Brawl Erupts in Jordan Parliament During Debate on Reforms
Good day from REEDNEWSARABWORLD for Wednesday, December 29, 2021! The pushing and shoving in Jordan's parliament really wasn't much of a brawl, but it was colorful and, shown live on television, it created worldwide headlines. (Still, nothing to compare with the time one member was removed after firing an AK-47 from the hall at a fellow member of parliament.) In Vienna, Western nations think the nuclear talks are moving too slowly, while Russia and Iran think there is "indisputable progress." Iran's president will visit Russia. Hezbollah denies involvement in Yemen. The airport in Sanaa is reopened and humanitarian flights can get into Yemen again. Kuwait has a new cabinet, the third this year, but this time with three opposition lawmakers. News from Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Sudan, and More.
Live on TV: Jordan's lawmakers threw punches and pushed, shoved, and attacked one another as they debated gender equality. The subject was a small language change in Jordan's constitution, but big enough that one member called it "shameful."
The proposal was to include a female noun to define a Jordanian citizen in a chapter entitled "Rights and Duties of Jordanians." Some members argued the change was unnecessary, but the debate devolved into a brawl on the floor of the elaborately-decorated, wood-paneled chamber, and all was seen live on local television by Jordanians. (And now on YouTube.)
BBC, Jordan MPs fighting in parliament session live-streamed on local television.
Agence France Presse, Debate on reforms sparks scuffles in Jordan parliament.
Middle East Eye, Jordan: Brawl erupts in parliament during debate on reforms.
Iran and Russia are both giving upbeat reviews about the nuclear talks in Vienna that resumed this week. Russian envoy Mikhail Ulynov said a working group was making "indisputable progress" in the eighth round of talks.
Iran's foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, said a deal is possible in the near future if other parties show "good faith." But western nations still think the talks are going too slow.
Reuters, Iranian and Russian officials strike positive tone on nuclear talks.
The United States sees possible progress in talks with Iran. "There may have been some modest progress," U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said. But Western negotiators continue to press for urgency to roll back Tehran's nuclear program.
Agence France Presse, US sees possible progress in Iran nuclear talks.
Iran's president will go to Russia early next year at the invitation of Vladimir Putin. President Ebrahim Raisi's predecessor, Hassan Rouhani, went to Moscow in 2017
Russia and Iran have particularly common interests in the nuclear talks in Vienna, where Russia is a party to the 2015 nuclear agreement, and in Syria where the two countries are key allies. Putin extended the invitation to Raisi during a meeting with Greece's prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Radio Free Europe, Iran's Hard-Line President To Visit Russia 'Early' Next Year.
Saudi Arabia's crown prince has long pushed his Vision 2030, and now he's preparing a separate Riyadh Strategy 2030. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman believes the strategy will transform Riyadh, the Saudi capital, into a center with one of the world's top 10 economies, a population of 15 to 20 million, and 40 million visitors. An elaborate strategy is being prepared with 20 programs, 100 initiatives, and more than 700 "pioneer projects" in the city.
TradeArabia, Saudi Crown Prince reviews Riyadh Strategy 2030.
It rained so hard in regions of Saudi Arabia that waters will be drained from the Grand Mosque in Mecca. As soon as the rains stop, more than 4,000 workers will drain the chapels, courtyard, and entrances and exits to allow pilgrims to perform rituals. More than 470 machines are being used for suction and drying.
Arab News, Saudi authorities intensify efforts to drain Grand Mosque in Makkah after heavy rain.
Hezbollah dismissed as "ridiculous" Saudi Arabia's charges that it aids Yemen's rebel Houthis in strikes against the kingdom. Saudi Arabia had said the Houthis were "militarizing" the airport at Yemen's capital of Sanaa and using it as a "main center for launching ballistic missiles and drones," with help from Iran and Hezbollah.
Any evidence of a role is "insignificant," Hezbollah said, but Saudi Arabia is convinced that Hezbollah sends fighters and weapons to Yemen and trains the insurgents.
Agence France Presse, Hezbollah brushes off Saudi charges of Yemen rebel aid.
Yemen's Houthi rebels say they have temporarily reopened Sanaa's international airport after Saudi Arabia airstrikes. A statement said that communications and navigation devices "have been temporarily repaired." Longer-term use of the equipment was "not guaranteed, given how old they are," Houthi television reported.
Al Monitor, Yemen's Houthis say Sanaa airport reopen to flights after bombing.
United Nations aid flights have been allowed back into Sanaa's airport in Yemen. Rebel-run media said the Houthi forces are allowing UN and humanitarian aid agencies to resume flights, following bombing by Saudi Arabia.
Deutsche Welle, Yemen: Houthi rebels allow aid flights into Sanaa to resume.
The United Nations has called for the immediate release by Yemen's Houthi movement of two UN staff members who have been held since early November. The UN statement did not identify the individuals, but Yemen officials said they are Yemenis who had previously worked for the United States embassy in Sanaa.
"The U.N. has not received information about the grounds or legal basis for their detention," UNESCO director general Audrey Azoulay and UN high commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachelet said.
Reuters, U.N. bodies urge Yemen's Houthis to release two staff members.
Hans Grundberg, the UN special envoy for Yemen, denounced recent military escalation, calling it "the worst we have seen in Yemen for years." He called on the warring parties to immediately deescalate. He cited sustained attacks against Saudi Arabia that have resulted in civilian casualties and said: "Any targeting of civilians and civilian objects as well as indiscriminate attacks by any actor is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and must be stopped immediately."
Berita, UN Special Envoy Denounces Military Escalation in Yemen.
Kuwait formed a new cabinet that includes three opposition lawmakers, following a standoff between government and parliament. Kuwait's finance minister, Khalifa Hamada, was replaced by Abdul Wahab Al-Rasheed, head of the Kuwait Economic Society, and the new health minister is Khaled Al-Saeed. This is Kuwait's third cabinet this year.
Reuters, New finance minister, opposition lawmakers in Kuwait's cabinet.
Kuwait's oil minister, Mohammed al-Fares, who quit in November, has been reappointed and given additional duties. He becomes a deputy prime minister and also gets a new renewable energy portfolio, as Kuwait, OPEC's fourth largest producer, plans to increase oil production capacity.
S&P Global Platts, Kuwait oil minister retains post with additional duties in new cabinet.
Saudi Arabia will localize up to 10,000 jobs this week, with almost 100 percent of the employees being Saudis. Sectors involved are customs clearance, driving schools, and engineering professions. Monthly wages will be not less than SR 5,ooo, or about $1,331.
Arab News, Saudi Arabia to fully employ locals in 3 sectors to create up to 10,000 jobs.
A United States judge has ruled that two airlines must preserve flight records the Saudi former intelligence chief Saad al-Jabri claims will show that members of a Saudi "Tiger Squad" flew to Canada to assassinate him. Al-Jabri is in a long-running legal battle with Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. The judge said there is substantial reason to believe the airlines, Air Canada and Lufthansa, would destroy flight records which he said would result in "irreparable harm" because they couldn't be recreated.
Middle East Eye, Former Saudi spy chief wins evidence order in US court battle.
A pre-dawn air strike by Israel on Syria's Latakia port was the second such attack on the key cargo hub this month. Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has routinely carried out strikes, but doesn't confirm them. Israel attacks the Latakia port to prevent any Iranian arms shipments
Agence France Presse, Strike blamed on Israel sets ablaze Syrian port of Latakia.
Iran is expected to play host to a summit on Syria that will include Russia and Turkey. A senior Russian diplomat confirmed the planning and said the meeting might take place in Tehran in early 2022. The main agenda item, he said, will be "efforts to resolve the Syria issue."
Tehran Times, Russia-Iran-Turkey summit on Syria to be held in Tehran: envoy.
Iraq shares a 1,000-kilometer border with Syria and arrested six Islamic State militants trying to cross from Syria into Iraq. Iraq's interior ministry said the militants were captured in Rabia district, north of Nineveh in northern Iraq. A statement said one of the captured militants had fled from prison in Nineveh. No further details were given.
Yeni Safak, Iraq nabs six Daesh militants coming from Syria
Debt-ridden Tunisia's new budget shows it will borrow almost $7 billion more in 2022 as it seeks to stimulate its sagging economy. Tunisia's deficit is expected to hit 6.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), and government debt will reach 82.6 percent of GDP.
Agence France Presse, Cash-strapped Tunisia to Borrow $7 Bn More in 2022.
At least 38 people were killed when a defunct gold mine collapsed in Sudan's West Kordofan province. The mine was not functional, but local miners had returned to work after security forces that had been guarding the site left the area.
Associated Press, Defunct gold mine collapses in Sudan, kills 38 people.
Egyptian scientists have used modern technology to unwrap the mystery of the 3,500-year-old Egyptian mummy of Amenhotep I, ruler of Egypt from 1525 to 1504 BC.
The mummy was first discovered in 1881 and has remained untouched. Now Egyptian scientists used non-invasive, three-dimensional computerized tomography (CT) to scan and reveal the secrets of Amenhotep I. An Egyptologist called the event an "important milestone."
ABC News, Egypt digitally unwraps mummy of King Amenhotep in 'important milestone.'
MORE: Turkey, Qatar Await Taliban Green Light to Run Afghan Airports, Voice of America... Saudi Arabia can be number one market for Rolls-Royce, Arab News...Security forces loyal to Somalia PM gather outside presidential palace, Reuters... Turkey detains 16 accused of links to Islamic State after bookshop clash, Reuters... Turkey ready to talk with Libya's Haftar, Saleh: FM Cavusoglu, Daily Sabah... Lebanese premier expects draft deal with IMF within weeks, Associated Press.
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