WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, September 1, 2018 to 0800 GMT, September 2, 2018.

Saudi war on Yemen

The Saudi-led coalition has defended bombing a bus carrying Yemeni children on August 9 but admitted that mistakes were made. An official said they will take legal action to hold accountable those who made the mistakes. He made the announcement following a probe by the Saudi-led coalition. The airstrike that hit a crowded market in Sa’ada killed 40 children and left dozens of others wounded. The incident sparked a wave of international anger and calls by the United Nations Security Council for a credible and transparent investigation.

UNRWA funding freeze

The secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization has condemned the US decision to freeze funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, known as UNRWA. Saeb Erekat accused the US of preempting, prejudging issues reserved for permanent status. Meanwhile, the Jordanian foreign minister warned of dangerous ramifications for regional stability if UNRWA couldn’t provide services to over five million Palestinian refugees. Ayman Safadi said Jordan will rally support to alleviate the financial crisis. Earlier on Saturday, UN Chief Antonio Guterres regretted Washington's move. Israel, however, praised the U-S decision, describing it as a realistic view of the situation that supports Tel Aviv’s position. UNRWA provides aid to registered Palestinian refugees who were forced out of their land by Israeli occupation forces.

Zarif’s demand from world

The Iranian foreign minister says the world must stand up against what he calls the US law-breaking behavior or pay a high price. Mohammad Javad Zarif added Washington has not only violated the terms of the Iran nuclear deal, but it also wants world countries to break international law. Zarif called on the remaining signatories to the deal to take practical measures and salvage the agreement. Tehran has time and again said it will abandon the agreement if other signatories fail to secure Iran’s interests amid the US attempts to pile more economic pressure on the Islamic Republic. Under the deal, Iran accepted some restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions. But, Washington withdrew from the deal in May and re-imposed unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

US cancels Pakistan aid

The Pentagon cancels its 300-million dollar aid to Pakistan over what it calls the south Asian country's failure to dislodge militants. A pentagon spokesman said the US military aims to spend the sum on other urgent priorities. US lawmakers had already blocked the transfer of a 500-million dollar aid to Islamabad. Ties between the two countries have been deteriorating under US President Donald Trump. In his first 2018 tweet, Trump regretted that the US had given Pakistan billions of dollars in military aid and slammed Islamabad for giving Washington nothing but lies and deceit. Trump even went further, accusing Pakistan of harboring terrorists, the US has been trying to capture in neighboring Afghanistan. Pakistan denies the allegations.

Iraq’s fight against terror

Iraq hosts senior military commanders from Iran, Syria and Russia in the capital Baghdad. The Iraqi Defense Ministry said the meeting aims to promote security and intelligence cooperation among these countries in the Middle East. The four nations developed close cooperation to defeat Daesh. The terror group has been driven out of all urban centers in Iraq and is largely confined to desert holdouts in Syria. Daesh, however, still continues to carry out attacks against civilian targets.

German rival rallies

Far-right protesters in Germany have staged an anti-refugee rally in the eastern city of Chemnitz. The demonstrators denounced what they called a rise in crimes committed by refugees. The rally was organized by the Pro Chemnitz movement, the far-right Alternative for Germany party and the anti-Islam Pegida movement. Riot police were deployed to the protest site to quell possible violence. A similar rally was held in the town of Kandel over a teen girl's murder. A state court is due to deliver a verdict on the murder trial on Monday. Pro-refugee protesters also held counter rallies in the two cities. Anti-refugee sentiments have been growing in Germany over a rise in the rate of crime and murder allegedly committed by refugees.

HRW slams Saudi war

Prominent rights group, Human Rights Watch, says a Saudi airstrike on a bus that killed 40 children in Yemen last month, was an apparent war crime. HRW said the attack added to already gruesome record of civilian killings by Saudi Arabia in Yemen. The group added countries that continue to supply bombs to the Saudis, while they have knowledge of such brutalities, will be complicit in future attacks on civilians. According to HRW, evidence it gathered show that the bomb used in the bus attack had been produced in the United States. The airstrike hit the bus in a market in northern Yemen on August 9. At the time, Saudi Arabia denied children were targeted. But, on Saturday, a Saudi official admitted that warplanes mistakenly hit the vehicle.

EU slams US aid cut

The European Union and the Arab League have strongly criticized the US for ending its funding for the UN Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA. The EU said the move is regrettable, pledging to secure the continuation and sustainability of the agency’s work. The EU added that many in the international community are ready to support UNRWA despite the US funding freeze. Arab League’s Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit also condemned Washington’s decision. He said this reflects the US desire to sideline the issues of refugees and Jerusalem al-Quds in the talks between Israel and Palestinians. The US announced halting of its contributions on Friday. UNRWA provides basics to five million Palestinians displaced by Israeli occupation and expansionism.

May defends Brexit plan

The British prime minister has vowed to stand by her blueprint for future trade ties with the European Union. Theresa May’s pledge comes amid fierce opposition from Brexiteers and doubts from the bloc. Back in July, the premier unveiled a government plan that envisages Britain leaving the single market, but staying in a free trade area for goods and agri-food through a customs deal and common rulebook with the EU. The proposal met immediate opposition from her own ruling Conservatives, who think it keeps Britain too closely aligned to the bloc. It sparked the resignation of a number of UK officials while EU leaders have repeatedly questioned the viability of the plan.

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