Germany halts Afghan refugee admission flights pending new government decision
BERLIN, - Germany's outgoing government has suspended flights for voluntary admissions of Afghan refugees for two weeks pending a decision by the next government on how to proceed, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, the future governing coalition of conservatives and Social Democrats agreed to curb irregular migration, reflecting a mounting public backlash after several violent attacks by migrants as well as increasing pressure on housing and other infrastructure.
After the Western allies' hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Germany felt a strong obligation to protect former local staff of German agencies and humanitarian organisations there, and established several programmes to resettle them along with particularly vulnerable Afghans.
According to the Federal Foreign Office, a total of 36,000 people have entered Germany under such voluntary programmes, including a good 20,000 who were local staff and their families.
Around 2,600 people approved for admission by Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees are currently waiting in Pakistan for a German visa and charter flights, 350 of whom are former local employees, the foreign office added.
In addition to receiving admission approval, applicants must complete a visa process and security screening involving the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the Federal Police, and the Federal Criminal Police Office.
The current Greens-led foreign ministry said that existing admission confirmations were legally binding and could only be revoked under specific conditions. This meant it could be difficult for the new government to cancel them regardless of who takes over the interior or foreign ministries.
Germany's outgoing government arranged several resettlement flights in recent weeks, drawing criticism from conservative politicians who argued that the SPD-Greens coalition was rushing to admit new arrivals before it hands over.
"For several weeks now, we've been seeing planes arrive in Germany on a daily basis. I believe that's wrong. It creates the impression that an outgoing federal government is trying to establish facts on the ground in its final days," Thorsten Frei, a parliamentary leader of the conservative bloc, said.
ProAsyl, a German NGO providing legal help to asylum seekers, warned that halting the final rescue flights would leave vulnerable Afghans at risk of torture or death if returned to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
"The German government itself has determined their endangerment ... A return or deportation to Afghanistan could mean torture or even death for them," said Wiebke Judith, ProAsyl legal policy spokesperson.
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Time of India
2 hours ago
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NDTV
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Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
India ramps up oil imports from Russia, US in June amid Israel-Iran tensions
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India is the world's third-largest oil importing and consuming nation. It bought about 5.1 million barrels of crude oil, which is converted into fuels like petrol and diesel in refineries. India began importing large volumes of Russian oil post the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The country has traditionally been an importer of Middle East oil. Russian imports rose because the oil was available at a significant discount to other international benchmarks due to Western sanctions and some European countries shunning purchases. This led to a dramatic rise in import of Russian oil, growing from less than 1 per cent of its total crude oil imports to a staggering 40-44 per cent in a short period. The conflict in the Middle East has so far not impacted oil supplies. "While supplies remain unaffected so far, vessel activity suggests a decline in crude loadings from the Middle East in the coming days," Sumit Ritolia, Lead Research Analyst, Refining & Modeling at Kpler, told PTI. "Shipowners are hesitant to send empty tankers (ballasters) into the Gulf, with the number of such vessels dropping from 69 to just 40, and (Middle East and Gulf) MEG-bound signals from the Gulf of Oman halving." This implies that the current MEG supplies are likely to tighten in the near term, potentially triggering future adjustments in India's sourcing strategy, he said. The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran to the north and Oman and the United Arab Emirates to the south and serves as the main route for oil exports from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and the UAE. Many liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments, especially from Qatar, also pass through the strait. Iran has now threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz as military conflict in the region picks pace. The corridor sees a fifth of the world's oil and a major LNG export transit. India imports about 40 per cent of all its oil and about half of its gas through the narrow Strait. According to Kpler, concerns over a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz have intensified following Israel's pre-emptive strikes on Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure. Iranian hardliners have threatened closure, and state media have warned of oil spiking to $400 per barrel. "Yet, Kpler analysis assigns a very low probability to a full blockade, citing strong disincentives for Iran," Ritolia said. This is mainly because China, Iran's largest oil importer (which imports 47 per cent of its seaborne crude from the Middle East Gulf), would be directly impacted. Further, Iran's reliance on Hormuz for oil exports via Kharg Island (handles 96 per cent of its exports) makes self-blockade counterproductive. Additionally, Tehran has made efforts over the past two years to rebuild ties with key regional actors, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both of which rely heavily on the Strait for exports and have publicly condemned Israel's actions. 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"If conflict deepens or there is any short-term disruption in Hormuz, Russian barrels will rise in share, offering both physical availability and pricing relief. India may pivot harder toward the US, Nigeria, Angola, and Brazil, albeit at higher freight costs. Also, India may tap its strategic reserves (covering 9-10 days of imports) to bridge any shortfall.
