News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Greece sends migrants back to Turkey

The first boats carrying people deported from Greece have arrived in Turkey - the first under an EU deal aimed at easing the migration crisis in Europe. So far, many of those being sent back are from Pakistan. The Turkish authorities say any Syrians who are returned from Greece will be taken to refugee camps. Under the terms of the deal, 16 Syrian asylum seekers from Turkey have now arrived in Germany. They were flown to Hannover and are being taken to a refugee shelter. The deal between Brussels and Ankara has been criticised by human rights groups.

Huge leak reveals elite's tax havens

A massive leak of confidential documents has linked many rich and powerful individuals to off-shore tax havens. Eleven million documents were leaked from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca which is accused of helping some of its clients with money laundering and tax evasion. It denies any wrongdoing. The papers show links to 72 current or former heads of state and also reveal a suspected billion-dollar money laundering ring involving close associates of the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Gerard Ryle is from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists: "this will deal a really big blow - we think - to the off-shore world, which of course has gone through many reforms over the last few years. But what we're finding in the documents is that every time a government acts to try and stop wrongdoing, the world just gets more sophisticated and they just change - and change the rules basically to allow people to continue." Over 100 media organisations - including the ORF and Falter in Austria - have been analysing the documents which also contain references to the Raiffeisen Bank International and Hypo Vorarlberg. Both banks say they are abiding by anti-money laundering laws. Austria's Financial Market Authority says it will be investigating.

20 killed in attacks in Iraq

More than 20 people are reported to have been killed in suicide attacks in Iraq. The so-called Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for several of the blasts in which dozens were wounded.

60 die in flooding in Pakistan

Officials in Pakistan say at least 60 people have been killed by flash flooding and landslides caused by torrential rain in the northwest of the country. Dozens of people are being treated for injuries.

Joseph Medicine Crow dies at 102

The Native American historian Joseph Medicine Crow has died at the age of 102. He was the last surviving war chief of the Crow Tribe's Whistling Water clan. He served with the US Army in World War Two and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

The weather

A mostly sunny afternoon with some thick cloud about in the southwest. A strong föhn wind and highs ranging between 16 and 26 degrees.

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