Podcast / American Prestige / Aug 14, 2026

The US-Iran Standoff Over Hormus, the Saudi-Pakistan-Turkey Alliance, a West Bank Community Besieged by Israeli Settlers—and More

Danny and Derek unpack the week’s global news, from extreme heat, Iran, and Gaza to Yemen, Sudan, Ukraine, Myanmar, Colombia, and shifting regional alliances.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

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.

News—US-Iran Hormuz Standoff, Saudi-Pakistan-Turkey Alliance, Israeli Settlers Besiege West Bank Community
byThe Nation Magazine

Danny and Derek bring you the headlines against their better judgment. In this week’s news: Western Europe and the U.S. set new temperature records (2:05); in Iran, the Islamic Republic demands reparations and sanctions relief before reopening the Strait of Hormuz (4:22), Trump declares that the U.S. will keep control of the Strait (8:20), and Iran makes a wave of hardline appointments (10:25); in Yemen, Houthi forces strike a cargo ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait (13:02); Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey form a new defense alliance (15:00); Netanyahu rejects Hamas's disarmament plan as the Board of Peace agreement collapses (18:11), plus Israeli settlers besiege a Palestinian American family's home in a West Bank village (19:48); a Syrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death (in absentia) for war crimes (22:19); a new UN report finds that violence against civilians rises in Myanmar (23:43); in Darfur, the Sudanese military and allied militias make key territorial gains against the RSF (25:49); Ukraine bombs the Russian port of Novorossiysk as tensions in the Black Sea push global food prices higher (28:23); Abelardo de la Espriella takes office as Colombia's new far-right president and joins the U.S.-backed Shield of the Americas (31:58); Trump secretly flees Turkey on a decoy aircraft amid reports of an Iranian assassination plot (34:06); and the Pentagon claims its Yemen strikes caused the only U.S.-inflicted civilian casualties of 2025 (37:31).

Watch yesterday’s livestream here.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The navigation bridge of a sunken vessel in the Port of Mokha the day after an attack by the Houthis on the city Mokha, on August 10, 2026.

(Khaled Ziad / AFP via Getty Images)

Danny and Derek bring you the headlines against their better judgment. In this week’s news: Western Europe and the US set new temperature records (2:05); in Iran, the Islamic Republic demands reparations and sanctions relief before reopening the Strait of Hormuz (4:22), Trump declares that the US will keep control of the Strait (8:20), and Iran makes a wave of hard-line appointments (10:25); in Yemen, Houthi forces strike a cargo ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait (13:02); Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey form a new defense alliance (15:00); Netanyahu rejects Hamas’s disarmament plan as the Board of Peace agreement collapses (18:11), plus Israeli settlers besiege a Palestinian American family’s home in a West Bank village (19:48); a Syrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death (in absentia) for war crimes (22:19); a new UN report finds that violence against civilians rises in Myanmar (23:43); in Darfur, the Sudanese military and allied militias make key territorial gains against the RSF (25:49); Ukraine bombs the Russian port of Novorossiysk as tensions in the Black Sea push global food prices higher (28:23); Abelardo de la Espriella takes office as Colombia’s new, far-right president and joins the US-backed Shield of the Americas (31:58); Trump secretly flees Turkey on a decoy aircraft amid reports of an Iranian assassination plot (34:06); and the Pentagon claims its Yemen strikes caused the only US-inflicted civilian casualties of 2025 (37:31).

Watch yesterday’s livestream here.

Subscribe to The Nation to support all of our podcasts: thenation.com/subscribe.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

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.

News — New US Sanctions on Iran, Syrian Democratic Forces Dissolve, US-Canada Trade Talks Collapse / American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

American Prestige brand MREs use Argentinian beef, but don't worry, it's the good kind. In this week’s news: the US launches a new sanctions campaign against Iran (1:35); Iran and Oman negotiate the management of the Strait of Hormuz (5:49); a Haitian gang killing (9:20); the Israeli government takes bids for its E1 settlement (11:52); the US removes Syria from the terrorism sponsors list (14:30); the Syrian Democratic Forces announces its dissolution (15:43); Trump submits the Saudi nuclear deal to Congress (18:31); progress is made in negotiations between the DRC and M23 (23:46); the Ebola outbreak in the DRC continues to expand (26:26); the CIA director visits Russia (28:07); US-Canada trade talks collapse (31:10); and the United States prepares a deep sea mining auction around overseas territories (35:35).

Don't forget Derek's Substack, ⁠Foreign Exchanges⁠.

Enjoy Danny's new Substack, I⁠mperialist Realism⁠.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Subscribe to The Nation to Support all of our podcasts

Derek Davison

Derek 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.

Daniel Bessner

Daniel Bessner is a historian of US foreign relations and is the author of, among other books, Imperialist Realism.

More from The Nation

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent after he announced a new set of sanctions against Iran.

The Iran War Stalemate The Iran War Stalemate

The Trump administration has announced a new set of harsh sanctions against Iran. This is a strange development since originally Trump launched a war on Iran on the pretext that sa…

Podcast / The Time of Monsters

North Korea’s Roots in Christianity—With Jonathan Cheng

North Korea’s Roots in Christianity—With Jonathan Cheng North Korea’s Roots in Christianity—With Jonathan Cheng

Jonathan Cheng joins Danny and Derek to explore Christianity’s influence on North Korea’s founding ideology, the Kim family, and its enduring personality cult.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on August 14, 2026.

Israel’s Escalating Conflict With Turkey Israel’s Escalating Conflict With Turkey

The current conflict in the Middle East might escalate on a new front. In recent weeks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjaman Netanyahu has been touting Turkey as a potential threat on p…

Podcast / The Time of Monsters

Phillipines President Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos at the White House with US President Ronald Reagan in 1982.

American Austerity in the Philippines—Lisandro Claudio American Austerity in the Philippines—Lisandro Claudio

Lisandro Claudio joins Danny and Derek to explore how US colonial austerity shaped the Philippines and continues to influence its economy and politics today.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

Peru’s President Keiko Fujimori following her inauguration ceremony in Lima on July 28, 2026.

The US-Iran Air War Resumes, the Sudanese Army Secures a Kordofan Highway, Fujimori Takes Office in Peru The US-Iran Air War Resumes, the Sudanese Army Secures a Kordofan Highway, Fujimori Takes Office in Peru

Danny and Derek unpack the week’s global news, from Iran, Gaza, and Yemen to Sudan, Ukraine, China, climate disasters, Latin America, and the International Criminal Court.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

Iran War Heats Up

Iran War Heats Up Iran War Heats Up

Matt Duss on Trump’s flailing foreign policy.

Jeet Heer

x