WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, June 20, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, June 21, 2018.

‘No talks with US’: Zarif

Iran’s foreign minister has once again rejected US calls for re-negotiating the 2015 nuclear deal. Mohammad Javad Zarif said Washington should not expect Iran to hold fresh talks on the deal because it violated the accord which was endorsed by the UN Security Council. He urged the US government to immediately cease its violations and breaches of the agreement. The top diplomat urged America to end its intervention in the Islamic Republic’s domestic affairs. He added that Washington should cease policies and behavior that have led to the creation of terrorist groups such as Daesh. These were among a list of Tehran’s demand from the US which were issued by the Iranian foreign minister. His move was in response to 12 conditions set out by American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to be included in the nuclear pact.

Trump ends family separations

The US president signs a decree ending the separation of parents and children at the Mexican border following a political uproar over the extreme immigration policy. The new policy means children and their parents will be detained together if they cross the border without papers. The US administration has come under pressure to end its zero tolerance policy toward immigration. Footage of children taken from their parents and locked up in cages drew condemnation from the international community.

Israel Gaza threats

Israel’s prime minister threatens to take tougher military action against the besieged Gaza Strip. Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel could step up its attacks against Gaza. On Wednesday, Israeli warplanes carried out more than two dozen air raids against Gaza. Palestinian medical sources said several people were injured in the airstrikes. Tel Aviv says the attacks were in response to rockets and mortar rounds fired toward Israel from the region. The resistance movement Hamas praised the rocket attacks saying it will continue defending the Palestinian people.

Fight against Daesh

The Syrian army makes gains against Daesh east of the city of Palmyra. The operation comes after the terrorist group carried out several attacks against Syrian troops in the area. Syrian officials confirmed that government forces are pushing back Daesh. The army had earlier surrounded Daesh in Badiya region and forced the terrorists to retreat. The terror group has lost much of the areas it previously controlled in Syria and is now holding pockets of land in some desert regions.

Trump immigration policy

US protesters have gathered in front of Trump Tower in New York, yelling "shame" to condemn the US administration's refugee policy. The rally came on World Refugee Day. The protest targeted a controversial policy that separated thousands of children from their parents after illegally crossing the border. The US president ordered an end to the tough practice under heavy pressure from his fellow Republicans, Democrats and the international community. However, his order does not address the families already separated. Earlier, world leaders assailed Trump for the separations, as countries marked World Refugee Day. The UK, Canada, the Council of Europe and the Vatican all criticized Trump’s “zero-tolerance” policy towards illegal migration.

Israel home demolition

At least seven Palestinians have been injured in clashes that erupted during the demolition of a Palestinian home. Israeli soldiers razed the building to the ground near the West Bank city of Jenin. Nearly 20 Palestinians were also arrested in the village of Barta’a. The home belonged to Alaa Kabha, who Tel Aviv says carried out a deadly ramming attack outside of a nearby Israeli settlement in March. Also on Wednesday, Israeli forces bulldozed several other Palestinian homes in two villages near occupied east Jerusalem al-Quds, claiming they had been built without construction permits. The Israeli regime regularly demolishes the houses of Palestinians whom it accuses of attacking Israelis. International rights groups say it’s an attempt to uproot Palestinians from their homeland, and confiscate more areas for the expansion of Israel's illegal settlements.

North Korea-China ties

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold talks on ways of boosting strategic cooperation. Kim and Xi met on the North Korean leader’s second and last day of visit to Beijing. Kim briefed the Chinese president on the June 12 summit with US President Donald Trump. Kim and Xi on Tuesday said the Korean Peninsula must be cleared of nuclear arms. This, after they discussed the outcome of the Kim-Trump summit.

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