Beyond the Headlines

Peace talks sometimes fail before they even begin. A complete political breakdown has been the case with Syria the last 7 times Bashar Al Assad's government and the opposition have gathered to talk. However, with Russia, regional powerhouses and others getting involved, the peace talks in Geneva taking place this week might have a chance of ending this brutal war. Mina Al Droubi comes to us with the story as she reports from the UN headquarters in the Swiss city. Mount Agung in Bali is threatening the lives of tens of thousands as it could be on the brink of eruption. Theodora Sutcliffe, a reporter based in Bali explains the likelihood of a natural disaster and what it means for the tens of thousands stranded on the Indonesian Island. Paul Peachey, a reporter from the National's London bureau, produced and reported on how the Muslim community in Manchester, UK is dealing with the 500 per cent increase in hate crime six months after the suicide attacks at the Ariana Grande concert.

Talks in Sochi, Riyadh and in Geneva could finally spell an end to the Syrian civil war, where millions have been displaced and hundreds of thousands killed. The country has been spinning out of control Syrians demanded the resignation of their heavy-handed ruler, Bashar Al Assad, during the Arab Spring in 2011. Mina Al Droubi, a reporter on the foreign desk, tells us how the meetings could be another chance at a peace. In Lebanon, the resignation of Saad Al Hariri has sparked rumours to run rampant in the media, but Dana Moukhlallati, an editor on the foreign desk, explains the regional implications of the move that shocked Beirut last week. Finally, after 47 years in operation, the iconic El Dorado Cinema shuttered its doors in downtown Abu Dhabi. We have the origin story of the theatre told by one of the people who helped build the cinema older than the country itself.

Less than two years into the Paris Agreement, where 196 countries agreed to curb climate change to less than two degrees this century, the goal is beginning to slip out of reach. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the accord has been a shock to the rest of the world as it comes to grips with how to fill the gap. We record live from COP 23 in Bonn, Germany where the other 195 countries have gathered to figure out how to save the world. Lou Leonard from the World Wildlife Fund explains that not all hope is lost. A campaign launched by over 2,500 American entities, ranging from state governments to individual universities, have signed the “We are still in” declaration to make sure that their organizations still represent US commitments to the Paris Agreement independently from the federal government’s decision. Niranjali Amerasinghe from the World Resources Institute tells us how the burden-sharing and finance, a hotly debated and intricate aspect of the Paris Agreement, will be influenced by Washington's decision to pull out.

In this episode, we look back at a night that will have deep implications for the future of Saudi Arabia. The foreign press dubbed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's anti-corruption drive as "The night of the long knives" but many Saudis may look at his manoeuvring as a long awaited move to root out corruption. This will not only come to define the news of this week, but the news of the young Prince’s reign as he looks to push the Kingdom towards his vision. Jane Kinninmont, the senior fellow at the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House, tells us how the round-up indicates a very different tone from what has transpired in Saudi Arabia in the past. Moving on to the event that kicked this week off, Dana Moukhallati, an editor on the National’s foreign desk, explains how the resignation of Lebanon’s prime minister, Saad Hariri, might signal the end of tolerance for foreign Iranian intervention in Arab affairs. Finally, we have analysis on what might be a ramping up on the devastating war in Yemen and how military escalation could lead to a more direct clash between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Cholera, as it looked to threaten and plunge Yemen into the worst pandemic since Ebola, is on the decline. The drop coincides with the end of the rainy season but could be back for another bout if medical facilities in the Middle East’s poorest country fail to improve. As a result, Doctor’s Without Borders has decided to scale down its cholera treatment centres, and Dr Caroline Seguin, the Yemen cell manager, spoke to us on how cholera, a failure in the medical system, and rampant mental trauma has gripped the country. Meanwhile, its been a century since the Balfour Declaration saw the UK give Palestinian land to Jewish settlers. Ben Lynfield spoke to both sides to see how they viewed the decree, which resulted in the creation of a Zionist state, and is viewed by some as the legacy of the British Empire looking to remedy a shifting power dynamic in the Middle East post-WWI. And in Kuwait, the government has submitted its resignation following a dramatic session in parliament last week. Courtney Freer, researcher at the London School of Economics Kuwait programme, explains why this matters for the country.

One of the most heinous humanitarian disasters is taking place today, and the world has never been so slow to react. The Rohingya refugee crisis has seen more than 600,000 members of the Muslim minority flee what has been referred to as “hell on earth” by the UNHCR. We have Fiona MacGregor reporting on the topic and Queen Rania of Jordan’s visit to Bangladeshi camps. Oman, one of the oldest countries in the region, has a very young problem. Youth delinquency in the Sultanate is on the rise, and Saleh Al Shaibany reports on how Oman looks to deal with the countries’ concern. Finally we are joined by John Everington on how Apple is looking to change the world, again.

The most deadly attack in Somalia’s war-torn history has rocked the country and claimed hundreds of lives. We look to find out why the two bombs have gone unclaimed by any terrorist organization. We talk to Colin Freeman whose on-the-ground reporting has led him to some interesting conclusions. Iraqi troops have been mobilized again, but this time it is to reclaim Kirkuk, the oil-rich Iraqi state that the Kurdish referendum attempted to claim as their own. The National reporter, Mina Al Droubi, joins us to discuss how the attack can easily take a turn for the worse. Finally we are joined by James Langton, who witnessed an unidentified object burning through the UAE’s sky from his home in Abu Dhabi. Speculation on what the object was has led some to say it was a meteor yet others claiming it came from a Russian ship.

The Philippines are experiencing an ISIL-influenced insurgency from 8,000 KM away. We analyse what might happen if hard-line President Rodrigo Duterte decides to crack down on the Islamist surge on several of the country’s islands. We talk to Florian Neuhof who has reported from the scene of an intense battle between the two sides. Benjamin Netanyahu has been one of the most pro-Zionist leaders at the expense of Palestinians. However, as his reign is now threatened with corruption charges, his politics might be replaced by his son, Yair. Analysts say the 26-year-old is bolder and more aggressive. Ben Lynfield explains to us why. Finally we are joined by Anna Zakarias, who covered one of the more business-oriented date festivals. The prices at these events can go up to several dozen dollars per piece. Want more insights from Beyond the Headlines? Follow the series on iTunes.

The right to self-determination is not only the core upon which we gauge human rights but it’s considered one of the fundamental freedoms the United Nations outlines as necessary to all mankind. So why is that when people look to exercise that freedom, it’s almost universally met with resistance? We spoke to Mina Al Droubi, reporter at The National, about what is happening in Iraqi #Kurdistan and what the referendum might mean in terms of the region actually gaining independence. In #Spain, another unrelated push for independence is coming from the Catalans as they look to achieve a long-desired autonomous state. We spoke to Richard Ferraris, who is reporting on the events in Barcelona. At home in the UAE, a new law will see for the first time in the region an excise tax hike aimed directly at urging consumers to make more health conscious decisions. The tax includes a 100 per cent hike on both cigarettes and energy drinks and a 50 per cent tax on cola. This could be a precursor for more moves of its kind in the future, Roberta Penington told us. Want more insights from Beyond the Headlines? Follow the series on iTunes #currentaffairs #news #politics #iraq #uae #middleeast #foreign #world

Another session of the United Nations General Assembly has come and gone. Fiery speeches, discussions of nuclear war and celebrity appearances made the headlines. But beyond the headlines, there were developments that are poised to impact lives all over the world, including millions in the Middle East. In this podcast, Editor in Chief Mina Al-Oraibi, London Bureau Chief Damien McElroy and Washington DC correspondent Joyce Karam take an in-depth look at Libya, Syria and Yemen -- three countries that received considerable attention at the 72nd General Assembly and currently have peace processes being mediated by the UN. Finishing things off, they also look at the prospects of reform at the global body and the initiatives championed by Secretary-General António Guterres.