WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, July 29, 2018.

Palestinian teenage activist

The iconic Palestinian teenager, who was jailed for slapping an Israeli soldier, is out of the Israeli prison. Ahed al-Tamimi says resistance will continue. Ahed al-Tamimi and her mother, who was also imprisoned over the incident, were released after serving an eight-month sentence. 17-year-old Tamimi turned into a symbol of the Palestinian resistance after she confronted with an Israeli soldier during a raid of her complex. Her sentence drew widespread condemnation from international rights groups including Amnesty International. She’s set to attend a press conference later in the day. She says she is to deliver the message of female inmates in Israeli jails to Palestinians.

Iran confronts US sanctions

Iran’s foreign minister says the US is addicted to imposing sanctions on other countries but the Iranian nation, through its unity and resistance, can force Washington to give up such habit. The comments by Mohammad Javad Zarif come as the US is set to restore sanctions on Iran after pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal in May. Zarif said the world has also come to the understanding that Washington needs to stop using sanctions to pressurize others. He said the US economic pressure has been unable to hamper Iran’s progress in the past and that the new sanctions would prove futile as well. The top diplomat urged the Iranian people to stand united in the face of the United States in order to preserve the country’s dignity.

Zimbabwe elections

The two main rivals running for presidency in Zimbabwe have held final campaign rallies ahead of Monday’s election. Incumbent President Emerson Nan-gagwa urged his supporters to choose a leader with whom they can maintain the freedom they currently enjoy. Nan-gagwa’s main challenger Nelson Chamisa also staged a rally at a separate venue. Chamisa, the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party, said he would defeat Nan-gagwa in the election. A credible vote could help spur recovery for Zimbabwe’s collapsed economy. Longtime leader Robert Mugabe won't be on the ballot after resigning in November following pressure from the ruling ZANU-PF party.

Gaza flotilla stopped

Israeli forces have reportedly stopped the three-vessel Freedom Flotilla which was nearing the Gaza Strip. According to Palestinian media, Israeli troops have blocked the way of the boats and directed them toward the port of Ashdod, some 40 kilometers south of Tel Aviv. Reports say all connections with Freedom Flotilla have been stopped. About 40 activists from 15 countries are on board the vessels. It left the Italian city of Palermo on July 21. The flotilla aimed to break the Israeli regime’s blockade on the coastal enclave. The embargo has been in place since 2007. It has led to a catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Nawaz Sharif hospitalized

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been transferred to a hospital after falling sick inside prison. A Pakistani minister told the media that doctors had advised the move after an electrocardiogram had shown variations. He added that the time of his release from the hospital depends on doctors. Sharif was thrown in jail earlier this month after a graft court sentenced him to 10 years over properties in Britain which he had been concealing from Pakistani authorities.

Trump shutdown threat

The US president threatens a federal government shutdown if the Democrats at congress fail to support his immigration plan, including a border wall with Mexico. In a tweet, Donald Trump said the US must change its immigration policies and embrace a system based on merit. The US president’s comments came more than a month after thousands of children were separated from their parents at the US-Mexico border. Hundreds of them have not been reunited yet. The federal government has already shut down twice this year. The first was over a failed deal for undocumented migrants brought to the US as children and the second was because of a funding bill.

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