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The UN Security Council holds an emergency meeting over North Korea's latest missile launch on August 29, 2017 at UN Headquarters in New York. (Photo by AFP)

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, August 31, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, September 1, 2017.

 

Civilian casualties in Raqqah

The United Nations says more than two dozen people are being killed in the Syrian city of Raqqah every day mostly in US airstrikes or by Daesh terrorists. O'Brien also called for guaranteeing the safety of people who are trying to flee Raqqah. The US-led coalition is conducting air attacks on the Daesh-held city in support of offensives by a coalition of Arab and Kurdish fighters. The US-led coalition has admitted that its air raids have killed many civilians in Syria most notably in Raqqah.

Escalating US-Russia tensions

The United States has announced new measures against Russia in response to the Kremlin’s decision to shrink the US diplomatic mission in Russia. Washington has asked Moscow to close its consulate in San Francisco and two annex buildings in Washington DC and New York City. The US State Department said the closures must be completed by Saturday. It expressed hope that the two sides can avoid further retaliatory measures. The US however warned that it is prepared to take further action if necessary. Russia has slammed the move. In a phone call with his US counterpart Rex Tillerson, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed regret over the decision. Last month, Russia ordered the United States to cut its diplomatic and technical staff in Russia by more than a half, to 455 people. This, after the US Congress overwhelmingly approved new sanctions against Russia.

US troop surge in Afghanistan

The Pentagon has ordered the deployment of additional troops to Afghanistan as part of President Donald Trump's new war strategy. The US secretary of defense says the troops have not yet landed in Afghanistan. James Mattis says the purpose is to help Afghanistan fight more effectively. He did not specify how many more troops were being deployed, but other US officials have said the Pentagon may send in about four-thousand extra troops. Earlier, the United States acknowledged the presence of about 11,000 troops in Afghanistan. The announcement comes 10 days after Trump outlined his new strategy to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan, a battle that has been going on for nearly 16 years.

Hajj pilgrimage

Around two-million pilgrims from across the world are performing the final ceremonies at Hajj as the annual pilgrimage reaches its climax. Having spent the night at Muzdalifa where they also gathered stones, the pilgrims are heading toward the city of Mina. Here the white-clad pilgrims throw seven stones at three pillars representing the devil. The stoning marks the third day of Hajj and the start of Eid al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice. This is considered a major occasion in the Islamic calendar. During this time the Hajj pilgrims will live, eat and pray in the Tent City of Mina.

The Brexit drama

Chaos surrounds crucial Brexit negotiations in Brussels with the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier saying that Britain wants an impossible Brexit deal where it retains the benefits of EU membership despite leaving the bloc. Meanwhile, the UK's chief negotiator David Davis says London is demonstrating a much more flexible and pragmatic approach than the EU. Press TV's Jerome Hughes reports.

Syria militants planning gas attack

Russia has warned that a foreign-backed militant group, linked to the so-called Free Syrian Army, is preparing to launch a chemical attack in Syria’s southern province of Dara'a, and then blame the attack on government forces. Zakharova said six settlements were most likely to come under attacks in Dara'a. Terrorists have previously used weapons of mass destruction in their war on Syria. In April, an alleged gas attack hit the town of Khan Shaykhun in Idlib province, killing scores of people. The US rushed to hold the government responsible, and launched dozens of missiles on an airbase in Homs province. Damascus handed over its chemical stockpile under a deal negotiated by Russia and the US in 2013. Last month, Moscow said its forces managed to dismantle two chemical weapons facilities in the former militant-held areas in Syria.

US police brutality

At a time of racial strife in the US, a police officer is caught on video saying we only kill black people. A white female passenger in the vehicle is overheard in dash-cam footage expressing fears of reaching for her phone because of videos she had seen involving police shootings. The incident in the state of Georgia has led to Cobb County Police Department placing the officer on administrative duties during an internal investigation. The black community in the US often complains of police discrimination. According to a study by the Washington Post, officers shot one-thousand people last year. A disproportionate number of those killed were black.

Myanmar crackdown

New official data show nearly 400 Rohingya Muslims have been killed in a violent crackdown by the Myanmarese army since last week. Two government officials made the announcement, saying nearly a dozen of the security forces were also killed in what they described as fighting. Meanwhile, the United Nations says nearly 38-thousand Rohingya have fled to neighboring Bangladesh since the beginning of the deadly crackdown last week. On Thursday, Bangladeshi coast guards discovered the bodies of 20 Rohingya who had attempted a perilous journey across the Naf River which separates the two countries. Myanmar’s military campaign against the minority group has sparked international outcry. The government, however, remains defiant, pressing ahead with the operations which include setting the houses of Rohingua Muslims on fire.


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