4 dead in Romania floods as rain batters central Europe

At least four people died and thousands of homes were damaged by flooding in eastern Romania on Saturday, officials said, as surging river levels put authorities on alert in much of central and eastern Europe following days of torrential rain.Tens of thousands of households were left without power in Romania and the Czech Republic, where more rainfall is forecast in the coming days. Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, southern Germany and parts of Austria are also expected to see more heavy rain.Residents of some towns along the Czech-Polish border were evacuated as rivers rose past alert levels while the Czech capital, Prague, which suffered catastrophic floods in 2002, put preventative anti-flood measures in place.In Romania, flooding affected eight counties, the country’s emergency unit said, and Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu visited hard-hit Galati county, where the four people were found dead, about 5,000 homes were damaged and 25,000 were without power.Television images from the area showed streets flooded with muddy water, silt and debris as rescuers led residents to safety.“The priority is obviously to save lives. At this moment we have all the necessary logistics to intervene quickly,” Ciolacu said.In the Czech Republic, northern and northeastern areas bore the brunt of the deluge and 51,000 households had their electricity supply cut off, the CTK news agency said.Forecasters warned that some parts of the country could see more than a third of average annual rainfall by Sunday, with Environment Minister Petr Hladik urging people in the worst-hit areas to prepare to leave their homes.In the village of Visnova, 140km north of Prague, local resident Roman Christof said his cottage had escaped damage because it was built on higher land. Others were less fortunate, he added.“I feel sorry for the neighbours,” he said as he surveyed the floodwaters.In Prague, a city of more than 1.3mn people that sits on the banks of the Vltava river spanned by the picturesque 14th century Charles Bridge, flood barriers were put in place.The city heavily invested into preventive measures after the 2002 floods, which swept into the subway system and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes. Prague Zoo, which is located along the Vltava, was closed to visitors and Czech Railways said services on dozens of routes were disrupted. In the country’s second-biggest city, Brno, a hospital evacuated patients as a precaution.In Glucholazy, a historic town in southwestern Poland near the Czech border, firefighters piled hundreds of sandbags alongside a swollen river and some residents were evacuated.Polish Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said weather forecasts looked unfavourable, with very heavy rainfall to fall around the Czech border area over the next 24 hours, feeding rivers into Poland.“We are facing a critical night, full mobilisation is required,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on the X platform.Officials in neighbouring Slovakia warned of the threat of flooding in the capital, Bratislava, from the swollen Danube, while Hungary expects the river to near record-high levels in the coming days.

source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/690689/international/4-dead-in-romania-floods-as-rain-batters-central-europe

Russia, Ukraine swap 206 war prisoners in UAE-brokered deal

Moscow and Kyiv swapped 103 prisoners of war each on Saturday in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates, a rare moment of coordination between the two warring sides as Russia pushes ahead in east Ukraine.The Russians released in the swap were captured during Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region, Moscow said, while some of the Ukrainians freed had been held prisoner since Moscow seized the Azovstal steel plant in May 2022.“Another 103 soldiers were returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram.Among the freed were 82 privates and sergeants as well as 21 officers, Zelensky said.“The defenders of Kyiv, Donetsk, Mariupol and Azovstal, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and the Kharkiv regions,” he added.Russia confirmed it had “handed over” 103 Ukrainian army prisoners, and received 103 Russian servicemen captured by Kyiv in its Kursk offensive in return.“At present, all Russian servicemen are on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, where they are being provided with the necessary psychological and medical assistance, as well as an opportunity to contact their relatives,” the Russian defence ministry said.Despite ongoing hostilities, Russia and Ukraine have managed to swap hundreds of prisoners throughout the two-and-half-year conflict — often in deals brokered by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia or Turkiye.The announcement comes a day after Zelensky said 49 Ukrainian POWs had been returned from Russia, and three weeks ago both sides swapped 115 prisoners each in a deal also mediated by the UAE.The UAE’s foreign ministry hailed the deal as a “success” and thanked both sides for their co-operation on Saturday.The prisoner swap came as Russia pushed ahead in east Ukraine, where it claims to have captured a string of villages in recent weeks.The Russian defence ministry said in a daily briefing it had “liberated” the village of Zhelanne Pershe, less than 30km from the key Ukrainian-held logistics hub of Pokrovsk.Pokrovsk lies on the intersection of a key road that supplies Ukrainian troops and towns across the eastern front and has long been a target for Moscow’s army.More than half of the city’s 60,000 residents have fled since the invasion began in February 2022, with evacuations ramping up in recent weeks as Moscow’s army closes in.Ukraine had hoped its major cross-border incursion into the Kursk region last month would slow down Russia’s advances in the east.On Friday, Zelensky said Moscow had been slowed down somewhat but conceded the situation on the eastern front was “very difficult”. Russia meanwhile claimed this week to have clawed back a swath of territory in the Kursk region, as it mounted what appeared to be a counter-offensive.Tensions between Russia and the West over the conflict reached dire levels this week over UK and US discussions about letting Ukraine use longer-range weapons to strike targets inside Russia.The discussions came after a visit to Kyiv by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British counterpart David Lammy.President Vladimir Putin warned the West on Thursday that green-lighting the use of the long-range weapons deep inside Russia would put the Nato military alliance “at war” with Moscow. “This would in a significant way change the very nature of the conflict,” Putin told a state television reporter.“It would mean that Nato countries, the US, European countries, are at war with Russia,” he added.British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden on Friday delayed a decision on the move.US officials believe the missiles would make a limited difference to Ukraine’s campaign and also want to ensure that Washington’s own stocks of the munitions are not depleted.

source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/690687/international/russia-ukraine-swap-206-war-prisoners-in-uae-brokered-deal

Uganda holds funeral for murdered Olympian Cheptegei

Ugandans on Saturday paid tributes to Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, who died after her partner set her on fire in Kenya, ahead of her funeral in her family village.The 33-year-old, who debuted this summer in the women's marathon at the Paris Olympics, succumbed to severe burns last week after being attacked by Kenyan Dickson Ndiema Marangach.The brutal assault shocked the East African region and prompted a global outpouring of tributes, with activists condemning another act of gender-based violence in Kenya.On Saturday morning, residents, officials and relatives waited in the cold morning light to pay their respects in the village of Bukwo, some 380 kilometres northeast of Uganda's capital Kampala.'We are extremely saddened,' said her estranged husband Simon Ayeko, with whom she had two daughters.'As a father it has been very difficult,' he told AFP, explaining he had not been able to break the news to their children.'Slowly we will tell them the truth.'The service to honour Cheptegei, a sergeant in the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (UPDF), started around 10am, with officials and relatives gathering at the local council office.The coffin, swathed in the Ugandan flag, was saluted by officers from the UPDF who carried her body into the room overlooking the remote rolling hills of her childhood.The athlete was a 'heroine', local presidential representative Bessie Modest Ajilong told AFP, describing her as 'out of ordinary.''As leaders, we saw Cheptegei as an inspiration.'Her body was moved from the local council headquarters to a nearby sports stadium where hundreds gathered to pay their respects.Scores of athletes, among them Kenyan athletes Mary Keitany and Daniel Komen, travelled to the small village to attend the ceremonies.'She greatly contributed to the promotion of athletics until her last days,' coach Alex Malinga, who trained her as a teenager, told AFP.'Cheptegei was one of those who inspired the talented young that one day they will be like her.'Police said Marangach sneaked into her home to hide while she was at church with her children.The couple had argued over ownership of the property where she lived with her sister Dorcas Cherop and daughters, according to her family.'I think at that time, their relationship had become sour,' Cheptegei's brother-in-law, Moses Kipsiro, told AFP.'I didn't know then something was wrong,' said Kipsiro, who previously trained with Cheptegei and also hails from Bukwo.Her attacker later died from injuries sustained in the assault.The vicious assault has thrown yet another spotlight on what activists have called a femicide epidemic.Kenya reported 725 femicide cases in 2022 alone, according to the latest UN figures.A report the following year by Kenya's National Bureau of Statistics found 34 percent of women had experienced physical violence since the age of 15.At least two other athletes, Agnes Tirop and Damaris Mutua, have lost their lives in domestic violence incidents since 2021.

source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/690645/international/africa/uganda-holds-funeral-for-murdered-olympian-cheptegei

Zimbabwe to cull 200 elephants amid food shortages

Zimbabwe will cull 200 elephants as it faces an unprecedented drought that has led to food shortages, a move that will also allow it to tackle a ballooning population of the animals, the country's wildlife authority said Friday.The country has 'more elephants than it needed', Zimbabwe's environment minister said in parliament on Wednesday, adding that the government had instructed the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks) to begin the culling process.The 200 elephants will be hunted in areas where they have clashed with humans, including Hwange, home of Zimbabwe's largest natural reserve, ZimParks director general Fulton Mangwanya told AFP.Zimbabwe is home to an estimated 100,000 elephants, and has the second-biggest elephant population in the world after Botswana.Thanks to conservation efforts, Hwange is home to 65,000 of the animals, more than four times its capacity, according to ZimParks. Zimbabwe last culled elephants in 1988.Neighbouring Namibia said this month that it had already killed 160 wildlife in a planned cull of more than 700 animals, including 83 elephants, to cope with its worst drought in decades.Zimbabwe and Namibia are among a swathe of countries in southern Africa that have declared a state of emergency because of drought.About 42 percent of Zimbabweans live in poverty, according to UN estimates, and authorities say about six million will require food assistance during the November to March lean season, when food is scarcest.The move to hunt the elephants for food was criticised by some, not least because the animals are a major draw for tourists.'Government must have more sustainable eco-friendly methods to dealing with drought without affecting tourism,' said Farai Maguwu, director of the nonprofit Centre for Natural Resource Governance.'They risk turning away tourists on ethical grounds. The elephants are more profitable alive than dead,' he said.'We have shown that we are poor custodians of natural resources and our appetite for ill-gotten wealth knows no bounds, so this must be stopped because it is unethical.'But Chris Brown, a conservationist and CEO of the Namibian Chamber of Environment, said that 'elephants have a devastating effect on habitat if they are allowed to increase continually, exponentially'.'They really damage ecosystems and habitats, and they have a huge impact on other species which are less iconic and therefore matter less in the eyes of the eurocentric, urban armchair conservation people,' he said.'Those species matter as much as elephants.'Namibia's cull of elephants has been condemned by conservationists and the animal rights group PETA as short-sighted, cruel and ineffective.But the government said the 83 to be culled would be only a small fraction of the estimated 20,000 elephants in the arid country, and would relieve pressure on grazing and water supplies.

source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/690621/international/africa/zimbabwe-to-cull-200-elephants-amid-food-shortages

Spain hosts conference on two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict

AFP/MadridMinisters from Muslim and European countries along with the European Union’s foreign affairs chief gathered yesterday in Madrid to discuss how to advance a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “Together, we want to identify the concrete actions that will enable us to make progress towards this objective,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on social network X.“The international community must take a decisive step towards a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” the Socialist premier added. Sanchez welcomed participants at his official residence before the start of the meeting at the foreign ministry in central Madrid, hosted by his top diplomat Jose Manuel Albares.In attendance were Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye – all members of the Arab-Islamic Contact Group for Gaza – as well as the heads of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation.The European Union was represented by its foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell as well as the foreign ministers of Ireland, Norway and Slovenia in addition to Spain. “The implementation of the two-state solution is the only way to ensure a just and lasting peace in the region through the peaceful and secure coexistence of the state of Palestine and the state of Israel,” Albares told a news conference.Asked about Israel’s absence from the meeting, he said the country had not been invited because it belonged “neither to the group of Europeans nor to the Arab-Islamic contact group” but stressed he would be “delighted” if Israel took part in discussions on the two-state solution. Calls for the solution have grown since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.Israel has launched an offensive that has killed at least 41,118 people in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. The UN rights office says most of the dead are women and children. Sanchez has been one of the staunchest critics in Europe of Israel’s Gaza offensive since the start of the conflict.Under his watch, Spain on May 28 along with Ireland and Norway formally recognised a Palestinian state comprising the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Earlier this month he announced that the first “bilateral summit between Spain and Palestine” would be held before the end of the year. He said he expected “several collaboration agreements between the two states” to be signed.

source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/690615/international/spain-hosts-conference-on-two-state-solution-to-israeli-palestinian-conflict

Gaza polio vaccination drive a 'massive success': WHO Chief

The WHO chief hailed Friday the success of the first phase of a giant polio vaccination campaign in war-ravaged Gaza after more than 560,000 children received a first dose.'This is a massive success amidst a tragic daily reality of life across the Gaza Strip,' Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X, formerly Twitter.Disease has spread with Gaza lying in ruins and the majority of its 2.4 million residents forced to flee their homes due to Israel's military assault -- often taking refuge in cramped and unsanitary conditions.After the first confirmed polio case in 25 years, a massive vaccination effort began on September 1 targeting at least 90 percent of children under 10, aided by localised 'humanitarian pauses' in fighting.The first phase of the campaign, which first brought vaccines to children in central Gaza, then the south, and finally to the hardest-to reach north of the territory, wrapped up Thursday.A fresh campaign to provide a needed second dose is due to begin in about four weeks in Gaza, besieged for over 11 months.'We admire all the health teams, who conducted this complex operation,' Tedros said, also voicing gratitude to the families for turning out in droves to get their children vaccinated against polio.Poliovirus, most often spread through sewage and contaminated water, is highly infectious. It can cause deformities and paralysis, and is potentially fatal. It mainly affects children under the age of five.WHO has hailed that area-specific humanitarian pauses were respected, allowing the campaign to go ahead, and has urged a broader halt in fighting to help establish humanitarian corridors and the delivery of desperately-needed throughout the war-torn territory.'Imagine what could be achieved with a ceasefire!' Tedros said.The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas's October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. The count includes hostages killed in captivity.Israel's retaliation has killed at least 41,118 people in Gaza, according to the territory's health ministry. The UN human rights office says most of the dead have been women or children.

source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/690582/international/gaza-polio-vaccination-drive-a-massive-success-who-chief

Jordan FM, Norwegian counterpart, EU Foreign Affairs representatives discuss halting Israeli aggression on Gaza

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi discussed with his Norwegian counterpart Espen Barth Eide, and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell the developments in the region and the efforts being made to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank.The meeting, held on the sidelines of a gathering in Madrid focused on implementing the two-state solution, also explored ways to enhance bilateral relations between Jordan and Norway on one hand, and with the European Union on the other.Safadi emphasized the need to finalize a prisoner exchange deal that would lead to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, halt the dangerous escalation in the West Bank, ensure the protection of civilians, and deliver sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to all parts of the Gaza Strip.The Jordanian Foreign Minister also warned of the potential explosion of the situation in the region if Israel's illegal actions in the West Bank continue, along with violations of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and the failure to respect the city's legal and historical status.

source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/690581/international/jordan-fm-norwegian-counterpart-eu-foreign-affairs-representatives-discuss-halting-israeli-aggression-on-gaza

Trump says he will not participate in another debate with Harris

Republican nominee Donald Trump said he would not participate in another presidential debate against Vice US President Kamala Harris ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election.'There will be no third debate!' the former president wrote on social media site Truth Social, referencing his first face-off with President Joe Biden in June and his second with Harris on Tuesday.The two White House candidates traded harsh attacks and accusations during their debate, and had a very heated argument on topics such as economy and illegal immigration, as well as the 2020 elections and foreign policy issues such as the Middle East, Ukraine and the withdrawal from Afghanistan.According to a CNN poll about the debate, Harris won the debate by 63% to 37% for Trump.

source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/690573/international/trump-says-he-will-not-participate-in-another-debate-with-harris

Bridge partially collapses in Germany, no injuries

A bridge partially collapsed in the eastern German city of Dresden early yesterday, with authorities saying that no one was injured but that there was a risk of further sections crumbling.A roughly 100-metre (330-foot) section of the Carola Bridge, which connects Dresden’s historic old town to other parts of the city, plunged into the Elbe river around 3:00am (0100 GMT), the Dresden fire brigade said.The bridge and the surrounding area were sealed off, causing major disruption to city traffic.Officials warned that other parts of the bridge could yet come crashing down.“There is still an acute danger to life and risk of collapse,” fire brigade spokesman Michael Klahre said. The German weather service (DWD) warned that storms in the next days could cause the level of the Elbe to rise, with authorities fearing this could cause further damage.Nobody was on or under the bridge at the time of the incident.The last tram had crossed the bridge at around 02:50am, mere minutes before the collapse and narrowly avoiding catastrophe.“I am very, very happy that based on what we know, no one was hurt,” Klahre said at a press conference alongside other officials.Police spokesman Thomas Geithner said officers who happened to be stationed just 50 metres away “described hearing a loud, heavy noise, the ground shook”. Rescue services and other experts were deployed at the scene to assess the damage and secure the bridge.The cause of the collapse is still being investigated.The concrete structure may have suffered from corrosion caused by chloride contamination in the past, Holger Kalbe, head of the bridges and civil engineering structures department for the city of Dresden, told reporters.But he added that this was just a first “assumption” and experts would have more certainty on what happened in the coming days.The part of the bridge that fell contained the section dedicated to tram lines and foot and cycling traffic. It was scheduled for maintenance work next year.The other two sections of the bridge, for road vehicles, had already been renovated, Kalbe told reporters.The partial collapse also damaged two major heating pipes, cutting off district heating in the city and temporarily leaving residents in some neighbourhoods without hot water, Klahre said.Police said the partial collapse was being deemed an accident, and warned against spreading fake news on social media.“There is zero indication” to suggest any criminal behaviour at this point, Geithner said.On X, Saxony state police urged people not to share “any false reports” about the incident, adding that there “is no evidence so far of third-party interference”.The Carola Bridge, one of Dresden’s main crossings, was constructed when the region was part of communist East Germany and completed in 1971. It is named after the wife of King Albert of Saxony.Germany counts around 130,000 bridges, many of which were built decades ago when traffic was lighter.Concerns have long been raised about the need for repairs and for more investment to modernise the ageing structures.

source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/690498/international/bridge-partially-collapses-in-germany-no-injuries

Samsung production at key India plant hit due to strike

Samsung Electronics’ production at a key plant in southern India was disrupted for a second day by hundreds of employees striking for higher wages on Tuesday, as top executives sought to resolve a rare episode of labour unrest.

South Korea-based Samsung, India’s biggest consumer electronics company, counts the country as a key growth market, competing with the likes of LG Electronics to make everything from televisions and refrigerators to smartphones.

The strike-hit plant in Sriperumbudur, the smaller of Samsung’s two Indian factories, employs around 1,800 people and makes electronic products rather than smartphones. But it still contributes 20% to 30% of Samsung’s annual $12bn revenue in India, said two sources with direct knowledge of the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Posters saying “Indefinite Strike” went up outside the factory near the city of Chennai, where hundreds of workers in company uniforms set up tents to shade themselves from the heat. Union leader E Muthukumar said “the strike will continue for a third day” today.

About half of the factory’s daily production was affected when many workers stayed away on Monday, and the protesters continue to press their demands for higher wages, better hours and most importantly want Samsung to recognise the formation of a union backed by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions group.

Shares in Samsung closed 1.9% lower in Seoul, versus the benchmark KOSPI’s 0.5% fall.

Samsung’s Southwest Asia CEO, J B Park, and other senior executives are visiting the factory to find a resolution, people with direct knowledge of the situation said. Park oversees the India market for Samsung from Gurugram, near New Delhi.

Samsung did not respond to a request for comment. Muthukumar said no settlement had been reached during the discussions on Tuesday with Samsung management.

Tamil Nadu labour secretary Veera Raghava Rao said that negotiations between workers and management are ongoing, but there is no indication yet when the matter will be resolved.

A spokesperson for Samsung India said on Monday that it actively engaged with workers “to address any grievances they may have and comply with all laws and regulations”.

source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/690415/international/samsung-production-at-key-india-plant-hit-due-to-strike

German govt tightens controls at all borders in immigration crackdown

Germany’s government has announced plans to impose tighter controls at all of the country’s land borders in what it called an attempt to tackle irregular migration and protect the public from threats such as religious extremism.The controls within what is normally a wide area of free movement – the European Schengen zone – will start on September 16 and initially last for six months, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said yesterday.The government has also designed a scheme enabling authorities to reject more migrants directly at German borders, Faeser said, without adding details on the controversial and legally fraught move.The restrictions are part of a series of measures Germany has taken to toughen its stance on irregular migration in recent years following a surge in arrivals, in particular people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East.Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government is seeking to seize back the initiative from the opposition far-right and conservatives, who have seen support rise as they tap into voter worries about stretched public services, integration and security.“We are strengthening internal security and continuing our hard line against irregular migration,” Faeser said, noting the government had notified the European Commission and neighbouring countries of the intended controls.Recent deadly knife attacks in which the suspects were asylum-seekers have stoked concerns over immigration.The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a knife attack in the western city of Solingen that killed three people in August.The AfD earlier this month became the first far-right party since World War II to win a state election, in Thuringia, after campaigning heavily on the issue of migration.Polls show that it is also voters’ top concern in the state of Brandenburg, which is set to hold elections in two weeks.Scholz and Faeser’s centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) are fighting to retain control of the government there, in a vote billed as a test of strength of the SPD ahead of next year’s federal election.“The intention of the government seems to be to show symbolically to Germans and potential migrants that the latter are no longer wanted here,” said Marcus Engler at the German Centre for Integration and Migration Research.A backlash had been building in Germany ever since it accepted in excess of 1mn people, mostly fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, during the 2015/2016 migrant crisis, migration experts say.It reached a tipping point in the country of 84mn people after it automatically granted asylum to around 1mn Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s 2022 invasion even as Germany was struggling through an energy and economic crisis.Since then, the German government has agreed tighter deportation rules and resumed flying convicted criminals of Afghan nationality to their home country, despite suspending deportations after the Taliban took power in 2021 due to human rights concerns.Last year Berlin also announced stricter controls on its land borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. Those and controls on the border with Austria had allowed it to return 30,000 migrants since October 2023, it said on Monday.Faeser said a new model would enable the government to turn back many more – but it could not talk about the model before confidential negotiations with the conservatives.The controls could test European unity if they lead to German authorities requesting other countries to take back substantial numbers of asylum-seekers and migrants.Under EU rules, countries in the Schengen area, which encompasses all of the bloc except for Cyprus and Ireland, are only allowed to introduce border checks as a last resort to avert threats to internal security or public policy, and several have done so during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic or after attacks.The EU agreed a hard-fought overhaul to its asylum and migration laws earlier this year but the rules are only set to come into force in 2026.“Until we achieve strong protection of the EU’s external borders with the new common European asylum system, we must strengthen controls at our national borders,” Faeser said.Germany shares its more than 3,700km (2,300 miles) land border with Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland.Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner told Bild newspaper yesterday that his country would not take in any migrants turned away by Germany at the border.“There’s no room for manoeuvre there,” he said.The measures may not immediately result in many more migrants being turned away at the border, but they could result in more returns to other European countries down the line, as well as acting as a deterrent, said Susan Fratzke at the Migration Policy Institute.The number of asylum applications in Germany already fell 21.7% in the first eight months of the year, according to government statistics.

source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/690352/international/german-govt-tightens-controls-at-all-borders-in-immigration-crackdown