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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.

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TODAY’S DAILY BRIEFING

21-Jan-2016

Iraq

Politics

“Iraq: American-Gulf project to establish mini state for Sunnis” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Media - Religion - Terrorism - Unrest

On January 21, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report by Douaa Suweidan: “It appears that work is ongoing to consolidate the division in Iraq, through a Gulf incitement led by Saudi Arabia and under an international cover. The events that have been taking place in Diyala for days now are no mere details. With respect to the geographic location, the province is adjacent to Iran… As for the nature of the current developments, work is ongoing to further promote sectarian strife by highlighting the so-called “Sunni injustice” with the hope of attracting “international protection… (Read More)

Lebanon

Opinion

“Al-Hariri embarrassed and confused Saudi Arabia: Will he pay the price?” (Ad-Diyyar, Lebanon)

Arab Diplomacy - Democracy and Party Politics

On January 21, Ibrahim Nassereddine wrote the following piece in Ad-Diyyar daily newspaper: “When the former Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss expresses his derision over Maarab turning into an obligatory passageway to Baabda, he is consciously expressing the state of painful shallowness of political life in Lebanon. The Chairman of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, has consolidated himself as the “godfather” of the Change and Reform bloc’s Chairman, Michel Aoun, on his way to Baabda Palace. He seized the moment in a smart way…and created a Christian duality, which placed him in a difficult position knowing that the price that he will have to pay is hard to estimate at this point… (Read More)

Politics

“Saudi royal court to Geagea: You committed a sin” (As-Safir, Lebanon)

Arab Diplomacy

On January 21, the independent, leftist As-Safir daily newspaper carried the following report: “If you want to know who will be the next president in Lebanon, you must know what’s going on in the influential regional and international capitals. This equation will always govern the presidency issue as well as all the other Lebanese matters despite the attempts at infusing it with some symbolic Lebanese drops to save face. Although the nomination of MP Suleiman Franjieh by [former] PM Sa’d al-Hariri and that of Gen. Michel Aoun by the head of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, appear to be Lebanese, the well-informed parties stress that there’s an external “lining” there… (Read More)

“Geagea: Martyrs have fallen for same cause that made me nominate Aoun...” (Website, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy - Democracy and Party Politics

On January 21, the Lebanese Forces website carried the following report: “Head of the Lebanese Forces Dr. Samir Geagea assured that the nomination of Head of the Change and Reform Bloc General Michel Aoun was not a childish reaction, or a response to Prime Minister Sa’d al-Hariri’s nomination of Head of Al-Marada Movement Deputy Suleiman Frangieh, stressing that “between Aoun and Frangieh, we choose Aoun. With all due respect to Frangieh, I say that Aoun is more entitled [to that position] in light of his representational character. Moreover, Aoun somewhat resembles us, regardless of the disputes we had for ten years, seeing as how the Tayyar [Movement] is a large political party that represents the Lebanese in all the Lebanese areas.” During an interview on MTV’s Bi Mawdou’iya [With Objectivity], Geagea indicated: “We chose Aoun for the presidency because Frangieh is a pure member of March 8… (Read More)

Libya

Opinion

“A step forward” (Al-Khaleej, United Arab Emirates)

Peace Process - United Nations

On January 21, the independent Al-Khaleej daily newspaper carried the following editorial: “After long and tedious negotiations between the Libyan parties under an international support including Switzerland, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, the Al-Sukheirat agreement has been finally reached, which aims at establishing legal institutions, i.e. selecting a presidential council and a government, then conducting legislative elections at a later stage… (Read More)

Syria

Opinion

“The backdrops of revealing the ‘secret’ agreement between Moscow, Al-Assad” (An-Nahar, Lebanon)

Arab Diplomacy - Military and Security - Peace Process

On January 20, Monaliza Freiha wrote the following piece in An-Nahar daily newspaper: “The timing at which the Kremlin published the clauses of the signed agreement with the Syrian regime is not innocent nor a trivial thing. The agreement that was signed on August 26 and that could have remained a secret, not only grants Moscow and open appointment in Syria but also provides it with wide jurisdictions at land, by sea and in the air without any surveillance in addition to providing it with exceptional privileges while shielding it against any accountability or responsibility for any potential damages… (Read More)

Politics

“All eyes turned towards implementation of withdrawal agreement...” (Al-Watan Syria, Syria)

Military and Security - Peace Process

On January 21, the state-controlled Al-Watan newspaper carried the following report: “Yesterday, thousands of citizens returned to their homes in Al-Qadam neighborhood in southern Damascus, in the context of the national reconciliations seen in the country. In the meantime, all eyes are turned towards the implementation of the agreement, by which the armed men of ISIL, which is on the international list of terrorist organizations, will be expelled from the capital’s south between today and tomorrow on Friday. Hence, around 2,500 citizens returned to Al-Qadam neighborhood’s eastern and western parts, in the context of the reconciliation agreement signed between the relevant Syrian sides and the local council in Al-Qadam since August 2014. Since Wednesday morning, they gathered in front of Al-Qadam train station on the old Damascus-Amman road to enter the neighborhood… (Read More)

Tunisia

Politics

“After Kasserine protests, Tunisians to Watan: One martyr enough to trigger 2nd revolution” (El-Watan, Algeria)

Unrest

On January 20, the Egyptian pro-government El-Watan newspaper carried the following report by its correspondents Ahmad Muhammad Abdul Basset and Muhammad Ali Hassan: “Shortly after the celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Tunisian Jasmine Revolution, violent protests erupted in the streets of the Kasserine governorate, staged throughout the last three days by unemployed youth. These protests broke out in the wake of a painful incident witnessed in the center of Kasserine City last Saturday, after young man Ridha Yahyaoui took his own life when his name was removed from the list of hired employees at the Tunisian Education Ministry. He thus climbed up an electricity pole and was electrocuted. The fall shattered his bones and led to his death, while the local authorities’ efforts could not save him… (Read More)

Society

“Tunisia’s frustrated revolution is flickering: the battle against corruption” (As-Safir, Lebanon)

Corruption - Unrest

On January 21, the independent, leftist As-Safir daily newspaper carried the following report by Kamal al-Sharini: “Columns of smoke can be seen in several squares in West Tunisia. Thousands of angry youth are piling up in the squares in the face of the security forces and their teargas bombs. This scene is reminiscent of the hard days of the Tunisian revolution in December 2010… Are these the features of a new revolution in Tunisia? “No this isn’t a new revolution but rather an attempt at realizing the objectives of the revolution” says Nasri (29 years), a law school graduate, to As-Safir. He is from Kasserine, the city that constituted the birthplace of the Tunisian revolution and the city that gave the highest number of victims during the last days of the Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali regime… (Read More)

Yemen

Politics

“Yemen: Escalation of disputes and assassinations between Houthis, Saleh followers” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security

On January 21, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Taiz Khaled al-Hammadi: “Knowledgeable sources mentioned that the number of deaths among the Houthis and the followers of deposed President Ali Saleh had risen in the last few days, in many provinces they control in Yemen’s north and center. Al-Quds al-Arabi thus learned that dozens of middle-rank commanders and armed men affiliated with Al-Houthi had been killed by their allies in the last few days in the capital Sanaa, and the governorates of Jawf, Amran, Dhamar, Ibb, Hajjah, Mahwit and Hudaydah, following the escalation of the disputes with the followers of deposed President Ali Saleh, and the exchange of accusations of betrayal and financial corruption between the two sides… (Read More)