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PODCAST

Beyond the Headlines

The National News

Dive deeper into the week’s biggest stories from the Middle East and around the world with The National’s multi-award-winning podcast, Beyond the Headlines — winner of two Signal Awards and the New York Festivals Radio and TV Awards. Nuances are often missed in day-to-day headlines. We go Beyond the Headlines by bringing together the voices of experts and those living the news to provide a clearer picture of the region’s shifting political and social landscape.

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All Episodes

20:56

How serious is the ISIS threat in Syria?

Beyond the Headlines ·

2026/01/02

After the US struck ISIS targets in Syria in late December, President Ahmad Al Shara’s government stepped up its own operations, carrying out weapons raids and arrests across the country.It came after two American soldiers and an interpreter were killed in Palmyra by a member of the Syrian security forces who may have had links with ISIS. At the time, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said the retaliatory attack was not the start of war but rather “a declaration of vengeance”. But why is violent

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28:59

The year in impact: Our episodes that resonated the...

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/12/26

The profound transformations in the Middle East this past year have rippled far beyond the region, reshaping politics and alliances around the world.The US has taken a new interest in Syria. Lebanon is discussing the logistics of disarming Hezbollah. Europe has overwhelmingly recognised Palestinian statehood. But behind the news there is always the fine print: Why now, who stands to benefit and at whose expense? Throughout the year on Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher has tackled the most

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15:50

How Yemen’s power balance is shifting again

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/12/19

Political power in Yemen is shifting once again, reigniting questions about who truly holds authority in the country and whether it is heading towards another fundamental rupture.The Southern Transitional Council (STC), which holds three seats in the eight-member Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), has long pushed for southern independence. In recent days, its forces have fought battles in Al Mahra and Hadramawt and now claim control over the entire south. STC leaders are also openly suggesting

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20:50

What’s stalling phase two of the Gaza ceasefire?

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/12/12

Two months have passed since a ceasefire was announced in Gaza, but the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan has yet to materialise.The uncertainty has left Gazans anxious that the ceasefire could collapse – as the last truce did in March. The initial part of the agreement included the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees and a stop to the fighting. Now these terms have mostly been met, Israel, Hamas and the mediators cannot seem to agree on how to tackle the

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33:29

One year since Assad’s fall: Where is Syria today?

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/12/05

A year has passed since Bashar Al Assad’s government fell in Syria, marking the end of a brutal civil war that lasted for almost 14 years.In the end, it took less than two weeks last December for an insurgency of rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham to take control of Damascus. It was a euphoric moment for Syrians opposed to the Assad regime. The HTS leader quickly traded his fatigues for a suit, and his nom de guerre for his new title as President Ahmad Al Shara. He was widely accepted by the

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16:54

Is US pressure finally forcing Israel to address...

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/11/28

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a cabinet meeting this month to discuss settler violence, but this sudden interest stands in stark contrast to years of inaction by the state.Settler attacks in the occupied West Bank hit a record high in October, the worst monthly toll since record-keeping began almost two decades ago. The violence is happening with impunity and under the protection of the army, according to evidence collected by rights groups and testimonies from Palestinians. The

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21:29

How Israel is obstructing reconstruction in Lebanon

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/11/21

Israel has bombed Lebanon on an almost daily basis over the past year, despite a ceasefire being in place.Its army claims to be attacking Hezbollah, accusing the group of re-arming. But civilian infrastructure, agricultural land and even construction equipment in southern border towns have been destroyed in the attacks. At least 100 civilians have been killed over the past year. Just this week, 13 people died in an attack on Ain Al Hilweh, Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp. Residents have

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19:23

What will it take to end the civil war in Sudan?

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/11/12

When the Sudanese city of El Fasher fell to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in late October, the group gained control of the entire Darfur region and areas to the south-west.Their rivals, the Sudanese armed forces, control the capital Khartoum, as well as the northern, eastern and central areas of the country. The fear now is that Sudan could be divided, as the fighting rages on for a third year. Amid the violence, it is the civilians who suffer most. Mass atrocities have been reported that

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22:20

Why voters are snubbing Iraq’s election

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/11/07

Iraqis are going back to polls this month for the sixth time since the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein more than 20 years ago. It is expected to be one of the most contested elections yet.Political factions are competing for power, both in parliament and through armed groups, many backed by Iran. Candidates have been accused of making empty promises, of corruption and even of vote-buying. Many Iraqis are planning to boycott the elections altogether because they say they are fed up with

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38:23

Superpower rivalry and geopolitics in Trump 2.0

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/11/03

How does the superpower rivalry between the US and China dictate international relations more broadly? And what does it mean for the future of trade, security and development?How does the superpower rivalry between the US and China dictate international relations more broadly? And what does it mean for the future of trade, security and development? Lynn Kuok, Lee Kuan Yew chair in South-East Asia Studies at the Brookings Institution, analyses the state of global relations almost a year into the

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20:44

What’s happening behind Israel’s yellow line in Gaza?

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/10/31

Under US President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan, a yellow line has been traced along the inside of the enclave's land borders. It designates more than half of Gaza as territory controlled by Israel.Until recently, that line had been completely invisible for Palestinians. The Israeli military has since begun to place large concrete blocks to demarcate the line, but confusion still reigns and there have been incidents of Israeli soldiers firing at people crossing the boundary or approaching the

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31:42

Can mediation cut through conflict in the Middle East?

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/10/29

In Gaza, a fragile ceasefire comes with great uncertainty for the future. In Yemen, the Houthis are abducting humanitarian workers and journalists in a witch hunt for alleged spies. And in Syria, a new and unstable political landscape could go either way.“It's not easy to build peace. It's much easier to stop a war,” says Martin Griffiths, executive director of Mediation Group International. The former under secretary general for humanitarian affairs at the UN speaks to The National’s

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22:54

Violence, gunfire and annexation: Palestinian olive...

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/10/24

Palestine’s olive harvest season started this month, and quickly became the target of Israeli settler attacks.A viral video this week showed a mob violently chasing Palestinian olive pickers in an occupied West Bank town north-east of Ramallah. A masked man is seen striking a woman with a club in the field, knocking her to the ground. In another town, farmers trying to harvest their groves were met by gunfire from Israeli soldiers, who are known to offer protection to settlers. These incidents are

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19:55

Who will fill the security vacuum in Gaza?

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/10/17

World leaders gathered in Sharm El Sheikh on Monday to sign a declaration of peace in Gaza. But the resurgence of armed militias brings a new threat to the strip. Clashes have broken out between these groups and Hamas security forces in recent days, prompting fears of more violence.Back in June, a leak forced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to admit Israel was “activating” Palestinian militias. These factions have been accused of looting aid and causing chaos. Now, with a security vacuum in the

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10:18

What we know so far about the Gaza ceasefire...

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/10/09

Palestinians in Gaza took to the streets overnight to celebrate the prospect of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.They welcomed the news of a deal to pause the fighting and release Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The agreement has not yet been signed and it is only the first phase of a peace plan set out by US President Donald Trump. After two years of war, the deal would bring much relief to the enclave. But there is also scepticism. Israel broke the previous ceasefire in March and Palestinians

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20:18

Stolen moments: Two years of war in Gaza

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/10/07

Almost 70,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war in Gaza began two years ago after Hamas launched its deadly attack on Israel. About 90 per cent of residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed. On average, a child is killed every hour. The toll taken is often measured in scale and impact, in mass destruction and collective suffering. But this big picture is made up of a mosaic of individual human stories. Yahya is a young content creator who is making 99 video memories. Some are

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22:19

Reading between the lines of Trump’s Gaza plan

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/10/03

US President Donald Trump’s strategy to end the war in Gaza and prepare for the day after has divided opinion.After two years of failed ceasefire talks, it is the only prospect within reach now that could bring some respite to Palestinians enduring Israel’s relentless war. But it also leaves much to the imagination. The 20-point list promises a “deradicalised, terror-free” strip without Hamas rule, restoration of aid through the UN and the Red Crescent, and the gradual withdrawal of troops. But

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0:30

Vote for Beyond the Headlines in the Signal Awards

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/10/02

Follow the link to vote for Trending Middle East: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting?utm_campaign=signal4_finalists_finalistnotification_092325&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cio#/2025/[…]odcast Follow the link to vote for Beyond the Headlines: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting?utm_campaign=signal4_finalists_finalistnotification_092325&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cio#/2025/[…]litics

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23:53

The question of Palestine: Is recognition the answer?

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/09/23

The 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly marks a milestone for the region. After years of being the exceptions, several western countries have joined more than 140 others in recognising Palestine as a state.French President Emmanuel Macron made his country’s declaration on Monday at the French-Saudi summit at UNGA to revive the long defunct two-state solution. The same position was declared by the UK a day earlier. Both are permanent UN Security Council members. It has come full

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20:24

Can the Global Sumud Flotilla really break the siege...

Beyond the Headlines ·

2025/09/19

Dozens of boats carrying activists from about 44 countries have finally set sail for Gaza after much delay.The Global Sumud Flotilla is not the first humanitarian mission to attempt to break Israel’s sea blockade of the strip, but it is the largest to date. It follows unsuccessful attempts by individual boats earlier this year and countless others over the past almost 20 years. Activists say they are taking action to open a humanitarian corridor and deliver aid to Gaza where UN experts have

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