The World - News from April 27, 1989

King Hussein of Jordan, addressing the nation in the wake of the price riots that forced his prime minister to resign, promised to speed up political reform but warned that there is no escaping the difficult days of economic austerity ahead. In an alternately angry and pleading tone, Hussein denounced last week’s rioting--in which at least nine people were killed and 100 injured--as “sad, disgusting and shameful.” Hussein promised that preparations will be speeded up for Jordan’s first parliamentary elections in more than 20 years but did not set a date.