Iran: The Latest

As the Hamas-Israel ceasefire deal comes into effect, we speak with Jotam Confino to hear why he thinks the deal is unlikely to hold and why Israelis are angry with Netanyahu’s government. We also hear from Rosalia Bollen, UNICEF Communications Specialist, who describes the scale of the humanitarian challenge in the Gaza strip where 1. 8 million people are in urgent need of emergency shelter, food and essential household items. Plus: on Donald Trump's first day back in the White House, Brussels correspondent Joe Barnes examines just what he wants from the world, and whether he'll get it. Contact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey discuss the Gaza ceasefire, how the deal happened and what it means for Israel, Hamas, and the world. Plus: reactions from Ruwaida Amer on the ground in Gaza and from Gil Dickmann, the cousin of Carmel Gat, one of the hostages killed by Hamas.Contact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The former British Army colonel and chemical weapons expert tells Venetia Rainey about his recent trip to Syria, his optimism about the country’s future, and the efforts to find the evidence of Assad’s use of chemical weapons. Plus: Can negotiators get a Gaza ceasefire deal over the line before Donald Trump’s inauguration next Monday? Contact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With no end in sight to conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar and many more places, 2025 promises to be at least as tumultuous as last year. So what is the biggest threat to security for Britain, and its Western allies? From complacency and our underfunded army to China and Russia, we get the views of Alicia Kearns MP, former chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and now Shadow Minister for National Security; General Lord Richard Dannatt, former head of the British army; and John Bolton, former foreign security advisor to Donald Trump and ambassador to the UN.Contact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In late December Israeli forces raided the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, forcibly evacuating its wards of patients and medical staff and arresting the hospital’s prominent director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya. Venetia Rainey catches up with The Telegraph’s Middle East correspondent Jotam Confino to find out more.Plus: the inside track on a migrant smuggling network that reaches from Afghanistan’s Herat to the French port of Calais. Our foreign correspondent Akhtar Makoii infiltrated the network for The Telegraph. Contact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On another special episode of Battle Lines, Roland Oliphant and guests look at the war memoir. How have war memoirs shaped our understanding of wars? Has the art and the role of the memoir changed over time? And will the ones written today similarly influence how future generations will remember the wars of our time?ContributorsFrancis Dearnley (The Telegraph’s Assistant Comment Editor)Dr. Matilda Greig (Historian at the National Army Museum in London, specialising in the Napoleonic period)Colin Freeman (Journalist and author)'Dead Men Telling Tales, Napoleonic War Veterans and the Military Memoir Industry, 1808-1914' by Matilda Greig, is available here:https://global.oup.com/academic/product/dead-men-telling-tales-9780192896025?cc=es&lang=en'Curse of the Al Dulaimi Hotel : And Other Half-Truths from Baghdad', by Colin Freeman, is available here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Curse-Al-Dulaimi-Hotel-Half-Truths/dp/1906308020 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special end of year episode, Roland Oliphant is joined by The Telegraph's Chief Film Critic Robbie Collin to look back at the best war films of the year. Plus: Are we seeing an era of growing conflict reflected on film? And what do the films we make say about our attitudes to these unsettling times? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In another special episode looking back at history, Venetia Rainey talks with the author of ‘Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs’, a book that came highly recommended by David Knowles. It’s a new look at how the Aztecs dealt with internal conflict, how they lost the war with the Spanish, and how history has misremembered them.'Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs’, by Camilla Townsend, is available here:https://global.oup.com/ukhe/product/fifth-sun-9780197577660  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special episode of Battle Lines, Roland Oliphant and guests tackle the late David Knowles’ favourite conversational gambit: Who is your favourite of Napoleon’s Marshals? As they ponder their own choice they look back at who the generals were, what made them ‘great’, and why they continue to capture the imagination.ContributorsFrancis Dearnley (The Telegraph’s Assistant Comment Editor)Dr. Matilda Greig (Historian at the National Army Museum in London, specialising in the Napoleonic period.Dr. Zack White (historian and host of 'The Napoleonic Wars Podcast')The Napoleonic & Revolutionary War Graves CharityTo learn more about the charity that aims to provide similar care to the dead of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars to that we see from more recent conflicts, visit:https://www.nrwgc.com/'Napoleonic Objects and their Afterlives', edited by Matilda Greig, is available here:https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/napoleonic-objects-and-their-afterlives-9781350415072/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As mysterious drone sightings near US military bases continue to unsettle anxious citizens, we look into what a new drone age means for the future of warfare. The flying objects have been defining the battlefield for a while, dominating the wars in Ukraine, Sudan and the Middle East. But now, with the advent of Artificial Intelligence, anyone can build an autonomous killer drone. So could this herald a new age of assassinations and mass destruction? How can it be controlled? And can it be kept out of the wrong hands?The Telegraph’s Arthur Scott-Geddes tells Roland Oliphant how he turned a toy into an assassination device and why more conversation around containing this technology is needed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first episode of our special holiday series taking a left-field look at conflict and war, we hear personal stories from two countries that have had to grapple with multiple crises in recent years: Lebanon and Afghanistan. Journalist Sune Engel Rasmussen lived and worked in Afghanistan for nearly a decade. He spent hundreds of hours interviewing everyone from Taliban fighters to female activists for his book “Twenty Years: Hope, War, and the Betrayal of an Afghan Generation”   He talks about the lasting impact of America’s post 9/11 invasion in 2001 on young Afghans and how the Taliban managed to make such a startling comeback.Plus: Victoria Lupton, founder and CEO of charity Seenaryo on how Lebanon is faring post-ceasefire deal and their film Tilka, which follows five women navigating the collapse of the country prior to the war. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode we speak to Farouq Habib from Syria’s White Helmets about returning to his home city of Homs for the first time in over a decade. He tells us about the devastation Bashar al-Assad wreaked across Syria, and how the country can heal now that the regime has fallen. Plus: The Telegraph’s senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan has been on the Turkish-Syrian border. She’s been speaking to refugees excited to finally be able to go back, but also to Turkish Alawites who continue to have an affinity for Assad. ReadSyrians stream across border from Turkey as guards open crossings, by Sophia Yan:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/10/syrians-flood-across-border-from-turkey-open-crossings/It’s too soon to return to Syria – its new rulers were al-Qaeda members just a few years ago, by Abdulrahman Bdiwi:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/10/first-person-too-soon-go-back-syria-al-qaeda-few-years-ago/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Within the space of 10 days, opposition forces have toppled the Assad regime, ending five decades of the family’s authoritarian rule. In the streets of Damascus, Hama, Homs and Aleppo, Syrians are celebrating, saying this is a new dawn for their country. Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant discuss how we got here, and what happens next. Plus: renowned war photographer Paul Conroy shares his reflections on the fall of Assad, nearly 13 years after the Syrian regime injured him and killed his colleague veteran reporter Marie Colvin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roland Oliphant speaks with The Telegraph’s senior correspondent Sophia Yan about her analysis of satellite images showing Russia ramping up its military presence in the African state. Plus: The Telegraph’s James Rothwell on how children are being recruited to carry out gang killings in Sweden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How has a Syrian rebel lightning offensive managed to seize Aleppo from Bashar al-Assad's regime? Who are the leaders, Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham? And could it reignite the civil war? Venetia Rainey is joined by Dr Haid Haid, Syrian columnist and consulting fellow at Chatham House, to answer all those questions and more.Plus: an Israeli conscientious objector tells her story of why she spent three months in prison for refusing to serve her compulsory military service. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode we get two rare insides from the ground. Our team of reporters just returned from the frontline in Kharkiv and Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council witnessed the humanitarian crisis unravelling in Sudan as a result of the ongoing war. Venetia Rainey catches up with both of them.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lebanon and Hezbollah have struck a ceasefire deal - but how will it work and is Gaza next? For this emergency podcast, Venetia Rainey is joined by Maya Gebeily, Reuters Beirut Bureau Chief, and Jotam Confino, The Telegraph’s correspondent in Israel, to take the temperature on the ground. Plus, as thousands of displaced people in both Lebanon and Israel return home to survey the damage of 14 months of war, we look at why the deal is being treated with caution on both sides. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One year on from the last Gaza hostage deal, Venetia Rainey speaks with Sharone Lifschitz, whose father was kidnapped on October 7th and is still being held hostage by Hamas. We also hear from Amani Ahmed, a Palestinian academic from Gaza, who was at the University of Edinburgh when the war began and after a long ordeal managed to be reunited with her family. Plus: an update of the last week's big news stories from the Middle East, including the ICC arrest warrants, Israel's attempt to assassinate another senior Hezbollah official, and Lebanon ceasefire talks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roland Oliphant is joined by The Telegraph’s Sarah Newey to talk about her interview with one of the international combatants fighting in Myanmar’s brutal civil war. Plus: as violence escalates in Haiti, MSF are suspending activities in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince until further notice. We hear from their head of mission about the decision and what the mood is like on the ground. ContributorsRoland Oliphant (Host)Sarah Newey (Global Health Security Correspondent)Christophe Garnier (MSF’s Head of Mission in Haiti) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Con Coughlin, the Telegraph’s defence and foreign affairs editor, joins Venetia Rainey to discuss Israel’s strike on Hezbollah’s spokesman Mohammad Afif, the pope’s calls for an investigation into potential genocide in Gaza and how the geopolitical landscape might shift under Donald Trump’s new cabinet. Plus: Sir Keir Starmer’s upcoming meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping.ContributorsVenetia RaineyCon Coughlin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, President-elect Donald Trump made key appointments to his diplomatic and security cabinet. What do his picks for Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and Director of National Intelligence reveal about the direction of his foreign policy? In this episode, we take a closer look at the backgrounds and ideologies of these key figures and explore the potential impact on global issues, from the war in Ukraine to the conflict in Gaza and the US-China relationship. Plus: who might the British government choose to send as its next ambassador to Washington?ContributorsRoland OliphantTony Diver Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israel has said there is progress in talks about a ceasefire and indicated Russia could play a part. On today’s episode of Battle Lines, Venetia and Roland look at what this means and go over the latest news updates from around the region, including a voicenote from an aid worker fleeing northern Gaza and meetings between Iran and Saudi Arabia.They also chat to Reuters’ Beirut Bureau Chief Maya Gebeily about how Lebanese politicians and citizens are coping with the fighting, what is behind Israel’s increasing attacks on Syria, and why the conflict in Lebanon is her most difficult reporting assignment yet.ContributorsVenetia RaineyRoland OliphantMaya Gebeily (Reuters Beirut bureau chief) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What will Trump's second term look like? On today's episode of Battle Lines we discuss Donald Trump's re-election and its implications for both the US and the wider world.ContributorsRoland Oliphant (Host)Robert Mendick (Chief Reporter)Edward Arnold (Senior Research Fellow at RUSI) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Iran preparing another attack on Israel? On today's episode of Battle Lines we discuss what's next for Iran as they look to retaliate for recent strikes from Israel. Plus we hear from Kamal Mouzawak, a Lebanese social entrepreneur who runs a community kitchen to help displaced Lebanese.ContributorsVenetia RaineyRoland OliphantKamal Mouzawak Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of Battle Lines we speak to Deputy US Editor Rozina Sabur to find out what the mood is like on the ground before the US election. Then we talk to the directors of a new documentary, War Game, which had former US government officials simulate a contested election that led to insurgents taking the capital.ContributorsVenetia Rainey (Host)Rozina Sabur (Deputy US Editor)Tony Gerber (director of War Games)Jesse Moss (director of War Games) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How will Iran respond to Israel's attack? On today's episode of Battle Lines we'll update you on everything you need to know about Israel's retaliatory strike on Iran. We'll also be chatting to Karin Huster, a Médecins Sans Frontières doctor in Gaza to get an in depth look at what's really going on in the north of the Strip amidst Israel's ongoing siege.Contributors Venetia RaineyRoland OliphantKarin Huster Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of Battle Lines we check in with Russia correspondent James Kilner about why dozens of world leaders are meeting in Russia and what it says about Vladimir Putin's plans for a new world order. Then we chat to East Asia correspondent Nicola Smith about how North Korean troops in Ukraine could have major implications in the Western Pacific. ContributorsRoland OliphantJames KilnerNicola Smith Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who will lead Hamas now that Yahya Sinwar has been killed? On today's episode we get the latest from the Middle East including the significance of the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Hezbollah's attempted assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We also talk to our veteran defense and foreign affairs editor, Con Coughlin, about his time in Beirut reporting on the war with Israel back in 1984. ContributorsVenetia RaineyBen FarmerCon Coughlin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is China threatening to take action in Taiwan? On today's episode of Battle Lines we'll be looking at China's aggressive war games around Taiwan and what it tells us about their plans to 'reunify' the island with the mainland. Plus, a behind the scenes look at a British royal's trip to the Sudanese-Chad border.ContributorsVenetia Rainey (Host)Nicola Smith (Asia correspondent) Henry Bodkin (Senior reporter)Just 10 miles from a war zone, the Duchess of Edinburgh finds a ‘complete atrocity’ by Henry Bodkin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why does Netanyahu want UN peacekeepers removed from Lebanon and what does the strengthening of ties between Russia and Iran mean for the war in Gaza? On today's special bonus episode of Battle Lines we update you on the latest from the Middle East with our hosts Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant.ContributorsVenetia RaineyRoland Oliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Israel's conflict with Iran go nuclear? On today's episode, we speak to foreign correspondent Ben Farmer for the latest updates from Lebanon, where Israel is expanding its ground offensive against Hezbollah. Then we speak to US academic Henry Sokolski about fears a direct conflict between Israel and Iran could escalate to a nuclear war. ContributorsRoland Oliphant (Host)Ben Farmer (Telegraph contributor)Henry Sokolski (Executive Director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode of Battle Lines, Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan checks back in on year later with two friends, Adam Ben-Shabbat and Nadim Tali, who grew up in a village known as the 'Oasis of Peace'. This village, situated between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, is the only village in Israel where Palestinians and Jewish Israelis choose to live together. How is the village dealing with the ongoing war and how do the two friends feel things have changed?Contributors:Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @sophia_yan on X.Adam Ben-ShabbatNadim TaliReadDispatch: Inside the only place in Israel where Jews and Arabs choose to live together by Sophia Yan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One year on from the Hamas massacre of October 7, Israel is still struggling to recover from the trauma of that day. We share three different Israeli perspectives: Telegraph correspondent Jotam Confino, who has reported on the shifts in Israeli society and politics; Yifat Zailer, whose cousin Shiri Bibas is still being held hostage along with her two red-headed young children and husband; and Joel Carmel, a former IDF soldier who examines the reality of the Israeli military's methods through his work for advocacy group Breaking the Silence.ContributorsVenetia Rainey (Host)Jotam Confino (Telegraph correspondent)Yifat Zailer (relative of Israeli hostages)Joel Carmel (Breaking the Silence Advocacy Director, former IDF solider) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How will Israel respond to Iran's historic missile attack? On today’s emergency episode of Battle Lines we speak to the Telegraph’s Paul Nuki who was in Tel Aviv as Iran launched 180 missiles at Israel. We’re also joined by the Telegraph’s Adrian Blomfield to discuss Israel’s invasion of Lebanon and what comes next.Contributors Venetia Rainey (Host)Paul Nuki (Global Health Security EditorAdrian Blomfield (Telegraph contributor)I dodged death on historic day for Israel and Middle East by Paul Nuki Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this emergency episode of Battle Lines we get the latest on the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah. What does this mean for Iran's 'axis of resistance' and will this be the tipping point of a full-scale war throughout the region?ContributorsVenetia Rainey (Host)Roland Oliphant (Senior foreign correspondent)Adrian Blomfield (Telegraph contributor)Paul Nuki (Global Health Security editor) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of Battle Lines we speak to the Telegraph's Adrian Blomfield in Beirut, and photographer Heathcliff O'Malley in Tel Aviv about the possibility of a ground war in Lebanon. The Israeli Defense Forces top general has told his troops to be ready to enter Lebanon to fight Hezbollah on their own turf for the first time since 2006. While American diplomats rush to broker a ceasefire, the Middle East stands on the brink of unlikely peace or an even bloodier war.ContributorsRoland Oliphant (Host)Adrian Blomfield (Telegraph contributor)Heathcliff O'Malley (Telegraph photographer)ReadSchools turn to shelters as thousands flee across Lebanon by Adrian Blomfield Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode we have a special round table with co-hosts Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant who are joined by senior foreign correspondent, Sophia Yan. We'll be talking about the attack on Hezbollah, what it's like reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the challenges of being a foreign correspondent.ContributorsVenetia RaineyRoland OliphantSophia Yan ReadLong arm of China looms over one of the world’s last Uyghur bookshops by Sophia Yan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sudan has suffered a brutal conflict that has killed nearly 20,000 people, displaced over 10 million, and left around 25 million facing acute hunger. Sudan's cities have been turned into battlefields. Fighting has been marked by mass rape and murder, hospitals have been attacked, one in five people have now fled their homes, and cholera is on the rise.The scale of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan far outstrips Gaza and Ukraine, yet it receives almost no attention. So how did things get so bad? Why isn't it being covered more? And is there any prospect of peace? ContributorsVenetia RaineyAsil SidahmedBasma KhalifaDr Jennifer HulseResources to find out more about the war in Sudan and how you can help:https://x.com/MadaniyaSDGhttps://linktr.ee/londonforsudanhttps://x.com/khartoumkitchen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode we pay tribute to David Knowles, creator of Battle Lines. David tragically passed away at the age of 32 on September 8th, 2024. We've put together some highlights of David's brilliant work for the Battle Lines Podcast. You can leave a message of condolence on David's obituary page using the link below.David Knowles, journalist behind Telegraph’s Ukraine war podcast, dies aged 32Battle Lines: A war reporter reacts to the film ‘Civil War’Battle Lines: Could Iran be due for yet another revolution?Battle Lines: Naval lessons from the Black Sea & how China’s enormous new invasion mothership rewrites the rules of warBattle Lines: 'If there is one Hamas guy without a right arm, but with his left hand makes a victory sign – we lost'Battle Lines: The future of the Israel-Gaza war & the geopolitics of the Olympic GamesBattle Lines: 'The children ask me, Santa, are you coming, despite the war?' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Battle Lines we speak to Middle East correspondent Jotam Confino for the latest updates from Israel, where Israelis took to the streets as Hamas executed more hostages. Then, we speak to our Europe editor James Crisp on the rise of the far right in Germany.Contributors David Knowles (Host)Jotam Confino (Middle East correspondent)James Crisp (Europe Editor) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine has stunned the world in the Black Sea, pushing back the Russian fleet and sinking numerous vessels. Is it really true that drones have fundamentally changed war at sea? And what is happening in China, where the production of new military vessels is dwarfing the efforts of Western countries? We spoke to former Royal Navy officer Tom Sharp to find out more.ContributorsDavid KnowlesTom Sharp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we discuss the biggest Israeli military operation in the West Bank since the Second Intifada and Hezbollah's rocket attack against Israel. We also take a trip into the skies above Gaza with one of our reporters for a rare bird's eye glimpse into the territory. Plus, an al Qaeda linked group has been accused of murdering hundreds of people in Burkina Faso. We discuss jihadists and the security situation in the Sahel region.ContributorsVenetia RaineySophia YanBen Farmer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Battle Lines we speak to Tony Diver about his conversation with families of the Israeli hostages who are desperate for a ceasefire deal. Then we speak to Akhtar Makoii who reports on the Taliban soldiers longing for a battle. ContributorsRoland Oliphant (Host)Tony Diver (US editor)Akhtar MakoiiRead‘Sitting in an office is boring’: Taliban soldiers long for war by Akhtar Makoii Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this bonus episode of Battle Lines we talk to Peter Schwartzstein, author of the upcoming book The Heat and the Fury. From ISIS training grounds in Iraq to the pirate-ridden waters of Bangladesh Peter discovers the unexpected ways in which climate change is feeding global unrest and conflict. ContributorsVenetia Rainey (Host)Peter Schwartzstein (Author, The Heat and the Fury)Pre-order The Heat and the Fury HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode, Global Health Editor Paul Nuki joins me from Tel Aviv to report on the mammoth diplomatic effort to avert a full scale war between Israel and Iran. Then we talk to Associate Editor Dominic Nicholls about Ukraine's operation in Kursk, the first foreign incursion into Russia since the Second World War and how it could tip the balance of the conflict in Ukraine.ContributorsRoland Oliphant (Senior Foreign Correspondent, Host)Paul Nuki (Global Health Security Editor) Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor Defense) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Battle Lines, we look at how Israel is preparing for a possible war with Iran and a deep dive into how Hamas fights with Middle East Correspondent Jotam Confino. We also pop over to Paris to talk to the Telegraph's Henry Samuel's and see how the French have been covering the riots and what advice they would give the UK. Plus we get an explainer of the political turmoil in Bangladesh with Sarah Newey.ContributorsVenetia Rainey (Host)Jotam Confino (Middle East correspondent)Henry Samuels (Paris correspondent)Sarah Newey (Global Health Security correspondent)ReadHow Hamas fights by Jotam Confino Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Battle Lines we look at the assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders in the Middle East that are raising fears of a wider war throughout the region amid chaos in the state of Israel. Then we look at the controversial Venezuelan elections that President Maduro claims to have won despite a disputed outcome. ContributorsDavid Knowles (Host)Venetia Rainey (Host)James Rothwell (Berlin correspondent) Paul Nuki (Global Health Security Editor)Simeon Tegel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The tyrant was once thought to be an endangered species. From Vladimir Putin to Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un, there is a new generation of leaders for life. But are they as strong as they look? Marcel Dirsus has written a book looking at that exact question. How tyrants fall. Is there a way to help them along the way? And is it always a good idea to do so?ContributorsRoland OliphantMarcel Dirsus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode we examine the situation in Gaza and Israel, asking whether the war could spread beyond its current limits. Then, with the opening ceremony of Paris 2024 just a few hours away, we look at the links between geopolitics, identity, and the Olympic Games throughout historyContributorsDavid Knowles (Host)David Hearst (Editor in Chief, Middle East Eye)Professor Matthew Andrews (University of North Carolina) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's special episode of Battle Lines we speak to International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi. As China rapidly expands its nuclear arsenal and Iran inches closer to a bomb than ever before, Raphael Grossi is possibly the individual most responsible for holding it together. We asked him how dangerous this moment really is, how scared we should be and what, if anything, we can do about it.ContributorsRoland Oliphant (Host)Rafael Grossi (IAEA) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.