WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, August 7, 2018.

EU supporting ties with Iran

The EU foreign policy chief says the bloc is encouraging investors to maintain business ties with Iran amid the re-imposition of US sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Israel Gaza attack

Palestinians in Gaza have held a funeral ceremony for two men killed by Israeli tank fire. The two died in Beit Lahia. Israel has pounded Gaza frequently with tank fire and airstrikes over the past couple of weeks. The attacks have killed a number of people. Israel troops have also cracked down on Palestinians holding protest rallies along the Gaza fence. The protests known as the Great Return March rallies began on March 30. 158 Palestinians have lost their lives since then.

Saudi deal with al-Qaeda

The Saudi-led coalition has reportedly cut secret deals with the al-Qaeda militant group in Yemen. An investigation by the Associated Press says the coalition has recruited hundreds of al-Qaeda militants to fight against Yemeni armed forces and Ansarullah fighters. The probe says some of the militants were also paid to leave key cities and towns. It comes despite claims the coalition, backed by the United States, is fighting the militant group. AP says their findings are based on interviews with two dozen officials. These include Yemeni security officers, military commanders, tribal mediators, and four members of the al-Qaeda branch.

US sanctions threat

US President Donald Trump has warned countries against doing business with Iran. Trump tweeted that anyone doing business with the Islamic Republic will not be doing business with Washington. He described the latest sanctions as the most biting embargoes ever imposed. He added that the restrictions will be ratcheted up in November. The US president made the comments hours after re-imposing the first round of sanctions on Iran which were lifted following the 2015 nuclear deal. Russia has expressed deep disappointment over the move. Moscow says it will do anything necessary to save the historic accord. The European Union has also criticized the snapback of the sanctions.

Yemen cholera outbreak

The United Nations Children’s Fund warns that the new cholera outbreak is spreading fast in Yemen’s main seaport of Hudaydah. UNICEF has begun the vaccination of more than half a million people in and around Hudaydah to contain the outbreak. The agency says tens of thousands have already received the cholera vaccine. It says other measures, including the provision of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, are underway as well. Hudaydah was one of the worst-hit areas affected by a cholera outbreak that killed more than two-thousand people across Yemen last year. The country has poor health services that are hampered by the ongoing Saudi airstrikes as well as its blockade of Hudaydah. The city is the only entry of aid imports to Yemen.

Saudi 9/11 threat

A Saudi twitter account has posted a message that apparently threatens Canada with a repeat of nine-eleven attacks. Saudi Arabia is angry at Ottawa’s demand for the release of jailed activists in the Arab kingdom. The Saudi tweet warned Canada against interfering in issues not related to the western country. The account that had posted the tweet quickly removed it and made an apology. The Saudis have already expelled Canada’s envoy. Riyadh has also recalled its ambassador to Ottawa. Canada says it will not be intimidated into silence when it comes to human rights.

Russia-Georgia row

Russian Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev, has spoken out against Georgia joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Medvedev says Georgia’s NATO membership will lead to the expansion of the military bloc, which says would be a threat to Russia. The military alliance has been beefing up its presence in Eastern Europe and near the Russian border. Back in June, some 19 countries, mostly from NATO, stationed around 18-thousand troops in Poland and three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Russia has been concerned about NATO’s increased build-up near its borders.

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