Syrians return to Damascus after Turkey introduces new air-travel visas
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey introduced visa requirements for Syrians arriving by air and sea on Friday, part of efforts to stem the flow of illegal migrants to Europe, forcing hundreds of Syrians to return to Damascus, officials said.
Poland tells EU to keep out of Polish affairs over media law
WARSAW (Reuters) – Poland dismissed European Commission concern on Friday that a new law on state-run media threatened media freedom, warning Brussels not to interfere in its affairs on the basis of “biased and politically-engaged” reports.
Congo opposition to hold rallies to raise pressure on Kabila
KINSHASA (Reuters) – Opposition parties in Democratic Republic of Congo said on Friday they would stage rallies to put pressure on President Joseph Kabila to step down when his mandate expires at the end of the year.
Syrian refugees face another winter in flimsy shelters
BAR ELIAS, Lebanon (Reuters) – Syrian refugee Hussein Hammoud is banking on a broom handle to protect his 12 children from the winter cold. He is using one to prop up the flimsy shelter that has already collapsed once this year under the weight of snow…
Britons held in Hungary in breach of anti-terrorism laws, jailed
LONDON (Reuters) – Two Britons were jailed on Friday after being arrested in Hungary where they were suspected of heading to Syria, in breach of strict travel constraints because they had convictions for terrorism offences.
Swiss missionary kidnapped a second time in Mali’s Timbuktu
BAMAKO (Reuters) – A Swiss missionary was kidnapped from her home in Timbuktu on Friday, nearly four years after she was abducted by Islamist militants from the same house, the Malian army and a local resident said.
Islamic State says Cairo attack was response to leader’s call to target Jews
CAIRO (Reuters) – Islamic State said on Friday its members had carried out an attack on Israeli tourists in Cairo in response to a call by the group’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, to target Jews “everywhere”.
Turkish police detain pro-Kurdish opposition members in Istanbul raid
ISTANBUL/DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) – Turkish police detained six people including local officials from the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) on Friday in a raid on one of its Istanbul offices, days after President Tayyip Erdogan said he ba…
Islamic State member executes his mother in Syria: monitor
BEIRUT (Reuters) – An Islamic State militant executed his mother in public in the Syrian city of Raqqa because she had encouraged him to leave the group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Friday.
Greeks protest against pension reform as government seeks support
ATHENS (Reuters) – Hundreds of Greek pensioners and workers marched in central Athens on Friday, protesting against plans to overhaul an ailing pension system as the government sought backing for its proposals at home and in European capitals.
