WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

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

Turkey to buy S-400 defense system

The Turkish President says Ankara will buy some of Russia’s air defense systems soon. Erdogan was speaking at a graduation ceremony for military officers in the capital, Ankara. The president said Turkey needs to cooperate with other countries just as it needs to work with the United States and the European Union. Turkey’s deal with Russia comes at a time of high tension with the US over Ankara’s detention of an American pastor on terror-related charges. The White House has warned Turkey over its decision to buy the defense equipment, saying the move could affect future military cooperation between the two sides.

EU-US trade tensions

The European Commission president warns that the European Union will respond in kind if the US imposes car tariffs on the bloc. Jean-Claude Juncker says the EU would not let anyone determine its trade policies. US President Donald Trump rejected an offer from the European Union to eliminate auto tariffs if Washington does the same. Trump has ignited a global trade war by slapping steep tariffs on goods from the EU, Canada, Mexico and China, prompting them to adopt retaliatory measures.

Kashmir strike

People in Indian-controlled Kashmir take to the streets in an angry protest over the government’s plan to strip the region of some of its autonomy. Businesses, schools, and public transport were shut down by Kashmiris for the second day. The government has imposed a curfew on the region. India’s Supreme Court is to hold a hearing on a constitutional provision which bars Indians from outside Kashmir from buying land or applying for governmental jobs in Kashmir. Pro-independence leaders say the annulment of the constitutional article would provoke major protests. They say New Delhi wants to damage the Islamic structure of the territory.

US-China trade row

The US counter-intelligence chief says China is using fake LinkedIn accounts to try to recruit Americans with access to government and commercial secrets. In an exclusive interview with Reuters, William Evanina said intelligence and law enforcement officials have told LinkedIn about China's efforts. He said the Chinese campaign includes contacting thousands of LinkedIn members at a time. Evanina called on the business-oriented service, which has over half a billion users, to shut down the fake accounts linked to Chinese espionage agencies. China rejects the accusations as complete nonsense. Similar warnings had previously been issued by German and British authorities.

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