The 10 most important things in the world right now
1. Iran is joining international talks on Syria for the first time, following an invitation from Russia.
2. Austria is planning to build a fence along parts of its border with Slovenia to better control the flow of migrants.
3. The top 10 Republican presidential candidates, led by Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and Marco Rubio squared off Wednesday night in the third GOP presidential debate, which mostly focused on the economy and fiscal issues.
4. The European Union will require on-the-road emissions tests for new car models by 2017, though critics say the limits placed on nitrogen oxide emission levels aren't strict enough.
5. Nigerian troops rescued 338 people held captive by Boko Haram Islamists.
6. China's Premier Li Keqiang reportedly said China needs minimum economic growth of 6.5% over the next five years.
7. Royal Dutch Shell lost $7.4 billion (£4.8 billion) in the third quarter after cancelling plans to drill in Alaska and other long-term projects.
8. Prosecutors said a sleeper cell acting on orders from the Islamic State group carried out the bombings on a peace rally in Ankara this month to try to disrupt Turkey's election.
9. Drug giants Pfizer and Allergan are reportedly considering combining in what could be the biggest merger in the healthcare industry.
10. The Las Vegas spa where an employee was found frozen to death inside a liquid nitrogen chamber used for cryotherapy treatments didn't have a license to use the equipment.
And finally ...