logo
episode-header-image
Yesterday
44m 28s

Episode 54: What just happened?

Centre for Geopolitics
About this episode

What just happened? To look back at a momentous month Suzanne Raine and Ali Ansari are joined by Bill Hurst and John Nilsson-Wright. Ali offers his views on Iran, Bill on China, John on Japan and North and South Korea, and Suzanne asks the questions. This will be, for now, the last OnGeopolitics hosted by Suzanne and Ali, as they hand over to John and Bill at the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Geopolitics.

Up next
Mar 2025
Episode 53: Trump, US Policy & Asia
Suzanne Raine and John Nilsson-Wright talk with Professor John Delury, Sinologist, Korea expert and currently a visiting professor in Rome, about the current state of policy under Donald Trump towards the United States' key allies in Northeast Asia, the Republic of Korea and Japa ... Show More
44m 22s
Jan 2025
Episode 52: Martial law & repercussions in South Korea
Ali and Suzanne are joined by John Nilsson-Wright, who was in Seoul in early December when President Yoon Suk-yeol moved to declare martial law, to discuss the recent tumultuous events in South Korea and the implications for the Korean peninsula and the wider region. 
39m 52s
Dec 2024
Episode 51: Revolution in Syria
Ali and Suzanne take stock of the dramatic events in Syria and the implications of the collapse of the Assad regime for Iran, looking at themes common across many revolutions and possible areas to watch. 
39m 58s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2024
Revolution in Syria
The Economist's Defence Editor Shashank Joshi joins Tom and Helen for an early episode this week to discuss how the Assad regime fell so rapidly and what this means for Syria and the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. 
47m 32s
Dec 2024
Trump’s Day One Agenda, Syria’s Civil War, and 2025 Predictions
Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov dive into Trump’s big promises for day one of his presidency, the end of Assad’s regime in Syria, the heated debate over Biden’s potential preemptive pardons, the razor-thin House majority, and Democratic leadership shakeups. Plus, they give us t ... Show More
1h 6m
Jan 2025
Analysis: Syria’s Bid for Sanctions Relief
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
8m 14s
Dec 2024
Breaking: Assad Regime Falls
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
55m 38s
Dec 2024
What’s Next for Syria?
Tommy and Ben discuss the latest developments in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime, including the debate in Washington and European capitals about whether to talk with the new Syrian government, remove sanctions, or remove Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham’s terrorist designation. The ... Show More
1h 19m
May 22
Can Trump Remake the Middle East?
Donald Trump just finished his first tour of the Middle East since returning to the White House. The region has changed a lot since he was last there as president. There’s been Hamas’s attack on Israel, the ensuing Israeli retaliation, the weakening of Iran and its proxies, and t ... Show More
54m 13s
Jun 16
Will Trump drag America into war with Iran?
What is Israel's end game in Iran? Does it genuinely believe Iran is making nuclear weapons - or is this about overthrowing the whole regime? Did Trump make Iran more dangerous when he ripped up the diplomatic deal Obama had forged with the country? And will Trump end up dragging ... Show More
40m 59s
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
Why Syria Fell
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
1h 49m
Jun 17
All-Star Panel: President Trump “Iran Can't Have A Nuclear Weapon”
After years of fighting through proxies, Iran and Israel are now exchanging direct military strikes—a dramatic escalation that’s unfolded over just the past five days. As tensions rise by the hour, President Trump is demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” telling reporters h ... Show More
19m 22s