Daily News Brief - 04/10/2022
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Please find below today’s daily news brief.
Iran | US: US president condemns the violent crackdown on protesters in Iran and warns of “further costs”
US President Joe Biden warned on Monday that “further costs” will be imposed on Tehran for its violent crackdown on “peaceful protesters” in the country. In a statement, Biden said that “this week, the United States will be imposing further costs on perpetrators of violence against peaceful protesters. We will continue holding Iranian officials accountable and supporting the rights of Iranians to protest freely.” The protests continue throughout Iran as some human rights groups put the death toll at 92.
Iraq: Kurdish leader receives the Iraqi prime minister in Erbil
Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi began an official visit to the Kurdistan region on Monday, being welcomed by the President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Masoud Barzani, in Erbil. The two discussed the overall political situation in the country and the importance of adopting a national dialogue that engages all political forces. Later on, al-Kadhimi met with Kurdistan’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to discuss Baghdad-Erbil relations. Both sides agreed to prioritize “the citizen’s interests” and emphasized the importance of continued dialogue.
Israel: Closures to be imposed throughout Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories as Jewish citizens observe Yom Kippur
Israel is preparing to shut down on Tuesday evening for Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement and the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. The Israeli army will also impose a closure on the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip as security forces remain on high alert. A total of 26 army battalions will receive reinforcements with thousands of soldiers present throughout the occupied West Bank. All flights in and out of Ben Gurion international airport will be halted starting on Tuesday afternoon while Israel’s air space will close to flights passing through. Radio and television broadcasts, as well as public transportation, will also be halted.
Israel | EU: High-level meeting between Israeli and EU officials to renew dialogue after over a decade
Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid spoke on Monday with EU officials, renewing economic and political dialogue with the bloc for the first time in over a decade. During a virtual address at the 12th meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council, Lapid told the gathering of the EU foreign ministers that he is committed to a two-state solution, he noted that there has been a positive change in Israel’s work with the Palestinian Authority, and called on the Palestinians to “put an end to terrorism and incitement.” On his side, the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell welcomed Lapid’s position on the two-state solution and expressed concerns regarding the “continued violence and tensions on the ground and the continuation of unilateral measures such as the expansion of settlements.”
Jordan | Oman: The Jordanian king is expected to arrive in Oman on Tuesday for an official visit
Jordan’s King Abdullah II is scheduled to begin an official visit to Oman on Tuesday at the invitation of his counterpart Sultan Haitham bin Tareq Al Said. According to officials in Muscat, King Abdullah’s visit will contribute to commercial exchanges, investments, and cooperation in different fields, adding that the Oman-Jordan Joint Committee is discussing mechanisms for upgrading cooperation in economic, commercial, and investment fields.
Lebanon: Four banks were stormed on Tuesday by depositors across the country
Four Lebanese banks were stormed on Tuesday by depositors, angry that the institutions imposed limits on their accounts. The incidents took place in Tripoli, Beirut, and Tyre with people demanding to withdraw the savings from their own accounts that were subjected to draconian and illegal limitations under a Central Bank directive.
Lebanon | Israel: Beirut expected to send its response to the US maritime border delimitation proposal on Tuesday
Following a meeting between Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Najib Miqati, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Elias Bou Saab stated that Lebanon will request amendments to US envoy Amos Hochstein’s written proposal on the maritime border delimitation between Lebanon and Israel on Tuesday. Bou Saab added that he will collect all the observations of the Lebanese technical team and expressed hope that Hochstein will send his answer before the end of the week.
Libya | Turkey: Ankara and Tripoli sign a memorandum of understanding on energy exploration
During a visit to Libya, high-level Turkish officials signed a preliminary deal on energy exploration with the internationally-recognized Libyan government headed by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. It was not immediately clear whether the provisions of the memorandum are based on the 2019 agreement between Libya and Turkey which includes exploration rights in Tripoli’s exclusive economic zone. In a joint press conference with his Libyan counterpart Najla Mangoush, the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated that “first of all, the Hydrocarbon Agreement that we just signed aims to allow cooperation between Turkish companies and Libyan companies in areas such as exploration and drilling with a win-win understanding in our maritime jurisdictions both on land and at sea.” The news prompted Greece and Egypt to reject the deal and challenge the legitimacy of the Libyan Government of National Unity to conclude such agreements.
Saudi Arabia: Crown prince’s lawyers say he has immunity in journalist’s killing case
In a petition requesting a federal district court in Washington to dismiss the case, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s lawyers stated that “the Royal Order [appointing bin Salman as the kingdom’s prime minister] leaves no doubt that the Crown Prince is entitled to status-based immunity.” Mohammad bin Salman is facing a US lawsuit over the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi filed by his fiance and a human rights group founded by Khashoggi. The court had previously asked the US Department of Justice to express a view on whether Mohammad bin Salman had immunity, but after his appointment as prime minister last week, the department is seeking a 45-day extension to prepare its response.
Yemen: Houthi rebels renew attacks on government troops hours after the truce expired
Yemen’s Houthi rebels renewed their attacks against government forces just hours after the UN-mediated truce expired. Violent incidents took place in several parts of the country, including Ta’iz and the oil-rich Marib governorate. According to Colonel Saleh al-Qutaibi, deputy chief of the Yemeni army’s media center, the military is preparing to repel further Houthi attacks. He added that the soldiers have been ordered not to launch any offensives on rebel positions. Local sources confirmed that the rebels had sent reinforcements to several provinces. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Yemen’s warring parties on Monday to refrain from any provocations that could escalate violence.