WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, July 23, 2017.

Fight against Terror

Foreign-backed Nusra Front terrorists have suffered heavy losses in their latest clashes with the Syrian army near the border with Lebanon. At least 23 terrorists are said to have been killed on the third day of the fighting in western Qalamoun. Earlier, the Syrian army said they broke the main defense line of the terrorists in the city. Hezbollah fighters have also taken control of a number of territories on the Lebanese side of the border with Syria. On Saturday, they liberated Wadi al-Khail and its adjacent hills in the Arsal region. The Syrian army is leading a joint operation with the Lebanese resistance movement to dislodge terrorists from the area. Since the beginning of the operation on Friday, over 20 areas and towns have been liberated from the Takfiri terrorists.

US Sanctions Bill

US lawmakers have agreed on a revised bill that would allow new sanctions against Iran, Russia, and North Korea. Under the proposed bill, North Korea sanctions will be included in the Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act, passed by the Senate in June. The House will vote on the new bill on Tuesday as an attempt to hold the three countries accountable for their dangerous actions. The legislation also aims to limit any potential effort by President Donald Trump to try to lift sanctions against Moscow. Under the new bill, Trump would have to report to Congress any proposed actions that could significantly alter US foreign policy in connection with Russia. The European Union has criticized the move, saying the new sanctions could lead to unintended consequences.

Israel West Bank Arrests

Israeli forces have arrested nearly 30 Palestinians amid escalating tensions in the occupied territories. Nine members of the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, are said to be among the detainees. The Israeli army said the arrests were made after three Israelis were killed in a West Bank settlement late Friday. Tel Aviv blamed the deaths on a Palestinian saying the assailant was shot and wounded following a stabbing attack. This comes as Israelis and Palestinians are engaged in fierce clashes over restrictions imposed on the al-Aqsa mosque.

Afghanistan Abduction

Afghan police have launched a search operation for dozens of civilians who were abducted from the province of Kandahar on Friday. At least seven of the kidnapped villagers are confirmed dead after their bodies were found near the city on Saturday. Police say some 30 others have been released while the fate of the rest of the villagers remains unclear. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the abduction. Police suspect Taliban militants behind the kidnapping. Taliban and other militant groups frequently target civilians on highways. Earlier this month, the Taliban attacked a bus in the city of Herat, killing seven of its passengers and taking the rest hostage.

Iraq US Warning

Iraqi Vice President Nouri al-Maliki has blasted the US for depicting itself as the victor in the fight against Daesh in Iraq. Maliki says the United States contributed to the creation of the terrorist group in the first place to pursue its goals in the region. Maliki made the comment in an interview with the Russian media. He said the Iraqi people are against foreign military bases in their country and that he’s already warned Washington against coming back to Iraq. Talking about the liberation of the city of Mosul, the Iraqi VP said it was the Iraqi army not the American troops that did the job. Maliki noted that government forces took their time in the operation to avoid civilian casualties. He said some 20,000 Iraqi soldiers were either killed or injured in the offensive to dislodge terrorists from Mosul.

Unite against Terror

The Secretary of Iran’s National Security Council has called for a united front against terrorism following the liberation of Mosul from Daesh terrorists. Ali Shamkhani said unity and cooperation among countries which have been the victims of terrorism can prevent the re-establishment of terror groups and will stop foreign intervention in the region. He made the remarks in a meeting with the visiting Iraqi defense minister, Erfan al-Hayali, in Tehran. The Iraqi official also met with Iranian Parliament speaker Ali Larijani and discussed regional issues as well as bilateral ties. Earlier, al-Hayali held a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan and signed a Memorandum of Understanding to boost defense and security cooperation.

ICRC Yemen Warning

The International Committee of the Red Cross warns more than 600-thousand people risk contracting cholera in Yemen as the war-torn country's healthcare system is collapsing. ICRC says one in every 45 Yemenis will have contracted the disease by December as a direct consequence of the conflict that has devastated civilian infrastructure and the whole health system. More than 370,000 people have already fallen ill and 1,800 have died since late April in Yemen's second cholera outbreak in less than a year. The Saudi war has created a humanitarian disaster in the country hampering international relief efforts.

Ankara Demo

Turkish police have detained some four dozen people protesting against the detention of two imprisoned teachers. One of those resisting arrest has had his arm broken. Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters who had gathered in Ankara’s city center to oppose the sacking of the teachers refusing food. The two teachers have been jailed for over four months after being handed a 20-year sentence over accusations of belonging to a banned far-left group. They began their hunger strike after protesting for 100 days in prison. The pair were fired by a government decree imposed after last year’s July 15 coup attempt. Authorities have arrested 50,000 people and fired some 150,000 others since last year’s coup attempt.

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