The 10 most important things in the world right now
1. Germany will discuss the European Union's plan to distribute 160,000 refugees among member nations with foreign ministers from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia on Friday.
2. Japan continues to battle massive flooding in the wake of Typhoon Etau as thousands of rescuers descend on a city north of Tokyo.
3. There are reports that Russia is supplying Syria with military weapons that it says are meant to help fight terrorism.
4. Asian shares rose on Friday following gains on Wall Street.
5. Finland is setting a noble example to help deal with Europe's refugee crisis, proposing to increase capital gains tax and income tax on high earners to help pay for an influx of refugees.
6. Venezuela's opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was sentenced to almost 14 years in prison for inciting violence as a leader during last year's sometimes bloody antigovernment protests.
7. Scientists discovered a new species closely related to humans inside a cave in South Africa.
8. US President Barack Obama scored a major foreign policy victory on Thursday as Senate Democrats blocked Republican efforts to derail the Iran nuclear deal.
9. Japan reportedly charged the head of collapsed Bitcoin exchange MtGox, Mark Karpeles of France, with embezzlement on Friday.
10. Friday marks the 14th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks.
And finally ...