BBC News 9

Syrian air defenses shot down "hostile targets" on Thursday, state media said, in an area regional intelligence sources said contains Iran-backed assets, while Russian media said no Israeli jet had been downed as earlier reported. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2Rpgam3

An optional warning light could have alerted engineers about mechanical faults on Lion Air's Boeing 737 MAX jet that crashed last month, experts said, sparking an industry debate over whether installing the system should become mandatory. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2Q5QBKg

Ukraine has banned Russian adult men aged 16-60 years from entering Ukraine, the head of the border service Petro Tsygykal said in a televised meeting on Friday. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2Rn9Hbb

Syrian air defenses shot down several targets but did not shoot down an Israeli war plane on Thursday, Russia's RIA news agency cited an unnamed Syrian security source as saying on Friday. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2KH8KYN

Sri Lanka's parliament on Friday voted to halt payment of ministers' salaries and travel expenses, but it remained unclear how the move would impact the disputed government of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa whose ministers boycotted the vote. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2zxvg1O

The race to succeed Angela Merkel as leader of Germany's ruling conservatives, and take pole position to succeed her as chancellor, is going down to the wire. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2Paxdq2

Thousands of children walked out of school across Australia on Friday in protest against government inaction on climate change, prompting a rebuke from a minister who said they were setting themselves up for "failure". from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2E462w5

Tens of thousands of Indian farmers and rural workers marched to the Indian parliament in the capital, New Delhi, on Friday in a protest against soaring operating costs and plunging produce prices that have brought misery to many. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2SiQJTb

German investigators are checking whether there was any criminal cause behind the malfunction of a plane carrying Chancellor Angela Merkel to the G20 summit in Argentina, German newspaper Rheinische Post reported on Friday, citing security sources. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2QqKFe1

Thai rights activists on Friday called for the release of a refugee footballer from Bahrain detained in Bangkok who may be deported back home where they say he could face persecution. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2QueoTo

A VietJet Aviation JSC flight made a troubled landing on Thursday evening after the wheels on its front landing gear had "problems", with passengers reporting minor injuries, the carrier and Vietnam's aviation authority said on Friday. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2RnWPSd

Chinese media on Friday hit back at a U.S. academic report which urged the United States to engage in "tit-for-tat" retaliation to counter what it said was China's widening campaign for influence which threatened to undermine democratic values. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2SllvL8

An Air New Zealand advertisement released for the Christmas season this week takes a dig at U.S. President Donald Trump by portraying an American boy wearing a "Make Christmas Great Again" red cap being laughed at by other children on Santa's "naughty" list. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2U0J0e2