WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, September 26, 2017.

Rohingya crisis

Human Rights Watch says Myanmar’s army forces are committing crimes against humanity by forced deportation, massacre, rape and persecution of Rohingya Muslims. The international rights group said the UN Security Council should impose an embargo on Myanmar’s military to stop the crimes against humanity. The organization said the Security Council should send a fact-finding mission to investigate the abuses and introduce those responsible to the International Criminal Court. The group added that the council should secure aid agencies’ access to people in need and ensure refugees’ safe and voluntary return. This comes as the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, called for urgent aid to tackle severe malnutrition among Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. UNICEF said the focus should be on children who constitute 60 percent of all arrivals.

Russia Syria campaign

Russia has released video footage of its airstrikes against Daesh positions in Syria’s Idlib province, rejecting claims that it struck heavily-populated civilian areas. Defense Ministry Spokesman, Igor Konashenkov, said the claims made by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, are unsubstantiated. The spokesman said the reports by the UK-based monitor have no source and only provide informational cover for the Nusra Front terrorists and their allies in Syria. The observatory had reported that 72 civilians were killed in the Russian airstrikes. Konashenkov also said Russian aircraft have hit ten terrorist targets in Idlib in 24 hours after reconnaissance drones confirmed them as terrorist hubs. He said the targets were Daesh’s underground bases and ammunition depots.

Kurdistan secession an ‘Israeli policy’

Iran’s Parliament Speaker, Ali Larijani, has reiterated Tehran’s opposition to a referendum held on the secession of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region. Larijani said Iran has underlined that Kurdistan authorities should settle their differences with the central Iraqi government through political talks. The top parliamentarian said the Iraqi parliament, government, the UN, and several other countries, including Iran, have all expressed their opposition to Kurdistan’s secession. Larijani noted that Iran, by no means, supports the disintegration of regional countries, namely Iraq. He said it is a Zionist policy to partition the Middle East region.

Baghdad-Ankara alliance

Iraqi and Turkish forces continue joint military drills near their common borders a day after a referendum for secession of the Kurdistan region from Iraq. The second day of the exercises was held in Turkey’s Habur border region in a bid to coordinate the two countries’ response in the aftermath of the plebiscite. Iraq’s neighbors are concerned that the Kurdish move will again destabilize areas recently purged of Daesh terrorists. Turkey has also threatened sanctions on the Kurdistan region over their push for separation from Iraq.

Kenya violence

Police use tear gas and batons to disperse protesters in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi ahead of the country’s presidential re-election. The demonstrators were calling for election officials to be prosecuted and sacked before the vote. The repeat election will give another chance to opposition candidate Raila Odinga who lost the contest ground to President Uhuru Kenyatta back in August. The Supreme Court annulled the re-election of Kenyatta after reports of irregularities.

France controversial bill

France's long-running state of emergency is about to become permanent, according to top NGOs. A new law will permit the country’s executive branch to keep nearly all the special powers it has been granted in the past two years. The law is expected to come into force, next week. Ramin Mazaheri reports from Paris.

Kurdistan vote fallout

Iraq's prime minister has given the Kurdistan Regional Government three days to hand over control of its airports in order to avoid an international air embargo. Heidar al-Abadi also says the border crossings of the Kurdistan region will be controlled by the central government. The announcement comes on the heels of a controversial referendum on the secession of Kurdistan from Iraq. Abadi has called the referendum a unilateral move without respect for allies and the international will. The Iraqi prime minister has also accused the Kurdish leaders of transferring huge sums of the region’s wealth to private accounts overseas. Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government held a split referendum on Monday amid strong regional and international opposition. Israel was the only supporter of the vote. Neighboring Iran and Turkey have already taken counter measures.

Turkey Kurdistan warning

The Turkish president has warned that pushing for independence in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan risks sparking an ethnic war in the region. Erdogan also warned that all revenues will vanish and the Kurds in northern Iraq will go hungry if Turkey imposes sanctions on the Kurdistan region. Ankara has threatened to halt the flow of oil and trucks across the border in northern Iraq if the Kurdish leader pushes for independence. Meanwhile, the Kremlin spokesman has also opposed the Kurdish leader's plan to push for secession. Dmitry Peskov says Moscow believes that preserving the territorial and political integrity of regional states is crucial for keeping stability and security in the region.

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