732,000 Saudis Dance, Revel At Four-Day Music Festival - 'Never Seen Anything Like This In Riyadh'
Good day from REEDNEWSARABWORLD for Tuesday, December 21, 2021! The news starts with hundreds of thousands of young Saudis flocking to an electronic music festival, a dramatic change in the kingdom as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman continues to break social barriers. Dancing and mingling freely, the crowds of young people numbered more than 700,000 over the four-day event held only a few years after Saudi Arabia had banned music and dancing... There's news about the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) working to save Afghanistan, where Qatar and Turkey will control five airports... Egypt sentences three human rights activists to prison... Iranians protest an execution... And news from the UAE, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Libya. MORE.
Some 732,000 Saudi Arabians, mostly young, danced and reveled freely over this past weekend at a four-day music festival that would have been prohibited only a few years ago. The event, first held in 2019, signals the social reform inaugurated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as men and women mixed. "We've never seen anything like this in Riyadh," one Saudi woman who attended the festival said. It's "one of the largest music festivals in the world," said Turki al-Sheikh, head of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority.
Agence France Presse, Record 700,000 flock to Saudi music festival as kingdom sheds conservative image.
Saudi Arabia plans to set up its 22 airports as holding companies with an eye toward putting some on "the privatization path.". The companies would be transferred to the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia's powerful sovereign wealth fund. Abha International Airport is already going through final technical and economic studies, and airports in Taif and Qassim are also proposed for privatization.
Nasdaq/Reuters, Saudi Arabia plans airport takeovers and privatisations, Asharq Al-Awsat reports.
The Saudi Arabia-led military coalition fighting in Yemen asked civilians in Sanaa to "immediately evacuate" the airport as it conducted operations in the area. A statement said the coalition had taken "legal measures to deal with the threat operationally," warning United Nations agencies and civilians to leave the building. Later the coalition would announce airstrikes against rebel targets at the airport.
Reuters, Saudi-led coalition asks civilians to immediately evacuate Sanaa airport - state media.
The Saudi coalition sent airstrikes into Sanaa's airport, saying Yemen's Houthi rebels have turned the airport into a military base. The coalition launched "precision airstrikes" one hour after warning civilians and United Nations personnel to evacuate. There was no immediate word on damage or any casualties. Meanwhile, it was reported that the Houthis banned at least two UN humanitarian flights from landing at the airport.
Associated Press, Saudi coalition says it targeted rebel-held Yemen airport.
Iran executed a Kurdish man and then, in a rare public display of defiance, crowds gathered and denounced the Iranian government. Heidar Ghorbani had been charged with killing three people tied to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. He had denied any connection with the killings, and human rights groups said he was a political prisoner.
BBC, Iran execution sparks rare anti-government protest.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps started five days of military maneuvers across the country as tensions build with the West and nuclear talks in Vienna are suspended. Air, ground, and naval forces joined in the exercises in southern Iran. Residents of Bushehr, where Iran has a nuclear power plant, said they saw the sky light up and heard loud explosions near the plant, but Iranian officials said that was anti-aircraft firing.
Radio Free Europe, Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps Hold Major Military Drill In Southern Iran.
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran met on the sidelines of a regional summit on Afghanistan. A spokesman for Iran emphasized that no negotiations or new developments had taken place during the meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan. He said "We are still waiting for Riyadh's answer," referring to statements by Iran that Saudi Arabia should show "seriousness."
Tehran Times, Iran, Saudi Arabia FMs hold brief meeting in Pakistan.
The Islamic Development Bank will lead an effort to free up assistance to Afghanistan by the first quarter of 2022. Member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) met in Pakistan to set up a humanitarian trust fund for Afghanistan, as billions of dollars in aid and Afghan assets remain frozen by the international community. "Unless action is taken immediately, Afghanistan is heading for chaos," Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said. The meeting did not give Afghanistan's Taliban government any formal recognition, and the Afghan foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, was excluded from the group's official photograph.
Al Jazeera, OIC nations pledge fund to prevent Afghanistan economic collapse.
Iran's foreign ministry said further talks with Saudi Arabia depend on Riyadh's "seriousness." Saudi Arabia and Iran have been engaged in direct talks, and the Saudis have described the talks as cordial but only exploratory. An Iranian official earlier said the conversations have gone a "good distance." An Iranian spokesman said about further talks: "We invite Riyadh (to take) a diplomatic approach and respect the principle of non-interference in other countries."
Reuters, Iran says further talks with Saudi Arabia depends on Riyadh's "seriousness."
Israel's retired head of military intelligence said his government played a role in the assassination of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani, a senior Iranian leader, was killed by a United States drone strike two years ago. The Israeli officer, retired Maj. Gen. Tamir Hayman, confirmed the country's involvement, saying Israel had supplied intelligence to the U.S. In a magazine interview, Hayman became the first Israeli official to confirm that Israel was involved in the assassination.
UPI, Former general says Israel was involved in killing Iran commander Qassem Soleimani.
Iran's ambassador to Yemen is back in Iran to receive treatment for Covid-19. Hassan Irloo was described as needing urgent medical attention days after he contracted the virus. He was flown to Iran after negotiations that involved Saudi Arabia and other countries, and an Iranian spokesman expressed gratitude for the "humanitarian act." The spokesman criticized western media for asking questions as "validation of their false narratives."
Tehran Times, Iran's ambassador to Sanaa back in home, receiving COVID treatment.
Norway's press association said Qatar sabotaged the work of a Norwegian television crew by deleting all interviews and photos on a memory card taken from the crew's equipment. The card was seized by Qatar's "authoritarian officials" but when it was returned, the material had been removed. "That's pure sabotage of journalism and of those who were on assignment," Arne Jensen, secretary general of the press association, said. Qatar had arrested a Norwegian reporter and a camerman, and the reporter, Halvor Ekeland, said: "It's clear that things we have filmed are things they didn't want us to show."
News in English.no, Qatar 'sabotaged' Norwegian media
Qatar Airways has gone to the High Court in London in a legal action against the aircraft manufacturer Airbus. The action involves a dispute over exterior fuselage surfaces of A350 aircraft purchased by the airline from Airbus. Qatar Airways, one of the gulf region's big three carriers, said: "We have sadly failed in all our attempts to reach a conclusive solution with Airbus." Qatar said it had grounded 21 of the aircraft. Airbus said earlier it was ready to seek independent arbitration to settle the dispute.
Agence France Presse, Qatar Airways launches UK legal challenge against Airbus.
Qatar is investing $112 million in a Rolls-Royce program to develop small nuclear reactors in Britain. Under an agreement, Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority, will take a 10% equity stake in Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor, which is majority-owned by the aerospace firm. The reactor project was created to develop low-cost, low-carbon nuclear power technology. Exelon Generation and BNF Resources will own 30%, and the remaining 70% will be owned by Rolls-Royce.
Albawaba, Qatar Invests in Rolls-Royce Mini Nuclear Reactor Project.
Qatar and Turkey are expected to control five airports in Afghanistan, Turkey's foreign minister Mevult Cavusoglu says. Kabul International Airport is believed to be one of the five, but the names of the airports have not been disclosed. A Qatari technical team had repaired the Kabul airport after it was largely destroyed in the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Then Turkey proposed to operate the airport and wanted to send its own security team, but the Taliban refused. It's not known if the Taliban will allow the security forces under the new agreement.
ANI, Turkey, Qatar to control 5 airports in Afghanistasn, says Turkish FM Cavusoglu.
The secretary-general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, visited Lebanon and hit out at the country's leaders. Guterres said the Lebanese political leadership is paralyzing the country in the face of its people's suffering. "I have come with a simple message: the UN stands in solidarity with the people of Lebanon." He said "seeing the suffering of the people of Lebanon, Lebanese political leaders do not have the right to be divided and paralyze the country."
France 24, UN's Guterres blames Lebanon's leaders for 'paralysing' country in visit
Lebanon is expected to strike a preliminary deal for financial support with the International Monetary Fund in January or February. The IMF will assess a calculation that the struggling country's financial sector has had losses of $69 billion. Lebanon is experiencing an unprecedented financial crisis, and the IMF arrangement is seen as the only way the country can get aid.
The National, Lebanon to strike preliminary deal with IMF soon, reports say.
Three prominent human rights workers were sentenced to years in prison by an Egyptian court after charges they had spread false news. A state court in Cairo sentenced the activist Alaa Abd El Fattah to five years in prison, and a human rights lawyer, Mohammed el-Baqer, and blogger Mohammed Ibrahim to four years each. Local and international rights groups have described the charges as politically motivated, but the verdict cannot be appealed.
New York Times, Egypt Sentences 3 Human Rights Activists to Prison.
Militias in Libya have shut down the country's biggest oil field, and crude oil exports from two ports were suspended days before a scheduled presidential election. State-owned National Oil Corp. said production had fallen by more than 300,000 barrels a day as shipments were halted at the ports of Zawiya and Mellitah. A paramilitary force had closed a valve on pipelines to the ports.
Bloomberg, Militias Shut Down Libya's Biggest Oil Field Before Election.
Moroccan security forces have arrested 25 people claimed to support ISIS and planning terrorist attacks in the kingdom. The arrests took place during December, and some suspects have been referred to the judiciary.
Asharq Al-Awsat, Morocco Arrests 25 Terrorism Suspects Linked to ISIS.
Sudan's Independent Doctors' Committee said one person was killed and 125 injured during a crackdown on a mass rally Sunday. Security forces had fired tear gas cannisters and live rounds into the air. Majzoub Mohammad Ahmad, 28, was shot and killed with a bullet in the chest, medics said.
Agence France Presse, One killed in Sudan protests, 125 wounded: medics, ministry.
Spain on Monday returned 36 stolen antiquities to Egypt. The artefacts included figurines of gods and goddesses and ancient jars that were meant to hold human remains. Also included was a granite carving of the lion's head of the warrior goddess Sekhmet. The objects were taken illegally from archaeological sites in Egypt, and smugglers had taken them to Spain. Police seized the artefacts and started an investigation that dated to 2014.
Reuters, Spain returns smuggled figurines, funeral jars to Egypt.
A team of German and Egyptian researchers have uncovered more than 13,000 ostraca, fragments of pottery that bears ancient texts, on the bank of the Nile River in central Egypt. The texts are written in different languages, including Coptic, Greek, and Arabic, and mostly relate to financial transactions.
Archaeology, Ostraca Discovered in Upper Egypt.
Egypt has resumed a search for Queen Nefertiti's tomb. Former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass is leading an archaeological mission on the west bank of Luxor after years of debate over her burial site.
Al Monitor, Egypt resumes hunt for Nefertiti's tomb amid historical debate.
MORE: Egypt shuts eight ports because of bad weather, Reuters... Egypt reclaims land for new port city, but environmental concerns loom, Al Monitor... UAE central bank to increase oversight of banks' real estate exposure, Reuters... Fitch Revises Oman's Outlook to Stable, Affirms at BB-, Fitchratings... Saudi jails man for 15 years for apostasy :Human Rights Watch, New Indian Express... Unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia unchanged at 22.3% in Q3, Ajel News... Iran Executes 128 Women Since 2013, Defends Death Penalty for Under 18, Albawaba.
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