When the Sudanese city of El Fasher fell to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in late October, the group gained control of the entire Darfur region and areas to the south-west.

Their rivals, the Sudanese armed forces, control the capital Khartoum, as well as the northern, eastern and central areas of the country. The fear now is that Sudan could be divided, as the fighting rages on for a third year.

Amid the violence, it is the civilians who suffer most. Mass atrocities have been reported that may amount to war crimes. Famine has been declared in parts of the country, while millions have been displaced by the conflict.

This episode of Beyond the Headlines documents the humanitarian crisis in the aftermath of the RSF taking control of El Fasher, as civilians seek safety. We hear from Shashwat Saraf, Sudan country director for the Norwegian Refugee Council, and ask The National’s Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi what a diplomatic end to the conflict could look like.

Iraqis are going back to polls this month for the sixth time since the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein more than 20 years ago. It is expected to be one of the most contested elections yet.

Political factions are competing for power, both in parliament and through armed groups, many backed by Iran. Candidates have been accused of making empty promises, of corruption and even of vote-buying.

Many Iraqis are planning to boycott the elections altogether because they say they are fed up with a system that deprives them of basic services and economic opportunities while the state profits.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher discusses the challenges facing Iraq in the November 11 election and what it will mean for millions who have waited too long for democratic change. She speaks to The National’s deputy foreign editor Aveen Karim and Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at Chatham House.

How does the superpower rivalry between the US and China dictate international relations more broadly? And what does it mean for the future of trade, security and development?

How does the superpower rivalry between the US and China dictate international relations more broadly? And what does it mean for the future of trade, security and development?

Lynn Kuok, Lee Kuan Yew chair in South-East Asia Studies at the Brookings Institution, analyses the state of global relations almost a year into the second Donald Trump presidency.

This episode is a collaboration between Beyond the Headlines and Radio Davos, a podcast from the World Economic Forum that looks at how the world is confronting its biggest challenges. It was recorded at the forum's Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils and Cybersecurity in Dubai on October 15.

, analyses the state of global relations almost a year into the second Donald Trump presidency.

This episode is a collaboration between Beyond the Headlines and Radio Davos, a podcast from the World Economic Forum that looks at how the world is confronting its biggest challenges. It was recorded at the forum's Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils and Cybersecurity in Dubai on October 15.

Under US President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan, a yellow line has been traced along the inside of the enclave's land borders. It designates more than half of Gaza as territory controlled by Israel.

Until recently, that line had been completely invisible for Palestinians. The Israeli military has since begun to place large concrete blocks to demarcate the line, but confusion still reigns and there have been incidents of Israeli soldiers firing at people crossing the boundary or approaching the area. The line is supposed to be a temporary measure, but it is the subject of fear among Gazans and raises questions about its purpose.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, guest host Ban Barkawi speaks to Palestinian political analyst Khalil Sayegh and Francesco Schiavi, Middle East analyst and non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute Switzerland.

In Gaza, a fragile ceasefire comes with great uncertainty for the future. In Yemen, the Houthis are abducting humanitarian workers and journalists in a witch hunt for alleged spies. And in Syria, a new and unstable political landscape could go either way.

“It's not easy to build peace. It's much easier to stop a war,” says Martin Griffiths, executive director of Mediation Group International.

The former under secretary general for humanitarian affairs at the UN speaks to The National’s editor-in-chief Mina Al-Oraibi in this special episode of Beyond the Headlines.

They discuss the instrumental role of mediation, not only to resolve conflicts in the Middle East, but to ensure peace will follow. Mr Griffiths draws insights from his decades-long career in the humanitarian field to reflect on current events in the region. He talks about the diplomacy model set by Gulf countries and about opportunities to reform a UN in crisis.

Palestine’s olive harvest season started this month, and quickly became the target of Israeli settler attacks.

A viral video this week showed a mob violently chasing Palestinian olive pickers in an occupied West Bank town north-east of Ramallah. A masked man is seen striking a woman with a club in the field, knocking her to the ground. In another town, farmers trying to harvest their groves were met by gunfire from Israeli soldiers, who are known to offer protection to settlers.

These incidents are not new but the UN has documented a 13 per cent increase in settler attacks this year compared to the same period last year. In addition to violence and vandalism, farmers are now also facing the threat of Israeli annexation.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher speaks to Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and Abbas Milhem, executive director of the Palestinian Farmers' Union. They discuss the recent rise in assaults and the impact of Israel's land grab policies on Palestinian agriculture.

World leaders gathered in Sharm El Sheikh on Monday to sign a declaration of peace in Gaza. But the resurgence of armed militias brings a new threat to the strip. Clashes have broken out between these groups and Hamas security forces in recent days, prompting fears of more violence.

Back in June, a leak forced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to admit Israel was “activating” Palestinian militias. These factions have been accused of looting aid and causing chaos. Now, with a security vacuum in the wake of a weakened Hamas, the question is: who will fill it?

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks at the rise of militias in the enclave and their collision course with Hamas. She speaks to The National’s Gaza correspondent Nagham Mohanna, and Palestinian defence and security journalist, Hamze Attar. They discuss the repercussions of the clashes for Palestinians in a post-war Gaza and what this means for Hamas’s future. 

Palestinians in Gaza took to the streets overnight to celebrate the prospect of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

They welcomed the news of a deal to pause the fighting and release Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The agreement has not yet been signed and it is only the first phase of a peace plan set out by US President Donald Trump. After two years of war, the deal would bring much relief to the enclave.

But there is also scepticism. Israel broke the previous ceasefire in March and Palestinians are fearful that could happen again.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher is joined by The National’s correspondent in Cairo, Hamza Hendawi. They discuss the terms of the agreement, what is missing and what will happen next? 

Almost 70,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war in Gaza began two years ago after Hamas launched its deadly attack on Israel. About 90 per cent of residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed. On average, a child is killed every hour.

The toll taken is often measured in scale and impact, in mass destruction and collective suffering. But this big picture is made up of a mosaic of individual human stories.

Yahya is a young content creator who is making 99 video memories. Some are uplifting, others bittersweet. Abeer is a university lecturer who had to stop teaching; she could no longer bear to see her students suffering.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, Gazans share their experiences as Israel’s war enters its third year – they tell of lives, possessions and property lost, but also describe the enduring power of the human spirit.

US President Donald Trump’s strategy to end the war in Gaza and prepare for the day after has divided opinion.

After two years of failed ceasefire talks, it is the only prospect within reach now that could bring some respite to Palestinians enduring Israel’s relentless war. But it also leaves much to the imagination.

The 20-point list promises a “deradicalised, terror-free” strip without Hamas rule, restoration of aid through the UN and the Red Crescent, and the gradual withdrawal of troops. But other than the release of the hostages, there are no clear timelines for the rest of the plan. It is also unclear how Gaza would not be annexed, as the proposal states, while a security parameter remains in place indefinitely.

While the plan is not perfect, it has received support from Israel as well as western and Arab countries. It is also the closest point to a ceasefire since Israel broke the last one in March.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher speaks to Palestinian Nakba survivor Antoine Raffoul, and to Amr Hamzawy, director of the Carnegie Middle East Programme. They discuss the fine print of Mr Trump’s plan and whether it’s time to end the bloodshed in Gaza, whatever the cost may be.

Editor's note: Beyond the Headlines has been nominated for a Signal Listener's Choice Award in the news and politics category. Please vote for us here. Voting closes on October 9.