Intelligence Squared

• Lyse Doucet on Reporting from the Frontlines (Part One)

  As the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet has witnessed and reported on some of the most consequential events of our time. She has reported from Afghanistan since 1988, during the Soviet troop withdrawal, played a leading role in the BBC’s coverage of the Arab Spring uprisings reporting from Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Syria, and has covered major wars as well as efforts to make peace in the Middle East since 1994. In 2022 she covered the Russian invasion of Ukraine live from Kyiv as Putin’s tanks crossed the border. Most recently she reported from Tehran in the aftermath of Israel’s bombing of Iran. Doucet is renowned for her compassionate, human-centred reporting often in times of war and suffering. In October 2025 she came to the Intelligence Squared stage to share her reflections and insights from four decades on the frontlines. In conversation with fellow broadcaster Lindsey Hilsum, the International Editor for Channel 4 News who has also reported from frontlines of our time, Doucet also discussed the themes and approach of her new book, The Finest Hotel in Kabul, a vivid history of Afghanistan as seen from the iconic Inter-Continental Hotel. Drawing on years of interviews with its staff and guests, the book traces the country’s tumultuous history – from the Soviet withdrawal and civil war to the US invasion and the return of the Taliban – through the prism of this landmark hotel and the lives of the staff who kept it running during war and peace.  --- This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• An Evening with Dan Jones on War, Plague and Lion Hearts (Part Two)

  ‘Unforgettable characters, written with irrepressible verve and historical accuracy [...] thrums with swordswinging energy.’ ― Simon Sebag Montefiore  The Hundred Years’ War was an age-defining conflict. The violent struggle between England and France spanned over a century and permanently transformed the art of European warfare itself. Rich with stories of iconic figures, from Joan of Arc to Henry V, the sheer scale of it continues to inspire fictional retellings today.  In his Essex Dogs trilogy, bestselling historian and author Dan Jones retells the battles and bloodshed through the eyes of the Essex Dogs, a fictional platoon. Now, as the series reaches its climax, he joins us on stage for an exploration of war, plague, and the third and final instalment of the trilogy – Lion Hearts.  Jones’ story resumes as the Black Death is tearing through Europe. The Essex Dogs have scattered: Romford thrives in the glittering court of King Edward III, Loveday struggles with loss and a reluctant return to violence, and Millstone and Thorp enlist themselves on a deadly mission to escort a princess to Castille. Yet an explosive turn of events is set to pull them back together.  Jones returned to Intelligence Squared to explore the brutal realities of the Hundred Years' War, the profound impact of the bubonic plague, and the craft of weaving together fact and fiction.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• An Evening with Dan Jones on War, Plague and Lion Hearts (Part One)

  ‘Unforgettable characters, written with irrepressible verve and historical accuracy [...] thrums with swordswinging energy.’ ― Simon Sebag Montefiore  The Hundred Years’ War was an age-defining conflict. The violent struggle between England and France spanned over a century and permanently transformed the art of European warfare itself. Rich with stories of iconic figures, from Joan of Arc to Henry V, the sheer scale of it continues to inspire fictional retellings today.  In his Essex Dogs trilogy, bestselling historian and author Dan Jones retells the battles and bloodshed through the eyes of the Essex Dogs, a fictional platoon. Now, as the series reaches its climax, he joins us on stage for an exploration of war, plague, and the third and final instalment of the trilogy – Lion Hearts.  Jones’ story resumes as the Black Death is tearing through Europe. The Essex Dogs have scattered: Romford thrives in the glittering court of King Edward III, Loveday struggles with loss and a reluctant return to violence, and Millstone and Thorp enlist themselves on a deadly mission to escort a princess to Castille. Yet an explosive turn of events is set to pull them back together.  Jones returned to Intelligence Squared to explore the brutal realities of the Hundred Years' War, the profound impact of the bubonic plague, and the craft of weaving together fact and fiction.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Can the West Hold Together? Lessons from WWII with Tim Bouverie and Michael Gove (Part Two)

  ‘There is only one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is fighting without them.’ – Winston Churchill In a world where geopolitical alliances are fraying and tensions are rising, what can the fragile coalition that defeated Hitler teach us about the challenges facing the West today? In September 2025 historian Tim Bouverie came to the Intelligence Squared stage to discuss his Sunday Times bestselling book Allies at War: The Politics of Defeating Hitler. In conversation with Editor of The Spectator Michael Gove, Bouverie described how Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin overcame deep ideological differences and strategic rivalries to form a fragile but ultimately victorious alliance against Nazi Germany. Now, with Donald Trump threatening to abandon NATO, Vladimir Putin intent on exploiting Western fissures, and democratic nations questioning their own cohesion, the lessons of WWII’s Grand Alliance have never felt more relevant. --- If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Can the West Hold Together? Lessons from WWII with Tim Bouverie and Michael Gove (Part One)

  ‘There is only one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is fighting without them.’ – Winston Churchill In a world where geopolitical alliances are fraying and tensions are rising, what can the fragile coalition that defeated Hitler teach us about the challenges facing the West today? In September 2025 historian Tim Bouverie came to the Intelligence Squared stage to discuss his Sunday Times bestselling book Allies at War: The Politics of Defeating Hitler. In conversation with Editor of The Spectator Michael Gove, Bouverie described how Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin overcame deep ideological differences and strategic rivalries to form a fragile but ultimately victorious alliance against Nazi Germany. Now, with Donald Trump threatening to abandon NATO, Vladimir Putin intent on exploiting Western fissures, and democratic nations questioning their own cohesion, the lessons of WWII’s Grand Alliance have never felt more relevant. ---- s is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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