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| Refugee crisis briefing: EU quotas, Australia joins Syria strikes, France rejects 'Christians only' calls | Refugee crisis briefing: EU quotas, Australia joins Syria strikes, France rejects 'Christians only' calls |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| EU quota plan for refugees unveiled | EU quota plan for refugees unveiled |
| Related: Refugee crisis: Junker unveils EU quota plan – live updates | |
| Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European commission, will outline plans to relocate 160,000 asylum seekers across the continent over the next two years, hoping to bind governments to a quota system. | Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European commission, will outline plans to relocate 160,000 asylum seekers across the continent over the next two years, hoping to bind governments to a quota system. |
| Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, has warned that even if Juncker secures agreement, the proposals might not be enough to make a dent in the crisis: 120,000 refugees arrived at Munich’s central train station in August, with another 25,000 since Friday evening. | Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, has warned that even if Juncker secures agreement, the proposals might not be enough to make a dent in the crisis: 120,000 refugees arrived at Munich’s central train station in August, with another 25,000 since Friday evening. |
| The UN said on Tuesday that at least 850,000 people are expected to cross the Mediterranean seeking refuge in Europe this year and next. Around 366,000 have already made the journey so far in 2015, it said. | The UN said on Tuesday that at least 850,000 people are expected to cross the Mediterranean seeking refuge in Europe this year and next. Around 366,000 have already made the journey so far in 2015, it said. |
| The Polish president, Andrzej Duda, has already indicated that he will not accept the Juncker blueprint, as have the governments of Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The UK is exempt from the scheme and will not participate. | The Polish president, Andrzej Duda, has already indicated that he will not accept the Juncker blueprint, as have the governments of Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The UK is exempt from the scheme and will not participate. |
| Australia to take 12,000 refugees – and bomb Isis in Syria | Australia to take 12,000 refugees – and bomb Isis in Syria |
| Related: Australia to accept an extra 12,000 Syrian refugees and will join US-led airstrikes | Related: Australia to accept an extra 12,000 Syrian refugees and will join US-led airstrikes |
| Australia’s prime minister, Tony Abbott, says the country will take in an extra 12,000 refugees from Syria and Iraq – in addition to an existing humanitarian intake of 13,750 – and will join US-led airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria within a week. | Australia’s prime minister, Tony Abbott, says the country will take in an extra 12,000 refugees from Syria and Iraq – in addition to an existing humanitarian intake of 13,750 – and will join US-led airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria within a week. |
| Any airstrikes would target Isis and not the Assad regime, Abbott stressed, although he added that the regime was “not the kind of government that we could ever support”. | Any airstrikes would target Isis and not the Assad regime, Abbott stressed, although he added that the regime was “not the kind of government that we could ever support”. |
| Australia will also contribute an additional $44m in aid to the UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency, in Syria and across the Middle East. | Australia will also contribute an additional $44m in aid to the UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency, in Syria and across the Middle East. |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| George Osborne: this is why I’m in politics | George Osborne: this is why I’m in politics |
| The UK chancellor, George Osborne, has said that boosting aid for the refugee crisis is “why people like me and my colleagues are in government”. | The UK chancellor, George Osborne, has said that boosting aid for the refugee crisis is “why people like me and my colleagues are in government”. |
| Osborne was speaking as he received an award for politician of the year at the GQ Men of the Year awards from Bob Geldof, who had questioned the decision of the UK government to take 20,000 refugees over five years, saying: “You could probably do a lot better on that issue.” | Osborne was speaking as he received an award for politician of the year at the GQ Men of the Year awards from Bob Geldof, who had questioned the decision of the UK government to take 20,000 refugees over five years, saying: “You could probably do a lot better on that issue.” |
| The chancellor insisted the move was “a significant step forward”. | The chancellor insisted the move was “a significant step forward”. |
| “I think, what’s going on now on our TV screens as we see that tragedy unfolding and the way we are going to do more to direct many hundreds of millions pounds more to help those people and give them a home,” he said. | “I think, what’s going on now on our TV screens as we see that tragedy unfolding and the way we are going to do more to direct many hundreds of millions pounds more to help those people and give them a home,” he said. |
| “I think that will help change people’s attitudes in this country towards that aid budget and for me it’s a really significant step forward, it’s why people like me and my colleagues are in government trying to do these things.” | “I think that will help change people’s attitudes in this country towards that aid budget and for me it’s a really significant step forward, it’s why people like me and my colleagues are in government trying to do these things.” |
| Hungarian camera operator who kicked refugee children is fired | Hungarian camera operator who kicked refugee children is fired |
| Petra László, who was filmed kicking two refugee children and tripping up a man at the border hotspot of Rőszke, has lost her job at Hungarian nationalist television channel N1TV. | Petra László, who was filmed kicking two refugee children and tripping up a man at the border hotspot of Rőszke, has lost her job at Hungarian nationalist television channel N1TV. |
| The station – which has links to the far-right Jobbik party – said her behaviour was “unacceptable” and her job had been terminated “with immediate effect”. | The station – which has links to the far-right Jobbik party – said her behaviour was “unacceptable” and her job had been terminated “with immediate effect”. |
| French prime minister rejects ‘Christians only’ call | French prime minister rejects ‘Christians only’ call |
| Manuel Valls has criticised two mayors who said they would only take in Christian refugees, insisting: “You don’t sort [refugees] on the basis of religion. The right to asylum is a universal right.” | Manuel Valls has criticised two mayors who said they would only take in Christian refugees, insisting: “You don’t sort [refugees] on the basis of religion. The right to asylum is a universal right.” |
| President François Hollande announced on Monday that France would take in 24,000 people over two years, with the first 200 arriving from Germany on Wednesday. | President François Hollande announced on Monday that France would take in 24,000 people over two years, with the first 200 arriving from Germany on Wednesday. |
| Yves Nicolin, mayor of Roanne, in the Loire department, said his town would only take in Christians in order to be “certain they are not terrorists in disguise”. Roanne would settle “a dozen families, providing they are Christian refugees who are persecuted in Syria by Daesh (the Islamic State group) for being Christians”, he said. | Yves Nicolin, mayor of Roanne, in the Loire department, said his town would only take in Christians in order to be “certain they are not terrorists in disguise”. Roanne would settle “a dozen families, providing they are Christian refugees who are persecuted in Syria by Daesh (the Islamic State group) for being Christians”, he said. |
| Damien Meslot, mayor of Belfort in eastern France, also said he would only consider taking in Christian families from Iraq and Syria because “they are the most persecuted”. | Damien Meslot, mayor of Belfort in eastern France, also said he would only consider taking in Christian families from Iraq and Syria because “they are the most persecuted”. |
| Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve joined the criticism, saying: “I really don’t understand this distinction. I condemn it and I think it’s dreadful. | Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve joined the criticism, saying: “I really don’t understand this distinction. I condemn it and I think it’s dreadful. |
| “Christians from the Middle East must be welcomed but there are also Muslims and other minorities who are persecuted with the same degree of barbarity.” | “Christians from the Middle East must be welcomed but there are also Muslims and other minorities who are persecuted with the same degree of barbarity.” |
| Middle East sandstorm strikes Syrian refugees in Lebanon | Middle East sandstorm strikes Syrian refugees in Lebanon |
| A dense sandstorm that began sweeping across the Middle East on Monday has badly affected Syrian refugees living in camps in Lebanon. | A dense sandstorm that began sweeping across the Middle East on Monday has badly affected Syrian refugees living in camps in Lebanon. |
| Eight people across the region have died, and many others have suffered respiratory problems, as a result of the storm. | Eight people across the region have died, and many others have suffered respiratory problems, as a result of the storm. |
| The hundreds of thousands of refugees in the camps are particularly vulnerable due to the lack of adequate shelter. | The hundreds of thousands of refugees in the camps are particularly vulnerable due to the lack of adequate shelter. |
| European football clubs to donate ticket money to aid refugees | European football clubs to donate ticket money to aid refugees |
| After AS Roma donated 575,000 euros (US$643,000), other European football clubs have signalled their support. | After AS Roma donated 575,000 euros (US$643,000), other European football clubs have signalled their support. |
| The European Association of football clubs (ECA) said that teams playing in the Champions League and Europa League had agreed to donate one euro ($1.12) for every ticket sold in their first continental matches this season. | The European Association of football clubs (ECA) said that teams playing in the Champions League and Europa League had agreed to donate one euro ($1.12) for every ticket sold in their first continental matches this season. |
| All 80 clubs have committed to the scheme, which is expected to raise between two and three million euros. | All 80 clubs have committed to the scheme, which is expected to raise between two and three million euros. |
| Norwegian billionaire offers to house refugees in his hotels | Norwegian billionaire offers to house refugees in his hotels |
| Petter Stordalen, who owns the Nordic Choice Hotels chain, said he would offer 5,000 nights, as well as meals, to refugees who did not have a safe place to stay. | Petter Stordalen, who owns the Nordic Choice Hotels chain, said he would offer 5,000 nights, as well as meals, to refugees who did not have a safe place to stay. |
| Norway received 2,313 asylum requests in August, most of them from Syrians, Eritreans and Afghans, the highest number registered in a single month since the 1990s. | Norway received 2,313 asylum requests in August, most of them from Syrians, Eritreans and Afghans, the highest number registered in a single month since the 1990s. |
| I @Nordic_Choice har vi en kultur for å bidra. Derfor gir vi nå 5000 gratis gjestedøgn til flyktninger som trenger det. | I @Nordic_Choice har vi en kultur for å bidra. Derfor gir vi nå 5000 gratis gjestedøgn til flyktninger som trenger det. |
| Agence France-Presse contributed to this report. | Agence France-Presse contributed to this report. |
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