Iranians rally against U.S.-Israel military actions

Crowds across Iran gathered on Friday to condemn what they describe as the U.S. and Israeli military aggression in the Middle East, with President Masoud Pezeshkian and other top officials joining a major rally in the capital Tehran to show national solidarity.

On Friday morning, despite Israel's announcement that it would launch airstrikes on several areas including downtown Tehran, large crowds still gathered on Revolution Street in central Tehran. The people waved Iranian national flags, chanted anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli slogans, and condemned the military attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel.

Demonstrators said that the U.S. and Israel plan to force Iran into "surrender" through military strikes and the assassination of Iranian leaders. However, the Iranian people will unite with the military and the government to resist the aggression and fight to the end.

"We will never rest until we drive the U.S. out of Iran and the Middle East. We must destroy Israel and expel the U.S.. Only then can the people breathe a sigh of relief," said Parviz, a protester.

"Negotiations and such are a joke. Iran has already held two rounds of negotiations, but both times Iran was attacked in the middle of the talks. We should put talk of negotiations out of our minds and obey all instructions from the supreme leader," said Jalal, another protester.

"We must both retaliate severely and drive the U.S. military out of the region. This means the U.S. forces in the area must be eliminated," said Masoud, still another protester.

Also attending the rally in Tehran on Friday were several Iranian leaders and senior officials, including Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani and Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, besides President Pezeshkian.

Larijani said that Israel's attack on Iran was "out of fear and desperation." He also said that U.S. President Donald Trump does not realize that the more pressure is put on the Iranian people, the stronger their resolve becomes.

Araghchi said that despite the "brutal" attacks by the U.S. and Israel, millions of people across Iran still participated in the rallies, demonstrating the Iranian people's unwavering support for their country.

Iranians rally against U.S.-Israel military actions

People in Yemen are struggling for survival as the country continues to grapple with a deepening labor crisis after more than a decade of war, with many lamenting the lack of opportunities which are leaving the livelihoods of many hanging in the balance.

As the world marks International Workers' Day on Friday, the situation in Yemen seems all the more poignant as millions of people are finding it increasingly hard to find any work at all.

In the crowded streets of the capital Sana'a, workers gather on street corners, waiting for jobs that may never come. Ahmed Muawadah is one of the many who are sitting here, watching passing cars, desperately hoping that one will stop and offer work.

"Our suffering is that we sit here without work. Sometimes we spend a whole month without working, except for one day, or just one day every two weeks. Work is very limited, almost non-existent. I have nine children, and I only work one day a month. I cannot support them. Jobs have completely disappeared. If opportunities were opened for us, I and all the workers would work," said Muawadah.

This individual story reflects a broader reality affecting an estimated eight million workers across Yemen. Many of them are hoping to receive a daily wage, but the challenges are mounting in an increasingly strained labor market.

Activity in key sectors such as construction and services has dropped sharply, largely due to the suspension of several international initiatives, including those backed by the World Bank. As a result, income opportunities have narrowed for those who rely primarily on daily wages.

Meanwhile, the widening impact of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and the disruption caused along the key Strait of Hormuz -- a key shipping route for global trade -- has brought more misery in recent weeks.

"There has been a significant decline in business activity as a result of the war, the blockade, and the disruption of work. Foreign capital has also left the country, and large companies have moved out of Yemen and stopped their operations. This is one of the main reasons," said Abdul Karim Al, secretary general of the General Federation of Trade Unions in Sana'a.

Yemen residents struggling to survive as work dries up amid deepening labor crisis