WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, February 20, 2019 to 0800 GMT, February 21, 2019.

Trump's wall project

US House Democrats seek to file a resolution to block the national emergency declaration issued by President Donald Trump to raise funds for a Mexican border wall. Aides to a democratic lawmaker say the resolution will be introduced on Friday. The measure could set up a vote by the full House by mid-March and then move to the Republican-controlled Senate. The resolution needs a two-thirds vote in both chambers to override Trump’s veto. Last week, the US president declared national emergency to bypass Congress after it refused to approve over five billion dollars to build the barrier.

US intervention in Venezuela

Russia has warned Venezuela's opposition figure and self-declared President Juan Guaido against inviting foreign intervention. Lavrov says any intervention, whether direct or what he called under the cover of humanitarian aid, will not achieve the results Guaido seeks. Lavrov also says any use of force will aggravate the problem in the oil-rich country. He has called on the Venezuelan opposition to respond to dialog initiatives between all political forces. Venezuela's military, which is backing President Nicolas Maduro, says it is on high alert. This comes after Guaido vowed to bring into the country the foreign aid which Maduro has slammed as a smokescreen for a US invasion.

Brazil protest

In Brazil, thousands of people hit the streets of the city of Sao Paulo in protest against government’s economic policies. The demonstrators criticized Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's announced plans to overhaul the country's pension system. The reforms start with an increase in the minimum age of retirement. The proposal aims to set the minimum retirement age to 65 for men and 62 for women. In the country’s current pension system, men retire after 35 years of work, while women retire after 30 years. Bolsonaro delivered his proposed pension overhaul to Congress on Wednesday. The plan is to save over 270 billion dollars in a decade.

Israeli ‘adventurism’

The Iranian foreign minister says Israeli airstrikes in Syria are a violation of the Lebanese and the Syrian airspace and also a breach of the international law. In an interview with a German newspaper, Mohammad Javad Zarif criticized as dangerous Israel’s “adventurism” in the Middle East. Zarif said he could not rule out the possibility of a military conflict between Iran and Israel in the region. He added that Iranian advisors are in Syria at the invitation of the Syrian government. Earlier, Zarif warned that Tel Aviv is seeking war in the Middle East.

Israeli settlements

Israel has reportedly approved thousands of settler units in the occupied territories. According to Israeli media, Tel Aviv will construct 4,416 settler units in several areas including East Jerusalem al-Quds. The units will be constructed in three different neighborhoods of the holy city. All Israeli settlements are illegal under international law. Israel is defying international calls for a halt to its settlement construction plans.

Bangladesh deadly fire

A huge fire breaks out in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, killing at least 56 people. Officials warned that the death toll may rise as search operations are underway. Dozens of others were also injured. The fire broke out in a chemical warehouse and spread to other buildings. The blaze was reportedly originated from a gas cylinder. Building safety regulations are rarely followed in Bangladesh, where incidents of such nature kill hundreds every year.

Turkey's EU membership

Turkey has condemned a report by a key European Parliament committee which calls for the suspension of EU accession negotiations with Ankara. In a statement, the Turkish foreign ministry said that the non-binding advisory draft report is absolutely unacceptable. The ministry insists the report should be revised in a more realistic, impartial and encouraging manner. The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee report slams Ankara for undermining human rights and civil liberties. It also accuses the Turkish government of influencing the judiciary and engaging in territorial disputes with neighboring countries. Committee members say that such policies, in combination with changes in the country's governing system, have made Turkey's accession to the EU impossible at this stage.

China-US trade talks

China and the US have reportedly made significant progress in negotiations to end a months-long trade dispute. Sources familiar with the talks have told Reuters, negotiators are drawing up memorandums of understanding on the main points of contention. The memoranda are aimed at covering the principles on key issues affecting the bilateral trade relationship. The two sides are also discussing an enforcement mechanism for the deal. Chinese and American officials are set to continue high level talks in Washington until Friday to conform the remaining gaps. If no agreement is reached between the two countries by March the first, US tariffs on 200-billion dollars of Chinese imports will rise from 10-percent to 25-percent.