Reuters World News Summary

The hostages were transferred out of Gaza and handed over to Egyptian authorities at the Rafah border crossing, accompanied by eight staff members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a four-car convoy, the ICRC said. Hundreds gather in Istanbul to mourn two Turks killed in Lebanon Several hundred mourners gathered outside a mosque in Istanbul on Friday to lament the death of two Turkish men who militant Islamist group Hamas said were killed earlier this week in Israeli strikes on south Lebanon.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Finland shuts more Russia border points, says asylum inflow must stop

Russia must stop sending asylum seekers across its frontier into Finland in what amounts to a "hybrid attack", Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Friday, after the Nordic nation temporarily shut all border passenger crossings bar one. More than 800 migrants from nations including Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen have entered Finland via Russia in recent weeks, an increase from less than one per day previously, according to the Finnish Border Guard.

Ukrainian sabotage of Crimea bridge 'overturns' naval operations -intelligence head

A Ukrainian sea drone attack on Russia's Crimean bridge in July had "overturned" naval operations and forced Moscow to resort to ferries to move weaponry, the head of Ukraine's main intelligence agency said in a video broadcast on Friday. Vasyl Maliuk, head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), said the second of two major attacks in August had seriously disrupted operations on the 19-km (12-mile) bridge, Europe's longest, and dented the notion of Russian invincibility.

Drilling snags delay rescue of 41 men trapped in Indian tunnel

Hopes for the imminent rescue of 41 men trapped in a highway tunnel in the Indian Himalayas for nearly two weeks were dashed by recurring problems with the drilling equipment, officials said on Friday. The men, construction workers from some of India's poorest states, have been stuck in the 4.5-km (3-mile) tunnel being built in Uttarakhand state since it caved in early on Nov. 12. Authorities have said they are safe, with access to light, oxygen, food, water and medicines.

Hamas frees 24 hostages from Gaza on first day of truce

Hamas fighters released 24 hostages on Friday during the first day of the war's first truce, including Israeli women and children and Thai farm workers, after guns fell silent across the Gaza Strip for the first time in seven weeks. The hostages were transferred out of Gaza and handed over to Egyptian authorities at the Rafah border crossing, accompanied by eight staff members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a four-car convoy, the ICRC said.

Hundreds gather in Istanbul to mourn two Turks killed in Lebanon

Several hundred mourners gathered outside a mosque in Istanbul on Friday to lament the death of two Turkish men who militant Islamist group Hamas said were killed earlier this week in Israeli strikes on south Lebanon. A total of nine people were killed in the strikes on Tuesday, including two journalists, two other civilians and five Hamas members including a senior member of the militant group.

Spain's Catholic Church to compensate sexual abuse victims

Spain's Catholic Church said on Friday it would compensate victims of sexual abuse even in cases that have not been concluded because the offending priest has died, representing a shift from its previous position. In cases where there is no sentence, "we will also pay if the perpetrator is deceased or if there is a civil statute of limitations," Francisco Garcia Magan, secretary general of the Spanish Bishops' Conference, told a press conference.

Russia vows retaliation over Moldova decision to join EU sanctions

Russia views Moldova's decision to join EU sanctions against it as a hostile step aimed at destroying ties with Moscow and will retaliate, the Russian foreign ministry said on Friday. The Russian denunciation was issued in response to a vote in Moldova's parliament agreeing to abide by the punitive measures as part of measures to alter its legislation as required for its bid to join the European Union.

Europe's far-right gathers in Portugal, shows support for Chega ahead of election

Still in celebratory mood after a shock win for Dutch populist Geert Wilders, some of Europe's far-right leaders gathered in Lisbon on Friday in a show of support for their Portuguese counterpart ahead of a snap election in March. Andre Ventura, leader of Portugal's far-right party Chega, welcomed members of Europe's Identity and Democracy alliance, including France's Marine Le Pen and co-leader of Alternative for Germany Tino Chrupalla.

Happy but wary, displaced Palestinians try to head home to north Gaza

Many joyful but wary Palestinians emerged from makeshift shelters at the start of the four-day Gaza ceasefire on Friday to begin the long journey back to their homes. In the southern town of Khan Younis, which has been housing thousands of displaced families including from heavily bombarded northern Gaza, streets were packed with people on the move.

Calm restored to Dublin streets after 34 arrested for riots

Calm was restored to the streets of central Dublin on Friday night amid a heavy police presence after 34 people were arrested following rioting the previous night that was triggered by the stabbing of three young children in the street. Police were on alert for further violence after rioters smashed shop windows; set fire to police cars, buses and a tram; and clashed with officers in and around the main thoroughfare of O'Connell Street in violence rarely seen in the Irish capital.