Behind Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's historic visit to Oman lay a failed effort to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and an embarrassing diplomatic incident that almost torpedoed the visit, Israeli officials tell me.
Why it matters: The October 2018 trip ranks as one of Netanyahu's signature foreign policy achievements, as he was the first Israeli leader to visit Oman in 22 years. But the story of what exactly took place has not previously been told.
While President Trump enjoys a hero's welcome in India, that nation's capital is being torn apart by violent protests between Hindus and Muslims.
The state of play: At least 186 people — 56 police officers and 130 protesters — have been injured and 10 killed in recent clashes, a New Delhi police spokesperson told the AP.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has ordered its embassies in Russia, Canada and Bulgaria to cancel planned speaking events by an Israeli academic and prominent Iran expert, claiming he criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policy on the Iranian nuclear program, officials told me.
Why it matters: For many years, the Israeli Foreign Ministry would send Israeli academics who disagree with the government on speaking tours around the world in order to convey the strength of Israeli democracy. Israeli diplomats view the move against the academic as a sign of retaliation and growing fear of dissent on politically charged issues.
The deadly protests during President Trump's visit to India between Muslims and Hindus over a new citizenship law, which critics say is anti-Muslim, are the latest clashes between adherents of the two religions.
The big picture: Predominantly Hindu India officially removed special privileges in August for its only Muslim-majority state, Jammu and Kashmir region, exacerbating tensions with Pakistan.
Hosni Mubarak, the former autocratic president of Egypt from 1981 to 2011, died Tuesday at the age of 91, Egyptian state TV confirmed Monday, per the AP.
Why it matters: His 30-year term — during which he was a key ally of the U.S. in the region — was ended by nationwide protests against poverty and corruption during the Arab Spring uprising. After being ousted from office and arrested in 2011, he was acquitted of responsibility in the deaths of hundreds of protesters in 2014, but was jailed on corruption charges until his release in 2017.
President Trump's second and final day of his India visit struck a more formal tone than the pageantry of a day earlier that included a trip to the Taj Mahal and a mega-rally in his honor. But he took time out Tuesday to pay tribute to Indian independence icon Mahatma Gandhi at a memorial in New Delhi.
Why it matters: The countries are forging deeper ties as India’s location, size and economic growth make it the "obvious counterweight to China" for American policymakers.
Why it matters:Per the BBC, a police officer and six civilians "died in the capital's deadliest day" since last year's passing of the Citizenship Amendment Act — which allows religious minorities but excludes Muslims from nearby countries to become citizens if they can show they were persecuted for their religion. This comes as President Trump and members of the U.S. first family are in Delhi as part of a two-day visit to India, though they're away from the violence.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has submitted his resignation to the country's king, he confirmed in a statement on Monday.
Why it matters: The 94-year-old has been the world's oldest prime minister since coming to power in 2018, and his resignation shocked many, amid "rumours that he may form a new coalition without his designated successor, Anwar Ibrahim," per the BBC. His party has "exited the ruling coalition, kicking off a race to form the next government," Bloomberg notes.
