WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Iraq Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (Photo by AFP)

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, September 12, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, September 13, 2017.

 

Iraqi PM rejects Kurdish referendum as ‘unconstitutional’

The Iraqi prime minister has slammed the planned Kurdish referendum on independence, describing it as unconstitutional and unilateral. Haider al-Abadi called on Kurdish leaders to come to the capital Baghdad and conclude dialog on the issue. He accused Erbil of illegally exporting Kirkuk’s oil. The remarks were earlier reiterated by the Iraqi foreign minister who also warned that a Kurdish independence referendum will have consequences for the region.

UN slams Israeli occupation of Palestine

A new report by the United Nations has slammed Israel for impeding the development of the Palestinian economy. The report, published by the UN conference on Trade and Development, blamed Israel’s occupation for “decades of de-development” and suppressed human potential in the Palestinian territories. It also cited Israel’s occupation for the sharp fall in aid reaching Palestine. The report said international aid had fallen by 38 percent between 2014 and 2016. It added that a spike in Israeli illegal settlement building and confiscations of Palestinian land were keeping poverty and unemployment at staggering levels. In recent years, Israel has disregarded international law and intensified its settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories. The report shows that 80 percent of inhabitants in the besieged Gaza Strip currently receive aid, while half of the residents do not know when their next meal is.

Anti-US rally in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, people have rallied against the presence of US troops in their country. The rally near the Bagram airbase came after US troops spread leaflets that the protesters deemed offensive toward Muslims. The demonstrators set tires on fire and waved placards slamming US President Donald Trump. They said Washington had been bombing Afghans and killing women and children throughout the country. Earlier this month, Trump ordered a troop surge in Afghanistan. The country has been witnessing insecurity years after the US attacked it in 2001.

Looting during Hurricane Irma

Police in the US city of Miami have arrested more than 50 suspected looters as Hurricane Irma continues to take its toll on Florida and its neighboring states. The suspects, among them women, are accused of breaking into stores and stealing shoes, bags and laptops. In a statement, police warned that no criminal activity would be tolerated. The statement added that police officers were working round the clock to discourage criminality and provide security for people’s merchandise. Hurricane Irma has destroyed a quarter of the houses in the Florida Keys where it first made landfall in the US. The storm has claimed the lives of at least 12 in the US. About 7 million homes and businesses are still without electricity in Florida and neighboring states.

UN ‘inaction’ on Myanmar

Two leading rights groups have slammed the United Nations Security Council for failing to react to the persecution of Myanmar’s minority Rohingya Muslims. The UN director of Human Rights Watch has described the crisis as an apparent large-scale ethnic cleansing, saying it is appalling that the Security Council doesn’t even speak out against it. HRW urged the Security Council to adopt a resolution against those behind the crimes. Also, Amnesty International says the inaction by the Security Council is basically giving a green light to the Myanmar government to continue its atrocities. Earlier, the United Nations reported that an unprecedented number of Rohingya refugees were crossing into Bangladesh to flee the brutal crackdown.

The Qatar dispute

Diplomats from Qatar and the four Arab states boycotting it have traded barbs at an Arab League meeting, in what is the latest show of strained diplomatic ties between the nations. Tensions flared after Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi discussed the boycott in his opening speech despite the conflict not being on the agenda. The fiery exchange turned into a heated row where Qatari and Saudi officials each told the other to “be quiet”. Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain also criticized Qatar, with Egyptian Foreign Minister saying Muraikhi's comments were unacceptable. The four Arab states cut diplomatic and trade links with Qatar on June 5 after accusing Doha of supporting terrorists in the region. Qatar has rejected the allegation.

Iran warns against Kurdish independence vote

The Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has warned that holding referendum by Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region has negative consequences. Ali Shamkhani stressed that any independence bid would intensify tensions in the region. The Iranian official further noted that imprudent measures to press ahead with independence plebiscite could cause a new security crisis in Iraq. The Islamic Republic, Iraq, Syria and Turkey have on several occasions expressed their opposition to the non-binding planned independence vote.

North Korea reactsto UN sanctions

North Korea has vowed to boost its missile and nuclear programs in response to the latest round of sanctions adopted by the UN Security Council. The statement by the North Korean Foreign Ministry comes a day after Pyongyang said it would retaliate against the adopted measures. The fresh sanctions ban North Korea’s textile exports and restrict the country’s oil imports. They have been imposed to punish Pyongyang for its sixth nuclear test. The United States and its allies argue that tougher sanctions will force North Korea to curb its nuclear and missile programs. The North, however, says the country’s nuclear and missile developments are for defense purposes only and in response to US provocations in the region.

Venezuela attending talks with opposition

The Venezuelan president says his government will participate in a round of talks with the opposition to resolve the ongoing crisis in the country. The meeting is set to be held in the Dominican Republic. Nicolas Maduro was speaking in a televised cabinet meeting in Caracas. Venezuela's opposition has also said that it would send a delegation to meet with Dominican President Danilo Medina to discuss the conditions under which dialogue could be held. The talks have been brokered by Medina and ex-Spanish premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Venezuela was convulsed for months by demonstrations, with protesters accusing the government of knocking the country into its worst-ever economic crisis. Caracas, however, blames Washington for supporting the opposition and meddling in the nation’s internal affairs.


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