EU Thousands of supporters of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan turned out to give him a hero's welcome at Istanbul airport when he returned from a European summit in Brussels at which he won the historic prize of a start to EU entry talks. Cuba Cuba has mounted pictures of US soldiers torturing Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison onto billboards outside the US mission in Havana in retaliation for US Christmas illuminations highlighting Cuban dissidents. Colombia Colombian President Alvaro Uribe approved the extradition to the United States of an imprisoned top leftist rebel leader -- but said it would be rescinded if guerrillas release 63 blue-chip hostages they are holding. Iraq The US military cannot recommend to the Iraqi interim government the return of residents to Fallujah, where insurgents are still holed out in the battle-scarred city, a marine officer said. US US drug giant Pfizer said a trial had found a sharp rise in heart attacks for patients using its blockbuster Celebrex arthritis and pain medicine but it would not immediately withdraw the treatment. Afghanistan The Afghan government ordered an inquiry into an apparent jailbreak attempt by suspected Al-Qaeda prisoners which left five guards and four inmates dead. Thailand Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra vowed to continue arresting ringleaders of separatist attacks as a volunteer rescue worker became the latest victim of violence that has claimed more than 560 lives this year. Pakistan Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has declared he will remain the army chief despite his solemn pledge to relinquish the military post by the end of the year.