WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, February 9, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, February 10, 2018.

No confirmation on Syria gas attack

The French defense minister has cast doubt on the veracity of accusations that the Syrian government has used the chemical agent chlorine in the country. Florence Parly told French media that there is no absolute confirmation that Damascus has used the poisonous material during its operations against foreign-backed militants. Earlier, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian accused the Syrian government of using chlorine. Similar accusations were made by the US and Britain. Russia says Washington and London are heating up the issue to sabotage efforts to find a political solution to the crisis in the war-torn country. Syria has repeatedly dismissed allegations of chemical attacks. In 2016, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed that Syria had destroyed its chemical stockpile.

Catalan crisis

In Spain, the party of Catalonia's ousted leader submits a proposal that would allow Carles Puigdemont to govern from Belgium where he is living in self-imposed exile. The proposal says the Catalan parliament could authorize by an absolute majority to hold an investiture debate without the presence and intervention of the candidate. It would also allow for a remote government, notably carried out using emails, audio and video conferences. Under Spain's constitutional law a candidate MUST be present at the regional parliament to be officially appointed. Puigdemont fled Spain just days after the regional parliament declared independence from Madrid last October. But after his Together for Catalonia grouping came first in a regional snap election, Puigdemont was named their candidate to once again rule the region. The deposed leader faces arrest if he returns to Spain.

Wild weather in US

Heavy snowfall has wreaked havoc in the US Midwest, paralyzing transport and closing schools. Heavy snow and dropping temperatures have so far cancelled 1500 flights and delayed nearly a thousand more in Detroit and Chicago. Airlines have issued warning of more cancellations in nearby cities. The blizzard also closed down public schools in Chicago on Friday. In the neighboring southern Michigan, the icy conditions led to snarl-ups and crashes that left at least two people dead. Officials say snow continues to pile up across the Midwest before the storm moves east toward New York and New England on Saturday.

Koreas’ talks

The most significant diplomatic encounter between the two Koreas in years; the South Korean president has met with senior North Korean officials including leader Kim Jong-un’s sister. Moon Jae-in hosted Kim Yo-jong and other North Korean officials at Seoul’s presidential palace. This comes after they attended the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Lawmakers from Moon’s liberal ruling party have talked about the possibility of sending a special South Korean envoy to Pyongyang to meet the North’s leader. Seoul hopes to use the games as an opportunity to restore regular communication with Pyongyang and resolve the standoff over its missile and nuclear programs. Kim Yo-jong is the first member of North Korea’s ruling family to visit the South since the end of the 1950 to 53 Korean War.

US Dems’ memo blocked

The US president blocks the release of a classified democratic memo which is a rebuttal to a recent Republican document which alleged anti-Donald Trump bias in the FBI's Russia probe. In a letter to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Noo-nes, White House counsel Don McGahn said Donald Trump made the decision because the memorandum contains numerous classified and sensitive passages. Earlier on Friday, Trump said he plans to release the democrats' memo. Last week, Congress released a Republican memo which accused the FBI and the Justice Department of abusing their power to spy on Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Some democrats and critics called the GOP memo a stunt aimed at undermining an investigation into possible collusion between Trump’s election campaign and Russia.

Syria responding to aggression

The Syrian military says its air defense force has shot down Israeli warplanes after they targeted Syrian army positions. The Israeli military has confirmed the downing of one of its F-16 fighter jets, saying the pilots were ejected unharmed. Israeli jets had entered Syria after violating the Lebanese airspace. Damascus says more than one Israeli jets were hit by the Syrian anti-aircraft fire. The Syrian army also confirmed that Israeli warplanes targeted a military site near the capital Damascus. There has been no report of damage or casualties. The developments come after Tel Aviv alleged that an Iranian-made drone entered the occupied Golan Heights which it says was intercepted.

Domestic abuse scandal in US

A second official from US president Donald Trump’s administration has stepped down, in a week, amid accusations of domestic abuse. Speechwriter, David Sorensen resigned Friday after his former wife claimed that he had physically and emotionally abused her. Sorensen rejected the claims but left his job saying he didn’t want the allegations to be a distraction. Sorenson’s departure comes just days after Trump’s staff secretary, Rob Porter quit while facing similar allegations of domestic violence. The abuse scandal embroiling the White House took a new turn earlier on Friday when Trump praised Porter in his first public comments on the matter.

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