Press TV's news headlines

Iran drone drills

Iran has kicked off a large-scale nationwide drill involving dozens of drones and personnel from four branches of the military. The maneuver will cover strategic waters of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman in the south, to the eastern, western, northern and central parts of the country. Ground, maritime, and air forces are taking part in the first-ever combined drill. More than 150 drones, including some jointly produced by the defense ministry and knowledge-based companies will be put to test for their control systems and combat capabilities. Earlier defense officials said some other unmanned aerial vehicles used for reconnaissance missions will also take part in the maneuver. Iran has repeatedly said that its drills aim to boost the country’s deterrent capacity. 

Zelensky 'victory' pledge

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has reiterated his pledge to retake the eastern Donbas region and liberate the Russian-held territory of Crimea. In a recorded speech on Ukraine’s Independence Day, Zelensky said his army is capable of defeating pro-Russian groups in the country’s east. He also reprimanded Russia for its military offensive, saying QUOTE a Ukrainian nation was born with the Russian invasion on February 24th. He said, Ukraine is aiming for victory not peace. Donetsk and Luhansk together form the Donbas region, but declared their independence from Ukraine two days before the outbreak of conflict in February. Crimea voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to rejoin Russia in 2014. The fight over, and across Donbas has long been the bone of contention between the two neighbors. Zelensky has promised to fly the Ukrainian flag once again over the regions now controlled by Russia or pro-Russian forces.

Twitter security concerns

Twitter’s former security chief has accused the communications company of misleading users and US regulators about gaps in its security. Peiter Zatko in a whistle-blower complaint has claimed that American firm underestimated the number of fake and spam accounts. Zatko underlined that user data are vulnerable to hacks. The whistle-blower has alleged that the company’s security problems are a threat to the country’s national security. Twitter has denied the accusations, saying that Zatko was dismissed for poor performance. The testimony could affect the company’s legal battle with Elon Musk over his buyout bid. Musk, the world’s richest man, has recently dropped his plans to buy the platform over its security problems. 

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk