The Unruly History That Weighs on the New Syria
The challenges facing Syria today are connected to three previous beginnings: the fall of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I, independence in 1946 after World War II and the fall of European colonial empires, and the birth of Hafez al-Assad’s regime in 1970.
Celebrating Syria’s Liberation From a Prison Cell in Iraq
The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime was the happiest day of Elizabeth Tsurkov’s life, though she had at the time been tortured and imprisoned for nearly two years on a militia base in Iraq.
The Army Prosecutor, the Sexual Assault and the Videotape
Israel’s military advocate general has been arrested for illegally leaking a video that shows military prison guards carrying out a brutal sexual assault on a Palestinian prisoner. Liberal Israelis see her as a guardian of democracy, while the far right regard her as a traitor.
‘Black Pete’ Still Has His Supporters
The blackface tradition of “Black Pete” has largely vanished from Dutch streets after a concerted campaign. But its remaining supporters increasingly see it as a right-wing cause.
Lifting the Lid on the Criminal Underworld
Historian and writer Mark Galeotti joins Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss his new book about the global criminal underworld, “Homo Criminalis,” and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.