Biden news - live: Jamal Khashoggi’s American lawyer detained in UAE

President Joe Biden’s trip to the Middle East came to an end with yet more controversy after it emerged that an American lawyer who previously represented Jamal Khashoggi had been detained in the UAE.

US citizen Asim Ghafoor was detained at Dubai airport on Thursday while travelling to Istanbul for a family wedding and is now being held in a detention facility on charges related to an in absentia conviction for money laundering. Mr Ghafoor had no prior knowledge of any conviction, a human rights group said.

On Saturday, Mr Biden met with UAE President Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and invited him to come to the US for a visit before the year is out.

The UAE president was one of multiple Middle Eastern leaders Mr Biden met in Saudi Arabia on Saturday before leaving aboard Air Force One.

New details also emerged about Friday’s controversial meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – the man US intelligence found responsible for ordering the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

When Mr Biden confronted MBS about the killing – after a friendly fist-bump – he denied the accusation and fired back about the US’s own controversies.

Key points

• Biden says he took MBS to task over journalist’s murder in Saudi Arabia

• MBS fires back at Biden with America’s own controversies

• MBS says Saudi Arabia can’t produce much more oil

• US lawyer who defended Khashoggi is detained in UAE

• Biden’s controversial fist-bump with MBS

Biden speaks about human rights

22:10 , Rachel Sharp

President Joe Biden gave a speech on human rights at the summit of Middle East leaders, hours after he had told MBS he believes he is responsible for ordering the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

“No country gets it right all the time, even most of the time, including the United States,” he said on Saturday.

“But our people are our strength. Our countries with the confidence to learn from the mistakes grow stronger.”

The president stopped short of directly mentioning Khashoggi’s murder.

Biden poses for ‘family photo’ with Saudi Crown Prince MBS

21:40 , Rachel Sharp

President Joe Biden posed for a “family photo” with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, just hours after the pair exchanged harsh words over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The president stood shoulder to shoulder with the crown prince, known as MBS, along with other Middle East leaders on Saturday, before he boarded Air Force One and left the region.

In the photos, Mr Biden stood with his hands clasped in front of him with MBS to his right. At one point, the two leaders appeared to exchange words.

They were joined for the photo call by Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa; Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi; Jordan’s King Abdullah II; Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani; Kuwait’s Crown Prince Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah; Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhemi; United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Asaad bin Tariq al-Said, a special representative for the Sultan of Oman.

The so-called “family photo” comes after Friday’s meeting between Mr 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 clash over Khashoggi murder

MBS fires back at Biden with America’s own controveries

21:10 , Rachel Sharp

Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman fired back at Joe Biden with America’s own controversies when the US president confronted him over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, it has been revealed.

A source familiar with Friday’s controversial meeting between the two leaders told CNN that the crown prince, known as MBS, responded by bringing up the death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and incidents where US soldiers abused prisoners at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib detention centre.

The source said that MBS told Mr Biden that the two incidents reflected badly on the US.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:

MBS fired back at Biden when confronted over Khashoggi’s murder

Iran imposes sanctions on 61 Americans including Mike Pompeo

20:40 , Rachel Sharp

Iran has imposed a fresh round of sanctions on 61 Americans including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and ex-White House national security adviser John Bolton.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that it had imposed sanctions on the group of Americans who had voiced support for Iranian dissident group Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK).

The nation has introduced sanctions on more than 70 other Americans so far this year, as hopes of reviving the 2015 nuclear deal continue to stall.

President Joe Biden is seeking to reenter the nuclear deal which was reached under the Obama administration before being dismantled by the Trump administration.

The new raft of sanctions were handed down the same day that President Joe Biden spoke to a group of leaders in the Middle East, saying that Iran never get nuclear weapons.

Saudi crown prince unrealistic emission policies will lead to ‘unprecedented’ inflation

20:10 , Rachel Sharp

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that “unrealistic” emission policies will lead to “unprecedented” inflation, with more investment is needed in fossil fuel and clean energy technologies.

Speaking at the Gulf Cooperation Council on Saturday, MBS spoke about the global demand for oil as gas prices continue to soar.

“Adopting unrealistic policies to reduce emissions by excluding main sources of energy will lead in coming years to unprecedented inflation and an increase in energy prices, and rising unemployment and a worsening of serious social and security problems,” he said.

The “geopolitical situation” and the pandemic means that the transition to sustainable energy sources requires a “realistic and responsible” approach, he added.

His comments come after Mr Biden told reporters that MBS had agreed to bolster oil production in Saudi Arabia – a move that will ease gas prices for Americans – during their controversial meeting on Friday.

MBS says Saudi Arabia can’t produce much more oil

19:40 , Rachel Sharp

MBS has said that Saudi Arabia cannot increase its oil production significantly, after President Joe Biden met with the crown prince in efforts to tackle sky-high gas prices back in the US.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said at the Gulf Cooperation Council on Saturday that his oil-rich nation was almost at its limit of petroleum production and cannot produce more than 13 million barrels a day.

According to the US Energy Information Administration, Saudi Arabia is currently producing around 10.2 million barrels of crude oil a day.

His comments come after Mr Biden told reporters that MBS had agreed to bolster its oil production – a move that will ease gas prices for Americans – during their controversial meeting on Friday.

Biden discusses food security and energy supplies with Egyptian president

19:13 , Rachel Sharp

President Joe Biden discussed food security and energy supply disruptions with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as they met in person for the first time.

The two leaders met in Jeddah on Saturday where they spoke about climate change, reviving a Palestinian peace process and the operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

The GERD has been at the centre of an ongoing standoff between Egypt and Ethiopia for years.

Cairo has said that the construction of the huge dam on the River Nile could restrict water access to Egypt. Egyptian officials said Mr al-Sisi spoke about his desire for a legally binding agreement over the operation of the dam.

The White House said that Mr Biden also congratulated Mr al-Sisi for Egypt presiding over the 27^th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 27) in Sharm El Sheikh this November and its role in tackling the climate crisis.

“Both leaders emphasized their countries’ support for the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) and the new GMP Energy Pathway, which Egypt has joined with respect to the oil and gas sector,” the statement read.

“The two leaders reaffirmed the U.S. and Egypt’s new partnership on Adaptation in Africa, which the US and Egypt will co-lead, focused on delivering concrete initiatives that will improve people’s lives and help build resilience to a changing climate. The leaders committed to convene the Joint US-Egypt Climate Working Group as soon as possible.”

The meeting marks a further thawing of relations between the two nations after the two leaders previously clashed over human rights issues.

Relations started to improve after Egypt made efforts to broker a ceasfire in Gaza in May 2021.

What happened to Jamal Khashoggi?

18:40 , Rachel Sharp

On 2 October 2018, Jamal Khashoggi – a The Washington Post journalist and outspoken critic of the Saudi government – was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

US officials said that the murder was carried out by a team of intelligence operatives with ties to the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – known as MBS – before his body was dismembered with a bone saw.

The Saudi Arabian government initially denied any involvement in the killing before going on to claim that the operatives killed him accidentally while trying to extradite him to Saudi Arabia.

US intelligence agencies later concluded that MBS had ordered his killing.

MBS has long denied any responsibility – a denial he continued to stick to when he came face to face with President Joe Biden on Friday.

US lawyer who defended Khashoggi is detained in UAE

18:10 , Rachel Sharp

A US lawyer who defended murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi has been detained in the UAE, sparking further controversy around President Joe Biden’s trip to the Middle East.

Asim Ghafoor, a US citizen and civil rights attorney from Virginia, was detained at Dubai airport on Thursday while travelling 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 facility in Abu Dhabi on charges related to an in absentia conviction for money laundering.

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 is detained in the UAE

ICYMI: Biden’s controversial fist-bump with MBS

17:40 , Rachel Sharp

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 found that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – aka MBS – was responsible for ordering the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Watch the awkward meeting between Mr Biden and MBS below:

Biden poses for ‘family photo’ with Saudi crown prince

17:10 , Rachel Sharp

President Joe Biden posed for a “family photo” with the Saudi crown prince, hours after the two men exchanged harsh words over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The photos show the president shoulder to shoulder with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman along with other leaders from the Middle East on Saturday, on what marked the last day of his four-day trip to the region.

Also in the photos were: Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa; Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi; Jordan’s King Abdullah II; Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani; Kuwait’s Crown Prince Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah; Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhemi; United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Asaad bin Tariq al-Said, a special representative for the Sultan of Oman.

The so-called “family photo” comes after Friday’s meeting between Mr Biden and MSB where the US president said he confronted the Saudi crown prince over his role in the death of Khashoggi.

The meeting itself was a source of controvery, particularly given Mr Biden’s statements during his 2020 White House race that he would make Saudi Arabia a “pariah”.

The president instantly sparked further backlash when he greeted MSB with a friendly fist-bump at the start of the meeting.

Biden departs Saudi Arabia closing out controversial trip

16:50 , Rachel Sharp

President Joe Biden departed Saudi Arabia on Saturday marking the end of his controversial Middle East trip.

The president waved as he boarded Air Force One at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.

Biden meets with Bahrain leader

16:10 , Rachel Sharp

The White House released a brief statement sharing the details of a meeting between President Joe Biden and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain in Jeddah on Saturday.

“The President underscored the United States’ appreciation for the longstanding strategic partnership with Bahrain, including its hosting of the U.S. Navy Forces Central Command/5^th Fleet,” the White House said.

“The two leaders affirmed their commitment to strengthening defense, security, economic, commercial, and people-to-people ties.“President Biden commended Bahrain’s expanded ties with Israel through the Abraham Accords and the Negev process. The two leaders discussed mutual efforts to foster regional integration and deepen security cooperation.”

The meeting marked one of several meetings Mr Biden held with Middle East leaders during his four-day trip.

Biden meets with Jordan’s King Abdullah

15:50 , Rachel Sharp

President Joe Biden met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Jeddah on Saturday where the two leaders discussed efforts to advance the partnership between the two nations and work together in “addressing regional and international challenges”.

Following the meeting the White House released a statement revealing Mr Biden had announced plans to enter into a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Jordan.

“President Biden announced the intention of the United States to enter into a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) for assistance for Jordan, in which the United States plans to make a commitment to support the provision of no less than $1.45 billion per year in U.S. bilateral foreign assistance to Jordan, beginning in FY 2023 and ending in FY 2029,” the statement read.

“One of the most significant bilateral instruments of its kind, the MOU represents a major U.S. political commitment to Jordan’s stability and the durability of the partnership.

“The MOU is designed to address Jordan’s extraordinary needs, supports King Abdullah II’s economic reform program, and ensure the long-term strength of the close partnership between the United States and Jordan.”

Biden invites UAE president to visit US

15:30 , Rachel Sharp

President Joe Biden has formally invited UAE President Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to visit the US by the end of 2022.

“Challenges you face today only make it a heck of a lot more important we spend time together,” Mr Biden told his UAE counterpart.

“I want to formally invite you to the States.”

The two leaders met on Saturday as part of Mr Biden’s last day in Saudi Arabia. The UAE president took office in May.

Biden vows that US will ‘not walk away from Middle East’

15:10 , Rachel Sharp

President Joe Biden promised that the US “will not walk away” from the Middle East as he celebrated the withdrawal of American troops from the region.

Speaking at the Gulf Cooperation Council on Saturday, Mr Biden insisted that the US was not leaving behind a “vacuum” that could be filled by the likes of China, Russia or Iran.

“We will not walk away and leave a vacuum to be filled by China, Russia or Iran,” he said.

“We will seek to build on this moment with active, principled, American leadership.”

Mr Biden said that a lot had changed since he last visited the Middle East when he was vice president in the Obama administration.

“Around the world, we’re seeing efforts to undermine the rules-based order: with China’s increasingly coercive actions in the Indo-Pacific and beyond; with Russia’s brutal and unprovoked war against its neighboring Ukraine; and with Iran’s destabilizing activities.  Here in the Middle East, we’ve also seen critical changes,” he said.

“For the first time since 9/11, an American President is visiting this region without American troops being engaged in combat — in a combat mission in the region… today, I am proud to be able to say that the era of land wars in the region — wars involving huge numbers of American forces — is not underway.”

US forces continue to target terrorists in the region with the US military killing the leader of Islamic State in Syria Maher al-Agal in a drone strike earlier this week.

“We maintain both the capacity and the absolute determination to suppress the terrorist threat wherever we find it,” said Mr Biden.

“We’re going to continue our counterterrorism efforts working with a broad coalition of countries, including everyone around this table. And we will turn our attention and our resources to supporting our partners, strengthening our alliances, and building coalitions to solve the problems facing this region and the world — and the world today.”

Biden and Iraqi leader vow to ensure ISIS can never resurge

14:50 , Rachel Sharp

President Joe Biden and Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi have vowed that the two countries would work together to ensure ISIS can never resurge.

The two leaders met on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in a bilateral meeting during the Summit of the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council and Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan.

The White House released a statement following the meeting, saying that “the two leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to the strong bilateral partnership between Iraq and the United States under the Strategic Framework Agreement and their determination to continue security coordination to ensure that ISIS can never resurge”.

The two leaders also consulted on a range of regional issues and agreed “that the relationship between the US and Iraq is based on a shared interest in Iraq’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, security, and stability and committed to bolstering the bilateral partnership for the benefit of their two nations”.

“They also reaffirmed the importance of forming a new Iraqi government responsive to the will of the Iraqi people and their respect for Iraq’s democracy and independence,” the White House said.

“President Biden underscored the importance the United States places on a stable, united, sovereign, and prosperous Iraq, to include Iraq’s Kurdistan region.”

How Biden is spending his last day in Saudi Arabia

14:30 , Rachel Sharp

President Joe Biden is spending the last day of his controversial Saudi Arabia trip meeting with the leaders of Iraq, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The president first met Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Egyptian President El Sisi and UAE President Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan individually before attending the Gulf Cooperation Council summit.

Russian officials visited Iran to examine drones, White House says

14:10 , Rachel Sharp

Russian officials visited Iran on at least two separate occasions to examine drones that they are considering using for its war on Ukraine, according to the White House.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Saturday that US intelligence shows a Russian delegation visited an Kashan airfield in central Iran on June 8 and July 5.

During the visit, the Iranian military showed them the Shahed-191 and Shahed-129 drones.

CNN first reported the incidents along with a satellite image of the UAVs in flight at the airfield while a Russian delegation transport plane was on site.

Mr Sullivan said the visits suggest “ongoing Russian interest” in procuring the “attack-capable” UAVs or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

“We have information that the Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with several hundred UAVs, including weapons-capable UAVs,” Mr Sullivan said.

“We assess an official Russian delegation recently received a showcase of Iranian attack-capable UAVs.

“We are releasing these images captured in June showing Iranian UAVs that the Russian government delegation saw that day. This suggests ongoing Russian interest in acquiring Iranian attack-capable UAVs.”

He added: “To our knowledge, this is the first time a Russian delegation has visited this airfield for such a showcase.”

MSB fired back at Biden when he raised Khashoggi’s murder

13:51 , Rachel Sharp

The Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman fired back at President Joe Biden when he was confronted about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to a report.

A source familiar with the controversial meeting between the two leaders told CNN that MBS responded by bringing up the US military abuse of prisoners at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison and the death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

The source said that MSB told Mr Biden that the two incidents reflected badly on the US.

Back in 2004, graphic photos emerged from the Abu Ghraib prison showing US military personnel torturing and sexually abusing Iraqi prisoners captured and held there at the start of the US invasion of the country. The photos eventually led to the conviction of 11 US soldiers.

Meanwhile, Abu Akleh was shot and killed back in May while she was covering an Israeli military operation in the West Bank.

The US has come under fire for its response to her death, with the journalist’s family and Palestinian officials urging officials to hold Israel to account.

On Friday, Mr Biden visited the West Bank alongside Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas where he insisted that the US was committed to gettign a “full and transparent accounting” of her killing.

The Saudi crown prince raised the two incidents after the US president told him he believes he is responsible for ordering the murder of Khashogg – something that US intelligence has shown. MSB denied responsibility.

Biden says he took MBS to task over Jamal Kashoggi murder

13:45 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden’s first day in Saudi Arabia ended with him unable to avoid a moment he and his advisers had taken great pains to avoid: a televised fist-bump with the man who ordered the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Kashoggi.

The brief encounter between Mr Biden and Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince who is widely known by his initials, MBS, took place not long after Mr Biden’s arrival in the kingdom for two days of meetings with Saudi officials and leaders from across the Gulf region.

Andrew Feinberg reports for The Independent.

Biden says he took MBS to task over journalist’s murder on first day in Saudi Arabia

Biden fist bumps Saudi crown prince

13:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The much-anticipated meeting between Joe Biden and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman began shortly after the US president touched down in Jeddah on the next leg of his Middle East tour.

On arrival at the Al Salam Royal Palace on Friday, Mr Biden emerged from the “the Beast” and fist-bumped the crown prince who stood ready to greet him.

The pair then entered the palace to begin their closed-door bilateral meeting with ​​King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud.

Joe Biden fist bumps Saudi crown prince on arrival in Jeddah

Biden told he ‘cannot buy solution’ to Palestine occupation

12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Joe Biden has been accused of attempting to “buy a solution” to Israel’s half-century-long occupation of Palestine as it was revealed that he would be pledging more than $300 million (£250m) in aid.

On Friday, the US president met his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem – in the Israeli-controlled West Bank – where people gathered to protest his arrival.

Lamiat Sabin reports.

Biden in West Bank but told he ‘cannot buy solution’ to Palestine occupation

ICYMI: Biden’s arrival in Saudi Arabia makes history

10:30 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden on Friday arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for two days of meetings with Saudi officials and leaders from across the Gulf region, less than one day after the kingdom announced it would open its’ airspace to all carriers, including those departing from Israel.

Mr Biden arrived aboard Air Force One at 5.53 pm local time, just under two hours after taking off from Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. The president’s plane was the second-ever flight to travel directly from Israel to Saudi Arabia, the first such flight having been made by a charter plane carrying the White House press corps several hours earlier.

Nevertheless he was the first US president to make such a trip.

Biden arrives in Saudi Arabia after kingdom opens airspace to flights from Israel

Ilhan Omar says Saudi trip ‘sends wrong message' on human rights

09:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota criticised 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 member of the Squad, who is a refugee from Somalia, said Mr Biden’s trip goes back on his word that he would make Saudi Arabia a “pariah nation” after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Eric Garcia reports from Capitol Hill.

Omar says Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia: ‘sends the wrong message’

As Biden visits Saudi Arabia, many still targeted by official clampdown

07:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s reputation as a brazen leader who has ruthlessly silenced critics and dissent will cast a shadow over his meeting on Friday with US President Joe Biden.

The royal has sidelined top princes who could pose a threat and overseen Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen. The 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul still looms large — though the prince is credited with pushing through once-unthinkable changes, allowing women to drive and travel freely, permitting concerts, opening movie theaters and de-fanging the once-feared religious police.

Read more:

As Biden visits, a look at those targeted in Saudi Arabia

ICYMI: Biden secures deal on Red Sea islands and Israeli use of Saudi airspace

06:00 , Oliver O'Connell

It was reported on Thursday that President Joe Biden helped cement an agreement between Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt that would resolve a long-standing dispute over a pair of islands in the Red Sea and allow Israeli aircraft to transit through Saudi airspace for the first time in history.

According to Axios, the agreement would allow the Saudis to take full control of Tiran and Sanafir islands, which have been a demilitarised zone since Egypt and Israel signed the 1979 peace treaty negotiated with the help of then-president Jimmy Carter.

Biden secures deal on Red Sea islands and Israeli use of Saudi airspace

Mr Biden later issued the following statement before flying to Saudi Arabia on Friday:

Saudi Arabia’s historic decision to open its airspace for all civilian planes, including those flying to and from Israel, is an important step towards building a more integrated and stable Middle East region. While this opening has long been discussed, now, thanks to months of steady diplomacy between my Administration and Saudi Arabia, it is finally a reality. Today, I will be the first president of the United States to fly from Israel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. As we mark this important moment, Saudi Arabia’s decision can help build momentum toward Israel’s further integration into the region, including with Saudi Arabia. I will do all that I can, through direct diplomacy and leader-to-leader engagement, to keep advancing this groundbreaking process.

Biden hails Trump-era Abraham Accords during trip to Israel

04:00 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden on Thursday offered a wholehearted endorsement to the Abraham Accords, a series of normalisation agreements between Israel and several Middle East monarchies brokered during the Trump administration. Mr Biden added that he would work to expand the efforts under his predecessor to deepen ties between Israel and its neighbours.

“We will also continue building on the Abraham Accords, which I strongly support because they deepen, they deepen Israel’s integration into the broader region and establish lasting ties for business, cooperation, and tourism,” Mr Biden said during a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid.

Biden offers support for Trump-era Abraham Accords during trip to Israel

US ‘not going to wait forever’ for Iran to reenter nuclear agreement

03:00 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden on Thursday warned that the negotiations meant to bring Iran back into the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear agreement cannot be allowed to drag on indefinitely.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, Mr Biden was asked if he’d set a deadline for when he might walk away from the talks, which the US is hoping will re-start the agreement which former president Donald Trump walked away from in 2018.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Khashoggi fiancee criticizes Biden visit

02:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, described Joe Biden’s decision to visit Saudi Arabia as “heartbreaking,” accusing the U.S. president of backing down from his pledge of prioritizing human rights.

In an interview with The Associated Press in Istanbul a day before Biden travels to Saudi Arabia Friday to meet with the crown prince, Cengiz said Biden should press Saudi Arabia — a country that she described as a “terrible ally” — to embrace a human rights agenda. She also wants Biden to seek more answers from Saudi authorities over what happened to Khashoggi’s remains.

The AP Interview: Khashoggi fiancee criticizes Biden visit

Biden says he’ll take action on climate change if Senate bill fails

01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden said that he would take executive action on climate change if Democrats’ proposed spending bill doesn’t include clean energy provisions, but he did not mention Senator Joe Manchin, who has been vocal about his opposition to a larger bill including climate provisions and tax increases.

The president is currently traveling in the Middle East while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer negotiates with Mr Manchin.

Eric Garcia reports.

Biden says he’ll take action on climate if Senate doesn’t as Manchin says wait

Biden’s weekend schedule

Saturday 16 July 2022 00:00 , Oliver O'Connell

All times Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

11amThe president participates in a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi of Iraq

11.40amThe president participates in a bilateral meeting with President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of Egypt

12.15pmThe president participates in a bilateral meeting with Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates

12.45pmThe president attends a GCC +3 Leaders Welcome Reception

12.55pmThe president participates in a family photo with GCC +3 leaders

1.15pmThe president attends the GCC +3 Summit Meeting

3pmThe president participates in a working lunch

4.45pmThe president departs Jeddah, Saudi Arabia en route Mildenhall, United Kingdom, for a refuelling stop before proceeding on to Washington, DC, with expected arrival time of 12.40am ET on Sunday.

Biden hints at news about oil prices during speech from Saudi Arabia

Friday 15 July 2022 23:30 , Josh Marcus

Joe Biden is hinting that a major announcement could come from the Saudis in regards to the oil supply in the coming weeks.

The president said on Friday he had a “good discussion” with the Saudis, who “share that urgency” to address oil supply and gas price issues that have challenged the US and beyond.

“Based on our discussion today, I expect we’ll see further steps in coming weeks,” he said during remarks from Jeddah.

John Bowden has a preview of what that might look like.

Will Joe Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia affect US gas prices?

More on the moment reporter asked MBS to apologise to Khashoggi family

Friday 15 July 2022 23:15 , Josh Marcus

Peter Alexander, NBC News’ chief White House correspondent, was the reporter who shouted the questions to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as to whether he would apologise to the family of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

According to Mr Alexander and other reporters in the room, the crown prince kept his eyes down and a smirk crossed his face.

THe White House press pool was given access to an extended portion of the meeting between President Joe Biden and MBS and their advisers.

Microphones at the meeting table were not turned on and the press was kept at a distance making it difficult to hear what the two men said.

In pictures: Biden meets with Saudi leaders at Al Salam Royal Palace

Friday 15 July 2022 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Hanan Elatr Khashoggi thanks Biden for raising her late husband’s murder with MBS

Friday 15 July 2022 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Statement from Mrs. Hanan Elatr Khashoggi regarding the meeting of President Biden with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman:

Biden remains committed to two-state solution

Friday 15 July 2022 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden has said he remains committed to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even if “the ground is not ripe” to restart negotiations between the two parties.

Speaking in Bethlehem alongside Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday, Mr Biden said “two states” — one Israeli, one Palestinian — established along Israel’s 1967 borders with “mutually agreed-to [land] swaps” remains the “best way to achieve equal measures of security, prosperity, freedom and democracy for the Palestinians as well as Israelis”.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Biden says he remains committed to two-state solution during West Bank visit

Watch: Biden on MBS and Khashoggi murder

Friday 15 July 2022 22:24 , Oliver O'Connell

Earlier: Biden told he ‘cannot buy solution’ to Palestine occupation

Friday 15 July 2022 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Joe Biden has been accused of attempting to “buy a solution” to Israel’s half-century-long occupation of Palestine as it was revealed that he would be pledgingmore than $300 million (£250m) in aid.

On Friday, the US president met his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem – in the Israeli-controlled West Bank – where people have gathered to protest his arrival.

Lamiat Sabin reports for The Independent.

Biden in West Bank but told he ‘cannot buy solution’ to Palestine occupation

Biden hails Saudi normalisation steps with Israel over airspace

Friday 15 July 2022 21:45 , Josh Marcus

President Biden said it is a “big deal” that “many monthys of quiet diplomacy” have resulted in Saudi Arabia opening its air space to flights from Israel.

“That is a big deal, not only symbolically, but also substantively it’s a big deal,” the president said on Friday. “It means Saudi air space is now open to flights to and and from Israel. It’s the first tangible step on a path on what I hope is braoder normalisation of relations.”

‘What happened to Kashoggi was outrageous’: Biden says he took MBS to task over journalist’s murder in Saudi Arabia

Friday 15 July 2022 21:29 , Josh Marcus

President Joe Biden’s first day in Saudi Arabia ended with him unable to avoid a moment he and his advisers had taken great pains to avoid: A televised fist-bump with the man who ordered the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Kashoggi.

The brief encounter between Mr Biden and Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince who is widely known by his initials, MBS, took place not long after Mr Biden’s arrival in the kingdom for two days of meetings with Saudi officials and leaders from across the Gulf region.

White House officials had hoped to avoid any image of Mr Biden engaging in a handshake or any sort of greeting with MBS by claiming at the outset of the trip that the nearly 80-year-old president would be eschewing handshakes as a precaution due to rising Covid-19 cases in the region. But Mr Biden scuttled that plan within minutes of his arrival in Israel for the first leg of his trip when he greeted the Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu with a hearty grip-and-grin.

Upon his arrival in Jeddah, the first item on Mr Biden’s agenda was a bilateral meeting with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. But the president was greeted instead by MBS. Presented with the choice between the handshake he wanted to avoid and further upending the US-Saudi relationship, the president chose to compromise with a Covid-conscious fist-bump.

Andrew Feinberg with the full report.

Biden says he took MBS to task over journalist’s murder on first day in Saudi Arabia

Joe Biden laughs off criticisms of fist bump with Saudi crown prince

Friday 15 July 2022 21:11 , Josh Marcus

Joe Biden flashed a big grin on Friday when reporters asked him if he regretted fist-bumping Saudi crown prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman upon arriving in the country.

Intelligence officials believe Mr bin Salman ordered the gruesome 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident and Washington Post writer who was a US permanent resident.

Mr Biden said he pressed Saudi officials including MBS about what happened to Khashoggi to open a meeting officials had on Friday.

“I raised it at the top of the meeting, making it clear what I thought of it at the time and what I think of it now,” he said. “I was straightforward and direct in discussing it. I made my view crystal clear. I said very straightforwardly, for an American president to be silent on the issue of human rights is inconsistent with who we are and who I am. I’ll always stand up for our values.”

Top Democrat slams Biden fist bump

Friday 15 July 2022 20:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Democratic California Representative Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, who has been outspoken regarding the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, slammed the president’s fist bump with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.

In rare criticism of the Joe Biden from a top House Democrat, Mr Schiff tweeted: “If we ever needed a visual reminder of the continuing grip oil-rich autocrats have on US foreign policy in the Middle East, we got it today.”

He added: “One fist bump is worth a thousand words.”

President Biden offers remarks on Saudi Arabia trip

Friday 15 July 2022 20:48 , Josh Marcus

President Biden is now giving a speech about his Saudi Arabia trip.

Watch his remarks live here, via the White House.

Washington Post publisher calls fist bump ‘shameful'

Friday 15 July 2022 20:26 , Oliver O'Connell

Fred Ryan, Publisher and CEO of The Washington Post, has joined the chorus of condemnation President Joe Biden is facing for his fist bump with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

In a statement he said:

Saudi Press Agency posts photos of Biden talks

Friday 15 July 2022 20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Biden to address reporters at 3.30pm ET

Friday 15 July 2022 20:08 , Oliver O'Connell

Biden departs palace after almost three hours

Friday 15 July 2022 20:04 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden has departed the Al Salam Royal Palace after two hours and fifty minutes of talks with Saudi leaders.

His next event will be tomorrow when he attends the Gulf Cooperation Council +3 summit, comprising of the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE, plus Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt.

Biden fist bumps Saudi crown prince

Friday 15 July 2022 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The much-anticipated meeting between Joe Biden and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman began shortly after the US president touched down in Jeddah on the next leg of his Middle East tour.

On arrival at the Al Salam Royal Palace on Friday, Mr Biden emerged from the “the Beast” and fist-bumped the crown prince who stood ready to greet him.

Joe Biden fist bumps Saudi crown prince on arrival in Jeddah

Saudi state TV broadcasts footage of Biden meeting King Salman

Friday 15 July 2022 19:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Why Biden change his mind about making Saudi Arabia a ‘pariah nation’?

Friday 15 July 2022 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Joe Biden could not have been any clearer.

The administration of Donald Trump, it was put to him by a questioner, had failed to punish Saudi Arabia for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. If anything, it had cemented its ties, with Trump bowing before the Saudi king to receive a heavy and pendulous gold necklace, the Collar of Abdulaziz al Saud no less.

If he was president, what would Biden do? Would he punish the Saudi leaders?

“Yes. And I said at the time, Khashoggi was in fact murdered and dismembered, and I believe on the order of the crown prince [Mohammed bin Salman],” he said with no small steel to his voice.

“I would make it very clear, we were not going to sell more weapons to them. We are going to make them pay the price, and make them in fact, the pariah that they are.”

So what changed?

Andrew Buncombe reports for The Independent.

Why did Joe Biden change his mind about making Saudi Arabia as ‘pariah nation’

Khashoggi fiancé posts what she believes he would tweet today

Friday 15 July 2022 19:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Hatice Cengiz, the fiancé of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has tweeted out what she believes he would have posted having seen President Joe Biden meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“Hey POTUS, Is this the accountability you promised for my murder? The blood of MBS’s next victim is on your hands.”

Will Joe Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia affect US gas prices?

Friday 15 July 2022 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

As Joe Biden embarked on a multi-issue mission to the Middle East, his first as president, one persistent problem for his administration was weighing heavily both on the minds of White House staff and the media: oil prices.

What are the prospects for any material impact at the pump?

Will Joe Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia affect US gas prices?

As Biden visits Saudi Arabia, many still targeted by official clampdown

Friday 15 July 2022 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s reputation as a brazen leader who has ruthlessly silenced critics and dissent will cast a shadow over his meeting on Friday with US President Joe Biden.

The royal has sidelined top princes who could pose a threat and overseen Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen. The 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul still looms large — though the prince is credited with pushing through once-unthinkable changes, allowing women to drive and travel freely, permitting concerts, opening movie theaters and de-fanging the once-feared religious police.

Read more:

As Biden visits, a look at those targeted in Saudi Arabia

Biden and MBS ignore press questions, report says

Friday 15 July 2022 17:55 , Oliver O'Connell

A report from Jeddah states that at the beginning of the meeting both President Biden and Mohammed bin Salman ignored two shouted questions from the press pool.

“Will you apologise to Khashoggi’s family?”

“Is Saudi Arabia still a pariah?”

Saudi Foreign Ministry posts welcome photos

Friday 15 July 2022 17:27 , Oliver O'Connell

The fist bump from the other angle, as posted by the Saudi Foreign Ministry.

Biden fist bumps MBS

Friday 15 July 2022 16:48 , Oliver O'Connell

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met President Joe Biden at the door of the Al Salam Royal Palace, where they will participate in a bilateral meeting with King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud.

The two exchanged a brief fist bump before heading inside for the closed-door meeting.

New York Times White House correspondent Peter Baker notes that the prince was “unsmiling”.

Biden is eighth president to visit the kingdom

Friday 15 July 2022 16:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Former CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller notes that Joe Biden is the eighth US president to visit Saudi Arabia.

Both president GHW Bush and GW Bush visited twice, and Barack Obama was in the kingdom a surprising four times during his eight years in office.

And who could forget this moment from Donald Trump’s 2017 visit?

Biden greeted on arrival in Jeddah

Friday 15 July 2022 16:18 , Oliver O'Connell

Biden lands in Saudi Arabia after historic flight

Friday 15 July 2022 15:57 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden on Friday arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for two days of meetings with Saudi officials and leaders from across the Gulf region, less than one day after the kingdom announced it would open its’ airspace to all carriers, including those departing from Israel.

Mr Biden arrived aboard Air Force One at 5.53 pm local time, just under two hours after taking off from Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. The president’s plane was the second-ever flight to travel directly from Israel to Saudi Arabia, the first such flight having been made by a charter plane carrying the White House press corps several hours earlier.

The president is set to spend the remainder of his day on Friday meeting with Saudi leaders, including King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Biden arrives in Saudi Arabia after kingdom opens airspace to flights from Israel

Hamas rejects Biden's sympathy for Palestinians

Friday 15 July 2022 15:22 , Oliver O'Connell

Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers on Friday dismissed President Joe Biden’s expressions of sympathy for the Palestinians, calling the United States “a partner in the aggression on our people.”

They also criticised President Mahmoud Abbas for meeting with Biden and reiterating his support for a peace process with Israel. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said “it’s strange” that the Palestinian leader “extends his hand for peace with the occupation.”

Hamas and other Palestinian factions held a small protest against Biden’s visit on Thursday.

Hamas, which rejects Israel’s existence, seized power from Abbas’ forces in Gaza after defeating his secular Fatah party in elections more than 15 years ago. Abbas cancelled the first elections since then last year, when it appeared Fatah was heading for another crushing defeat.

Abbas supports negotiations with Israel leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state in east Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza. The last serious, substantive peace talks collapsed more than a decade ago, and Israel today is dominated by parties opposed to Palestinian statehood.

Biden reiterated his support for a two-state solution during his visit to the region and pledged some $300 million in aid to the Palestinians, but acknowledged that “the ground is not ripe” for a return to direct negotiations.

AP

No immediate announcement on oil production expected after Saudi trip

Friday 15 July 2022 15:09 , Oliver O'Connell

National security adviser Jake Sullivan says not to expect an immediate announcement on increasing oil production following President Joe Biden’s meetings in Saudi Arabia.

Officials have said an announcement on upping production could potentially happen in the coming weeks.

“I don’t think you should expect a particular announcement here bilaterally because we believe any further action taken to ensure that there is sufficient energy to protect the health of the global economy will be done in the context of OPEC+.”

Statement by President Biden welcoming the opening of Saudi Airspace to Israel

Friday 15 July 2022 14:52 , Oliver O'Connell

Per the White House:

Saudi Arabia’s historic decision to open its airspace for all civilian planes, including those flying to and from Israel, is an important step towards building a more integrated and stable Middle East region. While this opening has long been discussed, now, thanks to months of steady diplomacy between my Administration and Saudi Arabia, it is finally a reality. Today, I will be the first president of the United States to fly from Israel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. As we mark this important moment, Saudi Arabia’s decision can help build momentum toward Israel’s further integration into the region, including with Saudi Arabia. I will do all that I can, through direct diplomacy and leader-to-leader engagement, to keep advancing this groundbreaking process.

Ilhan Omar says Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia ‘sends wrong message'

Friday 15 July 2022 14:34 , Oliver O'Connell

Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota criticised President Joe Biden’s upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia, saying it sends the wrong message about the United States’s position on human rights.

Eric Garcia reports from Washington, DC.

Omar says Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia: ‘sends the wrong message’

Biden boards Air Force One for historic flight

Friday 15 July 2022 14:03 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden has boarded Air Force One for a historic first direct flight from Israel to Saudi Arabia by a US President.

In pictures: Biden’s visit to the West Bank

Friday 15 July 2022 13:54 , Oliver O'Connell

Readout of Biden’s meeting with President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority

Friday 15 July 2022 13:28 , Oliver O'Connell

From the White House:

Today, President Joseph R Biden Jr met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. President Biden reaffirmed the enduring ties between the Palestinian and American peoples and underscored his commitment to a two-state solution on the 1967 lines with land swaps mutually agreed by the Israelis and Palestinians. He also highlighted the importance of direct negotiations leading to an independent, sovereign, viable, and contiguous Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel, both enjoying secure and recognized borders, allowing the two peoples to live side-by-side in peace and security.

In the meeting, President Biden highlighted a number of initiatives the United States is undertaking to support the Palestinian people. President Biden also discussed encouraging regional governments and the international community to assist the Palestinian people.

The leaders reaffirmed that both Palestinians and Israelis deserve to enjoy equal measures of freedom, security, prosperity, and democracy. President Biden emphasized his belief that the Palestinian people deserve to live lives of dignity and opportunity; to move and travel freely; to feel secure in their communities; and to give hope to their children that they will one day enjoy the same freedom and self-determination of their neighbors.

President Biden reiterated the importance of fostering a political horizon, and noted the United States stands ready to work with Israelis, Palestinians, and regional stakeholders toward that goal. As he had relayed to Israeli leaders, President Biden conveyed to President Abbas that in order to create the conditions for negotiations, it was important for both parties to avoid unilateral measures.

President Biden reiterated the US position that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and that it continues to be the policy of the United States that the specific boundaries of sovereignty in Jerusalem must be resolved through final status negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. He further reaffirmed the need to preserve the historic status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem, recognizing the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s crucial role as custodian.

Joe Biden visits Church of Nativity

Friday 15 July 2022 13:12 , Gino Spocchia

Joe Biden visited the Church of the Nativity in the occupied West Bank earlier on Friday.

The site in traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, and is among the oldest churches in the world.

Abbas and Biden differ on Palestinian journalist’s death

Friday 15 July 2022 12:51 , Gino Spocchia

Ther US president addressed the death of popular Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on Friday during a press conference with authority president Abbas.

Mr Biden called the death of the Al-Jazeera correspondent in May an “enormous loss to the essential work of sharing with the world the story of the Palestinian people.”

Struggling to pronounce her name, according to the Associated Press, he said Abu Akleh “was performing very vital work” when she was killed while covering an Israeli military raid in the West Bank.

The US State Department concluded earlier this month that Abu Akleh was likely killed by Israeli fire and that there no reason to suggest her killing was intentional. Israel says its soldiers were exchanging gunfire with Palestinian gunmen at the time.

Palestinian authority president Abbas and Abu Akleh’s family have rejected Israel’s and the State Department’s report and called for accountability for the Israeli military.

“The killers of the martyr journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, they need to be held accountable,” said Palestinian president Abbas alongside Mr Biden.

The US president said the US “will continue to insist on a full and transparent accounting of her death and will continue to stand up for media freedom everywhere in the world.”

Human rights groups call out ‘apartheid’

Friday 15 July 2022 12:34 , Gino Spocchia

On his way to meet Palsteninan authority president Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem on Friday, Mr Biden’s motorcade passed a billboard from an Israeli human right’s group that read: “Mr. President, this is apartheid.”

The remarks were respresentative of many in Palestine, where officials have expressed disappointment at the US administration’s reluctance to initiate a new round of peace talks between the two states.

Israel has long denied that its treatment of Palestinians amounts to apartheid, and insists that such attacks question its legitimacy.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain reports:

‘This is apartheid’: Israeli human rights group hang billboards for Biden’s visit

Joe Biden told he ‘cannot buy solution’ to Palestine occupation

Friday 15 July 2022 12:14 , Namita Singh

Joe Biden has been accused of attempting to “buy a solution” to Israel’s half-century-long occupation of Palestine as it was revealed that he would be pledging more than $300m (£250m) in aid.

On Friday, the US president met his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem – in the Israeli-controlled West Bank – where people have gathered to protest his arrival.

Mr Biden is there as part of his multi-stop trip in the Middle East that began in Israel and is to end with his attendance to a summit in Saudi Arabia.

My colleague Lamiat Sabin reports:

Biden in West Bank but told he ‘cannot buy solution’ to Palestine occupation

Breaking: Biden reaffirms support for two-state solution but says time not right

Friday 15 July 2022 12:12 , Namita Singh

President Joe Biden has restated his support for “two states for two people” but said the ground is “not ripe” to restart Israel-Palestine peace talks.

Biden arrives in Bethlehem to meet Abbas

Friday 15 July 2022 12:00 , Namita Singh

President Joe Biden arrived in the biblical town of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank for talks with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

Mr Biden was given a bouquet of flowers by a pair of Palestinian children as he arrived. He held his hand over his heart as a Palestinian band played the US national anthem before he entered Mr Abbas’ office.

The brief meeting with the Palestinian leader comes after two days of nonstop talks with Israeli leaders. Mr Biden is then to continue to Saudi Arabia for talks with Arab leaders.

In the West Bank, Mr Biden is expected to announce some $200 million in additional assistance to the Palestinians, after pledging $100 million to hospitals that serve Palestinians in east Jerusalem earlier Friday.

Journalists covering Biden’s trip in West Bank wear black T-shirts bearing Akleh image

Friday 15 July 2022 11:30 , Namita Singh

Palestinian journalists covering president Joe Biden’s visit to the occupied West Bank are wearing black T-shirts bearing the image of slain Palestinian-American correspondent Shereen Abu Akleh.

The popular Al-Jazeera correspondent was killed in May while covering an Israeli military raid in the West Bank.

The Palestinians, including colleagues who were with her, say that Israeli soldiers intentionally killed her. Israel says its troops were in a battle with Palestinian gunmen, and it’s not clear who fired the deadly bullet.

US experts who inspected the bullet recently determined that Israeli fire likely killed her. But without providing evidence, they said there was no reason to believe the shooting was intentional.

Khashoggi fiancee criticises Biden visit

Friday 15 July 2022 11:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, described Joe Biden’s decision to visit Saudi Arabia as “heartbreaking,” accusing the US president of backing down from his pledge of prioritising human rights.

In an interview with The Associated Press in Istanbul a day before Biden travels to Saudi Arabia Friday to meet with the crown prince, Cengiz said Biden should press Saudi Arabia — a country that she described as a “terrible ally” — to embrace a human rights agenda. She also wants Biden to seek more answers from Saudi authorities over what happened to Khashoggi’s remains.

The AP Interview: Khashoggi fiancee criticizes Biden visit

Biden hails Trump-era Abraham Accords before heading to Saudi Arabia from Israel

Friday 15 July 2022 10:30 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden on Thursday offered a wholehearted endorsement to the Abraham Accords, a series of normalisation agreements between Israel and several Middle East monarchies brokered during the Trump administration. Mr Biden added that he would work to expand the efforts under his predecessor to deepen ties between Israel and its neighbours.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Biden offers support for Trump-era Abraham Accords during trip to Israel

Iran military warns US against threats of use of force

Friday 15 July 2022 10:16 , Namita Singh

The Iranian military warned the United States and Israel on Friday against threatening Tehran with force, local media reported after US president Joe Biden said he would use force as a last resort to prevent the country from getting a nuclear weapon.

“The Americans and Zionists (Israel) know very well the price for using the word ‘force against Iran’,” Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for the Iranian armed forces, was quoted as saying by state media.

“Biden must have been drowsy when he threatened Iran,” he said, adding: “Watch your soldiers’ pants - they might get wet in the Persian Gulf!”

Asked by Israeli television this week whether his past statements that he would prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon meant he would use force against Iran, Biden replied: “If that was the last resort, yes.”

On Thursday, Mr Biden and Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid signed a joint pledge to deny Iran nuclear arms, an apparent move toward accommodating Israel’s calls for a “credible military threat” by world powers.

Iran denies seeking seeks nuclear weapons, saying that its nuclear program is for solely peaceful purposes.

Biden announces US funding for East Jerusalem

Friday 15 July 2022 10:01 , Namita Singh

US president Joe Biden has announced $100m in American assistance for east Jerusalem hospitals that serve as “the backbone” of healthcare for Palestinians.

He spoke on Friday during a visit to the Augusta Victoria Hospital, which provides advanced medical care including radiation treatment for cancer patients and paediatric kidney dialysis to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

The funding is subject to approval by the US Congress and would be paid out over several years.

Mr Biden called the six hospitals “the backbone of the Palestinian health care system”.

Voices: Welcome to Israel, President Biden. As a member of the Knesset, I have a request

Friday 15 July 2022 09:30 , Oliver O'Connell

In an article exclusively for The Independent, Aida Touma-Sliman, a member of the Israeli Knesset has a plea for Joe Biden: “We need to talk about the Palestinian people, even if you’d rather not.”

Analysis: Biden opposed South African apartheid but is now accused of ignoring similar policies in Israel

Friday 15 July 2022 09:00 , Oliver O'Connell

When Joe Biden travels to Bethlehem he will be greeted by large billboards emblazoned with the words: “Mr President, this is apartheid,” alongside a map of what is left of the disconnected Palestinian territories — a stunt arranged by Israeli human rights group B’Tselem.

Richard Hall reports on how some of the world’s leading human rights groups have condemned Israel for committing what the president opposed so fiercely as a senator in the 1980s and how he is accused of ignoring it today.

Biden was a critic of South African apartheid. Where does he stand on Israel today?

Biden: ‘Not going to wait forever’ for Iran to reenter nuclear agreement

Friday 15 July 2022 08:00 , Oliver O'Connell

US President Joe Biden on Thursday warned that the negotiations meant to bring Iran back into the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear agreement cannot be allowed to drag on indefinitely.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, Mr Biden was asked if he’d set a deadline for when he might walk away from the talks, which the US is hoping will re-start the agreement which former president Donald Trump walked away from in 2018.

“We’ve laid out for the people for the leadership of Iran, what we’re willing to accept in order to get back to the JCPOA,” Mr Biden said. “We’re waiting for the response. When that will come, I’m not certain. But we are not going to wait forever.”

Andrew Feinberg has more on the president’s comments.

Biden says US ‘not going to wait forever’ for Iran to reenter nuclear agreement

Biden to encourage peace and regional security

Friday 15 July 2022 07:06 , Namita Singh

President Joe Biden on his trip to Saudi Arabia will encourage peace and press for a more integrated Middle East.

“We will be covering a host of bilateral and regional issues, really capping many months of diplomacy and positioning the United States and our partners for the future in a manner that advances our interests and theirs,” a senior Biden administration official told Reuters.

The Saudi envoy said US-Saudi efforts to ensure peace and security should focus on enhancing cooperation and “reinforcing a rules-based system” to confront the “vision of chaos promoted by Iran”.

Gulf states share Israel’s concerns about Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missiles programmes and Tehran’s proxies in the region where Saudi Arabia and Shi’ite Iran have vied for influence.

During his visit to Israel on the first leg of the Middle East trip, Mr Biden and prime minister Yair Lapid signed a joint pledge to deny Iran nuclear arms, which Tehran denies seeking.

A rematch with Trump? Biden ‘would not be disappointed'

Friday 15 July 2022 07:00 , Oliver O'Connell

US president Joe Biden has expressed confidence about a possible rematch with Donald Trump in 2024 and said he would not be “disappointed” if that were to happen.

“I’m not predicting, but I would not be disappointed,” Mr Biden said in an interview with Israeli television outlet Channel 12 on Wednesday.

When pressed further on what he meant, the president said: “The one thing I know about politics — and American politics in particular — is there’s no way to predict what’s going to happen.

Biden ‘would not be disappointed’ to face rematch against Trump in 2024

Biden heads to Saudi Arabia amid tension over oil and Khashoggi killing

Friday 15 July 2022 06:20 , Namita Singh

President Joe Biden will discuss energy supply, human rights and security cooperation in Saudi Arabia on today on a trip designed to reset the US relationship with the country he once pledged to make a “pariah” on the world stage.

Mr Biden will hold meeting with Saudi Arabia’s king Salman bin Abdulaziz and crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, along with other government officials, a senior Biden administration told reporters.

The visit is also being closely watched as US intelligence had concluded that the crown prince directly approved the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. But he had denied playing a role in the incident.

White House advisers have declined to comment on whether Mr Biden will shake hands with the prince.

“The president’s going to meet about a dozen leaders and he’ll greet them as he usually does,” the administration official said.

Saudi to open airspace to all airlines, including Israel

Friday 15 July 2022 05:45 , Namita Singh

Saudi Arabia said it would open its airspace to all air carriers, paving the way for more overflights to and from Israel, in a decision welcomed by US president Joe Biden, who is due to visit the kingdom on Friday.

The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation said the country’s airspace was now open to all carriers that meet its requirements for overflights, in line with international conventions that say there should be no discrimination between civil aircraft.

The decision will “complement the efforts aimed at consolidating the kingdom’s position as a global hub connecting three continents and to enhance international air connectivity,” it added.

Mr Biden welcomed the decision, said White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

Jake Sullivan

Biden: Force a ‘last resort’ to prevent Iranian nuclear weapons

Friday 15 July 2022 05:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The United States would use force to prevent Iran from acquiring or developing nuclear weapons if all other options fail, President Joe Biden has said.

Mr Biden said the US would use its military to prevent Iran’s nuclear program from succeeding in bringing about a working nuclear weapon during an interview with Israel’s Channel 12 news.

After his interviewer raised prior comments in which Mr Biden had said he’d do anything to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power, she asked if that meant he would use force against Iran.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Biden says US would use force as ‘last resort’ to prevent Iranian nuclear weapons

Biden to offer $316m financial assistance to Palestinians

Friday 15 July 2022 05:12 , Namita Singh

When president Joe Biden heads to the occupied West Bank on Friday for talks with Palestinian leaders, he will have little to offer beyond US money aimed at buying calm.

He’s expected to announce $316m in financial assistance — about a third of which will require congressional approval — and a commitment from Israel to modernize wireless access for Palestinians.

Mr Biden acknowledged this week that while he supports a two-state solution, it won’t happen “in the near-term”. The US also appears to have accepted defeat in its more modest push to reopen a Jerusalem consulate serving the Palestinians that was closed when president Donald Trump recognized the contested city as Israel’s capital.

But although Mr Biden will reiterate his support for an independent Palestinian state, there’s no clear path to one. The last round of serious peace talks broke down more than a decade ago, leaving millions of Palestinians living under Israeli military rule.

Palestinian leaders also fear being further undermined by the Abraham Accords, a diplomatic vehicle for Arab nations to normalize relations with Israel despite the continuing occupation. Mr Biden, who heads next to Saudi Arabia to attend a summit of Arab leaders, hopes to broaden that process, which began under Mr Trump.

Biden in Saudi Arabia: ‘Humiliating climbdown’ or a chance to assert US diplomacy?

Friday 15 July 2022 04:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The White House says Mr Biden’s visit with Saudi leaders is meant to ‘reorient’ America’s relationship with Riyadh. But as Andrew Feinberg reports, foreign policy experts are split on whether the president should be going at all.

What’s really behind Biden’s controversial trip to Saudi Arabia

Why is Joe Biden going to Saudi Arabia?

Friday 15 July 2022 03:00 , Oliver O'Connell

There will be several issues on the agenda when Joe Biden touches down friday in Jeddah, the centuries-old port city on the coast of Red Sea.

Mr Biden will arrive in Saudi Arabia on Friday, his first visit to an Arab country since taking office, as part of his participation at King Salman’s invitation in a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council: a political, economic and military alliance which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates alongside Saudi Arabia, which is hosting the summit.

He’ll also attend a bilateral meeting with the leaders of Saudi Arabia itself including King Salman and his controversial heir, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Why is Joe Biden going to Saudi Arabia?

Understanding Joe Biden’s evolving views on Saudi Arabia

Friday 15 July 2022 02:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Joe Biden will touch down in Saudi Arabia on Friday in a move that will bring an unceremonious end to his campaign promise to make the wealthy Gulf state a “pariah” in the global community.

The president’s visit, which he attempted to explain in a Washington Post op-ed and through a statement from his press secretary last month, is a clear reversal of his onetime vow to make the Kingdom pay for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist critical of the Saudi crown prince, Mohamed bin Salman.

A year and a half into his White House term, Mr Biden’s evolving view on Saudi Arabia remains one of the starkest differences between Joe Biden the president and Joe Biden the presidential candidate.

John Bowden reports.

From ‘pariah’ to ‘partner’: Understanding Joe Biden’s evolving views on Saudi Arabia

While Biden tours Middle East, inflation remains number one concern at home

Friday 15 July 2022 00:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Inflation has hit a 40-year high as prices increased 9.1 per cent year over year, according to the latest numbers from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers jumped 1.3 per cent last month, with gasoline, shelter and food being the largest contributors to inflation.

The numbers are a devastating blow for President Joe Biden as many voters continue to express frustration about rising prices.

Eric Garcia reports.

Inflation hits 40-year high, with energy prices being the highest contributing factor

Washington Post publisher hits out at Biden Saudi Arabia trip

Thursday 14 July 2022 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Washington Post publisher Fred Ryan hit out at President Joe Biden on Tuesday over the inclusion of Saudi Arabia on the itinerary for his upcoming Middle East trip.

In a column published in the newspaper’s opinion pages, Mr Ryan wrote that Mr Biden’s trip “erodes our moral authority” and represents an “embarrassing reversal” after the president vowed during the 2020 campaign to hold Saudi Arabia’s leadership accountable for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Mr Khashoggi, who wrote frequently for the Washington Post and other outlets, was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 following his critical reporting on his native country’s government.

Abe Asher reports.

Washington Post publisher hits out at Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia

In pictures: Joe Biden meets with US athletes at the 2022 Maccabiah Games in Jerusalem

Thursday 14 July 2022 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Expert: ‘Bad sign’ Biden ‘won’t be welcomed by Saudi senior royal’

Thursday 14 July 2022 21:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Reports that Joe Biden will be welcomed in Saudi Arabia by a lesser-ranked member of the royal family have fuelled theories that his meetings in the Middle East will not go as well as he plans.

Lamiat Sabin reports.

‘Very bad sign’ that Joe Biden ‘won’t be welcomed by Saudi senior royal’, expert says

Biden secures Red Sea islands deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia

Thursday 14 July 2022 20:40 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden has reportedly helped cement an agreement between Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt that would resolve a long-standing dispute over a pair of islands in the Red Sea and allow Israeli aircraft to transit through Saudi airspace for the first time in history.

According to Axios, the agreement would allow the Saudis to take full control of Tiran and Sanafir islands, which have been a demilitarized zone since Egypt and Israel signed the 1979 peace treaty negotiated with the help of then-president Jimmy Carter.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Biden secures deal on Red Sea islands and Israeli use of Saudi airspace

Opinion: Biden wanted to make Saudi Arabia ‘a pariah’. What’s changed?

Thursday 14 July 2022 20:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Jeffrey Fields, associate professor of the practice of international relations at the University of Southern California, writes:

This visit represents a reversal of rhetoric and policy for Biden, especially as the agenda includes a meeting with the crown prince accused over Khashoggi’s killing.

Biden said he wanted to make Saudi Arabia ‘a pariah’. What changed?

Biden’s Friday schedule

Thursday 14 July 2022 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

At present, no times have been given for the president’s schedule on Friday 15 July, but he has five items listed including a visit to the West Bank to meet with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestininan Authority.

• The President will deliver remarks at Augusta Victoria Hospital regarding the East Jerusalem Hospital Network.

• The President will meet with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority at the Muqataa Presidential Compound in Bethlehem, West Bank.

• The President and President Mahmoud Abbas will deliver joint statements.

• The President will visit the Church of the Nativity.

• The President will travel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Report: Israel and Saudi Arabia agree Red Sea islands deal

Thursday 14 July 2022 19:37 , Oliver O'Connell

Citing Israeli officials, Axios is reporting a major deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia that could see a path mapped out toward the normalisation of diplomatic relations between the two Middle Eastern powers.

The deal concerns two Red Sea islands — Tiran and Sanafir — and would see Saudi Arabia pledge to honour commitment of the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace agreement that maintains freedom of navigation by Israeli ships.

The US has been quietly negotiating the deal for months and would give Israel security guarantees about the freedom of navigation based on Saudi commitments.

A separate agreement will then be made possible allowing Israeli airlines the use of Saudi air space for eastbound flights to India and China, as well as allowing direct charter flights from Israel to the kingdom for Muslim pilgrims wanting to visit the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

An announcement is expected over the weekend when President Joe Biden visits Jeddah.

Biden: ‘Not going to wait forever’ for Iran to reenter nuclear agreement

Thursday 14 July 2022 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

US President Joe Biden on Thursday warned that the negotiations meant to bring Iran back into the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear agreement cannot be allowed to drag on indefinitely.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, Mr Biden was asked if he’d set a deadline for when he might walk away from the talks, which the US is hoping will re-start the agreement which former president Donald Trump walked away from in 2018.

Andrew Feinberg reports for The Independent.

Biden says US ‘not going to wait forever’ for Iran to reenter nuclear agreement

ICYMI: Biden hails ‘bone deep’ US relationship with Israel

Thursday 14 July 2022 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Andrew Feinberg reports on the president’s welcome to Israel.

Biden hails ‘bone deep’ US relationship with Israel as he opens Middle East trip

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website