Jonathan Schanzer joins the podcast to discuss the ways in which the maligned Israeli approach to the war in Gaza may have, in fact, made its victory this week possible—and if there is no end at hand, establishes its grim but necessary path forward. Programming note: No podcast on Tuesday, October 7, in observance of Sukkot. Give a listen.
In France Sebastien Lecornu resigns as prime minister saying the conditions were not fulfilled for him to carry on. He criticised unwillingness by political parties to reach compromises. Several parties are calling for early elections and some are calling for President Macron to go - although he has always said he will not stand down before his term ends in 2027. Stocks fell sharply on the Paris exchange amid concerns about the political parties' ability to tackle the country's economic problems, especially its massive debt. Also: A Sudanese militia leader has been found guilty of war crimes in the first International Criminal Court verdict on atrocities in Darfur more than twenty years ago, Hamas' chief negotiator has met Egyptian and Qatari mediators ahead of indirect talks with Israeli officials later, and the British author and journalist, Jilly Cooper has died at the age of 88. She gained fame for her romantic novels - the best known of which are her Rutshire Chronicles. One of the books - Rivals was successfully serialised by Disney Plus in 2024.
Plus: Paramount buys Bari Weiss’s The Free Press for $150 million. And French President Emmanuel Macron loses his fourth Prime Minister in just over a year. Zoe Kuhlkin hosts.
An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this episode by creating summaries that were based on Wall Street Journal reporting and reviewed and adapted by an editor.
Nearly a decade ago in Ghana, 15-year-old Kevin Moses died at Achimota High School. In a landmark ruling last year, Ghana’s High Court found the school negligent for Kevin's death. The school has appealed that decision. Between May 2023 and February 2024, six students died while in boarding school. Why are children dying in schools in Ghana?
Also, we hear differing views on what caused the recent floods in Sudan.
And how Nigeria's Green Falcons could become the first African team to qualify for the Women's Rugby League World Cup?
Presenter: Nyasha Michelle
Producers: Patricia Whitehorne, Piers Edwards and Stefania Okereke in London
Senior Journalist: Yvette Twagiramariya
Technical Producer: Pat Sissons
Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
The chief negotiator for Hamas is reported to be meeting Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo ahead of indirect talks, later in the day, with Israeli negotiators in Sharm El-Sheikh. They're looking to determine a date for the start of a Gaza truce and create conditions for the first phase of the peace plan, in which the remaining Israeli hostages would be swapped for hundreds of Palestinian detainees.
Also in the programme: The French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has quit. There is political turmoil caused by inconclusive snap elections; and this year's Nobel Prize for Medicine has been awarded to three researchers for discoveries on the human immune system.
(Photo: Smoke rises after Israeli air strikes at Tal Al Hawa neighborhood during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, 06 October 2025. Credit: Mohammed Saber /EPA/Shutterstock)
Bitcoin hits all-time high above $125K. What's next?
Bitcoin surged to a record high above $125,000 on Sunday, extending its bullish momentum from last week. And, Polymarket bettors share their predictions on how long the U.S. government shutdown will last. CoinDesk’s Jennifer Sanasie hosts “CoinDesk Daily.”
-
Break the cycle of exploitation.
Break down the barriers to truth.
Break into the next generation of privacy.
Break Free.
Free to scroll without being monetized.
Free from censorship.
Freedom without fear.
We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design.
Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free
-
Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more.
The world's largest crypto-related heists poses a bizarre dilemma for authorities in London. The perplexing meeting of US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and America's generals has everyone -- including the generals -- scratching their heads. The billionaire Peter Theil is raising eyebrows and serious concerns with his technocratic take of the End of Days, and his speech series arguing regulation will inevitably lead to the rise of the Antichrist. Join Ben, Matt and Dylan for all this and more in this week's strange news segment.
Over the weekend, the White House threatened more layoffs if negotiations between Democrats and Republicans continue to go nowhere. Meanwhile, 100,000 earlier federal layoffs and buyouts finally took effect last week. But stocks hit a record on Friday. What gives? We'll discuss with Julia Coronado, founder and president of MacroPolicy Perspectives. Plus, a lack of trust in artificial intelligence is hampering its adoption among small and mid-sized businesses.