WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, October 25, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, October 26, 2017.

Hezbollah sanctioned

The US House of Representatives has overwhelmingly voted to slap new sanctions on Lebanon’s resistance movement, Hezbollah. The legislation has blocked people and businesses engaged in funding Hezbollah, which is a member of Lebanon’s coalition government. A separate vote is also slated for Thursday on a bill which targets Iran over its ballistic missile program. The motion requires the White House to identify companies and individuals who help Iran develop the program. The bills need to be passed by the Senate before being signed into law by the US president. The Islamic Republic has repeatedly stressed that its missile capability is non-negotiable and it’s only for defensive purposes. Tehran also says its missile program is not inconsistent with the Iran nuclear deal and UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

May defends Balfour Declaration

The British prime minister says her country is proud of the role it has played in the creation of Israel, referring to the notorious Balfour Declaration. Theresa May says she will certainly celebrate the upcoming anniversary of the declaration with pride. However, she acknowledged the Palestinians' grievances over the issue. Her comments came amid Palestinian demands that Britain retract and apologize for the Balfour Declaration. May is expected to meet with her Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu next week. The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government during World War one, announcing support for the creation of Israel. Palestinians view the move as a prelude to the Israeli occupation of their homeland.

UN chief visits CAR

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has visited the Central African Republic to evaluate the country's fragile security situation as violence between militias threatens to escalate. Guterres made the remarks in the southeastern town of Bangassou, one of the restive regions in the Central African Republic. The UN chief said there is nothing more precious than peace, referring to the UN’s peacekeeping strategy in the region. Guterres is also expected to meet victims of sexual abuse by the peacekeepers. The UN has a 12,500 strong force in the country to help protect civilians and support the government. But the mission has been plagued by sex abuse claims against the peacekeeping troops.

Scope of US spying

Newly released documents have revealed a Pentagon policy that authorizes warrantless monitoring of US citizens and permanent residents. The documents obtained by Human Rights Watch reveal Washington’s determination to eavesdrop on what the White House calls homegrown violent extremists. The documents also reinforce concerns that the government may be gathering large amounts of data about US citizens without a warrant. The rights group says this shows how the US public has been kept in the dark about warrantless surveillance. The Pentagon has not responded to questions about the issue. The US Federal law generally prohibits deliberate spying on citizens without a warrant.

Iraqi PM in Tehran

Iran has officially welcomed Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in a ceremony in the capital Tehran. Abadi was greeted by First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri. He is accompanied by a high-ranking delegation including cabinet ministers. The Iraqi prime minister is expected to hold talks with top Iranian officials including President Hassan Rouhani on latest regional developments and bilateral ties. The Iraqi premier arrived in Tehran late on Wednesday after a one-day visit to Turkey.

Kenya vote

Polls have opened in Kenya in a re-run presidential election overshadowed by an opposition boycott. Supporters of the opposition took to the streets of Nairobi to protest the vote. The turnout is expected to be significantly lower compared with the August vote when people lined up to cast their ballots. Many stations announced they didn’t have the necessary materials as the polling began. Many others remained closed in the city of Kisumu, which is a stronghold for opposition leader Raila Odinga. Kenya’s Supreme Court annulled the results of the August presidential election citing irregularities. The repeat vote was boycotted by the opposition. Incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta is likely to clinch an easy victory but there are worries of a prolonged standoff.

Brazil’s Temer corruption charges dropped

Brazil’s embattled president can breathe a sigh of relief after the country’s lower house of parliament voted to reject corruption charges against him. With 136 lawmakers voting to throw out the charges involving bribery allegations, Michel Temer will avert a trial by the Supreme Court. Temer was the first president in the country to face criminal charges while in office. The 77-year old president was implicated in a corruption scandal involving alleged bribery. Meanwhile, opponents of Temer took to the streets in Sao Paulo to slam what they described as rampant corruption in the country. Hundreds of protesters expressed their disappointment with the developments and called for new elections. Temer took over the presidency last year after ex-president Dilma Rousseff was impeached and removed from office.

Arrest warrant for Nawaz Sharif

Pakistan’s accountability court has issued bailable arrest warrant for deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The warrant issued related to Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment filed by the National Accountability Bureau in the light of July 20 verdict of the Supreme Court. The Accountability court had summoned former prime minister, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain Safdar for trial in the Avenfield apartments’ case. However, Nawaz summoned in two other NAB references linked to Azizia Mills and Flagship investment. Both Maryam and Safdar appeared in the court to face the trial but Sharif skipped the hearing as he is in Saudi Arabia after visiting his ailing wife, Kulsoom Nawaz, in London.

Call for cancellation of Kurdish secession vote

The Iraqi government says it would only accept the annulment of last month’s Kurdish secession vote, not its suspension. A statement by the prime minister’s office adds that any offer other than this is not acceptable. It also urges Erbil to respect the Iraqi constitution. The response is an apparent rejection of Kurdish authorities’ offer to freeze the results of the secession vote and begin dialogue with Baghdad. Iraq’s Kurdish regional government held a controversial secession vote on September 25 which drew international condemnation especially from Iraq, Iran and Turkey.

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