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Palestinian students gather to sing their country's national anthem in the courtyard of the Amine al-Husseini secondary school in the occupied West Bank town of al-Bireh on March 27, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, August 24, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, August 25, 2017.

EU condemns Israel

The European Union has condemned Israel’s measures against Palestinian schools in the occupied territories. The EU expressed deep concern about the recent confiscations of Palestinian school structures in the West Bank. It said Israel must respect children’s right to safe access to education. This week, the Israeli regime demolished a school and confiscated a kindergarten structure in the West Bank. It also removed solar panels used to generate electricity for another school. Israeli officials claimed the structures did not have proper permits. However, the Palestinian prime minister has condemned the confiscations as a deliberate policy. Rami Hamdallah added that such moves are aimed at seizing Palestinian land and further expanding Israeli settlements.

Turkey's EU membership bid

The German foreign minister has accused the Turkish president of failing to take accession talks with the European Union seriously, amid heightening tensions between the two countries. In a statement, Sigmar Gabriel stressed that Turkey would never acquire the EU’s membership as long as Rejep Tayyip Erdogan was in power. He also accused Ankara of ignoring what the 28-member bloc stood for. The remarks come as the Turkish government is under growing pressure for launching a heavy-handed crackdown in the country following last year’s failed coup. However, Ankara believes the measures are pivotal to deal with the country's serious security challenges.

France unemployment

In France, the government of President Emanuel Macron has been grappling with the issue of unemployment since he took power in May. But new figures show about 40,000 people lost their jobs last month alone. The surge in unemployment rate comes ahead of the government’s plans to introduce new changes in labor laws. Ramin Mazaheri reports from Paris.

‘Abused for decades’

Amnesty International has called on Myanmar’s government to “address long-standing grievances and redress decades of violations” against the country’s persecuted Rohingya Muslim community. The rights group’s director of Southeast Asia and the Pacific said Muslims in Myanmar had suffered horrific rights abuses for decades. James Gomez also strongly urged Myanmar’s authorities to comply with a report released by a commission led by former UN chief, Kofi Annan. The report called on Myanmar to scrap restrictions imposed on movement and citizenship of the Rohingya. It also said Myanmar must avoid fuelling extremism if it wanted to bring peace to Rakhine state. Large-scale violence by Buddhist extremists and the army against Rohingya Muslims has claimed hundreds of lives and forced tens of thousands to flee the region since 2012.

Hajj pilgrimage

Muslims from around the world are gathering in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform their annual Hajj pilgrimage. About 86 thousand, 5 hundred Iranians are to take part in this year’s ritual. Our correspondent in Mecca, Mahmoud Habibi has more in this report.

GOP divisions

US President Donald Trump has strongly criticized the republican leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives for failing to heed his advice to advance his policy agenda. In his latest tweets, Trump accused Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan of foot-dragging on attaching debt ceiling legislation to a veterans bill which recently passed the floors of Congress. The US president said the Democratic lawmakers would now hold up the debt ceiling approval but the mess could have been easily avoided. Trump wants the government funding bill to include credits for the construction of the US-Mexico border wall. The US president had also threatened to close down government unless he got funding for the wall.

Thailand arrest warrant

Thailand’s top court issues an arrest warrant for former Prime Minster, Yingluck Shinawat, after she failed to show up at a trial hearing. The Supreme Court has set a new date in late September for the verdict in a negligence case. Yingluck had told the court that she could not attend because of illness. However, a court statement said the defendant is hiding or has fled. She had pleaded not guilty in the case focused on a rice subsidy scheme for farmers. Her lawyer says he does not know whether Yingluck is still in Thailand, but an immigration police chief has said there is no information to indicate she has left the country. Hundreds of supporters of the ex-premier have rallied outside the court amid tight security.

Hurricane Harvey

Thailand’s top court issues an arrest warrant for former Prime Minster, Yingluck Shinawat, after she failed to show up at a trial hearing. The Supreme Court has set a new date in late September for the verdict in a negligence case. Yingluck had told the court that she could not attend because of illness. However, a court statement said the defendant is hiding or has fled. She had pleaded not guilty in the case focused on a rice subsidy scheme for farmers. Her lawyer says he does not know whether Yingluck is still in Thailand, but an immigration police chief has said there is no information to indicate she has left the country. Hundreds of supporters of the ex-premier have rallied outside the court amid tight security.

 


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