WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

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

Promise to Boost Missiles

Iran’s defense minister nominee Brigadier General Amir Hatami stresses that the ministry will continue to boost the country’s ballistic and cruise missile power as well as air defense capabilities. Hatami also said support for the resistance front and the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps will continue unabated. President Rouhani’s pick for the defense ministry also hailed Iran’s achievements in various fields, noting that such progress has been made despite years of Western sanctions. Hatami was addressing the MPs during the third day of debates on the president’s 17 nominees for ministerial posts. Lawmakers earlier discussed the qualification of Mahmoud Hojjati, the nominee for the Ministry of Agriculture, and Seyyed Alireza Avaie, the pick for the Ministry of Justice. The remaining candidates and their programs will be discussed in the coming days.

UN Refugee Warning

The United Nations has warned that the number of South Sudanese refugees sheltering in Uganda has passed one million. Ugandan officials say they are overwhelmed by the flow of people fleeing South Sudan's civil war. This comes as the UN refugee agency has urged the international community to donate more for humanitarian assistance. The UNHCR says an average of 1800 South Sudanese citizens have been arriving daily in Uganda over the past 12 months. South Sudanese refugees are currently sheltering in Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Congo and the Central African Republic. The number jumped after deadly fighting erupted in South Sudan's capital, Juba, in July 2016.

Trust Tarnished

A senior Chinese official says the latest US actions in East Asia region have damaged military trust between the two countries. Vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission said US relations with Taiwan, its patrols in the disputed South China Sea and the deployment of an anti-ballistic system known as THAAD in South Korea had negative influence on bilateral ties. Fan Chang-long, however added that Beijing is still willing to work with Washington to find more potential for cooperation to solve disputed and sensitive issues in the region. The two nations are at loggerheads over China’s construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea which angered Washington allies such as Japan and the Philippines.

Palestinian House Destroyed

The Israeli army has destroyed the house of a slain Palestinian who had taken part in an attack against Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank two months ago. The Israeli army has said the house of Adel Ankush from Deir Abu Masha’al near Ramallah was blown up on Thursday morning. 18-year-old Adel, along with two other young Palestinians, opened fire on Israeli soldiers in June near the Damascus gate in occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds. One Israeli trooper and the three Palestinians were killed in an exchange of fire. Human Rights groups have repeatedly slammed the Israeli military for demolishing homes of Palestinian assailants. They say it amounts to collective punishment, with family members forced to suffer for the acts of relatives. On Wednesday, Israeli forces razed to the ground the house of another Palestinian who had participated in an alleged stabbing attack last month.

Syria Civilian Casualties

The UN humanitarian advisor for Syria has criticized the US-led coalition for a large number of civilian fatalities in the war-ravaged country. Jan Egeland has urged the coalition to exert all efforts to avoid civilian casualties while launching airstrikes. Egeland made the comments during a joint press conference in Geneva. He said Daesh terrorists are using Syrian civilians as human shield. Egeland added that civilians still find it quite difficult to have proper access to medical facilities. The UN officials noted that seven thousand Syrians have been displaced every single day on average in the first half 2017. The remarks came as a UK-based monitoring group revealed that the US-led coalition airstrikes in the Syrian city of Raqqah have killed nearly 60 people in three days. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 20 children were among the victims.

Plight of Rohingya Muslims

Prominent international rights groups have once again urged India not to forcibly return ethnic Rohingya refugees to Myanmar. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said India should abide by its international obligations and fairly evaluate the refugees' claims. The rights bodies stressed that Indian authorities are well aware of the persecution of Muslims in Myanmar. Last week, India’s interior minister pledged to deport all Rohingya refugees regardless of UN registration, sparking outcry from the UN and rights bodies. Meanwhile, a government official has denied such a plan, saying New Delhi has not taken any decision yet. An estimated 40,000 Rohingya people have taken refuge in India, with less than half of them registered with the UN Refugees agency. The Rohingya have been persecuted for decades in Buddhist-majority Myanmar with the UN saying the crackdown may amount to ethnic cleansing.

Russia Warning

Russia has urged the US and North Korea to show restraint amid continued tensions between Washington and Pyongyang. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova said it’s vital for all sides to avoid reaching the point of no return. She noted that any radical solution to the Korean peninsula crisis would lead to a massive tragedy and enormous loss of lives. North Korea had earlier said it was considering firing missiles toward the US Pacific territory of Guam. But On Tuesday, it announced having put off the plans waiting for Washington’s next moves.

DR Congo Landslide

At least forty people have been killed in a landslide in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Several others were injured in the incident that took place in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The injured are receiving medical treatment. Regional officials say the landslide happened in a fishing village on the banks of Lake Albert. It followed Monday’s heavy rains that killed some three hundred people in Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown. The Democratic Republic of Congo has been hit by a number of similar incidents over the past few years.

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