Author: Steven Sahiounie

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…

A labor union has voted to approve a strike at Escondida, the world’s largest copper mine, located in the Atacama Desert, Chile, where the miners are demanding better work conditions and benefits during the pandemic. The mine’s Union No 1 said that 2,164 of its members, or 99,5% of those who had voted, had chosen to reject a final contract offer, and that it had approved the strike. “The resounding result once against demonstrates that… our ranks believe that this offer doesn’t contain any progress towards [addressing] the legitimate demands of the workers,” the union said, in a statement late on…

The Cambodian prime minister has announced that his country is rolling out a third-dose booster scheme, using either a Chinese shot or a British jab. Frontline workers will be the first to receive the follow-up injection. Cambodians who have previously been injected with the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccine will receive a dose of that produced by Oxford-AstraZeneca, while those inoculated with AstraZeneca’s will be administered Sinovac’s, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced on Sunday. Preparations are underway for the third-dose scheme, and the government has ordered the Health Ministry to purchase more of the Oxford-developed shots, the Khmer Times reported. Up…

It is “highly likely” that Iran was behind the deadly drone attack on the Israeli-operated tanker MV Mercer Street off the coast of Oman, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said, threatening Tehran with a “concerted response.” “We believe this attack was deliberate, targeted, and a clear violation of international law by Iran,” said a statement, released by the Foreign Office on Sunday. It went on to say that “it is highly likely” that Iran attacked the Mercer Street tanker with one of its drones as the vessel was passing through neutral waters off the coast of Oman. The MV Mercer Street, a Liberian-flagged…