WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, August 27, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, August 28, 2017.

Anti-Daesh campaign

Russia says more than eight-hundred Daesh terrorists have been killed in a Syrian army offensive in northern Raqqah province. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the operation was launched near the town of Ghanem Ali in the eastern part of the province south of the Euphrates River. Besides the heavy causalities, large numbers of tanks and pickup trucks belonging to the terrorist group were destroyed in the offensive, which was carried out under the Russian air cover. The town of Ghanem Ali was captured by Daesh a few days ago. Russia says Syrian forces involved in the operation are now advancing east along the Euphrates toward the Daesh-held province of Dayr al-Zawr.

US racial tensions

US police have arrested several protesters during rival rallies in the city of Berkeley in the state of California. The arrests were made following skirmishes between white supremacists and counter-protesters. Hundred of leftist protesters had gathered in the city to denounce racism when faced off by a handful of right-wing demonstrators. Police had beefed up security around the site of the protests amid concerns of clashes between the two groups. Officers had barred the protesters from carrying baseball bats, dogs, skateboards and scarves or bandanas to cover their faces.

Cameroon killings

At least sixteen people have been killed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in attacks on two villages in Cameroon's Far North province. According to eyewitness accounts, the militants torched homes and stole vehicles and farm animals after killing the victims. Boko Haram has been waging terrorist attacks in Cameroon, Nigeria and a couple of other countries for the past several years. The violence has killed over 20,000 people and displaced more than two million others since the emergence of the terror group in 2009.

Saudi war on Yemen

A huge crowd of people in Yemen have attended the burial ceremony of nearly two dozen people killed in a Saudi airstrike last week. Yemeni people slammed Saudi Arabia for targeting civilians and criticized the United Nations and the international community for their inaction. They also pledged to fight back against the Saudis and take revenge for those killed. Early on Wednesday, Saudi fighter jets targeted the Yemeni capital Sana’a and its surrounding areas, killing nearly 50 people. Riyadh’s aerial campaign has claimed the lives of more than 12,600 people since March 2015 and pushed millions of people to the brink of starvation.

Military gear for police

The US president is reportedly preparing to restore law enforcement agencies' access to surplus military equipment. According to an Associated Press report, Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order to lift current restrictions on police access to grenade launchers, armored vehicles, firearms and ammunition among other things. Trump's predecessor Barack Obama issued an executive order in 2015 that limited the program after the police use of military gear against protesters in Missouri sparked public outrage. US police organizations have been urging Trump to keep his promise to undo Obama’s directive. They argue that it is needed to ensure officers aren't put in danger when responding to active shooter calls and terrorist attacks.

FARC congress

Colombia’s FARC rebel group is introducing its political party in a bid to convert into a civilian organization. The move took place during a conference on Sunday in the capital Bogota. The leftist group’s measure comes following a 2016 peace deal, awarding FARC 10 automatic seats in the country’s Congress through the year 2026. It is unclear whether the former armed rebels will be supported by the people of Colombia. The 50-year-old conflict between FARC and the government left more than 220,000 people dead. Back in 2016, the group’s fighters handed in more than eight-thousand weapons to the United Nations during their demobilization.

UK Afghanistan presence

The UK is planning to dispatch more soldiers to Afghanistan as part of US President Donald Trump’s new strategy to boost troop levels in the war-torn country. British media have cited senior sources within the military as saying that a Special Forces unit is gearing set to return to Afghanistan. According to the reports, British drones and aircraft may also be deployed to Afghanistan to ramp up covert operations there. The military says the reinforcement is aimed at stepping up the fight against Taliban and other extremist groups. Fighting and insecurity prevail in Afghanistan despite the presence of thousands of foreign soldiers there. Over 26,000 civilians have been killed since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

Preparing for Hajj

Muslims from across the globe are gathering in the holy city of Mecca for the annual hajj pilgrimage. Around 2.3 million Muslims are expected to converge on Mecca. About 86,000, 500 Iranians are also taking part in this year’s Hajj. During their month-long stay, pilgrims perform a series of rituals and prayers. The holy city, known as the land of divine revelations, houses Islam’s most sacred place of worship, the Ka'aba. The pilgrims also take a trip to the city of Medina to pay homage to Prophet Mohammad at his shrine. The pilgrimage season reaches its peak on the occasion of Eid al-Adha on the 10th of Islamic lunar month of Dhul Hijjah.

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