SYRIA: The Syrians gave a green light on Thursday for the United Nations to use a key crossing from Turkey to the country’s rebel-held north-west that was closed earlier this week, but it wants to take away UN control over aid deliveries to the region.

Syria’s UN ambassador Bassam Sabbagh said that the government is granting the UN and its agencies “permission” to use the Bab al-Hawa crossing for six months, starting on Thursday.

UNITED STATES: This year was the deadliest six months of mass killings recorded in the US since at least 2006, it was reported on Friday.