Podcasts
Broaden your horizons with Al-Monitor podcasts, where our contributors deliver the latest news and developments. Be sure to listen and subscribe via your favorite podcast app.
On the Middle East with Andrew Parasiliti and Amberin Zaman
Andrew Parasiliti and Amberin Zaman interview newsmakers each week from the US and Middle East about the latest news and trends in the region, with additional commentary from Al-Monitor’s ‘on-the-ground’ correspondents.
Most Recent Episode #47
Nureldin Satti, Sudan’s Ambassador to the United States, says that the "stumbling block" in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) negotiations so far has been Ethiopia’s unwillingness to engage in talks leading to a binding agreement; that, with an agreement, the GERD can be a symbol of integration rather than a cause of conflict; that Sudan does not occupy Ethiopian territory; that US-Sudan ties have indeed entered a "new chapter"; the prospects for ties with Israel; and the positive role of Sudan’s youth in bringing about change and reform.
Links:
On Israel with Ben Caspit
Ben Caspit, an Israel correspondent for Al-Monitor, brings you weekly interviews with newsmakers and officials to discuss the latest news in Israel.
Most Recent Episode #41
Ben Caspit speaks this week with Labor party chair Merav Michaeli, who succeeded in reviving a party on the brinks of demise. Despite gloomy public opinion polls, under her leadership the Labor party garnered seven seats in the March 23 Knesset elections. Referring to the strong correlation between the party and the foundation of the country, Michaeli says that "in order for Israel to now re-build its Zionist vision, Labor must re-fulfil its leadership role." Michaeli laments Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cynical use, as she puts it, of Israeli Arabs, noting that late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was in fact the first to leader to put investment in the Arab society and equality on the national agenda.
Links:
Off The Hookah with Phil and Cooper
We get it: the Middle East can be a complicated place, and sometimes it’s difficult to wrap your head around all the regional conflicts and political drama - that’s where we come in. We’re here to break down the major headlines, talk with experts and journalists, and give you a clearer picture of what’s happening in the region so you can impress your friends and promote our podcast. Sorry, that’s the shameless plug we were supposed to delete. Oh well. Off the Hookah with Phil and Cooper is a production of 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)