BBC News, The Telegraph, The Independent, The Times and The Guardian report on the attack on the Iraqi Kurdish city of Erbil. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has taken responsibility for the attack saying it targeted an Israeli “strategic centre.” Twelve missiles hit areas around the US consulate in the city. The US called it an “outrageous attack” and said no Americans were hurt. Kurdish authorities said the attack slightly wounded two civilians and cause material damage. The IRGC carried out the attack as a form of “revenge” for an Israeli airstrike that killed four people in Syria last week, which included two IRGC colonels.

The Telegraph reports that Saudi Arabia has executed 81 men on Saturday, in what is the kingdom’s biggest mass execution in modern history. The men were executed on charged relating to terrorism, murder, holding ”deviant beliefs” and a score of other offensives. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to visit the kingdom for talks over the surge in oil prices. Sky News reports that Downing Street said yesterday the trip was “not finalised.”

The Associated Press reports that Iran has reportedly suspended talks with Saudi Arabia over its mass execution of 81 men over the weekend. An Iranian news site considered close to the country’s Supreme National Council said the government unilaterally paused talks that had been taking place for over a year aimed at restoring diplomatic ties. A fifth round of talks was due to begin on Wednesday.

The Financial Times examines the economic pressure facing Iran and growing frequency of demonstrations as nuclear talks appear to have stalled. The paper notes “Each outburst of anger underlines just what Tehran is grappling with, from climate change to decaying infrastructure and rising poverty, as it battles to revive its heavily sanctioned economy and keep a lid on simmering discontent.”

The Guardian analyses the growing standoff between the US and Saudi Arabi and the UAE over soaring oil prices. The paper notes that “Joe Biden’s hardline stance on Russia has won him widespread plaudits, but with the most serious oil shock in decades now a reality, the US president’s attempt to cushion the blowback continues to meet resistance from the two allies he needs most… Biden’s immediate priority is for both countries to help exert maximum economic pressure on Russia by cranking up their oil output.” These circumstances coupled with disputes with the Biden administration indicate that “Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are likely to drive hard bargain.”

A video report from BBC News examines how Syrian women are beginning to replace men as leaders across refugee communities in Lebanon, and how they are breaking traditional social norms. The report speaks with Hind Al-Hamad and Ashwaq Mohammed two women “breaking the mould and serving as role models for the girls in their camps.”

Kan Radio News reports on Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked’s announcement that Israel will take in tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees. The new policy specifies that any Ukrainian, despite the degree of the relationship, will be allowed to enter Israel if they have a family member in the country. More that 7,000 Ukrainian citizens have entered Israel since the war began.

Yediot Ahronot examines the new policy in more depth, looking at the remarks made by Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked. Minister Shaked was quoted at Ben Gurion Airport saying “After sitting with the deputy attorney general this morning, a decision was made that anyone with family in Israel and whose family member signs an statement that the refugee will live in his home for two to three months in order to have some breathing room [from the conflict] will be permitted to exceed the official cap.” Rejecting criticism she added “The State of Israel is first and foremost the national homeland of the Jewish people. I suggest that all the people criticizing [the government] and dropping hints [about it]—go to Terminal 1; see for yourselves the hundreds of new immigrants who arrive there every day. Yes, people who are eligible to immigrate to Israel under the terms of the Law of Return have fled Ukraine, and we are absorbing them and making them citizens. Despite all the people who attack and all the people who come to criticize,  I won’t forget that we are first and foremost the national home of the Jewish people. Having said that, of course we, as the Jewish people have been persecuted and understand the refugee experience. So we are opening our hearts and our doors to people who are not eligible to immigrate to Israel under the terms of the Law of Return. But that must be in a limited capacity.”

Maariv reports on the record number of immigrants arriving in Israel, noting that 600 immigrants arrived yesterday. This set a record in the number of immigrants arriving in a single day since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began.

Maariv reports on Foreign Minister Yair Lapid’s meeting with Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu in Bucharest yesterday. In a joint press conference, Lapid said “Israel, like Romania, is opposed to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is unjustified and we call on Russia to stop the shooting and the attacks and to resolve the problems at the negotiating table. Israel will help to the best of its ability in achieving a peaceful solution. We are working in full coordination with our ally, the United States, and with our European partners to end this violent tragedy as quickly as possible.”

Haaretz reports that the US is growing alarmed over the safe harbour Israel has become for Russian oligarchs. The paper notes that the Biden administration is “signalling to Israel that joining the economic pressure on Putin’s regime, including the oligarchs closest to him, is more important than mediating between Russia and Ukraine.” This comes amid reports that a plane belonging to Roman Abramovich landed in Israel on Sunday.

Kan Radio News reports on plans by the Jewish National Fund to resume tree planting in the Negev, two months after riots broke out over the planting, and caused a serious coalition crisis. The report notes that “Senior coalition officials said that renewing the plantings at this time is partly related to the fact that the Knesset has recessed for approximately two months, so the United Arab List won’t be able to vote against the move at the current time.”

Kan Radio News reports that High Court of Justice ordered the government to explain why it has not demolished the Khan al-Ahmar illegal encampment built state land in Area C. The court noted that this has been going on since 2009, and that an additional step was necessary in order to find a resolution to the issue.

Israel Hayom reports that Israeli authorities detained a French-Palestinian lawyer with alleged ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Salah Hamouri was detained on Thursday and is being held without trial. According to the paper “Hamouri has represented Palestinian prisoners and worked for the nongovernmental organization Addameer, which Defense Minister Benny Gantz declared a terrorist organisation.” In November it was reported that Hamouri was one of six Palestinian activists whose phones were tapped by the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware.