10 things you need to know today: September 29, 2015

1. Obama and Putin clash over Syria

President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin clashed openly Monday over Syria before they held what Putin called "frank talks" on the Syrian civil war during the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. Obama said in a speech that Russia's support of the government in Syria was harmful to "democratic principles and human rights." Putin said the West's efforts to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was a violation of international law and "an enormous mistake," because his army can defeat the Islamic State.

The Washington Post

2. NASA says it found evidence that water recently flowed on Mars

Scientists have discovered definitive evidence of liquid water on the surface of present-day Mars, NASA announced Monday. The find could help answer the question of whether there is life in the solar system beyond Earth, as water is a necessary part of that equation. Satellite images showed streaks left by what appeared to be water flowing downhill, along with salt deposits that would have kept the water from freezing. Scientists said there must have been liquid water there recently to leave the hydrated salt deposits.

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The New York Times

3. Airstrike reportedly kills 131 at Yemen wedding

Two missiles killed 131 people at a wedding party in Yemen, medics told Reuters Tuesday, in one of the most deadly attacks on civilians in the country's civil war. Witnesses blamed the Saudi-led coalition that started bombing Shiite Houthi rebels six months ago. The coalition denied that it fired on the event, where people were gathered for the marriage of a man with ties to the Houthis, and suggested that local militia were responsible.

Reuters

4. Taliban seizes Afghan provincial capital

The Taliban seized the provincial governor's office in the city of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan on Monday, in one of the Islamist extremist movement's biggest victories since it was driven out of power 14 years ago. It was the second Taliban assault on the city since NATO pulled out most of its troops last year, and "the first major breach of a provincial capital since 2001," said Graeme Smith, senior analyst for International Crisis Group. "They are choking the Afghan forces from all sides. It looks pretty grim."

Reuters

5. Senate advances bill to avoid a government shutdown

The Senate on Monday advanced stopgap spending legislation aiming to avert a looming government shutdown, clearing the way for a vote on Tuesday. Senators voted 77 to 19 in favor of moving ahead with the bill, which would extend funds for federal agencies for 10 weeks without cutting funding for Planned Parenthood, as conservatives wanted. If the Senate approves the bill, the House will have time to consider it before a Wednesday deadline.

The Hill

6. Germany investigating ex-VW CEO's role in emissions scandal

German prosecutors on Monday launched a criminal investigation into former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn's involvement in the automaker's emissions-cheating scandal. Winterkorn resigned last week after admitting that the automaker had equipped 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide with software to cheat on emissions tests. Winterkorn apologized but denied wrongdoing. VW is recalling the vehicles to make a fix.

Bloomberg

7. Pope says officials have right to refuse duties over religious beliefs

Pope Francis said Monday that government officials have a "human right" to refuse to carry out duties that are inconsistent with their religious beliefs — such as issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The pope did not address the issue of gay marriage directly during his just-completed six-day visit to the U.S., although the Catholic church opposes it. "Conscientious objection must enter into every juridical structure because it is a right," Francis said on the flight back to Rome.

Reuters

8. More bad news from China sinks U.S. stocks

U.S. stocks plunged by roughly 2 percent Monday afternoon after disappointing data from China stoked fears that the world's second largest economy was in trouble. Profits at Chinese industrial companies fell by 8.8 percent last month. "Whenever the market is down, the first place to look these days is China," said John Manley of Wells Fargo Fund Management. "Right now, we need evidence that China is not slowing that much and that profits are still going to be OK."

The Associated Press

9. Former prison worker gets up to 7 years for helping inmates escape

A judge sentenced former prison seamstress Joyce Mitchell to up to seven years in prison on Monday for smuggling tools to help convicted murderers David Sweat and Richard Matt escape. A plea deal allowed Mitchell to avoid charges connected to an alleged plot to kill her husband, Lyle, and for sexual contact with Sweat and Matt. "If I could take it all back I would," Mitchell said, sobbing, at the hearing.

NBC News

10. Trevor Noah makes Daily Show debut

Trevor Noah officially took over from Jon Stewart as host of Comedy Central's The Daily Show on Monday, promising to continue Stewart's "war on bull***t." Noah received praise for a smooth and funny debut. The new host joked about everything from Pope Francis' U.S. visit ("He's like a young Bernie Sanders") to NASA's evidence of water on Mars ("Don't worry, California, they'll find water on you too, someday").

The Washington Post