WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, July 8, 2018 to 0800 GMT, July 9, 2018.

War on Syria

Syrian media say the country’s air defense system has intercepted a number of missiles fired at a military airport near the city of Homs. Syrian media suggest that Israel carried out the assault on the T4 airbase. Syria’s air defense system also reportedly hit an Israeli warplane. Tel Aviv has recently stepped up its airstrikes in the war-ravaged country. The Syrian government has repeatedly condemned the Israeli aggression and warned about its dangerous repercussions.

Brexit deal troubles

UK’s Brexit secretary and one of the ministers in his department have resigned in a move seen as a major blow to Prime Minister Theresa May. David Davis said the government's policies were undermining his negotiating position in Brussels and would not return control over laws to British parliament. May on Monday accepted the resignation in a letter. The resignation signals the deep divisions in the premier’s ruling Conservative Party over Britain's planned exit from the European Union. Earlier, the party’s most influential backbench Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg said he will join Labour in voting against May’s proposal and that other Tory Eurosceptic M-Ps will follow suit. They accuse May of backtracking on her professed red lines in the negotiations. They say May’s Brexit plan would put the Conservatives on course for an election defeat and could split the party.

Japan floods

The death toll from torrential rain and landslides in western Japan has risen to 88 while dozens of others remain missing. Evacuation orders are in place for nearly two million people and landslide warnings have been issued in many prefectures. Authorities say it could potentially be the worst weather disaster Japan has seen in decades. More rain is expected over the next few days.

Battle for Dara’a

Syrian government forces tighten the noose on foreign-backed terrorists in their offensive to fully liberate Dara’a province. A military source says the army has captured Umm al-Mayadeen town near Dara’a city following heavy clashes with the terrorists. A large number of the terrorists were killed in the fighting and large amounts of their weapons and ammunition were confiscated. Earlier, the military retook control of a key border crossing with Jordan. The UN says almost all displaced people at the crossing have left the Jordanian border and returned to Syria.

Iraq's severe drought

A severe drought is tightening its grip on farmers across Iraq. Soaring temperatures and a chronic water shortage have left devastating impacts on the country’s rice production. Our correspondent Altaf Ahmad reports.

Brazil protest

Supporters of former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva have taken to the streets to demand his release from prison. Hundreds of protesters gathered at city centers in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro as well as outside the federal police headquarters in Curitiba, where Lula is being held. The rallies came after the chief justice of a Brazilian appeals court ruled out another judge’s decision to release the ex-president. The blocked ruling would also allow Lula to run for October's presidential election. The 72-year-old politician is in prison since April over corruption allegations, all of which he rejects. Lula leads opinion polls for presidency, but Brazilian electoral law bans convicted politicians from running for office for 8 years.

UK poisoning

UK police say a British woman, who was exposed to Novichok nerve agent in western England, has died. A murder inquiry has now been launched. Police had been working to discover how Dawn Sturgess and a 45-year-old man had come across an item contaminated with Novichok. The two Britons fell critically ill on June 30. Prime Minister Theresa May said she was appalled and shocked by the death of Sturgess. The incident happened just kilometers from where Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were struck down in March. Britain has accused Russia of poisoning the Skripals with Novichok in what was the first known use of the chemical weapon in Europe since World War Two. Moscow has denied any involvement and said the British security services had carried out the attack to stoke anti-Russia hysteria.

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