WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, May 29, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, May 30, 2018.

Israel Gaza airstrikes

Israel conducts new airstrikes against the Gaza Strip amid rising tensions with Palestinians in the besieged enclave. The air raids targeted Palestinian positions in the north and south of the coastal region. Palestinians say they have responded to the attacks by shelling Israeli-occupied towns. Israel carried out dozens of airstrikes against Gaza on Tuesday, saying its operations were in response to Palestinian mortar attacks on Israeli towns earlier in the day. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council will meet on Wednesday at the request of the US to discuss Palestinian mortar and rocket attacks on Israel.

UN Yemen concerns

The United Nations has expressed grave concern over the military offensive by Saudi-backed militants against the Yemeni city of Hudaydah. UN Spokesman Staphane Dujarric said the world body has begun drawing up contingency plans and stepping up aid deliveries. Dujarric warned that increased fighting would result in the displacement of more people. Forces loyal to the former president backed by Riyadh are closing in on Hudaydah which is a key entry point for the country’s humanitarian aid. Meanwhile Yemen’s Ansarullah movement called for mass mobilization to defend the port city. The Saudis accuse Ansarullah of using the port for weapons delivery.

Belgium attack

Three people have been killed in the Belgian city of Liege by a man who is said to have been mentioned in state security reports. The suspect identified as 36-year-old Benjamin Herman disarmed two female police officers after stabbing them from behind. He then used the officers’ weapons to kill them and a man who was sitting in a parked car. The perpetrator had been let out from prison on day-release. The gunman then entered a secondary school, where he took an employee hostage. The suspect was cornered as elite police swarmed the entrance to the school and was shot dead after he attempted to shoot his way out.

Kuwait seeks int’l protection mission for Palestinians

Kuwait is pushing for an international mission to be set up by the UN to protect Palestinian civilians in occupied territories and the Gaza Strip. The Arab country has given out a draft resolution at the UN Security Council that asks for proposals from UN chief, Antonio Guterres, for the protection of Palestinians against Israel. The draft is likely to be put to vote this week and is expected to be vetoed by the US. But Kuwait, which is a non-permanent council member, hopes to highlight the US isolation in its support for Israel by a high number of votes in favor of the proposal.

China warns US

China says it is ready to retaliate possible measures by the United States to impose restrictions on investment by Chinese companies. China’s Commerce Ministry says it’s surprised and sees it as contrary to the recent consensus both sides reached on resolving their trade row. It says Beijing has the confidence, ability, and experience to safeguard its core interests. On Tuesday, the US said it would continue pursuing action on trade with China, days after Washington and Beijing suggested that tensions had eased. Washington says it would also continue to pursue a legal case it has filed against Beijing at the World Trade Organization regarding intellectual property rights. The United States plans to impose a 25 percent tariff on a number of Chinese goods.

US-Mexico border wall dispute

The Mexican president strongly rejects any financial contribution by his country for a US-proposed border wall. In a tweet, Enrique Penia Nieto insisted that Mexico would never pay for a wall. His tweet came in response to the US president’s earlier comments on the issue. Donald Trump said Mexico will eventually pay for the border wall. Trump accused the southern neighbor of doing nothing to stop the flow of immigrants who try to pass the border illegally. Building a border wall was one of Trump’s key campaign pledges. The US president says the wall would prevent immigrants and drugs from pouring into his country.

Gaza truce

Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says it has agreed to a ceasefire with Israel following an escalation of violence. Hamas deputy chief Khalil al-Hayya says an agreement has been reached to return to the 2014 ceasefire in Gaza after hours of mediation efforts. Hayya says the group is committed to truce as long as Israel is. Israel’s intelligence minister has refused to confirm the deal, but said Tel Aviv is not interested in an escalation toward war. Both Hamas and Israel blame each other for the flare-up, which is the worst since Israel’s war on Gaza three years ago. Israel has carried out dozens of airstrikes against the Gaza Strip. Palestinian resistance groups responded by firing mortar shells and rockets.

Israeli banks fund settlements: HRW

A new report suggests Israel’s largest banks are financing the construction of settler units in the occupied West Bank. A Human Rights Watch report says major Israeli banks are contributing to the displacement of Palestinians by partnering with developers to build settlements on Palestinian land. The report also documents the involvement of the banks in building units by acquiring property rights in new construction projects. According to the HRW, the banking activities amount to “bankrolling abuse”. The rights group describes as a war crime, forcing residents out of their land by occupiers. It says the banks are playing a role in the crime by facilitating the expansion of settlements. All Israeli settlement activities on the occupied territories are illegal under international law.

Refugees’ misery

French police have started to remove refugees from the biggest makeshift camp in the capital, Paris. Hundreds of mostly African refugees were evacuated from the Millennium camp along the Canal Saint-Martin. Riot police were present on ground to escort the refugees to transporting busses. The French Ministry of Interior said the refugees would be housed temporarily at accommodation centers across the Paris region. Authorities also announced plans to evacuate two other camps in the area as soon as possible. France has taken a tough stance on immigration with the parliament approving a bill that tightens asylum rules.