WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, January 4, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, January 5, 2017.

Russia warns US over Iran

The Russian deputy foreign minister has criticized a US proposal for an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council on the protests in Iran. Sergei Ryabkov described as harmful and destructive the proposal by US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley. Earlier, Ryabkov warned the US over its stance on the violent protests and riots in Iran, demanding that Washington avoid interfering in the Islamic Republic’s internal affairs. The Russian diplomat said he is sure that Iran will overcome the current difficulties. Turkey also denounced foreign meddling in Iran in the wake of the riots.

US imposes new sanctions on Iran

The US has imposed a new round of sanctions on some Iranian companies that Washington claims have links to Iran’s missile program. In a statement, the US Treasury Department said the punitive measures target five Iranian firms. The US decision comes amid Washington’s support for violent protests in Iran. The administration of US President Donald Trump has taken a hostile stance against Iran’s missile and nuclear programs since coming to power in January 2016. Tehran has repeatedly said its missile program is non-negotiable and is only used for defensive purposes.

Deadly violence in Nigeria

Gunmen have killed at least seven people at a farm in Nigeria's Rivers State, the latest violence to hit the southern region. The attack, said to have been carried out by criminal gangs, came three days after gunmen killed 16 churchgoers as they were returning from a New Year church service. Police said the farm attackers arrived on a motorcycle and shot at people before fleeing quickly. The oil-rich, but poverty-stricken region is home to several powerful gangs. Armed clashes or turf wars often result in the death of civilians. Also on Wednesday, at least 14 people were killed in an explosion at a mosque in Nigeria’s northeast.

Seoul-Pyongyang ties

South Korea says Pyongyang has accepted to negotiate with Seoul for the first time in more than two years. According to South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which is responsible for promoting relations with the North, the talks will take place next Tuesday in the border village of Panmunjom. Ministry spokesman Baek Tae-Hyun said at a press conference that the agenda would include the upcoming Winter Olympics as well as the issue of improving inter-Korean relations. The announcement comes after the North Korean leader declared in his New Year address that Pyongyang could participate in next month's Winter Olympics in the South. Tensions between the two neighbors continued to escalate in 2017 following multiple missile tests by the North.

Iran files complaint with Ofcom

Iran’s embassy in London has filed a complaint against UK-based Farsi news outlets over what it describes as biased coverage of the recent protests in Iran. In a letter addressed to the British Office of Communications, the embassy said certain Farsi media in Britain openly violated UK and international laws, encouraging the protesters to take up arms and revolt. The embassy has called on the regulatory body to take action and stop the spread of disinformation by those news outlets in order to safeguard professional reporting. Also, Iran’s envoy to Britain, Hamid Baidinejad, has said that the people of Iran proved they didn’t want to pursue their economic demands through violent means.

Saudi base hit with missile

The Yemeni army, backed by Houthi Ansarullah fighters, has fired a short-range ballistic missile at a Saudi military base inside the Kingdom. There have been no immediate reports on possible casualties among the Saudi troops or on the extent of damage inflicted on the military base. Ansarullah fighters and allied army units have been carrying out attacks on military bases inside Saudi Arabia in retaliation for airstrikes. Yemen’s military has time and again said that its missiles are domestically built. The Saudi onslaught on Yemen has killed over 13,700 people, mostly civilians, since it began in March 2015.

Militants losing ground in Syria

A British-based monitoring group says the Syrian army has made fresh gains against foreign-backed militants in Idlib province. The so-called Syrian observatory for Human Rights said government forces managed to drive the terrorists out of seven villages in southeastern countryside of Idlib. The monitoring group added that the army carried out intensive and non-stop aerial attacks to weaken the militants. The Syrian army started an anti-terror operation in Idlib in October 2017. It has so far liberated scores of towns and villages from the terrorists.

Bahrain arrests cleric

Bahrain’s al-Wefaq Islamic Society has slammed the Kingdom for detaining another prominent cleric. In a statement it said the arrest of Sheikh Mahmood al-A’ali reflects the extent of hostility Manama has toward religious freedom. The statement added that Bahrain’s detention and harassment of clerics is part of a systematic campaign against the Kingdom’s Shias. According to al-Wefaq, Manama arrested A’ali after he voiced support for the Kingdom’s top cleric Shiekh Issa Qassim. The leading figure in Bahrain's uprising has been under house arrest and needs urgent medical treatment.

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