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Beyond the Headlines

The National News
Gaza
Israel
Hamas
Iran
Syria
United States
Hezbollah
Lebanon
Palestinian Authority
Donald Trump
Middle East
Civil War
West Bank
Yemen
Palestine
Humanitarian Crisis
International Court Of Justice
United Nations
Isis
Beirut

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... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes505Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNewsNews Commentary

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Latest Episodes

The interim agreement aimed at ending the war between the US and Iran has fallen apart barely three weeks after it was signed.

Iran has resumed attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, claiming it has control over the entire waterway and... more

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On the sidelines of an eventful Nato summit in Ankara, US President Donald Trump was sitting next to his Syrian counterpart Ahmad Al Shara when he announced his intention to lift Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

The move would br... more

YouTube

The Middle East has been grappling with one conflict after another, leading to countless rounds of negotiations to end fighting.

But even when ceasefires are agreed to, the violence seems to continue, prompting many to question what a ceasefire even... more

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi has conducted a bold anti-corruption campaign since taking office in May.

One of his first moves was to arrest the deputy oil minister for alleged embezzlement, and to seize millions of dollars in cash as part of th... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Gregory Brew
Senior Iran and Energy Analyst
Eurasia Group
Episode: Why has the US-Iran agreement not been enough to end the war?
Noah Bonsey
Senior advisor on Syria at the International Crisis Group
International Crisis Group
Episode: What’s at stake for foreign powers battling for influence in Syria?
Jinan Bastaki
Associate Professor of Legal Studies at NYU Abu Dhabi
New York University Abu Dhabi
Episode: Why are ceasefires not ceasing the fire?
Renad Mansour
Director of the Iraq Initiative at Chatham House
Chatham House
Episode: What's driving Iraq’s anti-corruption crackdown?
Eric Brewer
Deputy Vice President, Nuclear Materials Security Program
[Not specified in transcript]
Episode: The wins and losses of the Iran war
Danny Citrinowitz
Senior Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Israel
Institute for National Security Studies
Episode: The wins and losses of the Iran war
Tom Nides
Former US ambassador to Israel under President Biden
United States government
Episode: Are the US and Israel still fighting the same war?
Gregory Papanikos
President of the Athens Institute for Education and Research
Athens Institute for Education and Research
Episode: The limits of soft power: America’s war and its World Cup
Simon Chadwick
Professor of Afro-Eurasian sports
Emlyon Business School
Episode: The limits of soft power: America’s war and its World Cup

Host

Nada AlTaher
Host of Beyond the Headlines

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 40 ratings
  • Would give zero stars if I could

    The bias is breathtaking.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Nancy Pol
    United States10 months ago
  • Great Mideast news podcast

    An informative and well produced podcast that explores the most important stories in the Middle East.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sophietremblay
    Canada6 years ago
  • Podcast lover

    Astounding

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jazz114
    United States8 years ago
  • Lover of Podcasts

    Astounding

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lover of podcasts 239328913459
    United Arab Emirates8 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the depth and breadth of geopolitical analysis.
Some listeners perceive a bias in coverage on highly sensitive regional issues.
Guests are typically expert voices with strong regional and security credentials.
Episodes are well-produced and data-informed, aiding sponsorship decisions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What’s at stake for foreign powers battling for influence in Syria?
Q: Can Damascus maintain neutrality while diversifying its alliances?
The analysis argues that Syria will eventually need to take sides on key security issues, yet it is pursuing a broad network of alliances to avoid being overly dependent on any single actor.
What’s at stake for foreign powers battling for influence in Syria?
Q: How could Syria play a role in Lebanon without provoking regional instability?
The guest speculates on a cautious, non-military engagement approach, emphasizing political influence and disarmament dialogue rather than direct intervention, aiming to stabilize Lebanon while preserving Syrian independence.
What’s at stake for foreign powers battling for influence in Syria?
Q: So what is Turkey's stake in Syria?
The host asks about Turkey's strategic aims in leveraging Syria as a regional power center, with commentary suggesting Ankara seeks to expand influence while avoiding overcommitment, balancing security concerns with economic and political gains.
More weapons, less action: What are the Houthis up to?
Q: Can you walk us through how these missiles and drones are assembled and what the labeling tells us about the design origin?
The components arrive as assembled kits that include color-coded labels and serializations, allowing investigators to map specific modules to Iranian designs and show how Yemeni assembly would complete the weapon systems once in country, highlighting external dependency.
More weapons, less action: What are the Houthis up to?
Q: First of all, how much are we talking here, and how did we know that they were intended for the Houthis? How are these items concealed on the ship?
CAR investigators traced thousands of components across international shipments, linking them to Iran and other suppliers, and demonstrated how parts were concealed within industrial equipment to evade interception, revealing a highly interconnected,massive supply chain.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Beyond the Headlines

What is Beyond the Headlines about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program consistently covers Middle East security, geopolitics, and regional power dynamics, with a heavy emphasis on how external actors and civilian realities intersect with policy. Episodes frequently analyze conflicts, diplomacy, arms proliferation, and disinformation, drawing on expert guests and on-the-ground reporting to provide context beyond daily headlines. Noteworthy are its rigorous, globally sourced perspectives and willingness to tackle controversial topics, making it a valuable listening choice for stakeholders who want depth, nuance, and a regional lens on international affairs.

Where can I find podcast stats for Beyond the Headlines?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Beyond the Headlines. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Beyond the Headlines and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Beyond the Headlines get?

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What are the audience demographics for Beyond the Headlines?

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How many subscribers and views does Beyond the Headlines have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Beyond the Headlines has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Beyond the Headlines?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Beyond the Headlines:

1. Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes
2. Al Jazeera News Updates
3. The Take
4. The Inside Story Podcast
5. Global News Podcast

How many episodes of Beyond the Headlines are there?

Beyond the Headlines launched 9 years ago and published 505 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Beyond the Headlines?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Beyond the Headlines?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Beyond the Headlines from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Beyond the Headlines?

Recent guests on Beyond the Headlines include:

1. Gregory Brew
2. Noah Bonsey
3. Jinan Bastaki
4. Renad Mansour
5. Eric Brewer
6. Danny Citrinowitz
7. Tom Nides
8. Gregory Papanikos

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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