WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, November 07, 2018.

US midterm elections

US Democrats have taken control of the House of Representatives in midterm elections, in a blow to President Donald Trump. All 435 seats in the House were up for grabs. 411 races have been called so far. That gave Democrats the 218 seats needed to have the majority at the lower chamber of Congress. House Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi, has hailed the victory, calling it a new day for America. She has promised checks and balances on the Trump administration, saying America had enough of division.

US-North Korea talks delayed

The US secretary of state has cancelled high level talks with North Korean officials this week. In a statement, the US State Department says Mike Pompeo’s meeting will take place when each side’s schedule permit. Pompeo was expected to meet the senior North Korean delegation in New York on Thursday. Earlier, Pyongyang, warned that it could resume its nuclear weapons program if Washington does not lift economic sanctions. The North also accused the US of derailing commitments made by the two countries’ leaders at a summit earlier this year.

Brexit fallout

The UK has accused the European Commission of being biased toward British aid organizations in its development budget over Brexit. The Commission has threatened to cut all funding to UK-based agencies if Britain leaves the European Union without a deal by the end of March. The British government says the move is effective discrimination against UK NGOs. In response, Britain for the first time refused to back EU’s aid plans during a vote on October 31. The vote was held on the allocation of the bloc’s 30.3 billion euro for aid spending. The EU and Britain are at odds over several issues, including the Irish border, to secure a withdrawal deal. This comes as a new poll suggests 54 percent of Britons prefer to stay in the EU.

US-Russia ties

The Kremlin says any imposition of US sanctions on Russia is illegal, as Washington announces that it’s considering punitive measures against the country. President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman told reporters that a new round of sanctions on Russia would undermine any prospects for normalization of ties between the two countries. The statement came after the US State Department accused Russia of failing to comply with its obligations under the Chemical and Biological Weapons and Warfare Elimination Act. The accusation concerned Moscow’s suspected assassination attempt of a former spy back in March. Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attack, saying new sanctions would translate into an economic warfare.

Saudi war on Yemen

Saudi atrocities against Yemen: The country’s fighter jets have pounded residential areas in the province of Hajjah, killing six people. The airstrikes left two houses completely destroyed and nearby homes were also damaged. On Tuesday, Saudi planes launched attacks in Mastaba and killed one civilian and wounded several more. Saudi Arabia launched its war on Yemen in 2015. The war has pushed the country into a humanitarian crisis.

‘US ceasefire call hypocritical’

The leader of Yemen’s Ansarullah movement says the US is behind the Saudi-led aggression against his country. Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates launch military attacks against Yemen upon orders from Washington. He said the US equips Saudi and Emirati mercenaries with weapons. Al-Houthi described the US calls for ceasefire in Yemen as hypocritical. He said these calls are aimed at fueling the flames of war in the country. The leader of Yemen’s Ansarullah movement reiterated that the Yemeni people will fight back against foreign forces and domestic traitors.

Nigeria Muslim cleric trial

A Nigerian court has refused to release senior Muslim cleric Ibrahim Zakzaky, who’s been in custody since 2015. The state high court held the hearing in the northern city of Kaduna with no access for the media or the public. Zakzaky’s lawyer denounced the move, reiterating that free trial requires access to the courtroom by the public. The cleric’s legal team had called for his release on health grounds, saying he needed urgent medical care abroad. The court denied the request. Zakzaky will remain in custody until a further hearing on January 22. He was detained in 2015 following deadly clashes between troops and his supporters.

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