US Designates Qatar As 'Major Non-NATO Ally'
Good day from REEDNEWSARABWORLD for Tuesday, February 1, 2022! Qatar is awarded the United States' designation of a "major non-NATO ally," and President Joe Biden says it's long overdue. Qatar Airways has signed a giant $30 billion aircraft purchase from Boeing. The United Arab Emirates announced a new 9% corporate income tax after billing itself as a tax-free harbor. Kurdish forces in Syria, fresh off retaking an embattled prison from the Islamic State, want the global community to take charge of the tens of thousands of IS prisoners and their families now detained.
The U.S. confirms that Patriot missiles were launched against ballistic missiles attacking Abu Dhabi, Iran has moved its centrifuge production after sabotage it blames on Israel, and Iraq has approved 25 candidates for president.
News from Lebanon, Syria, Libya, Iraq, Iran, and More.
President Joe Biden named Qatar as a "major non-NATO ally" of the United States, positioning the Gulf nation to receive greater security cooperation and investment from the U.S. "I am notifying Congress that I will designate Qatar as a major non-NATO ally to reflect the importance of our relationship," Biden said. "I think it's long overdue."
Biden made the announcement before a meeting with the emir of Qatar, a country he hopes will provide natural gas to Europe in event of a Russian attack on Ukraine.
The designation doesn't guarantee that the U.S. would come to the defense of Qatar. a pledge give only to full members of the NATO alliance, but it gives Qatar diplomatic prestige and access to U.S. training, systems, and technology not previously available to it. Eighteen countries have been designated by the U.S. as major non-NATO allies, including Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
New York Times, Biden designates Qatar as a major non-NATO ally.
Qatar's role as potential major energy supplier to Europe was a key subject in President Joe Biden's meeting with the emir of Qatar, and Qatar's international posture as diplomatic broker could be facing a new challenge. If Russia attacks Ukraine, Europe will depend on Qatar and other states to supply gas, which will be cut off from Russia by U.S. sanctions. An increased role as beneficiary to Europe would be only the latest for Qatar, which has been a reliable contact for the U.S. with Afghanistan and has maintained relations with Iran.
The situation in Europe, if a Russian-Ukraine conflict arises, would offer Qatar "a fresh opportunity for the tiny state of barely three million people to punch above its weight on the world stage."
Reuters, Newsmaker: Risk of Ukraine energy shock poses fresh test for pragmatic Qatar emir.
Qatar can't unilaterally replace Europe's energy needs. The minister of state for energy said that "the volume of gas needed by the EU cannot be replaced by anyone unilaterally, without disturbing supplies to other regions around the world." Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said Europe's energy security requires a collective effort by many parties, and "Keeping our contractual word is sacrosanct in Qatar."
Reuters, Qatar says it cannot unilaterally replace Europe's gas needs in case of shortage.
Qatar Airways signed a record $30 billion-plus contract with Boeing Co. for 34 new 777X freighter aircraft and a surprise purchase of 737 MAX passenger jets. The deal was signed at the White House during a visit by the emir of Qatar. The order for the 737s was for 25 planes and another 25 options. Boeing said the freighters will enter service in 2027.
Reuters, Qatar seals Boeing freighter deal with surprise 737 order.
The United Arab Emirates will for the first time introduce a corporate tax of 9% on business profits, a significant change for the Gulf country that has promoted its status as a tax-free commerce hub. The UAE's ministry of finance announced that businesses will be subject to the tax from June 1, 2023. The tax rate of 9% will apply to income exceeding 375,000 UAE dirhans, or $102,000, and zero for taxable income up to that amount.
Individuals won't be subject to tax on their incomes from employment, real estate, and other personal income not related to a UAE trade or business. The ministry said "the UAE corporate tax regime will be among the most competitive in the world."
CNBC, The UAE introduces its first-ever corporate taxes, set to start in 2023.
The new business tax for the United Arab Emirates will be the lowest in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council. The UAE wants to keep a low base to maintain its attractiveness for businesses and investors. Saudi Arabia has the highest rate in the GCC region at 20%. Qatar, Oman and Kuwait have higher rates than the UAE's projected 9%, and only Bahrain among the six GCC states has not introduced a corporate tax.
Khaleej Times, New UAE corporate tax lowest in GCC.
Companies operating in the free zones of the United Arab Emirates won’t be affected by a new corporate income tax. Those companies apparently fall outside the scope of the new tax regime. One accounting consultant said export-oriented companies in free zones will keep their benefits if they comply with all regulations and don't do business with mainland UAE.
Khaleej Times, UAE- Free zone firms will not pay new levy if they do not conduct business in mainland.
The U.S.-backed Kurdish force in Syria is appealing to the international community to take responsibility for the tens of thousands of Islamic State fighters and their families now held in detention centers and camps. The appeal came after the Syrian Democratic Forces, with support of U.S. units, regained control of a prison that had been invaded by the IS and prisoners were freed. The SDF said more than 120 of its fighters and prison workers were killed in the battle.
The Kurdish group's commander, Nowruz Ahmad, said seized documents and confessions from attackers showed that the prison invasion was part of a broader plot that the Islamic State had been preparing for a long time.
The U.S. State Department commended SDF for its "effective response," and said the Islamic State's violent tactics are a "grave reminder to the world that the terrorist group remains a threat that can and must be defeated." At the White House, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said "the barbarity of ISIS's actions during this attack reaffirms why this group must be denied the ability to regenerate and why nations must work together to address the thousands of ISIS detainees in inadequate detention facilities."
U.S. Brigadier General Isaac Peltier, commander of Special Operations Joint Task Force - Levant, said "this was a huge ISIS failure that ultimately sped up the clock to ensuring that the detainees are in a hardened facility from which they will never escape."
Associated Press, US-allied Syria force says it foiled major IS comeback plot.
White House, Statement by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Syrian Democratic Forces retaking full control of the Hasakah prison in Syria.
CENTCOM, Regarding the situation in Hasakah, Syria.
The bodies of two boys were found near the Syrian prison, the first confirmed deaths among up to 700 teenagers who were held there because they were the children of ISIS fighters. The bodies were found on a dirt road behind the prison in northeastern Syria, the scene of more than a week of intense fighting between ISIS attackers and prisoners and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, with the aid of United States units. The SDF said 500 people were killed in the fighting, 374 of them linked to ISIS.
New York Times, Teenage inmates found among the 500 dead in Syria prison attack.
OPEC+ countries again failed to meet their own oil production targets in January. The group had pledged to add 400,000 barrels a day under a monthly program for rises, but production was increased by only 210,000 barrels a day, causing a shortfall of 190,000 barrels daily.
OilPrice, OPEC+ fails to reach production targets in January.
The White House confirmed that U.S. military forces in the United Arab Emirates deployed Patriot surface-to-air missiles against Yemen Houthis' ballistic missiles fired at Abu Dhabi on January 17. "I can tell you...U.S. military personnel responded to an inbound missile threat on the UAE. This involved the employment of Patriot interceptors (along with) efforts by the armed forces of the UAE," White House press secretary Jan Psaki said. Since that first attack, the Houthis have attacked a second and third time, with the UAE saying it destroyed the missiles and launching pads.
Alarabiya, US forces fired Patriot missiles during Houthi attack on UAE: White House.
The United Arab Emirates' ministry of defense released nosecone footage of the destruction of a Yemen Houthi ballistic missile site used to attack Abu Dhabi. The aerial view showed a destroyed missile platform and launch site. The Houthi militia has fired at the UAE three times, and UAE defense forces stopped all attacks.
CNN, UAE releases footage of destroying ballistic missile site.
The United Arab Emirates may get Israel's Iron Dome air defense system. The visit to the Emirates by Israeli President Isaac Herzog has sparked reports about the Iron Dome system, which is a mobile all-weather system designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances up to 70 kilometers away.
The Iron Dome has been used by Israel since 2011.
Defense News, Israel possibly selling Iron Dome air defense system to UAE.
Iran says it has "important and significant issues" and differences with the United States about reviving the 2015 nuclear deal. Foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh reiterated calls for guarantees the U.S. won't in the future withdraw from an agreement. The ongoing talks in Vienna, now in their eighth round, were suspended over the weekend so negotiators could return home and consult with their governments. The meetings are expected to resume this week.
AFP, Iran says differences persist on key issues at nuclear talks.
Iran says it will move production of centrifuge parts to the central city of Isfahan from a workshop in Karaj, which has been hit by apparent sabotage. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, said it has been informed by Iran about the move and that IAEA inspectors have installed surveillance cameras in Isfahan. Iran has blamed Israel for the attack at Karaj, west of Tehran.
RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, Report: Iran moving centrifuge production to Isfahan.
The World Bank and International Monetary Fund are postponing plans to hold their 2022 annual meetings in Morocco. Uncertainty about the Covid-19 pandemic led to the decision to postpone, and this year's meetings will be held in Washington. The two global money institutions had initially planned to hold last year's meetings in Morocco, but those were postponed because of Covid. The next meetings in Marrakesh, Morocco, are now scheduled for October 2023.
Reuters, IMF, World Bank postpone plans for annual meetings in Morocco.
IMF, Press release: World Bank Group and IMF will hold 2022 meetings in Washington and 2023 annual meetings will take place in Morocco.
Iraq's parliament has approved a list of 25 candidates for the presidency. The legislators are scheduled to meet February 7 to vote on the next president, a largely ceremonial role, but an important step towards forming a new government after general elections in October. The post of president is held by a member of the Kurdish minority community. Iraq's prime minister is a Shiite, and the speaker of parliament is Sunni, in an unofficial agreement among political parties.
Iraq's current president, Barham Salih, who took office in 2018, is running for another term.
The National, Iraqi parliament approves 25 candidates for presidency.
Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr is making a last-gasp attempt to end a political deadlock and form a new government. Al-Sadr's party won the most parliamentary seats, 73, in the October election, and he has blocked some Iran-backed rivals from being a part of a new government. Al-Sadr is meeting with Sunni and Kurdish allies and trying to form a majority government. Iran has been active in trying to bring Shiites together and get Tehran's allies a seat in the government.
The National, Iraq's political standoff continues as cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr faces down rivals.
Lebanon says it has "clamped down on 17 spy networks working for Israel." The two countries officially remain in a state of war, and a Lebanese minister said the rings operated both "locally and regionally," but he did not elaborate. The minister didn't specify how many people were arrested by Lebanon's Internal Security Forces, but Prime Minister Najib Mikati said the arrests stopped "efforts to tamper with security and sabotage the stability of the country."
Arab News, Lebanon busts suspected Israeli 'spy networks.'
One protester died in Khartoum as Sudanese security forces confronted thousands of people demonstrating against military rule. A 27-year-old man was killed, medics said. Security forces fired tear gas to disperse the crowds, marching in defiance of a ban on demonstrations. Protesters got within a mile of the presidential palace on the banks of the Blue Nile river before security forces blocked their way.
Reuters, One protester dies as security forces confront crowds in Khartoum - medics.
The United Nations special adviser on Libya wants elections by June and called on Libya's political class to stop their games of "musical chairs." Stephanie Williams denounced "an entrenched political elite who have had their noses in the trough for a long time." Libya failed to hold elections for president and parliament that were scheduled for December, and Williams warned that continued division in the country could result in resurgence of the Islamic State.
The Guardian, Libya elite told to end 'game of musical chairs and focus on elections.'
Libyan lawmakers are pushing ahead to appoint a new prime minister. The Libyan parliament moved to replace Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and his government, an action that is expected to cause tensions between rival factions in the chaos-stricken country.
Associated Press, Libya's lawmakers push for new PM after failing to hold vote.
MORE: Syria reports new Israeli missile barrage near Damascus, Associated Press... Turkish-backed rebels step up attacks on Islamic State in north Syria, Al Monitor... Egypt wary of Turkey's moves in eastern Libya, Al Monitor... Iran to send large trade delegation to UAE, Reuters... Revolutionary Guard kills gunman in attack in southern Iran, Associated Press... Israeli president presses on with Dubai visit after UAE intercepts missile, Reuters.
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The United Arab Emirates, concerned about keeping its image as a safe harbor in a volatile region as missile attacks increase, also will be looking at the interests of its population, which is more than 80% foreign. While Saudi Arabia's citizens and residents have grown accustomed to missile alerts, the UAE population will likely have less tolerance for persistent military threats.
Bloomberg, Why UAE is latest target as Yemen's war heats up.
The presence of foreign forces in Libya continues to endanger the country's sensitive political situation. Three months after rival parties reached agreement on withdrawing foreign fighters and mercenaries, only the first phase of a withdrawal has been completed, with 300 mercenaries returning to Chad. Turkish and Russian forces have shown no sign of leaving Libya.
New Arab, Will Turkish and Russian forces really leave Libya?
A plan to send Qatar's natural gas to Europe if Russia attacks Ukraine isn't without its problems and shortcomings. "The lack of spare ships will limit impact," Simon Henderson of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said, and any plan to supply Europe could cause tensions between Qatar and Russia.
Al Monitor, Explainer: The potential plan to export Qatari gas to Europe.