Fresh off his trip to the Middle East, Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen talks about spillover conflict fears as attacks escalate in The Red Sea, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, whether the claims of genocide against Israel hold up, and the repercussions of Netanyahu’s relentless war on Biden’s re-election bid. Then, in a forensic, months-long investigation into Israeli strikes on Gaza, CNN’s Katie Polglase asks if the end can really justify the means when hospitals become legitimate military...
Jan 13, 2024•42 min
The US and UK up the ante with strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. This, after the group’s militants – who run most of western Yemen and are backed by Iran – continue to attack commercial vessels in the Red Sea in support of the Palestinians. To help us make sense of this complicated geopolitical web, we turn to retired Colonel Peter Mansoor, who is a professor of military history at Ohio State University. Also on today's show: political analyst Dahlia Scheindlin; World Food Program Executive Di...
Jan 12, 2024•59 min
Hearings have begun in the International Court of Justice that could change the course of Israel’s war in Gaza. South Africa is arguing today that Israel is committing “genocidal acts” against the Palestinian people. The US has called accusations of genocide “meritless," and tomorrow Israel will lay out its defense against the charge. Correspondent Melissa Bell explains more from the Hague. Also on today's show: Omer Bartov, Professor of Holocaust & Genocide Studies, Brown University; Alon P...
Jan 11, 2024•59 min
Ecuador has declared it’s facing an "internal armed conflict." Security forces have been ordered to “neutralize” several criminal groups accused of spreading extreme violence. It comes after an extraordinary 24 hours that saw violence broadcast live on television after masked gunmen stormed a TV station, taking staff hostage. Now the country is in a state of emergency with reports of looting and explosions. Correspondent Patrick Oppmann explains what led to this point. His report is followed by ...
Jan 10, 2024•59 min
Palestinian authorities say one in every 100 people have been killed in Gaza over the past three months. That’s more than 23,000, and nearly two-thirds are women and children. That human toll is front and center as Western officials visit the region expressing increasing concern about the situation. But is the Israeli government listening to its strongest allies? And what are the long-term consequences of such destruction? Haaretz columnist Gideon Levy says there’s no way to explain Israel’s con...
Jan 09, 2024•59 min
Tremors from Russia’s large-scale attacks are also impacting Poland, neighbor to both Ukraine and Russia and a critical NATO ally. Just last week, fighter jets scrambled after Warsaw reported a Russian missile entered Polish airspace headed for Ukraine. Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski joins the show to discuss. Also on today's show: Senior Political Analyst John Avlon; award-winning playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner; Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine Learn more about your ad choi...
Jan 08, 2024•58 min
This weekend will mark three months since Hamas attacked Israel. A painful ordeal continues for the families of more than 130 people still thought to be held hostage in Gaza. Prospects of another deal between Israel and Hamas to pause fighting are uncertain, despite a temporary truce in November which saw the release of 105 hostages. Among those released was 34-year-old Doron Katz Asher and her young daughters. Bianna spoke with Doron in Tel Aviv recently. Also on today's show: The Atlantic cont...
Jan 05, 2024•59 min
Fears of regional war in the Middle East have been growing ever since October 7th, when the brutal attack by Hamas inside Israel triggered Israel's massive counteroffensive in Gaza. So far, more than 22 thousand Palestinians have been killed, according to the health ministry in Gaza and joining the program with an update on the situation is Gemma Connell, the Gaza team leader for the United Nation's humanitarian office OCHA. Also on today's show: historian Timothy Snyder; musician Lenny Kravitz;...
Jan 04, 2024•59 min
There are renewed fears that Israel’s war on Hamas is escalating beyond Gaza. Yesterday an airstrike on a Beirut building killed a senior Hamas leader, but Israel has not confirmed it carried out the strike. The Lebanese Prime Minister accused Israel of trying to “drag” it into a regional war. Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib joins Christiane from the Lebanese Embassy in DC, where he will be holding emergency meetings at the White House. Also on today's show: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro...
Jan 03, 2024•59 min
Hamas confirmed today that its deputy political leader has been killed in a blast in Beirut, fueling fears of an extended war in Gaza. Meanwhile, in an unprecedented ruling, Israel’s Supreme Court has struck down a controversial law that would have limited its own powers - a victory for protesters who spent months in the streets prior to October 7. Nimrod Novik served as a policy advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres. He is now a fellow at the Israel Policy Forum and joins the show from...
Jan 03, 2024•59 min
Just last December President Volodymyr Zelensky was warmly received in a rare joint session of congress. But this year has been a turning point, and it is turning in the wrong direction. Now Zelenky is sounding less than confident about continued American support. Republican resistance to funding Ukraine has hardened. Military planners are now considering the worst case scenario - that Ukraine, without western aid, loses to Russia, perhaps even by this summer. But NATO Secretary General Jens Sto...
Dec 23, 2023•42 min
Dr. Ayelet Levy Shachar’s daughter Naama is still held by hostage by Hamas. Her violent capture on October 7th was caught on camera by the attackers and released publicly. Dr. Levy Shachar describes the footage as beyond upsetting but says it’s critically important to see. She speaks to Bianna Golodryga about the horrors of what’s transpired and her desperation for the return of her daughter. Also on today's show: Jesuit priest Rev. James Martin; opera star Renee Fleming Learn more about your ad...
Dec 22, 2023•59 min
Ukraine is entering its second long, hard winter at war. In the wake of the stalled summer counteroffensive, troops are digging in for a frozen war of attrition, while Putin appears increasingly emboldened about Russia’s prospects on the battlefield and beyond. President Zelensky’s recent trip to Washington didn’t get the result he needed, with the senate deferring any vote on more aid until the new year. Correspondent Nick Payton Walsh reports from the front lines, showing just how grim things ...
Dec 21, 2023•59 min
Ukraine shocked the world in 2022 when it fought off Russia’s invasion, defying expectations of its imminent demise. Nearly two years after Russia invaded Ukraine, Kyiv is still hanging on, but world support is slipping for this critical fight for democracy. Putin boasted this month that Ukraine has nothing and even the staunchest Ukraine supporters know their summer counteroffensive failed to achieve its objectives. As NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg has worked tirelessly to get Ukrain...
Dec 20, 2023•59 min
As the casualties continue to mount in Gaza, Israel’s allies are also mounting criticism about surging settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The UK, France and the US are calling on it to end and sanctioning extremist settlers. Correspondent Nima Elbagir takes a look at everyday life in the West Bank with this report from Hebron. Also on today's show: Senior Advisor to the Israeli Prime Minister Mark Regev; Economist Deputy Editor Tom Standage; YIVO Institute for Jewis...
Dec 19, 2023•59 min
As 2023 draws to a close, climate records are once again being shattered, with this year on track to be the hottest on record. And around the world climate chaos is a daily fact of life. But some are hopeful the tide is turning. This scorching year is ending with a new deal calling for a "transition away" from fossil fuels. President Biden’s climate envoy, John Kerry, hailed the agreement as “the most important decision” since the landmark 2015 Paris agreement, which he had negotiated for the Un...
Dec 18, 2023•59 min
Former US National Security Council official Fiona Hill says, “this is the tipping point where… everybody loses,” if the West fails Ukraine when it comes to aid. Hill joins Amanpour to also discuss Donald Trump’s re-election and how it could cause an ‘extraordinary rupture’ in NATO. Plus, Former COP26 president Alok Sharma says “we can’t afford to fail future generations,” as he reacts to the breakthrough agreement at the Dubai climate summit.CNN's Anna Coren reports on the surging suicides in A...
Dec 18, 2023•42 min
First: The US ups its pressure on Israel to protect civilian lives. We bring you a report on the growing despair in Gaza and talk to Israeli and Palestinian activists about the hard work of making peace. Then: Award-winning actor Gael García Bernal joins the show to discuss his role in the new movie Cassandro as a gay wrestler who changed history. And: The Washington Post reporters Oakford and Shane Harris on one of the most significant intelligence leads in recent US history. Learn more about y...
Dec 17, 2023•59 min
Scores of brave Palestinian journalists have been bringing the horrors suffered in Gaza to the world. Many of them have lost their lives doing so. CNN is the first western media outlet to gain access without Israeli military escorts. Correspondent Clarissa Ward witnesses the severe crisis, on a visit to a field hospital facilitated by the UAE. Also on today's show: Israeli peace activist Magen Inon & Palestinian regional leader Hamze Awawde; COP26 President Alok Sharma; Tariq “Black Thought”...
Dec 14, 2023•59 min
At the end of two weeks of intense negotiations at COP28, a new major climate deal has been reached. Supporters say it marks the beginning of the end of fossil fuels, but not all parties are happy. It does not call for phasing out fossil fuels, island nations complained it’s a death knell for them, and climate activists say the deal lets the fossil fuel industry off the hook. Lord Nicholas Stern, chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change & The Environment, and author of The ...
Dec 13, 2023•59 min
Today, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky made a last-ditch, in-person plea to US lawmakers to release approximately $60 billion in new military aid. The money's been held up after Congress decided to insert politics over the US border into this existential battle against Putin's autocratic Russia. Retired general Ben Hodges led US forces in Europe and has been a strong supporter of Ukraine. Also on today's show: Maria Pevchikh, aide to Alexey Navalny; artist Marina Abramovic; Rabbi David Wolp...
Dec 12, 2023•59 min
Israel’s Labor party was once the country's dominant political force, but the peace camp has lost so much credibility over the years that it is barely clinging on in Parliament. Labor Leader Merav Michaeli says she is stepping down and she joins Christiane from Tel Aviv to explain why. Also on today's show: Former Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Nasser Al-Kidwa; The Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg; composer John Williams and Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices...
Dec 11, 2023•59 min
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Israel-Hamas war has led to the deadliest month for journalists in 30 years. Bianna Golodryga speaks with AFP video journalist Dylan Collins, whose colleague was killed in southern Lebanon. Also on today's show: UAE Climate Minister Mariam Almheiri & US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack; American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Kori Schake Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Dec 08, 2023•59 min
America’s unwavering support for Ukraine hangs in the balance, as Senate Republicans block a move to pass an aid package. The White House warns funds for Ukraine’s defense could run out soon and with global attention on the Middle East, Kyiv is struggling to plead its case. Alexander Kamyshin began the war running Ukraine’s railways, as a strategic transport network for the military and humanitarian effort. He is now Ukraine’s Minister for Strategic Industries and joins Christiane from the Ukrai...
Dec 07, 2023•59 min
The entire Gaza Strip has become "one of the most dangerous places in the world," according to the UN Agency providing humanitarian aid. This weekend in London, a vigil was held outside Downing Street to demonstrate that both Israelis and Palestinians are suffering and pleading for an end to the cycle of violence. One of the main proponents of this peace movement is Robi Damelin, whose son David was killed by a Palestinian sniper in 2002. Instead of being consumed by hate and revenge, she devote...
Dec 06, 2023•59 min
For the first time in decades, there are more autocracies than liberal democracies around the world. Fears about America are growing and if Donald Trump wins a second term in the White House, he pledges to install ideological allies in key positions. Central to Trump’s support is his Christian Evangelical base. The Atlantic writer Tim Alberta’s latest book, The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory , examines the nexus between the Church and far-right politics. He saw it up close as a Christian whose...
Dec 05, 2023•59 min
Soon after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, Josh Paul resigned from the US State Department in protest of what he said were unscrutinized arms transfers to Israel. In his resignation letter, Paul said the Israeli response and American support, "will only lead to more and deeper suffering for both the Israeli and Palestinian people.” He joins Christiane to discuss Also on today's show: Israeli human rights lawyer May Pundak & Palestian human rights activist Rana Salman; reporter Arelis H...
Dec 04, 2023•59 min
Britain’s King Charles took the stage at the UN Climate Summit in Dubai, saying the world is approaching "dangerous uncharted territory" as the climate crisis deepens – with 2023 set to be the warmest year yet. Ahead of the conference Bianna spoke with former White House National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy, to get her steer on the importance of this year’s COP. Also on today's show: CNN Pentagon Correspondent Oren Liebermann; NYT investigative correspondent Azam Ahmed; NYT reporter Reed Abels...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr
Henry Kissinger, one of the most famous American Secretaries of State, died on Wednesday at age 100. From his pivotal role in the Vietnam War, to holding secret diplomatic talks with communist China, Kissinger wielded great diplomatic power. But he was reviled by many for his role in the bombing of Cambodia and the rise of repressive regimes in Latin America. Historian and journalist Walter Isaacson knows Henry Kissinger’s life story inside and out, writing what some call “the definitive biograp...
Nov 30, 2023•59 min
According to analysis of Israel prison service data, out of the Palestinians freed since the hostage deal with Hamas, almost 80% were teenage boys aged 14 to 18 and two-thirds were held under administrative detention – meaning they were not told the charges against them or given due legal process. Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and an expert on Israeli-Palestinian affairs, explains the reality for these Palestinians. Also on today's show: Commonwealth Secretary-Gene...
Nov 29, 2023•59 min
