Daily News Brief

August 30, 2022

Top of the Agenda

Influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr appealed to his supporters to stand down (AP) after hundreds of them staged protests in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, yesterday. The demonstrators stormed government buildings and traded gunfire with security forces to protest Sadr’s announcement that he would withdraw from politics. At least thirty people were killed and more than four hundred were injured, officials said. 

Iraq has been unable to form a government (NYT) since elections in October, when candidates loyal to Sadr earned the majority of parliamentary seats. They have refused to negotiate with rival Shiite parties that are backed by Iran. Yesterday’s unrest prompted Iran to close its border with Iraq and an Emirati airline to halt flights into Baghdad. 

Analysis

“[Sadr] has done this many times and usually when he does claim to be withdrawing or resigning from the political system, it’s usually before elections and he always ends up backtracking. So, the question again here is ‘Will he backtrack as well?’” the European Council on Foreign Relations’ Hamzeh Hadad tells Al Jazeera.

 
“In the background of the political infighting, Iraqis have suffered mightily, as state institutions, from schools to hospitals, deteriorate without government support,” the Washington Post’s Mustafa Salim and Kareem Fahim write. 

Pacific Rim

Authorities ordered residents of Hebei Province, which surrounds Beijing, to stay home (AFP) until the end of the week after dozens of new COVID-19 cases were reported. In China’s southern tech hub of Shenzhen, the world’s largest electronics market was also ordered to close.

For the Geo-Graphics blog, CFR’s Benn Steil and Benjamin Della Rocca write that China’s zero-COVID policy has made its growth targets unattainable.

Solomon Islands: All foreign navy vessels will be banned from the country’s waters while it establishes “new processes” for policing its exclusive economic zones, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said in a statement to Reuters.

South and Central Asia

Pakistan’s loan package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had been on hold (Dawn) since earlier this year because authorities had strayed from the fund’s policy targets.

This Backgrounder examines the IMF’s role as the world’s controversial financial firefighter.

Sri Lanka: President Ranil Wickremesinghe said Sri Lanka will raise taxes (FT) and increase funding for social protections in an effort to secure IMF support.

Middle East and North Africa

A military committee from Yemen’s internationally recognized government called off talks (The National) “until further notice” after Houthi fighters killed ten members of the armed forces.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Electoral authorities announced that Lourenço’s party won 51.17 percent of votes (East African), in last week’s general elections, granting him a second term. The opposition coalition secured 43.95 percent of votes.

Kenya: Opposition leader Raila Odinga said he will respect the Supreme Court’s ruling (Reuters) that he lost Kenya’s recent presidential election, but he said he still believes he won. 

For the Africa in Transition blog, CFR’s Michelle Gavin takes stock of Kenya’s election.

Europe

Ukrainian fighters began a ground assault (NYT) on Russian troops in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region. Its capital was the first major city to fall to Russia after it invaded in February.

France/Germany/Russia: At a meeting of defense and foreign ministers in Prague, France and Germany opposed a ban (Politico) on Russian tourists entering the European Union.

Americas

In a survey by polling company Datavoz Statcom, 65 percent of respondents said they encountered online misinformation (Reuters) during the last week of July. Chileans will vote on a new constitution this Sunday. 

Argentina/India: After Indian officials visited Buenos Aires, an Indian plane maker said New Delhi could work around (MercoPress) a British arms embargo on Argentina by replacing British parts with Indian-made ones. 

United States

The February death of a man in Navy SEAL training prompted an investigation into allegations that trainees have used performance-enhancing drugs, the New York Times reported. Its results are expected to be released in the fall.

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