WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, March 11, 2018 to 08:00 GMT, March 12, 2018.

Pentagon warns Syria

The head of the Pentagon has warned the Syrian government against using chemical weapons. Speaking to reporters travelling with him on a trip to Oman, Mattis admitted he has no evidence to back up his statements. The Pentagon chief says there are many reports about Chlorine use or symptoms that could be a result of the gas. Syria's deputy foreign minister has denied charges that government forces used toxic arms in their operation against terrorist groups in Damascus countryside. Faisal Mekdad says terrorists in eastern Ghouta are preparing to fabricate more such attacks to blame the Syrian army.

Eastern Ghouta operation

Fierce fighting rages on in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta as the Syrian army presses ahead with its offensive to fully regain control of the region. Government forces have made strategic gains, breaking apart the areas which are under the control of the terrorists. Our correspondent Mohamad Ali is on the frontlines and filed this exclusive report.

Colombia elections

Polls have closed in Colombia where people cast their ballots to elect a new Congress. The elections saw former members of the FARC guerilla group taking part for the first time as a political party. The FARC is guaranteed 10 seats in the legislature under the terms of the 2016 peace deal with the Colombian government. Opinion polls have given the group little hope of adding to its 10 free seats. Meanwhile, President Juan Manuel Santos defended the peace agreement with FARC and hailed the elections as historic.

Criticizing Trump tariffs

The German economy minister has warned about the consequences of the US president’s plan to slap tariffs on aluminum and steel imports. Brigitte Zypries stressed that the move will cost jobs and hinder economic growth. She noted that Donald Trump's policies put the order of a free global economy at risk. The German economy minister said imposing tariffs on aluminum and steel imports jeopardizes market prosperity. Zypries underlined the necessity for a collective response from the European Union in order to show Washington that there will be countermeasures if Trump goes ahead with his plan. The US president’s announcement has been met by strong objections from Washington’s allies and main trade partners who believe the move amounts to an open war on their interests.

US gun control plans

The US government says it will step up aid to states that want to arm school employees in the wake of the deadly school shooting in Florida last month. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos says the controversial idea to put weapons in schools is part of a pragmatic plan to dramatically increase school safety. The plan has drawn little support from educators and parents so far. US President Donald Trump is urging Congress to pass legislation that will strengthen background checks, and implement violence prevention programs. The plan also includes helping states pay for firearms training for teachers, and a push to raise the minimum age for purchasing assault weapons. National gun control debate has been revived by survivors of last month's massacre at a Parkland high school that left 14 students and three staff dead.

Myanmar ‘land grab’

A prominent human rights organization says Myanmar’s army is militarizing Rakhine state in an alarming pace by building military bases on burnt Rohingya villages. Amnesty International says Myanmar authorities have stepped up their construction activities since January. The group says it has obtained the information from eyewitness testimonies and expert analysis of satellite images. Amnesty says the burnt villages were bulldozed and new roads and structures are being built on Rohingya lands. The rights group has slammed Myanmar’s move as land grab.

Attack on Berlin mosque

A Turkish mosque has been set on fire in the German capital Berlin. The Turkish community condemned the incident as a terror attack. The venue belonged to the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs, which is one of the largest Islamic organizations in Germany. Witnesses say some young men broke through the front entrance of the mosque and threw an object into the building in the early hours of Sunday morning. Fire broke out shortly afterwards.

Saudi fatalities

Several Saudi troops have been killed in separate cross-border attacks by Yemeni fighters in the Kingdom’s southern region of Jizan. According to Yemeni sources, army sniper units shot dead 4 Saudi soldiers north of Qwa village and 2 others in Hamedah village. 6 mercenaries were also gunned down in front of the Alab crossing. Yemen’s Ansarullah fighters and allied army units have been carrying out attacks on military bases inside Saudi Arabia in retaliation for Riyadh’s airstrikes. The Saudi onslaught on Yemen has killed over 13,600 people, mostly civilians, since March 2015.

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