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Germany expects 1.5 million asylum-seekers, report says

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German paper quotes confidential document containing estimates that are far higher than publicly released figures.

refugees

by Al Jazeera

Germany could receive up to 1.5 million asylum-seekers this year, according to a newspaper quoting a confidential document containing estimates that are far higher than publicly released official figures.

Authorities have so far predicted that Europe’s biggest economy would record between 800,000 and one million new arrivals in 2015.

But Bild paper quoted the document saying that the authorities were now expecting to receive 920,000 new arrivals in the coming three months alone, bringing the total number of asylum-seekers this year to 1.5 million.

“The migratory pressure will increase. For the fourth quarter, we expect between 7,000 and 10,000 illegal entries a day,” according to extracts of the document, although Bild did not specify its source.

The document said: “The significant number of asylum-seekers risks becoming an extreme burdenfor the regions and communes.”

The newspaper also quoted the document estimating that each asylum-seeker who successfully obtained refugee status could bring on average “four to eight” family members to Germany.

On the basis of the preliminary forecast of 920,000 refugees, some “7.36 million people” could therefore have the right to move to Germany due to family ties.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has been lauded worldwide for her decision to open Germany’s doors to refugees fleeing war and misery.

But within Germany, her popularity is starting to wane as local authorities struggle to cope with the massive task of hosting the record surge in refugees.

Many of those who come to Germany and other EU state arrive after arduous trips that can involve being on overcrowded boats in the Mediterranean.

Children bodies found

Nearly 3,000 others have died or disappeared during the crossing.

On Sunday, decomposed bodies belonging to a baby, estimated to be 6-12 months old, and a child, about four years old, were found on the shore of the Greek Kos island, on the frontline of the refugee influx coming from Turkey.

According to Greek media reports, authorities believe the children belonged to refugee families trying to reach Kos in a dinghy.

The grim discovery recalls the case of three-year-old Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi whose body was found face down on a Turkish beach last month.

In September, at least 15 babies and children drowned when their overcrowded boat capsized in high winds off the Aegean island of Farmakonisi.

According to a Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung report on Sunday, the EU and Turkey have agreed in principle to a plan of action to help ease the flow of refugees into the bloc.

Under the plan, Turkey would agree to stepped-up efforts to secure its frontier with the EU by taking part in joint patrols with the Greek coastguard in the eastern Aegean Sea coordinated by EU border protection agency Frontex.

Blackmoney disclosure: Govt revises amount higher at Rs 4147cr

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Black money

New Delhi: Government collected Rs 4,147 crore during the 90-day black money disclosure compliance window, which is higher than the previously announced amount of Rs 3,770 crore, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said today.

Adhia said while the total number of disclosures is 638 as stated last week, the total illegal foreign assets brought to book stands at Rs 4,147 crore.

The government’s total tax receipt from the black money declared during the window will be Rs 2,488.20 crore.

The government had on October 1 declared that a total of Rs 3,770 crore of black money was declared during the compliance window. This, he said, was based on preliminary count of the declarations made.

After taking into account the declarations that came in envelops, the total number comes to Rs 4,147 crore, he said adding the envelops had been counted but the declarations in them were not reflected in the October 1 figure.

The one-time 90-day compliance window provided to holders of undeclared foreign assets ended September 30. It provided an opportunity to foreign assets holders to declared assets, pay a total of 60 per cent tax and penalty and escape stringent provisions of the new black money law.

He said under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), signed with the US, India has already started getting information. “Wealth of information has come from US,” he said. He said as many as 132 prosecution in 43 cases out of the HSBC Swiss list have been filed.

(PTI)

10 Million at risk of hunger due to Climate Change and El Niño, Oxfam Warns

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A rendering of current El Nino conditions. (Photo: NOAA/flickr/cc)

A rendering of current El Nino conditions. (Photo: NOAA/flickr/cc)

by Tharanga Yakupitiyage, Inter Press Service

At least ten million of the poorest people face food insecurity in 2015 and 2016 due to extreme weather conditions and the onset of El Niño, Oxfam has reported.

In Oxfam’s new report called Entering Uncharted Waters, erratic weather patterns were noted including high temperatures and droughts, disrupting farming seasons around the world.

Countries are already facing a “major emergency,” said Oxfam, including Ethiopia where 4.5 million people are in need of food assistance due to a drought this year.

Almost three million face hunger in Malawi as a result of erratic rains followed by drought. These conditions have caused a stifling in food production and a rise in food prices.

Christian Aid reported that the production of maize, Malawi’s staple food, has dropped by 30 percent in 2014, while maize prices have risen between 50 and 100 percent.

Central American farmers have been coping with a drought for almost two years, also disrupting its maize production and decreasing access to sufficient food.

Oxfam warns that conditions will worsen due to the incoming El Niño, which could be the “most powerful” since 1997

El Niño is a weather phenomenon where there is periodic, but prolonged warming of the Pacific Ocean. This can last between 9 months to 2 years, producing below-average rains and high temperatures.

El Niño has already reduced the Asian monsoon over India, potentially triggering a prolonged drought and food insecurity in the Eastern region of the continent.

The warming of the oceans, exacerbated by climate change, may double the frequency of the most powerful El Niños, Oxfam says.

The charity urged for preemptive action, pointing to the consequences of failure of response, such as the death of 260,000 during the food crisis in the Horn of Africa in 2011.

Christian Aid has also reported funding deficits in Malawi of over 130 million dollars, hindering support to the worst-affected communities.

“If governments and agencies take immediate action, as some are doing, then major humanitarian emergencies next year can be averted,” Oxfam said in its report.

“Prevention is better than cure,” they continued.

The Oxfam report comes a week after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which includes commitments to eradicating hunger and addressing climate change.

They described the unfolding crisis as the “first test” for world leaders who will be meeting in December for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.

“This should serve as a wake-up call for them to agree a global deal to tackle climate change,” said Oxfam Great Britain’s Chief Executive Mark Goldring.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2014 was the hottest year on record. However, global data currently reveal that 2015 may surpass last year in record high temperatures.

Four soldiers, one militant killed in Kashmir gun battles

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Jammu Kashmir

Srinagar: At least four soldiers and one militant were killed on Monday as two gun battles raged in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

“Four soldiers were killed in an ongoing encounter with militants in Hafruda forests of Kupwara district near the Line of Control (LoC) today (Monday),” a senior police officer told IANS here.

“Earlier today (Monday), one militant was killed in Darpora village of Kupwara.”

Both the gunfights took place in two different areas of Kupwara district.

“The group of militants engaged in an encounter near the LoC had infiltrated into the Kashmir Valley recently,” the officer added.

(IANS)

Merkel visit: 18 MoUs inked, India to fast track system for German firms

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German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, ileft, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pose for a photograph before a meeting in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 5, 2015. Merkel is on a three-day visit to India. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pose for a photograph before a meeting in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 5, 2015. Merkel is on a three-day visit to India. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)

New Delhi: India and Germany on Monday gave a major boost to their bilateral ties, especially in the economic field, by inking 18 MoUs, including one for setting up a fast-track system for German companies in India, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks here.

The range of MoUs includes one on security cooperation, and another for promotion of German as a foreign language in India and for the promotion of Modern Indian languages in Germany.

Modi, in his speech, termed the bilateral mechanism of Inter-Governmental Consultation (IGC) as unique, saying it had helped bring growth in relations.

“We see Germany as a natural partner in achieving our vision of India’s economic transformation. German strengths and India’s priorities are aligned. And, so is our mutual goodwill,” he said, after holding the 3rd IGC with Merkel here.

He said both sides have convergence of views and rapidly growing cooperation in the field of clean energy and combating climate change.

Both agreed on the India-Germany Climate and Renewable Alliance for combating climate change, Modi said, and thanked Germany for its over one billion euro aid each for India’s Green Energy Corridor project and for solar projects in India.

“We look forward to a concrete outcome at COP21 (Conference of Parties) in Paris,” Modi said.

He said both sides will see a boost in partnership in areas of defence manufacturing, trade in advanced technology, intelligence, and countering terrorism and radicalism.

He thanked Germany for its strong support for India’s membership of the international export control regimes.

“As we discussed in the G4 Summit in New York, Chancellor and I are committed to pursue reforms of the United Nations, especially the Security Council,” Modi said.

He also thanked Merkel for the return of a 10th century statue of Durga in her Mahishasurmardini avatar from Jammu and Kashmir.

Modi said the statue is a symbol of the victory of good over evil.

He said: “This also suggests that in this age of transitions and turmoil, India-Germany partnership will be a force of good for the world.”

Merkel, in her media statement, said both sides held very good IGC and bilateral talks. She said the IGC mechanism has underscored the intensity of bilateral ties with India.

She said the inking of so many agreements is a “testimony to the dynamic relations”. She said more than 1,500 German companies are in India and more would be glad to open up in India. She commended the inking of the fast track agreement on German companies. “The speed at which you grant licences has increased, which is a good thing,” Merkel said.

She said Germany can help India in the area of sustainable development in the villages.

On expansion of the UN Security Council, Merkel referred to the meeting of the G4 countries of India, Germany, Japan and Brazil last week in New York and said the members of G4 are trying to seek permanent seat at the UNSC.

Both sides inked an agreement on security cooperation; an MoU on Solar Energy Partnership; for cooperation in the field of Skill Development and Vocational Education and Training; on Security Cooperation; railways and for cooperation in disaster management.

(IANS)

Shashi Kapoor gets Lifetime Achievement award at Jagran Fest

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Shashi Kapoor

Mumbai: Veteran Bollywood star Shashi Kapoor has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award at star-studded closing ceremony of the 6th Jagran Film Festival.

The 77-year-old actor, who is wheelchair bound, attended the event last night despite his ill health and received the award from filmmaker Shyam Benegal.

Besides honouring Kapoor, the festival, attended by celebrities like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sudhir Mishra, Anand Rai, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Sanjay Mishra, Neeraj Ghaywan, Juhi Chaturvedi, Swara Bhaskar and Kaushik Ganguly among others, gave away awards in 25 categories.

Shoojit Sircar was adjudged the best director for the second consecutive year at Jagran for his much loved slice-of -life film “Piku”. Kaushik Ganguly’s Bengali film “Chotoder Chobi” bagged the best feature film title.

Dulal Sarkar won the best actor (male) for an outstanding performance in “Chotoder Chobi”, while Bhumi Pednekar bagged the best actor (female) award for her portrayal of Sandhya in “Dum Laga Ke Haisha”.

Veteran make-up artiste Pandhari Juker was honoured with an outstanding contribution to Indian cinema title.

Ghaywan was named best debut director for his maiden attempt in the internationally acclaimed film “Masaan”. The award for best screenplay went to Juhi Chaturvedi for “Piku”.

Pooja Ladha Surti won the award for Best Editing for “Badlapur”. Sanjay Wandrekar & Atul Raninga won the laurels for best background score for “PK”.

Best sound design was bagged by Anish John for “Asha Jaoar Majhe (Labor of Love)”. Pankaj Kumar bagged best cinematography award for “Haider”

Jyoti Nooran won the best singer female award for “Tanu Weds Manu Returns” and Sukhwinder’s musical notes in “Haider” bagged him the best singer male award.

Vishal Bharadwaj was declared the best music director for “Haider”. The winning spree for the film continued with Tabu winning the best female supporting actor trophy. Sanjay Mishra won the best male supporting actor award for “Masaan”.

Vandana Kataria bagged the laurels for best set design for “Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!”.

Some special jury awards were in store for Vicky Kaushal for his performance in “Masaan”; and Gajendra Ahire for his film “Postcard”.

Director Sachin Kundalkar’s Hindi family drama “Rajwade And Sons” was the closing film of the festival.

The 2015 edition of the festival traversed from Delhi to Kanpur, Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut, Dehradun, Hisar, Ludhiana, Patna, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Raipur, Indore, and Bhopal before culminating in Mumbai.

(Agencies)

SC suspends beef ban in J&K for two months, asks high court to form bench

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Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today suspended for two months a controversial court order for enforcing ban on the sale of beef in Jammu and Kashmir while asking the Chief Justice of J-K High Court to set up a three-judge bench to decide on two conflicting orders on the issue.

A bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu directed that the September 8 order of the Jammu bench of the High Court, by which it had ordered enforcement of ban on sale of beef in the state in pursuance of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) provisions, be kept in abeyance for two months.

The bench also referred to the order passed by another division bench of high court at Srinagar in which the state was given liberty to amend the RPC provision in question.

The bench, also comprising Justice Amitava Roy, said, “Since there are conflicting expressions given by two division benches of the high court, we request the learned Chief Justice to constitute a bench of three learned judges to take a decision on the writ petitions.”

Asking the apex court registry to intimate its counter part about the order “forthwith”, the court further said that the Chief Justice of the high court will be at liberty to decide the place where the larger bench will hear and decide together the two writ petitions.

The bench disposed of the petition filed by the state government which had said that the inconsistent views of the two benches of the high court were being “misused” to disturb peace and communal harmony in the state.

While the Jammu bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court had ordered enforcement of the bar on the sale of beef in the state under the RPC, the Srinagar bench agreed to hear a separate plea seeking scrapping of the provision that bars slaughter of bovine animals.

The order asking the police to enforce the beef ban had led to strong protests in the state and forced a three-day internet shutdown during the Eid festival to avert any flare-ups.

The state, in its plea, had said, “Vide impugned orders of Jammu & Srinagar Benches of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court… have passed two mutually conflicting orders which have grave ramifications for the law and order situation in the State of Jammu and Kashmir as orders are being misused and interpreted in a manner so as to disturb peaceful fabric of the State.”

It had said that the apex court should “ensure there is uniformity and consistency in judicial pronouncements and no scope to exploit the present situation by disrupting communal harmony, amity and peace in the state and thereto alienating people of the State from national mainstream.”

In its order, the Jammu bench had said, “The Director General of Police is directed to ensure that appropriate directions are issued to all the SSPs/SPs, SHOs of various police districts so that there is no sale of beef anywhere in the State of J&K and strict action is taken in accordance with the law against those who indulge in it.”

On the other hand, the Srinagar bench, on September 16, issued notice on a plea that had sought striking down of the RPC provision banning slaughter of bovine animals.

It was alleged in the plea before the Srinagar bench that the RPC provision was “ultra-vires” as the bar constituted an “unreasonable infringement” on fundamental rights of citizens.

The Srinagar bench had also said that the pendency of the plea before it will not operate “as a bar” if the state wants to do away with the provision.

“…We would like to make it clear that if the State or Legislature contemplates or takes steps for scrapping or amending the provisions as are under challenge, the pendency of this writ petition shall not operate as a bar,” it had said.

(PTI)

174 candidates in first phase Bihar polls have ‘criminal’ cases

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bihar-polls

New Delhi: Of the 583 candidates contesting in the first phase of Bihar assembly elections, 174 have criminal and 130 have ‘serious’ criminal cases – including murder and crimes against women – against them, while 146 are ‘crorepatis’, a recent study has found.

In the study conducted by the Bihar Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), the signed affidavits of all the candidates were analysed.

Sixteen candidates have declared murder cases against themselves. Pradeep Kumar of the Janata Dal – United (JD(U))from Warsaliganj constituency has declared four murder charges, while others have one each.

Eleven candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women — ranging from rape to dowry death, while two candidates have cases of causing communal disharmony against them.

“Shakuni Choudhary of Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) from Tarapur constituency has declared a case related to injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class (IPC Section-295). Rambalak Singh of JD(U) from Bibhutipur constituency has declared a case related to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony (IPC Section-153A),” the study said.

The five-phase Bihar elections will be held from October 12 to November 5, and the results will be declared on November 8. The BJP is up against the grand secular alliance of JD(U), RJD and Congress.

Thirty-seven candidates have declared cases of attempt to murder. Ramswarup Yadav, an independent candidate from Hisua constituency, faces five charges related to attempt to murder. And nine candidates have cases related to kidnapping against them.

Divided on the basis of political parties, the study says the highest percentage of candidates having ‘serious’ criminal cases is from the Congress.

Four out of eight candidates have serious criminal cases registered against them. Around 37% of BJP candidates, 38% of JD(U)candidates and 35% of RJD candidates have serious criminal cases registered against them.

The financial status of the candidates were also analysed in the study, and it was found that 19 of the 24 JD(U) candidates are crorepatis. Congress candidates were a close second with six out of their eight candidates in the list.

(Agencies)

Rajasthan: Dalit student beaten for touching utensil in school

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Rajasthan-dalit

Jodhpur: A 10-year-old Dalit student of a government school in Osian tehsil in Jodhpur district sustained minor injuries after his teacher allegedly thrashed him for touching utensil when the mid-day meal was being served inside the school premises, the police said on Saturday.

A Class 4 student at the government secondary school in Osian tehsil, 50 km from Jodhpur, Dinesh Meghwa was admitted to the Ummed hospital in Jodhpur on Friday night with minor bruises.

The boy’s father approached the police after the alleged incident took place on Thursday. Police have lodged a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in this connection. Osian deputy superintendent of police Narendra Choudhary is handling the case.

Manaram Meghwal told the police that his son’s mistake was touching the serving plate when the mid-day meal was being served on Thursday. He said the mid-day meal in-charge and school teacher, Hemaram Chaudhary, got furious when he learnt about this. A furious Chaudhary summoned his son at the spot and beat him for touching the utensil, Meghwal added.

Further, Meghwal alleged that when he approached the school authorities to complain about the episode involving his son, the angry teacher misbehaved with him and even tried to manhandle him. The school principal was not present when Chaudhary tried to brow beat him, Mehwal added.

The Osian deputy superintendent of police confirmed that Meghwal has lodged a case against the teacher in this connection.

Meanwhile, the teacher also lodged a counter complaint against Meghwal for obstructing him from performing his official work. On his part, the teacher alleged that the student’s father misbehaved with him and prevented him from carrying out his duties.

(Agencies)

Dadri lynching: BJP leader Sangeet Som continues to unleash communal hatred

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Sangeet Som

Dadri: Stirring the political cauldron, controversial BJP MLA Sangeet Som today visted Dadri where he attacked Samajwadi Party government, alleging it was appeasing the minority community and innocent people were being framed for lynching of a man over beef eating rumour.

Som, who was accused of making inflammatory speeches during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riots, alleged that state government was acting in a biased manner like it did during violence in western Uttar Pradesh two years ago and was shielding those who had “slaughtered cow”.

“Like they had taken the accused in Muzaffarnagar riots in a plane, they have taken those who have slaughtered cow in a plane. Even when a person is killed, they have different set of rules. Sanjay Rahul Yadav was shot in the incident, but is anyone aware. Did the government help him,” Som told reporters as the victim Ikhlaq’s family met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow today.

The UP lawmaker’s remarks came even as BJP leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the incident should not be given communal colour or politicised.

Som questioned why the state government had allowed AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi to visit the village and spread “communal frenzy”.

“A person like Owaisi was allowed to come here from Hyderabad. Is the Samajwadi Party government colluding with him? A person from Hyderabad comes and is able to make such statements. Is it not the weakness of the government? This government is trying to appease a particular community,” the MLA said.

Questioning the arrests in the lynching case, he said, “We don’t want that those guilty of murder should not be tried but the government should stop framing the innocent.

“Murder cases are on the rise in the state but is the government acting in the same manner in those cases. Are terrorists living here? Police should make arrests only after completing the investigation,” the MLA said.

Iqlakh, 50, was dragged out of his home and stoned to death on a village street after a public announcement from the local temple that the family had slaughtered a calf and eaten its meat.

While Iqlakh died, his 22-year-old son Danish is battling for life at a hospital following two brain surgeries.

Police have arrested eight persons and detained a Home Guard for questioning after the local temple priest alleged that he forced him to make the announcement.

Police had yesterday two persons — Vishal and Shivam. One of them was reported to be the son of a local BJP leader. However, BJP leader Harish Thakur denied that the father of the accused was a BJP office bearer and said he may be a BJP supporter.

Meanwhile, Congress attacked the BJP and its government at the Centre over the incident and said all progressive thinking people should stand up against it.

“This is a politco-ideological murder. There are some people who are trying to change the narrative of the country. They want that the minority should be second grade citizens.

“The Government wants to dictate as to what people should eat, what people should wear, how people should talk. So this is an issue on which all progressive, liberal and right thinking need to stand together,” Congress leader Manish Tewari said.

(Agencies)

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