Regional leaders, from UAE Prime Minister @HHShkMohd to King Abdullah of Jordan to Egyptian President arrive in Baghdad, plus French President. Meeting of this kind happening in Baghdad only a year ago would have seemed impossible thenationalnews.com/mena/iraq/2021… via @TheNationalNews Credit to @MAKadhimi and @BarhamSalih for putting Iraq back on diplomatic map - not only to ask for support for Iraq, but to be a regional player, able to have influence and build strong personal relations. Domestic challenges remain huge, but meeting is significant

Karbala, one of Islam’s holy cities, witnessed a massacre overnight. At least 98 protestors killed and 1000 wounded - videos coming in show brute force used against unarmed protestors. Clear that Iraqi govt&its various security arms will use all methods to shut their people down The Iraqi governing class is divided between (1) those who want to use force to break the protests, believing them to be ‘traitors’ (2) those who don’t believe in this violent reaction but are completely incompetent&don’t know what to do. Both are responsible for loss of life

Omani FM addressing #IISSMD18 - all questions on Israel PM visit to Oman yesterday. Says ‘time is now to get rid of problems that stop progress in region. Palestinian cause is at heart of this, we must end this problem’ ⁦@IISS_org⁩ ‘We know Israel became a country because of international developments.. now the establishment of a Palestinian state is a much needed and compelling necessity’ #IISSMD18