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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.

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

09-Aug-2016

Egypt

Opinion

“A British “head” cover for terrorist group” (Al-Ahram, Egypt)

Terrorism - USA Europe

On August 9, the pro-government Al-Ahram daily carried the following opinion piece by Chief Editor Muhammad Abdel Hady Allam: “Some developments of British policy towards Egypt are raising concerns and heavy dust at the level of bilateral ties between two countries, supposed to be sharing the same apprehensions and fears over the spread of global terrorism and the dangerous threats this is posing to their interests in the Middle East region... In the last report issued by the immigration authorities at the British Department of Home Affairs on August 2, an update of the guidance on dealing with the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood group in Egypt, there is great contradiction with the conclusion reached by former British Prime Minister David Cameron at the end of December, regarding the existence of ties between factions in the group and terrorism (though London abstained from classifying the MB as a terrorist group for reasons that are better known by the Western intelligence circles)… (Read More)

Society

“Egypt: Middle class senses the burden of economic crisis” (Al-Hayat, United Kingdom)

On August 8, the Saudi-owned London-based Al-Hayat newspaper carried the following report by its correspondent in Cairo Ahmad Mustafa: “Upon the end of his workday as a sales employee at an Egyptian pharmaceutical company, Khaled Wahid uses his personal car to drive around passengers, in an attempt to meet his family’s needs and fulfill his regular obligations, which can no longer be covered by his salary following the recent and consecutive price rises against the backdrop of the economic crisis. Wahid said to Al-Hayat: “The prices are extremely steep, and I have no option but to seek ways to increase my income. At night, I work as a driver to cover the installments of the car loan I took two years ago...” He added: “I had one of two options: Either sell the car and rely on the poor public transportation, or use the car for work and secure its monthly installments… (Read More)

Jordan

Politics

“Jordan elections held “with whoever is present,” Al-Abadi most prominent quitter...” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Democracy and Party Politics

On August 9, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its Amman Office Chief Bassam Bdareen: “The withdrawal of a prominent national figure the size of Dr. Mamdouh al-Abadi [from the electoral race] further complicates the controversial Jordanian parliamentary elections that will be held on September 20, amid questions sweeping the national scene under the headline: With whom and for whom are we holding elections? Al-Abadi announced his withdrawal from the electoral process without stating the reasons..., though one can guess them, especially since Al-Abadi was uncontestably the most prominent candidate in Amman’s third district, which is dubbed the whales’ district, but has now become that of whoever has more financial capabilities, not national or political ones… (Read More)

Lebanon

Politics

“The Ain el-Helweh camp absorbs the security threats and dozens of individuals surrender to the Lebanese army” (Asharq al-Awsat, United Kingdom)

Military and Security - Unrest

On August 9, the Saudi-owned, London-aimed Asharq al-Awsat daily newspaper carried the following report: “The number of wanted Palestinians by the Lebanese authorities who have surrendered to the army in the past ten weeks exceeded dozens. This seems to fall in the executive framework of a plan established by the concerned Palestinian forces in Ain el-Helweh, the camp that falls in the city of Saida in South Lebanon. Through this plan, the forces succeeded to a large extent to absorb the warnings they obtained from a number of security apparatuses regarding the fact that the radical organizations, mainly ISIL, are seeking to expand in the camp in bracing for declaring a princedom there… (Read More)

“The collapse of Saudi Oger: What’s next?” (Website, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy - Democracy and Party Politics

On August 9, the electronic Al-Modon daily newspaper carried the following report: “More than two months ago, the Saudi Oger general administration informed a number of employees about the end of their contracts. The Saudi law allows business owners a window of two months to manage the staff affairs and pay their end of service dues. The deadline ended by August 1. However, the ordeal of the ousted staff hasn’t been concluded yet. This pushed them to organize an action to protest their sacking without obtaining their rights. The staff’s situation in the company is at its worst… (Read More)

“Al-Mashnouk asks Future to choose between three “suicides”” (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics

On August 9, the electronic Al-Modon daily newspaper carried the following report: “Well-informed parties about the details of the Future bloc’s meeting last Monday- a meeting that was attended by [former] PM Sa’d al-Hariri who has been absent from such meetings for a long while – said that the Minister of Interior, Nouhad al-Mashnouk, made an intervention during the meeting where he asked the Future movement to choose between three “suicides… (Read More)

Saudi Arabia

Opinion

“Dear general, describe Israel to us” (Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process

On August 9, the pro-monarchy Al-Watan newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Ali Sa’d Musa: “I will consider the article of Saudi Ambassador to the United Nations His Excellency Engineer Abdullah bin Yahya al-Mouallimi in the dear Al-Madina newspaper yesterday about the “rowdy normalizers” as the first official Saudi statement, disowning those who carried out the anomalous Saudi trip to Israel... To those who missed the news, a former Saudi “general” and a number of his collaborators, under the cover of his studies center whose name is as long as Libya’s name under Gaddafi, carried out a visit to the Zionist entity, met with some members of Knesset and conducted interviews with its press. FYI: There is no general, major general or field marshal position in our heroic army… (Read More)

Syria

Opinion

“Illusions that fell apart in Aleppo” (Ad-Diyyar, Lebanon)

Military and Security

On August 9, the Ad-Diyyar daily newspaper carried the following piece by Ghaleb Kandil: “The latest battles in Aleppo uncovered the illusions and many political exaggerations that emerged in the past weeks. These battles represent a chance at adjusting one's dealing with the many developments taking place in the realm of a real global war revolving around the future of the balances in the world and the region between two conflicting axes in Syria and in other arenas of the world on the economic, political, and military levels… (Read More)

“In short: A global war in Aleppo” (Al-Watan Syria, Syria)

Military and Security

On August 9, the Omani Al-Watan daily carried the following piece by Zuheir Majed: “The attacks that the terrorist armed groups are launching against the Syrian Arab army in Aleppo are, according to the confessions of a field commander, quite professional and managed by a major and expert military mind. On top of that, all the coordinates could only be obtained from a major force because these coordinates come from satellite dishes… (Read More)

“Four main factors behind the military breakthrough of the opposition factions in Aleppo…” (Newspaper, Middle East)

Military and Security - USA Europe

On August 8, the electronic Rai al-Youm daily newspaper carried the following piece by Abdul Bari Atwan: “Four main factors are behind the major breakthrough achieved by the Syrian opposition armed factions led by Fatah al-Sham (An-Nusra previously) and Al-Fatah Army (Ahrar al-Sham) in the Aleppo suburbs that led to breaking the siege off Eastern Aleppo for the first time in several weeks… (Read More)

“Al-Qa’idah enters political club” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Terrorism - USA Europe

On August 9, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following opinion piece by Syrian writer Mahmoud az-Zaybaq: “The comments and articles written about An-Nusra Front’s disengagement from Al-Qa’idah said for the most part that this step was only in form and did not exceed the changing of the name, while the doctrine and the core were maintained. The writers thus focused on the message sent by Al-Qa’idah organization prior to disengagement that was conducted with its blessing, and the gratitude and praise expressed to Al-Qa’idah and its leaders by Commander of the Front Al-Julani, who preoccupied the latter writers with an outfit similar to Osama Bin Laden’s. These writers also found a confirmation of their theory in the American statements, as the US Army clearly said that the Front will remain among the US targets, despite its name change… (Read More)

Politics

“Kurdish forces in Syria impose “guarantor” on Syrians wishing to enter their regions” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security

On August 9, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report from London: “The Kurdish Protection forces in Syria announced a number of decisions yesterday, saying they were issued by the Rojava Asayish and affected the three districts of the province. These decisions require the Syrian citizens living outside of the three districts to have a “guarantor” in order to visit the districts, in a step that fuels the concerns surrounding the Kurds’ attempt to secede. The statement, a copy of which was delivered to Al-Quds al-Arabi, featured “important decisions by the Rojava Asayish, affecting all three districts. Their purpose is to uphold peace and security in Rojava, and include the following: When necessary, the inhabitants of the regions neighboring the three districts can visit them with the personal guarantee of one of the districts’ inhabitants, in coordination with the Asayish forces… (Read More)

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