WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, November 24, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, November 25, 2017.

Army operations in Sinai

The Egyptian president has pledged to use brutal force against the militants who massacred a large number of worshippers in an attack in the Sinai Peninsula. Shortly after Sisi’s speech, the military began conducting airstrikes on the peninsula. Warplanes pounded Egyptian city of Rafah as part of Cairo’s anti-terror battle. The military says it destroyed vehicles used in the attack. The government also delayed the opening of the Egypt-Gaza Rafah border crossing citing security concerns. The mosque attack involving a bomb blast and a shooting spree left at least 235 people dead and scores of others injured during the Friday prayers. Reports say 44 armed assailants were involved in the act of terrorism at al-Rawdah Mosque in the town of Bir al-Abed. Egypt declared three days of national mourning following the attack.

Brexit deadline

The president of the European Council has said that a Brexit deal in December is possible but is a huge challenge, urging Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May to act within 10 days. Donald Tusk issued the ultimatum after talks with May on the sidelines of a Brussels summit. The European Council president underlined that all topics including Ireland needed to be addressed by December 4. Tusk also warned that if the UK failed to meet the deadline, the bloc’s leaders would refuse to enter the second phase of Brexit talks on trade issues. London is set to leave the European Union in March 2019. However, continuing uncertainty over the divorce and the future relations between the two sides jeopardize the prospect of reaching a deal.

US U-turn

The United States has backtracked on its threat to order the closure of Palestinians’ office in Washington DC. The Trump administration said it would instead impose limitations on the office that it expected would be lifted after 90 days. The U-turn marks a serious departure from the administration’s interpretation of the law only a week earlier. Last week, US officials said the Palestine Liberation Organization mission had to close because Palestinians had violated a provision in US law. According to the provision, the office couldn’t stay open if the Palestinians tried to sue Israelis in the International Criminal Court. Palestinian leaders blasted the decision, saying they would suspend all communication with the US if that happened.

US controversial drills

The US military says its stealth bombers will take part in annual drills with South Korea next month amid tensions with North Korea. An air force spokesman said the large-scale war games, scheduled to start on December 4, would be a show of force against Pyongyang. The US military flew nuclear bombers over the Korean Peninsula earlier this month. US President Donald Trump has called for a maximum pressure campaign against North Korea. Trump has also declared the country a state sponsor of terrorism. The US government says its new policy is a response to North Korea’s nuke and missile tests. Pyongyang says its tests act as a deterrent against provocations, including military drills, by Washington and its allies near its borders.

Bahrain crackdown

Bahrain’s high court of appeal has upheld lengthy jail terms and revocation of citizenship sentences against dozens of anti-government activists in the country. The sentences include three life imprisonments and verdicts for stripping the citizenship of 36 people. The convicts face the punishments for staging anti-regime protests and a few minor charges including planting hoax bombs. Meanwhile, protests continue against the ruling Al Khalifa in the tiny Persian Gulf country. Demonstrators marched in the village of Abu Saiba on Friday, calling for elections to decide their fate. The protesters also chanted anti-government slogans, describing the Al Khalifa regime as a dictatorship. Bahrain has witnessed almost-daily pro-democracy protests since 2011. The regime has launched a brutal crackdown on the protests, drawing harsh criticism from human rights groups.

Tax rates in developed economies

A new report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development shows that average tax rates among developed economies have reached their highest levels ever recorded. The OECD report warns that the tax burden is increasingly falling on individuals, rather than corporations. Press TV correspondent Ramin Mazaheri has more from Paris.

Pakistan protest

In Pakistan, police have clashed with protesters staging a sit-in for weeks in the capital Islamabad against a controversial parliamentary bill. The police fired tear gas and arrested dozens of protesters as they launched an operation to clear an intersection linking Islamabad with the garrison city of Rawalpindi. Supporters of Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah party have camped out on the main highway for the last 20 days. The group has called for the resignation of the law minister over a recently omitted reference to the Prophet Muhammad in a parliamentary bill. The action came after a court ordered the protest to stop. Also in Karachi, people gathered and blocked a main street in protest against the police violence in Islamabad. Similar protests were held in Lahore and others cities in Punjab province to show solidarity with Islamabad protesters.

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