Qatar World Cup Workers In Forced Labor, Supreme Committee Says 'Completely Unacceptable'
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Companies involved with Qatar's 2022 World Cup kept security guards working for months, even years, without a day off. Amnesty called the practice "forced labor," and Qatari organizers said they had found three companies "non-compliant."
A Turkish court approved the transfer to Saudi Arabia of Turkey's case against 26 suspects in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Yemen’s president gives up his powers and transfers them to a new eight-person leadership council while removing the vice president. Iran says it has complied with a United Nations nuclear watchdog demand to reveal information about traces of uranium unknown before, and most of Iran's parliament signs onto a hardline letter to President Ibrahim Raisi saying he should drive a harder bargain in the nuclear talks in Vienna. Israel's defense minister Benny Gantz wants a "Plan B" for the nuclear talks, and Iran-related militias are accused of torching a Kurdish political office in Baghdad.
And news from Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain, Egypt, Tunisia, and More.
Security guards in Qatar working on projects with the 2022 World Cup were subjected to conditions that amounted to "forced labor." Amnesty, the human rights organization, issued a report documenting the experiences of 34 employees of eight private security firms. The report said the migrant workers worked for months and even years without a day off. Qatari law requires a weekly rest day.
BBC, Qatar World Cup: Security guards made to do 'forced labour' - Amnesty.
Organizers of Qatar's 2022 World Cup acknowledged that workers were exploited, "completely unacceptable." The workers, security guards, were under contracts with companies that violated the 60-hour maximum work week, and the workers did not receive days off. "Three companies were found to be non-compliant across a number of areas," Qatar's organizing committee said. "These violations were completely unacceptable."
Associated Press, ''Completely unacceptable': Qatar World Cup organizers admit workers were exploited.
Turkey wrapped up its trial in absentia for 26 suspects in the killing of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The case will be transferred to Saudi Arabia in a decision that has angered human rights groups. The transfer could effectively end the case.
CNN, Turkish court approves transfer of Khashoggi murder suspects to Saudi Arabia.
The United Nations envoy for Yemen expressed concerns about cease-fire violations in the war. Hans Grunwald urged the warring sides to uphold the first nationwide truce in six years. He said while the truce has led to "significant reduction of violence" in Yemen, there were reports of "some hostile military activities," especially around the central city of Marib.
Associated Press, UN envoy says he's concerned about Yemen truce violations.
After six days of discussions in Saudi Arabia, an intra-Yemen consultation has started drafting solutions to the Yemen conflict and a roadmap to security and stability. The Gulf Cooperation Council, a six-nation body of Gulf Arab states, is sponsoring the meeting in Riyadh, and the council's ambassador to Yemen, Sarhan Al-Minaikher, said consensus is prevailing throughout the talks. "Everyone, without exception, is in agreement on the need to lead their country to stability and prosperity."
Asharq Al-Awsat, Yemen consultations begin drafting roadmap to bolster state institutions.
Yemen's president created a new leadership council and transferred his powers, paving the way for rebel Houthis to negotiate. The new eight-member body will be headed by Rashad Al-Alimi, a former deputy prime minister. Yemen's vice president, Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar, was removed from his position and the responsibilities of vice president were reassigned to the new council, which will have authority to manage the state politically and militarily.
Arab News, Yemeni president creates new leadership council, moves his powers to it.
Iran said it has complied with a United Nations nuclear watchdog requirement for documents explaining traces of suspect enriched uranium. The explanation was the first acknowledgement that Iran has answered a long-standing demand from the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for information about former undeclared sites in Iran where there was evidence of past nuclear activity.
Associated Press, Iran says it gave long-sought answers to UN atomic watchdog.
Iran has moved all its machines that make centrifuge parts to its sprawling Natanz site. The move came just six weeks after it had set up another site at Isfahan to make the same parts, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said. The parts came from a mothballed workshop in Karaj, where UN inspectors had been able to re-install surveillance cameras after a long stand-off. The move raised questions about whether Iran will increase its output of enriched uranium.
Reuters, Iran moves machines for making centrifuge parts to Natanz - UN nuclear watchdog.
Members of Iran's parliament sent a letter to the country's president, Ibrahim Raisi, calling for a tougher stand in nuclear negotiations in Vienna. Hardline lawmaker Malmoud Nabavian drafted the letter, signed by 190 members, more than two-thirds of the legislative body. The document urged Raisi to seek "more robust guarantees" from Washington before any new agreement.
Al-Monitor, Iran's parliament presses Raisi to ask for more in nuclear talks.
Israel's defense minister Benny Gantz said Iran continues to enrich uranium and called for a "Plan B" to oppose the nuclear work. "We're in a race against time," Gantz said in a briefing to ambassadors from 80 countries. Since August, he said, "Iran has gone from 10 kg of 60 percent enriched uranium to 50 kg."
Xinhua, Israel accuses Iran of continuing uranium enrichment, calls for "Plan B."
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives expressed concern about any Iran nuclear deal in Vienna that won't prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota said he isn't opposed to an agreement but wants Iran prevented from either producing or obtaining a nuclear weapon. Rep. Elaine Luria of Virginia spoke of the Vienna talks and the "deeply troubling turn" they have taken, and Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey questioned that Russia would be able to keep doing energy business with Iran. "Are we seriously going to let war criminal Vladimir Putin be the guarantor of the deal?"
The Hill, House Democrats sound alarm on potential Iran nuclear deal.
Tension is mounting between Iran-linked armed factions in Iraq and the Kurdistan region after repeated attacks and threats against the largest Kurdish political party. The Kurdistan Democratic Party's offices in Baghdad were ransacked and set on fire just before a rocket attack in Nineveh province near the Kurdistan region, and both attacks were blamed on Iraqi armed factions tied to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Al-Monitor, Iran-linked militias torch KDP office, strike base in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Three missiles fell near an oil refinery in Iraq's Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region. Kurdistan anti-terrorism authorities said "initial information show the missiles were launched from Nineveh" province in Iran, where pro-Iran militias are active.
Reuters, Three missiles fall near refinery in Iraq's Erbil - Iraq state news agency citing Kurdistan authorities.
Iraq will allow all food imports for three months. The state news agency reported the decision as Iraq takes urgent measures to build stocks of wheat. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has raised concerns about supply, and Iraq's trade ministry is working to allocate two million tons of wheat for its strategic reserve, enough for six months.
Reuters, Iraq to allow food imports for three months - state news agency.
United Nations officials have raised concerns about the health of an imprisoned Bahraini academic who has been on a hunger strike for 272 days. Abduljalil al-Singace, director of a civil liberties organization, has been in jail since 2011 when he was sentenced to life imprisonment on terrorism charges. He has been on a hunger strike since July, 2021.
Middle East Eye, Bahrain: UN experts raise concerns over abuse of imprisoned academic.
Airbus and Qatar Airways will face off in a London court Thursday. The dispute over billions of dollars of jet passenger planes is entering a new phase which is upsetting airline industry leaders. Qatar Airways will ask a judge to extend an order that prevents Airbus from revoking a contract for 50 A321neo jets pending fuller hearings.
Airbus had stopped the order in retaliation for Qatar's refusal to accept delivery of larger A350 planes.
Reuters, Airbus, Qatar jetliner feud enters UK court spotlight.
Iraq has reopened its National Museum in Baghdad after being closed since 2019. Iraq has retrieved more than 17,000 artifacts from the United States and other countries, including the Gilgamesh tablet and the Sumerian ram. The museum will also put on exhibit items not seen before.
Al-Monitor, Iraq reopens National Museum after thousands of smuggled artifacts return.
Lebanon's central bank is counting its gold reserves for the first time in 30 years. The international community has pressured Lebanon to evaluate its assets, and a count that started two years ago has now reached only 20% of the reserves. Bank employees descend into vaults in a time-consuming process to weigh the 12-kilogram gold ingots that are believed to number about 13,000. One by one, each metal bar is placed on a scale and weighed.
The National, Lebanon's central bank counts its gold for first time in at least 30 years.
Tunisia summoned Turkey's ambassador after Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Tunisian president Kais Saied for dissolving parliament. In a statement to Tunisia's foreign minister, Saied said he rejected "all interference in any form" without mentioning Erdogan directly.
Al Jazeera, Tunisia summons Turkish envoy after Erdogan's comments.
MORE: Qatar's move to take control of its airspace comes amid warming regional ties, Al-Monitor... Egyptian economy experiences 'sharp fall' from Ukraine war, Al-Monitor... FDI inflows into UAE up 3.9%, reached Dha 76 billion in 2021, Gulf Today... Egypt witnessed an upsurge in fintech investments in 2021, Egypt Daily News...Middle East oil exporters are cashing in as Ukraine war hits global economy, CNN... Lebanon faces bread crisis amid flour shortages, Anadolu Agency.
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