Explainer 367: Bashar al-Assad’s return

Russia has become the first country to recognise the Taliban as Afghanistan’s government. Andrew Mueller explains why. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

As last year’s rapid descent of Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad attests, when a dictator falls, they fall fast. But what are the conditions under which that fall occurs? And how can they be sparked?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Andrew Mueller explains the relocation ballot being offered to Tuvaluans by Australia and what’s in it for the host nation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

In a momentous week in the history of Syria, New Lines’ Middle East Editor Kareem Shaheen and Editorial Director Rasha Elass join Faisal Al Yafai on The Lede to discuss how the Assad regime’s collapse happened so quickly, the terrible symbolism of the Sednaya prison complex and w ... Show More

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

Tommy and Ben discuss the breaking news that Bashar al-Assad has fled Syria after rebel factions took over Damascus in a stunning sweep after 13 years of Civil War. They talk about the speed with which it all happened, what could come next as Syrians decide their own fate after d ... Show More

When Bashar al Assad’s government fell just a couple of days ago, after a two week whirlwind campaign by opposition forces which surprised the entire world, it signalled the end of more than 54 years of rule by the Assad family and it’s the so called Ba’th-party. While it has bee ... Show More

Just a month after Bashar al-Assad fell in Syria, the country is in the midst of a swirl of regional diplomacy. The new Syrian foreign minister is on another regional swing, and the foreign ministers of Germany and France visited Damascus. A central question is when and how the c ... Show More

On Sunday Morning the sound of gunfire filled the air in Damascus. The noise, not of fighting, but celebrations. President Bashar al-Assad and his family had fled to Russia. A family which ruled for more than 50 years, brought down by a rebel offensive which had begun less than t ... Show More

In the month since Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by a coalition of rebel forces, thousands of political prisoners have been released while many more remain missing, assumed lost to the regime. The most powerful group among the rebels, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) ... Show More

On today's episode, Jose Niño joins us to discuss the surprising developments in Syria. The conversation delves into Bashar al-Assad's flight from Syria and decision to open a medical practice in Moscow, the swift collapse of the Syrian regime, and the complex geopolitical dynami ... Show More

Stephen Sackur speaks to Mouaz Moustafa, founder of the US-based Syrian Emergency Task Force. He campaigned to bring the Assad regime to justice for its crimes. Now power is in new hands, will Syrians get justice for the dark past and freedom for a better future?