Beyond the Headlines
By The National News
Dive 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.
Latest episode
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Will Europe’s shift on Israel’s war in Gaza change anything?
Too little, too late. This was the sentiment echoed among critics in the international community after Europe started taking a new, critical stance on Israel’s war in Gaza in recent weeks. For Palestinians actually in the strip, it is certainly too l… -
Can Israel be trusted to distribute aid in Gaza?
Chaotic scenes unfolded in Gaza this week as large crowds gathered at aid hubs set up by a US and Israeli-backed organisation, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. After three months of an Israeli-imposed blockade on the enclave, hungry, desperate Pales… -
Sanctions are lifting, but can Syria hold together?
Last week’s announcement by President Donald Trump on lifting US sanctions on Syria seemed to have a refreshing effect for a country that has been reeling from political divisions and economic turmoil. This week, the European Union followed, lifting … -
Will Middle East tension ease as a result of Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf?
US President Donald Trump has returned to Washington after sealing hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of investments on his first visit to the Gulf since returning to office. His stops in Riyadh, Doha and Abu Dhabi were marked by the announcement… -
What’s at risk under Israel’s planned Gaza offensive?
Israel’s security cabinet has approved an expanded military offensive in Gaza that would push the entire population into a small pocket in the south of the strip. Shortly after the decision, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a bold … -
Trump’s first 100 days: What ‘America first’ means for the Middle East
During the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s administration, he has signed more executive orders than any other president in the same time span. They are part of his mandate to put "America first". But many of his foreign policy orders have also had a… -
Why Christians in occupied Palestine may be at risk of disappearing
In his last public address on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis called for an end to the violence in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation there "dramatic and deplorable”. His message came only a day before his death. People all over the world mourned t… -
Why legal action against alleged Israeli war crimes is so slow
When the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last year accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant of crimes against humanity, it seemed like a watershed moment. Global anger over Israel… -
Lebanon’s civil war: The feud that never ended
The Lebanese civil war that broke out in 1975 marked a dark chapter in the country’s history and would have an impact on the region for decades afterwards. The conflict lasted for 15 years, as armed militias and their political sects battled for powe… -
Deal or war: What’s next for Iran’s nuclear programme?
Simmering threats between Iran and the US are nearing their boiling point, after Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said this week that Tehran would retaliate if attacked. The heated tone comes after American President Donald Trump warned e…
