Thousands protest against Poland’s new surveillance law
WARSAW (Reuters) – Thousands of Poles marched through Warsaw on Saturday to protests against their new conservative government’s plan to increase its surveillance powers, which critics say will undermine privacy rights.
Turkish PM Davutoglu says Turkey respects Iraq’s territorial integrity
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkeish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Saturday the Turkish military was in Iraq to ward off Islamic state, reiterating that Ankara respects Iraqi territorial unity.
Germany wants extension of Schengen border controls: paper
BERLIN (Reuters) – A group of European Union countries including Germany is pushing for an extension of border controls in the Schengen free-travel zone to help cope with Europe’s migration crisis, the Welt am Sonntag newspaper reported.
Asylum seekers in Japan reach record 7,586 in 2015; 27 accepted
TOKYO (Reuters) – A record 7,586 people sought asylum in Japan in 2015, a 52 percent increase, while just 27 people applying for asylum were approved, government data showed on Saturday.
Nearly a quarter of Niger voters barred from Feb polls
NIAMEY (Reuters) – Nearly a quarter of voters in Niger – 1.5 million people – will be barred from casting their ballots in next month’s presidential poll, the government said, after politicians failed to agree on a system to register them.
Kerry meets Gulf Arabs in Riyadh on Syria, Iran nuclear deal
RIYADH (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met Gulf Arab countries in Saudi Arabia on Saturday for talks aimed at pushing the Syrian peace process forward and calming their concern about the international agreement over Iran’s nuclear progra…
Exclusive: Saudi-Iranian proxy war over Syria spreads to Davos
DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) – Senior Saudi and Iranian figures clashed behind closed doors at a private meeting convened by the World Economic Forum in Davos this week to try to promote peace in Syria, participants said.
One wounded in Turkey as rocket hits house near Syria border: media
ANKARA (Reuters) – A rocket fired from the Syrian side of the border hit a house in Turkey’s southeastern province of Kilis, pro-government Sabah Daily News reported on Saturday.
Australia seeks regional terrorism cooperation after Jakarta attack
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Australia is seeking regional cooperation to fight the “menace” of violent extremism that will be with the region for some time, the country’s justice minister said on Saturday.
Chinese leader in Iran to discuss economy, regional crisis
ANKARA (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping met his Iranian counterpart on Saturday in Tehran, where they will discuss how to improve economic and political ties after international sanctions on Iran were lifted.
