All talk, no sanctions: Trump lifts Syria embargo
The Intelligence from The Economist
The Economist
4.6 • 3.6K Ratings
🗓️ 14 May 2025
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
As Donald Trump removes bans on trade with Syria and meets its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, our correspondent analyses the implications. Two feuding political dynasties in the Philippines use mid-term elections as a proxy battle (10:03). And introducing V-Tubers, creators behind live-streams of cartoon avatars coming to a screen near you (18:42).
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Economist. |
| 0:10.3 | Hello and welcome to the intelligence from The Economist. |
| 0:14.0 | I'm your host, Rosie Bloor. |
| 0:15.8 | Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the event shaping your world. |
| 0:25.2 | Thank you. we provide a fresh perspective on the event shaping your world. Politics in the Philippines is dominated by two feuding families with very different views. |
| 0:31.0 | After the recent midterm elections, which one of the colourful characters vying for power |
| 0:35.0 | is likely to succeed at the all-important presidential |
| 0:38.1 | poll and introducing v-tubers content creators who make virtual youtube videos where they superimpose |
| 0:47.2 | movements onto cartoon avatars so the live stream doesn't show their real face sound weird well |
| 0:54.1 | apparently we're all going to be watching them soon. |
| 1:01.6 | First up, though. |
| 1:09.8 | After discussing the situation in Syria with the Crown Prince, your Crown Prince, and also with President |
| 1:20.0 | Erdogan of Turkey. |
| 1:22.0 | Just one day into Donald Trump's trip to the Middle East, and already he's shaking |
| 1:25.7 | up American policy in the region. |
| 1:27.6 | I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance |
| 1:34.0 | at greatness. |
| 1:35.9 | That announcement got a standing ovation in Riyadh, and big smiles from his host Saudi crown |
| 1:41.4 | prince Muhammad bin Salman. |
| 1:43.5 | And this morning, Trump met Ahmed al-Shara, Syria's leader. |
| 1:48.3 | It's hard to overstate what Trump's decision to lift sanctions means for Syria. |
| 1:55.6 | Greg Kahlstrom is our Middle East correspondent. |
... |
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