Battle Lines
The Telegraph
Battle Lines is The Telegraph’s foreign policy, geopolitics and global conflict podcast. It offers expert analysis and on-the-ground reporting from China and the United States to the Middle East and Europe.
Twice a week, veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey bring you on-the-ground dispatches from the world’s most volatile regions and informed analysis from world-class experts.
Whether it’s the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Gaza conflict, Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, tensions between India and Pakistan, or the civil war in Sudan, Battle Lines covers the world’s most critical flashpoints with depth and clarity.
When will China invade Taiwan? Can Trump bring peace to the Middle East? What should Europe do to help Ukraine beat Russia? Is Iran building a nuclear bomb? What is the point of NATO? Can the United Kingdom still defend itself?
Created by David Knowles, Battle Lines answers all these questions and more, bringing together the best of The Telegraph’s international, geopolitical, and conflict reporting in one place.
Plus, every Friday, the podcast delves into the seismic impact US President Donald Trump is having on the world - from peace talks to tariffs to migration policy.
Don’t forget to follow and leave a review to stay updated on the latest in global conflict and foreign affairs.
Telegraph subscribers get early access to bonus episodes of Battle Lines and its sister podcast, Ukraine: The Latest. You can subscribe within The Telegraph app, or tap on ‘Already a subscriber’ at the top of this page to log in to link your existing subscription, for more information click here.
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Top 10 Battle Lines Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Battle Lines episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Battle Lines for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Battle Lines episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
02/28/25 • 32 min
As US President Donald Trump reshapes the Pentagon, Roland Oliphant speaks with Missy Ryan, National Security Correspondent at The Washington Post, to uncover the reasons behind the dismissal of top military officers and the potential impact of an 8% Pentagon budget cut. Plus: The Telegraph's Jerusalem correspondent, Henry Bodkin, talks us through the controversial AI-generated video envisioning "Trump’s Gaza."
Contact us with feedback or ideas:
@venetiarainey
@RolandOliphant
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1 Listener
03/29/24 • 45 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, between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Contributors
David Knowles (Host) @djknowles22 on X
Camilla Turner (Chief Political Correspondent) @camillahmturner on X
Tony Diver (US Editor)@Tony_Diver on X
Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent) @sophia_yan on X
Roland Oliphant (Roland Oliphant) @RolandOliphant on X
Read
The Latvian sandwich makers training to push Putin’s army into ‘kill zones’ by Sophia Yan
For 3 months access to The Telegraph for just £1: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/audio |
Email: [email protected]
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04/05/24 • 36 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 on X.
Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent) @sophia_yan on X
Read
‘I tried to scrub the smell of death off my body...’: A war reporter’s Israel-Hamas diary by Nataliya Vasilyeva
For 3 months access to The Telegraph for just £1: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/audio |
Email: [email protected]
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Inside Russia's secret Libyan airbase
Battle Lines
12/06/24 • 37 min
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A war reporter reacts to the film 'Civil War'
Battle Lines
05/15/24 • 25 min
On today's episode, we speak to senior foreign correspondent Roland Oliphant, who recently saw the film Civil War, directed by Andrew Garland. Roland, as a war reporter, had some thoughts on the film and he shares them with us.
Contributors
David Knowles (Host) @djknowles22 on X.
Roland Oliphant (Host, Senior Foreign Correspondent) @rolandoliphant on X
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12/09/24 • 49 min
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03/12/25 • 52 min
On this Bonus episode, Roland Oliphant speaks with Reza Pahlavi, the son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran who was overthrown in 1979. The Crown Prince has lived in exile ever since, but he now believes the regime could be heading for collapse and is positioning himself as the potential figurehead of a democratic transition. We asked him why he thinks Iran is headed for a revolution like the one that overthrew his father, why he believes he could lead such a change, and what he thinks Western governments should do in this delicate moment in Iranian history.
This episode is part of a new series of regular bonus material that Battle Lines will be releasing every month. From extended interviews with key political and defence figures to deep dives into the state of the world's biggest militaries, all you need to do to hear these episodes as soon as they're released is subscribe to The Telegraph and link your subscription in Apple Podcasts. For more information, click here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/contact-us/telegraph-subscription-bonus-content-apple-podcasts/
Read more
'Iran’s Crown Prince: My country is on the brink of a revolution like that of 1979' by Roland Oliphant:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/02/23/crown-prince-reza-pahlavi-iran-on-the-brink-of-revolution/
Contact us with feedback or ideas
@venetiarainey
@RolandOliphant
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09/20/24 • 39 min
On today's episode we have a special round table with co-hosts Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant who are joined by senior foreign correspondent, Sophia Yan. We'll be talking about the attack on Hezbollah, what it's like reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the challenges of being a foreign correspondent.
Contributors
Venetia Rainey
Roland Oliphant
Sophia Yan
Read
Long arm of China looms over one of the world’s last Uyghur bookshops by Sophia Yan
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The best war films of 2024
Battle Lines
12/30/24 • 48 min
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01/19/24 • 52 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 as a rebel alliance pushes back the military junta's troops.
Contributors:
David Knowles (Host). @djknowles22 on X.
Nataliya Vasilyeva (Middle East Correspondent). @Nat_Vasilyeva on X.
Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @sophia_yan on X.
Roland Oliphant (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @RolandOliphant on X.
Nicola Smith (Asia Correspondent). @niccijsmith on X.
Read
Pakistan cuts ties with Iran after missile attack kills two children, by Sophia Yan
The Houthis: inside the powerful militia’s enigmatic mindset, by Roland Oliphant, Nataliya Vasilyeva and Sophia Yan
For 3 months access to The Telegraph for just £1: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/audio |
Email: [email protected] |
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FAQ
How many episodes does Battle Lines have?
Battle Lines currently has 145 episodes available.
What topics does Battle Lines cover?
The podcast is about News, Security, Defence, Middle East, News Commentary, Podcasts and China.
What is the most popular episode on Battle Lines?
The episode title 'Trump edition: 'Woke' Pentagon chiefs in firing line' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Battle Lines?
The average episode length on Battle Lines is 36 minutes.
How often are episodes of Battle Lines released?
Episodes of Battle Lines are typically released every 3 days, 12 hours.
When was the first episode of Battle Lines?
The first episode of Battle Lines was released on Oct 20, 2023.
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