WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, November 22, 2018 to 0800 GMT, November 23, 2018.

Murder of Khashoggi

A prominent Turkish daily says US intelligence agency, the CIA, has a recording of a call in which the Saudi Crown Prince orders the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Hurriyet said CIA director Gina Haspel signaled to Turkish officials last month the agency had the recording. During the call, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked his brother, who’s the Saudi envoy to Washington, to silence Khashoggi. The journalist was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October second. Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the murder was ordered by the highest levels of the Saudi leadership.

Central American migrants

Hundreds of Central American migrants have massed at a Mexican border town to cross a bridge to enter the US as President Donald Trump renewed his threats to repel them. A group of the asylum seekers has peacefully marched toward the border crossing. On Thursday, Trump said he had signed an order to close the border. The US president added he had authorized troops to use lethal force against migrants who attempt to enter the country. The US has deployed nearly six-thousand troops and erected concrete barriers and razor-wire fences to deter what Trump called an invasion. The migrants, who are part of a caravan from Honduras, began their journey more than a month ago. They are fleeing poverty and unrest.

California wildfire

The death toll from two monstrous blazes in the U-S state of California has already reached 86. In the north, the number of fatalities from the camp fire hit 83 with more than 560 people still missing. Three people also died in the other wildfire in the southern parts of the state, which according to authorities has been totally contained. Emergency teams continue the search and rescue operation despite the risk of mudslides due to heavy rain. Fire authorities said the rain makes the process of sifting through the ash and debris more difficult. The national weather service has warned about possible flash floods as a result of continuous showers until the weekend.

Plight of Palestinian kids

Palestinian officials described children as the real victims of Israel’s atrocities and its decades-long occupation. On the occasion of Universal Children’s Day, Palestinian Foreign Ministry said generations of Palestinian children had been subjected to terror, injustice and insecurity by Israel. The ministry said more than 50 children had been killed and over 900 detained by Israeli soldiers so far in 2018. It said there were currently some 270 children in Israeli jails who were subjected to torture, solitary confinement and other inhumane practices. The ministry also urged the international community to uphold its responsibilities toward Palestinian children by holding Israel accountable for its illegal actions.

Brexit deal

The British prime minister said the withdrawal agreement between Britain and the European Union would ensure the security, integrity and economic prosperity of the country. Theresa May made the remarks in her address to the British Parliament on Thursday. May said negotiations between London and Brussels were at a critical stage. She noted that Britain’s immigration policy after its divorce from the bloc would be skill-based and not nationality-based. The British premier also said the Brexit deal would enable the UK to stop sending vast sums of money to the EU. In reaction to May’s remarks, the leader of the UK Labor Party called the Brexit deal an "empty document" that could have been written two years ago.

Pakistan deadly attacks

Several gunmen stormed the Chinese consulate in the Pakistani city of Karachi. Officials said three assailants tried to enter the consulate but were intercepted by security guards at a checkpoint. The exchange of fire resulted in the death of two policemen. Another officer was injured. The assailants were killed and security forces said the situation was under control. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said all 21 Chinese staff inside the consulate were safe. A separatist militant group from the Pakistani province of Balochistan claimed responsibility for the attack.  

Iran rejects chemical claims

Iran rejected as "baseless" a US allegation that it was pursuing an offensive chemical weapons program. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said the accusation was leveled out of "Washington's hostility" towards the Islamic Republic. Bahram Qassemi said that the US was the only member of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) that had not tried to destroy its chemical weapons stockpile. Qassemi also stressed that Washington made the claim to divert the world’s attention away from its continuous violations of international regulations. 

Trump stance on Saudi

US President Donald Trump said the CIA had not blamed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump said media were guilty of false reporting the issue and claimed the CIA had only said Prince Mohammed "might" have done it - a position which he said would make a big difference. On Thursday, a prominent Turkish daily said the US intelligence agency had a recording of a call in which the Saudi Crown Prince ordered the murder. Last week, the Washington Post reported that the CIA had concluded the Saudi crown prince personally ordered Khashoggi’s killing. The journalist was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in early October.

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