Politics this week

Around 20 people were arrested in Jordan on charges of plotting against the crown. Prince Hamzah, a half-brother of the king and former heir apparent, was confined to a palace outside Amman. No evidence of an actual plot was shared by the authorities. Prince Hamzah has been a vocal critic of the government. From detention he released a video in which he assailed it for alleged corruption and repression, though he later pledged his loyalty to King Abdullah.