This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, August 13th.

Turkey to ease markets with action plan

Turkey’s Finance Minister says an action plan is being implemented to stabilise the lira.

Berat Albayrak described the fluctuations in the lira as an attack by the US.

He also said Turkey would not seize foreign currency accounts.

The Turkish currency fell to a new record low in Asian trading on Monday.

Turkey's Central Bank meanwhile announced measures to stabilise the economy.

It says it will provide all the liquidity banks need to do their work.

Roubles for oil

Russia says it’s considering taking roubles as payment for oil instead of US dollars.

Responding to new US sanctions, Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said the dollar is a risky trade tool.

The ministry also announced it will reduce its holdings of US securities and begin using roubles and other currencies, rather than dollars in settlements.

Government fights for control in Afghanistan’s Ghazni

Afghan special forces have joined the battle in Ghazni to try to beat back the Taliban, who launched an assault on the city on Friday.

Afghan officials said US special force units were also involved, helping coordinate air strikes.

Ghazni is a strategic centre linking the capital Kabul with southern Afghanistan.

Dozens of casualties have been reported on both side in the ongoing battle.

Floods in India's Kerala state kill at least 39

Flash floods in India's southern Kerala state have killed at least 39 people and displaced around 36,000.

Heavy monsoon rains have caused landslides, and led to reservoirs overflowing in many areas.

The army has joined rescue efforts.

White supremacist rally washed out

And finally,

Heavy rain helped wash out a white supremacist rally in Washington on Sunday.

'Unite the Right 2' was organised on the anniversary of a racist rally in Charlottesville last year in which one anti-fascist was killed.

Counter protesters easily outnumbered the two dozen neo-Nazis who turned up for the Washington event.

A heavy police presence also helped keep the white supremacists in check.

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, August 13th.

Turkey to ease markets with action plan

Turkey’s Finance Minister says an action plan is being implemented to stabilise the lira.

Berat Albayrak described the fluctuations in the lira as an attack by the US.

He also said Turkey would not seize foreign currency accounts.

The Turkish currency fell to a new record low in Asian trading on Monday.

Turkey's Central Bank meanwhile announced measures to stabilise the economy.

It says it will provide all the liquidity banks need to do their work.

Roubles for oil

Russia says it’s considering taking roubles as payment for oil instead of US dollars.

Responding to new US sanctions, Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said the dollar is a risky trade tool.

The ministry also announced it will reduce its holdings of US securities and begin using roubles and other currencies, rather than dollars in settlements.

Government fights for control in Afghanistan’s Ghazni

Afghan special forces have joined the battle in Ghazni to try to beat back the Taliban, who launched an assault on the city on Friday.

Afghan officials said US special force units were also involved, helping coordinate air strikes.

Ghazni is a strategic centre linking the capital Kabul with southern Afghanistan.

Dozens of casualties have been reported on both side in the ongoing battle.

Floods in India's Kerala state kill at least 39

Flash floods in India's southern Kerala state have killed at least 39 people and displaced around 36,000.

Heavy monsoon rains have caused landslides, and led to reservoirs overflowing in many areas.

The army has joined rescue efforts.

White supremacist rally washed out

And finally,

Heavy rain helped wash out a white supremacist rally in Washington on Sunday.

'Unite the Right 2' was organised on the anniversary of a racist rally in Charlottesville last year in which one anti-fascist was killed.

Counter protesters easily outnumbered the two dozen neo-Nazis who turned up for the Washington event.

A heavy police presence also helped keep the white supremacists in check.

UN calls for an investigation into Yemen air strike

UN chief Antonio Guterres is calling for a probe into a Saudi-led coalition air strike in Yemen that killed dozens of children.

Twenty-nine children were among over 50 people killed, when the coalition hit a busy market and school bus in Saada province.

The area is held by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The coalition says the strike was a "legitimate military action."

Turkey to reveal new economic plan

Turkey's government is to unveil a new economic model today.

Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak wants to secure economic growth of 3 to 4 percent in 2019.

He also wants to rein in inflation and turn around the lira, which hit a record low ahead of Friday's announcement.

Cleric Sadr wins Iraq vote recount

A manual recount of votes in Iraq confirms that the alliance of Shia cleric Muqtada al Sadr won most seats in Iraq's election in May.

This puts Sadr in a good position to play a central role in forming the country's next government.

But who will actually be in it, is unclear, with the major parties still negotiating over its makeup.

Ryanair pilots go on strike

Tens of thousands of passengers were hit by transport chaos on Friday as Ryanair pilots across Europe went on strike.

The no-frills Irish airline cancelled 400 out of 2400 [twenty-four hundred] flights.

About 55,000 passengers are affected, and it's the peak of the busy summer season.

US unveils Space Force

And finally,

The White House has announced a US Space Force, with plans to make it a sixth branch of the US military by 2020.

It's unclear what inspired the move. The Trump adminstration says it's looking at a growing Russian and Chinese threat.

We think they've probably been watching Starship Troopers.

UN calls for an investigation into Yemen air strike

UN chief Antonio Guterres is calling for a probe into a Saudi-led coalition air strike in Yemen that killed dozens of children.

Twenty-nine children were among over 50 people killed, when the coalition hit a busy market and school bus in Saada province.

The area is held by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The coalition says the strike was a "legitimate military action."

Turkey to reveal new economic plan

Turkey's government is to unveil a new economic model today.

Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak wants to secure economic growth of 3 to 4 percent in 2019.

He also wants to rein in inflation and turn around the lira, which hit a record low ahead of Friday's announcement.

Cleric Sadr wins Iraq vote recount

A manual recount of votes in Iraq confirms that the alliance of Shia cleric Muqtada al Sadr won most seats in Iraq's election in May.

This puts Sadr in a good position to play a central role in forming the country's next government.

But who will actually be in it, is unclear, with the major parties still negotiating over its makeup.

Ryanair pilots go on strike

Tens of thousands of passengers were hit by transport chaos on Friday as Ryanair pilots across Europe went on strike.

The no-frills Irish airline cancelled 400 out of 2400 [twenty-four hundred] flights.

About 55,000 passengers are affected, and it's the peak of the busy summer season.

US unveils Space Force

And finally,

The White House has announced a US Space Force, with plans to make it a sixth branch of the US military by 2020.

It's unclear what inspired the move. The Trump adminstration says it's looking at a growing Russian and Chinese threat.

We think they've probably been watching Starship Troopers.

Third earthquake hits Indonesia’s Lombok

The Indonesian island of Lombok was shaken by a third big earthquake on Thursday. It was the third tremor in little more than a week.

The 5.9 aftershock caused panic, with people running onto streets as some buildings collapsed.

The series of tremors started on Sunday. The death toll is now more than 220, with some officials putting the number closer to 400.

Lombok is a popular tourist destination. It's now facing a humanitarian crisis. Tens of thousands of people are homeless, and many more need clean water, food, medicine and shelter.

Israel kills pregnant woman, child in Gaza attacks

Israel has carried out a wave of attacks on the Gaza strip, killing three Palestinians and wounding 12 others.

Among the dead were a pregnant woman, her 1-year-old daughter and a Hamas official. That's according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel said it was responding to a barrage of rockets fired into Israeli territory. Most of them fell on open land, and seven people were wounded.

Argentina Senate rejects legalising abortion

Argentina's senate has voted 38 to 31 against a bill that would have legalised abortion.

The bill narrowly passed the lower house in July. It would have given women the right to seek an abortion into the 14th week of pregnancy.

Support for legal abortion is growing in Argentina, where doctors say there are about 350,000 illegal abortions every year.

In strongly Catholic Latin America, only Cuba and Uruguay have broadly legalised abortion.

Turkey-US talks

Talks to address issues complicating Turkey's relations with the US have ended in Washington without any apparent resolution.

However, the US state department said the conversations would continue.

The Turkish delegation headed to the US after relations slumped over Trump's support for an American pastor charged with espionage, the failure of the US to extradite the leader of the FETO terrorist organisation, and continued US suport for YPG terrorists in Syria.

Rashida Tlaib is poised to become first Muslim woman in US Congress

And finally,

Rashida Tlaib, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, is poised to become the first Muslim woman in the US Congress.

The 42-year-old former social worker won a Democratic primary in a safe Detroit seat.

She was once detained for disrupting a speech by Donald Trump. She says his election as president was a "bat signal" for all women.

Third earthquake hits Indonesia’s Lombok

The Indonesian island of Lombok was shaken by a third big earthquake on Thursday. It was the third tremor in little more than a week.

The 5.9 aftershock caused panic, with people running onto streets as some buildings collapsed.

The series of tremors started on Sunday. The death toll is now more than 220, with some officials putting the number closer to 400.

Lombok is a popular tourist destination. It's now facing a humanitarian crisis. Tens of thousands of people are homeless, and many more need clean water, food, medicine and shelter.

Israel kills pregnant woman, child in Gaza attacks

Israel has carried out a wave of attacks on the Gaza strip, killing three Palestinians and wounding 12 others.

Among the dead were a pregnant woman, her 1-year-old daughter and a Hamas official. That's according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel said it was responding to a barrage of rockets fired into Israeli territory. Most of them fell on open land, and seven people were wounded.

Argentina Senate rejects legalising abortion

Argentina's senate has voted 38 to 31 against a bill that would have legalised abortion.

The bill narrowly passed the lower house in July. It would have given women the right to seek an abortion into the 14th week of pregnancy.

Support for legal abortion is growing in Argentina, where doctors say there are about 350,000 illegal abortions every year.

In strongly Catholic Latin America, only Cuba and Uruguay have broadly legalised abortion.

Turkey-US talks

Talks to address issues complicating Turkey's relations with the US have ended in Washington without any apparent resolution.

However, the US state department said the conversations would continue.

The Turkish delegation headed to the US after relations slumped over Trump's support for an American pastor charged with espionage, the failure of the US to extradite the leader of the FETO terrorist organisation, and continued US suport for YPG terrorists in Syria.

Rashida Tlaib is poised to become first Muslim woman in US Congress

And finally,

Rashida Tlaib, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, is poised to become the first Muslim woman in the US Congress.

The 42-year-old former social worker won a Democratic primary in a safe Detroit seat.

She was once detained for disrupting a speech by Donald Trump. She says his election as president was a "bat signal" for all women.

Former Malaysian PM pleads not guilty to money laundering

Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak [Na-JIB RAR-zuk] has pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges.

Najib was in court on Wednesday. He was charged as part of a probe into millions, if not billions, of dollars missing from state fund 1MDB.

Najib was previously charged with breach of trust and abuse of power in relation to the scandal that brought down his government in a May election.

Turkey sends delegation to Washington

Ankara is sending a high-level delegation to Washington in a bid to resolve tensions between the two countries.

The delegation will be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal.

Relations between the NATO allies have soured over differences on Syria, US support for an American pastor charged with espionage, and the failure of the US to extradite Fetullah Gulen, head of the FETO terrorist organisation.

Canada’s row with Saudi Arabia deepens

Canada's spat with Saudi Arabia over human rights could get costly for Ottawa.

Riyadh is moving all its nationals in Canada for medical care out of the country.

It's also suspending support for Saudi students studying in Canada, which means universities there could suffer. And Saudia Airlines has already suspended all flights.

It all started with Canadian support for women's rights activists arrested in Saudi Arabia, and both sides say they're not backing down.

Thousands displaced after indonesian earthquakes

The death toll in Indonesia's latest earthquake has climbed to 131, with many people still missing.

Over 150,000 people have been displaced, with many in need of aid.

Rescuers are also digging into the rubble of a collapsed mosque where there are fears of dozens more dead.

Japanese university has its #MeToo moment

And finally,

A Japanese university has apologised for doctoring its scores to keep women out of medical school.

Tokyo medical university has been lowering the entrance exam scores of women, while raising those of men, and even putting through men who failed the exam.

It's been going on for a decade.

And this in a country where many women - like women in many countries - just can't seem to get ahead, no matter how smart they are, and how hard they're willing to work.

Former Malaysian PM pleads not guilty to money laundering

Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak [Na-JIB RAR-zuk] has pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges.

Najib was in court on Wednesday. He was charged as part of a probe into millions, if not billions, of dollars missing from state fund 1MDB.

Najib was previously charged with breach of trust and abuse of power in relation to the scandal that brought down his government in a May election.

Turkey sends delegation to Washington

Ankara is sending a high-level delegation to Washington in a bid to resolve tensions between the two countries.

The delegation will be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal.

Relations between the NATO allies have soured over differences on Syria, US support for an American pastor charged with espionage, and the failure of the US to extradite Fetullah Gulen, head of the FETO terrorist organisation.

Canada’s row with Saudi Arabia deepens

Canada's spat with Saudi Arabia over human rights could get costly for Ottawa.

Riyadh is moving all its nationals in Canada for medical care out of the country.

It's also suspending support for Saudi students studying in Canada, which means universities there could suffer. And Saudia Airlines has already suspended all flights.

It all started with Canadian support for women's rights activists arrested in Saudi Arabia, and both sides say they're not backing down.

Thousands displaced after indonesian earthquakes

The death toll in Indonesia's latest earthquake has climbed to 131, with many people still missing.

Over 150,000 people have been displaced, with many in need of aid.

Rescuers are also digging into the rubble of a collapsed mosque where there are fears of dozens more dead.

Japanese university has its #MeToo moment

And finally,

A Japanese university has apologised for doctoring its scores to keep women out of medical school.

Tokyo medical university has been lowering the entrance exam scores of women, while raising those of men, and even putting through men who failed the exam.

It's been going on for a decade.

And this in a country where many women - like women in many countries - just can't seem to get ahead, no matter how smart they are, and how hard they're willing to work.

US renews sanctions on Iran

The US has renewed economic sanctions on Iran.

The restrictions range from Iran’s ability to trade in precious metals and coal, to the purchasing of US dollars and oil exports.

The US move comes after President Trump ripped up a 7-country nuclear deal in May.

Most of the other signatories to the 2015 nuclear agreement are hoping to keep it alive in one way or another.

Turkey is not a signatory. But it says it will continue to do business as usual with Iran.

Turkey and US at odds

It's not just Iran where Turkey is at odds with the US.

Washington's failure to extradite FETO leader Fetullah Gulen and Trump's support for American pastor Andrew Brunson, who's accused of terror links, are also damaging ties.

And the Turkish lira traded to an historic low on Monday as the US is now threatening to block duty-free entry for Turkish imports.

Rick Gates says Paul Manafort was in on it

In the US, the trial of Paul Manafort continues with the testimony of a longtime associate of the US president's former campaign manager.

Rick Gates says he helped Manafort file false tax returns and hide his foreign bank accounts.

Gates is the prosecution's star witness against Trump's former campaign manager. Manafort faces 18 counts of alleged banking and tax fraud.

DRC get much needed ebola vaccines

Authorities plan to start doing Ebola vaccinations in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo from Wednesday.

At least 33 people have been killed by the latest outbreak of the disease, while almost 1,000 people are thought to be infected.

The experimental vaccine is made by Merck. It proved successful in its first large scale deployment less than two weeks ago in the region.

California wildfire largest in state's history

And finally,

The US state of California is facing the largest wildfire in its history, after two fires are now being treated as one.

The blaze has already destroyed an area almost the size of Los Angeles.

But, it's been less destructive so far than last year's record fire, because it's mostly raging in remote areas.

However, officials say over 11,000 buildings are threatened and they've ordered new evacuations.

US renews sanctions on Iran

The US has renewed economic sanctions on Iran.

The restrictions range from Iran’s ability to trade in precious metals and coal, to the purchasing of US dollars and oil exports.

The US move comes after President Trump ripped up a 7-country nuclear deal in May.

Most of the other signatories to the 2015 nuclear agreement are hoping to keep it alive in one way or another.

Turkey is not a signatory. But it says it will continue to do business as usual with Iran.

Turkey and US at odds

It's not just Iran where Turkey is at odds with the US.

Washington's failure to extradite FETO leader Fetullah Gulen and Trump's support for American pastor Andrew Brunson, who's accused of terror links, are also damaging ties.

And the Turkish lira traded to an historic low on Monday as the US is now threatening to block duty-free entry for Turkish imports.

Rick Gates says Paul Manafort was in on it

In the US, the trial of Paul Manafort continues with the testimony of a longtime associate of the US president's former campaign manager.

Rick Gates says he helped Manafort file false tax returns and hide his foreign bank accounts.

Gates is the prosecution's star witness against Trump's former campaign manager. Manafort faces 18 counts of alleged banking and tax fraud.

DRC get much needed ebola vaccines

Authorities plan to start doing Ebola vaccinations in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo from Wednesday.

At least 33 people have been killed by the latest outbreak of the disease, while almost 1,000 people are thought to be infected.

The experimental vaccine is made by Merck. It proved successful in its first large scale deployment less than two weeks ago in the region.

California wildfire largest in state's history

And finally,

The US state of California is facing the largest wildfire in its history, after two fires are now being treated as one.

The blaze has already destroyed an area almost the size of Los Angeles.

But, it's been less destructive so far than last year's record fire, because it's mostly raging in remote areas.

However, officials say over 11,000 buildings are threatened and they've ordered new evacuations.