WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, March 28, 2019.

US arming Taiwan

Taiwanese President, Tai Ing-wen says Washington is responding positively to her government’s request for advanced fighter jets and tanks from the United States. Tai made the remarks during a meeting with US officials in Hawaii at the end of her Pacific tour. She said the advanced weapons Taiwan intends to buy include M-1 Abrams tanks and F16 fighter jets. She said the positive stance on the request would show to the world Washington's commitment to Taiwan’s defense. Taipei has long claimed, it needs new arms to bolster its defenses in the face of mounting pressure from China. The Taiwanese president also accuses Beijing of altering the status-quo of the self-ruled island.

Japan oil imports

A Japanese government official says the country has extended state-backed insurance to cover oil imports from Iran. The official told Reuters that the measure was approved by parliament on Wednesday, and will take effect from April for one year. The approval allows Japanese refiners to continue loading oil cargoes from Iran, although they still need a US waiver on sanctions against Tehran. Japanese refiners have been pushing Tokyo to extend the waiver after it expires in early May. Japan, South Korea, India and China are among the countries that were granted a waiver to buy the Iranian oil, after the US re-imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic last year. The sanctions had been lifted under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal BUT the US resumed its anti-Tehran measures after unilaterally withdrawing from the accord last May.

US-Saudi secret deal

The United States has reportedly approved six secret contracts to sell nuclear power technology and assistance to Saudi Arabia. According to Reuters, US Energy Secretary Rick Perry has provided his stamp of authorization for American companies to start preliminary nuclear-related works. An un-identified source is quoted as saying that no deal has been reached yet to ship equipment that would go into a plant. The companies, which were approached by Riyadh, have requested their cases to be kept secret. The administration of President Donald Trump has pursued a wider deal on sharing US nuclear technology with the Saudis. The Kingdom aims to build at least two nuclear plants. Many American lawmakers are concerned that sharing such technology with Riyadh could lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

Russia Venezuela deployment

Russia says its forces will remain stationed in Venezuela for as long as needed. Foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova said Moscow and Caracas are implementing an agreement that includes military-technical cooperation. Local media reports say two air force planes, carrying nearly 100 Russian troops, landed outside Caracas. Earlier, the Kremlin rejected calls from the US President to pull out of Venezuela. Donald Trump has warned that all options are on the table to remove Russian troops. Moscow, however, says its presence there is lawful and in agreement with the country's legitimate government. The Russian Foreign Ministry says unlike Washington, Moscow is not threatening anyone in the Latin American country. The US has repeatedly issued threats against the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

Weapons cache in Syria

The Syrian army has discovered weapons and ammunition, including US and Israeli-made missiles, in the Damascus Countryside. Our correspondent, Mohamad Ali was earlier present at the site where these weapons were put on display and gave us this report.

Dhaka inferno

At least 17 people have been confirmed dead in a fire that broke out at a high-rise building in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka. Three of the victims reportedly died after they jumped off the 19-storey building in an attempt to escape from the blaze. Officials say nearly 35 people were rescued from the building while many more are feared trapped inside the office block. Emergency officials say the navy and air force have joined the firefighters to contain the blaze. Witnesses have accused fire service personnel of arriving late at the scene and not using the resources available in a timely fashion.

Israeli atrocity

The United Nations says around 40 Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli forces in one year of anti-occupation protests in the Gaza Strip. The UN children's agency released the figures and called for an urgent de-escalation of Israeli violence. According to the report, about three thousand children were also injured during the Israeli crackdown, with many of the injuries leading to life-long disabilities. The UNICEF expressed its outrage at what it described as violation of children's rights. Palestinians started their weekly protests as part of a campaign, dubbed the Great March of Return in March last year. More than 260 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces ever since. A mass protest is planned for Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the demonstrations.

Bahrain crackdown

A prominent human rights organization has criticized Bahrain for using this weekend’s Formula One race to sport wash its image. In a statement, Amnesty International referred to the kingdom as a deeply repressive state that has a far more sinister side beneath the glamour of the Formula One. It called on the Bahraini regime to immediately release all political prisoners and change laws that criminalize the freedom of expression. The call comes amid an intense crackdown the Persian Gulf kingdom has launched on political dissent since 2011. Global rights groups have urged Formula One organizers to press the Bahraini government to release activists jailed for criticizing the event. The second Grand Prix of 2019 opens in Manama on Friday and runs through Sunday.

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