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This combination of pictures created on September 9, 2017 shows then-Saudi Defense Minister and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a press conference in the capital Riyadh on April 25, 2016 ; and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani attending the 136th [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC) summit in Riyadh on December 10, 2015. (By AFP)

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, September 8, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, September 9, 2017.

Qatar-Saudi Arabia ties

Qatar’s emir and Saudi crown prince hold a phone conversation in an effort to resolve a three-month diplomatic crisis. Qatar’s state media says Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has agreed to Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman's request to appoint envoys to discuss differences. Meanwhile, Saudi media says the Qatari emir is willing to discuss demands from Saudi Arabia and three other Arab states. Qatar has been blockaded by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain since June 5. The four Persian Gulf nations have closed their land and sea borders to Qatar and imposed economic and air traffic restrictions, accusing it of fostering extremist groups. Doha has strongly denied the allegations.

Syria rejects UN accusation

Syria has denied a UN report that accuses the government of carrying out a sarin attack against its own people in Idlib province. The Syrian government says it has never and will never use chemical weapons. On Wednesday, the UN accused Damascus of carrying out 20 chemical attacks, including the one on the militant-held town of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib province. The attack in April left over 80 people dead and some three-hundred others injured. Syria has repeatedly denied such attacks. But the US used the nerve agent attack on Khan Sheikhun as a pretext to strike an Airfield in Syria’s Homs Province, claiming it was the origin of the alleged chemical attack.

Iran warns against any JCPOA withdrawal

Iran’s top nuclear official has warned that the P5+1 countries have more to lose than Iran if they pull out of the nuclear deal. Salehi said the agreement will stay in place without the US but it will collapse if Europeans withdraw. Salehi said, in such a case, Iran will take its nuclear activities to a much higher technical level than before. The US government has openly announced that it is seeking ways to announce Iran in violation of the nuclear deal. This is while the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly certified Iran’s compliance.

Iraq rejecting Kurdish plebiscite

The Iraqi government says it will not accept the results of a planned independence referendum in the country’s Kurdish region. Speaking to Russian media, an Iraqi government spokesman labeled the referendum as illegal and unconstitutional. Saad al-Hadithi added that the vote has no interests for Iraq. He said officials of the Kurdish region do not have the right to hold a referendum without the consent of other people across the Middle Eastern nation. Pro-independence Kurds are determined to hold the non-binding referendum on September 25 irrespective of all objections. The decision has led to tensions with the central government in Baghdad as well as with neighboring states.

Myanmar ‘ethnic cleansing’

Human Rights Watch has warned that the Myanmar army’s violence against Rohingya Muslims has all the hallmarks of a campaign of “ethnic cleansing.” The rights group called on the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on the issue. It also said the top world body should warn Myanmar’s government of severe sanctions unless they put an end to the brutal campaign against Muslims. The humanitarian agency once again slammed the army’s killings, shelling, and arson attacks in Rohingya villages. Large-scale violence by has already claimed hundreds of lives and forced hundreds of thousands others to flee the country since 2012. The attacks intensified late last month, following alleged armed attacks on security posts in Rakhine state.

Hurricane IRMA batters Cuba

Hurricane Irma has made landfall in Cuba, wreaking havoc as it strengthens to Category Five storm on its way. The eye of the storm is just 190 kilometers southeast of the Cuban city of Caibarien. It is packing maximum sustained winds of 260 kilometers per hour and is moving west. Cuba has already evacuated some 10,000 foreign tourists from beach resorts and has raised its disaster alert level to maximum. Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms in a century, is expected to hit the US state of Florida on Sunday. Florida's governor warned residents that time is running out and ordered them to evacuate.

US-Bahrain arms deal

The US State Department has approved multi-billion dollar arms sales to Bahrain amid Manama's intensifying crackdown on dissent. According to the Pentagon, the arms packages worth over 3.8 billion dollars include F-16 fighter jets, advanced missiles and patrol boats. The approval followed the US president’s promise in May when he pledged to boost ties with Bahrain. The arms sales to Manama come at a time when the ruling Al Khalifah dynasty is facing growing criticism over human rights abuses and detention of activists. Rights advocacy groups have, time and again, warned that the weapons sales would intensify the already-heavy-handed clampdown on Bahraini civilians.


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