The monarch wants to avoid the violence that has hit Egypt and Tunisia. Police arrest one thousand demonstrators in the streets against the Mubarack government. Demonstrations in Yemen.

Amman (AsiaNews) - King Abdullah II of Jordan has announced new programs and economic reforms, after protests against high prices in recent days in Amman. The King urged politicians and officials to be closer to people's needs. According to local media, King Abdullah wants to avoid the climate of popular discontent resulting in riots that have hit Egypt and Tunisia.

For days, the Egyptians have been demonstrating against the 30 year regime of President Hosni Murabak and on 25 January over 300 thousand people took to the streets of Cairo. Currently, the toll from clashes with the police has amounted to six dead and about a thousand arrests. The demonstrations have also affected the economy and the stock exchange today suspended trading after sharp losses. In Egypt, about two-thirds of the population is under 30. Of these 90% are unemployed, while 40% live on less than 2 dollars per day.

In Tunisia, the first nation shaken by social unrest, the interim government has issued an international arrest warrant against former President Ben Ali, his wife Leila Trabelsi and his entire family.

Meanwhile, the riots have also involved Yemen. Today thousands of people took to the streets in the capital Sanaa and other cities to demand the resignation of President Ali Abdallah Saleh, in power for 32 years.

• Middle
• East
• protest
• riot
• unemployment
• poverty
• Jordan
• Egypt
• Yemen
• Tunisia