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 20, 2017.

UK Far-Right Terrorism

The British government is accused of raising disproportionate alarm about what it calls Islamic extremism and overlooking a surge in far-right terrorism. Newly-revealed data shows 35 percent of the people arrested in Britain on suspicion of terrorism last year were members of far-right groups. That’s a ten-percent rise compared to 2015. But Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said the rising threat from dangerous white extremists has been largely ignored and the government has disproportionately focused on Islamic Fundamentalism. Meanwhile, Shadow Home Secretary Dianne Abbott said there is widespread concern that the government’s anti-terror program targets just one community. On Monday, a man rammed a van into a crowd of worshippers outside a mosque in London, killing one person and injuring nine others. The case is being investigated as an act of terrorism.

US Police Killing

US police officers have fatally shot a pregnant black woman at her apartment in the city of Seattle. Witnesses say the police shot Charleena Lyles in front of several children, claiming she had a knife. The victim’s family says the shooting was unjustified and that police could confront the victim with less lethal force. They argue that race was a factor in the killing of Lyles. The deadly incident came just two days after a jury in Minnesota acquitted a police officer who was charged with the fatal shooting of a black man. There has been a surge in police fatal shooting of unarmed black people across the US since 2014. People accuse the police of negligence towards the life of people of color.

Civilian Casualties

Syrian media say a dozen civilians have been killed in an airstrike by the US-led coalition on a border village on Sunday. The attack targeted the village in Hasakah province. All the victims were members of one family. The fatalities come a week after activists and rights groups raised alarm over the rising civilian casualties as a result of intensified US-led airstrikes in Syria. The coalition estimates that its air raids in Syria and Iraq have killed nearly 500 civilians since 2014. But activists believe the real number of deaths may be as high as 38 hundred.

Iran Missile Strike

The spokesman for Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps says Sunday’s missile attack on Daesh positions in Syria had a strong message. Ramezan Sharif also said all those who are fighting terrorism have hailed Iran’s operation. The IRGC targeted Daesh hideouts in Syria with several missiles in retaliation for the recent terror attacks in Tehran. The IRGC said a large number of Takfiri terrorists were killed in the attack.

Suspending Airstrikes

Australia, a member of the US-led coalition in Syria and Iraq, has brought to a temporary halt its air operations in Syria. An Australian defense official has called the decision a precautionary measure. However, an Australian newspaper says the decision was adopted following the shooting down of a Syrian jet by the US. Australia’s military says it is closely monitoring the air situation in Syria and a decision on the resumption of air operations will be made in due course. It says operations in Iraq will continue. Tensions between the US and Russia have intensified since Sunday when the Syrian army jet was shot down. Moscow has warned that it will track coalition aircraft in Syria as potential targets.

Battle for Mosul

Heavy fighting is underway between government forces and Daesh terrorists in the Iraqi city of Mosul. The military is pounding Daesh positions by jets and mortar fire. Troops are pushing deeper into Mosul’s Old City district, which is the terrorists’ last stronghold. They have taken control of several neighborhoods and a strategic bridge that connects eastern and western parts of the city. Daesh is completely surrounded in the city. The army has called on civilians to stay inside. Commanders say the terrorists are putting up fierce resistance. Iraqi forces launched an offensive to retake Mosul last October.

Venezuela Crisis

Members of the Organization of American States, OAS, fail to agree on a resolution that criticizes the Venezuelan government over the recent wave of unrest. Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Morales, who was the acting chair of the meeting, suspended the session and said ministers would resume discussions at a later date. The OAS, which consists of 34 nations, has been putting pressure on Caracas to hold timely elections and scrap a bid to rewrite its Constitution. Venezuela has descended into running street battles between anti-government protesters and security forces for more than two months. Those scenes played out again Monday, as riot police blocked demonstrators from marching on central Caracas.

Daesh Created by US

The leader of Iran’s Islamic revolution says the Americans cannot be trusted and that they are waiting for an opportunity to hit. Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with the visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. The Leader said the Americans and their followers are against the independence, identity and unity of Iraq. He added they should not be given the chance to deploy troops to Iraq on the pretext of training local forces. The leader stressed that the US and its allies are not after destroying and out rooting Daesh because the group has been formed with their backing and financial support. During the meeting, the leader hailed the unity of all political and religious factions in Iraq in battling the terrorist group. He also praised Iraq’s volunteer forces calling them an important phenomenon and the source of the power of the nation. Ayatollah Khamenei concluded that the reason Daesh is now fleeing Iraq is because of the government’s right policies and the internal unity in the country.

US Syria Deconfliction?

The United States says it is working on deconfliction with Russia and pro-government forces in Syria, a day after Russia threatened it would target US-led coalition aircraft. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff made the remarks after Moscow warned the US-led coalition that it would shot down any coalition aircraft flying over the Euphrates River. Most of the positions held by the Syrian army and allied forces are located on the western side of the river. Russia has also suspended a hotline intended to avoid collisions in Syrian airspace. On Sunday, the US-led coalition downed a Syrian jet in the south of the country, claiming it had targeted US-backed SDF forces. After the Russian warning, Australia announced the suspension of its flights over Syria in response to potential threats.

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