Turkey, Russia begin joint patrols in northern Syria – source
Turkish and Russian troops began conducting their first joint ground patrols in northeast Syria on Friday, a Turkish military source told Reuters.
Thai court increases prison time for officials in Rohingya trafficking case
A Thai court of appeal has increased prison time for a former army general and more than fifty others convicted in the country’s largest human trafficking trial.
Queues but no panic as Lebanese banks re-open after two weeks
Lebanese banks opened on Friday for the first time in two weeks after protests that prompted the prime minister’s resignation, with queues building and customers encountering new curbs on transfers abroad and withdrawals from U.S. dollar accounts.
Schools in New Delhi shut until November 5 as air pollution severe
Schools in the Indian capital will be shut until Nov. 5, the city government said on Friday, as residents breathed the season’s worst air for a third straight day.
South Korean divers find crashed Airbus chopper, seven people missing
Divers from South Korean rescue services on Friday located an Airbus chopper which fell into the sea with seven people on board off the disputed islets of Dokdo late on Thursday.
Healthcare may trump Brexit in battle for British vote
As Britain’s “Brexit election” campaign swings into action, it may not be the country’s exit from the European Union which takes center stage but another national obsession – the health service.
U.S. agents at Guatemala checkpoints see holes in border security
At a highway checkpoint in central Guatemala, 10 U.S. officers in caps and sunglasses and packing concealed weapons watched as local border agents flagged down vehicles, inspected documents and prepared to fingerprint any undocumented migrants.
Lines but no panic as Lebanese banks re-open after two-week hiatus
Lebanese banks opened on Friday for the first time in two weeks following a wave of protests that prompted the prime minister’s resignation, with lines building at some branches where customers encountered new curbs on transfers abroad.
Hong Kong protesters plan huge march after gatecrashing Halloween
Hong Kong protesters planned flash mob demonstrations in shopping malls on Friday after a night of clashes in a central bar district as prominent pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong called for 100,000 people to take to the streets on Saturday.
South Korea seeks tougher penalties against child porn after dark web site bust
South Korea is moving to clarify its definition of child pornography and increase sentences for people convicted of owning such imagery following a global investigation into a South Korea-based dark web site, a draft bill showed on Friday.
