BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING

In today’s briefing update, Australia’s bushfires have turned New Zealand’s glaciers brown.

In Taiwan, a helicopter crash has led to a massive rescue mission being launched – Taiwan’s chief of General Staff confirmed dead in the crash.

Pope Francis has apologised for slapping a woman’s hand whilst he tried to free himself from her grip. The Pope used his New Year’s message to address the incident and denounce violence against women.

In the UK, rail fares are set to rise from today, commuters will pay an average of 2.7% more to travel.

Entertainment, more tragedy for the Whitney Houston / Bobby Brown family as Nick Gordon – brother/partner of the late Bobbi Kristina – has died age 30.

ALL this and more in today’s news briefing – A daily roundup of all the news headlines that you need to know, summarised as part of WTX News Briefing.

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Australian bushfires turn New Zealand’s glaciers brown

Arab News says smoke from Australia’s bushfires has created a haze across New Zealand thousands of kilometres away. The normally white glaciers have turned a shade of caramel, according to social media posts.

The acrid-smelling smoke first appeared in the country early Wednesday when in many areas the sun appeared as either a red or golden orb. 

“Smoke which has travelled around 2,000km across the Tasman Sea can clearly be seen,” New Zealand’s official forecaster MetService tweeted. 

“Visibility in the smoke haze is as low as 10km in the worst affected areas.” 

Read the full story on Arab News

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Taiwan’s chief of General Staff missing after helicopter makes emergency landing

RT News says Taiwanese Air Force General Shen Yi-ming was on board a helicopter that crash-landed in northern Taiwan. A massive rescue effort has been launched. 

Some 13 people were onboard a Black Hawk helicopter when it attempted an emergency landing on Thursday morning.

Rescuers were quickly sent to the area of the crash, so far several people have been found alive, while three, remain unaccounted for. 

Read the full story on RT News

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Pope Francis apologises for slapping a woman’s hand on New Year’s Eve

CNN says Pope Francis has apologised for slapping a woman’s hand to free himself from her grip whilst greeting pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square on New Year’s Eve.

On Wednesday, the Pope apologised for his actions and he used his New Year’s Day address to denounce violence against women. 

“Love makes us patient. So many times we lose patience, even me, and I apologise for yesterday’s bad example,” he said. 

He added: “Women are sources of life. Yet they are continually insulted, beaten, raped, forced to prostitute themselves and to suppress the life they bear in the womb. 

“Every form of violence inflicted upon a woman is a blasphemy against God, who was born of a woman.”

Read the full story on CNN

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Commuters hit by 2.7% rail fare rise

BBC News says millions of commuters will have to pay an average of 2.7% more for train tickets from today.

The rise, announced in November, is lower than the 3.1% increase at the start of the last year. 

Trian companies say it is the third year in a row that average fares have been held below RPI – the inflation rate. 

But commuters face an increase of more than £100 for annual passes.

Read the full story on BBC News

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Bobbi Kristina Brown’s ex-partner Nick Gordon dies age 30

Sky News says Nick Gordon, ex-partner of the late Bobbi Kristina Brown, has died at the age of 30.

Joe S Habachy said: “Despite all the incredible challenges Nick faced over the last few years I can honestly say that he working hard to hold his head up and stay sober and that he genuinely wanted a happy healthy life with this family more than anything else. 

Gordon had been an orphan but Whitney Houston took him in, after divorcing her husband Bobby Brown. Whitney never formally adopted Nick and after Whitney’s death he would go on to date her daughter – Bobbi Kristina. Both Whitney and her daughter died after drug-related incidents. 

Read the full story on Sky News

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