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 4, 2018.

Gaza anti-Israeli protests

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are staging a rally for the sixth consecutive Friday, as part of a protest known as the Great March of Return. Palestinians are turning up for the rally along the so-called buffer zone between Gaza and Israel. They demand those who have been driven out of Palestine be allowed to return to their homeland. Israel has sent reinforcements to the area amid its deadly crackdown since the protests began on March 30. Nearly 50 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops since then. Thousands of others have been injured. Israel’s atrocities against the peaceful demonstrators have drawn international condemnation. Rights groups have urged the International Criminal Court to open an investigation into the killings.

Nobel scandal fallout

The Swedish Academy says it will not announce a winner for this year’s Nobel Prize for Literature in view of the “currently diminished academy and the reduced public confidence”. The organization has been in crisis over its handling of sexual allegations against the husband of a member as well as the leaks of names of some prize-winners ahead of the formal announcements. The scandal has led to a string of resignations, including that of the academy's head. The academy has said it will announce this year’s laureate along with the 2019 winner next year. A postponement or cancellation of the Nobel Prize for Literature is rare but not unprecedented. The rules of the foundation allow the prizes to be reserved until the following year.

India deadly dust storms

Fierce dust storms and lightning strikes have killed more than one hundred people and injured dozens more in India. At least 143 people died across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab as dust clouds and strong winds flattened houses, uprooted trees and destroyed power lines. Agra district was one of the worst hit areas, with at least 43 people killed. Fourteen people also died in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh which was hit by thousands of lightning strikes on Wednesday. Most deaths were caused by falling trees, walls and electric pylons as many people in India sleep outside to escape high summer temperatures. Officials have warned of more storms and asked people to be alert and stay indoors.

‘Don’t re-elect corrupt MPs’: Ayatollah Sistani

Iraq’s top Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has called on voters not to re-elect “corrupt” members of parliament during next week’s national elections. Ayatollah Sistani said he’s keeping “an equal distance” from all candidates and did not identify any of them by name in his sermon. The top Iraqi Shia cleric stressed that he had not abandoned his opposition to former prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, who is set to take part in the elections. The parliament has approved May 12 for the vote.

US-China trade talks

China says it made progress in trade talks with the United States, but acknowledged that the two sides remain far apart on some issues. The announcement came after two days of negotiations between Chinese Vice Premier Liu He with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in Beijing. China said the two sides discussed a range of issues, including expanding exports to China, the protection of intellectual property rights, and the tariff dispute. The world’s two leading economies are locked in a trade dispute after Washington imposed tariffs on imports, which were directly aimed at China. Since then, Beijing has imposed its own tariffs on US goods.

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