WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, September 30, 2018.

Indonesia disaster

The death toll from a devastating tsunami on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi has risen to 832. According to an assessment by the Indonesian national disaster mitigation agency, the affected area is bigger than initially thought. Emergency efforts continue for possible survivors as dozens are reported to be trapped in rubbles in coastal districts. Search-and-rescue teams struggle to deploy heavy equipment to get to victims in remote areas. Authorities fear the toll could rise even further in densely populated towns. The military has started sending cargo planes with aid for displaced victims. About 10,000 evacuees have been placed in makeshift camps. They are in desperate need of basic necessities.

Yemen retaliatory attacks

Yemeni forces have carried out a series of retaliatory attacks against Saudi and Emirati targets. Yemeni media say the army and allied forces targeted Dubai’s airport using Samad-3 drones. There were no immediate reports of possible casualties and the extent of damage caused at the site. In another attack, Yemeni forces targeted Saudi military vessels off the coast of Jizan. The attacks launched against Saudi and Emirati targets are in retaliation for the war on Yemen that started in March 2015. Nearly 15,000 Yemenis, mostly civilians, have been killed since then.

Macedonia referendum

People in Macedonia are voting in a historic referendum on changing the country’s name, and joining the European Union and NATO. Macedonians are voting on whether to change the name of the country to the Republic of North Macedonia. The poll also paves the way for the country’s eventual membership in major Western institutions. The dispute began when Greece expressed concern over the possibility of Macedonia having an eye on a Greek province of the same name. Finally, the two countries reached a deal under which Macedonia agreed to change its name, and Greece said it would drop its objections to Macedonia joining the EU and NATO.

Okinawa vote

People on the Japanese island of Okinawa are voting for a new governor, with a controversial US military base high on the agenda of voters. The voters have to choose between Denny Tamaki and Atsushi Sakima who have opposing views on a plan to relocate the American base within the southern island prefecture. Sakima is backed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling party which has long pressed Okinawa to accept the new base. But Tamaki, who is a former opposition lawmaker, has campaigned vigorously against the plan. Okinawans have long been frustrated by noise, accidents and crimes including rape committed by US military and service members on the island. Okinawa, which was under US control following Japan’s defeat in World War II, hosts the bulk of American military installations in Japan.

Syria militant withdrawal

Militants are reportedly streaming out of a demilitarized zone set up in and around Syria’s northwestern Idlib province. A Britain-based war monitor says militants of the Failaq al-Sham group have begun to withdraw from the nearby Aleppo province with their heavy weapons. They are the first militant group to leave. The evacuation is part of a deal to create a buffer zone in militant-held Idlib. Russia and Turkey reached an agreement to establish the zone to avert a large-scale government assault on the last militant stronghold. Several terrorist and militant groups have rejected the deal, saying they won’t pull out of the region.

Attacks on UAE, Saudi Arabia

A Yemeni army general says it will continue its missile and drone attacks against the United Arab Emirates unless the sheikhdom stops attacking Yemen. Sharaf Loghman warned foreign investors that the UAE will not be safe if the war on Yemen does not end. He said today’s attacks on the UAE and the Saudi region of Jizan show Yemen’s growing power to retaliate the Saudi-led war. Yemeni media say the army and allied forces targeted Dubai’s airport using drones. Yemeni forces also targeted Saudi military vessels off the coast of Jizan. The attacks launched are in retaliation for the Saudi-led war on Yemen that started in March 2015. The Saudi war has killed over 14,700 Yemenis.

Afghanistan vote campaign

Campaigning for Afghanistan’s parliamentary election gets underway. More than 2500 candidates will compete for the legislative seats.

Trump, Kim ‘in love’

Once a sworn enemy of North Korea, the US president is now in love with the East Asian country. Donald Trump got emotional during a rally while describing his relationship with the North Korean leader. Addressing his supporters, Trump bragged about the agreement he signed with Kim Jong-un in June. He noted that he gave up nothing and succeeded to restrain Pyongyang’s missile program. The US wants to keep maximum pressure on North Korea until it fully relinquishes its weapons program that has been at the center of a political dispute between the two countries. But Russia and China believe that the US should ease the sanctions since Pyongyang took steps toward denuclearization. The Trump administration is preparing for a second summit with Kim to talk about denuclearization. The time and location have not yet been announced.

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