WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, May 29, 2017.

Syria mass grave

Syrian Kurdish forces have discovered a mass grave near the newly-liberated city of Tabqa. Officials say the grave, which was discovered in east of the city, contained dozens of headless bodies. According to the local witnesses, Daesh terrorists have beheaded hundreds of civilians as they occupied the city. Locals added that the terrorists have carried around the heads of their victims. Tabqa fell into the hands of Daesh in 2014. Kurdish forces recaptured the city and several villages around it on May 10 on their way to liberate the terror group’s de facto capital in Syria, Raqqah.

MI5 inquiry

MI5 has launched an inquiry into how it missed three warnings from the public about the threat posed by the man who staged a terrorist attack in Manchester last week. Reports say Salman Abedi’s interest in being a potential terrorist killer was repeatedly reported to the British intelligence authorities. UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd has refused to comment on the reports. Last Monday, Abedi detonated an explosive device toward the end of a music concert at the Manchester Arena. At least 22 people, many of them children, were killed and dozens more injured. British police have so far detained 16 people in connection with the attack.

Iraqi popular forces reach Syria border

Iraq’s popular mobilization forces, battling Daesh terrorists West of Mosul, have reached the country’s border with Syria. The paramilitary force, also known as the PMF, is facing Kurdish-held areas of Syria. The PMF’s commander Hadi al-Ameri says the volunteer forces will start a new operation on Tuesday to clear the Syria border from terrorists. According to Ameri, the Iraqi troops will head southwards to the town of Qaim. The strategic town lies opposite the Syrian city of al-Bukamal where the Syrian army and Hezbollah are fighting to recapture territory from militants. Earlier on Monday, the PMF announced the recapture of the key town of Ba'aj and a number of villages between Mosul and the Syrian border from Daesh. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has paid a visit to the frontline in Mosul. Meanwhile, inside the city the battle to liberate the few remaining districts under Daesh’s control continues.

Brazil anti-government protest

In Brazil, anti-government protesters have taken to the streets of Rio de Janeiro urging President Michel Temer to resign amid a corruption scandal. The protesters also called for direct elections as the way out of the ongoing political crisis. Brazil’s politics continues to be discredited with revelations of corruption at high level. The protests have engulfed the country since an audio tape emerged that purportedly showed Temer approving the payment of bribes to former senate colleague Eduardo Cunha. Temer has denied any wrongdoing, insisting the recording has been doctored and that his resignation would be an admission of guilt.

Philippine martial law

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has defended his decision to impose martial law in the south of the country amid the offensive by Takfiri militants. Duterte imposed martial law on the Mindanao Island on Tuesday following the attacks by pro-Daesh groups in Marawi city. The president also gave a green light to the army to conduct search and arrests without court warrants. Based on the 1987 constitution, the martial law could be imposed to prevent repeat of the human rights abuses that were committed under the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcus. The charter also gives the Supreme Court and the Congress power to oversight the process and question the president over the declaration of martial law.

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