Friday, December 14, 2018


The US Senate rebukes Trump over Saudi Arabia, and space tourism moves a step closer.

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, December 14th.

US Senate rebukes Trump on Saudi Arabia

The US Senate has voted to end US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen in a rebuke to Trump and Saudi Arabia, a long-time ally.

The resolution also blamed Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Seven of the president's fellow Republicans joined Senate Democrats to back the measure.

Yemen's warring parties agree to Hudaida ceasefire

Yemen's warring parties have agreed to cease fighting for the Houthi-held port city of Hudaida and withdraw their troops.

The breakthrough came at UN-sponsored talks in Sweden.

The next step will be implementation.

If it's successful it will be the first major de-escalation in a war that pits a Saudi-led coalition against Iran-linked rebels, and has brought ruin to the country.

Turkey launches air strikes in Syria

Turkey has carried out air strikes on the northern Syrian region of Afrin after the death of one its soldiers.

The ministry of defence says he was killed by YPG terrorists.

The incident came a day after President Erdogan said a new operation against the YPG in Syria was imminent.

Police kill suspected Strasbourg shooter

The suspected gunman who killed three people at a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg was shot dead on Thursday in a gun battle with police.

Twenty-nine-year-old Cherif Chekatt died close to the area where he allegedly carried out his attack on Tuesday.

Virgin Galactic sends first ship to space in test

And finally,

Space tourism is a step closer after Virgin Galactic successfully tested its vehicle high above California on Thursday.

For the first time the rocket ship reached the boundary of space, some 80 kilometres above the Earth.

So far over 600 people have signed up for the ride, which isn't cheap, at some quarter of a million dollars for a ticket.

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

Thursday, December 13, 2018


A train crash in Turkey kills at least nine, and 'A Star is Born' emerges as an Oscars front runner.

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Thursday, December 13th.

At least 9 dead in Ankara train crash

At least nine people were killed and dozens more injured when a high speed train crashed into another train in Turkey's capital Ankara early on Thursday.

Rescue work is still underway at the accident site.

A local official said the express train hit a locomotive that had been carrying out a track inspection.

US voices concern over Turkey's planned operation in Syria

The US is voicing grave concern over an operation Turkey is planning in northeastern Syria against the YPG / PKK.

On Wednesday, President Erdogan said the operation was imminent.

Turkey and the US are at odds over US support for the SDF in its battle against Daesh.

The SDF is dominated by the YPG, which is the Syrian arm of the PKK, a group the NATO allies agree is a terrorist organisation.

May vows to deliver Brexit after surviving challenge

British Prime Minister Theresa May has survived a no-confidence vote within the governing Conservative Party over her handling of Brexit.

But the EU says it won't renegotiate the draft deal. And May's critics aren't likely to stop carping.

So the divorce proceedings will continue and could get even uglier.

Trump ex-lawyer Cohen sentenced to three years in prison

A New York judge has sentenced US President Donald Trump's former lawyer and fixer to three years in prison.

Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to multiple crimes, including hush money payments to women who allege they had affairs with Trump.

Cohen said he felt it was his duty to cover up what he called Trump's "dirty deeds."

The president called his former confidante a liar.

'A Star is Born' leads SAG nominations

And finally,

The musical drama 'A Star is Born' has landed four nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The film stars Lady Gaga as a singer wanting to make it big.

She's backed by Bradley Cooper in the remake of a remake of a remake of the 1937 original.

Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians, Bohemian Rhapsody and BlacKkKlansman were other films that could win big in the first of the season's awards and one that often points to Oscar winners.

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

Wednesday, December 12, 2018


A manhunt is underway in France after a fatal shooting at a Christmas market, and journalists are Time's 'Person of the Year.'

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, December 12th.

May faces no-confidence vote over Brexit

British Prime Minister Theresa May is facing a no-confidence vote in her leadership over Brexit.

Rebels in the governing conservative party called the vote for later today, accusing the prime minister of caving to the EU on the conditions for their divorce.

Three dead in Strasbourg market attack

A gunman opened fire at a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday, killing three people. At least a dozen others were injured.

The alleged attacker has been named by French media as a 29-year-old local with a criminal record and possible extremist sympathies.

He fled after the attack triggering a massive manhunt.

Yemen's warring sides agree on prisoner swap

Houthi rebels in Yemen and the Saudi-backed government-in-exile are planning a prisoner swap.

The agreement came at ongoing talks in Sweden where the UN is attempting to de-escalate the conflict.

Millions are facing starvation in Yemen where a Saudi-led coalition is battling Iran-linked Houthis.

China arrests Canadian ex-diplomat as Huawei CFO gets bail

A Canadian court has granted bail of seven-and-a-half million US dollars to Huawei's CFO Meng Wanzhou.

Meng is facing extradition to the US which accuses the Chinese tech giant of violating US sanctions on Iran.

In an apparent tit-for-tat move, an ex-Canadian diplomat working for an NGO has been detained in China.

Time 'Person of Year' goes to journalists

And finally,

Time magazine has named journalists as its 'Person of the Year,' calling them guardians of truth.

The award named Jamal Khashoggi who was murdered in Istanbul by a Saudi hit squad after he criticised the government.

It also named two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar after they investigated ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya.

And it named Filipina Maria Ressa whose Rappler news site has angered the government for its reporting of President Duterte's deadly war on drugs.

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

Tuesday, December 11, 2018


Brexit chaos continues, and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ becomes the most streamed song of the 20th century.

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, December 11th.

May heads to Europe to try to save Brexit deal

British Prime Minister Theresa May is now looking to Europe for assurances to try to salvage her Brexit deal.

May postponed a vote in the UK parliament on the divorce, facing a big defeat as former supporters continue to desert her.

The EC's Donald Tusk says the EU won't renegotiate the deal but will try to help May's government get it ratified.

Palestine calls for international protection following Israeli raids

The PLO is calling for the international protection of Palestine after further Israeli raids across the occupied West Bank.

Israel detained 16 Palestinians in the raids. 38 were injured when Israeli forces stormed the offices of Palestine's official news agency Wafa.

PLO chief Saeb Erekat accused the US of backing this latest Israeli aggression.

Macron unveils new measures in bid to end 'yellow vest' protests

French President Emmanuel Macron has capitulated to some of the key demands of demonstrators protesting government tax and austerity policies.

Macron announced a 100 euro monthly increase in the minimum wage and says planned tax increases on pensions will be scrapped.

The anti-government protests have caused jitters across Europe where populism is on the rise in many countries.

Iraq partially re-opens 'Green Zone' to civilians

Iraqi authorities have partially re-opened the heavily-fortified 'Green Zone' in the centre of the capital Baghdad to civilians after more than 15 years.

The zone was set up following the US invasion in 2003 after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein failed to quell violence and resistance to the occupation.

The re-opening coincided with the official anniversary of the one-year defeat of Daesh in Iraq.

‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ refuses to age

And finally,

They said it would never sell with its six-minute playing time.

But Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' has now become the most streamed song from the 20th century: 1.6 billion times, according to Universal Music Group.

The song probably got a boost from 'Bohemian Rhapsody', the film now playing that celebrates the 1975 single, Queen, and the irrepressible Freddie Mercury.

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

Daily News Brief for Monday 10 December 2018:

*)CNN releases transcript reportedly of Khashoggi's murder

CNN has reported what it says are excerpts from a transcript of an audio recording of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"I can't breathe. I can't breathe,” Khashoggi says repeatedly, according to the US network, before he is killed.

CNN cited a source who it said had access to a translation of the recording, originally provided by Turkish intelligence.

Khashoggi was murdered in Istanbul on October 2 by a hit squad sent from Saudi Arabia.

*)French protests continue

France has been battered by a fourth weekend of anti-government protests over policies that hit workers hard.

Almost a million yellow vest demonstrators set fire to cars, burned barricades and smashed store windows in cities across the country.

President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet trade unionists and business leaders today in a bid to calm the crisis.

*)Huawei CFO bail hearing resumes

Tech giant Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou will try to secure bail in Canada.

She faces extradition to the US where Huawei is accused of violating sanctions against Iran.

Meng's detention has rocked markets and threatens a truce China and the US called in the trade war triggered by President Donald Trump.

*)Russian ‘Werewolf’ confesses to more murders

Dubbed Russia’s most prolific serial killer, Mikhail ‘Werewolf’ Popkov has been found guilty of 56 more murders.

The former policeman is already serving a life sentence for killing 22 women.

He claimed to have killed 81 people between 1992 and 2010.

*)River Plate win Copa Libertadores

And finally,

Argentina's River Plate have beaten local rivals Boca Juniors 3-1 to win the Copa Libertadores.

This year the second leg of the Latin American derby, one of football's top cup competitions, had to be played in Spain.

Violence in Buenos Aires and an attack on the Boca Juniors bus got the match postponed and moved to Madrid.

Daily News Brief for Friday 7 December 2018:

*) Vote to condemn Hamas fails at UN

A US-sponsored vote to condemn violence by Hamas failed to be passed as a resolution in the UN General Assembly.

The US accuses Hamas of violence and launching attacks across its border with Israel.

The draft resolution failed after falling short of the required two-thirds majority.

*) Progress made at Yemen peace talks in Sweden

Progress is being made at UN-run peace talks on Yemen after warring sides agreed to a prisoner exchange to bolster trust.

Sweden is hosting Iranian-backed Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government for talks to end the four-year conflict.

The country is facing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis and is in desperate need for aid.

*) Taliban kill at least 14 Afghan troops in Herat

Afghan officials say the Taliban have killed at least 14 Afghan soldiers and taken another 21 as captives in an overnight attack.

The attack happened in the country’s western Herat province.

The Taliban have for years been slowly claiming territory and recent reports suggest they now control large parts of the country.

*) MSF’s Aquarius rescue ship docked for good

The Aquarius migrant rescue ship run by Doctors without Borders has ended its Mediterranean missions.

The humanitarian group blame Italy and other European states for obstructing its work.

The ship has also been blocked at the French port of Marseilles since it lost its Panamanian registration at the end of September.

During its missions, the Aquarius has rescued over 30,000 migrants.

*) Kevin Hart step down from Oscar role

And finally,

Comedian Kevin Hart has stepped down from his role as host of the 2019 Academy Awards.

Hart said the reason for him stepping down came after intense pressure from the LGBTQ community.

Hart has in the past mocked the LGBTQ community as part of an act during his stand-up comedy shows.

Daily News Brief for Thursday 6 December 2018:

*)Canada arrests Huawei CFO

Acting on a request by the US, Canada has arrested the chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant, Huawei.

Sabrina Meng Wanzhou could be extradited to the US, where her company faces accusations of selling US products to Iran, which violates US sanctions.
China has rebuked Canada over the arrest and demanded Meng’s immediate release.
The arrest could damage relations between the US and China who are trying to negotiatiate an end a trade war.
US Senate resolution faults MbS for Khashoggi killing
Six US senators have made their first move to hold Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accountable for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

They’ve introduced a non-binding resolution which will hopefully get the ball rolling towards sanctions on Riyadh as the Senate finds a stronger bipartisan response.
The action follows a Senate briefing by the CIA, which concludes that MbS ordered the killing.
France scraps fuel tax increase
France has scrapped a tax increase on fuel products following weeks of violent protests.
Protests, which lasted for over three weeks, were coordinated by the yellow vests movement.
At least four people were killed and hundreds more injured as a result of the chaos.
Ireland could be the first EU country to ban Israeli goods
Ireland could become the first European Union country to impose a ban on products from illegal Israeli settlements.
Ireland’s Higher House of Parliament approved a bill that criminalises the import and trade of goods and services originating from illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories.

The draft bill passed the committee stage last week and will now go to the Lower House for approval.
The draft law says anyone caught importing or attempting to import from illegal Israeli settlements could face up to five years in prison or a 250,000 euro fine.
The end of USA Gymnastics
And finally,
USA Gymnastics has filed for bankruptcy after struggling to recover from a sexual abuse scandal.
The organisation is facing litigation from hundreds of women who were sexually abused by the team's doctor Larry Nassar who’s been sentenced to around 300 years in prison.