Fear of war in Bosnia as election looms

An election in Bosnia is set to take place on October 2, as fear and uncertainty grip the country. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has only bolstered fears that Russia might try to use its good relations with Republika Srpska to prompt another conflict with Bosnian Muslims – to hit back at NATO. In this episode: Dr. Adnan Huskic, CSS Professor of International Relations and Politics at University Sarajevo School of Science and Technology Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan. Our host is Sami Zeidan. Our research was done by intern Nada Shakir. George Alwer is the sound designer. Aya Elmileik is the lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is the assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is the executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Lebanon: Rob your savings?

Since 2019, banks in Lebanon have imposed draconian controls on deposits, effectively locking millions of customers out of their foreign currency savings.  As a result, bank heists in Lebanon have become a growing trend – but in this case, these armed “robbers” are not stealing anyone else’s money.  They are just demanding access to their own savings. In this episode: Nizar Ghanem (@nizarghanem), Director of Research at Triangle, co-founder of the depositors union Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan. Our host is Sami Zeidan. Our research was done by intern Nada Shakir. George Alwer is the sound designer. Aya Elmileik is the lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is the assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is the executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Why does Israel keep bombing Syria?

Israel has carried out new missile attacks in Syria at the warehouse in the airport compound used by an Iran-backed militia. Though Israel has been bombing hundreds of different targets across Syria in the last few years, it rarely acknowledges such operations. So what is behind the continuing Israeli air raids in Syria and what does it mean for the rest of the region? In this episode: Hassan Barari (@barari_hassan), Professor of International Relations at Qatar University Episode credits: This episode was produced by Salim Alyafei. Our host is Sami Zeidan. Our research was done by intern Nada Shakir. George Alwer is the sound designer. Aya Elmileik is the lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is the assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is the executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Is there an arms race in the Middle East?

Middle Eastern countries spent $168bn on buying weapons last year. So who are the biggest military spenders, and is there an increase in military spending? In this episode:  David B. Des Roches, associate professor at the Near East South Asia Center for Security Studies Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan. Our host is Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is the sound designer. Aya Elmileik is the lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is the assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is the executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Pakistan hit by floods and political crisis

Pakistan is facing catastrophic flash floods. But it’s also witnessing a political showdown between the government, the military on one hand, and the populist former Prime Minister Imran Khan on the other.  In this episode:  Mosharraf Zaidi (@mosharrafzaidi), CEO of Tabadlab, a think tank based in Islamabad Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan. Our host is Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is the sound designer. Nada Shakir is our intern supporting on research. Aya Elmileik is the lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is the assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is the executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Rohingya refugees and their quest for justice

Human Rights Watch said Rohingya Muslims are still awaiting justice and protection of their rights five years after the Myanmar military began a sweeping campaign of massacres, rape, and arson in 2017. The anniversary comes after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that The Gambia’s legal case to hold Myanmar accountable over allegations of genocide against the Rohingya can go ahead at The Hague in the Netherlands.  Rohingya activists say this is the first step in the fight for justice and accountability, but it could take years. In this episode: Dr Ronan Lee (@Ronan_Lee), Doctoral Prize Fellow at Loughborough University London Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan. Our host is Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is the sound designer. Aya Elmileik is the lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is the assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is the executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

What’s the biggest threat to Libya?

What comes to mind when you think of Libya? Maybe the late Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, the 2011 revolution, or perhaps the western military intervention that toppled the longtime leader. But how about a failed state? It is split between two governments, plenty of armed militias, and thousands of foreign fighters. On top of that, the UN is warning that mercenaries and foreign fighters pose a threat to the country. In this episode: Sasha Toperich (@SashaToperich), Executive Vice President of Transatlantic Leadership Network (@TLN_DC) Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan. Our host is Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is the sound designer. Aya Elmileik is the lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is the assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is the executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Why did Israel attack Gaza yet again?

At least 45 people, including 16 children, were killed after Israel launched air strikes on the Gaza Strip in the occupied territories. The health ministry in Gaza said 360 people were injured in the attacks. Now a truce is in effect after regional mediation efforts led by Egypt paid off. Israel and the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine agreed to cease attacks and ease humanitarian conditions on the Gaza Strip. But with an air, land and sea blockade by Israel, life in Gaza is difficult, and the humanitarian situation is alarming. What lies ahead for the people living in the world’s largest open-air prison? And will this truce last? In this episode: Mariam Barghouti (@MariamBarghouti), Senior Palestine Correspondent at Mondoweiss (@Mondoweiss) Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan. Our host is Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is the sound designer. Aya Elmileik is the lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is the assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is the executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Could Iraq slide into civil war?

Political deadlock to a power struggle. Leaks, protests, and sit-ins at parliament. One would have thought Iraq had seen it all. There is a crisis brewing in the country, with fears of serious bloodshed yet to come. In this episode: Rasha Al-Aqeedi (@RashaAlAqeedi), Middle East deputy editor at New Lines Magazine (@newlinesmag) Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan, and host Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is the sound designer. Aya Elmileik is the lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is the assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is the executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Why the crypto craze hasn’t hit the Middle East

Cryptocurrencies have defied a lot of norms around the world. Its value climbed last year to more than 2.3 trillion dollars. But in the Middle East, cryptocurrency trading is not as popular. In this episode:  Glen Goodman (@glengoodman), Crypto expert and author of The Crytpo Trader Credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan, Hayat Mongodin, and host Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is our sound designer. Aya Elmileik is our lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is our assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is our executive producer.

Clash of titans in the Middle East

The leaders of the two most powerful countries, the US and Russia, were in the Middle East. Of course, each of them is trying to pursue their interests. President Joe Biden and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin didn’t meet with each other, but why were these two leaders there? And how will the outcome of their visits impact the region? In this episode:  Mahjoob Zweiri (@Profmzweiri), Director of the Gulf Studies Centre at Qatar University Credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan, Hayat Mongodin, and host Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is our sound designer. Aya Elmileik is our lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is our assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is our executive producer.

Middle East wheat supplies hit by war in Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine account for about 29% of global wheat exports, almost a third of the world supply. The main customers are from the Middle East and North Africa. In fact, some countries like Egypt receive a quarter of their wheat from Ukraine, Libya almost half, and Lebanon more than 60%. What could this massive disruption in the supply chain entail for many countries in the region? In this episode: Patrick Mardini, CEO of Lebanese Institute for Market Studies (LIMS) Credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan, Hayat Mongodin, and host Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is our sound designer. Aya Elmileik is our lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is our assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is our executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

China’s treatment of Uighur Muslims exposed

There’s a humanitarian crisis happening in China. Over a million Uighur and other Muslim minorities are forcibly held in mass detention camps in the Xinjiang province where they face countless human rights abuses from forced labor, coerced sterilization, and destruction of their culture and religious identity.  Recently, unknown hackers broke into Xinjiang police servers leaking thousands of photographs and documents that provide solid evidence of Chinese government policy targeting the Uighur population.  In this episode, Sami Zeidan speaks with an Uighur American activist who has several missing family members, including her sister, who has been detained.  In this episode: Rushan Abbas (@RushanAbbas), Director of Campaign for Uyghurs (@CUyghurs) Credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan, Hayat Mongodin, and host Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is our sound designer. Aya Elmileik is our lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is our assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is our executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

A new era in Middle Eastern politics?

Just two years ago, the idea of having Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Emir of Qatar visiting Turkey and Egypt, would have been a crazy fantasy. Now, it became a reality. In this episode: Jamal Elshayyal (@JamalsNews), Senior Correspondent, Al Jazeera English  Credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan, Hayat Mongodin, and host Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is our sound designer. Aya Elmileik is our lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is our assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is our executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Why are Arab nations teaming up with Israel?

The UAE, Bahrain and Morocco are shaping up a new alliance with Israel. The Palestinian Authority rejected the move and described it as a free gift to Israel which continues to occupy Palestinian land. In this episode: Joost Hilterman (@JoostHiltermann), the Director of MENA program at the International Crisis Group Credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan, Hayat Mongodin, and host Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is our sound designer. Aya Elmileik is our lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is our assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is our executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Could Turkey block NATO’s expansion?

Finland and Sweden want to join NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine. But Turkey was quick to object and even threatened to block their bid. So why is Turkey rejecting this and what could happen? In this episode: Galip Dalay (@GalipDalay), Researcher and Turkey Analyst  Credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan, Hayat Mongodin, and host Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is our sound designer. Aya Elmileik is our lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is our assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is our executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Why is Muslim hate on the rise in India?

International backlash has been growing against India’s governing Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), after the party’s national spokeswoman Nupur Sharma and Delhi media operation head Naveen Kumar Jindal made disparaging remarks about Prophet Muhammad. Meanwhile, Muslims in India have been going through uneasy times – from violence, persecution, to repeated calls to literally wipe them out. So why is this happening in the world’s biggest democracy and who is behind it? In this episode: Salil Shetty (@SalilShetty), Former Secretary-General of Amnesty International Credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan, Hayat Mongodin, and host Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is our sound designer. Aya Elmileik is our lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is our assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is our executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Tunisia’s political crisis deepens: What’s next?

Tunisia is the birthplace of the Arab Spring. The country inspired a wave of protests in the region that toppled at least four Arab presidents. But now the country has a serious constitutional crisis, some are even calling it a coup. In this episode: William Lawrence (@WillLawrence111), Professor at the American University. Credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan, Hayat Mongodin, and host Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is our sound designer. Aya Elmileik is our lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is our assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is our executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

EU looks to the Middle East to replace Russian gas imports

Russia’s war on Ukraine is forcing the European Union to look for alternatives to Russian gas imports which amount to about 40 percent of consumption every year. Qatar and other Middle Eastern countries can play a crucial role. In this episode: Henning Gloystein (@hgloystein), the director of energy at Eurasia group in London. Credits: This episode was produced by Hayat Mongodin, Khaled Soltan, and host Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is our sound designer. Aya Elmileik is our lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is our assistant engagement producer. Omar al-Saleh is our executive producer. Connect with us at: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Is there Western media bias in the Shireen Abu Akleh coverage?

The killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh has brought mainstream media outlets under the spotlight. We look at why mainstream media have been accused of dropping their objectivity, impartiality, and accuracy when they cover stories related to Palestine and Palestinian lives and deaths. In this episode: Ali Abunimah (@AliAbunimah), Executive Director of the Electronic Intifada This episode was produced by Hayat Mongodin, Khaled Soltan, and host Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is our sound designer. Aya Elmileik is our lead engagement producer and Munera AlDosari is our assistant engagement producer. Omar Al-Saleh is our executive producer. Connect with us at @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Israel’s arrests of Palestinian children under the spotlight

Defense for Children International Palestine says 500 to 700 Palestinian children are arrested and prosecuted in the military courts each year. In this episode, we take a closer look at their detention in Israeli prisons. In this episode: Brad Parker (@baparkr), Senior Adviser, Policy and Advocacy at @DCIPalestine, based in New York.  This episode was produced by Hayat Mongodin, with Khaled Soltan, and host Sami Zeidan. George Alwer is our sound designer. Aya Elmileik and Munera AlDosari are our engagement producers. Omar Al-Saleh is our executive producer. Connect with us at @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Ukraine attracts fighters from the Middle East

This is the premiere episode of the Essential Middle East podcast.  The war in Russia-Ukraine has attracted thousands of foreign fighters fighting on both sides from around the world including the Middle East. Some call them mercenaries while others call them volunteers. So why are they joining the fight? In this episode: Wael Al Zayat, CEO of Emgage, a national Muslim American civic organization and Middle East policy expert based in DC Connect with us at @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Trailer: Essential Middle East

Dissecting the news and current affairs in one of the world’s most