Beyond the Headlines The National News

Air-raid alerts going off in Israel, many airports in the Middle East closed, flights delayed, the airspace over Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon shut down. That was Saturday night in the region as Iran launched its first major attack on Israel with around 300 drones and missiles.Most of the projectiles - launched in response to the April 1 strike on Iran’s embassy in Damascus that killed two general from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - were shot down before they even reached their targets. But Israel’s top general said immediately after the attack that the country will respond.In this week’s Beyond The Headlines, host Nada AlTaher breaks down the current stand-off between Israel and Iran with senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, Hussein Ibish, and looks at the prospects for Israel’s retaliation.

It’s been almost a year since the war in Sudan broke out, bringing with it death, displacement and a humanitarian disaster.
As the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group continue their deadly power struggle, civilians bear the brunt of the violence and instability gripping the nation.
The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. More than 8.5 million people have been displaced, with many seeking refuge in neighbouring Egypt, Chad and South Sudan. Around 18 million of Sudan's 48 million people are acutely food insecure, and less than 5 per cent of the population can afford a full meal.
In this week's episode of Beyond The Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks at the military battle for control of Sudan – and the civilians paying the price.

Social media has redefined the way people are experiencing the war in Gaza, with citizens and regular users alike playing a crucial role in sharing minute-by-minute updates from the region.
Israel's continuous bombardment of Gaza for six months now since the October 7 attack by Hamas has propelled numerous activists to the forefront, utilising social media to shed light on the harrowing realities of the suffering.
Recent developments such as Instagram's restrictions on political content, which has not yet been implemented in some parts of the Middle East, and algorithms prioritising specific content for public safety, have sparked concerns about stifling news organisations that provide around-the-clock coverage.
In this week’s Beyond The Headlines, Thoraya Abdullahi looks at the role of social media in the current conflict, speaking to digital consultant at Financial Times Strategies Ben Whitelaw and social media influencer Rahma Zein.

This week, the UN Security Council passed a resolution – for the first time since the Israel-Gaza war began in October – demanding an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan.
Hours later, more than 50 people were killed by Israeli air strikes on the Palestinian enclave, bringing the death toll to more than 32,000 people – over 80 per cent of them women and children.
Washington's criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza has grown sharper recently. The US abstained from Monday's Security Council vote, allowing it to pass. In reaction, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a planned trip to the US capital.
So, what is the significance of this UN resolution? How binding is it? Who can make sure it takes effect? And is this a pivotal moment in the Israel-Gaza war, as it approaches its seventh month?
In this week’s Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher considers all of this as she speaks to former US ambassador to Yemen Gerald Feierstein, who also served as a diplomat in several other countries in the region, and The National’s UN correspondent Adla Massoud.

After almost six months of war and more than 31,000 deaths in Gaza, ceasefire talks resumed in Doha this week as Hamas, Israel and mediators discussed the details of a potential future deal.
Meanwhile, during his visit to the Middle East, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said his country had submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council calling for an “immediate ceasefire linked to the release of hostages” in Gaza.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu has said he remains committed to an incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, despite clear objections from US President Joe Biden.
In this week’s Beyond the Headlines, host Nada Altaher examines the prospects for a ceasefire, the details of any proposals, and the stumbling blocks in place.

Ramadan is typically a time of spiritual reflection, self-discipline and community bonding for Muslims around the world. But for millions of people in the Arab region, Ramadan this year is defined by violence and uncertainty.
 




On top of that, the Middle East is amidst one of its worst food crises in recent years, according to the UN’s World Food Programme. About 40 million of the region’s 400 million people now face acute food insecurity, with 11 million unable to find enough food for their families each day.




But this does not stop some families from coming together to break their fast, revive the Ramadan spirit, and share whatever they have with one another.
 




In this week’s episode of Beyond The Headlines, host Thoraya Abdullahi takes a look at how Muslims observe Ramadan amid security threats, and delves into the different experiences in conflict zones, featuring voices from Sudan, Syria and Lebanon.