WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, October 31, 2018.

Golan strike

Residents of the Golan Heights hold a strike, protesting against Israel’s measures to Judaize the occupied Syrian territory by holding local elections. People from the Druze community closed shops and schools on Wednesday. A statement issued on Tuesday said locals do not recognize Israel’s rule over their region. On Tuesday, Israel held municipal elections in several villages. Druze activists tried to block the voting process by gathering in front of polling stations. Israeli forces used tear gas to disperse them. Israel captured the mountainous plateau region from Syria in 1967 and annexed it in 1981. Around 22,000 people live in the occupied region. Many of them consider themselves as Syrians even after more than half a century of life under Israel’s rule.

Zarif Pakistan visit

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, is in Islamabad to pursue the fate of Iranian forces abducted by Pakistan-based terrorists. Zarif has told reporters at Islamabad’s airport that Pakistan has already promised to spare no effort in helping the release of Iranian border guards. However, he said there’s a need for constant discussion with Pakistani officials to bring kidnapped forces back home. On October 15, the Jaish ul-Adl terrorist group took away a dozen Iranian security personnel during an overnight ambush in the southeastern city of Mirjaveh. The terrorists then fled to neighboring Pakistan with their captives following the cross-border attack.

South Sudan peace

South Sudan’s rebel leader Reik Machar returns to the capital Juba two years after he fled the country. He’s now back for a peace ceremony. The return comes after Machar signed a peace dead last month with the country’s President Salva Kiir in Ethiopia in an attempt to end five years of deadly civil war. Machar left the country in 2016 after a power-sharing deal with Kirr collapsed. The two were at loggerhead since 2013, when the president accused his then-deputy of plotting a coup. As a result, thousands of people were killed and millions of others were displaced ever since.

Nigeria deadly crackdown

The death toll from Nigerian security forces attacks on supporters of the Islamic Movement has risen to 42. Security forces have opened fire on the IMN supporters since they hit the streets to mark religious ceremonies on Saturday. They also fired tear gas to disperse the IMN supporters who were demanding the immediate release of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky. Sheikh Zakzaky has been in prison since December 2015 when security forces killed hundreds of IMN members. The Nigerian government refuses to free him although a court has ruled that his detention without charge is illegal.

‘No fear of sanctions’

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says Tehran is not intimidated by US threats. Rouhani made the remarks at a Cabinet meeting. He said US pressures on Iran are temporary while Tehran’s relations with its trade partners are permanent. Rouhani noted that Washington cannot make decisions for the region and other nations. He said the US will definitely fail in its plots against Iran. The Iranian president underlined that Washington, unlike what it claims, can neither stop nor bring down Iran’s oil exports to the level it wants. Rouhani’s comments came ahead of November 4 when the US is set to impose a second round of sanctions on Iran, especially on the country’s oil sector.

Khashoggi ‘pre-planned’ murder

A Turkish chief prosecutor says Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was strangled and his body dismembered in a pre-planned killing at the Kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul. In a statement, the Turkish chief prosecutor also said that no concrete results were reached during talks with his Saudi counterpart in Istanbul. The revelations came after the Kingdom’s top prosecutor finished his investigations in Turkey and returned to Saudi Arabia. A senior Turkish official has reportedly accused the Saudis of being unwilling to genuinely cooperate in the probe. Riyadh initially denied involvement in the murder at its Istanbul consulate. It later admitted the killing but constantly kept changing its account of how the incident took place. Riyadh also rejects that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman ordered the hit.

China US warning

China has urged the United States to stop official contacts or military ties with Taiwan. The foreign ministry spokesman made the remarks at a press briefing in Beijing in response to a meeting between American and Taiwanese military officials. He warned the United States about the issue, saying it might harm the relations between Washington and Beijing. The Chinese official reiterated that Taiwan and US military ties will damage peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Beijing has repeatedly reiterated that the Taiwan issue is a matter of China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Earlier, China also warned Taiwanese authorities of the consequence of colluding with foreign powers.

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