Podcasts about Syria

On Thursday's Mark Levin Show, the left and the neo fascists on the right trashing Erika Kirk are evil. Yet, Tucker Carlson comes out with a video that was unbelievably loathsome.  He spews the Charlie Kirk conspiracy theories by ‘just asking questions.'  Why gaslight the conspiracy theories? Leave Erika Kirk alone and let her grieve in peace. Also, a proposal for Turkey to join an international military force in Gaza is outrageous. It would grant Erdogan—an Islamist who has destroyed Turkey, backs Hamas, provides safe haven to its leaders like Qatar, and advocates Israel's elimination-a dangerous military foothold on Israel's border, potentially extending to Syria. Later, Israel leads the world in defensive missile systems, far surpassing other nations, and has committed to sharing its technology with the United States for free.  Israel has developed the most advanced laser systems, which are now being deployed in the field for actual use rather than just testing. Further perfection of these lasers is crucial for countering Communist China's ballistic missiles, which could overwhelm US carriers and aircraft due to their speed, trajectory, and numbers; deploying them on US carriers, jets, and bombers would provide vital protection, and Israel's ongoing real-world refinements benefit both nations. Afterward, Islamic expansion is achieving in 50 years via immigration, welfare, and demographics what took 500 years of conquest historically, with Europe's Muslim population growing from under 1% in 1970 to 10-14% by 2050,  2-3 times the speed.  Western civilization faces replacement, not conquest, through demographic suicide enabled by democracy, paralysis, passivity, and naivete in a "silent" takeover where discussion is criminalized.  It involves physical replacement through open borders, incentives, reunification, refugees, and higher Muslim fertility amid native decline, plus ideological conquest via billions in social media propaganda from Iran, Qatar, and Turkey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shadi Hamid joins to discuss his new book, The Case for American Power, arguing that progressives' retreat from global engagement is a mistake. He contends that while the Left often views U.S. hegemony as intrinsically immoral—citing the legacy of Iraq and the tragedy in Gaza—the alternative of withdrawal often leads to greater atrocities, such as the unchecked devastation in Syria. Hamid makes the case that moral righteousness without power is toothless, and that ceding the global stage to bad actors or rival superpowers creates a more dangerous world. Plus, Mike critiques the Sunday show trend of grilling Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the price of bananas and Tonka trucks, arguing that "gotcha" questions about specific items ignore the reality of inflation as a composite number. Produced by Corey Wara Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠ad-sales@libsyn.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist Youtube Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist Instagram Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠GIST INSTAGRAM⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow The Gist List at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pesca⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Profundities | Mike Pesca | Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Syrians are celebrating one year of freedom from the Assad regime, but there are many wounds still to be healed, and the work of transitional justice must now take place. It's a process that links Syria to the US, South Africa and many other countries in between. Ruti Teitel, professor of law at New York Law School and author of "Presidential Visions of Transitional Justice" and Aria Florant, co-founder and CEO of Liberation Ventures, an organization advocating for slavery reparations in the US, join the show.   Also on today's show: Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland; law school professor Kate Shaw    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everyone knows the name "Christian," but where was it first used? Believers were first called Christians in a sophisticated, tolerant, and corrupt city; a business power where all the wealth of the East passed through on its way to Rome, Antioch in Syria. There Barnabas saw what God was doing and introduced Paul to the church. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/81/29?v=20251111

Within a single generation, regions that had been central to early Christian Jerusalem, Syria, Egypt, and the cultural centers of the Byzantine world—were destroyed by a rapidly growing Islamic empire. The scale and speed of this transformation reshaped the landscape of the Middle East and altered the trajectory of Christian history, forever.
The ideology driving early Islamic conquests created long-term patterns that continue to influence global conflict, religious freedom, population pressures, and geopolitical tensions today. The expansion of Islamic political power has repeatedly degraded societies, challenged Christian communities, and produced cultures incompatible with today's world. By connecting the past to the present, this analysis helps illuminate why the events of the 7th century continue to haunt governments, politics, and the spiritual arena defining our time.
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In a recent speech Turkish President Erdogan praised Syrians who were born and raised in Turkey, speak Turkish, and are now in Syria, saying, "Right next door to us… a brother nation that speaks our same language is rising anew from the ashes.” The quote has drawn the attention of experts like Ryan Gingeras, who joins Thanos Davelis as we look into what it tells us about Erdogan's worldview, and why this is something to keep an eye on as we look at the shifting power dynamics in the Levant.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Erdogan praises Syrians born and raised in TurkeyFrom Grexit to Eurogroup chief: Greece's recovery storyPierrakakis elected Eurogroup chiefEuropean Commission firmly behind Greece-Cyprus power link

This week Syrians took to the streets to mark the one-year anniversary since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. 

Wednesday on the News Hour, Wednesday on the News Hour, the U.S. seizes an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela and escalates tensions with the Maduro regime, the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates again amid mixed economic data and more divisions within its own ranks and we look at one woman's journey to return home to Syria after the fall of the decades-long Assad dictatorship. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The National Security Hour with Brandon Weichert – Washington's wars reshape the Middle East through calculated instability, empowering extremists while dismantling states once seen as threats. From Camp Bucca to Syria's battlefields, policies framed as liberation instead fuel chaos. As foreign actors profit and ideologues pull strings, Americans confront a strategy that endangers security while masking itself as global stewardship...

Join host Manya Brachear Pashman for a powerful conversation about Red Alert, the Critics Choice Award-nominated Paramount+ docu-series that confronts the October 7 Hamas massacre with unflinching honesty. Producer Lawrence Bender (Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting) shares why this project couldn't wait—launched in real time to push back against denial, disinformation, and a world struggling to absorb the scale of the tragedy. Bender reflects on the courage and trauma of the ordinary Israelis whose stories anchor the series, including survivors like Batsheva Olami, whose resilience changed the production team forever. Hear how filming during an active war shaped the storytelling, the emotional toll on everyone involved, and why capturing these true accounts is essential to ensuring October 7 is neither minimized nor forgotten. Key Resources: AJC.org/Donate: Please consider supporting AJC's work with a year-end gift today. Right now, your gift will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, making double the impact. Every gift matters. Every dollar makes a difference in the fight for a strong and secure Jewish future. Listen – AJC Podcasts: Architects of Peace The Forgotten Exodus People of the Pod Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript of the Interview: [Clip from Red Alert] Manya Brachear Pashman:   Academy Award nominated film producer Lawrence Bender has quite a repertoire for both feature films and documentaries: Pulp Fiction, Inglorious Bastards, Good Will Hunting and Inconvenient Truth. In fact, his works have earned 36 Academy Award nominations.  His most recent TV miniseries is a more personal project on the second anniversary of the October 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel, Paramount Plus began streaming a four episode series called red alert about the attack on festival goers, innocent passers by and families waking up to terrorists inside their Israeli homes that day, a tragedy that many of us, either on this podcast or listening have watched with overwhelming grief for the last two years. Lawrence is with us now to talk about how he grappled with this attack on Israel and the rise of antisemitism that followed.  Lawrence, welcome to People of the Pod. Lawrence Bender:   Thank you, Manya, it's good to be here.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   So that clip that we played at the top of this episode, it's one of the few clips in English. Most of the dialog in this show is in Hebrew with subtitles. But that scene is a woman, Bathsheba and her two daughters. They're walking across a field trying to return home, and her son has been taken. Her husband is gone. This series weaves together her story and three or four other ordinary civilians fighting for their lives on October 7, 2023. You know, as someone personally who's been immersed in this subject matter for two years, to be honest, I had to muster the energy to watch this, and I'm so glad that I did. But why are, I mean, as we're still waiting for the last hostage to be returned, why was it important for this show to air now? Lawrence Bender:   Well, thank you so much for doing this with me, and thank you for playing that clip. I have to tell you first, I love that clip. I love that scene because one of the things about the show and the stories that we portrayed is that even with the horrific things that happened on that day, people still were able to fight back. People were still able to be strong. A mother with her daughter and her infant stood in the face of a terrorist and stood him down in real life, this happened.  Now, not everybody was so fortunate, and her husband Ohad was not fortunate, and her son was taken hostage, as you mentioned, but it does show her personal power in this horrific situation. And I just thought, you know, this woman is a real hero. I've spent a lot of time with her, Batsheva Olami, she's really an extraordinary human in all ways. So thank you for playing that clip.  So in terms of the show, I felt on October 8, it's just amazing how quickly, before Israel did anything, the entire world quickly turned against the very people who were the victims and having spent subsequently, a lot of time with people on the set, because, as you mentioned, this show was about real people, and those real people spent a lot of time on the set with us. And the very people that were traumatized, felt isolated, they felt alone, and they're the very ones that need to be loved, that need to be hugged, they need to be supported. Anyway, I just felt like I needed to do something fast to try to show the world what really happened. AndRed Alert is the result of that. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Do you fear that the world has already moved on? Lawrence Bender:   Oh, that's a good question. It feels like we've passed a tipping point, actually, in terms of Jew hatred and anti-Israel and antisemitism. Even as we are now trying to have a peace process, right, that somehow we are stumbling forward, and if that's going to happen, people need to understand why we're here and why we're here happened on October 7. And if you watch the show, hopefully you're pulled into the show, and you have a, you know, you have an emotional journey, and then you understand, oh, this really happened. And you understand that's the truth. And only when you really understand the truth of October 7 do I really think that you can really get some sort of peace. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So is this different from other historical events? You know, a lot of movies and television shows commemorate historical events, like the Holocaust, for example, but they happen years later. They're made years later. I kind of call it the never forget genre. But is October 7 unique in that it's not a question of whether people will forget or move on. It's a question of whether they believe that this present is actually true. Lawrence Bender:   That's right, there's the deniers. There's people that just don't know. There's people that forgot, maybe you know, there are people who I know that I had to explain. Like, you know, it's interesting. As an example, when you see the show and you see all these Hamas terrorists invading the kibbutz, and Ohad says to her, his wife, Bathsheva, he whispers in her ear, I just saw about 20 terrorists, and someone said to me, who's not unintelligent, I didn't realize there are that many. I didn't realize that. And if you're not really paying attention, maybe you don't really know. And look, they're the haters, haters which are never going to change. But I think there's a large group of people that just don't really understand, and they're the ones that I feel we have a shot at showing this to and having a conversation with. Manya Brachear Pashman:   In fact, are you actually introducing or experimenting with a new genre of truth or facts in the face of fiction. Lawrence Bender:   I guess that's true. I mean, this just happened. And some people ask over this last, you know, when I released, and we were paramount, released the show. You know, I've been asked a question, is it too soon? And my answer is, I feel like it's not soon enough. And I felt like immediately I needed to work on something, and this is the result of that. For me, personally, there are many collaborators of people on this show that incredible Israeli partners, my American partners. I mean, there's a lot of amazing people that came together to work on this, to make this show, but we really felt like time was of the essence, because the world was shifting so quickly, we wanted this to get out there, to show the world what really happened. Manya Brachear Pashman:   One of the reasons I'm pressing you on this, this was not a fiction film. This was based in reality. You said you met Bathsheba, the actors prepared for their roles by meeting with the very real people who they were portraying in this show whose stories they were recreating. I'm curious what some of the takeaways were for you, for your colleagues, from your encounters with these victims, with these survivors, and did anything about the production ever change after they got involved? Lawrence Bender:   It was truly a life changing experience for myself, but really for everyone involved, of course, myself and my partner, Kevin Brown and Jordana Rubin, and we were basically the only non Israelis that were full time producing the show. And everyone else was a citizen of the country. Everyone else, you know, was affected dramatically, everything but from like our key grips brother ran the kibbutz Raim, where we filmed that area that was a kibbutz overrun by terrorists, right? His brother survived. So it was really like every single person at some point, you know, we call it triggered, but it really happened quite often where you have a scene and people just have to stop for a second and take a moment, whether it's an actor finishing a scene or a crew member, you know, partaking in the making of the scene. But lots of things happen. I'll tell you one story which was, you know, quite interesting. We're working at the Nova festival scene, and one of the actors, Moran, her niece, was on vacation in Greece, and her niece told her, if a red headed police woman shows up on the set, she's the one who saved my life. And indeed, her name was Bat, she showed up, and we said, we need you to meet somebody. And we FaceTimed Moran's niece with Bat, and the young lady she's like in her early 20s, said, You're the one who saved my life. You're the one I was hiding by your feet while you were firing. And we asked, Did you remember the people that you saved? And she said, I really only remember the people I didn't save. You really felt the pain that she is still at that point a year and a half later, this is. In April, May, suffering from what she went through. RPG hit nearby her. She went flying through the air. She had had half reconstructive surgery, on and on and on. It was obviously an extremely traumatic day for her to you know, a moment where there's a woman on the set whose daughter was murdered, and someone on my crew, actually, Mya Fisher, has said, you know, there's someone here I want to introduce you to. It's after lunch. And I spent some time with her, and I asked her, you know, like, how do you go? Fine, I can't, you know, I can't imagine losing my son in this way. It's just unimaginable. And I asked her, do you have a rabbi? What do you do to survive?  And it was a very difficult emotional exchange. And sometime later, she had sort of retold that encounter to somebody else on the set who came to me and said, you know that woman you're talking to. She told me what happened, you know this conversation? And she said, You know this Hollywood producer came all the way from California, she doesn't know me, from Adam, and sat down with me for an hour to hear my story, and it clearly meant a lot to her. And again, you realize that the very people who are traumatized directly are not getting the love, are so isolated and people are against them, and it made me feel even more determined to tell these stories for the world to understand.  Every day we had these type of difficult, emotional and to be honest, I was extremely honored every time I met someone. I spent every Saturday night at Hostage Square because we were making the show, I got to spend time backstage with all the families who had loved ones in the tunnels. There was a deep dive into this. Now, I have to tell you, on the other hand, the filming while a war is still going on is quite it's like things you don't have to think about normally, right? So, as an example, we were in a town and we're shooting a shootout. We're filming a shootout between the IDF actors and the Hamas actor. They're actors. I keep saying they're actors, right? Because they are actors. But the mayor and the chief of police in the town were extremely worried, because they look real, right? They look like real people. And unfortunately, the cemetery is littered with people who have been murdered and killed by the Hamas. And all the other men who are there, they have guns, they carry, and if something's happening, they're going to run towards the problem. So he's worried, what if someone walks by, or someone's up in a building. He looks down and they see an actor who looks like Hamas, they are going to shoot him. So we literally had speakers every 10 yards, like all up and down the street, and every like 15-20 minutes, saying, don't worry, in Hebrew, of course, this is a movie, everything's okay. We had a drone up in the air, never coming down, on a tether with a police officer. They're a full big screen watching case someone walks down the street.  We dressed up the Hamas actors as they're walking from the holding area to the area where they're filming, we put them in these kind of white hazmat-like suits so that they couldn't confuse them, and when they got done filming, we put them right back in these hazmat white suits and brought them back to the holding area. We all had to dress up, and we had to wear these very, very light blue shirts the entire crew, so nobody looked like anything but a crew member. It was something, right?  Manya Brachear Pashman:   I did not even think about that. I mean, I knew that you had filmed on location in Israel, and I knew you had filmed during the war. In fact, I was going to explain to listeners who don't know Red Alert is what Israelis call the sirens and the phone alerts when there are rockets being fired upon Israel and they have time to seek shelter. I was going to ask you if you had been there during a red alert and had to seek shelter, but I didn't even think about the possibility of people confusing the filming with actual war activity. I imagine you were there during a red alert, and did have to seek shelter, yes? Lawrence Bender:   so there's different types of alerts in the south. We did shoot in the guys called the Gaza envelope. We shot within less than a mile away from the Gaza border. So a scene that comes soon after the one that you showed. They're resting under a tree, and we are in the Gaza envelope. And this is a scene where they're running from the Hamas. They're running, they're bare feet, and they're out of breath, and they stop under this tree that's hot, and so forth. And you can hear, just a mile away, the war going on in Gaza. Hear the bombs and everything, and we weren't worried about we're going to be attacked, but it was eerie hearing a war go on, and we're filming a scene where they're running from that war, right?  So it was dramatic every week or so still at that point, the Hamas would lob a missile bomb into southern Israel and an alert would go off. You have 15 seconds to. Get into. So we had to bring these portable concrete safe rooms with us so that crew, at any given moment can run quickly into one of these concrete things. We couldn't always do it. So there's always this conversation, and by the way, it costs a lot of money, so everything you're always carrying these things. There's a lot of planning that went on. But I have to tell you, as an American showing up in Israel for the first time after October 7, I wasn't used to these alarms going off, so we were fortunate that while we were filming in the south, no missiles were lobbed at us. However, my first day there, I'm in a meeting on the eighth floor. It was a Friday morning. I got in there on a Thursday evening, 10 o'clock in the morning, the alarm goes up. I mean, just like that, right? And it's loud.  And you have these buzzers. Everyone's phone is buzzing, not like the Amber Alerts we have, like, really buzzing loud. And everyone stops and looks at me, and they apologize to me. They apologize and they go, Oh, we're really sorry, but it's an alert. We have to go into a safe room. Oh, don't worry, it's just from the Houthis. It takes eight minutes to get here. Now it's an intercontinental ballistic missile. These are real big missiles. They can really do bad damage. Don't worry, the Iron Dome usually gets them. It's really okay. So we go, you know, we go into and they pick up their danish and their coffee, and of course, I take out my cell phone and I'm videotaping. And then we go in there, and when it's off, we go back to the meeting. The meeting starts as if it never happened. And then they stop, and they go, Oh, how was that for you? And then I just didn't realize, what with the emotion that was going on because we're not used to having missiles shot at us. It's not normal. And I started to bubble up with emotion, and I had to, like, stop myself, I didn't want to cry in front of all these people that I barely knew. So I had to suppress my feelings. Like, don't worry, it's okay. You're having a normal reaction, right? And that happened quite often while I was there.  Now, you do get used to it. And the last night I was there, I was having dinner outside, tables outside, you know, in restaurants everywhere. So we're having a typical outside dinner, and they're handing the fish, and the alarm goes off, and we go, let's eat. And we don't go into the restaurant where they're called maamads. You don't go into the safe room. So that's kind of the quote, unquote normal life. Now you imagine here in the United States we get a missile from Mexico or Canada or wherever. No one's going to put up with that. That's just insane. It's insane what people in Israel have to go through. Manya Brachear Pashman:   it really is. But it's interesting that you've kind of adopted the nonchalance that your colleagues had at the very beginning of the trip, and wow, certainly no apologies. I want to know if there's a missile headed my way. Thank you. It does sound like October 7 changed you personally. And I'd like to know as a progressive Jew, on what level did it change you as a human being. I mean, how did it change you the most? Lawrence Bender:   I've been an active Jewish person for maybe 20, somewhere, 2025, years. I went to Israel My first time. I was ready. As far as I'm concerned. I was too old already to go for the first time. It was like 2003 I went with the Israeli policy forum, and we met with a lot of people there, and we ended up going to Ramallah, met with Abu Mazen, we went to Cairo and met with the president there, Barak, and met with a lot of people in Israel and so forth. And I've been involved one way or another for quite a while. But of course, October 7 was dramatic. Of course, I was safe in my house in Los Angeles, but I still watched in horror. And of course, October 8, it's just hard to understand what happened. It was the latent antisemitism, Jew hatred, that sits there. I still don't quite understand that.  It feels like antisemitism never went away, but it was underneath, and it just gave a good excuse to come out, and now the world is where it is. So yeah, for me, I became much more active than I was before. It became much more important to me, my Jewishness, my relationship to Israel. I want to protect Israel as much as I have that power to you know, whatever my ability is, like a lot of people, I know it's become a really important part of my existence, and it's like a new chapter in my life. I'm absolutely looking for more Jewish or Israeli projects. You know, I'm looking to do as much as possible in this area. Manya Brachear Pashman:   A number of your colleagues in Hollywood have proposed boycotting Israeli film festivals, institutions, projects, they're going the opposite direction that you are. And I'm curious if you had difficulty finding an American network to air this series, and what do you say when you confront colleagues who do want to boycott and are hostile toward Israel? Lawrence Bender:   You know, there's different groups of people. They're the true haters. I don't think that you can ever even have a conversation with them. There are people who just don't understand, and there's people you can and there are people who you know they're trying to be good people. They're trying to understand, like, What don't you understand about women being brutally raped and murdered? It's a little hard for me to understand that, actually. But there are a lot of good people who just are either confused or got too much of the wrong message.  But the one thing I would say straight up is, let's take an analogy. You know, there's very few people that I know that you see on TV, on any news show, that is very empathetic with the regime in Iran as an example, right? That means a brutal regime. If you're a liberal or if you're a conservative, there's very few people who support that regime here in this country, right? But they don't boycott their filmmakers, right? They actually give their filmmakers Academy Awards. So why is that with Israel? I feel like there's something very misguided here in Hollywood. Now, we got really lucky when it came to distribution. I just have to say, because we were supposed to go out to sell the show like it was fully financed from equity and from Keshet, who's the local Israeli. This is the biggest network in Israel, by the way. It's the biggest drama in Israel in the last decade. It really performed well there. But now we're going to go sell it here in the United States and the rest of the world, and it's early September, which is our deadline to do that, and Israel bombs Qatar, and then this boycott letter is signed. And I have to tell the investors. You know, it's like, this is not a good time. We cannot go sell. We're just gonna fail, and there's no second chances.  And you know, I was getting into dramatic arguments with my investors because they really felt strong. You got to be like that character in your show, the police officer is going to save his wife and you know, nothing's going to stop you. And I said, Yes, I'm with you. I developed that character I know in the Middle East arguments. I was at Skip Brittenham's memorial. Skip is like this beautiful man who was like the Mount Rushmore of lawyers here in LA. He's just a great human and one of those guys that wants to make deals, not just take everything and have the other guy get nothing. He was just like a he's just a real mensch, right? And well, loved anyway. Unfortunately, he passed, but I was at his memorial, and I ran into David Ellison. Now, I know David a little bit, not well, but I know him a little bit, and I also know that, you know, he loves Israel, from what I've read and so forth. And so I went up to him and said, Hey, man, we talked. I said, you got to know what I'm doing. And it probably got three words out of my mouth, and you can see him go, I'd love to see this. This sounds amazing, and sounds like it's exactly the timing we need.  And we sent him the material, and he watched every episode himself, and then he gave it to Cindy Holland, who runs paramount, plus his main person. And you know, they said, we do this. We want this. It would be an honor to be your partner in this is actually quite humbling. And it was an incredible moment for us to have David Ellison, Cindy Holland, say, hey. You know, we want this now. Then they said, We need to drop it. We want to drop all the episodes on October 7? Well, by the time they got those episodes, it was like two weeks to go before October 7, or a couple days before, because we couldn't give it to them in the midnight before October 7, obviously. And they had pretty much final picture edit, but we had temporary sound, temporary music, temporary effects, and so we had to work double triple shifts to get it done. But of course, we did. Manya Brachear Pashman:   This actually reminds me of a conversation I had with playwright, screenwriter, Oren softy for the Forgotten Exodus, which is a podcast series we did about Jews from the Middle East. He spoke about his father's side of the family, which hails from Aleppo, Syria, and he shared a lot of his frustrations with the modern anti Israel movement and sentiments in Hollywood, the protests which he's been trying to combat in theater and on the stage. And he actually said that investors had pulled out of a film project about Israel when tensions flared. So it's interesting to hear your investors took the opposite approach, but he told me in our conversations, he told me that being Jewish is about stepping up. That's how he sees it. It's about stepping up. And I'm curious if that rings true to you, and do you feel like this series and your plans to do more, is that your way of stepping up? Lawrence Bender:   Hmm, that's beautiful, and I'm so glad to hear you recount that story with him. I'd love to talk to him about that I feel like, without really understanding that it's built into me genetically, right? My grandparents, far as you go back, my family is Jewish, right? From Romania, from Hungary, from Minsk Belarus. So it's the way that you're brought up as a Jew. It's just always been a part of our lives, and we're pretty much taught that that's part of being Jewish, right? So, you know, I've always felt like it's important for me.  Now I tell you, you know, it's interesting, and I think about as we're talking so in the 90s, when I was getting started, and I was actually doing pretty well this one year, I had Good Will Hunting and Jackie Brown and a price above Rubens, those three movies, and things were going well, but I felt like something was missing in my life. And then we screened Good Will Hunting and Camp David in 1998 and it was an amazing moment. And that was like one of these light bulb moments for me. You know, I met the President and Mrs. Clinton and Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State, and Secretary of Defense, Sandy Berger and the Chief of Staff and Senate Majority Leader, and on and on, right? They're all there.    And it was Matt Damon, Ban Affleck, Gus Van Zant, Robin Williams, et cetera, et cetera, right? And I felt like these guys are making a difference, and that's what was missing in my life. And so since 1998 I've been always looking for ways that I'm and that's that's that becomes like a more of a fulfilling way of living right for myself. So yes, I would answer that. That's a long way to get to yes. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Wow, Camp David, that's awesome. Lawrence, thank you so much for joining us and for talking about the impetus behind this series. I encourage everyone to take some time, brace yourself emotionally, but do sit down and watch Red Alert. It is really quite worthwhile. Thank you so much. Lawrence Bender: Thank you. Manya Brachear Pashman:   If you missed last week's episode, be sure to tune in for my conversation with AJC colleague, Dr Alexandra Herzog, the granddaughter of Chaim Herzog, Israel's Irish born sixth president. She shared how an attempt by Dublin officials to strip her grandfather's name from a community park illustrates how criticism of Israel can veer into an effort to erase Jewish memory. As I mentioned in my conversation with Lawrence, it took some degree of wherewithal to watch Red Alert, as we've spent the last two years on this podcast speaking with the families of hostages, former hostages themselves, and survivors of the October 7 massacre. I've wanted nothing more than to make sure their voices are heard. We end this week's episode with the voice of Orna Neutra, the mother of Omer Neutra. Orna recently spoke at the AJC Long Island meeting, shortly after the return of her son's remains more than two years after his death, followed by a word from AJC Long Island Director Eric Post. Orna Neutra: When Omer was taken, our world collapsed. But something else happened too. People stood up. People showed up. And many of you here showed up. This community, the broader Long Island Jewish community, AJC, our friends, colleagues, neighbors, complete strangers, carried us. You wrote, you marched, you advocated, you pressured you called you consoled and refused to let the world look away. To our personal friends and honorees here tonight, Veronica, Laurie, and Michael, your leadership has not been symbolic. It has been practical, steady and deeply felt by our family.  Like you said, Veronica, on the first days when we were barely understanding what was going on, you connected us to Senator Schumer's office, and Michael, you helped us write a letter to the White House on October 8, and that was the first sign from hostage families that the White House received. We know that Secretary Blinken had the letter in his hands on October 8, indicating that Omer was probably a hostage.  And AJC as an organization, beyond your many actions and advocacy, I want to specifically acknowledge your DC team. It was mentioned here tonight, throughout our many, many, many visits to Capitol Hill, AJC professionals were instrumental. They arranged meetings, they walked us through endless hallways, opened doors, prepared us and stood beside us, and they're still doing that for us, and we will see them this week. Always professional, with purpose and humanity, and we will never forget that. Over these two years, we learned something essential: that when Jewish families are in danger, the responsibility belongs to all of us, across movements, across generations, across continents. This work is the work that AJC does every day. This is the work that everyone here in this room understands. Eric Post:  Since the horrors of October 7, AJC has been empowering leaders around the world to take action against antisemitism and stand with Israel. But we cannot succeed alone. Please consider supporting AJC's work with a year-end gift today. Right now, your gift will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, making double the impact.  Every gift matters. Every dollar makes a difference in the fight for a strong and secure Jewish future. Donate at AJC.org/donate – that's www - dot - AJC - dot org  slash donate.

Cantor Tzvi Grinhaim — a spiritual leader, former Golani fighter and quiet hero has carried Israel through its darkest hours. His role began in the grimmest of places: the Shura army base, where he personally escorted victim bodies of October 7th — including infants — for burial, sometimes conducting four funerals a day.Since then, through his initiative On the Front Lines Together, he has become a lifeline for wounded soldiers, widowed spouses, and newly orphaned children along Israel's borders with Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and in Sheba Medical Center.Today, he shares the heartbreak, resilience, and human stories behind the headlines — and why he refuses to step back from the people who need him most.Israel Daily News website: https://israeldailynews.orgYOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@israeldailynews?si=UFQjC_iuL13V7tyQIsrael Daily News Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/shannafuldSupport our Wartime News Coverage: https://www.gofundme.com/f/independent-journalist-covering-israels-warLinks to all things IDN:⁠ https://linktr.ee/israeldailynews⁠

Washington Wednesday on the Obamacare subsidies, affordability, and federal health policy, World Tour on updates from Syria, Southeast Asia, Benin, and Germany; and Lee Strobel contemplates the supernatural. Plus, Janie B. Cheaney on when God is silent, a foiled contraband Christmas, and the Wednesday morning newsSupport The World and Everything in It today at wng.org/donateAdditional support comes from Ridge Haven Camp in North Carolina and Iowa. Winter Camp starts December 29th. Registration open at ridgehaven.orgFrom His Words Abiding in You, a Podcast where listeners memorize Bible verses in each episode. His Words Abiding in You, on all podcast apps.And from I Witness: The Long Shore: A faith-based audio drama that brings history to life. iwitnesspod.com

This week, Scott sat down with Lawfare Managing Editor Tyler McBrien and Contributing Editor Alex Zerden to talk through a few of the week's big national security news stories, including:“Finding the Road to Damascus.” Former dictator Bashar al-Assad fled Syria one year ago this week, bringing a precipitous end to the country's more than decade-long civil war. In the year since, has the country been able to make progress toward the optimistic future many hoped would follow al-Assad's ouster? And what obstacles still lie in its path?“Civilizational Self-Confidence Scheme.” The Trump administration has undergone the once-per-term statutorily-mandated ritual of releasing its National Security Strategy. It claims an intent to stay the course on many key bipartisan pillars of U.S. foreign policy, but mixes in heavy doses of isolationism, ethnonationalism, and criticism of Europe for losing its “civilizational self-confidence.” How seriously should we take this document? And what does it tell us about the likely trajectory of U.S. foreign policy?“A Dimon in the Rough?” JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has announced a ten-year initiative to invest $1.5 trillion in U.S. companies critical to U.S. national security and economic resilience. Is this an attempt by Dimon to repair his sometimes frosty relationship with the Trump administration by complimenting its “America First” strategy? Or is it an initiative that more genuinely strikes at the intersection of market logic and U.S. national security?In object lessons, Tyler is exploring the great heritage of American landmarks with “Lost in America: Photographing the Last Days of our Architectural Treasures” an archive of the Historic American Buildings Survey. Scott is embracing the holiday season the classic way—by settling in with delightfully cheesy films like A Merry Little Ex-Mas and Jingle Bell Heist on Netflix. And Alex is broadening the lens with “The World For Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders Who Barter the Earth's Resources,“ by Jack Farchy and Javier Blas, a deep dive into the global trade networks and power brokers who shape the flow of the planet's resources.Rational Security will be having its traditional end-of-year episode later this month, which will focus on listener-submitted topics and object lessons! If you have topics you want us to discuss and object lessons you want to share—whether serious or frivolous—be sure to send them to rationalsecurity@lawfaremedia.org by Dec. 17!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.

At every technological revolution, the industry of indecency is close at hand. We look at how sex workers and porn-peddlers are making use of AI. The sites of Syria's most brutal civil-war deeds are just the latest destination for “dark tourists”; we explore the draw of atrocities. And to the many divisions in America, add one about a lawn-care implement.Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SHOW 12-9-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1918 THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT THE FED CUT AND THE MARKETS. FIRST HOUR 9-915 Wall Street Bets on Rate Cuts Despite Mixed Economic Signals: Colleague Elizabeth Peek discusses the near certainty of a Federal Reserve rate cut, noting Wall Street's optimism despite steady inflation and mixed employment signals, highlighting strong holiday spending and arguing that fears regarding tariffs were overblown, while emphasizing that AI investment is reshaping, rather than reducing, corporate hiring. 915-930 Concerns Over New York City Mayor-Elect Mamdani's Appointments: Colleague Elizabeth Peek criticizes Mayor-elect Mamdani's controversial appointments, including an ex-convict as a criminal justice adviser and anti-car activists for transportation roles, arguing these ideological choices neglect the pragmatic needs of citizens concerned with safety and education, predicting administrative failure for the new administration. 930-945 Rising Tensions: Hezbollah's Rearmament and Hamas's Defiance: Colleague Jonathan Schanzer warns that Hezbollah has rebuilt its strength in Lebanon using Iranian weapons, prompting Israeli threats of a full-scale attack, noting that Hamas refuses to disarm in Gaza, supported by Turkey and Qatar, while the U.S. moves to designate Muslim Brotherhood branches as terrorist organizations. 945-1000 Syria's Fragmentation and the Regional Arms Race: Colleague Jonathan Schanzer describes Syria as a chaotic mix of armed factions, including Al-Qaeda-led pragmatists and Iranian proxies, held together only by regime brutality, mentioning potential U.S. plans for a base to deter bad actors and highlighting rapid military expansions by Turkey and Egypt amid regional instability. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 The Trump Corollary: Reasserting Influence in the Western Hemisphere: Colleague Mary Kissel analyzes the new National Security Strategy, praising its focus on the Western Hemisphere to counter Russian and Chinese influence in Venezuela and Cuba, warning against accepting separate global spheres of influence and emphasizing that the U.S. faces a coordinated threat from China, Russia, and Iran globally. 1015-1030 Europe's Defense Dilemma and Demographic Decline: Colleague Mary Kissel attributes Europe's inability to fund Ukraine's defense to decades of relying on U.S. protection while prioritizing generous welfare states, citing "scary statistics" regarding France's aging population and pension burdens, arguing that Europe must pursue economic growth rather than government handouts to survive security challenges. 1030-1045 Europe's Economic Stagnation and the Innovation Gap: Colleague Joseph Sternberg discusses Europe's economic decline relative to the U.S., driven by high energy costs and excessive regulation, noting a growing debate in Brussels about deregulation but arguing Europe lacks a unified vision to encourage the entrepreneurship and healthcare innovation seen in the American system. 1045-1100 Angela Rayner's Return and Labour's Economic Struggles: Colleague Joseph Sternberg analyzes the political return of Angela Rayner and her push for a "workers rights bill" despite Prime Minister Starmer's plummeting popularity, arguing this move highlights internal Labour Party conflict and risks imposing policies detrimental to an economy already struggling with inflation and stagnation.THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 Paul Manafort and the Origins of Modern Foreign Lobbying: Colleague Ken Vogel chronicles how Paul Manafort revolutionized the lobbying industry by merging political consulting with foreign representation, creating a model later adopted by Tony Podesta and others, explaining how the fall of Ukraine's Yanukovych and subsequent investigations exposed the industry's widespread failure to comply with FARA regulations. 1115-1130 Robert Stryk's Risky Lobbying Missions in Somalia and Venezuela: Colleague Ken Vogel details lobbyist Robert Stryk's dangerous mission to Mogadishu to secure U.S. aid for Somalia's President Farmajo during the Trump administration, also describing Stryk's controversial efforts to represent Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, illustrating the lucrative and often perilous nature of foreign influence peddling in unstable regions. 1130-1145 The Revolving Door: Democratic Insiders and Foreign Influence: Colleague Ken Vogel explains how Democratic operatives like Anita Dunn and Antony Blinken leveraged government experience for lucrative consulting roles at firms like SKDK and WestExec, also discussing Hunter Biden's pardon regarding Chinese business dealings and Robert Stryk's representation of sanctioned Russian defense executives. 1145-1200 The Decline of FARA Enforcement and Politicized Justice: Colleague Ken Vogel argues that enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act is weakening, citing Rudy Giuliani's work for sanctioned Balkan leaders and Attorney General Pam Bondi's potential decriminalization of FARA, suggesting the U.S. is returning to a "Wild West" era of unregulated foreign influence where laws are flouted. FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 Reviving the Monroe Doctrine via the Trump Corollary: Colleague Gregory Copley analyzes the Trump administration's National Security Strategy, which reasserts the Monroe Doctrine to counter Chinese and Russian influence in the Western Hemisphere, arguing that "gunboat diplomacy" off Venezuela effectively restores U.S. sovereignty, signaling a shift toward self-reliance and away from traditional alliances like NATO. 1215-1230 European Leaders Scramble to Support Ukraine Amidst Domestic Crises: Colleague Gregory Copley discusses the meeting between UK, French, and German leaders with Zelenskyy, noting they are using the Ukraine war to distract from domestic political failures, tracing Europe's defense dependency to U.S. post-WWII policies and suggesting Zelenskyy is leveraging European fears against Washington to secure his future. 1230-1245 The Strategic Implosion of China and Global Realignments: Colleague Gregory Copley asserts that the People's Republic of China has strategically collapsed due to economic failure and demographic decline, claiming Xi Jinping is no longer effectively in power, noting that Russia is distancing itself from Beijing and Western leaders like Albanese are pivoting back toward Washington. 1245-100 AM King Charles, Environmental Realism, and UK Political Instability: Colleague Gregory Copley observes that King Charles avoids political climate statements despite Bill Gates' recent realism regarding environmental alarmism, discussing political instability in the UK and suggesting Prime Minister Starmer faces challenges from the left that could force new elections, potentially benefiting reformists like Nigel Farage.

Syria's Fragmentation and the Regional Arms Race: Colleague Jonathan Schanzer describes Syria as a chaotic mix of armed factions, including Al-Qaeda-led pragmatists and Iranian proxies, held together only by regime brutality, mentioning potential U.S. plans for a base to deter bad actors and highlighting rapid military expansions by Turkey and Egypt amid regional instability. 1955

This week, Scott sat down with Lawfare Managing Editor Tyler McBrien and Contributing Editor Alex Zerden to talk through a few of the week's big national security news stories, including:“Finding the Road to Damascus.” Former dictator Bashar al-Assad fled Syria one year ago this week, bringing a precipitous end to the country's more than decade-long civil war. In the year since, has the country been able to make progress toward the optimistic future many hoped would follow al-Assad's ouster? And what obstacles still lie in its path?“Civilizational Self-Confidence Scheme.” The Trump administration has undergone the once-per-term statutorily-mandated ritual of releasing its National Security Strategy. It claims an intent to stay the course on many key bipartisan pillars of U.S. foreign policy, but mixes in heavy doses of isolationism, ethnonationalism, and criticism of Europe for losing its “civilizational self-confidence.” How seriously should we take this document? And what does it tell us about the likely trajectory of U.S. foreign policy?“A Dimon in the Rough?” JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has announced a ten-year initiative to invest $1.5 trillion in U.S. companies critical to U.S. national security and economic resilience. Is this an attempt by Dimon to repair his sometimes frosty relationship with the Trump administration by complimenting its “America First” strategy? Or is it an initiative that more genuinely strikes at the intersection of market logic and U.S. national security?In object lessons, Tyler is exploring the great heritage of American landmarks with “Lost in America: Photographing the Last Days of our Architectural Treasures” an archive of the Historic American Buildings Survey. Scott is embracing the holiday season the classic way—by settling in with delightfully cheesy films like A Merry Little Ex-Mas and Jingle Bell Heist on Netflix. And Alex is broadening the lens with “The World For Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders Who Barter the Earth's Resources,“ by Jack Farchy and Javier Blas, a deep dive into the global trade networks and power brokers who shape the flow of the planet's resources.Rational Security will be having its traditional end-of-year episode later this month, which will focus on listener-submitted topics and object lessons! If you have topics you want us to discuss and object lessons you want to share—whether serious or frivolous—be sure to send them to rationalsecurity@lawfaremedia.org by Dec. 17!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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At every technological revolution, the industry of indecency is close at hand. We look at how sex workers and porn-peddlers are making use of AI. The sites of Syria's most brutal civil-war deeds are just the latest destination for “dark tourists”; we explore the draw of atrocities. And to the many divisions in America, add one about a lawn-care implement.Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's Headlines: Trump had a busy week: he gave himself an A++++++ on the economy, and in a Politico interview, openly admitted he has “no vision for Europe” while praising autocrats like Orban in Hungary and Erdogan in Turkey. European security officials are sounding alarms too, warning that Russia's hybrid warfare campaign—political sabotage, infrastructure attacks, energy manipulation, and propaganda—could escalate into a full-blown war by 2029. Meanwhile, Netanyahu says he speaks to Putin “regularly” to protect Israel's borders, particularly against Syria, so the lines are already being drawn. Over in tech, Elon Musk confessed on Katie Miller's podcast that DOGE was only “somewhat successful” and that if he could do it again, he wouldn't. And the Pentagon, under Pete Hegseth, is rolling out Google's Gemini AI for unclassified work like onboarding and administrative tasks—but the NYT is suing because Hegseth's new press rules forced reporters to sign gag orders or lose access. In Florida, Miami elected its first Democratic mayor in 28 years, Eileen Higgins, a former Peace Corps director and mechanical engineer, ending decades of GOP control and running on a government efficiency platform. Let's travel back to Taylor Swift's October album release real quick, remember the nazi, trad wife chaos around it? Turns out, less than 4% of accounts drove 28% of the conversation, and over 73% of the inflammatory posts came from inauthentic or conspiracy-focused accounts. Basically, most of the outrage wasn't real—it was engineered. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Politico: Full transcript: POLITICO's interview with Donald Trump Financial Times: Russia's hybrid warfare puts Europe to the test Times Of Israel: In Knesset debate, Netanyahu says he regularly talks to Putin to safeguard Israel's 'vital interests' WSJ: New York Times Sues Hegseth, Defense Department Over New Press Rules Axios: Musk says DOGE was only "somewhat successful," wouldn't do it again Axios: U.S. military to use Google Gemini for new AI platform Politico: Miami elects first woman mayor, ends GOP's 28-year control of City Hall Rolling Stone: Taylor Swift's Last Album Sparked Bizarre Accusations of Nazism. It Was a Coordinated Attack Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of Syrians took to the streets this week to mark the first anniversary of the Assad regime's collapse. There has been a string of historic firsts including President Donald Trump hosting interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in an unprecedented White House visit. Now, what does the war torn country look like, and more importantly what does their future look like? FOX's Eben Brown speaks with Ahmad Sharawi, Mideast research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and Syria specialist, who says there has been some positive reestablishment of diplomacy with the United States and others, there still needs to be more unification amongst the Syrians. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Political correspondent Ariela Karmel and diplomatic reporter Nava Freiberg join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As the Prime Minister's Office announces Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump on December 29 in the US, Freiberg notes that the two leaders will discuss the next phases of the Gaza peace plan. She says the emerging security arrangements between Israel and Syria are also on the table and discusses media reports that Netanyahu was meant to sign a security agreement with Syria in September, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Karmel and Freiberg review different aspects of the 40-signature debate earlier this week in the Knesset, in which Netanyahu publicly supported the current Haredi draft bill for the first time. The prime minister also defended Israel's international standing, pointing to the recent visit of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his regular phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Karmel discusses a special Knesset panel formed to advance Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s controversial media bill and bypass the Knesset Economics Committee run by Likud MK David Bitan, given the lack of consensus in Karhi's own Likud party over the bill meant to overhaul Israel's broadcast media. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Trump to host Netanyahu on December 29 for talks on advancing Gaza plan Netanyahu denies report he refused to ink deal with Syria on sidelines of UN in September Netanyahu backs ‘historic’ Haredi draft bill in fiery Knesset debate on wartime conduct Panel chair assails press as special Knesset committee takes up media oversight bill Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at 40 signatures debate in the Knesset on December 8, 2025. (Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 Download Audio. Scott interviews William Van Wagenen about some of the horrific crimes taking place in Syria now that Bin Ladenite Islamists have taken over the country. They explore some of these stories and discuss the level of attention these are getting in the Western press and the broader geopolitical context behind this consequential regime change. Discussed on the show: Creative Chaos: Inside the CIA's Covert War to Topple the Syrian Government by William Van Wagenen “The Alawite women taken as sex slaves in Syria” (The Spectator) “Inside Syria's state-backed cover-up of Alawite women's kidnappings” (The Cradle) William Van Wagenen is the author of Creative Chaos: Inside the CIA's Covert War to Topple the Syrian Government. He has a BA in German literature From Brigham Young University and an MA in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. You can read his other writings on Syria for the Libertarian Institute here. Follow him on Twitter @wvanwagenen Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! For more on Scott's work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott's other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott's books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/47jMtg7 (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/3tgMCdw Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/3HRufs0 Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated https://rrbi.co Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/ https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow

The 8th of December marked a year since Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was forced to leave the capital, Damascus.Find full subtitles and a worksheet for this episode at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2025/251210Practise your reading skills with The Reading Room: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/the_reading_room Practise your listening skills with The Listening Room: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/the_listening_roomFIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followusSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newslettersFor more of our podcasts, search for these in your podcast app: ✔️ Learning English for Work ✔️ Learning Easy English ✔️ Learning English Grammar ✔️ Learning English Stories ✔️ 6 Minute English ✔️ Learning English Conversations ✔️ Learning English Vocabulary

Tom Sleigh is a multiple award winning poet, dramatist and essayist. He's written eleven books of poetry. His most recent is “The King's Touch”, which won the Paterson Poetry Prize. His other works include “Army Cats”, winner of the John Updike Award, “Space Walk”, winner of the Kingsley Tufts Award, and “Far Side Of The Earth”, which won an Academy Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His poems and prose have appeared in The New Yorker, American Poetry Review, Yale Review and The Village Voice. He is a Professor (Emeritus) at Hunter College. And he has also worked as a journalist in Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Kenya, Iraq, and Libya. In the PoetryFest portion of this episode Tom will read his poem "A Man Plays Debussy for a Blind, Eighty-Four-Year-Old Elephant" from “The King's Touch”.My featured song is my version of Thelonious Monk's “Well, You Needn't” from my debut 1994 album Miles Behind. Spotify link.—-----------------------------------------------------------The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries!Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Groupings Click here for Guest TestimonialsClick here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email UpdatesClick here to Rate and Review the podcast—----------------------------------------CONNECT WITH TOM:www.tomsleigh.com—----------------------------------------ROBERT'S LATEST SINGLE:“MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET” is Robert's latest release. It transforms his jazz ballad into a lush classical string quartet piece. Praised by a host of classical music stars.CLICK HERE FOR YOUTUBE LINKCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—---------------------------------------ROBERT'S RECENT SINGLE“MI CACHIMBER” is Robert's recent single. It's Robert's tribute to his father who played the trumpet and loved Latin music.. Featuring world class guest artists Benny Benack III and Dave Smith on flugelhornCLICK HERE FOR YOUTUBE LINKCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—--------------------------------------ROBERT'S LATEST ALBUM:“WHAT'S UP!” is Robert's latest compilation album. Featuring 10 of his recent singles including all the ones listed below. Instrumentals and vocals. Jazz, Rock, Pop and Fusion. “My best work so far. (Robert)”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—----------------------------------------Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comEmail Robert - robert@followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.comYouTubeSpotify MusicApple MusicEmail - pgs@projectgrandslam.com  

The Druze National Guard and Internal Strife in Southern Syria: Colleagues Ahmad Sharawi and Bill Roggio report that instability is growing in Syria's Druze-majority Suwayda province, where a newly formed "National Guard" militia has begun arresting and killing political opponents; the militia is spiritually guided by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who has consolidated power by sidelining other Druze leaders who were open to reconciliation with the Assad regime, with Turkey expressing support for the anti-Assad Druze factions against both the Syrian government and Kurdish forces, while recent violence suggests a hardening of anti-regime sentiment. 1914 SYRIA

PREVIEW — Jonathan Schanzer — "Darkness Visible": The Dangerous Power Vacuum and Rivalries in Syria. Schanzer characterizes contemporary Syria as chaotic "ungoverned territory" systematically attracting dangerous transnational actors including Hamas military operatives and Russian military and intelligence personnel establishing operational footprints. Schanzer documents that while the United States strategically lifts economic sanctions to encourage pragmatism and behavioral moderation from the new Syrian leadership, regional powers including Saudi Arabia and Turkey simultaneously compete for geopolitical influence over Damascus decision-making, creating overlapping and contradictory leverage efforts. Schanzer emphasizes that this fractured geopolitical landscape is further complicated by armed militia networks, Kurdish separatist forces, and foreign fighter contingents remaining throughout Syrian territory, resembling a "shattered chessboard" where multiple external powers attempt simultaneous influence operations while internal actors pursue autonomous agendas, creating a dangerously unpredictable and volatile strategic environment.  DAMASCUS 1920

SHOW 12-8-2025 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1895 KHYBER PASS THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT THE FEDERAL RESERVE  BOARD OF GOVERNORS. FIRST HOUR 9-915 The DC Shooter, the Zero Units, and the Tragedy of the Afghan Withdrawal: Colleagues Husain Haqqani and Bill Roggio discuss recent violence in Washington, D.C. involving an Afghan immigrant that has drawn attention back to the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021; the shooter, Ramanula Lakanal, was a member of the elite "Zero Units" of the Afghan National Army, a force that demanded priority evacuation for their families in exchange for providing security at the Kabul airport during the U.S. retreat, and while these units were stalwart allies against enemies like al-Qaeda and ISIS, they fought a "dirty war" and were accused of human rights violations, highlighting the broader failure of the withdrawal which occurred because political will faded across multiple administrations. 915-930 The Vetting Failure and the Lack of an Exit Strategy in Afghanistan: Colleagues Husain Haqqani and Bill Roggioexplain that the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan was exacerbated by the lack of a methodical exit strategy, unlike the British who organized their departure and evacuation lists well in advance; critics argue that the U.S. imported significant security risks by rushing the evacuation, bringing in over 100,000 Afghans without adequate vetting, and while there was a moral obligation to help those who served, experts suggest that wholesale importation of citizens from a war-torn country was not the only solution and that better vetting or resettlement in third countries should have been considered. 930-945 Martial Law in South Korea and the Shadow of the North: Colleagues Morse Tan and Gordon Chang discuss South Korea facing severe political turmoil following President Yoon's declaration of martial law, a move his supporters argue was a constitutional response to obstructionist anti-state forces; the opposition, led by figures previously sympathetic to North Korea, has been accused of attempting to paralyze the government, while accusations of "insurrection" against President Yoon are dismissed as nonsensical, with the political infighting fracturing the conservative party and leaving South Korea vulnerable to the North Korean regime in a way not seen since the Korean War. 945-1000 Japan Stands Up for Taiwan While Canada Demurs: Colleagues Charles Burton and Gordon Chang report that Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi recently declared that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be a "survival threatening situation" for Japan, authorizing the mobilization of self-defense forces; this statement has triggered a massive propaganda campaign from Beijing demanding a retraction, as a successful invasion of Taiwan would likely require violating Japanese sovereignty, while in contrast Canada remains reluctant to support Tokyo or criticize Beijing, hoping to secure trade benefits and diversify exports away from the U.S., leaving Japan isolated by its allies. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 The Survival of UNRWA and the Flow of Terror Finance: Colleagues Malcolm Hoenlein and Thaddeus McCotterreport that despite investigations revealing corruption and ties to terrorism, the UN has renewed the mandate for UNRWA for another three years; the organization's facilities have been used by Hamas and its schools have been implicated in radicalizing children, yet international efforts to replace it have stalled, while Hamas leadership refuses to disarm or accept international oversight, demanding a Palestinian state as a precondition for any change, with financial support for terror groups continuing to flow through networks in Europe and the Middle East. 1015-1030 Greece's "Achilles Shield" and Israel's Iron Beam Laser Defense: Colleagues Malcolm Hoenlein and Thaddeus McCotter report that Greece is undertaking a historic modernization of its armed forces, unveiling a new national defense strategy focused on long-range missiles and a modernized air defense system dubbed "Achilles Shield," allowing Greece to project power more flexibly in the Eastern Mediterranean and counter threats from Turkey; in Israel, a major defensive breakthrough is imminent with the deployment of the "Iron Beam," a laser defense system capable of intercepting threats at approximately $50 per shot, expected to rewrite the rules of air defense by effectively countering drone swarms and missiles. 1030-1045 Hezbollah's Quiet Regeneration Under Naim Qassem: Colleagues David Daoud and Bill Roggio report that since the ceasefire began, Hezbollah has received at least $2 billion from Iran and is actively rearming and regenerating its forces in Lebanon; the terror group is focusing on acquiring drone swarms and other asymmetrical weapons that are cheap to produce and difficult for Israel to counter, while Hezbollah's new leader Naim Qassem is leveraging his "bookish" and underestimated persona to lower the temperature and allow the group to rebuild without attracting the same level of scrutiny as his predecessor. 1045-1100 Fragmentation in Yemen: The Southern Transitional Council Advances: Colleagues Bridget Tumi and Bill Roggio report that the civil war in Yemen is fracturing further as the Southern Transitional Council, which advocates for southern secession, advances into eastern governorates to secure territory and combat smuggling; this move has heightened tensions within the anti-Houthi coalition, as the STC is backed by the UAE while other government factions are supported by Saudi Arabia, weakening the collective effort against the Houthis who control the capital Sanaa and maintain ambitions to conquer the entire country. THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 The Druze National Guard and Internal Strife in Southern Syria: Colleagues Ahmad Sharawi and Bill Roggio report that instability is growing in Syria's Druze-majority Suwayda province, where a newly formed "National Guard" militia has begun arresting and killing political opponents; the militia is spiritually guided by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who has consolidated power by sidelining other Druze leaders who were open to reconciliation with the Assad regime, with Turkey expressing support for the anti-Assad Druze factions against both the Syrian government and Kurdish forces, while recent violence suggests a hardening of anti-regime sentiment. 1115-1130 The "Variable Geometry" of the Muslim Brotherhood and Its Global Affiliates: Colleagues Edmund Fitton-Brown and Bill Roggio explain that the Muslim Brotherhood operates as a "mothership" for various Islamist movements, utilizing a strategy of "variable geometry" to adapt to local political environments while aiming for a global caliphate; Hamas functions as the Palestinian branch of the Brotherhood and despite being severely damaged by the war with Israel remains the dominant force in Gaza, with the Brotherhood finding state sponsorship primarily in Qatar, which provides funding and media support via Al Jazeera, and Turkey, where President Erdogan acts as a leader for the organization. 1130-1145 Ukraine Negotiations Hit a Cul-de-Sac Amidst Infiltration Tactics: Colleagues John Hardie and Bill Roggio report that peace talks regarding Ukraine are currently at a standstill, with the U.S. and Ukraine at odds over Russia's demands for territory in the Donbas versus Ukraine's need for meaningful security guarantees; while the U.S. has pressured Ukraine to concede territory, the security assurances offered are viewed skeptically by Kyiv, and Russia refuses to accept any Western military presence in Ukraine, while on the battlefield Russia employs infiltration tactics using small groups, sometimes single soldiers, to penetrate deep into Ukrainian positions. 1145-1200 The Trump Corollary: Reviving the Monroe Doctrine in Latin America: Colleague Ernesto Araújo discusses a new "Trump corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine reshaping U.S. policy in the Americas, signaling a more assertive stance against foreign influence and authoritarian regimes; this shift is evident in Venezuela, where President Maduro appears to be negotiating his exit in the face of U.S. pressure, while in Brazil the administration of Lula da Silva faces significant instability due to a massive banking scandal linking the government to money laundering and organized crime, with the new application of the Monroe Doctrine suggesting the U.S. will favor political figures aligned with its security strategy. FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 Devil's Advocates: Robert Stryk, Rudy Giuliani, and the Business of Influence: Colleague Kenneth P. Vogel discusses how in the power vacuum created by Donald Trump's arrival in Washington, unconventional lobbyists like Robert Stryk rose to prominence by marketing access to the new administration; Stryk, described as an "anti-hero" with a checkered business past, hosted a lavish event at the Hay-Adams Hotel to legitimize the regime of Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo, successfully delivering Rudy Giuliani as Trump's personal attorney, signaling a new informal channel for foreign diplomacy and highlighting how foreign regimes utilized large sums of money and unconventional intermediaries to seek favor. 1215-1230 The Accidental Diplomat: Robert Stryk and the New Zealand Connection: Colleague Kenneth P. Vogel explains that Robert Stryk's rise in the lobbying world was fueled by serendipity and bold bluffs, exemplified by a chance encounter with a New Zealand diplomat at a cafe; the diplomat revealed that New Zealand, having prepared for a Clinton victory, had no contacts within the incoming Trump team and could not arrange a congratulatory call between their Prime Minister and the President-elect, and Stryk, leveraging a connection to a former Trump campaign field director, provided a phone number that successfully connected the embassy to Trump's team, establishing his credibility and launching his career in high-stakes foreign lobbying. 1230-1245 Hunter Biden, Chinese Spies, and the Monetization of Political Connections: Colleague Kenneth P. Vogel reports that following his father's departure from the vice presidency, Hunter Biden faced financial pressure and sought lucrative foreign clients, leading to risky entanglements; one venture involved a corrupt Romanian real estate magnate who hired Hunter along with former FBI Director Louis Freeh and Rudy Giuliani to resolve his legal troubles, with the proposed solution involving selling land including the site of the U.S. Embassy in Romania to a Chinese state-linked fund, and Hunter Biden was aware of the nature of his associates, referring to one as the "spy chief of China." 1245-100 AM FARA: From Fighting Nazi Propaganda to Modern Transparency: Colleague Kenneth P. Vogel explains that the Foreign Agents Registration Act was originally enacted in 1938 to counter Nazi propaganda in the United States before World War II; at the time, the Third Reich was paying well-connected American consultants to whitewash Hitler's image and keep the U.S. out of the war, operating without public knowledge, and Congress passed FARA to create transparency, requiring those paid by foreign principals to influence the U.S. government or media to register their activities, with the law remaining today the primary vehicle for accountability in foreign lobbying

In this episode, Greg and Nathan continue in their series, Promised & Fulfilled, the hosts journey into one of the most iconic and debated prophecies in Scripture: Isaiah's promise of a virgin-born son called Immanuel—“God with us.” Greg and Nathan unpack the drama of Isaiah 7:14 against the backdrop of the Syro-Ephraimite crisis, where King Ahaz faced political panic and spiritual compromise. Into that moment, God offered a sign—a child whose birth would speak both judgment and hope. But how does this ancient promise connect to the quiet, miraculous arrival of Jesus in Bethlehem centuries later? Drawing from Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:22–23, the episode explores: The historical setting of Ahaz and the looming threats of Syria and Israel The meaning of the Hebrew ‘almah and the Septuagint's use of parthenos (“virgin”) How Matthew reads Isaiah's words as ultimately fulfilled in Christ The rich theme of typology and the possibility of dual fulfillment—one child in Ahaz's day, another in the fullness of time Thoughtful, accessible, and rooted in Scripture, this episode invites listeners to behold the wonder of Immanuel—God with us—promised in prophecy and fulfilled at Christmas.

Donald Trump's new national security strategy turns history on its head, dismissing a Europe it says faces “civilizational erasure” and praising far-right parties that Moscow supports. How will the United States' transatlantic allies react? Also: today's stories, including how supporters of Australia's social media ban hope other countries follow the country's lead, but critics say legislative bans will be ineffective; how presidential pardons have been used in ways that range from serving the chief executive's own family interests to uniting a torn nation after a war; and how as Syria still faces many challenges, hopes for the future exist one year after rebel forces overthrew its dictatorship. Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

After Russian-Israeli academic Elizabeth Tsurkov was freed from captivity in Iraq in September following two and a half years of imprisonment and torture, she returned to a very different Israel, she said in a wide-ranging interview on the Haaretz Podcast. Israelis “have changed in very fundamental ways,” she said. “After October 7, the circle of people towards whom Israelis feel compassion shrunk very significantly.” As she returns to public life as a researcher and commentator on Middle East affairs, while undergoing physical rehabilitation from injuries she suffered as the prisoner of Kata’ib Hezbollah, she has already been attacked by the Israeli right for social media posts in support of human rights and critical of Israel’s policies in Gaza. Despite being held in captivity, she said, her political views “have not substantially changed: I still see Arabs as human beings, which is an unpopular opinion, it seems.” In her conversation with host Allison Kaplan Sommer, Tsurkov discusses the politics of Iraq – the country where she was kidnapped and held – following their recent elections, calling it a “failed oil state” driven by the behavior of Iranian-backed militias with “no clear path for reform and change.” She also analyzes the impact of the new regime in Syria, praising the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump towards the year-old government. She also credits the president with her release. “Trump is the reason I'm free. This is not an interpretation, this is a fact. I know exactly how I came to be released: It was because of threats that were made on his behalf.” Read more: Right-wing Pundit Amit Segal: Tsurkov 'Should Do Some Soul-searching About the Price Her Stupid Adventures Cost Israel' 'Strung Up and Tortured': Elizabeth Tsurkov Recounts Over Two Years of Captivity in Iraq 'Things Weren't Easy': After Iraq Captivity, Elizabeth Tsurkov Tells Netanyahu She Was Tortured What Is Kata'ib Hezbollah? Opinion | Through My Friend Elizabeth Tsurkov, I Learned That Syrians and Israelis Desire the Same Thing Elizabeth Tsurkov's past writing for HaaretzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tensions escalate again between Thailand and Cambodia after violent clashes on the border. The Thai military says it is hitting military targets to suppress attacks by Cambodian forces. Both accuse each other of breaching a ceasefire agreement brokered by President Trump just two months ago. Also: as Syria marks the first year anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime, our International Editor, Jeremy Bowen, looks at how Syrians are dealing with challenges after the civil war. An attempted coup in Benin is thwarted with the help of Nigeria and other West African countries; Lando Norris is the new Formula One champion after a dramatic race in Dubai - his mentor Trevor Carlin tells us all about him; and the British documentary photographer Martin Parr - known for his humour and capturing the quirkiness of British life - has died.

A year after the fall of the brutal Assad regime in Syria, tens of thousands of people have been celebrating - both in Syria itself and abroad. There's been a military parade around the main square in Damascus watched by jubilant flag-waving crowds. Despite his former links to Al-Qaeda, the new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, now has the support of the White House, but he still faces many challenges. Also: Nigerian state secures release of 100 out of 265 kidnapped schoolchildren; a woman who blackmailed the South Korean footballer, Son Heung-min, gets four years in jail; using tech to combat dementia in Japan; and could offering smaller, cheaper portions in restaurants and supermarkets cut obesity? The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

A year after ousting its despot, things are not as bad as many had feared. But old sectarian divides threaten the peace. Forced labour, sex tourism and human-trafficking: ever more sophisticated drug gangs are behind a wave of exploitation across Latin America. And the rocketing price of gold drives a new generation of prospectors to California.Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Failure of the Hittite Empire: Colleague Eric Cline examines the Hittites, classified as the major failures of the era, explaining that this superpower controlling Anatolia and rivaling Egypt collapsed due to a "perfect storm" of drought, plague, and poor leadership, with their capital Hattusa destroyed and abandoned; however, "Neo-Hittite" rump states in northern Syria such as Carchemish survived as trading hubs for centuries before eventually facing aggression from the rising Neo-Assyrian empire.

A year after ousting its despot, things are not as bad as many had feared. But old sectarian divides threaten the peace. Forced labour, sex tourism and human-trafficking: ever more sophisticated drug gangs are behind a wave of exploitation across Latin America. And the rocketing price of gold drives a new generation of prospectors to California.Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today marks one year since the regime of longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in Syria. The World caught up with Syrians to hear their perspectives as they reflect on the past. Also, the 2025 US National Security Strategy, unveiled late Thursday, has reignited fears of US ‘gunboat diplomacy' in Latin America. And, despite aggressive immigration enforcement activities in the US — both in courts and on the streets — applications for asylum are at an all-time high. Plus, an ancient boat discovered off the coast of Alexandria matches descriptions of what were known in Queen Cleopatra's time as “pleasure boats.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Today, we discuss President Trump's new vision for global security, one that is creating a lot of criticism in Europe.The 33-page document called the National Security Strategy suggests Europe is facing "civilisational erasure" and does not cast Russia as a threat to the US. Russia says the strategy is “largely consistent” with their vision.Security correspondent Frank Gardner and former UK ambassador to the US Lord Kim Darroch join Adam to discuss what this means for Europe.Plus, we discuss what has happened in Syria a year after former President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown. Adam chats with Mina Al-Lami from BBC Monitoring.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Adam Chowdhury. The social producer was Gabriel Purcell-Davis. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Syria celebrates a year since the fall of Assad, and an end to a brutal fifty-year dictatorship. But what sort of rule and what sort of future does Syria face? Also in the programme: Ukraine's President Zelensky pleads for Europe and the US to remain to united over ending the war with Russia – we hear from former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt; how China's trade surplus hit a trillion dollars; and the blind football fan who says that, thanks to a virtual reality headset, he can for the first time literally watch a game. (IMAGE: People gather during a parade marking the first anniversary of the ousting of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Idlib, Syria, 08 December 2025 / CREDIT: BILAL AL-HAMMOUD/EPA/Shutterstock (16051801r))

Syrians are holding celebrations to mark the first anniversary since Bashar al-Assad was toppled from power after a lightning rebel offensive. Also on the programme, President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet key European leaders in London amid peace negotiations; and, the making of the very first dictionary of ancient Celtic.

In our news wrap Monday, Paramount Skydance launched a hostile all-cash offer directly to Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders just days after a deal was formed with Netflix, President Trump's former personal lawyer resigned as acting U.S. attorney in New Jersey, Syria marks one year since a rebel uprising toppled dictator Bashar al-Assad and some students abducted in Nigeria were freed. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

One year ago today, Syria's fallen President Bashar al-Assad fled the country. The man who replaced him, opposition leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, is certainly an international darling, welcomed all the way to the White House. According to a new poll by Arab Barometer, he has the approval of 81% of the Syrian people. But these numbers aren't universal: among minorities, including Alawites and Druze, support for him falls below 50%. Moreover, a United Nations commission warns that Syria's transition remains fragile amid continuing insecurity and sporadic violence. Christiane put crucial questions to him at this weekend's Doha forum.   Also on today's show: correspondent Clare Sebastian; former CDC official Demetre Daskalakis    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the course of Syria's fourteen-year civil war, around one million people went missing, presumably killed. Among them was the father of my guest today, Maryam Kamalmaz. Maryam's father was an American psychotherapist who traveled to Syria on a humanitarian mission when he was detained and disappeared by the Assad regime. She campaigned for his release, but eventually learned that he had died in detention. Today, Maryam Kamalmaz is the Director for Missing Persons Affairs at the Syria Emergency Task Force, an advocacy group based in Washington, DC, where she is supporting international efforts to identify the roughly one million people who went missing during Syria's civil war. We begin by discussing the case of her father before having a broader conversation about why finding the missing—and their remains—is so important for Syria's democratic transition following the fall of the Assad regime. This is a powerful conversation, recorded live at the Halifax International Security Forum in late November.  

One year after Bashar al-Assad’s fall, Syrians are returning home and trying to rebuild their lives. But questions over transitional justice and minority protections are testing whether this new Syria can become more than just another chapter of survival. In this episode: Leila Nachawati (@leila_na), writer and professor Episode credits: This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé, Noor Wazwaz, Melanie Marich, and Haleema Shah, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Diana Ferrero, Farhan Rafid, Fatima Shafiq Tamara Khandaker, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Kylene Kiang. The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Diana Ferrero, Tracie Hunte, Tamara Khandaker, Kylene Kiang, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Melanie Marich, Catherine Nouhan, Haleema Shah, and Noor Wazwaz. Our editorial interns are Farhan Rafid, and Kisaa Zehra. Our host is Malika Bilal. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. This episode was mixed by Rick Rush. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad fled Syria for Russia a year ago as rebels commanded by Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, seized the country. Initially greeted with some skepticism for his terrorist ties, al-Sharaa is now feted on world stages. Horovitz shares impressions from what he heard from Syrian officials during a recent Damascus trip and how their new leader, under the Trump administration's wing, is increasingly boldly criticizing Israel and its hold on the buffer zone between the two nations. This morning, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz arrived in Israel for an official visit focused on advancing Washington’s peace plan for Gaza. Yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza is “almost” complete, and that he expects to move on to its second phase soon, at a joint Jerusalem press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. However, yesterday evening, the premier expressed skepticism about the notion that a multinational force meant to patrol Gaza could successfully disarm Hamas. We speak about Israel's concerns, Hamas's alleged readiness to "freeze" its weapons arsenal and the current facts on the ground in Gaza. Israeli and Qatari officials met in New York on Sunday, according to a report, in the first of a series of trilateral meetings set up by US envoy Steve Witkoff, who is looking to mend ties that were frayed by Israel’s botched September strike on Hamas offices in Qatar. At the same time, the White House is also reportedly looking to broker a summit between Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. Horovitz weighs in. During his meeting with Merz yesterday, Netanyahu said that he will not retire from politics in exchange for a pardon in his corruption trial, and also that he is not interested in a plea bargain. Horovitz sets the scene and explains its significance in the ongoing Netanyahu legal saga. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Syria still struggles to heal from civil war, a year after Assad regime’s fall Netanyahu says phase one of Gaza truce ‘almost’ complete, alongside Germany’s Merz Eyeing phase two in Gaza, PM airs skepticism on whether international force can disarm Hamas Hamas ready to discuss ‘freezing or storing’ its weapons, says terror group official Israel, Qatar meet as US looks to mend relations, move to phase 2 in Gaza – report White House said to be pushing for summit between Netanyahu and Egypt’s Sissi Netanyahu says he won’t quit politics in exchange for pardon in corruption trial Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, greets people as he attends celebrations marking the first anniversary of the ousting of former President Bashar Assad in Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) ISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you heard of Freebirthing? It's giving birth without any medical help or intervention. A new podcast by The Guardian has investigated an American organisation – the Free Birth Society or FBS – a multimillion-dollar business which professionals claim promotes some dangerous views. Nuala McGovern is joined by Sirin Kale who undertook the investigation along with her colleague Lucy Osbourne. Dr Claire Feeley, midwife and senior lecturer at Kings College London who has done research into freebirthing, discusses the free birth picture here in the UK.Today marks a year since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. For more than half a century the Assad family ruled Syria with an iron fist and when it came to an end after 13 years of war, many women hoped for a new era. So what's the situation for women in the country 12 months on? We hear from Lina Sinjab, the BBC's Middle East correspondent, who is Syrian and currently in Aleppo.As part of Radio 4's annual Christmas Appeal, we hear from NHS Clinical psychologist Sarah Phillips and former Rowan Alba supported-accommodation resident Elvira about how a revolutionary in-house psychologist team is helping homeless women in supported housing in Edinburgh and why they think this model should be rolled out across the UK.Sarah Mughal Rana is a #BookTok personality and the co-host of On the Write Track podcast. Her debut novel - Dawn of the Firebird -has just been published. It's an epic, action-packed fantasy story, embracing rich Islamic culture. Sarah joins Nuala to discuss the main protagonist, the discarded daughter of an emperor, who is described as: Daughter, Assassin, Traitor, Saviour. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Paramount is back, challenging Netflix in a takeover battle for Warner Brothers Discovery that could reshape the global streaming industry. What could the bidding war mean for Hollywood? We'll get reaction from an Oscar-winning producer.And as Syria marks a year since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, we hear why its economy remains extremely fragile.And while China's exports are booming, many US farmers are feeling the strain — hit by low prices and years of disrupted sales to China. Now President Trump has announced a twelve-billion-dollar aid package to support them. We hear the reaction from the soybean farmer.You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.

Your daily news in under three minutes. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes! Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Your daily news in under three minutes. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes! Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

UN human rights investigators have said that the cycles of vengeance and reprisal must be brought to an end in Syria, as the country commemorates the first anniversary of the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. A UN independent commission of inquiry commended the steps taken by Syria's new leadership to address the crimes and abuses of the Assad era. But it said violent incidents in the past year had raised worries about the future direction of the country. Newshour's Lyse Doucet is in Damascus.Also in the programme: we profile Formula 1's new champion Lando Norris; and a new documentary looks at what senior US military officials know about UFOs. (Photo: A drone view shows the parliament in Damascus, Syria, September 21, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Mahmoud Hassano)

Will the recent deadly fire at a housing complex in Hong Kong - and the angry response to it - have an impact on today's elections to the Legislative Council? Also on the programme: a failed coup attempt in the west African country of Benin; we'll be in Syria - a year on from the ousting of the Assad regime - and the prison diaries of Nicolas Sarkozy - written after a mere three weeks behind bars.(Image: A voter checks on the candidates at a polling station in Tai Po during the Legislative Council general election in Hong Kong on December 7, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Lam Yik)