US and Iran Exchange Fire, Pentagon Raises an Israeli Spy Threat, a Jihadist-Rebel Alliance Pressures Mali
The World Cup is upon us, so Danny and Derek are showering visiting players with crocheted NATO flags.

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The World Cup is upon us, so Danny and Derek are showering visiting players with crocheted NATO flags. In this week’s news: Israel and Iran exchange fire (0:59), with Netanyahu possibly defying Trump (3:16); Iran and the US also trade blows as the ceasefire comes into question (6:11); the IDF is preparing a new Gaza offensive (14:56); Afghanistan and Pakistan engage in more border clashes (17:11); Mali’s junta is pressured by a jihadist-rebel alliance (18:36); Ukraine uses a new cruise missile, targeting infrastructure in and around Crimea (21:50); Germany kills Europe’s Future Combat Air System program (24:40); Bolivia’s anti-austerity protests approach a turning point (27:25); Armenia elects Pashinyan’s party and Peru sees a tight presidential runoff count (29:03); the US considers buying the Chagos Islands (33:19); Trump threatens the US-Mexico-Canada trade deal (36:27); the American president also looks to downsize the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (37:53); and the Pentagon raises its Israel counterintelligence threat level (40:26).
Note: After recording, Trump backed out of further Iran strikes.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives for a press conference in Jerusalem on March 19, 2026. Netanyahu said on March 19 that Israel and the US were “winning” the war against Iran, with the Islamic republic “decimated” and unable to enrich uranium or manufacture ballistic missiles. He insisted Israel had “acted alone” in striking Iran’s massive South Pars gas field, while confirming that the US president had asked Israeli forces to “hold off” on such attacks moving forward. (Photo by Ronen Zvulun / POOL / AFP via Getty Images) /
(Ronen Zvulun / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)The World Cup is upon us, so Danny and Derek are showering visiting players with crocheted NATO flags. In this week’s news: Israel and Iran exchange fire (0:59), with Netanyahu possibly defying Trump (3:16); Iran and the US also trade blows as the ceasefire comes into question (6:11); the IDF is preparing a new Gaza offensive (14:56); Afghanistan and Pakistan engage in more border clashes (17:11); Mali’s junta is pressured by a jihadist-rebel alliance (18:36); Ukraine uses a new cruise missile, targeting infrastructure in and around Crimea (21:50); Germany kills Europe’s Future Combat Air System program (24:40); Bolivia’s anti-austerity protests approach a turning point (27:25); Armenia elects Pashinyan’s party and Peru sees a tight presidential runoff count (29:03); the US considers buying the Chagos Islands (33:19); Trump threatens the US-Mexico-Canada trade deal (36:27); the American president also looks to downsize the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (37:53); and the Pentagon raises its Israel counterintelligence threat level (40:26).
Note: After recording, Trump backed out of further Iran strikes.
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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.
Canada’s wildfires rage on, so Danny and Derek are here to be your breath of fresh air. This week’s news: In Iran, the US reimposes its blockade and intensifies strikes (2:04), Trump announces and then backs off a Hormuz toll (5:44), and the White House issues threats of further escalation (9:17); in Yemen, the Houthis/Ansar Allah and Saudi Arabia trade strikes (13:37) as the former might become involved in the Iran war (16:28); Lebanese-Israeli talks talks wrap up, but progress is uncertain (17:45); in Israel, a date is set for an election (19:18), plus the ethnic cleansing in Gaza is given a new euphemism (21:15); Southeast Asian countries appear to normalize relations with Myanmar (22:23); the US touts a “new” peace plan for Sudan (24:13); the Ebola outbreak in the DRC continues and may be much larger than official figures suggest (26:35); Zelenskyy replaces Ukraine’s prime minister and defense minister (29:43); Andy Burnham is to become the UK’s PM (33:32), plus a UK-EU deal on Gibraltar is reached (35:22); Marco Rubio is reportedly running Venezuela as a US viceroy (36:34); the US is attempting to destroy the ICC (38:35) as it also takes aim at “left-wing terrorism” (41:23); and a Pew poll finds China more popular than the US for the first time (43:01).
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