Merkel defends decision to send back refugees to other EU countries

German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended on Friday a decision by her interior minister to re-apply European Union rules obliging migrants to request asylum in the first EU country they arrive in, edging away from her open-door welcome to refugees. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere decided to tighten controls three weeks ago without informing Merkel or her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, whom she charged with overseeing the government's handling of the refugee crisis. At issue is his decision