Author: Steven Sahiounie

Over the past year, property prices have increased by close to 30%, with government stimulus plans to tackle Covid-19’s impact on the economy reportedly worsening New Zealand’s long-term housing supply issues. According to a real estate report, only 12,684 homes are available for purchase across the country. Noting that “successive governments had failed New Zealanders,” chief human rights commissioner Paul Hunt said in a statement that the housing crisis was having a “punishing impact especially on the most marginalized in our communities.” New Zealand governments have signed up to a critically important human right: the right to a decent home. For generations, they have promised to…

Iran has said it would not hesitate to give a “strong” and “prompt” response to any threat while slamming “false” accusations as the UK summoned its envoy over the attack on the Israeli-operated tanker off the coast of Oman. The claims made by the British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and the US State Secretary Antony Blinken against Iran are “contradictory” and “false,” Iranian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said on Monday. He denounced the accusations made by the western officials as “incitement to violence” and said that Tehran strongly condemns them and deeply regrets such statements were made. On Sunday, London and Washington officially accused Iran…

In an attempt to boost inoculation rates, Hong Kong has announced that workers in key sectors will have to either get vaccinated or regularly pay for Covid tests on their own. The chief executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, unveiled the decision to require civil servants, as well as workers in the education, care-home, and healthcare systems, to get vaccinated against the coronavirus or pay for regular testing themselves. The decision comes as uptake remains slow in the city, with Lam slamming Hong Kong residents for not rushing to get vaccinated: “If it’s purely a personal option not to get vaccinated…

Doctors in Nigeria have begun an indefinite strike over what they say are late payment of wages and Covid allowances, as well as poor working conditions. The industrial action comes as hundreds of Covid cases are recorded daily. The strike, led by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), which represents graduate doctors training to be specialists, commenced on Monday. “The nationwide strike started at 8am. It’s an indefinite strike,” Dr. Okhuaihesuyi Uyilawa, president of NARD, said as cited by AFP. “We appeal to Nigerians to bear with us. Doctors and their families are suffering. We can no longer pay our…

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said the hastened withdrawal of foreign forces has led to the worsening situation on the battlefield, as the Taliban renewed assaults on major cities. “The reason for our current situation is that the decision [to withdraw international troops] was taken abruptly,” Ashraf Ghani told the country’s parliament on Monday. Presenting his security plan, Ghani expressed hope that the situation on the ground will be “under control within six months.” The president also cited corruption and the delay of payments to security personnel as one of the pressing issues on the battlefield. TOLO News earlier quoted sources as saying…

Al Mayadeen correspondent reported the arrival of reinforcements from the Lebanese Commando Regiment to Khalde, south of the Lebanese capital, Beirut. In this context, the Lebanese army issued a statement in which it confirmed that its deployed units “will open fire at any gunman on sight in Khaldeh.” In the statement, the Lebanese army clarified that “during the funeral of Ali Shibli in Khaldeh, gunmen opened fire at the funeral procession, which led to confrontations that resulted in a number of deaths, while others were wounded, including one soldier.” The Head of Al Mayadeen office in Beirut confirmed that “a number of victims,…

The Palestinian Resistance factions issued a press statement, in which they saluted the revolting Palestinian people in al-Quds and the Sheikh Jarrah Neighborhood in particular, and throughout the West Bank, in response to the increasing attacks and crimes of the occupation forces against them, the latest of which resulted in 4 martyrs in the occupied West Bank. The factions expressed their “full solidarity with their people in al-Quds and the West Bank,” and said, “We assure them that the Resistance that defended them in the Seif al-Quds Battle will not let them down, God willing, and shall safeguard this covenant.”…

US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, stated yesterday, Saturday, that Tunisia must quickly return to its ‘democratic path’, days after Tunisian President Kais Saied suspended parliament and assumed executive power. During a phone conversation with President Saied, Sullivan expressed his support for “Tunisian democracy based on basic rights, strong institutions and a commitment to the rule of law,” according to a White House statement. He stressed the urgency for “Tunisian leaders to outline a swift return to Tunisia’s democratic path.” Sullivan added, “This will require rapidly forming a new government, led by a capable prime minister to stabilize Tunisia’s economy…

The Israeli Occupation’s Foreign Minister and the US Secretary of State agreed to “work with the United Kingdom, Romania, and other international partners to investigate the facts, provide support, and consider the appropriate next steps,” according to a statement by US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price. Lapid called for an international response “in the face of Iranian terrorism, which also harms freedom of navigation.” London-based Zodiac Maritime, a company owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer announced last Friday that two foreign nationals were killed in the incident, one Romanian, and the other British. According to reports, the ship was attacked in the…

Yesterday, Saturday, the Baghdad Operations Command revealed new measures to prevent targeting the capital’s international airport and the headquarters of diplomatic missions. It announced seizing 18 Krand and Katyusha missiles that intend to target the Baghdad airport and its readiness to implement all security measures for the Islamic month of Muharram. Baghdad Operations Commander Lieutenant-General Ahmad Slim said, “The Baghdad Operations Command has taken several measures to prevent the targeting of the Green Zone, diplomatic missions, and the capital’s airport with indirect fire.” In a statement to the Iraqi News Agency, Slim pointed out that “the procedures include preventing outlaw…