WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, July 1, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, July 2, 2017.

Zarif condemns gathering of anti-Iran terrorists in France

The Iranian foreign minister has denounced an event held in the French capital, Paris, where the anti-Iran Mujahedin-e Khalq terrorist Organization convened for their annual gathering.

Mohammad Javad Zarif said the presence and activities of the MKO terrorist group in France were regarded as a moot point in relations between Tehran and Paris. Some former American and European officials also attended the event. Former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki bin Faisal also took part in the meeting for the second time. The gathering was even broadcast live by the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya news channel. The notorious group has carried out numerous terror attacks against Iranian civilians and government officials over the past three decades. The US and the EU recently removed the MKO from their terror lists, despite the group being responsible for killing nearly 17,000 Iranians since the victory of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. 

Israel attacks Syria

The Israeli army has once again targeted Syrian government’s positions on the Golan Heights.

Tel Aviv says the attacks were carried out in Quneitra countryside in response to stray fire from the Syrian Golan Heights. There are no immediate reports of casualties following the incident. This is the sixth time in less than two weeks that the Israeli air force targets the Syrian army on the Golan Heights. The developments come as the Syrian forces have been battling foreign-backed militants in the area.

Arkansas club shooting 

An exchange of gunfire during a concert in the US state of Arkansas has left 28 people injured.

25 of those injured have sustained gunshot wounds. Three others were injured as they were trying to escape the scene of violence. Authorities say none of the injuries are life-threatening. According to initial reports, the shots were fired by multiple people. Nobody has so far been taken into custody. The eleven-second shooting happened in the downtown area of the capital city of Arkansas, Little Rock. Police have cordoned off the area to collect evidence.

Anger at state of emergency in France

The ongoing state of emergency in France is expected to be extended this month. This means people have been living just one step below martial law for two years. Rights activists have gathered in the French capital to try to stop the extension, but a large majority of the French public thinks otherwise. 

Venezuela deadly protests

Venezuelan authorities have confirmed the death of four more anti-government protesters.

Chief prosecutor Luis Ortega Diaz says the new casualties were the result of Friday’s clashes in the city of Barquisimeto in central Venezuela. The city's mayor blames the deaths on armed militias affiliated with the government. This brings the total tally of deaths over the past three months to nearly 90. Millions of people in the South American country are grappling with high inflation and shortages of basic consumer products. President Nicolas Maduro blames the dire situation on outside forces that seek to topple his government.

UK austerity draws anger at cabinet

Cabinet ministers of British Prime Minister Theresa May are calling on her to end the government’s biting austerity measures, amid a slump in her popularity.

Reports say at least two ministers have demanded an end to the measures. Health Minister Jeremy Hunt has called for removal of strict limits on pay rises for nurses. Education Minister Justine Greening has also pushed the premier to increase the ministry’s budget to be spent on schools. This as a new poll shows that May's popularity has plunged by 40 percent since April. The results also show that Conservatives are now backed by 39 percent of voters, lagging behind the opposition Labor Party which is polling at 45 percent. It implies that Labor Leader Jeremy Corbyn would likely become prime minister if general elections were held today.

Damascus blast

A car bomb has ripped through the Syrian capital Damascus, leaving a number of people dead and injured. 

Syrian state TV says the driver blew himself up near Tahrir square in eastern Damascus after being chased and surrounded by security forces. He was one of three attackers planning to hit the city. The two other car bombers detonated their explosives at the entrance to the city after being intercepted by security forces. Such attacks have been rare in Damascus.

Push to oust Trump

A US Representative for Maryland proposes a panel to oust President Donald Trump if he is physically or mentally unfit to lead the country.

Democrat Jamie Raskin seeks to gain support for a bill to create an 11-member Oversight Commission on Presidential Capacity. The panel would carry out medical examinations and determine whether the president is physically and mentally able to do the job. The 25th Amendment bill to establish procedure in case the president is incapacitated has gained momentum after Trump tweeted attacks against two MSNBC cable hosts. The President would be able to appeal the decision. Two-thirds of both the House and the Senate would also need to agree with the commission’s assessment in order to dismiss the president.

Canada aboriginal protest

Indigenous people across Canada are holding protest rallies as the country marks the 150th anniversary of the confederation.

Many First Nations groups and their leaders boycotted Canada Day, dubbing it a reminder of the cruel colonial legacy and the oppression of the aboriginal people. Earlier, indigenous rights group - Idle No More - also called for a national day of action. Echoing the call, protesters marched through Canada’s largest city, Toronto, carrying red flags, with some holding the national flag upside down. Activists also erected a tent on Parliament Hill in the capital Ottawa, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau officially kicked off the ceremonies on Saturday. Trudeau, accompanied by Britain's Prince Charles, shook hands with some of the thousands of revelers there. July First marks the anniversary of the day Canada officially became a country. Britain ruled it before 1867.

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