A Mezze: Influence Peddlers

This week on a special edition of Babel, Will Todman speaks with Jon Alterman, the creator of Babel and the show’s host since it began in 2019. They discuss Jon’s reflections on 22 years directing the CSIS Middle East Program, his analysis of how the Middle East policy ecosystem ... Show More

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Mohanad Hage Ali, deputy director for research at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. Mohanad's latest paper for Carnegie investigates the rise of a new form of drug smuggling in Lebanon. Together, they discuss Hezbollah’s i ... Show More

On Tuesday, May 6, President Trump declared that the United States would immediately halt its bombing of Houthi targets, bringing an end to months of intensified U.S. strikes across Yemen. The president linked the policy reversal to what he described as the Iran-backed Houthis’ c ... Show More

Last week, one more name was added to the list of Donald Trump advisors indicted after serving the former president of the United States. Thomas Barrack is charged with facilitating illegal influence by the United Arab Emirates on the US. How much influence did the UAE have and w ... Show More

بعد تقديم السعودية شكوى لدى الأمم المتحدة ضد الإمارات رفضا لإعلان الأخيرة منطقة الياسات منطقة بحرية محمية، نسرين حاطوم مراسلة بي بي سي لشؤون الخليج تشرح جذور وأبعاد الخلاف بين البلدين حول هذه المنطقة، وتبعاته المحتملة. وتعتبر الإمارات "الياسات" محمية بحرية تابعة لها، بينما لا تعت ... Show More

Is Dubai the next Silicon Valley of the Middle East? Startup stories from the United Arab Emirates. Featuring Alborz Toofani of Snappcard, Elissa Freiha of WOMENA, and Baher Alhakim of Cloudappers. Produced by Hebah Fisher. Kerning Cultures is a Kerning Cultures Network productio ... Show More

Companies in the UAE have one month left to meet this year's Emaratisation targets. What's it like to be one of the scheme's recruits?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

The Saudi Arabian purchase of Newcastle football club has been a huge news story. But football isn't the only area of British public life in which the Saudis play a part. The Evening Standard and The Independent can both trace their ownership back to Saudi Arabia, while in the US ... Show More

The US and several other countries are raising serious concerns about the popular social media app TikTok, which they are increasingly convinced is a tool for Chinese intelligence operations. A former journalist and employee of Russia's space agency has been arrested on charges o ... Show More

The recorded live webinar from 11 June on the current political and media landscapes of the Gulf 3 years after the Gulf crisis first began. Our speakers explored questions such as: How have Saudi Arabia and the UAE’s calculations failed and how is Qatar faring today? Where do oth ... Show More

The government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has expelled our correspondent. Abiy’s proxies at home and abroad are helping a propaganda push that is silencing criticism. California’s legal-marijuana market is enormous, but its growers are floundering under taxes and regulations; t ... Show More