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CHINA is close to "world domination" and Europe must beware the danger, the former head of Germany's top spy agency has warned.

Gerhard Schindler also warned the Angela Merkel's approach the migrant crisis had given jihadists a "reservoir" of recruits who could be turned to terrorism.

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Mr Schindler, who led the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) from 2011 to 2016, warned Europe "hardly notices" China's attempts to increase its power and influence, reports The Times.

He warned the 5G technology being rolled out in European by Chinese tech giant Huawei is so advanced that you cannot even tell if it has "back doors" to feed data back to Beijing.

"Its as though an engineer specialised in steam engines were supposed to assess an internal combustion engine," he said.

Relations between the West and China have plunged in 2020 amid ongoing rows over the Communist giant's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Britain has agreed to remove Huawei from the its 5G network, but it will take until 2027 for all of the equipment to be replaced and scrapped.

He said: "If Huawei were to build [5G network components] we would have no idea what they were building.

"You can imagine where we are in a crisis and the threat Were going to turn your communication network off would influence our decisions."

The 68-year-old called on Germany to curb its "strategic dependence" on Beijing and to also ban Huawei.

He said: "China is going about things very cleverly, very quietly, but all the same with an astonishingly consistent strategy, and it is a concern that we in Europe hardly notice this dominant behaviour.

"Our stance towards China has been dominated by business relations. We need to reconsider that. We are partly dependent on China, for example with our car industry.

"But you cant ease this dependence by becoming more dependent; we should strive to be less dependent."

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Ex-spy master Schindler also accused China of "aggressive" behaviour in the South China Sea and attempted to establish economic dominance over Africa.

He also claimed the "new Silk Road" - a web of infrastructure projects sprawling from China across Eurasia - is part of its plot of global dominance.

Mr Schindler's second biggest security concern was about the number of migrants who have arrived in Germany since 2015.

German chancellor Merkel had adopted an open door border policy, welcoming more than 1.4million immigrants in the last five years.

However, he described the high number of young Muslim men who had failed to secure jobs or asylum as a "great danger".

Terrorist recruiters often target young men who are lacking prospects as they attempt to brainwash them to their warped ideology.

Mr Schindler said: "If we cant integrate hundreds of thousands of young, male Muslims, then these people are programmed to fail.

"We will have a reservoir for radicalisation, for recruitment, for violence."

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Mr Schindler has written a new book 'Who's Afraid of the BND?' in which he argues Germany has hobbled its spy agencies with red tape.

He claims the country has been neglecting the serious threats to its security posed by this potential jihadists and China.

However, he was more relaxed regarding Russia - who many perceive as threat to the global order carrying out election hacking and chemical attacks.

He actually called on the Germany government to secure better ties with Russia and to work with Vladimir Putin on the Middle East.

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Mr Schindler however condemned the recent Novichok poisoning of Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny as an "appalling attack".

He said: "You have to take a clear stance towards Russia.

"The Russians understand that. But that doesnt mean that you cancel Nord Stream 2."

Nord Stream 2 is a gas pipeline linking Russia and Germany which is expected to be completed in 2021, but is currently marred by US sanctions.

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China close to world domination and Merkels migrant policy gave jihadists reservoir of recruits, ex-spy c - The Sun

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New Delhi: The Bihar assembly elections are just two days away. Polling for the 243-member Bihar assembly will be held in three phases between 28 October and 7 November amid the coronavirus pandemic.

We asked readers:Is the Bihar election more about Prime Minister Narendra Modis governance record than Chief Minister Nitish Kumars?

Here is what some of them said:

The Bihar election is a litmus test for the BJP to test its governance in the central government. The election results would also be important to predict the outcome of the 2021 West Bengal polls. The Bihar election is not going to be played on Chief Minister Nitish Kumars but on the NDA 2.0 governments work and its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. If the JD(U)-BJP tie-up fails to sweep the polls, it would be like a domino effect on the BJP in the assembly elections in different states. If the Nitish Kumar government doesnt get re-elected, it wouldnt be because of his governance but would solely be on the Modi governments lack of governance.

Chirag Vishwas Kanale. Twitter: @chiragkajale48

The Bihar election is more about Nitish Kumar, but he will depend a lot on Modi this time. Thats why JD(U) settled for fewer seats than it the number it had last elections. The Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens will take away Muslim votes from Kumar. And he doesnt have much to show this time with labour migration making things worse for him. This time, only Modi showmanship can sail NDAs boat to power.

Suryank Dwivedi, Dhanbad. Twitter: @Suryank_8

On 25 March, India announced an unprecedented lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Videos of stranded migrant labourers walking home on foot shook the entire country. The Indian Railways, which used to be the lifeline for migrant labourers, was also shut down. After seven months of gradual unlocking, Bihar is now going to the polls. The state is worst affected by the job losses among migrant labourers, and the health infrastructure there is below par. Even after several distractions by non-issues such as nepotism in Bollywood and amid real issues like free fall of GDP, China and Covid-19, the opinion polls have suggested that the TINO (there is no opposition) factor, which helped the BJP in 2019 general elections, will help the JD(U)-BJP alliance in the 2020 Bihar election too.

Sivanesh R, Erode, Tamil Nadu

People in Bihar are hugely political, but they are not able to write their political destiny. Bihar stands on the edge of an uncharted future. Nitish Kumars sushasan babu (Mr good governance) tag is at stake as he faces a massive anti-incumbency in his fourth term. He has undermined the Covid-19 and migrant crisis. The parivartan brigade is visible across the state as his opponents continue to draw huge crowds in their rallies. Kumar stands aloof and is virtually a recluse. People in Bihar are aspirational today. After better law and order, road connectivity, they want jobs, industry and better education. In this melee, PM Modi has emerged as more popular leader in the state compared to Kumar. He spoke about the valour of Bihari soldiers at Galwan. He has taken to nationalism, cleverly fusing it with Bihari regional pride. The PMs political charisma still works with voters in Bihar. It is only Modis goodwill that may help Kumar this time.

Sandeep Wanchoo, Gurgaon. Twitter:@swanchoo

The Covid-19 situation has been pushing our country toward dark times and with that its also showing the incompetence of PM Modis government. The Modi government has failed to tackle issues such as the falling economy, rising coronavirus cases, protests by farmers, rising rape cases and also the rapid growth of unemployment. So now, Bihar elections will clearly be about PM Modis governance record than CM Kumars. BJP has promised to give free Covid-19 vaccines to people in Bihar, in addition to 10 lakh jobs. These are big promises. Hope the BJP government fulfills its promises.

Tanmay Ingale, Mumbai. Twitter: @tanmayingale10

Over 83.62 lakh people across 16 districts affected by floods, Bihari migrant workers walking thousands of kilometres to reach home during the lockdown, acute shortage of doctors and difficult living conditions do not matter for the voters in Bihar. Therefore, the politicians who cheated them once can expect another chance in the elections. They know people are used to this. They will do everything for personal benefits and career. Nitish Kumar is hiding his report card behind the policies of the Modi government. Hence, it is right that the Bihar elections are more about PM Modis governance record than Kumars.

Mohd. Shoaib Khan, Meerut. Twitter: @shoaib93002633

Though the prime minister is way more popular than Kumar seems to be in Bihar today, the CM steals the show as far as the issue of governance record is concerned. A few weeks ago, the election seemed a walkover for the NDA but as the oppositions campaign began to gain momentum (especially the hype after Tejashwi Yadavs 10 lakh jobs guarantee), Kumar, in Yadavs words, is really looking tired. Things have surely backfired for him. But Kumar resorting to brazenly personal attacks and refusing to get over Lalus jungle raj shows where the problem lies.

No rhetoric. There is not much to imagine here. Anti-incumbency, disenchantment surely exist. Even the PM mentioned Lalu raj, praised the central governments efforts and the alliance but he barely had much to show otherwise, despite his usual nationalism card. Some still allege a BJP-LJP conspiracy.

To conclude, Id say that though it seems Bihar does not have a good alternative, there is at least an alternative. For a politically obsessed state like Bihar, this is certainly one of the most unique elections. The EBCs (economically backward class), women and upper castes remain the NDAs core constituencies but it would be interesting to see how Kumars poor governance swings them this time round. The results will tell the arithmetic, but forget not, for a CM who effectively denied his aggrieved migrant janata a return home during the worst of times due to whatever considerations, the election from most angles is more about his governance.

Khushi Barman, Jaipur. Twitter: @whatkhushi

Voters dont vote on PMs popularity for state elections. Bihar election is definitely not about PM Modis governance and his performance, although BJP is trying its best to make it that way. The recent trend in the electoral history of India is very clear the voters make a very sharp distinction between state elections/state leaders and central elections/central leaders. This was the case in Delhi and Rajasthan elections. PM Modi was very popular but voters ultimately chose AAP and Congress, respectively, as they know they were voting for a state government. So, even in Bihar, the voters will judge Nitish Kumars performance and other alternatives available before casting their votes.

Vidyuth Chikoti, San Francisco. Twitter: @followvidyuth

India is the second largest democracy in the world but there is hardly any democracy in the country. This is evident ahead of the Bihar elections. We follow an indirect form of democracy, that is representative democracy where every party fields its candidates. They seek votes on the vision and mission of their parties. Similarly, in Bihar elections also, BJP, JD(U) and RJD are trying to garner votes through their lucrative manifesto and past works. In this manifesto fight, BJP is far ahead of any other party as it has the brand name of Modi. Modi has always acted as a magnet in the Indian elections due to his charismatic leadership skills. In Bihar though, the ground reality is different. His BJP and ally JD(U) have failed abysmally in making Bihar a developed state. There is huge unemployment (46 per cent more than national average of 23 per cent) and poverty. Now its time to change this notion about any leader and we should vote using our conscience on the basis of their developmental works done in the past, instead of voting in the name of caste, class and religion.

Vivek Kumar. Twitter: @vivekku12399160

With people usually looking for what they need in the manifestos of political parties, the latter always try and manipulate their thinking and understanding capabilities by showing whatever they want them to see. Bihar election is not an exception. BJP and JD(U) have tried to do the same thing by making promises that the voters wanted to hear, besides praising Modi and his achievements. But it may not work this time. They are defending themselves from the attacks of the RJD-led alliance on the issue of unemployment and jobs.

Prajjwal Kasera, Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh. Twitter: @Prajjwal3959

Also read: Reader View: Beti Bachao campaign is mostly govt propaganda and PR exercise

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Reader View: It is only Modis goodwill that could help Nitish Kumar in Bihar this time - ThePrint

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Rao Bhagwat's Dussehra speech on Sunday, delivered on the eve of the Bihar elections, was met with cheer and some relief by the BJP. He not only praised the NDA's response to the dual challenges of coronavirus and China, but sought to wrong-foot the Opposition by inveighing against 'divisive' forces masquerading as 'champions of secularism'.

From the BJP's perspective, the underlying political current of the speech and the function itself were both unexceptionable. Only 50 persons attended and social distancing was visibly maintained. And nothing that could spook Bihar's voters was said (unlike 2015, when his remark on rationalising quotas put the BJP on the defensive). Quite the reverse.

Bhagwat predictably valorised India's tough handling of the Chinese threat on the Ladakh border. The armed forces' resolute and brave stand, he hinted, was a departure from a hitherto 'weak' response. It came as a surprise to China and an example to the rest of the world, which is now well aware that India is no longer a pushover.

His implication being that the NDA government has demonstrated its capability both in dealing with the ever-present menace at the border and in diplomacy aimed at shoring up a united front (both global and regional) against Chinese aggression. Thus, given that a cornered China might retaliate in unpredictable ways, citizens can repose their faith in the current dispensation.

Another notable theme of the address, liberally interspersed with quotes and phrases in English, was the threat to internal security from the unhappy convergence of political and extremist forces the so-called tuke tukde gang. This, he said, was blatantly obvious during the campaign against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Bhagwat strongly condemned the opposition to the CAA, which he maintained was patently aimed at including (new citizens) and not excluding (existing ones). He observed that while the abrogation of Article 370 related to Jammu and Kashmir and the Ram Janambhoomi verdict were met with peaceful restraint and good sense, the CAA triggered an atmosphere of tension.

In a clear broadside against centre-left parties, he said that politico-extremist forces masquerading as protectors of secularism had sought to embrace the grammar of anarchy by dividing society, instigating violence and undermining national unity, instead of taking the democratic path.

Bhagwat asserted that promoting separatism, while spreading rumours against 'hindutva', was the modus operandi of these forces. He drew a stark contrast between their egotism and identity politics and the Sangh's commitment to emotional integration, pluralism and mutual tolerance.

The economic, social and political impact of the Covid-19 pandemic naturally informed a considerable portion of Bhagwat's address. The mahamari, he observed, had suppressed if not eliminated the negativity of the preceding months.

He made it a point to heap unstinted praise on the frontline health and sanitation workers. The latter, it may be pointed out, are traditionally drawn from the most disadvantaged communities. In an oblique reference to the lockdown, he said the administrative response may have seemed a tad over-the-top, but inculcated a necessary sense of caution.

Bhagwat skimmed over the migrant crisis by celebrating the great Indian spirit of self-reliance and community bonding, which had come to the fore during the pandemic. The society had pulled together and the principle of thy need is greater was adopted, with the afflicted aiding those who were even worse off, all of which fostered a spirit of unity and was a testimony to India's social capital.

The sarsanghchalak also took the opportunity to advocate the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' policy while not referring to it directly. The pandemic had shown that globalisation without self-reliance was not viable for any nation. While foreign investment and technology is welcome, it should be on India's terms, he said.

He pointed out that the pandemic had showcased the advantages of swadeshi in every sphere: self-reliance for farmers in seeds and other farm inputs, a cleaner environment, less conspicuous consumption. He also acknowledged the need for protecting farmers and small-scale industries, re-skilling workers and job-creation in the wake of the pandemic. All of this was possible in the current circumstances, he observed.

All in all, in summing up the turbulent events of the last one year, he managed to give the ruling dispensation a good report card. Whether Bihar's voters will take note remains to be seen.

Disclaimer:The author is a senior journalist. Views expressed are personal.

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Bhagwat Gave BJP a Good Report Card in Dussehra Speech. But Will it Sway Bihar Voters Towards Saffron? - News18

Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar is eyeing an enviable fourth term in the state. He is pitted against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)s chief ministerial face, the 30-year-old Tejashwi Yadav. Lalu Yadavs son served as the deputy chief minister in the Nitish cabinet till 2017 for about two years. Nitish Kumar broke away from the newly formed alliance with his bte noire Lalu that had secured a thumping victory in 2015 and went back to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). This facilitated Nitish Kumar to continue as the chief minister, but Lalus children lost power despite winning the maximum number of seats in the 2015 assembly polls.

2019 was a particularly bad year for the RJD. With Lalu Yadav languishing in jail since December 2017, his party drew a blank in last year's Lok Sabha elections in the state. It was said the RJD could not do anything without Lalus charisma and Tejashwi was inexperienced.

Lalu Yadav is still in jail and the 2020 assembly elections could well be the last opportunity for Tejashwi to emerge from his fathers shadow and establish himself as a political force in Bihar.

37-year-old Chirag Paswan is also looking for his own political identity in the state after the demise of his father Ram Vilas Paswan. His Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), part of the NDA, had won 6 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. But he has decided to go solo in the assembly elections and has walked out of the NDA in Bihar.

Can Tejashwi and Chirag Undo the Spectacular Lok Sabha Performance of BJP-JD(U) Combine?

It seems the Covid-19 crisis in Bihar has provided the two young leaders with a fighting chance: for Tejashwi, to prove his political mettle, and for Chirag, to save his party and to establish his name. Many critics say the Nitish Kumar government has not been able handle the pandemic situation well and both Tejashwi and Chirag would love to cash in on it.

Can Covid-19 Write the Fate of Bihar Assembly Polls?

Nationally, according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), the unemployment rate touched a high of 23.5% in April and the Indian economy shrank by 23.9% in the first quarter because of the lockdown clamped to curb the coronavirus spread.

Migrant workers were the worst hit: they became jobless and most had no places to stay. They were forced to return home and find a new way to earn a living, if possible, in local farmlands or depend on government programmes like Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), and they knew it would not last long. Daily wage workers, hawkers and small traders were hit hard. CMIE said this category lost 91.2 million jobs in April alone.

Union labour and employment minister Santosh Gangwar said last month that over one crore migrants headed home during the lockdown period, many of them by foot. The minister added that the maximum number of migrants returned to their homes in Uttar Pradesh, over 32 lakh, followed by Bihar, which saw the return of 15 lakh migrant workers. 13 lakh migrant workers returned to West Bengal.

But according to many other estimates, over three million Bihari migrant workers returned home. The homecoming of migrant workers in such large numbers can easily affect the electoral process anywhere and Bihar is no exception.

The central government's Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan (GKRA) was launched on June 20 and 32 districts, out of the 116 selected nationally, were from Bihar. Rs 50,000 crore was to be spent during 125 days in the districts in six states with the maximum number of returned migrant workers to help them with livelihood options like MGNREGS.

According to an estimate, till October 16, Rs 33,378 crore was spent in the scheme with Bihar cornering 28% of the share based on the maximum number of districts selected.

Bihar has already used over 91% of Rs 2,886 crore in the first April-June quarter itself and it had just 8.45% left. The result, many workers did not receive wages as the second quarter ended with a negative balance of Rs 159 crore. According to the report, GKRA fund was not used for MGNREGS in districts selected for GKRA to fill the shortfall.

The rationale behind allocating a particular amount for different welfare schemes after the Covid-19 pandemic is unclear. But if we go by the official number that around 15 lakh migrant workers returned to Bihar (other reports quote figures as high as 32 lakh), the amount allocated is bound to disappoint people who are already jobless.

According to the People's Action for Employment Guarantee (PAEG) NREGA Tracker and MGNREGS data, Bihar issued over 13 lakh MGNREGS job cards between April 1 and October 15, yet only 4,551 families could complete 100 days of MGNREGS work. PAEG adds that the Bihar government claims to have provided employment to 34 lakh households. Under MGNREGS, an adult member of a rural household is given 100 days of paid employment every financial year.

And these 32 lakh migrant workers may represent a population base of around 1 crore people in Bihar if we include their family members. They would form a significant portion of the registered 7.29 crore voters in the state.

The post-Covid unemployment rate rose to 46.6% in April in Bihar as per CMIE data. Another data by the agency mapped how Bihar ended up with an unemployment rate twice the national rate, at 10.2% in the year ended in June 2019. The national rate was 5.8%. Add to it the millions of migrants workers who returned home. The state still has an unemployment rate of 11.9%. The RJD has promised to create one million jobs if it forms the government.

How Bihar has handled the Covid-19 crisis under the Nitish Kumar government could well become a decisive factor and leaders like Tejashwi Yadav and Chirag Paswan would hope to take advantage of it.

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Battle for Bihar: Covid, Migrant Crisis Give Ammo to Young ...

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi atta-cked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday over the central governments strategy to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic and alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi insulted soldiers who died in a bloody June clash in eastern Ladakh by claiming that the Chinese didnt intrude into India.

Addressing his first rallies in the ongoing Bihar assembly election campaign in Hisua and Kahalgaon, Gandhi also attacked chief minister Nitish Kumar for not helping migrant labourers and failing to provide jobs.

They [Chinese] have seized 1,200 sq km of our land. But when the Chinese army intruded, why did our Prime Minister insult our soldiers by saying that nobody entered into the Indian side? Gandhi asked the crowd in Hisua, Nawada district. You ask any army jawan and he will tell you that today the Chinese army is standing in the area which we used to patrol earlier. Our land has been snatched away from us, he said.

The question is, Modi ji, when will you throw out the Chinese soldiers sitting in our territory? he added.

Gandhi referred to the ongoing border tensions with China that peaked on June 14 when 20 Indian soldiers many of them from the Bihar regiment and an undisclosed number of Chinese troopers died in violent clashes in Galwan. In his speech earlier in the day, Modi paid tribute to the soldiers.

At Hisua, Gandhi shared the stage with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, who repeated his promise of one million government jobs if elected to power. Our CM (Kumar) has become tired. No wonder, he is offering excuses to justify Bihars backwardness, said Yadav, who is the chief ministerial candidate of the Grand Alliance, comprising the RJD, Congress and Left parties.

Gandhi hit out at Modi and Kumar for not doing enough to help migrant workers. Initially, PM Modi had said that the fight against Covid-19 would be won in 22 days. But everyone knows what happened. Migrant workers had to trudge for hundreds of kilometres (km) on foot with their children and belongings on their laps, said Gandhi.

At the second rally at Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district, the Congress leader took a jibe at the BJPs manifesto offering jobs to 1.9 million people. What happened to the PMs promise of 2 lakh jobs each year, he asked.

Gandhi also responded to PM Modis attack on the Grand Alliances promise of one million government jobs. Can those who look at government jobs as a means for taking bribes ensure creation of jobs? PM had asked.

Gandhi alleged that Kumar and Modi were responsible for the acute economic hardship during the 68-day Covid lockdown, and said the BJPs promise of 1.9 million jobs was hollow.

How long will he (PM) keep lying? Empty rhetoric does not work. He has done nothing for farmers, youths, and workers, the Congress leader alleged.

The former Congress chief also said the 2016 demonetisation and the patchy implementation of the goods and services tax were massive blows to the economy. Yadav invoked his father, former CM Lalu Prasad who is in jail on corruption charges, and said his tenure as Union railway minister helped in the development of the region.

Elections will be held for 71 seats in the first phase of the elections on October 28. The RJD and the Congress are contesting in 42 and 21 seats, respectively, in the first phase of the 243-member assembly. The Left parties are contesting in 8 seats.

State BJP general secretary Devesh Kumar said Rahul Gandhi was in the habit of indulging in unsubstantial talks. Even the Supreme Court had reprimanded him for raking up baseless charges in the Rafale deal, for which he had to apologise. India is under safe hands of PM Modi and the opposition leaders need not worry about condition on the border.

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Oppn mounts attack against BJP over migrant crisis, LAC ...