WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, October 8, 2018 to 0800 GMT, October 9, 2018.

Division in US on Iran sanctions

Top US officials are said to remain divided over whether they should save Iran’s access to international financial markets ahead of November US sanctions. According to US media, leaders of the Swift banking system held meetings with US officials last week to make sure Tehran retains its access to the international banking system. Top officials at the US Treasury Department also pushed for Tehran to remain connected with Swift. This, while President Donald Trump and some others have made clear that Swift and European countries should end their business with Tehran in a bid to put maximum pressure on the Islamic Republic. Trump instructed his administration to restore all sanctions following his unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear dear in May. The next set of sanctions is due to be re-imposed on November 4 that will target Iran’s oil sector.

‘Nonsense’ claim on Iran oil

Nonsense. That’s how Iran's Oil Minister has dismissed claims made by the Saudi crown prince that the kingdom can replace Iranian oil in the global market. Bijan Zangeneh says Mohammed bin Salman's remarks can only satisfy US President Donald Trump. Zangeneh says no one else can buy bin Salman’s claim and that such statements have no real impact on the oil market. This comes despite a November four deadline set by Trump to impose additional sanctions on Iran’s oil and banking industries. Washington has called on companies to wind down their trade with Iran. The US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement in May.

US stance on Saudi journalist

The US President has reacted to the disappearance of a dissident Saudi Journalist in Turkey, a week after he went missing. Donald Trump said he was concerned by the news. Meanwhile, the Turkish President has urged Saudi Arabia to prove that Jamal Khashoggi left its consulate in Istanbul. Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said Turkish police and intelligence have been mobilized to investigate the case of Khashoggi. Reports suggest that the missing Saudi journalist is most likely killed. There are also reports that 15 Saudi nationals had arrived in Turkey to kidnap and kill Khashoggi. The journalist who worked for the Washington Post was a critic of the Saudi monarchy.

Kavanaugh sworn in

Controversial figure Brett Kavanaugh is sworn in as the newest US Supreme Court justice. The ceremony was held at the White House where Kavanaugh said he would try to be impartial team player on the Supreme Court. He said he remains unchanged despite the bitter confirmation process. The US Senate approved Kavanaugh’s candidacy for the post despite a string of allegations of sexual misconduct and assault brought against him by several women. There were days of angry protests in the US against his nomination with people urging Senators not to vote for Kavanaugh.

Fatal floods in Central America

Severe flooding in several Central American countries claim over a dozen lives. Six people died in Honduras, four in Nicaragua and three in El Salvador. The disaster caused roofs to collapse and residents were carried away by swollen rivers. Rain also triggered landslides that blocked some highways in the region. Thousands have been forced to leave their houses and take temporary shelters. Most of the rain was blamed on a low-pressure system off the Pacific coast of El Salvador. Hurricane Michael in the Caribbean could have also contributed to heavy downpour.

UN criticizes Myanmar

A UN rights envoy says Myanmar is unwilling to investigate its abuses against Rohingya Muslims. UN special rapporteur to Myanmar Yanghee Lee said the government has shown little capacity for an unbiased probe into the violence. She added that it was up to international courts to seek justice. So far, Myanmar has rejected all requests to carry out any probe in the country. In August 2017, Myanmar’s army launched a deadly crackdown on Rohingya Muslims. An untold number were killed and more than a million were recorded fleeing the violence. The United Nations branded the crackdown ethnic cleansing; an accusation Myanmar rejects.

IMF warns about trade war risks

The International Monetary Fund has forecast that the ongoing trade war between China and the United States might have damaging impact on world economy. IMF’s chief economist, Maurice Obstfeld, says the trade war could make the world a poorer and more dangerous place. Obstfeld says the complications between the two world powers would take its toll on households, businesses, and the wider economy. Tensions have increased between the US and China in recent months, with the two sides imposing several rounds of tit-for-tat tariffs on each other’s imports. Back in September, US tariffs on 200 billion dollars worth of Chinese imports came into effect. In the most recent retaliatory measure, Beijing announced new tariffs on 60 billion dollars worth of US goods, including liquefied natural gas.

Ukraine explosion

A powerful explosion has rocked an ammunition depot in northern Ukraine. In a statement, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has said the head of the country’s armed forces has gone to the site near the city of Chernigov. Some ten-thousand people have been evacuated from the surrounding area, which is put on lock-down for air and land travel. Emergency services have been dispatched to the scene. No casualties are reported yet.

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