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Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, December 15, 2018.

 

Sri Lanka PM resigns

Sri Lanka’s prime minister has resigned seven weeks after his controversial appointment to the post. Mahinda Rajapaksa’s decision comes just days after his predecessor and ousted premier Ranil Wickremesinghe won a vote of confidence in parliament. Rajapaksa had lost similar vote twice since his appointment but he then refused to step down. He also faces allegations of corruption, with many officials calling his appointment unconstitutional. Sri Lanka has been in a political turmoil since October after President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe. Meanwhile, the president has reportedly agreed to reinstate Wickremesinghe in the post after a discussion with him over the phone on Friday. The island nation is facing fears of a shutdown if there is no government in place to pass a future budget.

France protests

French police have used force against Yellow Vest demonstrators, who are out for a fifth consecutive weekend of anti-government protests. Officers armed with batons charged on protesters in Paris and fired tear gas to disperse them. The protesters took to the streets in defiance of calls by the French government to stay home. The fresh round of protests come despite President Emanuel Macron’s tax and wage concessions. The grassroots movement seeks to pressure the government into making further concessions. Six people have been killed and hundreds injured since the start of the protests over fuel tax hikes on November 17.

Palestinian funeral  

Palestinians have laid to rest the body of a teenager killed by Israeli forces during Friday clashes in the occupied West Bank. Mahmoud Nakhla was shot dead after Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Several other Palestinians were injured. Protesters were marching against Israeli raids on their homes as part of a manhunt over Thursday’s shooting and stabbing attacks in the West Bank area. The troops arrested many Palestinians during the raids. Israeli forces also clashed with Palestinian protesters in other areas across the occupied territories. They shot and injured several protesters in al-Bireh city.

Climate talks deadlock

The UN climate talks in Poland are extended as the participating countries remain divided on several issues. Diplomats from nearly 200 countries are trying to reach an agreement on the rules that govern the 2015 Paris climate accord. They have, however, failed to reach a consensus on issues such as how nations report reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, or the level of help given to countries already suffering from climate change. Scientists say global emissions should reach near-zero by 2050 in order to prevent catastrophic consequences. A recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said fossil fuel emissions should be cut within the coming decades in order to meet the safer cap of 1.5 degree centigrade warming. The United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have refused to welcome the report.


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