Podcasts

Renowned Egyptian novelist Alaa Al Aswany, author of the award winning The Yacoubian Building, discusses his experience during the Egyptian revolution and his book, The Republic of False Truths, which was released in English this year. “The Egyptians I lived with in Tahrir Square have nothing to do with the Egyptians I used to live with before the revolution," Aswany tells Gilles Kepel. "They are probably the same people, but something happened, and this something is great."

Biography of Alaa Al Aswany:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2069280/alaa-al-aswany/

Further reading by Al-Monitor:

Sisi warns of ‘grave threat’ from Ethiopia over Nile dispute

Egypt to Security Council: Ethiopian dam an ‘existential threat’

Egypt announces human rights strategy to mixed reviews

Sisi statements spark debate about status for Egyptian atheists

Subscribe to Reading the Middle East with Gilles Kepel at your favorite listening platforms:

Podbean: https://almonitor.podbean.com/

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2ZvfTqA‎

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3ulr2px

iHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2XSB84U

Stitcher: https://bit.ly/3CTjSeX

Kenneth Pollack, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, discusses Iraq’s elections, the prospects for an agreement on an Iranian nuclear deal, and why cyber may be part of Israel’s "Plan B" for Iran.

Links:

-Israel, US gloss over differences on Iran, but frictions remain (Al-Monitor)

-If not for 9/11, would the US have invaded Iraq? (The National)

-Biden needs a Middle East strategy to avoid new crises (The Hill)

Ben Caspit hosts this week on his podcast Professor Eviatar Matania of Tel-Aviv University, who has played a key role in turning Israel into a world cyber power. The book he coauthored recently with Amir Rapaport, titled Cybermania, has created a stir in Israel and elsewhere. Matania explains that in this domain, Israel is a real player, not just per capita, but in absolute numbers. “Forty percent of global private investments in cyber reach Israel, and one third of the unicorn companies belong to Israelis. These are real numbers of a global power,” he notes. 

Links:

-Israel 'looks into' NSO cyber-espionage affair - Al-Monitor

-Israel response to cyber attack sends clear warning to Iran - Al-Monitor

-Israelis Invest in Cybersecurity - Al-Monitor

As the coronavirus crisis continues to grip the world, the markets have been on the shakiest ground yet since the 2008 economic recession - especially with regards to the price of oil. In the last few years, Saudi Arabia and Russia have developed a special relationship to stabilize oil prices in the face of growing competition from the Americans, who for the first time has begun to outpace both countries in terms of production. But when demand for oil began to fall precipitously in the face of COVID-19, the relationship ended in a messy way. Phil and Cooper break down the bad breakup and how it’s affected economies worldwide.

• Russia might not be ready for long-term OPEC commitment (Nikolay Kozhanov)
• Russia hoping to outdo Saudis over time in coronavirus-hit oil market (Max Suchkov)
• Does Moscow's withdrawal from OPEC-plus deal end Russia-Saudi honeymoon? (Nikolay Kozhanov)
• Intel: How the US is relying on Riyadh to reassure global markets (Elizabeth Hagedorn)

Extra Listening

• Episode #114, Double Double, Oil and Trouble (9/27/2019): Exploring the special relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia in the face of attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure.

Music: Elman - “Антигерой” (Spotify)