Beyond the Headlines

Understanding the war in Yemen; ISIL's last stronghold; Pioneering pilot

This week, Yemen might be approaching the first step towards a peace agreement in the three-year war. We use poetry to understand what that means. Oxford University academic Elisabeth Kendall gives us an idea of how Yemen could be understood through tribal lines. Host Naser Alwasmi speaks to Mina Al Droubi to get an understanding of how ISIL exists in Iraq and how the battle against the caliphate is being used as a political tool for Prime Minister Haidar Al Abadi to guarantee success in the upcoming elections. Finally, in the event of Emirati Women’s Day, we interview Etihad Airways' first female pilot Salma Al Baloushi, a UAE pioneer.

Beyond the Headlines is the current affairs podcast for The National. #yemen #foreign #world #iraq #isil #isis #uae

Why do white supremacists support Bashar al-Assad? Plus, An Emirati girl's space dream comes true, and Pakistan turns 70.

This week, half a million kilograms of rocket fuel launch an Emirati high school student’s experiment into space, as part of the Genes in Space competition. The show features a clip from Alia Al Mansoori during the launch of the shuttle from the Kennedy Space Centre. Also, Joyce Karam tells host, Naser Al Wasmi, how the alt-right and neo-nazis in the United States have found a champion in Syrian dictator Bashaar Al Assad. Finally, Taimur Khan, our Gulf Correspondent, draws from both history and his family’s personal legacy as Pakistan turns 70 and tells us what the future holds for the dynamic country.

Beyond the Headlines is The National's weekly look at current affairs affection the Middle East and abroad.

#News #Politics #MiddleEast #Space #NASA #Pakistan #Foreign #World #Trump #Syria #USA #rasicm #bigotry

What does it mean to be young and Arab?

For International Youth Day, Editor in chief Mina Al Oraibi is joined by a few of The National's resident youngsters -- Mina Al Droubi, Juman Jarallah and Naser Alwasmi -- to discuss what it means to be young and Arab in the UAE. What are the unique challenges? How can the region do more to create opportunity and harnessing potential. They also discuss their hopes for the future and what International Youth Day means to them. A special edition of Beyond the Headlines.

The Torch Part 2: How can the UAE avoid more tower fires?

Episode 6: The Torch tower in Dubai erupted in flames this week, the second time one of the world's tallest residential buildings has done so in little over a year. The National's Ramola Talwar tells Naser Al Wasmi how new UAE building standards might help avoid fires like the one that happened in one of the world’s largest residential buildings last week. On Qatar, Mishaal Al Gergawi, the founder of Delma Institute, talks about the irreparable damage the crisis might be causing to the idea and the identity of an Arabian Gulf national. And finally, Jo Tan, an editor at The National, interviews a former Singaporean diplomat on how Golf and a tropical beach shaped ASEAN.

Mosul after liberation; Brexit; sand golf

Beyond the Headlines Episode 5: This week, Naser Al Wasmi, is joined by Florian Neuhof to discuss the other side of what life is like in Mosul since its liberation. London Bureau Chief Damien MCelroy visits the Abu Dhabi newsroom and talks about where he thinks the UK is going. And John Dennehy joins the show to shed light on one of the last places to play the rare sport, Sand Golf.

Turkey takes turn as Qatar-crisis mediator: Beyond the Headlines Ep 4

The National's current affairs podcast, where this week host Naser Alwasmi is joined by experts on Turkey and Kuwait as the Middle East nations each had their share of headlines. In Abu Dhabi, Eman Abd el Aty - once known as the world's heaviest woman - is on the road to recovery. Nick Webster has the story.

G20 body language, Qatar latest, hot fish: Episode 2

Actions speak louder than words sometimes. So what can be gleaned from the actions at this week's G20 summit? In Qatar, the Riyadh leaks have enforced the GCC region's diplomatic boycott. And how does the hot weather affect local fishermen in the UAE? Naser Alwasmi, Anna Pukas, Joyca Karam and Anna Zacharias discuss. #g20 #news #politics #germany #trump #putin #merkel #environment #qatar #uae

Beyond the Headlines, Episode 1

Welcome to Beyond the Headlines, a new weekly podcast from The National. This week join Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi as she talks through some of the big stories of the week with Assistant Editor-in-Chief Mustafa Alrawi and Naser Al Wasmi from our Foreign Desk.