Israel begins construction work on Apartheid Wall

Here is a round-up of global news developments:

• Israel’s move to construct a part of its separation wall in the West Bank has sparked outrage among Palestinian officials and residents. Israel has begun building the barrier near the Palestinian Christian town of Beit Jala. Residents of the town fear the wall could lead to the expansion of Israeli settlements.
• A second batch of refugees expelled by Greece arrives in Turkey under a controversial deal between the EU and Ankara. Police arrested three activists who dived into water and clinched onto the ferry’s anchor in an attempt to stop the departure. Human rights activists called on authorities to halt the expulsions.
• Greek police clash with refugees on the island of Chios as authorities try to remove asylum seekers who have been occupying the main port for a week. At least 30 refugees were arrested. Anti-refugee protesters were also present at the port.
• Turkey and Israel have made progress towards finishing an agreement to restore ties. The progress was made in a meeting between the two sides' envoys in London. Ties between Ankara and Tel Aviv collapsed following an Israeli attack on a Turkish aid ship heading towards the Gaza Strip in 2010.
• The Turkish army has attacked the mainly-Kurdish town of Nusaybin killing at least one person. The mayor of Nusaybin has warned of the increasing civilian death toll. Nusaybin has been the scene of repeated clashes between Turkish government forces and militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or the PKK.
• Two blasts have left at least 7 Egyptians including government forces dead in the Sinai Peninsula. Daesh has claimed responsibility for the attacks which also injured 15 others. Over the past few years, Egyptian forces have been battling militants across the volatile Sinai Peninsula.
• In France, protests against the government’s proposed labor reforms have entered their second week. Clashes between the police and protesters have been reported in different cities. The labor reforms involve loosening some social protections in the hope of jump-starting the low employment rate of the country and boosting the economy.
• European lawmakers have accused some member states of not cooperating sufficiently to prevent further terrorist attacks in the continent. They also called on Turkey to do more to stop the flow of refugees into the EU. This as Belgian authorities are still looking for a third suspect involved in the Brussels attacks.

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