Iraqi PM arrives in Basra to address protests – report

Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has arrived in Basra to address ongoing protests and unrest over the lack of public services and widespread corruption, Kurdistan 24 reported on Monday. Iraqi officials in the southern city lifted a curfew on Saturday night that had been in place since 4pm, the military said. The streets of Basra were calm, after days of violent protests rocked Iraq’s southern oil hub, Reuters reported. Organizers of the protests said they would pause on Saturday. However, there was still a heavy security force presence at the weekend in the city of more than 2 million people.