News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Austria toughens eastern border controls

Austrian authorities have arrested five suspected human smugglers after controls were toughened along the eastern borders in an attempt to clamp down on trafficking of refugees. Around 200 refugees were found in the vehicles being used by the suspects. The new controls agreed with Germany, Hungary and Slovakia are in response to the discovery last week of the bodies of 71 refugees in an abandoned lorry that had travelled through Hungary. Hundreds of refuges are reported to have entered trains in Budapest for Austria and Germany.

Hungary defends its border fence

Hungary has defended its decision to erect a fence along its border to Serbia to prevent refugees entering the country. France has accused Hungary and other eastern European states of harsh policies toward refugees against the values of the European Union.

New boat tragedy off Libya

Officials in Libya say at least 37 refugees have died when a boat sank off the coast near Khoms, the second such fatal accident within days. Up to 200 refugees drowned last week when a boat sank in waters off the town of Zuwara.

EU calls refugee crisis meeting

The European Union has called emergency talks on the growing refugee crisis. Interior ministers will meet on September 14th.

IS destroys Palmyra temple

Islamic State militants are reported to have destroyed part of another ancient temple in the Roman-era site of Palmyra in Syria. Activists and an eyewitness in the city say much of the Temple of Bel has been damaged. Archeologist Abdul Razak Muath: “We can consider the Bel temple as one of the most important temples in the world. It is also an international disaster for humanity and the cultural history of the world.” The UN cultural agency Unesco condemned the militants’ destruction of another temple in Palmyra earlier this month as a war crime.

Thailand arrests two more bomb suspects

Thailand has issued two more arrest warrants in connection with the bomb attack at a shrine in Bangkok two weeks ago. Police are hunting for a 26-year-old Thai woman and a foreign man in his 40s after a raid on an apartment uncovered possible bomb-making materials. One man has already been arrested in connection with the attack which killed 20 people and injured more than 100.

China arrests over stock market crash

Chinese authorities have arrested over 190 people for spreading rumours online about the recent stock market crash and fatal explosions in Tianjin. State media say a journalist and a number of stock market officials have already confessed to spreading false information and insider trading.

The weather

Sunny and hot especially in the east with top temperatures from 28 to 37 degrees.

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