WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, December 24, 2017.

US travel ban

US President Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban has faced a new challenge from the country’s judiciary. In the latest of a series of legal setbacks, a federal judge has ordered the removal of restrictions that bar some refugees from entering the US. The ruling calls on authorities to resume processing and admitting the spouse and unmarried children of refugees who are already in the US. It also demands that other refugees with a bona fide relationship to a person or entity within the US be processed and admitted as well. On Saturday, a US appeals court announced that the latest travel ban continues to illegally discriminate against travelers from six Muslim-majority countries and exceeds the scope of Trump's delegated authority. The president’s latest travel ban targets people from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen as well as North Koreans and certain government officials from Venezuela.

Christmas amid protests

The controversial US decision to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel's capital has cast a shadow on this year’s Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus Christ. Bethlehem, like other places in the occupied territories, has been the scene of anti-US and anti-Israel protests since December the sixth. The West Bank city is home to the Church of the Nativity and is normally flooded by tourists at this time of year. According to church officials, the US President's decision on Jerusalem al-Quds as well as subsequent protests and the Israeli crackdown on Palestinians have forced foreigners to cancel their trip to the holy city. On Saturday, Israeli forces once again clashed with protesters venting their anger against the United States.

Palestinian fatalities

One more Palestinian has succumbed to injuries he had sustained during anti-US protests in the besieged Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian health ministry, Mohammed Sami al-Dahdouh was critically injured by Israeli forces in the coastal enclave several days ago. This brings to 15 the total number of Palestinians killed by Israelis since the US recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital. Over 4,000 Palestinians across the occupied territories and Gaza have also sustained injuries during the protests since December the sixth.

Venezuela detainees

Venezuela has begun releasing some 80 opponents detained during demonstrations against President Nicolas Maduro's government. Earlier this week, Venezuelan opposition leaders asked Maduro to free political prisoners before Christmas as a gesture of good will. The government says the detainees have been held for acts of violence, conspiracy or treason, and not as political prisoners. The fate of the detainees has been a subject of negotiations between the government and the opposition. Maduro is accused by the opposition of dismantling democratic institutions and setting up the Constituent Assembly to rubber-stamp his policies. The president, however, accuses the US and its regional allies of fueling political tensions in Venezuela by triggering protest rallies against his government.

Palestine capital motion

Iranian lawmakers have overwhelmingly voted for a speedy and urgent review of a motion on the status of Jerusalem al-Quds. The urgency of the document was approved with 187 votes in favor, 15 against and 9 abstentions. The motion underscores that Jerusalem al-Quds will remain the capital of Palestine forever. If the motion is adopted, a note will be annexed to Article One of the Law on Supporting Palestinian People’s Islamic Revolution. The law was adopted by the Iranian parliament in 1990 and declares support for the people of Palestine until they regain their sovereign rights. The move follows Washington’s recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital and the United States’ decision to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds.

Afghanistan toll

A bomb blast and a mortar attack have killed ten civilians in Afghanistan where violence shows no signs of abating. The bombing in Helmand province killed seven people and wounded three more. No group has claimed responsibility for the blast. But authorities say Taliban militants have a strong presence in the region. The mortar attack hit a market in the eastern Logar province, killing three civilians and wounding four others. It happened during a battle between Afghan security forces and the Taliban. It’s unclear which side fired the mortar.

Turkey dismissals

Turkey has dismissed nearly 2,800 people from their jobs over alleged links to terror organizations that act against national security. Those dismissed include soldiers, teachers and ministry personnel. They are accused of having links with terror groups, structures and entities that have ties to US-based cleric Fethullah Gullen. The Turkish government has accused him of organizing last year’s failed coup in Turkey. More than 150,000 people have been dismissed or suspended from their posts in the subsequent crackdown. 240 people were killed in the failed coup in July 2016.

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