WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, July 30, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, July 31, 2017.

Russia expels US diplomats

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered 755 US diplomats to leave Russia following the newly approved sanctions against Moscow by the US Congress. Putin said Russia is able to impose additional measures against Washington but he is against such moves. The order by the Russian President comes after Moscow announced it would expel American staff working at the US embassy and consulates. Moscow also said it would seize two US diplomatic premises as a response to the new sanctions as well as expelling the Russian diplomats from the US under Obama administration. On Friday, the US House of Representatives and Senate slapped a package of sanctions on Russia accusing it of destabilizing the region and manipulating the US 2016 presidential election. Moscow strongly denies the allegations.

Israeli ruling

Israel’s prime minister has once again called for pardoning Elor Azaria, an Israeli soldier who shot dead a wounded Palestinian in the occupied territories in 2016. Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that his stance on the incident had not changed. A court in Tel Aviv rejected an appeal by Azaria, upholding a one-and-a-half year sentence. The judges argued they found no reason to overturn the sentence. Meanwhile, military judges rejected an appeal by prosecutors to increase the sentence. Back in March 2016, the Israeli sergeant shot dead Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, a 21-year-old Palestinian who was lying motionless on the ground, following an alleged stabbing attack in the West Bank city of Hebron also known as al-Khalil. Amnesty International slammed the sentence as too mild. The United Nations human rights office also noted that the verdict was not acceptable for an extra-judicial killing.

US-led coalition’s crimes in Syria

Damascus has called on the United Nations to assume its responsibility and put an end to the US-led coalition’s crimes against Syrian civilians. The Syrian Foreign Ministry made the call in two letters addressed to the UN Secretary General and the Chairman of the UN Security Council. The ministry argued that the alliance was illegitimate as it was established outside the framework of the United Nations and without permission from the Syrian government. Damascus highlighted the civilian mortalities caused by what it called the coalition’s systematic airstrikes on residential areas. It also accused the US-led forces of providing support for terrorist groups in Syria and using internationally banned white phosphorus munitions in their attacks. The coalition says over 600 civilians have been killed in its strikes in Iraq and Syria since late 2014. But UK-based NGO Airwars says over 740 civilians were killed in US-led attacks in June alone.

Pakistan power vacuum

Pakistan’s main opposition party Tehreek-e-Insaf has organized a rally to celebrate its victory after the Supreme Court disqualified three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Thousands of the party’s supporters took to the streets of Islamabad on a call from PTI leader Imran Khan. Press TV’s Javed Rana has more from Islamabad.

Venezuela vote

Ten people have been killed in Venezuela in a violence sparked by the government-organized referendum on a controversial constituent assembly. Two teenagers, a soldier, and a regional opposition leader were among the dead. The Venezuelan defense minister said none of the deaths on Sunday were blamed on the country’s National Armed Forces. Meanwhile, the opposition has called for further protests against the Sunday plebiscite which was held to elect a legislative super body to rewrite the constitution. President Nicolas Maduro, however, has once again defended and hailed the vote as a blow to what he called the oligarchs.

Pressuring Pyongyang

South Korea says it has decided to give a stern response to what it calls North Korea’s provocation. However, Seoul says its door remains open to Pyongyang for dialogue. Moon added that his government’s policy of simultaneous sanctions and dialogue remains unchanged. The regional tensions are simmering ever since North Korea announced that it had successfully test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile that could strike America's mainland. Pyongyang’s ICBM launch also sparked international condemnations with a stark warning from Japan and the United States. Meanwhile, the Japanese Prime Minister says he has spoken to the US president for more actions North Korea.

Arsal evacuations

In Lebanon, Nusra Front militants have begun the second phase of evacuations from the Arsal region under a deal reached with the Lebanese Resistance movement Hezbollah. The ceasefire agreement was reached after a week of fighting that led to the recapture of the area from the militants. Our correspondent in Beirut, Mariam Saleh gave us the details on the progress of the ceasefire deal.

Daesh attack in Kabul

Multiple explosions have hit an area close to the Iraqi embassy in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul. Reports said a bomber had blown himself up outside the diplomatic mission building. Gunfire also erupted following the blasts. The number of possible casualties is still unknown and no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks. The hallmarks indicate the Taliban and Daesh groups could be possible perpetrators for the raids.

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