On today's episode, we speak to our Middle East correspondent Natalia Vasilyeva in Jerusalem on Israel's impending assault on Rafa and Biden's threats to halt weapons supplies to Israel. Then, we hear from Jumana Shahin, a Gaza resident who's fled to Egypt to protect herself and her young daughter. Then, we speak to our economics reporter Melissa Lawford on the dire state of Iran's economy. And finally, I talk to senior foreign correspondent Roland Oliphant, who recently saw the film Civil ...
May 10, 2024•42 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, we join The Telegraph's Asia correspondent, Nicola Smith, for a special dispatch on board a Filipino ship patrolling the simmering conflict in the South China Sea. Then we speak to economics reporter Melissa Lawford about China's gold buying binge and why it means tensions in East Asia could be on the cusp of heating up even further. Contributors Venetia Rainey (Host, Weekend Foreign Editor) @venetiarainey on X Nicola Smith (Asia correspondent) @niccijsmith ...
May 03, 2024•38 min
On this bonus episode of Battle Lines we speak to Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon about the state of the army in 2024. What should an army look like in the 21st century? What equipment is needed? How much should countries be spending? Contributors David Knowles (Host) @djknowles22 on X. Hamish Stephen de Bretton-Gordon OBE @HamishDBG on X For 3 months access to The Telegraph for just £1: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/audio | Email: [email protected]&...
May 01, 2024•25 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, we speak to The Telegraph's Middle East correspondent, Natalia Vasilyeva, about why the invasion of Rafah is back on the agenda, and what we know about Israel's attack on Iran one week on. Then we catch up with Russia and Caucasus correspondent James Kilner to hear about the mass protests in Georgia and how a shadowy billionaire figure with links to the Kremlin is driving the unrest. Contributors Venetia Rainey (Host, Weekend Foreign Editor) @venetiarainey on X N...
Apr 26, 2024•34 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, we speak to the Telegraph’s Middle East Correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva about how Israel will retaliate against Iran for their recent missile strikes. Then we speak to Holly Dagres, senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Middle East Program and writer of the substack The Iranist, about how Iran and Israel's relationship has developed from a shadow war to the brink of a full-scale conflict. Contributors Roland Oliphant (Host, Senior Foreign Correspondent)...
Apr 19, 2024•53 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, we speak to the Telegraph’s Middle East Correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva about Iran's weekend strike on Israel. We ask; did Iran achieve its objectives? How will Israel respond? And does this mean full-scale war in the Middle East is inevitable? Contributors Venetia Rainey (Host, Weekend Foreign Editor) @venetiarainey on X Nataliya Vasilyeva (Middle East Correspondent) @Nat_Vasilyeva on X. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information Host...
Apr 15, 2024•21 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, we speak to the Telegraph’s Middle East Correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva about Iran's potential plans to strike on Israel, then our Asia Correspondent Nicola Smith explains why the rebels are winning the war in Myanmar. Finally, Europe Editor James Crisp reflects on his interview with NATO's Deputy Secretary General. Contributors Venetia Rainey (Host, Weekend Foreign Editor) @venetiarainey on X Nataliya Vasilyeva (Middle East Correspondent) @Nat_Vasily...
Apr 12, 2024•40 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, we reflect on the upcoming 6 month anniversary of the October 7th attacks in Israel that sparked an invasion of Gaza. We speak to the Telegraph’s Middle East Correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva and Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan as they reflect on the past 6 months and what the future holds for Israel, Hamas, and a Palestinian state. Contributors David Knowles (Host) @djknowles22 on X Nataliya Vasilyeva (Middle East Correspondent) @Nat_Vasilyeva ...
Apr 05, 2024•37 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, we speak to the Telegraph’s Chief Political Correspondent Camilla Turner and US Editor Tony Diver on an alleged Chinese hacking plot against the UK and the US. Then we speak to Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan on her visit to Latvia to understand how the Baltic nations are mobilising to counter any future attack by the Russian Federation. Finally, we speak to Senior Foreign Correspondent Roland Oliphant on the rising tensions after decades of conflict...
Mar 29, 2024•46 min
On today's bonus episode of Battle Lines James Rothwell speaks to Professor James Davis, a former advisor to Angela Merkel's government and the head of a new research group, the European Nucleus Study Group. which has been launched to advise experts and European leaders on the current nuclear crisis between Russia and NATO. They discuss what the west reaction would be to a nuclear attack by Russia and what precedent that would set for countries like India, Pakistan and N...
Mar 27, 2024•22 min
On this episode of Battle lines we talk to our Middle Eastern correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva about the second raid on Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital. We’re also joined by our Global Health reporter Lilia Sebouai to discuss this week’s stark famine warning and what can be done to prevent thousands of Palestinians from dying of hunger. Then we hear from our Asia correspondent Nicola Smith about one of her most intrepid reporting trips yet - to the steppes of Mongolia. She also talks abo...
Mar 22, 2024•37 min
On this episode of Battle lines we talk to South America correspondent Mat Charles about meeting child gang members at the forefront of an explosion of violence in Ecuador. Then we hear from our Africa correspondent Ben Farmer about why the nearly year-long war in Sudan might be entering a new phase. Finally, Brussels correspondent Joe Barnes takes us into a recreation of the Hamas tunnels where Israelis were kept and we hear from a hostage about what it was like. Contributors: Veneti...
Mar 15, 2024•41 min
On this episode of Battle lines we talk to our US editor Tony Diver about Super Tuesday and why it could mean unrest in America and abroad. Then we hear from Nataliya Vasilyeva, our Middle Correspondent, who has been revisiting the south of Israel to reflect on what has changed since those dark days following the October 7 attack by Hamas. Finally, South America correspondent Simeon Tegel gives us the lowdown on what’s happening in Haiti and why the man at the centre of the violence is...
Mar 08, 2024•40 min
On this episode of Battle Lines, Middle East correspondent in Jerusalem Nataliya Vasilyeva talks to Venetia Rainey about ongoing ceasefire talks and whether a deal is really as close as Joe Biden claimed. Then we hear from Jumana Shahin, a mother of one who is stuck in central Gaza and facing the hardest decision of her life: should she try to escape with her family or stay behind to help her people? Contributors: Venetia Rainey (Host, Weekend Foreign Editor) @venetiarainey on X Nataliya Va...
Mar 01, 2024•31 min
In this Bonus episode of Battle Lines, The Telegraph's David Knowles speaks to Professor Sergrey Radchenko to discuss his upcoming book 'To Run The World: The Kremlin's Cold War Bid for Global Power'. Professor Radchenko's shares with us what he discovered about the psychology of the Kremlin's decision-making during the Cold War and what this can tell us about Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. Contributors: David Knowles (Host) @djknowles22 on X. Sergey Radchenko (Wilson E. Schmid...
Feb 28, 2024•34 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan tells us about Israel's plans for an invasion of Rafah, the humanitarian crisis in the north, and where China stands on a ceasefire. Then we speak to Deputy US Editor Rozina Sabur about the US push for a ceasefire. Finally we check in with David Knowles who is in Kyiv as the second year anniversary of the Russian invasion is upon us. Contributors: Venetia Rainey (Host, Weekend Foreign Editor) @venetiarainey on X Sophia Yan ...
Feb 23, 2024•29 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, Foreign correspondent Ben Farmer updates us on Pakistan's elections and what they mean for the country's political and economic future. Then we speak to Middle East correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva about talks of a US peace plan involving a Palestinian state, while Israel plans an imminent invasion of Rafah in the south. Contributors: David Knowles (Host) @djknowles22 on X. Nataliya Vasilyeva (Middle East Correspondent) @Nat_Vasilyeva on X. ...
Feb 16, 2024•24 min
In this bonus episode of Battle Lines, Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan speaks to 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. Adam and Nadim's friendship faced challenges after Adam decided to join the Israel Defence Force as a reservist in the wake of the October 7th attacks. Nadim me...
Feb 14, 2024•23 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, Middle East Correspondent Natalia Vasilyeva bring us updates from the war in Gaza as Israel rejects peace talks. Plus Berlin Correspondent James Rothwell details the drone missile developed by the Iranians setting fire to the Middle East. Finally, we go to our Economics Correspondent Melissa Lawford, who tells us about the causes of the economic slowdown in China. Contributors: David Knowles (Host) @djknowles22 on X. Nataliya Vasilyeva (Midd...
Feb 09, 2024•42 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, Middle East Correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva gives us the latest from Israel with reports of a buffer zone being secretly built by Israel, Global Health Security Correspondent Sarah Newey tells us about a Thai farmer in Israel who was taken hostage by Hamas on the October 7th attacks, and David Knowles speaks to Professor Alex DeWaal about the unraveling civil war in Sudan. Contributors: Roland Oliphant (Host, Senior Foreign Correspondent) @RolandOliphant on X Da...
Feb 02, 2024•1 hr 3 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, Defence Editor Danielle Sheridan discusses her agenda setting front page story about how a top British General believes the British Army is too small and that the government may need to ‘mobilise the nation’ in the event of conflict with Russia. Then we hear from Middle East Correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva and Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan about the latest news from Israel and the region. Finally, Economics Reporter Melissa Lawford gives us her take on...
Jan 26, 2024•40 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan and Middle East Correspondent Natalia Vasilyeva bring us updates from the region as Iran and Pakistan trade missile strikes and the war in Gaza continues. Plus Senior Foreign Correspondent Roland Oliphant looks at the Houthi rebel movement in Yemen, and explains where they come from and who their friends are. Finally, we go to our Asia Correspondent, Nicola Smith, who analyses the continuing civil war in Myanmar ...
Jan 19, 2024•52 min
In this bonus episode of Battle Lines, we take a look at the Taiwanese election, and what it means for the region, with Asia Correspondent Nicola Smith and Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan. Taiwan, which the Chinese Communist Party claims as its own territory, represents one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints, with the potential to ignite a global war. The general election is one of the most consequential of the 70+ polls being held around the world this year, determining how...
Jan 16, 2024•29 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, Defence Editor Danielle Sheridan and Telegraph writer Tom Sharpe bring the latest news and analysis from the Red Sea, as Britain and America strike Houthi positions after months of attacks on civilian and military vessels. Then Middle East Correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva updates us from Israel as the IDF continues to battle Hamas across Gaza, and Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan describes how the Chinese state forced ethnic Kazakhs to round up Musli...
Jan 12, 2024•58 min
For months, Iranian backed Houthi rebels have been attacking merchant shipping in the Red Sea. In response, an international task force patrols the waters to protect the civilian vessels. In this episode of Battle Lines we speak to former warship commander and Telegraph writer Tom Sharpe about operation Prosperity Guardian, naval strategy and life at sea. Contributors: David Knowles (Host). @djknowles22 on X. Tom Sharpe, former Royal Navy officer, @TomSharpe134 on X. Read: https://ww...
Jan 10, 2024•23 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, we hear from Foreign Correspondent Lizzie Porter in Jerusalem, who brings up to date on the war in Gaza. Then we look South, with The Telegraph’s Defence Editor Danielle Sheridan, at the tensions rising in the Red Sea as Houthi rebels continue to target a busy shipping lane with missiles and drones. Finally, with our Asia Correspondent Nicola Smith, we travel to Taiwan a week ahead of presidential election in the embattled island nation that could have profound c...
Jan 05, 2024•48 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, Middle East Correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva joins us from Israel to give us this week's update on the fighting, the diplomacy, and the unprecedented events in the Red Sea as Houthi rebels target international shipping. Then we stay with Nataliya for a special dispatch from Jerusalem, as she interviews the only licensed Santa in the city, ahead of a Christmas full of worry for the region's Christian population. Contributors: David Knowles (Host). @djk...
Dec 23, 2023•23 min
In this episode of Battle Lines, Middle East Correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva joins us from Bethlehem in the West Bank to bring us up to date with the news from the Israeli assault on the Gaza strip, and Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan talks us through her analysis of Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and asks how the war has impacted his chances of political survival. Plus more than a month on from the start of Israeli ground operations in Gaza, Hamish de Bretton-Gordon...
Dec 15, 2023•40 min
'Children think that their father is a superhero, but I cannot do anything for them': a dispatch from Gaza In this episode of Battle Lines, Middle East Correspondent Natalia Vasilyeva and Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan both join us from on the ground in Israel, and Sophia guides us through the experience of Gazan journalist Sami Abu Salem and how his life has altered forever after October 7th. Plus we hear from Ilay David, who is calling for the world not to forget the Hamas hostages st...
Dec 08, 2023•53 min
Life in Gaza. For weeks now, we've been covering the deteriorating situation in Gaza, as Israeli strikes and fierce fighting between the IDF and Hamas destroyed buildings, infrastructure, and lives. To get an idea of what life is like on the ground, we contacted our journalist and fixer, Siham Shamalakh who lives in Gaza. Sending us her thoughts via WhatsApp voice notes, Siham reflects on her personal journey of having to flee her home and considers what the future might hold for the ...
Dec 06, 2023•15 min
