Amanpour

Basketball star Brittney Griner is back home in the US after a prisoner swap with Russia. Her release after nearly ten months in detention is being celebrated as a major win for the Biden administration, but the president is facing criticism for not securing the freedom of another American locked up in Russia, Paul Whelan. The US government is also facing questions about the man who they swapped for Griner, notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout. The Pentagon says there's still some concern that Bout could return to the illicit international arms trade. Kylie Atwood breaks down the story to Sara Sidner. Also on today's show: Historian Peter Frankopan; China analyst Frank Tsai; author David Daley; comedian Trevor Noah. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Moldova is Ukraine's most fragile neighbor -- the poorest country in Europe, wracked by almost 30% inflation, dealing with energy shortages, and even stray missile incursions. But Moldova is not about to be pushed around: the country is holding the line against what leaders call a 'hybrid war' by Russia who are targeting their political system and their economy. Moldovan President Maia Sandu is in Washington this week, meeting Vice-President Kamala Harris and other senior officials and receiving a Madeleine Albright award for her tireless efforts to promote democracy. Christiane spoke to her about protecting democracy, and Moldova's sheer survival living in Putin's shadow. Also on today's show: New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, whose dogged investigative reporting on Harvey Weinstein earned them a Pulitzer prize; national security expert Juliette Kayyem. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Georgia has turned into a real peach for Democrats in the Senate. Raphael Warnock beat his Republican opponent Hershel Walker in the runoff election, keeping both of the state's Senate seats blue. The victory in Georgia is a major triumph for Joe Biden, making him the first president since Franklin Roosevelt to see all his party's senators up for re-election win. And a 51-49 majority will impact everything from committee chairs to legislation. To reflect on the result, Christiane spoke to former US Senate Democrat Carol Moseley Braun and Republican strategist Sarah Longwell. Also on today's show: Former Russian Deputy Minister of Energy Vladimir Milov; Rappler CEO and Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russian authorities in the region of Kursk -- close to the border with Ukraine -- said today a drone had hit an airfield. Does that signal a new phase in the war? Christiane asked US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, just back from visiting Kyiv where she met with President Zelensky. Also on today's show: Former Israeli Diplomat Ido Aharoni Aronoff; Caoilfhionn Gallagher, lead international counsel for Chinese billionaire Jimmy Lai; New York Times photojournalist Lynsey Addario. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yet another wave of Russian missiles threatened Kyiv today, prompting air raid sirens across the capital and sending citizens scrambling to find shelter. This as President Volodymyr Zelensky criticizes the West for only capping Russian oil at $60 dollars per barrel. French President Emmanuel Macron has drawn a wave of criticism from both Ukraine and Baltic states for saying that the West should think about how to give Russia security guarantees “the day it returns to the negotiating table." Lithuania is one Baltic state deeply impacted by all of this - the is country sandwiched between Russian territory Kalingrad and Belarus. Lithuania Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė is on an official visit to the United States this week and she joins Christiane from Pennsylvania. Also on today's show: Actor Bill Nighy, writer and narrator Rick Stengel. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Regardless of who wins the Georgia's Senate runoff next week, the Democrats will hold the Senate in the next Congress, after an expected red wave at the midterms turned out to be more of a light splash. Even though the GOP took the House, the repercussions of that vote are spelling trouble for Kevin McCarthy, as fringe members of his party push back against his candidacy for House speaker. So where does the GOP go from here? And what does that mean for America as a whole? Asa Hutchinson, who has been Governor of Arkansas since 2015 and will soon leave the post after the maximum two terms, joins the show to discuss. Also on today's show: Dr. Anthony Fauci, author Tiya Miles. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Iran to Afghanistan and beyond, women are standing up and resisting intense crackdowns on their rights and freedoms. Women’s equality is now the focus of a summit hosted by former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton, her daughter and vice chair of the Clinton Foundation. Friday’s event will bring together “advocates, artists, political and policy leaders from around the world to address defending and advancing women’s rights.” The agenda includes voting rights, healthcare, peace, the workplace, and more. It’s a fight Secretary Clinton has led for decades, and she joins the show from Arkansas for an exclusive conversation. Also on today's show: Acclaimed American soprano Renée Fleming on her comeback role at the Met; journalist Natalie Kitroeff. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia must pay for its “horrific crimes” in Ukraine – that’s according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who has announced plans for a special court to prosecute Russian offenses. While holding Russia accountable is a long-term goal, Ukraine’s need for weapons and equipment now is dominating this week’s meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Romania. With winter setting in and Russia’s relentless attacks hobbling Ukraine’s infrastructure, Christiane speaks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken from the sidelines of the NATO meeting. Also on today's show: Alison Davidian, special representative, UN Women in Afghanistan; FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh, the first woman to head New York City's fire department. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Europe, NATO's foreign ministers are wrestling with how to supply Ukraine with the weapons and equipment it needs to survive a harsh winter at war. Led by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the ministers pledged solidarity and $53 million to bolster its electrical systems, and condemned Russia's targeting of civilian populations. To discuss all this and the latest in Ukraine, Christiane speaks with President Zelensky's chief diplomatic adviser Igor Zhovkva. Also on today's show: Comedian Rob Delaney discusses his new book, A Heart That Works, which chronicles the life and tragic death of his infant son Henry; famed documentarian Ken Burns. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Widespread anti-government protests have erupted across China for the first time since 1989 in a rare show of defiance against the ruling Communist Party. Demonstrations spread from Shanghai in the east to Xinjiang in the west, with thousands chanting, “need human rights, need freedom.” Protesters are calling for an end to nearly three years of “zero Covid” restrictions, and even for the removal of Chinese leader Xi Jinping. They were triggered by a deadly apartment fire Thursday in Xinjiang. Videos appear to show that lockdown measures hindered firefighters, keeping them away from the building. The blaze killed at least 10 people. What could all this mean in China and across the world? Former government official Victor Gao joins from Beijing. Also on today's show: Oxford University historian Peter Frankopan, former Russian diplomat Boris Bondarev, author Douglas Brinkley. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There is no new episode of the Amanpour showcast. If you haven’t already, please check out CNN’s other podcasts and showcasts at cnn.com/audio. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's show we bring you three of Christiane's favorite interviews of the year: tennis great Rafael Nadal, master satirist Armando Iannucci, and sculpture superstar Barbara Chase Riboud. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

America today woke to news of yet another mass shooting, this time at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, on the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday. That makes two mass shootings in Virginia this month, and seven in America in the past seven days – including the weekend killings at an LGBTQ club in Colorado. This summer, President Biden signed the first major gun safety bill in nearly three decades, but any further developments on this front are unlikely – particularly with the Republicans taking control of the House of Representatives in January. Representative Jim Clyburn joins the show to discuss all this, and the upcoming transition of power within the Democratic caucus. Also on today's show: Author Yuval Noah Harari; Dr. Daniel Rauch, Chair, American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Hospital Care. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“This is the make-or-break decade, but what we have in front of us is not enough of a step forward for people and the planet.” That’s the verdict of the European Union’s climate policy chief Frans Timmermans, after an underwhelming COP27 in Egypt. He joins the show from Strasbourg. Also on today's show: President Obama's former speechwriter Cody Keenan on his new book Grace; Gun safety and LGBTQ activist Brandon Wolf on the Colorado Springs shooting; LGBTQ Australian football player Josh Cavallo on the World Cup. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's show begins with an exclusive report on what’s happening to Iranian protesters behind bars. Demonstrations have been ongoing since September, as people continue to take to the street across the country, and as many as 14,000 people have been arrested since protests began. Now, troubling accusations are emerging about the treatment they’re facing while detained, with men and women alleging sexual assault by Iran’s security forces. CNN's Nima Elbagir has the story. Following her report, Christiane speaks with Maziar Bahari an Iranian-Canadian filmmaker and human rights activist. Also on today's show: Director Sally El Hosaini, dancer Misty Copeland. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Football’s 2022 World Cup kicks off in Qatar on Sunday, but the championship – the first to be held in an Arab country – is clouded by controversy even before it begins. First, allegations of corruption around the awarding of the World Cup to Qatar by FIFA, football’s governing body, with an FBI probe of leaders implicated in a bribery scandal. Then, reports of exploitation of Qatar’s migrant workers. And other human rights abuses – particularly against Qatar’s LGBTQ population. Homosexuality is illegal in the country. Dr. Naser Mohamed, a prominent Qatari LGBTQ activist, joins the program to discuss life and human rights inside the country. Also joining the show: journalist Roger Bennett, US House Democrat Jackie Speier, author Devi Lockwood, and Yale Law School Dean Heather Gerken. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tuesday's deadly missile explosion in Poland marked the first time a NATO country was directly hit during the conflict and is a reminder of the potential risks of spillover. Russian journalist Mikhail Zygar is following developments in the war closely; he now lives outside Russia and is founding editor of the independent news channel TV Rain. Resistance against Putin takes many forms, and he joins Christiane in London to explain why going public with his own gay marriage was an act of protest. Also on today's show: Former US Vice President Al Gore; actor Hugh Bonneville. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NATO leaders are analyzing how best to respond to Russia’s escalation in Ukraine after the consequences of Moscow’s aggression finally hit their territory. Two people are dead in Poland after what are believed to be parts of a Ukrainian air defense missile landed there last night. President Zelensky is calling for further investigations, while Warsaw, Washington and NATO believe the deadly incident happened as Ukraine blocked Russian cruise missiles from hitting western Ukraine. For a few hours of intense consultations and investigations, there was deep anxiety about whether a dangerous new frontier had been breached. To discuss, Christiane speaks with the prime minister of Estonia, a NATO member on Russia’s border. Also on today's show: Professor of Marketing Scott Galloway; actor Edward Norton; author Clint Smith. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Trump-backed election denier lost Arizona’s race for governor, with the winner – Democrat Katie Hobbs – getting help from an unlikely ally: Liz Cheney. Indeed, the Republican congresswoman bucked her party and endorsed three Democrats, all of whom won their races. That list includes Michigan Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, who joins the show from DC. Also on today's show: Actor Zar Amir Ebrahimi on role as an Iranian journalist in the new movie Holy Spider; Axios Chief Financial Correspondent Felix Salmon on the collapse of crypto currency powerhouse FTX. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden met with China’s President Xi Jinping face-to-face for the first time in Biden’s presidency today, speaking for over three hours at the G20 summit in Bali. The White House said the conversation was candid about issues like human rights, climate Taiwan, and of course Russian aggression in Ukraine. To discuss the meeting, Christiane speaks with former Chinese government official Victor Gao and Michael Beckley, an American expert on China who previously worked at the Pentagon. Also on today's show: CNN's Nic Robertson reports from the newly liberated city of Kherson; Journalist Dina Amer, co-writer and director of the new documentary You Resemble Me; Native rights attorney Mary Kathryn Nagle. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ukrainians are celebrating a monumental victory after its forces liberated the key southern city of Kherson – the only regional capital Russia managed to seize since February. It’s a stinging defeat for Moscow, where Putin is facing increasingly fierce criticism for his invasion of Ukraine – including from some of his own citizens, at major personal risk. This is the focus of a new Frontline documentary, Putin’s War at Home. Its producer Vasily Kolotilov joins the show, alongside Natalia, a journalist featured in the film. Also on today's show: historian and author Timothy Snyder; author Siddhartha Mukherjee. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ukraine is bracing itself for what could be the decisive battle in this brutal war: the battle for Kherson. Russia’s defense minister has ordered the withdrawal of its troops from parts of the region, as Ukrainian forces advance towards the city. It seems to be a major setback for Putin’s war aims, but Ukrainian officials are expressing skepticism and caution – especially as the Kremlin’s top security adviser visits Iran, where western officials say he’s seeking more advanced weapons. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky wants to ensure international support for his country’s defense continues, particularly from the US in the wake of the midterms. At this pivotal moment, Christiane sat down with the president and his wife, First Lady Olena Zelenska, for a global exclusive. Also on today's show: Equipping female soldiers in Ukraine; America at the climate summit; sports and cultural journalist Jemele Hill's new memoir. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the battle to liberate Ukrainian territory all eyes tonight are on statements from the Russian Defense Minister who has publicly ordered the withdrawal of forces from Kherson’s west bank. This as Ukrainian forces advance towards the strategic city from two directions. Kherson has been the only regional capital taken by Russia since February’s invasion. Christiane sat down for an exclusive joint interview with President Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska. We bring you excerpts today; the full interview airs tomorrow. Also on today's show: US Senate Democrat Tim Kaine; US House Republican Adam Kinzinger; NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg; New York Times political reporter Astead Herndon. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Could support for Ukraine’s fight for freedom be shaped by elections taking place thousands of miles away in the United States? A series of high-profile American officials have visited Kyiv these past few days, among them a bipartisan group of senators, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and just today, the US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Christiane speaks with the ambassador during her visit to a grain milling plant in Kyiv about ongoing US support for the war effort. Also on today's show: Former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers; award-winning journalist Robin Wright. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The coming winter is the new battleground all across Ukraine. After four weeks of Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, battalions of engineers are working around the clock, trying to prevent a total collapse of the grid. For many residents, especially in towns and cities badly damaged earlier in this war, monumental efforts to rebuild homes as well as traumatized minds are being undertaken. Christiane reports from Irpin, which felt the full force of Russia’s failed attempt to take Kyiv. Also on today's show: Military experts Mike Mullen (former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff) and Richard Shirreff (former NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Europe) provide insight on the latest military maneuvers in Ukraine; Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari; author Nouriel Roubini. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thousands of households are without power in Ukraine's capital Kyiv. The country's leaders say that because Russia can’t defeat them on the battlefield, they’re trying to break them at home instead. So how do the people of Ukraine get by without reliable access to water, heat or power – while knowing winter is coming? Christiane meets with residents and business owners in Kyiv to see how they’re adapting. Following her report, she speaks with the UN's resident coordinator in Ukraine Denise Brown, who oversees the global response to the acute humanitarian needs of the people in the country. Also on today's show: Anne Applebaum, staff writer for The Atlantic; legal scholars Geoffrey Stone and Lee Bollinger on the threat to affirmative action. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christiane is in Ukraine, as it continues to struggle with rolling emergency power outages due to Russian shelling of key civilian infrastructure across the country. Meantime, midterm elections in America take place in under a week and there are concerns that a shift in Washington could impact the battlefield. To discuss, Christiane is joined in Kyiv by two members of a bipartisan congressional delegation who met with President Zelensky today: Democratic Senator Chris Coons and Republican Senator Rob Portman. Also on today's show: Alex Stamos, Director, Stanford Internet Observatory; US House Democrat Stephanie Murphy. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The science is clear: the climate crisis is existential, and humanity is still not doing enough to prevent catastrophe. A new report from the United Nations warns that at our current rate, the world is set for disastrous overheating of 2.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century – way higher than the goal of 1.5. This weekend, world leaders will gather in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt for the COP27 summit, where once more they will try to agree on a way to reverse this. Simon Stiell is the United Nations’ climate chief and speaks to Christiane ahead of this vital summit. Also on today's show: Two-time Oscar-winner Genna Davis; Joan Donovan & Emily Dreyfuss, co-authors of Meme Wars. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Protests in Iran flared up again today, despite the Revolutionary Guards setting a weekend deadline for getting off the streets. There have been widespread protests in the country before, but these were cracked down on in brutal fashion. Is this time any different? And does the west have any leverage? Historian Abbas Milani joins the program to discuss. Also on today's show: Heather McGhee, host of The Sum of Us podcast; Barbara F. Walter, author of How Civil Wars Start. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By narrowly beating incumbent Jair Bolsonaro for the presidency of Brazil, the man who goes simply by Lula has staged a stunning political resurrection. Now the country transitions from Bolsonaro' s far-right authoritarian presidency, back to Lula’s worker party socialism. But Bolsonaro has yet to concede defeat. So, what does Lula's return mean for the Americas, and the world? Former Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge Castaneda joins the show to discuss. Also on today's show: US Senate candidate Evan McMullin; investigative journalist Linda So; CNN's Anderson Cooper. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The beleaguered country of Haiti now stands on the verge of complete collapse. In September, armed gangs seized a critical fuel terminal -- placing a stranglehold on food, water and power. Hospitals are shutting down. Millions of Haitians face food deprivation. Earlier this month, Haiti's transitional leader, Ariel Henry, requested an armed intervention by international forces, to restore peace and some security. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the UN is preparing a resolution in support of an assistance mission. But so far, no country has stepped up to lead. Why is that? Sara is joined by Haiti's Ambassador to the US, Bocchit Edmond. Also on today's show: Dr. Manfret McGhee, father of St. Louis high school shooting victim; Kimberly Mutcherson, Co-Dean, Rutgers University Law School; Nobel prize-winning author Mario Vargas Llosa. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vogue has been setting trends for decades, led by its legendary editor Anna Wintour, and since 2017, Edward Enninful has overseen its British counterpart. He is the first Black person and first man to hold the role. His agenda-setting, star-powered reign has attracted readers and buzz, all fueling speculation that he was gunning for Wintour’s job. But in a revealing conversation with Christiane, Enninful puts the rumors to rest. He tells her how, in his words, he went from dorky immigrant to exotic model, and how he learned to stand up and stand out, making himself A Visible Man. Also on today's show: author Zarifa Ghafari; author Stacy Schiff. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A categoric denial from the Russian Ambassador to the UK today, as Andrei Kelin tells Christiane that Moscow using nuclear weapons is “out of the question,” in a revealing interview. This after the British, American and French governments sent Moscow a stern warning this week, fearing Russia is preparing for an escalation in Ukraine by planting false flag alarms. But the ambassador’s firm stance may not calm fears; after all, Russian officials said all along they were not going to invade Ukraine, yet they did. Kelin is a veteran foreign service officer whose portfolio has included arms control and NATO relations, and he sat down with Christiane at the ambassador’s residence in London. Also on today's show: US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry; Russian investigative journalist Yevgenia Albats. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Without any evidence – and despite denials by Kyiv and Washington – Moscow is claiming that Ukraine plans to use a “dirty bomb” on its territory. Ukraine’s foreign minister calls the story a “pure Russian lie” and says no one should be fooled. As the grinding military battle continues, Ukraine makes hard fought gains in the east and south while Ukraine’s citizens are hunkered down for a possible winter of energy blackouts after vital infrastructure was hit by Russia. President Zelensky’s chief diplomatic adviser joins the program. Also on the program: bestselling author Jon Meacham details Abraham Lincoln’s most difficult decisions in his new book And There Was Light, plus Scott Jennings and Tom Perez discuss the upcoming midterm elections. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a tumultuous several weeks, Britain has a new prime minister and possibly some stability. The former chancellor Rishi Sunak takes over after the implosion of Liz Truss, who in turn took over after Boris Johnson had to resign. Sunak will be the first person of color in the post, and at 42, the youngest in two centuries. To discuss the challenges ahead, Christiane speaks with editor of The Spectator magazine Fraser Nelson, and Ayesha Hazarika, a former Labour Party adviser. Also on today's show: Clea Newman Soderlund, daughter of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, talks about her father's posthumous memoir Paul Newman: The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man; MacArthur Fellowship winner Reuben J. Miller; Edward Enninful, Editor-in-Chief at British Vogue. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Bosnia to Syria to Ukraine, war crimes are an all-too-common reality wherever conflict arises. The failed promise of “never again” after the Holocaust rings hollow time and time again, and with fewer survivors living to tell the tale with every passing year, testimonies like today's first guest become more vital than ever. Tova Friedman was just five years old when she was taken to Auschwitz, where several members of her family were killed. Now she is sharing her life story in a new memoir, The Daughter of Auschwitz. She joins the program alongside her co-author, journalist Malcolm Brabant, to discuss what compelled her to tell her story now, in all its painful details. Also on today's show: Johanna Hamilton & Yoruba Richen, co-directors of the new documentary, The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks; AOL co-founder Steve Case. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Resigning after just 45 days in office, Liz Truss has cemented herself as the United Kingdom’s shortest-serving prime minister. She presided over a period of chaos: her economic plan tanked the pound and sent markets into freefall, raised interest rates and threw ordinary people into panic about their mortgages and the cost of living. Her slew of tax cuts for the wealthy has been ditched now by her new chancellor Jeremy Hunt. Now, the Conservative Party will hold yet another leadership election, aiming to have another prime minister in place by next Friday. But the calls for a general election are growing louder. Can – and should – the Conservative Party really govern Britain right now? Former Conservative MP and minister Sir Alan Duncan joins the program, followed by Labour MP and Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Also on today's show: Robert Draper, author of Weapons of Mass Delusion; wildly popular Iranian singer Googoosh. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Millions of Americans have already turned out in early voting for this year’s midterms in a number of states, setting up a battle between two competing visions for America. While Republicans hammer home messages on inflation and the economy, Democrats focus on defending democracy and the rights of women and families. But with President Biden facing low approval ratings on the economy, it's a tough political environment for Democrats right now. Correspondent Jeff Zeleny looks at a closely-watched race in Michigan. Also on today's show: Nic Robertson on the realities of Russia's war; Ben Macintyre, author of Prisoners of the Castle; US Senate Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse; Matthew Delmont, author of Half American. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Concern is growing about Elnaz Rekabi, the 33-year-old Iranian athlete who competed in South Korea on Sunday without a mandatory hijab. On social media today, Rekabi said there was a problem climbing with the covering, apologized, and said she was returning to Iran. Now rights groups based abroad are raising the alarm about what might happen to her once she’s home. It comes amid ongoing protests by Iranian women and male allies, sparked by the death of police custody of Mahsa Amini. Amini was an Iranian Kurd, and that community has borne the brunt of the regime’s crackdown. Now some are fleeing across the border to Iraqi Kurdistan and joining armed opposition groups. Correspondent Nima Elbagir traveled there to learn more about this budding insurgency. Also on today's show: British MP Crispin Blunt, the first Conservative Member of Parliament to call for new Prime Minister Liz Truss' ouster; author Anand Giridharadas; Gina Kim, executive producer of Rising Against Asian Hate: One Day in March. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's happening in the UK right now has heads spinning around the globe. New Prime Minister Liz Truss is already scrambling to survive. Her new chancellor Jeremy Hunt today brought down the axe on nearly all of her tax-cutting plan after it sent the markets spiraling. To make sense of all of this, Christiane spoke to Rory Stewart, former conservative party MP and cabinet minister, and economist Mariana Mazzucato. Also on today's show: Frank Tsai, the founder of China Crossroads, which works closely with academic and business figures in China; Rana Faroohar, a global economic analyst for CNN and columnist at the Financial Times; actor Jeremy Strong and director James gray discuss their new movie Armageddon Time. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a dangerous time for Russians speaking out against President Vladimir Putin – though many still bravely do so. Russian human rights group Memorial has been working since the 1980s to expose abuses by the Russian state. The Nobel committee recognized this in awarding the group this year’s Peace Prize, which it shares with Ukraine’s Center for Civil Liberties, and an imprisoned Belarusian human rights advocate. Christiane speaks with its Chairman Jan Raczynski about the Nobel honor and his fight against repression. Also on today's show: Defending Democracy Together cofounder Sarah Longwell; artist Barbara Chase-Riboud. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Temperatures are falling in Europe, so the urgency is rising to get Ukraine ready for winter warfare. NATO defense ministers have just wrapped up two days of meetings in Brussels, with Germany, the Netherlands and France rushing air defense systems to the country after Russia launched a wave of missile attacks that killed civilians. The alliance also says it will go ahead with its annual nuclear exercises planned for next week, amid Putin’s veiled threats about tactical nuclear weapons. For more on this, Christiane speaks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Also on today's show: Professor Vali Nasr, a former State Department official, gives his take on the continuing Iran protests; Chase Strangio, deputy director for transgender justice at the ACLU, discusses misconceptions about transgender health and rights. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s nearly one month since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died after being hauled in by Iran’s morality police, and protesters are still in the streets. It’s the biggest threat to the regime in many years. At the frontlines are women and even schoolgirls fighting for freedom and defying strict laws on the wearing of the hijab. But these protests are also about the dire economic reality facing the country. CNN International Correspondent Jomana Karadsheh joins the show, followed by University of Tehran professor Mohammad Marandi. Also on today's show: photographer Tyler Mitchell; Harvard Law School professor Noah Feldman; Angela Lansbury from the archives. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The midterms are four weeks away, with the economy and abortion rights at the top of people’s minds as they prepare to vote. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe, polls show confidence is at an historic low, with over half of Americans disapproving of the court’s performance. And as its new term gets underway, a raft of cases could drastically impact huge swathes of life in America, including voting, LGBT rights, and climate regulation. Joining us to discuss is former US Attorney General Eric Holder. Also on today's show: Reza Aslan, author of An American Martyr in Persia; Richard Reeves, author of Of Boys and Men. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden and world leaders are condemning Russia’s massive missile strikes against Ukraine and have vowed to continue supporting its fight for freedom. The strikes are viewed as Russia’s revenge for the downing of parts of the key bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland, as well as weeks of Ukrainian gains on the battlefield. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has cut short a tour of Africa where he was appealing for the continent’s support, and he joins the show to discuss. Also on today's show: Karim Khan, Chief Prosecutor, International Criminal Court; Yeganeh Rezaian, Senior Researcher, Committee to Protect Journalists; Astead Herndon; national politics reporter, New York Times. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Women have been at the forefront of ongoing protests in Iran, following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the so-called morality police three weeks ago. In a country infamous for crushing dissent, these women are trying to force authorities to pay attention to their demands, sometimes at their own peril, as Jomana Karadsheh explains. Following her report Christiane is joined by Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel laureate and human rights lawyer who was Iran's first female presiding judge before being demoted following the 1979 revolution. Also on today's show: celebrated journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault, author of a new memoir, My People; Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Washington is watching fast-moving developments on two fronts, in Ukraine and in North Korea. Kim Jong Un fired two shortrange missiles into North Korea’s eastern waters, just two days after sending a missile over Japan. It amounts to 24 missile tests so far this year, the highest number since Kim came to power 10 years ago. Meantime in Ukraine, officials there say a number of Russian missiles have struck the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, some leveling large parts of residential buildings. This while President Zelensky says his forces continue to make important gains both in the east and in the south. To dig into all this, Christiane speaks with US National Security Spokesperson John Kirby. Also on today's show: John Ridley, writer, director and executive producer of Five Days At Memorial, a new documentary about Hurricane Katrina; actor Wendell Pierce. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A deliberate muddying of the facts about its invasion of Ukraine has been Russia’s game plan -- it now brushes off talk of military setbacks by saying it's "regrouping.” But widely circulated videos of Russian soldiers paint a very different picture. Correspondent Melissa Bell reports, followed by an interview with Andrey Kortunov, Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council, a think tank with connections to the Russian foreign ministry. Also on today's show: Oscar-nominated actor Stanley Tucci, host of the hit travel series Searching for Italy; Oscar-nominated director Immy Humes, author of The Only Woman. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The world is watching Iranians young and old confront the Islamic regime amid fears of a worsening crackdown. It's day 18 of unprecedented protests that erupted after the death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. Jomana Karadsheh spoke to one of the student protesters. Following her interview, Christiane speaks Fatemeh Shams, an assistant professor of modern Persian literature at the University of Pennsylvania, who took part in anti-government protests of 2009 before fleeing Iran for the US. Also on today's show: Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukraine President Zelensky; Parag Khanna, author of MOVE: Where People Are Going for a Better Future; Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Maggie Haberman. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The US and its NATO allies are swiftly warning of retaliation and catastrophic consequences for Russia should President Putin follow through on pledges of nuclear warfare. Many are wondering just how far Putin will push it, as Ukraine continues to bust through Russian lines after weeks of a successful offensive in the east and now the south. The key city of Lyman in Donetsk is now back in the hands of Ukrainian forces. Correspondent Nic Payton Walsh was the first TV journalist to visit the city and he joins the show to discuss. Also on today's show: US Senate Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of both the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees; former Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim; Scott Armstrong, author of Adrift: America in 100 Charts. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices