The Lede

The Price of Investigative Journalism — with Paul Caruana Galizia and Faisal Al Yafai

For this first episode of the new season of The Lede, New Lines’ Faisal Al Yafai sits down with journalist Paul Caruana Galizia, whose mother was murdered in Malta as a result of her reporting, to discuss the importance of investigative journalism and the terrible price it can exact.
Produced by Finbar Anderson

Listen Again: Looking Twice at the History of Eyeliner — with Zahra Hankir and Ola Salem

As The Lede takes a summer break, listen again to one of our favorite conversations from the past year, which was shortlisted in the International Women's Podcast Awards. This week, we go back to a conversation between Zahra Hankir, author of “Eyeliner: A Cultural History,” and New Lines’ Ola Salem about the fascinating history of the humble eyeliner.
Produced by Finbar Anderson

Listen Again: Toxic Masculinity Online in Kenya and South Africa — with Caroline Kimeu, Rosie Motene and Kwangu Liwewe

As Global Insights on The Lede takes a summer break, listen again to one of our favorite episodes from the past year. We published this episode about the rise of toxic masculinity in Kenya and South Africa following the murders of two Kenyan women this January, with insight from South African author Rosie Motene and Caroline Kimeu, The Guardian’s East Africa global development correspondent. 
Produced by Patrick Hagan and Finbar Anderson

The Battle for the Future of the Democratic Party — with Eman Abdelhadi, David Faris and Danny Postel

On this week’s episode of The Lede, sociologist Eman Abdelhadi and David Faris, author of “It’s Time To Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics,” join New Lines’ Danny Postel in Chicago to discuss the ongoing battle to determine the future of the Democratic Party.
Further reading: Kamala’s Progressive Skeptics
Produced by Finbar Anderson

Inside America’s Foreign Policy Machine — with Jasmine El-Gamal and Faisal Al Yafai

Ex-Pentagon adviser Jasmine El-Gamal sits down with New Lines’ Faisal Al Yafai on The Lede for a wide-ranging discussion that covers her time working as a translator during the Iraq War and at Guantanamo Bay, the unique perspective she gained working as an adviser to the Pentagon for three U.S. defense secretaries, and Joe Biden’s failures on Gaza.
Further reading: Lost and Found in Guantanamo Bay
Produced by Finbar Anderson

Lebanon Under the Threat of War — with Lina Mounzer, Faysal Itani and Faisal Al Yafai

Lebanon is no stranger to conflict. For many of its citizens, a vicious 15-year civil war and a short but brutal war with Israel in 2006 are within living memory. Now, another conflict simmers on the country’s southern border with Israel and threatens every day to expand across the country.
New Lines’ Faisal Al Yafai speaks to Lebanese translator and writer Lina Mounzer to understand what the atmosphere in Lebanon is like under the threat of a new war, and political analyst Faysal Itani for his take on the geopolitical currents playing out on the Lebanese-Israeli border.
Further reading: It Felt Like Love by Lina Mounzer
Produced by Finbar Anderson

Inside the British Isles: A Foreign Correspondent’s View — with Michael Peel, Barbara Serra and Karl Sharro

In 100 episodes on The Lede over five seasons, we have had the pleasure of interviewing politicians, authors, academics, thinkers, explorers and plenty of journalists. To celebrate our 100th episode, we held a live event in front of an audience to discuss how the United Kingdom is viewed from an outsider’s perspective. Our guests were the foreign correspondents Barbara Serra and Michael Peel as well as a returning panelist, satirist Karl Sharro.
Produced by Finbar Anderson

Soccer’s Rising Stars of African Origin — with Segun Odegbami and Ponga Liwewe

On this episode of Global Insights on The Lede, host Kwangu Liwewe discusses the inexorable rise of soccer stars of African origin with former Nigeria player Segun “The Mathematical” Odegbami and soccer journalist Ponga Liwewe.
Produced by Finbar Anderson

Trump’s Second Coming — With Meredith McCarroll, Danny Postel and Faisal Al Yafai

On this week’s episode of The Lede, host Faisal Al Yafai catches up with New Lines Politics Editor Danny Postel from Milwaukee, where Postel has been attending the Republican National Convention. Their conversation comes after a momentous week in U.S. politics that not only saw an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally, but also the announcement of Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio as Trump’s running mate for the upcoming presidential election. Al Yafai also talks to Meredith McCarroll, author of a New Lines profile of Vance.
Further reading: J.D. Vance and the Myth of White Exceptionalism

America’s Autocratic Future? — With Mark Danner

On this week’s episode of The Lede, veteran journalist Mark Danner joins New Lines’ Politics Editor Danny Postel for a discussion on Donald Trump, Joe Biden and the possible autocratic future looming ahead for America.
Further reading:
The Mass Psychology of Trumpism — Watch the accompanying video hereThe United Auto Workers Rejected Trump. Members Aren’t So SureHow the War in Gaza Is Shaping the 2024 Elections — And the Future of the Democratic PartyA Deliberate Political Madness?
Produced by Finbar Anderson