The Lede

Historian Quinn Slobodian joins Faisal Al Yafai on The Lede to discuss what Elon Musk reveals about a new era of digital capitalism, the fusion of rockets and far-right ideology, and his new book, "Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed," co-authored with Ben Tarnoff. Produced by Finbar Anderson

Novelist Hannah Lillith Assadi joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss the century of Arab exile, the question of what it might mean to forget and the spiritual return at the heart of her new novel, "Paradiso 17." Produced by Finbar Anderson

On this month's episode of Global Insights on The Lede, journalist and historian Michael Smith and New Lines Culture Editor Lydia Wilson join Kwangu Liwewe Agyei to discuss the strains on the U.S.-U.K. special relationship in the wake of the Iran war, the enduring role of intelligence sharing between the two countries, and whether Britain may pivot closer to Europe as a lasting consequence of the...

Investigative journalist Barbara Matejčić and author Jasmin Mujanović join Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss Matejčić's New Lines investigation into a 1992 execution in Bosnia, the ethics of war photography and the long afterlife of the Bosnian genocide in today's far-right politics. Produced by Finbar Anderson Further reading: They Photographed an Execution in Bosnia. Did They Influence t...

Journalists Nada Bakri and Zahra Hankir join Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss the latest strikes on Lebanon, the shrinking space of civilian safety and what it means to watch your country's destruction from afar. Produced by Finbar Anderson Far From the Land of Good News by Nada Bakri Who Is Left To Cover Lebanon? by Zahra Hankir

On this week's episode of the podcast, novelist and essayist Rana Dasgupta joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss a world in crisis from China to Iran, why what we call fascism may just be the standard operating practice of the nation-state, and his vision for a political architecture that responds to the needs of today’s global world, as set out in his new book, "After Nations." Produced by Finbar Ande...

On this month's episode of Global Insights on The Lede, New Delhi restaurateur Anuj Wadhwa tells Kwangu Liwewe Agyei how the Iran war is squeezing his third-generation family business, while economist and Bloomberg columnist Mihir Sharma explains why South Asia is particularly vulnerable to the crisis — and why it could get much worse. Produced by Finbar Anderson

On this week's episode of the podcast, journalist and author Anand Gopal joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss two decades of conflict from Afghanistan to Iran, how the stories told by the powerful ignore the people who live under them, and what a forgotten democratic experiment in Syria can teach us about authoritarianism worldwide, as set out in his new book "Days of Love and Rage." Produced by Finba...

Writer and anti-corruption expert Sarah Chayes and journalist Emran Feroz join Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss the Epstein files, global networks of kleptocracy from Washington to the remote valleys of Afghanistan, and what elites really get up to when they think we’re not watching. Produced by Finbar Anderson

As the war on Iran enters its second week, Bloomberg Economics Middle East lead Dina Esfandiary and Saudi analyst Sultan Alamer join Faisal Al Yafai to discuss how the war has come to the Gulf, upending years of careful diplomacy. Further reading: Saudi Arabia’s Break With Interventionism by Sultan Alamer Produced by Finbar Anderson

In a special emergency episode of The Lede, journalist and The Iran Podcast host Negar Mortazavi and historian Arash Azizi join Faisal Al Yafai to discuss the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and what comes next for the country and the region. Produced by Finbar Anderson

On this month’s episode of Global Insights on The Lede, political scientist Zachariah Mampilly and Nigeria expert Ebenezer Obadare join Kwangu Liwewe Agyei to examine Donald Trump's surprisingly hands-on approach to Africa, including airstrikes on northern Nigeria and the signing of trade and mineral deals across the continent. Produced by Finbar Anderson

On this week’s episode of the podcast, the historian Sam Dalrymple joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss the partition of the Raj from Myanmar to Yemen; how borders continue to shape our lives today and their influence on nationalism and ethnic conflict; and his new book, “Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia.” Produced by Finbar Anderson

Loubna Mrie joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss how the Syrian state’s authoritarianism seeped into her early home life, her role in the uprising against Bashar al-Assad and the painful memories brought up in the writing of her new memoir, “Defiance.” Produced by Finbar Anderson

Journalist Nilo Tabrizy joins Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss the dynamics of Iran’s uprisings that get lost in Western coverage, reporting on her country of birth from a position of exile, and her new book, “For the Sun After Long Nights.” Produced by Finbar Anderson

For this month’s edition of Global Insights on The Lede, journalist Isma’il Kushkush and international law expert Mutasim Ali join Kwangu Liwewe Agyei to discuss the lack of international attention on the war in Sudan, and the prospect of success for peace talks underway in Cairo. Produced by Finbar Anderson

Sven Beckert joins Faisal Al Yafai on The Lede to unpack how capitalism came to shape our modern world, as set out in his new book, “Capitalism: A Global History,” taking in Aden, Cairo, and Guangzhou along the way. Produced by Finbar Anderson

The Financial Times journalist and writer Victor Mallet joins Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss the rise of the far right in France, the prospects of victory for Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, and his new book, “Far-Right France.” Produced by Finbar Anderson

In this first episode of 2026, award-winning broadcaster Zeinab Badawi joins Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss why traditional histories of Africa miss the mark, remarkable African figures from Cleopatra to Shaka Zulu, and Badawi’s book “An African History of Africa.” Produced by Finbar Anderson

Listen again to this rerun episode of the podcast, in which journalist Gabriel Gatehouse, host of The Coming Storm and the documentary “Seeking Satoshi,” joins New Lines’ Faisal Al Yafai to discuss how exploring America’s fringe movements is the key to understanding the modern United States. Produced by Finbar Anderson

For this year’s Christmas special episode, New Lines editors highlight some of their favorite stories from the magazine and reflect on the power of culture to bring people together. A Palestinian Citizen of Israel Reflects on Life in the Shadow of Genocide in Gaza – by Rida Abu Rass Confessions of a Syrian Barrel Bomber – by Kamal Shahin When a Dutch Drug Kingpin Needed a New Base, Sierra Leone We...

Author and political scientist Shadi Hamid joins Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to argue his case for a U.S.-led world order, as set out in his new book, “The Case for American Power.” Produced by Finbar Anderson

Following the National Guard shootings in Washington, D.C., and recent revelations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and, separately, a Syrian charity, investigative journalists Murtaza Hussain and Lynzy Billing join Faisal Al Yafai to consider why and how powerful institutions and people cover their own tracks. Produced by Finbar Anderson

On this week’s episode, the historian and writer Mark Galeotti joins Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss his new book about the global criminal underworld, “Homo Criminalis,” and why he thinks Donald Trump’s controversial peace plan for the Russia-Ukraine conflict could be a useful starting point. Produced by Finbar Anderson

On this week’s episode, bestselling author and tech blogger Cory Doctorow joins Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss why the internet has steadily, but noticeably, become unusable, as he sets out in his new book “Enshittification.” Produced by Finbar Anderson