the outside world. The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar – the only countries to have come to Iran’s aid – were among the few in the international community to recognize that how the world handles the crisis has consequences that go far beyond healthcare. That is true even if the UAE and Kuwait acted to ensure that they would not be targets in any future US-Iranian confrontation. Whereas Qatar honoured its relations with Iran since Tehran provides crucial logistical support, enabling Doha to withstand the almost three-year-old UAE-Saudi-led economic and diplomatic boycott of the Gulf state. Adding to the woes of Iran, like other countries with governments that are untransparent or at best economical with the truth, is the fact that the regime’s trust deficit complicates getting public compliance with extraordinary measures and raises the specter of protests at a time of quarantines and social distancing. Egyptian authorities arrested four prominent women in recent days for protesting in demand of the release of prisoners as a healthcare measure. Hundreds of Egyptians reportedly attempted to storm public laboratories to obtain a coronavirus test. The locked-down Philippines capital of Manila is awash with rumours of food shortages and fears of rioting and looting. It’s at best a matter of time before the human carnage hits camps for refugees and displaced persons across the Middle East and in Asia and Africa as well as countries like Venezuela that have failing health systems as a result of mismanagement and corruption. All failures are compounded by sanctions. “Millions of conflict-affected people are living in cramped refugee and displacement sites with desperately poor hygiene and sanitation facilities. There will be carnage when the virus reaches parts of Syria, Yemen, and Venezuela where hospitals have been demolished and health systems have collapsed,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council. Yemen already knows the consequences. It suffered in 2017 a dramatic surge of cholera, a disease that had been virtually eradicated from the planet. The question is not only what happens when disease and death on a large scale or food shortages and/or famine hit the world’s most vulnerable holed up in inhuman conditions with nothing more to lose. It is also whether governments and elites have the foresight and political will to build a new world order that is not only equitable but also creates the political, economic, and social conditions for the management of future pandemics at a potentially lower social and economic cost for all. That may be a tall order in a world dominated by civilizational and nationalist leaders whose primary concern are not ensuring robust structures capable of fighting indiscriminate global threats but short-term political gain, self-aggrandizement, the settling of political scores, and narrow visions of ethnic or religious supremacy. It’s an approach that adds to already mounting threats of increased political instability and violence as well as migration in magnitudes that could dwarf the world’s current problem of coping with large-scale dislocation. (The article was first published on Inside Arabia) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Refugees could become the worst victims of coronavirus pandemic

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