Today's Liberal News

“Fossil Fuels as a Weapon of War”: U.S.-Israeli War on Iran Exposes World’s Dangerous Reliance on Oil

Oil prices surged past $100 a barrel this week as the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran threatens global energy supplies and the broader economy. Iranian officials say no oil will be allowed to leave the Middle East until the bombardment stops, raising fears of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway through which about 20% of the world’s oil and gas flows. This comes as Israel has struck oil depots in Tehran, blanketing the capital in smoke and toxic rain.

“The Gulf Fears Whoever Wins This War”: U.S.-Israeli War on Iran Could Destabilize Entire Region

We speak with Kareem Shaheen, Middle East editor at New Lines Magazine, about the regional response to the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. He says the Gulf countries are in a no-win situation, stuck between a belligerent Israel that has no qualms about using violence to achieve its strategic aims and a desperate Iran lashing out against U.S. allies in the region as it tries to survive. He says that no matter which side prevails, Gulf states have realized how vulnerable they are despite U.S.

Ret. Col. Lawrence Wilkerson: Netanyahu Could Turn to Nuclear Bombs If Iran War Escalates

As President Trump gives conflicting statements about the length and objectives of the war he launched with Israel against Iran, fears are growing that the conflict could continue to expand throughout the region and beyond. Lawrence Wilkerson, retired U.S. Army colonel and former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell, says the U.S. and Israel are committing wanton “war crimes” in Iran. “We have bombed civilians relentlessly. We have bombed a school.

“Donroe Doctrine” Summit: Trump Seeks to Build Right-Wing Power Bloc in Latin America

President Trump is hosting right-wing leaders from across Latin America in Miami for a summit discussing his so-called Shield of the Americas initiative. This comes as the U.S. deploys special forces to Ecuador and as Trump hints about regime change in Cuba. “This summit is … an opportunity for Trump to play out a moment of imperial fantasy in front of fans in South Florida,” says Jake Johnston, director of international research at the Center for Economic and Policy Research.

What Anthropic’s Clash With the Pentagon Is Really About

The weekslong conflict between Anthropic and the Department of Defense is entering a new phase. After being designated a supply-chain risk by DOD last week, which effectively forbids Pentagon contractors from using its products, the AI company filed a lawsuit against DOD this morning alleging that the government’s actions were unconstitutional and ideologically motivated.

The Wild 24-Hour Rise and Fall of Oil Prices

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For more than a week after the United States and Israel’s initial attack on Iran, oil prices stayed relatively calm—even as bombs rained down in the Middle East and the war expanded to neighboring countries.

Meet the Nepo-tollah

Fittingly for Iran, the news that Mojtaba Khamenei, the ultimate theocratic nepo baby, will be the new supreme leader can be described as both expected and bizarre. The 56-year-old has long been touted as a possible successor to his father, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. I first heard the rumor more than a decade ago from conspiracy-minded cab drivers in Tehran. Now Iranian reality has shown itself to be as strange as any conspiracy theory.

Today’s Atlantic Trivia: Movie Stars and the Middle Ages

Atlantic Trivia is going interactive! Starting today, you’ll be able to enter your own answer—and thus show off even more.
To play, type your response into the field below the question. If you need a hint, click to reveal. Next, click “Submit” to have your response checked. You’ll see the answer, a bit about the corresponding article, and the button to proceed. Good luck, and happy thinking.

Winter Paralympics Photo of the Day: Sled Hockey

Darrian Traynor / Getty
Noah Grove of Team USA skates with the puck during the para ice-hockey preliminary-round match between Team Germany and Team USA on Day 3 of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

“Trump Has Been Anointed by Jesus” to Wage War on Iran: U.S. Commanders Accused of Promoting Holy War

U.S. military commanders have reportedly been invoking extremist Christian rhetoric to push war on Iran, selling the conflict to American troops as an existential “holy war” in apocalyptic language that experts fear could exacerbate the violence and death toll of military operations. Mikey Weinstein, founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, attributes the rise in extremism at the Pentagon to U.S.