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The Latest: Dozens of migrant children treated for illness The Latest: Austrian minister says Balkan route is closed
(32 minutes later)
BERLIN — The Latest on the continuing issues of mass migration to Europe (all times local):BERLIN — The Latest on the continuing issues of mass migration to Europe (all times local):
10:35 a.m.
Austria’s interior minister says refugees stuck at Greece’s border with Macedonia must understand that they have no chance of crossing. Johanna Mikl-Leitner told reporters in Brussels that “the most honest thing is to tell the refugees: it’s impossible to get through the Balkan route anymore. The Balkan route is closed.” She says: “The biggest problem is that these refugees still have hopes and expectations, and these hopes are being constantly fed.”
Mikl-Leitner said it is important to warn that the Balkan migrant route into Europe is closed because, she says, “that way you do not feed any hopes and expectations.”
In recent months hundreds of thousands of people have traveled the route north from Greece hoping to settle in places like Germany or Scandinavia.
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10:05 a.m.10:05 a.m.
Authorities in northern Greece say some 70 children living at a camp on the Greek-Macedonian border have received hospital treatment over the past three days, for fever and diarrhea.Authorities in northern Greece say some 70 children living at a camp on the Greek-Macedonian border have received hospital treatment over the past three days, for fever and diarrhea.
Some 14,000 people are camped out near the border town of Idomeni, many in small tents normally used by summer vacationers. Torrential rain has added to the desperate conditions at the site, with tents sinking in mud and soaked firewood making it impossible to start camp fires.Some 14,000 people are camped out near the border town of Idomeni, many in small tents normally used by summer vacationers. Torrential rain has added to the desperate conditions at the site, with tents sinking in mud and soaked firewood making it impossible to start camp fires.
Government health experts at the camp say there is no sign yet of an infectious disease outbreak, but have been urging refugees at Idomeni to move to nearby army-built shelters.Government health experts at the camp say there is no sign yet of an infectious disease outbreak, but have been urging refugees at Idomeni to move to nearby army-built shelters.
At the nation’s main port of Piraeus, near Athens, authorities began transporting hundreds of migrants and refugees to shelters in central Greece to try to ease overcrowding there.At the nation’s main port of Piraeus, near Athens, authorities began transporting hundreds of migrants and refugees to shelters in central Greece to try to ease overcrowding there.
The government says nearly 42,000 people are stranded in Greece following border restrictions and closures by Austria and several Balkan countries that started last month.The government says nearly 42,000 people are stranded in Greece following border restrictions and closures by Austria and several Balkan countries that started last month.
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9:20 a.m.
Austria’s interior minister says the Balkan migrant route should remain closed permanently and that the “clock will not be turned back.”
Austria’s introduction of a refugee cap last month set off a chain reaction of border restrictions that has shut down the route used by hundreds of thousands of people last year to transit from Greece to central Europe. Thousands of migrants are stranded in Greece.
Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner told German daily Die Welt ahead of a meeting Thursday with her European Union counterparts: “My position is clear — the Balkan route will remain closed, and permanently.” She added that “the closure of the Balkan route is going to plan and this clock will not be turned back.”
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8:30 a.m.8:30 a.m.
Turkey’s state-run agency says five migrants, including a 3-month-old baby, drowned when a speed boat taking them to Greece sank. The Anadolu Agency says the boat went down early on Thursday off Turkey’s western coast, on its way to the Greek island of Lesbos.Turkey’s state-run agency says five migrants, including a 3-month-old baby, drowned when a speed boat taking them to Greece sank. The Anadolu Agency says the boat went down early on Thursday off Turkey’s western coast, on its way to the Greek island of Lesbos.
The agency said nine people were rescued from the boat that was carrying Afghan and Iranian migrants.The agency said nine people were rescued from the boat that was carrying Afghan and Iranian migrants.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.