WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, April 26, 2019 to 0800 GMT, April 27, 2019.

Pelosi raps Trump

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the United Nations’ arms trade treaty is reckless and shameful. Pelosi said in a tweet that Trump’s decision is meant to get applause from the powerful gun lobby, the National Rifle Association. She said the move undermines the US national security and makes for a more dangerous world. Earlier, Trump announced the pullout plan in an address to the NRA’s annual meeting.

US ‘politics of blackmail’

Russia has reacted to the fresh sanctions the United States has imposed on Venezuela, saying Washington should halt its politics of blackmail. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the US should return to the realm of international law and stop provoking tensions in Venezuela. The remarks came after the US treasury department slapped sanctions on Venezuela's foreign minister and a senior judge. The US treasury said it will continue to target the Venezuelan government and those close to President Nicolas Maduro. Earlier this year, the White House recognized opposition figure, Juan Guaido, as Venezuela’s president. The US has also openly talked about forcing a regime change in Venezuela.

UN Myanmar study

The United Nations says new violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State has hampered a study into whether the area is prepared for the return of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh. The UN high commissioner for refugees says tensions between Myanmar’s military and Rakhine’s ethnic Buddhists have restricted access to abandoned villages where Rohingya Muslims were subject to army attacks. Filippo Grandi said out of one-thousand villages, UN experts were only able to access about one hundred of them. Based on an agreement with the Myanmar government, the UN was to get access to the villages to prepare for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. Over 700 thousand Rohingya Muslims crossed into Bangladesh after fleeing a deadly military crackdown in 2017. The United Nations has described the crackdown as a clear textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

Sri Lanka shootout 

Sri Lanka is stepping up operations to find suspects behind Easter Sunday’s bombings that killed more than 250 people across the country. The latest operation was conducted near the eastern town of Kalmu-nai. Security forces stormed a house on Friday evening that followed with clashes throughout the night. Police and the military confirmed the killing of four gunmen and a civilian. They said 15 more people, including six children, were also killed when three bombers set off explosives. On Friday, President Mai-thri-pala Siri-sena said a manhunt is underway for 140 people suspected to have links with Daesh. The terrorist group has claimed responsibility for last week’s bombings.

‘Failed’ US policies

Iran’s foreign minister says he doesn’t believe that US President Donald Trump wants to indulge in a conflict with the Islamic Republic despite being encouraged to do so. Zarif was speaking during an interview with Fox News, which is set to be released in full on Sunday. He accused US National Security Advisor John Bolton, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates of escalating tensions and pushing Trump into a conflict with Iran. Zarif said regime change in Iran is the very least Trump’s officials and some of their Middle Eastern allies are trying to plot.

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