Jordan’s Prime Minister Hani Mulki has resigned after days of protests against tax rises and austerity measures. The recent demonstrations in the country are the biggest in years. Protesters have chanted anti-government slogans and clashed with police, who have fired tear gas and blocked roads. The protests have continued for four consecutive nights, and police say dozens of people have been detained and more than 40 members of the security forces have been injured.
Meanwhile, rather than introduce subsidies, the Iraqi government has agreed to send five million liters of fuel to the Kurdistan Region every day to help alleviate the pressure of rising fuel prices. The Iraqi government had decided to send a one-off delivery of 10 million liters, but Kurdish officials warned this would not suffice. The oil will be sent through the Kurdistan Region-based KAR group, which refines oil for the Iraqi government. The delivery will help keep the price of fuel between 600 and 650 dinars per liter.
Lastly, fifty nations are now taking action to reduce plastic pollution, according to the biggest report so far from the UN. It reveals that the Galapagos will ban single-use plastics, Sri Lanka will ban styrofoam and China is insisting on biodegradable bags. But the authors warn that far more needs to be done to reduce the vast flow of plastic into rivers and oceans and that good policies to curb plastic waste in many nations have failed because of poor enforcement. Let’s hope this changes here.
