Special Report: U.S. & Israel Launch Unprovoked Attack on Iran, Risking Broader Regional War
US-Iran conflictIsrael-Iran conflictInternational law

Special Report: U.S. & Israel Launch Unprovoked Attack on Iran, Risking Broader Regional War

The U.S. and Israel launched a joint, unprovoked attack on Iran, leading to immediate Iranian retaliation across the Middle East and raising critical questions about international law, war objectives, and regional stability.

Explore Insights →
Jeremy Scahill: Despite Ongoing Talks, Trump Admin Is "Obsessed" with Destroying Iran
US-Iran relationsTrump administration foreign policyMiddle East military buildup

Jeremy Scahill: Despite Ongoing Talks, Trump Admin Is "Obsessed" with Destroying Iran

Jeremy Scahill reveals the Trump administration's alleged obsession with ending Iran's Islamic Revolution, detailing a massive military buildup and two potential US attack scenarios, despite ongoing negotiations.

Explore Insights →
Top U.S. & World Headlines — February 19, 2026
GeopoliticsUS Foreign PolicyIran Nuclear Program

Top U.S. & World Headlines — February 19, 2026

Global tensions escalate with US preparations for potential strikes on Iran, ongoing revelations in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, and a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza amidst new reports of significantly higher death tolls.

Explore Insights →
Top U.S. & World Headlines — February 18, 2026
US foreign policymilitary strikesdrug trafficking

Top U.S. & World Headlines — February 18, 2026

Global tensions escalate with US military strikes in Latin America, Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, and political turmoil in Peru, while domestic US news highlights controversial immigration policies and media censorship concerns.

Explore Insights →
Cuba's U.N. Ambassador Denounces U.S. Oil Blockade, Push to Topple Government
US-Cuba relationseconomic sanctionshumanitarian crisis

Cuba's U.N. Ambassador Denounces U.S. Oil Blockade, Push to Topple Government

Cuba's UN Ambassador details the severe humanitarian crisis caused by the US oil blockade and economic embargo, highlighting widespread international condemnation and the US's historical efforts to destabilize the island.

Explore Insights →
"Hostile Takeovers": As U.S. Claims Venezuela's Oil, Trump Seeks "Vassal States" Across the World
US foreign policyLatin AmericaVenezuela

"Hostile Takeovers": As U.S. Claims Venezuela's Oil, Trump Seeks "Vassal States" Across the World

The Trump administration implemented aggressive geopolitical and economic strategies in Latin America, transforming Venezuela into a 'vassal state' and pressuring Cuba through oil sanctions, raising concerns about international law and national sovereignty.

Explore Insights →
“An Abomination”: Yanis Varoufakis on Trump’s “Board of Peace” & Threat to Democratic World Order
GeopoliticsInternational RelationsUS Foreign Policy

“An Abomination”: Yanis Varoufakis on Trump’s “Board of Peace” & Threat to Democratic World Order

Yanis Varoufakis dissects Trump's 'Board of Peace' as a corporate-driven attempt to dismantle the post-1945 international order, likening it to a modern East India Company.

Explore Insights →
Oxfam Warns of Rising Authoritarianism & Billionaire Boom
Global InequalityWealth ConcentrationAuthoritarianism

Oxfam Warns of Rising Authoritarianism & Billionaire Boom

Oxfam International reveals how a massive surge in billionaire wealth is not just an economic issue, but a direct driver of political power, media control, and the erosion of democracy, leading to a global shift from democracies to oligarchies.

Explore Insights →
Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 21, 2026
US PoliticsImmigrationInternational Relations

Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 21, 2026

Federal investigations, international tensions, and domestic protests mark a turbulent global landscape, with the Trump administration at the center of multiple controversies ranging from immigration enforcement to alleged financial misconduct.

Explore Insights →
Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 20, 2026
International RelationsUS Foreign PolicyTrade Tariffs

Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 20, 2026

Global tensions escalate as President Trump threatens European allies over Greenland, faces domestic backlash for ICE crackdowns, and proposes a 'Board of Peace' to rival the UN, while an Oxfam report highlights record billionaire wealth and its impact on democracy.

Explore Insights →
"Empire in Decline": Historian Alfred McCoy on U.S. Aggression in Venezuela, Iran & Beyond
GeopoliticsUS Foreign PolicyChina's Economic Rise

"Empire in Decline": Historian Alfred McCoy on U.S. Aggression in Venezuela, Iran & Beyond

Historian Alfred McCoy argues the United States is an empire in decline, characterized by micromilitarism abroad and domestic instability, while China rapidly ascends to global hegemony through dominance in green energy and electric vehicle production.

Explore Insights →
"State of Siege": Iran Protest Death Toll Rises to 2,000 After U.S. Sanctions Spawn Economic Crisis
Iran protestsUS sanctionsEconomic crisis

"State of Siege": Iran Protest Death Toll Rises to 2,000 After U.S. Sanctions Spawn Economic Crisis

US sanctions have intensified Iran's economic crisis, fueling widespread anti-government protests where the death toll has reportedly reached 2,000, while direct US military intervention is deemed impractical.

Explore Insights →
Iran Escalates Deadly Crackdown on Mass Protests as Trump Threatens to Launch Military Attack
Iran protestsHuman rightsGeopolitics

Iran Escalates Deadly Crackdown on Mass Protests as Trump Threatens to Launch Military Attack

Amidst a deadly crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran, the US and Israel issue military threats and support for protesters, while experts warn such foreign intervention exacerbates internal repression and endangers activists.

Explore Insights →
Trump Vows to “Indefinitely” Control Venezuela’s Oil
US Foreign PolicyVenezuelaOil Sanctions

Trump Vows to “Indefinitely” Control Venezuela’s Oil

The US seized Venezuelan oil tankers and allegedly abducted President Maduro, with President Trump declaring indefinite control over Venezuela's oil sales, sparking debate over international law and internal Venezuelan dynamics.

Explore Insights →
Trump's Plan to Seize Greenland Would "Militarize the Arctic," Trample Indigenous Rights
GeopoliticsInternational LawArctic Security

Trump's Plan to Seize Greenland Would "Militarize the Arctic," Trample Indigenous Rights

The Trump administration's aggressive pursuit of Greenland, including potential military force, sparks international condemnation, threatens NATO, and highlights the disregard for indigenous sovereignty and international law.

Explore Insights →
"This Is Our Hemisphere": Report from Colombia on Trump's Escalating Threats to the Region
US foreign policyLatin AmericaVenezuela

"This Is Our Hemisphere": Report from Colombia on Trump's Escalating Threats to the Region

Donald Trump escalated threats against Venezuela and Colombia, claiming the right to Venezuelan oil and accusing Colombian President Gustavo Petro of drug trafficking, prompting a strong defense from a Colombian activist.

Explore Insights →
Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 7, 2026
GeopoliticsUS Foreign PolicyInternational Relations

Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 7, 2026

A US military raid leads to the abduction of Venezuelan President Maduro, with President Trump claiming control over Venezuelan oil, while globally, the US pledges security to Ukraine and Israel faces accusations over hindering Gaza aid.

Explore Insights →
"Imperial Laboratory": Alexander Aviña on the "Donroe" Doctrine & U.S. Intervention in Latin America
US Foreign PolicyLatin American HistoryMonroe Doctrine

"Imperial Laboratory": Alexander Aviña on the "Donroe" Doctrine & U.S. Intervention in Latin America

Professor Alexander Aviña explains how Trump's 'Donroe Doctrine' and military actions in Venezuela are a continuation of a bipartisan US imperial strategy in Latin America, often signaling US weakness rather than strength.

Explore Insights →
"It's All About the Oil, Stupid!": Mehdi Hasan on Trump Attacking Venezuela & Kidnapping Maduro
US Foreign PolicyVenezuelaOil Reserves

"It's All About the Oil, Stupid!": Mehdi Hasan on Trump Attacking Venezuela & Kidnapping Maduro

Mehdi Hassan argues that the US intervention in Venezuela, including the detention of President Maduro, was explicitly driven by oil interests, with President Trump openly admitting this motivation and briefing oil executives before Congress.

Explore Insights →
What’s Next in Trump’s War on Venezuela?
US Foreign PolicyVenezuelaOil Nationalization

What’s Next in Trump’s War on Venezuela?

Experts dissect former President Trump's claims about Venezuelan oil and the broader US strategy in Latin America, revealing a complex web of resource interests, historical revisionism, and geopolitical maneuvering.

Explore Insights →
Report from Caracas on U.S. Attack & Maduro Abduction
US Foreign PolicyVenezuelaRegime Change

Report from Caracas on U.S. Attack & Maduro Abduction

The US launched a military attack on Venezuela, abducting President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, leading to international condemnation and a power vacuum in Caracas.

Explore Insights →
Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 5, 2026
US Foreign PolicyVenezuelaMilitary Intervention

Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 5, 2026

The US military launched a large-scale attack on Venezuela, abducting President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, sparking international condemnation and threats of further military action against other nations.

Explore Insights →
Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 2, 2026
New York City politicsOran MandaniDemocratic Socialism

Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 2, 2026

New York City swears in its youngest and first Muslim, South Asian, African-born mayor, Oran Mandani, as global headlines highlight escalating humanitarian crises, economic disparities, and geopolitical tensions.

Explore Insights →
PreviousPage 2 of 2

Want more on geopolitics?

Explore deep-dive summaries and actionable takeaways from the best minds across different podcasts discussing this topic.

View All Geopolitics Episodes

Don't see the episode you're looking for?

We're constantly adding new episodes, but if you want to see a specific one from Democracy Now summarized, let us know!

Submit an Episode