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.

Marcel Dirsus, an insightful author on authoritarian dynamics, teams up with Roland Oliphant, a keen geopolitical contributor. They dive into the resurgence of tyrants like Putin and Xi, questioning their apparent strength. The discussion reveals the precarious nature of dictatorship and how factors like peaceful protest threaten these regimes. They also explore the moral dilemmas of coups as methods to combat corruption and the complex challenges of political succession in authoritarian systems. A thought-provoking analysis of power, instability, and potential paths to freedom.

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.

Rafael Grossi, IAEA Director General, discusses the global nuclear landscape including China and Iran's nuclear programs. Insights on uranium enrichment timelines, challenges at Zaporizhia nuclear plant, and concerns about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. Emphasis on multilateral diplomacy in nuclear policies.

On today's episode, we check in with Deputy US Editor Rozina Sabur about what the assassination attempt against Donald Trump tells us about political extremism in the United States. Then Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan reports on a secret military base in Tajikistan at the heart of China's plans to challenge Russia for dominance in Central Asia. ContributorsRoland Oliphant (Host)Rozina Sabur (Deputy US Editor)Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent)ReadChina constructs secret Tajikistan military base amid fears of Taliban by Sophia Yan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.