WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, February 21, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, February 22, 2017.

Talks to end conflict in Eastern Ghouta break down

Russia says terrorists have ignored calls to cease resistance and lay down weapons in Eastern Ghouta, the flashpoint countryside of the Syrian capital Damascus. Moscow also says militants in Eastern Ghouta are preventing civilians from leaving the conflict zone. According to the Russian military, talks to find a peaceful solution in Eastern Ghouta have failed. Earlier, the Kremlin called for a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the region. Russia's UN envoy, Vassily Nebenzia also expressed hope that Security Council members will come up with ways to resolve the crisis. Clashes in Eastern Ghouta have been raging on for weeks. Recent shelling by foreign-backed militants has left dozens of civilians dead. The Syrian government has also been accused of carrying out airstrikes on the area. Damascus says the air raids are in response to attacks by militants.

Trump meets with school shooting survivors, victims’ families

Victims’ families and survivors of the recent shooting at a school in Florida speak out against gun control laws in the presence of the US president at the White House. The parents spoke about their lost children while students fought off tears remembering the tragic incident. Donald Trump pledged stricter background and mental health checks for those purchasing fire arms. Trump also endorsed the idea of teachers being armed if they have special training. The US president has come under fire for his response to the Parkland school shooting. On Tuesday, he ordered a ban on devices that turn weapons into machine guns. The announcement fell short of demands for a ban on assault rifles.

Netanyahu in trouble

The Israeli prime minister, who is implicated in a growing corruption scandal, suffers another blow in the case. Media reports, confirmed by police, say a former close associate of Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to testify against his former boss in exchange for avoiding jail. A gag order has prevented Israeli media from publishing the details of the deal. Shlomo Filber, an ally of Netanyahu for more than 20 years, was arrested on Tuesday over corruption allegations. This week another investigation was announced concerning two former aides of the prime minister and his wife. Netanyahu is under growing pressure to step down from his long tenure in office.

US-led airstrikes in Syria

The US-led coalition has launched fresh airstrikes on eastern Syria, causing more deaths and destruction in the country. The latest attack targeted Syria’s Dayr al-Zawr province. At least, 12 civilians have been killed in the raids. Earlier, the US-led coalition launched an attack on a village near the city of Bukamal in Dayr al-Zawr. It left at least 16 civilians, including nine women, dead. Dozens have also been injured. The US-led coalition has been conducting airstrikes in Syria and Iraq since 2014 without a UN mandate. Airwars, a UK-based non-profit, says at least 5,400 civilians have been killed in the attacks.

Boko Haram school attack

The Nigerian military have rescued 76 schoolgirls and recovered the bodies of two others, after the students went missing during a Boko Haram attack on Monday. More than 100 schoolgirls disappeared after the attack on the village of Dapchi in the northeastern Nigerian state of Yobe. Locals living near the school said about half of the girls who had fled during the attack were found hiding in surrounding villages. One parent also said a truck had been seen taken away the girls. Their disappearance became one of the largest since Boko Haram abducted more than 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok in 2014.

Bolivia protests

Bolivians have held nationwide rallies to protest against President Evo Morales’ decision to run for another term in office. In the capital La Paz, clashes erupted between police and angry protesters. Police used tear gas to disperse the protesters who were chanting anti-government slogans and holding banners reading “Bolivia said no”. They accused Morales of trying to tighten his grip on power. The demonstrators also urged the government to respect the 2016 referendum in which, 51 percent of the Bolivians rejected a presidential bid to reform the constitution to end existing term limits. They argued that the Latin American country will turn into “a dictatorship” if the president runs for another term.

Anger in Argentina

Argentine workers' unions have staged yet another demonstration to protest against President Mauricio Macri’s proposed economic reforms. The demonstration paralyzed parts of the capital city Buenos Aires as thousands of workers hit the streets to express their anger at Macri’s proposals that affect taxes, pensions, and labor law. The demonstrators argued that the measures are against people and would cost them their jobs and incomes. Critics maintain that Macri’s proposals would largely benefit employers and affect the most sensitive part of the society. But the government says it has received positive feedbacks from the social security and budget committees on the planned reforms.

Iran warning

Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations has announced Tehran's readiness to cooperate with the new UN special envoy for Yemen. Gholam Ali Khoshroo made the remark in a meeting with UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres. Khoshroo, however, warned that the UN Security Council’s support of any unilateral measure can aggravate the situation in the war-torn Yemen. Guterres, for his part, said he would do his best to help reach a political solution for Yemen’s crisis. Meanwhile, Russia has rejected a bid by some Western governments to condemn Iran at the Security Council over the alleged transfer of missiles to Yemen. The 15-member council is currently negotiating a resolution, drafted by Britain, which urges condemning Iran for what it calls violating an arms embargo on Yemen’s Ansarullah movement. Tehran denies supplying any weapons to the Arab country.

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