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 18, 2017.

No Charge, No Trial

Human rights reports reveal that the Israeli regime has issued nearly 50,000 administrative detention orders over the past 50 years. According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Information Office, the figure includes the new orders and renewals of those issued since 1967. The report says Israel has issued 26,000 administrative detentions against Palestinians since the year, 2000, with nearly 60 percent of them renewed more than once. Currently, 550 detainees are languishing behind bars under Tel Aviv’s administrative detention orders. The measure is an archaic punishment, in which detainees are held without charge or trial for indefinitely renewable periods of up to 6 months. Rights groups have widely condemned Tel Aviv for practicing the measure against Palestinian prisoners and holding them under harsh, unethical conditions.

Philippines Martial Law

The Philippines’ President has asked the Congress to extend martial law in the southern parts of the country, where the army is battling Daesh-affiliated terrorists. Rodrigo Duterte said the security situation in the restive region requires the extension of the martial law. Duterte imposed military rule on May 23, when terrorists occupied the city of Marawi and killed over five-hundred people. The constitution allows the president to impose military law for sixty days, enabling him to call out armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion. He, however, needs the congress’s approval to extend the law beyond the initial two-month limit. The measure is expected to be approved since the Congress is dominated by Duterte’s allies.

Reign of Hate?

A Muslim advocacy group says the number of anti-Muslim hate crimes in the United States has roughly doubled. According to a report by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Islamophobic abuse rose 91 percent in the first half of 2017, compared to the same period last year. Hate crimes, which involved physical violence or property damage, were among the most common forms of Islamophobia from April to June. The number of bias incidents also rose by 24 percent in the same period compared to the first six months of 2016. According to the council, the most prevalent trigger of anti-Muslim incidents in 2017 was the victim's ethnicity or national origin. It said under-reporting was a challenge, with many victims failing to notify law enforcement or community institutions.

Deadlocked Diplomacy

Russia says it will take retaliatory measures against the US after a meeting for the return of its diplomatic compounds ended with no success. The Russian foreign ministry said the solution to the dispute has not been found yet and Moscow reserves the right to take retaliatory measures based on the principle of reciprocity. The ministry, however, stressed that Russia is willing to resume regular dialogue with the US. Back in December 2016, the then US President Barack Obama ordered the seizure of two Russian diplomatic compounds over allegations of Moscow's meddling in the US presidential election. Washington also expelled 35 Russian diplomats over the issue. Russia has time and again denied the allegations.

Human Rights in Turkey

Amnesty International has slammed Turkey for the jailing of its director and several activists, calling the move a crushing blow to human rights in Turkey. Amnesty’s Secretary General says truth and justice have become total strangers in Turkey. Salil Shetty says the detained activists are innocent, and the move is politically-motivated. The comments come a day after Turkey’s state prosecutor asked the court to keep six of the ten activists in custody pending trial on charges of being members of a terrorist organization. The activists were detained as part of mass crackdown following last July's coup attempt. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made vague accusations against them, saying they were holding a meeting that had the nature of a continuation of last year's failed coup.

US anti-Iran Sanctions

The United States has imposed new sanctions on a dozen Iranian individuals and groups for what it calls Iran’s non-nuclear behavior. Fresh sanctions by the US Treasury Department have targeted eight entities, including a transnational group and eight individuals who have helped the Iranian army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps to develop a missile program. The State Department has also blacklisted two people on the same allegations. It says Iran has continued activities that have undermined positive contribution to peace and security. Only hours before the announcement, the Iranian parliament overwhelmingly ratified an urgent bill designed to counter America’s terrorist activities and adventurism in the Middle East.

Plight of Rohingya Muslims

Foreign journalists who have been given access to Myanmar’s north-western Rakhine state have reported about a fresh campaign of violence against local people in the region. The locals who are mostly from the ethnic Rohingya community have told them about killing, burned homes and men who flee fearing their life. Although the government has accused the so-called Rohingya militants for the violence, its refusal to cooperate with a UN-backed fact-finding mission raises suspicion about the nature of the gangs who target the Muslims. More in this report.

‘Little Russia’ in Ukraine

Vladimir Golstein, Lecturer at Brown University, says the decision by Pro-Russia forces is an effort to send a message to both Kiev and the West in order to sit down and seriously negotiate a solution to end the violent conflict.

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