WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, June 6, 2017.

Kuwait the Mediator

Qatar’s foreign minister says the country backs a mediation effort by Kuwait after four major Arab countries severed ties with his country. Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Qatar wants to give Kuwait the opportunity to proceed and communicate with the parties. The Qatari minister said Doha has also decided to avoid retaliatory measures against the four countries, which he described as his country’s family members. Sheikh Mohammed called for dialog to resolve the stand-off, saying their move had an unprecedented impact on Qatari citizens. Meanwhile, Sheikh Mohammed said the Qatari emir has delayed a speech to the nation based on a request by his Kuwaiti counterpart. It is meant to assist the mediation effort.

Closing in on Raqqah

The Kurdish-Arab alliance of SDF has kicked off a major military operation to dislodge Daesh terrorists from the city of Raqqah in northern Syria. A spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces said the operation has been launched from the east, west, and north of the city. A large bulk of the SDF is comprised of Kurdish YPG forces. The alliance, backed by the United States, has long envisaged recapturing Raqqah from Daesh. The operation is expected to be tough as Daesh terrorists have already erected defenses to protect their self-declared capital. The terror group is suffering great losses in neighboring Iraq and is trying to cling to its strongholds in Syria.

A Taliban Dilemma?

Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani, has once again invited Taliban militants to peace talks, calling it their last chance to refrain from insurgency. Speaking at an international peace conference, Ghani demanded the militant group start the political process. Previous attempts to reach an agreement between the Taliban and the government failed since the group refused to negotiate until all foreign forces leave Afghanistan. During the conference, Ghani also said the death toll from last week’s bomb attack in the capital Kabul has risen to 150 with 300 others injured. Afghan officials previously put the number of those killed at 90.

Camera Switched off

A funeral has been held for Press TV’s cameraman who was killed in last week’s bomb explosion in the Afghan capital Kabul. Body of Habibullah Hossain Zada was missing for almost a week and he was finally identified on Monday. Hossain Zada is not the only Press TV journalist who has lost his life on duty. Press TV correspondent in Syria, Maya Nasser, as well as the channel’s international correspondent Serena Shim were killed while on journalistic missions. Press TV is mourning the loss of Hossain Zada and said the news channel would continue to cover events with a strong commitment.

Afghanistan Blast

A blast has rocked the western Afghan city of Herat, killing at least seven people. Police say 18 people were also injured in the explosion near a mosque as people were heading for prayers. Initial reports from Afghanistan suggest that the explosives were placed in a rickshaw in the parking area of the Great Mosque of Herat. No group has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

Britain Investigation

British police have named a third man behind Saturday’s attack in London that left 7 fatalities and 48 injuries. Authorities identified the attacker as 22-year-old Youssef Zaghba, from east London. Zaghba is an Italian national of Moroccan dissent. Police say he was not a subject of interest for the security apparatus. On Monday Pakistan-born Khuram Shazad Butt and 30 year old Moroccan-Libyan Rachid Redouane were introduced as perpetrators. The 3 men rammed a vehicle into crowds on London Bridge before moving out to target revelers in the Borough Market area with knives. The attack claimed by the Daesh terror group is the third following a similar incident in Westminster in March, and the Manchester bombing nearly two weeks ago.

Saudi-Qatar Tensions

US President Donald Trump jumps into the political war between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, by confirming that it’s the fruit of his recent trip to the Middle East. In a series of posts on Twitter, the US president claims that Arab leaders pointed to Qatar as the source of funding terrorism when he asked them to take a hard stance against radical ideologies. Trump has expressed hope that the break of ties between Doha and its neighbors plus Egypt would end the horror of terrorism. This while on Monday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged the involving sides to address their differences through dialog and hoped the diplomatic spat would not affect the fight against terrorism.

Turkey Warning

Ankara has warned of retaliation if US-backed fighters in Syria's Raqqah pose any threat. Yildirim was addressing members of his AK Party. His remarks came shortly after Syrian Democratic Forces announced its troops have entered Raqqah from the east, while fierce clashes are underway in northern and western fronts. Turkey accuses the US of supporting terrorist groups in Raqqah with hopes of destroying Daesh. Ankara views some Kurdish groups such as YPG as terrorists. However, the US argues that arming Kurdish forces is necessary for recapturing Raqqah.

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