Here is the latest top stories from Press TV on March 2, 2021.
Spain joblessness
Official data shows the number of jobless people in Spain hit four million in February. The data provided by the Labor Ministry shows jobless claims rose by 1.12 percent from a month earlier. This is the highest unemployment rate since 2016. February was also the first month of net job destruction in Spain since May last year. Officials have blamed the rise of unemployment on coronavirus restrictions. They say the new data reflects the structural flaws of the labor market that are heightened by the pandemic.
Kidnapped Nigerian girls released
Nigerian authorities say all 279 schoolgirls kidnapped in the northern state of Zamfara have been freed. Zamfara’s governor says the girls have arrived in the government’s house and are in good health. They were abducted by armed men from a boarding school on Friday. It was the third mass kidnapping of schoolchildren in Nigeria in less than three months. Armed groups have stepped up attacks in recent years, kidnapping for ransom, raping and pillaging. The attacks have continued despite a 2019 peace deal with the groups. The latest abductions have put pressure on president Muhammadu Buhari as he’s facing criticism over the security situation in Nigeria.
Iran warning
Iran warns against efforts to pass a resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency on the 2015 nuclear deal, saying such a move would be counterproductive.The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs slammed the European signatories for not complying with their commitments under the deal. Abbas Araqchi added that any anti-Iran resolution at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting would harm diplomatic efforts, especially after the recent inspection deal between Tehran and the UN agency. He also reiterated that Iran would only resume its full compliance with the nuclear deal when illegal sanctions against the country are lifted.