News in Brief - Sun, July, 05, 2015 - 00:30 GMT

1. The Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the West’s sanctions were not imposed on Iran over its nuclear energy program or the issue of human rights. The Leader said the West’s anger at Iran stems from the fact that the country has created a movement which opposes global arrogance.

2. Syrian government forces are engaged in heavy clashes with foreign-backed militants in several fronts in western Aleppo. Army soldiers, backed by airstrikes, are trying to push back the terrorists after they invaded government-held districts of the city on Thursday. The militants have been controlling eastern Aleppo since spring 2013.

3. ISIL has released a video, showing the execution of 25 Syrian soldiers by young terrorists in Palmyra. The execution reportedly happened shortly after the terrorist group overran the ancient city on May 21. ISIL has reportedly carried out more than 200 executions in and around Palmyra when it captured the city.

4. Some thirty Yemenis have been killed after Saudi warplanes struck a bazaar in Hajjah province. Another airstrike in Razih district of Sa’ada province killed several people. Two children also lost their lives in another attack on a residential area in Lahiji province.

5. Newly disclosed documents by WikiLeaks show the United States wiretapped 29 key Brazilian officials, including President Dilma Rousseff. The whistleblower website says the US also spied on officials in charge of the country’s economy. The German chancellor and three successive French presidents have also been the targets of US surveillance.

6. A group of anti-austerity protesters have interrupted the German chancellor’s speech during her party's 70th anniversary in Berlin. The demonstrators chanted NO in Greek in support of a No vote in Greece’s referendum on its international creditors’ terms for a new bailout. Angela Merkel responded by saying Yes in Greek.

7. More than 200 Nigerians have reportedly lost their lives in a series of Boko Haram attacks since Wednesday. Only on Friday night, the terrorists raided a northeastern village, killing large numbers of people. A young female terrorist also killed a dozen worshippers after blowing her explosives in a mosque on Thursday.

8. Tunisia announces a state of emergency just over a week after a terrorist gunned down 38 tourists in the resort city of Sousse. President Beji Qaed Essebsi says the country is not safe and risks collapse from further terrorist attacks. The state of emergency will last 30 days.

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