Former Yugoslav

BELGRADE - Macedonia's name, a source of friction with neighboring Greece, is now souring relations with Serbia, VOA reports.

Macedonia's foreign ministry said Serbia should avoid calling it by the "offensive" name of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, or FYROM, which Greece favors.

Police in northern Greece say they have arrested two Greek women suspected of trying to smuggle a group of Syrian refugees over the rugged border with Albania.

The suspects were discovered early Tuesday, driving two cars carrying a total of 18 Syrians, including six children, to the border in the northern Kastoria region.

Greek police on Wednesday said migrants and refugees were peacefully removed from the Idomeni railway line, near the Greek border with Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

Migrants had been occupying the tracks demanding the opening of the border.

A total of 53,978 migrants and asylum-seekers are currently in Greece according to fresh data provided by the government.

Tourist arrivals went up 8.6% in the January-September period, Hellenic Statistical Authority announced.

Important political developments are expected to occur in Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) based on the agreement reached among the leaders of the four major political parties in July 15, 2015.

According to the Frontier Statistical Survey conducted by the Bank of Greece, in the period January-June of 2015, arrivals of non-residents from abroad increased by 20,8%, compared with the corresponding period of the year 2014.

The reopening of a border crossing used by communist general Markos Vafiadis during Greece?s civil war and the restoration of a 19th century railway service are two of 11 confidence-building measures discussed between Greece and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), which remain estranged over a name dispute.

By Zoltan Simon & Ladka Bauerova

NATO is worried that a Greek exit from the euro area could pose a security risk to the alliance, deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow said.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Saint Petersburg where the pair are expected to affirm plans to see the construction of ?Greek Stream,? an extension to the pipeline that would supply natural gas to Europe.