WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, April 25, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, April 26, 2017.

Syrian army advances

Syrian media say an enclave in the suburbs of the capital Damascus has been fully liberated from foreign-backed terrorists. With the last batch of militants leaving the East Qalamoun region for Idlib and Jarablus, the enclave is said to be empty now. It is estimated that 3,700 militants and their families have left the region since Friday under a deal reached with the Syrian army. Syrian police forces have entered some of the villages in Qalamoun to restore law and order. Elsewhere, government troops continue with their offensive inside the Palestinian refugee camp in Yarmuk and the southern town of Hajar al-Aswad.

Macron criticizes Trump

While the US president has repeatedly flaunted his special relationship with his French counterpart, Emanuel Macron minced no words in criticizing Donald Trump’s policies during a speech to a joint session of Congress. Macron was especially harsh when it came to the trade tariffs introduced by the Trump administration. Macron went on to criticize protectionism policies and nationalist impulses; both concepts championed by Trump. He also slammed the US president’s stance on climate change, saying it was a mistake for Washington to pull out of the Paris agreement. He called the US decision short-sighted. Before Macron’s speech, President Trump on Twitter expressed his delight about the event. No word yet from him or the White House after Macron’s address.

Turkey convictions

The crackdown on dissent continues in Turkey. A Turkish court has sentenced 14 journalists of opposition newspaper Jumhuriyet to jail. The jail terms range from 30 to 90 months. Another person, who was not a Jumhuriyet employee, was sentenced to 10 years in prison over his activities on Twitter. The court also announced the case against the daily's former editor-in-chief would continue separately. The defendants are accused of having links to US-based opposition figure Fetullah Gulen. Ankara accuses Gulen of being behind the failed coup in 2016, which prompted a vast purge of government critics in Turkey. The post-coup arrests under the emergency law have drawn international condemnation with advocacy groups accusing the Turkish government of violating human rights and suppressing the freedom of expression.

Bahrain crackdown

Bahrainis have staged a rally after death sentences for seven anti-regime activists were upheld by Bahrain’s top appeals court. Protesters condemned the ruling and called Bahrain’s king a criminal. Regime forces fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators. Bahrain’s opposition al-Wefaq party has called on the international community to halt “politically-motivated executions” in the Persian Gulf kingdom. The UK-based NGO Reprieve also described the verdict as “the latest sign that Bahrain is prepared to ignore human rights to crack down on dissent”. The popular uprising in Bahrain has been repressed harshly by authorities since it began in early 2011.

Palestinian journalist killed

A Palestinian journalist who was shot two weeks ago by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip has succumbed to his wounds. 25-year-old Ahmed Abu Hussein was shot on April 13 while covering anti-occupation protests along the so-called buffer zone for a local radio station. The Gaza health ministry as well as Israeli medical officials have confirmed his death inside an Israeli hospital. His family is preparing to transfer the body to Gaza for the funeral. Abu Hussein is the second journalist killed since the "March of Return” protests began on March 30. The death of Abu Hussein brings to 42 the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since the start of the mass anti-Israel protests in the besieged coastal sliver.

Former Qatar detainee tortured in US jail

A Qatari former detainee, accused by the US government of being an enemy combatant, says he wants his torturers in court. Ali al-Marri was detained in the US in 2001 and held without charge for 6 years. Al-Marri also says during his detention, which eventually lasted 13 years; he was tortured and abused by FBI agents. He accuses his torturers of dry-boarding him; a torture technique which includes having socks stuffed down the throat. He also says he was subjected to sleep deprivation and forced nudity, among other extreme measures. Al-Marri’s allegations are supported by detention logs. He was the only al-Qaeda-linked prisoner held outside the infamous Guantanamo Bay prison following the September 11 attacks.

Inter-Korea summit

Seoul says the South Korean president will greet the North’s leader at the border between the two countries as part of their historic summit in the Demilitarized Zone. Kim will cross a military demarcation line to the South, becoming the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the Korean War ended 65 years ago. He will be accompanied by his sister. Official dialogue between Kim and Moon will begin at 1:30 GMT at the Peace House in Panmunjom. The issue of the North’s nuclear program is expected to be at the top of the agenda. The session comes ahead of a much-anticipated meeting between Kim and US President Donald Trump.

China-US trade ties

China calls on the United States to abandon trade unilateralism, and use dialogue to adopt a consultative approach. China’s commerce ministry warns that the authority of the world's multilateral trade system will be harmed, if “the wrong actions taken by the US were left unchecked”. The ministry has reiterated that China opposes all forms of unilateralism and protectionism. US President Donald Trump has announced further steel and aluminum tariffs of up to 100 billion dollars against Beijing for what he’s called China's overproduction that hurts US steelmakers. That would be in addition to US tariffs of up to 50-billion dollars on Chinese imports. China has retaliated by imposing tariffs on over 100 key US goods. The tit-for-tat trade measures have unsettled global markets recently.

Venezuela raps US policies

The Venezuelan foreign minister says the United States is trying to create a Syria-like situation in the South American country to push for its military intervention there. Speaking at the United Nations in New York, Arreaza blamed the demise of the Venezuelan economy and a resulting humanitarian crisis on major world powers, especially the United States. He, particularly, pointed his finger at US President Donald Trump for ordering sanctions against Venezuelan citizens and targeting the country’s oil sector. The top Venezuelan diplomat compared the situation in Venezuela with that of Syria and called US actions “a war against the people of Venezuela”. Arreaza, meanwhile, urged the world body to take into account interventionist policies by some powers.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk