WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, March 4, 2018 to 08:00 GMT, March 5, 2018.

Italy's ‘hung parliament’

Early exit polls indicate Italy’s right-wing coalition is set to gain a fragile majority in the lower house of parliament and senate. The lead is however presumably short of an absolute majority needed to govern. Pollsters project the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement to be the largest single party by a wide margin second in line. The ruling center-left democratic party is lagging in third position with around 28 percent of the votes. The frontrunner coalition includes, among others, center-right Forza Italia led by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and the far-right League headed by Matteo Salvini. Both politicians have vowed to expel what they view as some 600-thousand illegals, once in power. The much-politicized vote was dominated by immigration and economic concerns in the heavily-indebted country.

Syria fight against terror

Syria’s president says Eastern Ghouta offensive is part of the fight against terrorism that must continue. Speaking to reporters, Bashar al-Assad says civilians will continue to have the possibility of evacuating the flashpoint area. He described the Western media's portrayal of the humanitarian situation in Eastern Ghouta as ridiculous lies. The government has announced daily five-hour pauses in fighting for civilians to evacuate. However, very few have so far escaped with Damascus accusing terrorists of shelling the humanitarian corridors. Assad also slammed accusations by the west of Damascus using chemical weapons saying they are excuses to attack the Syrian army.

Vatican sex scandal

The most senior Vatican official ever to be charged with sex abuse appears in an Australian court on Monday. Australian Cardinal George Pell faces a hearing that will decide if prosecutors have sufficient evidence to put him on trial on sexual offence charges. Pell's committal hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates Court is scheduled to take up to a month. Pope Francis' former finance minister was charged last June with sexual abuse of several people in the state of Victoria. Police say the offenses allegedly occurred decades ago. The case could question Pope Francis’s promise of a zero tolerance policy for sex abuse in the church. Pell was promoted in 2014 amid allegations of mishandling cases of clergy abuse as archbishop of Melbourne and, later, Sydney. So far Francis has withheld judgment of Pell and had not forced the 76-year-old cardinal to resign.

Slamming Saudi arms sales

Iran’s president says those who send weapons to the Saudi-led coalition to wage war on Yemen must be held responsible. Hassan Rouhani made the comment in a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron. Rouhani touched on Saudi Arabia’s deadly bombardment of its southern neighbor and stressed that war crimes are being committed in Yemen. He said famine and contagious diseases have spread all across the war-battered country. The Iranian president also called on European countries, especially France, to join hands in order to alleviate the plight of the Yemenis.

Pro-Palestine rally

Pro-Palestinian protesters have staged a mass gathering at the venue of the annual conference of the pro-Israeli lobby AIPAC in the US capital. Demonstrators gathered at the entrance of the Washington convention center where the AIPAC Policy conference is taking place. The protesters condemned the US government’s support for the Israeli regime and rejected President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as the Israeli capital. They expressed solidarity with the Palestinians and vowed to keep alive the Palestinian cause. The protesters also demanded that the three-day AIPAC conference be shut down. The annual meeting brings pro-Israel lobbyists and US lawmakers together to discuss future US policy on Israel.

Spaniards reject Catalonia independence

Thousands of Spaniards have taken to the streets of Barcelona to protest the independence bid by Catalonian separatist parties. Demonstrators carried placards in favor of unity while waving the Spanish flag and chanting pro-unity slogans. They expressed determination to confront any secessionist attempt. The massive rally, organized by the unionist ‘Platform for Tabarnia’ association, demanded a halt on support for any separatist movement. The group mocks the independence bid by calling for the division of Catalonia into two parts. One would be for separatists who want to leave Spain and the other for those who want to remain a part of the country.

Aid for Eastern Ghouta

A humanitarian convoy from the UN and other aid agencies has arrived in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta. This is the second aid convoy sent this year for people besieged in the militant-held flashpoint countryside of the capital Damascus. Earlier, we were joined by our correspondent Mohamad Ali in Eastern Ghouta to get the latest on the situation there.

Inter-Korean diplomacy

A South Korean delegation has left for North Korea to push for de-nuclearization talks between the two neighbors as well as between Pyongyang and Washington. The head of the delegation was speaking before the team’s departure. He said they hope to bring about further improvement in inter-Korean relations following a rapprochement which emerged during the Winter Olympics. He expressed hope that the talks will lead to the de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The 10-member team will return to Seoul on Tuesday and then fly to the US to pass on the results of their trip to officials in Washington. Tensions have been rising on the Korean Peninsula over Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear tests. North Korea is also concerned about joint dills by the US and South Korea in the region, saying the exercises are a rehearsal for war.

Kashmir strike

Indian-controlled Kashmir is observing yet another shutdown in protest over the killing of five people by Indian security forces. Businesses and schools are closed while traffic is off the roads in parts of the disputed Himalayan region. Pro-independence groups called the one-day strike after Indian soldiers killed four young civilians and a suspected armed man. Kashmiris spilled into the streets overnight to protest the killings which locals describe as cold-blooded. Meanwhile, authorities have clamped down a curfew in the region to prevent anti-India protests. The Muslim-majority Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan since the two countries gained independence from British rule in 1947. Over 70-thousand people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian crackdown since the 1980s.

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