The Lede

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

The Financial Times’ Raya Jalabi and writer Robin Yassin-Kassab join Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss elections in Iraq, and White House visits by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. Produced by Finbar Anderson

Palestinian-American writer and poet Hala Alyan joins Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss her recent memoir, motherhood and the politics of writing during the Gaza war Produced by Finbar Anderson

Emmy-nominated journalist Melissa Chan joins Amie Ferris-Rotman on the podcast to discuss the foundations of China’s increasing global dominance, and the authoritarianism that led to her forcible expulsion from the country as a reporter. Produced by Finbar Anderson

Youth-led protests are sweeping much of Africa and the wider world. On this month’s edition of Global Insights on The Lede, Kwangu Liwewe is joined by journalist Aboubakr Jamaï and public policy expert Gedion Onyango to zoom in on Morocco and Kenya and look at why young protesters in both countries feel that the status quo no longer works for them. Produced by Finbar Anderson

New Lines’ Middle East Editor Kareem Shaheen joins Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to consider the Gaza peace deal authored by Donald Trump, what it really means for Palestinians and Israelis on the ground and whether the U.S. president deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. Produced by Finbar Anderson

Recorded at a New Lines live event at London’s Frontline Club, The Wall Street Journal’s Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Yaroslav Trofimov and The Sunday Times’ Chief Foreign Correspondent Christina Lamb join Faisal Al Yafai and Lydia Wilson for a discussion on storytelling and why it matters. Produced by Finbar Anderson Assistant Producer Henry Wilkins

The eminent Palestinian-American historian Rashid Khalidi joins Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss two years of war on Gaza and a century of war on Palestine. Produced by Finbar Anderson

For this week’s episode of Global Insights on The Lede, Byline Times Editor-in-Chief Hardeep Matharu and New Lines’ Jos Betts join host Kwangu Liwewe to discuss the British right’s evolving relationship with identity and race, and whether a focus on immigration in the national conversation could translate into political gain for the far-right Reform UK party. Produced by Finbar Anderson Further re...

Writer and political pundit Anand Giridharadas joins New Lines’ Faisal Al Yafai to discuss the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, political violence in America, and how to bridge the huge gulf currently dividing the country. Produced by Finbar Anderson

Veteran BBC correspondent Lyse Doucet joins New Lines’ Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss her new book on Afghanistan, “The Finest Hotel in Kabul,” the highs and lows of a career in journalism, and why she almost didn’t make the interview due to an Israeli strike on Doha. Produced by Finbar Anderson

The recent meeting of global leaders in Beijing, foremost among them Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, was a major moment in modern geopolitics. New Lines’ Faisal Al Yafai asks whether it could also signify the rise of a new multipolar world order, and an end to decades of global American dominance. Produced by Finbar Anderson

Listen again to this episode of Global Insights on The Lede, in which economist James Shikwati and New Lines’ North Africa Editor Erin Brown consider the impact of drastic cuts to American aid in Africa with host Kwangu Liwewe, and wonder what the continent’s future might look like without such aid. Produced by Finbar Anderson

Listen again to the acclaimed writer and journalist Omar El Akkad in conversation with New Lines’ Faisal Al Yafai for a frank, difficult and moving discussion about the personal impact and wider implications of the war in Gaza. Further reading: The Courage and Death of Anas al-Sharif by Kareem Shaheen

Historian Luka Ivan Jukić joins New Lines’ Faisal Al Yafai to unpack the idea at the heart of his new book, “Central Europe: The Death of a Civilization and the Life of an Idea.” They explore how the concept of Central Europe — revived during the Cold War by the novelist Milan Kundera — still shapes the way nations like Poland, Hungary and Croatia see themselves today. And in the shadow of the Ukr...

The historian and writer Fara Dabhoiwala joins New Lines’ Faisal Al Yafai to discuss the complex history of free speech and the irreconcilable tensions in the ideas that underpin it, as set out in his new book “What Is Free Speech? The History of a Dangerous Idea.” Produced by Finbar Anderson

Robin Yassin-Kassab, co-author of “Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War” and author of the novel “The Road From Damascus,” and journalist and New Lines contributor Zaina Erhaim join New Lines’ Faisal Al Yafai on The Lede to discuss the recent violence in southern Syria, Israeli bombing, and what they mean for the country’s future. Produced by Finbar Anderson

Tanzanian rights campaigner Maria Sarungi-Tsehai and Mary Kambo of the Kenya Human Rights Commission join New Lines’ Kwangu Liwewe on the podcast to discuss the political violence both women have directly experienced and the increasing repression in the region. Produced by Finbar Anderson