Podcast / American Prestige / Jan 24, 2025

The Sudan Army Advances, the IDF Remains in Lebanon, the US Freezes Foreign Aid

On this episode of American Prestige, headlines from around the globe.

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Sudan Army Advances, IDF Remains in Lebanon, US Foreign Aid Freeze | American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

This week: in Israel-Palestine, detainees were exchanged on Thursday (0:31), the IDF continues its operation in the West Bank (6:05), an update on the humanitarian situation in Gaza (7:40), and Trump proposes the idea of ethnically cleansing the Strip (10:34); in Lebanon, the IDF ignores its withdrawal deadline (15:02); in Syria, the political transition continues (17:00), the IDF remains in the country’s south (19:04), and negotiations with Russia are underway over its bases in Syria as well as the fate of Bashar al-Assad (20:32); the rollout of China’s DeepSeek AI roils tech stocks (23:00); the Sudanese army sees a string of military successes around Khartoum (25:24); in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the M23 military group takes Goma while advancing south (27:59); Putin comments on peace talks regarding Ukraine (32:43); Colombia and the US get into a spat regarding deportation flights (34:12); and in US news, arms sales hit a new record in 2024 (37:16), Donald Trump vows to build a migrant detention facility at Guantánamo (38:20), and some details on the effects of his foreign aid freeze (39:35). 

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Displaced Palestinians making their way back on foot from the southern regions to their homes in the north via Al Rashid Road after the ceasefire agreement in Gaza Strip on January 28, 2025.

Displaced Palestinians making their way back on foot from the southern regions to their homes in the north via Al Rashid Road after the ceasefire agreement in Gaza Strip on January 28, 2025.

(Ali Jadallah / Anadolu via Getty Images)

On this week’s episode of American Prestige: In Israel-Palestine, detainees were exchanged on Thursday (0:31), the IDF continues its operation in the West Bank (6:05), we have an update on the humanitarian situation in Gaza (7:40), and Trump proposes the idea of ethnically cleansing the Strip (10:34); in Lebanon, the IDF ignores its withdrawal deadline (15:02); in Syria, the political transition continues (17:00), the IDF remains in the country’s south (19:04), and negotiations with Russia are underway over its bases in Syria as well as the fate of Bashar al-Assad (20:32); China rolls out DeepSeek AI, roiling tech stocks (23:00); the Sudanese army sees a string of military successes around Khartoum (25:24); in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the M23 military group takes Goma while advancing south (27:59); Putin comments on peace talks regarding Ukraine (32:43); Colombia and the US get into a spat regarding deportation flights (34:12); US arms sales hit a new record in 2024 (37:16), Donald Trump vows to build a migrant detention facility at Guantánamo (38:20), and we have some details on the effects of his foreign aid freeze (39:35).

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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.

Gaza Aid Blocked Amid Winter Storm, Thailand–Cambodia Conflict Resumes, M23 Advances in DRC | American Prestige
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Danny and Derek will sadly not be doing a CBS News town hall event. This week in the news: the Thailand–Cambodia conflict resumes (1:47); the DRC–M23 conflict also resumes as M23 makes new advances (7:05); in Gaza, questions remain over the “second phase” of the ceasefire as a winter storm hits (10:38); separatists in Yemen gain control of the country’s south (17:18); the RSF takes Sudan’s largest oilfield (21:02); an attempted coup is foiled in Benin (23:31); Trump gives NATO a 2027 ultimatum on defense spending (26:05); Ukraine responds to the U.S. peace plan while Trump expresses frustration (29:46); controversy erupts in Honduras over election ballot-counting snafus (35:56); and in these great United States, Congress removes “right to repair” from the NDAA after contractors lobby against it (38:53).

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Daniel Bessner

Daniel Bessner is an historian of US foreign relations, and cohost of American Prestige, a podcast on international affairs.

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.

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