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Iran's Intelligence Minister Meets Palestinian Factions in Damascus

A general view shows the Al Maysat roundabout in Damascus March 11, 2012. (REUTERS/Khaled Al-Hariri)
A general view shows the Al Maysat roundabout in Damascus March 11, 2012. (REUTERS/Khaled Al-Hariri)
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Iran's Intelligence Minister Meets Palestinian Factions in Damascus

A general view shows the Al Maysat roundabout in Damascus March 11, 2012. (REUTERS/Khaled Al-Hariri)
A general view shows the Al Maysat roundabout in Damascus March 11, 2012. (REUTERS/Khaled Al-Hariri)

Iran's Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi has met with a delegation from Palestinian factions at the Iranian embassy in Damascus.

A statement issued by the factions said that discussions focused on the latest developments in the region, the Palestinian cause and mainly US President Donald Trump’s Israeli-Palestinian peace plan dubbed the “deal of the century.”

The statement stressed that the Palestinian factions remain united against the plan.

It said that the two sides discussed the difficulties facing the Palestinian people and the resistance factions, and their role in confronting Israeli occupation.

According to the statement, “Alavi lauded the role of the resistance factions and their deterring capabilities in the latest war on the Gaza Strip.”

The leadership of the factions stressed the importance of the “interconnected role of the resistance axis’ forces and countries in the region in confronting schemes and threats that target Iran, Syria, Palestine and Lebanon.”

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Thousands Protest Housing Crunch, High Rents in Barcelona

Demonstrators march to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Demonstrators march to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
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Thousands Protest Housing Crunch, High Rents in Barcelona

Demonstrators march to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Demonstrators march to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Thousands of Spaniards rallied in downtown Barcelona on Saturday to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in the popular tourist destination.
People held up homemade signs in Spanish reading “Fewer apartments for investing and more homes for living,” and “The people without homes uphold their rights.”
The issue has become one of the leading concerns for the southern European Union country, mirroring the housing crunch across many parts of the world.
The average rent for Spain has doubled in the last decade. The price per square meter has risen from 7.2 euros in 2014 to 13 euros this year, according to the popular online real estate website Idealista. The growth is even more acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Incomes meanwhile have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in country with chronically high unemployment.
Protestor Samuel Saintot said he is “frustrated and scared” after being told by the owners of the apartment he has rented for the past 15 years in Barcelona’s city center that he must vacate the premises. He suspects that the owners want him out so they renovate it and boost the price.
“Even looking in a 20- or 30-kilometer radius outside town, I can’t even find anything within the price range I can afford,” he told The Associated Press. “And I consider myself a very fortunate person, because I earn a decent salary. And even in my case, I may be forced to leave town.”
A report by the Bank of Spain indicates that nearly 40% of Spaniards who rent dedicate an average of 40% of their income to paying rents and utilities, compared to the European Union average of 27% of renters in that strained economic circumstance.
“We are talking about a housing emergency. It means people having many difficulties both in accessing and staying in their homes,” said Ignasi Martí, professor for Esade business school and head of its Dignified Housing Observatory.