After eight years of civil war in Syria, with hundreds of thousands of its citizens dead and millions more fleeing the country, one question looms large: how did things get so bad? During those early days of peaceful protest, what prompted a shoot-to-kill order from the highest levels of government? The answer begins with the rise to power of the Assad famil ... Show More
Today
The global aid crisis, with David Miliband
What happens when the world’s safety net disappears? For decades, international aid has helped fight poverty, stop disease outbreaks, and keep fragile societies from falling over the edge. But after the shutdown of USAID last year, the relief system is in danger of collapsing ent ... Show More
23m 10s
Aug 1
The UK a decade after Brexit, with Rory Stewart
Ten years ago, Britain voted to leave the European Union in one of the most consequential political decisions of the 21st century. Supporters promised greater sovereignty, stronger economic growth, and a more independent future. Instead, Brexit ushered in a decade of political up ... Show More
32m 33s
Jul 25
Lebanon's best chance for peace, with Kim Ghattas
While the world’s attention has focused on the Strait of Hormuz and the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran, another potentially transformative front has opened in Lebanon. Israeli attacks against the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah have left more than 4,000 peo ... Show More
37m 45s
Mar 2025
What is behind the clashes in Syria?
<p>With hundreds dead after days of fighting between armed supporters of former leader Bashar al-Assad and government forces, the worst violence since al-Assad's fall, Syrians are grappling with how to move forward. Days ahead of the 14th anniversary of Syria's uprising, the coun ... Show More
24m 2s
Dec 2024
The Middle East After Assad
After rebels took Syria’s capital, President Bashar Al-Assad fled Damascus for Russia, ending his brutal 24-year reign. His ouster marks the beginning of a new, uncertain phase for a country that’s been ravaged by 13 years of civil war. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s ... Show More
15m 28s
Dec 2024
Inside The Fall Of Syria’s Brutal Dictator
<p>Syria has been controlled by one family for more than half a century who ruled by repression, devastation and violence.</p><p>But about two weeks ago, the regime began to falter, and then over the course of one night, it collapsed.</p><p>Carlotta Gall, a senior correspondent f ... Show More
25m 9s