Mideastwire.com

WHAT WE DO

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.

Our Corrections Policy: We adhere to an honest and open corrections policy. Please email info@mideastwire.com if you notice any typo or if you disagree with our translation choices. Since we do not produce our own content, we only will consider corrections that highlight typos or dispute our translations, not the veracity or accuracy of the original content. Accepted corrections are applied directly to the relevant translations as soon as they are approved by the editor and our database is updated accordingly for all subscribers.

TODAY’S DAILY BRIEFING

02-Feb-2016

Algeria

Politics

"Algeria's image abroad becomes bleaker; frightening scenarios..." (El-Khabar, Algeria)

Media - Unrest - USA Europe

On January 23, the daily El-Khabar reported: "The quick collapse of Algeria's revenues has become a source of concern not only for its people but also for the countries within its zone, particularly France which is tied to Algeria by big strategic interests which it would not want to lose and it also fears that the financial crisis in its former colony would lead to another wave of migration that would add to its current problems. The tone of discussion on Algeria has changed on the other bank of the Mediterranean and the description of "regional power" and other terms of flattery have slipped down to a more strict assessment when Algeria's revenue became hardly enough to pay for half of its imports after the unprecedented collapse of oil prices in the world markets and some foreigners expected even the bankruptcy of Algeria. As an example of the image of Algeria which is being circulated currently, the French economist, Nicolas Bouzou, said in a lengthy article published in Le Point that Algeria, which he described as "the wonderful neighbour" was nominated to "collapse because of its political and economic situation", and that France must take that into consideration and monitor the situation there… (Read More)

Algeria's ends Libya flights over Moroccan IS concerns (Website, Middle East)

Terrorism

On January 31, the daily Echourouk El-Youmi reported: "The communication adviser to the Libyan unity government, Fethi Benaissa, said he approved of the Algerian decision to freeze the air-link between Algiers and Tripoli as a preventive measure designed to ensure his country's security in the face of the recent influx of Moroccans leaving for Libya via Algiers. As a matter of fact, the freezing of these flights between Algiers and Tripoli would not undermine the fraternal relations between the two peoples, but such a measure has become imperious owing to the current sensitive security environment that requires the utmost vigilance on the part of Algeria, and necessitates the strengthening of security cooperation among all the countries of the sub-region. The Libyan official asserted in a statement to Echorouk, that the Moroccan terrorist apprentices, having a limited education, are intent on beefing up the ranks of the Da'ish terror group already present in Libya with the aim of dealing a blow to the security and stability of neighbouring Algeria and to that of Tunisia as well… (Read More)

Iraq

Politics

“Mosul battle: Liberation and destruction” (Az-Zaman, Iraq)

Military and Security - USA Europe

On February 2, the independent Az-Zaman newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Chief Editor Fateh Abdul Salam: “No matter how great and loud the statements, analyses and wishes may become, one reality will shine through within a short period of time, which might last several months, i.e. that the regaining of Mosul will be conducted based on an American decision and timing. This battle, which has long been postponed, will not be delayed for much longer or allowed to be subjected to back-and-forth and interpretations, as it is linked to more than one international and regional file, but especially to the American domestic arena and the American presidential race, whose signs will strongly emerge after mid-March. The Mosul battle is the bootie held by the Americans to proclaim the victory of their project against terrorism, and the turning of the page of the so-called Islamic State organization in Iraq forever… (Read More)

“Military elements collect money from Iraqis, under pretext of sending them to...” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Corruption - Military and Security

On February 2, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Baghdad Mustafa al-Obeidi: “A new phenomenon has recently been detected in Iraq, where armed groups wearing military uniforms are roaming the residential neighborhoods and streets of the capital, as well as those of many Iraqi cities, and collecting money and donations under the pretext of sending them to Popular Mobilization. And this behavior reflects the difficulty of controlling the individual actions of some militia elements. Deputy Hussam al-Aqabi from the Sadr Movement said to Al-Quds al-Arabi that the collection of donations from the people under the pretext of supporting Popular Mobilization by some groups pretending to be affiliated with it was unacceptable, and was not sanctioned by the Popular Mobilization command… (Read More)

Jordan

Opinion

“Demographic revolution in Jordan” (Al-Ghad, Jordan)

Refugees

On February 1, the independent Al-Ghad newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Fahed Khitan: “What economic growth ratio could match the massive population growth in Jordan? Within just one decade, the capital Amman’s population doubled, while the population count of a small province such as Al-Mafrak increased by more than 60%. Hence, the estimates of the sides in charge of the refugees in Jordan were not far from the truth, as the population count whose details were announced yesterday by the Department of Statistics showed an increase of the Kingdom’s inhabitants by 30%, mostly Syrians. Indeed, the number of Syrian refugees has exceeded that of the inhabitants of four provinces combined, which places us before a major demographic challenge that was never before confronted by the state… (Read More)

Lebanon

Opinion

“The facts that were disregarded by Sayyed Nasrallah” (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics

On February 1, the independent Lebanese En-Nashra news website carried the following exclusive opinion piece by Naji al-Bustani: “True, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah assured in his last speech on Friday night that he had a moral and political obligation to support General Michel Aoun’s candidacy to the presidency... But what is truer is that he disregarded many important facts, which could be enumerated as follows: Firstly, in Lebanon’s modern history, the political divide upon the expiry of the term of former President General Emile Lahoud was vertical, and the names proposed in public and behind the scenes to succeed to him were numerous and politically divergent. But on May 25, 2008, all these candidacies were suddenly taken off the table, and Army Commander General Michel Suleiman earned 118 out of 128 votes in parliament… (Read More)

Politics

“Al-Hariri marketing Franjieh as he did with Geagea” (Ad-Diyyar, Lebanon)

On February 2, the Ad-Diyyar daily newspaper carried the following report by Jihad Nafeh: “At an internal meeting with Future movement cadres in the north, one official at the blue movement described the chairman of the Lebanese Forces, Dr. Samir Geagea as being a “criminal murderer who wants to turn himself into a presidents’ maker.” According to a well-informed source, this Future meeting was dedicated at answering the questions of the blue movement’s popular bases in Tripoli concerning the backdrops of nominating Minister Suleiman Franjieh by [former] PM Sa’d al-Hariri knowing that these bases are split between supporters of this nomination and people who reject any March 8 candidates especially Franjieh…… (Read More)

“Syrian students in the north receiving Wahhabi education” (Ad-Diyyar, Lebanon)

Education - Religion

On February 1, the Ad-Diyyar daily newspaper carried the following report by Doumou’ al-Asmar: “A Tripoli source indicated that the Saudi budget that has been devoted for the education of the Syrian students in Lebanon amounts to four million dollars per year and is being spent by the Syrian educational committee, which is based in Tripoli. This committee is said to have become an independent state within the Lebanese state as it operates away from the surveillance and monitoring of the national ministry of education… (Read More)

“Al-Raqqah’s road goes through Ersal” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Military and Security - Terrorism

On February 2, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report: “Pressure is mounting against ISIL in the Syria and Iraqi fields, which is causing this group to become mad. Between working on opening a supply road from the Ersal barren areas to Syria and Al-Raqqah, and the need for other supply lines, will Ersal become a hostage of ISIL? The direction that ISIL will follow in the Ersal barren areas remains unclear in light of the latest field and political developments in the region. The battles that this terrorist group has fought in the past days with An-Nusra Front, i.e. the Al-Qa’idah branch in the Levant, has pushed several security and political sources into expecting two scenarios for the group’s plans in the short run: first, insisting on opening a road from the barren areas towards the internal Syrian arena and the Syrian east by the spring; and second, attempting to control Ersal and to declare the town a part of the Islamic State… (Read More)

Middle East

Politics

“Obama has no interest in Putin losing face!” (An-Nahar, Lebanon)

Peace Process - USA Europe

On February 2, the An-Nahar daily newspaper carried the following report by Sarkis Naoum: “Russian President Vladimir Putin is now losing in Syria according to American sources that are following up on his country and his situation. This opinion is quite puzzling for a number of parties who are closely following the developments of the several wars taking place there. Indeed, his intervention prevented Al-Assad’s collapse, one that even Al-Assad’s allies were expecting. He [i.e. Putin] is almost nearly done cleansing the governorate of Latakia, Al-Assad’s main stronghold, from the serious and dangerous military infiltrations of the opposition movements… (Read More)

Morocco

Politics

"...Benkirane deputy compared El Omari's election to what happened in Ben Ali..." (As-Sabah, Tunisia)

Democracy and Party Politics

On January 27, the daily As-Sabah reported: "The Justice and Development party has not waited for the folding up of the large marquee that had sheltered the third national conference of the Authenticity and Modernity party, in Bouznika, to bring up its "heavy guns" in the war against Ilyas El Omari, the new secretary general of the PAM. In fact, Sliman Omrani, Benkirane's deputy in the PJD and his right arm in the government, took charge of the strong attack and did not hesitate to compare the election of the new secretary general of the PAM to what used to happen at the conferences of Ben Ali and Mubarak, a hint to the unique party system that used to rule Tunisia and Egypt before the Arab Spring… (Read More)

Syria

Opinion

“The requirements of the negotiations” (Al-Khaleej, United Arab Emirates)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process - United Nations

On February 2, the Al-Khaleej daily newspaper carried the following lead editorial: “This back and forth movement between the Syrian negotiators at the Geneva 3 conference, and the attempts at imposing pre-conditions for the negotiations and the opposition’s differences over who represents whom and which are the terrorist groups while which are the moderate groups; and who possesses a greater popular and field presence: All this will not prevent the negotiations from being launched and from following their due course… (Read More)

Tunisia

Politics

“The return of Ben Ali’s men…” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Democracy and Party Politics

On February 2, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report by Houssam Ben Makhlouf: “…Until recently, the “return” of the men of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, to power or even to public life represented a red line. Alarm bells would go off whenever this line was infiltrated… But this “revolutionary excitement” grew gradually dimmer in the post-revolution years. Thus, seeing “Ben Ali’s men” in the media, in public meetings, and political encounters became a regular thing. They became part of the political, media, and economic fabric in post-revolution Tunisia… (Read More)

Turkey

Politics

“What if Ankara were to down a new Russian plane?” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security - USA Europe

On February 2, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Istanbul Ismail Jamal: “The new breach of Turkey’s airspace by Russian warplanes revived the political and military tensions between Ankara and Moscow, and pushed the Turkish government to ask NATO to provide it with anti-aircraft Patriot missiles. But what if Ankara were to down a new Russian plane? Writer and researcher in Turkish affairs Sa’id al-Hajj excluded Turkey’s downing of a new Russian plane without a decision by NATO, indicating that the last breach announced by the Turkish government “may not have been the first since the downing of the Russian plane on the border with Syria. But it seems that the Turkish government reactivated this file in an attempt to stop the Russians’ breaching of its airspace… (Read More)

Yemen

Politics

“Yemen: Hadi’s forces seize strategic camp...” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security

On February 2, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Taiz Khaled al-Hammadi: “A Yemeni military source mentioned that the National Army and the Popular Resistance forces loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi had seized the strategic Fardat Nahm camp, which is 50 kilometers east of the capital Sanaa and which used to be controlled by the Presidential Guard loyal to deposed President Ali Saleh. The source said to Al-Quds al-Arabi: “Thank God, after long weeks of planning and gradual military movements, the Fardat Nahm camp was seized by the National Army and Popular Resistance forces, and all the roads and regions surrounding it were secured.” He added: “Seizing this camp, which is the largest in the region, is an extraordinary military conquest, which paves the way before military progress towards the capital Sanaa… (Read More)

Co-Founder: Nicholas Noe

Address any queries to:

info@mideastwire.com