President Joe Biden’s trip to the Middle East ended in even more controversy after it emerged that an American lawyer who previously represented Jamal Khashoggi had been detained in the United Arab Emirates. American citizen Asim Ghafoor was arrested at Dubai airport on Thursday while traveling to Istanbul for a family wedding and is now being held in a detention center on charges related to a money laundering conviction in absentia. Mr Ghafoor had no prior knowledge of any conviction, a human rights group said. On Saturday, Mr. Biden met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and invited him to visit the US before the end of the year. The UAE president was one of several Middle Eastern leaders Biden met with in Saudi Arabia on Saturday before departing on Air Force One. New details also emerged about Friday’s controversial meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – the man US intelligence has found responsible for ordering the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. When Mr Biden confronted MBS about the assassination – after a friendly punch – he denied the charge and hit back at US disputes.
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The American lawyer who defended Khashoggi is being held in the UAE
A US lawyer who defended slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates, sparking further controversy over President Joe Biden’s trip to the Middle East. Asim Ghafoor, a US citizen and civil rights lawyer from Virginia, was arrested at Dubai airport on Thursday while traveling to Istanbul for a family wedding, according to Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN). The human rights group said Mr Ghafoor is now being held in a detention center in Abu Dhabi on charges related to a money-laundering conviction in absentia. Mr Ghafoor had no prior knowledge of any conviction, DAWN said in a statement on Friday. The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:
US lawyer who defended Jamal Khashoggi detained in UAE
President Joe Biden invited UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to visit the United States as the two leaders sat down together on Saturday Rachel Sharp July 17, 2022 11:45 am 1658052900
Jamal Khashoggi’s widow thanks Biden for confronting MSB about his murder
The widow of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi thanked President Joe Biden for confronting the MSB about ordering his death. Hanan Elatr Khashoggi issued a statement through Fahmy Hudome International in response to Friday’s meeting between Mr. Biden and the Saudi crown prince. “I would like to thank President Biden for bringing up my husband, the murder of Jamal Khashoggi with the crown prince. He put that first and foremost and for that I am grateful,” he said. “I would also like to thank President Biden for fulfilling Jamal’s true legacy, which is to highlight the issue of human rights and political prisoners. This meeting was the beginning of the accountability for my husband’s murder. “Through the American justice system, I and my legal team intend to hold all parties accountable for my husband’s murder.” Rachel Sharp July 17, 2022 11:15 am 1658051100
Khan Omar says Biden trip sends ‘wrong message’
Representative Ilhan Omar criticized President Joe Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia, saying it sends the wrong message about the United States’ position on human rights. The Minnesota Democrat and Squad member, who is a refugee from Somalia, said Mr Biden’s trip was based on his promise to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah nation” after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. “We’re going to make them pay the price and actually make them the pariahs that they are,” he said when he was running for president. The Independent’s Eric Garcia has the full story:
Omar says Biden’s Saudi trip: ‘sends wrong message’
“Starting this trend of saying you’re going to do one thing in foreign policy, and it’s not really harmful,” the Squad member tells the Independent as Joe Biden visits Saudi Arabia. Rachel Sharp July 17, 2022 10:45 am 1658048400
Watch for Biden’s comments on MBS in 2020
President Joe Biden has come under fire for his meeting with MBS – and the friendly appearance – as it marks a major departure from his comments during his 2020 campaign. During his race for the White House, Mr Biden vowed to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” on the world stage after US intelligence found that MBS ordered the execution of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Watch Mr. Biden’s previous comments about MBS below: Joe Biden vows to treat Saudi Arabia as ‘pariah nation’ Rachel Sharp July 17, 2022 10:00 am 1658044800
ICYMI: President Joe Biden Says He Confronted MBS Over Khashoggi’s Killing
President Joe Biden said he confronted MBS about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi during their closed-door meeting on Friday. “Regarding the Khashoggi murder, I put that at the top of the meeting, making it clear what I thought about it at the time and what I think about it now,” Biden said. “I made my point clear … for an American president to be silent on a human rights issue is inconsistent with who we are and who I am.” Watch Mr. Biden’s comments below: Biden says he shared Khashoggi assassination with MBS Rachel Sharp 17 July 2022 09:00 1658041200
ICYMI: Biden’s controversial fistfight with MBS
President Joe Biden came under fire on Friday when he was caught on camera greeting the Saudi crown prince with a casual fist bump. US intelligence has determined that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – also known as MBS – was responsible for ordering the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Watch the awkward meeting between Mr Biden and MBS below: Joe Biden punches Saudi crown prince after vowing to make him a ‘pariah’ Rachel Sharp 17 July 2022 08:00 1658037600
MBS says Saudi Arabia can’t produce much more oil
MBS said Saudi Arabia could not increase oil production significantly after President Joe Biden met with the crown prince in efforts to address skyrocketing US gas prices. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told the Gulf Cooperation Council on Saturday that his oil-rich country is close to its oil production limit and cannot produce more than 13 million barrels a day. According to the US Energy Information Administration, Saudi Arabia currently produces about 10.2 million barrels of crude oil per day. His comments come after Biden told reporters that MBS had agreed to boost oil production – a move that will ease gas prices for Americans – during their contentious meeting on Friday. Rachel Sharp 17 July 2022 07:00 1658034000
Israel fires missiles hours after Biden leaves
The Israeli military fired rockets along the Gaza Strip hours after President Joe Biden left the country. On Saturday morning, Israel early targeted what it said was a Hamas military site, hitting an underground compound containing raw materials used to make rockets. Israeli officials said it launched the strike in response to two rocket attacks overnight that set off air raid sirens but caused no injuries or damage. Hours earlier, Mr. Biden had completed a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories. Rachel Sharp 17 July 2022 06:00 1658030400
Biden poses for ‘family photo’ with Saudi Crown Prince MBS
President Joe Biden posed for a “family photo” with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, hours after the pair exchanged harsh words over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The president stood shoulder to shoulder with the crown prince, known as MBS, along with other Middle Eastern leaders on Saturday before boarding Air Force One and leaving the region. In the photos, Biden stood with his hands clasped in front of him with MBS to his right. At some point the two leaders appeared to exchange words. They were joined for the photo call by Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi. King Abdullah II of Jordan? Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. Crown Prince of Kuwait Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah; Prime Minister of Iraq Mustafa Qademi; President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Asaad bin Tariq al-Said, special representative of the Sultan of Oman. The so-called “family photo” comes after Friday’s meeting between Biden and MBS, where the US president said he confronted the Saudi crown prince over his role in Khashoggi’s death. The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:
Biden poses for ‘family photo’ with MBS after row over Khashoggi murder
Biden administration officials forced to defend the president’s decision to meet with MBS after he vowed to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” in the 2020 campaign Rachel Sharp 17 July 2022 05:00 1658026848
MBS counters Biden with America’s own controversies
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hit back at Joe Biden with America’s own controversies when the US president confronted him over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, it has emerged. A source familiar with Friday’s controversial meeting between the two leaders told CNN that the crown prince, known as MBS, responded by mentioning the death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and incidents where US soldiers abused detainees at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib detention center. The source said MBS told Biden that the two incidents reflect badly on the US. The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:
MBS hit back at Biden when confronted about Khashoggi’s murder
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince addressed the death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and incidents of US soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners Rachel Sharp 17 July 2022 04:00
