Syria peace talks stuck over Assad’s future
Source: Al Jazeera English (Read full story)
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Wednesday’s meeting at an hotel in the lakeside city exposed sharply differing views on forcing out Assad both between the government and opposition, and among the foreign powers which fear that the conflict is spilling beyond Syria and encouraging sectarian violence abroad.
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Saudi Arabia: Foreign fighters must leave Syria
Source: Arab News (Read full story)
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Speaking at the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Abdullah Al-Moallemi, the Kingdom’s permanent ambassador to the UN, slammed the UN Security Council for not issuing a statement condemning grave human rights violations in Syria.
He said the presence of foreign fighters in Syria was dangerous for the country. He called on the international community, led by influential countries, to pressure Assad’s government to stop its crimes against humanity.
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Iran has stopped high-end uranium enrichment: UN
Source: Khaleej Times (Read full story)
The UN nuclear agency is confirming that Iran has halted its most sensitive uranium enrichment work as part of a landmark deal struck with world powers.
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Zarif trip to Lebanon includes signal to Saudi Arabia
Source: Al-Monitor (Read full story)
The most noticeable aspect of the visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Beirut on Jan. 12 were the positions he took toward Saudi Arabia and Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, as they clearly contradicted those of Hezbollah, especially some of the Party of God’s recent stances. Hezbollah has recently waged an anti-Saudi Arabia campaign, which included Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah accusing Saudi intelligence of being behind the November 2013 bombing of the Iranian Embassy in Beirut. In addition, Hezbollah has launched harsh attacks against Suleiman, be it via repudiation of the Baabda Declaration or raising suspicions about the Saudi-French initiative to support the Lebanese army, the latter of which is considered to be an achievement for Suleiman.
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The Summer Institute for Intensive Arabic Language and Culture (SINARC) is a multi-faceted language and cultural immersion program that welcomes students from all over the world. In operation for over 14 years, SINARC has quickly become a top choice for Arabic language learners looking not only to improve their language skills but also to gain an understanding of the cultural and social dynamics in the region.
The SINARC program is hosted each year at the Lebanese American University (Beirut Campus), one of the premier institutions of higher education and research in Lebanon and the region. The campus situated in the heart of the Lebanese capital provides students a unique perspective on Lebanese culture and daily life.
SINARC offers courses in Arabic language and culture at various levels of proficiency. Each level provides twenty hours per week of intensive classroom instruction, including five hours per week of Lebanese Dialect. Formal language instruction is enriched by immersion in an authentic cultural context. Cultural activities include weekly lectures on topics related to Arab and Lebanese politics, history, society, and culture. In addition, students partake in a series of excursions to historical, cultural and tourist sites throughout Lebanon and Syria.
Iran invites Gulf states to tour nuclear power plant
Source: Arab News (Read full story)
Iran’s nuclear chief said Wednesday experts from Arab neighbors across the Gulf, concerned about the safety of Iran’s sole nuclear power plant, are welcome to visit the facility, IRNA reported. “We are ready for the visit of nuclear experts of … Gulf countries to Bushehr nuclear power plant,” Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted as saying when asked how Tehran would tackle their worries. Gulf countries have often raised concern over Bushehr’s reliability and the risk of radioactive leaks in case of a major earthquake, as well as a possible military dimension to Iran’s nuclear drive. “We… again express our readiness, for consultation between our country’s experts and the experts from Persian Gulf countries, so that they can hold scientific and technical talks on the Bushehr power plant’s safety issues,” Salehi said. The nuclear chief also suggested establishing a regional nuclear cooperation body so that “all these doubts will be addressed scientifically.”
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The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, in collaboration with The Arab-American Language Institute in Morocco (AALIM) for the summer of 2014, is pleased to announce its Summer Language Program in the Kingdom of Morocco. Students will spend six weeks in historic Meknes, Morocco taking part in intensive Arabic language instruction. Students at all levels of Arabic proficiency are encouraged to apply.
Students will spend four (4) hours each weekday in formal Modern Standard Arabic classes, as well as complete out-of-the-classroom assignments. The AALIM center is host to a community of Arabic learners throughout the summer, providing for a fully immersive program. Students may choose to take an additional three (3) hours of Moroccan darija dialect classes.
Those selected will also gain direct personal experience in Moroccan culture, history, and society through a variety of day excursions, local outings, workshops and demonstrations. Meknes is an ideal setting for students to focus on learning Arabic while exploring ancient and modern Morocco. The main AALIM center is located inside the traditional walled old city, called the Medina, an area which features heavily in the Western popular imagination of Morocco. Meknes is also a thriving modern metropolis of over one million residents. The AALIM center is just a short walk from the bustling town center in the New City.
Russia-GCC forum to boost trade ties
Source: Arab News (Read full story)
The Russian Business Council (RBC) in the UAE will organize a Russia-GCC Business Forum from Feb. 11-12 in Dubai. The two-day event will focus on promoting trade relations between Russia and the GCC countries.
“This forum is a remarkable step toward the development of the already thriving business ties, which has led to signing a memorandum of investment worth $5 billion to establish partnerships in Russian infrastructure projects in 2013,” said RBC Chairman Igor Egorov[.]…
