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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| The Latest: German governing parties agree on migrant plan | The Latest: German governing parties agree on migrant plan |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| BERLIN — The Latest on European efforts to respond to the wave of migration (all times local): | BERLIN — The Latest on European efforts to respond to the wave of migration (all times local): |
| 10:45 a.m. | |
| Austria’s defense minister says the country is ready to completely close the main border crossing to Italy in case an influx of migrants from there leads to an “extreme situation.” | |
| State-run broadcaster ORF on Thursday quoted Hans Peter Doskozil as saying such a move at the Brenner crossing would be taken if Italy refused to accept migrants turned back by Austria and they could not proceed to Germany. | |
| Doskozil says Austria has registered between 16,000 and 17,000 applications for asylum since the start of the year. The country has announced a cap of 37,500 applications for 2016 after receiving about 90,000 last year. | |
| He expresses skepticism about the EU-Turkey agreement on migrant returns saying “we don’t know how long the deal will last.” | |
| ___ | |
| 9:55 a.m. | 9:55 a.m. |
| Germany’s governing parties say they’ve agreed upon a broad range of measures to help the country integrate those of the 1.1 million migrants who arrived last year who are granted asylum. | Germany’s governing parties say they’ve agreed upon a broad range of measures to help the country integrate those of the 1.1 million migrants who arrived last year who are granted asylum. |
| The measures announced Thursday, which will be discussed with state governors before they’re formalized to present to Parliament, seek to strike a balance between giving migrants easier access to jobs and integration courses, while increasing expectations of them as well. | The measures announced Thursday, which will be discussed with state governors before they’re formalized to present to Parliament, seek to strike a balance between giving migrants easier access to jobs and integration courses, while increasing expectations of them as well. |
| They foresee creating thousands of government-funded “job opportunities” for migrants, news agency dpa reported, and the suspension for three years of a rule that asylum-seekers are initially excluded from jobs unless no German or European Union citizen can fill them. | They foresee creating thousands of government-funded “job opportunities” for migrants, news agency dpa reported, and the suspension for three years of a rule that asylum-seekers are initially excluded from jobs unless no German or European Union citizen can fill them. |
| Waiting times for integration courses teaching German will be reduced, but they’ll be made mandatory for more migrants. | Waiting times for integration courses teaching German will be reduced, but they’ll be made mandatory for more migrants. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 9:30 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. |
| Serbian police say they have arrested six people suspected of smuggling migrants across the border to Hungary and other EU countries. | Serbian police say they have arrested six people suspected of smuggling migrants across the border to Hungary and other EU countries. |
| The six face charges of illegally crossing the state border and people smuggling. | The six face charges of illegally crossing the state border and people smuggling. |
| Police said Thursday that the suspects charged the migrants from 900-1,200 euros ($1,000-$1,350) for the illegal transfer. They say the migrants were from Kosovo, Asian and African countries. | Police said Thursday that the suspects charged the migrants from 900-1,200 euros ($1,000-$1,350) for the illegal transfer. They say the migrants were from Kosovo, Asian and African countries. |
| Migrants fleeing war and poverty have turned to smugglers to help them reach wealthy European nations after Balkan countries closed their borders for the passage. | Migrants fleeing war and poverty have turned to smugglers to help them reach wealthy European nations after Balkan countries closed their borders for the passage. |
| Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |