Slavery was prevalent in many parts of the world and it left scars to this very day. The Middle East had its own share of enslavement that was fueled by superiority, greed and power. In this episode:  Eve Trout Powell, Professor of History and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania Episode credits: This episode was co-produced by Khaled Soltan and Salem Al Yafiei. Sound design was by George Al Wer. Our engagement producer is Aya Elmileik and our assistant engagement producer is Munera AlDosari. Our recording engineer is Hamdi Aoun. Our executive producer is Omar Al Saleh and ..read more

Slavery was prevalent in many parts of the world and it left scars to this very day. The Middle East had its own share of enslavement that was fueled by superiority, greed and power. In this episode:  Eve Trout Powell, Professor of History and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania Episode credits: This episode was co-produced by Khaled Soltan and Salem Al Yafiei. Sound design was by George Al Wer. Our engagement producer is Aya Elmileik and our assistant engagement producer is Munera AlDosari. Our recording engineer is Hamdi Aoun. Our executive producer is Omar Al Saleh and ..read more

The World Health Organization is warning that obesity is on the rise, not just in the Middle East but around the world. The WHO says obesity in children and adults is a public health concern in almost all regions of the world. An estimated 38.9 million children under five years old are moderately or severely overweight.  In this episode:  Joyce Moawad, teaching assistant of human nutrition at Qatar University Episode credits: This episode was co-produced by Khaled Soltan and by our interns Nada Shakir and Reyan Al Jaafri. Sound design was by George Al Wer. Our engagement producer i ..read more

Iran has recently executed a British-Iranian national, Alireza Akbari, a former deputy defence minister, on charges of spying for Britain. Akbari’s execution comes as Iranian authorities have crushed anti-government protests and carried out four other executions. Western countries, including the US and the EU, have denounced Iran’s death sentences and trials as flawed.  Nationwide anti-government demonstrations erupted in Iran in September after the death of Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, who morality police had detained for violating the country’s dress code.  In this episode:&n ..read more

For many of the authoritarian regimes in the Middle East, technology has long been a tool to enable digital repression. These states are increasingly using information technology to suppress the flow of information, censor content, and even surveil citizens. In this episode:  Marc Owen Jones (@marcowenjones), associate professor of Middle East Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan. Research done by our intern Nada Shakir. The lead engagement producer is Aya Elmileik and the assistant engagement producer is Munera Al Dosari. O ..read more

Tunisia’s parliamentary elections are to take place on Saturday as the country is in the middle of its worst economic crisis. President Kais Saied has been accused of staging a coup in 2021 when he suspended parliament and sacked the prime minister. The main opposition parties are boycotting the vote. So where is Tunisia headed now? In this episode:  Elizia Volkmann (@EliziaVolkmann), freelance journalist Episode credits: This episode was produced by Salem Alyafie and Khaled Soltan. Research was done by our intern Reyam Al Jaafari. Our sound designer is George Alwer. The recording ..read more

Turkey has launched a wave of air raids in northern Syria and Iraq, after a deadly bombing on Istanbul’s Istiklal Avenue. The country blames the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and groups it claims are PKK-affiliates in Syria and Iraq, for the bombing. The US and Russia have warned against a ground operation. In this episode: Taha Ozhan (@TahaOzhan), Research director at Ankara Institute Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan, Salem Alyafei and our intern Nada Shakir.  Our sound designer is George Alwer. The lead engagement producer is Aya Elmileik and the ..read more

We know water as a source of life. But dwindling resources could also be the reason for future wars in the Middle East. This precious commodity is slowly becoming scarce for several reasons. And there are worrying signs that our freshwater supplies in the region are running out fast. In this episode:  Duried Mahasneh, a specialist in hydrology and marine sciences Episode Credits: This episode was produced by Hayat Mongolian and 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 eng ..read more

France is home to one of western Europe's largest Muslim populations, estimated at 5.7 million. Since the nation held presidential and legislative elections, Muslims in France have endured a rise in discrimination, from bans on burkinis and Muslim headscarves to accusations of offending the values of the secular republic. Many Muslims feel the elections have stigmatised their faith and increased populist and right-wing attacks on their way of life. In this episode:  Nacira Guenif, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Paris 8 Episode credits: This episode was prod ..read more

Iran’s brutal crackdown on protests has failed to stop people from protesting for a fifth week. The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini last month for violating the strict dress code angered many Iranians. She became an icon and her death led to the biggest anti-government protests in years. In this episode:  Mahmoud Amiry-Moghaddam (@iranhr), director of Iran Human Rights and professor of neuroscience at the University of Oslo in Norway Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and hosted by Sami Zeidan. Research by our intern Nada Shakir. Our sound designer is George Al ..read more