Over 63,000 displaced as Myanmar dam burst floods 85 villages

Authorities launched a desperate rescue effort after the spillway of an irrigation dam burst at Swar creek in central Myanmar, sending a torrent of water through villages and the nearby towns of Swar and Yedashe.

As many as 85 villages were flooded in Myanmar after a dam failed, unleashing waters that blocked a major highway and forced more than 63,000 people from their homes, a state-run newspaper said on Thursday. The dam had been cleared by authorities a few prior to the flooding.

Turkey's Afrin operation: The latest updates

Turkey announced that it had launched "Operation Olive Branch" on January 20 to clear Syria's Afrin region of the YPG/PKK and Daesh, which Turkey considers to be a threat to its national security. TRT World has the latest updates on the operation.

Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch at 14:00 GMT on January 20 to clear Syria's Afrin region of the YPG/PKK, after months of warnings on the issue.

The operation started days after the US announced the formation of a 30,000-strong "Border Security Force" composed of YPG/SDF militants near Turkey's border in northern Syria.
The announcement was met with alarm by Ankara, which considers the YPG to be the Syrian branch of the PKK, which is a designated terrorist organisation in Turkey, the US and the EU.
Turkey’s biggest security concern is the YPG carving out an autonomous territory near its southeastern border.

The US supports the SDF, a YPG-dominated group it founded in 2015, in northeast Syria. Afrin, on the northwest, has no such support from the US but a couple hundred of Russian soldiers are based in the region.

TRT World has the latest on the operation:

Volkswagen faces inquiry call over diesel fume tests on monkeys

Public criticism of the German auto industry has escalated after a report that an industry-sponsored entity commissioned a study of the effects of diesel exhaust using monkeys, while another study exposed humans to low levels of one type of air pollutant.

The German government said on Monday such studies were unjustifiable. The tests were reportedly commissioned by a research group funded by major German auto companies.

Volkswagen sought to distance itself from them, with its chairman saying that "in the name of the whole board I emphatically disavow such practices."

Clashes in West Bank leave dozens wounded over Trump's Jerusalem decision

Clashes between protesters and Israeli troops wounded at least 100 Palestinians after people came out in West Bank and Gaza Strip after Hamas chief Ismail Haniya's call for a new uprising on Friday.

Turkey's amputee football team wins European championship

Turkey wins the European Amputee Football Federation (EAFF) championship after beating England 2-1 in the final held at Istanbul's Vodafone Park arena.

An emotional evening in Besiktas's home stadium proved to be a title night for a Turkish amputee football team that scored the winning goal in injury time to claim the European Amputee Football Federation (EAFF) championship.

Turkey led 1-0 at halftime thanks to a goal in the 25th minute by Omer Guleryuz. 

Although the dominant display from the Turkish team continued until the final minute, England's Ray Westbrook still managed to tie the game in the 50th minute. 

However, Turkish team captain Osman Cakmak scored two minutes later to give Turkey the title.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated the Turkish amputee team on Twitter. "I congratulate our national amputee football team for becoming European champions by beating England. Turkey is proud of you!" he said.

Liverpool to host undefeated Manchester United in North-West derby

While in-form United hope to mount a challenge for their first English title since 2013, Liverpool, already seven points behind their second-placed rivals, are battling to stay relevant after an inconsistent start.