World News Roundup: China-Japan warming ties, INF arms treaty, migrant caravan

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Turmoil in Sri Lanka as ex-president Rajapaksa sworn in as PM

Sri Lankan opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa was appointed prime minister on Friday after President Maithripala Sirisena dismissed the incumbent in a surprise move that threatens political turmoil in the Indian Ocean nation. Rajapaksa, a former pro-China president, ushered in billions of dollars of investment from Beijing to help rebuild the country following the end of a 26-year civil war against Tamil separatists in 2009.

Myanmar court frees journalists on bail in incitement case

A Myanmar judge on Friday freed on bail three journalists from the country's largest private newspaper detained on incitement charges after publishing an article that raised questions over government spending. Eleven Media's chief reporter, Phyo Wai Win, and two editors, Kyaw Zaw Lin and Nayi Min, were arrested on Oct. 10 following a complaint by the regional government in the commercial capital of Yangon.

Syria pushes back on U.N. role in constitutional talks: U.N. envoy

Syria wants the United Nations to simply facilitate efforts to rewrite the country's constitution and not choose a third of the committee that will undertake the job, outgoing U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura told the Security Council on Friday. De Mistura briefed the 15-member body after meeting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem in Damascus this week. De Mistura wants to convene a constitutional committee in November before he steps down at the end of the month, but he has accused the Syrian government of delaying the process.

Thousands rally to keep Soros-founded university in Hungary

Thousands rallied in Budapest on Friday on behalf of a university founded by U.S. financier George Soros which says it is being forced out of Hungary by the nationalist government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Orban, who believes that European culture is under threat from migration and multiculturalism, has for years vilified the liberal Soros, who was born in Hungary and backs a number of causes there.

Russia, U.S. clash over INF arms treaty at United Nations

Russia failed on Friday to get the U.N. General Assembly to consider calling on Washington and Moscow to preserve and strengthen an arms control treaty that helped end the Cold War and warned that if the United States quits the pact it could raise the issue in the U.N. Security Council. President Donald Trump said on Oct. 20 that Washington planned to quit the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty which Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, and Ronald Reagan had signed in 1987. It eliminated all short- and intermediate-range land-based nuclear and conventional missiles held by both states in Europe.

Turkey demands extradition of 18 Saudis in Khashoggi case

Turkish prosecutors have prepared an extradition request for 18 suspects from Saudi Arabia in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, authorities said on Friday, after President Tayyip Erdogan urged Riyadh to disclose who ordered the murder. Erdogan has in recent days stepped up pressure on Saudi Arabia to come clean in the case, and Western governments have also voiced increasing scepticism, pitching the world's top oil exporter and a pivotal Middle East ally into a worsening crisis.

Mexico offers plan to keep U.S.-bound migrants in Mexico

Mexico on Friday offered temporary identification papers and jobs to migrants who register for asylum in the country, stepping up efforts to halt the advance of a U.S.-bound Central American caravan that has angered Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to close the U.S.-Mexico border and cut aid to Central America to try to stop the caravan of several thousand people. U.S. officials have said that up to 1,000 troops may be sent to the U.S. southern border to prevent the migrants from crossing.

Israeli forces kill four Palestinians in Gaza border protest: medics

Israeli forces shot and killed four Palestinians and wounded 232, 180 of them from live fire, during protests along the border with Gaza on Friday, Palestinian medical officials said. The Israeli military responded with air strikes at three positions belonging to Hamas, the Islamist group that rules the Gaza Strip, an army statement said.

Calls for Saudi arms embargo pit EU values against interests

Pressure is growing for the European Union to consider an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia after Germany, Austria and the European Parliament called for an end to weapons sales over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In the space of a few hours that highlighted tensions over the matter, Germany's Angela Merkel on Friday reaffirmed that her country would not deliver any arms to Saudi Arabia until Khashoggi's death was explained, while French President Emmanuel Macron said such moves smacked of populist "demagoguery".

China, Japan to forge closer ties at 'historic turning point'

China and Japan on Friday pledged to forge closer ties as both countries stood together at an "historic turning point", signing a broad range of agreements including a $30 billion currency swap pact, amid rising trade tensions with Washington. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also agreed the two countries would work together to achieve denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.

(With inputs from Reuters)