Danny and Derek have reconciled with their disappointment in the new Star Wars film and can now bring you the news roundup.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) meets Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi (L) in Tehran, Iran, on May 21, 2026. (Iranian Foreign Ministry / Handout / Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Danny and Derek have reconciled with their disappointment in the new Star Wars film and can now bring you the news roundup. This week: in Iran, talks stall as Trump weighs continuing the war (2:00), the Islamic Republic attempts to institutionalize control over the Strait of Hormuz (8:49), and fuel protests spread around the world (13:09); the IDF continues daily bombardments in Lebanon while Hezbollah drones restrict IDF ground operations (15:10); Trump considers a call with Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te (18:32); Xi and Putin stage an uneventful summit in Beijing (21:47); Sudanese forces gain ground in Blue Nile State (23:23); a U.S.-Nigerian operation kills an Islamic State leader (25:26); Ebola spreads from northeastern DRC (27:45); in NATO news, the U.S. reduces its forces in Europe (30:25); Labour challengers emerge against Keir Starmer (33:36); Peru confirms a Fujimori-Sanchez runoff in its presidential election (35:23); Washington manufactures new pretexts against Cuba (36:49); Trump seeks a permanent U.S. presence in Greenland (41:15); and “Golden Dome” costs are estimated to reach $1.2 trillion (43:55).
Note: After the time of recording, Donald Trump walked back his decision to reduce US troops in Poland. Additionally, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has changed due to Oman's interest in collecting "tolls."
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Danny and Derek have reconciled with their disappointment in the new Star Wars film and can now bring you the news roundup. This week: In Iran, talks stall as Trump weighs continuing the war (2:00), the Islamic Republic attempts to institutionalize control over the Strait of Hormuz (8:49), and fuel protests spread around the world (13:09); the IDF continues daily bombardments in Lebanon while Hezbollah drones restrict IDF ground operations (15:10); Trump considers a call with Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te (18:32); Xi and Putin stage an uneventful summit in Beijing (21:47); Sudanese forces gain ground in Blue Nile State (23:23); a US-Nigerian operation kills an Islamic State leader (25:26); Ebola spreads from northeastern DRC (27:45); in NATO news, the US reduces its forces in Europe (30:25); Labour challengers emerge against Keir Starmer (33:36); Peru confirms a Fujimori-Sanchez runoff in its presidential election (35:23); Washington manufactures new pretexts against Cuba (36:49); Trump seeks a permanent US presence in Greenland (41:15); and “Golden Dome” costs are estimated to reach $1.2 trillion (43:55).
Note: After the time of recording, Donald Trump walked back his decision to reduce US troops in Poland. Additionally, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has changed due to Oman’s interest in collecting “tolls.”
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Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.
Danny and Derek talk with Noam Scheiber, New York Times reporter and author, about the radicalization of American college graduates. They discuss a Starbucks union campaign, underemployment among recent grads, the Taylorization of white-collar jobs, AI, corporate fixation on labor costs, the “con” of college for millennials, and the collapse of meritocracy.
Buy your copy of Noam’s book on the subject, Mutiny: The Rise and Revolt of the College-Educated Working Class.
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Daniel BessnerTwitterDaniel Bessner is a historian of US foreign relations and is the author of, among other books, Imperialist Realism.
Derek DavisonDerek Davison is a writer and analyst specializing in international affairs and US foreign policy. He is the publisher of the Foreign Exchanges newsletter, cohost of the American Prestige podcast, and former editor of LobeLog.