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Ivorian soldiers and gendarmes patrol in their vehicle by Ivory Coast's army headquarters, the Gallieni military camp, in Abidjan on May 12, 2017 as they fired shots in the air just hours after a spokesman for the protesters publicly apologized for an earlier mutiny. (Photo by AFP)

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, May 14, to 08:00 GMT, May 15, 2017.

Ivory Coast tensions

Defiant soldiers in Ivory Coast have fired warning shots in the country's second largest city, injuring six people. The violence in Bouake erupted as mutinous soldiers took up positions in a square in front of police headquarters and tried to keep people away from a planned protest against rebels' actions. The soldiers also brought traffic in and out of Bouake to a standstill as they closed four access points to the city, demanding that drivers pay. The revolt started on Friday when mutinous soldiers took to the streets to protest over pay. The uprising quickly spread to the capital Abidjan where mutineers seized control of the national military headquarters and defense ministry before being driven back by loyalist forces. Defiant soldiers have also rebelled in the central city of Daloa and in Korhogo the main city in the country's north.

The Battle for Mosul

Iraqi forces are pushing deeper into the remaining Daesh-held areas in the city of Mosul as the seven-month battle to flush the terrorists out approaches its end. Iraqi popular mobilization units have managed to recapture Tal Ghasb village west of the Iraqi city. They also retook al-Ureibi and al-Rafaie districts. Iraqi forces have liberated the 17 Tammouz district which was the first area to fall to Daesh in 2014. The armed forces are now in control of 90% of the Iraqi city. Daesh militants only control a handful of districts in the Western half of Mosul including the Old City. Conditions in the area are desperate as the terrorists are fighting back with car bombs and sniper attacks.

Syria evacuations

The first phase of evacuation process has ended in al-Qabun neighborhood on the outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus where over a thousand of militants left the area along with their families. This after foreign-backed militants agreed to surrender and hand over their weapons in exchange for safe passage to other areas. Our correspondent Mohamad Ali tells us about the significance of the full liberation of the al-Qabun district by the Syrian army.

Killer Cholera

Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health has declared a state of emergency in the capital Sana’a following a cholera outbreak in the Arab nation. Health officials have described the situation in Yemen as catastrophic. The death toll from the cholera outbreak has risen to 115 people over the past two weeks. The International Committee of the Red Cross says an additional 85 hundred people are hospitalized due to the waterborne disease. The ICRC says the war-ravaged country struggles to cope with the influx of patients. Aid workers on the ground have also raised alarm over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen.

North Korea

The UN Security Council is to hold an urgent meeting to discuss North Korea's latest ballistic missile test. The closed-door consultations come on Tuesday afternoon at the request of the United States, Japan, and South Korea. North Korea launched a ballistic missile that traveled more than 700 kilometers before landing in the Sea of Japan. The move drew strong condemnation from the European Union and NATO. The EU foreign affairs spokesperson said the test further aggravates tensions in the region. NATO’s spokesman called Pyongyang’s move a flagrant breach of UN Security Council resolutions. North Korea’s missile test its first since a US missile system deployed in the South became operational earlier this month. Pyongyang says Washington’s military operations in the region pose a direct threat to its security.

History vs. ‘Fantasy’

Israel is encouraging President Donald Trump to fulfill his camp pledge of moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the move benefits the Middle East peace process by smashing the Palestinian fantasy that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel. Netanyahu made the remark after Washington expressed concern that the move could harm chances for peace. The embassy move faces strong opposition from the Muslim world, while the international community fears it could spark fresh unrest. Israel annexed al-Quds in 1967, in a move never recognized by the international community. The Palestinians accuse Israel of trying to remove the city’s Islamic identity to dash Palestinian hope for establishing an independent state with al-Quds as its capital.

Iran-Saudi ties

Iran has expressed its readiness to hold talks with Saudi Arabia. Tehran, however, says Riyadh must stop anti-Iran policies and accusations against the Islamic Republic. Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Bahram Qassemi, said Iran does not want its problems with Saudi Arabia to persist. He noted that establishment of constructive ties with other countries, in particular the Persian Gulf states, is among Tehran’s foreign policy principles. Qassemi also ruled out any mediation between the two countries. He said Tehran-Riyadh ties are not complicated and have only been strained by misunderstanding and groundless accusations against the Islamic Republic. Qassemi also said Saudi Arabia made a grave mistake by launching a war against Yemen. Ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia soured after a deadly stampede during Hajj ceremonies in Mina, near Mecca, in 2015. Relations further deteriorated after Riyadh executed prominent Shia cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, in 2016.

The Curious case of Comey

The top Democrat in the US Senate has criticized the Republicans for being silent on Russia’s alleged involvement in the 2016 presidential election. Speaking to CNN, Schumer said there’s a crisis of credibility with the Trump administration. He also warned that Democrats may refuse to vote on a new FBI director unless a thorough investigation of alleged Russian meddling in the election is conducted. Schumer demanded that a special prosecutor be named to investigate Donald Trump’s potential ties to Moscow. Schumer and some other senators have warned the White House about any attempt to raze possible tapes of conversations between Trump and sacked FBI director James Comey. The US president sparked a political firestorm when he abruptly fired Comey last week.

Cyber attack warning

Cyber security experts have warned that an unprecedented cyber-attack that has already affected scores of countries could worsen in the upcoming workweek. Britain’s National Cyber Security Center says the malware, categorized as ransom-ware, could further spread within networks as of Monday. The center also said it has not seen any indications of new attacks but warned that not all the infected computers may have yet been detected. The cyber-attack, which began on Friday, has so far hit 200 thousand computers in more than 150 countries. British hospitals and European car factories are among the victims. The European Union’s police agency, Europol is investigating the case.

No to protectionism

Chinese President Xi Jinping says the international cooperation devoid of protectionism and fragmentation could help grow the world economy. He was speaking at the start of the One Belt One Road or Silk Road summit, which is being attended by heads of state of nearly 30 countries in Beijing. Xi also called for rail, road and other infrastructural cooperation in order to reduce financing costs. Ahead of the summit, the Chinese president presented his government’s new Silk Road plan and described its revival as a project of the century. President Xi pledged 124 billion dollars for his new Silk Road and said that everyone is welcome to join what he called the road to future of peace and development. The Silk Road economic belt is a massive infrastructure project connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa via a complex network of ports and trade hubs.

Trump under fire

The fallout of the F-B-I director’s dismissal continues to be felt across US political spectrum as a former intelligence chief warns that President Donald Trump has assaulted American democracy. James Clapper, who was the director of US National Intelligence from 2010 to 2016, has said that US institutions are under assault from two fronts – from President Trump and Russia. He’s also expressed dismay over Trump’s firing of the FBI director James Comey last week. The former intelligence chief made the remarks amid a probe into Russia’s alleged interference in US election. Comey’s firing has already put Republicans and Democratic parties at odds. Top Democratic lawmakers have lashed out at their Republican peers for being silent on Russia’s meddling allegations.

Wake-up call

Multinational technology company Microsoft has warned the world’s governments of the cyber-attack that has hit 150 countries, saying it should be treated as a wake-up call. Microsoft president Brad Smith has called the malware, categorized as ransom-ware, the largest attack ever. He warned of the danger of exploits developed by governments falling into the hands of hackers and causing widespread damage. The cyber-attack, which began on Friday, has so far hit 200 thousand computers. On Monday, South Korea and Japan reported several cases of ransom-ware attacks. This comes as experts warned that the attack could further spread within networks this week.

Displaced Palestinians

Palestinian refugees in the blockaded Gaza Strip continue to suffer due to decades of displacement. According to UN figures currently there are over five million Palestinian refugees around the world who have been away from their ancestral home. Press TV’s correspondent Ashraf Shannon has the details in the following story on a special date in Palestine's modern history.

Brexit slowdown warning

A British economic forecasting group has reported that the country will experience a rising unemployment in the years ahead as a result of upcoming divorce from the European Union. According to the new report, unemployment rate will rise point-seven percent in 2018 and point-four percent in 2019. The report added that job markets are the most influenced sectors of the Brexit slowdown. A survey also showed that pay expectations are at their weakest in three and a half years as firms are planning to give a pay raise of one-percent which is lower than the rate of inflation. Experts warned this could create higher levels of economic insecurity among workers.


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