Daily News Brief - 25/07/2022
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Please find below today’s daily news brief.
Algeria | Syria: Algerian foreign minister begins official visit to Syria
Algeria’s Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra embarked on a two-day visit to Syria on Sunday during which he will discuss with his Syrian counterpart and other officials the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Egypt | GERD: US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa arrives in Cairo
The American Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Mike Hammer arrived in Cairo on Sunday at the start of a tour that includes Egypt, the UAE, and Ethiopia. One of the topics targeted by the US official is the status of the negotiations related to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), on which Hammer aims to reach a diplomatic solution.
Egypt | Russia: The Russian foreign minister arrives in Cairo for cooperation talks
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in the Egyptian capital on Sunday where he was welcomed by his counterpart Sameh Shoukry. During a joint press conference, Lavrov offered reassurances over Russian grain supplies to Egypt as Cairo bought about 80% of its wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine last year.
Iran: The chief of Iran’s atomic organization says cameras will remain off until the nuclear agreement is revived
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) chief Mohammad Eslami stated that the cameras installed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to monitor Tehran’s nuclear activities will remain off until a new agreement is reached. Iran turned off the surveillance cameras in June, claiming that their operation is beyond the country’s obligations under the UN agreement.
Iran | Saudi Arabia: Iranian officials say that Riyadh is willing to take bilateral talks to the next level
During a press conference on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kana’ani stated that, after five rounds of negotiations hosted by Iraq, Baghdad’s Foreign Minister Fuad Husseini said that the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman expressed his willingness to hold official and public talks in the next round. According to Kana’ani, bin Salman’s openness was expressed on the sidelines of the meetings in Jeddah during US President Joe Biden’s visit.
Iran | Israel: Iranian media claims that the country’s intelligence services arrested an Israeli cell working for the Mossad
The Iranian media claimed on Sunday that an “Israeli spy ring” was arrested after attempting to conduct an operation at “sensitive centers” in the city of Isfahan. According to Nour News, affiliated with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, the members of the network were arrested a few hours before the implementation of the operation. The Ministry of Intelligence said that the Israeli agents entered the country through Iraq’s Kurdistan region. It is not yet clear how many people have been arrested and Israeli officials did not comment on Iran’s claims.
Israel | Palestine: Two Palestinians were killed during an Israeli raid in Nablus
Two Palestinians were killed and several others were injured during a raid conducted by the Israeli forces on Saturday night with the alleged objective of arresting the leader of Al-Quds Martyrs’ Brigades, Ibrahim al-Nabulsi. Gunshots and explosions could be heard for hours in the occupied West Bank city as Palestinian fighters confronted the Israeli army. Early on Sunday morning, the Israeli army withdrew its troops from Nablus.
Israel | Palestine: Nine individuals were arrested by Israeli authorities in Jerusalem for ties with Hamas
The Israeli police and the Shin Bet security agency arrested nine Palestinians in Jerusalem for allegedly working for Hamas. According to reports by the authorities, the suspects were in constant contact with Hamas operatives and were being instructed and funded to carry out actions in Jerusalem.
Israel | Palestine: The Israeli army sinks a boat suspected of smuggling weapons into the Gaza Strip
The Israeli military said on Sunday that its naval forces thwarted a maritime weapons smuggling attempt from Egypt to the Gaza Strip. According to the Israeli army, the soldiers instructed the vessel to halt, and after receiving no answer, fired at the boat. The Palestinian fishermen’s union said that the two crew members on board swam to the shore.
Jordan | Palestine: Jordan’s king meets with the Palestinian president in Amman
Jordan’s King Abdullah II and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held a short, unannounced meeting in Amman on Sunday. Little details were made public regarding the discussions between the two leaders, while the Palestinian media reported that they discussed bilateral ties, US President Joe Biden’s tour in the Middle East, and Jordan’s position regarding the Palestinian issue.
Lebanon: a Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon’s north was set on fire by angry locals
The Lebanese villagers in Akkar province, northern Lebanon, set on fire the Syrian refugee camp Talhayat on Sunday after they blamed a resident of the camp for the death of their relative who was found dead at a beach on Saturday. The cause of death remains unknown while the body of the victim was transferred to the province’s capital of Halba. No arrests have been made so far.
Libya: Calm returns to the capital of Tripoli and to Misrata after clashes between militias over the weekend
After a weekend of armed confrontations in Tripoli and Misrata, which led to 16 deaths and 52 wounded, calm returned to the streets of the two cities. The heavy gunfights between the Special Deterrence Forces (SDF) and the Presidential Security Guard allegedly started after the latter attacked an SDF senior leader named Essam Harous.
Tunisia: Polling stations open for Tunisians to vote on a new constitution
The Tunisian population is expected to go to the polls on Monday and express their view on President Kais Saied’s proposed new constitution which will significantly increase his powers while reducing those of the parliament and judiciary. The referendum is organized on the first anniversary of Saied’s ousting of an elected legislative.
Yemen: UN condemns Yemen attack that killed one child and wounded at least 10
The UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg condemned the suspected Houthi attack on a residential area in the city of Taiz on Saturday that killed one child and injured at least ten others. The attack comes as the UN-brokered truce in Yemen closes to its expiration date. Negotiations for an extension are underway as the US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking travels today to Saudi Arabia in Jordan in support of the agreement.