News | 29 June 2018
EU agrees migration policy +++ Thousands of Syrian civilians flee fighting
EU agrees migration policy +++ Thousands of Syrian civilians flee fighting +++ Pence warns Central America on migrants +++ Annapolis gunman “targeted newspaper” +++ The Weather
29. Juni 2018, 14:24
News | 29 June 2018
Joanna King
EU agrees migration policy
European Union leaders at a summit in Brussels have reached an agreement on migration including restrictions on the movement of migrants within Europe, strengthening external borders and setting up closed processing centres in the EU to deal with asylum requests. It is not yet clear where the centers will be located. There are also plans to set up migrant processing centres in north African countries in cooperation with UN refugee agencies. None of the African countries in question have yet agreed to the plan. Italian prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, who had threatened to veto any agreement unless Italy got more help with people arriving on its shores, has said he is satisfied with the summit outcome: “After this European summit Europe is more responsible and offers more solidarity. Today Italy is no longer alone.” The summit also agreed that relocation of genuine refugees would take place on a voluntary basis. A second tranche of 3 billion euros for Turkey which is hosting millions of refugees from the Syrian civil war was also approved.
Thousands of Syrian civilians flee fighting
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says more than 120,000 civilians have fled a Syrian government offensive in the southwest. It says most of them have been driven by the fighting with rebel forces towards the border with Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Both borders are closed.
Pence warns Central America on migrants
US vice president Mike Pence has told central American states that the US is facing a migration crisis on its southern border. Pence told the leaders of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, at a meeting in Guatemala City, that a majority of the migrants came from their countries: “Tell your people that coming to the United States illegally will only result in a hard journey and a harder life.”
Annapolis gunman “targeted newspaper”
In Maryland in the US, police say the gunman who shot dead five people at a newspaper in Annapolis had deliberately targeted them. They said the suspect, who is under arrest, had a long running feud with staff of the Capital Gazette newspaper.
The Weather
Mainly cloudy with scattered rain and thundershowers. Top temperatures 18 to 28 degrees
