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Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh arrives for an OPEC meeting in Vienna, Austria, on June 22, 2018. (Photo by Reuters)

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, June 22, 2018.

 

OPEC meeting

Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) are in Vienna to discuss global oil output, amid disagreements over the rate of production. The ministerial meeting is expected to discuss a Saudi proposal to hike oil output. Saudi Arabia, backed by non-member Russia, says the time has come to raise production to meet growing demand. But Iran and other members have expressed opposition and threatened to veto the Saudi proposal. On the eve of the OPEC meeting, the price of oil dropped on the expectation that it is nearing a decision to raise production.

Immigration policy row

Nine US states are to join Washington in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration over a policy of separating immigrant families illegally entering the United States. Ferguson made the announcement outside a federal prison in the city of SeaTac in the state of Washington. About 200 immigration detainees have been transferred to the federal prison, including women separated from their children under President Donald Trump’s policy. The states set to join Ferguson’s lawsuit are Massachusetts, California, Maryland, Oregon, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Minnesota. New York has separately announced plans to sue. This comes as more protests are held against Trump's immigration policies.

Talks on family reunions

Delegations from North and South Korea have held a meeting on resuming reunions of families separated by the Korean War. The meeting was held in North Korea’s tourist destination of Mount Kumgang. The Koreas last held family reunions in 2015. Since the end of the War in 1953, the two sides have banned ordinary citizens from visiting relatives on the other side of the border or contacting them without permission. Ties have warmed between Pyongyang and Seoul, especially after their leaders met in April. The two recently agreed to restore cross-border military hotline communication channels and have joint teams at the upcoming Asian Games in Indonesia.

Inequality in US

The UN says millions of Americans are living under a state of extreme poverty. Alston was speaking on the sidelines of a UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva where he’s expected to discuss a human rights report written after his 2017 tour to the US. In the report, Alston blames the United States’ “rapid growth of inequality” on the administration of President Donald Trump. He refers to Trump’s tax reforms and welfare cuts as instances of what he calls cruel policies that show complete lack of compassion towards the poor. The comments were dismissed by the US government which officially withdrew from the UNHCR after the agency’s report. Alston suggested the decision would be counter-productive.

Iran warning

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister is warning that Tehran may leave the 2015 nuclear deal in the coming weeks. Abbas Araqchi said the nuclear accord, also known as the JCPOA, is in the intensive care unit due to the US withdrawal. He also said Iran’s patience is running out. He added that if the other signatories are serious about preserving the deal, they should make more sacrifices and compensate for the absence of the US and its re-imposition of sanctions on Iran. Araqchi noted that sanctions and the JCPOA cannot coexist. He urged Europe to guarantee the sale of Iran's oil and its access to revenues from crude sales through banking channels.

Saudi war on Yemen

Amnesty International says Saudi Arabia’s tightening of the blockade on Yemen’s port city of Hudaydah could amount to war crime. The rights group warned the measures endanger the lives of millions of civilians. Amnesty said Riyadh is restricting the entry of essential goods into Yemen in violation of international law. It added that the siege, along with the Saudi military assault on Hudaydah, has worsened the already dire situation in Yemen. Amnesty said millions of Yemenis are on the brink of famine. It urged the world to stop looking the other way. The group called on the Security Council to impose targeted sanctions against those who block humanitarian assistance to Yemen.


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