Beyond the Headlines podcast: Cholera on the decline in Yemen, the 100th anniversary of the Balfour declaration, and political drama in Kuwait

Listen to our discussion on the big issues from the region during the past week

In the recovery tent of the cholera treatment centre at the Qaeda hospital, MSF health promotion team teaches former patients and caretakers some good practices to avoid cholera. Here, patients are taught the best way to wash their hands. Al Thawra hospital / Qaeda / Ibb Governorate.
Powered by automated translation

Cholera, as it looked to threaten and plunge Yemen into the worst pandemic since Ebola, is on the decline. The drop coincides with the end of the rainy season but could be back for another bout if medical facilities in the Middle East’s poorest country fail to improve.

As a result, Doctor's Without Borders has decided to scale down its cholera treatment centres, and Dr Caroline Seguin, the Yemen cell manager, spoke to us on how cholera, a failure in the medical system, and rampant mental trauma has gripped the country.

Meanwhile, its been a century since the Balfour Declaration saw the UK give Palestinian land to Jewish settlers. Ben Lynfield spoke to both sides to see how they viewed the decree, which resulted in the creation of a Zionist state, and is viewed by some as the legacy of the British Empire looking to remedy a shifting power dynamic in the Middle East post-WWI.

And in Kuwait, the government has submitted its resignation following a dramatic session in parliament last week. Courtney Freer, researcher at the London School of Economics Kuwait programme, explains why this matters for the country.