Amanpour

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

This week, the world bids farewell to President Jimmy Carter, who died on December 29. As a one-term President beset by crises, including high inflation and the Iranian hostage crisis, Carter's legacy for a long time seemed mixed at best. But throughout his long post-presidency, he devoted himself to peace-making, eradicating diseases, and public service in a way that gradually reframed his earlier accomplishments. Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat knew Carter well, having served as his chief domestic policy adviser, and argues he "was our most accomplished one-term modern President." He joins the show from Washington, DC. Also on today's show: "Sing Sing" Director Greg Kwedar and actor Colman Domingo; Bruce Hoffman, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On January 20, Donald Trump will be inaugurated at the US Capitol, where four years ago today his supporters attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 election. On the world stage, the new administration will confront a slew of challenges from the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza to tense relations with China. David Petraeus is well known as a highly decorated four-star general and the former Director of the CIA. He recently joined Christiane to forecast the opportunities and pitfalls facing the new administration.Also on today's show: Former Canadian Environment Minister Catherine McKenna; former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Siamak Namazi, an Iranian-American who endured eight years in Iran's Evin prison, shares his harrowing experiences and the challenges of re-entering life outside captivity. Tom Hanks, the Hollywood icon, along with co-writer Christopher Riley, dives into their documentary 'The Moonwalkers,' exploring humanity's fascination with space travel amid cultural reflections. They discuss the lessons learned from past explorations while highlighting resilience in the face of adversity, connecting deeply with ongoing global issues.