The United States will grant $115 million in cooperation aid to El Salvador to slow migration from the Central American country, Samantha Power, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), said on Monday. 
 
"We can work with local partners in Central America to expand opportunities for youth and help them get away from violence," Power said at a conference on migration at the Central American University, where she announced the aid initiative. 
 
The money will include $50 million for security, $35 million for programmes to counter violence against women and $30 million in job training, Power said. 
 
USAID says it will also contribute $12 million for small and medium-sized businesses in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador that were affected by coronavirus-related lockdowns. 
 
The Biden administration has pledged to invest $4 billion to address the root causes of migration from Central America. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The United States will grant $115 million in cooperation aid to El Salvador to slow migration from the Central American country, Samantha Power, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), said on Monday.

The United States will grant $115 million in cooperation aid to El Salvador to slow migration from the Central American country, Samantha Power, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), said on Monday. "We can work with local partners in Central America to expand opportunities for youth and help them get away from violence," Power said at a conference on migration at the Central American University, where she announced the aid initiative. The money will include $50 million for security, $35 million for programmes to counter violence against women and $30 million in job training, Power said. USAID says it will also contribute $12 million for small and medium-sized businesses in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador that were affected by coronavirus-related lockdowns. The Biden administration has pledged to invest $4 billion to address the root causes of migration from Central America. (With inputs from agencies)

USAID to grant $115 million in aid to El Salvador to stem migration

More than 400 migrants arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa on Sunday, Italian media reported, as authorities in Sicily again blocked a rescue boat from leaving port.

A 20-metre boat carrying 325 people was intercepted about eight miles (13 kilometres) off the coast of Lampedusa, and another was found slightly closer with 90 people aboard, news agencies reported.

Meanwhile judicial authorities in Sicily reinstated a detention order against the Sea-Watch 4 vessel, run by Germany's Sea-Watch organisation, which had kept it in Palermo for six months until March, media reports said.

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The order followed a safety inspection that found too many life jackets on board, saying the ship's sewage system is insufficient for the potential number of people rescued.

Activists claim the inspection was a smokescreen to block the ship.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Italy's Salvini to face trial over blocking migrant ship">Italy's Salvini to face trial over blocking migrant ship</a>

"We hope the authorities will not stop us from leaving for the central Mediterranean with the absurd accusations to which we have become accustomed," Sea-Watch Italy had tweeted on Friday after returning from its latest mission.

Another vessel, Sea-Watch 3, was impounded by the Italian coastguard in March in the Sicilian port of Augusta, again over safety issues.

The aid groups have also faced accusations of colluding with Libyan migrant traffickers to bring people to safety on European shores -- charges they strongly deny.

Italy is a prime entry point for Europe-bound migrants, but the stretch of water between Sicily and North Africa is one of the world's deadliest migration routes.&nbsp;

Almost 530,000 migrants have landed on Italian shores since the start of 2015, including some 6,000 in the year to date, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

More than 400 migrants arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa on Sunday, Italian media reported, as authorities in Sicily again blocked a rescue boat from leaving port.

More than 400 migrants arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa on Sunday, Italian media reported, as authorities in Sicily again blocked a rescue boat from leaving port. A 20-metre boat carrying 325 people was intercepted about eight miles (13 kilometres) off the coast of Lampedusa, and another was found slightly closer with 90 people aboard, news agencies reported. Meanwhile judicial authorities in Sicily reinstated a detention order against the Sea-Watch 4 vessel, run by Germany's Sea-Watch organisation, which had kept it in Palermo for six months until March, media reports said. Also read | Migrant boat with 130 aboard capsizes off Libya: NGO The order followed a safety inspection that found too many life jackets on board, saying the ship's sewage system is insufficient for the potential number of people rescued. Activists claim the inspection was a smokescreen to block the ship. Also read | Italy's Salvini to face trial over blocking migrant ship "We hope the authorities will not stop us from leaving for the central Mediterranean with the absurd accusations to which we have become accustomed," Sea-Watch Italy had tweeted on Friday after returning from its latest mission. Another vessel, Sea-Watch 3, was impounded by the Italian coastguard in March in the Sicilian port of Augusta, again over safety issues. The aid groups have also faced accusations of colluding with Libyan migrant traffickers to bring people to safety on European shores -- charges they strongly deny. Italy is a prime entry point for Europe-bound migrants, but the stretch of water between Sicily and North Africa is one of the world's deadliest migration routes. Almost 530,000 migrants have landed on Italian shores since the start of 2015, including some 6,000 in the year to date, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

400 migrants land on Lampedusa as rescue ship blocked

Around 100 migrants tried to swim to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco, Spanish police said Monday.

The migrants set off on Sunday from beaches in Fnideq, a few kilometres south of Ceuta and "some" managed to reach a beach in Ceuta on their own while most had to be rescued by Spanish rescue boats, a spokesman for the Guardia Civil police force in Ceuta said.

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The migrants, including minors, set off in groups of 20 to 30 throughout the day, he added.

"It is not normal, there can be groups of three, four or five, but not this many," the police spokesman said.

The migrants were checked by Red Cross workers and three were treated for hypothermia in hospital.

The rest were taken by police to warehouse where they will undergo a coronavirus quarantine before their demands for asylum are processed.

Another five migrants swam to Ceuta from Morocco on Monday, police said.

Ceuta,&nbsp;together with a second Spanish&nbsp;enclave in north Africa, Melilla,&nbsp;have the European Union's only land borders&nbsp;with Africa, making them popular entry points for migrants&nbsp;seeking a better life in Europe.&nbsp;

Migrants try to reach the enclaves either by swimming along the coast or climbing the tall border fences that separate them from Morocco.

Around 100 migrants tried to swim to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco, Spanish police said Monday. The migrants set off on Sunday from beaches in Fnideq, a few kilometres south of Ceuta and "some" managed to reach a beach in Ceuta on their own while most had to be rescued by Spanish rescue boats, a spokesman for the Guardia Civil police force in Ceuta said.

Around 100 migrants tried to swim to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco, Spanish police said Monday. The migrants set off on Sunday from beaches in Fnideq, a few kilometres south of Ceuta and "some" managed to reach a beach in Ceuta on their own while most had to be rescued by Spanish rescue boats, a spokesman for the Guardia Civil police force in Ceuta said. Also read: Spain's famous Pamplona bull-run cancelled for second year due to pandemic The migrants, including minors, set off in groups of 20 to 30 throughout the day, he added. "It is not normal, there can be groups of three, four or five, but not this many," the police spokesman said. The migrants were checked by Red Cross workers and three were treated for hypothermia in hospital. The rest were taken by police to warehouse where they will undergo a coronavirus quarantine before their demands for asylum are processed. Another five migrants swam to Ceuta from Morocco on Monday, police said. Ceuta, together with a second Spanish enclave in north Africa, Melilla, have the European Union's only land borders with Africa, making them popular entry points for migrants seeking a better life in Europe. Migrants try to reach the enclaves either by swimming along the coast or climbing the tall border fences that separate them from Morocco.

Around 100 migrants swim to Spain's Ceuta enclave

Former President George W. Bush has stepped into the US debate on immigration, saying migrants are "a force for good" and arguing for a gradual process to allow undocumented immigrants to earn legal status.

Bush, a past governor of Texas — a border state heavily impacted by migration — made his points in an op-ed article in the Washington Post previewing his new book "Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants."

The book, whose name comes from the nation's Latin motto "E Pluribus unum," features portraits of immigrants done by Bush himself, who self-deprecatingly says he knows his paintings "may not set the art world stirring."&nbsp;

But he says that by sharing the portraits of immigrants, each with "a remarkable story," he hoped "to humanize the debate on immigration and reform."

His pro-immigrant message comes as President Joe Biden, who had promised to ease Donald Trump's severe immigration crackdown, has struggled with an uncontrolled surge of migrants coming through Mexico.

The immigrant portraits drawn by Bush range from those of the unknown — like a young French man who became an American soldier and won the country's Medal of Honor — to the much better-known stories of two migrants, Madeleine Albright and Henry Kissinger, who fled prewar Europe and rose to become US secretaries of state.

Bush asks in his op-ed how it is that "in a country more generous to new arrivals than any other, immigration policy is the source of so much rancor and ill will."

The short answer, he adds, brings "little credit to either party."

While offering no specific policy prescriptions, the former president advocates several "good-faith" steps: a path to citizenship for those brought to the US as children; greater securing of the southern border; a modernized asylum system; and increased legal immigration to allow "talented people (to) bring their ideas and aspirations here."

As for the millions of undocumented migrants living in the US, Bush says that a grant of amnesty would be "fundamentally unfair" to those trying to come legally, but he adds that "undocumented immigrants should be brought out of the shadows through a gradual process in which legal residency and citizenship must be earned."

Applicants should have to pay a fine and back taxes, document their work history, demonstrate English proficiency and knowledge of US history and civics, and provide a clean background check.&nbsp;

After all, he adds, their determination to come to the US "is an affirmation of our country and what we stand for."

Former President George W. Bush has stepped into the US debate on immigration, saying migrants are "a force for good" and arguing for a gradual process to allow undocumented immigrants to earn legal status.

Former President George W. Bush has stepped into the US debate on immigration, saying migrants are "a force for good" and arguing for a gradual process to allow undocumented immigrants to earn legal status. Bush, a past governor of Texas — a border state heavily impacted by migration — made his points in an op-ed article in the Washington Post previewing his new book "Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants." The book, whose name comes from the nation's Latin motto "E Pluribus unum," features portraits of immigrants done by Bush himself, who self-deprecatingly says he knows his paintings "may not set the art world stirring." But he says that by sharing the portraits of immigrants, each with "a remarkable story," he hoped "to humanize the debate on immigration and reform." His pro-immigrant message comes as President Joe Biden, who had promised to ease Donald Trump's severe immigration crackdown, has struggled with an uncontrolled surge of migrants coming through Mexico. The immigrant portraits drawn by Bush range from those of the unknown — like a young French man who became an American soldier and won the country's Medal of Honor — to the much better-known stories of two migrants, Madeleine Albright and Henry Kissinger, who fled prewar Europe and rose to become US secretaries of state. Bush asks in his op-ed how it is that "in a country more generous to new arrivals than any other, immigration policy is the source of so much rancor and ill will." The short answer, he adds, brings "little credit to either party." While offering no specific policy prescriptions, the former president advocates several "good-faith" steps: a path to citizenship for those brought to the US as children; greater securing of the southern border; a modernized asylum system; and increased legal immigration to allow "talented people (to) bring their ideas and aspirations here." As for the millions of undocumented migrants living in the US, Bush says that a grant of amnesty would be "fundamentally unfair" to those trying to come legally, but he adds that "undocumented immigrants should be brought out of the shadows through a gradual process in which legal residency and citizenship must be earned." Applicants should have to pay a fine and back taxes, document their work history, demonstrate English proficiency and knowledge of US history and civics, and provide a clean background check. After all, he adds, their determination to come to the US "is an affirmation of our country and what we stand for."

Bush, in op-ed and book, steps into US migration debate

Humanity is all about being considerate of every being's needs and well-being, including birds and animals. Keeping this value in mind, the city of Philadelphia has called for 'lights out' to protect birds.

Bird Safe Philly announced a new initiative called 'Lights Out Philly' which is a voluntary program in which people are being asked to switch off or dim the external and internal lights of skyscrapers during the spring and fall season.&nbsp;

This initiative has been started after it was observed that the artificial lights were causing an increase in the deaths of birds. Although this problem is not new, the group is hoping to find a solution to it and save birds.&nbsp;

"We have specimens in the academy’s ornithology collection from a kill that happened when lights were first installed on Philadelphia’s city hall tower in 1896," Jason Weckstein, the associate curator of ornithology at Drexel University’s Academy of Natural Sciences said.

Experts believe that the conditions were nearly perfect for heavy migratory flight but the low ceiling of clouds and rain with the bright lights from skyscrapers turned into a recipe for disaster for the birds.

"Conditions were perfect for a heavy migratory flight and imperfect given that there was a low ceiling of clouds and rain," explained Weckstein. "That in combination with Philly’s bright city lights was a disaster for many fall migrant birds winging their way south."

The scientific logic behind this initiative is that during migration, birds use celestial cues to guide themselves, with stars being the biggest help. When birds are unable to spot the stars, they confuse it with bright, artificial city lights. In such cases, the windows become the biggest concern as they usually&nbsp;times show reflections of trees and sky.

This programme will work in two phases, the first one starting from April 01 till May 31, and the second one from August 15 to November 15. People have been urged to switch off their lights in skyscrapers from midnight till 6 am.

Humanity is all about being considerate of every being's needs and well-being, including birds and animals. Keeping this value in mind, the city of Philadelphia has called for 'lights out' to protect birds.

Humanity is all about being considerate of every being's needs and well-being, including birds and animals. Keeping this value in mind, the city of Philadelphia has called for 'lights out' to protect birds. Bird Safe Philly announced a new initiative called 'Lights Out Philly' which is a voluntary program in which people are being asked to switch off or dim the external and internal lights of skyscrapers during the spring and fall season. This initiative has been started after it was observed that the artificial lights were causing an increase in the deaths of birds. Although this problem is not new, the group is hoping to find a solution to it and save birds. "We have specimens in the academy’s ornithology collection from a kill that happened when lights were first installed on Philadelphia’s city hall tower in 1896," Jason Weckstein, the associate curator of ornithology at Drexel University’s Academy of Natural Sciences said. Experts believe that the conditions were nearly perfect for heavy migratory flight but the low ceiling of clouds and rain with the bright lights from skyscrapers turned into a recipe for disaster for the birds. "Conditions were perfect for a heavy migratory flight and imperfect given that there was a low ceiling of clouds and rain," explained Weckstein. "That in combination with Philly’s bright city lights was a disaster for many fall migrant birds winging their way south." The scientific logic behind this initiative is that during migration, birds use celestial cues to guide themselves, with stars being the biggest help. When birds are unable to spot the stars, they confuse it with bright, artificial city lights. In such cases, the windows become the biggest concern as they usually times show reflections of trees and sky. This programme will work in two phases, the first one starting from April 01 till May 31, and the second one from August 15 to November 15. People have been urged to switch off their lights in skyscrapers from midnight till 6 am.

Philadelphia urges 'lights out' of skyscrapers to protect birds

US President Joe Biden held a virtual meeting with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Monday to discuss some of the key issues pertaining to both countries.

Joe Biden meets Mexican President amid migration issues

Global migration has slowed down by nearly 30 per cent, owing to restrictions that were put in place to contain the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. A United Nations report from Friday revealed that two million fewer people migrated between 2019-20 than expected. 
 
In 2020, 281 million people were living outside their country of origin, the report added.

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Titled “International Migration 2020”, the report showed how two-thirds of registered migrants lived in less than 20 countries.

The United States topped the list, hosting over 51 million migrants in 2020. 
 
Germany came in second with 16 million migrants, followed by Saudi Arabia with 13 million migrants. Russia came close with 12 million migrants, and Britain with nine million. 
 
In terms of the largest diasporas in 2020, India topped the list. 18 million Indians were living outside their country of birth in 2020.

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Other countries with a large population outside their country of origin include Mexico, Russia with 11 million each, followed by China with 10 million, then by Syria with eight million.

The most number of migrants lived in Europe in 2020 - 87 million to be precise.

Almost half of foreign migrants moved nearby their countries of origin. In Europe, for instance, seventy per cent migrants that were born in Europe are now living in a different European country. 
 
Out of the international migrants, refugees accounted for 12 per cent of those, as per the report.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/business-economy/us-sues-facebook-for-allegedly-favouring-immigrants-over-us-workers-347344" hreflang="en">US sues Facebook for allegedly favouring immigrants over US workers&nbsp;</a> 
 
The global climate crisis could see more than 63 million people displaced from their homes within South Asian countries in the next 30 years, according to a new report.

According to a report by ActionAid International and Climate Action Network South Asia, if global warming continues on its current path then the rising sea levels and droughts will force a huge part of South Asian population to migrate. 
&nbsp;

Global migration has slowed down by nearly 30 per cent, owing to restrictions that were put in place to contain the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. A United Nations report from Friday revealed that two million fewer people migrated between 2019-20 than expected.

Global migration has slowed down by nearly 30 per cent, owing to restrictions that were put in place to contain the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. A United Nations report from Friday revealed that two million fewer people migrated between 2019-20 than expected. In 2020, 281 million people were living outside their country of origin, the report added. Titled “International Migration 2020”, the report showed how two-thirds of registered migrants lived in less than 20 countries. The United States topped the list, hosting over 51 million migrants in 2020. Germany came in second with 16 million migrants, followed by Saudi Arabia with 13 million migrants. Russia came close with 12 million migrants, and Britain with nine million. In terms of the largest diasporas in 2020, India topped the list. 18 million Indians were living outside their country of birth in 2020. Also read: Global warming could create 63 million migrants in South Asia by 2050 Other countries with a large population outside their country of origin include Mexico, Russia with 11 million each, followed by China with 10 million, then by Syria with eight million. The most number of migrants lived in Europe in 2020 - 87 million to be precise. Almost half of foreign migrants moved nearby their countries of origin. In Europe, for instance, seventy per cent migrants that were born in Europe are now living in a different European country. Out of the international migrants, refugees accounted for 12 per cent of those, as per the report. Also read: US sues Facebook for allegedly favouring immigrants over US workers The global climate crisis could see more than 63 million people displaced from their homes within South Asian countries in the next 30 years, according to a new report. According to a report by ActionAid International and Climate Action Network South Asia, if global warming continues on its current path then the rising sea levels and droughts will force a huge part of South Asian population to migrate.

Coronavirus slowed down global migration by 30%; Indian diaspora the largest: UN report

The coronavirus has impacted economies across the world. Lockdowns imposed earlier this year plummeted GDP numbers and globally the poor are the worst hit. Watch report.

Dwindling economies forces migration: Over 1,200 Africans migrate to Canary islands via sea

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

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

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

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

Devastated by recent bushfires, parts of Australia's east coast where tourists can see migrating humpback whales are seeing a surge in demand as people venture to lesser known destinations closer to home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Drone footage shows migration on Australia's 'whale super highway'

Extreme climate changes, natural disasters, raging pandemic, and high tensions in global politics: 2020 has seen it all. Now, it looks like the cohabitants of planet Earth are suffering too.

A report by The Guardian recently revealed how thousands of migratory birds just dropped dead across the south-western regions in the United States.

Experts have called it a national tragedy, and one which needs immediate attention, and is being perceived as direct result of the climate crisis.&nbsp;

'Falling out of the sky'

Among species that were found dead across the region, “falling out of the sky” were flycatchers, swallows, and warblers. This is happening across Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nebraska.&nbsp;

A professor from the New Mexico State University told The Guardian that hundreds of thousands of such birds could already be dead.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/rare-species-of-birds-goes-missing-in-new-zealand-experts-unsure-about-reasons-of-this-frustrating-disappearance-311878" hreflang="en">Rare species of birds goes missing in New Zealand; experts unsure about reasons of this 'frustrating' disappearance</a>

According to witnesses and first responders, many birds simply nose-dived into the ground, which instantly killed them.

It is customary for long-distance migratory birds to fly from cold habitats in Alaska and Canada towards South America. In this process, the fly over US’ south western regions, which are currently burning - quite literally.

The western regions in the US are currently witnessing intense wildfires, leading to mass evacuations, ringing climate change alarm bells.

Due to this fire, the birds may have been forced to take a longer route along the Chihuahuan desert, where resources are low, meaning they weren’t getting any food.

A student fro NMSU wrote on Twitter, “they’re literally just feathers and bones”, implying that the birds simply died off after they couldn’t fly anymore.

Raging wildfires

Many American regions are currently engulfed in wildfires, hazy with smoke emanating from these fires, which are seen as the direct result of climate change. Owing to this, fewer insects now survive in the area, which means less food for these birds.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/79-per-cent-decline-in-indian-species-of-birds-study-281435" hreflang="en">79 per cent decline in Indian species of birds: Study</a>

Scientists believe these weather events are directly responsible for the mass deaths of birds. The changing pattern may have fooled birds into beginning their migration earlier than usual, or the smoke from the fires could have chosen the birds.

The first such deaths were reported on August 20 in New Mexico. Initially thought to be isolated incidents, social media reports revealed a pattern forming in the region, whereby migratory birds were dropping dead.&nbsp;

Before dying, birds are reportedly displaying unusual behaviour - like lethargy, approachability, etc.

Extreme climate changes, natural disasters, raging pandemic, and high tensions in global politics: 2020 has seen it all. Now, it looks like the cohabitants of planet Earth are suffering too.

Extreme climate changes, natural disasters, raging pandemic, and high tensions in global politics: 2020 has seen it all. Now, it looks like the cohabitants of planet Earth are suffering too. A report by The Guardian recently revealed how thousands of migratory birds just dropped dead across the south-western regions in the United States. Experts have called it a national tragedy, and one which needs immediate attention, and is being perceived as direct result of the climate crisis. 'Falling out of the sky' Among species that were found dead across the region, “falling out of the sky” were flycatchers, swallows, and warblers. This is happening across Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nebraska. A professor from the New Mexico State University told The Guardian that hundreds of thousands of such birds could already be dead. Also read: Rare species of birds goes missing in New Zealand; experts unsure about reasons of this 'frustrating' disappearance According to witnesses and first responders, many birds simply nose-dived into the ground, which instantly killed them. It is customary for long-distance migratory birds to fly from cold habitats in Alaska and Canada towards South America. In this process, the fly over US’ south western regions, which are currently burning - quite literally. The western regions in the US are currently witnessing intense wildfires, leading to mass evacuations, ringing climate change alarm bells. Due to this fire, the birds may have been forced to take a longer route along the Chihuahuan desert, where resources are low, meaning they weren’t getting any food. A student fro NMSU wrote on Twitter, “they’re literally just feathers and bones”, implying that the birds simply died off after they couldn’t fly anymore. Raging wildfires Many American regions are currently engulfed in wildfires, hazy with smoke emanating from these fires, which are seen as the direct result of climate change. Owing to this, fewer insects now survive in the area, which means less food for these birds. Also read: 79 per cent decline in Indian species of birds: Study Scientists believe these weather events are directly responsible for the mass deaths of birds. The changing pattern may have fooled birds into beginning their migration earlier than usual, or the smoke from the fires could have chosen the birds. The first such deaths were reported on August 20 in New Mexico. Initially thought to be isolated incidents, social media reports revealed a pattern forming in the region, whereby migratory birds were dropping dead. Before dying, birds are reportedly displaying unusual behaviour - like lethargy, approachability, etc.

Why are thousands of migratory birds dropping dead across North America?

A fire broke out at the&nbsp;Moria migrant camp in the early hours of Wednesday. The camp is located on the island of Lesbos in Greece and is infamous for being overcrowded and its poor conditions.

Fire engines were rushed to the camp in the early hours of the day where migrants were seen standing outside with their luggage in hand. All the migrants were escorted out of the camp to a safe place.

As of now, no injuries have been reported. However, several containers and tents were set ablaze by the fire.

A detailed investigation will be carried out into what caused the fire, as the initial reports have failed to figure out the reason.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/13000-chairs-placed-outside-german-parliament-to-protest-against-greek-migrant-camps-325895">Also read:&nbsp;13,000 chairs placed outside German parliament to protest against Greek migrant camps</a>

The Moria camp&nbsp;has a capacity of less than 2,800 people. However, at present, there are 13,000 people stuck there. Recently, aid groups&nbsp;Seebruecke, Sea-Watch, Campact and LeaveNoOneBehind organised a demonstration outside the german Parliament protesting against the poor living conditions of the migrants stuck in these camps.

To raise their voices against this inhumane treatment of the migrants,&nbsp;the protestors placed 13,000 chairs outside the German parliament building in Berlin. They also installed a mock stage with three chairs placed as a symbol for the chairs of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.&nbsp;

The protests came after first case of coronavirus was reported in the camp. The number of cases has&nbsp;risen to 35&nbsp;since then.

A fire broke out at the Moria migrant camp in the early hours of Wednesday. The camp is located on the island of Lesbos in Greece and is infamous for being overcrowded and its poor conditions.

A fire broke out at the Moria migrant camp in the early hours of Wednesday. The camp is located on the island of Lesbos in Greece and is infamous for being overcrowded and its poor conditions. Fire engines were rushed to the camp in the early hours of the day where migrants were seen standing outside with their luggage in hand. All the migrants were escorted out of the camp to a safe place. As of now, no injuries have been reported. However, several containers and tents were set ablaze by the fire. A detailed investigation will be carried out into what caused the fire, as the initial reports have failed to figure out the reason. Also read: 13,000 chairs placed outside German parliament to protest against Greek migrant camps The Moria camp has a capacity of less than 2,800 people. However, at present, there are 13,000 people stuck there. Recently, aid groups Seebruecke, Sea-Watch, Campact and LeaveNoOneBehind organised a demonstration outside the german Parliament protesting against the poor living conditions of the migrants stuck in these camps. To raise their voices against this inhumane treatment of the migrants, the protestors placed 13,000 chairs outside the German parliament building in Berlin. They also installed a mock stage with three chairs placed as a symbol for the chairs of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. The protests came after first case of coronavirus was reported in the camp. The number of cases has risen to 35 since then.

Fire breaks out at overcrowded Moria migrant camp in Greece

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

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

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

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

Bird watchers across the world have brought to notice a natural catastrophe.

Thousands of birds like swallows and swifts that were migrating to Europe from Africa as part of their yearly cycles have been killed by high winds that have taken over Greece.

Hundreds of birds were found in Athens’ streets, with many residents reporting finding corpses in their balconies. Further up, dead birds were found in the Aegean islands and in a lake located close to the port of Nauplia in the Peloponnese.

“It’s a major disaster,” Maria Ganoti of the wildlife protection group Anima told AFP on Thursday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="winnows.com/india-news/79-per-cent-decline-in-indian-species-of-birds-study-281435" hreflang="en">79 per cent decline in Indian species of birds: Study</a>

“Over the last three days because of high winds in the north and over the Aegean Sea, thousands of small birds have been found dead or gravely injured,” she added.

“The night of April 5-6 was disastrous for migrating birds due to strong winds, low temperatures and rain in some regions”, The Greek ornithologist association said.

“Southerly winds pushed flocks of birds from north Africa into air currents from the north of the Aegean sea and particularly the islands”, the association added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="winnows.com/world/north-american-bird-population-fell-by-quarter-over-50-years-study-250699" hreflang="en">North America&nbsp;lost&nbsp;nearly&nbsp;3&nbsp;billion birds&nbsp;over 50 years: Study</a>

“To escape, exhausted birds, mainly swallows and swifts, which catch flying insects for food, headed for the Greek mainland”, it further said.

In their statement, the association has put forward requests to people for exercising caution when moving about in the streets, where tired birds seek temporary refuge after flying for thousands of kilometres.

Thousands of birds migrate towards northern territories during spring, and towards souther areas in autumn.

Bird watchers across the world have brought to notice a natural catastrophe. Thousands of birds like swallows and swifts that were migrating to Europe from Africa as part of their yearly cycles have been killed by high winds that have taken over Greece.

Bird watchers across the world have brought to notice a natural catastrophe. Thousands of birds like swallows and swifts that were migrating to Europe from Africa as part of their yearly cycles have been killed by high winds that have taken over Greece. Hundreds of birds were found in Athens’ streets, with many residents reporting finding corpses in their balconies. Further up, dead birds were found in the Aegean islands and in a lake located close to the port of Nauplia in the Peloponnese. “It’s a major disaster,” Maria Ganoti of the wildlife protection group Anima told AFP on Thursday. Also read: 79 per cent decline in Indian species of birds: Study “Over the last three days because of high winds in the north and over the Aegean Sea, thousands of small birds have been found dead or gravely injured,” she added. “The night of April 5-6 was disastrous for migrating birds due to strong winds, low temperatures and rain in some regions”, The Greek ornithologist association said. “Southerly winds pushed flocks of birds from north Africa into air currents from the north of the Aegean sea and particularly the islands”, the association added. Also read: North America lost nearly 3 billion birds over 50 years: Study “To escape, exhausted birds, mainly swallows and swifts, which catch flying insects for food, headed for the Greek mainland”, it further said. In their statement, the association has put forward requests to people for exercising caution when moving about in the streets, where tired birds seek temporary refuge after flying for thousands of kilometres. Thousands of birds migrate towards northern territories during spring, and towards souther areas in autumn.

Thousands of migratory birds killed by strong winds over Europe

Supreme Court on Tuesday heard a petition seeking directions to provide food and shelter to migrant workers amid the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/confirmed-coronavirus-cases-rise-to-1251-in-india-kerala-maharashtra-worst-hit-289636">coronavirus </a>lockdown in the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/home-ministry-may-blacklist-at-least-800-foreigners-over-coronavirus-cases-in-delhis-nizamuddin-289622">Also Read: Home ministry may blacklist at least 800 foreigners over coronavirus cases in Delhi</a>

The petition was filed by lawyer AA Srivastava as the migrants continued to move around the country after the country was lockdown last week.

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/covid-19-crisis-tamil-nadu-govt-sprays-disinfectants-using-drones-heavy-vehicles-door-to-door-289652/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told India's top court that there was a complete prohibition on interstate migration.

"We are considering providing counseling to address the panic,"Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told India's apex court while adding, "Over 22 lakh, 88 thousand people being provided food. These are needy persons, migrants, and daily wagers.They have been kept in shelters.

The Supreme Court on Monday had sought a status report from the Centre on the measures taken in view of the large-scale migration of labourers&nbsp;from cities to their native villages after the nationwide lockdown last week.

The court had said that panic and fear by the labourers in different parts had become a bigger problem in the fight against the virus.

A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justice L Nageswara Rao had taken up two separate PILs filed by advocates Alakh Alok Srivastava and Rashmi Bansal on the issue of migration of labourers through video-conferencing on Monday. 
&nbsp;

Supreme Court on Tuesday heard a petition seeking directions to provide food and shelter to migrant workers amid the coronavirus lockdown in the country. Also Read: Home ministry may blacklist at least 800 foreigners over coronavirus cases in Delhi The petition was filed by lawyer AA Srivastava as the migrants continued to move around the country after the country was lockdown last week.

Supreme Court on Tuesday heard a petition seeking directions to provide food and shelter to migrant workers amid the coronavirus lockdown in the country. Also Read: Home ministry may blacklist at least 800 foreigners over coronavirus cases in Delhi The petition was filed by lawyer AA Srivastava as the migrants continued to move around the country after the country was lockdown last week. Watch Video: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told India's top court that there was a complete prohibition on interstate migration. "We are considering providing counseling to address the panic,"Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told India's apex court while adding, "Over 22 lakh, 88 thousand people being provided food. These are needy persons, migrants, and daily wagers.They have been kept in shelters. The Supreme Court on Monday had sought a status report from the Centre on the measures taken in view of the large-scale migration of labourers from cities to their native villages after the nationwide lockdown last week. The court had said that panic and fear by the labourers in different parts had become a bigger problem in the fight against the virus. A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justice L Nageswara Rao had taken up two separate PILs filed by advocates Alakh Alok Srivastava and Rashmi Bansal on the issue of migration of labourers through video-conferencing on Monday.

Complete prohibition on interstate migration: Government tells Supreme Court amid COVID-19 lockdown

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Tuesday slammed Turkey for trying to "blackmail" the EU by opening its borders to thousands of refugees seeking to flee to Europe.

"It is an attack by Turkey against the European Union and Greece. People are being used to pressure Europe. The EU must not be susceptible to blackmail," Kurz told reporters.

Turkey has given a green light to refugees and migrants on its territory, many of them displaced Syrians, to leave for the European Union, in defiance of a 2016 deal to keep them in.

Kurz accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of luring people with "false promises" and transporting them to the Greek border from where they are seeking to enter Europe -- using them as a "weapon" to pressure the EU.

Kurz said it was a "test" for the EU to see whether it can protect its outer borders, saying Austria stood ready to support Greece and any other countries which may face an "onslaught".

"I can guarantee you one thing: if the outer borders of the EU don't work, then Europe without (inner) borders is history," he said.

"We must together make sure that year 2015 doesn't repeat itself," he added, referring to a surge in people entering the EU to seek asylum five years ago.

The conservative Kurz in January formed a government with the Greens after his coalition with the far-right broke apart after one and a half years when a corruption scandal engulfed his junior partner.

Kurz has promised to maintain his hardline stance on immigration even within the new coalition, with the Greens accepting it so far in exchange for being able to push their climate agenda.

On Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel described Turkey's move as "unacceptable" and EU migration commissioner Margaritis Schinas said no one could "blackmail or intimidate the EU".

Ankara's move comes amid intense fighting in the Syrian region of Idlib between pro-government forces and jihadists and Ankara-backed rebels.&nbsp;

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Tuesday slammed Turkey for trying to "blackmail" the EU by opening its borders to thousands of refugees seeking to flee to Europe.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Tuesday slammed Turkey for trying to "blackmail" the EU by opening its borders to thousands of refugees seeking to flee to Europe. "It is an attack by Turkey against the European Union and Greece. People are being used to pressure Europe. The EU must not be susceptible to blackmail," Kurz told reporters. Turkey has given a green light to refugees and migrants on its territory, many of them displaced Syrians, to leave for the European Union, in defiance of a 2016 deal to keep them in. Kurz accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of luring people with "false promises" and transporting them to the Greek border from where they are seeking to enter Europe -- using them as a "weapon" to pressure the EU. Kurz said it was a "test" for the EU to see whether it can protect its outer borders, saying Austria stood ready to support Greece and any other countries which may face an "onslaught". "I can guarantee you one thing: if the outer borders of the EU don't work, then Europe without (inner) borders is history," he said. "We must together make sure that year 2015 doesn't repeat itself," he added, referring to a surge in people entering the EU to seek asylum five years ago. The conservative Kurz in January formed a government with the Greens after his coalition with the far-right broke apart after one and a half years when a corruption scandal engulfed his junior partner. Kurz has promised to maintain his hardline stance on immigration even within the new coalition, with the Greens accepting it so far in exchange for being able to push their climate agenda. On Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel described Turkey's move as "unacceptable" and EU migration commissioner Margaritis Schinas said no one could "blackmail or intimidate the EU". Ankara's move comes amid intense fighting in the Syrian region of Idlib between pro-government forces and jihadists and Ankara-backed rebels.

Austria slams Turkey for 'blackmailing' EU over migration

As part of the British government's post-Brexit reformation, low-skilled workers in the country will no longer be able to obtain visas.

The most interesting tenet, perhaps, of this provision is the curator. The idea was envisioned&nbsp;by Priti Patel, an Indian-origin British politician. She is a second-generation immigrant. Born in London, her parents emigrated to the UK from Tarapur in Gujarat.&nbsp;

The constitutional element of the new provision requests&nbsp;British employers to limit their dependence on cheap labour coming from Europe.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-kingdoms-new-government-increases-minimum-wage-to-ps872-271242" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/united-kingdoms-new-government-increases-minimum-wage-to-ps872-271242&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwicobjvl93nAhWqzDgGHaDQDtUQFjAAegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0sd6ERTqDMYP6a6tLWGao6" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-kingdoms-new-government-increases-minimum-wage-to-ps872-271242" target="_blank">United Kingdom's new government increases minimum wage&nbsp;to £8.72</a>

The&nbsp;key objectives of the&nbsp;move includes the retention of existing staff and to evolve and sustain automation technology that eliminates the need for physical dependence.&nbsp;

According to the Home Office of the UK, European Union and non-European Union citizens coming to the UK after December 31 would be treated in the same fashion. This basically implies that all EU privileges in terms of travel and citizenship will be effectively revoked.

The UK's Labour Party hit out at the move and claimed that it would lead to a ''hostile environment'' in the country, in terms of attracting labour.

However, the Indian-origin Home Secretary Priti Patel claims that skilled and talented people will be able to come to the UK nevertheless.

<img alt="pppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="98a4abd0-6413-4afb-956b-73a2b7179536" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_92.jpg" />

"The brightest and the best will be able to come to the United Kingdom", Patel said.

Patel has been a staunch critic of Theresa May and is the first Home Secretary of Indian origin in the British cabinet.&nbsp;

"It is important that the Cabinet should represent modern Britain as well as a modern Conservative Party", she had announced during the elections.

Priti Patel had also additionally steered the ''Vote Leave'' campaign which triggered a series of uncertain events for British polity until the recent elections. She became a member of the Conservative Party when she 15.

There are currently two other Indian-origin ministers in the UK cabinet: Rishi Sunak: Finance Minister, and Alok Sharma: &nbsp;Business Secretary.

This constitutes a part of the UK's bigger plan to reduce migration into the UK. To systematically tackle this, the government has curated a ''points-based'' immigration system, living up to the promise which was made in their election manifesto.

Here on, not only would potential immigrants and/or citizens need to speak impeccable English, but would need an ''approved sponsor'', someone who's already a British citizen and intends to hire the person intending to visit.&nbsp;On fulfilling this criterion, the person would be awarded 50 points.

However, it gets tricky for a potential worker would need at least 70 points to legally work in the country.

There are numerous number of points, ranging from educational qualifications to the salary on offer, and the nature of the profession.

If someone possesses a skill which is facing labour shortages in the country, they would be fast-tracked into migration.

According to the government's statements, businesses need to ''adapt and adjust''. In essence, the UK will no longer entertain the entry of "unskilled foreign labour"&nbsp;into their country, especially from Europe.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/five-facts-about-priti-patel-uks-first-indian-origin-home-secretary-238292" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/five-facts-about-priti-patel-uks-first-indian-origin-home-secretary-238292&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjGwsujl93nAhUnzTgGHWCBB3IQFjAAegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1GDr23WfWIzYUbaZeidnp2" dir="ltr" href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/five-facts-about-priti-patel-uks-first-indian-origin-home-secretary-238292&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjGwsujl93nAhUnzTgGHWCBB3IQFjAAegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1GDr23WfWIzYUbaZeidnp2" target="_blank">Five facts about Priti Patel,&nbsp;UK's first Indian-origin home secretary</a>

"It is important employers move away from a reliance on the UK's immigration system as an alternative to investment in staff retention, productivity and wider investment in technology and automation," the government statement said.

Instead of inducting more people in the British workforce, the government suggests employing the skills of 3.2 million European Union citizens who have applied for an extension on their stay.

To soften the blow, the government has also introduced sub-provisions, such as ''youth mobility arrangements'', that opens a window of 20,000 entries in the UK every year, but only for young people.

This clampdown on immigrants is no longer new, as countries have spent years imitating the divisive rhetoric of Trump that is based on border protectionism with traces of nationalist fervour.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-brexit-new-fast-track-global-talent-visa-unveiled-by-united-kingdom-276861">After Brexit, new fast track 'global talent visa' unveiled by United Kingdom</a>

Patel has been staunchly criticised for her rhetoric during the Brexit uncertainty period, whereby she defended the alcohol and tobacco industries, and also threatened Ireland with food shortages.

As part of the British government's post-Brexit reformation, low-skilled workers in the country will no longer be able to obtain visas. The most interesting tenet, perhaps, of this provision is the curator.

As part of the British government's post-Brexit reformation, low-skilled workers in the country will no longer be able to obtain visas. The most interesting tenet, perhaps, of this provision is the curator. The idea was envisioned by Priti Patel, an Indian-origin British politician. She is a second-generation immigrant. Born in London, her parents emigrated to the UK from Tarapur in Gujarat. The constitutional element of the new provision requests British employers to limit their dependence on cheap labour coming from Europe. Also read: United Kingdom's new government increases minimum wage to £8.72 The key objectives of the move includes the retention of existing staff and to evolve and sustain automation technology that eliminates the need for physical dependence. According to the Home Office of the UK, European Union and non-European Union citizens coming to the UK after December 31 would be treated in the same fashion. This basically implies that all EU privileges in terms of travel and citizenship will be effectively revoked. The UK's Labour Party hit out at the move and claimed that it would lead to a ''hostile environment'' in the country, in terms of attracting labour. However, the Indian-origin Home Secretary Priti Patel claims that skilled and talented people will be able to come to the UK nevertheless. "The brightest and the best will be able to come to the United Kingdom", Patel said. Patel has been a staunch critic of Theresa May and is the first Home Secretary of Indian origin in the British cabinet. "It is important that the Cabinet should represent modern Britain as well as a modern Conservative Party", she had announced during the elections. Priti Patel had also additionally steered the ''Vote Leave'' campaign which triggered a series of uncertain events for British polity until the recent elections. She became a member of the Conservative Party when she 15. There are currently two other Indian-origin ministers in the UK cabinet: Rishi Sunak: Finance Minister, and Alok Sharma: Business Secretary. This constitutes a part of the UK's bigger plan to reduce migration into the UK. To systematically tackle this, the government has curated a ''points-based'' immigration system, living up to the promise which was made in their election manifesto. Here on, not only would potential immigrants and/or citizens need to speak impeccable English, but would need an ''approved sponsor'', someone who's already a British citizen and intends to hire the person intending to visit. On fulfilling this criterion, the person would be awarded 50 points. However, it gets tricky for a potential worker would need at least 70 points to legally work in the country. There are numerous number of points, ranging from educational qualifications to the salary on offer, and the nature of the profession. If someone possesses a skill which is facing labour shortages in the country, they would be fast-tracked into migration. According to the government's statements, businesses need to ''adapt and adjust''. In essence, the UK will no longer entertain the entry of "unskilled foreign labour" into their country, especially from Europe. Also read: Five facts about Priti Patel, UK's first Indian-origin home secretary "It is important employers move away from a reliance on the UK's immigration system as an alternative to investment in staff retention, productivity and wider investment in technology and automation," the government statement said. Instead of inducting more people in the British workforce, the government suggests employing the skills of 3.2 million European Union citizens who have applied for an extension on their stay. To soften the blow, the government has also introduced sub-provisions, such as ''youth mobility arrangements'', that opens a window of 20,000 entries in the UK every year, but only for young people. This clampdown on immigrants is no longer new, as countries have spent years imitating the divisive rhetoric of Trump that is based on border protectionism with traces of nationalist fervour. Also read: After Brexit, new fast track 'global talent visa' unveiled by United Kingdom Patel has been staunchly criticised for her rhetoric during the Brexit uncertainty period, whereby she defended the alcohol and tobacco industries, and also threatened Ireland with food shortages.

Second generation immigrant Priti Patel introduces UK's anti-immigration visa guidelines

Bangladesh Border Guard has reported that it has now detained 445 Bangladeshis who were trying to enter Bangladesh from India. #WION #WIONDispatch #Bangladesh

WION Dispatch: Bangladesh witnesses reverse migration

Italy&nbsp;authorised the&nbsp;arrival&nbsp;of&nbsp;two&nbsp;charity&nbsp;ships&nbsp;carrying&nbsp;more than 100&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;rescued&nbsp;in the Mediterranean, under the terms of an agreement with other EU countries, the interior ministry said late Tuesday.

"The European Commission has started the procedure of distributing the 61&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;on the Alan Kurdi and the 60 aboard the Ocean Viking," the ministry said in a statement.&nbsp;

"Some European countries, including Germany and France, have offered to accommodate some of these&nbsp;migrants," it said.

German charity Sea-Eye's Alan Kurdi,&nbsp;named after a Syrian child whose drowning in the Mediterranean in 2015 brought global attention to the migrant crisis,&nbsp;will dock in the Sicilian port of Messina while the Ocean Viking of SOS Mediterranean will put in at Pozzallo, also in Sicily.

Rome gave the green light thanks to a temporary system agreed in September with France, Germany,&nbsp;Italy&nbsp;and Malta.&nbsp;

The deal was meant to end the long, drawn-out negotiations that have seen vulnerable asylum-seekers including babies stranded at sea, sometimes for weeks.

Since it was commissioned in summer 2018, the Alan Kurdi has saved nearly 500 people shipwrecked in the Mediterranean, including more than 80 picked up in the recent days, according to Sea-Eye.&nbsp;

On November 28, the Ocean Viking&nbsp;rescued&nbsp;60&nbsp;migrants, including 19 minors, who were on a flimsy wooden boat.

Italy authorised the arrival of two charity ships carrying more than 100 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean, under the terms of an agreement with other EU countries, the interior ministry said late Tuesday.

Italy authorised the arrival of two charity ships carrying more than 100 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean, under the terms of an agreement with other EU countries, the interior ministry said late Tuesday. "The European Commission has started the procedure of distributing the 61 migrants on the Alan Kurdi and the 60 aboard the Ocean Viking," the ministry said in a statement. "Some European countries, including Germany and France, have offered to accommodate some of these migrants," it said. German charity Sea-Eye's Alan Kurdi, named after a Syrian child whose drowning in the Mediterranean in 2015 brought global attention to the migrant crisis, will dock in the Sicilian port of Messina while the Ocean Viking of SOS Mediterranean will put in at Pozzallo, also in Sicily. Rome gave the green light thanks to a temporary system agreed in September with France, Germany, Italy and Malta. The deal was meant to end the long, drawn-out negotiations that have seen vulnerable asylum-seekers including babies stranded at sea, sometimes for weeks. Since it was commissioned in summer 2018, the Alan Kurdi has saved nearly 500 people shipwrecked in the Mediterranean, including more than 80 picked up in the recent days, according to Sea-Eye. On November 28, the Ocean Viking rescued 60 migrants, including 19 minors, who were on a flimsy wooden boat.

Italy: Arrival of two ships carrying rescued migrants authorised

Daniels Herrera kept quiet on his long walk home from work following violent&nbsp;protests&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/colombia-strikers-expand-demands-include-possible-talks-with-rebels-265296">Colombian capital Bogota last week</a>, fearful his&nbsp;Venezuelan&nbsp;accent would give him away.

The 26-year-old had arrived in the sprawling city high in the Andes almost two years ago, one of more than a million&nbsp;Venezuelans who have fled crime and an economic meltdown at home to seek refuge in&nbsp;Colombia.

Herrera never expected to feel more unsafe here than in Venezuela, which has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the world, but that changed when violence erupted in Bogota during a nationwide strike and authorities imposed a citywide curfew.

Transport came to a standstill, forcing Herrera and two&nbsp;Venezuelan&nbsp;colleagues to walk almost 20 km&nbsp;to reach their homes in southern Bogota.

As they walked, they heard the muttering among other frustrated commuters about&nbsp;Venezuelans ruining the country.

"It was really frightening. We decided not to speak," said the young cook, who works at a fast-food restaurant in a Bogota shopping mall.

Non-governmental organizations and researchers say rumours blaming&nbsp;Venezuelan&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;for isolated looting and vandalism connected to the&nbsp;protests&nbsp;have caused a sharp rise in xenophobia over the last 10 days.

Posts on social media and messages forwarded on messaging application WhatsApp - many mentioning&nbsp;Venezuelans - stoked panic among Bogota residents on the night of the curfew, as the city's emergency line was inundated with calls reporting residential break-ins that police say never happened.

Backlash in other countries

More than 4 million&nbsp;Venezuelans have left their country in recent years, fleeing severe food and medicine shortages and hyperinflation. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/colombia-protest-leaders-push-duque-on-dialogue-265184">Nearly 1.5 million</a> have settled in neighbouring&nbsp;Colombia, many arriving with scant resources.

"There has been an increase in xenophobia in recent days," said Ronald Rodriguez, director of the Observatory on Venezuela at Rosario University in Bogota.

"These (rumours) happened in my apartment building too. I was able to speak to at least 50 neighbours that evening and every one of them, without exception, accused those with&nbsp;Venezuelan&nbsp;nationality," said Rodriguez.

A mass deportation on Monday of 59&nbsp;Venezuelans who&nbsp;Colombia's migration agency said were involved in vandalism during the marches only helped fuel prejudice, Rodriguez said.

"This action led people to believe it was&nbsp;Venezuelans who caused all the problems," he said.

Neither the rumours nor the deportations are unique to&nbsp;Colombia&nbsp;as the exodus of&nbsp;Venezuelans stirs tensions in neighbouring countries from Brazil to Chile.

In June, Peru flew home hundreds of&nbsp;Venezuelans with criminal records amid allegations that&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;were responsible for a rise in crime. Peru's interior minister warned&nbsp;against&nbsp;xenophobia in September after false rumours spread on social media alleging&nbsp;Venezuelans were trying to kidnap children.

Unlike its neighbours,&nbsp;Colombia&nbsp;has not imposed stringent immigration requirements, instead of encouraging&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;to register with authorities so they can access social services. For decades, Venezuela provided shelter to&nbsp;Colombians fleeing their country's civil conflict.

In response to questions about the deportations,&nbsp;Colombia's migration agency shared a press release saying the "bad behaviour of a few is creating an outbreak of xenophobia, damaging the image of their fellow countrymen."

Dihabal, 28, an undocumented migrant who asked his surname not be used, shares a small, squalid room in Bogota with his brother.

He says many&nbsp;Colombians, hearing their accents or assuming because of their clothes that they are&nbsp;migrants, have called them "venecos" - a derogatory term for&nbsp;Venezuelans.&nbsp;

"For a couple of bad people, we all pay," he said.&nbsp;

Daniels Herrera kept quiet on his long walk home from work following violent protests in the Colombian capital Bogota last week, fearful his Venezuelan accent would give him away.

Daniels Herrera kept quiet on his long walk home from work following violent protests in the Colombian capital Bogota last week, fearful his Venezuelan accent would give him away. The 26-year-old had arrived in the sprawling city high in the Andes almost two years ago, one of more than a million Venezuelans who have fled crime and an economic meltdown at home to seek refuge in Colombia. Herrera never expected to feel more unsafe here than in Venezuela, which has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the world, but that changed when violence erupted in Bogota during a nationwide strike and authorities imposed a citywide curfew. Transport came to a standstill, forcing Herrera and two Venezuelan colleagues to walk almost 20 km to reach their homes in southern Bogota. As they walked, they heard the muttering among other frustrated commuters about Venezuelans ruining the country. "It was really frightening. We decided not to speak," said the young cook, who works at a fast-food restaurant in a Bogota shopping mall. Non-governmental organizations and researchers say rumours blaming Venezuelan migrants for isolated looting and vandalism connected to the protests have caused a sharp rise in xenophobia over the last 10 days. Posts on social media and messages forwarded on messaging application WhatsApp - many mentioning Venezuelans - stoked panic among Bogota residents on the night of the curfew, as the city's emergency line was inundated with calls reporting residential break-ins that police say never happened. Backlash in other countries More than 4 million Venezuelans have left their country in recent years, fleeing severe food and medicine shortages and hyperinflation. Nearly 1.5 million have settled in neighbouring Colombia, many arriving with scant resources. "There has been an increase in xenophobia in recent days," said Ronald Rodriguez, director of the Observatory on Venezuela at Rosario University in Bogota. "These (rumours) happened in my apartment building too. I was able to speak to at least 50 neighbours that evening and every one of them, without exception, accused those with Venezuelan nationality," said Rodriguez. A mass deportation on Monday of 59 Venezuelans who Colombia's migration agency said were involved in vandalism during the marches only helped fuel prejudice, Rodriguez said. "This action led people to believe it was Venezuelans who caused all the problems," he said. Neither the rumours nor the deportations are unique to Colombia as the exodus of Venezuelans stirs tensions in neighbouring countries from Brazil to Chile. In June, Peru flew home hundreds of Venezuelans with criminal records amid allegations that migrants were responsible for a rise in crime. Peru's interior minister warned against xenophobia in September after false rumours spread on social media alleging Venezuelans were trying to kidnap children. Unlike its neighbours, Colombia has not imposed stringent immigration requirements, instead of encouraging migrants to register with authorities so they can access social services. For decades, Venezuela provided shelter to Colombians fleeing their country's civil conflict. In response to questions about the deportations, Colombia's migration agency shared a press release saying the "bad behaviour of a few is creating an outbreak of xenophobia, damaging the image of their fellow countrymen." Dihabal, 28, an undocumented migrant who asked his surname not be used, shares a small, squalid room in Bogota with his brother. He says many Colombians, hearing their accents or assuming because of their clothes that they are migrants, have called them "venecos" - a derogatory term for Venezuelans. "For a couple of bad people, we all pay," he said.

Protests in Colombia spark backlash against Venezuelan migrants

Almost half of all Europeans fear <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/climate-change-hits-india-much-work-needs-to-be-done-262038">climate change</a> more than losing a job or of a terrorist attack, a study by the European Investment Bank (EIB) showed on Thursday as EU lawmakers declared a “climate emergency”.&nbsp;

The symbolic vote by lawmakers was designed to pressure for action against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/bearing-brunt-of-climate-change-240729">global warming</a> at an upcoming United Nations summit.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/greta-thunberg-how-one-school-girls-climate-change-campaign-recruited-millions-249747">In Pictures: Greta Thunberg — How one school girl's climate change campaign recruited millions</a>

The EIB survey of 30,000 respondents from 30 countries, including China and the United States, showed 47% of Europeans saw climate change as the number one threat in their lives, above unemployment, large scale migration and concerns about terrorism.

“European citizens are highly concerned about climate change and its impact on their everyday life and future,” said Emma Navarro, EIB Vice-President responsible for climate action and the environment.

“Interestingly, many of them are optimistic about the possibility to reverse it. Unfortunately, science says otherwise. We have one shot at limiting global warming and mitigating its effects,” she said.

The EIB, owned by European Union governments, is the world’s largest international public lending institution and has the task of financing climate-change-related investment that is a priority for the new European Commission.

The survey, the first of four planned by the EIB, showed the level of concern about climate change was even higher in China than the EU, with 73% of respondents seeing it as the biggest threat to society, compared to 39% in the United States, where most people worried more about access to health services.

The study also showed that 41% of young Europeans between the age of 15 and 29, especially from southern countries like Spain, Greece and France thought they would have to move to another country because of the changing climate.

“Overall, 82% of Europeans report that climate change has an impact on their everyday lives, a perception that goes up to 98% in China and 76% in the United States,” the study said.

The incoming European Commission, which will start on Dec 1, wants to make the whole of the European Union an area that is neutral in terms of carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 after slashing emissions by 50% by 2030. It still requires the consent of all EU governments before such a target becomes binding, but some countries which still heavily depend on coal like Poland, oppose such ambition.

Almost half of all Europeans fear climate change more than losing a job or of a terrorist attack, a study by the European Investment Bank (EIB) showed on Thursday as EU lawmakers declared a “climate emergency”.

Almost half of all Europeans fear climate change more than losing a job or of a terrorist attack, a study by the European Investment Bank (EIB) showed on Thursday as EU lawmakers declared a “climate emergency”. The symbolic vote by lawmakers was designed to pressure for action against global warming at an upcoming United Nations summit. In Pictures: Greta Thunberg — How one school girl's climate change campaign recruited millions The EIB survey of 30,000 respondents from 30 countries, including China and the United States, showed 47% of Europeans saw climate change as the number one threat in their lives, above unemployment, large scale migration and concerns about terrorism. “European citizens are highly concerned about climate change and its impact on their everyday life and future,” said Emma Navarro, EIB Vice-President responsible for climate action and the environment. “Interestingly, many of them are optimistic about the possibility to reverse it. Unfortunately, science says otherwise. We have one shot at limiting global warming and mitigating its effects,” she said. The EIB, owned by European Union governments, is the world’s largest international public lending institution and has the task of financing climate-change-related investment that is a priority for the new European Commission. The survey, the first of four planned by the EIB, showed the level of concern about climate change was even higher in China than the EU, with 73% of respondents seeing it as the biggest threat to society, compared to 39% in the United States, where most people worried more about access to health services. The study also showed that 41% of young Europeans between the age of 15 and 29, especially from southern countries like Spain, Greece and France thought they would have to move to another country because of the changing climate. “Overall, 82% of Europeans report that climate change has an impact on their everyday lives, a perception that goes up to 98% in China and 76% in the United States,” the study said. The incoming European Commission, which will start on Dec 1, wants to make the whole of the European Union an area that is neutral in terms of carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 after slashing emissions by 50% by 2030. It still requires the consent of all EU governments before such a target becomes binding, but some countries which still heavily depend on coal like Poland, oppose such ambition.

Climate change scares Europeans more than terrorism, unemployment or migration

Net <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../no-more-preferential-treatment-for-eu-migrants -after-brexit-uk-conservatives-262734">migration to Britain</a> fell to its lowest level in nearly six years during the year to June, driven by a fall in the number of European Union citizens moving to the country for work ahead of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../wion-edit-lessons-to-learn-from-jeremy-corbyns -blunders-265031">Brexit</a>, official data showed on Thursday.

The Office for National Statistics said 212,000 more people moved to Britain than left, the lowest total since the year to September 2013.

Immigration of EU citizens fell to 199,000 the lowest level since the year ending March 2013, the ONS said, extending a declining trend since the 2016 referendum, when Britons voted by 52 per cent&nbsp;to 48 per cent&nbsp;to leave the EU.

By contrast, 151,000 EU citizens left Britain in the year to June, the largest total since records started 10 years ago.

Immigration is a hot political topic ahead of the December&nbsp;12 national election.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to limit the number of people coming to Britain by implementing an Australian-style points system, while the opposition Labour Party said migration policy should fit the needs of the economy.

"While there are still more EU citizens moving to the UK than leaving, EU net migration has fallen since 2016, driven by fewer EU arrivals for work," the ONS said in a statement.

"In contrast, non-EU net migration has gradually increased for the past six years, largely as more non-EU citizens came to study."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../uk-election-poll-predicts-conservative-majority- 264965">Johnson</a> has said Britain will leave the EU by the end of January if his ruling Conservatives win a parliamentary majority in a Dec. 12 election.

Net migration to Britain fell to its lowest level in nearly six years during the year to June, driven by a fall in the number of European Union citizens moving to the country for work ahead of Brexit, official data showed on Thursday.

Net migration to Britain fell to its lowest level in nearly six years during the year to June, driven by a fall in the number of European Union citizens moving to the country for work ahead of Brexit, official data showed on Thursday. The Office for National Statistics said 212,000 more people moved to Britain than left, the lowest total since the year to September 2013. Immigration of EU citizens fell to 199,000 the lowest level since the year ending March 2013, the ONS said, extending a declining trend since the 2016 referendum, when Britons voted by 52 per cent to 48 per cent to leave the EU. By contrast, 151,000 EU citizens left Britain in the year to June, the largest total since records started 10 years ago. Immigration is a hot political topic ahead of the December 12 national election. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to limit the number of people coming to Britain by implementing an Australian-style points system, while the opposition Labour Party said migration policy should fit the needs of the economy. "While there are still more EU citizens moving to the UK than leaving, EU net migration has fallen since 2016, driven by fewer EU arrivals for work," the ONS said in a statement. "In contrast, non-EU net migration has gradually increased for the past six years, largely as more non-EU citizens came to study." Johnson has said Britain will leave the EU by the end of January if his ruling Conservatives win a parliamentary majority in a Dec. 12 election.

Net migration to UK falls to lowest level in almost six years: Official data

The UK Border Force intercepted a boat Sunday carrying 22 migrants as public attention refocused on people smuggling following the death of 39 Vietnamese nationals in a truck near London.

Britain's interior ministry said the operation brought to 44 the number of people picked up in the English Channel since Friday.

No information about their nationalities or ages and gender were revealed.

Hundreds of migrants try to enter Britain annually through the world's busiest waterway using unsafe boats.

The role human traffickers play in such operations came under new scrutiny after the Vietnamese tragedy.

The victims' bodies were discovered in a refrigerated truck near London. The British driver has been charged with manslaughter and other offences.

None of the 11 people detained in Vietnam's own investigation has been formally charged.

The UK Border Force intercepted a boat Sunday carrying 22 migrants as public attention refocused on people smuggling following the death of 39 Vietnamese nationals in a truck near London.

The UK Border Force intercepted a boat Sunday carrying 22 migrants as public attention refocused on people smuggling following the death of 39 Vietnamese nationals in a truck near London. Britain's interior ministry said the operation brought to 44 the number of people picked up in the English Channel since Friday. No information about their nationalities or ages and gender were revealed. Hundreds of migrants try to enter Britain annually through the world's busiest waterway using unsafe boats. The role human traffickers play in such operations came under new scrutiny after the Vietnamese tragedy. The victims' bodies were discovered in a refrigerated truck near London. The British driver has been charged with manslaughter and other offences. None of the 11 people detained in Vietnam's own investigation has been formally charged.

Britain detains 22 migrants in English Channel

Malta's armed forces have started cooperating with Libya's coastguard to turn back migrant boats heading into Malta's search and rescue zone, a newspaper reported on Sunday, citing a secret government deal.

The government declined to comment directly on the report in the Sunday Times of Malta, but told Reuters the Mediterranean state had been working with the Libyan coastguard for many years and always operated within the law.

Under the terms of the deal, when a migrant boat is spotted sailing towards Malta, the island's armed forces seek the intervention of the Libyan coastguard to intercept them before they enter Malta's territorial waters, the paper said.

Non-governmental organisations have denounced previous deals by which Italy has directed the Libyan coastguard to pick up migrant boats in Libyan territorial waters, saying refugees face torture and abuse in the lawless North African country.

The Malta deal appears to go a step further by encouraging the Libyan coastguard to intervene beyond its own coastal waters, which extend some 22.2 km&nbsp;from its shore, and into the broad search-and-rescue zone operated by Malta.

"Search and rescue areas are not areas where the coastal state exercises sovereignty or has jurisdiction, but areas forming part of high seas where foreign military assets have every right to investigate any illegal activity departing from their coast," the Maltese government said.

Malta has taken in several hundred migrants in recent months, but almost always from charity rescue ships that had picked them up in the central Mediterranean. There have been few reports of migrant boats reaching the island autonomously.

In a sign of growing cooperation between Valletta and the Tripoli-based Libyan government, Malta seized in September a shipment of unofficial Libyan currency believed to have been destined for rebel military strongman Khalifa Haftar.

Two containers packed full of the recently introduced currency, printed in Russia, were discovered when the ship carrying the money stopped in Malta, local media reported earlier this month.

The Customs Department did not announce the find at the time and has made no subsequent comment on the operation.

Malta's armed forces have started cooperating with Libya's coastguard to turn back migrant boats heading into Malta's search and rescue zone, a newspaper reported on Sunday, citing a secret government deal.

Malta's armed forces have started cooperating with Libya's coastguard to turn back migrant boats heading into Malta's search and rescue zone, a newspaper reported on Sunday, citing a secret government deal. The government declined to comment directly on the report in the Sunday Times of Malta, but told Reuters the Mediterranean state had been working with the Libyan coastguard for many years and always operated within the law. Under the terms of the deal, when a migrant boat is spotted sailing towards Malta, the island's armed forces seek the intervention of the Libyan coastguard to intercept them before they enter Malta's territorial waters, the paper said. Non-governmental organisations have denounced previous deals by which Italy has directed the Libyan coastguard to pick up migrant boats in Libyan territorial waters, saying refugees face torture and abuse in the lawless North African country. The Malta deal appears to go a step further by encouraging the Libyan coastguard to intervene beyond its own coastal waters, which extend some 22.2 km from its shore, and into the broad search-and-rescue zone operated by Malta. "Search and rescue areas are not areas where the coastal state exercises sovereignty or has jurisdiction, but areas forming part of high seas where foreign military assets have every right to investigate any illegal activity departing from their coast," the Maltese government said. Malta has taken in several hundred migrants in recent months, but almost always from charity rescue ships that had picked them up in the central Mediterranean. There have been few reports of migrant boats reaching the island autonomously. In a sign of growing cooperation between Valletta and the Tripoli-based Libyan government, Malta seized in September a shipment of unofficial Libyan currency believed to have been destined for rebel military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Two containers packed full of the recently introduced currency, printed in Russia, were discovered when the ship carrying the money stopped in Malta, local media reported earlier this month. The Customs Department did not announce the find at the time and has made no subsequent comment on the operation.

Malta has deal with Libya coastguard over migrant interceptions: Report

Asurma Arab and her family spent more than two years waiting in Serbia for their chance to cross the steel fence that Hungary erected along its border to keep out migrants.

Little did the Afghan family know, their asylum plea was already a lost cause.

Under amendments passed in 2018, Hungary has been automatically rejecting applications of those who have passed through a "safe transit country", in this case Serbia, in what rights groups say has turned the asylum process into a cruel charade.

"They did not ask what problems brought us there, they only asked us how we had come," the 36-year-old mother, trembling with tears, said from the migrant camp in Serbia where her family is regrouping.

After their long wait, their experience of Hungary was bleak and brief.&nbsp;

They were shut into a transit camp made of blue shipping containers and surrounded by a razor-wire fence, just next to the border barrier.&nbsp;

Four months later, their application was rejected and they were kicked back to Serbia in the middle of the night.

"They brought us to the other side of the fence and left us in the forest," Asurma said.

During the 2015 migrant crisis, the border etched across northern Serbia's fertile flatlands became a vital crossing point into the European Union for migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

But Hungary slowed their march by building the 175-kilometre&nbsp;border fence four years ago, fortifying the EU's edge.

Since then, Budapest has continued to pass laws hostile to migrants, alarming EU officials who have struggled to rein in right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his anti-immigration crusade.

The "safe transit country" idea is a "novel concept that has been introduced by Hungarian officials" over the last year, said John Young from the UNHCR mission in Serbia.

"It's not the way an asylum system is supposed to work," he said.

'Causes unacceptable suffering'

The number of migrants allowed to enter Hungary from Serbia has also been systematically reduced to a trickle, from 20 people a day down to the current quota of around two families per week.

One official at a Serbian migrant camp described it as a form of "psychological torture" for those like Asurma who spend years waiting on a list.&nbsp;

Hungary's two "transit zone" camps have also been roundly criticised by rights groups as inhumane.&nbsp;

"Detaining people, including children, indefinitely behind barbed wires and fences in shipping containers is not simply unlawful but causes unacceptable suffering to asylum seekers," said the Hungarian Helsinki Committee rights group.

A new battle has been brewing since migrants reported being refused food while being forced to choose between returning to Serbia or deportation to their home country.

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee has documented 15 cases of food deprivation affecting nearly 30 people since August 2018.&nbsp;

Asurma, who was pregnant at the time, says her husband was also denied food for three days after their application was rejected.

In July the European Commission warned that detention conditions in Hungarian transit zones, in particular the withholding of food, violated the bloc's rights legislation.

On October 10, Brussels gave Budapest one month to respond, threatening to refer the case to the European Court of Justice.

When asked to comment by AFP, the government's press office said that all asylum seekers are provided for, but if their bid is "refused, he or she must leave the transit zone".

Although the European Court of Human Rights ruled in early October that Hungary must allow journalists into the transit camps, AFP reporters were refused entry at the scene several weeks later and have also had an official request denied on grounds of "privacy rights and keeping the peace" of those detained.

'I feel like I am 200'

After years of pinning their hopes on Hungary, Asurma and her family are now joining many other migrants in swerving westwards towards Croatia, carving a new route through the Balkans.

That path usually involves crossing mountains in Bosnia, a country with a shortage of migrant facilities, leaving many to sleep rough or in tent cities with deplorable sanitary conditions.

The next hurdle is circumventing Croatian border police, who are regularly accused of violent pushbacks.

Many migrants have reported beatings and thefts at their hands, though Zagreb denies all accusations.

In their latest attempt to leave Serbia, Asurma and her younger children were stopped by Croatian police, while her oldest daughter and husband managed to slip through.

They made it to Germany, where they are waiting for word on a new asylum application.

Asurma, however, remains in Serbia, trying to plot her next move with two teenagers and a newborn baby who has Down Syndrome and needs treatment for troubled breathing, which comes out in choked gasps.

After years of a life put on hold, her spirit is weakened.

"It is like my body has been torn into pieces from sadness and misery. Yes I am 36 years old, but I feel like I am 200," she said.

Asurma Arab and her family spent more than two years waiting in Serbia for their chance to cross the steel fence that Hungary erected along its border to keep out migrants.

Asurma Arab and her family spent more than two years waiting in Serbia for their chance to cross the steel fence that Hungary erected along its border to keep out migrants. Little did the Afghan family know, their asylum plea was already a lost cause. Under amendments passed in 2018, Hungary has been automatically rejecting applications of those who have passed through a "safe transit country", in this case Serbia, in what rights groups say has turned the asylum process into a cruel charade. "They did not ask what problems brought us there, they only asked us how we had come," the 36-year-old mother, trembling with tears, said from the migrant camp in Serbia where her family is regrouping. After their long wait, their experience of Hungary was bleak and brief. They were shut into a transit camp made of blue shipping containers and surrounded by a razor-wire fence, just next to the border barrier. Four months later, their application was rejected and they were kicked back to Serbia in the middle of the night. "They brought us to the other side of the fence and left us in the forest," Asurma said. During the 2015 migrant crisis, the border etched across northern Serbia's fertile flatlands became a vital crossing point into the European Union for migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. But Hungary slowed their march by building the 175-kilometre border fence four years ago, fortifying the EU's edge. Since then, Budapest has continued to pass laws hostile to migrants, alarming EU officials who have struggled to rein in right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his anti-immigration crusade. The "safe transit country" idea is a "novel concept that has been introduced by Hungarian officials" over the last year, said John Young from the UNHCR mission in Serbia. "It's not the way an asylum system is supposed to work," he said. 'Causes unacceptable suffering' The number of migrants allowed to enter Hungary from Serbia has also been systematically reduced to a trickle, from 20 people a day down to the current quota of around two families per week. One official at a Serbian migrant camp described it as a form of "psychological torture" for those like Asurma who spend years waiting on a list. Hungary's two "transit zone" camps have also been roundly criticised by rights groups as inhumane. "Detaining people, including children, indefinitely behind barbed wires and fences in shipping containers is not simply unlawful but causes unacceptable suffering to asylum seekers," said the Hungarian Helsinki Committee rights group. A new battle has been brewing since migrants reported being refused food while being forced to choose between returning to Serbia or deportation to their home country. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee has documented 15 cases of food deprivation affecting nearly 30 people since August 2018. Asurma, who was pregnant at the time, says her husband was also denied food for three days after their application was rejected. In July the European Commission warned that detention conditions in Hungarian transit zones, in particular the withholding of food, violated the bloc's rights legislation. On October 10, Brussels gave Budapest one month to respond, threatening to refer the case to the European Court of Justice. When asked to comment by AFP, the government's press office said that all asylum seekers are provided for, but if their bid is "refused, he or she must leave the transit zone". Although the European Court of Human Rights ruled in early October that Hungary must allow journalists into the transit camps, AFP reporters were refused entry at the scene several weeks later and have also had an official request denied on grounds of "privacy rights and keeping the peace" of those detained. 'I feel like I am 200' After years of pinning their hopes on Hungary, Asurma and her family are now joining many other migrants in swerving westwards towards Croatia, carving a new route through the Balkans. That path usually involves crossing mountains in Bosnia, a country with a shortage of migrant facilities, leaving many to sleep rough or in tent cities with deplorable sanitary conditions. The next hurdle is circumventing Croatian border police, who are regularly accused of violent pushbacks. Many migrants have reported beatings and thefts at their hands, though Zagreb denies all accusations. In their latest attempt to leave Serbia, Asurma and her younger children were stopped by Croatian police, while her oldest daughter and husband managed to slip through. They made it to Germany, where they are waiting for word on a new asylum application. Asurma, however, remains in Serbia, trying to plot her next move with two teenagers and a newborn baby who has Down Syndrome and needs treatment for troubled breathing, which comes out in choked gasps. After years of a life put on hold, her spirit is weakened. "It is like my body has been torn into pieces from sadness and misery. Yes I am 36 years old, but I feel like I am 200," she said.

Migrants lose in futile game on Hungary-Serbia frontier

Greece on Friday approved a law tightening asylum procedures that has been widely criticised by rights groups as harmful to the interests of migrants.

The government says the new rules will allow it to focus on swiftly identifying refugees that need protection, instead of being bogged down by thousands of applications by economic migrants which it says are not entitled to asylum.

"These adjustments establish a compact law on international protection," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told lawmakers before the bill was approved by his conservative party majority, with support from the socialists.

Mitsotakis said <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/greece-and-united-states-update-mutual-defence-cooperation-pact-253940">Greece's</a> asylum system till now "was in a state of prolonged paralysis" with nearly 70,000 pending requests.

"It gave the signal that people could come to Greece and stay for unspecified periods of time, without any scrutiny," said the conservative PM who was elected in July on promises to bolster border patrols at land and sea.

"This law... sends a clear message: enough with those who attempt to enter and remain in our country whilst knowing that they are not entitled to asylum," he said.

Human rights groups have strongly criticised the bill, saying it introduces stricter rules for receiving asylum seekers, delays access to the right to work, narrows the definition of family, and imposes more burdens on torture victims in being recognised as such.

The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic also noted Thursday that the draft she had seen, during a five-day visit to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/greece-can-be-pillar-for-regional-stability-pompeo-253933">Greece</a> and talks with officials, "raises concerns from a human rights perspective".

Greece on Friday approved a law tightening asylum procedures that has been widely criticised by rights groups as harmful to the interests of migrants. The government says the new rules will allow it to focus on swiftly identifying refugees that need protection, instead of being bogged down by thousands of applications by economic migrants which it says are not entitled to asylum.

Greece on Friday approved a law tightening asylum procedures that has been widely criticised by rights groups as harmful to the interests of migrants. The government says the new rules will allow it to focus on swiftly identifying refugees that need protection, instead of being bogged down by thousands of applications by economic migrants which it says are not entitled to asylum. "These adjustments establish a compact law on international protection," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told lawmakers before the bill was approved by his conservative party majority, with support from the socialists. Mitsotakis said Greece's asylum system till now "was in a state of prolonged paralysis" with nearly 70,000 pending requests. "It gave the signal that people could come to Greece and stay for unspecified periods of time, without any scrutiny," said the conservative PM who was elected in July on promises to bolster border patrols at land and sea. "This law... sends a clear message: enough with those who attempt to enter and remain in our country whilst knowing that they are not entitled to asylum," he said. Human rights groups have strongly criticised the bill, saying it introduces stricter rules for receiving asylum seekers, delays access to the right to work, narrows the definition of family, and imposes more burdens on torture victims in being recognised as such. The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic also noted Thursday that the draft she had seen, during a five-day visit to Greece and talks with officials, "raises concerns from a human rights perspective".

Greece approves controversial migration law

The situation for migrants in camps on Greek islands is "explosive" and "on the edge of catastrophe", the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights said Thursday.

Greece has once again become the main point of entry for people seeking asylum in Europe and it is struggling to accommodate them despite the availability of EU funds.

"The situation of migrants, including asylum seekers, in the Greek Aegean islands, has dramatically worsened over the past 12 months," Dunja Mijatovic told reporters at the end of a five-day visit.

"Urgent measures are needed to address the desperate conditions in which thousands of human beings are living. What we see in practice is telling me that human rights are not respected. This is an unacceptable situation," she said.

With parliament scheduled to approve a tougher new migration law later Thursday, the government has said it has some 75,000 asylum requests to process.&nbsp;

Mijatovic said there are an estimated 100,000 refugees and migrants in the country.

Despite regular relocations to the mainland, there are over 34,000 people living in overcrowded Greek island camps.&nbsp;

The government has pledged to move 20,000 of them to camps on the mainland before the end of the year.

'Struggle for survival'

Mijatovic, who visited camps on the islands of Lesbos and Samos and in Corinth, said she was "appalled" by the unhygienic conditions in which asylum-seekers live on the islands.

"There is a crying lack of medical care and sanitation in the vastly overcrowded camps I have visited. People queue for hours to get food and to go to bathrooms when they exist," she said.

"On Samos, families are chipping away rocks to make some space on steep hillsides to set up their makeshift shelters, often made by trees they cut themselves. This no longer has anything to do with the reception of asylum seekers. This has become a struggle for survival."

Mijatovic urged Greek authorities to accelerate transfers out of the islands and boost local hospitals which are currently unable to handle the strain.

She also called on other EU states to help in more ways than just financially, by accepting more asylum-seekers, particularly unaccompanied minors who now number over 4,000.

"The solidarity Greece needs is not there… I'm talking about real actions, other European countries taking the responsibility as well," she said.

"People are suffering tremendously. It's not something I can continue watching without raising my voice...what I can assess is that there is not enough political will" among "certain" other EU states, the commissioner said.

"In a way, we are failing to show that Europe is still a place where human rights are respected. It's not just Greece."

In her home country of Bosnia, there are some 10,000 asylum-seekers in a camp near a minefield, Mijatovic said.

Greece's new conservative government, which took over in July, has vowed to tighten asylum rules, step up naval patrols to deter migrant boats and to send 10,000 people back to Turkey next year.

There have been clashes between different migrant groups and between migrants and the police.&nbsp;

The Greek parliament on Thursday is to adopt a new migration law enshrining the policy changes, but Mijatovic says the draft she saw "raises concerns from a human rights perspective."

Human rights groups have also criticised the bill, saying it introduces stricter rules for receiving asylum seekers, delays access to the right to work, narrows the definition of family, and imposes more burdens on torture victims in being recognised as such.

The situation for migrants in camps on Greek islands is "explosive" and "on the edge of catastrophe", the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights said Thursday.

The situation for migrants in camps on Greek islands is "explosive" and "on the edge of catastrophe", the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights said Thursday. Greece has once again become the main point of entry for people seeking asylum in Europe and it is struggling to accommodate them despite the availability of EU funds. "The situation of migrants, including asylum seekers, in the Greek Aegean islands, has dramatically worsened over the past 12 months," Dunja Mijatovic told reporters at the end of a five-day visit. "Urgent measures are needed to address the desperate conditions in which thousands of human beings are living. What we see in practice is telling me that human rights are not respected. This is an unacceptable situation," she said. With parliament scheduled to approve a tougher new migration law later Thursday, the government has said it has some 75,000 asylum requests to process. Mijatovic said there are an estimated 100,000 refugees and migrants in the country. Despite regular relocations to the mainland, there are over 34,000 people living in overcrowded Greek island camps. The government has pledged to move 20,000 of them to camps on the mainland before the end of the year. 'Struggle for survival' Mijatovic, who visited camps on the islands of Lesbos and Samos and in Corinth, said she was "appalled" by the unhygienic conditions in which asylum-seekers live on the islands. "There is a crying lack of medical care and sanitation in the vastly overcrowded camps I have visited. People queue for hours to get food and to go to bathrooms when they exist," she said. "On Samos, families are chipping away rocks to make some space on steep hillsides to set up their makeshift shelters, often made by trees they cut themselves. This no longer has anything to do with the reception of asylum seekers. This has become a struggle for survival." Mijatovic urged Greek authorities to accelerate transfers out of the islands and boost local hospitals which are currently unable to handle the strain. She also called on other EU states to help in more ways than just financially, by accepting more asylum-seekers, particularly unaccompanied minors who now number over 4,000. "The solidarity Greece needs is not there… I'm talking about real actions, other European countries taking the responsibility as well," she said. "People are suffering tremendously. It's not something I can continue watching without raising my voice...what I can assess is that there is not enough political will" among "certain" other EU states, the commissioner said. "In a way, we are failing to show that Europe is still a place where human rights are respected. It's not just Greece." In her home country of Bosnia, there are some 10,000 asylum-seekers in a camp near a minefield, Mijatovic said. Greece's new conservative government, which took over in July, has vowed to tighten asylum rules, step up naval patrols to deter migrant boats and to send 10,000 people back to Turkey next year. There have been clashes between different migrant groups and between migrants and the police. The Greek parliament on Thursday is to adopt a new migration law enshrining the policy changes, but Mijatovic says the draft she saw "raises concerns from a human rights perspective." Human rights groups have also criticised the bill, saying it introduces stricter rules for receiving asylum seekers, delays access to the right to work, narrows the definition of family, and imposes more burdens on torture victims in being recognised as such.

Migrants on Greek islands 'on edge of catastrophe': Council of Europe

The Australian government said on Saturday it is increasing the number of visas for skilled workers willing to migrate to the country's regions in a bid to ease pressure on major cities, where populations are growing twice as fast as elsewhere.

The government will increase the intake under its regional migration programme to 25,000 from 23,000, according to a statement issued by Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office.

That does not mean, however, that Australia will be taking more immigrants.

Morrison's conservative government cut the annual immigration intake to 160,000 people as of July 1, versus 190,000 before. The 25,000 visas for those willing to live in smaller cities and regions are part of the annual migration cap.

Nearly a third of Australia's resident population were born overseas, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Australia, a highly urbanised country with one of the highest population growth rates in the OECD, has about two-thirds of its population living in the capitals of states and territories, according to the 2016 government census data.

Between 2017 and 2018 the number of people living in those cities increased at twice the rate the number of people living outside them, recent government data show. Capital city growth accounted for 79 per cent&nbsp;of Australia's total population growth.

"We're using our migration programme to back our regions to grow to take the population pressure off our major capital cities and by supporting strong regions we're creating an even stronger economy for Australia," Morrison said.

Migrants willing to live in locations outside of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane will have access to priority processing and international university graduates who live in these locations will be eligible to apply for more time in Australia on a post-study work visa.&nbsp;

The Australian government said on Saturday it is increasing the number of visas for skilled workers willing to migrate to the country's regions in a bid to ease pressure on major cities, where populations are growing twice as fast as elsewhere.

The Australian government said on Saturday it is increasing the number of visas for skilled workers willing to migrate to the country's regions in a bid to ease pressure on major cities, where populations are growing twice as fast as elsewhere. The government will increase the intake under its regional migration programme to 25,000 from 23,000, according to a statement issued by Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office. That does not mean, however, that Australia will be taking more immigrants. Morrison's conservative government cut the annual immigration intake to 160,000 people as of July 1, versus 190,000 before. The 25,000 visas for those willing to live in smaller cities and regions are part of the annual migration cap. Nearly a third of Australia's resident population were born overseas, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Australia, a highly urbanised country with one of the highest population growth rates in the OECD, has about two-thirds of its population living in the capitals of states and territories, according to the 2016 government census data. Between 2017 and 2018 the number of people living in those cities increased at twice the rate the number of people living outside them, recent government data show. Capital city growth accounted for 79 per cent of Australia's total population growth. "We're using our migration programme to back our regions to grow to take the population pressure off our major capital cities and by supporting strong regions we're creating an even stronger economy for Australia," Morrison said. Migrants willing to live in locations outside of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane will have access to priority processing and international university graduates who live in these locations will be eligible to apply for more time in Australia on a post-study work visa.

Australia to settle more immigrants outside major cities

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) voiced concerns on Thursday following an attack in northern Greece on migrant buses carrying 380 people in what the IOM said was an isolated incident.

Despite a police presence, nine buses taking families and vulnerable migrants to hotels in Nea Vrasna were forced to turn back as dozens of villagers blocked the road, hurled stones and chanted "close the border" and "throw out illegal migrants," according to images broadcast by public television Ert.

The migrants were finally taken to hotels on the island of Eubee, 400 kilometres to the south.

An IOM statement expressed concern "about the violent incidents that took place in the area of Vrasna", which it termed "an isolated incident".

The IOM urged the government and non-government groups "to work together in order to prevent" similar situations from recurring.

Greece has once again become the main point of entry for people seeking asylum in Europe, posing a challenge for the conservative government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis that took over in July.

It wants to create 20,000 places for migrants who are saturating small Greek islands in the Aegean Sea.

Local officials have begun to push back against the government's plans, however, with the town of Penteli in the northern outskirts of Athens refusing to take in a group of unaccompanied minors.

People who support the migrants have launched a leaflet campaign, and red paint was splattered on the Penteli town hall early Thursday, Greek media reported.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) voiced concerns on Thursday following an attack in northern Greece on migrant buses carrying 380 people in what the IOM said was an isolated incident.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) voiced concerns on Thursday following an attack in northern Greece on migrant buses carrying 380 people in what the IOM said was an isolated incident. Despite a police presence, nine buses taking families and vulnerable migrants to hotels in Nea Vrasna were forced to turn back as dozens of villagers blocked the road, hurled stones and chanted "close the border" and "throw out illegal migrants," according to images broadcast by public television Ert. The migrants were finally taken to hotels on the island of Eubee, 400 kilometres to the south. An IOM statement expressed concern "about the violent incidents that took place in the area of Vrasna", which it termed "an isolated incident". The IOM urged the government and non-government groups "to work together in order to prevent" similar situations from recurring. Greece has once again become the main point of entry for people seeking asylum in Europe, posing a challenge for the conservative government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis that took over in July. It wants to create 20,000 places for migrants who are saturating small Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. Local officials have begun to push back against the government's plans, however, with the town of Penteli in the northern outskirts of Athens refusing to take in a group of unaccompanied minors. People who support the migrants have launched a leaflet campaign, and red paint was splattered on the Penteli town hall early Thursday, Greek media reported.

Greek villagers stone migrant buses

Seven <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-seven-people-die-in-flash-floods-in-southern-morocco-246602">Moroccan migrants</a> were found dead on Saturday off Morocco's Atlantic coast near Casablanca after their boat capsized, the Interior Ministry said.

Three others were taken unconscious to the hospital, while search operations are ongoing, the ministry said in a statement.

The incident reflects a growing trend in illegal migration to Spain from the Atlantic coast following a government crackdown on Mediterranean routes.

Morocco is only 14 kilometres south of the Spanish coast at the strait of Gibraltar and shares&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-protest-in-morocco-demanding-release-of-jailed-activists-212471">land borders</a> with the small Spanish enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta on its Mediterranean coast.

Moroccan authorities say they have stopped 57,000 migrants from illegally crossing to Spain between January&nbsp;1 and September&nbsp;1.

Figures released by the International Organisation for Migration show arrivals to Spain by sea more than halved to 16,894 from January&nbsp;1 to September 18, compared with 34,238 in the same period last year.

The Spanish government last month approved $35.2 million&nbsp;in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moroccos-king-mohammed-vi-celebrates-20-years-on-the-throne-239689">aid to Morocco</a> to combat illegal migration. The European Union has also promised 140 million euros in border management aid.

Seven Moroccan migrants were found dead on Saturday off Morocco's Atlantic coast near Casablanca after their boat capsized, the Interior Ministry said. Three others were taken unconscious to the hospital, while search operations are ongoing, the ministry said in a statement.

Seven Moroccan migrants were found dead on Saturday off Morocco's Atlantic coast near Casablanca after their boat capsized, the Interior Ministry said. Three others were taken unconscious to the hospital, while search operations are ongoing, the ministry said in a statement. The incident reflects a growing trend in illegal migration to Spain from the Atlantic coast following a government crackdown on Mediterranean routes. Morocco is only 14 kilometres south of the Spanish coast at the strait of Gibraltar and shares land borders with the small Spanish enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta on its Mediterranean coast. Moroccan authorities say they have stopped 57,000 migrants from illegally crossing to Spain between January 1 and September 1. Figures released by the International Organisation for Migration show arrivals to Spain by sea more than halved to 16,894 from January 1 to September 18, compared with 34,238 in the same period last year. The Spanish government last month approved $35.2 million in aid to Morocco to combat illegal migration. The European Union has also promised 140 million euros in border management aid.

Seven migrants drown after boat capsizes off Morocco's Atlantic coast

Honduras will sign an agreement with Cuba to deport Cubans who arrive in the Central American country illegally en route to the United States, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said on Sunday.

The announcement comes as the United States presses Central American countries and Mexico to do more to curb the waves of migrants reaching the United States' southern border.

"With Cuba, we are about to sign an agreement at this time that if an irregular migrant Cuban appears, we will immediately return him to Cuba", Hernandez said during an interview on local television that aired Sunday night.

The United States and Honduras said in a joint statement on Saturday that they are discussing how to increase temporary legal employment opportunities for Hondurans in the United States as they hammer out details of an immigration agreement.

The governments are due to continue discussions this week, according to the joint statement.

Honduras will sign an agreement with Cuba to deport Cubans who arrive in the Central American country illegally en route to the United States, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said on Sunday.

Honduras will sign an agreement with Cuba to deport Cubans who arrive in the Central American country illegally en route to the United States, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said on Sunday. The announcement comes as the United States presses Central American countries and Mexico to do more to curb the waves of migrants reaching the United States' southern border. "With Cuba, we are about to sign an agreement at this time that if an irregular migrant Cuban appears, we will immediately return him to Cuba", Hernandez said during an interview on local television that aired Sunday night. The United States and Honduras said in a joint statement on Saturday that they are discussing how to increase temporary legal employment opportunities for Hondurans in the United States as they hammer out details of an immigration agreement. The governments are due to continue discussions this week, according to the joint statement.

Honduras, Cuba to sign deal on deporting some Cuban migrants

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