President Donald Trump&#39;s administration plans to consider almost all illegal immigrants subject to deportation, but will leave protections in place for immigrants known as &quot;dreamers&quot; who entered the United States illegally as children, according to official guidelines released on Tuesday.

The Department of Homeland Security guidance to immigration agents is part of a broader border security and immigration enforcement plan in executive orders that Republican Trump signed on January 25.

Former President Barack Obama, a Democrat, issued an executive order in 2012 that protected 750,000 immigrants who had been brought into the United States illegally by their parents. Trump has said the issue is &quot;very difficult&quot; for him.

Trump campaigned on a pledge to get tougher on the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States, playing on fears of violent crime while promising to build a wall on the border with Mexico and to stop potential terrorists from entering the country.

Trump&#39;s planned measures against illegal immigrants have drawn protests, such as an event last week that activists called &quot;A Day Without Immigrants&quot; to highlight the importance of foreign-born people, who account for 13 percent of the US&nbsp;population, or more than 40 million naturalized American citizens.

A banner declaring &quot;Refugees Welcome&quot; was posted on the base of the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of American acceptance of immigrants, before park rangers removed it on Tuesday, WABC television reported.

DHS officials, on a conference call with reporters, said that although any immigrant in the country illegally could be deported, the agency will prioritize those deemed a threat.

These include recent entrants, those convicted of a crime and people charged but not convicted of a crime. Some details of the guidelines were detailed in a draft memo seen on Saturday.

Hiring More Agents

Many of the instructions will not be implemented immediately because they depend on Congress, a public comment period or negotiations with other nations, the officials said. Mexican immigration officials immediately objected to part of the new rules.

The guidance also calls for the hiring of 10,000 more US&nbsp;Immigration and Customs (ICE) agents and 5,000 more US&nbsp;Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.

The DHS will need to publish a notice in the Federal Register subject to review in order to implement one part of the plan that calls on ICE agents to increase the number of immigrants who are not given a hearing before being deported.

The new rules would subject immigrants who cannot show they have been in the country for more than two years to &quot;expedited removal&quot;. Currently, only migrants apprehended near a U.S. border who cannot show they have been in the country more than 14 days are subject to rapid removal.

The memos also instruct ICE to detain migrants who are awaiting a court decision on whether they will be deported or granted relief, such as asylum. DHS officials said they are reviewing what jurisdictions may have laws in place that prevent the amount of time immigrants can be held.

The agency also plans to send non-Mexican migrants crossing the southern US&nbsp;border back into Mexico as they await a decision on their case. The DHS officials said this plan would be dependent on partnerships with the Mexican government and would not be implemented overnight.

The guidelines were released a day before US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly were due in Mexico City for talks with President Enrique Pena Nieto and Mexican officials.

An official from Mexico&#39;s Foreign Ministry said the government would tell Kelly&#39;s team to that it was &quot;impossible&quot; for Mexico to accept deportees or asylum applicants from foreign countries, and would ask them to explain their plan.

The deportation of Mexicans would be one of the government&#39;s major concerns at the meeting, said the official, who declined to be named.

A spokeswoman from the Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The 'dreamers' were brought illegally into the US as children by their parents

President Donald Trump's administration plans to consider almost all illegal immigrants subject to deportation, but will leave protections in place for immigrants known as "dreamers" who entered the United States illegally as children, according to official guidelines released on Tuesday. The Department of Homeland Security guidance to immigration agents is part of a broader border security and immigration enforcement plan in executive orders that Republican Trump signed on January 25. Former President Barack Obama, a Democrat, issued an executive order in 2012 that protected 750,000 immigrants who had been brought into the United States illegally by their parents. Trump has said the issue is "very difficult" for him. Trump campaigned on a pledge to get tougher on the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States, playing on fears of violent crime while promising to build a wall on the border with Mexico and to stop potential terrorists from entering the country. Trump's planned measures against illegal immigrants have drawn protests, such as an event last week that activists called "A Day Without Immigrants" to highlight the importance of foreign-born people, who account for 13 percent of the US population, or more than 40 million naturalized American citizens. A banner declaring "Refugees Welcome" was posted on the base of the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of American acceptance of immigrants, before park rangers removed it on Tuesday, WABC television reported. DHS officials, on a conference call with reporters, said that although any immigrant in the country illegally could be deported, the agency will prioritize those deemed a threat. These include recent entrants, those convicted of a crime and people charged but not convicted of a crime. Some details of the guidelines were detailed in a draft memo seen on Saturday. Hiring More Agents Many of the instructions will not be implemented immediately because they depend on Congress, a public comment period or negotiations with other nations, the officials said. Mexican immigration officials immediately objected to part of the new rules. The guidance also calls for the hiring of 10,000 more US Immigration and Customs (ICE) agents and 5,000 more US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents. The DHS will need to publish a notice in the Federal Register subject to review in order to implement one part of the plan that calls on ICE agents to increase the number of immigrants who are not given a hearing before being deported. The new rules would subject immigrants who cannot show they have been in the country for more than two years to "expedited removal". Currently, only migrants apprehended near a U.S. border who cannot show they have been in the country more than 14 days are subject to rapid removal. The memos also instruct ICE to detain migrants who are awaiting a court decision on whether they will be deported or granted relief, such as asylum. DHS officials said they are reviewing what jurisdictions may have laws in place that prevent the amount of time immigrants can be held. The agency also plans to send non-Mexican migrants crossing the southern US border back into Mexico as they await a decision on their case. The DHS officials said this plan would be dependent on partnerships with the Mexican government and would not be implemented overnight. The guidelines were released a day before US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly were due in Mexico City for talks with President Enrique Pena Nieto and Mexican officials. An official from Mexico's Foreign Ministry said the government would tell Kelly's team to that it was "impossible" for Mexico to accept deportees or asylum applicants from foreign countries, and would ask them to explain their plan. The deportation of Mexicans would be one of the government's major concerns at the meeting, said the official, who declined to be named. A spokeswoman from the Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reuters)

Trump migrant crackdown to spare US 'dreamers'

The southern German state of Bavaria has decided to ban full-face veils in public places like schools, universities, government workplaces and polling stations.

The regional government drafted a law to ban the full-face veil for civil servants, and in public places where there are concerns for public safety.&nbsp;

&quot;Communication happens not only via language but also via looks, facial expressions and gestures,&quot; Bavarian interior minister Joachim Herrmann said.

&quot;It&#39;s the foundation of our interactions with each other and it&#39;s the basis of our free and democratic order. Concealing your face is at odds with this culture of communication,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

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<h5>The Bavarian conservatives that govern the region, the sister party to Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s, are worried about the rise in popularity of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD)</h5>
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He expects the regional parliament of Bavaria to approve&nbsp;the law.&nbsp;

Elections are due in Germany in seven months and immigration is expected to dominate campaigning.

The Bavarian conservatives that govern the region, the sister party to Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s, are worried about the rise in popularity of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD).

In December, Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a ban on full-face Muslim veils &quot;wherever legally possible&quot;, after she suffered electoral setbacks in regional elections where the AfD managed to get a significant vote share.&nbsp;

France and Belgium have already banned burqas.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

'Communication happens not only via language but also via looks, facial expressions and gestures,' the Bavarian interior minister said

The southern German state of Bavaria has decided to ban full-face veils in public places like schools, universities, government workplaces and polling stations. The regional government drafted a law to ban the full-face veil for civil servants, and in public places where there are concerns for public safety. "Communication happens not only via language but also via looks, facial expressions and gestures," Bavarian interior minister Joachim Herrmann said. "It's the foundation of our interactions with each other and it's the basis of our free and democratic order. Concealing your face is at odds with this culture of communication," he added. The Bavarian conservatives that govern the region, the sister party to Chancellor Angela Merkel's, are worried about the rise in popularity of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) × He expects the regional parliament of Bavaria to approve the law. Elections are due in Germany in seven months and immigration is expected to dominate campaigning. The Bavarian conservatives that govern the region, the sister party to Chancellor Angela Merkel's, are worried about the rise in popularity of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD). In December, Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a ban on full-face Muslim veils "wherever legally possible", after she suffered electoral setbacks in regional elections where the AfD managed to get a significant vote share. France and Belgium have already banned burqas. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Bavaria drafts law to ban full-face veil months before German elections

The bodies of 74 migrants have been found washed up on a beach near the western Libya city of Zawiya, a Red Crescent spokesman said on Tuesday.

Mohamed al-Misrati said the bodies had been recovered on Monday and that the migrants appeared to have died during the past two days.

The migrants were all adults, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, and all but three of them were men, Misrati said.

Libya is the main departure point for migrants hoping to reach Europe by sea, and the bodies of those who drown attempting the risky crossing are frequently found washed up on Libyan shores.

(Reuters)

A Red Crescent spokesman said the bodies had been recovered on Monday and the migrants appeared to have died during the past 2 days

The bodies of 74 migrants have been found washed up on a beach near the western Libya city of Zawiya, a Red Crescent spokesman said on Tuesday. Mohamed al-Misrati said the bodies had been recovered on Monday and that the migrants appeared to have died during the past two days. The migrants were all adults, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, and all but three of them were men, Misrati said. Libya is the main departure point for migrants hoping to reach Europe by sea, and the bodies of those who drown attempting the risky crossing are frequently found washed up on Libyan shores. (Reuters)

Bodies of 74 migrants wash ashore in Libya

More than 300 African migrants jumped the border fence between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Monday morning, the second mass push since Friday, the emergency services said.

Eleven people were hospitalised after the jump over the 6-metre, barbed-wire fencing surrounding the North African enclave, the Red Cross said.

On Friday, about 500 migrants crossed the same fenced border, often used as an entry point into Europe for African migrants who attempt to climb it or swim around it along the coast.

Both Spain&#39;s two North Afican enclaves, Ceuta on Morocco&#39;s northern point off the Strait of Gibraltar, and Melilla, which lies further to the east and closer to the Algerian border, are often the focus of attempted illegal border crossings.

More than 1,100 migrants attempted to cross into Ceuta in January, but most were turned back.

(Reuters)

On Friday, about 500 migrants crossed the same fenced border, often used as an entry point into Europe for African migrants

More than 300 African migrants jumped the border fence between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Monday morning, the second mass push since Friday, the emergency services said. Eleven people were hospitalised after the jump over the 6-metre, barbed-wire fencing surrounding the North African enclave, the Red Cross said. On Friday, about 500 migrants crossed the same fenced border, often used as an entry point into Europe for African migrants who attempt to climb it or swim around it along the coast. Both Spain's two North Afican enclaves, Ceuta on Morocco's northern point off the Strait of Gibraltar, and Melilla, which lies further to the east and closer to the Algerian border, are often the focus of attempted illegal border crossings. More than 1,100 migrants attempted to cross into Ceuta in January, but most were turned back. (Reuters)

Over 300 African migrants cross into Spain in second wave in 3 days

The Trump administration plans to direct immigration agents to greatly expand the categories of immigrants they target for deportation, according to drafts of two memos seen by Reuters and first reported by McClatchy news organization on Saturday.

Two sources familiar with the plans told Reuters the documents have been approved by Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, but are under final review by the White House. They are expected to be released to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) early next week.

Under the orders, hundreds of thousands of people would face expedited removal proceedings, including those that had not been prioritised for deportation under former President Barack Obama.

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<h5>Migrants who have been charged with crimes but not convicted would be prioritised for deportation</h5>
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The memos are guidance to instruct agents in the field to implement two executive orders signed by Trump on Jan. 25 intended to deter future migration and drive out more illegal migrants from the United States.

One memo instructs ICE agents to ignore Obama&rsquo;s memos on immigration priorities that targeted only recent arrivals and convicted criminal migrants for deportation. Instead, migrants who have been charged with crimes but not convicted would be prioritised for deportation. The guidance also allows ICE agents wide discretion in deciding who to deport and considers anyone in the United States illegally to be subject to deportation.

The guidance does leave in place Obama&rsquo;s 2012 executive action that protected 750,000 people brought to the United States illegally by their parents. The fate of the policy, known as DACA, has been hotly debated within the White House, according to sources familiar with the discussions. Trump said in a news conference Friday that DACA was a &ldquo;very difficult subject&rdquo; for him.

The ICE memo also states that immigrants will not be afforded rights under US&nbsp;privacy laws.

The second memo instructs CBP officers to crack down on illegal migration at the border by holding migrants in detention until a determination in their case is made.

The Department of Homeland Security did not deny any information contained in the draft memos but did not provide further detail.

A source familiar with the guidance said the memos were scheduled to be distributed on Friday but the White House made a last-minute request to review them. It is not known whether the White House may alter the guidance.

Kelly said in one of the memos that illegal immigration across the US&nbsp;border with Mexico had &quot;created a significant national security vulnerability to the United States.&quot;&nbsp;

(Reuters)

The memos, under final review by the White House, are expected to be released early next week

The Trump administration plans to direct immigration agents to greatly expand the categories of immigrants they target for deportation, according to drafts of two memos seen by Reuters and first reported by McClatchy news organization on Saturday. Two sources familiar with the plans told Reuters the documents have been approved by Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, but are under final review by the White House. They are expected to be released to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) early next week. Under the orders, hundreds of thousands of people would face expedited removal proceedings, including those that had not been prioritised for deportation under former President Barack Obama. Migrants who have been charged with crimes but not convicted would be prioritised for deportation × The memos are guidance to instruct agents in the field to implement two executive orders signed by Trump on Jan. 25 intended to deter future migration and drive out more illegal migrants from the United States. One memo instructs ICE agents to ignore Obama’s memos on immigration priorities that targeted only recent arrivals and convicted criminal migrants for deportation. Instead, migrants who have been charged with crimes but not convicted would be prioritised for deportation. The guidance also allows ICE agents wide discretion in deciding who to deport and considers anyone in the United States illegally to be subject to deportation. The guidance does leave in place Obama’s 2012 executive action that protected 750,000 people brought to the United States illegally by their parents. The fate of the policy, known as DACA, has been hotly debated within the White House, according to sources familiar with the discussions. Trump said in a news conference Friday that DACA was a “very difficult subject” for him. The ICE memo also states that immigrants will not be afforded rights under US privacy laws. The second memo instructs CBP officers to crack down on illegal migration at the border by holding migrants in detention until a determination in their case is made. The Department of Homeland Security did not deny any information contained in the draft memos but did not provide further detail. A source familiar with the guidance said the memos were scheduled to be distributed on Friday but the White House made a last-minute request to review them. It is not known whether the White House may alter the guidance. Kelly said in one of the memos that illegal immigration across the US border with Mexico had "created a significant national security vulnerability to the United States." (Reuters)

Trump administration to expand groups of immigrants to be deported: Memos

Cedric Herrou, a French farmer, may face five years in prison and a 30,000-euro fine if found guilty of the charge of helping in the unauthorised entry, transit and stay of illegal migrants in France.

He is an olive and poultry farmer from a village on the border with Italy.

Unapologetic for his actions, Herrou said&nbsp;sending him to prison would do nothing to reduce the influx of migrants to France across Europe.

Herrou said, &quot;I subjected myself to illegality because these people are pushing me towards illegality in order to protect the rights of these children that I&#39;ve taken across (the border), of these families that I&#39;ve taken across, I had to put myself in illegality. And if I have to continue, I will continue,&quot; reports Reuters.

A crowd of around 300 people gathered in front of the Palais de Justice in Nice in support of Herrou, the local hero.

Local newspaper Nice Matin named Herrou &quot;Azureen of the year,&quot; a title reserved for the region&#39;s most accomplished individuals, according to a report on Reuters.

In his defence, Herrou said, &quot;It&#39;s not up to me to make a distinction between black and white, people with or without papers. It&#39;s not my job. Farming is what I do, my job is feeding people and that&#39;s what I do.&quot;

Over recent months, Herrou has given shelter to several hundred migrants in the grounds of his home in Breil-sur-Roya, a French valley surrounded by Italian territory.

He was first arrested in August 2016 for accompanying eight Eritrean migrants from Italy into France&nbsp;but was released on a humanitarian immunity clause.

He was arrested again in October, where the same clause did not apply when the Nice prosecutor said his aiding of migrants then was not a response to immediate danger.

According to Herrou, he helped migrants on a purely voluntary basis, and accepted nothing in return from them, and that he had especially tried to help the minors among the migrants.

Herrou is part of an association named &quot;Housing and Citizenship,&quot;&nbsp;which has resorted to semi-clandestine tactics in assisting migrants who are regularly removed by the police from trains crossing into France and sent back to Italy.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Herrou may face five years in prison and a 30,000-euro fine if found guilty of the charges

Cedric Herrou, a French farmer, may face five years in prison and a 30,000-euro fine if found guilty of the charge of helping in the unauthorised entry, transit and stay of illegal migrants in France. He is an olive and poultry farmer from a village on the border with Italy. Unapologetic for his actions, Herrou said sending him to prison would do nothing to reduce the influx of migrants to France across Europe. Herrou said, "I subjected myself to illegality because these people are pushing me towards illegality in order to protect the rights of these children that I've taken across (the border), of these families that I've taken across, I had to put myself in illegality. And if I have to continue, I will continue," reports Reuters. A crowd of around 300 people gathered in front of the Palais de Justice in Nice in support of Herrou, the local hero. Local newspaper Nice Matin named Herrou "Azureen of the year," a title reserved for the region's most accomplished individuals, according to a report on Reuters. In his defence, Herrou said, "It's not up to me to make a distinction between black and white, people with or without papers. It's not my job. Farming is what I do, my job is feeding people and that's what I do." Over recent months, Herrou has given shelter to several hundred migrants in the grounds of his home in Breil-sur-Roya, a French valley surrounded by Italian territory. He was first arrested in August 2016 for accompanying eight Eritrean migrants from Italy into France but was released on a humanitarian immunity clause. He was arrested again in October, where the same clause did not apply when the Nice prosecutor said his aiding of migrants then was not a response to immediate danger. According to Herrou, he helped migrants on a purely voluntary basis, and accepted nothing in return from them, and that he had especially tried to help the minors among the migrants. Herrou is part of an association named "Housing and Citizenship," which has resorted to semi-clandestine tactics in assisting migrants who are regularly removed by the police from trains crossing into France and sent back to Italy. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

French farmer on trial for helping illegal migrants across border

Security forces should shoot at the boats of migrants trying to reach the European Union illegally, a member of parliament for the Danish government&#39;s main political ally, the Danish People&#39;s Party, suggested on national television.

&quot;The only efficient way is to turn the boats and say: You cannot sail within this national border and if you do, you will either be shot at or be turned around and sailed back,&quot; Kenneth Berth, the EU spokesman for anti-immigrant party, said on broadcaster DK4 on Tuesday.

Berth later softened his statement on Facebook, saying he did not mean that people should be shot at, but that NATO-ships could shoot in the air as a warning.

Party spokesman Soren Sondergaard told Reuters that shooting at refugees is not the official party line.

The Danish People&#39;s Party got 21 per cent of the popular vote in last year&#39;s general election, making it the second-largest party in parliament.

Denmark has implemented tough immigration policies since a heavy influx of refugees last year, including border control and a controversial &quot;jewellery bill&quot;.

In August, the government proposed an emergency law, allowing it to reject asylum seekers at its borders.

(Reuters)

Kenneth Berth said on Tuesday migrant boats trying to reach the EU illegally should either be shot at or be turned around

Security forces should shoot at the boats of migrants trying to reach the European Union illegally, a member of parliament for the Danish government's main political ally, the Danish People's Party, suggested on national television. "The only efficient way is to turn the boats and say: You cannot sail within this national border and if you do, you will either be shot at or be turned around and sailed back," Kenneth Berth, the EU spokesman for anti-immigrant party, said on broadcaster DK4 on Tuesday. Berth later softened his statement on Facebook, saying he did not mean that people should be shot at, but that NATO-ships could shoot in the air as a warning. Party spokesman Soren Sondergaard told Reuters that shooting at refugees is not the official party line. The Danish People's Party got 21 per cent of the popular vote in last year's general election, making it the second-largest party in parliament. Denmark has implemented tough immigration policies since a heavy influx of refugees last year, including border control and a controversial "jewellery bill". In August, the government proposed an emergency law, allowing it to reject asylum seekers at its borders. (Reuters)

Danish MP suggests shooting at boats carrying migrants

About 550 migrants, most of them from West Africa, were pulled to safety from boats in the Mediterranean on Monday in five operations during which rescuers also recovered five dead bodies, Italy&#39;s coast guard said.

The bodies were in a rubber dinghy and one other person from the dinghy had drowned, according to aid group SOS Mediterranee, whose Aquarius vessel helped in the rescues off Libya&#39;s coast.

&quot;We recovered five bodies dead inside the rubber boat after the rescue, and one person drowned,&quot; an SOS Mediterranee spokeswoman said, quoting two rescue workers who said they saw the person drowning. They were not able to recover the body.

A boy, who was unconscious for two hours, and a woman who had inhaled a lot of fuel, were evacuated by helicopter.

An Italian coast guard ship, a naval vessel and a Danish chemical tanker also took part in the rescues, the coast guard said in a statement.

The death toll in the Mediterranean has surged this year to 4,271 as of Nov. 14, compared to 3,777 in the whole of 2015, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The deadliest route is across the Mediterranean towards Italy from Libya, where smugglers have taken advantage of a breakdown of order to pack people into unseaworthy boats.

(Reuters)

The five dead bodies were recovered from a rubber dinghy

About 550 migrants, most of them from West Africa, were pulled to safety from boats in the Mediterranean on Monday in five operations during which rescuers also recovered five dead bodies, Italy's coast guard said. The bodies were in a rubber dinghy and one other person from the dinghy had drowned, according to aid group SOS Mediterranee, whose Aquarius vessel helped in the rescues off Libya's coast. "We recovered five bodies dead inside the rubber boat after the rescue, and one person drowned," an SOS Mediterranee spokeswoman said, quoting two rescue workers who said they saw the person drowning. They were not able to recover the body. A boy, who was unconscious for two hours, and a woman who had inhaled a lot of fuel, were evacuated by helicopter. An Italian coast guard ship, a naval vessel and a Danish chemical tanker also took part in the rescues, the coast guard said in a statement. The death toll in the Mediterranean has surged this year to 4,271 as of Nov. 14, compared to 3,777 in the whole of 2015, according to the International Organization for Migration. The deadliest route is across the Mediterranean towards Italy from Libya, where smugglers have taken advantage of a breakdown of order to pack people into unseaworthy boats. (Reuters)

Mediterranean rescuers save 550 migrants at sea, recover five bodies

Horrific scenes unfolded in the Mediterranean off Libya Saturday as a full-to-capacity rescue ship was forced to sail away from desperate migrants trying to swim towards the rescuers.&nbsp;

In a 24-long rescue operation, the crew of the Norwegian Siem Pilot and another aid boat pulled 14 dead bodies from the water and rescued around 2,400 migrants, according to the Italian coast guard.&nbsp;

The rescuers had limited resources as they struggled to rescue panicked migrants in the dark. &quot;I&#39;ve never had a SAR (search and rescue) like it. We were in the process of transferring 1,000 migrants from the Okyroe (tanker) to the Siem Pilot when suddenly, in the dark, rubber boats appeared. It looked hopeless,&quot; said Pal Erik Teigen, the police officer in charge of the rescue operation.

25 migrants aboard the rubber boats in an attempt to reach the ship, Siem Pilot, which was already full to capacity, threw themselves into the water to swim towards the vessel. With migrants crying out for help, the captain was forced to pull back to deter others on the dinghy from doing the same.&nbsp;

The migrants were transferred onto the tanker to await rescue by another vessel, while the Medecins Sans Frontieres charity&#39;s Dignity vessel picked up the dead. &quot;It was chaos on the tanker. They were pushing us towards the only way off the boat, coming from everywhere and pushing for lifejackets, arguing over them,&quot; said Jan Erik Valen, an intelligence officer and crew member who provided security for the operation.&nbsp;

&quot;Then they came up from behind us and we had to call for back-up. Other police officers from the Siem Pilot joined us with riot shields... we were banging our sticks on pipes to make a lot of noise, and we had to hit a few of them.&quot;&nbsp;

Many of the migrants fainted during the rescue mission and had to be dragged on board the ship. Others sat in tight rows on the bridge of the ship, with only a thin sheet of webbing to protect them from the baking sun. Among the migrants were several young children, as well as entire families and some unaccompanied teenagers.

The operation was just one part of a massive effort underway in the Mediterranean to rescue desperate migrants making the perilous journey to Europe. The number of migrants attempting the journey has increased in recent weeks to land in Europe before the treacherous winter conditions.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

At least 14 migrants drown in the Mediterranean during a dramatic rescue mission that saved thousands

Horrific scenes unfolded in the Mediterranean off Libya Saturday as a full-to-capacity rescue ship was forced to sail away from desperate migrants trying to swim towards the rescuers. In a 24-long rescue operation, the crew of the Norwegian Siem Pilot and another aid boat pulled 14 dead bodies from the water and rescued around 2,400 migrants, according to the Italian coast guard. The rescuers had limited resources as they struggled to rescue panicked migrants in the dark. "I've never had a SAR (search and rescue) like it. We were in the process of transferring 1,000 migrants from the Okyroe (tanker) to the Siem Pilot when suddenly, in the dark, rubber boats appeared. It looked hopeless," said Pal Erik Teigen, the police officer in charge of the rescue operation. 25 migrants aboard the rubber boats in an attempt to reach the ship, Siem Pilot, which was already full to capacity, threw themselves into the water to swim towards the vessel. With migrants crying out for help, the captain was forced to pull back to deter others on the dinghy from doing the same. The migrants were transferred onto the tanker to await rescue by another vessel, while the Medecins Sans Frontieres charity's Dignity vessel picked up the dead. "It was chaos on the tanker. They were pushing us towards the only way off the boat, coming from everywhere and pushing for lifejackets, arguing over them," said Jan Erik Valen, an intelligence officer and crew member who provided security for the operation. "Then they came up from behind us and we had to call for back-up. Other police officers from the Siem Pilot joined us with riot shields... we were banging our sticks on pipes to make a lot of noise, and we had to hit a few of them." Many of the migrants fainted during the rescue mission and had to be dragged on board the ship. Others sat in tight rows on the bridge of the ship, with only a thin sheet of webbing to protect them from the baking sun. Among the migrants were several young children, as well as entire families and some unaccompanied teenagers. The operation was just one part of a massive effort underway in the Mediterranean to rescue desperate migrants making the perilous journey to Europe. The number of migrants attempting the journey has increased in recent weeks to land in Europe before the treacherous winter conditions. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Italian coast guard rescues 2,400 migrants off Libya

&nbsp;

French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that Britain must be responsible towards unaccompanied children traveling from Calais &quot;Jungle&quot; camp in an article published in The Guardian today.&nbsp;

The minister also spoke about tearing down the camp, adding that neither London nor Paris wants &quot;to leave people with the right to refugee status in the cold and the mud -&ndash; women and children least of all.&quot;

&quot;The British government has pledged to help solve this crisis by taking in some unaccompanied minors, the vast majority of whom have expressed the wish to go to the UK,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

The minister&#39;s comments came a day after many teenagers were sent to the UK.&nbsp;Britain said the children sent were aged between 14 and 17 and were from countries including Syria and Sudan. More will follow in the coming days.&nbsp;

&quot;The UK government now needs to intensify this effort, so that every unaccompanied minor can benefit from fair, lasting protection. In the longer term, neither the UK nor France can abdicate our responsibilities regarding the migration crisis across our continent,&quot; AFP quoted Cazeneuve saying.&nbsp;

The &quot;Jungle&quot; camp saw the influx of migrants from across Europe, many of whom wished to seek asylum in Britain. This has caused tensions between both countries.&nbsp;

Cazeneuve also warned that the &quot;humanitarian operation must be supported by long-term measures aimed at making the border impenetrable at Calais and other Channel ports&quot;.&nbsp;

And that &quot;thanks to the cooperation between our police services, 33 illegal immigration networks smuggling people into the UK have already been dismantled in France since the beginning of this year,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

 
&nbsp;

French interior minister said neither UK nor France will want to leave people wanting asylum out cold, least of all women and children

French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that Britain must be responsible towards unaccompanied children traveling from Calais "Jungle" camp in an article published in The Guardian today. The minister also spoke about tearing down the camp, adding that neither London nor Paris wants "to leave people with the right to refugee status in the cold and the mud -– women and children least of all." "The British government has pledged to help solve this crisis by taking in some unaccompanied minors, the vast majority of whom have expressed the wish to go to the UK," he added. The minister's comments came a day after many teenagers were sent to the UK. Britain said the children sent were aged between 14 and 17 and were from countries including Syria and Sudan. More will follow in the coming days. "The UK government now needs to intensify this effort, so that every unaccompanied minor can benefit from fair, lasting protection. In the longer term, neither the UK nor France can abdicate our responsibilities regarding the migration crisis across our continent," AFP quoted Cazeneuve saying. The "Jungle" camp saw the influx of migrants from across Europe, many of whom wished to seek asylum in Britain. This has caused tensions between both countries. Cazeneuve also warned that the "humanitarian operation must be supported by long-term measures aimed at making the border impenetrable at Calais and other Channel ports". And that "thanks to the cooperation between our police services, 33 illegal immigration networks smuggling people into the UK have already been dismantled in France since the beginning of this year," he added. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Britain must fulfil duty to Calais migrant kids: France

Imagine a child without any toys to play with, regular schooling or a daily dose of cartoons. Sounds like a disturbed childhood, right? This is the reality for about 14.4 million refugees (2014 UNHCR figures) in the world&nbsp;who lead a different life than an average kid living in their own homeland.

World Refugee Day is celebrated every year on June 20.&nbsp;

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World Refugee Day (WION)
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Living under difficult circumstances, refugees deal with several issues at hand. Displaced from their place of belonging here is a list of things that refugee kids miss out on a daily basis:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Their home:&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Usually relocated, refugee children miss out on growing up in their own homeland, among friends and family. Unlike children who are raised under normal state of affairs, these kids are not exposed to their culture and surroundings that are vital for a holistic development.&nbsp;

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A refugee camp (AFP)
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<ul>
	<li>Regular education:&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Most refugee children have no or negligible access to regular schools. Some are pulled out of schools because of war-like situations or have to discontinue so as to fend for the family.&nbsp;

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A makeshift refugee school (AFP)
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<ul>
	<li>Food:&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Leading a disturbed lifestyle, refugee children have no access to everyday food that we munch on. Most of them survive on minimum basics or go without food for several days. In several countries they are given food vouchers, so you can imagine they don&#39;t eat anything that we fancy on as kids -&nbsp;ice creams, burgers, pizzas or other junk food items.&nbsp;

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Displaced kids eating (AFP)
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<ul>
	<li>Lose their childhood too early:&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Reeling under physical and psychological pressure, refugee kids mature much early than their counterparts. It is reported by the&nbsp;UN&#39;s refugee agency that countries like Syria have reported grave dangers for refugee kids. Girls are married to much older men vying for safety while the boys are forced into labour so as to sustain a family.&nbsp;

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A kid at work in a refugee camp (AFP)
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<ul>
	<li>Source of entertainment:&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

As a child refugee, the&nbsp;kids are always striving for safety and have no&nbsp;source of entertainment like movies, cartoons, leisure activities or even access to toys sometimes.&nbsp;

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A child plays with makeshift tricycle (AFP)
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Every year, war adds on to the number of refugees worldwide. Facing danger to life and other basic human rights, they need to be provided with a closer-to home environment for growth. Many organisations around the world like UNHCR, World Food Programs are working towards improving their living standards.

&nbsp;

(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)&nbsp; 
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&nbsp;

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Owing to pressure, these kids mature faster than those living in their homes

Imagine a child without any toys to play with, regular schooling or a daily dose of cartoons. Sounds like a disturbed childhood, right? This is the reality for about 14.4 million refugees (2014 UNHCR figures) in the world who lead a different life than an average kid living in their own homeland. World Refugee Day is celebrated every year on June 20. World Refugee Day (WION) × Living under difficult circumstances, refugees deal with several issues at hand. Displaced from their place of belonging here is a list of things that refugee kids miss out on a daily basis: Their home: Usually relocated, refugee children miss out on growing up in their own homeland, among friends and family. Unlike children who are raised under normal state of affairs, these kids are not exposed to their culture and surroundings that are vital for a holistic development. A refugee camp (AFP) × Regular education: Most refugee children have no or negligible access to regular schools. Some are pulled out of schools because of war-like situations or have to discontinue so as to fend for the family. A makeshift refugee school (AFP) × Food: Leading a disturbed lifestyle, refugee children have no access to everyday food that we munch on. Most of them survive on minimum basics or go without food for several days. In several countries they are given food vouchers, so you can imagine they don't eat anything that we fancy on as kids - ice creams, burgers, pizzas or other junk food items. Displaced kids eating (AFP) × Lose their childhood too early: Reeling under physical and psychological pressure, refugee kids mature much early than their counterparts. It is reported by the UN's refugee agency that countries like Syria have reported grave dangers for refugee kids. Girls are married to much older men vying for safety while the boys are forced into labour so as to sustain a family. A kid at work in a refugee camp (AFP) × Source of entertainment: As a child refugee, the kids are always striving for safety and have no source of entertainment like movies, cartoons, leisure activities or even access to toys sometimes. A child plays with makeshift tricycle (AFP) × Every year, war adds on to the number of refugees worldwide. Facing danger to life and other basic human rights, they need to be provided with a closer-to home environment for growth. Many organisations around the world like UNHCR, World Food Programs are working towards improving their living standards. (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

A refugee child misses out on things your average kid takes for granted

&nbsp;

French police resorted to the use of tear gas shells and water cannon to control a crowd of migrants and activists at a banned rally in Calais on Saturday.&nbsp;

Hundreds of demonstrations clashed with the police in front of the &quot;Jungle&quot; camp, protesting against poor living conditions. &nbsp;

Three police officers received minor injuries from the stones hurled at them by the migrants, in the worst confrontation since February when operations began to dismantle the southern part of the camp.&nbsp;

Etienne Desplanques, an official of the Pas-de-Calais region said ,&quot;200 people, mainly from the No Borders group and migrants gathered in front of the CRS (riot police)&quot;&nbsp;

&#39;Jungle camp&#39;

Migrants from all over the world have been converging in Calais wanting to make their way to Britain.&nbsp;

About 7,000 and 10,000 migrants are currently residing in the camp, which will be taken apart by the end of this year to distribute migrants across the country.

Critics have argued that this is not France&#39;s problem but Britain&#39;s. However, the British government said migrants need to appeal for asylum under European Union law in the country where they first arrive.&nbsp;

A migrant living in the Calais Jungle told Reuters, &quot;Open the (UK) border, let them through. That&#39;s&#39; the political solution. In France, there is no political solution and we denounce that.&quot;

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

French authorities have vowed to dismantle the refugee camp in Calais by next month, spurring violent protests

French police resorted to the use of tear gas shells and water cannon to control a crowd of migrants and activists at a banned rally in Calais on Saturday. Hundreds of demonstrations clashed with the police in front of the "Jungle" camp, protesting against poor living conditions. Three police officers received minor injuries from the stones hurled at them by the migrants, in the worst confrontation since February when operations began to dismantle the southern part of the camp. Etienne Desplanques, an official of the Pas-de-Calais region said ,"200 people, mainly from the No Borders group and migrants gathered in front of the CRS (riot police)" 'Jungle camp' Migrants from all over the world have been converging in Calais wanting to make their way to Britain. About 7,000 and 10,000 migrants are currently residing in the camp, which will be taken apart by the end of this year to distribute migrants across the country. Critics have argued that this is not France's problem but Britain's. However, the British government said migrants need to appeal for asylum under European Union law in the country where they first arrive. A migrant living in the Calais Jungle told Reuters, "Open the (UK) border, let them through. That's' the political solution. In France, there is no political solution and we denounce that." (WION with inputs from agencies)

French police, migrants clash outside Calais refugee camp

Egyptian prosecutors on Thursday remanded four men in custody over suspicion of human trafficking following Wednesday&rsquo;s incident of a migrant boat capsizing. 
 
Judicial and security officials informed that dozens are feared to have drowned in the incident. 
 
The suspects are accused of human trafficking and involuntary manslaughter, officials said. 
 
So far, 42 bodies have been recovered from the sea off the Egyptian coast while 163 people were saved. 
 
The European Union&rsquo;s border agency Frontex had a few months ago warned that the growing number of Europe-bound migrants had been turning to Egypt before setting on their sea voyage. 
 
Traffickers have been known to often use vessels that are in a poor condition and overload them for the fares. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

Egyptian officials said that the four are accused of human trafficking and involuntary manslaughter

Egyptian prosecutors on Thursday remanded four men in custody over suspicion of human trafficking following Wednesday’s incident of a migrant boat capsizing. Judicial and security officials informed that dozens are feared to have drowned in the incident. The suspects are accused of human trafficking and involuntary manslaughter, officials said. So far, 42 bodies have been recovered from the sea off the Egyptian coast while 163 people were saved. The European Union’s border agency Frontex had a few months ago warned that the growing number of Europe-bound migrants had been turning to Egypt before setting on their sea voyage. Traffickers have been known to often use vessels that are in a poor condition and overload them for the fares. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Egypt holds 4 suspected traffickers over capsized migrant boat

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will discuss the country&#39;s stand on refugees at the first UN summit on refugees and migrants by the UN General Assembly on September 19-20, reported Bangladesh&#39;s bdnews24.com. 
 
She will highlight the nation&#39;s priorities and position on refugee issues, Bangladesh foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali told reporters. 
 
As the current chair of the &#39;Global Forum for Migration and Development&#39;, Bangladesh is particularly interested in the refugee crisis. 
 
On the sidelines of the UN summit, US President Barack Obama will be a part of the Leaders Summit, where Hasina will talk about Bangladesh&#39;s 10 million refugees, who have taken shelter in India after the 1971 Liberation war from Pakistan, Ali said. 
 
She will also discuss the situation of Myanmar refugees who have taken asylum in Bangladesh. 
 
According to UNHCR report 2011, Bangladesh is host to around 29,000 recognised refugees who were accommodated in camps and an estimated 36,000 unrecognised refugees who have congregated in makeshift&nbsp;sites to which UNHCR and other international and national humanitarian actors have limited access. In addition, there are thought to be at least 200,000 undocumented Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar.
<h2>UN summit on refugees and migrants</h2>
The UN General Assembly has for the first time organised a summit at the heads of state and government level to discuss large movements of refugees across nations and to respond to them in a humane manner.&nbsp; 
 
The aim is to &quot;strengthen governance of international migration and a unique opportunity for creating a more responsible, predictable system for responding to large movements of refugees and migrants&quot;, the United Nations&#39; official website states. 
 
(WION)

This is the first such summit by the UN General Assembly aimed at 'strengthening governance of international migration'

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will discuss the country's stand on refugees at the first UN summit on refugees and migrants by the UN General Assembly on September 19-20, reported Bangladesh's bdnews24.com. She will highlight the nation's priorities and position on refugee issues, Bangladesh foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali told reporters. As the current chair of the 'Global Forum for Migration and Development', Bangladesh is particularly interested in the refugee crisis. On the sidelines of the UN summit, US President Barack Obama will be a part of the Leaders Summit, where Hasina will talk about Bangladesh's 10 million refugees, who have taken shelter in India after the 1971 Liberation war from Pakistan, Ali said. She will also discuss the situation of Myanmar refugees who have taken asylum in Bangladesh. According to UNHCR report 2011, Bangladesh is host to around 29,000 recognised refugees who were accommodated in camps and an estimated 36,000 unrecognised refugees who have congregated in makeshift sites to which UNHCR and other international and national humanitarian actors have limited access. In addition, there are thought to be at least 200,000 undocumented Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar. UN summit on refugees and migrants The UN General Assembly has for the first time organised a summit at the heads of state and government level to discuss large movements of refugees across nations and to respond to them in a humane manner. The aim is to "strengthen governance of international migration and a unique opportunity for creating a more responsible, predictable system for responding to large movements of refugees and migrants", the United Nations' official website states. (WION)

Bangladesh prime minister to discuss migrants, refugee crisis at UN summit

Around 1,100 migrants were rescued off the coast of Libya on Sunday, taking the tally of rescued migrants to 3,400 over the weekend. 
 
The Italian coastguard said that those saved on Sunday had left Libya aboard eight overloaded inflatable dinghies and two fishing vessels. 
 
They were picked up by Italian coastguard and naval vessels, a British and an Irish warship and several ships chartered by humanitarian NGOs, the coastguard added. 
 
On Saturday, 2,300 people were rescued from 18 small boats. 
 
More than 14,000 people were rescued within five days last month. Most were from sub-Saharan Africa. 
 
According to Italy&#39;s interior ministry, about 124,500 migrants have arrived since the start of 2016. 
 
The country now has 155,000 migrants in reception centres, compared to the 103,000 in 2015 and 66,000 in 2014. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

Around 1,100 migrants aboard eight dinghies were rescued on Sunday while another 2,300 from 18 small boats were saved on Saturday

Around 1,100 migrants were rescued off the coast of Libya on Sunday, taking the tally of rescued migrants to 3,400 over the weekend. The Italian coastguard said that those saved on Sunday had left Libya aboard eight overloaded inflatable dinghies and two fishing vessels. They were picked up by Italian coastguard and naval vessels, a British and an Irish warship and several ships chartered by humanitarian NGOs, the coastguard added. On Saturday, 2,300 people were rescued from 18 small boats. More than 14,000 people were rescued within five days last month. Most were from sub-Saharan Africa. According to Italy's interior ministry, about 124,500 migrants have arrived since the start of 2016. The country now has 155,000 migrants in reception centres, compared to the 103,000 in 2015 and 66,000 in 2014. (WION with inputs from agencies)

3,400 migrants rescued in two days off Libyan coast: Italian coastguard

Britain will start building wall in the French port city of Calais to prevent refugees and migrants from entering the country, the interior ministry said on Wednesday.&nbsp; 
 
The barrier, which will be 4-metre high and one kilometre long, will be built on a port approach road starting this month. The project is likely to be completed by the end of the year, officials said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are going to start building this big new wall very soon. We&#39;ve done the fence, now we are doing a wall,&quot; junior minister Robert Goodwill told a parliamentary committee. 
 
He added that security was being stepped up in Calais, home to the &ldquo;Jungle&#39;&#39; camp, to keep thousands of migrants from the Middle East who are fleeing war and poverty. There were a lot of attempted channel crossings last year by migrants sneaking onto lorries boarding ferries and the Eurotunnel. 
 
France had dismantled the southern half of the Jungle camp in February and March.&nbsp; 
 
In March, Britain and France had agreed to a 17 million pound of security measures of which the wall is a part.&nbsp; 
 
The agreement has drawn severe criticism from across the political spectrum. &nbsp; 
 
Green Party MP Caroline Lucas called the wall &quot;monstrous&quot; and the campaign group, Citizens UK, asked Britain to use the money&nbsp;to transfer child migrants with families in Britain from Calais instead. 
 
Richard Burnett, chief executive of Britain&#39;s Road Haulage Association said that funding for the wall &quot;would be much better spent on increasing security along the approach roads&quot;. 
 
The jungle is a home to some 7,000 migrants, but the number might have mounted to 10,000 after the recent influx, the charities have said.&nbsp; 
 
There have been complaints of migrants attacking vehicles with metal bars to stop them. They sometimes use tree branches to block roads to slow trucks heading for Britain.
&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Officials said the four-meter high, one-kilometer long barrier will be built on a port approach road starting this month

Britain will start building wall in the French port city of Calais to prevent refugees and migrants from entering the country, the interior ministry said on Wednesday. The barrier, which will be 4-metre high and one kilometre long, will be built on a port approach road starting this month. The project is likely to be completed by the end of the year, officials said. "We are going to start building this big new wall very soon. We've done the fence, now we are doing a wall," junior minister Robert Goodwill told a parliamentary committee. He added that security was being stepped up in Calais, home to the “Jungle'' camp, to keep thousands of migrants from the Middle East who are fleeing war and poverty. There were a lot of attempted channel crossings last year by migrants sneaking onto lorries boarding ferries and the Eurotunnel. France had dismantled the southern half of the Jungle camp in February and March. In March, Britain and France had agreed to a 17 million pound of security measures of which the wall is a part. The agreement has drawn severe criticism from across the political spectrum. Green Party MP Caroline Lucas called the wall "monstrous" and the campaign group, Citizens UK, asked Britain to use the money to transfer child migrants with families in Britain from Calais instead. Richard Burnett, chief executive of Britain's Road Haulage Association said that funding for the wall "would be much better spent on increasing security along the approach roads". The jungle is a home to some 7,000 migrants, but the number might have mounted to 10,000 after the recent influx, the charities have said. There have been complaints of migrants attacking vehicles with metal bars to stop them. They sometimes use tree branches to block roads to slow trucks heading for Britain. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Britain to build wall in Calais to keep migrants at bay

About 50 million children across the world have been &#39;uprooted&#39; from their homes &nbsp;by war, violence or persecution&nbsp;and millions more are migrating in the hope of &quot;finding a better, safer life,&quot; United Nation&#39;s children program said today.&nbsp; 
 
In its new released report &nbsp;&#39;Uprooted: The growing crisis for refugee and migrant children&#39;, the United Nations International Children&#39;s Emergency Fund &nbsp;(UNICEF) underlines that millions of children all over the world, traumatised by the conflicts and violence, face further dangers during their including the &quot;risk of drowning on sea crossings&quot;, &quot;malnourishment&quot; and &quot;dehydration&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Indelible images of individual children &ndash; Aylan Kurdi&rsquo;s small body washed up on a beach after drowning at sea or Omran Daqneesh&rsquo;s stunned and bloody face as he sat in an ambulance after his home was destroyed &ndash; have shocked the world,&rdquo; says UNICEF executive director Anthony Lake.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;But each picture, each girl or boy, represents many millions of children in danger &ndash; and this demands that our compassion for the individual children we see be matched with action for all children.&rdquo; 
 
Children make up about a third of the world&#39;s population but about half of all refugees. 
 
The children account for a &quot;disproportionate and growing proportion&quot; of people seeking refuge outside their home countries. 
 
A grim picture of the world &nbsp; 
 
The report paints a grim picture of children and families, affected by violent conflict and other crises, who find it &quot;safer to risk everything on a perilous journey than remain at home&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
The analysis of global data reveals that 28 million of those children were displaced by violence and conflict, including 10 million child refugees. 
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<h5>Staggeringly enough, more and more children, among those at the highest risk of exploitation and abuse including by smugglers and traffickers, are crossing borders on their own.&nbsp;</h5>
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Staggeringly enough, more and more children, among those at the highest risk of exploitation and abuse including by smugglers and traffickers, are crossing borders on their own.&nbsp; 
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&ldquo;I tell them we are people just like you&rdquo; Mustafa, 14, adjusts to life in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Germany?src=hash">#Germany</a> after <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash">#Syria</a> <a href="https://t.co/NGpzp8olg8">https://t.co/NGpzp8olg8</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChildrenUprooted?src=hash">#ChildrenUprooted</a>
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In 2015, over 100,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in 78 countries &ndash; triple the number in 2014, the report reads.&nbsp; 
 
About 20 million other international child migrants have left their homes for a variety of reasons including extreme poverty or gang violence, the report states. 
 
 
Largest number of recent refugees in Turkey&nbsp; 
 
Turkey hosts the largest total number of recent refugees, and very likely the largest number of child refugees in the world, according to Uprooted.&nbsp; 
 
Further, relative to its population, Lebanon hosts the largest number of refugees by an overwhelming margin: Roughly 1 in 5 people in Lebanon is a refugee.&nbsp; 
 
In United Kingdom (UK), &nbsp;there is roughly 1 refugee for every 530 people by comparison while 1 in every 1,200 in the United States.&nbsp;
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<h5>Turkey hosts the largest total number of recent refugees, and very likely the largest number of child refugees in the world, according to Uprooted.&nbsp;</h5>
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&quot;When considering refugee-host countries by income level, however, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, and Pakistan host the highest concentration of refugees,&quot; UNICEF report points out.&nbsp; 
 
In 2015, about 45 percent of child refugees under the UN refugee agency`s care came from Syria and Afghanistan. 
 
Impact of migration 
 
Migration can offer opportunities for both the children who migrate and the communities they join, the report argues.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;An analysis of the impact of migration in high-income countries found that migrants contributed more in taxes and social payments than they received; filled both high- and low-skilled gaps in the labour market; and contributed to economic growth and innovation in hosting countries,&quot; it states.&nbsp; 
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<h5>The UN report has also pointed out how legal barriers pose a challenge for the children to claim equal benefits as the children who are native to a country.&nbsp;</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The UN report has also pointed out how legal barriers pose a challenge for the children to claim equal benefits as the children who are native to a country.?" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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children who have left or are forcibly displaced from their homes often lose out on the potential benefits of migration, such as education &ndash; a major driving factor for many children and families who choose to migrate. A refugee child is five times more likely to be out of school than a non-refugee child. When they are able to attend school at all, it is the place migrant and refugee children are most likely to encounter discrimination &ndash; including unfair treatment and bullying. 
 
The UN global data has also pointed out how legal barriers pose a challenge for the children to claim equal benefits as the children who are native to a country.&nbsp; 
 
It has been observed that in the worst cases, &quot;xenophobia can escalate to direct attacks. In Germany alone, authorities tracked 850 attacks against refugee shelters in 2015&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, the international body has said it will take up the issue of migration in two late-September meetings on the sidelines of this year&#39;s UN general assembly. 
 
&quot;We&#39;d like to see some clear commitments and practical measures,&quot; UNICEF deputy executive director Justin Forsyth told journalists in New York. 
 
&quot;The burden sharing of this crisis is not fair: the greatest burden is supported by neighboring countries or the poorest countries.&quot; 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

'50 million children throughout the world have been displaced from their home countries by war, violence or persecution'

About 50 million children across the world have been 'uprooted' from their homes by war, violence or persecution and millions more are migrating in the hope of "finding a better, safer life," United Nation's children program said today. In its new released report 'Uprooted: The growing crisis for refugee and migrant children', the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) underlines that millions of children all over the world, traumatised by the conflicts and violence, face further dangers during their including the "risk of drowning on sea crossings", "malnourishment" and "dehydration". "Indelible images of individual children – Aylan Kurdi’s small body washed up on a beach after drowning at sea or Omran Daqneesh’s stunned and bloody face as he sat in an ambulance after his home was destroyed – have shocked the world,” says UNICEF executive director Anthony Lake. “But each picture, each girl or boy, represents many millions of children in danger – and this demands that our compassion for the individual children we see be matched with action for all children.” Children make up about a third of the world's population but about half of all refugees. The children account for a "disproportionate and growing proportion" of people seeking refuge outside their home countries. A grim picture of the world The report paints a grim picture of children and families, affected by violent conflict and other crises, who find it "safer to risk everything on a perilous journey than remain at home". The analysis of global data reveals that 28 million of those children were displaced by violence and conflict, including 10 million child refugees. Staggeringly enough, more and more children, among those at the highest risk of exploitation and abuse including by smugglers and traffickers, are crossing borders on their own. Staggeringly enough, more and more children, among those at the highest risk of exploitation and abuse including by smugglers and traffickers, are crossing borders on their own. “I tell them we are people just like you” Mustafa, 14, adjusts to life in #Germany after #Syria https://t.co/NGpzp8olg8 #ChildrenUprooted — UNICEF (@UNICEF) September 7, 2016 In 2015, over 100,000 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in 78 countries – triple the number in 2014, the report reads. About 20 million other international child migrants have left their homes for a variety of reasons including extreme poverty or gang violence, the report states. Largest number of recent refugees in Turkey Turkey hosts the largest total number of recent refugees, and very likely the largest number of child refugees in the world, according to Uprooted. Further, relative to its population, Lebanon hosts the largest number of refugees by an overwhelming margin: Roughly 1 in 5 people in Lebanon is a refugee. In United Kingdom (UK), there is roughly 1 refugee for every 530 people by comparison while 1 in every 1,200 in the United States. Turkey hosts the largest total number of recent refugees, and very likely the largest number of child refugees in the world, according to Uprooted. "When considering refugee-host countries by income level, however, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, and Pakistan host the highest concentration of refugees," UNICEF report points out. In 2015, about 45 percent of child refugees under the UN refugee agency`s care came from Syria and Afghanistan. Impact of migration Migration can offer opportunities for both the children who migrate and the communities they join, the report argues. "An analysis of the impact of migration in high-income countries found that migrants contributed more in taxes and social payments than they received; filled both high- and low-skilled gaps in the labour market; and contributed to economic growth and innovation in hosting countries," it states. The UN report has also pointed out how legal barriers pose a challenge for the children to claim equal benefits as the children who are native to a country. children who have left or are forcibly displaced from their homes often lose out on the potential benefits of migration, such as education – a major driving factor for many children and families who choose to migrate. A refugee child is five times more likely to be out of school than a non-refugee child. When they are able to attend school at all, it is the place migrant and refugee children are most likely to encounter discrimination – including unfair treatment and bullying. The UN global data has also pointed out how legal barriers pose a challenge for the children to claim equal benefits as the children who are native to a country. It has been observed that in the worst cases, "xenophobia can escalate to direct attacks. In Germany alone, authorities tracked 850 attacks against refugee shelters in 2015". Meanwhile, the international body has said it will take up the issue of migration in two late-September meetings on the sidelines of this year's UN general assembly. "We'd like to see some clear commitments and practical measures," UNICEF deputy executive director Justin Forsyth told journalists in New York. "The burden sharing of this crisis is not fair: the greatest burden is supported by neighboring countries or the poorest countries." (WION with inputs from AFP)

About half of all refugees in the world are children: UNICEF report

The Italian coastguard on Monday rescued around 6,500 migrants off the coast of Libya in an operation that had as many as 700 people crammed onto one fishing boat. 
 
Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which was part of the operations, informed that a five-day-old baby was among those rescued and was airlifted to an Italian hospital. 
 
Vessels from Italy&rsquo;s humanitarian organisations as well as EU&#39;s border agency Frontex were involved in the operations. 
 
More than 1,100 migrants were rescued in the same area on Sunday.&nbsp; 
 
According to the UN&rsquo;s refugee agency and the coastguard, a total of 112,500 migrants have arrived in Italy so far this year against last year&rsquo;s 116,000 up to August. 
 
Most of these are from West Africa and the Horn of Africa, often departing from Libya.&nbsp; 
 
The Italian coastguard is expecting more migrant boats soon, given the favourable weather conditions. 
 
Vessels run by humanitarian groups often patrol the waters off the Libyan coast, but rival factions are now trying to control migrant trafficking. 
 
More than 3,000 migrants have died at sea while trying to reach either Greece or Italy&nbsp; 
this year, 50 per cent more than that in 2015. 
 
Europe recorded the arrival of 204,000 in the first six months of 2016, the UN refugee agency informed, with the continent calling it its worst migration crisis since World War II. 
 
More than a million migrants had landed in Europe last year, most fleeing war in Syria and the Middle East. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

Vessels from Italy?s humanitarian organisations and EU's border agency Frontex were involved in the rescue operations

The Italian coastguard on Monday rescued around 6,500 migrants off the coast of Libya in an operation that had as many as 700 people crammed onto one fishing boat. Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which was part of the operations, informed that a five-day-old baby was among those rescued and was airlifted to an Italian hospital. Vessels from Italy’s humanitarian organisations as well as EU's border agency Frontex were involved in the operations. More than 1,100 migrants were rescued in the same area on Sunday. According to the UN’s refugee agency and the coastguard, a total of 112,500 migrants have arrived in Italy so far this year against last year’s 116,000 up to August. Most of these are from West Africa and the Horn of Africa, often departing from Libya. The Italian coastguard is expecting more migrant boats soon, given the favourable weather conditions. Vessels run by humanitarian groups often patrol the waters off the Libyan coast, but rival factions are now trying to control migrant trafficking. More than 3,000 migrants have died at sea while trying to reach either Greece or Italy this year, 50 per cent more than that in 2015. Europe recorded the arrival of 204,000 in the first six months of 2016, the UN refugee agency informed, with the continent calling it its worst migration crisis since World War II. More than a million migrants had landed in Europe last year, most fleeing war in Syria and the Middle East. (WION with inputs from agencies)

6,500 migrants rescued off Libya coast

The weak outlook for the UK economy will outweigh any potential pay rise for British workers if the country&#39;s EU exit leads to immigration cuts, a report warned on Monday.

Future cuts to immigration could have a positive impact on the income of some British workers, but they will still be exposed to&nbsp;Brexit&#39;s impact on the broader economy, the Resolution Foundation think tank said.

Cleaners, security employees and sales staff are among those who have seen their income fall in recent years as a result of immigration, it said in an analysis.

These workers could see their income increase by between 0.2 and 0.6 per cent by 2018 if immigration fell immediately to tens of thousands a year, a key policy pledge by former prime minister David Cameron.

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<h5>The think tank warned a cut to migration would prove challenging for food and clothing manufacturers, as well as domestic personnel services, which rely more heavily on a foreign labour force.</h5>
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But such a salary boost would not shelter workers from the wider economic consequences from Brexit, the think tank said.

The Bank of England earlier this month issued its biggest-ever downgrade of a GDP forecast in the light of Britain&#39;s looming EU exit.

Its growth forecast was slashed from 2.3 per cent for both 2017 and 2018 to 0.8 per cent next year and 1.8 per cent the year after.

&quot;Those expecting a wage boost off the back of a post-Brexit&nbsp;fall in migration are likely to be disappointed,&quot; said Stephen Clarke, a policy analyst at the Resolution Foundation.

&quot;Any such gains will be dwarfed by the losses caused by the post-referendum slowdown in the economy.&quot; 
 
Immigration was a focus point of the June 23 referendum, with campaigners to leave the EU calling for an end to freedom of movement for members of the bloc.

The Resolution Foundation said overall the increase in immigration over the past 10 years has not had an impact on the wages of British workers.

The think tank warned a cut to migration would prove challenging for food and clothing manufacturers, as well as domestic personnel services, which rely more heavily on a foreign labour force.

Prime Minister Theresa May, who replaced Cameron following the referendum, has said she intends to guarantee the rights of EU citizens currently living in Britain.

May said her promise depends on the rights of British citizens living in other EU countries being guaranteed after the UK leaves the union, which is not expected to happen before 2019. 
 
(AFP)

The study also warned that curbing migration would prove challenging for food and clothing manufacturers

The weak outlook for the UK economy will outweigh any potential pay rise for British workers if the country's EU exit leads to immigration cuts, a report warned on Monday. Future cuts to immigration could have a positive impact on the income of some British workers, but they will still be exposed to Brexit's impact on the broader economy, the Resolution Foundation think tank said. Cleaners, security employees and sales staff are among those who have seen their income fall in recent years as a result of immigration, it said in an analysis. These workers could see their income increase by between 0.2 and 0.6 per cent by 2018 if immigration fell immediately to tens of thousands a year, a key policy pledge by former prime minister David Cameron. The think tank warned a cut to migration would prove challenging for food and clothing manufacturers, as well as domestic personnel services, which rely more heavily on a foreign labour force. But such a salary boost would not shelter workers from the wider economic consequences from Brexit, the think tank said. The Bank of England earlier this month issued its biggest-ever downgrade of a GDP forecast in the light of Britain's looming EU exit. Its growth forecast was slashed from 2.3 per cent for both 2017 and 2018 to 0.8 per cent next year and 1.8 per cent the year after. "Those expecting a wage boost off the back of a post-Brexit fall in migration are likely to be disappointed," said Stephen Clarke, a policy analyst at the Resolution Foundation. "Any such gains will be dwarfed by the losses caused by the post-referendum slowdown in the economy." Immigration was a focus point of the June 23 referendum, with campaigners to leave the EU calling for an end to freedom of movement for members of the bloc. The Resolution Foundation said overall the increase in immigration over the past 10 years has not had an impact on the wages of British workers. The think tank warned a cut to migration would prove challenging for food and clothing manufacturers, as well as domestic personnel services, which rely more heavily on a foreign labour force. Prime Minister Theresa May, who replaced Cameron following the referendum, has said she intends to guarantee the rights of EU citizens currently living in Britain. May said her promise depends on the rights of British citizens living in other EU countries being guaranteed after the UK leaves the union, which is not expected to happen before 2019. (AFP)

Brexit fallout to dwarf benefits of pay rise: Report

Germany appears to have drastically curtailed its open-door policy for migrants in 2016, turning away 13,000 people without valid documentation in the first six months, already 4,000 more than in the whole of 2015, official data showed on Tuesday. 
 
Around 117,500 migrants were admitted in the same period, compared to a record of more than one million migrants entering the country last year, mainly across the border from Austria. 
 
The bulk of the rejections happened at land entry points and Afghans, Syrians, and Iraqis made up the three largest groups of the total, the Interior Ministry data published at the request of the hard-left Die Linke party showed. 
 
Chancellor Angela Merkel last month interrupted her summer break to defend her government&#39;s migration policy after two Islamist attacks by asylum seekers, saying that those fleeing conflicts and persecution have the right to asylum in Germany. 
 
More than 2,500 Afghans, 1,300 Syrians, and 1,000 Iraqis were declined entry at border crossings in the January-June period, the ministry said. Iranians, Moroccans, Nigerians, Pakistanis, Gambians, Somalis and Algerians made up the rest of the top 10. 
 
The number of people seeking asylum in Germany dropped drastically this year as a result of border closures in the Balkans, an EU-Turkey deal to stop sea arrivals in Greece and tougher asylum rules in Germany. 
 
In July, 4,500 migrants arrived in Germany, less than half of the daily arrivals at the peak of the crisis in the fall of last year, German police said earlier this month, bringing the number of arrivals in the first seven months of the year to 122,000. 
 
Migrants who arrive in Germany are first registered at reception centres where they have to wait for months before they can officially file an asylum application, creating a huge backlog and putting a strain on civil servants. 
 
The influx has dented the popularity of Merkel&#39;s ruling conservatives and prompted the rise of an anti-immigration party. 
 
Turkey has threatened to suspend its migrants&#39; agreement with the European Union if there is no deal to grant visa-free travel to Turks. The number of migrants reaches Italy in boats from Libya has also been rising. 
 
(Reuters)

The country has turned away 13,000 people without valid documentation in the first six months, already 4,000 more than in the whole of 2015

Germany appears to have drastically curtailed its open-door policy for migrants in 2016, turning away 13,000 people without valid documentation in the first six months, already 4,000 more than in the whole of 2015, official data showed on Tuesday. Around 117,500 migrants were admitted in the same period, compared to a record of more than one million migrants entering the country last year, mainly across the border from Austria. The bulk of the rejections happened at land entry points and Afghans, Syrians, and Iraqis made up the three largest groups of the total, the Interior Ministry data published at the request of the hard-left Die Linke party showed. Chancellor Angela Merkel last month interrupted her summer break to defend her government's migration policy after two Islamist attacks by asylum seekers, saying that those fleeing conflicts and persecution have the right to asylum in Germany. More than 2,500 Afghans, 1,300 Syrians, and 1,000 Iraqis were declined entry at border crossings in the January-June period, the ministry said. Iranians, Moroccans, Nigerians, Pakistanis, Gambians, Somalis and Algerians made up the rest of the top 10. The number of people seeking asylum in Germany dropped drastically this year as a result of border closures in the Balkans, an EU-Turkey deal to stop sea arrivals in Greece and tougher asylum rules in Germany. In July, 4,500 migrants arrived in Germany, less than half of the daily arrivals at the peak of the crisis in the fall of last year, German police said earlier this month, bringing the number of arrivals in the first seven months of the year to 122,000. Migrants who arrive in Germany are first registered at reception centres where they have to wait for months before they can officially file an asylum application, creating a huge backlog and putting a strain on civil servants. The influx has dented the popularity of Merkel's ruling conservatives and prompted the rise of an anti-immigration party. Turkey has threatened to suspend its migrants' agreement with the European Union if there is no deal to grant visa-free travel to Turks. The number of migrants reaches Italy in boats from Libya has also been rising. (Reuters)

Germany has curbed open-door policy for migrants, government data reveals

More than 120 bodies of&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;who died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe have washed up around Sabratha in western Libya this month, the city&#39;s mayor said on Sunday.

Hussein Thwadi said bodies had washed up on a daily basis, with 53 found on a single day last week.

Libya is a common departure point for&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;seeking to travel to Europe by boat, many of them fleeing violence, repression or poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.

Political turmoil and armed conflict in Libya have given smugglers the space to work with impunity, running trafficking networks that bring&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;across the Sahara desert to the coast.

Of more than 3,000&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;known to have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year, about three out of four perished trying to reach Italy from North Africa, mainly Libya, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Nearly 90,000&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;had crossed the central Mediterranean to Italy as of this week, the IOM said, a 14 per cent increase on the previous year.

As the number of attempted crossings from Libya picked up in the spring with the arrival of calmer weather, many of the boats have been leaving from the coastline near Sabratha.

&quot;The whole coast of Sabratha is open,&quot; Thwadi told Reuters by phone. &quot;There are patrols but they do not have enough capacity to tackle this crisis.&quot;

&quot;Illegal migration existed before, but with insecurity and the lack of state authorities, the crisis has become worse and worse.&quot;

Thwadi said most of the&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;whose bodies washed up this month were from sub-Saharan African states, though there were also 23 Tunisians. Red Crescent volunteers and local officials have been removing them for burial in a cemetery for unidentified bodies in Sabratha, he said.

A UN-backed government that has been trying to establish itself in Tripoli since March says tackling migration is among its priorities.&nbsp;But the government is struggling to manage complex security and economic challenges, and still faces political opposition on the ground.&nbsp;Thwadi said he had raised the issue with the new government&#39;s leadership but had not yet received any concrete response.

(Reuters)

Nearly 90,000?migrants?had crossed the central Mediterranean to Italy as of this week, a 14% increase over the previous year

More than 120 bodies of migrants who died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe have washed up around Sabratha in western Libya this month, the city's mayor said on Sunday. Hussein Thwadi said bodies had washed up on a daily basis, with 53 found on a single day last week. Libya is a common departure point for migrants seeking to travel to Europe by boat, many of them fleeing violence, repression or poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. Political turmoil and armed conflict in Libya have given smugglers the space to work with impunity, running trafficking networks that bring migrants across the Sahara desert to the coast. Of more than 3,000 migrants known to have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year, about three out of four perished trying to reach Italy from North Africa, mainly Libya, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Nearly 90,000 migrants had crossed the central Mediterranean to Italy as of this week, the IOM said, a 14 per cent increase on the previous year. As the number of attempted crossings from Libya picked up in the spring with the arrival of calmer weather, many of the boats have been leaving from the coastline near Sabratha. "The whole coast of Sabratha is open," Thwadi told Reuters by phone. "There are patrols but they do not have enough capacity to tackle this crisis." "Illegal migration existed before, but with insecurity and the lack of state authorities, the crisis has become worse and worse." Thwadi said most of the migrants whose bodies washed up this month were from sub-Saharan African states, though there were also 23 Tunisians. Red Crescent volunteers and local officials have been removing them for burial in a cemetery for unidentified bodies in Sabratha, he said. A UN-backed government that has been trying to establish itself in Tripoli since March says tackling migration is among its priorities. But the government is struggling to manage complex security and economic challenges, and still faces political opposition on the ground. Thwadi said he had raised the issue with the new government's leadership but had not yet received any concrete response. (Reuters)

More than 120 migrant bodies washed up in Libya's Sabratha this July

Spain&#39;s seaside city of Barcelona on Thursday unveiled a large digital counter that will track the number of refugees who die in the Mediterranean, next to one of its popular beaches. 
 
&quot;We are inaugurating this shame counter, which will update all known victims who drowned in the Mediterranean in real time,&quot; said Mayor Ada Colau.&nbsp;The monument consists of a large metal rectangular pillar that comes decked out with a digital counter above the inscription &quot;This isn&#39;t just a number, these are people&quot;. 
 
The counter kicked off with &quot;3,034&quot;, the number of migrants and refugees who have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in 2016, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). 
 
&quot;We&#39;re here to look the Mediterranean in the face and look at this number, 3,034 people who drowned because they were not offered a safe passage,&quot; said Colau, as swimmers took advantage of the last rays of sunshine nearby. 
 
The fatality rate this year is higher than in the same period in 2015, the IOM said this week.&nbsp;One reason for the higher death toll this year is that there have been a series of shipwrecks involving larger vessels carrying several hundred people rather than the more typical dinghies that carry a maximum of 100 migrants. 
 
Syrians fleeing the country&#39;s brutal war again made up the largest group to have risked their lives to make the dangerous sea crossing so far this year.&nbsp;Afghans were next on the list, followed by Iraqis. 
 
(AFP)

The counter kicked off with 3,034, which is the total number of migrants and refugees who have died in 2016 while crossing the Mediterranean

Spain's seaside city of Barcelona on Thursday unveiled a large digital counter that will track the number of refugees who die in the Mediterranean, next to one of its popular beaches. "We are inaugurating this shame counter, which will update all known victims who drowned in the Mediterranean in real time," said Mayor Ada Colau. The monument consists of a large metal rectangular pillar that comes decked out with a digital counter above the inscription "This isn't just a number, these are people". The counter kicked off with "3,034", the number of migrants and refugees who have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in 2016, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). "We're here to look the Mediterranean in the face and look at this number, 3,034 people who drowned because they were not offered a safe passage," said Colau, as swimmers took advantage of the last rays of sunshine nearby. The fatality rate this year is higher than in the same period in 2015, the IOM said this week. One reason for the higher death toll this year is that there have been a series of shipwrecks involving larger vessels carrying several hundred people rather than the more typical dinghies that carry a maximum of 100 migrants. Syrians fleeing the country's brutal war again made up the largest group to have risked their lives to make the dangerous sea crossing so far this year. Afghans were next on the list, followed by Iraqis. (AFP)

Barcelona unveils 'shame counter' that tracks refugee deaths

Pope Francis urged young people yesterday to welcome migrants and refugees, putting himself in direct contrast with the government of Poland on the second day of his visit there. 
 
Francis addressed more than 600,000 young people gathered in the city of Krakow for World Youth Day, a jamboree that actually lasts six days and has been dubbed the &quot;Catholic Woodstock&quot;. 
 
After watching performances from around the world, he urged them in an address to leave their comfort zones and be ready to embrace those in need.&nbsp;&quot;A merciful heart is able to be a place of refuge for those who are without a home or have lost their home; a merciful heart is able to build a home and a family for those forced to emigrate; it knows the meaning of tenderness and compassion,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;A merciful heart opens up to welcome refugees and migrants,&quot; he told the youths gathered in a large field near the city centre. Despite being rooted in Christian values, Poland&#39;s conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party government disagrees with Francis on refugees and opposes mandatory European Union quotas for accepting asylum seekers. 
 
Some of the country&#39;s conservative church leaders have also been hesitant over migrants, particularly those from Islamic countries, fearing that they will dilute Poland&#39;s Christian identity. 
 
Yesterday morning at the shrine city of Czestochowa, Francis prayed before Poland`s holiest icon - the Black Madonna of Jasna Gora - and said outdoor Mass for a congregation of tens of thousands, thanking Poles for holding on to their faith in difficult times. 
 
Francis praised what he called &quot;the contagious power of a genuine faith, passed down from family to family&quot; in Poland, which is about 98 per cent Catholic. He said their faith had stayed strong in many situations throughout history. Poland is renowned for keep its Catholic flame burning during decades of Communist rule. 
 
As the 79-year-old pope was blessing the altar at the start of the Mass, he tripped on a step but was helped up by aides and did not appear to be hurt. He continued the Mass and read his homily normally. Francis suffers from sciatica, a medical condition in which pain sometimes shoots down the leg from the lower back. 
 
The shrine is home to the Black Madonna, a Byzantine icon from sometime between the sixth and ninth centuries and brought to Poland some 600 years ago. The icon is painted on wood and covered with silver and jewels. The shrine has been a focal point in difficult periods of Polish history. 
 
Poles flocked there to pray when martial law was declared by the communist government in the early 1980s. The late Pope John Paul II, who reigned for nearly three decades until his death in 2005, visited the shrine often during his trips to his homeland and donated the blood-stained white sash he was wearing on May 13, 1981, when he was shot in St. Peter&#39;s Square at the Vatican by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

'A merciful heart opens up to welcome refugees and migrants,' Pope told the youths. Poland's government opposes acceptation of asylum seekers

Pope Francis urged young people yesterday to welcome migrants and refugees, putting himself in direct contrast with the government of Poland on the second day of his visit there. Francis addressed more than 600,000 young people gathered in the city of Krakow for World Youth Day, a jamboree that actually lasts six days and has been dubbed the "Catholic Woodstock". After watching performances from around the world, he urged them in an address to leave their comfort zones and be ready to embrace those in need. "A merciful heart is able to be a place of refuge for those who are without a home or have lost their home; a merciful heart is able to build a home and a family for those forced to emigrate; it knows the meaning of tenderness and compassion," he said. "A merciful heart opens up to welcome refugees and migrants," he told the youths gathered in a large field near the city centre. Despite being rooted in Christian values, Poland's conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party government disagrees with Francis on refugees and opposes mandatory European Union quotas for accepting asylum seekers. Some of the country's conservative church leaders have also been hesitant over migrants, particularly those from Islamic countries, fearing that they will dilute Poland's Christian identity. Yesterday morning at the shrine city of Czestochowa, Francis prayed before Poland`s holiest icon - the Black Madonna of Jasna Gora - and said outdoor Mass for a congregation of tens of thousands, thanking Poles for holding on to their faith in difficult times. Francis praised what he called "the contagious power of a genuine faith, passed down from family to family" in Poland, which is about 98 per cent Catholic. He said their faith had stayed strong in many situations throughout history. Poland is renowned for keep its Catholic flame burning during decades of Communist rule. As the 79-year-old pope was blessing the altar at the start of the Mass, he tripped on a step but was helped up by aides and did not appear to be hurt. He continued the Mass and read his homily normally. Francis suffers from sciatica, a medical condition in which pain sometimes shoots down the leg from the lower back. The shrine is home to the Black Madonna, a Byzantine icon from sometime between the sixth and ninth centuries and brought to Poland some 600 years ago. The icon is painted on wood and covered with silver and jewels. The shrine has been a focal point in difficult periods of Polish history. Poles flocked there to pray when martial law was declared by the communist government in the early 1980s. The late Pope John Paul II, who reigned for nearly three decades until his death in 2005, visited the shrine often during his trips to his homeland and donated the blood-stained white sash he was wearing on May 13, 1981, when he was shot in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca. (Reuters)

In a country wary of migrants, Pope tells Poles to welcome refugees

Volunteers have recovered the bodies of 41 presumed migrants that washed up on a Libyan beach, an official from the coastal city of Sabratha said today. 
 
The bodies, found on Saturday on the city&#39;s beach west of the capital Tripoli, were taken to the morgue for DNA testing before being buried, the official said. 
 
&quot;We think that these are people who drowned five or six days ago,&quot; added the official who did not wish to be identified. 
 
He said that normally one or two bodies a day were found and that 41 in just one day is &quot;an exceptionally high number&quot;. 
 
The group of volunteers who found the bodies was trained by Sabratha city council in mid-July to look for victims of people smugglers, the official said. 
 
Illegal migration from Libya booms in the summer months when the Mediterranean is generally calm and traffickers pack unsafe boats with migrants desperate to start a new life in Europe. 
 
People smugglers have taken advantage of the chaos gripping Libya since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi to boost their lucrative business. 
 
They cram migrants into boats that are small and unsafe for the perilous journey to Italy just 300 kilometres from Libya&#39;s shores. 
 
Thousands of migrants try each year to make the sea crossing but many drown. 
 
More than 10,000 migrants bound for Europe, mostly sub-Saharan Africans, have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 
 
(AFP)

The people drowned five or six days ago, officials presumed, adding that 41 in just one day is 'an exceptionally high number'

Volunteers have recovered the bodies of 41 presumed migrants that washed up on a Libyan beach, an official from the coastal city of Sabratha said today. The bodies, found on Saturday on the city's beach west of the capital Tripoli, were taken to the morgue for DNA testing before being buried, the official said. "We think that these are people who drowned five or six days ago," added the official who did not wish to be identified. He said that normally one or two bodies a day were found and that 41 in just one day is "an exceptionally high number". The group of volunteers who found the bodies was trained by Sabratha city council in mid-July to look for victims of people smugglers, the official said. Illegal migration from Libya booms in the summer months when the Mediterranean is generally calm and traffickers pack unsafe boats with migrants desperate to start a new life in Europe. People smugglers have taken advantage of the chaos gripping Libya since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi to boost their lucrative business. They cram migrants into boats that are small and unsafe for the perilous journey to Italy just 300 kilometres from Libya's shores. Thousands of migrants try each year to make the sea crossing but many drown. More than 10,000 migrants bound for Europe, mostly sub-Saharan Africans, have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (AFP)

41 bodies wash up on Libya beach

Hundreds of migrants from the Middle East and Asia marched through Belgrade today on their way to Hungary, and announced a hunger strike to underline their demand for passage to western Europe. 
 
Last month Hungary, Serbia&#39;s northern neighbour and an European Union member, allowed police to send back illegal migrants detained within eight kilometres of its razor wire-fenced frontier with Serbia. It has also limited the number of daily entries to a maximum of 30, creating a bottleneck in Serbia. 
 
A group of around 300 men, mainly from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, marched across the main bridge between Belgrades city centre and the Novi Beograd area, with a police car leading the column. There were no women or children in the group.&nbsp; 
 
A police officer who declined to be named said the migrants had started a march to the Hungarian border, around 200 kilometres to the north. &quot;We are here to guarantee their safety and prevent accidents en route,&quot; he said. 
 
Earlier in the day, the group also announced a hunger strike, said Vladimir Sjekloca, a manager of Belgrade&#39;s Asylum Info Centre. 
 
&quot;They want to go to Hungary, they want borders open,&quot; he said. &quot;Most of them spent the night in the park.&quot; To cope with the inflow of over 100,000 migrants that passed through Serbia so far this year, the country&#39;s police and army last week formed joint border patrols. More than 650,000 people passed through Serbia last year on their way to the EU. 
 
On Friday, Aleksandar Vulin, Serbia`s minister for social affairs, said as many as 3,000 migrants were stranded in the country. 
&quot;Serbia cannot allow that,&quot; Vulin was quoted as saying by the Tanjug news agency. &quot;It will not suffer because EU countries cannot find a joint solution.&quot; 
 
Unlike in 2015, when countries tried to organise the orderly passage of migrants, the closure of the Balkan route prompted many to cross borders illegally or through human trafficking networks. 
 
(Reuters)

More than 650,000 people passed through Serbia last year on their way to the EU

Hundreds of migrants from the Middle East and Asia marched through Belgrade today on their way to Hungary, and announced a hunger strike to underline their demand for passage to western Europe. Last month Hungary, Serbia's northern neighbour and an European Union member, allowed police to send back illegal migrants detained within eight kilometres of its razor wire-fenced frontier with Serbia. It has also limited the number of daily entries to a maximum of 30, creating a bottleneck in Serbia. A group of around 300 men, mainly from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, marched across the main bridge between Belgrades city centre and the Novi Beograd area, with a police car leading the column. There were no women or children in the group. A police officer who declined to be named said the migrants had started a march to the Hungarian border, around 200 kilometres to the north. "We are here to guarantee their safety and prevent accidents en route," he said. Earlier in the day, the group also announced a hunger strike, said Vladimir Sjekloca, a manager of Belgrade's Asylum Info Centre. "They want to go to Hungary, they want borders open," he said. "Most of them spent the night in the park." To cope with the inflow of over 100,000 migrants that passed through Serbia so far this year, the country's police and army last week formed joint border patrols. More than 650,000 people passed through Serbia last year on their way to the EU. On Friday, Aleksandar Vulin, Serbia`s minister for social affairs, said as many as 3,000 migrants were stranded in the country. "Serbia cannot allow that," Vulin was quoted as saying by the Tanjug news agency. "It will not suffer because EU countries cannot find a joint solution." Unlike in 2015, when countries tried to organise the orderly passage of migrants, the closure of the Balkan route prompted many to cross borders illegally or through human trafficking networks. (Reuters)

Migrants in Serbia march to Hungary, announce hunger strike

Rescuers saved 366 migrants from rickety boats trying to cross the Mediterranean to Italy, but at least 20 were reported to have drowned, Italian police said today. 
 
The survivors, who were rescued in four separate operations, were crammed onto three rubber dinghies and a wooden fishing boat. 
 
They were all taken to the Sicilian port of Augusta, where they were questioned on Friday evening by the Italian police unit, Interforce, which combats illegal immigration. 
 
The Norwegian ship, Siem Pilot, went to the aid of one dinghy that sank in the Sicilian Channel, but many migrants were already in the sea when it arrived, Antonio Panzanaro, an Interforce official, told Reuters. One corpse was recovered, but survivors said that at least 20 had drowned before the ship arrived, he said. 
 
There were 82 women and 25 children among the 366 people rescued, he said. The survivors were mainly from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Bangladesh. 
 
Seven people were arrested from the four boats, including their drivers, on suspicion of people-trafficking, he said. 
 
Italy has long been on the front line of seaborne migration from Africa to Europe, and is now the main point of entry after the European Union struck a deal with Turkey to stem flows to Greece amid Europe&#39;s worst migration crisis since World War II. 
 
Slightly fewer migrants arrived on Italian shores in the first six months of 2016 compared with the same period last year, but the number of deaths on the route has risen, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). 
 
More than 67,000 seaborne migrants arrived in Italy between January 1 and July 3, according to the International organisation of migration (IOM). 
 
(Reuters)

The migrants from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Bangladesh were trying to cross over to Italy

Rescuers saved 366 migrants from rickety boats trying to cross the Mediterranean to Italy, but at least 20 were reported to have drowned, Italian police said today. The survivors, who were rescued in four separate operations, were crammed onto three rubber dinghies and a wooden fishing boat. They were all taken to the Sicilian port of Augusta, where they were questioned on Friday evening by the Italian police unit, Interforce, which combats illegal immigration. The Norwegian ship, Siem Pilot, went to the aid of one dinghy that sank in the Sicilian Channel, but many migrants were already in the sea when it arrived, Antonio Panzanaro, an Interforce official, told Reuters. One corpse was recovered, but survivors said that at least 20 had drowned before the ship arrived, he said. There were 82 women and 25 children among the 366 people rescued, he said. The survivors were mainly from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Bangladesh. Seven people were arrested from the four boats, including their drivers, on suspicion of people-trafficking, he said. Italy has long been on the front line of seaborne migration from Africa to Europe, and is now the main point of entry after the European Union struck a deal with Turkey to stem flows to Greece amid Europe's worst migration crisis since World War II. Slightly fewer migrants arrived on Italian shores in the first six months of 2016 compared with the same period last year, but the number of deaths on the route has risen, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). More than 67,000 seaborne migrants arrived in Italy between January 1 and July 3, according to the International organisation of migration (IOM). (Reuters)

Rescuers save 366 migrants from dinghies in Mediterranean, at least 20 dead

The&nbsp;European&nbsp;Commission&nbsp;proposed more unified EU asylum rules on Wednesday, in a bid to stop people waiting for refugee status moving around the bloc and disrupting its passport-free zone.

In an unprecedented wave of migration last year, 1.3 million people reached the EU and most ignored legal restrictions, trekking from the Mediterranean coast to apply for asylum in wealthy Germany, prompting some EU countries to suspend the Schengen Area system that allows free passage between most EU states.

&quot;The changes will create a genuine common asylum procedure,&quot; said EU Migration&nbsp;Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos. &quot;At the same time, we set clear obligations and duties for asylum seekers to prevent secondary movements and abuse of procedures.&quot;

The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said it had concerns about the new rules and said the new system must not lower standards of protection and asylum.

The proposal would standardise refugee reception facilities across the bloc and unify the level of state support they can get, setting common rules on residence permits, travel papers, access to jobs, schools, social welfare and healthcare.

It would grant prospective refugees swifter rights to work, but also put more obligations on them, meaning that if they do not cooperate with the authorities or head to an EU state of their choice rather than staying put, their asylum application could be jeopardised.

The five-year waiting period after which refugees are eligible for long-term residence would be restarted if they move from their designated country, the&nbsp;Commission&nbsp;said.

UNHCR spokesman William Spindler said people should be dissuaded from such movements, not punished.

The proposal also spells out more cases in which asylum seekers could be detained, something Jean Lambert, a British Green Party member of the&nbsp;European&nbsp;Parliament, said showed the EU was taking the wrong attitude to people seeking sanctuary.

&quot;The EU has justifiably come under fire for its response to the refugee crisis but today&#39;s proposals ... will do nothing to allay this,&quot; she said, accusing the&nbsp;Commission&nbsp;of seeking to curb the rights of asylum seekers and &quot;an obsession with punitive measures&quot;.

&quot;People are fleeing because their lives are threatened and homes being destroyed, not because the EU&#39;s asylum system is gold plated - it&#39;s not!&quot;

The plan, which will be reviewed by EU governments and the&nbsp;European&nbsp;Parliament, comes after Brussels proposed in May a system for distributing asylum seekers, an idea opposed by eastern EU states which refuse to accept refugees.

Only 3,056 people have so far been relocated under the scheme that was meant for 160,000 people, the&nbsp;Commission&nbsp;said. Hungary and Slovakia have challenged the system in the courts.

UNHCR wants the EU to drop the first country of arrival principle and distribute asylum seekers among EU member states.

Asked whether Brussels would punish countries, including Poland and the Czech Republic, for not complying, Avramopoulos said: &quot;We&#39;re not here to punish, we are here to persuade. But if this persuasion doesn&#39;t succeed, then yes, we&#39;re thinking of doing that. But we&#39;re not there yet.&quot;

&nbsp;

Safe List

Last year&#39;s record arrivals triggered bitter political disputes in the EU, where the wealthier states which ended up hosting most of the people accused the newer members in the east of showing no solidarity.

A deal with Turkey in March has since cut the arrivals to Greece to a trickle, but has prompted concerns about human rights.

Unlike the Turkey route, however, which mainly brought Syrians and other people with a strong cases for asylum into Europe, the bloc is now worried over a rise in arrivals from Africa through Libya. Most people on that route do not qualify for asylum and, under the EU rules, should be sent back.

The&nbsp;Commission&nbsp;wants to draw up lists of &quot;safe countries&quot; outside the bloc, which would help EU states return people, after Athens&#39; refusal to recognise Turkey as such a place hindered deportations from the Greek islands back to Turkey.

So-called safe countries should only be an option where &quot;precise, impartial, and up-to-date information is available on the safety of a particular country&quot;, UNHCR&#39;s Spindler said.

&quot;An applicant must have an effective opportunity to rebut the presumption of safety in light of their individual circumstances, and the safe country concepts should not apply to vulnerable applicants.&quot;

To discourage chaotic flows by facilitating legal migration, the&nbsp;Commission&nbsp;also proposed an EU-wide system for resettlement directly from refugee camps. It said Brussels would pay 10,000 Euros for each person EU states bring in.

But Slovakia, the current holder of the EU&#39;s rotating presidency, was sceptical on chances for unified asylum system.

&quot;We can only talk about real burden-sharing when the quality of life is the same in all EU states,&quot; said Bernard Priecel, head of Slovakia&#39;s migration service. &quot;Otherwise we will always have secondary movements. How can you force them to stay?&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The proposal would standardise refugee reception facilities across the bloc, and unify the level of state support they can receive

The European Commission proposed more unified EU asylum rules on Wednesday, in a bid to stop people waiting for refugee status moving around the bloc and disrupting its passport-free zone. In an unprecedented wave of migration last year, 1.3 million people reached the EU and most ignored legal restrictions, trekking from the Mediterranean coast to apply for asylum in wealthy Germany, prompting some EU countries to suspend the Schengen Area system that allows free passage between most EU states. "The changes will create a genuine common asylum procedure," said EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos. "At the same time, we set clear obligations and duties for asylum seekers to prevent secondary movements and abuse of procedures." The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said it had concerns about the new rules and said the new system must not lower standards of protection and asylum. The proposal would standardise refugee reception facilities across the bloc and unify the level of state support they can get, setting common rules on residence permits, travel papers, access to jobs, schools, social welfare and healthcare. It would grant prospective refugees swifter rights to work, but also put more obligations on them, meaning that if they do not cooperate with the authorities or head to an EU state of their choice rather than staying put, their asylum application could be jeopardised. The five-year waiting period after which refugees are eligible for long-term residence would be restarted if they move from their designated country, the Commission said. UNHCR spokesman William Spindler said people should be dissuaded from such movements, not punished. The proposal also spells out more cases in which asylum seekers could be detained, something Jean Lambert, a British Green Party member of the European Parliament, said showed the EU was taking the wrong attitude to people seeking sanctuary. "The EU has justifiably come under fire for its response to the refugee crisis but today's proposals ... will do nothing to allay this," she said, accusing the Commission of seeking to curb the rights of asylum seekers and "an obsession with punitive measures". "People are fleeing because their lives are threatened and homes being destroyed, not because the EU's asylum system is gold plated - it's not!" The plan, which will be reviewed by EU governments and the European Parliament, comes after Brussels proposed in May a system for distributing asylum seekers, an idea opposed by eastern EU states which refuse to accept refugees. Only 3,056 people have so far been relocated under the scheme that was meant for 160,000 people, the Commission said. Hungary and Slovakia have challenged the system in the courts. UNHCR wants the EU to drop the first country of arrival principle and distribute asylum seekers among EU member states. Asked whether Brussels would punish countries, including Poland and the Czech Republic, for not complying, Avramopoulos said: "We're not here to punish, we are here to persuade. But if this persuasion doesn't succeed, then yes, we're thinking of doing that. But we're not there yet." Safe List Last year's record arrivals triggered bitter political disputes in the EU, where the wealthier states which ended up hosting most of the people accused the newer members in the east of showing no solidarity. A deal with Turkey in March has since cut the arrivals to Greece to a trickle, but has prompted concerns about human rights. Unlike the Turkey route, however, which mainly brought Syrians and other people with a strong cases for asylum into Europe, the bloc is now worried over a rise in arrivals from Africa through Libya. Most people on that route do not qualify for asylum and, under the EU rules, should be sent back. The Commission wants to draw up lists of "safe countries" outside the bloc, which would help EU states return people, after Athens' refusal to recognise Turkey as such a place hindered deportations from the Greek islands back to Turkey. So-called safe countries should only be an option where "precise, impartial, and up-to-date information is available on the safety of a particular country", UNHCR's Spindler said. "An applicant must have an effective opportunity to rebut the presumption of safety in light of their individual circumstances, and the safe country concepts should not apply to vulnerable applicants." To discourage chaotic flows by facilitating legal migration, the Commission also proposed an EU-wide system for resettlement directly from refugee camps. It said Brussels would pay 10,000 Euros for each person EU states bring in. But Slovakia, the current holder of the EU's rotating presidency, was sceptical on chances for unified asylum system. "We can only talk about real burden-sharing when the quality of life is the same in all EU states," said Bernard Priecel, head of Slovakia's migration service. "Otherwise we will always have secondary movements. How can you force them to stay?" (Reuters)

EU proposes new asylum rules to stop migrants crossing Europe

Italian emergency workers have recovered 217 bodies from the wreck of a boat that sank in the Mediterranean in April 2015, killing some 500 migrants, the Navy said today. 
 
The sinking was one of the worst known disasters involving migrants trying to reach Europe by sea. Thousands of people a year, many of them fleeing war in the West Asia, have crossed the Mediterranean in unseaworthy or overcrowded boats. 
 
In 2015, at least 3,770 are thought to have died on Mediterranean routes, mostly by drowning when their boats capsized. 
 
The vessel was hauled off the seabed and taken to a naval site in southeastern Sicily last week. Its sinking about 135 km (85 miles) north of Libya, from where it departed, jolted the European Union into stepping up Mediterranean rescue efforts. 
 
Originally at least 700 were thought to have died in the disaster, based on survivor testimony. A Navy official said last week he thought some 300 bodies were still in the hold, which added to 169 recovered from the nearby seabed, would bring the death toll closer to 500. 
 
A team of 150 professionals and volunteers from the Navy, fire service, Italian Red Cross and a forensic team of Milan university professors have been working around the clock to remove bodies from the fishing boat and examine them. 
 
Autopsies have been carried out on 52 of the victims, and police scientists coordinated by a local public prosecutor have begun making reports on their findings. 
 
(Reuters)

The sinking, in which 500 people died, had been one of the worst known disasters involving migrants trying to reach Europe by ship

Italian emergency workers have recovered 217 bodies from the wreck of a boat that sank in the Mediterranean in April 2015, killing some 500 migrants, the Navy said today. The sinking was one of the worst known disasters involving migrants trying to reach Europe by sea. Thousands of people a year, many of them fleeing war in the West Asia, have crossed the Mediterranean in unseaworthy or overcrowded boats. In 2015, at least 3,770 are thought to have died on Mediterranean routes, mostly by drowning when their boats capsized. The vessel was hauled off the seabed and taken to a naval site in southeastern Sicily last week. Its sinking about 135 km (85 miles) north of Libya, from where it departed, jolted the European Union into stepping up Mediterranean rescue efforts. Originally at least 700 were thought to have died in the disaster, based on survivor testimony. A Navy official said last week he thought some 300 bodies were still in the hold, which added to 169 recovered from the nearby seabed, would bring the death toll closer to 500. A team of 150 professionals and volunteers from the Navy, fire service, Italian Red Cross and a forensic team of Milan university professors have been working around the clock to remove bodies from the fishing boat and examine them. Autopsies have been carried out on 52 of the victims, and police scientists coordinated by a local public prosecutor have begun making reports on their findings. (Reuters)

Italy recovers 217 bodies from 2015 shipwreck

President Tayyip Erdogan outlined plans on Tuesday to grant citizenship to some of the near 3 million migrants who have fled war in neighbouring Syria, particularly those with qualifications of use to Turkey. 
 
&quot;Western nations open their doors to such skilled individuals and they have no choice but to go (to the West) when we do not open the gates (of citizenship) ourselves. We would like to benefit from their knowledge,&quot; Erdogan told reporters after praying at an Istanbul mosque. 
 
Turkey struck a deal with the European Union in March to stem the flow of migrants into Europe and it has sharply cut the number of refugees and migrants reaching Greece. However, the deal has been hampered by discord over Turkish counter-terrorism law, which the EU wants brought in line with its codes. 
 
Ankara has already said it would make it easier for migrants from Syria and other nations to get work permits and Erdogan said they could also be made Turkish citizens. 
 
&quot;There are highly qualified individuals among Syrian refugees in Turkey. (Granting them citizenship) would both serve Turkey&#39;s interests and improve their living standards,&quot; Erdogan said at the start of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday. 
 
Some 260,000 of the Syrians in Turkey live in state-run camps, while the remainder live in accommodation in cities across the country, which has a population of 79 million. 
 
&quot;We do not think it right to host such people in tent camps, container towns or in such basic places,&quot; Erdogan said. 
 
Erdogan first raised the idea of giving Syrian migrants the possibility of Turkish citizenship at the weekend, saying that the interior ministry was taking steps on the issue. 
 
His comments come after the Turkish government took steps last week to improve relations with Israel and Russia, marking a shift in a foreign policy which had left Turkey more isolated than influential. 
 
(Reuters)

Ankara has already said it would make it easier for migrants from Syria and other nations to get work permits

President Tayyip Erdogan outlined plans on Tuesday to grant citizenship to some of the near 3 million migrants who have fled war in neighbouring Syria, particularly those with qualifications of use to Turkey. "Western nations open their doors to such skilled individuals and they have no choice but to go (to the West) when we do not open the gates (of citizenship) ourselves. We would like to benefit from their knowledge," Erdogan told reporters after praying at an Istanbul mosque. Turkey struck a deal with the European Union in March to stem the flow of migrants into Europe and it has sharply cut the number of refugees and migrants reaching Greece. However, the deal has been hampered by discord over Turkish counter-terrorism law, which the EU wants brought in line with its codes. Ankara has already said it would make it easier for migrants from Syria and other nations to get work permits and Erdogan said they could also be made Turkish citizens. "There are highly qualified individuals among Syrian refugees in Turkey. (Granting them citizenship) would both serve Turkey's interests and improve their living standards," Erdogan said at the start of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday. Some 260,000 of the Syrians in Turkey live in state-run camps, while the remainder live in accommodation in cities across the country, which has a population of 79 million. "We do not think it right to host such people in tent camps, container towns or in such basic places," Erdogan said. Erdogan first raised the idea of giving Syrian migrants the possibility of Turkish citizenship at the weekend, saying that the interior ministry was taking steps on the issue. His comments come after the Turkish government took steps last week to improve relations with Israel and Russia, marking a shift in a foreign policy which had left Turkey more isolated than influential. (Reuters)

Turkey's Erdogan moots plan to grant citizenship to Syrians

European Union leaders on Monday sought to reassure Balkan nations that talks on their becoming members of the bloc will continue despite Britain&#39;s vote to leave the union. 
 
French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini held a meeting with Balkan leaders in Paris during which they underlined their determination to continue the accession talks. 
 
On the sidelines of the meeting Balkan leaders from Croatia, Serbia, Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo spoke with the media outside the Elysee Palace. 
 
&quot;I think there were three main topics we discussed; one obviously the migration crisis, we share common threats or challenges. Clearly, the migration challenges are something we are dealing through or dealing with both in terms of the western Balkans and Europe in general. And then terrorism obviously... And the third topic which probably was also the most relevant in light of the recent Brexit announcement is to make sure that further integration of the Western Balkans proceeds. And I think that was the key message that we wanted to deliver today, that the process is moving forward and that as a result of Brexit, it will not stop,&quot; said Croatian Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic. 
 
The six countries are all at different stages in joining the EU. Serbia aims to complete accession talks by 2019. Croatia and Slovenia are already EU members. 
 
Balkans leaders told journalists the negotiation talks should continue and they did not fear that would be stopped by Brexit. 
 
In Serbia, another aspiring EU member, support for the bloc is less clear-cut. 
 
&quot;I think that this is a good indication that all countries of the western Balkans are welcome to the European Union. I don&#39;t like pledges like we are pledging to you. We don&#39;t have a subservient relationship to the union. But that is the place where the future is the best for our people and our countries. And I&#39;m happy about that and I want to congratulate the citizens of Serbia I will congratulate them on the 19th. We have a lot of work and efforts to make in front of us and obligations. But it seems to me that we have a clear and unequivocal European prospects,&quot; said Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic. 
 
Backing for the EU in Kosovo and Albania is between 80 and 90 per cent, levels that British supporters of EU membership could only have dreamt of. 
 
&quot;For many European Prime Ministers, the problem is the euroscepticism but for me it is the &#39;europtimism&#39;. Albanians whether they come from Albania or Kosovo are very optimistic about the european integration. We are probably the most willing to join the EU at this stage,&quot; said Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama. 
 
During the summit German Chancellor Angela told leaders of Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, which endured war and upheaval in the 1990s, that Britain&#39;s decision to leave the bloc had changed nothing in terms of their accession ambitions. 
 
France&#39;s Francois Hollande also sought to reassure Balkan hopefuls that the accession process will remain underway. 
 
(Reuters)

EU leaders assured Balkan nations that talks on their becoming members of the bloc will continue despite Britain's vote to leave the union

European Union leaders on Monday sought to reassure Balkan nations that talks on their becoming members of the bloc will continue despite Britain's vote to leave the union. French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini held a meeting with Balkan leaders in Paris during which they underlined their determination to continue the accession talks. On the sidelines of the meeting Balkan leaders from Croatia, Serbia, Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo spoke with the media outside the Elysee Palace. "I think there were three main topics we discussed; one obviously the migration crisis, we share common threats or challenges. Clearly, the migration challenges are something we are dealing through or dealing with both in terms of the western Balkans and Europe in general. And then terrorism obviously... And the third topic which probably was also the most relevant in light of the recent Brexit announcement is to make sure that further integration of the Western Balkans proceeds. And I think that was the key message that we wanted to deliver today, that the process is moving forward and that as a result of Brexit, it will not stop," said Croatian Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic. The six countries are all at different stages in joining the EU. Serbia aims to complete accession talks by 2019. Croatia and Slovenia are already EU members. Balkans leaders told journalists the negotiation talks should continue and they did not fear that would be stopped by Brexit. In Serbia, another aspiring EU member, support for the bloc is less clear-cut. "I think that this is a good indication that all countries of the western Balkans are welcome to the European Union. I don't like pledges like we are pledging to you. We don't have a subservient relationship to the union. But that is the place where the future is the best for our people and our countries. And I'm happy about that and I want to congratulate the citizens of Serbia I will congratulate them on the 19th. We have a lot of work and efforts to make in front of us and obligations. But it seems to me that we have a clear and unequivocal European prospects," said Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic. Backing for the EU in Kosovo and Albania is between 80 and 90 per cent, levels that British supporters of EU membership could only have dreamt of. "For many European Prime Ministers, the problem is the euroscepticism but for me it is the 'europtimism'. Albanians whether they come from Albania or Kosovo are very optimistic about the european integration. We are probably the most willing to join the EU at this stage," said Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama. During the summit German Chancellor Angela told leaders of Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, which endured war and upheaval in the 1990s, that Britain's decision to leave the bloc had changed nothing in terms of their accession ambitions. France's Francois Hollande also sought to reassure Balkan hopefuls that the accession process will remain underway. (Reuters)

Balkan leaders discuss migrant crisis, terror with European leaders at summit

Hungary will hold a referendum on October 2 on European Union (EU) &nbsp;plans to relocate migrants among member states, a scheme fiercely opposed by right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the President said today. 
 
&quot;As president of the republic I decree that the referendum will be held on October 2,&quot; President Janos Ader said in a statement.&nbsp; 
 
Orban`s government voted against the EU plan to relocate 160,000 migrants around the 28-nation bloc via mandatory quotas but the scheme was approved by a majority of member states in September. 
 
Joining Slovakia in filing a legal challenge against the plan, Orban said earlier this year that the government would put the issue to a referendum. 
 
Voters will be asked: &quot;Do you want the EU to prescribe the mandatory relocation of non-Hungarian citizens to Hungary without the approval of the Hungarian parliament?&quot; 
 
Budapest says that the plan which has been extremely slow to get going -violates its national sovereignty and that &quot;terrorists&quot; might enter the country disguised as migrants. 
 
Orban has said that Brussels has no right to &quot;redraw Europe&#39;s cultural and religious identity&quot;. 
 
Around 400,000 migrants and refugees passed through Hungary in 2015 before the government sealed off the southern borders with razor wire and fences in the autumn. 
 
The authorities also brought in tough new laws punishing illegal entry and vandalism of the fences.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

Around 400,000 migrants and refugees passed through Hungary in 2015 before the government sealed southern borders with razor wire and fences

Hungary will hold a referendum on October 2 on European Union (EU) plans to relocate migrants among member states, a scheme fiercely opposed by right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the President said today. "As president of the republic I decree that the referendum will be held on October 2," President Janos Ader said in a statement. Orban`s government voted against the EU plan to relocate 160,000 migrants around the 28-nation bloc via mandatory quotas but the scheme was approved by a majority of member states in September. Joining Slovakia in filing a legal challenge against the plan, Orban said earlier this year that the government would put the issue to a referendum. Voters will be asked: "Do you want the EU to prescribe the mandatory relocation of non-Hungarian citizens to Hungary without the approval of the Hungarian parliament?" Budapest says that the plan which has been extremely slow to get going -violates its national sovereignty and that "terrorists" might enter the country disguised as migrants. Orban has said that Brussels has no right to "redraw Europe's cultural and religious identity". Around 400,000 migrants and refugees passed through Hungary in 2015 before the government sealed off the southern borders with razor wire and fences in the autumn. The authorities also brought in tough new laws punishing illegal entry and vandalism of the fences. (AFP)

Hungary to hold October referendum on EU migrant scheme

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