WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, August 25, 2018 to 0800 GMT, August 26, 2018.

Palestinians' right to return

The US government is reportedly planning to announce that it will not recognize the right of return to the occupied territories for millions of Palestinian refugees. Israeli media reports say the US will in a few days say that about one million Palestinians should qualify for refugee status. This would contradict UN figures that classify more than five million Palestinians as refugees. The administration of US President Donald Trump has repeatedly opposed treating the descendants of Palestinian refugees as refugees themselves. Palestinian Authority officials have recently warned that Trump seeks to end the refugee issue. US officials are yet to comment on the matter.

Afghan resignations

Three more senior Afghan security officials have resigned after the president’s national security advisor quit the government. The resignations have been demanded by President Ashraf Ghani. They include the minister of defense, the minister of interior and the national directorate of security chief. The reasons given by Ghani for the move include this week's rocket attack on the presidential palace, the recent deadly attack in the city of Ghazni and the increasing Afghan national security forces’ casualty toll. This comes as Afghanistan is experiencing a bloody month with the Taliban ramping up assaults on security forces across the country and Daesh terrorists targeting the capital Kabul.

Church sex abuse

The leader of the Catholic Church has pledged to end clerical sexual exploitation of children. Pope Francis acknowledged that the failure of Church authorities to address repugnant clerical abuses was a source of shame for the Catholic community. The pope made the comments during his trip to Ireland. Meanwhile, abuse survivors have questioned the Pope’s ability to put an end to the scandal.

Hawkish US politician dies

Senior US senator John McCain has died at the age of 81. McCain died a little more than a year after he was diagnosed with brain cancer. He was in the US Congress for 36 years, and worked as the chairman of the Senate’s Armed Services Committee. McCain was known for his hawkish policies. He backed the 2017 US airstrikes on Syria and supported military intervention there. At some point, he even secretly traveled to Syria to coordinate with anti-government militants. McCain also praised US President Donald Trump for pulling out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The senator was the Republican Party’s nominee in the 2008 presidential election. Back then, he had called for a league of democracies to replace the UN Security Council. The aim, he said, was to impose sanctions on countries like Iran without having to deal with China and Russia.

Iran earthquake

A powerful earthquake has jolted Iran's western province of Kermanshah, killing at least two people and injuring more than 240 others. The 5.9 magnitude quake struck near the town of Tazeh-abad where most of the casualties took place. There is no immediate report about possible property damage. The shallow temblor was followed by nearly sixty aftershocks. The tremor triggered a rockslide, blocking a road in the province. It also cut power in dozens of villages. Emergency teams have been deployed to the quake-hit areas. Last November, a magnitude seven-point-three earthquake killed some 600 people and wounded thousands more in Kermanshah. It was Iran’s deadliest earthquake in more than a decade.

Iran-Syria relations

Iran’s defense minister says it is up to Tehran and Damascus to decide whether or not Iranian advisors should remain in Syria, and that no third country should interfere in this issue. Brigadier General Amir Hatami made the comment during a trip to Syria. He said Iran hopes to contribute heavily to Syria’s reconstruction. He also congratulated the resistance front on its victories against terrorists, and said the triumphs are a turning point in regional cooperation. The top Iranian commander is to sit down with high-ranking Syrian military and political officials to discuss issues of mutual interest. Top on the agenda of the talks are regional developments, war on terror, boosting the resistance front, and ways of enhancing Tehran-Damascus defense cooperation.

Storming al-Aqsa Mosque

Israeli settlers have once again stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds. Over eighty settlers under the protection of Israeli forces broke into the Muslim holy site in early morning hours. The move is considered an incursion under a 1967 deal between Israel and Jordan that is custodian of the mosque. According to the agreement, non-Muslim worshipers can visit the place but are prohibited to pray there. However, Tel Aviv often allows settlers to enter the site and carry out religious rituals in defiance of the pact.

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