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Israel hit Iran’s nuclear facilities, killed several of the country’s top nuclear scientists, along with the head of the Revolutionary Guard and several military leaders, and damaged residential areas in Tehran.

Iran retaliated by sending hundreds of armed drones towards Israel.

Israel says it had intelligence showing Iran’s nuclear programme was “developing beyond the point of return”.

But the IAEA points out striking nuclear facilities is illegal under international law, as well as dangerous.

Is it really possible for Israel to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities and is it risking a nuclear disaster by trying?

Presenter: Cyril Vanier

Guests:

Ellie Geranmayeh – Senior policy fellow and deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations

Ali Vaez – Director of the Iran Project at International Crisis Group

Samuel Ramani – Defence analyst and associate fellow at Royal United Services Institute.

In this episode of Reframe, Ken Roth and Silvia Fernandez discuss what international justice means today, exploring the significance of the ICC and asking if the “court of last resort” can withstand threats and sanctions by global superpowers and uphold the rule of law.

Israel’s far-right finance minister says he wants to cut Palestinian banks off from the global financial system.

Bezalel Smotrich’s plan has not yet been approved by the Israeli government.

But if it does happen, what could the consequences be?

Presenter: 

Cyril Vanier

Guests: 

Raja Khalidi – Director-general at the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute

Shahd Hammouri – Lecturer in international law at the University of Kent

Mustafa Barghouti – Secretary-general at the Palestinian National Initiative

Renewed violence by armed groups Boko Haram and ISIL (ISIS) has forced thousands of people to leave their homes in Nigeria.

Despite repeated government pledges, the military has been unable to end the unrest.

So why is it continuing – and what threats does it pose?

Presenter: 

Elizabeth Puranam

Guests: 

Kabir Adamu – Managing director at Beacon Security and Intelligence in Abuja

David Otto – Deputy director of counterterrorism training at the International Academy for the Fight Against Terrorism in Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Ovigwe Eguegu – Peace and security policy analyst at Development Reimagined in Abuja

The United States and China say they’ve reached in principle a framework to roll back some of the punitive measures they have taken against each other’s economies.

That means Washington could ease restrictions on selling chips to China if Beijing agrees to speed up the export of rare earths.

Whether that happens depends on the approval of presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

The plan reached after talks in London marks the latest twist in a trade war that has threatened to disrupt global supply chains.

Also, what’s behind the surge in Russia’s rouble?

Plus, are nations choosing warfare over welfare?

National Guard soldiers and even the United States Marines are on the streets of Los Angeles.

They were deployed by President Donald Trump after mass protests against his immigration raids.

California’s governor is suing him – while the protests spread to other cities.

Could this crisis worsen?

Presenter:

Folly Bah Thibault

Guests: 

Peter Eliasberg – chief counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California

Claire Finkelstein – professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania

Mark Pfeifle – Republican strategist, founder and president of Off the Record Strategies

Attacks by both Russia and Ukraine have intensified in recent weeks, with little sign that Europe’s largest conflict since World War II is nearing an end.

So, what are the strengths and weaknesses of each side and their alliances?

And what are the chances of peace?

Presenter: Elizabeth Puranam

Guests:

Peter Zalmayev – Executive director at the Eurasia Democracy Initiative

Alexander Bratersky – Independent journalist and political analyst

Steven Erlanger – Chief diplomatic correspondent in Europe for The New York Times

Under the slogan “welfare not warfare”, protesters have come out in force in London, objecting to the British government’s plans to increase military spending while cutting back on social support.

Like its European allies in NATO, the United Kingdom is under pressure from the United States to take responsibility for its own security in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

But the European public – most of whom are facing a cost-of-living crisis – may well object as much as the British.

So can NATO allies build a defence force strong enough to counter any threats from Russia without US support?

And how will European leaders address possible public discontent?

Presenter: Elizabeth Puranam

Guests:

Paul Beaver – defence analyst

Aaron Gasch Burnett – senior fellow at the Democratic Strategy Initiative, a political think tank

Jeremy Corbyn – independent member of the UK Parliament

The big break-up: The president of the United States, Donald Trump, has parted ways with the richest man in the world, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.

Once their friendship reaped rewards for both: Musk donated around hundreds of millions of dollars to Trump’s re-election campaign and the president created a role for Musk in his government.

But political, or fiscal, differences soured the relationship, and what was once a mutually beneficial alliance deteriorated into an exchange of insults on social media.

So, did Elon Musk’s position undermine US democracy?

And do Donald Trump’s friendships and interests influence US policy?

Presenter: Elizabeth Puranam

Guests:

Niall Stanage – Political analyst and White House columnist for The Hill newspaper

Dan Ives – Technology analyst and managing director of Wedbush Securities

Faiz Siddiqui – Author of, Hubris Maximus: The Shattering of Elon Musk

Throughout the various ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, western news outlets have repeatedly blamed their failure on Hamas. This week, we hear a perspective that rarely features in the coverage – the group’s own – on the negotiations and the media narratives that surround them.

Contributors:
Tahani Mustafa – Senior Palestine Analyst, International Crisis Group
Basem Naim – Politburo member, Hamas
Julie Norman – Associate Professor, University College London
Abdaljawad Omar – Lecturer, Birzeit University

On our radar:

Ukrainian drone strikes on multiple Russian airfields have further escalated the conflict, as peace talks come up short. Tariq Nafi reports on the messaging on the airwaves both sides of the border.

Is logging off the cure for ‘brain rot’?

After decades of increased connectivity, screen time and addictive algorithms, more and more young people are logging off.

The Listening Post’s Ryan Kohls looks at the community-based movements reevaluating their relationships with digital technology.

Featuring:
Monique Golay – Barcelona Chapter Leader, Offline Club
Hussein Kesvani – Technology and culture journalist
Adele Walton – Author, Logging Off

United States President Donald Trump has imposed a travel ban on 12 countries, with restrictions on seven more.

And it’s not the first one of its kind – Trump issued a similar order in 2017 that focused on Muslim-majority countries.

He says the latest initiative aims to protect national security, but critics say the ban is racist and has nothing to do with safety.

So what is really at stake, and what might Trump gain from the ban?

Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom

Guests:

Yael Schacher – Director for Americas and Europe, Refugees International

Steven Heller – US immigration lawyer

Johanna Leblanc – National security law and US foreign policy specialist

He has been dubbed the “Dutch Donald Trump”.

Geert Wilders has pulled his Party for Freedom (PVV) out of the coalition that governs the Netherlands in a row over immigration policy.

It has plunged the NATO ally into political turmoil and new elections.

After years in opposition, the PVV won the most votes in 2023 by tapping into rising populism in Europe with promises to reduce immigration.

Wilders has pushed for a 10-point plan that calls for the militarisation of Dutch borders as well as the repatriation of all Syrian nationals – something his coalition partners rejected.

Before resigning, Prime Minister Dick Schoof labelled Wilders’s actions “irresponsible”, coming at a critical time for Europe.

So was this a reckless or strategic move by Wilders?

And will it deepen uncertainty in the region, only weeks before a NATO summit in The Hague?

Presenter:

Tom McRae

Guests: 

Henk van der Kolk – Professor of electoral politics at the University of Amsterdam

Zoe Gardner – Independent researcher covering migration policy

Pieter Cleppe – Editor-in-chief at BrusselsReport.eu

Fugitive and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has officially been charged with crimes against humanity.

Prosecutors in Dhaka accuse the 77-year-old of orchestrating a “systematic attack” on demonstrators during protests last year that ended her 15-year rule.

Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus has promised to ensure that Hasina and other key figures face justice.

But his caretaker government is facing discord over when it will hold elections.

So will Sheikh Hasina face punishment, and will Bangladeshis forgive Muhammad Yunus if she does not?

Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom

Guests:

Rumeen Farhana – Assistant secretary for international affairs of the Central Executive Committee, and former Bangladesh Nationalist Party MP

Sreeradha Datta – Professor at OP Jindal Global University

Abbas Faiz – Independent South Asia researcher with a focus on Bangladesh

In a country that prides itself on democracy, freedom of speech, and the right to protest, a chilling question is emerging: Who gets to speak, and who is being silenced?

More than 1,000 international students and recent graduates across the United States have reportedly had their visas revoked or their legal status altered. Meanwhile, American citizens have faced detentions at airports and border crossings, been interrogated about their political beliefs, and had their phones searched for content against President Donald Trump. Are we witnessing a quiet erosion of First Amendment rights?

Presenter: Stefanie Dekker

Guests:

Nora Benavidez – Civil rights lawyer

Conor Fitzpatrick – Senior lawyer at Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression

Tamara Turki – Student at Columbia University

Eighteen months in the making, Ukraine’s Operation Spider’s Web saw hundreds of AI-trained drones target military aircraft deep inside Russia’s borders.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Sunday’s attacks will go down in history.

He followed them up with a proposal for an unconditional ceasefire as the two sides met in Istanbul.

The European Union is preparing its 18th package of sanctions on Russia, while US President Donald Trump has threatened to use “devastating” measures against Russia if he feels the time is right.

So, is the time right now?

And after the audacious attack, does Zelenskyy finally hold the cards?

Presenter: Dareen Abughaida

Guests:

Hanna Shelest – Security studies programme director at the Ukrainian Prism think tank

Pavel Felgenhauer – Independent defence analyst

Anatol Lieven – Eurasia programme director at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft

The United Nations nuclear watchdog has delivered its most damning allegations against Iran in nearly two decades.

It comes as the United States proposes a nuclear deal that it says is in Tehran’s best interests to accept.

But Tehran is accusing the West of political pressure and warns it will take “appropriate countermeasures” if European powers reimpose sanctions.

So is there still room for a deal?

Or will the US, United Kingdom, France and Germany declare Iran in violation of its nonproliferation obligations?

Presenter: James Bays

Guests:

Hassan Ahmadian – assistant professor at the University of Tehran

Ali Vaez – Iran project director at the International Crisis Group

Sahil Shah – independent security analyst specialising in nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation policy

By cracking down on immigration and defunding scientific research, the United States is slowly losing its position as the world leader in research and development, argues Holden Thorp, editor of Science journal and former chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Thorp tells host Steve Clemons that the US government had made a concerted effort over the past 80 years to fund scientific research, but with the changes ushered in by the administration of President Donald Trump, Thorp predicts the results will be “bad for science in general, and also for the US role in innovation”.

A longtime columnist for Foreign Policy and professor of international relations at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Stephen Walt is a sharp critic of how the United States has pursued its version of liberal democracy globally, which he calls liberal hegemony. His books include Taming American Power, The Hell of Good Intentions, and the New York Times bestseller The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy.

In this episode of Reframe, Ken Roth and Stephen Walt discuss how President Donald Trump is undermining democratic norms and institutions within the US and worldwide, questioning whether his leadership has brought about an unprecedented shift in its global power.

They’ve long been hedging their bets.
But Southeast Asian nations are caught in the dispute between the United States and China.
The trade-dependent countries are under threat from Trump’s tariffs, too.
They face a delicate balancing act between economic survival and strategic neutrality.
The message was clear at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – ASEAN’s recent summit in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
Member countries are recalibrating their economic partnerships to insulate their economies.
That includes a push to deepen trade ties with China and Gulf countries.

Why is the price of Japanese rice rocketing?

Plus, should older people work longer?