Protests at Greek border after deaths
ALEXANDROUPOLIS, Greece – A day after 46 migrants drowned in a choppy Aegean Sea, protesters demonstrated Saturday at a Greek border town to demand that Greece ease transit restrictions at its heavily militarized border with Turkey.
Most of the 124-mile land border between Greece and Turkey is separated by the Evros River – known as the Meric River in Turkey. But a nearly 8-mile stretch of land separating the two countries was previously lined with minefields and is now separated by a fence.
“It’s vital that the fence is removed. It’s because of the fence that refugee families are forced to travel across the Aegean, and people are drowning on a daily basis,” said protester Michalis Sopatzoglou, who travelled from the Greek island of Lesvos to join Saturday’s rally.
At least 60 people have died in Greek waters this month while trying to cross from Turkey to the Greek islands in poor weather.
Egypt warns against unrest on anniversary
CAIRO – Egypt’s president, speaking ahead of next week’s anniversary of the 2011 uprising that toppled ruler Hosni Mubarak, vowed on Saturday to unleash a firm response to any unrest and to press ahead with the fight against the country’s Islamic militants.
Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi spoke at a ceremony marking Police Day, which falls on Jan. 25, the day the uprising began five years ago.
He posthumously decorated nearly 40 policemen killed in militant attacks, including eight generals and three colonels. Most of the widows who received the medals were accompanied by their children, including infants.
Addressing the nation, el-Sissi said of those killed in terror attacks: “Don’t let their blood go in vain and, by the way, we will not allow that ourselves, and I am saying that so everyone listens and takes note,” he said.
Italians urge granting of gay civil unions
ROME – Tens of thousands of people are demonstrating in nearly 100 cities across Italy to urge the government to grant gay and lesbian couples civil unions and recognize their families.
Mirco Pierro, 39, rallied Saturday in Rome with his partner and twin infants, saying he wanted “to defend the rights of our children, not just our rights.” Pierro and his partner were married in Los Angeles, but their union is not recognized in Italy and only one has parental rights.
The government has pledged to pass legislation on civil unions for homosexual couples, along with measures allowing both parents, not just the biological parent, custody in a homosexual union.
Associated Press
