Amanpour

Splashed across newspapers the world over is the historic news of the first-ever criminal conviction of a former US president. Former US Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal joins the show to discuss the facts of the case and what happens next.  Also on today's show: Norm Eisen, former House Judiciary Special Counsel in Trump’s first impeachment trial; David Urban, Republican strategist; Sarah Longwell, Executive Director, Republicans Against Trump; Tim Naftali, Presidential Historian  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Israeli troops take control of Rafah’s strategic Philadelphi Corridor, correspondent Jeremy Diamond reports on the human toll of the military offensive.  Also on today's show: Nick Maynard, a British surgeon recently returned from Gaza; Grammy Award-winning musician John Legend; Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President/CEO Austan Goolsbee  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As humanitarian concerns abound regarding the dire situation in Gaza, satellite images show that a much-touted US pier intended to deliver aid has been completely broken up in rough seas over the weekend. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, who sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, has been a vocal critic of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and has repeatedly called for more humanitarian aid. He joins Christiane to discuss the US stance on the conflict.  Also on today's show: Marking the 30th anniversary of the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, Christiane speaks with Nicole's sisters Denise, Dominique and Tanya  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eyewitnesses report Israeli tanks are moving in on central Rafah for the first time since the assault on the city began in early May. This comes after a deadly airstrike there that killed at least 45 people and injured more than 200, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called “a tragic error." Global condemnation was swift: France, the EU and other governments call on Israel to immediately halt all Rafah operations. Correspondent Jeremy Diamond is in Jerusalem to discuss the latest from Rafah.  Also on today's show: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg; Songezo Zibi, Leader, Rise Mzansi party; Beeban Kidron, Member of the House of Lords; author Luis Miranda  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A "brutal attack." That's how Ukrainan President Volodymyr Zelensky described a deadly strike that killed at least 18 people in a busy shopping centre in Kharkiv this weekend. Russian troops continue their advance in the east, stepping up their bombing campaign and leaving a trail of destruction. Latvia shares a border with Russia, and the country's President Edgars Rinkēvičs joins Christiane in London.  Also on today's show: Matthew Hollingworth / WFP Palestine Country Director; Jelani Cobb / Dean, Columbia Journalism School  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Survivors, not statistics: We start with the persistent and pernicious violence against women, and the lack of action and accountability to protect them. This week two more women accused rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs of sexual assault. This comes after CNN obtained sickening video of Combs attacking his girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016. Christiane speaks with a transatlantic panel of women: attorney Gloria Allred, along with Lejla Dauti and April Hernandez Castillo, who are both survivors and advocates.  Then, how journalists “operate in a disinformation ecosystem” is a “defining issue,” as the world heads into a wave of critical elections, says Columbia Journalism School Dean Jelani Cobb.  Meantime, Former US State Department Senior Advisor and historian Vali Nasr discusses the succession crisis in Iran after the sudden death of its president. “Moving towards the middle gives more room for the US to engage Iran,” he says.  From the Amanpour Archive this week: When ex-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic became the first sitting head of state to be tried by an international criminal tribunal.   And, in our Letter from London, the best-selling Israeli author and historian Yuval Noah Harari asks whether the Middle East can ever escape the "Israeli-Palestinian trap."    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Ukraine pleads for weapons, Russia has again struck Kharkiv with missiles, killing at least seven civilians. Kharkiv and the surrounding region is now the centre of this war. President Volodymyr Zelensky blames Western hesitation for the country's weakness, restricting where and how Kyiv can use NATO weapons. According to the New York Times, a debate is raging in the White House over allowing Ukraine to fire US weapons into Russia and after a “sobering” trip, US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, plans to change US policy. Earlier this month the United Kingdom gave Kyiv permission to target Russia with its weapons. Andrea Kendall-Taylor, senior fellow and director at the Center for a New American Security, joins Bianna Golodryga to discuss the potential ramifications of these decisions.  Also on today's show: Susan Glasser, Staff Writer, The New Yorker; best-selling author Amor Towles; Meryl Streep & Tom Hanks (from the archives)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Diplomatic isolation is mounting on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This week began with the ICC seeking indictments for him and his defense minister. That was followed by Ireland, Norway and Spain formally recognizing Palestine as a state. Christiane speaks to the Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris on his nation’s policy and the intractable Israel-Palestinian catastrophe.  Also on today's show: Mustafa Barghouti, President, Palestinian National Initiative; Avner Gvaryahu, Executive Director, Breaking The Silence; Aaron Tang, Professor of Law, UC Davis  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Three European leaders today made a major diplomatic move, to recognize Palestinian statehood. Spain, Norway and Ireland say the decision is an important step toward peace. Israel reacted right away, recalling its ambassadors from all three countries. Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares joined the program from Madrid.  Also on today's show: attorney Gloria Allred, survivor/advocate Lejla Dauti, survivor/advocate April Hernandez Castillo; author Aisha Beliso-De Jesus  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yesterday's action by the ICC action targeting both Israeli and Hamas leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity has prompted furious condemnation from Israel and the United States, but France and Belgium have broken with these allies by supporting the court. Bestselling Israeli author and historian Yuval Noah Harari has been thinking deeply on his homeland and the possibility of peace between Israelis and Palestinians even now, asking in a Financial Times op-ed "Is there a way out of the Israeli-Palestinian trap?." He joins the show in London.   Also on today's show: Chef Fadi Kattan, Author, "Bethlehem: A Celebration of Palestinian Food"; Steven Johnson, Author, "The Infernal Machine"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, the International Criminal Court’s Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan told Christiane he is seeking warrants for three Hamas leaders for crimes committed during the October 7th attacks on Israel. The ICC is also seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing the subsequent war in Gaza. Karim Khan explains his decision to Christiane in an exclusive interview.  Also on today's show: Geoffrey Nice, lead prosecutor at the trial of Slobodan Milošević; Michael Oren, former Israeli Ambassador to the US  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Supported by China, armed by North Korea and Iran, Putin tightens his anti-America alliance. A former NATO chief says the West should make sure Ukraine doesn’t just hang on, but win the war. Plus, caught between Russia and the West, the president of Georgia says Putin is using Soviet-era subterfuge to pull her country back into the Kremlin’s orbit. Also, a Bethlehem-born chef on celebrating Palestinian food but struggling to cook while his people are starved in Gaza.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari announced that the Israeli army found the bodies of three hostages in tunnels in Gaza. It is thought over a hundred hostages are still held by Hamas. Correspondent Nic Robertson joins the show to tell us more. While the world’s attention is focused on the war in Gaza, there’s been a spike in violence in the occupied West Bank. Since October 7, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has recorded at least 800 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank that resulted in casualties or property damage. Now, a years-long investigation by the New York Times finds that violent factions within the Israeli settler movement have come to pose a threat to Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, and to Israel’s democracy. Journalist Ronen Bergman helped to lead the investigation, spending years investigating extremist violence. He joins the show from Tel Aviv.  Plus, Walter Isaacson talks with author Kristin Hannah and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is wrapping up his trip to Ukraine. While there, America’s top diplomatic pledged two billion dollars of aid to help build up the country’s defense industry. And throughout his trip, he has been trying to reassure Kyiv of Washington’s support. Words that hide a bitter truth, the 7 months of U.S. delay in sending military aid has left Ukraine’s troops over-stretched and under-armed. And it couldn’t come at a worse time, with Russia pushing against multiple fronts including Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv.   President Zelensky has been on those front lines assessing the situation along with his Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who joined the program from his car. Plus, Retired US General Wesley Clark, Israeli author David Grossman and Anton Ptushkin, director of "Saving The Animals of Ukraine." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Palestinians have been marking the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, or catastrophe, when more than 700,000 were expelled or fled during Israel’s War of Independence in 1948. This year's observations come amid acute pain for both, since the October 7th massacres in Israel, and the mass death and destruction in Gaza. Correspondent Jomana Karadsheh joins the show, to talk about this and brings us her report on her visit with injured children in Doha.  Also for today's show: Michael Froman, President, Council on Foreign Relations; Geoff Duncan, Former Georgia Lieutenant Governor; Frank Bruni, Author, “The Age of Grievance”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Georgia's future is hanging in the balance. The former Soviet republic has seen mass protests for weeks, coming to a head today as riot police clashed with pro-European demonstrators after its parliament passed a controversial "foreign agents" bill which critics say mirrors a law in Russia used to crack down on any opposition, dissent, and NGOs. Georgia's president Salome Zourabichvili joins the program from Tbilisi.  Also on today's show: Andriy Zagorodnyuk, former Ukrainian Defense Minister; David Herszenhorn, Russia, Ukraine Editor, The Washington Post; Reza Aslan; Author, "A Kids Book About Israel & Palestine"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is Memorial Day in Israel, more solemn this year in the shadow of October 7th, when more than 1,200 people were killed and hundreds taken hostage by Hamas. But also, a more divisive time than usual, as government ministers are booed and heckled over their war in Gaza, now in its eighth month, where more than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed. With no ceasefire or hostage deal in sight, it is unclear what the Israeli government’s plan is. Major General Amos Yadlin is the former Chief of Israeli Military Intelligence. He joins Christiane from Tel Aviv.  Also on today's show: Arwa Damon, President and founder, INARA; former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki; author Ray Suarez  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Correspondent Matthew Chance's exclusive report about allegations of abuse at a secret Israeli military prison.  Plus: A defiant Benjamin Netanyahu pushes back at Joe Biden as Palestinians flee Rafah in fear of a looming israeli attack.  And: A new Human Rights Watch report says militants have committed crimes against humanity in Sudan.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Asked about Israel's expected incursion into Rafah, President Biden replied, "If they go into Rafah I'm not supplying the weapons they've used historically." Senator Chris Van Hollen gives us his reaction to this major policy shift.  Plus: Ukrainian defense is being bombarded from the air as it waits for crucial military aid. We get the latest from General Ben Hodges.  And: It's victory day in Russia as Putin begins his fifth term as president. But what's the mood like behind the pomp and propaganda?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The US pauses a bomb shipment to Israel over their potential use in the Rafah offensive. As fears of a wider war between Israel and Iran persist, so do the nuclear concerns. Bianna speaks with the head of the International Energy Agency. And as the world remembers the victims of the Holocaust, she's joined by a survivor of that atrocity.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a ceasefire deal stalls, and fears of an Israeli incursion in Rafah, Bianna Golodryga speaks with Haretz journalist Amos Harel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just as today's show begins we receive breaking news that Hamas has accepted a ceasefire proposal by Egypt and Qatar which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We begin with the biggest anti-war protests on American college campuses since Vietnam. Christiane speaks with Afua Hirsch, a journalism professor at the University of Southern California, who questions whether some colleges really understand the concept of free speech.  Also on today's show: Rabbi Sharon Brous, Columbia University professor Tim Wu, former Reagan Republican Robert Kagan  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Paris to Sydney, students across the world are joining protests over the war in Gaza. Northwestern’s leader Michael Schill is one of the few who engaged with students and managed to strike a deal. The agreement is being hailed as a success by some, but also facing backlash. Schill joined the program from Evanston, Illinois.  Also on today's show: Jodie Ginsberg, CEO, Committee to Protect Journalists; acclaimed photographer Platon; Brad Wilcox, Author, “Get Married”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

College campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war have been spreading across the United States, and more than 1,800 people have been arrested. While the demands by students vary somewhat, they are calling for a ceasefire, and many demand their colleges divest from companies that support Israel. Senator Bernie Sanders has been outspoken about these protests and he joined the program from Washington, DC.  Also on today's show: Douglas Belkin, Higher Education Reporter, Wall Street Journal; author Sathnam Sanghera  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the US, police have again moved on campuses from coast to coast: over a thousand people have been arrested from more than 25 colleges. At the heart of it all is a mostly peaceful protest against a dire situation in Gaza and a deep dissatisfaction with US policy in the region. Rabbi Sharon Brous is the founder of IKAR, an influential progressive Jewish congregation in Los Angeles. Last week, she visited both Columbia and UCLA to visit the protests, and she speaks to Christiane from L.A. to share her experience.  Also on today's show: Sanam Vakil, Director, Middle East and North Africa Program, Chatham House; Kenneth Stern, Director, Bard Center for the Study of Hate / Author, “The Conflict over the Conflict”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the fate of Israeli hostages and a Gaza ceasefire hangs in the balance. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told hostage families that, deal or no deal with Hamas, Israel's offensive on Rafah is going ahead. With the prospect of a ceasefire dim at best, even as the US Secretary of State crisscrosses the region, Christiane reached Riyad Mansour in New York. He's the Palestinian Observer to the UN, appointed by the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.  Also on today's show: author Robert Kagan; Stuart Stevens, Senior Adviser, The Lincoln Project  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hamas is set to meet negotiators in Cairo, as Egypt’s foreign minister calls for both sides to accept the proposal on the table: a two-step process over several weeks, involving hostage prisoner swaps, and some sort of pause in the fighting. But Israel has not yet agreed to the proposal, and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being urged by his extreme right flank to send troops into Rafah. Christiane Amanpour speaks with Amit Segal, a right-wing political analyst close to Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.  Also on today's show: Isabella Ramirez, Editor in Chief, Columbia University Daily Spectator; Cameron Russell, Author, "How to Make Herself Agreeable to Everyone"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

They were scenes of utter desperation and chaos: thousands of Afghans crowded outside Kabul’s airport, as American troops withdrew and the Taliban swept the country in August 2021. In a congressional hearing last month, former Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley blamed the State Apartment for note ordering what’s known as a “noncombatant evacuation operation” sooner. It ended in tragedy for many at the airport, when an ISIS-K suicide attack killed more than 180 people, including 13 US servicepeople. For two years, the US military has maintained that these deaths were all from that single explosion – but new video evidence shows that there was far more gunfire than the Pentagon has ever admitted. Correspondent Nick Paton Walsh has this special report.  Also on today's show: actor Michael Stuhlbarg & Director Rupert Goold, "Patriots"; author Michael Arceneaux  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Hallelujah.” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba’s reaction, after the US finally approved military aid for its fight against Russia. But the six-month delay has cost countless lives, and hard-fought territory. Kuleba tells Christiane that "the era of peace in Europe is over." Meanwhile, the struggle of balancing free speech with safety is roiling colleges across the US. Salman Rushdie knows the importance of free speech better than most, since he nearly lost his life defending it. Our Letter from London this week features one of the world’s best-known photographers. Platon has spent decades up close and personal with the most influential figures of our era. From the Amanpour Archive this week, 30-years to the day since Nelson Mandela cast his first ever vote, we revisit an inspirational conversation with his private secretary Zelda La Grange. And finally, from hostage to hero: remembering American journalist Terry Anderson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

America’s legal system is once again being tested by former President Donald Trump, who is accused of breaking multiple laws in multiple jurisdictions. In New York, his trial over alleged hush money payments continues today. At the same time, the Supreme Court hears oral arguments over his claim of presidential immunity. Emily Bazelon is a lecturer at Yale Law School and writes for New York Times Magazine. She joins Christiane to break this all down.  Also on today's show: Rose Gottemoeller, Former NATO Deputy Secretary-General; UK Labour MP Harriet Harman; Kate Manne, Author, "Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny"    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After six months of Republican obstruction, President Biden today signed into law a massive foreign aid package with nearly $61 billion earmarked for Ukraine. But the months of inaction highlighted Ukraine’s vulnerability to western politics, as well as a worrying shortfall in defense production across NATO. That's why British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to lift UK defense spending by almost a hundred billion dollars, investing 2.5% of GDP by 2030. Labour MP David Lammy could become the country's next foreign secretary and he's making a case for what he calls “progressive realism.” He joins Christiane to discuss.  Also on today's show: author Salman Rushdie; Anne Applebaum, Staff Writer, The Atlantic  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to worsen. Amidst this crisis the US, the UK and others are still withholding funding to UNRWA, the main relief agency there. This was in response to Israel’s claims that some UNRWA staff members took part in the Hamas atrocities of October 7th. An independent review headed up by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna has concluded that UNRWA’s neutrality must be strengthened. She joins Christiane from New York to discuss her findings.  Also on today's show: David Vardanyan, whose father is imprisoned in Azerbaijan; historian Doris Kearns Goodwin; Ukranian conductor Oksana Lyniv  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Opening arguments were heard today in the first ever criminal trial of an American president, as a jury of twelve detainees determines whether Donald Trump engaged in 2016 election interference over the payment of hush money to an alleged lover. This is happening just six months from the 2024 election where he is vying to get his old job back. Foes and allies of the United States around the world will be watching closely. To discuss all this, Christiane is joined by foreign policy experts Kori Schake and Nathalie Tocci.  Also on today's show: climate reporter/author Abrahm Lustgarten; Palestinian and Ukrainian Refugee / Peace Ambassador for One Young World Zoya El-Miari  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We begin the show with the wider war nobody wants and the chain reaction playing out in the Middle East. With Israel and Iran’s decades-long shadow war now playing out in the open, the rules of engagement are being completely re-written. Christiane spoke to Britain’s former top spy John Sawers about the volatile situation. Meanwhile, in the absence of vital US aid for Ukraine, other allies are stepping in to fill the vacuum. The Czech Republic is now leading an international effort to deliver a million and a half artillery shells to Ukraine within a year. Czech President Petr Pavel - a former army general, and senior NATO official – joins Christiane from Prague. The world's biggest democratic exercise is underway in India as nearly a billion eligible voters decide whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi deserves a third term. CNN’s Will Ripley explains what’s at stake for this crucial US ally. Ukrainian Maestro Oksana Lyniv is a classical music trailblazer with a passion for conducting shaped by her life and the war in her homeland. Christiane met her at the New York Metropolitan Opera. From the Amanpour Archive this week, we revisit Christiane’s conversations with the stakeholders at the center of the aborted 2015 nuclear deal, which would have reshaped the Middle East as we know it. And, with military aid locked up in congress, Ukraine’s air defense crisis deepens by the day and Putin is pressing the advantage. Christiane asks Donald Trump's former Defense Secretary Mark Esper if he thinks GOP holdouts have fallen victim to Putin’s propaganda. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just before sunrise in Iran, an Israeli strike targeted a military airbase in Isfahan, a retaliation against Tehran for attacking Israel over the weekend. Iran’s attack was itself a retaliation for an Israeli strike in Syria which killed several Iranian commanders. To discuss all this, retired Israeli General Amos Yadlin, former Head of Israeli Defense Intelligence, joins the show from Tel Aviv.  Also on today's show: Ray Takeyh, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations; 2022 Nobel Prize Laureate, Ukrainian human rights lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuk; climate expert/author Bill Weir  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a make-or-break moment for Ukraine, as the US Congress looks closer than ever to finally pushing through its long-stalled aid package. Without US support, Ukraine has had to rely on other allies – including the Czech Republic, which has pioneered an effort to buy ammunition for Kyiv from third countries. Last week, President Zelensky met with Czech President Petr Pavel in Vilnius. Since his election just over a year ago, Pavel has been one of the most outspoken European leaders on countering Russian aggression, warning that “if Ukraine fails, so will we.” As a former top NATO general, he knows the military realities and the threats from Russia better than most, and he joined the program from Prague.  Also on today's show: David Sanger, Author, “New Cold Wars”; Grammy award-winning composer Terence Blanchard  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Israel continues its war on Gaza, a strike on a refugee camp on Tuesday killed at least 13 people. Over half were children, according to hospital officials. The latest UN figures show that one child is injured or dies every 10 minutes there. Amongst all this, over the weekend in Gaza rumours of Palestinians being allowed to return home turned deadly. International correspondent Jomana Karadsheh reports on the chaos that unfolded as people attempted to go back north.  Also on today’s show: Tamir Hayman, Former IDF intelligence chief; Tareq Abu Azzoum, Correspondent, Al Jazeera English; Akbar Shahid Ahmed, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent, HuffPost  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Israel's war cabinet met again today to weigh up a response to Iran's strike over the weekend. In Tehran, President Ebrahim Raisi warns even the smallest of actions would be met with a “severe, extensive and painful” response. The United States is urging caution and calm from both sides, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin telling his Israeli counterpart that the US goal is "regional stability". Joining the program to discuss is former US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who served under Donald Trump and has since become one of his fiercest critics.  Also on today's show: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani; Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Simon Harris; author Jonathan Vigliotti  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leaders from the US, UK and EU urge restraint as Israel mulls its response to Iran. America has made it clear it will not participate in a counterattack. Jordan accuses Israel of using this confrontation to take attention off Gaza. Iran’s missile and drone attack was heavily telegraphed and 99% intercepted by Israel and its allies, however it raises the question of how Israel would do in an all-out war, without allied participation. The United States remains desperate to prevent that region from descending into a much wider war. Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel and Egypt Daniel Kurtzer joins Christiane from Washington DC.  Also on today's show: Neal Katyal, Fmr U.S. Acting Solicitor General / Law Professor, Georgetown University; Eddie Glaude Jr., Author, “We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For” / Professor of African American Studies, Princeton University  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every week more and more Democrats are expressing frustration with American policy on Israel and the war in Gaza. Some heavyweights, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are now even joining the call for the U.S. to stop arms transfers to Israel. Senator Bernie Sanders has been one of the loudest voices on this issue. At 82 years old, he manages to be the voice of young liberals, and warns that if President Biden doesn't change tack on the Israel war, and doesn’t expand his economic policy for working families, he could lose in November. Senator Sanders joins Christiane from Washington. Then, the unbelievable life story of the newly elected New York City Council Member Yusef Salaam. He was just 15 when he, and four other teens, were falsely accused of raping a jogger in central park in 1989. The media went all-out, assuming their guilt and the group became known as the "Central Park Five.” Salaam spent nearly seven years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. He and the others were exonerated after the real perpetrator confessed and submitted DNA to prove it. But Salaam refused to be beaten by bitterness, and began this year being sworn in as the councilor for Harlem. He speaks with Christiane about all of it as they sit down together in Manhattan. This Sunday marks a decade since terror became reality in Chibok, Nigeria, sparking a global cry to 'bring back our girls', when nearly 300 innocent students were kidnapped by Boko Haram militants. Many of those taken have yet to return home. And kidnapping has become a recurring horror in the country. Now, CNN’s Stephanie Busari takes us to where tragedy unfolded, as part of CNN’s ongoing series on gender inequality called As Equals. Also in this week's show, Bill Weir, CNN’s Chief Climate Correspondent who has spent years covering our warming planet, says there is still room for hope, despite all the despair surrounding climate change. His book , ‘Life as we know it (can be)’, goes on sale on April 16th. He joins Christiane in New York. From the Amanpour Archive: With war raging in Gaza, the Israeli Palestinian conflict may feel more intractable than ever. Peace may feel like a distant possibility. But there was a time when Northern Ireland felt like that too. After decades of brutal sectarian conflict and terrorist violence, its leaders and its people bravely chose peace. And this week they celebrated 26 years since the Good Friday Agreement that secured it. It remains one of the United States' greatest diplomatic triumphs as President Bill Clinton and Senator George Mitchell brokered the talks. Along with British Prime minister tony Blair and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, and of course Northern Irish leaders themselves, they got the deal over the line. And last year, on its 25th anniversary Christiane travelled to Belfast to speak to Clinton, Blair, and Ahern. A peacemaker’s reunion. We revisit some of that historic conversation. We end the hour with a little opera for the soul. And a history making show at the Met in New York. “Fire Shut Up In My Bones” by the Grammy-award winning trumpeter Terence Blanchard, made history as the first work by a Black composer at the Metropolitan Opera in its 138-year history. And now it's back. Christiane went to the Metropolitan Opera House to meet him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arizona has become a flash point for America’s abortion-rights battle, as the Supreme Court there votes to uphold a Civil War-era law banning nearly all abortions. To discuss what happens now and how will this development impact people in Arizona and across America, law professor and author Mary Ziegler ("Abortion and the Law in America") joins the show.   Also on today's show: US Special Envoy to Sudan Tom Perriello; author Percival Everett  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

OJ Simpson has died from cancer at age 76. The former NFL star was the center of American attention in the mid-1990s, accused of brutally killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. Criminal defense attorney and legal analyst Joey Jackson and Ann Olivarius, an attorney who specializes in sexual harassment cases, join Christiane Amanpour to discuss.  Alson on today's show: Yusef Salaam, New York City Councilmember, former member of the Central Park Five; Juliette Kayyem, Former Assistant Secretary, Department of Homeland Security  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the wake of October 7th, when Hamas murdered 1,200 Israelis, Senator Bernie Sanders spoke out in favor of Israel’s right to defend itself. But now he says Israel is violating international law, arguing “the United States cannot continue to be complicit in the horror that is taking place now." Senator Sanders joins the program from Capitol Hill to discuss America’s politics at home and abroad.  Also on today's show: Michelle O’Neill, First Minister of Northern Ireland; global affairs journalist Emily Tamkin  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What leverage does America still yield, whether in Israel, in Ukraine, or beyond? And is it as good as its word? There is a rising sense that the values America says it represents in the world are not reflected in its actions. For decades, Wendy Sherman was at the center of the US foreign policy establishment. Serving under three Presidents and five Secretaries of State, Sherman was Antony Blinken’s top deputy until she retired last summer. She joins Christiane from Washington DC and helps us understand the answers to these questions.  Also on today's show: actor Michael Douglas; Judy Craymer, Director/Creator, "Mamma Mia"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Across the Americas people looked up today, as a total solar eclipse journeyed across Mexico, toward the United States and Canada. The skies above delivered a huge communal opportunity across what can only be described as a bitterly divided country. As it started to pass across the Americas, physicist, mathematician, and author Brian Greene joined the program to discuss what made it so special.  Also on today's show: Sharone Lifschitz, Father held hostage in Gaza; David Autor, Ford Professor of Economics, MIT  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This weekend marks six months since the most deadly attack in Israel’s history roiled the region and the world. On October 7th 2023, hundreds of Hamas fighters poured across the border from Gaza, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping some 250 men, women and children. Of the remaining hostages, 130 are still missing, with 34 of them presumed dead. Yyocheved Lifschitz and her husband Oded were just two of the Israelis taken captive. In an unforgettable moment seen around the world, Yocheved bid Shalom to her masked captor when she became one of the first Israelis to be released. But six months on, her 83-year-old husband's whereabouts and condition are unknown. Their daughter, Sharone Lifschitz, joins the show. Then, he’s dubbed the Jon Stewart of the Arab world. Bassem Youssef is an Egyptian satirist forced into exile after years mocking his country’s ruling elite. After rebuilding his life and public image as an American citizen, the heart surgeon-turned comedian has found a new focus for his increasingly dark sense of humor - the bloodshed in Gaza. He took time out from his stand-up world tour to speak with Christiane. From the Amanpour Archive: 30 years ago this week, the Rwanda genocide shocked the world. The West's inaction would become a stain on human history, despite repeated warnings from those on the ground. Christiane explains how a general's desperate pleas for help were ignored, as more than 800,000 people were slaughtered. The countdown is on as total eclipse mania shifts into high gear in North America. But despite best laid plans, it could be hit-or-miss for millions of people if mother nature spoils the show. CNN Space Correspondent Kristin Fisher explains how science is set to meet spiritualism on Monday. In our Letter from London this week, the musical that unleashed an ABBA-lanche on London's West End, and lit up hundreds of cities around the world. "Mamma Mia!" just passed a quarter-century milestone, making it one of London's longest running musicals of all time. Christiane asks the show's creator-producer Judy Craymer why audiences just can't get enough. We end the hour with a milestone birthday. Jane Goodall, the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees, turned 90 this week. Her pioneering research in the 1960s in a male-dominated field revolutionized primatology, when she documented chimps making and using tools in the wild. We revisit Christiane’s 2017 interview with Goodall, as they reflect on her remarkable life and legacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new IDF report blames "mistaken identification" for the airstrike on Monday that killed seven aid workers in Gaza. Joe Biden has given Benjamin Netanyahu an ultimatum - protect civilians and aid workers, or Washington could reign in its support. Within hours of their phone call, the Israeli leader announced additional aid routes. For Gazans, help cannot come fast enough as millions remain on the brink of starvation. Amid the growing international and domestic anger, Israeli economy minister Nir Barkat joined the show from New York.   Also on today's show: Temidayo Aganga-Williams, Former Senior Investigative Counsel, House January 6th Committee / Former Federal Prosecutor; Ari Wallach, Host, "A Brief History of the Future"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Almost one million people murdered in just one hundred days. It seems unfathomable, but that was the reality in Rwanda back in 1994 when militias and civilians from the country’s majority ethnic group, the Hutus, killed their Tutsi neighbors. Thirty years on, we take a look back at one of Christiane’s reports from 2008, when she returned to Rwanda to speak with some of those who have managed to find forgiveness since the genocide.  Also on today's show: Rwandan Human Rights Activist Paul Rusesabagina; author Sarah McCammon (“The Exvangelicals")  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tomorrow marks 75 years since NATO’s creation and this anniversary comes at a critical time for the alliance, as it grapples with how to continue supporting the country battling for survival on its doorstep. Kurt Volker is a former US Ambassador to NATO and former US Special Representative for Ukraine, and he joins the show from Poland.  Also on today's show: comedian Bassem Youssef, whose wife has family in Gaza; Charlie Sykes, Founder and Former Editor-in-Chief, The Bulwark  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Foreign aid workers feeding starving people are the latest to be killed in Israel’s war on Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the deadly airstrike a “tragic accident,” which “happens in war,” and vowed to investigate. The seven who lost their lives worked for famed chef Jose Andres’ organization World Central Kitchen, they came from all over the world to help – Poland, Canada, Australia, the UK. One was Palestinian. As United Nations Humanitarian Chief Martin Griffiths has been a key figure in pressing for vital aid to Gaza. After three years in the role, advocating and acting all over the world’s conflict zones, he is stepping down in June due to ill health. His career with the UN, the British diplomatic service and many humanitarian organizations spanned decades. Martin Griffiths joined the program from Geneva, in his first interview since announcing his retirement from the UN.  Also on today's show: Evgenia Kara-Murza, Wife of jailed Russian Opposition Figure Vladimir Kara-Murza; Stephen Breyer, Retired Supreme Court Justice  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Iranian media is reporting that the country’s consulate in Syria has been destroyed in an airstrike, killing a senior commander in the revolutionary guard’s Quds force. The Iranian ambassador to Syria is claiming that Israel was behind the attack that killed at least five people. It comes as thousands of protestors gathered in cities across Israel in the largest demonstrations since October 7th. New York Magazine staff writer Ronen Bergman, author of "Rise and Kill First," joins the show from Tel Aviv.  Also on today's show: Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha; CNN correspondent Scott McLean; author Jonathan Haidt (“The Anxious Generation”)  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We begin this hour with Putin’s political pawns, and the dangerous hostage diplomacy at play in the Kremlin. It’s now a year since the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich became the first American journalist detained on espionage charges since the Cold War. Evgenia Kara-Murza, the wife of jailed Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza, discusses the fight to free Russia's political prisoners.  In a significant sign of growing dissent inside the Biden camp over the Gaza crisis, US State Department staffer Annelle Sheline resigned in protest this week. She tells Christiane why her job to advocate for human rights had become impossible.   Then, Zahiro-Shahar Mor, whose elderly uncle is still captive in Gaza, accuses the Israeli government of misleading the public, and failing the remaining hostages.  Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s Starlink internet satellite system has become vital to Ukrainian troops, especially its drone pilots. But now it’s being used against them by Russian soldiers, who were never meant to have access to it. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh investigates how Russia appears to be bypassing US sanctions.  From the Amanpour Archive this week, Christiane's 2015 interview with Gloria Steinem, whose tireless advocacy and undercover journalism made her a global feminist icon.  And finally, after seeing his family's home destroyed in Gaza, and fleeing one bombing after another, Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha eventually found refuge in Egypt with his wife and children. Christiane asks Mosab to read a poem inspired by the life and home he left behind.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Wall Street Journal's front page is blank today, a huge void with a simple headline: "His Story Should Be Here." It marks one year since journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested in Russia on espionage charges. Gershkovich’s parents campaign tirelessly for his release, and so do his colleagues and friends. Two of those friends, Polina Ivanova and Pjort Sauer, join the program live from Berlin to reflect on Evan, the year he missed out on, and their tireless campaign for his release.  Also on today's show: David Frum, Staff Writer, The Atlantic; Rafael Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abroad, alone, and locked away on trumped up charges, it's the stuff of nightmares. Yet for one year that has been the reality for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is being held in a Russian prison on the charges of espionage. Charges he, and everyone who knows him, deny. Now, a Moscow court has extended his detention by three more months. At the same time in Gaza, more than a hundred hostages are still held captive after being taken during the brutal October 7th attack on Israel. Negotiations to release them -and build a ceasefire- have dragged on in Qatar for months. As the US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Roger Carstens is at the heart of both these crises, and he joins the program to talk about it.  Also on today's show: correspondent Melissa Bell; Annelle Sheline, resigned in protest from US State Department; Widlore Mérancourt, Washington Post Reporter  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We start with the fallout from a brutal military coup in Myanmar, all but forgotten by the wider world, while atrocities playout in plain view. In a new investigation, correspondent Anna Coren examines videos that show two rebel PDF soldiers being tortured and killed, part of a pattern of horrific violence at the hands of the military, which they deny.  Also on today's show: Noah Feldman, Author, "To Be A Jew Today"; Vivek Murthy, US Surgeon General; Janti Soeripto, President, Save the Children US  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump made history when he became the first US President to be impeached twice, and now he's making history again, becoming the first former president to be criminally prosecuted. Anthony Scaramucci was once a dedicated Trump supporter and spent a notorious 11 days as the White House communications director. Since 2019, he has opposed the former president’s re-election and joins Christiane to discuss.  Also on today's show: actor Olivia Colman & director Thea Sharrock, "Wicked Little Letters"; author Charles Duhigg, "Supercommunicators"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We start tonight with terror and trauma around the globe. In Russia, four men from Tajikistan have been charged in the attack on the concert hall in Moscow which killed at least 137. Russia continues its assault on Ukraine with heavy missile attacks across the country. Meanwhile, in the Middle East the death toll in Gaza reaches over 32,000 amid fears of an Israeli offensive on Rafah. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrel joins the program from Brussels to discuss the challenges ahead.  Also on today's show: Peter Pomerantsev, Author, “How to Win an Information War”; Christopher Lockyear, Secretary General, Médecins Sans Frontières; actor Regina King, "Shirley"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We begin this hour with the very latest on the Moscow terror attack, and the Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnosis, from CNN's Fredrika Whitfield. Then, the pursuit of health and happiness, in an emotional conversation with America's highest-ranking doctor, Vivek Murthy. The US Surgeon General, who wears his heart on his sleeve talking about his own struggles with loneliness, was in London for the World Happiness Summit this week. He says unchecked social media is like driving without speed limits - and he’s worried young people are losing the muscle memory to make meaningful human connections in the real world. Meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he’s pressing ahead with plans to evacuate more than a million civilians from Gaza's southern city of Rafah, before ramping up his offensive on Hamas. Critics say it will only make the humanitarian catastrophe worse. This week the International Rescue Committee (IRC) called the imminent famine in Gaza "a profound failure of humanity," and "entirely preventable." IRC chief and former UK foreign secretary, David Miliband, joins the show. From the Amanpour Archive this week, the last Soviet leader’s lost legacy, and Russia’s path to dictatorship. We revisit Christiane’s 2012 conversation with Mikhail Gorbachev, and the legacy Putin has spent decades dismantling. And finally, the poison pen letter scandal that rocked Britain. Oscar-winning actress Olivia Colman and director Thea Sharrock discuss their new movie Wicked Little Letters, and the satisfaction that get from swearing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Evelyn Farkas is a former official of the US Defense Department and head of the McCain Institute. She joins Bianna Golodryga from Kyiv, which was struck by Russian missile strikes for the first time in six weeks yesterday, to talk about the feeling on the ground among Ukrainians and the support of the United States.  Also on today's show: Michael Froman, President, Council on Foreign Relations; Rodrigo García, Film Director / Son of Gabriel García Márquez; actor Ian McKellen  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gabrielius Landsbergis is Lithuania’s Foreign Minister and one of Ukraine's fiercest allies. He has repeatedly chastised Western allies for doing far too little, too late for Kyiv. Landsbergis is currently in the United States to drum up urgent support for Ukraine and joins Christiane to discuss the current state of the war.  Also on today's show: Rafael Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency; Ryan Calais Cameron, Playwright, “For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Israeli military action continues to devastate the civilian population in Gaza. A three-day siege at Al-Shifa hospital is ongoing, though thousands are sheltering there. The IDF claims the site is being used by "senior Hamas terrorists," saying it's killed ninety of them. The bombardment is pushing Gaza towards a devastating humanitarian crisis: A UN-backed organization reports that half of Gaza, more than a million people, is on the brink of catastrophic hunger. David Miliband is President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee. He is a former British Foreign Secretary and is himself a child of holocaust refugees.  Also on today's show: Israeli Knesset member Ofer Cassif  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today’s program, we examine wars the international community is failing to contain, and the man-made famines they are creating. First to Haiti, where gangs rule, and national security forces are low on ammunition and leadership. Correspondent David Culver reports from inside a Port-Au-Prince hospital.  Also on today's show: Roberto Álvarez, Dominican Republic Foreign Minister; Raghad Jaraisy & Ofer Dagan, Co-Chief Executives, Sikkuy-Aufoq; Leslie Kaufman. Reporter, Bloomberg  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With a record of 87% of the vote, Vladimir Putin won a landslide election in Russia, solidifying his grip on power and securing a fifth term. Correspondent Fred Pleitgen looks at Putin’s re-election and what six more years of his leadership mean for Russia and the rest of the world.  Also on today's show: Richard Haass, President Emeritus, Council on Foreign Relations; Andrew Weissmann; Former US Prosecutor & Co-Author, "The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary"; Eric Klinenberg, Author, "2020: One City, Seven People, and the Year Everything Changed"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Russia this weekend, an election that's more of a rubber-stamp on Putin’s eternal presidency. Any real opposition to him or his war in Ukraine has been brutally crushed - both inside and outside the country. Christiane speaks to John Sullivan - America’s ambassador to Moscow under Presidents Trump and Biden. Meantime, with northern Gaza on the brink of famine, the first aid ship is arriving from Cyprus. And for the first time in weeks, a UN food convoy managed to reach Gaza city using a new military road. But experts say it's not nearly enough to stem the suffering. In a world exclusive interview, Queen Rania of Jordan tells Christiane how her country is helping get airdrops to starving people.  Then, Christiane speaks to NASA administrator Bill Nelson just after the latest SpaceX rocket launch. It is a critical time for NASA. Its just had its budget cut. Its Artemis manned moon mission is behind schedule. And now China and Russia are talking about a nuclear power plant on the lunar surface. Nelson explains how the moon's untapped resources will help us get to Mars - plus its search for a new crop of wannabe Martians! From the Amanpour Archive this week: Christiane's report from 90s Haiti - and the country's unending cycle of violence and poverty - just before the US restored President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power.  And finally, in our Letter from London, it's the return of a smash hit play the Guardian calls "a moving meditation on Black masculinity and Black life in Britain." It’s called “For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue gets too heavy." It’s back in the West End after a sellout first run. That's where Christiane met playwright Ryan Calais Cameron. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The majority of Israelis are in favor of early elections, according to Dahlia Scheindlin, a political analyst and pollster. As the government faces growing calls for change and international critics voice their concerns regarding Israeli leadership, the author of "The Crooked Timber of Democracy in Israel" joins Bianna Golodryga to discuss the future of Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli democracy.  Also on today's show: singer/songwriter Paul Simon; author Cass R. Sunstein  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Polls open this weekend in Russia for the presidential election, but the outcome isn’t in doubt. But Vladimir Putin is facing some resistance from his own people. Anti-Kremlin Russians based in Ukraine claim they’ve crossed into Russia and captured two villages. Matthew Chance reports.  Also on today's show: John Sullivan, Former US Ambassador to Russia; Sayeeda Warsi and David Baddiel, cohosts, “A Muslim and a Jew Go There” podcast; misinformation experts Claire Wardle & Sam Gregory  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

European partners are trying to get on the same page about how far they’ll go to help Ukraine and make up for the dire US shortfall. Meanwhile, the Kremlin is vastly out producing the west in ammunition and weapons production. Christiane speaks to defense expert Dara Massicot who says it’s a bad sign for Ukraine that Moscow is confident enough to accelerate its attacks ahead of the Russian election this weekend. And we take a look back at Christiane’s report for 60 Minutes from 1997, looking at the dire state of Russia’s army back then.  Also on today's show: Rod Nordland, Author, “Waiting for the Monsoon”; Bill Kristol, Editor-at-Large, the Bulwark  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gang violence has ripped through the lives of children in Haiti. Speaking to a rape victim, a girl shot while playing, and a teen forced to burn bodies, Correspondent David Culver uncovers the violent reality of what is happening on the ground. His report is followed by a discussion with Haitian Democracy Activist and Writer Monique Clesca and Former US Ambassador to Haiti Pamela White.  Also on today's show: Dr. Cornelia Griggs, Author, "The Sky Was Falling"; Josh Tyrangiel, Artificial Intelligence Columnist, The Washington Post  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Sunday, the United States and Jordan conducted another joint airdrop into northern Gaza. Jordan’s Queen Rania has been outspoken in defense of Gaza civilians and urging the United States and other Israeli allies to use all their leverage to end what she calls Israel’s “deliberate effort” to deprive those in need. Christiane speaks with Queen Rania exclusively from King Abdullah II Air Base in Jordan, just ahead of another airdrop.  Plus: Steve Coll, Author, “The Achilles Trap”; former NBA All-Star Rex Chapman, author the new memoir, “It’s Hard for Me to Live with Me”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With reproductive rights under attack in America, a world first as France makes abortion a constitutional right. CNN's Melissa Bell explains how US politics galvanized this history-making moment. Then, Christiane asks French President Emmanuel Macron’s former minister for gender equality Marlène Schiappa if America’s reputation has been damaged abroad by turning back the clock on the right to choose. Meantime, more than 110 Israeli hostages have been released from Hamas captivity since the war began. But 130 remain in Gaza - 99 of them believed still alive - but with no word of their condition. Chen Almog Goldstein lived to tell her harrowing story of survival in Hamas captivity. Her husband and eldest daughter were murdered in front of her, just before she and her three remaining children were kidnapped and taken to Gaza. She describes her torment, and tells Christiane why her captors wouldn’t let her cry. Then, the US and Jordan airdropped food into Gaza this week, as the UN warned that widespread famine was now “almost inevitable.” Now parents in Gaza tell CNN their children are dying of hunger and dehydration. CNN’s Nada Bashir has their story. It was a close call for the Ukrainian President this week, after a Russian missile exploded near his convoy. It was also a jolting reminder of just how dire the situation is. Nowhere is this war more real than on the frontlines, where Ukraine is rationing munitions while it waits for ammo and aid from the US. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh sees the struggle firsthand. From the Amanpour Archive this week: shock therapy and poverty in capitalist-curious Russia, and how moonlighting as a taxi driver fueled Vladimir Putin’s rise to power. And finally, ahead of the Academy Awards, Christiane revisits her interview with Mstyslav Chernov the director of 20 Days in Mariupol, which is odds-on favorite to win best documentary. If we don't report “the reality of war,” he tells Christiane, “it becomes acceptable.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a week in which the election race was all but confirmed as a Biden-Trump rematch, pundits - and likely many voters - were listening and watching closely to the current president's State of the Union address. They were met with a fiery address, as Biden weaved between issues including the economy, the border, the Middle East, and even his own age. So, have Democratic fears been allayed? What does the address signal for the next 8 months of campaigning? Anat Shenker-Osorio is a political communication strategist, who joins the show from California.  Also on today's show: Rachel Cockerell, Author, “Melting Point”; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Author, "Americanah"; Charan Ranganath, Author, “Why We Remember”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this day five months ago, Hamas stormed out of Gaza and into Israel. Israel says they murdered 1,200 people and took 240 others hostage. Across Israel, families are taking to the streets to demand that their government prioritizes their release – among them is Chen Almog-Golstein, who knows the plight of hostages better than almost anyone. Chen witnessed her husband and her eldest daughter’s murders in their home by Hamas on October 7th. She and her three youngest children were then kidnapped and held for 51 hellish days in Gaza. She joined Christiane to speak about that experience and the moral duty to do everything possible to bring home those still being held in Gaza.  Also on today's show: Suzanne Nossel, CEO, PEN America Center  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Gaza, the most vulnerable are paying the cost of Israel’s war to avenge the October 7th Hamas attack. Aid agencies say children are facing "extreme malnutrition" and dehydration. 15 have already died because of it, according to the ministry of health. Right now, parents are saying goodbye to their sons and daughters, as correspondent Nada Bashir reports.  Also on today's show: Fania Oz-Salzberger, History Professor Emeritus, University of Haifa; Sophia Scott, Director, "Tomorrow's Freedom" & Arab Barghouthi, Son of Palestinian politician Marwan Barghouti; Mona Charen, Policy Editor, The Bulwark  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After formally resigning as Palestinian Prime Minister last week, Mohammad Shtayyeh is staying on as caretaker until a permanent replacement is announced. He joins the show from Ramallah.  Also on today's show: Dalia Hatuqa, Independent Journalist & Oren Persico, Staff Writer, The Seventh Eye; Marcela Valdes, Staff Writer, The New York Times Magazine  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Israel refuses to send a delegation to ceasefire talks in Cairo, where Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators are meeting. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has been a prominent critic of the Israeli government’s handling of this war and recently called for early general elections in Israel. He joins the show from Tel Aviv.  Also on today's show: Daiana Al-Bukhari, Displaced Palestinian living in Rafah; Susan Glasser, Staff Writer, The New Yorker; Reiko Hillyer, Author, “A Wall is Just a Wall”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The impact of the war in Gaza is ratcheting up on Israel, the US, and on the people of Gaza themselves. More than 30,000 are now dead - an unthinkable toll of Israel's offensive, since the October 7th Hamas attack. In an astonishing insight, UNRWA Chief Philippe Lazzarini tells Christiane the looming famine there is now so bad, that some people have been eating animal feed to survive. Now even that is running out. Then, the head of the Norwegian Refugee Council Jan Egeland tells Christiane that he is “shaken” by the “horrific conditions” he's seeing firsthand in Gaza. “We're really, really overstretched in this ocean of needs,” he says.  Meantime, Donald Trump reportedly has an old friend in town next week - Hungary's far-right leader Viktor Orban. They will have plenty to agree on, like their affinity with Vladimir Putin who Orban has courted publicly, and Trump has praised for his “strong control” of Russia. How will authoritarianism and Trump's admiration for these so-called strong men play with voters in November? Mary Trump, the ex-president's niece and clinical psychologist, gives Christiane her diagnosis on Trump’s “strongman syndrome.”  Then, CNN's Will Ripley sees firsthand the deadly game of cat and mouse playing out with China off Taiwan's coast.  Also this hour, President Biden turned the hysteria about his age on its head this week, by attacking the advancing years of his political adversary, Donald Trump - who is only four years his junior. Media critic, columnist and academic Margaret Sullivan says enough is enough with the herd mentality coverage of Biden’s age, because this election is about much more than “chasing clicks”.  In the Amanpour Archive, the moment Christiane witnessed people dodging sniper fire for the chance to find whatever fresh food they could during the 1990's siege of Sarajevo, which ended 28 years ago this week.   And finally, in the week that saw U.S. presidents both past and present at the Texas border - where the immigration crisis is a top election issue - a brand new HBO documentary delves into the often-dark history of the Lone Star State. "God Save Texas" is an adaptation of the book by the same name from Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist Lawrence Wright. He tells Christiane why Texas is so emblematic of the struggles at play in America ahead of the presidential election.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thousands of Russians lined the streets to honor opposition leader Alexey Navalny two weeks after his death. Mikhail Fishman is a Russian journalist who knew Navalny well. He anchored a popular news program on opposition station “TV Rain,” until he had to flee Russia two years ago. Mikhail Fishman spoke to Bianna Golodryga about Navalny’s death, and about his hopes for freedom in Russia.  Also on today's show: Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hisham Matar; Bao Nguyen, Director, “The Greatest Night in Pop” & Tom Bahler, Vocal Arranger, “We Are the World”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More than one hundred people have been killed while gathered around food aid trucks in Gaza city, according to the Ministry of Health there. Despite disputed timelines, Israeli forces say they did open fire. This comes in the context of a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the UN says over half a million people are "one step away from famine." Mark Regev is special adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and he joins the show from Tel Aviv.  Also on today's show: Kara Swisher, Author, “Burn Book”; Marie Arana, Author, “Latinoland”; Josh Paul, Former US State Department Official  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of the key groups responsible for providing humanitarian assistance in Gaza is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), whose leader is sounding the alarm about what he calls a “man-made disaster.” But UNRWA itself has come under intense criticism recently, after the Israeli government alleged that 12 of its staff in Gaza were involved in the October 7th attacks on Israel. As a result, over a dozen countries suspended funding, including the United States, its largest donor. Philippe Lazzarini is the Commissioner-General of UNRWA and he joins the show from Jerusalem.  Also on today’s show: Lawrence Wright, Author & Executive Producer, “God Save Texas”; Dr. Jonathan Metzl, Author, “What We’ve Become”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are major disagreements about a possible agreement for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The death toll in Gaza is fast approaching 30,000. And the U.N. warns of a looming famine as the World Food Program says it's suspended its aid deliveries amid a "collapse of civil order." Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, a major humanitarian organization, is in Gaza for the first time since the October 7th Hamas slaughter of Israelis. He joins the show from Rafah.  Also on today's show: Christiane reports from Bucha; actor Jodie Foster; author Alexander Ward  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Palestinian Authority Prime Minister and his entire government have handed in their resignations to President Mahmoud Abbas. It is a stunning shakeup that raises even more questions about the future of Gaza and what the Palestinian leadership could look like after the war. Axios journalist Barak Ravid joins the show to discuss what could be next for the Palestinian leadership.  Also on today's show: Khaled Elgindy, Senior Fellow, Middle East Institute / Author, "Blindspot: America and the Palestinians, from Balfour to Trump"; Nathalie Loiseau, MEP, Renew Europe Group / Chair of the Sub-committee on Security and Defense / Former French Minister for European Affairs; Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize winner; Michele Norris, Author, "Our Hidden Conversations" / Founder, The Race Card Project  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After two years of bipartisan pledges to help for as long as it takes, Ukraine's future is more uncertain than ever - as Congress dithers and an opportunistic Putin plots his next move. Christiane is on location in Kyiv for what could be a turning point in the war. Christiane finds the mood on streets has changed dramatically since her last visit. There is still the unity of purpose from people and government officials. But there is also a feeling of high anxiety, as Russia ramps up military pressure and the flow of allied military aid is reduced to a trickle. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tells Christiane that weapons delays are to blame for Russia's biggest strategic win in months. Then, U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland just got back from Ukraine, where she met with senior government officials and wounded warriors. She has been at the heart of America's Russia policy for decades, serving in a variety of critical posts, including Ambassador to NATO. Christiane asks Nuland if - and when - she thinks Congress will send Ukraine the urgently needed aid that it promised. From the Amanpour Archive this week, the pro-democracy Ukrainian president poisoned in an assassination attempt, running against a pro-kremlin candidate. Hear Christiane’s 2005 conversation with Viktor Yushchenko, and the ghastly foretelling of the fate of Putin’s nemesis, Alexei Navalny. In this week’s Letter from London, director Jonathan Glazer tells Christiane why his chilling Oscar-nominated movie The Zone of Interest is more relevant than ever. And finally, the Ukraine battlefield meets ballet. When Russia's full-scale invasion erupted, Alexei Ratmansky was thrust into the geopolitical spotlight. The acclaimed choreographer, who has roots in Ukraine and Russia, tells Christiane about the “haunting” image that inspired his new ballet, Solitude. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christiane goes inside one of Ukraine’s busiest trauma centers, where military personnel make up most of the casualties. Doctors in Dnipro’s Mechnikov Hospital work around the clock to save people’s lives after they fall prey to Russian artillery strikes and land mines. One triple amputee tells Christiane from his hospital bed that Ukraine is outgunned, but that it will not give up.  Also on today's show: Fiona Hill, Former Senior Director for European and Russian Affairs, US National Security Council; Annalena Baerbock, German Foreign Minister; Penny Pritzker, US Special Representative for Ukraine’s Economic Recovery  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Kyiv, the war against Russia’s invasion plays out not only through airstrikes and drones, but also through culture. Well before his full-scale invasion, President Putin was clear in his ahistorical belief that Ukraine is a made-up country, rightfully part of greater Russia. Our first guest, Victoria Nuland, was in Kyiv during the Maidan protests in 2013-14, meeting with pro-democracy protesters as well as then-President Yanukovych. This was the first of many such visits since then. It was just last month that the current Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs was in Kyiv for talks and she joins Christiane from Washington to discuss U.S. support for Ukraine.  Also on today's show: Sergey Markov, Director, Institute of Political Studies in Moscow / Former MP, United Russia; Oleksiy Goncharenko, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament; Gita Gopinath, First Deputy Managing Director, IMF  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This weekend marks two years since Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, despite his attempts, his forces have not been able to capture the country's capital or overthrow its government, and with the support of NATO, the country has been able to resist Russia. But as the war enters its third year, Ukraine’s forces are outmanned and outgunned, desperately trying to fill the gaps on the front lines.  Also on today's show: Diane Foley, President and founder, James W. Foley Legacy Foundation / Co-author, “American Mother” & Colum McCann, Co-author, “American Mother”; Yevgenia Albats, Editor-in-Chief & CEO, The New Times / Friend of Alexey Navalny; Alexei Ratmansky, Russian-American choreographer and ballet dancer/ Artist in residence, New York City Ballet/ Former Director of Moscow Bolshoi Ballet  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Ukraine prepares to mark two years of war, many in the country are wrestling with the absence and loss of their loved ones on the front. Christiane reports from a military cemetery in the western city of Lviv to speak with some of the bereaved.  Also on today's show: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba; Jonathan Glazer, Director, "The Zone of Interest"; Aluf Benn, Editor-in-Chief, Haaretz  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christiane Amanpour is in Ukraine where, days away from the second anniversary of the war, there are feelings of urgency and of frustration. As American support dries up, just as Ukraine needs it most, Russia has delivered a frontline defeat and now its flags are now flying over Avdiivka in the east. Still Ukraine battles on: with fewer weapons, less ammunition and troops staggering from two years of war. Christiane spoke to President Zelensky on stage at the Munich Security Conference.  Also on today's show: Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary-General; Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia; Pete Ricketts, U.S. Republican Senator; Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christiane is in Munich, where world leaders are gathering for the annual security conference, amid an anxious atmosphere after the death of Kremlin critic, Alexey Navalny. Christiane asks is this a message to the world? Also, can NATO count on America, after republican front runner Donald Trump invited Putin to invade any NATO nation? And can Ukraine hold off Russia for another year? Christiane interviews the man in the eye of the storm, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Also, this hour: superstar Matt Damon on his new documentary “Kiss the Future” about how art and music can sustain life in times of war. Then, correspondent Matthew Chance, has a special report from Kathmandu, where desperate families are left clueless when their husbands and sons are recruited by Russia to fight its war in Ukraine. Plus, legendary Hollywood actress Jodie Foster on making her return to the small screen, in True Detective. She’s joined by her co-star, a world champion boxer, Kali Reis. And in the Amanpour Archive: Christiane looks at the messy, often deadly process of demining in Afghanistan and the terrible legacy of war. And finally, in Ask Amanpour a viewer from South Africa wants Christiane’s take on the possibility of a one-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The jailed Russian opposition leader and outspoken Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny has died aged 47 in the Arctic penal colony where he was serving a 19-year sentence, according to the Russian prison service. Correspondent Matthew Chance reports on how Navalny rose to become Putin’s most prominent opponent and what drove him to continue his opposition, knowing the inevitable consequences.  Also on today's show: Nina Khrushcheva, Russian Historian / Professor, International Affairs at The New School; Hillary Clinton, Former US Secretary of State / Former US Senate Democrat; Mikhail Zygar, Author, "All the Kremlin's Men" / Author, "War and Punishment"; & Peter Pomerantsev, Author, "This is Not Propaganda" / Senior Fellow, Agora Institute Johns Hopkins University  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Allied defense ministers are presenting a united front for a meeting in Brussels today as recent comments by Donald Trump cast a shadow over NATO’s 75-year-old alliance. Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker and Former Supreme Allied Commander General Philip Breedlove join the show to discuss what a Trump win could mean for America’s future in the bloc.  Also on today's show: Dr. Tariq Haddad, Palestinian-American Advocate / Cardiologist; Dominic Erdozain, Author, "One Nation Under Guns"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the second anniversary of the Russian invasion looms, continuing successes in the Black Sea are one surprising bright spot for Ukraine. The nation’s Defense Intelligence has announced it attacked and destroyed a large landing ship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, the Caesar Kunikov, with maritime drones off the coast of Crimea. Correspondent Melissa Bell reports on what this achievement means for Ukraine’s future in the war.    Alson on today's show: Michael Mann, Director, Center for Science, Sustainability & the Media, Univ. of Pennsylvania / Author, "Our Fragile Moment"; Kim Daniels, Member, Vatican Communications Department / Director, Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, Georgetown University; Ganesh Sitaraman, Law Professor, Vanderbilt University / Author, “Why Flying Is Miserable and How to Fix It”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Senate finally passed the stalled aid package for Ukraine and Israel but there's still no guarantee it will make it through the house, where MAGA-minded politicians are becoming more and more hostile to sending assistance to Kyiv. Meanwhile in Cairo, the US and Israeli intelligence chiefs are meeting with intermediaries to hammer out a hostage deal and pause the war. In Gaza, all eyes are on Rafah, where Palestinians are bracing for an Israeli ground offensive, even though President Biden is urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off and come up with a clear plan about how to achieve its goals and protect civilians. Last night Jordan's King Abdullah, the first Arab leader to visit the White House since October 7th, called for a ceasefire. Joining the program to discuss all this is Marwan Muasher, Jordan’s former foreign minister.  Also on today's show: Matt Damon talks about producing the new documentary "Kiss the Future"; Benjamin Herold, author, "Disillusioned"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nine months to go before the next presidential election and former President Donald Trump is already sending shockwaves around the international community. At a rally in South Carolina, he suggested he would “encourage” aggressors to “do whatever the hell they want” with NATO countries that fail to pay their dues. Independent Senator Angus King spent the weekend with colleagues working on the foreign aid bill, just days after making an impassioned speech on the senate floor about the importance of supporting Ukraine. He joins the show from Washington DC.  Also on today's show: Yael Noy, CEO, Road to Recovery; Sarah Helm, journalist and author; former State Department official Jared Cohen  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Playing politics or playing with fire? As the Republican Party tanks a border security deal it spent months demanding, Christiane asks former GOP lawmaker Will Hurd what his party stands for, and whether it's ready to reap what it sows in November. Hurd accuses Donald Trump of using the border crisis as a “political tool,” and agrees that his competency is in doubt after a string of low-energy rambles. He also tells Christiane that Putin is an adversary, despite what “nuts like Tucker Carlson'' say. Then, veteran democratic political strategist Simon Rosenberg reveals what the polls aren’t telling you about “damaged goods'' Donald Trump - and why the GOP implosion on the border crisis is another major win for Democrats. CNN Senior International Correspondent Fred Pleitgen shows us the remarkable resilience of Ukraine’s war-weary children, forced to learn in subterranean “bunker schools,” as Putin’s war rages overhead. In the Amanpour Archive this week - a look at a transformative time in Iran, the homeland where Christiane grew up and then left after the 1979 islamic revolution, which took place 45 years ago this week. Then, in her Letter from London, Christiane stops in at Kim's Convenience - the award-winning comedy-drama which became a major Netflix sensation - that has just made a triumphant return to the stage. Christiane talks to the show's creator and star Ins Choi, along with cast-mates Miles Mitchell and Jennifer Kim. And finally in Ask Amanpour - why AI doesn’t have to be scary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s déjà vu for US lawmakers, who failed yet again this week to agree on a solution to the country’s immigration crisis. But beyond the politics are countless human stories, as the number of unauthorized immigrants crossing the border keeps reaching record highs, and a backlog of cases in US immigration courts passes three million. If this week’s deal had passed in Congress, it would have been one of the most significant changes to US immigration policy in decades, evidence of just how long the issue has remained a stubborn political challenge. Jonathan Blitzer has covered the issue for years, and he joins the program.  Also on today's show: Nina Khrushcheva, Professor of International Affairs; journalist/author Calvin Trillin  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not since Bush vs. Gore in 2000 has the Supreme Court had before it such a monumental election-related case. Today the justices heard arguments on this key question: Can Colorado kick Trump off the ballot for his role in the January 6th riots? The answer has the potential to totally upend the 2024 election. Political analyst John Avlon joins the program to discuss.  Also on today's show: Bill Weir reports on the "clean industrial revolution"; former VP Al Gore; "Kim's Convenience" actors Jennifer Kim, Ins Choi, and Miles Mitchell  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hamas has laid out a series of demands in a response to an Israel-backed ceasefire proposal. The offer is likely to be unacceptable to Israel’s prime minister, who has called for a “total victory” in Gaza. Richard Haass served as the Director of Policy Planning at the State Department and he joins Christiane from New York.  Also on today's show: Rose Gottemoeller, Former NATO Deputy Secretary General / Lecturer, Stanford University; Aleema Khan, Sister of Imran Khan; David Graham, Staff writer, The Atlantic  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Promises made, promises kept” is the message behind President Biden’s campaign for reelection as he attempts to rally support in the runup to his likely face-off with Donald Trump. The former president suffered a legal setback today when a federal appeals court ruled he does not have presidential immunity and can therefore be prosecuted for alleged crimes to reverse the 2020 election result. To discuss where the race currently stands, Democratic political strategist Simon Rosenberg joins the show from Washington DC.  Also on today's show: Hisham Al-Omeisy, Yemeni political activist / Senior Yemen Advisor, European Institute of Peace; Brian Klaas, Author, “Fluke”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices