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Beyond the Headlines

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

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes520Founded9 years ago
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PoliticsNewsNews Commentary

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Latest Episodes

Israelis will vote on Tuesday in the first national election since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack and subsequent war on Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party could win, but polls are showing that opposition candidates also hav... more

From Riyadh to Taiz, it has been a week of tragedy. While Saudi Arabia faces a wave of deadly attacks by the Houthis, hundreds of thousands of people in the southern Yemeni city are largely cut off from food and fuel.

The fighting continues to inten... more

YouTube

When the Gaza ceasefire came into effect a year ago, Palestinians in the enclave hoped that they could start rebuilding their lives.

The truce came in the form of a 20-point plan which specified that aid would enter at scale and the strip would be “... more

YouTube

The US withdrawal from Iraq this week marked a major milestone, as its anti-ISIS mission officially came to an end.

The government in Baghdad called it Sovereignty Day. More than 20 years since the American invasion of Iraq and 12 years since the st... more

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Recent Guests

Nawaf Obaid
Senior research fellow, Department of War Studies, King's College London; former advisor to the Saudi government
King's College London
Episode: What are Saudi Arabia's options as Houthi attacks escalate?
Mahdi Ghuloom
Geopolitics researcher
Observer Research Foundation Middle East
Episode: What are Saudi Arabia's options as Houthi attacks escalate?
Omar Rahman
Political analyst at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs
Middle East Council on Global Affairs
Episode: Gaza ceasefire: a year of stalled promises
Sajad Jiyad
Iraqi political analyst
Center for International Policy (senior non-resident fellow)
Episode: What happens next after US withdrawal from Iraq?
Aveen Karim
National Deputy Foreign Editor
The National
Episode: What happens next after US withdrawal from Iraq?
Barham Salih
UN High Commissioner for Refugees; former Iraqi president
UNHCR
Episode: Barham Salih on why the refugee crisis is a global responsibility
Baraa Shiban
Yemen analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
RUSI
Episode: How did the Houthis become so emboldened?
Cinzia Bianco
Gulf relations expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations
ECFR
Episode: How did the Houthis become so emboldened?
Mairav Zonszein
Senior analyst on Israel at the International Crisis Group
International Crisis Group
Episode: What will UK sanctions against Israeli settlements change?

Host

Nada AlTaher
Host of Beyond the Headlines

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 41 ratings
  • Would give zero stars if I could

    The bias is breathtaking.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Nancy Pol
    United Statesa year 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
    Canada7 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 appreciate the depth and nuance provided by guests and hosts.
Informative and well produced; covers important Middle East stories.
The bias is breathtaking.
Audience finds it authoritative and insightful.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#25
South Korea/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#221
Saudi Arabia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#223
United Arab Emirates/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#248
South Korea/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What happens next after US withdrawal from Iraq?
Q: How might the withdrawal affect Kurdish security and governance in Erbil and the broader region?
The withdrawal shifts some leverage toward Baghdad, pressuring Kurdish authorities to formalize unifications like the Peshmerga and seek greater integration with the Iraqi federal military command, while maintaining autonomy in security decisions.
What happens next after US withdrawal from Iraq?
Q: What does a US withdrawal look like in a practical sense for Iraq's security capacity?
There will likely be a small residual protection force to shield diplomats and key sites, while the bulk of combat forces depart; Iraq's security agencies will bear greater responsibility, but with ongoing challenges such as air defense gaps.
Barham Salih on why the refugee crisis is a global responsibility
Q: What is the core purpose of the Refugee Convention according to your view?
It designates those with well-founded fear of persecution for international protection and provides a framework to ensure their safety while upholding basic human dignity, demanding global commitment and practical action rather than selective sympathy.
What will UK sanctions against Israeli settlements change?
Q: Is this more symbolic or likely to alter policy?
The guests argue it is a meaningful step that sets a baseline for future action and could normalize further sanctions, though whether it stops or reverses the E1 trajectory before the election remains uncertain and contingent on political will in Israel and in other key capitals.
What will UK sanctions against Israeli settlements change?
Q: What could be the real-world consequences of the UK's measures on the ground?
The panel suggests the moves are a deterrent targeting settlement construction and banking/insurance activities, potentially slowing new projects like E1 and prompting reconsideration by banks and investors, but substantial change will depend on subsequent political developments in Israel and the broader international response.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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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 geopolitics, security, and economic issues in the Middle East, often layering on-the-ground reporting with expert analysis from policy think tanks, universities, and government circles. Episodes skew toward international relations, regional conflicts, sanctions, and governance, with frequent guests who offer legal, strategic, and economic context. A notable strength is translating dense policy topics into accessible narratives by combining eyewitness reporting, data-driven analysis, and nuanced commentary, making it valuable for listeners who want deeper context beyond headlines. The show tends to feature senior analysts, former officials, and academics, and it occasionally weighs in on global power dynamics... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Beyond the Headlines?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Beyond the Headlines:

1. Middle East Focus
2. WSJ Minute Briefing
3. Global News Podcast
4. Al Jazeera News Updates
5. Fareed Zakaria GPS

How many episodes of Beyond the Headlines are there?

Beyond the Headlines launched 9 years ago and published 520 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Beyond the Headlines?

Recent guests on Beyond the Headlines include:

1. Nawaf Obaid
2. Mahdi Ghuloom
3. Omar Rahman
4. Sajad Jiyad
5. Aveen Karim
6. Barham Salih
7. Baraa Shiban
8. Cinzia Bianco

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