WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, April 17, 2019.

US decision criticized

The Turkish foreign minister says the US took a wrong and unacceptable decision to label Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps as a terrorist organization. Mevlut Cavusoglu was speaking at a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart in Ankara. Cavusoglu added that the US move is a clear violation of international law. He added that Ankara-Tehran ties will significantly contribute to regional peace and security. For his part, Iran’s top diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif hailed Ankara’s stance on Washington’s move against the IRGC.

Israel ‘collective punishment’

Israeli forces have demolished the house of a Palestinian who was shot dead in the occupied West Bank in December. Dozens of Israeli military vehicles escorted bulldozers into the village of Kobar near Ramallah, where the house of Saleh al-Barghouthi was located. Palestinian villagers tried to block the raid. Israeli forces used tear gas canisters and rubber-coated steel bullets to disperse them. The 29-year-old Barghouti was killed over an alleged shooting which the Israeli military said had wounded several people. Tel Aviv routinely demolishes Palestinians’ homes in occupied territories, under various excuses. Rights groups see the demolitions as part of a collective punishment against Palestinians.

London protest

Demonstrations by climate-change activists have disrupted the subway network in the British capital, London. Protesters have blocked some of London's most important junctions, including Oxford Circus and Marble Arch. The protests are led by British climate group, Extinction Rebellion. They brought parts of central London to a standstill on Tuesday. Police say, nearly 300 people were arrested on Monday and Tuesday. Demonstrations are expected to continue in the coming days. The activists demand the government reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.

Iran Leader hails unity

The leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution has praised the role of the country’s armed forces in dealing with domestic and regional affairs. Addressing military commanders in the capital Tehran, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei described the armed forces as stalwart and highlighted their role in defending the nation during the Iran-Iraq war. He also praised the military and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps in helping flood victims in the country and fighting Daesh terrorists in the region. Iran’s leader hailed the unity among armed forces in the face of the recent US blacklisting of the IRGC. Ayatollah Khamenei warned that the aim of Washington’s baseless allegations against Iran is to weaken the public’s morale, noting that the US is itself struggling with huge debts and other issues.

EU-US sanctions row

The European Commission announces a list of US imports as likely targets of retaliatory trade tariffs. The list will be open to consultation until May 31 and could then be revised. The proposed tariffs cover a range of products from aircraft to chemicals and food products. The EU move comes days after the United States decided to impose sanctions on foreign companies, including the Europeans in Cuba. Washington had also threatened to impose extra tariffs on about 11 billion dollars worth of EU goods in response to Airbus subsidies. The United States and the European Union have been at loggerheads for almost 15 years at the World Trade Organization over subsidies given to American plane-maker Boeing and its European rival Airbus.

US Yemen war support

Yemen’s Ansarullah Movement has condemned the US President for vetoing a congressional resolution that aimed to stop America’s military support for the Saudi-led war on Yemen. An Ansarullah spokesman said Donald Trump’s veto proves that the US is not only involved in the war but was also behind Riyadh’s decision to launch the aggression against Yemen. Mohammed Abdelsalam accused Washington of being responsible for what he described as massacres, crimes and the unjust siege of Yemen. Iran’s foreign minister also slammed the US president’s decision. In a twitter post, Mohammad Javad Zarif said that even the US congress wants to put an end to the White House’s destabilizing activities in Yemen. US lawmakers passed the resolution following Saudi Arabia's repeated targeting of civilian gatherings in Yemen.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk