Global watchdog keeps Pakistan on terrorism financing ‘gray list’
A global finance watchdog kept Pakistan off its terrorism financing blacklist on Friday but warned Islamabad it only had until February to improve or face international action.
Namibian president set for re-election next month amid economic crisis
Namibians will elect a president on Nov. 27, with Hage Geingob expected to be returned with a reduced margin as voters complain about the worst economic crisis since independence nearly 30 years ago.
Protests sweep Lebanon as fury at ruling elite, graft grows
Tens of thousands of angry protesters blocked roads and burned tyres across Lebanon for a second day on Friday, demanding the demise of a political elite they say looted the economy to the point of breakdown.
U.N. rights office urges Egypt to free blogger, lawyer, journalist
The U.N. human rights office called on Egypt on Friday to free a prominent blogger, lawyer and journalist allegedly mistreated in custody who are among several thousand people detained since street protests began a month ago.
Mexico ‘did well’ in releasing Guzman son to avoid violence, president says
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador defended security forces on Friday over their handling of a shocking outbreak of drug violence, saying they had saved lives by releasing a son of jailed kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman after his brief cap…
Blasts in Afghanistan mosque kill at least 62, wound more than 100
Blasts in a mosque in eastern Afghanistan during Friday prayers killed at least 62 men who had gathered for worship, local officials said.
France’s Macron criticizes NATO reaction over Turkish offensive
France’s president on Friday bemoaned Turkey’s offensive into northern Syria as “madness” and decried the North Atlantic Organisation’s (NATO) inability to react to the assault as a “serious mistake.”
Shells fall in northeast Syria despite five-day ceasefire agreement
Shelling could be heard at the Syrian-Turkish border on Friday morning despite a five-day ceasefire agreed between Turkey and the United States, and Washington said the deal covered only a small part of the territory Ankara aims to seize.
Lebanon’s Bassil urges reforms, no new taxes amid protests
Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said on Friday that the government must not impose any new taxes, work to stop corruption and enact long-delayed reforms but warned that mass protests may lead to strife.
Turkey plans to establish 12 posts in Syria ‘safe zone’: Erdogan
Turkey aims to establish 12 observation posts in a planned so-called safe zone in northern Syria, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, adding Ankara would respond if the Syrian government “makes a mistake” in the region.
