President Trump's long-awaited meeting with China's Xi Jinping has resulted in some success or both sides, with agreements on rare earth minerals and tariffs. But while these deals may be a welcome sign of diplomatic engagement, Trump's unexpected order to start nuclear weapons testing again, for the first time in 30 years, grabbed the bigger headlines. Matt Pottinger was Trump's Deputy National Security Adviser during his first term, and he joins the program from Utah.  Also on today's show: Patrick Gaspard, confidant of NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani; author Julia Ioffe ("Motherland")

Oct 30, 2025

Gaza has seen its deadliest day since the ceasefire began just over two weeks ago. The Israeli strikes come after Israel accused Hamas of an attack that killed an IDF soldier and allegedly staging the discovery of a deceased hostage. But Hamas says it has "no connection" to the attack and remains  committed to the deal. To discuss, former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas joins Christiane from Tel Aviv.  Also on today's show: Mustafa Barghouti, President, Palestinian National Initiative; journalist/historian Garrett Graff; author Michael McFaul, former US Ambassador to Russia

Oct 29, 2025

The strongest storm of the year, Hurricane Melissa, has hit Jamaica. Called the "storm of the century" by the UN, it's a Category 5 with winds of 180 miles per hour. The National Hurricane Center is warning of landslides, catastrophic flash flooding and gusts that may cause total structural failure. Marva-Allen Simms, who works for a partner of the humanitarian organization CARE, joins the show to discuss.  Also on today's show: Meteorologist/atmospheric scientist John Morales; Sudan analyst Shayna Lewis & Arjan Hehenkamp, Darfur Crisis Lead for the IRC; Washington Post reporter David Ovalle

Oct 28, 2025

President Trump is in Asia and will soon meet with Japan's newly elected Prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. She must immediately contend with a challenging backdrop: The US has already won a $550 billion investment pledge from her debt-filled nation, in exchange for respite from crippling tariffs. Also at stake is Japan's security in the face of rising threats from China, who Trump is expected to meet with on Thursday in South Korea. David Sanger is the National Security Correspondent for The New York Times and he joins the show from Washington, DC.  Also on today's show: former US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith; author Beth Macy ("Paper Girl")

Oct 27, 2025

A look at gender equality, specifically the revolutionary walkout by Icelandic women 50 years ago, as documented in Pamela Hogan's film 'The Day Iceland Stood Still.' The show discusses the impact of women's strikes on society and includes an interview with Iceland's second female president, Hala Thomas Dottir. The episode also highlights the struggles of the Palestinian filmmakers behind the Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land,' focusing on the challenges they face in distributing their fi...Show morelm in the United States amid rising settler violence in the West Bank. Additionally, the program features a segment on the remarkable 92-year-old Italian sprinter Emma Zenga and her secrets to longevity. Finally, former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg shares insights from his tenure, including his interactions with global leaders and the complexities of maintaining the NATO alliance, particularly during Trump's presidency.

Oct 25, 2025

According to the World Economic Forum, we're still 123 years away from full equality for women. So it's critical to remember the moments history was made. On this day, 50 years ago, 90 percent of the women in Iceland went on strike. Their "women's day off" changed the country forever. It's now the subject of a new documentary called "The Day Iceland Stood Still." To mark this day, Christiane spoke to the film's director Pamela Hogan, and the President of Iceland, Halla Tómasdóttir.  Also on today's show: author Gayle Young ("Update: Reporting from an Ancient Land"); author Cory Doctorow ("Enshittification")

Oct 24, 2025

We begin today's show with a historic visit to the Vatican, where Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla met with Pope Leo. It’s the first time in 500 years that a British monarch has prayed with the Pope, a powerful gesture of reconciliation after centuries of conflict between Protestants and Catholics, and a symbolic encounter between the heads of the Church of England and the Catholic Church. CNN's Chrisopher Lamb, author of “The Outsider: Pope Francis and the Battle to Reform the Church," joins the show to discuss.  Also on today's show: musician Annie Lennox; Sarah Leah Whitson, Executive Director, Democracy for the Arab World Now

Oct 23, 2025

President Trump continues to threaten Venezuela, sending B-52 bombers to its coast, deploying more warships to the Caribbean sea and surging troops in the region. As the administration continues to bomb boats it says are carrying drugs, a group of independent UN experts now calls them "extrajudicial executions." Colombia's president says it's "murder." Trump is retaliating by ending aid to the country and Bogota has recalled its Ambassador to the US in response. For more on this, we welcome Chri...Show morestopher Sabatini from Chatham House and Ivan Briscoe from the International Crisis Group.  Also on today's show: Elliot Williams, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General For Legislative Affairs, DOJ; Sam Kass, former Senior Nutrition Policy Adviser to President Obama

Oct 22, 2025

European leaders are meeting in England this week to push for a "just and lasting peace" in Ukraine. With President Trump’s unpredictable position on the Ukraine war, it’s up to Europe to hold the line against a deal that could undermine Kyiv and weaken Europe. Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg led the alliance from 2014 to 2024, grappling with Russia’s aggression and Donald Trump’s threats to pull out of NATO altogether. He’s published a new memoir, called “On My Watch,” about his successes, and his mistakes.  Also on today's show: Basel Adra & Yuval Abraham, Co-directors, “No Other Land”; former US Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy

Oct 21, 2025

Despite the ceasefire, it was another deadly weekend in the shattered enclave of Gaza. Meanwhile, the UN warns that the aid supplies getting into Gaza are still "way below what's needed." The decision to allow some aid in, though, indicates Israeli is maintaining key components of Trump's ceasefire deal, for now. Veteran diplomat and former peace negotiator Dennis Ross joins the show live from Washington DC.  Former US Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker; Jad Abumrad, host of the podcast "Fela Kuti: Fear No Man"; author Andrew Ross Sorkin ("1929")

Oct 20, 2025