Bolivia’s President Evo Morales steps down over his disputed re-election, and Chinese e-commerce giants report sales of more than $50 billion on Singles Day

*)Bolivia’s President Morales announces resignation

Bolivia’s President Evo Morales announced his resignation following three weeks of sometimes-violent protests over his disputed re-election.

Morales quit after the army and police withdrew their backing, and guards outside the presidential palace abandoned their posts.

Most Latin American leaders decried the resignation, with many calling it a “coup,” while Mexico also offered asylum to Morales.

*)Hong Kong police shoot protester as activists block streets

Police in Hong Kong shot a protester as demonstrators blocked subway lines and roads on Monday.

The protesters also set a fire inside a train, forcing service suspensions at several stations while police responded with pepper spray.

The latest unrest – a continuation of six months of protests – comes amid anger over the recent death of a student activist and arrest of anti-Beijing lawmakers.

*)Socialists win Spain's election amid far-right surge

Spain's Socialists have won the national election, but large gains by the far-right Vox party appear certain to widen the country's political deadlock.

The Socialists captured 120 seats, down from 123 in April’s election, and far from the absolute majority of 176 needed to form a government alone.

The big political shift came as right-wing voters flocked to Vox after a fourth national ballot in four years, and the second in less than seven months.

*)Three more protesters killed in Iraq

Iraqi forces shot three anti-government protesters dead as they tried to disperse them in the southern city of Nasiriyah on Sunday.

Around 100 people were also injured in deadly clashes, which added to the scores killed in weeks of unrest that have shaken the war-weary country.

Unrest erupted in Baghdad on October 1, with protests over a lack of jobs and services, that spread across the capital and much of southern Iraq.

*)Chinese e-commerce giants report booming Singles Day sales

And finally,

Chinese e-commerce giants Alibaba and JD.com reported a total of more than $50 billion in sales on Monday in the first half of Singles Day.

Singles Day began as a joke holiday created by university students in the 1990s as an alternative to Valentine's Day for people without romantic partners.

It falls on November 11 because the date is written with four singles: "11 11."

*)More killed during Iraq protests

Iraqi security forces shot and killed six protesters in Baghdad, while another four people died in demonstrations in the southern city of Basra.

At least 273 people have been killed since anti-government rallies began last month.

Iraq's leaders are desperate to end the turmoil and have promised reforms and early elections.

*)Hong Kong student protester dies

A student at a Hong Kong university who was injured during protests over the weekend died on Friday morning.

Authorities are preparing for another series of student demonstrations and weekend protests.

Activist Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow are also set to stand trial on charges of organising a demonstration outside the police headquarters in June.

*)Earthquake in Iran kills at least 5

At least five people were killed and more than 300 injured after a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit northwestern Iran.

The US Geological Survey has issued an alert warning that significant casualties are likely, and the disaster is potentially widespread.

Iran is situated where two major tectonic plates meet and see frequent seismic activity.

*)Brazil’s Lula may be a free man after court ruling

Brazil's Supreme Court has passed a ruling that could result in former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva being released from jail.

Lula may benefit from the decision, which will end the mandatory imprisonment of convicted criminals after they lose their first appeal.

It restores a previous rule which allows convicts to exhaust all their appeal options before being locked up.

And finally,

*)Turkey to attempt world record for tree planting

Turkey has launched a nationwide campaign to raise awareness for the environment, with a mass tree-planting event.

11 million trees will be planted across the country during the month of November.

The campaign also aims to break the Guinness World Record by planting more than 230,000 trees in an hour.

Daily News Brief for Thursday, November 7th:

*) Trump impeachment hearings to go public next week

US House Democrats announced the first open impeachment hearings into President Trump will begin next week.

The testimony of William Taylor, a career envoy and war veteran with 50 years of service to the US, is what Democrats want Americans to hear first.

Taylor has relayed in private his understanding that there was a blatant quid pro quo with Trump holding up military aid to US ally Ukraine.

*) Three people charged in US for spying for Riyadh

Two former Twitter employees and a third man were charged in the US with spying on Twitter users for Saudi Arabia, the US Justice department said.

The three suspects allegedly worked together to unmask the ownership details behind dissident Twitter accounts on behalf of Riyadh and the royal family.

They were guided by an unnamed Saudi official which The Washington Post reported was Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

*) Turkey announces capture of Baghdadi's wife

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the capture of one of former Daesh leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi's wives.

The announcement came more than a week after the US declared that Baghdadi had killed himself during a raid by US special forces.

A senior Turkish official said earlier this week that Turkey had captured Baghdadi's sister, her husband and daughter.

*) Iran resumes uranium enrichment

Iran injected uranium gas into centrifuges at its underground Fordow nuclear complex, taking its most-significant step away from the 2015 nuclear deal.

Tehran’s moves aim to put additional pressure on Europe to offer Iran a way to sell its crude oil abroad despite the imposition of US sanctions.

Fordow's 1,044 centrifuges previously spun without uranium gas for enrichment under the deal that the US unilaterally pulled out of last year.

*) Smog forces closure of schools in Pakistan’s Lahore

And finally,

A pall of smog descended on Pakistan’s Lahore city leaving people with itchy eyes and forcing authorities to suspend school, local media reported.

Micro air pollutants in Lahore reached Air Quality Index level of 500 - a situation where it's considered hazardous for humans to breath.

Smog has become a problem for some cities in South Asia due to industrial and transport pollution and the practice by farmers to burn stubble crop.

Scientists warn the world is facing a climate emergency, and an Uber self-driving test vehicle involved in a fatal 2018 crash in Arizona had software flaws

*)World facing climate emergency - scientists

More than 11,000 scientists have warned of "untold suffering" due to global warming.

The scientists wrote in peer-reviewed journal BioScience that the world failed to act on global warming despite evidence accumulating over 30 years.

The assessment came a day after President Trump formally notified the UN of America’s withdrawal from the 2015 Paris climate pact.

*)Yemen government and southern separatists sign power-sharing deal

Yemen's internationally-recognised government signed a Saudi-brokered power-sharing deal with southern separatists.

A Saudi-led coalition got involved in Yemen’s devastating war in 2015 to suppress Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The deal will reportedly hand the secessionist Southern Transitional Council a number of ministries, and see the government return to Aden.

*)Militant attacks in Thailand's south kills at least 15

At least 15 people were killed in militant attacks on two checkpoints in Thailand's southern Yala province, an army spokesman said.

South Thailand has been in the grip of a bloody insurgency that has killed more than 7,000 people over the last 15 years.

Rebels seeking autonomy for the culturally distinct region bordering Malaysia have been fighting the Buddhist-majority Thai state.

*)Mexican President rejects Trump's call to 'wage war on drug cartels'

Mexico’s president said he would accept "all necessary cooperation" to get justice for the US-Mexican Mormon victims ambushed earlier this week.

US President Donald Trump reacted to the incident saying it was time “to wage WAR on the drug cartels."

But President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who declared an end to Mexico's "drug wars," added he was not looking for a new fight.

*)Uber self-driving vehicles involved in 37 crashes before fatal accident

And finally,

An Uber self-driving test vehicle that hit and killed an Arizona woman in 2018 had software flaws, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

The boards also disclosed Uber’s autonomous test vehicles were involved in 37 crashes in the 18 months prior.

The findings from accident could impact how the entire industry addresses self-driving software issues or how regulators oversee the industry.

Turkey captures Daesh leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi’s sister and US House investigators release the first impeachment transcripts.

*)Turkey captures Baghdadi’s sister

Turkey has captured the sister of former Daesh leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi in the northern Syrian town of Azaz.

The 65-year-old Rasmiya Awad is suspected of being affiliated with the terror group, a Turkish official said.

Calling the arrests an intelligence “gold mine”, Turkish officials are also interrogating Awad’s husband and daughter-in-law.

*)House investigative committee releases impeachment transcripts

Democratic lawmakers published the first set of transcripts of closed-door testimonies as part of their impeachment inquiry over Trump’s dealings with Ukraine.

The former US ambassador to Kiev told House investigators she felt threatened by US President Trump in his call to Ukraine's leader.

Marie Yovanovitch testified that she was informed by an official in Ukraine that Rudy Giuliani, the president's private attorney, was planning to "do things, including to me".

*)Iran announces more powerful centrifuges as the US announces more sanctions

Iran has announced a new prototype centrifuge that works 50 times faster than those allowed under the JCPOA nuclear deal.

Iran has called the decision a direct result of US President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the 2015 agreement.

The announcement came as the US announced sanctions on nine people close to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

*)Boris Johnson accused of covering up Russian interference report

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is being accused of covering up a report on Russian meddling in UK politics, The Guardian is reporting.

The report detailed Russian interference in British politics, including the Conservative Party.

However, Downing Street said it would not allow the report to be released despite being put together by the intelligence and security committee, prompting an outcry.

*)Microsoft Japan finds shorter hours boost sales

And finally,

Here is a case for working shorter hours: Microsoft Japan has found that four-day weeks and other reforms have boosted sales and cut costs.

The Japanese unit of the US IT giant closed its offices every Friday in August and also restricted meetings to 30 minutes.

The result? Sales per employee rose almost 40 percent in a year, electricity consumption was down by a quarter and paper usage was cut in half.

Turkish Defence Ministry condemns terror attack in Syria’s Tal Abyad, and Kenya and Ethiopia take the trophy in world’s only intercontinental marathon

*)Deadly terror attack in Syria’s Tal Abyad

Turkey’s Defence Ministry said at least 13 civilians were killed and some 20 others injured in an attack which targeted Syria’s Tal Abyad on Saturday.

Attacks in Tal Abyad and Ras al Ayn continue despite a deal between Turkey and the US under which the YPG/PKK had to pull out of said areas.

President Erdogan visited a command centre in Turkey’s Sanliurfa to be briefed about the ongoing Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria.

*)Pirates kidnap crew from Norwegian vessel off Benin

A vessel owned by Norwegian shipping firm JJ Ugland was boarded by pirates while at anchor off the coast of Benin on Saturday.

At least nine crew members were reported kidnapped.

The remaining crew on the MV Bonita notified local authorities, and the vessel docked at the port city of Cotonou later on Saturday.

*)Iraqis attack Iranian consulate in Karbala

Dozens of Iraqi protesters attacked the Iranian consulate in the Shia holy city of Karbala on Sunday.

Protesters scaled concrete barriers surrounding the building, bringing down an Iranian flag and replacing it with the Iraqi flag, eyewitnesses said.

The incident comes amid ongoing protests in Baghdad and majority-Shia provinces in the south against a failing economy and corruption.

*)New Delhi declares public emergency

Authorities in India declared a public health emergency on Friday, shutting down schools and construction work as New Delhi’s air pollution hit a new high for 2019.

New Delhi issued measures to restrict the movement of private vehicles to control vehicular pollution.

Authorities say almost 1.2 million registered vehicles will be off the road every day during the two-week restrictions.

*)Kenyan, Ethiopian athletes win 41st Istanbul Marathon

And finally,

A record number of runners from 106 countries participated in the Vodafone 41st Istanbul Marathon on Sunday.

The world’s only intercontinental marathon kicked off from Istanbul’s Asian side and ended at the finish line in Sultanahmet on the European side.

Ethiopian athlete Hirut Tibebu won the 41st Istanbul Marathon women’s title and Kenyan athlete Daniel Kipkore Kibet bagged the men’s title.

TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, November 1:

*)Trump impeachment effort passes first test in divided US Congress

The US House of Representatives has voted to formalise its impeachment investigation into President Donald Trump.

The resolution sets the rules for the next phase of the inquiry, laying out a road map for public hearings within two weeks.

Trump is accused of trying to pressure his Ukrainian counterpart into investigating his political rival, Democrat Joe Biden.

*)WhatsApp sues Israeli company for hacking its servers

Facebook-owned WhatsApp has filed a lawsuit against an Israeli company for alleged espionage.

NSO Group is accused of building and selling a hacking tool which exploits a flaw in WhatsApp servers.

The hack is said to have targeted at least 1,400 senior officials, journalists and activists in over 20 countries including the US, UAE and India.

*)Turkey, Russia to jointly patrol northeast Syria

Turkey and Russia are set to begin joint patrols in northeast Syria on Friday.

It's part of an agreement aimed at creating a safe zone between Turkey and its war-torn neighbour.

Turkey says its operation to establish a safe zone has been successful, and many refugees can now safely return home.

*)Another major setback for Boeing

Boeing says dozens of its popular 737NG planes around the world were grounded after structural cracks were detected.

It's yet another setback for the crisis-stricken US aircraft maker which has faced tumbling profits, federal scrutiny and calls for its CEO to resign after deadly crashes involving the 737MAX.

And finally,

*)Measles wipe out immune system memory - study

A medical research study has revealed that measles can cause damage to the immune system by making it harder to fight off other infections.

Two studies of unvaccinated children in the Netherlands revealed what doctors are calling immune amnesia, which means the body forgets how to fight diseases it was once immune to.

Measles affects more than 7 million people annually, leading to more than 100,000 deaths.

Fire on train in Pakistan kills at least 70 and blaze in Japan damages national treasure

*)Fire on train in Pakistan kills at least 70 after gas canister explodes

At least 70 people were killed in Pakistan after a gas canister exploded on a speeding train.

Authorities say some passengers were preparing breakfast on a portable gas stove.

The explosion caused two other carriages to also catch fire.

*)HRW slams CIA-backed Afghan unit

Human Rights Watch says Afghan security units backed by the CIA should be disbanded.

A new report shows how the elite units have conducted extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, indiscriminate air strikes and other rights abuses.

Human Rights Watch investigated 14 cases in which the unit committed serious abuses in Afghanistan between late 2017 and mid-2019.

*)Twitter to ban all political advertising

Twitter has announced it will ban all political advertising.

The company's CEO, Jack Dorsey, says the reach that his social media platform gives politicians should be earned and not bought.

The ban will come into effect on November 22, but twitter hasn't yet shared its final policy.

*)Another quake hits Mindanao

Another powerful 6.5 earthquake struck the Philippines island of Mindanao damaging buildings and sending people fleeing.

The quake hit the same area where a strong tremor killed at least six people earlier this week.

This is the third quake to strike Mindanao island since mid-October.

*)Fire at Japan’s Shuri Castle

And finally,

A massive fire broke out at Shuri Castle on Japan's southern island of Okinawa.

Police say the main hall and a nearby building burned to the ground.

Shuri, a national treasure in Japan, is also a UNESCO world heritage site, which was built more than 500 years ago as the royal castle of the Ryukyu Kingdom.

Russia says YPG terrorists have withdrawn from northern Syria and climate activist Greta Thunberg refuses to accept environmental award

*)Russia says YPG withdrawal from N Syria completed

Russia has informed Turkey that YPG/PKK terrorists in Syria have completed their withdrawal from areas near the border.

The withdrawal comes under a deal signed between Ankara and Moscow signed earlier this month in Sochi.

Turkish-Russian joint patrols will verify whether the terrorist group has withdrawn from a proposed safe zone in northern Syria.

*)Lebanon’s Hariri submits resignation

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri has resigned after nearly two weeks of mass protests across the country.

Hariri said he had hit a "dead end" in trying to resolve a crisis unleashed by the unprecedented wave of protests against rampant corruption of the political class.

Thousands of protesters returned to the streets to celebrate the resignation but said they will continue demonstrating until the entire government steps down.

*)British MPs agree to hold an early election

British MPs agreed to hold an early election on December 12.

The agreement comes hours after the EU granted the UK a three-month Brexit extension until January 31.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes electing a new crop of lawmakers will give his Conservative Party a majority and break the stalemate that blocked his plan to complete the divorce this month.

*)Baghdadi’s successor killed, Trump says

US President Donald Trump confirmed that the US military had killed the person who likely would have succeeded Abu Bakr al Baghdadi as the leader of the Daesh terror group.

Trump did not specify who he was referring to, but the announcement coincided with the killing of Daesh spokesman Abu al Hassan al Muhajir.

Muhajir and four others were killed on Sunday by a CIA airstrike in Ayn al Bayda, near Jarablus in northwest Syria.

*)Greta turns down award

And finally,

Greta Thunberg refused to accept an environmental award, saying the climate movement rather needs people in power to start listening to "science".

The young Swedish climate activist, who has rallied millions to her "Fridays for Future" movement, was honoured at a Stockholm ceremony held by the Nordic Council.

The 16-year-old’s rise to prominence has also resulted in both she and her family being harassed and threatened on social media.

Turkish republic celebrates its 96th anniversary and firefighters seek to contain raging wildfire on the west side of Los Angeles

*)Turkey-Russia deal for YPG withdrawal from N Syria expires

The deal between Turkey and Russia, which gave PKK/YPG terrorists a 150-hour deadline to withdraw from northern Syria, expires at 1500GMT today.

Ankara has repeatedly said its anti-terror campaign Operation Peace Spring will continue if the terror group fails to leave the region entirely.

Meanwhile, a local council was established in Syria’s Tal Abyad, which Turkey recently cleared of the terror group.

*)US House to hold first formal impeachment process vote

The US House of Representatives is set to vote to authorise an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.

The measure is likely to pass in the Democratic-controlled House given that 228 Democrats out of a total of 435 House members support impeachment inquiry.

US President Donald Trump called the impeachment proceedings a "hoax.”

*)British PM Johnson fails to find support for December polls

Lawmakers in the UK Parliament have rejected Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s request to hold an early general election in December.

This comes after the European Union agreed to extend the Brexit deadline until January 31st.

Johnson accepted the three-month delay, but stressed he’s doing it against his will and urged the EU to grant no more delays.

*)Turkey celebrates republic’s 96th anniversary

Turks across Turkey and outside the country are celebrating the 96th anniversary of the foundation of the republic.

Turkey’s founder and first president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, announced the nation’s name and declared it a republic on this day in 1923.

Thousands of people and high-level officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, began the commemoration by visiting Ataturk’s mausoleum in the capital, Ankara.

*)California fires tear into LA as Sonoma inferno rages

And finally,

More than 180,000 people fled their homes in Sonoma County of San Francisco due to the wind-fueled “Kincade Fire”.

NBA superstar Lebron James is among evacuees who searched for a place to stay for the night.

Mayor Eric Garcetti said the cause of the fire remains under investigation, but firefighters are battling the inferno.