This week on Babel, Nabih Bulos, the Middle East bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times, joined Jon to talk about disinformation in the Middle East during Covid-19. Nabih and Jon discuss alternatives to state-run media, disinformation bots, and information lockdowns during Covid-19. Then, Jon, Will, and McKinley talk about state-run news agencies in the Middle East.

Jon Alterman, “The Middle East’s Challenges Aren’t Just Combatting the Virus,” CSIS, April 28, 2020.

Jon Alterman, “Russian Disinformation in Syria” on Babel: Translating the Middle East, CSIS, November 5, 2019.

Nabih Bulos, “ Iraq’s derelict Baghdad tower is a metaphor for a broken country,” Los Angeles Times, April 18, 2020.

Nabih Bulos, “Coronavirus becomes a weapon of disinformation in Middle East battle for influence,” Los Angeles Times, April 8, 2020.