WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, October 6, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, October 7, 2017.

Iran warning

Iran's top diplomat has warned the US about the consequences of leaving the 2015 nuclear deal to which Washington is a signatory. Mohamamd Javad Zarif made the remarks during a late September interview with American Newsweek magazine which has recently been published. Zarif called the nuclear accord non-negotiable, saying every aspect of the deal had been fully and repeatedly renegotiated. He also criticized the Trump administration for preventing Iran benefiting from the multilateral agreement by creating an atmosphere of tension. Should the US walk out of the deal, Zarif said Iran would pursue options within international law that are available in the agreement. The Iranian top diplomat further rejected allegations that Tehran was violating the spirit of the nuclear accord by test-firing ballistic missiles.

No to anti-nuke treaty

The U-S says it has no intention of joining the global nuclear disarmament efforts by signing the United Nations treaty on prohibition of nuclear weapons. A State Department spokesman said the treaty, signed by one hundred twenty two countries, would not lead to nuclear disarmament. It comes after the United Nations and the European Union backed the Nobel committee’s decision to award the 2017 peace prize to an anti-nukes civil society coalition. The group, known as the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, was a key force behind the adoption of the anti-nukes treaty in July. It wants all states to commit themselves to full elimination of nuclear weapons.

Rohingya crackdown continues

Dramatic footage has captured Rohingya Muslims fleeing a military crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. The video obtained by the Associated Press shows the Rohingya making a desperate attempt to swim across a river on the border with Bangladesh. Many more people including young children and old men stand huddled with their belongings on the riverbank. According to the Associated Press, the video was shot on Thursday and more Rohingya refugees made the same trek on Friday. This comes as the Myanmar government earlier gave assurances that it would stop the mass evacuation of the displaced Muslims to Bangladesh.

‘UN caves in to pressure’

A leading human rights group has condemned the United Nations for what it calls downplaying the Saudi-led coalition’s crimes against Yemeni civilians, especially children. Amnesty International says the UN concessions allow the perpetrators of the crimes to evade criticism and justice. It stresses that the decision made by the world body emboldens others to commit violations that cause immense misery to people around the world. The UN has added a new category to a report which criticizes the Saudi-led coalition for its war on Yemen. According to the new category, the coalition has put in place measures to improve the protection of children while carrying out airstrikes against its neighbor. Amnesty says it has no evidence of such measures. Riyadh has rejected the UN report saying it has done its best to avoid civilian casualties in Yemen.

US Contraception controversy

A US civil rights group has legally challenged the administration of Donald Trump over its decision to roll back an Obama-era law that provided free birth control to women. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in San Francisco federal court, asserting constitutional and procedural claims against the measure. The ACLU senior staff attorney said the federal government could not authorize discrimination against women in the name of religion. A number of Democratic attorneys general also said they were mulling over a similar lawsuit. The White House, however, has defended the new directives on birth control.

Saudi war on Yemen

A leading human rights group has condemned the United Nations for what it calls downplaying the Saudi-led coalition’s crimes against Yemeni civilians, especially children. Amnesty International says the UN concessions allow the perpetrators of the crimes to evade criticism and justice. It stresses that the decision made by the world body emboldens others to commit violations that cause immense misery to people around the world. The UN has added a new category to a report which criticizes the Saudi-led coalition for its war on Yemen. According to the new category, the coalition has put in place measures to improve the protection of children while carrying out airstrikes against its neighbor. Amnesty says it has no evidence of such measures. Riyadh has rejected the UN report saying it has done its best to avoid civilian casualties in Yemen.

US massacre probe

Five days after the deadliest mass shooting in recent US history, authorities have acknowledged that they have not uncovered any clear motive for the gunman. He said police have looked at everything in their investigation including the assailant’s personal life, possible political affiliations and any potential radicalization. Stephen Paddock killed 58 people and left hundreds injured in the city of Las Vegas in the US state of Nevada last Sunday. He rained down bullets on a crowd at an open-air music concert while perched in a hotel room on the thirty-second floor. Daesh has claimed responsibility for the massacre, but authorities have reportedly found no link between the terrorist group and the assailant.

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