Battle Lines
The Telegraph
Battle Lines is The Telegraph’s defence, security and foreign affairs podcast. It offers expert analysis and on-the-ground reporting from around the world, everywhere from China and the United States to the Middle East and Europe.Three times a week, veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey bring you on-the-ground dispatches from the world’s most volatile regions and informed analysis from world-class experts.Every Wednesday on Battle Lines x Global Health Security they’re joined by Arthur Scott-Geddes to look at the intersection between health and security, from bioweapons to warzone diseases to frontline medicine. You can watch these episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVCaWbKZbRUi1KVej5VziwNyWhether it’s the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Gaza conflict, Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, tensions between India and Pakistan, or the civil war in Sudan, Battle Lines covers the world’s most critical flashpoints with depth and clarity.When will China invade Taiwan? Can Donald Trump bring peace to the Middle East? What should Europe do to help Ukraine beat Russia? Is Iran building a nuclear bomb? What is the point of NATO? Can the United Kingdom still defend itself? Created by David Knowles, Battle Lines answers all these questions and more, bringing together the best of The Telegraph’s international, geopolitical, and conflict reporting in one place.Don’t forget to follow and leave a review to stay updated on the latest in global conflict and foreign affairs.Battle Lines: Global Health Security is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 20, 2025 • 35min
China just proved it can cripple the US military in days. Now Trump is furious
Neha Mukherjee, an analyst at Benchmark Minerals, and Samuel Olsen, a risk analyst from Sibylline, dive into the shocking reality of China's grip on rare earth minerals. They explain how these elements power vital military tech, like fighter jets and missiles. With China's recent export controls, both guests outline the vulnerabilities in the West's supply chain, the consequences of a Taiwan conflict, and the long road ahead for rebuilding defenses. Their insights reveal a geopolitical battle that could reshape global power dynamics without a single shot fired.
31 snips
Oct 17, 2025 • 37min
I hunted Russian submarines: this is how to beat Putin's navy
Tom Sharpe, a former Royal Navy commander with expertise in hunting submarines, shares his insights on the Russian submarine Novorossiysk and NATO's response. He explains the routine of diesel-electric subs surfacing for recharging, dispelling myths about their distress. Tom discusses the reliability of Russian reports and the overall state of their navy, emphasizing the growing threat posed by modern Russian submarines. He also touches on the implications of drone warfare and the need for naval adaptation in this evolving landscape.
Oct 15, 2025 • 28min
Global Health Security: Could War Spark the Next Pandemic?
Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, brings his expertise in infectious diseases to the discussion. He explores how war zones can propagate diseases, referencing the historical connection between conflict and pandemics. Topics include the threat of 'Disease X' in current conflicts, the rise of antimicrobial resistance due to wartime conditions, and how disruptions in healthcare amplify risks. Amesh emphasizes the need for better preparedness, warning that political divides could leave us vulnerable to the next outbreak.
Oct 13, 2025 • 55min
I caught Chinese spies: Trump's FBI forced me out
China isn’t just spying — many Western security officials believe it’s waging a full-blown, whole-of-government campaign against the West. From hacking our systems to manipulating elections and social media, Beijing’s playing the long game to undermine Britain, America, and their allies. We speak to former FBI agent Michael Feinberg who quit under very controversial circumstances — he lifts the lid on how China’s outsmarting the FBI, America, and the entire Western intelligence machine. Rooted in centuries of pride and grievance, he says that China sees itself on a divine mission to topple Western dominance. And while our governments talk tough, we’ve tied ourselves to China economically — a dangerous bind.► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditorCredits: Steven McDowell / Science Photo Library RFhttps://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 10, 2025 • 39min
Could Britain survive a Russia-style drone onslaught?
In this explosive episode of Battle Lines, Venetia Rainey is asking the question everyone else is too afraid to: is Britain ready for a Russian-style drone onslaught? Drones have been spotted across Europe — Poland, Germany, Denmark, Belgium — sparking fears of a new kind of hybrid war. Could the UK defend itself if those drones turned up on our shores? To find out, Venetia is joined by ex-RAF pilot and CEO of FlyBy Technology, Jon Parker, and The Telegraph's senior foreign correspondent, Memphis Barker. Their verdict? Britain’s readiness score — a pitiful two or three out of ten. This is a wake-up call.Read Memphis' Wales drone dispatch:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/14/britains-best-attack-drones-are-stuck-chasing-sheep/► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditorCredits: Mariusz Burcz / Alamy Stock Photohttps://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
10 snips
Oct 6, 2025 • 45min
Inside Gaza City: How Hamas Survived and What Next
Join Henry Bodkin, The Telegraph's Jerusalem correspondent, who shares vivid insights from his embed in Gaza City, revealing the resilience of Hamas and the challenges for Israeli forces. Dalia Horn speaks passionately about her brother-in-law, a hostage in Gaza, and the emotional toll on families desperately campaigning for their return. Adam Ben-Shabat discusses the strain on friendships between Israelis and Palestinians, expressing both moral dilemmas and hopes for peace amidst the chaos.
Oct 3, 2025 • 24min
Battleships, boot camps and 'the enemy within': Trump and Hegseth's war on the US military
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump delivered extraordinary speeches to top military generals this week, declaring a war on the "enemy within" and signaling a radical transformation of the US armed forces.To decode what it all means, Roland Oliphant speaks with Mark Cancian, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former Marine Corps colonel. Are American soldiers lazier than before? Is there any chance the US Navy will start building battleships again? And how significant is Trump's call for cities to be used as "training grounds"?They also discuss the ongoing redrafting of the National Defense Strategy and what it means for America's allies and enemies.https://linktr.ee/BattleLines Contact us with feedback or ideas: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey @RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 29, 2025 • 54min
'This is not a genocide': ex-Israeli military lawyer explains why the UN is wrong
Today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss bringing an end to the conflict in Gaza. Last week, he was giving a fiery speech at the UN General Assembly denying the accusation of genocide levelled at Israel following a UN report. In response to an earlier Battle Lines interview with one of the report's authors, Venetia gets the other side of the argument with Dr. Eran Shamir-Borer, a former head of the International Law Department in the Israel Defense Forces and part of Israel's team at the International Court of Justice defending the country's against a genocide case there. He is now director of the Center for Security and Democracy at the Israel Democracy Institute and shares his legal perspective on why the UN Commission of Inquiry's report was wrong and Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza. Plus he discusses how Hamas' operating tactics makes the Gaza war one of the most morally and legally complex in modern history.https://linktr.ee/BattleLines Contact us with feedback or ideas: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey @RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 26, 2025 • 40min
The Rise and Fall of the 'Trump of the Tropics' & Moldova's existential election
One of the darling's of the global populist movement, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, has recently been sentenced to over 27 years in prison in his native country. So what does that tell us about the possible fortunes for other political leaders of the same ilk across the globe, and where does the South American country go from here?Roland hears from the Telegraph's senior foreign correspondent Adrian Blomfield, who has just returned from Brazil, about his meeting with Bolsonaro's wife and the extraordinary phenomenon of one of the world's largest Catholic majority countries being set to become majority Evangelical Christian in the coming years.Also in the programme, Roland speaks to Moldovan policy analyst Andrei Curăraru about the country's historic parliamentary elections this Sunday, and how Russia is trying to influence the result.Read Adrian Blomfield's interview with Mrs Bolsonaro: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/24/michelle-bolsonaro-rise-like-lioness-husband-languish-jail/https://linktr.ee/BattleLines Contact us with feedback or ideas: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey @RolandOliphantSign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 22, 2025 • 40min
Why the UN is in crisis, plus the death of the two-state solution
Is the UN still relevant? The organisation faces numerous unresolved conflicts, a cash crisis, deep polarisation among its members, a bloated bureaucracy and the waning interest of its biggest backer, the US.Venetia Rainey speaks to Richard Gowan, veteran UN watcher and UN director for the US think tank International Crisis Group. He says the body is “rotting from the top” and questions if parts of it will survive another 10 years.Plus, a wave of Western countries including the UK, Canada, France and Australia have recognised the state of Palestine in the hope of preserving the two-state solution. But that option is long dead, according to The Telegraph's chief foreign affairs commentator, David Blair.Read David Blair's analysis: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/20/starmers-middle-east-madness-in-recognising-palestine/https://linktr.ee/BattleLines Contact us with feedback or ideas: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey @RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
