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Is Donald Trump's US-Iran peace deal already falling apart?Less than a day after the historic MoU was signed to end the war, fighting has been ongoing in Lebanon, with Hezbollah killing four Israeli soldiers and Benjamin Netanyahu unleashing a punishing wave of air strikes across southern Lebanon. A new ceasefire has today been agreed - but can it hold?Sophia Yan and Venetia Rainey discuss the latest news and the significance of US Vice President JD Vance's stark warning to Israel to “wake up and smell reality”. Plus, New York Times journalist Yeganeh Torbati, co-author of Stolen Revolution, joins to discuss why Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is distancing himself from Trump's deal, and how the IRGC is using this diplomatic breathing room to prepare for a potential resumption of the war down the line. HighlightsUS forces Israel into Hezbollah ceasefire after stark warningIs Donald Trump's US-Iran peace deal already falling apart?CONTRIBUTORS:Sophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent, @sophia_yan Yeganeh Torbati, NYT journalist and co-author Stolen Revolution @yjtorbati Producer: Max BowerExecutive Producers: Louisa Wells & Venetia RaineyWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED: Vance tells Israel: You can't kill your way out of problemshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/06/18/jd-vance-israel-friends/Stolen Revolution: Betrayal & Hope in Modern Iranhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457807/stolen-revolution-by-torbati-bozorgmehr-sharafedin-and-yeganeh/9780241744017 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Donald Trump says the Iran war could be ended with a peace deal this weekend.For the Gulf, everything is at stake. Battered by Iranian missiles and drones throughout the war and economically strangled by the Strait of Hormuz crisis, the Gulf states are desperate for the war to end - so much so that some are even having their own talks with Tehran. Sophia Yan chats to UAE-based Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, associate fellow for Chatham House's MENA programme, about why despite Iran's aggression, countries there just want things to go back to how they were before the war.Highlights: Trump says Iran war could end with peace deal this weekendWhy the Gulf wishes the Iran war never happenedCONTRIBUTORS:Sophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanAniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, Associate Fellow MENA Programme Chatham House @AnisehBassiriProducer: Max BowerExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The US military is secretly helping ships circumvent Iran's stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz along a new route hugging the Omani coast. Bryan Clark, a former US Navy officer and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, looks at whether this is a solution to the Hormuz crisis that has plagued Donald Trump and the rest of the world since the war began.Plus, Hezbollah accuses Lebanon of “surrendering” after agreeing a deal with Israel. Venetia Rainey and Sophia Yan discuss the latest news, including the significance of the US House passing a war powers resolution to curb further American military activity and the death of British MI6 boss Sir Alex Younger. HighlightsThe secret US operation evading Iran's Strait of Hormuz blockade Israel and Lebanon to use “pilot zones” to push out Hezbollah CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineySophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanCONTENT REFERENCED:Sir Alex Younger, long-serving head of MI6 who shaped the service for a ‘fourth generation of espionage'https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2026/06/03/sir-alex-younger-mi6-secret-intelligence-service-edward-sno/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-03/us-looks-to-unblock-hormuz-with-quiet-version-of-project-freedomThe Economist: A former spy chief's take on intelligence and the Iran warhttps://www.economist.com/insider/inside-defence/a-former-spy-chiefs-take-on-intelligence-and-the-iran-warProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Could Israel's campaign against Hezbollah ruin the US's attempts to strike a deal with Iran?News today about a fiery, expletive-laden phone call suggests Donald Trump is very upset with Benjamin Netanyahu and has forced him to halt a planned attack on Beirut.Michael Young from the Carnegie Middle East Center think tank joins from the Lebanese capital to take Venetia Rainey and Sophia Yan through the latest news from this active frontline, how Hezbollah has been rearmed by Iran and what it means for the broader war. Plus, Roland Oliphant gets a rare look inside Iran with Jan Egeland, secretary general of the aid organisation Norwegian Refugee Council, who describes the bombed-out police stations, factories, military posts and homes he has seen first-hand across the country. HighlightsWhat Trump's angry call with Netanyahu means for the Iran warInside Iran: ‘Bombed-out police stations, factories and military posts'CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineySophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanJan Egeland, NRC secretary-general @NRC_EgelandMichael Young, Carnegie Middle East Center senior editor @BeirutCalling Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Donald Trump says the US is lifting its blockade of Iranian ports and boats in the Strait of Hormuz - does this mean a peace deal is imminent?Plus, Iran famously has two militaries: a regular army, and the IRGC. But Tehran also has a third force: its network of foreign militias in Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. They played a key role in the recent war - and no outsider knows them better than Elizabeth Tsurkov. In 2023, while on a research trip to Iraq, the Russian-Israeli PhD student was kidnapped for nearly three years by Kataib Hezbollah, the most powerful of Iran's Iraqi proxy militias. Still recovering from the ordeal, she takes Sophia Yan and Roland Oliphant inside the group - and why she was surprised to learn that many of her kidnappers were “idiots”. Plus, she explains how they sustain Iran's shadow economy, dominate politics in their host counties, and double up as fronts for massive embezzlement schemes. HighlightsDonald Trump lifts US naval blockade on IranElizabeth Tsurkov on being kidnapped by “idiot” Iranian militias in IraqCONTRIBUTORS:Sophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent, @sophia_yan Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantElizabeth Tsurkov, fellow at the New Lines Institute @LizHurraCONTENT REFERENCED:Elizabeth Tsurkov: I Was Kidnapped by Idiotshttps://www.theatlantic.com/international/2026/01/kidnapped-baghdad/685470/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Senior Editor Michael Feinberg sits down with Sophia Yan, a senior foreign correspondent with The Telegraph, to discuss her time reporting on the Chinese government, and how it leveraged its security services to investigate her in turn. Sophia recently wrote in-depth about this experience in “The secret Chinese surveillance programme tracking people like me,” in The Telegraph.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The US says it has bombed Iranian mine-laying ships in the Strait of Hormuz and a missile launch site in southern Iran. Tehran says it has downed American drones. Is the war about to restart?Former Royal Navy officer Tom Sharpe explains what we know about the latest tit-for-tat military activity today and why the timing is unusual. He also gives an inside look at the threat posed by Iran's newly deployed “ship-smashing” Ghadir mini-submarines, known as the “dolphins of the Persian Gulf”.Plus, Venetia Rainey and Sophia Yan discuss why the signs suggest peace talks are set to continue for now. While Chief foreign affairs commentator David Blair analyses what Donald Trump could get out of a deal - and why he's making more and more concessions to the Iranian regime each passing week, including over its nuclear programme. HighlightsClashes in Hormuz as US ‘blows up' Iranian mine-laying ships Why Donald Trump is chasing a ‘quick and incomplete deal'CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineySophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanDavid Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdtTom Sharpe, ex-Royal Navy officer @TomSharpe134CONTENT REFERENCED:US strikes on Iran threaten fragile ceasefirehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/26/us-strikes-on-iran-threaten-fragile-ceasefire-war/David Blair: Trump's latest gambit on Iran is a smokescreenhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/26/trump-latest-gambit-iran-smokescreen/Tom Sharpe: Iran's ship-smasher mini subs are loose in Hormuz. I've been up against them beforehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/18/iran-irin-irgcn-mini-submarines-torpedoes-strait-hormuz/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Day 1,547.Today, we assess the reported scale of Russian military losses since 2026 and examine the new battlefield infiltration tactics Moscow has developed in an attempt to break through Ukrainian positions. We also take a closer look at the impact of Kyiv's strikes on Russian oil refineries and investigate whether there is more behind London's apparent easing of sanctions on Russian oil than meets the eye. Then we explore how Putin's latest visit to Beijing is viewed in China, and ask whether the evolving relationship between Moscow and Beijing resembles a genuine strategic partnership – or something closer to vassalage. Finally, we hear from someone who was once a FOX News insider about moving to Ukraine and how we came to see the war differently from those in the MAGA movement.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent). Sophia_yan on X.Alex Nichol (Telegraph Journalist).With thanks to Joseph Lindsley.NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:The secret Chinese surveillance programme tracking people like me (Sophia Yan in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/19/leaked-secret-chinese-surveillance-programme-tracks-foreign/ I've reported on war, but I've never seen it told like this (Francis's fashion piece in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/people/ukraine-fashion-show-london-war-francis-dearnley/ Russia abandons ‘meat-grinder' tactics to try four-man ambushes (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/01/russia-abandons-meat-grinder-tactic-ukraine-war/ Exclusive: Russians covertly trained by China return to fight in Ukraine, sources say (Reuters):https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/russians-covertly-trained-by-china-return-fight-ukraine-sources-say-2026-05-19/Joseph Lindsley's Substack, ‘Under Fire News':https://underfirenews.substack.com EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:Russia abandons ‘meat-grinder' tactics to try four-man ambushes ‘Staggering' scale of Putin's losses revealed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Iran has threatened to spread the war beyond the Middle East if Donald Trump starts bombing the country again. Is it an empty threat or should we be worried?Jonathan Hackett, a former US Marine Corps interrogator and special operations intelligence officer, joins the podcast again to discuss the state of Iran's military capabilities, their Mosaic Doctrine and what next for the war with Venetia Rainey, Sophia Yan and Roland Oliphant.They also discuss reports today that the US wanted to install former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Ali Khamenei's place, news of secret Israeli bases in the Iraqi desert, and the shady Iran-linked group known as HAYI behind a series of attacks on Jews in London. Plus, as Vladimir Putin visits Xi Jinping in China, Sophia looks at how the energy crisis caused by the war has boosted Moscow by forcing the UK and US to drop sanctions on Russian oil, and Venetia looks at JD Vance's latest comments on peace deal talks. HighlightsIran warns Trump: ‘We'll take war global if you bomb us again'A US Marine on Iran's terror war against the WestCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantSophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanJonathan Hackett, former US Marine Corps @jonathanhackettCONTENT REFERENCED:Akhtar Makoii: Iran's plan to strike back in second round of warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/19/iran-plan-strike-back-second-round-war/Badenoch: PM's sanctions U-turn will fund killing of Ukrainian soldiershttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/05/20/starmer-eases-sanctions-on-russian-oil/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Donald Trump ended his high stakes trip to China claiming Xi Jinping had promised not to arm Iran, wanted the Strait of Hormuz open, and backed his goal of preventing Tehran getting a nuclear weapon. But does any of that amount to a change in Chinese policy, and will it do anything to bring the frozen but still rumbling conflict to a close? Sophia Yan speaks to Andrea Ghiselli, a China-Iran expert who has spent the war in China, about how the conflict is perceived in Beijing. Plus, Roland Oliphant summarises the latest news from the Middle East, including renewed drone strikes in Iraq.Highlights:Trump says that Xi has pledged no military equipment to IranCautious optimism in Lebanon as talks with Israel progressCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantSophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent, @sophia_yan Andrea Ghiselli, China-ME expert and lecturer at the University of Exeter @AGhiselliChinaProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As two more ships are attacked in the Strait of Hormuz and the ceasefire in Lebanon nears its end, all eyes are on the high-stakes US-China summit in Beijing.Donald Trump and Xi Jinping say they agree that Iran must not have nuclear weapons and that the Strait must be reopened - but what does that mean in practice? Ahmed Aboudouh, Associate Fellow for Middle East and North Africa at Chatham House, joins Roland Oliphant and Sophia Yan and explains how Beijing's complex relationship with Tehran and the Gulf monarchies will inform its approach to the war.Highlights What Beijing really wants from the Iran crisisThe balancing act between Tehran and the Gulf statesCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantSophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent, @sophia_yan Ahmed Aboudouh, Chatham House @AAboudouhCONTENT REFERENCED:China ‘secretly planning to ship arms to Iran'https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/05/13/china-weapons-deal-iran/China will benefit from the Iran war, regardless of any deal between Trump and Tehranhttps://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/05/china-will-benefit-iran-war-regardless-any-deal-between-trump-and-tehran Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Weeks of American and Israeli airstrikes inflicted grievous losses on Iran's military. Or so we thought. Now, US intelligence assessments suggest that Iran retains 70 percent of the missiles and launch vehicles it had before the war - including most of the sites threatening the Strait of Hormuz. Holly Dagres joins Roland Oliphant and Sophia Yan to unpack the implications. She also explains why Iran's hardliners are unlikely to listen to China's leader Xi Jinping, have stepped up execution of opponents and alleged spies at home, and are nose-diving the economy with a crippling internet black out. This is the latest from Donald Trump's war against Iran – which will overshadow his summit later this week with Xi.Highlights Iran retains 70 percent of its missile arsenalWhy Tehran's hardliners will resist pressure from ChinaCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantSophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent, @sophia_yan Holly Dagres, Washington Institute, @hdagresProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The UK is in shock after an Iran-linked Islamist group claimed yet another attack on Jews in London. In the wake of the Golders Green stabbing attack, national security editor Rozina Sabur looks at what we know about the shadowy online group known as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI) and its links to the Iranian regime. Plus, as Donald Trump weighs whether to take further military action against Iran or in the Strait of Hormuz, Samuel Olsen, chief analyst at risk and intelligence firm Sibylline, explains that the conflict has further indebted the US to China. Why? Beijing's near-total dominance of the supply chain of rare earths and critical minerals, which every bit of modern military kit requires. Trump's upcoming visit to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping is likely to centre on this issue - as well as Taiwan. Elsewhere, Venetia Rainey and Sophia Yan analyse what we learned from Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth's first under-oath testimony on the war and why the ceasefire seems to be holding everywhere apart from Iraq. HighlightsWhy the US cannot rearm post-Iran war without China Rozina Sabur on the Iran-linked group claiming to be behind the Golders Green attackCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineySophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanSamuel Olsen, chief analyst Sibylline @samolsenxCONTENT REFERENCED:Project Vault: Trump's battle to break China's critical mineral strangleholdhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/09/project-vault-trumps-battle-to-break-chinas-mineral-strangl/China just proved it can cripple the US military in days. Now Trump is furioushttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/10/20/china-just-proved-it-can-cripple-the-us-military-in-days-no/The Iranian sleeper cell bringing terror to Europehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/23/iranian-sleeper-cell-islamic-movement-companions-synagogue/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Iran's regime is facing an existential crisis prompted by the US-Israeli war. Despite taking a military battering and the economy being in ruins, Tehran refuses to surrender to Donald Trump. Historian Arash Azizi takes Roland Oliphant and Sophia Yan inside the clash between the regime establishment and the ultra-hardliners who fear their vision of the Islamic Republic will not survive peace. He explains why the country's powerful, IRGC-linked chief negotiator Mohammad Ghalibaf is increasingly being attacked in Iranian media and the dilemma facing the Islamic Republic as it looks to make a deal without surrendering the anti-American dogmatism that revolutionaries hold so dear. Plus, senior foreign correspondent Adrian Blomfeld reports from the Strait of Hormuz and Sophia and Roland discuss the significance of the UAE pulling out of OPEC. HighlightsArash Azizi on why Iran's hardliners are a “bunch of losers with no power”How the Iranian regime is facing a choice between reform and destruction CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host @rolandoliphantSophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophiacyan Arash Azizi, author and historian Yale University @arash_tehran CONTENT REFERENCED:Adrian Blomfield: Here in the Strait, Iran's mosquito fleet renders Trump blockade futilehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/28/strait-of-hormuz-irans-mosquito-fleet-winning-blockade/Robert White, Iona Cleave: Trump ‘unlikely to accept' Iran's Hormuz deal https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/28/iran-war-live-trump-peace-talks-hormuz-strikes-lebanon/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What will it take to protect the Strait of Hormuz from Iran's sea mines and fast boats?With Tehran now charging extortionate tolls, attacking commercial ships who do not get permission to transit and reportedly laying around 20 sea mines, the vital waterway has become a living nightmare. President Donald Trump today told the US Navy to fire on any boats laying mines, but with Pentagon estimates that it will take six months to mine-sweep the Strait, is that enough? To discuss the problem, Venetia Rainey is joined by Emma Salisbury, an Associate Fellow at the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre. Emma explains how American minesweeping capabilities became so heavily degraded, why Iran's non-conventional navy remains so effective and hard to destroy, and the maritime signs that Trump may be considering a return to all-out war. Plus, senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan talks through the latest news and updates from the region, including the status of the US-Iran ceasefire, reports that America is running out of munitions, and the Lebanon-Israel peace talks to disarm Hezbollah. Highlights: Why it would take the US six months to minesweep the Strait of Hormuz - in peacetimeSophia Yan on how the Iran war became a game of chickenCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineySophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanEmma Salisbury, associate fellow Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre @salisbotCONTENT REFERENCED:The Mine Gap: America Forgot How to Sweep the SeaIranian shadow fleet tankers break through US blockadeTrump has eight days to make up his mind on IranLast Rounds? Status of Key Munitions at the Iran War CeasefireProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What will happen after Donald Trump's midnight deadline for Iran to strike a deal? The US president has issued a series of increasingly hardline threats to Tehran to force it sue for peace and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, from the complete demolition of all of its bridges and power plants to destroying its entire civilisation.Venetia Rainey is joined by senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan to discuss Trump's latest ultimatum, the frantic peace talks underway to avoid further escalation, and the possible impact on Iranians of such a widespread campaign of destruction. Plus, they discuss China's fuel shipments to the Iranian regime, the fallout from the latest attacks on the Gulf, and how Israel's invasion of southern Lebanon is heightening sectarian tensions among local communities.CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineySophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanCONTENT REFERENCED:Akhtar Makoii: How Trump is turning Iran into a full military dictatorshipAdrian Blomfield: Ceasefire remains unlikely while both Iran and the US think they're winningProducer: Max BowerExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Could the UAE help solve the Strait of Hormuz stalemate caused by the Iran war?The US is growing increasingly angry with its allies for refusing to help fully reopen the blocked waterway, which has led to soaring oil prices and dire economic warnings. From President Donald Trump threatening to pull out of Nato (a Telegraph exclusive) to Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth lambasting the UK, Washington's ire is palpable. Venetia Rainey runs through the latest updates from the Middle East, including Trump's claim ahead of his big speech tonight that Iran has asked for a ceasefire, and a potentially game-changing report that the UAE is pushing for a coalition to help reopen the Strait by force. Plus, Roland Oliphant and senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan speak to Iranian-American analyst and author of the Iranist newsletter, Holly Dagres. She explains why there haven't been more protests and how the Islamic Republic is becoming a “zombie regime”. CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantSophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanHolly Dagres, Washington Institute analyst @hdagresCONTENT REFERENCED:Roland Oliphant: The four outcomes if Trump surrenders the Strait of Hormuz to IranTrump interview: I am strongly considering pulling out of NatoIona Cleave: Iranian fortress at the centre of the battle for HormuzAkhtar Makoii: How Iran plans to fight US troops if Trump invadesProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Donald Trump has set out a 15-point Iran peace plan, but is he serious about ending the war?With news that another 2,000 elite American troops are en route to the Middle East, Tehran has its doubts - particularly as they've been here twice before with Trump. The Telegraph's senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan joins Venetia Rainey to talk through how realistic the proposal is and how it's being viewed in Iran. They also discuss Turkey's role as a potential mediator and the impact of the conflict on China. From the Telegraph's US bureau, editor Lottie Tiplady-Bishop explains why Vice President JD Vance is now involved in peace negotiations and how boots on the ground is a red line for Trump's MAGA base. Plus, how is the Iran war being viewed by ordinary Americans? Reporter Natasha Leake takes the temperature on the streets of Washington DC.CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineySophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanLottie Tiplady-Bishop, associate US news editor @lottietipbishopNatasha Leake, US reporter @NatashaLeakeCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump hands Iran 15-point plan to end warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/25/donald-trump-iran-war-15-point-plan-nuclear-missile/‘Where the hell is JD Vance?': Why Trump's VP is missing in actionhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/03/10/jd-vance-trump-iran-war-missing/JD Vance met with Trump security official who quit over Iran warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/03/18/jd-vance-met-joe-kent-quit-iran/Donald Trump said he would be the president of peacehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/20/trump-promised-peace-then-he-started-war/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES:Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Has Israel gone rogue with the attack on Iran's South Pars gas field?The bombing triggered a furious response from Tehran and led to a further escalation in the energy crisis caused by the US and Israeli war with Iran.President Donald Trump says the US did not know about it but Israeli officials say it was coordinated. The Telegraph's Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin joins Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant to explain why the attack is consistent with Israel's war goals and how tactics are potentially being prioritised over strategy.Henry also discusses his reporting from northern Israel where troops are readying for an expanded ground invasion of Lebanon to root out Hezbollah and why talk of a buffer zone there may not match up with the threat.Plus, senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan joins to discuss her time on the ground in Iraq and why things there are much worse than being reported. She also shares her thoughts on how Turkey is so far staying out of the conflict and why Iranian Kurds are pushing the US to let them invade.CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantSophia Yan, Senior Foreign Correspondent @sophia_yanHenry Bodkin, Jerusalem Correspondent @HenryBodkinCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump's three options for reopening the Strait of Hormuz:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/18/trump-three-options-reopening-strait-hormuz/Missiles and drones chase Americans out of Iraqhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/15/missiles-and-drones-chase-americans-out-of-iraq/?recomm_id=faf315cd-c56c-4a5d-a833-90e89545db06Tehran won't fall without a ground offensive, says Kurdish leaderhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/18/tehran-iran-war-ground-offensive-kurdish-leader-khabat/?recomm_id=35c185da-6605-4d40-aa0e-d19bf63781b0Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US:Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES:Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the wake of an attack on a British military base in Cyprus, the UK has said it will send an extra warship to the region. Does this make Britain militarily involved in America and Israel's war against Iran? Or was that already true after Prime Minister Keir Starmer allowed Donald Trump to use British bases? Venetia and Roland discuss Europe's growing involvement in the conflict and the countries that are resisting. Iranian-British journalist Nazenin Ansari talks about why she is pro-regime change but doesn't want this war, the brutality of the IRGC, and how Khamenei's son Mojtaba would be just more of the same if picked as his successor. Plus, senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan sends a dispatch from the Turkish-Iranian border where she has been speaking to fleeing Iranians, and Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO's Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, explains how the UN's health body prepared for the conflict. Read Sophia Yan's analysis of why China is unfazed by the war: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/04/why-china-is-unfazed-by-donald-trump-epic-fury/Read Tom Cotterill on why this could be the Royal Navy's biggest humiliation: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/03/is-this-the-royal-navys-biggest-humiliation/Read our visual journalism deep dive on how Trump sank the Iranian navy: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/03/how-trump-sank-iranian-navy/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditorContact us with feedback or ideas:@venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Day 1,436.Today, as Donald Trump announces an “energy ceasefire” we ask: what it means, has it started and can it hold. Our correspondent in Turkey tells us China is supplying critical components of Russia's nuclear-capable Oreshnik missiles and have our regular fortnightly update about resistance activity in the occupied areas. Plus later, we hear about a new adaptation for the theatre of a Ukrainian story that blends folklore with contemporary themes of power, superstition and women's struggle for equality.ContributorsDominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Venetia Rainey (Co-host Battle Lines podcast). @venetiarainey on X.Sophia Jan (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @sophia_yan on Twitter.Roland Oliphant(Chief Foreign Analyst). @RolandOliphanton on X.Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dr. Jade McGlynn (War Studies Department of King's College). @DrJadeMcGlynn on X.SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Antonia Langford's reporting on winter in Kyiv:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/01/29/putin-agrees-ceasefire-stop-attacking-ukraines-cities/Roland's analysis: Trump has announced a Ukraine ceasefire. Is it a sham or showstopper?https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/01/29/trump-ukraine-ceasefire-sham-showstopper/How China is powering Putin's deadliest new weapon (Sophia Yan in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/01/28/china-helping-russia-build-nuclear-capable-missile/How to Become a Dictator podcast by Sophia Yan:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/10/18/introducing-how-become-dictator-new-telegraph-podcast-power/Learn more about The Witch of Konotop:https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-witch-of-konotop-2026Thresholds of Survival: The Resistance in Occupied Ukraine (Dr Jade McGlynn's Report):https://www.csis.org/analysis/thresholds-survival-resistance-occupied-ukraineRussia strips nuclear forces, Navy, and Air Force to fill infantry ranks —military experthttps://euromaidanpress.com/2026/01/29/russia-infantry-manpower-shortage-elite-forces/LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST IN NEW LANGUAGES:The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatestSubscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For more than a decade, Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria were America's most trusted ally, spearheading the war against Isis, taking responsibility for guarding thousands of jihadi prisoners of war, and in the process carving out an autonomous statelet that seemed poised to realise the dream of Kurdish independence. Over the past few weeks, that dream as has been crushed.In a sudden offensive, Ahmed Al Sharaa's transitional Syrian government has evicted the Kurds from vast territories including the country's biggest oilfield. Abandoned by their American allies, the Kurds have been forced to cede ground including the sprawling Isis prison camps. What now for the Kurds, for Syria, and for the jihadists Isis veterans?To answer this and more, Roland is joined by The Telegraph's senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan and Senior Research Fellow, Middle East Security, Dr Burcu Ozcelik from RUSI.Read Dr Burcu's research paper on northern Syria: https://www.jstor.org/stable/27342855 Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditorContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Two years on from October 7th, Donald Trump is on the cusp of brokering a fragile peace deal between Israel and Hamas. But with Hamas showing signs of reconstituting itself and Israeli forces still in control of much of the Strip, few believe the war is truly over.In this episode, we hear from The Telegraph's Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin, fresh from an Israeli army embed inside Gaza City, about what he saw on the ground and why Hamas's resilience could shape what comes next. Venetia also speaks to Dalia Horn, whose brother-in-law Eitan Horn is one of around twenty hostages believed to be alive in Gaza out of the 48 not yet released. Plus, Sophia Yan catches up again with two close friends from the Oasis of Peace — one Jewish Israeli, one Palestinian — who she has spoken to throughout the conflict about their friendship and whether they still believe in the two-state solution. ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditorRead Henry's dispatch: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/10/04/inside-gaza-city-idf-face-younger-braver-hamas/Read El Sharabi's book extract: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/10/04/eli-sharabi-hamas-hostage-book-extract-2/Listen to Sophia's previous conversations with the best friends: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/02/14/battle-lines-israel-oasis-of-peace-palestine/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/10/09/israels-oasis-of-peace-one-year-later/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Day 1,290.Today, after another important Coalition of the Willing summit in Paris, we discuss Vladimir Putin's warning that any Western peacekeeping forces deployed to Ukraine would be considered a “legitimate” target. Then, we dive into an investigation on how China is providing drones parts to Russia and effectively sustaining its ability to continue waging its war against Ukraine. Finally, Dom dials in on his last day in Prague attending the International Institute for Strategic Studies Defence Summit. Contributors:Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @Sophia_Yan on X.Content Referenced:How China is secretly arming Russia, (Sophia Yan in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/03/how-china-is-secretly-arming-russia/Putin: British troops in Ukraine ‘legitimate' target for Russia (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/05/putin-western-troops-in-ukraine-legitimate-target-russia/ ‘Battle Lines: Inside the rise of China's military - and what it means for Taiwan':https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/08/battle-lines-podcast-inside-the-rise-of-chinas-military/IISS Prague Defence Summit: https://www.iiss.org/events/prague-defence-summit/prague-defence-summit-2025/ SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/ Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW LANGUAGES:The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatestSubscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
China's biggest ever military parade boasted sophisticated new weapons, thousands of goose-stepping troops, and a guest list designed to put the West on notice. The footage of Chinese President Xi Jinping walking in between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un in particular was a clear message to the US, Europe and its democratic allies: Beijing now officially heads up a new world order of authoritarian states. Venetia is joined by former Russia correspondent Roland Oliphant and former China correspondent Sophia Yan to explain everything you need to know about the new weapons unveiled, the leaders who were and weren't there, and what it means for the West.Read Sophia's exclusive drone investigation: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/03/how-china-is-secretly-arming-russia/Read Sophia's analysis: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/03/china-parade-xi-putin-kim/Listen to our mini series on the rise of China's military: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/08/battle-lines-podcast-inside-the-rise-of-chinas-military/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we have NüVoices host and board member Sophia Yan in conversation with Amanda Hsiao, director in Eurasia Group's China practice.In this special episode, Sophia talks to Amanda on the new and old tactics used by Washington and Beijing in the latest rounds of US-China trade disputes.
Israel and Iran are trading missiles. A hospital's been hit. Thirty injured. Israel's fired back — hard — targeting Iran's nuclear sites. Inside Iran? Chaos. Power's out. Hackers hijack state TV, urging revolt. And Donald Trump? He's green-lit Pentagon war plans — but is holding fire. For now.We've got The Telegraph's best on the ground: Sophia Yan in Beirut, Paul Nuki in Tel Aviv, and David Blair in the studio. Lebanon's on edge. Israel's braced. And the big question — will Trump strike? Or let Israel go it alone? The team also debates the broader stakes: Can Israel halt Iran's nuclear ambitions without American help? Could the regime in Tehran collapse? And what happens if Hezbollah stays silent? With so many moving parts, this episode dives deep into the decisions and dangers shaping what may become the defining war of the decade.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Will there be a Ukraine peace deal this year? What's it like to be a reporter in China? Is Labour too wishy-washy on defence? And which conflicts should we be paying more attention to?Venetia Rainey is joined by defence editor Danielle Sheridan, senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan and Ukraine: The Latest host Adelie Pojzman-Pontay to discuss the biggest stories of the year so far. Plus, they reflect on what it's like to be a foreign correspondent and the unique advantages and challenges of being a woman reporting on war and defence, including why can't pregnant women go on Royal Navy ships.https://www.justgiving.com/page/rhcc-vs-lwcc?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=WA&utm_campaign=015https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Day 1,162.Today, as Russian troops intensify offensive operations in several oblasts – Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson – we talk about the latest conversations amongst the coalition of the willing, where the tone is decidedly pessimistic. Then we do a deeper dive into the latest positions of China, Turkey, and Syria in relation to the war. Contributors:Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Narrative Podcast Producer) @Adeliepjz on X.Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @sophia_yan on X.Content Referenced:SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/ Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting.It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.Sophia Yan's Podcasts on China - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/how-to-become-a-dictator-podcast/Europe ‘would struggle to put 25,000 troops on the ground in Ukraine' (The Times):https://www.thetimes.com/uk/defence/article/europe-uk-peacekeeping-troops-ukraine-6tp2cfgg5 Europe fears Trump preparing to walk away from Ukraine talks (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/2f7af030-7466-4c10-9c7c-a7ceaa03a70a Russia intensifies offensive operations in 3 regions, pushes toward Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine's military says (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/russia-intensifies-offensive-operations-in-3-regions-pushes-toward-dnipropetrovsk-oblast-ukraines-military-says/?mc_cid=063ac27037&mc_eid=08d0680a95 Putin Renames Volgograd Airport ‘Stalingrad' to Honor WWII Battle (Moscow Times):https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/04/30/putin-renames-volgograd-airport-stalingrad-to-honor-wwii-battle-a88920 ‘Do you want to show strength here?': Russia's ads recruiting Chinese mercenaries (The Guardian):https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/10/russia-social-media-ads-videos-recruiting-china-mercenaries Video About Chinese Soldiers Fighting for Russia:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syKWPralGKQ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What began as Donald Trump's sweeping trade war against much of the world has sharpened into a tense standoff between two global giants: the United States and China. While Trump eased or delayed tariffs on many countries, China remained the outlier — and the economic tensions have only intensified. In this episode, we trace how the trade war has evolved, why China is still firmly in the firing line, and what the economic implications could be for both nations.We'll hear from Kelly Ann Shaw, who advised President Trump on global trade during his first term, to understand the thinking behind the White House's strategy. And with The Telegraph's senior foreign correspondent, Sophia Yan, we'll explore what Beijing wants out of this moment — and how it's trying to project strength. Sophia lived in China during the height of the last trade war and brings rare, on-the-ground insight into how much has changed. The big question: is Xi Jinping open to striking a deal?Contact us with feedback or ideasbattlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In a shock announcement this week Donald Trump said he would ‘take over' Gaza, ‘own' it and called for Palestinians to be 'resettled' in neighbouring countries, prompting concerns over ethnic cleansing. Venetia Rainey catches up with The Telegraph's woman in Washington Katie O'Neill about it and asks military expert Linda Robinson about the feasibility of Trump's proposed plan.Plus: The Telegraph's former Beijing correspondent Sophia Yan explains why China retaliated to US tariffs and what lessons were learned from dealing with Donald Trump in his first term.Contact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On today's episode we speak to Farouq Habib from Syria's White Helmets about returning to his home city of Homs for the first time in over a decade. He tells us about the devastation Bashar al-Assad wreaked across Syria, and how the country can heal now that the regime has fallen. Plus: The Telegraph's senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan has been on the Turkish-Syrian border. She's been speaking to refugees excited to finally be able to go back, but also to Turkish Alawites who continue to have an affinity for Assad. ReadSyrians stream across border from Turkey as guards open crossings, by Sophia Yan:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/10/syrians-flood-across-border-from-turkey-open-crossings/It's too soon to return to Syria – its new rulers were al-Qaeda members just a few years ago, by Abdulrahman Bdiwi:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/10/first-person-too-soon-go-back-syria-al-qaeda-few-years-ago/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Roland Oliphant speaks with The Telegraph's senior correspondent Sophia Yan about her analysis of satellite images showing Russia ramping up its military presence in the African state. Plus: The Telegraph's James Rothwell on how children are being recruited to carry out gang killings in Sweden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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.ContributorsVenetia RaineyRoland OliphantSophia Yan ReadLong arm of China looms over one of the world's last Uyghur bookshops by Sophia Yan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On today's episode we check in with Telegraph correspondent Nicola Smith about the controversy surrounding Israel's hostage rescue, the latest ceasefire talks and could a full scale conflict break out with Lebanon. Then we spoke with Europe editor James Crisp about the surprising gains by the far right in the EU elections. Finally Senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan explains why three judges have quit the courts in Hong Kong this week.ContributorsRoland Oliphant (Host) @rolandoliphant on xNicola Smith (Asia correspondent) @niccijsmith on XJames Crisp (Europe editor) @jamescrisp6 on XSophia Yan (Senior foreign correspondent) @sophia_yan on X Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Day 709. Today, Volodymyr Zelensky says he is considering a “reset” to replace several senior officials amid rumours he plans to fire the head of Ukraine's army, Kremlin critic Boris Nadezhdin runs into problems with his presidential bid and Sophia Yan interviews Latvian Foreign Minister as the country boosts its defensive readiness in light of Moscow's aggression.Contributors:David Knowles (Head of Audio Development). @DJKnowles22 on Twitter.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor, Defence). @DomNicholls on Twitter.Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent). @JoeBarnes on Twitter.Sophia Jan (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @sophia_yan on Twitter.Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The view from LebanonIn this bonus episode of Battle Lines, Sophia Yan brings us her interview with Lebanon's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Abdallah Bou Habib. They discuss how the war in Israel and Gaza is impacting his country and the wider region, and what role the US and Britain have to play in resolving the conflict. Contributors:Sophia Yan (Host, Senior Foreign Correspondent). @sophia_yan on X.Abdallah Bou Habib (Lebanon's Minister for Foreign Affairs).Read: Britain must take more responsibility for Israel-Hamas war, says Lebanon, by Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/11/27/uk-responsible-israel-hamas-war-balfour-declaration-lebanon/For 3 months access to The Telegraph for just £1: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/audio |Email: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
A warning this week that this episode contains graphic language that some listeners might find distressing. In this episode of Battle Lines, Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan, analyses some of the diplomatic moves made by Middle Eastern states close to the conflict.Telegraph Global Health Reporter Lilia Sebouai updates us on the conditions In Gaza's hospitals, and Foreign Reporter Verity Bowman talks us through the Israeli assault on the Al-Shifa hospital. Plus Defence Editor Danielle Sheridan explains how the war in Israel and Gaza impacted British society on Armistice Day.Contributors:David Knowles (Host). @djknowles22 on X.Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @sophia_yan on X.Lilia Sebouai (Reporter, Telegraph Global Health team). @liliasebouai on X.Verity Bowman (Foreign Reporter). @VerityBowman on X. Danielle Sheridan (Defence Editor). @SheridanDani on X.Read: Coca-Cola out, Egyptian soda in as anti-Western boycott sweeps Middle East, by Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/11/12/coca-cola-mcdonalds-boycott-israel-spiro-spathis-egypt/Read: ‘Drone snipers' firing at targets around Gaza hospitals, says trapped British doctor, by Lilia Sebouai: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/terror-and-security/armed-drones-israel-hamas-war-gaza-hospitals-gunshots/Read: Poppy sellers forced to move stand after pro-Palestinian gathering, by Danielle Sherdian: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/12/poppy-sellers-move-stand-pro-palestinian-gathering/For 3 months access to The Telegraph for just £1: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/audio |Email: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
A warning this week that this episode contains graphics language that some listeners might find distressing. In this episode of Battle Lines, we speak to Defence Editor Danielle Sheridan, Middle East correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva and Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan.Danielle speaks about the Israeli forensics teams searching through ash as they look for teeth to identify Hamas victims, Sophia takes us inside her investigation into Hamas assets in Turkey, and Nataliya explains her reporting into the experiences of the Israeli Bedouin. Plus Assistant Comment Editor Francis Dearnley takes on the difficult task of trying to sum up the history of the region.To listen to Battle Lines as soon as it's released, search Battle Lines: Israel-Gaza, wherever you're listening to this.Contributors:David Knowles (Host). @djknowles22 on Twitter.Nataliya Vasilyeva (Middle East Correspondent). @Nat_Vasilyeva on Twitter.Danielle Sheridan (Defence Editor). @SheridanDani on Twitter.Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @sophia_yan on Twitter.Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on Twitter.Read Inside the gleaming developments that made Hamas a $1bn terror group, by Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/10/30/property-developments-hamas-1bn/Read Israeli police sift through ash as they look for teeth and bones to identify Hamas victims, by Danielle Sheridan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/11/01/israel-victims-body-bags-ash-hamas-gaza/Read I'd rather be back in Ukraine, say refugee children sent to Israel, by Danielle Sheridan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/10/31/ukrainian-refugee-children-israel-kfar-chabad/For 3 months access to The Telegraph for just £1: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/audio |Email: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
A warning this week that this episode contains graphics language that some listeners might find distressing. In this episode of Battle Lines, we speak to Defence Editor Danielle Sheridan, Middle East correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva and Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan.Danielle speaks about the Israeli forensics teams searching through ash as they look for teeth to identify Hamas victims, Sophia takes us inside her investigation into Hamas assets in Turkey, and Nataliya explains her reporting into the experiences of the Israeli Bedouin. Plus Assistant Comment Editor Francis Dearnley takes on the difficult task of trying to sum up the history of the region.Contributors:David Knowles (Host). @djknowles22 on Twitter.Nataliya Vasilyeva (Middle East Correspondent). @Nat_Vasilyeva on Twitter.Danielle Sheridan (Defence Editor). @SheridanDani on Twitter.Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @sophia_yan on Twitter.Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on Twitter.Read Inside the gleaming developments that made Hamas a $1bn terror group, by Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/10/30/property-developments-hamas-1bn/Read Israeli police sift through ash as they look for teeth and bones to identify Hamas victims, by Danielle Sheridan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/11/01/israel-victims-body-bags-ash-hamas-gaza/Read I'd rather be back in Ukraine, say refugee children sent to Israel, by Danielle Sheridan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/10/31/ukrainian-refugee-children-israel-kfar-chabad/Read ‘They came out of the sea shooting us': How Israel's Bedouin Arabs became Hamas targets, by Nataliya Vasilyeva: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/11/05/israel-hamas-bedouin-attack-arab-muslim-gaza-jews/For 3 months access to The Telegraph for just £1: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/audio |Email: battlelines@telegraph.co.uk |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this week's episode, we delve deep into the LGBTQ movement in Taiwan. Our guest, Wen Liu, brings her expertise as an assistant research professor at Academia Sinica, adding valuable insights into the history and evolution of queer rights in Taiwan.Wen Liu and our host, Sophia Yan, explore the movement's origins, its pivotal moments, and the courageous individuals who paved the way for progress.Furthermore, the conversation touches on the challenges that lie ahead for the LGBTQ community in Taiwan, providing a nuanced understanding of the ongoing struggles and areas that require attention and support.
Happy end of summer! We're continuing our Taiwan series with Yun-Ching Ko, campaign director for the Taiwan Innocence Project (TIP), the only NGO in Taiwan that's committed to exonerating the wrongfully convicted by providing legal services and working to reform the judicial system. In this episode, Ko delves into her work with host Sophia Yan and discusses cases she has worked on. Those interested in criminal justice won't want to miss this episode. About TIP: "Taiwan Innocence Project (TIP) was founded in 2012 to address the issue of wrongful conviction in Taiwan.We provide pro bono legal services for the wrongfully convicted, work to redress the causes of wrongful convictions, and support the exonerated after they are proven innocent. We also urge to reform the criminal justice system and seek institutional changes to prevent innocent people from entering a flawed legal process in the first place.TIP only accepts post-conviction cases that claim to be innocent, either with flawed forensic evidence or severe due process violation. We also seeks to support our clients during and after exonerations.We hope to create an open and dynamic space that can spur more public discussion and the exchange of ideas to resolve the problem of wrongful conviction. We hold training workshops for attorneys, ask experts from different disciplines to give talks, and hold campus tours to share the stories of the innocent people and to show documentaries about their lives.In 2015, we officially joined the Innocence Network, and became the second member in Asia. In 2018, we, along with innocence organizations and activists from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, co-signed the “Statement of the Asian Innocence Movement Activists,” collectively devoting ourselves into addressing wrongful convictions in Asia."
This week, we've reached the 100th episode of the NüVoices podcast! To celebrate, we've brought together hosts Megan Cattel, Solarina Ho, and Sophia Yan for a panel discussion with a grab-bag of topics – from geopolitical current events to pop culture. We'll be discussing the recent news of Coco Lee's death, and the hosts share their favorite songs as well as what the singer meant to them. They'll also dive into U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's visit to Beijing during a time of worsening relations between the two countries. On a slightly lighter note, the hosts also discuss the Netflix show Never Have I Ever about an Indian-American teenager and her family reconciling the two cultures and coming to terms with the intergenerational differences within the family.We would like to take this 100th episode to thank all our listeners and especially our Patreon subscribers! NüVoices is a non-profit organization and we appreciate all your support – even if it's just a recommendation of the podcast to your friends.
For the next half year leading up to the elections in Taiwan, we will be bringing you a mini-series focusing entirely on the island, from domestic politics to its relationship to neighboring China.For this first installment of the Taiwan mini-series, host Sophia Yan speaks to Yu-Jie Chen, an assistant research fellow from Academic Sinica who focuses on Human Rights and International relations with a specific focus on cross-strait relations.Not only does Yu-Jie provide listeners with one of the clearest, most succinct summaries of three hundred years of Taiwanese history, but she also delves into how political and personal identities on the island have changed in the past three decades. With cross-strait tensions worsening in recent years, what does the future hold for Taiwan? Yu-Jie also explains how the ambiguity of the 1992 Consensus has caused the modern-day complexities in the region. Taiwan is so much more than the occasional headline, so make sure you don't miss this episode!
Day 392.Today, we bring you updates from Ukraine, the latest on diplomatic moves across Europe and an interview with Sophia Yan, The Telegraph's China Correspondent, to get her analysis on President Xi's visit to Moscow. Contributors:David Knowles (Host). @djknowles22 on Twitter.Venetia Rainey (Weekend Foreign Editor). @VenetiaRainey on Twitter.Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on Twitter.Sophia Yan (China Correspondent). @Sophia_Yan on Twitter.To support our work, subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.ukSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today, as the long-awaited Ramstein summit begins, we discuss the very latest political manoeuvrings in Germany and elsewhere – from the latest military donations to Ukraine, to the war of words fast-developing within the European alliance against Russian aggression.Plus, it's Chinese New Year on Sunday, so an opportune moment to re-focus our attention to a country playing an increasingly important role in the war. We talk again to the Telegraph's China Correspondent, Sophia Yan.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host) @FrancisDearnley on Twitter.Dom Nicholls (Associate Editor, Defence). @DomNicholls on Twitter.Sophia Yan (China Correspondent). Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.ukSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
As 2022 draws to a close, so must this season of the NüVoices podcast. But fear not! Before we sign off for a winter hiatus, we wanted to bring together our team to reflect on the past year. Joanna Chiu, Rui Zhong, Solarina Ho, Megan Cattel, and Saga Ringmar come together to discuss our podcast's highlights, our favorite episodes, and what we hope to achieve next year. We also delve into the anti-COVID lockdown protests that swept China late last month in response to the apartment fire in Urumqi that claimed the lives of ten people. Lastly, co-host Sophia Yan gives a recap of 2022's major events: from the Beijing Olympics, China's aggression toward Taiwan, and the National Party Congress which solidified Xi Jinping's third term. Sophia also gives a glimpse into her latest project, How to Become a Dictator, a podcast series for The Telegraph. Please do check it out wherever you get your podcasts! Thanks for listening and supporting us this year. See you in 2023!
From April 28, 2020: Sophia Yan, a correspondent for the London Telegraph, joined Benjamin Wittes from Beijing where she is in coronavirus lockdown after traveling to Wuhan, China, to see how it was recovering from being the coronavirus epidemic center earlier in the year. They talked about what Wuhan looks like these days, what quarantine means in China, and how close the surveillance is. And they talked about the Chinese government, how it is responding to the crisis, and about how the Chinese economy is recovering and suffering.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Protests have broken out in China over the zero-Covid policy, over lockdowns, and even over the rule of newly appointed third-term leader Xi Jinping. The government has begun a crackdown, there have been arrests, there have been intimidating interrogations, there have been street closures, and there has been a lot of internet content removed. To go over it all and see what we can make of it, Lawfare editor-in-chief Benjamin Wittes sat down with Sophia Yan, who just left China where she has been The Telegraph's correspondent for a number of years. They talked about whether these protests might have legs, about what capacity the government has to shut them down, and about whether this could be the beginning of something.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sophia Yan, pianist for the Lawfare Podcast and Rational Security, is also The Telegraph's Beijing correspondent—or at least, she was until the other day. She's produced a new podcast entitled, “How to become a dictator,” about the rise and rule of Xi Jinping and her own struggles as a reporter in Xi's China. Now Sophia's in Taiwan after a hasty exit from the country, and she joined Lawfare's editor-in-chief Benjamin Wittes to discuss the new podcast and her departure from China. Who is Xi Jinping really? How is Xi different from other recent Chinese leaders? Why did Sophia leave China? And did she take her piano with her?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Created for the Exploring Disinformation in Media and Society Buchanan FellowshipIf you've ever used WhatsApp you've probably been added to a group chat with dozens of distant relatives and what seemed like a great way to reconnect with the family often becomes a tool to spread misinformation. In this episode, Sophia Yan and Shaun Karakkattu address this global phenomenon and what you can do about it.What was your process for structuring this episode? Did you plan out the entire episode first or did you just experiment with audio until you found something that you liked?“During the Buchanan Fellowship, the cohort had discussions about misinformation in different historical and cultural contexts, including the AIDs epidemic, Japanese incarceration camp during WWII, and anti-blackness media. At some point, the group brought up the fact that non-English-speaking immigrants in America tend to be more vulnerable to misinformation on social media due to the limited content monitoring and lack of credible news sources in their home language. I think that topic really clicked with me and Shaun due to our shared immigration and multicultural backgrounds. So we decided to produce this episode together on immigrants' experience of misinformation in the US.” - Sophia YanHow much research did you do and how did you decide what information to include?“Because of the knowledge we accumulated during the Buchanan Fellowship, we did not spend a lot of additional time researching for this episode beyond identifying personal anecdotes. We spent some time watching the Last Week Tonight with John Oliver episode on immigrants and misinformation in the recording studio together, and we ultimately decided to include our favorite clip in our episode.” - Sophia YanHow long did it take for you to produce this episode?“We took about a semester to develop our idea using the lessons we learned from the different weeks of the Buchanan fellowship, but once the idea was developed we filmed and produced the podcast in about two weeks. We spent the first-week planning and refining the script. Then, we proceeded to record the podcast at the Curb center which took about two days.” - Shaun KarakkattuWhat advice would you have for students that are interested in producing something similar?“For students who want to produce something similar, I would recommend finding an idea that they are passionate about or just something different they notice in their day-to-day lives. Sometimes the most interesting conversations are about how the little things people do that impact our system as a whole.” - Shaun Karakkattu
Day 246. Today, we discuss Russia's nuclear strike simulations overseen by President Putin; look at how the Russian state is tightening the screw on dissenters; and our China correspondent, Sophia Yan, gives her take on Xi Jinping's approach to the conflict, after months of looking into his life story.Contributors: David Knowles (Host). Follow David on Twitter @DjKnowles22.Nataliya Vasilyeva (Russia Correspondent). Follow Nataliya on Twitter @Nat_Vasilyeva.Sophia Yan (China Correspondent). Follow Sophia on Twitter @Sophia_Yan.Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). Follow Francis on Twitter @FrancisDearnley.Email: podcasts@telegraph.co.ukListen to "How To Become A Dictator", a new podcast from the Telegraph.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This past weekend, the Chinese Communist Party held its 20th National Congress, an event held every five years at which it appoints its senior leadership who in turn holds the reins of China's government. This year, the event focused on one man, Xi Jinping, the current president of China, who secured an unprecedented, third consecutive five-year term as the party's senior-most official and was able to staff the party apparatus with hand-chosen loyalists, even at the expense of his predecessors and other factions in the party.To discuss these events, Lawfare senior editor Scott R. Anderson sat down with Sophia Yan, China correspondent for The Telegraph, and Julian Ku, Professor of Law at Hofstra University. They discussed what went down at the National Congress, where it says China is headed in the next five years, and what it might mean for its relationship with the United States.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Chancellor's warning: Jeremy Hunt - ‘We must take decisions of eye-watering difficulty' | PM's apology: Liz Truss says she is “sorry” for moving “too fast” on tax cuts | Tory rebels: Sir Graham Brady confronts Prime Minister ahead of crunch meeting | Politics live blog: PM cannot afford to make ‘any more mistakes', says minister | 'Threat alert': China recruits British ex-military pilots to help train its armed forces | New podcast: How to become a dictator – latest to Sophia Yan's first episode | Booker winner: Our review of The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida | Exclusive: Who Aston Villa will target first if they sack Steven Gerrard | Fashion: Why donning a pink suit truly separates the men from the boys | Read all these articles and stay expertly informed anywhere, anytime with a digital subscription. Start your free one-month trial today to gain unlimited website and app access. Cancel anytime. Sign up here.We'd like to ask you a few questions about the ads in this podcast. Please click here to take a quick survey.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This week we're interrupting our summer hiatus to bring you insight into US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan the most senior elected US official to visit Taiwan in a quarter of a century. In retaliation, China has engaged its military in days of drills that escalated tensions to their highest in years. What did Nancy Pelosi hope to achieve by going to Taiwan and can we say that the trip was a success? How will this visit affect China-US relations and what are the pros and cons of the vague U.S foreign policy towards Taiwan, the so-called “strategic ambiguity”? To unpack all of this and much more, we talk to twin sisters Meia Nouwen and Veerle Nouwens.Meia is a senior fellow for Chinese Defence Policy and Military Modernisation, and the Defence and Military Analysis Programme, at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a London-based think tank. She helps us dig deeper into what China's display of force can tell us about its military capabilities and how far China has to go before they're ready for a full-fledged invasion.Veerle is a senior research fellow for Asia Studies and head of the Indo-Pacific Programme at the International Security Studies department of the Royal United Services Institute focusing on geopolitical relations in the Indo-Pacific region. Sophia Yan, China correspondent for The Telegraph and NuVoices Board member, hosts this week's episode.This episode was produced by Saga Ringmar with help from Lauren Lau, our newest podcast team members! Big kudos for their first episode.
Nancy Pelosi made a visit to Taiwan this week. It wasn't exactly a surprise—we all knew it was happening—but it wasn't announced, and it wasn't quite official either. Beijing has gone a little bit crazy. There are military exercises taking place off the coast of Taiwan in response. There are threats of war. There was even talk of shooting down Pelosi's plane. To talk it all through, Benjamin Wittes sat down with Sophia Yan, Beijing correspondent for the Telegraph; Julian Ku, professor of law at Hofstra University; and Zack Cooper of the Alliance for Protecting Democracy at the German Marshall Fund. They talked about why Pelosi went, about how Beijing reacted, and whether it's all bluster or whether this is the real deal. They also talked about what we can expect to happen over the next few months and how we can deescalate the situation over the next few days. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Boris Johnson faces a vote of confidence – George Parker of the ‘Financial Times' has the latest. Panellists Quentin Peel and Sophia Yan discuss Johnson's legacy; Putin's threats to the West over Ukraine; China and Australia jostling for influence in the South China Sea; and an auction of an ‘unburnable' book at Sotheby's. Plus: we hear from Tyler Brûlé at Salone del Mobile in Milan.
Wherein Sophia Yan is no longer in China and is in the greater Washington DC metropolitan area, and wherein she will be over at Chez Wittez for Scotch, she joins the show live and in person—and with a surprise friend! Will she take the hammock? Will she be in a dog shirt? Tune in to find out. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sophia Yan and Shaun Karakkattu co-hosted a special episode as a part of the Vanderbilt Buchanan Fellowship on the phenomenon of widespread misinformation among the immigrant communities on social media platforms and ways to combat non-English misinformation.
Sophia Yan and Shaun Karakkattu co-hosted a special episode as a part of the Vanderbilt Buchanan Fellowship on the phenomenon of widespread misinformation among the immigrant communities on social media platforms and ways to combat non-English misinformation.
Today's podcast episode is a conversation with Axios' business reporter Hope King, where she covers everything from the markets, consumer trends, and big companies such as Tesla, Apple, and Google. Joined by NüVoices board member Sophia Yan, Hope talks through her recent stories on China's lockdowns impacting global supply chains and the surprising number of China's female self-made billionaires. Later on the in episode, Hope also talks about her career pivot from finance to journalism and growing up in various parts of the US as a Chinese American.
China's perspective on the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been what experts call a "checkered response". While Chinese authorities maintain they are neutral in the war and encourage peace negotiations, state media remains sympathetic to Russia, a significant ally for China. Why is Russia an important partnership China? Why have Chinese officials declined calling the conflict a war or an invasion? Where is the Russia-Chinese relationship going and how will neighboring countries respond in the region? Luckily, we have Dr. Elizabeth Wishnick, a Senior Research Scientist in the China and Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Division at CNA and Professor of Political Science at Montclair State University, to break it all down. Sophia Yan, China correspondent for The Telegraph and NüVoices Board member, hosts this week's episode.
Scriptwriter Shen Yang is the author of More Than One Child: Memoirs of an Illegal Daughter, which was just translated into English by Nicky Harman earlier this year in August. She joins this installment of the NüVoices Podcast with host Sophia Yan, where they discuss her turbulent childhood being shuttled between relatives and living in hiding as an "excess child" during China's One Child Policy. This episode also covers the current state of family planning in China, Shen Yang's friendships with other fellow excess children, and the longlasting impact of the One Child Policy in Chinese society today. You can read an excerpt of Shen Yang's memoir on the NüVoices website here. **Note: Trigger warning at the 28 minute mark for graphic descriptions of domestic violence.
Sophie Richardson is the China Director at Human Rights Watch, a position she's held since 2006.She frequently testifies to parliaments around the world and is the author of China, Cambodia and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which examines Chinese foreign policy since the 1954 Geneva Conference. She speaks Mandarin, earned a doctorate from the University of Virginia and a BA from Oberlin College. Sophie joins Sophia Yan, NüVoices board member and Telegraph China correspondent, to discuss human rights in China, what it feels like to be sanctioned by the Chinese government, and how HRW keeps its staff healthy mentally and emotionally healthy given demanding work.
Clare Fearnley became New Zealand's ambassador to China in 2018, cross-accredited to Mongolia. She was previously ambassador in Seoul, where she also oversaw Pyongyang, consul-general in Shanghai and head of the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei.She has also been posted to the New Zealand Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva. While working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Wellington, she was director-general for north Asia, and has led international trade litigation, including cases at the WTO. Ambassador Fearnley has arts and law degrees from the University of Canterbury. She is a Mandarin speaker, and studied at Beijing University and at the Beijing Languages Institute in the 1980s. Clare joins NuVoices board member and Telegraph correspondent Sophia Yan to chat about New Zealand-China relations, how and why Asia piqued her interest early on, and New Zealand's gender equality successes.
Barbara Demick is the author of Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town (2020), Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea (2009), and Logavina Street: Life and Death in a Sarajevo neighborhood (1996). She spent 12 years as bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times in Beijing and Seoul and previously reported from the Middle East and Balkans for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Barbara has won many awards for her work, including the Samuel Johnson prize (now the Baillie Gifford prize) for non-fiction in the UK, the Overseas Press Club's human rights reporting award, the George Polk Award, the Robert F Kennedy Award, and Stanford University's Shorenstein Award for Asia coverage. Her North Korea book was a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. She was a press fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a Bagehot fellow in business journalism at Columbia University, and a visiting professor of journalism at Princeton University. She grew up in New Jersey, graduated from Yale College, and now lives in New York City.Barbara joins NuVoices board member Sophia Yan to discuss her most recent book, Eat the Buddha, which tells the story of Ngaba, a town high on a Tibetan plateau that is one of the most hidden corners of the world, and near-impossible for foreigners to visit. Through the rich tales of those linked to this town, Barbara illuminates decades of intertwined Tibetan and Chinese history, and explores what it means to be Tibetan today — to preserve a culture, faith and language despite all odds. Barbara talks about navigating reporting on China, despite the challenges, imparts sage writing advice, and previews her next book in the works. Recommendations:Sophia: Read Barbara's books! Eat the Buddha; Nothing to Envy; Logavina Street. Also this fascinating New Yorker article from May that I just read (the issues take forever to arrive abroad) about cutting-edge research on using electricity to regenerate limbs.Barbara: The Ministry for the Future, a science fiction book set in the near future about people trying to save the world from the ravages of climate change. I was reading it as the New York City subways flooded from the tail of Hurricane Ida. Evan Osnos' forthcoming Wildland: The Making of America's Fury, about how America is tearing itself apart with political polarization. Yes, I know you'd say not exactly soothing bedtime reading. More cheerful listening to podcaster Mike Duncan's Hero of Two Worlds about the Marquis de Lafayette.Self-Care Suggestions:Sophia: Not looking at your phone and emails/messages the minute you wake up! Try setting a timeframe – say half an hour – or perhaps until your morning routine is over (ie brushing teeth, washing face, making/having breakfast. Look out the window, enjoy your coffee/tea/Oatly/delivered jianbing! Then.... thumb scroll! Barbara: I'd say read before bed (don't watch Netflix or other streaming late at night) and turn off the lights before midnight. Researchers say if you don't get enough sleep in middle age, you increase your chances of dementia.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
A year on from Beijing's National Security Law, Hong Kong has been silenced. Or has it? Whether laying low in the city, in jail, or in exile, the Hong Kongers at the heart of our story take the long view and reflect on what's next for the city.Get 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/silenced |Read more from Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/s/sk-so/sophia-yan/ |Read more from Nicola Smith: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/n/nf-nj/nicola-smith/ |Read more of The Telegraph's coverage of Hong Kong: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/hong-kong/ |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Beijing steps up its crackdown on Hong Kong, reaching behind closed doors to silence people's private conversations, even their very thoughts. As the scope of the law becomes clear, a mother makes a difficult decision. Get 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/silenced |Read more from Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/s/sk-so/sophia-yan/ |Read more from Nicola Smith: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/n/nf-nj/nicola-smith/ |Read more of The Telegraph's coverage of Hong Kong: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/hong-kong/ |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
A sweeping new law changes everything overnight, leaving Hong Kong's pro-democracy protest movement exposed and vulnerable - but unwilling to give up the fight. As the noose tightens, some are arrested, while others choose to flee into exile.Get 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/silenced |Read more from Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/s/sk-so/sophia-yan/ |Read more from Nicola Smith: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/n/nf-nj/nicola-smith/ |Read more of The Telegraph's coverage of Hong Kong: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/hong-kong/ |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
As Hong Kong is engulfed by the biggest pro-democracy protests in its modern history, hopes rise that people power will win the day and safeguard the city's unique way of life. But Beijing has other plans.Get 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/silenced |Read more from Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/s/sk-so/sophia-yan/ |Read more from Nicola Smith: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/n/nf-nj/nicola-smith/ |Read more of The Telegraph's coverage of Hong Kong: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/hong-kong/ |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Sophia Yan is the China correspondent for the Telegraph, has covered the region for a decade, and is based in Beijing. Previously, she reported for CNBC, CNN, and Bloomberg, while based in Hong Kong and Washington, D.C., and has had stints in Tokyo and Honolulu. She received the 2020 Marie Colvin Award for her coverage of China, with judges noting Sophia's determination to "get to the truth, exposing cruelty, injustice, and the abuse of human rights despite all attempts to stop her.” When Sophia isn't reporting, she's tickling a different set of keys — on the piano! Sophia chats with NüVoices chair Joanna Chiu about why there are so few foreign correspondents on the ground in mainland China, and whether we risk losing nuanced and immediate coverage of China. They also discuss what Sophia learned from her recent reporting trip in Xinjiang about the "new phase" of persecution against Uyghurs, forced factory labor, and how a Hilton hotel is rising in the wreckage of a bulldozed mosque. For their efforts, Sophia and her colleague faced violent obstruction from police and plainclothes thugs. Read her personal account about obstacles on the ground. Watch her Xinjiang documentary series here, and look for her new podcast series, Hong Kong Silenced, about the city's shrinking freedoms under the national security law that will launch on June 30. Recommendations: Sophia: The book The War on the Uyghurs, by Sean Roberts; Anna Fifield's portrait of Kim Jong-un, The Great Successor; a documentary on the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, The Dissident; and a book about meditation as self-care, Wherever You Go, There You Are, by Jon Kabat-Zinn.Joanna: Megha Rajagopalan's Pulitzer-winning reporting on Xinjiang and the new report "No Space Left to Run: China's Transnational Repression of Uyghurs" from the Uyghur Human Rights Project and the Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs.Privacy Policy and California Privacy Notice.
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As the world becomes more populous, experts say we're likely to use 25 percent more concrete in the next decade. But concrete is also responsible for eight percent of the planet's greenhouse gas emissions. There are concerns that the industry isn't taking its carbon footprint seriously enough. So our climate question this week is: Must our future be cast in concrete? Guests: Arpad Horvath, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Berkley Professor Karen Scrivener, head of Laboratory of Construction Materials at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland Anupama Kundoo, professor of architecture at the Potsdam School of Architecture, Berlin, and working architect Sophia Yan, China correspondent for The Telegraph Presented by Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell Produced by Alex Lewis Researched by Zoe Gelber Edited by Emma Rippon
While we have been dealing with an insurrection in Washington, protestors in Hong Kong are being tried under the city's new Beijing-imposed national security law. For an update on what's going on in Hong Kong and in its relationship with China, Benjamin Wittes sat down with Sophia Yan, Beijing correspondent for The Telegraph in London, and Alvin Cheung, a postdoctoral fellow at McGill University and a non-resident affiliate scholar with NYU's U.S.-Asia Law Institute. They talked about how the national security law is being applied in Hong Kong, whether the protests are likely to reignite as the coronavirus epidemic fades and what activists are doing now that they do not know what Beijing will tolerate.
Tensions between Australia and China have noticeably worsened this year. Andrew Mueller asks Beijing-based journalist Sophia Yan what lies behind the ongoing spat – and former Australian prime minister and China specialist Kevin Rudd offers suggestions for how to fix the relationship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Podcast: The Lawfare Podcast (LS 70 · TOP 0.05% what is this?)Episode: Biden's Victory Around the WorldPub date: 2020-11-24We have a new president-elect here in the United States, which means changes to certain U.S. domestic policies and also a different way of doing foreign policy. So, what does Biden's win mean for different countries and regions globally? Jacob Schulz brings you dispatches from around the world about the effects of Biden's win with Boris Ruge on Germany and the EU, Alina Polyakova on Russia and Ukraine, Emmanuel Igunza on East Africa and the Horn of Africa, Ambassador Antonio Garza on Mexico, Tanvi Madan on India, Sophia Yan on China, Ben Hubbard on Saudi Arabia, Rasha Al Aqeedi on Iraq, Daniel Reisner on Israel and Kemal Kirişci on Turkey.The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Lawfare Institute, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.
We have a new president-elect here in the United States, which means changes to certain U.S. domestic policies and also a different way of doing foreign policy. So, what does Biden’s win mean for different countries and regions globally? Jacob Schulz brings you dispatches from around the world about the effects of Biden’s win with Boris Ruge on Germany and the EU, Alina Polyakova on Russia and Ukraine, Emmanuel Igunza on East Africa and the Horn of Africa, Ambassador Antonio Garza on Mexico, Tanvi Madan on India, Sophia Yan on China, Ben Hubbard on Saudi Arabia, Rasha Al Aqeedi on Iraq, Daniel Reisner on Israel and Kemal Kirişci on Turkey.
Will a Joe Biden presidency be better for the environment than President Trump's policies? Is China really set to take the lead on tackling climate change? And can the world's two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases work together for the good of the planet? We're joined by former governor of California Jerry Brown, now with the California-China Climate Institute at Berkeley, and Daily Telegraph journalist Sophia Yan. Presenters: Neal Razzell, Graihagh Jackson, Vincent Ni Researcher: Eleanor Biggs Producer: Anna Meisel Editor: Ravin Sampat
The protests in Hong Kong have grabbed international headlines, but Hong Kong is hardly the only region of China that is experiencing brutal repression from the Chinese Communist Party. The latest unrest in the city and the imposition of the new national security law in Hong Kong mirrors actions taken in Xinjiang, the province of China that is inhabited principally by Uighur Muslims. To talk about it all, Benjamin Wittes spoke with Alvin Cheung, a non-resident affiliated scholar of NYU's U.S. Asia Law Institute and an expert on Hong Kong law; Jeremy Daum of the Paul Tsai China Center at the Yale Law School and an expert on Chinese criminal procedure and the detention of Uighurs outside of it; and Sophia Yan, the Beijing-based China correspondent for The Telegraph in London. They talked about what's going on in Hong Kong, what's going on in Xinjiang, what's going on in Tibet, and what's going on in the mainland of China itself.
Has the pandemic accelerated China’s plans? Andrew Mueller talks to James Chambers about the escalating situation in Hong Kong, to Beijing journalist Sophia Yan about China’s plans elsewhere and to former diplomat John Everard about how other countries can usefully – and tactfully – try to change China’s behaviour.
Has the pandemic accelerated China’s plans? Andrew Mueller talks to James Chambers about the escalating situation in Hong Kong, to Beijing journalist Sophia Yan about China’s plans elsewhere and to former diplomat John Everard about how other countries can usefully – and tactfully – try to change China’s behaviour. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
Hong Kong protesters are out in the streets once again, as the Beijing legislature contemplates a new national security law for the city, and the Hong Kong legislature considers a bill to make it a crime to disrespect the Chinese national anthem. It's all going relatively unnoticed amidst the international focus on the coronavirus, but Hong Kong is increasingly under the thumb of the Chinese Communist Party. To discuss the latest developments, Benjamin Wittes spoke with Sophia Yan of The Daily Telegraph, and Alvin Cheung, originally from Hong Kong and currently a non-resident affiliated scholar at NYU's U.S.-Asia Law Institute. They talked about the details of what these laws would do, the way Beijing might use them to crack down on dissent and what the protesters hope to achieve in this latest round of street violence.
Sophia Yan, a correspondent in Beijing for the London Telegraph, joined Benjamin Wittes from Beijing where she is in coronavirus lockdown after traveling to Wuhan, China, to see how it was recovering from being the coronavirus epidemic center earlier in the year. They talked about what Wuhan looks like these days, what quarantine means in China, and how close the surveillance is. And they talked about the Chinese government, how it is responding to the crisis, and about how the Chinese economy is recovering and suffering.
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads across the globe, it can be difficult to keep track of how the virus has spread and how different countries have responded. So, this week we are doing something a little bit different. We are bringing you dispatches about how nine different countries are handling the COVID-19 outbreak. Jacob Schulz spoke with experts about the situations in Poland, Spain, South Korea, Italy, Russia, South Africa, Iran, China, and Great Britain. You will hear from journalists, Brookings experts, a former CIA officer, and a Member of European Parliament, among others. What are the restrictions different governments have put in place? What legal authorities have they relied on? How has COVID-19 and the corresponding government response affected life in each of the countries? Guests this week were Amanda Sloat, Robert Bosch Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution; Radek Sikorski, Member of European Parliament and former Polish Minister of Defense and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Alex Finley, satirist and former CIA officer; Brian Kim, Lawfare contributor and law student at Yale Law School; Giovanna De Maio, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution; Joshua Yaffa, the Moscow correspondent for The New Yorker; Erin Bates, law student and freelance broadcast journalist in South Africa; Suzanne Maloney, Interim Vice President of Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution; and Sophia Yan, China correspondent for the Telegraph.
Lisa Monaco was Barack Obama's counterterrorism and Homeland Security advisor in the White House, and headed the Justice Department's national security division. Sophia Yan is a Beijing-based correspondent for the British newspaper The Telegraph. Lisa and Sophia may not seem to have a lot in common, but these days, they are both spending a lot of time thinking about coronavirus. Monaco managed epidemic and pandemic disease events for the Obama administration, and Yan is in the middle of covering the ongoing epidemic in China. Benjamin Wittes joined Lisa (in the Jungle Studio) and Sophia (remotely from Beijing) on Thursday to talk about how the Chinese government has responded, how the Trump administration has responded, and how much worse this is likely to get before it ebbs.
Beijing-based journalist Sophia Yan and consultant virologist Chris Smith discuss China’s coronavirus outbreak. Plus: Ireland’s leader warns the UK over EU trade talks, a rail link between Serbia and Kosovo and Fernando Augusto Pacheco unpacks the Grammy Awards.
The death toll from the Wuhan coronavirus in China continues rising as authorities and health care workers struggle to contain the outbreak.Fifty-six people have been killed by the novel coronavirus in China, health officials said on Saturday. Over 1,900 confirmed cases have been reported across the country.China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported that 237 patients are in critical condition.Healthcare workers in the Chinese city of Wuhan say hospitals are running low on supplies as they treat an increasing number of patients.The Chinese central government announced it would send more than 1,200 health workers — as well as 135 People's Liberation Army medical personnel -- to the city in an unprecedented effort to contain the spread of the virus.Lunar New Year celebrations -- the country's most important holiday -- have been greatly impacted in Beijing, Hong Kong and other major cities due to the virus. Nearly 60 million people are under partial lockdown in the province of Hubei.While most confirmed cases of the virus are in China, more countries around the world, including France, Australia and the United States are reporting their first cases. They are among 13 places outside mainland China where the virus has been confirmed.In Wuhan, ground zero for the virus, four healthcare workers -- including doctors -- have told CNN of the difficulties facing medical crews on the ground. They have asked to remain anonymous to avoid repercussions.Through telephone conversations with CNN and posts on Chinese social media, they told of low hospital resources. In private groups online, those identified as hospital staff are coordinating with members of the public to import protective equipment as they treat an increasing number of infected patients."In terms of resources, the whole of Wuhan is lacking," one Wuhan-based healthcare worker told CNN by phone. This person said they were looking for more protective clothing, protective goggles and masks."It's really like we're going into battle stripped to the waist," one healthcare worker added, using a Chinese idiom that equates to "going into battle without armour".One hospital staff member claims healthcare workers have resorted to wearing diapers to work so as to avoid having to remove their HAZMAT suits, which they say are in short supply. A doctor on her Chinese social media Weibo page described similar accounts at another Wuhan hospital."My family members are definitely worried about me, but I still have to work," another doctor told. But she said that she is hopeful they will ultimately get the gear they need. "Our bosses, our hospital suppliers will definitely find a way to get these stocks to us," she added.It's not clear if these accounts are anecdotal or whether there are widespread shortages across Wuhan.Chinese state media has also shared posts from multiple Wuhan hospitals in which they ask for public donations of medical supplies. They report that one hospital staff member said the current supplies "are only able to sustain three or four days".The Wuhan Health Commission has requisitioned over 10,000 beds from 24 hospitals to be used in the treatment of confirmed and suspected cases.On Friday, Wuhan officials acknowledged that local hospitals were struggling to accommodate people seeking medical attention and said measures were being put into place to alleviate the situation.State media also reported that the city aims to build a 25,000 square meter new facility within a week, increasing hospital capacity by 1,000 beds, and that several medical centres in Hubei province are asking for medical gear donations.
The death toll from the Wuhan coronavirus in China continues rising as authorities and health care workers struggle to contain the outbreak.Fifty-six people have been killed by the novel coronavirus in China, health officials said on Saturday. Over 1,900 confirmed cases have been reported across the country.China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported that 237 patients are in critical condition.Healthcare workers in the Chinese city of Wuhan say hospitals are running low on supplies as they treat an increasing number of patients.The Chinese central government announced it would send more than 1,200 health workers — as well as 135 People's Liberation Army medical personnel -- to the city in an unprecedented effort to contain the spread of the virus.Lunar New Year celebrations -- the country's most important holiday -- have been greatly impacted in Beijing, Hong Kong and other major cities due to the virus. Nearly 60 million people are under partial lockdown in the province of Hubei.While most confirmed cases of the virus are in China, more countries around the world, including France, Australia and the United States are reporting their first cases. They are among 13 places outside mainland China where the virus has been confirmed.In Wuhan, ground zero for the virus, four healthcare workers -- including doctors -- have told CNN of the difficulties facing medical crews on the ground. They have asked to remain anonymous to avoid repercussions.Through telephone conversations with CNN and posts on Chinese social media, they told of low hospital resources. In private groups online, those identified as hospital staff are coordinating with members of the public to import protective equipment as they treat an increasing number of infected patients."In terms of resources, the whole of Wuhan is lacking," one Wuhan-based healthcare worker told CNN by phone. This person said they were looking for more protective clothing, protective goggles and masks."It's really like we're going into battle stripped to the waist," one healthcare worker added, using a Chinese idiom that equates to "going into battle without armour".One hospital staff member claims healthcare workers have resorted to wearing diapers to work so as to avoid having to remove their HAZMAT suits, which they say are in short supply. A doctor on her Chinese social media Weibo page described similar accounts at another Wuhan hospital."My family members are definitely worried about me, but I still have to work," another doctor told. But she said that she is hopeful they will ultimately get the gear they need. "Our bosses, our hospital suppliers will definitely find a way to get these stocks to us," she added.It's not clear if these accounts are anecdotal or whether there are widespread shortages across Wuhan.Chinese state media has also shared posts from multiple Wuhan hospitals in which they ask for public donations of medical supplies. They report that one hospital staff member said the current supplies "are only able to sustain three or four days".The Wuhan Health Commission has requisitioned over 10,000 beds from 24 hospitals to be used in the treatment of confirmed and suspected cases.On Friday, Wuhan officials acknowledged that local hospitals were struggling to accommodate people seeking medical attention and said measures were being put into place to alleviate the situation.State media also reported that the city aims to build a 25,000 square meter new facility within a week, increasing hospital capacity by 1,000 beds, and that several medical centres in Hubei province are asking for medical gear donations.
The House Intelligence Committee submits its impeachment report, and the Judiciary Committee takes up the baton. Also, friend of the podcast Sophia Yan gives us an on-the-ground report from China.
Protests have rocked Hong Kong for months with both sides digging in deeper. What can bridge the gap? The Crisis Next Door Host Jason Brooks talks about that with Sophia Yan, China Correspondent for the British newspaper Telegraph. She's based in Beijing, after a five-year posting in Hong Kong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The future of Hong Kong has long been a source of simmering tension in UK-China relations, but following this week's protests in the territory, it's now developed into a full diplomatic dispute. On this week's podcast we're looking at what's caused the current escalation, how it could all play out, and what impact a new British Prime Minister might have on matters. Joining Adam Boulton are the Telegraph’s China correspondent Sophia Yan, Sky News’ South East Asia correspondent Siobhan Robbins, director of Hong Kong Watch Johnny Patterson and Times columnist and author Edward Lucas.
Early this week, about 200 protestors broke into and occupied the seat of Hong Kong's legislative assembly. The protests began with a controversial law about extradition to mainland China. That law was withdrawn but the protestors remain. There are hundreds of thousands of them—a small number of them violent. Today we ask: WTF, Hong Kong? To answer that question, Benjamin Wittes spoke with Alvin Cheung, an expert on Hong Kong's legal system based at New York University, and Sophia Yan, the China correspondent for The Telegraph in London who has been covering the Hong Kong protests (Lawfare Podcast listeners also know her for her musical prowess). They talked about where Hong Kong is now, what's really behind the demonstrations, where the anger is coming from, and where it's all going.
Shane is off gallivanting elsewhere, so we wiped our bitter tears and did a show without him. Sophia Yan—yes, that Sophia Yan—phoned in from a Chinese airport on her way to Hong Kong to talk about ongoing protests and violence in that city. Kamala Harris urged the indictment of President Trump after he leaves office. And Pete Buttigieg gave a foreign policy speech.
In this episode of the NüVoices Podcast, Alice Xin Liu and Joanna Chiu are live from New York! Following a heady and successful launch of NüVoices' first North American chapter, they reunite at the SupChina offices in Brooklyn and interview one of their idols: Jiayang Fan, staff writer and de facto China correspondent at The New Yorker magazine. Alice and Joanna interview Jiayang about her immigrant background, long-form magazine writing (especially her piece on Yan Lianke, "Forbidden Satires of China"), the impact of her male, white predecessors, and the field of Asian-American writing. For recommendations and self-care, Alice recommends UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center (which also produces this excellent podcast), Joanna recommends "How to Rock Your Broadcast Appearance" by Sophia Yan, published on NüVoices, and Jiayang recommends that women writers — and all writers — keep a nightly journal, or that we spend 15 minutes on the voice audio app on our phones “talking to ourselves.” Jiayang also recommends the Netflix show Kim’s Convenience.
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