WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, April 16, 2019 to 0800 GMT, April 17, 2019.

Vetoing anti-war resolution  

The US president has vetoed a congressional resolution that aimed to stop the country’s military support for Saudi Arabia’s war on Yemen. Donald Trump described the resolution as an unnecessary and dangerous attempt to weaken his constitutional authorities. He also claimed the attempt by Congress would endanger the lives of US citizens and troops. Trump had vowed to veto the bill despite appeals by congressmen to send a strong message to Riyadh. The US Congress passed the resolution following strong criticism of Saudi Arabia's targeting of civilian gatherings in Yemen. The kingdom has been accused of committing war crimes in its four-year-long onslaught on the impoverished Arab country.

Extending Sisi’s power

Egyptian lawmakers have approved constitutional changes that will allow President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to stay in power until 2030. Sisi was due to stand down in 2022, when his second four-year term ends. But the amendments would lengthen his current term to six years and allow him to stand for one more. The changes will also give Sisi more control over the country’s judiciary. The proposed reforms must now be put to a referendum within 30 days. A former army chief, Sisi stormed to the presidency in 2014, a year after having led the military in toppling former president Mohamed Morsi.

ICRC Venezuela aid

The International Committee of the Red Cross has delivered a convoy of humanitarian aid to Venezuela in co-operation with the country's government. The shipment arrived via airplane from Panama. It includes over a dozen power generators, 5,000 liters of distilled water and medical equipment. The Red Cross says the supplies will be distributed to hospitals around the country. Venezuela has been gripped by economic problems and political unrest. President Nicolas Maduro’s government blames the US economic war on the country for its financial woes. It also accuses Washington of interference in the internal affairs of the oil-rich country. Caracas previously rejected US aid as a smokescreen for regime change. This came after the White House recognized an opposition figure as the president of Venezuela.

Ecuador clashes

In Ecuador, security forces have clashed with protesters who rallied in the capital to support founder of Wikileaks whistle blowing website, Julian Assange. Riot police used pepper spray to disperse the protesters who rallied near the presidential palace in Quito. Police also arrested a number of people including journalists. Demonstrators who came out to support Assange chanted slogans like ‘The people united, will never be defeated’. Protesters are angry with Ecuador’s government which revoked Assange’s asylum at its London embassy last week. Assange is wanted in the US for publishing classified documents that revealed how US-led forces killed Afghan civilians in unreported incidents. A huge cache of files also exposed Washington’s failure to investigate abuse, torture and rape by its forces in Iraq.

Indonesia elections

In Indonesia, voting has started for presidential and parliamentary elections across the country. The voting is the world’s biggest single-day election, with more than 192 million people eligible to cast their ballots. President Joko Widodo is seeking re-election against former general Prabowo Subianto, who he narrowly defeated in 2014. Most opinion polls give Widodo a double-digit lead but the opposition says the race is much closer. The general elections will also see over 245,000 candidates vying for around 20,000 national and local legislative seats. This is the first time that the country's presidential, parliamentary and regional elections are all taking place on the same day.

Israel ‘collective punishment’

Israeli forces have demolished the house of a Palestinian who was shot dead in the occupied West Bank in December. Dozens of Israeli military vehicles escorted bulldozers into the village of Kobar near Ramallah, where the house of Saleh al-Barghouthi was located. Palestinian villagers tried to block the raid. Israeli forces used tear gas canisters and rubber-coated steel bullets to disperse them. The 29-year-old Barghouti was killed over an alleged shooting which the Israeli military said had wounded several people. Tel Aviv routinely demolishes Palestinians’ homes in occupied territories, under various excuses. Rights groups see the demolitions as part of a collective punishment against Palestinians.

Crackdown on asylum seekers

The US administration has issued an order that could keep some migrants in jail indefinitely as they wait for their cases to be heard. The New York Times reported that the order issued by the US attorney general has directed judges not to allow detained migrants to post bail. Rights organization, the American Civil Liberties Union, has condemned the move and pledged to challenge it in court. The group said the White House undermines basic rights of migrants. The administration of President Donald Trump has taken a tough stance on migrants to discourage them from seeking asylum in the US. Trump calls migrants criminals. Critics say his stance is and incites racial hatred.

Notre-Dame Cathedral fire

The French president vows to rebuild the fire-devastated Notre-Dame cathedral in central Paris within five years. Emmanuel Macron was speaking during a brief prime-time televised address. He once again postponed planned remarks that he was set to deliver in response to months of anti-government protests. Macron called on the French public to pull together to repair the famed cathedral, saying it was not a time for politics. Meanwhile, crowds gathered outside the landmark to pay their respects.

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