Syrians are describing it as a turning point -- "the second joy, since the fall of Assad". US President Donald Trump has announced he will lift all sanctions on Syria--as a way to help the country rebuild after years of civil war. The UN estimates half of the Syrian population is displaced, and nearly 75% need humanitarian aid. It says, at its current rate of growth, Syria will take at least half a century to achieve its pre-war economic level. President Ahmed Al Sharaa has already called on the US to invest in the nation's oil and gas sector. But can he capitalise on the removal of US restrictions and transform the fragmented and devastated country? And what about Syria's fragile security situation?

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The world's two biggest economies have stepped back from the brink. After imposing retaliatory tariff hikes at rates never seen before, the US and China have agreed to a truce. Extra US taxes on Chinese goods will now fall to from 145 percent to 30, and China will cut them from 125 percent to 10 percent. Some of the levies have been scrapped altogether, while others have been put on hold. After weeks of considerable strain, many people are looking to see how global supply chains will be affected. Is it the end of the global trade war, triggered last month by President Donald Trump? And what does it mean for those countries that were eyeing big investments due to steep duties on China?

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The United States and China have surprisingly agreed to a dramatic de-escalation in their trade war. Under the agreement, the world's two largest economies have paused their respective tariffs for 90 days. That breaks an impasse which has brought much of the commerce between the two nations to a halt. Critics say the talks in Geneva did not appear to yield any meaningful concessions. The two sides aim to reach a broader deal, but this takes too long to negotiate. Also in this episode, we examine whether the US-UK trade pact will deliver real benefits, or is it symbolism over substance?

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Khalid Abdalla, a British-Egyptian actor who starred in The Crown, joins the show to discuss Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the critical role of public figures in condemning it. Recently questioned by British police after attending a Palestine rally in London, Abdalla explains why this intimidation won’t silence him– or the growing global movement demanding justice for Palestine.

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Raya and Sakina endured the daily grind of poverty, personal tragedy and societal prejudice in early 20th century Egypt, only to be embroiled in a series of unspeakable crimes. Their names conjure up the same kind of horror and fascination in Egypt as Jack the Ripper in England, or Jeffrey Dahmer in the United States.  But in hindsight, do the sisters deserve the same notoriety?






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Trump’s trade war is causing stock market chaos and may trigger a ‘capital war’ – or even a military war – and seems to be an act of desperation in the face of a declining U.S. empire. Brian Becker and Professor Richard Wolff discuss this rapidly shifting global economy, and what may come next. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com.

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"What did I get myself into?" Savannah joined the Marine Corps to get her life on track. She left as an anti-imperialist veteran.

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Afeef Nessouli, a medical worker in Gaza, joins the show to describe the catastrophic starvation unfolding under two months of Israel’s total blockade of all aid. While Israel is weaponizing hunger and bombing people starving to death, Israeli troops have plans to intensify their occupation and complete their “conquest” of the Gaza Strip. Nessouli explains, “It feels like I’m doing aid work in a death camp. All I can offer is company and being human together because there’s no equipment, medicine, or food– it's going to take the entire world to stop this.”

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Giorgio Cafiero, CEO of Gulf State Analytics, joins the show to break down Trump’s Middle East tour. So far Trump has struck a massive arms deal with Saudi Arabia, met with Syria’s new head of state Abu Mohammed al-Jolani—the former al-Qaeda leader— and announced the lifting of US sanctions on Syria. Trump’s major dealmaking is happening absent of any input or face time with Netanyahu – a move Cafiero sees as a shift in Middle East policy that shifts power away from Israel. Sinawo Thambo, a South African MP with the Economic Freedom Fighters, joins the show to explain why Trump has granted white South Africans refugee status amid his war on migration from non-white countries. Thambo argues Trump is retaliating against South Africa after it took Israel to the ICJ for war crimes in Gaza. Thambo says Trump’s attacks are a racist political stunt in a country where white South Africans make up 8% of the country's population yet own 75% of all private land.

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Roger McKenzie, the International Editor of the Morning Star and author of The Rebirth of the African Phoenix, joins the show to discuss the significance of Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré attending Russia’s Victory Day celebrations in Moscow alongside world leaders, including China’s Xi Jinping. McKenzie argues that Traoré’s visit signals a major shift in global power and alliances— and highlights Africa’s rising role in a new, multilateral world.

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