WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 18:00 GMT, August 15, 2017 to 08:00 GMT, August 16, 2017.

Trump's defiance

The US president has defended his initial response to last week’s deadly violence in the city of Charlottesville in the state of Virginia. Speaking to reporters in the lobby of Trump Tower, he said both sides were to blame in the clashes. Donald Trump added that protesters on the political left violently attacked white nationalists rallying against a decision to remove a Confederate statue. Earlier, Trump hit back at four business leaders who quit a presidential advisory panel in protest over his response to the Saturday’s violence which left one person dead. He called the executives “grandstanders” saying he had many people ready to take their place. Trump had been sharply criticized for his initial comments blaming "many sides" for the violence in Charlottesville. On Monday, however, he explicitly condemned right-wing racist elements

Taliban warn US

The Taliban have called on the US president to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan as Washington mulls deploying additional forces. In an open letter, the Taliban urged Donald Trump to stop listening to what the group labeled as stooges in Kabul. The letter says some Afghan warmongering congressmen have been pressing the US to expand the war as they seek to preserve their military privileges. The Taliban added that deploying more troops to the country will only lead to more destruction of American military and economic might. The US is working to finalize a regional strategy, which could see the deployment of nearly 4,000 additional US troops to Afghanistan.

Sierra Leone mudslide

Rescue workers have recovered nearly 400 bodies from a mudslide on the outskirts of Sierra Leone's capital Freetown. Search to recover further bodies continues and according to the coroner at least 500 bodies are expected to be discovered. Dozens of houses were covered in mud when a mountain-side collapsed in the town of Regent on Monday morning. Rescue centers are set up around the capital to register and assist the victims. President Ernest Bai Koroma has urged residents of Regent and other flooded areas around Freetown to evacuate immediately. The military has been called in to help but has not been able to do much to stop the disaster from becoming worse. The West African country is considered as one of the poorest countries in the world. It is still reeling from a deadly epidemic of the Ebola virus.

US accusations against Iran

The US ambassador to the United Nations says Iran’s nuclear deal with the P5+1 group of countries must not become too big to fail. Nikki Haley said Iran must be held responsible for its missile launches and repeated Washington’s accusations of supporting terrorism and violating the United Nations Security Council resolutions. She said Iran could not be allowed to use the nuclear deal to hold the world hostage. Haley’s remarks followed a warning from the Iranian president against new US sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic. He said Tehran was capable of snapping back to pre-nuclear deal status if Washington persisted with its policy of sanctions and threats.

Trump under fire

Demonstrators have staged a protest outside Trump's tower following his new remarks about the deadly violence in Charlottesville. The protesters denounced racism and white supremacy promoted by far right groups. They also slammed the US president’s anti-immigration policy and discrimination against Muslims and people of color. Hate crimes have been on the rise across the US since Trump assumed office in January. Media reports indicate that Trump’s election has emboldened far-right groups and white supremacists and increased levels of xenophobia across the country.

Easing of US-North Korea tensions

The US secretary of state says Washington remains ready for talks with North Korea as Pyongyang decides to hold off its plan to strike the US territory of Guam. Tillerson noted he won't respond to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's decisions at this time. He had earlier stressed that any discussions with the North depends on whether the country accepts to give up its missile and nuclear programs and launches. The top US diplomat made the comment after Pyongyang postponed a plan to fire missiles toward Guam. North Korea had threatened to do so and had even provided a timetable for the strike. The US president’s reaction to the preparation brought the tensions to a dangerous level before regional countries urged restraint.

Iran slams US's double standards

The secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council has slammed the US for adopting double standards in its fight against terror in the Middle East. Ali Shamkhani cited the recent US targeting of pro-Damascus forces near the Syrian-Iraq border and reports of collaboration with Daesh terrorists as instances of Washington’s duplicity. He said such moves clearly showed the US was among the main sponsors of terror in the Middle East. Shamkhani also highlighted the important role played by the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah in dislodging terrorists from the country’s border regions. He said Hezbollah’s growing popularity and its successful anti-terror operations had angered Israel and its mercenaries.

Colombia-FARC war over

Colombia’s president has declared the country's nearly half-a-century-long conflict with FARC guerrillas is truly over. Speaking at a remote area in Guajira department, Santos described it as a historic moment for the country. He made the remarks as the last batch of FARC’s weapons was taken out of a remote demobilization camp to formally end the United Nations-supervised disarmament of the rebels. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia is to officially transform into a political party in early September. The move is aimed at reintegrating the militias into civilian life as part of a historic peace deal signed last year. FARC’s 53-year armed conflict left as many as 250,000 people dead and millions displaced.

Lebanon fight against terror  

Lebanese forces are blasting their way toward the border with Syria, strengthening the grip on Daesh Takfiri terrorists. In a statement, the army said its troops discovered bombs and explosive belts on the edge of the border town of Arsal. The statement added that government troops tightened the siege on areas controlled by the terrorist group. The developments followed a recent deal between Hezbollah and the Nusra Front terrorists which saw them relocated from Arsal to Syria’s Idlib.

Iran Parliament debates on cabinet picks

The second day of vote-of-confidence debates on President Hassan Rouhani’s proposed cabinet lineup for the 12th administration is underway in the Iranian parliament. Lawmakers began today's session with a debate on the president’s pick for intelligence minister, Mahmoud Alavi. Two supporters and an opponent of the nominee presented their arguments. Alavi, then defended his performance in the past four years by outlining the ministry’s success in thwarting terrorist attacks and its plans for providing cyber security. The lawmakers are currently engaged in a debate on the nominee for Economy Minister Masoud Karbasian. On Tuesday, lawmakers held debates on two cabinet picks. President Rouhani also delivered a two-hour speech in defense of his 17 candidates and laid out the new government’s agenda. He is yet to announce his pick for the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. The legislative body will assess the qualifications and then vote on the proposed ministers.

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