Amanpour

Just before a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas, Christiane sat down with Biden’s top diplomat, outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken for his final television interview. She asked him about the details of the deal, calls from Israeli ministers to resettle Gaza, criticism of IDF conduct, and America’s role in Vladimir Putin’s all-out invasion of Ukraine. Blinken also shares his concerns about passing the baton to Trump and Marco Rubio, just days before Donald Trump takes the oath of office for a second term. Then, Hanako Montgomery reports on a surge of crime among female pensioners in fast-aging Japan, landing themselves in prison where they are taken care of in their old age. And, oscar-winning, Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar joins Christiane to discuss his new film "The Room Next Door," his first English language feature portraying death among friends, starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton. When it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, much of the focus is on Gaza. From her archive, Christiane revisits her 2007 report exploring the alliance between Christian evangelicals in the U.S. and Israel's settler movement. She highlights that evangelicals continue to influence president-elect Donald Trump and Republican politics to this day. Finally, “Babygirl” Director Halina Reign speaks to Christiane about the bold erotic thriller stirring up conversation and awards buzz, starring Nicole Kidman.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's an agonizing wait in Gaza and for Israeli hostage families, as a ceasefire proposal moves closer to reality. Former head of Israeli Military Intelligence Amos Yadlin joins the program from Tel Aviv to discuss.Also on today's show: Tim Wu, law professor, Columbia University; Derek Thompson, staff writer, The Atlantic; Joan Baez (from the archives)  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At least 77 Palestinians were killed in intense bombardment since the ceasefire deal was announced, Gaza's Civil Defense says. And in Israel, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened to quit over the terms of the second phase of the agreement, a move that could threaten to collapse the Netanyahu government. The Biden administration "fully expects" the hostage deal to be implemented Sunday, while Hamas said it is "committed to the truce." Just as the ceasefire deal was being reached, Christiane sat down in Washington to discuss all this with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Also on today's show: former hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin; Altadena, California resident Kevin Williams  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A ceasefire-hostage release agreement has been reached by the Israeli government and Hamas. Christiane spoke about this breakthrough in an interview with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and CNN Senior Global Affairs Analyst Bianna Golodryga. Also on today's show: UN Humanitarian Relief Chief Tom Fletcher; Palestinian National Initiative President Mustafa Barghouti; Sharone Lifschitz, who's father is a hostage in Gaza  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First, we bring you the latest on the contentious confirmation hearing for Donald Trump's nominee for US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. Then, with fire weather risk at its highest, Christiane asks former California Governor Jerry Brown what more could have been done? And, is the world ready for the next pandemic? The director general of the World Health Organization joins the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The winds are picking up again and the death toll is rising in what could be the worst wildfires in California’s history. It's an all-out race against the environment as firefighters battle to keep the blazes contained and maintain what progress they've made in the past few days. More than 20 people are confirmed dead, dozens more are missing, over a hundred thousand people are under evacuation orders, and thousands of homes are destroyed. Correspondent Veronica Miracle has the details from Altadena.Also on today's show: Robert Kagan, Contributing Writer, The Atlantic; Director/writer Halina Reijn ("Babygirl"); Co-Directors Slava Leontyev and Brendan Bellomo ("Porcelain War")  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump may not be back in the White House yet, and he's already causing ructions overseas. Not just threatening to invade and annex allies, like Greenland, Panama, and Canada, but also allowing his unelected wingman, Elon Musk—using his X platform—to troll world leaders and interfere in democracies abroad. Christiane speaks with tech journalist Kara Swisher and the director of the British Future think tank, Sunder Katwala, about what’s driving Musk’s freelancing in international politics and how dangerous his influence on Trump is. She also gets into the specifics of the two decades old grooming scandal and why Musk's accusations against Keir Starmer are wrong. With wildfires raging in California, President Biden's outgoing DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas joined Christiane to talk about the extreme weather emergency, Trump's promise of mass deportations, and how the terror attack on New Years Day has been politicized. And, A new film by Oscar-winner Errol Morris, "Separated," based on Jacob Soboroff’s bestselling book, examines the lasting trauma of family separation under Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy during his first term. Christiane sits down with Morris and Soboroff to talk about about their film, the human cost and the chilling possibility of history repeating itself. And as President Jimmy Carter is laid to rest, Christiane revisits their 2007 interview, which explores the late president's reflections on faith and his complicated history with Israel.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is ten days until Donald Trump reenters the White House and by his side will be the world's richest man - Elon Musk. In the UK, Musk has stoked the flames of the far-right and misinformation. Musk also sought to interfere in Germany's upcoming elections, posting that the only thing that could save Germany is the AFD. To discuss all things Musk, longtime tech journalist Kara Swisher and the director of British Future Sunder Katwala join Christiane. Also on today's show: Director Pedro Almodovar, "The Room Next Door"; Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wildfires continue to rage out of control in Southern California. Tens of thousands of residents have been forced to flee and in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, and more than one thousand structures have been destroyed in Altadena, forcing most of the town to evacuate. Reporter Kyung Lah joins the program with the details.Also on today's show: James Fallows, former chief speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter; Abbas Milani, Director of Iranian Studies at Stanford University; Kai Bird, author of the Jimmy Carter bio "Outlier"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're witnessing massive destruction and harrowing escapes in Southern California as out-of-control wildfires sweep across Los Angeles County. Extreme weather events are on the rise, and just one of the many threats across the desk of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Now preparing to hand over his brief to the incoming Trump administration, he joins the show from Washington, DC.Also on today's show: Director Ibrahim Nash'at, "Hollywoodgate"; Wine on Wheels founder Yannick Benjamin  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices