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British police officers stand on duty in central London, May 23, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, May 24, 2017.

Manchester Attack Fallout

An arsonist has targeted a mosque in Britain, sparking fears of a rise in hate crimes following the terror attack on Manchester’s iconic arena. CCTV footage shows a man walking to the front door and setting it on fire before running away in the town of Oldham in Greater Manchester. Police say no one has been injured in the attack and an investigation is on-going. This as the Muslim community in Britain has condemned the terrorist incident at the Manchester Arena. Several Muslim-led initiatives are raising funds to distribute among the victims of the deadly explosion.

Trump Vatican Visit

On the third leg of his international trip, US President Donald Trump has met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. The two hold major differences on issues such as climate change, Islam and the refugee crisis. Back in 2016, head of the Roman Catholic Church slammed the former real estate mogul for his pledge to build a wall on the Mexican border, calling him non-Christian. Earlier on Tuesday evening, a crowd of one hundred people, mostly US expats, gathered in the Italian capital to protest Trump’s policies. The US president is scheduled to fly to Brussels on Thursday to hold talks with the European Union and the NATO Secretary General.

Ramadan under Siege

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are preparing for the holy month of Ramadan. The territory is suffering from various economic hardships caused by Israel’s 10-year siege. While markets are full of Ramadan goods, many Palestinians can't afford buying any.

Khorramshahr Liberation

On the occasion of the liberation of the port city of Khorramshahr during the Iran-Iraq war, Iranians remember the day and honor the sacrifices made to liberate the city.

Palestinian Hunger Strike

Thirty eight days have passed since hundreds of Palestinians in Israeli jails began an open-ended hunger strike. However, Israeli authorities are still adamant in refusing to negotiate with them. The Palestinian Committee of Prisoners’ Affairs says Israel is endangering the lives of the strikers by turning down their demands. The committee has warned of fatalities among prisoners if no action is taken. Dozens of detainees have already been transferred to civilian hospitals because of their worsening health condition. Palestinian activists say more inmates are now refusing water and salt in an effort to make their voices heard. The prisoners demand an end to mistreatment, denial of family visits, solitary confinement and imprisonment without charge or trial.

Inhumane Crackdown

Iranian lawmakers have condemned the Bahraini regime’s deadly crackdown on protesters in the town of Diraz. 154 lawmakers said in a statement that opening fire at protesters is inhumane and against religious teachings. They also slammed a court ruling against cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim as ruthless. Iranian lawmakers further stressed that the ruling was based on foolish and sectarian allegations. On Tuesday, Bahraini regime forces stormed the hometown of Sheikh Qassim with police opening fire on protesters. The protesters were voicing their anger against a court ruling that sentenced the cleric to one year in prison. Five people were killed and over 280 others were detained in the clashes. The violence drew widespread criticism, with Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch slamming the crackdown.

Syria Civilian Casualties

New US-led airstrikes near the Syrian city of Raqqah have killed at least 16 civilians. According to the monitoring groups known as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, five young siblings were among those killed in the air raids on the village of Al-Baruda. Raqqah is considered an important stronghold of Daesh in Syria. The United States says that its attacks in Raqqah target Daesh terrorists, but hundreds of civilian lives have been lost in the attacks. Syria has been battling a foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. It is estimated that about half a million people have been killed in the conflict.

UK Security Fears

British police have arrested three more suspects in connection with Monday’s deadly terror attack on a concert in Manchester. The latest arrests bring to four the number of people taken into custody over the bombing since Tuesday. British medical sources have also raised the number of injuries to 119. There are fears that the death toll which currently stands at 22 will rise as some of the wounded are in critical condition. Meanwhile, British officials have said 38-hundred armed soldiers are being deployed across the country as well as Buckingham Palace and the British Parliament at Westminster to beef up security. The government has also said it will continue its counter-radicalization program called Prevent. London believes the man behind the bombing in Manchester, who was known to security services, did not act alone.

Migrant Death

The bodies of at least thirty four refugees, most of them toddlers, have been found off the coast of Libya. Italy's Coast Guard said about two hundred people fell into the water after their overloaded boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea. The boat was one of the fifteen vessels packed with one thousand and seven hundred people. According to authorities, a rescue operation is underway to save possible survivors. More than one thousand and three hundred people have died this year while passing through the world's most dangerous crossing for asylum-seekers. More than fifty thousand refugees have been saved at sea and brought to Italy so far in 2017. The number of rescued people has increased 46 percent compared to the same period last year.

Failed Iranophobia Policy

Tehran has described as unproductive and a non-starter the US policy of Iranophobia and its pursuit of outdated claims. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said US President Donald Trump’s statements about Washington’s commitment to deter Tehran from developing nuclear weapons are fantasies. Qassemi said Iran has never sought nuclear arms, and that the Islamic Republic’s adherence to its obligations has been confirmed by legitimate international bodies many times. Trump made the allegations during his visit to Israel. The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman also said the anti-Iran accusations were made during Trump’s meeting with Israeli officials, who have not yet joined the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and possess atomic warheads. Qassemi further slammed the US president for accusing Iran of supporting terrorism. He said Iran’s relentless fight against terrorist groups in the region is known to all.


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