James Menendez

The basic question is, how will this be assessed? Not by our partners. They will be shocked, outraged and probably shrug it off. I'm looking at Berlin. I'm looking at Paris. I'm looking at London. I'm worried a little bit about how the Putins and the Zs of the world will assess this, because this seems to be a bit more than his usual irrational self, which they're used to.

But, I mean, in defense of him, the charm of Trump is they're really afraid of him. I mean, that picture of him taking a bullet and pumping his fist in the ear, this didn't impress, you know, the cocktail circuit in Brussels. But believe me, I've spent a lot of time with thuggish leaders, including Putin, and it makes a big impression on them.

But, I mean, in defense of him, the charm of Trump is they're really afraid of him. I mean, that picture of him taking a bullet and pumping his fist in the ear, this didn't impress, you know, the cocktail circuit in Brussels. But believe me, I've spent a lot of time with thuggish leaders, including Putin, and it makes a big impression on them.

So that's a good thing that you have a leader that others, that bad people fear. What I don't want is a leader that bad people don't take seriously.

So that's a good thing that you have a leader that others, that bad people fear. What I don't want is a leader that bad people don't take seriously.

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We're also going to be seeing some remakes, aren't we? One that struck us here, the Kiss of the Spider Woman.

We're also going to be seeing some remakes, aren't we? One that struck us here, the Kiss of the Spider Woman.

It's a bit like Hairspray, isn't it? Coming a film, then becomes a musical, and then becomes a film again.

It's a bit like Hairspray, isn't it? Coming a film, then becomes a musical, and then becomes a film again.

Snow White is pretty familiar, isn't it? And it's getting an interesting remake.

Snow White is pretty familiar, isn't it? And it's getting an interesting remake.

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This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

But nothing yet from the Syrian authorities on this particular group. Have they said anything more generally about what justice might look like for people who are found to have been involved in the Assad regime?

But nothing yet from the Syrian authorities on this particular group. Have they said anything more generally about what justice might look like for people who are found to have been involved in the Assad regime?

And as for Lebanon, a country which has been under a great deal of strain in a great deal of ways for all sorts of reasons, are they pretty keen to assist in whatever way they can to return Syria? People who may have been associated with the Assad regime to Syria since they've been shouldering a lot of burden of refugees and others for so many years.

And as for Lebanon, a country which has been under a great deal of strain in a great deal of ways for all sorts of reasons, are they pretty keen to assist in whatever way they can to return Syria? People who may have been associated with the Assad regime to Syria since they've been shouldering a lot of burden of refugees and others for so many years.

And this is a part of the capital where people presumably are in desperate need of food, where even local food kitchens are struggling to provide enough for people.