As the Middle East braces for another year of extreme heat, climate change is turning the soil to dust in the landscape that has long been known as the fertile crescent — and water has become a new source of conflict.
Alissa J. Rubin, who covers the Middle East, tells the story of Iraq’s water crisis and what it means for the world.
Yesterday
The F.B.I.’s Extraordinary Seizure of Voting Records
Last week, F.B.I. agents searched an election center in Fulton County, Ga., seizing truckloads of ballots from 2020. The move escalated the investigation into President Trump’s claims of voter fraud in the state after his 2020 defeat in the state.It has since been learned that Tu ... Show More
20m 56s
Feb 2
Can Trump Force Blue Cities to Cooperate With ICE?
Tom Homan, President Trump’s border czar, traveled to Minneapolis a few days ago with a message: the faster local officials cooperate with federal immigration agents, the faster those agents will leave.Hamed Aleaziz and Ernesto Londoño, New York Times reporters, explain why that ... Show More
32m 34s
Feb 1
The Sunday Daily: Bad Bunny Takes Over America.
At the Grammy Awards tonight, the Puerto Rican pop sensation Bad Bunny is the first Spanish-language artist to be nominated for album, record and song of the year simultaneously. For most artists, this would be the high point of their year, if not their career. For Bad Bunny, thi ... Show More
48m 41s
Oct 2024
Could the Middle East be heading for a new era?
One year on and the war in Gaza shows no sign of abating. Instead, conflict is spreading across the region and diplomacy has all but failed. So, what's the likely result of the ongoing tension? Could the Middle East be heading for a new era? In this episode: Bassam Haddad, Direct ... Show More
24m 53s
Aug 2025
The Middle East's Water and Climate Crisis: Lessons from Iran, Iraq, and the Gulf
In this episode of Middle East Focus, host Alistair Taylor is joined by climate, energy, and sustainability expert Karim Elgendy to examine the growing water and climate crisis across the Middle East. They explore how climate change, mismanagement, and regional politics are strai ... Show More
32m 43s
Feb 2025
372. Syria, al-Sharaa, and the future of the Middle East
What does al-Sharaa's rise to power mean for Syria? Given his surprise takeover, how will today’s CIA analysts be changing the way they think about the country and what happens next? Will Syria be the next Libya?
Join Rory and Alastair as they discuss Syria’s rapidly shifting po ... Show More
1h 6m
<p class="" data-start="128" data-end="218"><em><strong data-start= "128" data-end="218">Note:</strong> We're excited to announce that 'Taking the Edge Off the Middle East' is moving to its own channel! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts to c ... Show More
