WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, February 2, 2017.

Migrant tragedy

At least 90 refugees are feared dead after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. The UN migration agency says most of the asylum seekers on board were Pakistanis. Ten bodies have washed up ashore near the town of Zuwara. Eight are believed to be Pakistani, and two from Libya. The African nation is a popular transit route for refugees hoping to cross the Mediterranean and reach Europe. UN figures show that over 4,700 refugees have entered Europe by sea in the first 25 days of this year.

US chemical claims

The United States has once again accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons against foreign-backed militants. The State department spokeswoman said they’re working with what she called partners on the ground to investigate the reports. Nauert added that Washington will seek accountability through diplomatic mechanisms, including the UN Security Council and the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. She then accused Russia of failing to pressure Damascus to stop the alleged use of chemical arms.

Deutsche bank loss

Germany's Deutsche Bank has blamed the US president’s tax reforms for its free-fall into the red line in 2017. The Frankfurt-based bank says its net loss amounted to 640 million dollars last year. The bank also says that its revenues have tumbled more than 32 million dollars. Deutsche Bank has forecasted that its long-term benefit would fall to 30 percent by the end of 2018. Donald Trump signed into law a sweeping overhaul of the US tax code last year. Washington claims the move will boost corporate profits of banks and other companies, but his decision has been the source of concern for several global financial institutions.

Saudi war on Yemen

Saudi Arabia’s unabated and daily bombardment of Yemen continues to claim innocent lives. In the latest airstrike, Saudi warplanes bombed a market in Sa’ada province. The attack killed and injured an unspecified number of civilians. Saudi Arabia began the war on its southern neighbor in March 2015. Since then, over 13,800 Yemenis, many of them women and children, have been killed. The Kingdom’s almost daily bombardment of Yemen has also pushed the Arab country to the brink of famine.

US anti-Hamas move

Turkey has slammed the United States for putting the leader of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas on its terror blacklist. The Turkish foreign ministry says Washington’s move against Ismail Haniyeh disregards the realities on the ground and risks undermining the Middle East peace process. Ankara also says Hamas is an important reality. The Turkish government has also expressed hope that the blacklisting of Haniyeh will not negatively impact Turkey’s humanitarian assistance to Gaza. On Wednesday, the US Treasury put Haniyeh on its blacklist, accusing him of having close ties with the military wing of Hamas. This comes amid heightened tensions across Palestinian territories following the US recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital.

Myanmar crackdown

The United Nations has expressed deep concern over new revelations on the Myanmar army’s deadly crackdown against Rohingya Muslims. A spokesman for the UN chief said a recent report of mass graves in a Myanmar village was “extremely troubling”. Stephane Dujarric called on Myanmar authorities to allow access to western Rakhine state, where the killings have occurred. On Thursday, newly released videos confirmed the existence of several mass graves in Rakhine, where the Myanmar army has unleashed a horrific violence against the Rohingya since August.

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