WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, December 19, 2018.

Hudaydah ceasefire

Yemen's warring sides have traded accusations of breaching a UN-mediated ceasefire in the key port city of Hudaydah. The Ansarullah movement says the Saudi-led forces have shelled several sites in the Red Sea port city since the truce took effect on Tuesday. Saudi-backed forces, however, blame the Houthis, saying they fired mortar bombs and rockets at a hospital near the flashpoint city. The shaky ceasefire deal, reached in Sweden last week, is the first significant breakthrough in peace efforts. It is part of attempts towards reaching a permanent truce agreement and a framework for political negotiations. Hudaydah is the main port entry for food and humanitarian aid to nearly 16 million Yemenis.

Iran nuclear deal

The European Union has once again highlighted the need to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, saying it keeps the door open for further talks with the country. EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini says the European bloc has new channels to engage with Iran thanks to the landmark agreement. Mogherini says both sides are now cooperating in a constructive manner to address regional issues. She says, however, that any negotiations with Iran on other issues, including its missile program, would be much more difficult if the deal breaks down. Iran has said that its missiles are for self-defense and it will not compromise on them in any talks. The EU is trying to keep the nuclear deal up and running by ensuring that Iran receives its economic benefits. This, after the US withdrew from the accord in May and reinstated sanctions on Iran.

Greece protest

Greek demonstrators rally in the streets of the capital Athens to protest the country’s first post-bailout budget. They say the ordinary people went through austerity hardships, but now the rich are benefiting from the new budget. The rally was held after Greek lawmakers approved the 2019 budget which projects a high primary surplus. The budget also forecasts the economy to grow by 2.5 percent, compared to a projected two-point-one percent this year. Addressing the parliament, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras thanked the lawmakers for how they ran the country during the debt crisis.

US-China trade war

The United States and China have clashed at the World Trade Organization blaming each other for undermining the multilateral trading system. The US Ambassador to the WTO accused China of seeking to outright steal technology in strategic industries and dump its products on American markets. Dennis Shea added that this is not acceptable. A Chinese official reacted by saying the US government’s reckless actions are the root of the crisis at the global trading system. Hu Ying-zhi hoped that mutual respect will contribute to the stability of the global economy. Washington and Beijing have been engaged in an escalating trade war since President Donald Trump took office in 2017.

Rouhani remarks

Iran’s president has hailed Turkey’s stance on unilateral US sanctions on the Islamic Republic, saying Washington will no longer be able to dictate its terms on regional countries. Hassan Rouhani was speaking prior to his trip to Ankara at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He said efforts to increase bilateral annual trade from 10 billion dollars to 30 billion dollars will be among his top agenda of discussion. Rouhani also highlighted the significance of a recent meeting between the foreign ministers of Iran, Turkey and Russia over Syria. He stressed that such talks will help restore security and stability to the nation. The Iranian president noted that only Syrians have the right to determine the fate of their country.

EU back-up plans

The European Commission Vice-President says Brussels has adopted a back-up plan if the UK does break away from the bloc without a deal. Valdis Dombrovskis said the EU’s contingency plan is to protect the bloc’s trade, transport and finance in case of a no-deal Brexit in 100 days. On Tuesday, the British government said it’s stepping up preparations for a no-deal exit. Downing Street said cabinet ministers have agreed that all government departments must fully implement their emergency no-deal Brexit contingency plans. The British prime minister has announced that the country’s parliament will vote on her dream agreement in mid-January. However, the opposition Labour Party has accused Theresa May of trying to run down the clock.

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