JERUSALEM/AMMAN: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stopped an Israeli lawmaker from taking on a Jordanian counterpart in a fist-fight on Wednesday over a diplomatic crisis between the two neighbors.
The July 23 shooting to death of two Jordanians by an Israeli Embassy guard who said he was acting in self-defense has outraged Amman, stirred up pro-Palestinian sentiment in the kingdom and prompted US mediation efforts.
Oren Hazan, a member of Netanyahu’s rightist Likud party, had tweeted on the day of the shooting that Jordanians “who we keep supplied with water and whose butts we defend day and night” needed “re-education.”
His comments prompted a challenge from a similarly fiery lawmaker in Jordan. “Let him meet me, if he is a man,” Yahya Soud said on Twitter.
They were due to square off against each other on Wednesday morning on the border.
As the appointed time neared, both men posted images of themselves on social media driving to the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge crossing between Jordan and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
But Hazan’s journey was cut short after Netanyahu’s office ordered him to turn around. A statement from the prime minister’s office did not say why Netanyahu had stopped the fight from proceeding. There was no immediate comment from Jordan.
Hazan said on Twitter he was disappointed the encounter had not taken place. Soud told reporters he had been “serious about going down to the bridge and busting this dirty man’s nose.” Netanyahu stepped in, Soud said, because Israelis “can’t face up to Jordanians.”
In 1994, Jordan became the second of only two Arab countries to make peace with Israel.
Netanyahu calls off fistfight between Israeli, Jordanian lawmakers
Netanyahu calls off fistfight between Israeli, Jordanian lawmakers
Rami Malek: ‘I consider myself fortunate to have shared the screen with these actors’
- The first actor of Arab descent to win an Oscar discusses his latest movie ‘The Amateur’
DUBAI: Oscar-winner Rami Malek is expanding his role behind the camera with “The Amateur,” now showing in cinemas across the Middle East. Teaming up with British director James Hawes and an ensemble cast, Malek – as lead star and producer – crafts a modern spy thriller that blends classic genre tension with timely urgency, and a cerebral update.
“I just love to see things from beginning to end all the way through — every element,” Malek tells Arab News. “I hope it’s not a perfectionist aspect, but I’ve always found myself remembering moments on certain cameras, certain lenses on other actors that I would talk to the directors about, or in post-production and wanting to make sure we get the best of the best. I heard about a lot of actors who come into the editing suite, and I thought, ‘How could I do that without having to do it in this kind of sneaky manner?’
“And so (this was) the way to do that. And it was nice to see this develop, to work on the script with Dan Wilson and, of course, the great (producer) Hutch Parker, and James Hawes, and sit down day in and day out and try to make this feel as authentic and unique as possible from beginning to end.”
Malek stars as Charlie Heller, a brilliant but introverted CIA codebreaker whose life is upended when his wife (Rachel Brosnahan) is killed in a terrorist attack in London. When the agency refuses to act, Heller sets off on a dangerous, global pursuit of those responsible — using his intelligence skills to outwit enemies and seek justice on his own terms.
Apart from Malek and Brosnahan, the film also stars Laurence Fishburne, Caitriona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, and Emmy winner Julianne Nicholson, among others.
“I got to galvanize some of my favorite actors — people I’ve always wanted to work with — in this ensemble,” Malek says. “I think everyone recognizes them as people working at the top of their game. Every actor in this film is someone I consider myself fortunate to have shared the screen with. And yeah, I’m very proud of that. It’s quite the feat.”
Balfe — the Irish actress and model known for her role as Claire Fraser in the historical drama “Outlander” — plays Inquiline Davies, Heller’s asset, a hacker with whom he communicates via secure messages online.
“Rami is amazing. I have known him socially for many years, but I always wanted to be able to work with him. And so when this project came along, I was so excited to be able to get that opportunity,” said Balfe.
“And he was an incredible producer as well. We had long, long days shooting, and he’s in practically every scene of the movie. And yet he would go home and watch the rushes from the day before, and he’d have his notes when he came in the next day about what was great, or maybe things that were missed, or script changes. It was a lot on his shoulders, but he was brilliant and very generous with his time. And very welcoming and kind to everybody too, which is so important.”
Balfe also revealed that, despite the time constraints of shooting a movie across multiple countries, “everybody was having so much fun” on set.
“Even though it was a very intense shoot and people were under real time pressure, it was such a lovely group of people to work with,” she says. “That was the best thing.”
British director Hawes is no stranger to the world of espionage drama, having worked on the acclaimed UK spy series “Slow Horses.”
“I’d been able to play in that world,” Hawes says. “Those are the kinds of films I’m drawn to — moody, atmospheric, but rooted in realism.”
While “The Amateur” nods to classic spy thrillers, Hawes aimed to update the genre for today’s world. One major change was relocating key scenes from Prague — “a city more known for beer bikes than Cold War intrigue” — to Istanbul, which he felt offered an urgent, unpredictable energy.
“We wanted it to feel contemporary — not just in the politics, but in the tech, the pacing, the stakes,” he says. “Hopefully, it still carries the soul of those older stories, but in a way that speaks to now.”
Bangladesh bringing Saudi ties to ‘new heights,’ envoy says
- Countries mark 50 years of diplomatic relations as Dhaka celebrates national day
- M. Delwar Hossain: Bangladeshis have transformed an impoverished country into one of the fastest-growing economies in the world
RIYADH: Bangladesh is looking to seize the “momentous occasion” of 50 years of ties with Saudi Arabia to bring its relationship with the Kingdom to new heights, the country’s ambassador has said.
M. Delwar Hossain, ambassador of Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia, was speaking at a Bangladesh National Day reception to mark the 54th anniversary of the country’s independence.
This year also marks 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Dhaka and Riyadh.
“I welcome you all to the celebration of the 54th anniversary of the independence of Bangladesh,” Hossain said.
“On this momentous occasion, I render homage to the valiant freedom fighters and martyrs who made supreme sacrifice for the independence of the country in 1971.”
Over the years, Bangladeshis have transformed an impoverished country into one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, he added.
“We now seek to make a bigger stride toward our dreams. With a vibrant private sector, a huge pool of competent workforce and a sizable domestic market, Bangladesh is now well poised to engage in deeper mutually beneficial cooperation with international partners and friends,” Hossain said.
“The government has undertaken a series of reform initiatives in key sectors to further improve overall governance and the competitiveness of the economy.”
The ambassador described relations between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia as “excellent,” based on mutual respect, shared values and common aspirations.
Though the state-level formal diplomatic relationship was established shortly after Bangladesh’s independence, ties between the two peoples dates back centuries, he added.
“Since then, our relationship has witnessed progressive expansion, both in depth and dimension. At the moment, our two nations are in meaningful collaboration in a wide range of areas. Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia enjoy deeper understanding and collaboration on regional and global issues of common interest. We have been working closely in the UN and other multilateral fora including the OIC,” said Hossain.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman for their continued support and goodwill toward Bangladesh. We express our heartiest gratitude to the leadership and the people of Saudi Arabia for hosting about 3 million expatriate Bangladeshis,” he added.
The reception was attended by Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudairy, undersecretary of the Riyadh Region, as well as Abdulmajeed Al-Smari, deputy minister for Protocol Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Hossain said: “This year, 2025, marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.”
He added: “We look forward to seizing this momentous occasion to take our relationship to new heights and make it more meaningful to the people of both countries.
“There still remains huge potential for mutually beneficial deeper collaboration in numerous areas, particularly in trade and investment, energy, human resources, IT, health, agriculture and climate.”
Lebanese foreign minister discusses reforms, weapons control with Saudi ambassador to Beirut
- Youssef Rajji and Waleed Al-Bukhari consider latest developments in Lebanon and the Middle East
- Al-Bukhari confirms the Kingdom’s full support for the reform process in Lebanon
BEIRUT: The Lebanese minister of foreign affairs reassured Saudi Ambassador Waleed Al-Bukhari that Beirut is committed to financial reforms and restricting the possession of weapons outside the state’s control.
Youssef Rajji met with Al-Bukhari in Beirut on Thursday to discuss the latest developments in Lebanon and the Middle East
Rajji said that Lebanon is committed to implementing the necessary economic, financial, and administrative reforms and ensure that weapons are held exclusively by the state. He said this policy will “put Lebanon on the trail of recovery and advancement,” the National News Agency reported.
He expressed gratitude to the Saudi leadership for supporting Lebanon and its people and said that relations between Riyadh and Beirut have reinstated Lebanon to its rightful place among its Arab neighbors.
Al-Bukhari reaffirmed the Kingdom’s full support for Lebanon’s reform process, which is led by President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and the government formed in February.
No extension in deadline to deport illegal foreigners from Pakistan — minister
- Over 850,000 people repatriated since a deportation drive was launched in late 2023
- Pakistan has expelled over 8,000 Afghan nationals in the past week, UNHRC says
ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry said on Thursday the government was not considering extending the deadline for illegal foreigners to leave the country, with over 850,000 people repatriated since a deportation drive was launched in late 2023.
Earlier this year, Pakistan’s interior ministry asked all “illegal foreigners” and holders of Afghan Citizen Cards — a document launched in 2017 to grant temporary legal status to Afghan refugees — to leave the country before Mar. 31, warning that they would otherwise be deported from April 1. The move is part of a larger repatriation drive of foreign citizens that began in November 2023.
Pakistan has expelled more than 8,000 Afghan nationals in the past week in a fresh repatriation drive after the expiry of a March 31 deadline, the UNHCR said on Tuesday.
“The first and foremost thing I want to share with you is that there is no deadline extension [to deport illegal foreigners] being considered or given, nor will there be any extension,” Chaudhry said at a press conference, saying 857,157 people had been repatriated since 2023, including those residing in Pakistan illegally and ACC holders.
“Particularly in the case of Afghan nationals, this decision had to be made after considering some ground realities,” he said, accusing Afghan nations of being involved in militant attacks, narcotics trade and other crimes.
Last year was the deadliest year in almost a decade in Pakistan, with more than 1,600 people killed in militant attacks, nearly half of them security forces personnel, according to the Islamabad-based Center for Research and Security Studies.
Pakistan accuses the Taliban government of failing to root out militants sheltering on Afghan soil, a charge Kabul denies, saying it does not allow its territory to be used by militants against Pakistan. It also says Afghan nationals are not involved in terrorism and other crimes in Pakistan and Islamabad’s security and criminality issues are a domestic problem.
Chinese diplomat condemns US tariffs as ‘abusive’ and warns of global trade damage
- Minister Counselor in the Embassy of China Ma Jian says US tariffs are “economic bullying.”
RIYADH: US tariffs imposed on Chinese goods are “abusive” and damaging to global supply chains, a diplomat from the Asian country to Saudi Arabia has said.
Speaking at a media roundtable held in the Chinese Embassy in Riyadh, Minister Counselor Ma Jian said his country’s government expresses its strong condemnation and firm rejection of the measures taken by President Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, the US government announced a three-month pause on all the “reciprocal” tariffs that had gone into effect — except those affecting China, which were raised to 125 percent, hours after Beijing boosted the duty on American goods to 84 percent.
Jian said the actions of the White House “violate basic economic rules and market principles and disregard the balance of interests reached in multilateral trade negotiations, and ignore the fact that the United States has long gained significantly from international trade.”
The official told Arab News: “The Chinese government expresses its strong condemnation and firm rejection of this action.”
He added: “The US’ abusive behavior by imposing tariffs seriously harms the trade system and the rules of the World Trade Organization and also harms the global economy.
“Moreover, the abusive imposition of tariffs also causes damage to global supply chains and the multilateral trading system.”
Jian stated that analysis of data from the World Trade Organization shows that under this US policy, the gap between countries will widen, with less developed countries suffering more severe consequences.
“We demand and hope that the US side stops this wrong behavior and acts in response to the calls of the peoples of the world to achieve mutual benefit and greater development of the global economy,” Jian told Arab News.
When asked what, if any steps China will take to mitigate the tensions amidst the trade war with the US following the recent retaliatory tariffs, the Minister Counselor stated: “We will follow the path that the President (Xi Jinping) affirmed — of mutual respect, peaceful deliberation, and cooperation for mutual benefit — as a sign of developing relations with the US.”
He added: “However, we will take a few measures to safeguard our legitimate and reasonable rights and interests.
“The nature of cooperation and dealings between countries is mutual benefit.”
Jian said the US is using tariffs “as a weapon to exert maximum pressure and advance selfish interests,” adding: “These are acts of unilateralism, protectionism, and economic bullying.”
He went on to say that the “zero-sum game” the US has pursued under the pretext of pursuing “reciprocity” and “parity” is, by its very nature, a pursuit of “America First” and “American exceptionalism.”
The Minister Counselor added: “They aim to overthrow the existing international economic and trade order through tariffs.”
The diplomat went on to say: “They place American interests above the overall interests of the international community and serve American hegemony at the expense of the legitimate interests of other countries. They will inevitably be widely rejected by the international community.”
China-US trade in goods has historically grown rapidly since their diplomatic ties were established in 1979.
UN figures show that in 2024 the volume of trade in goods between the two reached $688.28 billion — 275 times the volume of the trade in 1979 and more than eight times the volume of trade in 2001, when China joined the World Trade Organization.
In a regular press conference on April 8, foreign minister spokesperson Lin Jian said that China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its legitimate and lawful rights and interests.
“If the US decides not to care about the interests of the US itself, China, and the rest of the world and is determined to fight a tariff and trade war, China’s response will continue to the end,” he said, adding: “China is not a seeker of trouble but make no mistake, when challenged we will never back down. Intimidations and threats never work with China.”
