On this week's episode of the podcast, Guardian senior international correspondent Luke Harding joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss the war Europe is already fighting but won't admit to, the North Korean soldiers dying in the fields of western Russia, and why Trump's second term marks a breach with what America once claimed to be, as set out in his new book "Betrayal." Produced by Finbar Anderson

With the podcast team away until the end of the month, listen again to this episode from earlier in the year. 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

With the podcast team away until the end of the month, listen again to this episode from earlier in the year.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

As the war in Iran drags on with no end in sight, journalist and humanitarian Arwa Damon joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss the human cost of the Iran wars, the neglected conflicts in Sudan and Afghanistan, and why we no longer feel affected by atrocity.

On this week's episode of the podcast, the historian and writer Ryan Gingeras joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss the making of mafias from New York to Lebanon and Tokyo, how gangsters shaped the modern state, and his new book, "Mafia: A Global History." Produced by Finbar Anderson

Israel goes to the polls in October with a clear majority of voters opposed to Benjamin Netanyahu — and no obvious way to translate that into a government. On this month's episode of Global Insights on The Lede, pollster Dahlia Scheindlin and political analyst Rida Abu Rass join Kwangu Liwewe Agyei to consider the arithmetic of the election, the taboo against governing with Arab parties, and the tension that has defined Israeli politics for seven years. Produced by Finbar Anderson

Journalists Chloe Hadjimatheou and Sarah Dadouch join Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss what the story of former Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad reveals about power and the people who wield it, and their new podcast series “We Call Her Emma.” Produced by Finbar Anderson

On this week's episode of the podcast, constitutional law scholar Marcus Gadson joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss the Declaration of Independence at 250, why Americans have never agreed on what liberty means, and how the country's oldest arguments — over religion, race and citizenship — continue to resurface. Produced by Finbar Anderson

On the podcast this week, Financial Times columnist Simon Kuper, author of “World Cup Fever” and co-author of “Soccernomics,” joins Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss the politics of the 2026 World Cup, why he says America "isn't just Trump," and how soccer became a vehicle for money and power. Produced by Finbar Anderson

On the podcast this week, journalist Patrick Gathara and public health expert Tolbert Nyenswah join Kwangu Liwewe Agyei on Global Insights to discuss Kenya's decision to host an Ebola quarantine facility, the geopolitics of disease, and the deadly outbreak spreading across the DRC. Produced by Finbar Anderson