Domestic Politics
11 Yemeni soldiers were killed and more than 20 injured on Tuesday in a missile attack by Houthis at the Al-Sadrain military camp housing government troops in the Ad-Dali province. This is the second rebel group attack in the past two weeks, after the killing of five UAE-backed separatist Security Belt Forces members in a similar attack on 29 December. [The New Arab]
International Relations
A United Nations report reveals that Houthi forces did not launch missiles at Saudi’s Aramco oil plants in Khurais and Abqaiq on 14 September, despite their claim of the attack. Experts said that the cruise missiles and drones used did not have sufficient range to have been launched from the south by the Houthis from Yemeni territory and were rather launched from the north. Saudi Arabia, the US, and European powers blamed Iran for the attack but Tehran has consistently denied involvement. [Reuters]
Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Turkey’s Recep Erdogan, who back opposing forces in the Libyan conflict, called for a ceasefire in the country to begin at midnight on 12 January. The two Presidents met in Istanbul to inaugurate a new gas pipeline to Europe. Their joint statement also included a warning to Washington and Tehran that a lack of diplomacy could lead to heightened instability in the region. At the same time, Tunisia has denied Turkey permission to use its territory for its military intervention in Libya. [Al Jazeera, Middle East Monitor]
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered Ukrainian prosecutors to open investigations into the recent crash of a passenger plane in Iran that killed all 176 people on board, including 63 Canadians. Meanwhile, direct flights between Iran and Ukraine have been suspended and many countries including India are rerouting flights to avoid Iranian airspace. [Al Jazeera]
The UAE Cabinet on Monday approved a five-year multiple-entry tourist visa scheme for tourists of all nationalities in a bid to support the Emirates’ tourism economy and strengthen their position as a global holiday destination. The decision comes in concurrence with the country’s preparations for the Expo 2020 Dubai, which is expected to bring in over 21 million tourists. [Gulf News]
Society
Last Thursday, a Sudanese military plane crashed in Western Darfur, killing all 16 on board including two children and two women. The Russian Antonov An-12 reportedly crashed five minutes after it took off from the airport in El Geneina, according to an army spokesperson. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the accident, but foul play has been ruled out. Ethnic clashes in El Geneina have resulted in the death of 48 people, injuries to more than 170, and the displacement of around 8,000 people. [AP News]
Environment
Morocco, the world’s 22nd-most water-stressed country as per the World Resources Institute, is set to spend $12 billion on a seven-year water supply plan to meet its increasing demands. The program will include preservation and supply changes, as well as dam building to counter the challenges faced in farming due to summer flash floods and droughts caused by climate change in the semi-arid region. [Asharq Al-Awsat]
Yesterday, Jewish settlers from the Israeli settlement of Rahalim chopped down over 50 perennial olive trees allegedly owned by the governor of Al-Sawiya in Nablus, a village in the West Bank. Around 600,000 Israelis live in settlements in the occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, which are considered illegal by the UN and the EU. The UN has also reported a 45% increase in the confiscation and demolition of Palestinian structures in the West Bank from 2018 to 2019. [Middle East Monitor]
Business
In response to the killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani by a US airstrike, the prices of Brent crude soared until the two nations quickly dialled back their tensions on Wednesday. The prices have now risen by 0.8% at 01:09 GMT today after crashing by 4.1% on Wednesday, slightly lower than the period before the crisis that followed Soleimani’s death. US President Donald Trump has promised heavy economic sanctions on Tehran following their missile strike on an American base in Iraq. [Al Jazeera]
Law
Assets of Sudan’s National Congress Party (NCP) and its ousted president Omar al-Bashir have been seized following a November legislation that ordered the dissolution of the party. The implementation of this law has been viewed as a test to determine the extent that Sudanese transitional authorities are willing to go to dismantle Bashir’s three-decade-long regimental system. [Al Jazeera]
On Tuesday, lawmakers in Kuwait clashed over discussions on the scope of a draft law that aims to provide amnesty to former activists and MPs jailed for protesting and making “offensive” comments on social media. Islamist MP Abdullah Fahhad claimed that the bill does not override the authority of His Highness the Amir in granting special pardons and is being viewed in line with the constitution. MP Khaled Al-Shatti, head of the legislative committee, rejected the “selective amnesty” provided by the bill. [Kuwait Times]
Science & Technology
The Twitter account of the state-run Kuwait News Agency was reportedly hacked to share a false report claiming that Kuwait’s defence minister received a letter from the Commander in Chief of a US military camp declaring the withdrawal of American forces from Kuwait in three days. [Haaretz]
Image Source: Al Jazeera