WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, July 8, 2018.

Syrians return to home

The UN says almost all displaced Syrians in a free zone near the Jordanian border have returned to their country. UN humanitarian coordinator in Jordan Anders Pedersen said the displaced civilians went back to their homeland through the Nassib crossing. The busy crossing is situated on the Damascus-Amman international highway. This comes as the Syrian army has retaken control of the crossing in a heavy-handed operation to clear southern Syria from terrorists.

US North Korea sanctions

Two opposing assessments are coming out on the denuclearization talks the US Secretary of State held in North Korea this week. Mike Pompeo says he had productive discussions with positive results. But Pyongyang says the talks were disappointing.

‘Carnival of protest’

Britons are gearing up for mass protests against the upcoming visit of US President Donald Trump to their country. Organizers say they’re hoping to stage one of Britain’s biggest demonstrations in decades. Anti-war activists say the so-called “carnival of protest” is to give a strong signal to the American leader that his message of hate and division is not welcome in Britain. Trump will arrive in London after a NATO summit in Brussels on Thursday. He will be holding talks with Prime Minister Theresa May at her country retreat in Buckinghamshire while his meeting with Queen Elizabeth is planned at Windsor Castle. Activists and British media say the meetings outside London indicate Trump is trying to avoid protests. The US president remains unpopular in Britain, where his hardline stance has caused dismay across political and social spectrums.

‘Systematic discrimination’ against Rohingya

The United Nations Special Rapporteur to Myanmar has slammed the Myanmar government for systematic discrimination against Rohingya Muslims. Yanghee Lee made the statements after a visit to Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. She said the minority group fled Myanmar due to well-founded fear of persecution by the government and security forces. Lee stressed that members of the minority group living in Bangladesh must be recognized as refugees and given their rights. She said systematic rights violations continue against Rohingya who remain in Myanmar. A brutal campaign by Myanmar security forces and Buddhist extremists over the past year has forced some 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee and take refuge in Bangladesh.

Thai boys recovered

Six members of a group of boys trapped in a flooded cave in northern Thailand have been pulled out. The rescue operation began in the early hours of Sunday with divers and navy seals going to the cave to extract the children. Officials say the rescued kids are in a field hospital near the cave. The rescue team says recovering the rest of the children could take days. 12 boys and their coach went into a cave in Chiang Rai on June 23. They were found nine days later.

Kashmir shutdown

Protesters have called for a shutdown in Indian-controlled Kashmir as demonstrations continue against Indian rule. Meanwhile, armed soldiers and police fanned out across much of the area to enforce a security lockdown amid calls for a general strike. A protest march is also slated to be held to commemorate the second anniversary of the death of Burhan Wani, a popular leader killed by Indian forces. Earlier, a funeral procession was held for three protesters killed by Indian troops in Indian-controlled Kashmir. They were demonstrating over an army search operation in the area.

Tunisia deadly attack

Armed groups have attacked members of Tunisian security forces, leaving casualties. At least nine security forces were killed when they came under an attack in the west of the country, close to the border with Algeria. No group claimed responsibility for the deadly ambush. The North African country has witnessed a rise in extremism since the 2011 revolution that ousted longtime ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Back in 2015, Daesh targeted a museum in the capital and a popular resort hotel in the city of Sousse, killing scores of tourists.

Nicaragua’s Ortega rules out early vote  

Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega rejects opposition protesters’ calls for early elections. Ortega made the remarks at a supporters' rally in the capital Managua. The "Walk for Security and Peace" rally came after months of deadly clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces. Nicaragua's protests began in April against social security reforms, but they soon transformed into demands for justice and calls on Ortega to step down. At least 220 people have died in the unrest. Meanwhile, Roman Catholic bishops are working to mediate between the two sides with a new round of talks planned for Monday. The Catholic hierarchy proposes to bring forward elections scheduled for 2021 to March of next year.

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