WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, February 4, 2017.

Yemen toll rising

The death toll from a Saudi bombardment in the Yemeni capital Sana’a has risen to seven. Dozens of others were injured after a government building came under attack by Saudi fighter jets on Sunday. Such bombardments have been ongoing since early 2015. Besides a staggering number of civilian casualties, the onslaught has caused a horrific humanitarian crisis. The United Nations have for many times condemned the offensive, but the lax international response has failed to pressure the Saudi kingdom to stop the military campaign. Calls have also grown in Germany and the UK for suspension of arms delivery to Saudi Arabia.

Turkey warns US

Turkey has warned American soldiers in Syria of the possibility of being treated as terrorists if they keep backing Kurdish YPG militants. Talking to media, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag threatened to expand Ankara’s operation to the town of Manbij and even east of the Euphrates River if the YPG did not withdraw. He went on to say that US soldiers risk being caught up in clashes and that Turkish forces would not make a distinction if Americans appear in YPG uniforms. Bozdag was referring to past images of US troops in northern Syria with YPG insignia.

Iran defense power

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has reiterated that the country’s defense capabilities are not up for negotiation. Addressing top military brass, Rouhani said Iran is not after weapons of mass destruction but has the right to obtain any conventional weapon to defend itself. The president noted that Iran must boost its defense power as long as there are threats against the country. He said Iran needs to keep its military might up to a level that disheartens enemies and make them understand that they will pay dearly if they attack the country. Rouhani further urged the armed forces to always remain ready to counter any threat.

‘US plan for Daesh’

Iran’s defense minister says the US is seeking to relocate Daesh terrorists to Afghanistan to justify its presence in the country. Brigadier General Amir Hatami made the comment in a phone conversation with his Afghan opposite number Major General Tariq Shah Bahrami. The Iranian defense chief said it was Washington that created the Daesh terrorist group in order to manage it in Syria and Iraq. However, he noted, the US tried to save the terrorists from the maelstroms of Iraq and Syria after they were defeated in the two countries, and transfer them to Afghanistan. General Hatami said the US is pursuing the policy of increasing its troop numbers in Afghanistan. The Afghan defense minister, in turn, said more than 20 terror groups are operating in Afghanistan, and added regional security will be jeopardized if the terrorists are left to their own devices. The two sides underlined the need for closer cooperation to tackle terrorism.

Bahrain under fire

International rights organization, Human Rights Watch, has slammed Bahrain for stripping eight people of their citizenship. The rights watch called on the Persian Gulf Kingdom to immediately put an end to arbitrary deportations. It also urged Manama to restore citizenship to those who have been left stateless or whose citizenship was revoked unfairly or arbitrarily. The reaction came after the Al Khalifah regime revoked the citizenship of eight Bahrainis and deported them to Iraq. Under Bahrain’s law, amended after the 2011 uprising against the Kingdom, individuals who engage in acts deemed disloyal to the state can be stripped of their nationality. Hundreds of people have lost their citizenships and dozens of activists have been jailed since 2011.

Germany coalition talks

Germany’s two main political parties have started another meeting to try and form a coalition government after more than four months of political deadlock. Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the Social Democrats, the SPD, have been battling over healthcare and labor issues in the past couple of meetings. Ahead of the meeting, Merkel said the two sides reached good groundwork on Saturday but sticking points remain. The German Chancellor added that she expected the upcoming negotiations to be tough. A deadline has been set for Sunday evening, with two extra days as a precaution. Germany is in a political deadlock following an inconclusive general election held last September. If the talks with the SPD fail again, Merkel has to either form a risky minority government or trigger a second federal election.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir