WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, January 12, 2019 to 0800 GMT, January 13, 2019.

France protests

Violent anti-government protests have erupted across France for the ninth consecutive weekend. In the capital, Paris, police have used water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters. Police arrested dozens of people before and during the protests in Paris. Clashes also broke out between security forces and protesters in the cities of Bordeaux, Nantes and Bourges. French officials have vowed zero tolerance for violence. The demonstrators say they will continue the protests until their demands are met. The yellow vest rallies started in mid-November as a simple protest against planned fuel hikes, but soon morphed into mass anti-government demonstrations.

‘Yellow vests’ in London

Inspired by France’s ‘Yellow Vest’ movement, thousands of protesters gathered in London calling for a general election to remove Prime MInister Theresa May from power. Demonstrators say the government, amid the Brexit turmoil, is destroying the social, economic and political fabric of the UK and radical changes are needed to save the country. Press TV’s Camilia Shambayati reports.

Serbia protest

Thousands of people have hit the streets of the Serbian capital Belgrade for the sixth consecutive week of street protests against President Aleksandar Vuchic. The demonstrators are calling for more freedom of the press and an end to political violence in the Balkan state. They say Vuchic has created an atmosphere of fear and hate speech against opponents to tighten his rule. The president, however, has denied the allegations. The demonstrations were triggered last month when opposition politician Borko Stefanovic was beat up. The opposition blames the government agents for the attack, but the government denies any involvement.

Turkey deployment in Syria

The Turkish army is deploying troops on the border with Syria’s Idlib province amid speculations that it may launch an operation inside the country. Turkey's military sent tanks and armored vehicles to the border in the second day of reinforcements. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a Turkish convoy has already crossed the border into northern Syria. Turkish army forces and tanks also carried out military exercises on the country’s southeastern border. The developments come after Tahrir al-Sham terrorists captured more towns and villages in Idlib. Over the past several weeks, the group has wrested control of the province from Turkish-backed militants following heavy battles.

Trump slams FBI

The US president has unleashed an assault on the FBI for opening up an investigation after he fired the agency’s director, James Comey, in 2017. Donald Trump wrote in a tweet that the agency acted “for no reason and with no proof” when it began probing into whether he was acting on Russia's behalf. Trump also wrote that the FBI was in complete turmoil because of Comey's poor leadership, and claimed that his firing of Comey was “a great day for America." The FBI investigation was subsequently folded into a broader probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion between Moscow and the Trump campaign.

Iran protests Polish meeting

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned Poland’s envoy to protest a US-sponsored meeting set to be held in the Polish capital with a focus on Iran. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said Iran conveyed its strong opposition to charge d'affaires Woy-check Onolt, calling the upcoming conference a hostile move by the US. According to the statement, Iran urged Poland to refrain from hosting the anti-Iran meeting. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday that the gathering seeks to stop Iran’s influence in the Middle East. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has described the international event as a “desperate anti-Iran circus.”

Israel Syria attacks

Israel has admitted that it carried out thousands of airstrikes inside Syria over the past two years, without claiming responsibility. The outgoing Israeli army chief has told the New York Times that near-daily attacks were conducted in Syria. Gadi Eisenkot claims that most of the targets hit by Israel belonged to Iran. This is while, Tehran has repeatedly said that it only deploys advisers in Syria, at the country's request. Damascus has also condemned the airstrikes as a violation of its sovereignty. The Israeli commander, in a separate interview, also issued a threat against commander of Iran’s Quds force, Major General Qassem Soleimani, who has helped the Syrian government fight Daesh terrorists. Eisenkot said “he who acts against us puts himself in danger.”

Democrats look into Trump case

A US House committee will look into a media report claiming the FBI launched an inquiry in 2017 to find out whether President Donald Trump had been working on behalf of Russia. The committee chairman says his panel will take steps to better understand both the president's actions and the FBI's response. Jerrold Nadler added that lawmakers would seek to protect investigators from what he called the president's increasingly unhinged attacks. According to the New York Times, a dual counter-intelligence and criminal probe was launched after Trump fired FBI director James Comey in 2017. The inquiry also looked into whether Trump was a threat to national security. It subsequently unfolded into a broader inquiry into the alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Meanwhile, Trump has blasted the FBI, saying the agency acted for no reason and with no proof. He also claimed that his firing of Comey was a great day for America.

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