WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, November 08, 2018 to 0800 GMT, November 09, 2018.

Yemen army pushing back mercenaries

The Yemeni army, along with fighters from Popular Committees, has dealt fresh blows to Saudi-backed mercenaries in Bayda Province. Military officials say the Yemeni forces purged a mountainous region of the mercenaries. They said the operation was part of a large-scale offensive which inflicted heavy losses on the Saudi-led forces. The Yemeni troops have liberated many areas over the past few days in the province which had been under the control of the mercenaries. Meanwhile, forces loyal to the former Yemeni government have intensified their attacks on Hudaydah. Medical sources say Saudi warplanes pounded a hospital in the city. Much of the port city’s infrastructure has been destroyed during the Saudi-led onslaught.

Victims of US ‘war on terror’

A study has revealed that the so-called US War on Terror has killed about half a million people in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan over the past 17 years. The study was conducted by Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. The report states that many of the victims have been civilians. It added that the actual death toll is likely higher. The study said the new toll has shown an of increase 110,000 compared with the last count which was carried out in 2016. The US launched the so-called War on Terror by attacking Afghanistan with the stated goal of eradicating terrorism. It later invaded Iraq to topple former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Washington continued its war-mongering strategy by carrying out attacks in Syria and Iraq under the pretext of defeating Daesh.

Palestinian fisherman buried

Palestinians have attended a funeral procession in the Gaza Strip for a Palestinian fisherman who was reportedly killed by Egyptian naval forces. Gaza Interior Ministry said Egyptian naval forces fired on a Palestinian fishing boat and killed the fisherman on Wednesday. The ministry added that the incident took place off the coast after dark near the southern border town of Rafah. An Egyptian military source denied the report. However, Egypt's navy has in the past shot at Gazans, accused them of crossing the maritime border.

Syria army rescues people

The Syrian army has rescued over a dozen people kidnapped by Daesh terrorists in the city of Suwayda. The group included 19 women and children. They had been abducted in July. The women and children belonged to the Duruz minority group. The abductees were reportedly freed in a prisoner exchange deal. They were freed in the second stage of the deal. Two women and four children were released last month in the first stage of the same agreement.

New US asylum rule

The US government has made a new move making it more difficult for migrants to seek asylum in the country. The Department of Homeland Security said those individuals who cross the US southern border illegally would be ineligible for asylum. It added that the move was aimed at funneling asylum claims through the ports of entry. The plan would go into full effect within the coming days. The regulation would largely affect migrants from Central America’s Northern Triangle; Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.  

US ‘crimes against humanity’

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the US is accountable for crimes against humanity in Iran and Yemen. In a tweet, Zarif hit back at recent accusations made by the US Secretary of State against Tehran. He said Mike Pompeo was blaming Iran for Washington’s unlawful sanctions while the US has prevented Iranians’ access to financial services for food and medicine. In another tweet, Zarif sarcastically called on Pompeo to blame the Yemenis themselves for the famine they were facing and annihilate the whole country to mitigate the risks of a humanitarian crisis there. Pompeo recently accused the Iranian government of being the reason behind the US sanctions on Tehran and the continuation of the war in Yemen.

North Korea-US tensions

The US says North Korea has not done anything to justify the lifting of American sanctions. Haley was speaking after a closed door summit on North Korea sanctions at the United Nations. The American ambassador criticized Russia, saying Moscow was cheating with the sanctions on Pyongyang. She added that senior North Korean officials had postponed a meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week because they were not ready. Last week, Pyongyang accused the US of derailing commitments made by the two countries’ leaders at a summit earlier this year.

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