Beyond the Headlines
394 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★★ - 8 ratingsDive deeper into the week’s biggest stories from the Middle East and around the world with The National’s foreign desk. 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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Episodes
New Zealanders shaken but unbowed by terrorist attacks
March 22, 2019 00:00 - 22 minutes - 21 MBIt's been one week since the terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch New Zealand. The mass shooting was the worst peacetime attack in New Zealand’s history, and has shaken the country to its core. In the week that followed the slaying of 50 people by a white supremacist gunman at two separate mosques, New Zealanders rallied around the victims, while grappling with shock, grief and anger. The government, meanwhile, has moved swiftly to announce stricter gun laws. The National's jou...
The last stand of ISIS in Syria
March 13, 2019 02:00 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBSyrian Democratic Forces are slowly extinguishing what’s left of the Islamic State. The US-backed SDF has the grouped trapped in a tiny sliver of land along the Euphrates River. Baghouz, Syria, is a small farming village. Before it became home to the last pocket of ISIS, it was just a dot on the map that many Syrians hadn’t even heard of. Now it’s the centre of a months-long battle between the SDF and what’s left of ISIS. Assistant Foreign Editor, Campbell MacDiarmid and Multimedia Produce...
National Geographic's Enric Sala on saving the planet, one kilometre at a time
March 05, 2019 02:00 - 16 minutes - 15.4 MBEnric Sala has a plan to save the planet. National Geographic’s explorer-in-residence is in Abu Dhabi for the World Ocean Summit. His one message — that we need to protect 30 per cent of our planet’s land and oceans by 2030. But at a time when it feels overwhelmingly difficult to be positive about the Earth’s future, what can be done to save our habitats? “Being a conservationist, sometimes it is hard to be optimistic,” he says. But despite the worrying headlines, the plastic in our oceans...
The curious case of the runaway ISIS bride
February 20, 2019 02:00 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBThis week, The National spoke to Alistair Burt, the British Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa. The chance to speak to the top British official was timely. Shemima Begum, who fled the UK when she was 15 to join ISIS, was found in a Syrian refugee camp recently. Four years later, she’s now pleading to return home with her new-born. But what does that mean for the UK as Shemima might be just one of many cases where former ISIS members plead to return to their countries. ...
How digital transformation will change the jobs we have
February 12, 2019 09:40 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBThe World Economic Forum says that the digital transformation of economies and businesses will displace 75 million jobs as the division of labour shifts between humans, machines and algorithms. However, 133 million new roles may emerge that are more adapted to this technology-led future. The Abu Dhabi School of Government has partnered with Coursera, one of the world’s leading online learning platforms, to provide professional training and development programmes for critical skills such as ...
The Pope's visit to Abu Dhabi
February 06, 2019 02:00 - 10 minutes - 9.42 MBPope Francis's visit to the UAE was the first time a Catholic pontiff stepped foot in the Arabian Peninsula. During his Mass, he prayed for his devotees at Sports Zayed City Stadium and for everyone in the region. On this episode of Beyond the Headlines, Naser Al Wasmi talks to those who attended the Mass and discusses how the visit impacts the region.
A week after Davos, did the WEF solve anything?
January 30, 2019 02:00 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBThe richest and most powerful people met at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos. The range of topics was as wide spanning as the challenges the world faces today. Although this year’s forum wasn’t as well attended as previous iterations of the prestigious event, it still gathers important leaders from around the world. But, with so many pertinent issues, such as climate change, the gender gap and trade tensions looming on the world, is one week enough to solve the world’s most per...
The UAE-Saudi Arabia co-operation plan, explained
January 23, 2019 02:00 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBThe UAE and Saudi Arabia are entering a new phase of co-operation. The two countries announced a seven-point co-operation plan this week on money management for children, natural crises emergency plans and, perhaps most interestingly, a joint cryptocurrency. The move is the latest sign of strengthening ties between the two, and should open the door for easier business relations. It also strengthens the bond between the two countries as they look to face regional challenges in unity. We ex...
The great Arab rivers are under threat
January 17, 2019 02:00 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBFor thousands of years, the great Arab rivers sustained some of the world’s most important ancient civilizations. The Nile River fuelled the development of 10 thousand years of Pharaonic rule. The Tigris and Euphrates, home of Mesopotamia, were witness to some of the most important developments to mankind, including agriculture and the written word. The rivers helped spread Islam during Prophet Mohammed’s conquests and sustained generations. But today, whether through government policies o...
Pompeo's timely tour of the Middle East
January 08, 2019 14:20 - 19 minutes - 17.9 MBUS Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is on an expansive tour of the Gulf and wider Middle East this week. His task is to clarify President Donald Trump's often-confusing interests in the region. We discuss in this week's Beyond the Headlines. Last month, President Trump tweeted that he would pull out of Syria within 30 days, sending shockwaves around not just the region, but in his own administration. Since then, the White House has said there is timetable on US withdrawal. The message keeps ...
In Central African Republic, poaching thrives in the chaos
January 02, 2019 02:00 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBIn the middle of Africa lies one of the world's most neglected crises. In the Central African Republic — an environmentally diverse but politically fraught state — the illegal hunting of endangered species is rampant. How did the country become such a hotbed for poaching, and is there hope to rectify the situation? We look at the issue in this week's Beyond the Headlines podcast. Chinko is a wildlife refuge in the eastern part of CAR and one of the most uniquely diverse ecological landsca...
Reasons for cheer from an often dour year
December 25, 2018 02:00 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MBThe Middle East is not known for its good news, and 2018 was no exception. But in between the usual stories of war and political turmoil, The National's journalists found reasons for hope. We shine a light on the reasons for optimism in this week's episode of Beyond the Headlines. In Iraq, date farmers work toward a future where their country is a business hub. In the West Bank, Palestinians find inspiration in art and culture. In the UAE, cultures merge to celebrate music and heritage. T...
What more can we do to curb global warming?
December 19, 2018 02:00 - 21 minutes - 20 MBThe GCC has welcomed the rule book laid out as part of a COP24 deal struck in Poland, but scientists say the world is running out of time to avoid the catastrophic events brought about by unmitigated global warming. How can the region do more? Climate experts explain on this episode of Beyond the Headlines. We hear from Dr Deepthi Mittal, a program leader of the World Wildlife Fund in the UAE. She has urged governments to heed the call by scientists warning that current commitments are n...
Yemenis continue to suffer as warring sides negotiate
December 12, 2018 02:00 - 23 minutes - 22 MBMillions are on the brink of famine in Yemen. But for the first time in two years, the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels are negotiating a resolution. Last week, the UN Envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, put forth a series of confidence-building measures. He says both sides need to adhere to a series of concessions to build any sort of chance at a settlement. So far, he’s succeeded in bringing both sides to agree on a prisoner exchange and made way for Houthi fighters injured in the wa...
How Kuwait and Iraq were shaped by George H.W. Bush
December 06, 2018 02:00 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBIn August 1990 the Iraqi military invaded neighbouring Kuwait, bombing its capital city and sparking a war that would last six months and result in thousands of deaths. Not long after the invasion, late president George H W Bush spearheaded a US-led intervention against the Iraqi forces and the country’s dictator Saddam Hussein. The death of the 41st US President on November 30th served to remind of Kuwait’s close relationship with the late president and the United States, as they paid trib...
Land as a weapon against Palestinians
November 28, 2018 02:00 - 16 minutes - 15 MBPalestinian Adeeb Joudeh is a member of one of two families safeguarding the keys to Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and is a respected figure among all factions of the city. But recently, he has come under fire. Mr Joudeh allegedly sold his home to Jewish buyers – a mark of shame among Palestinians forced to contend with Israel’s occupying forces. Real estate transactions are just one way Israelis are claiming even more land from Palestinians, but recently the Palestinian Authori...
How UNICEF is helping children in the Middle East and North Africa
November 21, 2018 02:00 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MBChildren in the Middle East face more challenges than almost anywhere else in the world. One in four children in the region are affected by poverty, and in 2017, more than 1,823 children were killed, up from 1,563 in 2016. Armed conflict, instability and the failure of governments to provide education are all factors that have driven 5.7 million children to be out of primary school and another 3.9 million out of secondary. However, organisations like Unicef have maintained that they can he...
What shape will US-Middle East affairs take post-midterm elections?
November 14, 2018 02:00 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBUS President Donald Trump’s Republican party can no longer claim complete control of a two-branch Congress, after his rival Democratic party last week won control of the House of Representatives. The Senate, however, is still controlled by the Republicans. Newly empowered Democrats are expected to take Trump to task on many issues domestically, but to what extent will Trump's foreign policy be affected? Specifically, how might Trump's agenda in the Middle East change? We ask an expert on U...
A tale of two prime ministers in Sri Lanka
November 07, 2018 02:00 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBThere's been political trouble in Sri Lanka over the past two weeks after President Maithripala Sirisena dismissed prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed former president Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place. It is not clear that the president had the authority to make such a decision though, and Mr Wickremesinghe has refused to vacate the prime minister's residence. Which has left Sri Lanka in the unusual position of having two men claiming to be prime minister.
Lack of governance for migrants to be ratified by UN in Morocco
October 31, 2018 02:00 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MBMore than 10 per cent of the world’s migrant population live in the GCC, making it the highest citizen-to-migrant region in the world. A look at the demographics of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman shows that at least half of the population is non-citizen residents. In 2015, the Arab World as a whole hosted 32 million migrants, who sent home more than 100 billion dollars in remittances. However, despite their heavy presence not only in the Arab countries but around the world, international a...
Lack of governance for migrants to be ratified by UN in Morocco
October 31, 2018 02:00 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MBMore than 10 per cent of the world’s migrant population live in the GCC, making it the highest citizen-to-migrant region in the world. A look at the demographics of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman shows that at least half of the population is non-citizen residents. In 2015, the Arab World as a whole hosted 32 million migrants, who sent home more than 100 billion dollars in remittances. However, despite their heavy presence not only in the Arab countries but around the world, international ag...
Taliban bombings in Afghanistan's election
October 24, 2018 02:00 - 18 minutes - 17.4 MBFor the first time in ten years, Afghans took to the polling stations to elect candidates to National Assembly and take part in the future of their country. But a series of violent attacks have put a damper on the democratic turnout. Afghan security forces claimed more than 100 attacks took place in the week leading up to the elections and on the day, killing 23 and wounding hundreds. The Taliban claimed most of the attacks, including bombing the office of one of the candidates in the south ...
Syria-Jordan border restoration opens up many opportunities
October 17, 2018 02:00 - 20 minutes - 19 MBThis week, Jordan and Syria opened their border for the first time in three years. The move promises to restore the possibility for movement of both goods and people between the two countries. Jordan plays host to a large number of Syrian refugees and migrants, many of whom fled the carnage when the war broke out 7 years ago. Others have worked for decades between the two borders, trading produce, medicine and other goods. What does the border opening mean for both Syria and Jordan politic...
Scientists warn: Act now on climate change or it will be too late
October 10, 2018 02:00 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBThe world’s leading climate change scientists warned governments to act on climate change today or face a catastrophic future. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report is seen as the final warning. It says that if governments fail to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees by 2050, the world will witness significantly more violent drought, floods and extreme heat. And the Middle East is especially at risk. So are the UAE and other regional leaders doing their part? Tanzeed ...
Refugees trapped in Libya ask for mercy
October 03, 2018 02:00 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBHundreds of men, women and children are being held in detention centres in Libya, just a stone’s throw away from clashes between rival militias, as journalist Sally Hayden has written for The National. Campbell MacDiarmid spoke with Hayden, who has direct contact with some of the men and women trapped in these jails, in this week's episode of Beyond the Headlines. Also this week, we look at the ongoing parliamentary elections in Iraqi Kurdistan. A year on from a failed attempt at independ...
At least on Iran, Trump has clear message
September 27, 2018 08:51 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBUS President Donald Trump's second United Nations General Assembly was, to say the least, uneven. It started off when he showed up late to his speech at the general debate, then 20 minutes late to the UNSC briefing that he chaired. He waffled on his stance toward the Palestinian-Israeli peace plan in the span of a day. He described his correspondence with North Korean leader Kim Jung Un as "beautiful". And then during his Security Council briefing on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass...
A summer of reform in the UAE
September 19, 2018 07:26 - 15 minutes - 14.5 MBSheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, announced the Tomorrow 2021 plan this week. It includes 50 initiatives to spur growth in areas such investment, jobs creation and improving the overall quality of life in the emirate. The announcement was the culmination of a summer full of reforms for the UAE. Mina Aldroubi and Rory Reynolds, The National's news editor, discuss what this means for the country's future in this week's epi...
The cultural importance of rebuilding Mosul; Child mortality rates in Afghanistan on the rise
September 12, 2018 02:00 - 17 minutes - 16.1 MBIraq needs two billion dollars to revive its cultural heritage and renovate areas destroyed by ISIS. But the country says it does not have the capacity to rebuild without support from the international community. How are the UAE and other foreign allies helping? Mina Al Droubi joins us from the Unesco conference in Paris to tell us. And in war-torn Afghanistan, child violence is on the rise more than 15 years after the US war in the country began. Preethi Nallu tells us firsthand how dire ...
Iraq's parliament starts off on wrong foot; the US-Palestine relationship
September 05, 2018 06:41 - 18 minutes - 16.6 MBThe first day of Iraq's new parliament was a chaotic one. Where does the new government go from here? Also, the US administration is proposing a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, but it's one that has been out of favour for a long time. Why has the US-Palestine relationship become so fraught? We discuss both Iraq's new parliament and the US-Palestine situation with The National's foreign desk in this episode of Beyond the Headlines.
How does Caspian Sea demarcation affect Iran?
August 29, 2018 02:00 - 19 minutes - 18.3 MBThe Caspian Sea is the biggest enclosed body of water on earth, but depending who you ask, it’s either the largest lake in the world or a small inland sea. Either way, it has been a source of conflict among the five countries it borders — Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan — for the last 20 years. A recent gathering of the five countries might have resolved some of the legal matters. And as Robin Mills wrote for The National this week, a weakened Iran might have been lef...
The view from Hajj; Rohingya refugee update
August 22, 2018 02:00 - 23 minutes - 21.1 MBThis week Beyond the Headlines hosts two interviews from two different corners of the Muslim world — celebration at Hajj, and an update on the ongoing Rohingya crisis. In Makkah, where over two million Muslims are fulfilling their Islamic duties for Hajj, The National's Naser Al Wasmi gives a firsthand account from Saudi Arabia. How are pilgrims adjusting to the high temperatures, and what tips can we give to others who look to descend on Makkah? Also, Campbell MacDiarmid returns from a w...
Why the Strait of Hormuz is so important
August 15, 2018 02:00 - 14 minutes - 13.1 MBMaritime oil trade from the Arabian Peninsula relies exclusively on two strategic chokepoints: The Strait of Hormuz, to the UAE’s north, and Bab Al Mandeb to the south. Despite efforts to diversify the GCC countries’ economy, oil trade remains a lifeline. More than a third of the world’s petroleum trade by sea passes through the Strait of Hormuz. At its most narrow, The Strait of Hormuz is just 54 KM wide. It connects the Arabian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, separating the shores of Oman and I...
The importance of the Bab Al Mandeb strait
August 08, 2018 02:00 - 17 minutes - 16.1 MBThe Bab-el-Mandeb strait is just 18 miles wide, but a large slice of global trade passes through its vital waters every day. To its north is a war zone in Yemen, and to its south sits Djibouti, a tiny but strategically crucial East African nation. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, we dissect the importance of Bab Al Mandeb, both economically and geopolitcally. Host Charlie Mitchell talks with Jennifer Gnana, who covers energy and business for The National, about the importance of ...
Fake news in the Middle East with the BBC's Jamie Angus
August 02, 2018 10:04 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBToday we’re bringing you an interview with Jamie Angus, director of the BBC World Service Group. He spoke to The National’s Nick Webster in our Abu Dhabi studio about the BBC’s efforts to curb the proliferation of fake news. The Middle East is regarded as prime territory to cause further division and increase tension for online fraudsters. So what can established news organisations do to help consumers tell the difference between what is real and what is not? Mr Angus tells us how the BBC ...
Who is Imran Khan?
August 01, 2018 02:00 - 25 minutes - 22.9 MBThe newly elected prime minister in Pakistan is not a new name in the country. Imran Khan has led he country to cricket glory and been a longtime politician and philanthropist, and last week won a contentious election to become the country's new prime minister. Now, as Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party attempts to build a coalition, we ask how this man-of-the-people will achieve his many promises, and if the country can finally find some political stability under his stead. In th...
Iraq protests threaten long-sought stability
July 25, 2018 07:22 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBIt was looking like Iraq was turning the corner last year, after defeating ISIS and garnering more confidence from its Arab neighbors. But recent protests that have left more than 800 wounded and 11 dead are dampening the optimism. These latest demonstrations started over three weeks ago with residents of Basra upset over high unemployment, and a lack of electricity or fresh water. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, we talk to journalist Patrick Osgood about the protests in Iraq and...
The China-UAE bond strengthens
July 18, 2018 02:00 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBIn a week-long series of events, the UAE will host Chinese President Xi Jinping for his first trip to the country. The tour will look to further develop bilateral relations between the two countries. China is already the UAE's top trade partner, and now both countries are looking further strengthen their bond through diplomacy and a sharing of cultures. We look at the Chinese-UAE relationship in this week's Beyond the Headlines. Host Naser Al Wasmi speaks to Ali Al Dhaheri, the UAE Ambass...
If ISIS returns, is Iraq ready?
July 11, 2018 02:00 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MBIn Fallujah, where four years ago ISIS first gained significant ground in Iraq, life tentatively goes on. But though the territorial rule of ISIS has for now been erased in Iraq, the group still shows signs of life. And Baghdad seems to be doing little to address this concern. In this week's Beyond the Headlines, we look at how safe a country in political flux actually is from a potential ISIS resurgence. Sofia Barbarani reports from Fallujah and talks to those affected by four years of IS...
UN envoy seeks peace talks in Yemen
July 03, 2018 02:00 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBThe Arab Coalition has paused its offensive in Hodeidah, as announced on Sunday by UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash. This is in the hopes of giving UN special envoy Martin Griffiths enough time to implement his peace plan. With the liberation of Hodeidah from Houthi control imminent, the Coalition now looks to negotiate Houthi withdrawal from rebel-held Sanaa. The Coalition is also welcoming a larger media presence in Yemen to combat Iranian influence and propagan...
Turkey's future under an empowered Erdogan
June 27, 2018 02:00 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBWith a decisive — however manufactured — election result, incumbent Turkish president Recep Tayipp Erdoğan now moves forward with a mandate to form a new government in Turkey. Though there are many questions from the opposition and humanitarian groups about the legitimacy of the democratic process, Erdogan will lead Turkey for at least another five years. How will this government take shape, with the role of prime minister being phased out and a consolidation of executive power to Erdogan's...
Is Afghanistan's fight against the Taliban almost over?
June 20, 2018 02:00 - 18 minutes - 17.1 MBAfghanistan has become a byword for conflict. But the past weeks saw extraordinary scenes of Taliban fighters and their usual foe —government security forces — embracing in the streets in a historic, if short, ceasefire. Could it herald something bigger, such as an end to the war? Or will ISIS make that impossible? This week we spoke to Ruchi Kumar, The National's correspondent in Kabul, and asked if the chances of peace have increased. Has anything really changed?
Dr Anwar Gargash on Iran, Yemen, Trump and more
June 13, 2018 02:00 - 24 minutes - 22.5 MBLast week, The National spoke to Dr Anwar Gargash, the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. We bring you the second part of that interview in this edition of Beyond the Headlines. Listen to part 1 for his take on the Qatar crisis. Dr Gargash discusses the wider Arab world and the ever-shifting dynamics of the region, from the war in Yemen, Iran’s influence in the region, and Donald Trump's relationship with the GCC. Listen to Part 1. Subscribe to Beyond the Headlines for free on Ap...
The Qatar crisis from the perspective of Dr Anwar Gargash
June 07, 2018 02:00 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBThis week, The National spoke to Dr Anwar Gargash, the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. He talked about how the Arab world has changed significantly a year since the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt cut all diplomatic and travel links with Qatar.The worst diplomatic crisis to ever hit the GCC has changed regional dynamics in the region. The four nations insist that to normalize relations with Qatar, Doha will have to change what the quartet claims are troubling grievances. Bu...
Hodeidah's importance to victory in Yemen
May 30, 2018 02:00 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MBYemen's military is within striking distance of one of their biggest victories since civil war began in 2015. The forces, backed by the Arab coalition, was last reported to be within 10km of Yemen’s third largest city, Hodeidah. We analyse what this could mean for the future of the four-year civil war in Yemen with Fatima Alasrar, a senior analyst at Washington-based Arabia Foundation. The city of Hodeidah lies on the Red Sea coast, and is home to the country’s largest port. Much of the c...
Iraq's future following Moqtada Al Sadr's resounding victory
May 23, 2018 02:00 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBShia cleric Moqtada Al Sadr wants a government that is inclusive of all Iraqis. His coalition won the largest number of seats in Iraq’s latest parliamentary elections. But Mr Al Sadr didn’t win enough to form a majority. This prompts weeks, if not months, of negotiations with different factions to form a government. His victory comes as a surprise to many. Prime Minister Haidar Al Abadi, whose bloc finished third, is now talking to the cleric. Mr Al Abadi, who claims ISIL’s defeat as his ow...
Massacre in Gaza
May 16, 2018 02:00 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBAs Israeli and American officials celebrated the controversial move of the United States' embassy to Jerusalem, Israeli soldiers were murdering peaceful Palestinian protestors. This week, host Naser Al Wasmi looks at the latest atrocities carried about by a newly empowered Israel against their Palestinian neighbours. Jack Moore and Willy Lowry, who have each spent time in Gaza and the West Bank, give their perspectives. #Gaza #Israel #Palestine #MiddleEast #News
Lebanon's first elections in nearly a decade will have regional ramifications
May 08, 2018 14:58 - 18 minutes - 16.7 MBFor the first time since 2009, Lebanon voted to elect 128 members to parliament. Saad Hariri, the current Prime Minister of Lebanon and his Sunni-dominated party fared better than expected. But he lost seats to Hezbollah, the Shiite-movement that now has more seats and pull in the parliament than ever before. As in almost any election in the Arab World, this one was marred in controversy. Voter turnout was low with less than half of the population taking to the ballots. Those who did vote a...
Israel puts Iran's nuclear ambitions into question ahead of Trump's decision
May 02, 2018 02:00 - 17 minutes - 16.1 MBIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday claimed Iran was developing a "secret" nuclear weapons programme in breach of the 2015 deal agreed with world powers. Iran responded by saying an alleged archive of tens of thousands of records was merely part of a "ridiculous propaganda" machine. We analyse the situation between Israel and Iran and how it pertains to the Iranian nuclear deal in this week's Beyond the Headlines podcast. We spoke to Robert Kelley, who was director of the I...
Inside Syria's propaganda machine
April 25, 2018 02:00 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MBSyrian President Bashar Al Assad has always held a tight grip on media in his country. After seven years of a vicious war, the strongman maintains strict control over all news coming out of his side of the country. The National was given a glimpse into what President Bashar wants the world to interpret about his regime. Our correspondent, Gareth Browne saw right through it. We spoke to Gareth as he returned from a week-long government-monitored trip into Assad's Syria. He told us about how...
Assad crosses Washington's red line again
April 17, 2018 12:00 - 14 minutes - 13.4 MBThe US launched airstrikes on Syria this week, sparking a wide range of reactions from the international community. The US-led airstrikes targeted a factory believed to be the source of a Syrian-regime chemical weapons attack last week, which killed dozens. Chemical weapons experts have been blocked from the Syrian attack site by regime forces, reinforcing claims that longstanding President Bashar Al Assad was responsible. But, with so many powers involved in the country, the question of wh...