WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, June 28, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, June 29, 2017.

Civilian casualties

The UN human rights chief says at least 173 civilians have been killed in the ISIL-held province of Raqqah this month. Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said the civilians lost their lives in air and ground operations against ISIL terrorists. He urged all sides battling the terrorists to take precautions to spare the lives of 100000 trapped civilians. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at least 30 civilians have lost their lives during recent airstrikes on Dayr al-Zawr province. The group has not specified whether the US-led coalition or pro-Syrian government forces have conducted the raids. The attacks come 2 days after the coalition targeted a Daesh jail in the same area, killing at least 42 captives and 15 jailers.

Palestinian killed

Israeli forces have shot and killed yet another Palestinian in the occupied West Bank. Tel Aviv claims that the man was armed and posed an immediate threat to Israeli forces. The incident occurred while Israeli troops were searching for weapons. The killing came as International rights groups have on multiple occasions criticized the Israeli regime for its shoot-to-kill policy against Palestinians. The occupied Palestinian territories have been the scene of heightened tensions since October 2015 when Israel imposed restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since then.

Israel targets Syria

Israel has attacked a Syrian army position after claiming stray mortar fire struck the Occupied Golan Heights. An Israeli military spokeswoman says the mortar round hit an open area during a visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the occupied Golan Heights. She did not confirm whether Israel used warplanes or ground forces in the attack. This is the third such attack against Syria within a week. Earlier this month, Damascus said Israeli strikes targeted a residential area near Quneitra, causing civilian casualties. Syrian forces have been battling foreign-backed militants close to the border with Israel. Damascus says Israel as well as its Western and regional allies are aiding militant groups, after huge quantities of Israeli-made weapons were seized from the militants inside Syria.

Saudi war on Yemen

A new Saudi war crime in Yemen; Warplanes targeted a village of fishermen in the Dhubab District on the coast of the Red Sea. The strike took place as people were celebrating Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The Yemenis have denounced the attack and the international community’s inaction towards the ongoing Saudi atrocities in their country. Our correspondent Mohammed al-Attab reports from Sana’a.

Bahrain protest

Protesters have once again taken to the streets in Bahrain to reaffirm their solidarity with political prisoners. The rallies took place in al-Shakhurah and Abusaiba regions where the demonstrators chanted slogans against the Al Khalifa regime. They also described the Bahraini king as a criminal and called for his removal. Meanwhile, Bahrain’s parliament has passed legislation to stop pension payments to the regime’s opponents. According to the new law, people whose nationalities have been revoked will not receive their retirement salaries. The law will also apply to the Bahrainis who hold the passport of another country. Despite Bahrain’s intensified crackdown on dissent, anti-regime protests have been on the rise in the recent months.

Seeking justice

Protesters in the US state of Ohio are demanding the retrial of a white former police officer who shot dead an unarmed black man in 2015. The protesters rallied at the University of Cincinnati demanding that Ray Tensing be put on trial again. A mistrial was declared twice in the murder and manslaughter case. Tensing shot and killed black motorist Sam Dubose during a traffic stop. The former cop claims he fired in self-defense because he was being dragged by Dubose’s vehicle. But protesters aren’t convinced and have handed out petitions and flyers in a bid draw attention to the case. Officials in Ohio say they will announce by early July whether Tensing will be retired.

Nuclear threats

The United Nations believes that dangers posed by atomic weapons are mounting in today’s world while existing nuclear regime treaties deteriorate. Now the UN is drafting a new nuclear treaty that could shift global norms if implemented in its entirety. But as our correspondent Susan Modarres says, the US and the UK, who keep large nuclear arsenals, are among the big absentees as they have boycotted the talks.

Qatar slams Saudis

Qatar has slammed Saudi Arabia for its refusal to negotiate the demands presented to Doha for ending a crippling embargo on the small Persian Gulf state. Speaking from Washington, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the Saudi position was unacceptable. Sheikh Mohammed added that Riyadh’s actions run contrary to the principles that govern international relations. This, as his Saudi counterpart said there is no room for negotiations over demands for ending a blockade on Qatar. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia, along with several other Arab countries, cut ties and imposed an embargo on Qatar. They accuse Doha of supporting terrorist groups. Qatar has denied the allegations. Last week, Riyadh presented a list of 13 demands for the country, including the closure of Al Jazeera television network and a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran. Qatar has rejected the demands as unacceptable.

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