*)Foreign powers back Libya ceasefire as warlord chokes oil flows

A special summit on Libya held in Berlin ended with an agreement for a truce and an arms embargo.

World leaders along with warring factions attended the summit hosted by Germany and the UN.

But Libya's oil production still remains blocked by Khalifa Haftar's militia and could cripple the country's economy.

*)China confirms 139 new cases of deadly coronavirus

China confirms a third person died after contracting a deadly new coronavirus.

139 new cases were reported over the weekend, with the virus spreading to new cities and countries, including Thailand and Japan.

Scientists are still struggling to understand the nature of the outbreak and the type of virus they're dealing with.

*)Lebanese security forces, protesters clash for second night

Lebanon deployed its army to quell violent anti-government protests in Beirut.

Around 400 people were injured after security forces fired rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators.

Unrest has deepened as government struggles to control the economic crisis.

*)World's billionaires have more wealth than 60 percent of population

An Oxfam report says the world's richest 2,000 people control more money than the poorest 4.6 billion people combined.

It also says unpaid or underpaid work by women and girls adds three times more to the global economy each year than the technology industry.

The report has been released ahead of the annual World Economic Forum this week.

And finally,

*)SpaceX says 'picture perfect' test paves way for human mission

SpaceX has successfully tested a crucial abort system on an unmanned spacecraft that will carry astronauts into space.

The launch was a demonstration of the safety abort system for the Dragon crew capsule, in the event of an aborted launch, or a rocket failure.

SpaceX is one of two companies with multibillion-dollar contracts to fly NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

*)Trump impeachment trial to start in election year

The US House of Representatives has taken the next step to impeach President Donald Trump.

Senators were sworn in as jurors, four of whom are running for the Democrat’s nomination to challenge Trump in the presidential election.

Trump will become the third US president to face trial in the Senate.

*)Libya’s warlord Haftar to participate in Berlin peace talks

Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar is willing to attend peace talks in Berlin, Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said after visiting Benghazi.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will also attend the Libya conference, which is on Sunday.

The summit brings together foreign powers and rival Libyan camps in a bid to end the war over Tripoli, the capital, and agree on a power-sharing deal.

*)Anadolu Agency employee released, three remain in detention

One of Anadolu Agency’s four employees detained in Egypt earlier this week has arrived back in Turkey.

Hilmi Balci [Hilmi Baljeh] said he felt the support of his nation while he was held by the police in Cairo.

On Tuesday, Egyptian police raided the AA office in Cairo and detained four employees, including Balci, over alleged fake news.

Ukraine’s PM resigns after heard on audio leak insulting Zelenskiy

*)Ukraine’s Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk has resigned, Russian agencies reported.

The PM’s resignation follows an audio leak in which he is heard calling President Zelenskiy a “dummy” with “primitive” grasp of economics, the Kyiv Post reported.

Zelenskiy will consider Honcharuk’s letter of resignation, the presidential office said.

And finally,

*)Fires, then floods, how much can a koala bear take?

The drought that contributed to Australia’s catastrophic bushfires has this week given way to huge downpours in some of the ravaged areas.

While rain is seen as a reprieve, experts warn it comes with dangers of flash floods – a threat koalas near Sydney are now encountering.

Heavy rains sent flash floods through the Australian Reptile Park, which shared images of soaking wet koalas clinging to gum trees.

*)US, China sign ‘momentous’ trade deal

The US and China have signed an agreement aimed at settling a trade war which put the world’s economy in peril.

Washington will reduce tariffs on Chinese goods in return for Beijing buying billions of dollars worth of extra American products.

There are still a number of unresolved issues, which will be the subject of future negotiations.

*)US House delivers Trump impeachment articles to Senate

The US House of Representatives has taken the next step to impeach President Donald Trump.

It sent charges calling for the president's removal, along with supporting arguments, to the Senate.

Trump will become the third US president to face trial in the Senate.

*)Egypt police detain four Anadolu Agency employees in Cairo raid

Four employees from Turkey's Anadolu Agency were arrested during a raid on their office in Cairo.

Egypt's Interior Ministry says the detainees, which include a Turkish citizen, are accused of having links with the Muslim Brotherhood.

The US joined Ankara in condemning the raid and called for their immediate release.

*)Russian PM, govt resign as Putin engineers shake-up

Russia's government resigned hours after President Vladimir Putin proposed sweeping constitutional changes.

In his annual state-of-the-nation address, Putin surprised many observers with plans to boost the power of the national parliament and the office of prime minister.

Some say the changes are aimed at preserving Putin's power when he steps down from the presidency in 2024.

And finally,

*)Last decade was hottest decade on record

The last decade has officially been the hottest on record, according to a landmark UN report.

The previous five years were the hottest since records began 150 years ago, with last year being the second hottest after 2016.

The UN report also says severe storms, wildfires, floods and droughts are set to worsen over the coming years.

*)Warlord Haftar violates Libyan ceasefire with air strikes near Tripoli

Warlord Khalifa Haftar's militia launched missiles to the south of Tripoli.

The UN-backed government says pro-Haftar mercenaries were also deployed while drones operated by UAE were flying above Tripoli.

On Tuesday, Haftar left Moscow without signing a ceasefire deal, which had been brokered by Turkey and Russia and signed by the UN-backed Libyan government.

*)Sudan quells revolt of former spy servicemen after clashes

Sudan authorities quelled an armed protest and retook control of buildings housing the country's National Intelligence and Security Service in Khartoum.

Former intelligence officers revolted against their dismissal by taking to the streets and firing shots in the air.

Sudan is undergoing a three-year political transition overseen by civilians and the military.

The person who filmed missile striking Ukrainian plane arrested

The person who took a video showing an Iranian missile hitting a Ukrainian passenger jet over Tehran has been arrested.

Iran's state media says the person will face charges related to national security.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards took responsibility for the strike, which caused the plane to crash, killing all 176 people on board.

*)Wildfires affect Australian Open

Smoke from Australia's devastating wildfires disrupted preparations for next week's Australian Open tennis tournament.

For a second day, Melbourne is blanketed by smoke from fires which is delaying qualifying matches.

Air quality in the city has been rated as 'very poor' by environmental authorities and residents are being advised to stay indoors.

And finally,

*)Plane dumps fuel over school in LA

A plane dumped fuel over an elementary school, while during an emergency landing in Los Angeles.

The Delta jetliner experienced engine trouble and had to dump fuel in order to land.

More than a dozen students and staff at the Park Avenue Elementary School were treated for skin irritation, but none had been hospitalised.

*)Libya peace talks in Moscow fall short of ceasefire deal

Libya's warring sides draft an agreement aimed at a ceasefire after months of fighting.

While the UN-recognised government of Tripoli has signed, warlord Khalifa Haftar had requested until Tuesday, to decide.

Russian foreign ministry confirmed that Haftar left Russia after the talks adjourned for the night, and his militia said they are “ready to achieve victory” in the conflict.

*)US drops designation of China as currency manipulator

US Treasury Department says it no longer considers China a currency manipulator.

The announcement comes before the inking of a deal that could end eighteen months of trade disputes between the two massive economies.

In the past, the US has insisted that China held the value of its currency artificially low, and that gives China an unfair advantage over US goods.

*)US expels 21 Saudi cadets after Florida 'terrorism' probe

The US expels 21 Saudi Arabian air cadets, following a probe into a deadly shooting at a Florida naval base.

Last month, a Royal Saudi Air Force trainee at Pensacola Naval Air Station shot and killed three US sailors.

The expelled cadets did not aid the attacker, but were in possession of child porn and anti-American content.

*)Son of Iranian opposition leader arrested

Iran arrested the son of a prominent opposition politician, amid growing protests across the country.

Hossein Karroubi was taken into custody by police after his father Mehdi, called on Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to step down.

Student protests have been growing since Iran admitted it shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane on January 8, killing all 176 on board.

And finally,

*)Oscars under fire for lack of diversity

And finally,

The Academy is once again slammed for not nominating enough female directors and ethnic minorities.

Two-thirds of Oscar nominees are men, with films made by or are about white males.

Only one actor of colour features in four acting categories as efforts to increase diversity seem to have failed.

*)Protests against Iran’s downing of plane continues

Iranian protesters continue calling for the government to stand down after it shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane, killing all 176 on board.

Demonstrators are angry at the country’s attempts to cover up the truth after only admitting to the incident three days later.

Meanwhile, Canada says it’ll “pursue justice and accountability” after 57 of its citizens were killed on the plane.

*)Libyan warring factions to sign peace deal in Moscow

Libya's UN-recognised GNA government and warlord Khalifa Haftar are expected to sign a ceasefire deal in Moscow.

The signing of the agreement is said to pave the way for the revival of the political process.

Meanwhile, both sides are accusing each other of violating a ceasefire that was brokered by Turkey and Russia over the weekend.

*)Assad regime accused of breaking ceasefire

Syria's Assad regime is accused of violating a ceasefire deal which was brokered by Turkey and Russia.

Maarat al Numan and some nearby villages in Idlib province were shelled early on Sunday by the regime.

Hundreds of thousands from Idlib are fleeing regime attacks, with most moving toward Turkey’s border.

*)Volcano erupts in the Philippines

The Taal volcano in the Philippines spewed lava and sent giant ash plumes into the sky as it erupted.

About 8,000 people were evacuated and flights from the capital Manila, have partially been suspended.

Officials raised the alert level, fearing a possible hazardous eruption within hours or days.

And finally,

*)Red tide parasite killing rare turtles in Mexico

Conservationists are rushing to save green turtles on Mexico's Oaxaca coast.

A red tide parasite killed almost 300 of the rare species in the past month.

So far, 27 sick turtles have been rescued and will be nursed before being released back into the ocean.

*)Ukraine leader doesn’t rule out missile in plane crash

Ukraine’s President Zelenskiy said the possibility a missile downed a Ukrainian Boeing over Iran, killing all on board, has not been ruled out.

Iran has denied that the plane was hit by a missile.

A US official, citing an extensive review of satellite data, said Washington has concluded with a high degree of certainty that missiles brought the plane down.

*)US House votes to limit Trump war powers

The US House of Representatives passed a resolution to stop President Donald Trump from further military action against Iran.

The rebuke to Trump comes days after he ordered a drone strike in Iraq that killed a top Iranian commander and raised fears of war.

There have been protests in most major US cities against American interventionists policies on Iraq and Iran.

*)India’s top court orders review of all curbs in Kashmir

India’s Supreme Court has ordered reviewing all restrictions, including a five-month-long internet shutdown, in India-administered Kashmir.

The court described the restrictions as unconstitutional.

The right to the internet is fundamental, guaranteed under the constitution’s the right to freedom of speech and expression, India’s top court said.

*)Libyan warlord Haftar rejects call for ceasefire

Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar said his militia will not let up in its military campaign against the UN-backed government in the capital Tripoli.

Haftar appeared to be rejecting a call by Russia and Turkey for a truce in Libya.

At a recent meeting in Turkey, Russian President Putin and Turkish President Erdogan had called for a ceasefire in Libya, starting January 12.

And finally,

*)Australian animals face extinction threat as bushfire toll mounts

Wildlife and animal groups are worried Australia’s hellish fires are irreparably devastating the animal and insect population.

Haunting images of koalas with singed fur, possums with burnt paws or countless charred kangaroo carcasses have flashed around the world

But the less visible, such as frogs, insects, invertebrates and reptiles, are also expected to have been devastated.

Experts warn even those animals who survive face a perilous fight to stay alive.

*)Trump takes a step back from further escalation with Iran

The US and Iran appear to be stepping back from possible war as President Trump hinted he was not going to retaliate to Iran’s attack on US forces in Iraq.

By late Wednesday, it was clear no one was harmed in the strikes, but US forces in the region remained on high alert.

The crisis with Tehran spiralled after Trump authorised the assassination of Iran’s top general, Qasem Soleimani.

*)Iran probe says Ukrainian jet was on fire before crash

Ukraine is in mourning today after a Boeing plane crashed killing 176 people from seven countries.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the government was considering several possible causes for why the plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Iran.

The Ukrainian airliner was on fire immediately before it crashed, an initial report by Iranian investigators said.

*)Leaders of Turkey, Russia urge January 12 ceasefire in Libya

Turkish President Erdogan and Russian President Putin have called for a ceasefire in Libya on January 12.

In a statement, the two leaders said an immediate ceasefire is a top priority to start an inclusive intra-Libyan political process under the UN.

Meanwhile, EU officials also intensified diplomatic efforts to cool tensions in the North African nation by holding talks with its prime minister.

*)Australia bushfires flare as heatwave brings renewed misery

Over to Australia, where bushfires continue to flare as a heatwave expected to bring renewed misery set in.

Soldiers went door-to-door advising residents to leave Parndana town on Kangaroo Island after a large blaze bore down on the area.

In Victoria, officials extended a “state of disaster” ahead of scorching temperatures due to set in Friday, further stoking massive fires.

The bushfires have killed at least 26 people, 1.25 billion animals and scorched an area the size of Ireland.

And finally,

*)Meghan Markle and Harry to ‘step back’ from royal family

American TV star Meghan Markle and her husband Prince Harry say they plan “to step back” as senior members of Britain’s royal family.

Harry and Meghan intend to become financially independent and to balance their time between the UK and North America, a Buckingham Palace statement said.

Needless to say, the announcement caused quite a kerfuffle in the royal family.

Daily News Brief for Wednesday, January 8th:

*) Ukraine passenger jet crashes in Iran, killing at least 170

A Ukrainian passenger plane has crashed near Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport, killing at least 170 people.

Iranian authorities say a fire struck one of the Boeing 737-800’s engines which is an older model of the Boeing 737 MAX.

The plane underwent its last technical maintenance on January 6, 2020,” Ukraine International Airlines said.

*) Iran fires missiles at US troop bases in Iraq

Staying with Iran, it has carried out retaliatory, ballistic missile strikes on US troops at Ain al Asad military base in Anbar and a base in Erbil in Iraq.

Iran said it has now ended its reprisal over the US drone strike that killed its General Qasem Soleimani.

Soleimani was buried shortly before the attacks.

His burial was postponed when at least 50 people were killed in a stampede at his public funeral in Kerman.

*) Haftar forces take Libya’s Sirte

Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar's militia has seized the coastal city of Sirte from the UN-backed Government of National Accord.

Haftar has set his eyes on Tripoli, launching an offensive on the capital in April to unseat the GNA.

The UN-recognised Government of National Accord had taken back control of Sirte from Daesh in 2016.

*) Australia braces for more bushfires

To Australia now, where officials have warned people to evacuate Victoria state ahead of another heatwave.

There are fears the heat would trigger intense bushfires that have already destroyed eight million hectares of land and sent smoke clouds to Brazil.

An estimated one billion animals have died, more than 2,000 homes destroyed and 26 people killed.

And finally,

*) Facebook to ban ‘deepfake’ videos

Facebook says it is banning “deepfake” videos in an effort to fight online manipulation.

Deepfake videos are false but realistic clips created with artificial intelligence and sophisticated tools.

But the new rules won't include parody or satire, or clips edited just to change the order of words.

*)Pentagon denies withdrawing US troops from Iraq

The Pentagon denies reports of a possible US troop withdrawal from Iraq.

The denial comes after a letter believed to be from the US task force in Iraq, to the Iraqi defence ministry, was leaked.

The letter is reported to have said the US is preparing to withdraw, after Iraq's Parliament passed a resolution on the expulsion of foreign troops from its soil.

*)Soleimani buried in his hometown

The body of Qasem Soleimani was buried in his hometown of Kerman in Iran.

Thousands gathered to pay their respects to the assassinated military general.

Hundreds of thousands also attended a mass funeral prayer in capital, Tehran on Monday.

*)GNA repels attack from Haftar in Sirte

Moving to Libya now, where the UN-backed government says its army has repelled attacks by Khalifa Haftar's militia in Sirte.

The government had taken back control of the city from Daesh in 2016.

Haftar's forces have been waging an offensive against the government since April.

*)Bolton will testify if subpoenaed

Former US national security adviser John Bolton says he's prepared to testify if subpoenaed in Senate’s impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.

Bolton says he's trying to meet his obligations both as a citizen and a former national security adviser.

Democrats have been pressing for Bolton and three senior administration officials to testify as part of the Senate trial.

And finally,

*)Ankara sees first snowfall of 2020

Snow, combined with falling temperatures, turned Ankara's roads into skating rinks.

Turkey's capital received its first snowfall for 2020 as a powerful weather system moves over the area.

Istanbul on the other hand is getting unprecedented rainfall, with a risk of flooding.