The Lede

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 Anderson

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 Finbar Anderson

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