Thousands Still Stranded in Greece Despite Turkey Migrant Deal
March 21, 2016 at 6:45 PM EDT
PBS News Hour
In our news wrap Monday, despite the EU’s recent deal with Turkey to stem the flow of migrants into Europe and return them back across the Aegean, nearly 50,000 refugees are now stranded in Greece. Also, following a weekend bombing that killed four, Turkish authorities are searching for three suspects believed to be planning further suicide attacks in the name of the Islamic State group.
GWEN IFILL: In the day’s other news: Europe’s deal with Turkey to stem the flow of migrants and begin returning thousands showed no sign today of taking effect just yet. Nearly 50,000 people, many from Syria, are now stranded in Greece.
But Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said he needs logistical help to process and return new arrivals.
ALEXIS TSIPRAS, Prime Minister, Greece (through interpreter): We have ahead of us a hill to climb because the implementation of that agreement will not be an easy matter. I think that we avoided the worst. If there wasn’t an agreement and cooperation with Turkey, we would have found ourselves facing a domino, one-sided conclusion.
GWEN IFILL: Turkish monitors arrived on some Greek islands today. France, Germany and the Netherlands have also pledged to help.
JUDY WOODRUFF: The hunt is on in Turkey for three suspects believed to be planning more suicide attacks in the name of the Islamic State. It follows a weekend bombing that killed four people in Istanbul’s busiest pedestrian shopping street. Funerals for the dead began today. Three of those killed were Israeli. Two held dual citizenship with the U.S., and the fourth was Iranian.
GWEN IFILL: Russia’s prime minister today ordered officials to look into tougher flight safety rules after a deadly crash. All 62 people aboard died Saturday when a FlyDubai airliner went down in Southern Russia as it tried to land in strong winds. Since then, search crews have combed the snow-covered wreckage for clues. Russian officials say the black box recorders were badly damaged, but they have been able to recover some data.
JUDY WOODRUFF: The U.S. military now confirms that American Marines have established a small artillery base in Northern Iraq. It’s the first time since U.S. forces returned to Iraq in 2014.
On Saturday, a Marine was killed at the base near Makhmour by Islamic State rocket fire. But a U.S. spokesman said today it is not a combat mission.
COL. STEVE WARREN, Spokesman, Operation Inherent Resolve: What they’re there to do is simply shoot back if somebody shoots at them or at the forces in Makhmour. So, they won’t kind of go off and conduct any type of mission on their own. They don’t really have that capability anyway.
JUDY WOODRUFF: The colonel says the Marine base was fired on again today, but no one was hurt.
GWEN IFILL: Back in this country, a new fight over drawing congressional districts for political gain went before the U.S. Supreme Court, at issue, whether Virginia lawmakers illegally packed black voters into one district to help Republican candidates in neighboring districts.
The vacancy on the Supreme Court means a 4-to-4 tie would uphold a lower court ruling against those districts.
JUDY WOODRUFF: The two largest daily fantasy sports Web sites in the U.S. will, for now, stop taking bets in New York state. DraftKings and FanDuel reached agreement today with the state attorney general. They’re going to let the New York state legislature resolve their legal dispute. At issue is whether the sites promote gambling.
GWEN IFILL: New England braced today for a spring snowstorm that mostly failed to deliver. Forecasts had called for up to a foot of snow in places. Instead, about six inches fell across much of Eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Northeastern Connecticut. Boston saw only three inches, but they still closed schools. Boston’s had about 30 inches of snow this winter, after getting 100 inches last year.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Wall Street opened the week with a fairly quiet day. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 21 points to close near 17624. The Nasdaq rose 13 points, and the S&P 500 added two.
Still to come on the “NewsHour”: a new era of U.S.-Cuba relations; presidential candidates make their case to the pro-Israel lobby; Colombian rebels emerge from the jungle in hopes of peace; and much more.
PBS News Hour
In our news wrap Monday, despite the EU’s recent deal with Turkey to stem the flow of migrants into Europe and return them back across the Aegean, nearly 50,000 refugees are now stranded in Greece. Also, following a weekend bombing that killed four, Turkish authorities are searching for three suspects believed to be planning further suicide attacks in the name of the Islamic State group.
GWEN IFILL: In the day’s other news: Europe’s deal with Turkey to stem the flow of migrants and begin returning thousands showed no sign today of taking effect just yet. Nearly 50,000 people, many from Syria, are now stranded in Greece.
But Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said he needs logistical help to process and return new arrivals.
ALEXIS TSIPRAS, Prime Minister, Greece (through interpreter): We have ahead of us a hill to climb because the implementation of that agreement will not be an easy matter. I think that we avoided the worst. If there wasn’t an agreement and cooperation with Turkey, we would have found ourselves facing a domino, one-sided conclusion.
GWEN IFILL: Turkish monitors arrived on some Greek islands today. France, Germany and the Netherlands have also pledged to help.
JUDY WOODRUFF: The hunt is on in Turkey for three suspects believed to be planning more suicide attacks in the name of the Islamic State. It follows a weekend bombing that killed four people in Istanbul’s busiest pedestrian shopping street. Funerals for the dead began today. Three of those killed were Israeli. Two held dual citizenship with the U.S., and the fourth was Iranian.
GWEN IFILL: Russia’s prime minister today ordered officials to look into tougher flight safety rules after a deadly crash. All 62 people aboard died Saturday when a FlyDubai airliner went down in Southern Russia as it tried to land in strong winds. Since then, search crews have combed the snow-covered wreckage for clues. Russian officials say the black box recorders were badly damaged, but they have been able to recover some data.
JUDY WOODRUFF: The U.S. military now confirms that American Marines have established a small artillery base in Northern Iraq. It’s the first time since U.S. forces returned to Iraq in 2014.
On Saturday, a Marine was killed at the base near Makhmour by Islamic State rocket fire. But a U.S. spokesman said today it is not a combat mission.
COL. STEVE WARREN, Spokesman, Operation Inherent Resolve: What they’re there to do is simply shoot back if somebody shoots at them or at the forces in Makhmour. So, they won’t kind of go off and conduct any type of mission on their own. They don’t really have that capability anyway.
JUDY WOODRUFF: The colonel says the Marine base was fired on again today, but no one was hurt.
GWEN IFILL: Back in this country, a new fight over drawing congressional districts for political gain went before the U.S. Supreme Court, at issue, whether Virginia lawmakers illegally packed black voters into one district to help Republican candidates in neighboring districts.
The vacancy on the Supreme Court means a 4-to-4 tie would uphold a lower court ruling against those districts.
JUDY WOODRUFF: The two largest daily fantasy sports Web sites in the U.S. will, for now, stop taking bets in New York state. DraftKings and FanDuel reached agreement today with the state attorney general. They’re going to let the New York state legislature resolve their legal dispute. At issue is whether the sites promote gambling.
GWEN IFILL: New England braced today for a spring snowstorm that mostly failed to deliver. Forecasts had called for up to a foot of snow in places. Instead, about six inches fell across much of Eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Northeastern Connecticut. Boston saw only three inches, but they still closed schools. Boston’s had about 30 inches of snow this winter, after getting 100 inches last year.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Wall Street opened the week with a fairly quiet day. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 21 points to close near 17624. The Nasdaq rose 13 points, and the S&P 500 added two.
Still to come on the “NewsHour”: a new era of U.S.-Cuba relations; presidential candidates make their case to the pro-Israel lobby; Colombian rebels emerge from the jungle in hopes of peace; and much more.
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