WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, July 13, 2017.

‘US marines out’

People in Okinawa have staged a demonstration to protest against the construction work to relocate a US military base on the Japanese island. Protesters decried the US military presence while lining the road leading to the Marine Corps Futenma Air Station. The rally comes after a resolution was passed by an Okinawa Prefectural Assembly committee demanding legal action against the base’s relocation. Japan’s central government says under its agreement with the US, the base must be relocated to a less populated part of Okinawa. But locals argue that the relocation will destroy reefs and harm marine life in that area. They say American military personnel must leave the island.

China defies US

Trade transactions between China and North Korea have grown despite Washington’s pressures on Beijing to cut ties with Pyongyang. China’s customs officials say trade with North Korea expanded 10.5% in the first half of 2017 from a year earlier. They say this includes a nearly 30% increase in China’s exports to its neighbor. Beijing said it is committed to uphold UN sanctions on Pyongyang. However, it maintained that goods for ordinary people and those used for humanitarian reasons are not subject to sanctions. Sino-US relations have soured in recent weeks as the White House urges Beijing to put diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea over its nuclear program.

Court ruling fallout

Rival protests have been held across the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo following the announcement of a court ruling convicting former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of corruption. Anti-Lula protesters let off firecrackers while chanting slogans. Pro-Lula protesters held banners condemning the court ruling. Clashes also erupted between the two rival groups. The rallies were held after Brazil’s federal court convicted the former president of corruption, sentencing him to nearly ten years in jail. If the ruling is upheld, the front-runner for next year's presidential election will be barred from seeking office. The case has led to the conviction of dozens of business executives and politicians. Lula has rejected the charges.

Land of ‘Lobbyists’

A new poll has found out that most Americans lack confidence in the nation's institutions. The poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research says three-quarters of people feel they have too little influence in Washington, while lobbyists, rich people and big businesses have too much. This comes as only six percent have a great deal of confidence in Congress and 14 percent in the executive branch, which includes the president and Cabinet. Eleven percent of Americans say they feel the same way about the news media. The findings cut across political, racial, economic and geographic lines and include supporters and opponents of president Trump.

Shaky trade deal

South Korea has responded to a US request for talks on a free-trade agreement between the two countries, saying its unclear if the deal is causing an intensifying imbalance. The South Korean foreign ministry also stressed that Seoul and Washington should consider revising the trade accord only after reaching a consensus on the need for a change. The remarks came after US President Donald Trump criticized the existing trade deal and expressed willingness to renegotiate it. Trump has also described the agreement as a horrible deal and a one-way street.

Daesh foreign mercenaries  

As the Iraqi army continues to cleanse Mosul of Daesh terrorists, amateur videos go viral showing foreign nationals as Daesh soldiers. Those shown in these videos are among the Daesh terrorists who surrendered in the old city of Mosul following its liberation. Some reports indicate that hundreds of Daesh militants have crawled out of their tunnels to turn themselves in to the Iraqi counter terrorism forces. According to authorities, all imprisoned terrorists will be later transferred to Baghdad. Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi declared the full liberation of the self-proclaimed capital of Daesh this week after almost nine months of offensive against the terrorists.

Plight of refugees

Advocacy group Human Rights Watch is warning about the devastating impacts of the EU-Turkey migration deal on asylum seekers trapped in Greece. The HRW says it has documented the deteriorating mental health of men, women and children mostly on the Greek Island of Lesbos. It says there have been incidents of self-harm, suicide attempts, aggression, anxiety and depression caused by the Greek policy of containing asylum seekers. The body noted that the horrifying conditions of the so-called hotspots as well as the delayed processing of asylum requests have already led to unrest in Greece’s refugee detention centers. The deal signed between the European Union and Turkey in early 2016, commits Ankara to prevent the flow of asylum seekers towards Europe and accept those returned from the bloc.

Brexit fallout

The UK’s National Health Service has warned that Brexit could result in a severe shortage of nurses. Mortimer added that the number of nurses that are registering to work in the UK has dropped quiet dramatically since the Brexit referendum. He also said that the NHS is already struggling to fill nursing posts and the UK’s divorce from the EU can cause more problems. The NHS official stressed that more work is needed to ensure European medical workers remain in Britain after Brexit.

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