Beyond the Headlines

In Central African Republic, poaching thrives in the chaos

In the middle of Africa lies one of the world's most neglected crises. In the Central African Republic — an environmentally diverse but politically fraught state — the illegal hunting of endangered species is rampant. 

How did the country become such a hotbed for poaching, and is there hope to rectify the situation? We look at the issue in this week's Beyond the Headlines podcast.

Chinko is a wildlife refuge in the eastern part of CAR and one of the most uniquely diverse ecological landscapes in Africa. It's also home to communal violence and combative groups vying for control of some of the country's most valuable resources — illegal animal parts. 

The National's Campbell MacDiarmid speaks to experts and conservationists who explain the chaotic situation in CAR, and offer insights into how the country can start trying to resolve the issue.

Reasons for cheer from an often dour year

The Middle East is not known for its good news, and 2018 was no exception. But in between the usual stories of war and political turmoil, The National's journalists found reasons for hope. We shine a light on the reasons for optimism in this week's episode of Beyond the Headlines.

In Iraq, date farmers work toward a future where their country is a business hub. In the West Bank, Palestinians find inspiration in art and culture. In the UAE, cultures merge to celebrate music and heritage. These stories helped remind us that plenty of reason to celebrate, however dour the headlines might seem.

What more can we do to curb global warming?

The GCC has welcomed the rule book laid out as part of a COP24 deal struck in Poland, but scientists say the world is running out of time to avoid the catastrophic events brought about by unmitigated global warming. How can the region do more? Climate experts explain on this episode of Beyond the Headlines. 

We hear from Dr Deepthi Mittal, a program leader of the World Wildlife Fund in the UAE. She has urged governments to heed the call by scientists warning that current commitments are not enough.

We also speak with Tanzeed Alam, managing director of Earth Matters Consultancy, who explains the challenges ahead for governments in the GCC as they look to break away from their fossil-fuel based economies.

Yemenis continue to suffer as warring sides negotiate

Millions are on the brink of famine in Yemen. But for the first time in two years, the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels are negotiating a resolution.

Last week, the UN Envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, put forth a series of confidence-building measures. He says both sides need to adhere to a series of concessions to build any sort of chance at a settlement. So far, he’s succeeded in bringing both sides to agree on a prisoner exchange and made way for Houthi fighters injured in the war to fly to Oman for treatment.

But the number of lives saved on the ground will ultimately define the success of these talks and that means ensuring humanitarian aid gets to the millions of starving Yemenis.

We look at the process of peace in Yemen, and discuss the dire humanitarian crisis, in this week's episode of Beyond the Headlines.

We hear from The National’s Mina Al Droubi, who is in Sweden reporting on the peace talks, and Jueliette Touma, the UNICEF Regional Chief of Communications in the Middle East and North Africa.

How Kuwait and Iraq were shaped by George H.W. Bush

In August 1990 the Iraqi military invaded neighbouring Kuwait, bombing its capital city and sparking a war that would last six months and result in thousands of deaths. Not long after the invasion, late president George H W Bush spearheaded a US-led intervention against the Iraqi forces and the country’s dictator Saddam Hussein.

The death of the 41st US President on November 30th served to remind of Kuwait’s close relationship with the late president and the United States, as they paid tribute to the man who intervened against Iraq on their behalf.

But across the border, for Iraqi civilians scarred by the coalition’s violent bombing of their country, the image they paint of Bush is very different.

On this week’s episode of Beyond the Headlines, we discuss the lasting legacies of the Republican president in the region.

Land as a weapon against Palestinians

Palestinian Adeeb Joudeh is a member of one of two families safeguarding the keys to Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and is a respected figure among all factions of the city. But recently, he has come under fire. Mr Joudeh allegedly sold his home to Jewish buyers – a mark of shame among Palestinians forced to contend with Israel’s occupying forces.

Real estate transactions are just one way Israelis are claiming even more land from Palestinians, but recently the Palestinian Authority has taken issue, as Wilson Fache reports from Jerusalem. He speaks to The National's Sofia Barbarani in this week's Beyond the Headlines podcast. 

The collective fear of losing land to settlers dates back to at least 1948, when more than 700,000 Arabs were forcefully displaced, leading the way to the formation of Israel. Today, penalties and ostracization await Palestinians who sell land to Jewish buyers.

We discuss the use of real estate as a weapon of expansion in Israel and the Palestinian citizens who choose to — or are forced — to sell land and homes to Jewish settlers.

How UNICEF is helping children in the Middle East and North Africa

Children in the Middle East face more challenges than almost anywhere else in the world. One in four children in the region are affected by poverty, and in 2017, more than 1,823 children were killed, up from 1,563 in 2016. Armed conflict, instability and the failure of governments to provide education are all factors that have driven 5.7 million children to be out of primary school and another 3.9 million out of secondary. 

However, organisations like Unicef have maintained that they can help solve the problem through simple solutions. We discuss some of those solutions in this week's episode of Beyond the Headlines.

This year, the UN organization spent more than half of its global humanitarian budget in this Middle East and North Africa. The situation is dire, but a lot can still be done.

Geert Cappalaere, Unicef's regional director, tells The National's Naser Al Wasmi what can be done to give the region's 29 million children brighter futures.

What shape will US-Middle East affairs take post-midterm elections?

US President Donald Trump’s Republican party can no longer claim complete control of a two-branch Congress, after his rival Democratic party last week won control of the House of Representatives. The Senate, however, is still controlled by the Republicans.

Newly empowered Democrats are expected to take Trump to task on many issues domestically, but to what extent will Trump's foreign policy be affected? Specifically, how might Trump's agenda in the Middle East change?

We ask an expert on US-Middle Eastern affairs that question and more in this week's episode of Beyond the Headlines.

Danielle Pletka, the senior vice-president for foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, spoke with The National's Naser Al Wasmi, and explained the influence of a Democrat-controlled House of Representatives on Trump's Middle Eastern agenda. Will his tough stance on Iran strengthen or wane? Will new checks to his Republican party hinder the administration's goals for the region?

A tale of two prime ministers in Sri Lanka

There's been political trouble in Sri Lanka over the past two weeks after President Maithripala Sirisena dismissed prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed former president Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place.

It is not clear that the president had the authority to make such a decision though, and Mr Wickremesinghe has refused to vacate the prime minister's residence.

Which has left Sri Lanka in the unusual position of having two men claiming to be prime minister.

Lack of governance for migrants to be ratified by UN in Morocco

More than 10 per cent of the world’s migrant population live in the GCC, making it the highest citizen-to-migrant region in the world. A look at the demographics of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman shows that at least half of the population is non-citizen residents. In 2015, the Arab World as a whole hosted 32 million migrants, who sent home more than 100 billion dollars in remittances. However, despite their heavy presence not only in the Arab countries but around the world, international agreements on migration are practically non-existent.

Louise Arbour, the UN special representative for international migration, joins host Naser Al Wasmi to discuss the upcoming International Conference to Adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in Morrocco this December and how the compact will change migration in this week's episode of Beyond the Headlines.