This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, September 30th.

Yemen’s Houthis release footage of ‘captured Saudi soldiers’

Yemen's Houthi rebels broadcast footage claiming a major offensive near the border with Saudi Arabia's southern Najran region.

Houthi-run Al Masirah TV broadcast images of armoured vehicles hit by blasts and what the Houthis say were dozens of surrendering fighters.

Saudi Arabia, which leads a coalition that has been battling the Houthis, has not responded to the announcement.

A second chance for Austria’s Kurz

Austrians have given former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz another chance to run the country, according to exit poll results.

Kurz's People's Party won Sunday's snap elections with more than 37 percent of the vote.

The leader’s party, which was shaken by a corruption scandal in May, still needs the support of a coalition partner to form the next government.

MBS responsible for Khashoggi killing?

Speaking on the CBS programme “60 Minutes,” Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has denied ordering the killing of Jamal Khashoggi.

His latest interview comes just days after he told a PBS documentary that he bears responsibility for Khashoggi's death because it happened under his watch.

Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 of last year.

Afghanistan’s big drop in voter numbers

Only 2.2 million people, or around 20 percent of 9.67 million registered voters, cast their ball ots in Afghanistan's presidential election.

Taliban threats, security concerns and a general lack of interest contributed to the drop in voter turnout, as compared to the 2014 polls, according to analysts.

The low turnout and complaints about the voting system have heightened concerns that an unclear result could drive the war-torn country into further chaos.

Mother athletes breaking records

And finally,

Returning new mothers who took time off from athletics to have children, lit up the World Championships in Doha.

Jamaican sprint queen Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce surged to an unprecedented fourth 100-m crown, taking only 10.71 seconds to make the run.

Meanwhile, American legend Allyson Felix broke Usain Bolt's gold medal record tally, winning her 12th World Championship gold medal.

And that’s your daily news brief from TRT World ... for more, head to TRTWorld.com.

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, September 27th.

Whistleblower accuses White House of Ukraine call cover-up

A whistleblower says the White House took extraordinary steps to “lock down” information about President Trump's call with Ukraine’s president.

The whistleblower – whom Trump accused of being close to a spy – alleges there was a concerted effort to suppress his call’s transcript.

Democrats are urging more people to share information about Trump's effort to persuade Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden.

5.7 earthquake hits Turkey’s Istanbul

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake shook Istanbul, causing panic among residents.

The temblor struck in the Sea of Marmara and sent jolts coursing through the surrounding cities.

Eight people suffered minor injuries.

Trump administration slashes number of refugees for US

The Trump administration will allow only 18,000 refugees to resettle in the US in 2020, the lowest in the history of the modern refugee program.

The US State Department said it had to shift focus to processing a backlog of hundreds of thousands of asylum claims.

The number of refugees for resettlement went down from 85,000 in 2016 to 50,000 in 2017 when President Trump took office.

New Zealand students embark on climate strike

Tens of thousands of students gathered for marches across New Zealand to kick off a planned second global school strike for climate action.

Students at protests across New Zealand carried signs including "you can ignore us but you will regret it".

The latest round of protests will culminate in a rally in Montreal, Canada, where teenage activist Greta Thunberg is scheduled to speak.

Facebook hides 'likes' in Australia trial to ease anxiety

And finally,

Facebook is hiding the number of "likes" for posts in Australia.

The trial is designed to ease social pressure and could be rolled out worldwide.

Account-holders across the country will also be blocked from viewing the number of reactions and video views on other people's posts.

And that’s your daily news brief from TRT World ... for more, head to TRTWorld.com.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Memo reveals US President Trump prodded Ukraine to investigate Biden, and Wazza, the koala, makes a lucky escape

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Thursday, September 26th.

Trump asked Ukraine leader to 'look into' Biden

A transcript released by the US shows President Trump pressed his Ukrainian counterpart to "look into" his rival, Democrat Joe Biden.

The July 25 phone call is now at the centre of a House Democrats' impeachment inquiry.

Trump dismissed the transcript saying he is the victim of "the single greatest witch hunt in American history."

Boris Johnson says supreme court ruling is wrong

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has challenged opposition MPs to try to remove him.

He was responding to irate MPs after the UK Supreme Court ruled Johnson’s suspension of parliament was illegal.

Johnson repeated his vow to leave the EU on October 31 with or without a deal, condemning the court ruling as "wrong".

Israel’s Netanyahu tasked to form new government

Israel's President Reuven Rivlin tasked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with assembling a new government.

The move came after power-sharing talks with his rival Benny Gantz failed following an inconclusive election.

Netanyahu said his chances of success were only marginally higher than those of Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz.

Italian Alpine glacier close to collapse

A part of Europe's highest mountain, the Mont Blanc, is at risk of collapse, prompting Italian authorities to close roads and evacuate Alpine hamlets.

A section estimated to contain up to 250,000 cubic metres of ice could fall down the mountain.

Experts say the Planpincieux glacier is sliding at an increased speed.

Koalas lucky as cats with nine lives?

And finally,

Wazza, a young female Koala, was hit by a car while trying to cross the Pacific Highway in Australia but walked away with minor injuries.

Wazza was dragged 10 kilometres before she managed to free herself from the car’s front grille, Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

She is recovering at Port Macquarie Koala Hospital but before her release staff are trying to figure out — where did Wazza actually come from?

And that’s your daily news brief from TRT World ... for more, head to TRTWorld.com.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

US House launches impeachment inquiry into President Trump, and UEFA commits planting hundreds of thousands of trees to make up for Euro 2020 pollution.

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, September 25th.

Time for US President Trump to go?

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the start of an official impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.

The Democrat-controlled House will examine whether Trump abused presidential powers and sought Ukraine's help against former vice president Biden.

Trump responded with his usual scorn and tweeted from the UNGA calling the inquiry, “PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT!” and “witch hunt garbage.”

Erdogan pitches for peace at UNGA

Turkey's President Erdogan drew attention to the ongoing Syria, Palestine and Kashmir conflicts during his speech at the 74th UNGA in New York.

Erdogan called on the UN to back Turkey in ensuring security in Syria's Idlib and criticised the global body for not paying attention to Kashmir.

The leader requested the UN to designate March 15, the date of the Christchurch attack, as an international day against Islamophobia.

Quake shakes Pakistan

An earthquake in Pakistan killed at least 25 people, injuring nearly 300 others.

The 5.8 magnitude quake struck Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s Mirpur area, causing property and infrastructure damage.

There were no reports of damage and casualties from adjoining India-administered Kashmir where a communications blackout continues.

UK PM Johnson faces pressure to quit

UK's Supreme Court ruled Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament for five weeks was unlawful.

The court said Johnson acted to limit debate by lawmakers on Britain's impending Brexit deadline in violation of Parliament's constitutional role.

Johnson, who is facing calls to step down, said he disagreed with but would respect the ruling.

Europe football body plans to go green

And finally,

The UEFA said it will plant 600,000 trees as part of its commitment to offset carbon emissions from travel to next year's pan-European Championships.

Instead of hosting matches in one or two countries, the European football governing body is holding the championship in 12 countries.

UEFA will plant 50,000 trees in each of the host countries for the 60th-anniversary of the tournament.

And that’s your daily news brief from TRT World ... for more, head to TRTWorld.com.

TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, September 24:

*)Climate activist Greta Thunberg slams world leaders

Greta Thunberg slammed world leaders at the UN climate summit for betraying her generation through their inaction.

“You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us I say we will never forgive you.”

UN chief Antonio Guterres told more than 60 leaders present at the summit they could only speak if they had concrete plans to cut carbon emissions.

*)EU countries agree to new plan for migrants

Five EU countries agreed to a new plan to distribute migrants and refugees rescued from the Mediterranean Sea.

Rescued migrants will be sent to various EU states within four weeks of being brought to shore.

The plan was agreed to in Malta, and will be presented to all 28 EU member states on October 8.

*)UN approves Syrian constitutional committee

UN chief validated a constitutional committee for Syria, previously announced by Turkey, Iran and Russia.

The committee is part of efforts to find a political solution to end Syria’s war.

Re-writing Syria's constitution is one of the most important demands made by those who oppose Bashar al Assad.

*)Death toll rises to 26 in protests in Indonesia's Papua

At least 26 people were killed in unrest in Indonesia's Papua, where calls for self-rule started in the 60s.

Thousands fled to shelters following a day of violence that saw victims burned alive in buildings set ablaze by protesters.

Papua, the western half of New Guinea, has been gripped by weeks of violent protests fuelled by anger over racism against Papuans.

And finally,

*)Messi and Rapinoe are #TheBest footballers in the world

American forward Megan Rapinoe was awarded world's best female footballer and Argentinian playmaker Leo Messi regained his title as best male.

Messi claimed his sixth title after beating Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo and Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk.

Rapinoe is the fourth American to be named #TheBest, at a glittering ceremony in Milan.

TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, September 23:

*)Scientists warn our climate is changing faster than forecast

The UN says humanity is likely to lose against the climate crisis unless carbon-cutting efforts intensify now.

A report by the World Meteorological Organization show some chilling facts:

-Sea levels have risen significantly between 2014 and 2019 as carbon emissions hit new highs.

-Global temperatures have risen to its warmest between the same period.

-Ice sheets and glaciers from both poles are melting at an alarming rate.

-There’s been a major increase in global weather disasters and wildfires brought on by climate phenomena.

The UN says the world is running out of time to avert a catastrophe.

*)Thomas Cook collapses

One of the world's oldest travel agents, Thomas Cook, has collapsed and ceased trading with immediate effect.

The collapse leaves around 150,000 holidaymakers stranded.

The company failed to secure rescue funding and blamed political unrest and Brexit for its financial issues.

*)Human rights lawyer arrested in Egypt

Egyptian authorities have detained award-winning human rights lawyer, Mahienour el Massry.

She was arrested after attending judicial investigations into 365 protesters who were arrested during anti-government demonstrations this weekend.

Hundreds marched in several cities across Egypt demanding the resignation of President Abdel Fattah al Sisi.

*)Israel’s political future remains unclear

Israel's political future remains unclear despite the Arab-dominated Joint List Party backing Benny Gantz.

Gantz's Blue and White Alliance leads Prime Minister Netanyahu's right-wing Likud Party by just two seats.

Both parties have no clear path to governance, despite the president's request they form a coalition together.

And finally,

*)Emmys bring on surprise winners

The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards brought on some surprises.

Streaming services Netflix won 27 awards while Amazon nabbed 15, including Best Comedy for its series, ‘Fleabag’.

But it was HBO who remained as front-runners with the help of the iron throne.

The final season of ‘Game of Thrones’ nabbed a total of 12 awards, including Best Drama.

TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Thursday, September 19:

*)Taliban claim another deadly attack

At least 20 people were killed and more than 90 were injured in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan.

A vehicle packed with explosives was detonated in the southern city of Qalat near the country's intelligence agency.

The Taliban claimed responsibility, making it their fourth attack in the country in three days.

*)US calls attacks on Saudi Arabia an act of war

Donald Trump has played down the possibility of direct conflict with Iran.

It comes as Saudi Arabia ramps up pressure on the US to respond to strikes on two oil installations.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Jeddah to hold discussions with officials in the kingdom.

*)Security council to vote on truce for northwest Syria

The UN Security Council will vote on rival draft resolutions that call for a truce in northwest Syria.

It comes after Russia and China put forward their own text in response to a proposal by Kuwait, Germany and Belgium.

A resolution needs nine votes and no vetoes by Russia, China, France, Britain or the US to pass.

*)Canadian PM in racists brownface debacle

Canada's PM has apologised after a photo showing him wearing brown face make-up emerged.

Justin Trudeau admitted it was a “dumb thing to do”.

The picture shows the PM with brown face make-up, a turban and robes worn during a school gala event in 2001 while he was a teacher.

And finally,

*)India bans e-cigarettes to promote tobacco farmers

India has banned e-cigarettes, seemingly to protect its tobacco industry … despite the irony.

E-cigarettes have grown in popularity throughout the world and generate around $11 billion dollars per year.

The US is also looking at banning flavoured e-cigarettes, which have been linked to at least seven deaths in the country.

TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, September 18:

*)Israel's leading candidates fail to secure majority

Exit polls in Israel suggest the country's second general election this year is too close to call.

Neither Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party nor his closest rival, Benny Gantz's Blue and White Party, managed to secure a ruling majority.

Depending on the final results, the leading candidate will seek political support in forming a coalition government to lead the country.

*)Taliban says “doors are open” for talks with US

The Taliban has said its “doors are open” should the US want to resume peace talks in the future.

Speaking with the BBC, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban’s chief negotiator, said that negotiations are the only way forward.

Donald Trump recently said peace talks are "dead" a day after two separate Taliban suicide bombings killed at least 48 and wounded 80 others in Afghanistan.

*)Drama set to continue at top UK court over Brexit case

The highest court in the UK will decide whether the suspension of the British parliament was unlawful.

PM Boris Johnson is accused of closing down parliament for five weeks to stop his Brexit plans from being derailed.

Johnson will take the UK out of the EU on October 31 with or without a deal despite legislation requiring him to ask the EU for an extension.

*)New York state ban on flavoured e-cigarettes given final approval

New York becomes the second US state after Michigan to ban the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes.

This comes after a seventh person died in the US from lung-related illness caused by vaping.

Hundreds more are suffering from the illness and the government is determined to ban it countrywide.

And finally,

*)Surprise rescue of Jamaica’s coral reefs shows nature can heal

The coral reefs of Jamaica are getting a new lease on life.

Over the years, 85 percent of the country’s reefs had been lost to overfishing, pollution and hurricanes.

Marine biologists stepped in and placed coral in special sanctuaries, while fishermen were convinced to change their habits.

As a result, more than a dozen coral nurseries and fish havens have now flourished.

TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, September 17:

*)New York prosecutors subpoena Trump's tax returns

New York prosecutors have reportedly subpoenaed US President Trump's tax returns in their investigation into hush money payoffs.

The New York Times reported that Manhattan's district attorney is seeking eight years of Trump’s personal and business returns.

The White House has long refused to turn over Trump's tax returns despite a long-standing practice by past presidents doing so.

*)Israel votes on Netanyahu's political survival

Israelis are voting in a repeat election seen as a referendum on PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

A coalition government could not be formed after the previous election five months ago.

Now, Netanyahu and his rival, Benny Gantz, will go head to head to try and win a majority.

*)Russia, Iran, Turkey say Syrian constitution committee ready

A new constitutional committee for Syria has been announced.

It comes after a three-way summit between Turkey, Russia, and Iran.

There also appears to be a new plan in the pipeline for Idlib, which has seen an increase in violence under a regime offensive.

*)Greta Thunberg wins Amnesty's highest human rights award

Climate activist Greta Thunberg and the Fridays for Future Movement have been honoured by Amnesty International.

The 16-year-old dedicated the award to all those who make up the movement.

The activist is in the US gathering support and calling on students to hold more Friday strikes. She'll also be addressing the UN Climate Summit next week.

And finally,

*)Rescuers save six orcas from Argentinian beach

City workers in Argentina joined marine biologists to rescue a group of stranded Orcas from a beach.

It's not known why the pod of seven decided to swim ashore.

Rescuers managed to guide all but one of the killer whales back into deep water.

*) US ‘locked and loaded’ after attack on Saudi oil plants

A weekend drone attack on Saudi oil facilities threatened to fuel a global crisis as Riyadh halved oil output.

Iran rejected Washington’s accusation that it was behind the strike as President Trump said the US is “locked and loaded” for a response.

Oil prices saw a record surge following the attack that was claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

*)Turkey’s President Erdogan hosts Putin and Rouhani for Syria summit

Turkey’s President Erdogan will host his Russian and Iranian counterparts for the latest in a series of meetings on Syria.

The summit in the capital of Ankara will focus on Syrian refugees, rebel-held Idlib and a political solution to the conflict in the war-torn country.

The Ankara summit is the fifth on the Syrian conflict since 2017.

*)Hong Kong protests see another violent weekend

Hong Kong's businesses and underground rail stations re-opened as usual after a chaotic weekend.

Police on Sunday fired water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who blocked roads and threw petrol bombs outside the government headquarters.

The demonstrations were the latest in over three months of at times violent protests over Beijing’s interference in Hong Kong's affairs.

*)Ebola death toll in DR Congo nears 2,000

The death toll from Ebola has risen to 1,984 in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the outbreak in July 2018.

The DRC Health Ministry said among 3,218 cases of the reported hemorrhagic fever, 3,017 were confirmed as Ebola cases.

Ebola is a tropical fever which first appeared in 1976 in Sudan and the DRC.

*)Spain wins FIBA Basketball World Cup

And finally,

Spain beat Argentina 95-75 to win the FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time since 2006.

The Spaniards scored first and never relinquished the lead, relying on swarming interior defence and superior rebounding.

The win marks the second time Spain has won the tournament on Asian soil, having claimed the 2006 title by beating Greece in Japan.