Germany Considers Easing Immigration Laws to Address Labour Shortages

Germany looks at easing Germany looks at easing immigration laws to fill immigration laws to fill labour labour gaps gaps

BERLIN (Reuters) BERLIN (Reuters) - - The German cabinet will soon decide on a cabinet will soon decide on a proposal to make it easier for proposal to make it easier for skilled workers from outside the skilled workers from outside the EU to move to Germany to take a EU to move to Germany to take a job, as Germany seeks to job, as Germany seeks to alleviate alleviate labour labour shortages. The German shortages.

A lack of skilled workers A lack of skilled workers and a shortage of young and a shortage of young people have become big people have become big concerns in Europe s concerns in Europe s largest economy. largest economy.

Germany looks forward to make use Germany looks forward to make use of more than a million refugees who of more than a million refugees who arrived in 2015 to fill workforce arrived in 2015 to fill workforce gaps, but a lack of German gaps, but a lack of German- -language skills and the inability of most skills and the inability of most refugees to prove any qualifications refugees to prove any qualifications has slowed the process. has slowed the process. language

A record 1.2 million jobs A record 1.2 million jobs remain unfilled in remain unfilled in Germany, the Federal Germany, the Federal Labour Labour Office said Office said earlier this month. earlier this month.

The German Interior, The German Interior, Labour Economy ministries agreed to recruit Economy ministries agreed to recruit more foreign skilled workers to more foreign skilled workers to Germany. They have sent the proposal Germany. They have sent the proposal paper to the rest of the cabinet, which paper to the rest of the cabinet, which will take a decision on it soon and will take a decision on it soon and changes to it are still possible, two changes to it are still possible, two government sources said. government sources said. Labour and and

Germany to ease immigration rules to fight worker shortage

German ministers agreed on a new German ministers agreed on a new strategy to combat increasing strategy to combat increasing Germany's worker shortage. Germany's worker shortage. Jobseekers from outside the EU can Jobseekers from outside the EU can come to Germany for six months to come to Germany for six months to try and find employment, provided try and find employment, provided they speak German. they speak German.

" We need workers from third " We need workers from third world countries," Interior world countries," Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told a Minister Horst Seehofer told a press conference about the press conference about the strategy that has yet to become a strategy that has yet to become a law and be approved by law and be approved by parliament. parliament.

With unemployment at a With unemployment at a record low, companies in record low, companies in Europe's biggest economy Europe's biggest economy have been complaining that a have been complaining that a constant shortage in workers constant shortage in workers is threatening growth. is threatening growth.

In the areas of mathematics, In the areas of mathematics, computing, natural sciences computing, natural sciences and technology, a record and technology, a record 338,200 jobs went unfilled in 338,200 jobs went unfilled in September. September.

Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said the new rules will be of particular help the new rules will be of particular help to Germany's small to Germany's small- -and companies, "which in the past have companies, "which in the past have suffered as they are in competition with suffered as they are in competition with big companies that have illegally big companies that have illegally attracted the well attracted the well- -trained people". and- -medium sized medium sized trained people".

Kashmir's stone-pelting protesters face off with security forces

Security forces using tear gas on Security forces using tear gas on crowds of stone crowds of stone- -throwing young protesters in the Indian protesters in the Indian- -ruled region of Kashmir have killed region of Kashmir have killed more than 100 people over the more than 100 people over the past year. past year. throwing young ruled

The clashes, sparked by the The clashes, sparked by the killing of separatist fighter killing of separatist fighter Burhan Burhan Wani Wani by security forces on July 8 last year, have forces on July 8 last year, have recently spread to colleges recently spread to colleges and schools. and schools. by security

If I get a weapon, I am ready If I get a weapon, I am ready to join the armed struggle to join the armed struggle but for the time being, the but for the time being, the stone is our weapon, said a stone is our weapon, said a 23 23- -year year- -old student. old student.

My father is in the police the protester added. He used to tell me to join the police, but now he does not insist.

In the past few weeks, the In the past few weeks, the protests have grown deadly, protests have grown deadly, with at least 15 young people with at least 15 young people killed when Indian security killed when Indian security forces fired into crowds of forces fired into crowds of stone throwers. stone throwers.

In the past few weeks, the two nuclear In the past few weeks, the two nuclear states have, between them, killed two states have, between them, killed two dozen civilians and injured scores of dozen civilians and injured scores of others in exchanges of artillery fire others in exchanges of artillery fire across the disputed border that divides across the disputed border that divides Kashmir into parts controlled by India Kashmir into parts controlled by India and Pakistan. and Pakistan.

North and South Korea Sign Agreement for Era of No War

North and South Korea are North and South Korea are still at war, and have been for still at war, and have been for more than six decades more than six decades new report on Tuesday new report on Tuesday indicates the conflict may indicates the conflict may soon be coming to an end. soon be coming to an end. but a but a

South Korean President Moon Jae South Korean President Moon Jae- -in and North Korean leader Kim Jong and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a historic announcement, Un made a historic announcement, committing to an era of no war committing to an era of no war during the two leaders joint press during the two leaders joint press conference held on Wednesday in conference held on Wednesday in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang, North Korea. in

Kim and Moon confirmed Kim and Moon confirmed their commitment to bring their commitment to bring peace to the Korean peace to the Korean Peninsula, a promise they Peninsula, a promise they first delivered at their earlier first delivered at their earlier summit in April. summit in April.

A 17-page accord was also signed by both administrations defense ministers in which they vowed to cease all hostile acts against each other.

Today the North and Today the North and South decided to South decided to remove all threats from remove all threats from the entire Korean the entire Korean peninsula. peninsula.

After the leaders and defense ministers of both countries signed agreements, Kim promised to visit Seoul in the near future. No North Korean leader has ever visited the South Korean capital.

Stone Stone pelters pelters clash with clash with police in police in Kashmir Kashmir

Fighting over the disputed region Fighting over the disputed region of Kashmir has left tens of of Kashmir has left tens of thousands of people dead, and thousands of people dead, and many ordinary Kashmiris desire many ordinary Kashmiris desire for independence from both for independence from both countries. countries.

Others say they just want Indian Others say they just want Indian security forces to leave. In four months, security forces to leave. In four months, 17,000 adults and children have been 17,000 adults and children have been injured, nearly five thousand have been injured, nearly five thousand have been arrested, and an entire population arrested, and an entire population spent the summer under the longest spent the summer under the longest curfew in the history of curfews in curfew in the history of curfews in Kashmir. Kashmir.

As Kashmiris took to the streets, As Kashmiris took to the streets, police and paramilitaries were police and paramilitaries were deployed in large numbers deployed in large numbers across the region. Thousands of across the region. Thousands of young protesters charged at the young protesters charged at the armed forces with stones armed forces with stones demanding freedom. demanding freedom.

In less than four days, nearly 50 In less than four days, nearly 50 people were killed and people were killed and thousands injured. More people thousands injured. More people took to the streets to protest took to the streets to protest against these killings, and the against these killings, and the Indian forces and Kashmiri police Indian forces and Kashmiri police killed and injured more of them. killed and injured more of them.

Disputed Kashmir has been a Disputed Kashmir has been a constant source of tensions constant source of tensions between India and Pakistan for between India and Pakistan for more than 60 years, causing two more than 60 years, causing two wars between the two wars between the two neighbours neighbours. .