WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, October 19, 2017.

Australia child detention

The United Nations Human Rights Committee has roundly criticized Australia over its disregard for international human rights law. The committee’s vice chair slammed Australia for its mandatory detention of children. Yuval Shany said Canberra has a chronic non-compliance with the committee’s recommendations. She urged Australia not to self-judge international law or pick and choose the ones it wishes to follow. The UN human rights committee is set to discuss Australia’s immigration policy shortly. The country is notorious for incarcerating refugees in horrible conditions outside its mainland. Earlier this month, Australia was elected to the UN human rights council, sparking widespread opposition from other members.

Iran missile program

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has announced that it will accelerate boosting the country’s missile capability. The IRGC has said in a statement that Iran’s regional influence will continue to expand along with its missile program that has been developed under total international sanctions. The body also hailed the nationwide support for the IRGC in the face of the recent anti-Iran rhetoric by the US President Donald Trump. The IRGC slammed the US administration and Israeli regime for trying to change the map of the Middle East and dismantle or weaken its nations. The statement concluded that Trump’s hostile stance, his insults to the Iranian people and the fresh, cruel US sanctions further prove that the American and Israeli plots in the Middle East have been foiled.

Catalonia independence row

Spain says it will suspend Catalonia’s autonomy on Saturday after the region’s leader threatened to declare independence. The Spanish government says Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will hold a special cabinet meeting to trigger article 155 which enables Madrid to take over the region. This comes after the Catalan president ignored the government’s final ultimatum to withdraw from his secession bid, threatening to declare independence from Spain. Carles Puigdemont reiterated his demand for dialog which was once rejected by the government as not credible. Two weeks ago, Catalans staged an independence referendum which Madrid declared invalid.

Child death rate

A UN report says 15,000 children under the age of five still die each day around the world from preventable diseases. The report warned that more than 60 million young children will die by 2030 from preventable diseases in Africa and South Asia due to medical shortcomings. Pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria top the list of child killers. More than 50 countries, mainly in Africa, are falling behind in improving access to treatment and medical facilities. The report added that malnutrition played a role in half of the deaths. India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, China and Niger account for 50 percent of the deaths.

Iran nuclear deal

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has reaffirmed the bloc’s full commitment to the Iran nuclear deal amid the US threats to terminate the agreement. Mogherini made the remarks ahead of Thursday’s EU summit in Brussels. The EU foreign policy chief said she expects EU leaders to endorse and strengthen the accord at the meeting. Last week, US President Donald Trump refused to re-certify the agreement. He later renewed his threat to fully withdraw Washington from the accord.

Syria foils West plots

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says the defeat of terrorism in the Arab country is a crushing blow to western powers’ plots in the Middle East. Assad made the comment in a meeting with Iran’s top military official Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri in Damascus. He said some countries support terrorism in the region because they have seen their plots thwarted one after another. Assad also thanked Iran for its all-out support of Damascus since the onset of the Syria crisis. Baqeri congratulated Assad on Syria’s recent achievements in its fight against terrorism. He expressed hope that terrorism will soon be wiped out in the war-ravaged country. Baqeri also handed a letter from the Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei to the Syrian president.

Surge in Taliban attacks

At least 58 Afghan security forces have been killed in a fresh wave of attacks in the country’s south. General Dawlat Wazir added two car bombs were followed by several hours of gun battle that inflicted casualties on both the assailants and Afghan soldiers in Kandahar province. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attacks. The bombings bring to over 130 the number of security forces killed in Afghanistan over the past two days. Two suicide bombers killed at least 71 security forces in the south-eastern province of Paktia on Tuesday. Six police officers also lost their lives in a Taliban ambush in the northern province of Balkh on Wednesday.

Rejecting US, Israel conditions

Palestinian factions condemn the US for demanding Hamas disarm before participating in the unity government. Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, says no one can force the Palestinian resistance movement to disarm, or recognize the Israeli regime. He further noted that Hamas will keep its military power to protect the people of Gaza. The movement has also said the US bows to pressure from Israel. Meanwhile, Fatah, the other Palestinian faction, says its unity deal with Hamas is an internal Palestinian issue which is in line with international law. Fatah also says the reconciliation is a national decision, and that Palestinians will not go back to division. The remarks by the Palestinian factions come in reaction to US special envoy Jason Greenblatt’s comments in which he called Hamas a terrorist group.

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