Beyond the Headlines

Why superstorms are the new normal

The Philippines is no stranger to storms. The country's group of islands weather around 20 storms and typhoons a year. But when news of supertyphoon Goni was announced, it took action, preparing itself as best it could under the restrictions of Covid-19. 390,000 people were evacuated from their homes as 2020’s strongest storm hit the archipelago on the November 1. The storm was the most powerful typhoon to make landfall on the islands since 2013, when Typhoon Haiyan killed at least 6,000 people. As Goni left a trail of devastation in the Philippines, another storm was brewing on the other side of the world. Hurricane Eta bore down on Nicaragua, damaging homes, tearing down power lines and causing flash flooding. 2020 has seen more storms from the Atlantic ocean than ever in recorded history.

On this week's Beyond the Headlines, host Sulaiman Hakemy looks at why climate change means superstorms are the new normal.

US election special: Who will be the next US President?

In this special edition of Beyond the Headlines, Michael Goldfarb, author, journalist and host of the FRDH podcast based in the UK, talks to Joyce Karam, The National's correspondent in Washington, and James Reinl, The National's correspondent in New York, about what has happened so far in the US elections leading up to November 3. They examine the logistics of an election of this size in a pandemic, mass protests, mail-in ballots and what exactly Americans are voting on.

Arab Americans vote in divisive presidential election

Arab-Americans make up a tiny fraction of America’s 300 plus million people. But in three key swing states: Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania they are a significant enough voting block that they could help determine the outcome of the November 3rd Presidential election.

Willy Lowry and Sophie Tremblay takes us through the heart of Arab America to look at the issues important to the growing community and which way they’ll vote.

A year of revolution in Lebanon between fires, crisis and blast

The fires didn’t start the revolution, but you could say it was the kindling. The country suffers fires every year, but these were different. In this week's Beyond the Headlines, host James Haines-Young, looks back at a turbulent year in Lebanon from fires, to revolution to a massive explosion.

The challenges of finding a Covid-19 vaccine

News update: Since publishing this podcast China announced on October 9 that it has joined Covax, the global scheme for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine backed by the World Health Organisation.


There are currently more than 150 Covid-19 vaccines in development. Billions of dollars are being pumped into research in the hope that a viable drug can reach the market in record time and ease the effects of the pandemic on individuals, societies and the global economy. 

This week we talk about the challenges in the race to find a coronavirus vaccine. We hear from Dr Jeremy Rossman, a virologist at the University of Kent, and Daniel Bardsley, who writes about the coronavirus for The National.

Hosted by Suhail Akram.

Iraq's year of protests, assassinations and foreign interference

On October the 1st 2019, protestors took to the streets of Iraq demonstrating against unemployment, government corruption and poor public services, such as electricity and clean water. As Iraqis mark the one year anniversary of the October protests, demonstrators have vowed to keep the protests going unless their demands of a peaceful and prosperous homeland are met.

Renad Mansour, senior research fellow in the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, and Inas Jabbar, human rights activist from Baghdad, tells us what has changed since the October protests started and whether protesting is achieving anything.

Hosted by Suhail Akram.

Saudi Arabia at 90, an evolution from Bedouin culture to leading power

Nadia Abdulwahab, Lecturer in English Literature at Umm Al Qura University, and Marcel Kupershoek, author and senior humanities research fellow at NYU Abu Dhabi takes us through the evolution of Saudi Arabia and its people, since the founding of the kingdom. We also hear from Ahmed Al Saleh, a 25-year old Saudi student, and Salma Ibrahim, a 27-year old electrical engineer, about the changes they see in the kingdom and their excitement for the future of Saudi. 

Hosted by Balquees Basalom.

The Abraham Accord between Israel and the UAE

On the 15th of September, the UAE signed the historic Abraham Accord with Israel at a ceremony in Washington DC, in the first such agreement between an Arab country and Israel in over a quarter of a century.

We hear from Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, UAE’s permanent representative to the United Nations, and Omar Ghobash, UAE's assistant minister for cultural affairs and public diplomacy, about the UAE’s groundbreaking decision.

Ambassador Dennis Ross, who served under President Barack Obama, President Clinton and President George H. W. Bush, and Ambassador Barbara Leaf, former US Ambassador to the UAE, give their takes on the agreement and what it means for the region.

Hosted by Willy Lowry.

Social media and the freedom of speech

Free speech is part of the US bill of rights, which was ratified in 1791. It grants the freedom to express any opinion, without any restrictions or penalty from the government. However, there are restrictions to this right, in law. These include speech that incites violence, is part of criminal conduct or commercial advertising. As social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter don't have to enforce freedom of speech, many feel they should. 

This week, we hear from Mathew Ingram, chief digital writer for the Columbia Journalism Review, and Dr. Peter Yacobucci, an associate professor of political science at Buffalo State University. With the US presidential election fast approaching, they tell us how social media giants are grappling with freedom of speech.

Hosted by Cody Combs.

How gas exploration in the Mediterranean is pitting Turkey against Europe

News update. Since publishing this podcast Greece and Turkey have agreed to talks to avoid military escalation and accidents in the Eastern Mediterranean, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on September 3.

On the 14th of August 2020, Greek and Turkish warships in the eastern Mediterranean collided. What was deemed a minor incident, prompted a virtual meeting of all 27 EU member states, and a statement was issued hinting at the possibility of sanctions in the future if Turkey failed to de-escalate.

Turkey’s foreign minister responded by saying, "Instead of indulging Greece and giving unconditional support, the EU should invite Athens to act with reason." 

As Turkey announced maritime training exercises in the Mediterreanean, viewed in Europe as an aggressive move, France and Italy said they would also be heading into the waters for joint naval exercises with Greece and Cyprus. 

On the 2nd of September, US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo called for all parties involved to reduce tensions in the easter mediterranean.

In this week's Beyond the Headlines, host Sulaiman Hakemy, takes a look at the rising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.