WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, August 1, 2017.

Syria Civilian Casualties

At least 60 people have been killed and dozens more wounded in US-led coalition airstrikes on the outskirts of Syrian province of Dayr al-Zawr. All the dead are reported to be civilians, most of whom women and children. The military alliance, formed by the United States outside the UN Security Council, has repeatedly been accused of targeting civilians in Syria and Iraq. It has also been largely incapable of fulfilling its declared aim of destroying Daesh terrorists. The US military says the coalition raids on Daesh positions in Syria have killed more than 350 civilians, a figure dismissed by monitoring groups which put the number at more than 3100.

Al-Aqsa Tensions

Once again, hundreds of Israeli settlers, accompanied by regime forces, have entered the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds. Palestinians consider the settlers’ frequent visits to the mosque as provocative and blame this for clashes with Israeli forces. Our correspondent, Mona Kandil, tells us more about the situation.

Venezuela Arrests

Venezuelan police arrest two opposition leaders as tensions rise in the country following the Sunday Constituent Assembly election. Family members and relatives of the detainees said Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma were taken from their homes overnight. They said they hold President Nicolas Maduro responsible for the fate of the two men. Lopez was granted house arrest in July following three years in prison for his role in anti-government street protests in 2014. Ledezma has also been in house arrest since 2015 after being imprisoned on charges of leading a coup against Maduro. The two opposition leaders have in recent days called on Venezuelans to join protests against Maduro over the creation of the Constituent Assembly that has the power to rewrite the Constitution.

Israeli Threat

Iranian Foreign Minister says a Tuesday meeting of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation in Turkey is a concerted effort by Muslims to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Zarif said Muslims should focus on the main threat to the Islamic world that is the threat posed by Israel. He made the comment ahead of the OIC meeting that is to be held in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Tuesday. Turkey, as the OIC rotating president, called the Tuesday emergency meeting to discuss the latest tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Arsal Evacuation

The evacuation of Nusra Front militants and their families from Lebanon’s Arsal region to Syria’s Idlib province is set to begin. Dozens of buses have been dispatched to the area in order to move the crowd in a single transfer. The measure is part of a ceasefire deal reached between Hezbollah fighters and the terrorist group. The agreement will see nine-thousand militants and their families leave the area. The operation was delayed on Monday, because transport preparations were not completed. Nusra Front is expected to release eight Hezbollah fighters captured during recent clashes. Last week, Hezbollah took most of the mountainous zone of Jaroud Arsal in a joint offensive with the Syrian army to drive Nusra militants from their last frontier foothold.

Pakistan New PM

Pakistan’s National Assembly has elected five-time lawmaker Shahid Khaghan Abbasi as successor to ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Shahid Abbasi who is the choice of the ruling PMLN party, won 221 votes at the 324-member parliament. He will be sworn in later in the evening. Abbasi will serve as interim head of the government until Sharif’s younger brother Shahbaz Sharif wins a national assembly seat in a Punjab by-election. The Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif from office last week. He is accused of concealing off shore family assets. Sharif who has served as prime minister for three times has denied the accusations.

US Russia Sanctions

The US Vice president has announced that a bill on new financial sanctions against Russia will be signed by President Donald Trump. Pence went on to say Trump will sign the new sanctions into law despite concerns regarding the tough approach. Last Tuesday, the US Senate overwhelmingly approved new financial sanctions against Moscow. The measure constrains Trump's ability to waive the penalties unless Congress agrees. The new sanctions aim to penalize the Kremlin for meddling in the US presidential election and Russia's annexation of Crimea. In retaliation, Russia has told some 750 US diplomatic staffers to leave by September the first.

Turkey Soldiers Killed

The trial of almost 500 people arrested after last year's failed coup in Turkey is set to start outside the capital Ankara. The suspects are facing charges ranging from attempting to kill the president to violating the constitution. The US-based opposition figure Fethullah Gulen is among the main suspects named in the case who will be tried in absentia. The trial is the largest yet relating to the coup. Turkey witnessed an attempted coup on July 15, 2016, when a section of the military launched a coordinated operation in several major cities to overthrow the government and oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A few hours later, however, the coup was suppressed. Almost 250 people were killed and nearly 2,200 others wounded.

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