WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, October 17, 2018.

Israel attacks Gaza

One Palestinian has been killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. Eight people, including children, were also injured in the multiple airstrikes that began early on Wednesday. Following the airstrikes, Israel closed its crossing with Gaza. The Israeli army says the strikes hit nearly 20 military targets, in response to a rocket attack from Gaza on occupied territories. Palestinian factions have dismissed the allegation and say they launched no attacks. They say Israel seeks to derail ongoing anti-occupation protests in Gaza from achieving their goals. Palestinian factions say they’re ready to respond to the Israeli aggression.

Missing Saudi journalist

Reports say the suspects behind the disappearance of Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, in Turkey have close ties with the kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. New York Times says one of the suspects, identified by Turkey, is Salman’s frequent companion. Three others are linked to his security detail and a fifth is a high-level forensic doctor. The report and a similar account by The Washington Post cast doubt on claims by Saudi officials that they don’t have any knowledge of Khashoggi. US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, who visited Saudi Arabia to discuss the issue on Tuesday, says the Saudis have promised to hold anyone responsible accountable.

Brexit summit

British Prime Minister, Theresa May, is set to attend an EU summit in Brussels where the leaders will discuss London’s exit from the bloc. Prospects are dim for conclusive results. EU President Donald Tusk says he’s waiting for May to offer concrete proposals for breaking what he called the impasse in the Brexit talks. He has warned of a no-deal Brexit in case of no breakthrough. Meanwhile, the EU Brexit negotiator has opened the possibility of extending the one-year Brexit transition period in a bid to resolve the deadlock in talks. The issue of a possible hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is the main stumbling block in the Brexit negotiations. London does not want Brussels to implement its restrictions and regulations once it officially leaves the European Union.

Saudi Arabia under pressure

German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, delays his trip to Saudi Arabia over the disappearance of Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, whom Riyadh is suspected of having murdered in Turkey. Maas said the incident is and remains extraordinarily worrying and the accusations are serious. He added that Germany has already requested Riyadh to solve the case immediately and completely. The US daily, the New York Times, says the suspects behind the incident have close ties with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The report asserts that one of the suspects is Salman’s companion, three others part of his security detail, and a fifth a forensic doctor. Meanwhile, The Turkish Foreign Minister says he hopes the investigators could be granted access to the residence of the Saudi consul in Istanbul soon.

Iran Leader remarks

The Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has ruled out inclination toward the West and Europe, saying it’s a waste of time and source of humiliation. Speaking to a group of academic elite, Ayatollah Khamenei said Iran needs to foster its relations with fast-developing countries in the field of science. He added that such countries are mainly in Asia and therefore Iran should lean toward the East. The leader noted that Iran’s enemies are trying to paint a gloomy picture of the country’s situation. He urged the elite to foil the plot by accelerating the country’s scientific progress. The leader noted that Iran can counter threats of hegemonic powers against its civilization through achieving scientific progress.

Crimea attack

At least 18 people have been killed in the Crimean city of Kerch after a student went on a shooting rampage at a collage. Around 50 people, many of them teenagers were also wounded. The attack was reportedly carried out by an 18-year-old student who later committed suicide. Officials said the gunman burst into the college, set off a bomb in the cafeteria, and went through the building shooting the bystanders. The preliminary examination of the bodies of the victims indicates they died of gunshot wounds. Nobody was killed by the blast. Russia’s investigative committee said the incident was considered a mass murder rather than a terrorist attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin says the motives behind the Crimea attack are being carefully studied.

Plight of Rohingya refugees

The International Organization for Migration says Rohingya refugee girls in Bangladesh camps are being sold into forced labor. In a report, the IOM says it has identified nearly one-hundred cases as such, since September 2017. The UN organization has however cautioned that the true number of human trafficking cases is likely much higher. The report says the women are being sold to raise money for desperate families in the overcrowded camps.

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