WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

US President Donald Trump (Photo by AFP)

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, May 13, 2017.

US political wrangling

In the US, political wrangling continues over President Donald Trump’s abrupt dismissal of FBI chief James Comey. Democrats demand the White House turn over any tapes that might exist of Trump's conversations with Comey.

The new developments come hours after Trump warned the ousted FBI director against leaking materials to the media, suggesting that there might be tapes of their conversations. Top Democrats quickly seized on the dispute saying Trump's behavior raises the specter of possible intimidation and obstruction of justice. John Conyers and Elijah Cummings in a letter to the White House said the president's actions also risked undermining the ongoing counter-intelligence investigations. Trump fired Comey on Tuesday, and later said that he was not doing a good job. The argument is in contradiction with the White House that had cited a Justice Department memo as the impetus for Trump's decision.

Boycott of Israel

Norway’s largest trade union has called for a total boycott of Israel in response to the occupation of Palestinian land.

The delegates of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions also known as LO approved a resolution on boycotting Israel, against recommendations by its leadership and the Norwegian government. LO represents over 900,000 workers, which is more than one quarter of the adult working population in the country. In recent years, LO has called to boycott various Israeli institutions that profit from the occupation of Palestinian land. Israel has been under international pressure including that from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement to end its oppression of Palestinians and comply with international law.

Fight against Daesh

Government troops have inflicted heavy casualties on Daesh terrorists during fierce clashes in western Syria.

Syrian military says its forces killed at least 20 terrorists and destroyed a number of their vehicles during the fighting in the eastern countryside of Homs. Troops have also gained control over al-Mushairafah quarry. Syrian forces and allied fighters have inflicted heavy losses on Daesh terrorists in recent weeks. The terror group has also been excluded from an agreement on creating de-escalation zones across the country which came into effect last week.

Battle for Mosul

Iraqi forces are gaining ground against Daesh as they gear up to recapture a strategic region in Nineveh province.

Nineveh operation command says troops have liberated southern and eastern banks of the Tigris River in western Mosul. Meanwhile Popular Mobilization Units have seized control of a major road leading to the town of Sinjar. Iraqi fighters also recaptured several villages around Qairawan and are now preparing to liberate the whole district. The operation to retake Mosul was launched in October and the city's east was liberated in January. Daesh has been driven out of all but a handful of districts in the city's western half including the Old City, where it is using hundreds of thousands of civilians as human shields.

Global cyber attack

The European Union’s law enforcement agency says an international investigation is required to identify the culprits behind Friday’s global cyber attack.

Europe said the wave of the attacks has wreaked havoc across the globe at an unprecedented level and that it is working with other affected countries to probe the incident. Russia's Central Bank also said the country's banking system was hit by the cyber attack. Meanwhile, French car maker Renault said the attack had forced it to stop production inside the country. The British Interior Ministry also announced it still does not know who was behind the cyber breach, which disrupted the UK’s health system as well. On Friday, cyber extortionists tricked victims into opening malicious malware attachments to spam emails. Nearly 100 countries have been affected.

Syria gains 

The Syrian army has regained control of a militant-held airbase in eastern Aleppo that was under the control of Daesh Takfiri terrorists. 

The army says its forces advanced toward al-Jarrah airport in the countryside backed by Russian and Syrian aerial bombings. The base was seized following two months of fierce clashes between the Syrian army and the terrorists in the region. According to a UK based monitoring group, most of the terrorists have withdrawn and the Syrian forces have started clearing operations in the airbase. Last March, the Syrian army’s elite forces briefly stormed the base but the attack was repelled. Al-Jarrah military airport fell into the hands of the terrorists in January 2014.

Israeli atrocity 

Israeli forces have fatally shot yet another Palestinian in east Jerusalem al-Quds. 

Israeli troops opened fire at a Palestinian man after an alleged stabbing attack. The identity of the victim has not been revealed. Two Israeli officers were slightly wounded in the incident. They were rushed to hospital. Tensions have increased in the occupied Palestinian territories since Israel introduced restrictions on Palestinians’ access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in 2015. Since then, the violence has claimed the lives of more than 290 Palestinians.

'Dangerous to world peace'

A top British politician says US President Donald Trump is making the world a more dangerous place.

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn underlined that Trump appears determined to add to existing global dangers by opposing Iran’s nuclear deal with six world powers, launching a missile strike on Syria, backing a new nuclear arms race and escalating the North Korea crisis. Corbyn believes such moves fuel threats and instability. He says as the strongest military power in the world, the US should support international efforts to resolve conflicts collectively and peacefully rather than stoke tensions.


Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk

SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Press TV News Roku