In part two, Jon Alterman explores Russian economic interests in the Middle East. He covers Middle Eastern investments in Russia, the arms industry, and the recent battle over oil production between Russia and Saudi Arabia. He also talks with Carole Nakhle, founder and CEO of Crystol Energy, Nikolay Kozhanov, a consulting fellow at Chatham House, and Olga Oliker, director of the Europe and Eurasia Program at the International Crisis Group.

In the first episode of our new podcast miniseries, Russia in the Middle East, Jon Alterman gives an overview of Russian policy in the Middle East and how the Middle East fits into Russia’s worldview. He covers Russia's return to the Middle East and looks at how Russian foreign policy has changed since the fall of the Soviet Union. Jon also sits down with Dmitri Trenin, director of Carnegie's Moscow Center, and Celeste Wallander, president and CEO of the U.S.-Russia Foundation, for their insight into Russia’s foreign policy decisions.

Song Credits: Episode one songs were “La-danza” by Olivier-Olsen and “Spring-in-Barcelona” by Ian-Post, both via Artlist.

This week Jon is joined by Nora Boustany, an award-winning former correspondent and a professor at the American University of Beirut. She draws on her own experiences living in Lebanon during and after the Civil War to provide perspective on Lebanon's current collapse. Then, Natasha and Jon are joined by the Middle East Program's new program manager and research associate, Danny Sharp, to discuss the impact of sectarianism on life in Lebanon.

Azadeh Moaveni joins Jon Alterman to discuss her new book, Guest House for Young Widows. Azadeh is a writer and journalist who serves as the gender project director at the International Crisis Group. She tells Jon about some of the women she encountered while writing the book and why they joined the Islamic State. Then, Natasha, Will, and McKinley discuss the deradicalization process for women returning to their home countries.

Kim Ghattas joins Jon to discuss her new book, Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Forty-Year Rivalry That Unraveled Culture, Religion, and Collective Memory in the Middle East. Kim and Jon trace 40 years of competition between Saudi Arabia and Iran, starting with 1979 and ending with today. Then, the Middle East Program’s new senior fellow, Natasha Hall, joins Jon and McKinley for a discussion on the U.S. role in Saudi-Iranian competition.

We would love your feedback! Please follow us @CSISMidEast on Twitter, send us an email at [email protected] or leave a review on iTunes.

As demand for religious jewelry booms in the Middle East, fake gemstones are flooding the market.

On this week's episode of Babel, Fadi Ismail joins Jon to discuss Arab television and how it's changing. Fadi Ismail is the founder and general manager of DKL studios in Dubai and has over 30 years of experience with Arab media. During their discussion, Fadi breaks down how and why he brought Turkish programming to the Arab world, what Arab audiences want, and what Arab youth are watching. Then, Jon, Will, and McKinley discuss how audiences are changing in the Arab world. 

Egyptian talk shows are increasingly telling women to “love themselves,” but not everyone is on board with this new messaging.

On this week's episode of Babel, Minister Mohamad al-Ississ joins Jon to talk about Jordan's economy before, during, and after Covid-19. Minister al-Ississ is the Kingdom of Jordan's minister of finance and was previously the minister of planning and international cooperation. During our discussion, the minister breaks down Jordan's recent economic history, the economic recovery plan, and efforts to formalize the informal sector. Then, Jon, Will, and McKinley discuss the impact refugees have had on Jordan.

Saudi Arabia’s dairy industry is stirring debate around food security, depleting aquifers, and fodder imports.