World News Roundup: Zuma corruption trial; $400 million loan for Sri Lanka and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Syria constitutional talks end without consensus on agenda: U.N. envoy

A second week-long round of Syrian talks has ended without a meeting of the group of 45 delegates meant to be negotiating on the constitution, United Nations Special Envoy Geir Pedersen said on Friday. The Syrian government and opposition co-chairs were unable to agree on agenda for the constitutional talks, he told reporters. "We have been trying to reach consensus but as I said we are not there yet."

South Africa court rejects Zuma appeal to prevent corruption trial

A South African court on Friday rejected an appeal by former president Jacob Zuma that sought to prevent his prosecution on corruption charges over a $2 billion arms deal. The ruling paves the way for Zuma's long-awaited trial to start in February 2020.

Rescue workers comb ruins of hotel for Albanian quake survivors

Rescue workers sifted through the rubble of a hotel by the Adriatic Sea for possible survivors on Friday, three days after a 6.4-magnitude destroyed the six-story building and many others in the Albanian port of Durres and surrounding areas. The death toll from the quake, Albania's worst ever, has reached 49. There have been more than 500 aftershocks since Tuesday's quake, some with a magnitude of more than 5.0, rocking already damaged buildings and terrifying residents.

Hong Kong police withdraw from wrecked campus, activists call for more rallies

Hong Kong police on Friday withdrew from the wreckage of a university campus damaged in weeks of clashes, as pro-democracy activists canvassed social media for support for more rallies at the weekend. Senior faculty members of Hong Kong Polytechnic University toured the campus after police left, visiting the canteen and sports hall and inspecting smashed windows and charred piles of what used to be barricaded.

Malta frees businessman held in journalist murder case

Malta freed the businessman at the centre of the investigation into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia on police bail on Friday, and police sources said he would continue to be closely monitored to ensure he does not flee. Yorgen Fenech, one of Malta's richest men, was arrested last week while trying to leave Malta on his yacht. He has since been released and re-arrested four times as police struggle with a legal limit that requires suspects to be freed if they are not charged within 48 hours.

North Korea's Thanksgiving Day test shows improving speed for missile crews

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed "great satisfaction" over the latest test of a large multiple-rocket launcher, state media said on Friday, a launch that experts said showcased improving performance by the system and its crews. North Korea fired two short-range projectiles into the sea off its east coast on Thursday in the fourth test of its new "super-large multiple-rocket launcher", South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said told a briefing.

India announces $400 million loan for Sri Lanka, in support of new president

India will lend Sri Lanka $400 million for infrastructure projects, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday after talks with the island nation's new President Gotabaya Rajapaksa aimed at improving bilateral ties. Sri Lanka, located off the southern tip of India, has become an arena of competing for influence between New Delhi and China, which has built ports, power stations, and highways as part of President Xi Jinping's signature "Belt and Road Initiative", designed to boost trade and transport links across Asia.

Iraq death toll passes 400 in weeks of mass protests: police, medics

The death toll in Iraq from weeks of anti-government unrest rose on Friday to at least 408 people killed, mostly unarmed protesters, a Reuters count based on police and medical sources showed. Several people died of wounds sustained in clashes on Thursday with security forces in the southern city of Nassiriya, hospital sources said, bringing the number of people killed there to at least 46 and the total nationwide to 408 since Oct. 1.

After Trump's Kabul visit, Taliban says ready to resume peace talks

The Taliban said on Friday they were ready to restart peace talks with the United States, a day after President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to U.S. troops in Afghanistan and said he believed the radical group would agree to a ceasefire. Trump's Thanksgiving Day visit was his first to Afghanistan since becoming president and came a week after a prisoner swap between Washington and Kabul that has raised hopes for a long-elusive peace deal to end the 18-year-long war.

UK PM Johnson implores Trump: please keep out of election

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was best if U.S. President Donald Trump did not get involved in Britain's upcoming election when he visits London for a NATO summit next week. "What we don't do traditionally as loving allies and friends, what we don't do traditionally, is get involved in each other's election campaigns," said Johnson, whose Conservative Party has a commanding lead in the polls ahead of the Dec. 12.