WATCH: PRESS TV NEWSROOM HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, May 7.

French casting their votes in final run-off

French citizens are casting their votes in the final round of the country’s presidential election.

Voters will choose between centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. Voting will close at 17:00 GMT and the first estimate of the results will be published an hour later. The polling follows an unprecedented election campaign marked by scandal, and a last-minute hacking attack on Macron’s campaign. Le Pen and Macron emerged as the finalists after the first round of the vote held last month. According to opinion polls, Macron led his rival by around 62 to 38 percentage points before the hacking revelations on Friday.

Palestinian inmates call for week of rage

Palestinian prisoners on an open-ended hunger strike in Israeli jails are calling for a week of rage in the occupied territories and beyond.

The call comes amid reports that Israeli authorities are seeking to bring in foreign physicians to help them force-feed the strikers. The prisoners, who have been abstaining from food for 21 days, are warning that any such move will be treated as an attempt on their lives. They are urging Palestinians to carry on their protests and sit-ins until the inmates’ demands are met. More than 15 hundred detainees are taking part in the mass hunger strike to protest their jail conditions and mistreatment by Israeli wardens. The collective action has triggered relentless street protests by Palestinians. On Saturday, demonstrators held a rally in the West Bank city of Bethlehem to show their solidarity with the prisoners.

Trump supporters, anti-fascist activists clash

Counter protesters get into a brawl in the US city of Saint Paul, Minnesota, during a rally against white supremacy.

The noisy fight erupted on the steps of the Minnesota State Capitol, with supporters of President Donald Trump and anti-fascist activists kicking and punching each other. It all began when the activists tried to prevent Trump’s supporters, who were chanting anti-immigrant slogans, from entering the Capitol. Inside the building, an event marking the president’s first 100 days in office was taking place. Police then stepped in to stop the scuffles.

Iran Leader calls for big voter turnout

The leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution has called on the nation to turn out in the May 19 elections en masse, saying this would help boost the country’s might, grandeur and immunity.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said a huge turnout would prove that Iranians are ready to defend the Islamic Republic and would intimidate the enemy. Ayatollah Khamenei argued that the enemy can do no harm to the country if the nation continues to maintain its splendor. He also said Iran’s grandeur only stems from its people and their readiness to stand up to the enemy. The leader also warned that the enemy is always lurking to deal a blow to the country, no matter which administration is in charge.

Thousands call for labor market legislation reform in Rome

Thousands of people have gathered in the Italian capital Rome to call on the government to reform the country’s labor market legislation. Italy’s major trade union says the measure undermines the rights of workers.

Pakistan deploys troops to Afghanistan border

Pakistan has deployed additional troops to its border with Afghanistan, following deadly clashes and a significant escalation of hostilities between forces of the two countries.

At least 15 people were killed and dozens of others wounded after Afghan and Pakistani forces traded fire in the two divided villages near the Chaman border crossing on Friday. The dead include nine from Pakistan and six from the Afghan side. Islamabad accused Afghan security forces of unprovoked firing on its census workers and troops escorting them. But Afghan officials claimed that the Pakistanis fired first. The incident was the latest escalation between the two neighbors, who share a volatile and porous boundary. Meanwhile, the Pakistani army has shut the border crossing in response to the attack, blocking all movement of people and supplies to its landlocked neighbor.

Terrorists cannot be divided into good and bad ones: Iran FM

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says terrorists cannot be divided into good and bad ones.

Zarif made the remark in a meeting with his Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani in the capital, Kabul. The Iranian foreign minister said the two countries must fight against terrorist groups in tandem. Zarif also stressed on border security, saying travelling between the two countries must be facilitated for Iranian and Afghan nationals. For his part, Rabbani also stressed the importance of increasing cooperation between the two countries in their fight against terrorism. He also hailed Iran for helping displaced Afghans and hosting immigrants. Zarif also met with other Afghan top officials, including President Ashraf Ghani and National Security Advisor Mohammad Hanif Atmar.

Nusra Front terrorists to be evacuated from Syria refugee camp

An agreement has been reached to evacuate Nusra front terrorists from a refugee camp in the southern suburbs of the Syrian capital Damascus.

According to Beirut-based al-Manar Television, wounded militants of the Takfiri group, also known as Hayyat Tahrir al-Sham, will leave the Yarmouk Refugee camp. They are due to be relocated to the militant-held Idlib province in northwestern Syria. The agreement represents the second phase of an earlier deal with the government to evacuate people from two Shia towns besieged by militants and two other towns on the Lebanese border in which militants and their families are holed up. The first phase was implemented last month.

Afghans fleeing armed conflict in Kunduz

Afghan families are desperately fleeing armed conflict in the northern city of Kunduz as battles between the Taliban and government forces intensify.

According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, some families were forced to sleep in the open while others moved into the homes of relatives. The militants began their assault on the Qala-e-Zal district in Kunduz province on Saturday and captured most of it including the district center. The government says Afghan forces have retreated from the district to avoid civilian casualties. Preliminary reports from families who fled, local authorities, and aid groups indicate that thousands of people have been displaced.

French not enthusiastic about presidential election

French people do not seem to be that enthusiastic about their presidential election as midday turnout hit only 28 percent. Some people say they don't really have a choice

According to authorities, this year’s turnout is at least two-percent down from midday participation rating in 2012 which was 31 percent. Sunday’s election is the first vote in nearly six decade when no candidates from the left and right political factions are contesting with each other. A recent survey has found that seven in every 10 French voters are unhappy with the choice between Marine Le Pen and Emanuel Macron. Earlier in the day Macron cast his ballot in a seaside resort in northern France. Marine Le Pen also voted in a small northern town controlled by her National front Party.

Over 65 percent participated in France’s election

In France, over 65 percent of eligible voters have participated in the country’s runoff presidential election which has put Marine Le Pen against Emanuel Macron.

French Interior Ministry says the turnout of 65.3 percent until 15:00 GMT is six percent down from the same figure in 2012. This is also four percent lower than the first round of election held on April 23. Sunday’s election is the first vote in nearly six decade when no candidates from the left and right political factions are contesting. A recent survey has found that seven in every 10 French voters are unhappy with the choice between Marine Le Pen and Emanuel Macron.

Boko Haram frees 82 Chibok schoolgirls in swap deal

82 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram have been released in a swap deal negotiated by the Nigerian government.

The girls have been transferred to the capital, Abuja and are expected to meet with President Buhari. The schoolgirls were swapped with prisoners from the terrorist group in a negotiated deal. This is the second time the government has negotiated with Boko Haram to save some three hundred schoolgirls abducted three years ago. Over one hundred of the students are still unaccounted for following Saturday’s release. The violence sparked by the terrorist group has so far claimed over 15 thousand Nigerian lives and displaced some 2.6 million people.

Greeks gather to protest Sunday trading hours

Hundreds of people have gathered in central Athens to protest plans to increase trading hours on Sundays which is traditionally a holiday for Greeks.

The demonstration drew members of communist groups and labor unions, alongside representatives of small and medium-sized businesses. Shops in Greece are currently compelled to open on the first Sunday of every month in a step imposed three years ago by international creditors. However the new measures would increase the number of Sundays from 12 times a year to 30. Unions have called a 24-hour general strike on May 17 to protest against the new measure whose adoption is a prerequisite for unblocking a new tranche of loans that Athens needs to meet its debt repayment schedule in July.

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