WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, December 27, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, December 28, 2017.

Israeli settlement

The Israeli cabinet has given the go-ahead to allocate eleven million dollars for settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. This comes a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with right-wing rabbis. During the meeting, the rabbis asked Netanyahu to give priority to settlement construction in the occupied West Bank. Emboldened by the US policy shift on Jerusalem al-Quds, Tel Aviv has announced plans to build 300,000 new settler units. Israel has stepped up its construction work despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding it completely halt the settlement expansions. All Israeli settlements are illegal under international law.

Bahraini delegation's controversial visit to Israel

Over two dozen Bahraini groups and organizations have demanded the prosecution of a delegation which made a controversial visit to Israel. In a joint statement, 25 associations, including political groups and civil societies say the delegation abandoned the kingdom’s national consensus which rejects ties with Israel. They described the visit as suspicious. The statement added the Palestinian issue is central among the Arab and Islamic world. Earlier this month a delegation calling itself THIS IS BAHRAIN visited Israel amid reports they had sought to normalize and strengthen ties with the regime in Tel Aviv.

US drone attacks in Somalia

The US has carried out fresh airstrikes on Somalia, killing over a dozen people, which the Pentagon claims were all al-Shabab terrorists. In a statement, the US army said the attack took place about 50 kilometers outside the coastal city of Kismayo. The statement added that no civilians were presumed dead in the attack. Washington is using its drones under the pretext of targeting militants in several Muslim countries, including Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen. Reports on the ground show many civilians have fallen victim to the US strikes in recent years.

Bahrain clashes

Bahraini regime forces have fired tear gas to disperse protesters on Sitra Island. People came out onto the streets after a military court sentenced more activists to life imprisonment over alleged terror charges. Anti-regime protests were also held in Bilad al-Qadeem, a suburb of the capital Manama. The military court sentenced 10 people to life in jail and another defendant to ten years. They all were stripped of their Bahraini citizenship. The ruling came two days after over a dozen activists were handed down death penalties and jail sentences on same charges. The tiny Persian Gulf kingdom has been gripped by pro-reform protests since 2011, with its Sunni royal family resisting demands for a constitutional monarchy. Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds arrested in regime’s crackdown on protests.

Peru resignation

Two senior Peruvian government officials have stepped down amid a political crisis in the country. The minister of culture and an adviser to President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski have handed their resignations. This comes days after three members of parliament from the president's party and his minister of interior quit. The resignations have dealt a blow to Kuczynski who survived an impeachment vote by congress last week. He is also under fire for pardoning jailed ex-president Alberto Fujimori who was convicted of corruption and human rights abuses. The move is widely viewed as payback for support in the impeachment battle from a party led by the former president's son.

Iran reaction

Iran has reacted to the death of an Iranian national who has been shot and killed by police in Canada. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman condemned what he described as the brutal killing of Babak Saeedi. Bahram Qassemi expressed regret over the incident, noting that the Iranian national was sick when he was shot dead. Qassemi stressed that the Islamic Republic will pursue the case through competent authorities. He also noted that Tehran will demand an explanation from the Canadian government.

Kabul bomb blasts

Multiple explosions have rocked the Afghan capital Kabul, leaving at least 40 people dead. The interior ministry said 30 others were also injured in the blasts that took place at a cultural center. Officials said a ceremony was being held there to mark the 38th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan when the explosions occurred. The center is near the building of an Afghan news agency. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack until now. Earlier in the week, ten people were killed in a bomb attack near the compound of Afghanistan's intelligence agency in Kabul.

China-Taiwan row

Tension is mounting once again in the South China Sea as Taiwan claims China’s frequent military activities lead to regional instability. Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has said that Beijing’s drills affect safety and stability in the region to a certain extent. She added that the island has been a contributor to the safety of the region but it also has to keep an eye on China’s military movements. Earlier this week, Taiwan’s defense ministry reported that China’s air force has conducted at least 16 rounds of maneuvers over the past year. It warned against the threat of China’s militarism. Beijing has repeatedly said its drills in the disputed waters of the South China Sea and the Sea of Japan are routine practices and are not aimed at a third party.

UNICEF warning

The United Nations children’s agency has warned that minors in conflict zones are increasingly being used as weapons of war. UNICEF released a statement saying warring sides and parties involved in conflicts deliberately ignore international humanitarian law and children routinely come under attack. The statement adds that rape, forced marriage, abduction and enslavement have become standard war tactics in conflict zones. The UN agency says children are being abused by being recruited as fighters and bombers or through malnutrition and disease. UNICEF summarizes that 2017 was a brutal year for children in conflict zones.

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