WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, December 15, 2017.

Myanmar arrest

The UN Secretary General has expressed concern over the detention of two journalists, who were covering the situation of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar's Rakhine state. Guterres urged the international community to do everything possible for the release of the jailed journalists and freedom of the press. He also called for delivery of humanitarian aid to Rohingya Muslims and an effective end to violence in Rakhine state. According to Myanmar's Ministry of Information, the two Reuters journalists were arrested for illegally acquiring information with the intention to share it with foreign media. More than 647 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since August. Charity group Doctors Without Borders says at least 6,700 Rohingya Muslims were killed in the first month of crackdown in Rakhine state.

Anger in Palestine

Clashes have once again erupted between Israeli forces and Palestinian protesters in the occupied West Bank. Israeli troops have fired tear gas at Palestinian demonstrators in Bethlehem. The protesters have gathered to voice their anger at the US recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as the Israeli capital. Israeli forces have also scuffled with Palestinians at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem al-Quds. Several people have been arrested there. Similar rallies are underway in Nablus and Gaza. These are the latest in a series of protests against Donald Trump’s al-Quds decision. Israeli authorities have sent hundreds of additional soldiers to the occupied territories to confront Palestinians. Israel has also shut Gaza crossings in an attempt to contain the unrest.

US 'war crimes complicity'

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the US is complicit in Saudi war crimes in Yemen. Zarif said no amount of alternative facts or evidence will be able to cover up Washington’s role in the Yemen crisis. He said US weapons have enabled Riyadh to kill Yemeni civilians and impose a blockade on the impoverished nation. The top diplomat added that Iran has been calling for ceasefire and holding dialogue for the resolution of the crisis since the conflict began. Earlier, Iran’s ambassador to the UN rejected US allegations that Iran provided Yemen’s Ansarullah movement with the missile which was used to target Saudi Arabia last month. Gholamali Khoshroo also condemned what he described as Washington’s charade at the United Nations.

Brexit talks

EU leaders have agreed to move to the next stage of Brexit negotiations. At a meeting in Brussels, members of the bloc said there has been enough progress on key issues. The next phase will involve discussions over future relations and trade ties between the UK and the EU. Negotiations on the transition period will resume in January. But talks on trade will not begin until March as EU members need more clarity on the UK’s post-Brexit plans. British Prime Minister Theresa May signed the divorce deal with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on December 8 after months of negotiations. The deal covers Britain's exit bill, the future of the Irish border and the rights of EU expatriates in the UK.

Israeli violence

The number of casualties during a Palestinian day of rage at the US recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital continues to rise. In the West Bank, 2 Palestinians have been shot dead and some 350 injured. Several of those wounded are in critical condition. A number of others have been arrested. Israeli forces have used tear gas and rubber bullets to attack stone-throwing protesters. Rallies have taken place in Jerusalem al-Quds, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nablus and al-Khalil also known as Hebron. Footage shows Israeli troops harassing Palestinian paramedics and in al-Quds an officer is seen punching an elderly woman. Clashes have also erupted near the main Israeli checkpoint of Qalandia and other areas across the occupied territories. The Israeli regime has also harshly cracked down on mass rallies in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas has vowed armed resistance as the only option.

Saudi war on Yemen

Scores of Yemeni civilians have died in fresh Saudi airstrikes, as Riyadh steps up its bombing campaign against the war-torn country. At least 12 people were killed after Saudi warplanes struck a busy marketplace in the northern province of Sa'ada. Two more civilians died in a separate attack in al-Zaher district of the same province. Over 13,000 Yemenis, mostly civilians, have been killed since Saudi Arabia and its allies waged a devastating war against the country back in March 2015. The attacks and the Saudi-led blockade on Yemen have also pushed nearly seven million people to the brink of starvation. The UN has described the situation in Yemen as the world’s number one humanitarian crisis.

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