WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, August 25, 2018.

Chemical attack warning  

Russia accuses the United States, the United Kingdom and France of preparing ground to attack Syria under the pretext of the chemical weapons use by the Syrian army. The defense ministry says Nusra Front terrorists have delivered eight tankers with poisonous chlorine gas to a village near the city of Jisr al-Shughur in Idlib. The ministry accuses the Western countries of supporting the attack. It says a new group of militants has arrived in Idlib after receiving training by a private UK military company. The training is said to involve imitating the rescue of the victims of the chemical weapons. Moscow also says American destroyers have been deployed to the Persian Gulf. In the past, Damascus accused terrorists of staging chemical attacks on civilians.

China reaction  

China expresses concern over the US comments on North Korea’s denuclearization process. China’s foreign ministry slammed the US president’s comments about Pyongyang as irresponsible. He noted that Beijing would continue to play a positive role towards denuclearization on the Korean peninsula. The denouncement comes after Donald Trump asked US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to postpone his trip to North Korea due to insufficient progress on the denuclearization process. He also accused china of not helping with the process. North Korea brands Washington’s demand for a complete denuclearization without any reciprocal action a gangster-like request.

Plight of refugees

The UN’s Refugee Agency has called on EU member states to urgently take in some of 150 refugees stuck on-board a rescue vessel in Italy. The UNHCR also urged Italian authorities to allow the immediate disembarkation of those people. France has also called for a coordinated and long-term European mechanism to distribute the refugees. Italy has been grappling with a refugee crisis during the past few years. Hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war, persecution and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia have arrived in Italy since 2013. Under the EU rules people must seek asylum in their country of arrival, but Italy's new government has increasingly refused to abide by the rule.

Clergy sexual abuse

The Irish prime minister has called on the leader of the Catholic Church to ensure justice for victims of clerical sexual abuse. Leo Varadkar said the abuse scandals are stains on the Catholic Church. Pope Francis said the failure of church authorities to address clerical child abuse in Ireland is a source of shame for the Catholic community. The Pope was addressing political leaders and diplomats at Dublin Castle during the first papal visit to Ireland in 40 years. The North Atlantic Island country has grappled with a massive history of church abuse. Multiple probes have found Catholic Church leaders protected hundreds of predatory priests over the decades.

Zimbabwe showdown  

Zimbabwe's main opposition leader has rejected a court ruling that confirmed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s victory in election. Nelson Chamisa once again renewed his vote-rigging claims in the presidential election. On Friday, Zimbabwe’s constitutional court upheld Mnangagwa’s victory in July’s election. Zimbabwe's chief justice said the country’s opposition leader has failed to prove his vote-rigging allegations. The president’s inauguration will be held on Sunday. Following the presidential election in July, at least six people were killed in clashes between the army and supporters of the opposition in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare. The voting was the first election since long-time leader Robert Mugabe was removed from power last year.

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