World View: Thousands of Migrants in Athens Greece Apply to Return Home

This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

• Polish is second most spoken language in England
• Israel’s air strike into Syria raises regional tensions
• Thousands of migrants in Athens Greece apply to return home
• France protects uranium mines in Niger

Polish is second most spoken language in England

Polish food store in London (Getty)

Results from the 2011 census show that, in England and Wales, neitherEnglish nor Welsh is the main language for about 8% of the population.Polish has become the most commonly spoken non-native language inEngland and Wales, while it was not even in the top 12 ten yearsearlier in 2001. However, the Polish language itself is beinginfiltrated by English words. This is especially true in the office,where such English words as “briefing”, “marketing,” and “PR” are nowcommonly used by Polish speakers. Other languages frequently used inEngland and Wales include Punjabi, Urdu and Bengali. Independent (London)

Israel’s air strike into Syria raises regional tensions

The armies of Syria, Lebanon and Jordan are all on high alert,according to a report from Lebanon. The alerts are a consequence ofIsrael’s warplane attacks on Wednesday. There’s still a bit ofmystery surrounding the Israeli air strike. Western sources say thatthe target was a convoy of trucks carrying advanced Russian-madesurface-to-air missiles from Syria to Hizbollah, for use in targetingIsraeli aircraft. However, Syria says no, that’s not it at all. Thestrike was on a military research building. Syria says that it’sgoing to retaliate against Israel for the attack, leading to increasedtension in the region. Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Sundaydid not admit to the air strike, but hinted at it by saying,

“That is another proof that when we say something wemean it. We say that we do not think it should be allowable tobring advanced weapons systems into Lebanon.”

But Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad accused Israel of trying tounmasked the true role Israel is playing, in collaboration withforeign enemy forces and their agents on Syrian soil, to destabilizeand weaken Syria.” Israel National News and VOA

Thousands of migrants in Athens Greece apply to return home

Poor and unemployed, with little hope of being able to earn a living,thousands of migrants from countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan,Bangladesh, Georgia, Ghana, and Iraq are applying for a funded programthat helps them leave Greece to return to their home countries.Greece is a major transit country for thousands of irregular migrantstrying to reach Western Europe. But many decide to return home whenthey become stranded, jobless and are forced to sleep on the streetsof Athens. The International Organization for Migration (IOM), whichis funded by grants from Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, providessmall grants to migrants who have simply run out of money and want toreturn home. Kathimerini and International Organization for Migration

France protects uranium mines in Niger

Niger has confirmed that France’s special forces are protecting one ofthe country’s biggest uranium mines. French company Areva plays amajor part in uranium mining in Niger, and French special forces havebeen assigned to the Arlit mine after 37 foreign workers were killedwhen al-Qaeda linked militants seized a gas plant in Algeria two weeksago. Meanwhile, France said that 30 warplanes had bombed sites run byIslamist extremists north of the historic Tuareg center Kidal, inpreparation for the entrance of French-led troops. The troops aremeeting little resistance, because the militants are fleeing to themountainous terrain around Kidal, probably to regroup and strike backwhen the French troops leave. France is now desperately trying tofinish up and withdraw its troops before “anything” happens, but Maliofficials are begging the French to stay longer. BBC and AFP

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