WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom’s headlines from 18:00 GMT, July 13, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, July 14, 2017.

Persuaded in Paris?

US President Donald Trump has left the door open to rejoin the Paris climate accord after talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris. In a joint conference with the French leader, Trump said he could change his mind on the matter six weeks after pulling the US out of the 2015 pact. He however added that his final decision was yet to be made, saying we will see what happens. Macron, for his part, said he respects Trump’s decision but guaranteed his country’s commitment to the deal. The two leaders tried to push past their major differences even further by highlighting their joint history and addressing various areas of cooperation such as trade and counter-terrorism.

Gaza power cuts

Round-the-clock blackouts in Gaza have prompted fears of a humanitarian and environmental crisis in the besieged enclave. Gaza’s power distribution company said the electricity supply to the territory has dropped to unprecedented lows. The Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights also said blackouts have caused a rapid deterioration in basic services including water and sewage draining. Gaza's power plant shut down after fuel shipments from Egypt were interrupted last week. This left several neighborhoods in the territory without electricity for more than 24 hours. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has also urged Israel to cut shipments as a way of pressuring the resistance movement Hamas. Gaza has already seen its worst power shortage in years, with electricity supplies limited to four hours a day.

‘Saudis backing extremism’

A former British ambassador to Saudi Arabia says the kingdom is directly involved in funding extremism in Europe. William Patey accused the Saudis of funding and promoting the Salifist Wahhabi ideology urging Britain to address the matter with Riyadh. The ideology has inspired Takfiri terrorists across the globe including Daesh and Al-Qaeda. Patey’s revelations came a day after London said it would not publish, in full, a report on extremist funding in the country, citing security reasons. Britain's opposition parties said the government was trying to protect its ally, Saudi Arabia, by not fully publishing the report that was commissioned by former Prime Minister David Cameron in 2015.

France's Macron on Syria's Assad

France says ousting Syria's president Bashar al-Assad from power, is no longer a priority in the Syrian conflict. Macron was addressing a joint news conference with his US counterpart Donald Trump in Paris. He said the so-called "contact group" on Syria should include UN Security Council members, as well as representatives of the Syrian government and militant groups to deal with the crisis. French president added that Paris had agreed to continue working on the building of a roadmap for the post-war period in Syria. Macron implicitly also said that after 7 years of cutting diplomatic ties with Syria, Paris wants a solution to the crisis.

The Iran deal two years on

Iran’s foreign minister has criticized the United States over its failure to fulfill its commitments and abide by the nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. Mohammad Javad Zarif said the US will have to reconsider its current position because it is not conducive to the sustainability of the agreement. The top Iranian diplomat added that the nuclear agreement was the result of failed attempts to pressure the Islamic Republic. He made the statements in New York City ahead of the ministerial meeting of the United Nations’ High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. In 2015, Iran signed a deal with the P5+1 group of countries, agreeing to restrain its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

Talks on Syria

The UN Special Envoy for Syria says he doesn't expect direct talks between the Syrian government and the foreign-backed opposition during the current round of peace negotiations in Geneva. Staffan de Mistura, however, did not rule out the possibility of face-to-face talks before the next round of meetings scheduled for late August. From Geneva, Press TV’s Homa Lezgee reports.

NATO-Russia tensions

The issue of military drills has again fueled tensions between NATO and Russia. While Moscow is opposed to NATO war games close to its borders, the western military alliance is concerned about a joint Russia-Belarus military drill scheduled for September. The issues dominated a NATO-Russia Council meeting in Belgium. Press TV’s Brussels correspondent Jerome Hughes has the details.

Al-Quds clashes

Three Palestinians have been killed during a shooting attack in the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds. Israeli police say the three Palestinians fired at their forces before being killed. The firing exchange that happened near the al-Aqsa mosque also injured three Israeli soldiers. Two of the wounded are in critical condition. Regime forces have restricted Palestinians' access to the mosque and banned Friday prayers. Meanwhile, a Palestinian has been killed in Daheishah refugee camp in Bethlehem. Israeli forces have gunned down scores of Palestinians in recent months for alleged attempts to run over, shoot or stab soldiers. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in the latest wave of unrest that began in October 2015.

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