Senin, 05 April 2021

Jordan’s Prince Hamzah vows to disobey army ‘keep silent’ order - Al Jazeera English

Hamzah, 41, says he was ordered to stay in his Amman palace but would defy the limits on his freedom of movement.

Jordan’s estranged Prince Hamza says he will disobey orders by the army to not communicate with the outside world after he was put under house arrest.

The half-brother of King Abdullah II and former heir to the throne said in a voice recording sent to contacts on Monday and released by the country’s opposition that he would not “escalate” moves after being barred from any activity and told to keep quiet.

“I don’t want to make moves and escalate now, but of course I’m not going to obey when they say you can’t go out, you can’t tweet, you can’t communicate with people, you’re only allowed to see your family,” he said in an audio recording posted on Twitter late on Sunday.

Jordan’s deputy prime minister said on Sunday that Prince Hamzah, 41, had been liaising with foreign parties in a “malicious plot” to destabilise the country.

On Saturday, the military said it had issued a warning to the prince over actions targeting “security and stability” in the kingdom. Prince Hamzah later said he was under house arrest. Several high-profile figures were detained.

Hamzah – a former crown prince stripped of that title by Abdullah in 2004 – has emerged as a vocal critic of the monarchy, accusing it of corruption, nepotism and authoritarian rule.

In a video he sent to the BBC Saturday, he denied being involved in a plot and said he had been ordered under house arrest by Jordan’s most senior military figure, General Youssef Huneiti.

In the latest recording, Hamzah said: “When the head of the joint chiefs of staff comes and tells you this … I think it’s a bit unacceptable”.

It is unclear why the kingdom decided to take action against Prince Hamzah now, but he has reportedly put himself at risk by making frequent visits to tribal gatherings where some people criticised the king.

Officials said efforts were under way to resolve the crisis within the royal family, in the first such open rift in many years, but the prince was not cooperative.

The palace turmoil has laid bare divisions in Jordan, usually considered a bulwark of stability in the Middle East.

‘Disturbing news’

On the streets of Amman, people on Monday expressed their hopes for an end to the crisis. Residents said they hoped dissent within the royal family is resolved in a peaceful way.

“I was surprised as everyone else with this disturbing news, it really caused pain to everyone,” said Mohamad Abdel-Latif. “We wish for prosperity and progress for Jordan, and for the issues to be resolved as the king called for – within the royal family.”

Another Amman resident Ezziddin Abu-Salah noted the unprecedented nature of the royal turmoil in Jordan.

“We were surprised that this touches higher ranks, [but] there is no dispute over the king, all Jordanians support him,” said Abu-Salah.

“As for the government and the parliament, we disagree sometimes with them. Prince Hamzah surprised us, it wasn’t expected that someone from the Hashemite family [would be involved]. It has never happened before in history.”

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiYmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFsamF6ZWVyYS5jb20vbmV3cy8yMDIxLzQvNS9qb3JkYW4tcHJpbmNlLWhhbXphLXZvd3MtdG8tZGlzb2JleS1hcm15cy1rZWVwLXNpbGVudC1vcmRl0gFmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYWxqYXplZXJhLmNvbS9hbXAvbmV3cy8yMDIxLzQvNS9qb3JkYW4tcHJpbmNlLWhhbXphLXZvd3MtdG8tZGlzb2JleS1hcm15cy1rZWVwLXNpbGVudC1vcmRl?oc=5

2021-04-05 09:00:56Z
52781484723321

Flash floods and landslides in Indonesia and East Timor kill 70 - BBC News

At least 101 people have died after flash floods and landslides hit Indonesia and East Timor on Sunday.

Torrential rain sparked widespread destruction in the South East Asian neighbours, with water from overflowing dams submerging thousands of homes.

The affected area stretches from Flores island in eastern Indonesia to East Timor.

In Indonesia alone, 80 people have died with dozens still missing. Officials warn the toll could still rise.

"The mud and the extreme weather have become a serious challenge and the debris piling up has hampered the search and rescue team," Indonesian Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Raditya Djati told reporters.

"We suspect many people are buried but it's not clear how many are missing," his colleague Alfons Hada Bethan, head of the East Flores disaster agency, said.

"The evacuees are spread out. There are hundreds in each sub district but many others are staying at home. They need medicine, food, blankets."

At least 21 people have also died in East Timor, also known as Timor Leste, news agencies quoted officials in the island nation as saying.

Many of the victims are believed to be from the country's capital Dili.

Indonesian president Joko Widodo has offered his condolences and urged people to follow the advice from officials during extreme weather periods.

"I have ordered for disaster relief efforts to be conducted quickly and well, for example for health service assistance, availability of logistics and basic needs for the displaced and the reparation of infrastructure," he said.

East Flores
EPA
Fallen trees and debris are seen in the aftermath of flooding in Indonesia
EPA

Landslides and flash floods are not uncommon across the Indonesian archipelago during the rainy season.

In January this year, 40 people died when flash floods hit the town of Sumedang on Java.

And last September, at least 11 people were killed in landslides on Borneo while a few months earlier dozens died in Sulawesi.

The country's disaster agency has estimated that nearly half of the country's population - some 125 million people - live in parts of the country at risk of landslides.

Shoreline debris seen in Indonesia after flooding
Reuters
Residents wade through flood water in Dili, East Timor
EPA

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiLmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLWFzaWEtNTY2MzUyOTfSATJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iYmMuY28udWsvbmV3cy9hbXAvd29ybGQtYXNpYS01NjYzNTI5Nw?oc=5

2021-04-05 04:53:06Z
52781486003867

Florida reservoir collapse MAPPED: Which areas are on alert? Collapse 'imminent' - Daily Express

Public Safety Director, Jacob Saur, said: "Thankfully the evacuation area does not include any major residential areas, and the homes within Artisan Lakes are not in the evacuation area.

"If you live within the evacuation area, you need to find shelter with friends and family outside of the evacuation zone now."

There are about 316 households in the evacuation area, Manatee County estimated.

There aren't any assisted-living or special needs patient facilities in the area, it added.

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMihgFodHRwczovL3d3dy5leHByZXNzLmNvLnVrL25ld3Mvd29ybGQvMTQxOTEwNy9mbG9yaWRhLXJlc2Vydm9pci1jb2xsYXBzZS1tYXAtd2hhdC1hcmVhcy1hcmUtb24tYWxlcnQtZXZhY3VhdGlvbi1waW5leS1wb2ludC1tYW5hdGVlLWV2Z9IBigFodHRwczovL3d3dy5leHByZXNzLmNvLnVrL25ld3Mvd29ybGQvMTQxOTEwNy9mbG9yaWRhLXJlc2Vydm9pci1jb2xsYXBzZS1tYXAtd2hhdC1hcmVhcy1hcmUtb24tYWxlcnQtZXZhY3VhdGlvbi1waW5leS1wb2ludC1tYW5hdGVlLWV2Zy9hbXA?oc=5

2021-04-05 07:47:00Z
52781479557368

Minggu, 04 April 2021

Protest parties surge in Bulgaria election: Exit polls - Al Jazeera English

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borissov will have difficulty holding onto power, after a surge of votes in an election on Sunday for anti-establishment and anti-corruption parties that want him out.

Exit polls showed Borissov’s centre-right GERB will be the largest party in the parliament, winning approximately 25 percent of the vote, compared with the 33.5 percent it won four years ago.

Behind it, a new anti-establishment party founded by a TV host and singer finished second with 17-17.5 percent and two other protest parties that reject Borissov were also forecast to enter the parliament, taking over the opposition Socialists.

Reporting from the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, Al Jazeera’s Bernard Smith said if the exit polls were borne out it could lead to an “unprecedented situation” with the need for a coalition government.

“It could end up being some sort of limbo period as Bulgarian politicians try to work away through and see if they can establish some sort of government,” he said.

After 10 years of dominating Bulgarian politics, Borissov has few natural coalition partners in a fragmented legislature, with most groupings rejecting direct cooperation with GERB.

Weeks of talks, or even another election, cannot be ruled out, meaning Bulgaria may have difficulty tapping the EU’s 750-billion-euro ($884bn) Recovery Fund aimed at helping rebuild economies across the bloc after the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking before official results were released, Borissov said GERB had won the vote and called on opposition leaders to consider a broad, expert government that would focus on bringing EU cash to the country battered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Such a government could have a limited life until December, Borissov said.

“I offer you peace. I offer you to put forward experts, to take responsibility,” he said in a video streamed on Facebook. “This is my proposal for all, enjoy the results for two, three days and then consider – what is stable and what is not.”

A former firefighter and bodyguard, Borissov, 61, sought to showcase his successes in modernising Bulgaria’s creaking infrastructure in a low-key campaign after huge anti-corruption rallies last year eroded his popularity.

Election officials carry a ballot box towards a ward for the treatment of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Pirogov hospital during the parliamentary election in Sofia, Bulgaria, April 4, 2021 [Stoyan Nenov/Reuters]
“We are seeing the outlines of one new Bulgaria, where Borissov can continue to win elections with his huge administrative and financial resources, but cannot hold on to power,” said Hristo Ivanov, a leader of the anti-corruption Democratic Bulgaria party.

Complicating Borissov’s coalition-building options is the emergence of the anti-establishment There is Such a People party of popular TV host and singer Slavi Trifonov.

A Gallup International poll put Trifonov’s party at second with 17.1 percent, but a poll by Alpha Research put it on third with 15.2 percent and the opposition Socialists second with 17.6 percent.

Trifonov, 54, whose concerts peppered with patriotic songs have attracted thousands, has ruled out governing with either GERB or the Socialists.

Democratic Bulgaria, one of biggest forces in the enormous protests last summer, won some 10-11 percent, as did the Movement for Rights and Freedoms party, a traditional kingmaker largely supported by the country’s ethnic Turkish minority.

The protest party Stand Up! Mafia Out! and the nationalist VMRO party, which is GERB’s coalition partner, also look set to gain the 4 percent threshold to enter the parliament.

Turnout figures were being keenly watched for any indication that coronavirus infection fears could have kept some voters away, especially among the opposition Socialists’ older electorate. More than 6.7 million Bulgarians are eligible to vote.

Bulgaria ranks as the EU’s most corrupt member state according to Transparency International. A recent United States report on human rights also highlighted serious problems with judicial independence and media freedom in the country.

President Rumen Radev, who supported last year’s anti-government protests and has been a vehement critic of Borissov, said he had “voted against the destruction of the rule of law”.

“These elections are a step towards returning to normality,” he added.

First partial official results, usually expected late on Sunday night, might be delayed due to the introduction of machine voting along with the usual ballot paper voting in the majority of big polling stations.

The central electoral committee is due to release the official results by Thursday.

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFsamF6ZWVyYS5jb20vbmV3cy8yMDIxLzQvNC9idWxnYXJpYW4tcG1zLXBhcnR5LXNldC10by10b3Atdm90ZS1idXQtcHJvdGVzdC1wYXJ0aWVzLXN1cmdl0gFpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYWxqYXplZXJhLmNvbS9hbXAvbmV3cy8yMDIxLzQvNC9idWxnYXJpYW4tcG1zLXBhcnR5LXNldC10by10b3Atdm90ZS1idXQtcHJvdGVzdC1wYXJ0aWVzLXN1cmdl?oc=5

2021-04-05 01:52:30Z
52781479964666

EU risks being rocked by chaos as Bulgaria headed for hung parliament - exit polls - Daily Express

Whilst Mr Borissov, and his centre-right GERB party, are expected to emerge as the largest faction they may struggle to put a governing coalition together. Fury over corruption scandals looks set to allow a number of smaller populist parties into parliament.

Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, was rocked with protests last year following corruption allegations against Mr Borissov.

He has largely avoided the media instead focusing his campaign on the countryside with promises of more jobs.

Preliminary polls indicate GERB took 29 percent of the vote with the opposition socialists 5-10 points behind.

This would give Mr Borissov 76 seats in Bulgaria’s 240-seat parliament.

Third place is expected to be taken by an insurgent party launched by a popular Bulgarian entertainer.

Speaking to AFP election analyst Antony Todorov predicted as many as six parties could win seats.

He commented: “It’s the absence of an alternative due to the fragmented and unconvincing opposition that explains GERB’s hegemony.”

However he warned GERB could still find it difficult to form a stable government.

READ MORE: 'EU-funded corruption' sparks Eurosceptic fury – MEP lifts lid on bloc

Before the election Boriana Dimitrova, warned the election result is likely to be messy.

Speaking to Politico he said: “We are likely to see a very fragmented and disparate parliament, comprised of up to six or seven parties.

“We expect to see some new political players, whose policies remain a mystery at the moment.”

Daniel Smilov, a political analyst at the Centre for Liberal Strategies, gave a similar prediction.

He warned: “We might have to opt for a technocratic government where no single party has the upper hand.”

Bulgaria is currently suffering from another coronavirus wave which threatens to overwhelm hospitals in the country.

Analysts predicted this would decrease election turnout, potentially to the benefit of Mr Borissov.

As an EU member Bulgaria is reliant on the European Commission for its coronavirus vaccines.

Brussels was slugging at acquiring jabs meaning the vaccination programmes of EU members are lagging significantly below the UK.

Officially Bulgaria has recorded 13,500 coronavirus deaths since the crisis began.

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMid2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmV4cHJlc3MuY28udWsvbmV3cy93b3JsZC8xNDE5MDM2L0J1bGdhcmlhLWVsZWN0aW9uLW5ld3MtRVUtRXVyb3BlYW4tVW5pb24tQnJ1c3NlbHMtdW5zdGFibGUtcG9wdWxpc3QtY3Jpc2lz0gF7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXhwcmVzcy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLzE0MTkwMzYvQnVsZ2FyaWEtZWxlY3Rpb24tbmV3cy1FVS1FdXJvcGVhbi1Vbmlvbi1CcnVzc2Vscy11bnN0YWJsZS1wb3B1bGlzdC1jcmlzaXMvYW1w?oc=5

2021-04-04 21:04:44Z
52781479964666

Jordan accuses Prince Hamzah of plot to destabilise kingdom - BBC News

The former crown prince of Jordan is accused of trying to mobilise tribal leaders against the government, the country's deputy prime minister says.

Prince Hamzah bin Hussein worked with "foreign entities" to destabilise the state, Ayman Safadi said.

The prince had earlier released two videos to the BBC, claiming he was being held under house arrest.

He denied conspiracy, but accused Jordan's leaders of corruption and incompetence.

Sixteen people, including a former adviser to King Abdullah and another member of the royal family, were arrested on Saturday for allegedly threatening security.

In his videos, Prince Hamzah, the king's half-brother, said he had been told he could not go out or communicate with people.

The move is thought to follow a visit by the prince to tribal leaders, where he is said to have garnered some support.

His mother, American-born Queen Noor, has said she is praying for what she called innocent victims of "wicked slander".

What is the prince accused of?

Responding to the fallout on Sunday, Mr Safadi said Prince Hamzah had used the videos to distort facts and incite empathy, according to the state news agency, Petra.

He told a news conference that the prince had been liaising with foreign parties about destabilising the country and had been being monitored for some time.

The prince is accused of seeking to mobilise "clan leaders" against the government.

But the plot had been "nipped in the bud", Petra quoted the deputy PM as saying.

Mr Safadi went on to allege that a man with links to foreign security services had offered Prince Hamzah's wife, Princess Basmah, a flight out of Jordan. He did not specify which foreign security service was apparently involved.

Jordanian Prince Hamzah bin al-Hussei, president of the Royal Aero Sports Club of Jordan, and his wife Princess Basma attend a media event to announce the launch of "Skydive Jordan", in the Wadi Rum desert on April 19, 2011
KHALIL MAZRAAWI

Mr Safadi said officials had tried to discourage the prince rather than take legal action against him, but that Prince Hamzah had "dealt with this request negatively". He noted that dialogue was ongoing.

Regional powers including Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia have voiced support for King Abdullah in the wake of the operation.

The United States, which is allied with Jordan in its campaign against the Islamic State (IS) group, described the monarch as a key partner who has its full support.

What's behind this?

Tensions within the royal household had been visible for some time, Jordanian journalist Rana Sweis told the BBC.

"The former crown prince is also seen as popular. He has a very candid resemblance to his father, King Hussein, and he is also very popular with the local tribes," she said.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter
1px transparent line

Another member of the royal family waded into the row on Twitter on Sunday night, hitting out at Queen Noor and suggesting it was a dispute over succession rights.

"Grow up Boys," posted Princess Firyal, the ex-wife of the brothers' uncle, Prince Muhammad bin Talal.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter
1px transparent line

But some commentators said the prince's criticism of corruption in the kingdom struck a chord with many in the country.

Jordan has few natural resources and its economy has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. It has also absorbed waves of refugees from the civil war in neighbouring Syria.

However, high-level political arrests are rare. The country's powerful intelligence agency has gained extra powers since the pandemic began, drawing criticism from rights groups.

Jordan's King Abdullah II, his wife Queen Rania, Queen Noor, mother of the groom, Crown Prince Hamzah, the groom, his bride Princess Noor, Sherif Asem bin-Nayef and his ex-wife Firouzeh Vokhshouri, parents of the bride, attend the royal wedding on May 27, 2004 in Amman, Jordan
Getty Images

Who is Prince Hamzah?

The oldest son of the late King Hussein and his favourite wife Queen Noor, Prince Hamzah is a graduate of the UK's Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. He also attended Harvard University in the US and has served in the Jordanian armed forces.

He was named crown prince of Jordan in 1999 and was a favourite of King Hussein, who often described him in public as the "delight of my eye".

However, he was seen as too young and inexperienced to be named successor at the time of King Hussein's death.

Instead his older half-brother, Abdullah, ascended the throne and stripped Hamzah of the title of crown prince in 2004, giving it to his own son.

The move was seen as a blow to Queen Noor, who had hoped to see her eldest son become king.

Who else has been arrested?

Others detained on Saturday include Bassem Awadallah, a former finance minister, and Sharif Hassan Bin Zaid, a member of the royal family.

Mr Awadallah, an economist who was educated in the US, has been a confidant of the king and an influential force in Jordan's economic reforms.

He has often found himself pitted against entrenched government bureaucracy resistant to his plans, observers say.

No members of the armed forces were said to be among those detained over the alleged plot.

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiNWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLW1pZGRsZS1lYXN0LTU2NjMzMjY20gE5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvYW1wL3dvcmxkLW1pZGRsZS1lYXN0LTU2NjMzMjY2?oc=5

2021-04-04 19:01:08Z
52781484723321

Jordan accuses Prince Hamzah of plot to destabilise kingdom - BBC News

The former crown prince of Jordan is accused of trying to mobilise tribal leaders against the government, the country's deputy prime minister says.

Prince Hamzah bin Hussein worked with "foreign entities" to destabilise the state, Ayman Safadi said.

The prince had earlier released two videos to the BBC, claiming he was being held under house arrest.

He denied conspiracy, but accused Jordan's leaders of corruption and incompetence.

Sixteen people, including a former adviser to King Abdullah and another member of the royal family, were arrested on Saturday for allegedly threatening security.

In his videos, Prince Hamzah, the king's half-brother, said he had been told he could not go out or communicate with people.

The move is thought to follow a visit by the prince to tribal leaders, where he is said to have garnered some support.

His mother, American-born Queen Noor, has said she is praying for what she called innocent victims of "wicked slander".

What is the prince accused of?

Responding to the fallout on Sunday, Mr Safadi said Prince Hamzah had used the videos to distort facts and incite empathy, according to the state news agency, Petra.

He told a news conference that the prince had been liaising with foreign parties about destabilising the country and had been being monitored for some time.

The prince is accused of seeking to mobilise "clan leaders" against the government.

But the plot had been "nipped in the bud", Petra quoted the deputy PM as saying.

Mr Safadi went on to allege that a man with links to foreign security services had offered Prince Hamzah's wife, Princess Basmah, a flight out of Jordan. He did not specify which foreign security service was apparently involved.

Jordanian Prince Hamzah bin al-Hussei, president of the Royal Aero Sports Club of Jordan, and his wife Princess Basma attend a media event to announce the launch of "Skydive Jordan", in the Wadi Rum desert on April 19, 2011
KHALIL MAZRAAWI

Mr Safadi said officials had tried to discourage the prince rather than take legal action against him, but that Prince Hamzah had "dealt with this request negatively". He noted that dialogue was ongoing.

Regional powers including Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia have voiced support for King Abdullah in the wake of the operation.

The United States, which is allied with Jordan in its campaign against the Islamic State (IS) group, described the monarch as a key partner who has its full support.

What's behind this?

Tensions within the royal household had been visible for some time, Jordanian journalist Rana Sweis told the BBC.

"The former crown prince is also seen as popular. He has a very candid resemblance to his father, King Hussein, and he is also very popular with the local tribes," she said.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter
1px transparent line

Jordan has few natural resources and its economy has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. It has also absorbed waves of refugees from the civil war in neighbouring Syria.

However, high-level political arrests are rare. The country's powerful intelligence agency has gained extra powers since the pandemic began, drawing criticism from rights groups.

Some commentators said the prince's criticism of corruption in the kingdom struck a chord with many in the country.

"What Prince Hamzah said is repeatedly heard in the homes of every Jordanian," said Ahmad Hasan al Zoubi, a prominent Jordanian columnist.

Jordan's King Abdullah II, his wife Queen Rania, Queen Noor, mother of the groom, Crown Prince Hamzah, the groom, his bride Princess Noor, Sherif Asem bin-Nayef and his ex-wife Firouzeh Vokhshouri, parents of the bride, attend the royal wedding on May 27, 2004 in Amman, Jordan
Getty Images

Who is Prince Hamzah?

The oldest son of the late King Hussein and his favourite wife Queen Noor, Prince Hamzah is a graduate of the UK's Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. He also attended Harvard University in the US and has served in the Jordanian armed forces.

He was named crown prince of Jordan in 1999 and was a favourite of King Hussein, who often described him in public as the "delight of my eye".

However, he was seen as too young and inexperienced to be named successor at the time of King Hussein's death.

Instead his older half-brother, Abdullah, ascended the throne and stripped Hamzah of the title of crown prince in 2004, giving it to his own son.

The move was seen as a blow to Queen Noor, who had hoped to see her eldest son become king.

Who else has been arrested?

Others detained on Saturday include Bassem Awadallah, a former finance minister, and Sharif Hassan Bin Zaid, a member of the royal family.

Mr Awadallah, an economist who was educated in the US, has been a confidant of the king and an influential force in Jordan's economic reforms.

He has often found himself pitted against entrenched government bureaucracy resistant to his plans, observers say.

No members of the armed forces were said to be among those detained over the alleged plot.

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiNWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLW1pZGRsZS1lYXN0LTU2NjMzMjY20gE5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvYW1wL3dvcmxkLW1pZGRsZS1lYXN0LTU2NjMzMjY2?oc=5

2021-04-04 17:28:25Z
52781484723321