Al-Monitor Daily Briefing: Russia, Germany at loggerheads over Idlib

[logo]( [fb_icon]( [twitter_icon]( EDITOR'S PICKS Monday, September 17 | Daily Briefing [By: Yekaterina
Chulkovskaya on Monday, Sep. 17, 2018]( Russia / Mideast 1 [Russia, Germany at loggerheads over Idlib]( Germany has recently engaged with the United States, the UK and France to take a stronger stance on Syria. But as Chancellor Merkel encounters strong domestic opposition on potential military action in Syria, the significance of engaging with Russia increases. Turkey 2 [Low-income Turks take early crisis blows]( Turkey’s economic turmoil is already bruising millions of minimum wage earners, who are grappling with a flurry of price hikes and the prospect of losing jobs. Egypt 3 [Egypt intensifies diplomatic efforts to resume stalled talks over Ethiopia dam]( As Ethiopia admits to financial and administrative obstacles hindering the completion of the Renaissance Dam, Cairo is stepping up diplomatic efforts to complete the stalled negotiations to reduce the risk of the dam to Egypt's water security. Israel 4 [Top general claims IDF not ready for war]( According to IDF Ombudsman Yitzhak Brick, the Israeli military has invested most of its resources in the air force while neglecting the land corps, leaving Israel vulnerable to Hezbollah. Washington 5 [Washington ramps up diplomatic efforts to stave off Idlib operation]( The new US Syria diplomatic team ramps up diplomacy as it tries to bolster Turkish and European efforts to avert assault on Idlib. Lebanon 6 [Small Lebanese craft brewers introduce big new tastes in beer]( Micro and craft breweries are paving the way for locally made Lebanese beer by working around the lack of traditional ingredients and doing what they can to avoid contributing to the Lebanon's persistent environmental problems. Israel 7 [Why demolishing West Bank village will cost Israel dearly]( Europe is warning Israel that demolishing Khan al-Ahmar, a Bedouin-Palestinian village, will constitute a war crime and lead to demands for financial compensation for facilities there provided by its members. Iraq 8 [Iraq's Abadi under fire from pro-Iran political factions]( Pro-Iranian factions within Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units are taking advantage of the bloody events in Basra to prevent the prime minister from winning a second term, accusing him of being under US influence. Palestine 9 [Israeli and Palestinian civil defense teams join hands to save lives]( The Israeli and Palestinian civil defense agencies have more regularly been conducting joint first-responder exercises for handling traffic accidents after a horrendous collision on the West Bank last October, and they also cooperate in exercises to develop regional responses to natural disasters. Palestine 10 [Mai Masri, daughters pledge to keep alive Jean Chamoun’s film legacy]( Jean Chamoun and Mai Masri devoted their cinema careers to the Palestinian cause. A year after Chamoun's death, Masri has started work on a new script for a feature film. Israel 11 [The last liberals of the Likud]( The public position that President Reuven Rivlin and Knesset member Benny Begin have taken against the Nationality Law and attacks on the Supreme Court have left them in the minority within the Likud Party. Syria 12 [Turkish-supported public services flourish in Euphrates Shield area]( The Turkish government has helped the local council in al-Bab to set up a plant to refill propane cylinders and Jarablus to build its first central bus station. STAY CONNECTED [fb_icon_footer]( [twitter_icon_footer]( [instagram_icon_footer]( [rss_icon_footer]( CONTACT US [Support & Contact]( [Advertise](mailto:advertise@al-monitor.com) NEWSLETTERS [Subscribe]( TERMS OF USE [Visitor Agreement]( [Privacy Policy]( © 2018 Al-Monitor. All Rights Reserved. If you no longer wish to receive these emails you may [unsubscribe or manage your preferences]( at any time. Al-Monitor · 1850 K St NW · Suite 1225 · Washington, DC 20006 · USA