*) Demonstrators protest outside French Embassy in Vienna against abaya ban

A group of demonstrators have gathered in front of the French Embassy in Vienna to voice opposition in a display of solidarity against a recent ban on abayas in French schools.

Organised as a peaceful protest, participants wore long dresses and carried banners with slogans such as "Abaya is our right and identity", "Do not judge women by their clothing", and "My clothes, my choice."

The protest aimed to express strong disagreement with the decision in France that prohibits the wearing of abayas in educational institutions.

*) Sweden failed to fulfil duties under NATO bid: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized Sweden for failing to meet its obligations under a deal with Türkiye to join NATO, especially in light of recent terrorist protests in Sweden.

Besides drafting new laws to better combat terrorism, Sweden must also enforce the measures in these laws, Erdogan said.

Turkish president says these are evidence of Stockholm's inability to combat terrorism effectively.

*) Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, sign defence pact

Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, three West African Sahel nations ruled by military juntas, have signed a security pact promising to come to the aid of each other in case of any rebellion or external aggression.

"Our priority is the fight against terrorism in the three countries," Mali's Defence Minister Abdoulaye Diop told journalists.

Three countries struggling to contain militant insurgents, relations with neighbours and partners strained by coups.

*) Death toll from Libya floods climbs to 11,300 in Derna — UN

The death toll from the catastrophic flooding in Libya's eastern city of Derna has climbed to 11,300, the United Nations said in an update.

Another 10,100 people are still missing in the devastated city, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said late on Saturday.

Elsewhere in eastern Libya outside Derna, the flooding took an additional 170 lives, the update said.

*) TRT co-production 'Green Border' wins 7 awards at Venice Film Festival

Green Border, a Türkiye's national broadcaster TRT's co-production directed by Polish master Agnieszka Holland, wins 7 awards at the 80th Venice Film Festival, including the Special Jury Prize.

"Green Border" tells the compelling story of refugees on the border between Poland and Belarus.

The film, supported by prestigious European funds, is a collaboration between Türkiye, Poland, France, the Czech Republic, and Belgium.

*) UN calls for $71M in urgent aid for Libya flood victims

The United Nations is urgently seeking more than $71 million to assist those most in need after deadly flash floods swept Libya over the weekend.

Hurricane-strength Storm Daniel slammed into Libya on September 10th, killing 11,300 people according to the Libyan Red Crescent.

In a flash appeal on Thursday, the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA said it expects the final body count to be much higher.

*) 11 ex-cops convicted in Mexico over killing of 17 migrants near US border

Eleven former police officers in Mexico have been found guilty in the murder of 17 migrants who were shot and burned near the United States border.

The prosecutor's office said it had "managed to obtain a conviction" against 11 police officers charged with homicide, while another one was found guilty of abuse of office.

The victims "lost their lives due to gunshot wounds and were subsequently incinerated", the prosecutor's statement read.

*) Key Afghan-Pakistan border post reopens week after forces trade fire

The Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan has reopened to pedestrians and vehicles.

This comes more than a week after it was closed following a gun-battle between frontier guards of the two neighbours.

The border is a constant source of friction between the two nations, with Islamabad frequently complaining that Kabul has failed to secure its frontier.

*) Zelenskyy expected to visit US as Congress debates $21B in aid

In the latest in the Ukraine war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected on Capitol Hill and at the White House next week.

Zelenskyy's trip comes as Congress is debating providing as much as $21 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine as it fights against Russia.

Biden has sought a package of $13 billion in additional military aid for Ukraine and $8 billion for humanitarian support.

And finally…

*) NASA to name UFO research head as panel urges more study

NASA has said it is naming a new director of research into what the government calls "unidentified anomalous phenomenon" or UAP.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson made the announcement after an expert panel issued a report calling on the agency to increase its efforts to gather information on UAP – commonly called UFOs.

The new director will also help NASA play a larger role in helping the Pentagon detect UFOs.

*) Flood death toll in Libya's Derna city could reach 20,000

The estimated number of deaths from devastating floods in Libya's eastern city of Derna could reach 18,000 to 20,000, Derna's mayor has said.

It comes as Libya continues to reel from a massive flood that left nearly 4,000 dead and thousands more missing, wreaking havoc in the eastern city of Derna, where bodies wrapped in blankets lined the ravaged streets.

The United Nations has pledged $10 million in support for survivors, including at least 30,000 people it said had been left homeless in Derna.

*) Russia's Putin accepts Kim's invitation to visit North Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to his country, during their talks in Russia, Pyongyang's state media reported, adding Putin accepted the invitation.

Kim told Putin the meeting in Russia's Far East brought bilateral ties to a new level, and expressed his willingness to foster stable, future-oriented relations for the next 100 years.

Both sides agreed to further strengthen strategic and tactical cooperation in the face of the "military threats, provocations and tyranny of imperialists," the state media said.

*) European Parliament's Türkiye report based on 'disinformation'

Türkiye has slammed the European Parliament's 2022 report on the country, saying it is filled with "disinformation" and its claims are disconnected from historical and legal realities.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said that the report is filled with unjust accusations and prejudices which is a reflection of the European Parliament's usual shallow and non-visionary approach towards Türkiye and the EU’s future.

It also noted that Türkiye considers it unreasonable for the EU to bring up different approaches, instead of the accession negotiations, at this critical time, for the stability and security of the continent.

*) Rights groups flag 'dire situation' for asylum-seekers in Britain

Families seeking asylum in the UK face inadequate living conditions in government-provided temporary housing, affecting their mental and physical health and access to children's education, two leading human rights groups have said.

Releasing a new 100-page report, based on joint research with UK groups Just Fair and Human Rights Watch, said they found the "dire" living conditions were the result of "longstanding policy failings".

Many asylum-seekers said they had spent months in temporary housing, despite a government target to move families to longer-term accommodation, within 19 days, according to the report.

And finally…

*) US tech industry bosses endorse regulating AI at rare Washington summit

The United States' biggest technology executives have loosely endorsed the idea of government regulations, for artificial intelligence, at an unusual closed-door meeting in the US Senate.

But there is little consensus on what the regulations would look like, and the political path for legislation appears difficult.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said everyone in the room— including almost two dozen tech executives, advocates and skeptics — approved that the government should have a role in the oversight of artificial intelligence.

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, September 13th.

*) Death toll from devastating Libya floods tops 5,000 in Derna alone

The death toll from devastating floods in Libya’s eastern city of Derna has risen to 5,300, the country’s official news agency reported.

Earlier the International Committee of the Red Cross said that more than 10,000 people have been reported missing following the devastating floods.

Initial reports indicate that dozens of villages and towns were submerged by the deadly floods caused by Storm Daniel that struck eastern Libya on Sunday.

*) North Korea fires ballistic missiles as Putin welcomes Kim Jong-un in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at a cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East.

Their meeting underscores how the two leaders’ interests are aligning in the face of their separate, intensifying confrontations with the United States.

Hours earlier, North Korea fired two ballistic missiles toward the sea, extending a highly provocative run in North Korean weapons testing since the start of 2022

*) Morocco’s king visits earthquake survivors, donates blood

Morocco’s king has shown solidarity with his suffering nation as it counts the dead from a powerful earthquake.

King Mohammed VI visited some of the injured at a hospital not far from the epicentre and rolled up a sleeve to donate his royal blood.

The earthquake, with its epicentre in the Atlas Mountains, took the lives of more than 2,900 people and injured more than 2,000 others.

*) Crimea’s Sevastopol under Ukrainian attack — Russian official

In the latest in the Ukraine war, Ukraine has carried out a missile attack on Sevastopol in Crimea, wounding at least 24 people.

The Moscow-installed governor of the port city said that the missile attack caused a fire at a “non-civilian facility”.

Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in a broadly condemned move in 2014.

And finally…

*) What’s at stake as Republicans seek to open impeachment inquiry into Biden?

US President Joe Biden is set to face an impeachment inquiry.

The investigation, instigated by the Republicans, will focus on the business dealings of the president’s son Hunter Biden.

The White House has dismissed allegations of wrong-doing as baseless and accused the Republicans of “extreme politics at its worst”.

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 Tuesday, September 12th.

*) Thousands reportedly dead after devastating floods in eastern Libya

The confirmed death toll from floods in the eastern Libyan city of Derna has risen above 2,000, local media reported.

Thousands are believed to be missing after Storm Daniel swept several areas in eastern Libya, Libyan News Agency (LANA) reported.

It also reported that entire residential blocks were erased after they were swept away by the floods in Derna.

*) Over 100,000 children affected by powerful Morocco earthquake as toll mounts

Over 100,000 children have been affected by the powerful earthquake that struck Morocco last Friday, the UN Children’s Agency UNICEF has said.

More than 300,000 people have been impacted in Marrakesh and in the High Atlas Mountains following the 6.8 magnitude earthquake, according to UN estimates.

Over 2,800 people have been killed, including children, with thousands more injured, said the country’s Interior Ministry.

Authorities fear that these numbers are only likely to increase.

*) Kim Jong-un in Russia for talks with Putin amid US warning on arms sale

North Korea’s Kim Jong-un is in Russia on a rare overseas trip ahead of a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.

Kim has not travelled outside the North since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. But his last proper overseas trip was in 2019, which was also to Russia to meet Putin.

The latest meeting has sparked warnings from Washington over a possible arms deal for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

*) US mulls providing long-range missiles to Ukraine

In the latest in the Ukraine war, the Biden administration is close to approving the shipment of longer-range missiles packed with cluster bombs to Ukraine.

This would give Kiev the ability to cause significant damage deeper within Russian-controlled territory, according to US officials.

Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his allies urged Ukrainians to keep their focus squarely on the war effort 18 months into Russia’s attacks.

And finally…

*) Nine small island nations take ocean protection case to UN court

The UN maritime court will hear a landmark case brought by a group of small island states seeking protection from the climate crisis.

The nine island states have turned to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to determine if carbon dioxide emissions absorbed by the oceans can be considered pollution.

Ocean ecosystems create half the oxygen humans breathe and limit global warming by absorbing much of the carbon dioxide emitted by human activities.

But increasing emissions can warm and acidify seawaters, harming marine life.

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 Monday, September 11.

*) Morocco welcomes limited international rescue teams as time runs out

Rescue teams and residents have been scouring the rubble of buildings in the west of Morocco, as the death toll from Friday's earthquake continues to climb.

The number of dead is now officially at 2,122 but that's expected to rise.

The United Nations estimates 300,000 people have been affected by the earthquake.

Three days of mourning began on Sunday, as the government announced it will begin accepting some international offers of help.

*) Fresh clashes in Lebanon's Palestinian refugee camp leave many dead, injured

Five people have been killed in renewed clashes between rival Palestinian groups in the Ein El Hilweh refugee camp in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese media.

Fifty-two other people were also injured in the violence that erupted between the Fatah movement and armed groups in the camp on Sunday, the National News Agency reported.

Fighting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement and other armed factions has rocked the El Hilweh refugee camp since Friday.

*) Russia 'destroys' two Ukrainian drones over Belgorod region

In the latest in the Ukraine war, Russia has said it destroyed two Ukrainian drones close to the border in the Belgorod region. No casualties were reported.

The Ministry of Defence said the incident involved two unmanned aerial vehicles and took place early on Sunday.

The Belgorod regional governor said the drones were "shot down" over the Yakovlevsky district, which lies to the north and west of the city.

*) Thousands rally in Greece as anger mounts against biometric ID cards

Thousands of Greeks have rallied in Athens against the impending introduction of biometric ID cards, denouncing what they see as a move towards a surveillance society.

The Greek government announced last week that the procedure for obtaining new identity cards would begin on September 25, citing the country’s obligation to comply with European regulations.

All members of the European Union must issue new biometric cards by 2026 in line with a 2019 treaty.

And finally…

*) Spanish football chief Rubiales to step down after kiss row

Suspended Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales has said he will resign from his post because of a scandal caused by forcibly kissing a Women's World Cup player.

Rubiales said he is going to resign in an interview with television show "Piers Morgan Uncensored".

He sparked a worldwide backlash after forcibly kissing midfielder Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony following Spain's World Cup triumph in Sydney last month.

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

*) Twin attacks in Mali leave civilians, soldiers dead

At least 49 civilians and 15 soldiers have been killed when militants attacked a military camp and a vessel in northeastern Mali, the interim government has said.

Many more also were wounded and the death toll was provisional, according to the statement.

Insurgents attacked a boat carrying civilians on flooded plains between Gao and Mopti.

Assailants also attacked a military base in the Bourem Circle, an administrative subdivision of the Gao region in Mali's northeast.

*) North Korea launches new 'tactical nuclear attack' submarine

North Korea has built a "tactical nuclear attack submarine" as part of its effort to strengthen its naval force, according to the state news agency.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over the unveiling ceremony on Wednesday, saying the new sub was part of a "push forward with the nuclear weaponisation of the Navy in the future."

The launching of the submarine, named the Hero Kim Kun Ok, "heralded the beginning of a new chapter for bolstering up the naval force” of North Korea.

*) Clashes rock Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon

Clashes have broken out in a restive Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon that was rocked by deadly fighting just weeks ago, according to AFP news agency.

Automatic weapon fire and rocket launchers were heard in the country’s southern city of Sidon.

Ein El Hilweh is home to more than 54,000 registered refugees.

*) Hong Kong hit by heaviest rainfall in 140 years

Hong Kong has been flooded by the heaviest rainfall in nearly 140 years, leaving the city's streets and some subway stations underwater and forcing its schools to close.

The heavy rainfall in Hong Kong started on Thursday and in the hour leading up to midnight, the city's weather observatory recorded hourly rainfall of 158.1 millimetres at its headquarters, the highest since records began in 1884.

Authorities issued flash flood warnings, with emergency services conducting rescue operations in parts of the territory. It also warned of potential landslides, telling motorists to "keep away from steep slopes or retaining walls".

And finally…

*) Giant refugee puppet 'Little Amal' begins journey across US

Little Amal, a 12-foot puppet of a Syrian refugee, has begun its journey across the United States.

During the trip, which started on Thursday from Boston, the puppet and its puppeteers plan to visit key places in American history to raise awareness about refugees and migration.

She has become a global symbol for human rights.The name "Amal" means hope in Arabic.

The puppet will visit the US Capitol and the trek will end on November 5 along the US-Mexico border, according to the WalkWithAmal organisation.

*) US announces new Ukraine aid totalling over $1B

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced new aid for Ukraine, totalling more than 1 billion dollars in a visit to Kiev, in new military and civilian security assistance, also in support for Ukraine's air defences and other areas.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba [dee-MEET-ro COOL-eh-bah] told top US diplomat Antony Blinken that Washington's support was "not charity", as Ukraine presses ahead with its counteroffensive against Russia.

*) Over 5M people displaced by months-long conflict in Sudan: IOM

More than 5 million people have now been displaced by the months-long fighting in Sudan, as clashes between the country’s military and a rival paramilitary force, show no sign of easing.

According to the International Organization for Migration, over 4 million people have been internally displaced since the conflict erupted in mid-April,- while another 1.1 million have fled to neighbouring countries.

More than 750,000 have travelled to either Egypt or Chad.

*) WHO: Bangladesh facing most severe dengue outbreak on record

Bangladesh is experiencing its most severe dengue outbreak on record, the World Health Organization has said, partly blaming the climate crisis for contributing to the spread of such mosquito-borne diseases.

WHO chief told an online press conference that more than 300 deaths from dengue were reported last month alone, saying "The outbreak is putting huge pressure on the health system."

While cases were beginning to decline in the capital Dhaka, they were increasing in other parts of the country, he added.

*) Biden bars oil and gas drilling in vast swath of Alaska

US President Joe Biden's administration has announced it is banning new oil and gas drilling, over a vast region of Alaska that is significant for Indigenous communities, and home to iconic animal species.

The decision follows a controversial move by the US government earlier in the year to greenlight a ConocoPhillips project in the same area.

The new prohibition covers over 10 million acres, or 40 percent, of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, an ecologically important region for grizzly and polar bears, caribou and hundreds of thousands of migratory birds.

*) 2023 summer broke global record for highest heat ever measured — WMO

the World Meteorological Organization said that earth sweltered through its hottest Northern Hemisphere summer ever measured, with a record-warm August capping a season of brutal and deadly temperatures.

Last month was not only the hottest August scientists ever recorded by far, with modern equipment, but it was also the second hottest month measured, behind only July 2023.

August was about 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial averages.

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, September 6th.

*) Top court to deliver verdict on abaya ban in French schools

The highest French court will deliver its verdict in the next hours on an appeal against the government’s abaya dress ban in schools.

A lawyer for the Muslim Rights Action filed an appeal with the Council of State to seek the suspension of the ban on the abaya — a loose-fitting, full-length robe worn by some Muslim students at school.

The lawyer said barring students from entering schools because of the abaya is a violation of privacy and personal freedom.

*) Ex-Proud Boys chief Enrique Tarrio gets 22 years in jail for Capitol riots

Former Proud Boys leader, Enrique Tarrio, has been sentenced to 22 years in prison, the longest sentence yet in the Capitol rampage, on January 6, 2021.

Tarrio’s sentence is one among more than 1,100 Capitol riot cases.

It comes as the Justice Department prepares to put former president Donald Trump on trial at the same courthouse in Washington, on charges that the then-president illegally schemed to cling on to power.

*) Saudi, Iran exchange envoys as part of China-brokered deal

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Iran has arrived in Iran, and his counterpart landed in Riyadh, cementing a restoration of ties between the Gulf rivals after a seven-year rupture mended by China.

Saudi Arabia’s leadership recognises the “importance of strengthening ties, increasing engagement ... and taking the [relationship] to broader horizons,” The Saudi ambassador said upon his arrival in Tehran.

Also, Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia arrived in the capital Riyadh, where he was received by Foreign Ministry officials and embassy staff.

*) DPRK to ‘pay a price’ if it supplies Russia weaponry: US

The White House has warned that North Korea would “pay a price” if it supplies Russia with weaponry for its war in Ukraine, with Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin expected to hold talks on the issue.

US President Joe Biden’s national security advisor said Pyongyang and Moscow were eyeing “leader-level discussions, perhaps even in person” on Russia’s arms needs.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday it was unable to confirm a summit between Putin and Kim.

And finally…

*) Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon falls 66% in August

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell by 66 percent in August versus the same month last year, the government said, calling it a sign its environmental policies are working.

That followed a similar year-on-year drop of 66 percent in July — both crucial months in the Amazon, where deforestation typically surges this time of year with the onset of drier weather.

Ex-president Bolsonaro, an ally of the powerful agribusiness industry blamed for driving the destruction, presided over a sharp increase in deforestation in the Amazon from 2019 to 2022.

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

*) Black Sea grain deal should be resumed by correcting deficiencies: Erdogan

The Black Sea Grain Initiative should be resumed by addressing deficiencies that hampered the suspended deal, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said following a highly anticipated meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

The two leaders discussed current regional and global issues, as well as bilateral ties. The revival of last year's historic Black Sea grain deal that helped ease the global food crisis was a top issue.

On a joint proposal for grain shipments prepared with the UN,

Erdogan said Türkiye would "reach a solution that will meet expectations within a short time."

*) Niger’s military govt aims for French withdrawal, deal with ECOWAS

Niger's military-appointed prime minister has said he saw hopes of a deal "in the coming days" with the Economic Community of West African States, which has threatened to use force to restore civilian rule after a coup in July.

He also said that "contacts" were underway over a "very swift" pullout of French forces from Niger after ties with France spiralled downwards following the military takeover.

The African bloc has slapped hefty sanctions against Niger after rebel soldiers on July 26 overthrew Mohamed Bazoum, the country's democratically-elected president.

*) UN ‘alarmed’ by number of injuries in Eritrean clashes in Israel

The United Nations' rights chief Volker Turk has said he was "alarmed" by the high number of injuries during recent clashes in Israel involving Eritrean protesters.

Trouble erupted when a demonstration against an Eritrean government event turned violent, injuring nearly 140 people, including a dozen Eritrean asylum seekers who were hit by Israeli police gunfire.

According to June’s statistics, there are 17,850 Eritrean asylum seekers in Israel.

*) Pakistan PM: US arms left behind in Afghanistan are in militant hands

Pakistan's caretaker prime minister has said that US military equipment left behind during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan has fallen into militant hands and ultimately made its way to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.

The equipment is now “emerging as a new challenge” for Islamabad as it has enhanced the fighting capabilities of the TTP, Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar said.

*) Australia rescues ailing Antarctic researcher in daunting mission

An Australian who fell ill at a remote Antarctic base is returning home on an icebreaker, following a daunting mission to rescue him, authorities said.

The man was working at the Casey research station, when he suffered from what authorities described as a developing medical condition that needed specialist assessment and care.

Two helicopters were deployed from the deck and arrived at the base to rescue the man. He is expected to arrive in Australia next week.