The Lede

By New Lines MagazineNews News Commentary

The Lede episodes

June 15 How Europe’s Hinterlands Became Its Front Line
On this week's episode of the podcast, journalist Hannah Lucinda Smith joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss the rival geopolitical blocs reshaping the world, how Europe's margins — from Transnistria to the Balkans — became the front line of a conflict the West refuses to see, and her new book, “Hinterlands: Journeys Through Europe’s Unfinished Frontiers.”
Produced by Finbar Anderson
46 min
June 08 How Revolutionary Iran Became a Mafia State
On this week's episode of the podcast, journalist Yeganeh Torbati joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss the multiple revolutions stolen from the Iranian people by their rulers, why the Islamic Republic has thrived under sanctions and survived war, how the United States has failed to understand its opponents in Tehran, and her new book, "Stolen Revolution: Betrayal and Hope in Modern Iran."
Produced by Finbar Anderson
48 min
June 01 How Authoritarianism Came to One Istanbul Street
On this week's episode of the podcast, journalist and author Suzy Hansen joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss how ordinary people experience authoritarianism in the 21st century, what a decade spent in one Istanbul neighborhood reveals about Turkey under Erdoğan, and why the West so often misreads the Middle East, as set out in her new book, "From Life Itself."
Produced by Finbar Anderson
47 min
May 25 The War Crime No One Wants To Name
On this month's episode of Global Insights on The Lede, human rights lawyer Sari Bashi and journalist Sara Cincurova join Kwangu Liwewe Agyei to discuss sexual violence against detainees in Israeli prisons and in Russian captivity in Ukraine; why men so often go unrecognized as victims; and why accountability for these crimes remains so elusive.
Please be aware that this episode contains discussions of sexual violence.
Produced by Finbar Anderson
36 min
May 18 When Is a Revolution Actually Over?
Writer Robin Yassin-Kassab joins Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss why the Syrian revolution succeeded where others failed, what the new state has and hasn't reckoned with one year on, and his new book, "The Blood Between Us: Syria's Revolutionary Transition."
Produced by Finbar Anderson
51 min
May 11 How Elon Musk Fuses Rockets and Tech To Shape Modern Society
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
46 min
May 04 How a Life in Exile Reshapes the Generations That Follow
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
38 min
April 27 Is the Special Relationship Really Special Anymore?
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 conflict.
Produced by Finbar Anderson
25 min
April 20 The Ethics of Bearing Witness
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 the Killer? by Barbara Matejčić
1 hr 2 min
April 13 Why Every Lebanese Crisis Feels Worse Than the Last
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
40 min

About The Lede

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This is The Lede, the New Lines Magazine podcast. Each week, we delve into the biggest ideas, events and personalities from around the world. For more stories from New Lines, visit our website,…