Amanpour

Less than three months remain before the crucial midterms will decide whether Democrats or Republicans will control the Senate. As the parties campaign hard across a range of issues, Americans can perhaps breathe a sigh of relief when it comes to one key domestic concern: crime. A new report shows a notable drop across large cities in the first half of this year, with homicides reaching their lowest level since at least 1900. The report notes this trend isn't evidence of the success or failure of any particular policy, and says it's likely the result of a range of factors. Steve Cohen is a Democratic congressman who sits on both the Judiciary and Intelligence House Committees. He joins the show to break it all down. 

Also on today’s show: Brad Setser, Fmr. Sr. Adviser to U.S. Trade Representative / Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations; Hannah Critchfield. Reporter, The Wall Street Journal 

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Kyiv is leveraging its drone prowess by striking deep inside Russia, yet Ukraine remains exposed due to a chronic shortage of air defences. Dara Massicot of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, gives the latest status of the war. Then, reflecting on America's 250th anniversary and how music forges communities. World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative Bryan Stevenson explain what drew them to curate "We The People", a series of performances aimed at envisioning a brighter future for the U.S. And, authorities in Russia are warning about the rise of so-called 'black widow' scams, where brides allegedly marry vulnerable recruits to cash in on compensation when they're killed in combat. CNN's Matthew Chance reports from inside Russia. Plus, love and humour shine through the cracks of the conflict and crises embattling Lebanon. Writer and Director of "A Sad and Beautiful World" Cyril Aras joins the show. Plus, the age-old debate over immigration to Europe is resurfacing following the mass influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. From Christiane's archives, a look back at how Europe wrestled with the mass influx of Eastern European migrants escaping communism back in 1990.

Air date: August 8, 2026

Guests:

Dara Massicot

Yo-Yo Ma and Bryan Stevenson

Cyril Aras

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After three bloody years of civil war in Sudan, bombings, malnutrition and sexual violence are now widespread - and getting worse. As the crisis deepens, humanitarian organizations across the board are pleading for assistance. Joining the show to discuss are UNICEF's Sudan Country Director Sheldon Yett and Sudanese scholar Khalid Mustafa Medani. 

Also on today's show: cellist Yo-Yo Ma & Equal Justice Initiative Exec Dir Bryan Stevenson; NYT tech reporter Natasha Singer 

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Once again, confusion reigns over the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump promised again this week that the vital shipping lane will open "very soon". The problem is that the US is not negotiating directly with Iran. Tehran is speaking to Oman, and says a deal on the Strait is close, but that agreement would not automatically reopen the Strait. They first want the US to meet certain guarantees. For more on this, Correspondent Jeremy Diamond joins the show from Tel Aviv.  

Also on today's show: Linda Robinson, Sr. Fellow for Women and Foreign Policy, Council on Foreign Relations; Jia Tolentino, Staff Writer, The New Yorker; Idrees Kahloon, Staff Writer, The Atlantic 

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After a tight race with moderate Haley Stevens, progressive Abdul el-Sayed is now officially the Michigan Democratic Senate primary winner. The contest has been an enormously expensive one, with the candidates' stances on Israel a central issue in the campaign. But while el-Sayed may well score a win for the progressives, it's a more mixed picture nationally. Political analyst Ron Brownstein joins us to discuss. 

Also on today's show: Lawton Nuss, Former Chief Justice, Kansas Supreme Court; Annie Jacobsen, Author, "Biological War: A Scenario" 

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The European Union held an emergency meeting today over Thursday's surge of migrants into Spanish territory. Some are also blaming Spain's liberal migration policies as a factor, while others accuse Moroccan authorities of facilitating the crisis. Nathalie Tocci is an Italian foreign policy expert and former adviser to the EU's foreign policy chief, and she joins the show from Rome.  

Also on today's show: Ashish Jha, Former White House Covid-19 Response Coordinator; Bahiyyih Nakhjavani, Editor and co-translator, “Open Wide the Doors”; Karla Murthy, Director/Producer/Editor, “The Gas Station Attendant” 

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Ukraine has been stepping up its long-range attacks inside Russia. Meanwhile, Moscow continues to pound Kyiv, with a massive missile attack over the weekend. Dara Massicot is a senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia program at Carnegie and has just returned from a research trip to Ukraine. She joins the show from Washington. 

Also on today's show: Chris Krebs, Former United States Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; financial journalist William Cohan 

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Fires on all sides, as France and Spain battle blazes, Europe swelters under high temperatures, and the U.S. sees its third heat dome in a month. Environmentalist Bill McKibben explains how we can still get on top of the climate change challenge, if we act now. And, reflecting on Emmett Till's legacy, and the life he could have had, in a new exhibition "If Emmett Till Lived." Curator Sarah Elizabeth Lewis and Till's cousin, Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr., join the program. Then, learning lessons about sleep, from one of the world's most sleep deprived nations. Hanako Montgomery tries out the whacky inventions Japanese inventors are coming up with to improve our sleep quality. Author Dave Eggers discusses his new novel "Contrapposto" and the dangers AI poses to children and teens. Plus, it's not just the western world feeling the impact of the climate crisis as across Africa extreme weather, from droughts to floods, is making life perilous. From Christiane's archives, a look back at the 1992 emergency U.S. military intervention to end a devastating famine in Somalia.

Air date: August 01, 2026

Guests:

Bill McKibben

Sarah Elizabeth Lewis & Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr.

Dave Eggers

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First: Does journalism face its gravest danger yet? Christiane speaks to reporter Amy Goodman and filmmaker Tia Lessin, about their new documentary exploring the fight for an independent press.

Then: A powerful new exhibition imagines the life Emmett Till was denied. Historian Sarah Lewis and the Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr. join the show to discuss.

And: Long before Silicon Valley dominated our lives, Paulina Borsook warned of its growing power. Michel Martin speaks to the journalist who saw today's tech titans coming.

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Ukraine reels from yet another night of deadly strikes from Russia that killed at least nine people, including children. Poland blames Moscow for firing a missile into its territory, creating a massive crater after it landed and exploded in a field. Two NATO fighter jets were activated and prepared to shoot it down. To discuss whether this changes the tide in the war, Ukrainian journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk joins the show. 

Also on today's show: Nabiha Syed, Executive Director, Mozilla Foundation; Gioconda Belli, Nicaraguan novelist and poet; Marita Golden, Co-founder, Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Foundation & Gwen McKinney, Creator and Campaign Director, Unerased | Black Women Speak 

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