WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

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

Iran’s right to export oil

Iran’s president says the country has never been seeking tension in the Middle East region. Hassan Rouhani has made the comment in a meeting with new British Ambassador to Tehran, Robert Macaire, as he received the diplomat’s credentials. President Rouhani said Iran wouldn’t like to see any problems emerge in international waters. He stressed that Tehran won’t give up on its rights to export oil. The British ambassador, in turn, described Tehran’s policy of easing tensions in the region as very important. He noted that problems and crises can only be settled through dialog and diplomacy. The US has been trying to bring Iran’s petroleum sales to zero by banning other countries from purchasing the Islamic Republic’s crude oil.

Saudi war on Yemen

Fresh air raids by Saudi warplanes claim more civilian lives in Yemen. Fighter jets have targeted a government building for agriculture in the western city of Hudaydah killing four civilians. Another two people were wounded. Further airstrikes have been reported on government offices in the areas nearby. The Saudi-led coalition has recently shifted its focus to Hudaydah. The port city is vital to Yemeni imports and receives the bulk of humanitarian aid entering the country. Wesam Bahrani takes a closer look.

Zimbabwe election results

Zimbabwe’s two main rival candidates claim they are heading for victory in the presidential election as vote counting is underway. Incumbent President, Emmerson Mnan-gagwa, says the ruling party received extremely positive information from their representatives on the ground. This is while the main opposition leader says he has done exceedingly well in the race and is ready to form the next government. Zimbabwe’s electoral commission says vote counting has been completed in most provinces and only some remote areas remain. It said the results will be announced at 1300 GMT. The election body stressed that it is absolutely sure there was no rigging and no cheating in the voting process.

Trial of Trump’s ex-campaign chief

The trial of Donald Trump's former campaign chief will begin today. Paul Manafort will be grilled by Special Counsel, Robert Mueller. This is the first trial to emerge from Mueller's enquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the US elections. Manafort faces 18 criminal counts, including bank fraud. He has pleaded not guilty. His conviction could give momentum to Mueller's investigation. Trump has distanced himself from Manafort, saying the charges relate to a time when he was not part of the election campaign. So far, Meuller has charged 32 people and three companies. Manafort's business partner Rick Gates, has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with the probe.

Syrian army gains

The Syrian army has liberated a strategic region from a Daesh-affiliated group in the country’s southwest. Government forces have taken the Yarmouk Basin from the so-called Khalid Ibn al Waleed army. It was a small area held by the Takfiri group, close to Jordan and the Israeli occupied Golan Heights. On Monday Damascus announced it had recaptured al-Shajara, the main town in the region. The Syrian army also killed the leader of the terrorist group there. Damascus says Israeli reconnaissance drones were hovering when terrorists tried to resist the army advance by car bombs.

Turkey-US rift

Turkey says it will retaliate against any possible US sanctions over the trial of a Christian pastor. President Rejep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesperson made the announcement. Ibrahim Kalin said, however that he expects the two countries to resolve their differences through diplomacy. He added that the foreign ministers of the two countries, who are attending a meeting in Singapore, will hold talks on the issue this week. Meanwhile a Turkish court has rejected the appeal for Andrew Brunson’s release. Turkey-US ties have spiraled into an intense war of words over the clergyman’s arrest and trial. Brunson was indicted on charges of having links with US-based Turkish opposition figure Fethullah Gulen in 2016. He's been under house arrest ever since.

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