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A picture taken on March 23, 2017, shows the entrance of a Syrian army military base in the village of Rahbet Khattab in the Hama province. (Photo by AFP)

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, September 19, 2017.

Syrian army repels attack

The Syrian army and its allies have repelled a terrorist attack targeting government-held areas in the country’s west-central province of Hama. A media outlet belonging to the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah announced the news. Earlier, the UK-based Observatory for Human Rights reported that several militant groups, led by Nusra Front terrorists, staged the attack. It targeted some villages north of the city of Hama. The Observatory described the assault as huge and well-planned. The Nusra Front has denounced the latest round of peace talks in Kazakhstan and pledged to keep fighting. The Syrian army and its allies have recently advanced against Takfiri groups in Hama province. Recapturing a key area called Okeir-bat from Daesh is among the latest gains.

Japan’s military move

Japan is set to deploy an additional missile system to one of its northern islands, days after North Korea launched a second missile over country. A Defense Ministry spokesman said a PAC-3 system would arrive in southern Hokkaido on Tuesday. This is the second such system deployed on the island. Japan has already installed similar defense systems in other parts of the country. The measures come in the wake of North Korea’s sixth nuclear test and its firing of two missiles over Japan in less than a month. Pyongyang has threatened to sink Japan into the sea over its partnership with the North’s arch-enemy, the US.

Rohingya crisis

UN human rights investigators have called for full and unimpeded access to Myanmar to probe alleged violations and abuses in Rakhine state. Head of the U-N fact-finding mission, Marzuki Darusman, urged the Myanmar government to rethink its rejection of the probe. He said there is a grave humanitarian crisis underway that requires urgent attention. Darusman said his team will investigate reports of mass killings, torture, sexual violence, use of landmines and burning of villages. He requested a six-month extension of the probe to September 2018. Back in March, the UN Human Rights Council authorized a three-member fact-finding mission to Myanmar to probe allegations of rights abuses there. But Myanmar’s government has so far refused to grant them entry.

UK’s terrible trade

A UK-based charity has found out that British arms companies have earned more than eight-billion dollars from their trade with Saudi Arabia during the ongoing war on Yemen. War Child says the revenue is almost double an official figure recently announced. The charity accused British private manufacturers of profiteering from the deaths of children in Yemen. The NGO warned British firms’ involvement in the trade could be more than expected but is difficult to pin down due to lack of transparency. Saudi Arabia has been bombarding its southern neighbor since March 2015. Nearly 13,000 people have died so far, mostly civilians. Riyadh stands accused of committing war crimes in Yemen. The US and the UK are two major arms providers to the kingdom.

Iraq’s battle against Daesh

Iraqi forces have liberated the village of al-Reihaniyah as they push to retake the town of Anna west of the Anbar province. The village was liberated shortly after the Iraqi army backed by popular mobilization forces started an assault to retake the town of Anna bordering Syria. According to the Iraqi army, the assault to retake the town is developing along three fronts backed by Iraqi helicopters. Local officials say a road has been opened to allow the trapped civilians to flee to safety. Anna is one of the three towns in Anbar still under Daesh control. The Iraqi army plans to retake the towns of Rawa and al-Qaim after recapturing Anna.

Trump anti-Iran rhetoric

US President Donald Trump accuses Tehran of supporting terrorism and calls the Iran nuclear deal one of the worst agreements Washington has ever been involved in. Trump went on to accuse Iran of using up its resources for exporting chaos to the region. He said it's time for Iran to free American citizens that he says have been unjustly detained. The US President also accused Iran of oppression and violating the rights of its citizens. Donald Trump made the remarks during his maiden speech at the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. This is not the first time Washington is leveling such accusations against Iran and the nuclear deal. Tehran has always strongly dismissed such claims as unfounded.

EU backing Iran nuclear deal

EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini has slammed Washington’s stance on Iran’s nuclear deal. Mogherini said the agreement belongs to the international community and was not signed with one country. She said the International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed Iran’s commitment to the accord. Mogherini said the European Union would make sure all the signatories will fully implement the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

UN demand on Rohingya Muslims

Chief of the United Nations Antonio Guterres has called on Myanmar’s authorities to end the military operation against the Rohingya in the Rakhine state. Guterresh who was addressing the annual gathering of the UN General Assembly in New York added that the Rohingya status has been unresolved for far too long. The secretary general who previously served as the head of the UN refugee agency spoke of being pained to see the way the refugees and migrants have been stereotyped and scapegoated. He also slammed political figures who stir resentment against the refugees to gain political scores.

 


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