WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, February 6, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, February 7, 2017.

Defending nuke plans

The US secretary of defense says the purpose of Washington’s plan to deploy new low-yield nuclear weapons is to force Russia to respect agreements on limiting nukes. James Mattis says Moscow is violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, adding that Washington wants to have a bargaining chip to pressure Russia into compliance. He made the statements at a hearing in US Congress. Over the past several months, Washington has accused Russia of developing a new cruise missile that violates the 1988 treaty. Moscow has rejected the allegations. Last week, the Pentagon released its updated nuclear strategy review. The document lays out plans to revamp and diversify the US nuclear arsenal to counter what Washington calls threats from North Korea, Iran, China and particularly Russia.

US Afghanistan policy

Several US lawmakers have criticized the administration of President Donald Trump over its policy in Afghanistan as American troops’ presence there enters its 17th year. An official in the US Defense Department said the presence costs taxpayers 45 billion dollars per year. Three senators from both parties highlighted the scale of the continuing spending from Washington. They argued that those funds could be spent effectively to save American lives. Defense Secretary James Mattis, however, defended US troops’ presence in Afghanistan saying it is aimed at preventing another 9/11. Meanwhile, a State Department official said Washington still hopes to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table. The US invaded Afghanistan back in 2001 as part of its so-called war on terror.

Slamming US policy

President Hassan Rouhani says Iran’s missile program is solely for defensive purposes and Tehran will not negotiate it with anyone. Rouhani added that Iranian-made missiles have no aggressive purposes and will never be used to attack any country. The Iranian president who was fielding questions of Iranian and foreign journalists, slammed Trump’s announcement of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital. He said certain regional countries are collaborating with the US in this regard. Rouhani also criticized the new leaders of Saudi Arabia for their support of Daesh terrorists as well as their war on Yemen.

Israel West Bank raid

Israeli soldiers have shot dead a Palestinian man during a raid in the occupied territories. Palestinian Health Ministry said the man died after Israeli forces raided the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank. It added that dozens of others were also wounded in the clashes. Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli soldiers killed Ahmed Nasr Jarrar in the village of Yarmoun after surrounding his house. Hundreds of people rallied in the city of Khan Yunis in Gaza condemning the killing of Jarrar. Israelis say the Palestinian was behind the killing of a Rabai last month. Jarrar’s death led to heavy clashes in the occupied West Bank.

Iran slams UNSC

Iran has criticized the US policies regarding the United Nations Security Council as counter-productive and a disappointment for multilateral diplomacy. Iran's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN slammed what he called an instrumental manipulation of the Security Council for the sake of national and political purposes. Es’haq Al-e Habib accused Washington of preventing the world body from taking action on Saudi Arabia’s war on Yemen and Israel’s atrocities against the Palestinians. Al-e Habib recalled UN Security Council’s extraordinary session on January 5 on Iran’s weeklong protests, as an instance of the Council’s entrance into a subject outside UN jurisdiction. He also denounced the US display of what it claimed to be parts of Iranian-made missiles supplied to Yemeni fighters to be used against Saudi Arabia. The envoy called for a more democratic and transparent Security Council as required in the UN charter.

Taiwan earthquake

Rescue operations are underway in Taiwan’s coastal city of Hualien, following a magnitude six-point-four earthquake. Rescuers are now trying to find about 145 people who are unaccounted for. Many of those missing are believed to be tapped inside collapsed buildings. A 12-storey building, left leaning to one side, is in focus of the rescue efforts. It houses residential units as well as shops and a hostel. The strong earthquake took place near Taiwan’s popular tourist city on Tuesday night. It killed four people and injured more than 220 others. Thousands have been left without water and electricity.

Iraq operation

The Iraqi army and its allied units have started an all-out operation against remaining Daesh terrorists in the northern province of Kirkuk. The offensive is aimed at cleansing the pockets of Takfiri terrorists. The Iraqi army says the operation will also prevent Daesh from launching future terror attacks and re-grouping. The offensive in Kirkuk goes in line with similar operations, taking place in the country’s western province of Anbar, which are aimed at boosting Iraq’s security along its borders. Daesh has lost most areas it captured in Iraq in 20-14 and is already teetering on the verge of total collapse.

‘Israel supports terrorists’

The Syrian military says Israeli warplanes fired a number of missiles targeting army positions near the capital Damascus. According to army officials, the Air Defense forces confronted the Israeli planes which used the Lebanese airspace to carry out the attack. Following the assault, the Syrian army issued a statement, expressing readiness to confront any move that violates the country’s sovereignty. The statement also warned Israel of the consequences of any such acts. It said the assaults are aimed at encouraging the foreign-backed terrorists to carry out attacks in Syria. This is the second raid conducted by the Israeli army this month.

West Bank violence

Clashes have erupted in the occupied West Bank following the killing of a Palestinian man by an Israeli guard. Nearly a dozen demonstrators have been injured in the violence. Israeli forces fired rubber bullets to disperse the protesters. The rally took place near the city of al-Khalil where a Palestinian man was killed on Wednesday. Tel Aviv says the man was killed after he stabbed an Israeli guard and injured him lightly. On Tuesday, Israeli forces killed another Palestinian in clashes that took place in the city of Nablus. Tensions have risen since U-S President Donald Trump’s controversial recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as the Israeli capital on December six. Over two dozen Palestinians have been killed since then.

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