WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, July 31, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, August 1, 2017.

Venezuela-US tensions

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has lashed out at the United States for announcing sanctions on him, saying he will not be intimidated by Washington’s threats.

Maduro said such US moves smacked of American imperialism, and show President Donald Trump's desperation and hate. The US treasury department froze Maduro’s US assets and called him a dictator for pushing through an election for a new assembly that will rewrite the country's constitution. Venezuela’s government says the legislative body is the only way to restore peace after months of violent protests. Electoral officials said the turnout in Sunday’s election was over forty one percent. The opposition has refuted the claims. The oil-rich nation is grappling with shortages of basic goods and medicines as the economy has nosedived. Maduro says his socialist government is the victim of a US conspiracy.

North Korea policy row

China has once again rejected US accusations of Beijing’s shortcoming in resolving tensions on the Korean Peninsula. 

Marking the end of China's July presidency of the UN Security Council, Liu Jiey urged all involved parties to implement the council's resolutions in a comprehensive and precise way. The Chinese diplomat criticized Washington for haltering the implementation of the Council resolutions unilaterally and setting preconditions for dialogue with Pyongyang. Jiey added that Beijing was working on a new response from the council to make sure that the non-proliferation regime works better to stop the nuclear and ballistic missile programs. North Korea announced on Friday it had successfully test-fired another intercontinental ballistic missile. The launch drew angry condemnation from Washington with President Donald Trump lashing out at China for not doing enough to rein in Pyongyang. North Korea says the missile is capable of hitting the whole US mainland.

Qatar WTO complaint

The feud between Qatar and the Saudi-led coalition takes a new turn as Doha lodges a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization. 

Qatar’s representative at the WTO says the Persian Gulf state has opened a wide-ranging legal case to challenge a trade boycott by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The complaint wants Riyadh, Manama and Abu Dhabi to be given a 60-day deadline to hold consultations with Qatar over trade issues. Doha argues that the Saudi-led sea, air and land embargo infringes trade rules on goods, services and intellectual property rights. Qatar has also raised the boycott at the meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization, IKAO. 

Deadly drone strike 

At least five people have been killed in a fresh US drone strike in the central Yemeni province of Marib.

A security official said the drone attack targeted a gathering of people in Juban District. He identified the victims as linked to Al-Qaeda militants. Back in May, US commandos carried out a deadly raid in the same district. Yemen has been under regular US drone strikes, with Washington claiming to be targeting al-Qaeda elements. Local sources say civilians have been the main victims of the attacks.

France refugee ruling 

Refugees in France must now be provided with water, following a court ruling which called it a “fundamental freedom”. The ruling comes on the heels of yet another damning report from a top NGO which accused French police of routine brutality against asylum-seekers. 

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