Domestic Politics
Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who led the country from 1981-2011, died on Tuesday at 91 years of age. Mubarak was ousted from power during the Arab Spring revolutions. Although he is remembered as a hero for his role during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, he was also held responsible for widespread oppression, economic stagnation, and corruption during his rule. He was buried in Cairo on Wednesday, where he received a full military funeral amid tight security. [The Guardian]
Tunisia’s new coalition government, led by Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh, won the vote of confidence in Parliament early on Thursday. The MPs voted 129 to 77 in favour of the coalition following a debate that lasted more than 14 hours. Fakhfakh has identified seven major economic and social issues that his government plans to prioritize. [Al Jazeera]
International Relations
A Hamas delegation led by Lebanon representative Ahmed Abdel Hadi met Jesus Gregorio, the Venezuelan ambassador to Lebanon, yesterday in Beirut. Hadi was accompanied by Hamas’ Palestinian relations official, Mashhour Abdel Halim, and the movement’s media officer Abdel Majid Al-Awad. The men discussed the latest developments in the Palestine issue, including the US’ Mideast peace plan and increased Israeli aggression in Gaza. [Middle East Monitor]
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Israel Katz have slammed US Senator Bernie Sanders for his “wrong” and “shocking” comments against the PM. Sanders, the current lead for the Democratic presidential nomination, said at Tuesday’s South Carolina debate that he would consider overturning President Donald Trump’s decision and move the US Embassy in Israel back to Tel Aviv. He also called Netanyahu a “reactionary racist”. [The Times of Israel]
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Egypt have restored postal services with Qatar after severing mail links with the Kingdom in 2017. The removal of the blockade is a small step towards normalizing regional relations with Qatar after a long diplomatic crisis. [Al Jazeera]
Health
Iranian Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi and an MP have tested positive for the coronavirus as the country struggles to contain the outbreak. Iran has 95 reported cases of the virus, but the real numbers are believed to be higher despite Harirchi’s insistence that the administration has not covered up the scale of the epidemic. [BBC]
Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended the entry of Umrah pilgrims as a preventative measure against the coronavirus. An entry ban has also been placed on those with tourist visas, with the exception of those from GCC countries who wish to go back home. [Arab News]
Law
An Egyptian court has ruled in favour of a woman whose husband infected her with HIV while pregnant without telling her of his condition. The man must pay her a compensation of one million Egyptian pounds (~$64,100). Their child has also contracted the disease. [Middle East Monitor]
Image Source: The New York Times