EU refuses to back down over Israel label protest

1. Russian president has warned that the money obtained from selling cultural valuables and stolen petrol in the conflict zones goes for the support of terrorism. Speaking at a plenary meeting dedicated to the 70th anniversary of UNESCO in Saint Petersburg, Vladimir Putin called for the suppression of terrorists' funding channels.

2. EU foreign ministers have urged Ankara to make greater efforts to prevent Daesh terrorists from traveling through Turkey. During a meeting in Brussels, the ministers agreed that Turkey has a key role in dealing with the threat posed by the ISIL to the 28-member bloc.

3. A dispute between the European Union and Tel Aviv is escalating as the bloc refuses to back down on its decision to put special labels on products made in Israeli settlements. EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said the members are united on technical gridlines on the indication of imported goods’ origin.

4. Thousands of Palestinians have rallied in Gaza to mark the 28th anniversary of the establishment of Hamas resistance movement. The demonstrators also voiced their support for an uprising against the Israeli occupation. Hamas, which was founded in 1987, says only resistance can liberate the occupied Palestinian territories.

5. Saudi Arabia has announced the formation of a Riyadh-led military coalition that allegedly aims to fight terrorism. The coalition is made up of 34 Islamic countries from various parts of the world. This, while Saudi Arabia itself is widely accused of being a major sponsor of terrorist groups.

6. In the US, protestors have gathered outside the National Rifle Association building in the state of Connecticut, calling for stricter gun control laws. The rally comes three years after a massacre in the Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown city. 20 children and 6 educators were killed in the incident.

7. The US and Russian foreign ministers believe the make-up of an opposition delegation needs to be determined before a scheduled meeting on Syria in New York. In a phone conversation, John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov also stressed the need to draw a line between Syrian opposition groups and terrorists.

8. The daughter of Nigeria’s Shia leader Ibrahim al-Zakzaky has told Press TV that the army has arrested her father. The cleric was detained after the troops raided his house in city of Zaria on Saturday. Reports also say Zakzaky's wife, who was believed to be dead, is alive and in military custody.

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