Migrants are moved from the closed camp on Samos Island, Greece, on October 22, 2021. EPA
Migrants are moved from the closed camp on Samos Island, Greece, on October 22, 2021. EPA
Migrants are moved from the closed camp on Samos Island, Greece, on October 22, 2021. EPA
Migrants are moved from the closed camp on Samos Island, Greece, on October 22, 2021. EPA

Two migrants die after 'Greek guards threw them into sea'


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A Cameroonian asylum seeker has accused Greek border guards of throwing him into the sea, along with two other men who died, a media investigation published on Thursday said.

Greece has denied the claims.

The man told Germany's Der Spiegel, Britain's Guardian, France's Mediapart and the Netherlands-based Lighthouse Reports that he and the two other West Africans were taken from the Greek island of Samos, near the sea border with Turkey.

The other men — one from Cameroon and the other from Ivory Coast — were found dead by Turkish officials last September, the report said.

But Greece's Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi dismissed the report as "fake news" fuelled by "Turkish propaganda".

"In the absence of any action by the Turkish authorities, the Greek coastguard continues to save the lives of thousands of men, women and children at sea every year," Mr Mitarachi said.

He claimed they had rescued "230,000 people from third countries in danger at sea" from 2015 to 2021.

Journalists in the investigation interviewed witnesses and analysed medical reports, photos and videos, as well as talking to informants from the Greek security authorities.

Two Greek officials reportedly said that the authorities repeatedly pushed migrants into the sea, mainly in small groups.

The Greek authorities have denied the allegations.

Der Spiegel reported that Greek lawyers were preparing a complaint in a local court, while Turkish lawyers have filed a case with the European Court of Human Rights.

Since May 2021, the Turkish coastguard has claimed that 29 people had been thrown into the water, Der Spiegel said.

Turkey regularly accuses Greek officials of illegally pushing migrants back into its territory. Athens denies the claims.

This month, Turkey said it found 19 frozen bodies close to the Greek border.

Ankara accused Greece of allowing the migrants to die in the winter cold after stripping them of their clothes and forcing them back across the border.

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Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Profile

Company: Justmop.com

Date started: December 2015

Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan

Sector: Technology and home services

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai

Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month

Funding:  The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups. 

UAE’s revised Cricket World Cup League Two schedule

August, 2021: Host - United States; Teams - UAE, United States and Scotland

Between September and November, 2021 (dates TBC): Host - Namibia; Teams - Namibia, Oman, UAE

December, 2021: Host - UAE; Teams - UAE, Namibia, Oman

February, 2022: Hosts - Nepal; Teams - UAE, Nepal, PNG

June, 2022: Hosts - Scotland; Teams - UAE, United States, Scotland

September, 2022: Hosts - PNG; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal

February, 2023: Hosts - UAE; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees

Director: Kaouther Ben Hania

Rating: 4/5

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT

Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km

Updated: February 17, 2022, 11:19 PM