As per the International Organization for Migration, more than 1 million refugees and migrants came to the European Union this year.
This is three to four times as many migrants and refugees coming north as we had in 2014.
As per a joint statement by IOM and the UN refugee agency UNHCR, almost all those arriving came across the Mediterranean or the Aegean Seas, and half were Syrians fleeing the war. Another 20 percent were Afghans, and 7 percent were Iraqis.
Wild bees, which are crucial pollinators for many crops, are on the decline in some of the main agricultural regions of the United States.
Researchers have cited 139 counties as especially worrisome, with wild bee numbers decreasing while farmland for crops dependent on such pollinators is increasing.
The counties included agricultural regions of California, as well as the Pacific northwest, the upper midwest and the Great Plains, west Texas and the southern Mississippi river valley.
The counties grew crops such as almonds, pumpkins, squashes, blueberries, watermelons, peaches and apples that are highly dependent on pollinators, or had large amounts of less-pollinator-dependent crops including soybeans, canola and cotton.
The current account deficit narrowed to 1.6 percent of GDP in the second quarter ended September, mainly due to lower trade deficit.
It is however higher than 1.2 per cent for the previous quarter of current fiscal.
The contraction in CAD was primarily on account of lower trade deficit (USD 37.4 billion) as compared with USD 39.7 billion in Q2 of last year though it was higher than the level in the preceding quarter (USD 34.2 billion).
Canara Bank to Raise Rs. 2,400 crore
State-owned Canara Bank plans to raise Rs. 2,400 crore from bonds to fund business growth.
It has received 'IND AAA' rating with stable outlook to the proposed Tier II bond issuance programme.
The board has permitted the bank to raise additional capital of Rs 2,400 crore through issue of Basel-III compliant Tier II Bonds by way of private placement.
The fund raised is intended to support the asset growth during 2015-16 and also to maintain healthy level of Capital to Risk Weighted Assets Ratio.
The formidable pair of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis was named as Women's Doubles World Champions by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) of their stupendous success in season 2015.
Sania and Martina joined forces in March this year and proved a force to be reckoned with in 2015, winning two Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon and the US Open, and seven further tournaments.
The union cabinet approved the Lucknow Metro Rail Project Phase-1A, which will cover a length of 22.878 km with 22 stations.
The cost of the project will be Rs. 6,928 crore which will be supported by the central government with Rs. 1,300 crore in the form of equity and subordinate debt.
The project will be implemented by Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC), which will be reconstituted into a 50:50 jointly-owned company of the central government and Uttar Pradesh government.