Plus: Kansas revoked trans IDs
| | | | We're now into Day 3 of the new Middle East conflict, and a few things are becoming clearer. First off, the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran have set off a series of reactions – economic, political and military – that will undoubtedly change the region. In the short term, travel has been disrupted, the price of oil has spiked, and much of the Gulf region has been placed on high alert. The long term is harder to predict: Where does Iran go after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? What are the political risks back home for U.S. President Donald Trump? In our opening tranche of stories this weekend, The Conversation U.S. focused on answering how we got here and what it all means. The failure of the Iran nuclear talks was, as nuclear proliferation expert Nina Srinivasan Rathbun writes, all too predictable. But, she argues, that did not mean diplomacy wasn't working: "Under situations of increased military brinkmanship, talks could have helped the U.S. and Iran step back from the edge, build trust and perhaps develop better political relations – even if an actual deal remained out of reach." Of course, the stated aims of the U.S. and Israeli governments now go beyond that being discussed by negotiators in the nuclear talks. Rather, they want regime change. Javed Ali, a former senior adviser at the National Security Council, notes that this gives context to Iran's response. Faced with an existential threat, the regime in Tehran will show none of the restraint it displayed during previous strikes on its assets. "Now the gloves are off, and each side will be trying to land a knockout blow," Ali concludes. Also today: [ Understand what's going on in Washington and around the world. Get our Politics Weekly newsletter. ] |  | Matt Williams Senior International Editor | |  A plume of smoke rises above Tehran on Feb. 28, 2026. AFP via Getty Images Javed Ali, University of Michigan The latest attack on Iran goes far beyond previous operations by Israel and the US in both scale and scope. Tehran will likely lean on unconventional warfare as well as its missile stockpile. | | |  Nina Srinivasan Rathbun, University of Toronto; USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Silence from the US side after a third round of indirect talks and frustration expressed by President Donald Trump set the stage for military strikes. | |  Sarah Schiffling, Hanken School of Economics Iran has warned it could close down the strait, through which 20% of the world's oil transits each day. |  Andrew Thomas, Deakin University Khamenei will largely be remembered for the profound weakness his leadership brought the Islamic Republic. | |  Donald Heflin, Tufts University President Trump has appealed to Iranians to topple their government, but a popular uprising is unlikely to defeat current leadership or the Revolutionary Guards, a former US diplomat says. | | | Politics + Society | -
Kevin B. Smith, University of Nebraska-Lincoln At least 20 million Americans have served time. Most of them can't or don't vote, and that may distort some election outcomes, a political scientist argues. | | Health + Medicine | -
Jae A. Puckett, Michigan State University; L. Zachary DuBois, University of Oregon; Noelle Martin, Michigan State University With invalid driver's licenses and birth certificates, transgender people are at risk for more than just steep fines and imprisonment. -
Benjamin Kaveladze, Dartmouth College No time for therapy? A new study shows you can learn key skills to challenge depression in 10 minutes. -
Susan E. Collins, University of Washington Many cities are considering involuntary substance use treatment as a solution to drug use among the homeless. But research doesn't support this strategy. | | Arts + Culture | -
Anna Swartwood House, University of South Carolina Nudity can express everything from innocence to sexual desire, from triumph to defeat. | | | | Reader Comments 💬 |
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AI cannot replace scientists for the same reason it cannot replace teachers: We need the human element. However, too many people, including tech execs I hoped would know better, buy the "to run a successful operation, we must convert to AI" mindset. AI can be a very useful tool - when its output can be tested for veracity, consistency with peer-reviewed outcomes, etc. It can do many things within these constraints. But it is not a cure-all, and we need to keep bringing realism to the expectations. – Reader Amy Heidner on the story AI cannot automate science – a philosopher explains the uniquely human aspects of doing research More of The ConversationLike this newsletter? You might be interested in our other emails: Follow us on social media: Tell your friends about us! Forward this email to them so they can sample our journalism. About The ConversationWe're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you.
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