WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, July 16, 2017.

Israel West Bank Killing

Israeli forces have fatally shot one Palestinian amid escalating tensions in the occupied West Bank. 34-year-old Amar Ahmad Halil was shot during a raid on his house in Nabi Saleh, a small village near the city of Ramallah. The Israeli army claims the Palestinian was killed while attempting to open fire on soldiers who came to arrest him. Another Palestinian who was detained overnight was slightly injured in the Israeli raid. Ahmad Halil has been accused of being behind Saturday’s drive-by shooting near the settlement of Ateret that left a driver injured as well as attacking an Israeli outpost that caused no injuries.

US-Saudi Arabia Ties

A new poll has found that an overwhelming majority of Britons oppose UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The poll by BMG research suggests that 58 percent of British public want Prime Minister Theresa May to halt supplying billions of pounds of weapons to the kingdom which is engaged in a bloody war on Yemen. Most respondents also called on the government to release a report into Saudi Arabia’s funding of extremism in Britain. The UK has licensed 3.3 billion pounds worth of weapons since the beginning of Saudi Arabia's war on Yemen in March 2015. Rights groups have documented Saudi bombings of hospitals, schools and wedding parties in Yemen.

Venezuela symbolic Vote

Venezuelans are set to vote in an unofficial referendum organized by the opposition to challenge the government’s bid to rewrite the constitution. The opposition, which has held numerous anti-government protests, is hoping for a large turnout in the vote which authorities call an act of civil disobedience. Supporters of President Nicolas Maduro have called for a boycott. However, Maduro has urged Venezuelans to participate peacefully in the political event on Sunday. Speaking in a national radio and TV broadcast, the president portrayed the vote as merely an internal consultation by the opposition with no electoral legitimacy. The symbolic plebiscite comes two weeks ahead of a government-backed vote to elect a body that would revise the constitution. The country has been grappling with economic crisis for over two years. President Maduro accused the United States of orchestrating an economic plot to topple his government.

Syria Explosion

Casualties are reported in Syria after a terrorist attack hit a town near the coastal city of Latakia. The blast took place in Ras Shamra, which is located 12 kilometers north of Latakia.

Turkey Fabricated Story

Turkey’s main opposition party has accused the government of trying to block a full investigation into last year’s failed coup. The Republican People's Party spokesman, Bulent Tezjan, says the government is using the failed coup anniversary to write a fabricated story. He added that inquiries into how US-based cleric Fethullah Gullen’s network rose within the state were blocked to protect the government and hide the failed coup’s political side. Ankara blames Gullen and his supporters for the failed coup. Speaking on the first anniversary of the failed coup, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced plans to extend the state of emergency for another three months.

Unpopular President

US President Donald Trump's popularity slips as he finds himself mired in controversies over Russia's alleged role in his presidential campaign and his seemingly stalled agenda in the White House. A Washington Post-ABC News poll shows Trump's approval rating has dropped from 42 percent in April to 36 percent. This is while the president's unpopularity has hit 58 percent, up from 53 in April. A total of 48 percent of the respondents strongly disapprove of Trump's performance in office. The poll adds that 60 percent of all American adults believe Russia tried to change the 2016 presidential election result in favor of Trump.

Israeli Expansionism

Israeli ministers have given initial approval to a controversial bill aimed at seizing complete control over Jerusalem al-Quds. The bill, proposed by a far-right political party, aims to make it more difficult for Tel Aviv to hand the Palestinians part of Jerusalem al-Quds as part of a future peace deal. It does so by requiring a two-thirds majority vote in the Knesset on any deal granting Palestinians land. Jerusalem al-Quds is among the most contentious issues. Israel occupied Jerusalem al-Quds and the West Bank in 1967, in a move never recognized by the international community. It claims all of Jerusalem al-Quds as its united capital, while the Palestinians see it as the capital of their future state.

UK Cabinet Divided

The British Finance Minister has acknowledged that the cabinet remains divided over the way to address the UK's debts to the European Union after leaving the bloc. Philip Hammond noted that London will deal with any due amount in case it's properly quantified. He stressed that the UK has always honored its EU obligations and debts are not an exception. His remarks were in reference to Foreign Minister Boris Johnson's comments. Johnson had said that the EU cannot easily retrieve its money. Hammond also stressed that the cabinet ministers need to rally around a unified Brexit position to get a better deal despite differences.

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