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 26, 2017.

US power ‘diminishing’

A senior advisor to Iran’s Leader says international opposition to the United States’ Jerusalem al-Quds policy proves Washington’s diminishing power. Ali Akbar Velayati said the rejection of President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize the holy city as the Israeli capital shows the world has awakened in the face of US animosity. Velayati noted that such a chorus of opposition stems from victories achieved by the resistance front in the Middle East. The Iranian official accused the US of seeking to renew another cold war in the region. He stressed that the issue of Palestine must not be sidelined. Velayati reiterated the Islamic Republic’s unwavering support for the Palestinian nation and said the occupied territories must be freed.

North Korea-US tensions

North Korea has called on the US to provide evidence on its claim that Pyongyang was behind a massive cyber attack earlier this year. North Korea’s UN envoy in charge of US affairs, Pak Song-il, said the allegation was a baseless provocation used to generate tensions. Back in May, the WannaCry ransom-ware attack infected hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide. It also crippled parts of Britain’s National Health Service. Last week, US Homeland Security Advisor, Tom Bossert, said North Korea was behind the attack. Officials in the US and South Korea have accused the North of launching a series of cyber attacks in recent years. The North has denied the accusations.

Puerto Rico Xmas crisis

Tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans are spending Christmas in darkness as the US island’s electrical grid has not been repaired from Hurricane Maria three months ago. 30,000 people in the town of Morovis gathered outside the City Hall to receive their twice-a-week share of bottled water and basic foods. Residents of the region have been living in such condition for more than 90 days. Officials promised to restore 95 percent of electricity delivery by December which has not happened so far. Lack of power and dire need of maintenance painted a gloomy picture of Christmas for Puerto Rican children.

Saudi atrocities in Yemen

Saudi bombardments continue to claim lives in Yemen. In the latest airstrikes, Saudi fighter jets targeted a market in the Heime district of Ta’izz province on Tuesday. The air-raids have reportedly left heavy casualties. The attacks come a day after more than thirty people were killed across the country. The war has left more than 13,600 civilians dead since it broke out in March 2015. In addition to civilian casualties, the conflict has triggered a set of humanitarian crises, including cholera and diphtheria epidemics, which have so far claimed thousands of lives.

Hamas slams Israel

The leader of Palestinian Resistance Movement, Hamas, has slammed Israel for trying to build more settler units in the occupied territories. In a live broadcast from the besieged Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniyeh said Israel is seeking to Judaize the Palestinian territories by expanding its settlement projects. Haniyeh also slammed certain countries for normalizing ties with the Israeli regime and called Tel Aviv a burden to the world. The senior Hamas official called for unity among the Palestinians and stressed that the collapse of Israel and its ally, the US, has begun.

Russia Syria bases

Russia says it has begun establishing a permanent presence at two military bases in Syria. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the structure of two bases in the Syrian cities of Tartus and Hmeimim have been approved last week. He said by building the army bases, Russia has begun forming a permanent presence on Syrian soil. Russia has been conducting strikes against Daesh and other terrorist groups inside Syria at the request of the Syrian government since September 2015.

Egypt executions

Egypt has executed 15 militants convicted of launching deadly terrorist attacks against government forces in the northern Sinai Peninsula. Officials said the convicts had been hanged at two jails in the north of the country. The executions come a week after Daesh Takfiri terrorists attacked a helicopter with an anti-tank missile at a North Sinai airport during a visit by the country’s defense and interior ministers. Violence has been rampant in the Sinai Peninsula where attacks by Daesh and other militant groups have killed a large number of government forces in recent years.

Italy rescues refugees

The Italian coastguard says nearly 255 refugees, including women and children, have been rescued while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe. Officials say the asylum seekers were rescued during two separate operations off the Libyan coast. Thousands of asylum seekers have lost their lives while making the perilous journey to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea in recent years. People, fleeing war and poverty, risk their lives by crossing the sea in search of a better life and future; but many fail to reach their destination.

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