Battle Lines

• Record global rearmament plus India-Pakistan war fears

  Wherever you look, we’re living in a world of increasing conflict and tensions.That’s certainly the conclusion of the highly respected Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which found an unprecedented rise in global military spending, the steepest increase since the end of the cold war.SIPRI senior researcher Diego Lopes da Silva joins Venetia Rainey to look at who the biggest spenders are and what's driving the spike in spending. Plus, South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman looks at the growing tensions between nuclear foes India and Pakistan following a brutal attack on Indian tourists in Kashmir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed a military response, prompting fears of an all-out war. How likely is it and can anyone stop it from escalating?Germany overtakes Britain to become Europe’s largest defence spenderThe most dangerous river in the world: Why the Indus could spark WWIIIContact us with feedback or [email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphanthttps://linktr.ee/BattleLines Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Trump edition: Breaking the Pentagon

  Donald Trump's defence secretary Pete Hegseth shared classified information on an unsecured group chat - not once but twice, according to new details that emerged this week. But the real turbulence shaking the Pentagon isn’t just about loose digital lips. It’s deeper: a toxic mix of internal rivalries, leadership clashes, and a crumbling sense of morale at the very top of America's defence hierarchy.To unpack the chaos, we speak to Kathleen McInnis, senior fellow in the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, former Pentagon staffer and author of a novel about life inside the defence department. She explains why encrypted apps like Signal are favored in Hegseth’s circles — and what life is really like behind the walls of the Pentagon.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Who would win a war in space?

  For the past century, war has been fought in three domains: land, sea, and air. But now, there is a fourth.As America and China rush to establish bases on the Moon and Mars, Ukraine and Russia try to jam one another's satellite signals, and middle sized powers are learning how to protect themselves from enemy space weapons. Many countries now field Space Forces alongside armies, navies and airforces. How close are we to the first space war? And what will it look like? And who would win?Roland Oliphant speaks to Juliana Suess, a space specialist at Germany's Institute for International and Security Affairs and Namrata Goswami, an author, professor and consultant specializing in space policy, about the era of war in the heavens.Contact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Trump edition: ‘This is Trump unleashed and unfiltered’

  Lord Kim Darroch, former UK ambassador to the US, joins Venetia Rainey to talk Trump 1.0 vs 2.0, trade wars and Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The Telegraph revealed this week that the US could finalise a trade deal with the UK within three weeks. That comes on the back of comments from JD Vance about how much Trump loves the UK and that a deal is highly likely. So what could that deal look like? And what would the potential costs be for the UK?While he was ambassador to the US between 2016 and 2019, Lord Darroch also had direct experience of Trump’s first trade war with China. He talks about how this one might go and what it would mean for Britain.Plus, Lord Darroch shares his insights on why we need a new Iran nuclear deal, how Nato can survive the US’ shift away from Europe, and why Trump loves Churchill - even if members of his circle increasingly don’t.Contact us with feedback or [email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Spies, terrorists and state collusion: Investigating The Troubles

  The Troubles was a major period of conflict right here in the UK within living memory that continues to echo today, yet very few people know much about it. There is even less awareness about a clandestine network of spies that the British state was running - right in the heart of terror groups on both sides, including Stakeknife in the IRA.On this bonus episode of Battle Lines, Venetia Rainey sits down with The Telegraph's investigative audio journalist Cara McGoogan to hear all about her new podcast, which digs into the spies, terrorists and collusion that became a hallmark of the conflict. Was it a civil war? What was the UK trying to achieve with its agents? What was the cost of letting them kill to stay undercover? Could the Troubles be reignited if they're not properly addressed? And is the state getting away with murder?You can listen to the full season now on The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/01/31/bed-of-lies-new-series-conflict/Or search for 'Bed of Lies' wherever you get your podcasts.Contact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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