WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, May 18, 2017 to 0800 GMT, May 19, 2018.

OIC calls for intl. protection

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s summit in Istanbul has wrapped up with the leaders of Islamic countries urging the global community to protect Palestinians by dispatching international peacekeepers to the occupied territories. In a statement, the leaders urged all countries to mobilize to put Israeli violence in the Gaza Strip on the agenda of United Nations Security Council and General Assembly. The statement also called for the formation of a committee to investigate Israel’s crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories. The participants denounced the occupant Israel for the massacre of over a hundred Palestinians during the peaceful protests leading to and during the Nakba day. The statement further slammed Washington for the transfer of its embassy to Jerusalem al-Quds which emboldened Tel Aviv to kill innocent Palestinians.

US Iran policy

A senior US State Department official says Secretary Mike Pompeo will use his first foreign policy speech on Monday to call on European and other allies to pressure Iran. The department’s top policy advisor Brian Hook said this will be Pompeo’s roadmap to force Iran to negotiate on what he called the totality of its threats. Hook said these include Iran’s missile activities, which Iran says are by no means open to negotiation. Meanwhile, the US faces an uphill battle to convince European allies to back the sanctions Washington seeks to re-impose on Iran after pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal. On Friday, the EU officially activated a 1996 law to protect European companies from the US sanctions.

Iraq parliamentary elections

A political alliance led by Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has won Iraq's parliamentary elections. According to final results announced by Iraq’s electoral commission, Sadr’s bloc got 54 parliamentary seats. The Conquest Alliance, which played a key role in defeating the Daesh terror group, came in second with 47 seats. The Victory Alliance, headed by incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, took the third place with 42 seats. Sadr cannot become prime minister as he did not run in the elections. However, his bloc's victory puts him in a position to pick someone for the job.

US Shooting

At least ten people have been killed and ten others wounded in a school shooting in the US state of Texas. A heavily-armed shooter identified as 17-year old Dimitrios Pagourt-zis entered a high school in the city of Santa Fe and opened fire on fellow students. Texas Governor Greg Abbott says Pagourt-zis had planned to commit suicide after the shooting but instead surrendered to police. The weapons he used belong to his father. Texas senator Ted Cruz has condemned the incident as a horrible atrocity. He has underlined the need for adopting measures to stop criminals from obtaining firearms. Meanwhile US President Donald Trump has expressed frustration with school shootings that he said have been happening for too many decades.

Dismissing US opposition

Russia and Germany have defended the construction of a vast undersea gas pipeline between the two countries, despite opposition from the United States. The project known as Nord Stream Two would link Germany and Russia via the Baltic Sea. Berlin says its backs the project. Russia says Moscow and its European partners are the one to decide about the project.

Saudi nabs rights advocates

Human Rights Watch says Saudi authorities have arrested seven prominent women’s rights advocates just weeks before the Kingdom is set to lift a driving ban on women. The advocacy group said the detainees were rounded up since May 15. They have long opposed the driving ban as well as the kingdom’s guardianship laws. HRW said the reasons behind the detentions are not yet clear. However, it said the royal court called the country’s prominent activists last September and warned them not to speak to the media. The Middle East Director at the watchdog said it appears the only crime the activists committed was that they wanted women to drive before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled his decision. Saudi Arabia’s driving ban will be lifted on June 24.

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