WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, March 15, 2018.

Ankara's Afrin agenda

A spokesman for the Turkish president says the country has no intention to hand over the town of Afrin to the Syrian government after the completion of an operation there. Ibrahim Kalin added that the town is expected to be cleared of Kurdish YPG forces very soon. Turkish forces have already encircled Afrin. The offensive has angered the Syrian government. Damascus says it's violated the country’s sovereignty. Ankara’s new announcement on a possible occupation of the town could raise tensions between the countries even higher. Ankara began the Afrin operation to fight Kurdish YPG forces two months ago, saying they pose a threat to Turkey’s security. The operation has also been criticized for its civilian casualties.

Aid arrives in Eastern Ghouta

The International Committee of the Red Cross says its convoy carrying much-needed food aid has entered the militant enclave of Eastern Ghouta near Syria's capital Damascus. The ICRC said the new convoy is going to Douma, the largest militant-controlled town in Ghouta. Meanwhile, Syria said a new group of civilians left the flashpoint area through a new crossing point. Russia earlier said at least 100 civilians were expected to leave as a humanitarian ceasefire took hold. Syrian government forces are pressing ahead with their operation against militants there. They have retaken the town of Hammuriyeh, and seized parts of the town of Jisrin after fierce clashes with foreign-backed militants. Syrian troops, under the Russian air cover, launched the ground offensive to take back Eastern Ghouta more than three weeks ago.

Russian retaliation

Russia says it will expel British diplomats as a response to the expulsion of its own representatives in London. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s threat follows the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats by the British government over the chemical poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter. Lavrov says the accusation is unacceptable. Earlier, the Russian foreign ministry said the truth in the poisoning case is being hidden and the British government refuses to cooperate or provide Moscow with any information. Meanwhile, the British foreign secretary has said London will target wealthy Russians with ties to President Vladimir Putin in retaliation for the chemical attack.

Thousands evacuate Ghouta

Around 10,000 civilians have managed to flee militant-held territory in Syria's flashpoint region of Eastern Ghouta. The mass evacuation has taken place through the Hamouriyah humanitarian corridor. It comes after the Syrian army advanced on Hamouriyah town following fierce clashes with terrorists. Media footage shows women and children flooding to government-held shelters accompanied by the Syrian army. They have spoken of crimes committed by the militants who have occupied the region since 2013. The civilians say terrorists used entire families as human shields and prevented them from escaping.

Hungary march

Hungarians have taken to the streets to voice their support for Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as parliamentary elections near. During Hungary's National Day celebrations, tens of thousands of Orban’s supporters marched in the capital toward Parliament. People waved flags and chanted slogans to back the premier’s bid for a third term in office in the April elections. Meanwhile, several opposition groups held much smaller rallies across Budapest, condemning Orban’s anti-immigration and eurosceptic stances. The rallies came as corruption scandals threaten to damage Orban’s ruling Fidesz party in the elections on April 8.

Turkey's Syria offensive

Turkey's cross-border military incursion into northwestern Syria has displaced 30,000 people over the past 24 hours. According to a monitoring group, Ankara's ongoing bombardment of Afrin has forced the mass exodus from Afrin. The Turkish military has already encircled Afrin under the pretext of clearing YPG Kurdish forces from the region. This comes as a senior Turkish official says Ankara has no intention of handing over the area to the Syrian government after the completion of its operation there. The spokesman for the Turkish president added that the region is expected to be cleared of the YPG very soon.

‘Stop Trump’s shakeup’

Human Rights Watch has called on US senators to oppose President Donald Trump’s controversial nominations amid a shake-up in the White House. HRW says Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo and CIA director candidate Gina Haspel both have a history of endorsing abusive practices. The rights group says Pompeo has expressed support for waterboarding and other banned interrogation techniques. It adds that Haspel is reported to have run a CIA "black site" in Thailand as part of a US program that used torture after the 9/11 attacks. HRW warns that by nominating them, the Trump administration runs the risk of eroding US law on torture and a broader engagement in the international legal system.

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