WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, July 26, 2018 to 0800 GMT, July 27, 2018.

Syria’s priority in Idlib

The Syrian president says the army’s next priority is to liberate Idlib province from terrorist groups. In an interview with Russian media, Bashar al-Assad said recapturing Idlib comes after the army finishes liberating all the southwestern parts of the country. He added that there are territories in the eastern part of Syria that are controlled by various groups, and the army will take control of all these regions. Idlib has received many militants along with their families evacuated from other regions under agreements in recent months.

US threatens Turkey

Turkey says it will never tolerate any US threats amid an escalating row between Ankara and Washington over the detention of an American pastor. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Chavushoglu stressed that no country can dictate anything to Turkey. Chavushoglu also discussed the issue with his American counterpart in a phone call. He said the US demands are unacceptable. This, after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey over its detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson. Trump called on Ankara to release Brunson who was arrested in December 2016. He was indicted on charges of having links with US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party militant group. Brunson has denied the charges.

Facebook shares fall

Facebook’s market value has lost over 110 billion dollars following a slowdown in user growth in the wake of Cambridge Analytica scandal. Facebook’s shares dropped 18 percent by Thursday afternoon in New York, a day after the company revealed that 3 million users in Europe had left the social network since the breach. This puts Facebook on track for the biggest ever one-day drop in a company’s market value. Earlier in the year, British-based Cambridge Analytica, was found to have collected private details of millions of Facebook users for political profiling. The scandal led to the initiation of several probes in the US and Britain into violations of user data policies.

Children still in US custody

American authorities have failed to meet a deadline for reunifying hundreds of refugee parents and children separated at the US-Mexico border. A federal judge in California had set the deadline for Thursday, 2200 GMT. Earlier, government lawyers had announced that time was too short to reunite some 900 families. According to one lawyer, chaos and cruelty were rampant at the migrant camps, as officials scrambled to meet the deadline. Meanwhile, activists as well as families and their children have gathered in Washington DC for a pro-immigration protest in and around the congress building.

France against vast trade with US

The French president says he does not favor a new comprehensive trade deal between the European Union and the United States. Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed his opposition to including agriculture in any such agreement. He added that European standards must not be suppressed or lowered in the areas of the environment, health or food. Macron described Wednesday’s negotiations between the US president and the European Commission chief as useful, stressing that the talks helped reduce unnecessary tensions. However, he noted that good trade talks could only be done on a balanced basis and not under threats.

Israeli settlements

The Israeli regime has announced its plans for the construction of 400 new settler units in the occupied West Bank. Israeli Minister of Military Affairs, Avigdor Lieberman, says the expansion of settlements is in response to an alleged stabbing attack by a Palestinian. Tel Aviv has dramatically increased the construction of settlement units in the occupied West Bank in recent years, especially after US President Donald Trump took office in 2017. Under international law, all Israeli settlement activities in the occupied territories are illegal.

Yemen cholera warning

An international non-governmental organization that promotes children’s rights has warned that Yemen is on the brink of a new cholera epidemic. Save the Children says the disease could spread like wildfire in the coming weeks. It says thousands of children are at risk and that the port city of Hudaydah could be the worst affected area. The NGO says the summer heat is a leading factor for a new outbreak. It also cites a crippling health system and a possible military siege on Hudaydah by Saudi-led forces. Some three-thousand cases have already been reported this month. Last year, Cholera infected more than one-million people. The UN says Yemen is experiencing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis amid the years-long Saudi war.

Pakistan elections

Partial results from Pakistan’s elections show Imran Khan is in the lead, but short of a majority. The Election Commission says Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party has won 110 seats. The party of jailed former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, received 63 seats. The PPP, led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, was third with 42 seats. According to the incomplete results, Khan’s party also appears to take control of the biggest province, Punjab. The results suggest Khan will need to form a coalition government. Nawaz’s party has said the vote count was rigged. It has pledged to offer evidence to the Election Commission.

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