William Brangham

Strikes and counter-strikes between the U.S. and Iran intensified on Thursday, fueling fears the conflict could spread across the entire region. For the first time in five months, suspected military action expanded to Egypt with a drone strike that now marks a new front in the war. William Brangham reports.

Birds are not only wondrous creatures that live amongst us, they’re also an essential part of life on Earth – helping grow food, keeping pests at bay and spreading seeds. But more than half of migratory bird populations are declining globally. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores the threats birds are facing with ornithologist Peter Marra of the Earth Commons at Georgetown University.

Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has released a free artificial intelligence tool. The release was accompanied by a 14-page essay from CEO Mark Zuckerberg championing his view of how AI could transform our world and what protections are required. William Brangham discussed more with Mike Isaac of The New York Times.

We’re getting a clearer picture of who will be on the midterm ballots and the direction of the political parties after key primary races were decided in six states. Midwestern voters weighed in on party establishment candidates, insurgencies and a pair of celebrities. In the Southeast, questions surrounding political succession and Trump’s influence remain unresolved. William Brangham reports.

To discuss the primary results for both parties, William Brangham spoke with political strategists from both sides of the aisle. Republican Liam Donovan previously worked for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and Democrat Joel Payne currently works for the progressive group MoveOn.

The Trump administration said it would stop funding the Arctic Report Card, the longstanding effort to collect research on how the fastest-warming place on Earth is changing. It's the latest in a series of moves by the administration to curtail scientific research into the impacts of climate change. William Brangham discussed more with glaciologist Twila Moon, the Arctic Report Card's editor.

David Brooks of The Atlantic and Kimberly Atkins Stohr of the Boston Globe join William Brangham to discuss the week in politics, including the surprising result in Wisconsin's Democratic primary, the status of 'woke' politics in America and the stalemate between the U.S. and Iran.

In a surprise turn, Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty to the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione admitted he stalked and shot Thompson in 2024 outside a Hilton hotel in Manhattan. He potentially faces life in prison. The 28-year-old is also still facing state murder charges for Thompson's death in New York. Justice correspondent Ali Rogin reports.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to worsen, with the number of confirmed cases climbing to over 4,600. At least 2,100 people have died, a death toll that was reached almost three times faster than the outbreak over a decade ago. William Brangham discussed the crisis with epidemiologist Dr. Anne Rimoin, director of the Center for Global Health Security at UCLA.

The proposed $111 billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery hit a roadblock after California's attorney general and 11 other states sued to stop it. That move was followed by Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison threatening to take his operations out of California if the deal is not approved. William Brangham discussed more with Matthew Belloni of Puck News.