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While there is a broad range of Arabic language media outlets reporting stories from and about the Middle East, there is currently no affordable and reliable means for English speakers to gain access to this content. As a result, many English speaking businesspersons, students, journalists and others who have an interest in the affairs of the region are largely unaware of what the Middle East media is covering and how they are covering these stories.

Mideastwire.com aims to close this gap by offering a daily menu of translations covering some of the key political, cultural, economic and opinion pieces appearing in the media of the 22 Arab countries and the Arab Diaspora. Through this effort, we hope to address at least one aspect of a global disconnect that continues to threaten a wide spectrum of socio-political and economic relationships, both here in the region and beyond.

It is also important to note that, since our founding in 2005, Mideastwire.com is wholly funded by the content license fees paid by individuals and organizations. As such, there is no government, commercial or non-profit support, an aspect that we believe provides a relatively independent platform for better understanding.

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TODAY’S DAILY BRIEFING

13-Apr-2016

Algeria

Politics

“...Four French conditions undermine negotiations over Peugeot factory in Algeria” (Website, Middle East)

USA Europe

On April 12, the Algerian Echorouk newspaper carried the following report by its Chief Editor Samira Belamri: “Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal used the veto right to stop the Peugeot assembly plant project in Algeria, and postpone the signing of the related agreement that was expected yesterday for an undetermined period of time. This was due to four main reasons [articles] featured in the Book of Conditions that was supposed to regulate the work of the Algerian and French partners, ones which Sellal deemed unfair to the Algerian side, and perceived as an “attempt to humiliate and downplay Algeria’s importance.” Hence, Echorouk learned from governmental sources that Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal used his veto against the signing of an agreement to build a Peugeot plant in Algeria, which was supposed to happen yesterday during the third Algerian-French governmental committee meeting in Algiers… (Read More)

Egypt

Politics

“The two islands’ crisis is progressing: Es-Sissi’s friends break away from him” (Website, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy

On April 12, the electronic Al-Modon daily carried the following report: “Egypt’s sudden decision to give away the two islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia is still raising a major debate within and outside the country although the Egyptian foreign ministry issued a statement including official documents that were reportedly relied on during the two islands’ negotiations and showing that the islands belong to Saudi Arabia. The foreign ministry said that “historically, the two islands were owned by Saudi Arabia until Egypt occupied them during the confrontation with Israel in 1950 under a Saudi approval… (Read More)

Iran

Politics

“This is the reason why the Iranian elite forces have joined the Syrian battle” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Military and Security

On April 13, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report by Elie Chalhoub: “…The announcement about the participation of hundreds of Iranian elite forces in the ongoing battles in Syria raised a wave of speculation some of which went all the way to talking about differences in Tehran that got so intense to the extent that they reflect in the field on the Levantine front. This gave the impression that there are several power centers in the Islamic Republic and operation orders coming from different sources… (Read More)

Iraq

Politics

“Allawi reveals reception of American messages surrounding ministerial change” (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics - USA Europe

On April 11, the Iraqi As-Sumaria TV website carried the following report: “Head of the National Coalition Ayad Allawi revealed on Monday the details of American messages he received about the upcoming ministerial change, indicating that his “strong” response to them upset US Ambassador to Baghdad Stuart Jones. Allawi added on the Ghayr Mutawaqqa’ [Unexpected] show, which is aired on As-Sumaria, that “the Americans sent me messages about the ministerial change, asking me to participate in the shuffling of the current Cabinet. But I answered: I am not your employee so that you would ask such a thing of me.” He indicated: “This happened in the presence of National Coalition Spokeswoman Deputy Mayssoun ad-Damlouji and Deputy Adnan al-Janabi… (Read More)

“Fallujah Shield: A new force of 1,000 tribal fighters to retake city, uphold security” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security - USA Europe

On April 13, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Baghdad Raed al-Hamed: “Tribal sources spoke to Al-Quds al-Arabi about efforts being deployed by tribal and political sides to form a force dubbed the Fallujah Shield, after the Fallujah Knights force formed at the beginning of March failed to attract the needed 1,000 tribal fighters. In exclusive statements to Al-Quds al-Arabi, Abdullah al-Isawi, a dignitary of the Albou Isa tribe, said that tribal sides had asked him to work with them on securing what was needed for the formation of a force from among the displaced of Fallujah City and its surrounding, in preparation for the battle to retake the city. He revealed that the force, which will be dubbed the Fallujah Shield, will receive combat training “at the hands of US trainers in At-Taqaddum Airbase, 20 kilometers west of Fallujah City… (Read More)

Lebanon

Politics

“A blood-soaked message to Fatah in Saida…” (As-Safir, Lebanon)

Terrorism

On April 13, the independent, leftist As-Safir daily newspaper carried the following report: “…The development that took place yesterday at the Evangelical roundabout on the outskirts of Saida on the road between Miyeh w Miyeh and Ain el-Helweh was not a mere assassination. This was a “strongly worded” warning indicating that the volcano of pressure at the Palestinian camps is nearing the moment of the great explosion unless it is contained through extraordinary security related and political measures. Most probably, the alleyways of the camp can no longer take this overcrowding of conflicting “agendas” in the framework of a feverish clash over power and authority within a narrow and overpopulated geographical space… (Read More)

Middle East

Opinion

“Filling American vacuum by the Arabs” (Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia)

Arab Diplomacy - Energy - USA Europe

On April 13, the pro-monarchy Al-Watan newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Fahd al-Ahmari: “The Arab nation is in a predicament, but luckily for it, there are two leaders the size of Salman and Es-Sisi, who are aware of the seriousness of the crisis and are saving the nation from it. King Salman and President Es-Sisi are aware of the projects of foreign powers, trying to redraft the region’s border using regional forces and local parties whose goals intersect with those of the superpowers, and are drooling over the cake. But no matter how much their cloak of virtue is soiled, the ample spoils they will reap later on will be enough to wash what was soiled and conceal the filth of collaboration. Likewise, the Persian threat is also lurking the states of the region and has already swallowed some of them. And the disaster is that the interests of some among us have intersected with Iran’s… (Read More)

Saudi Arabia

Opinion

“What is the objective of the Saudi political action…?” (Website, Middle East)

On April 12, the electronic Rai al-Youm newspaper carried the following piece by Abdul Bari Atwan: “…A Saudi diplomatic dash took King Salman to Cairo and from there to Ankara while his son, the deputy crown prince and his next successor, flew to the Jordanian capital, Amman and then to Abu Dhabi. In both capitals, he was received like a king. The Jordanian monarch who was present to welcome him in the city of Al-Aqaba broke the official protocol and gave an official statement at the conclusion of the visit. What’s happening? What’s the reason behind this dash? Does it indicate a state of fear or a sign of force? What can one deduce from all these moves at this specific timing, coming from a state known for its slow actions and carefulness, and in one of the most heated regions of the world?… (Read More)

Politics

““Major political concoction” on sidelines of “Saudi action”...” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Arab Diplomacy - USA Europe

On April 13, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its Amman Office Chief Bassam Bdareen: “There is a “major political concoction.” This is the expression often repeated in the last two days by foreign diplomats and Jordanian officials, in light of the energetic Saudi investment and political action in the neighboring states, namely the controversial “King Salman Bridge” with Egypt and the Aqaba meeting between Jordanian Monarch Abdullah II and Prince Muhammad bin Salman. On the sidelines of this influential Saudi action towards two neighboring states, i.e. Jordan and Egypt in particular, one can detect three highly important developments. According to Al-Quds al-Arabi’s information, the repots coming from southern Syria today confirm that the Syrian opposition factions, especially the Free Syrian Army, have acquired “sophisticated and different” weaponry… (Read More)

Syria

Opinion

“Geneva’s road goes through Aleppo?” (An-Nahar, Lebanon)

Military and Security - Peace Process

On April 13, Monaliza Freiha wrote the following piece in An-Nahar daily: “Since the exacerbation of the Syrian crisis, the conflicting parties believed that whoever controls Aleppo will win the war. Six years into this war, Syria’s economic capital or what is left of it is still resisting to both parties as they both failed to control it entirely. However, as the regime has recently gained momentum, it has seemingly decided to settle the battle there in its favor as it wishes to declare full victory and is still convince that it can actually achieve this victory in bracing for imposing its political transfer plan in Geneva… (Read More)

Politics

“Paris sources: Geneva’s round ‘decisive’ for the Syrian crisis” (Asharq al-Awsat, United Kingdom)

Peace Process - United Nations

On April 13, the Saudi-owned, London-based Asharq al-Awsat daily carried the following report: “Diplomatic sources in Paris said that the round of new talks that will be launched in Geneva today will be “decisive” in respect to the method that UN Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, will employ to find solutions to the Syrian crisis. The sources that spoke to Asharq al-Awsat yesterday in Paris believe that “if De Mistura does not return from his new preparatory round with real support to discuss the central issue (i.e. the transitional phase), then his efforts will fail and they he will have to give up on following up with them… (Read More)

“Mobilization with Jordan’s support to launch comprehensive military campaign on Yarmouk Brigade...” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security

On April 13, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Daraa Abdullah al-Omari: “The moderate Syrian opposition factions in the Syrian Daraa have received more qualitative arms from official Jordanian sides, to proclaim a comprehensive battle aiming to eradicate the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade, the main force for the [Islamic] State organization in the Syrian South. Hence, a source from the Syrian opposition in the “free Daraa” governorate revealed that the “arms shipment that arrived a few days ago included four-round Grad rocket launchers, Korean made rocket launchers, light and middle-sized weapons and large quantities of ammunition, to be used in the eradication of the Yarmouk Brigade and whoever is suspected of communicating or sympathizing with the [Islamic] State organization exclusively… (Read More)

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