WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, November 12, 2018.

Saudi ‘assassination plot’

A US media report says top Saudi officials in 2017 discussed plans to assassinate commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Major General Qassem Soleimani. The New York Times reported Saudi Major General Ahmed al-Assiri took part in the Riyadh meeting with top intelligence officials close to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Asiri has been fired recently following the murder of Saudi journo Jamal Khashoggi. The report, citing three people familiar with the discussions, said the officials asked a small group of businessmen about using private companies to assassinate “Iranian enemies of the kingdom”. They also discussed a two-billion-dollar plan to sabotage the Iranian economy. The report said planning for assassinations started since the beginning of “Prince Mohammed’s ascent”.

Rohingya refugee crisis

Myanmar prepares to receive the first batch of Rohingya Muslims who fled army crackdown last year. The United Nations has warned about unsafe conditions back home. Myanmar’s officials say they are ready to receive more than 2,000 Rohingya Muslims who are sheltering in Bangladesh on November 15. The UN’s refugee agency, however, says conditions are not yet safe for their return. It says the minority group should be allowed to go and see the conditions before they decide to return. Bangladesh has also said that it will not force anyone to go back. Myanmar and Bangladesh last month agreed to start the repatriation process for some Rohingya refugees. More than 700,000 members of the Muslim community are currently living in a camp in neighboring Bangladesh.

Warning on Hudaydah

The United Nations’ Secretary General says the destruction of the Yemeni flashpoint city of Hudaydah could lead to a catastrophe. Antonio Guterres made the remark during a visit to the French capital on Monday. His comments came as the ongoing battle between Ansarullah forces and Saudi-backed troops has so far killed dozens in Hudaydah. According to medics, some 110 Ansarullah fighters as well as 32 Saudi-backed forces were killed in clashes over the past 24 hours only. Seven civilians were also among the dead. The Saudi-led coalition began a new wave of attacks on Yemen on November 1 with the aim of taking control of Hudaydah. Human Rights groups say the operations could lead to high civilian casualties. Hudaydah is a vital lifeline for Yemenis as the majority of imports and humanitarian aid enter through its port.

Israeli botched operation  

Calm has returned to the Gaza Strip after a botched Israeli attack turned deadly in the besieged enclave. Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, slammed the attack as cowardly and described the Palestinian reaction to it as heroic. On Sunday night, Israeli special forces infiltrated an area near the southern city of Khan Younis in a civilian vehicle. However, Hamas fighters engaged in a gun battle with them while Israeli warplanes provided air cover for the soldiers. One Israeli soldier and seven Palestinians, including two Hamas commanders, were killed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short his trip to France and returned to Tel Aviv following the incident.

California wildfires

The death toll from two wildfires raging in the north and south of the US state of California has risen to 31. Nearly 230 people remain missing. Officials say 29 people have died in northern California's Camp Fire, making it one of the deadliest in the state’s history. Another two have lost their lives in the Woolsy fire in the south. Both blazes broke out on Thursday. They’ve been spreading quickly, making it difficult for firefighters to contain them. Dry weather conditions are also hampering efforts to put them out. Hot winds are expected to blow until Tuesday, while affected areas have seen no rain for seven months now. The fires have burned down vast areas, forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes. The town of Paradise has been one of the hardest-hit areas.

Kabul attack

Taliban militants step up their attacks against Afghan security forces, killing scores of them across the country. Afghan officials say nearly 50 security forces died in attacks near the southwestern city of Farah on Sunday. The attacks also targeted checkpoints in nearby areas and triggered hours of fighting. Elsewhere in Ghazni province, some 25 commandos were killed while fighting against the militants. Meanwhile, in the capital Kabul, a bomb attack left at least six people dead near a police checkpoint. There has been no claim of responsibility for the bombing yet.

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