Two top scientific bodies recently announced that coral reefs around the world are experiencing a mass bleaching event for just the fourth time. It comes amid surging ocean temperatures over the past year, which has been the warmest on record. In this episode, we examine how a number of extreme climate change-fueled events – including coral bleaching – are on display in Australia and whether they could provide lessons in climate resiliency for the rest of the world.  Guest: Ivan Watson, CNN Senior International Correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More than a year after being charged, the hush money criminal trial of former President Donald Trump is set to begin this week in New York City. It comes amid numerous delays in his other criminal cases, with time ticking down until the presidential election in November. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges. In this episode, we examine the challenges of seating a jury in an unprecedented case like this and look at both sides’ legal arguments.  Guest: Paula Reid, CNN Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Millions of eyes will be on the sky Monday when the last total solar eclipse in the contiguous United States until 2044 arrives. Tourists from all over the country are flocking to the path of totality in hopes of getting the clearest view, but it remains to be seen if the weather will cooperate. In this episode, we answer some common questions about the event and examine whether space phenomena can unite Americans like it did decades ago.  Guest: Kristin Fisher, CNN Space & Defense Correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the Tennessee legislature expelled state representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson for protesting inaction on gun violence last year, more people became aware of how the state’s Republican supermajority operates. However, there are Republicans and Democrats who say the current way of doing business is making it hard to get any kind of legislation passed. In this episode, we hear from grassroots lawmakers about how the gridlock is impacting their constituents and what it can tell us about our national politics ahead of the election in November.  Guest: Van Jones, CNN Political Commentator Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments this week in a case that could restrict access to a widely used abortion pill - even in states where the procedure is still allowed. It is another major moment in the battle over reproductive rights following the overturning of Roe v. Wade and a controversial ruling in Alabama which cast doubt on the future of IVF treatment. In this episode, we hear what the justices will be considering and look at how the current state of abortion access is impacting women in Republican states.  Guests: Meg Tirrell, CNN Medical Correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Earlier this week, Haitian prime minister Ariel Henry announced he would resign amid spreading gang violence and instability. The United Nations estimates that gangs control nearly 80% of Haiti’s capital, brutalizing civilians and attacking police. Meanwhile, a Kenyan-led force is set to take over security on the island once a presidential council is in place, but there are major questions about how effective it will be. In this episode, a CNN team describes what they heard from residents about the terrors they’ve faced and what they want for the future.  Guests: David Culver, CNN Senior National Correspondent & Caitlin Hu, CNN Senior Editor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite efforts from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to increase diversity, many groups still feel more could be done. In January, hundreds of Hollywood figures urged the Academy to include Jews in its representation and inclusion standards, saying the omission “erases Jewish peoplehood and perpetuates myths of Jewish whiteness.” In this episode, we examine the history of antisemitism in Hollywood and whether diversity initiatives are making a meaningful impact beyond the Oscars.  Guest: Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN Entertainment Correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As opioid overdose deaths continue at a near-record pace, many cities are seeing the problem play out on public streets. In Oregon, state leaders recently teamed up to declare a 90-day state of emergency in downtown Portland which will direct resources to help combat the fentanyl crisis. In this episode, we examine why fentanyl and other synthetic opioids have become such a danger to drug users, and whether Portland’s approach can be a model for other cities across the country.  Guest: Josh Campbell, CNN Correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, thousands of soldiers on both sides have been killed and multiple cities have been destroyed. Recently, Ukraine has been forced to retreat from the city of Avdiivka amid dwindling ammunition supplies. Meanwhile, Western unity has started to show cracks and billions of dollars in US aid have been held up amid hesitation from congressional Republicans. In this episode, we hear from soldiers on the frontlines about what it’s like to fight with a lack of ammo and how two years of war have changed the country.  Guest: Ivana Kottasová, CNN International Senior Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the aftermath of special counsel Robert Hur’s report stating that President Joe Biden would present to a jury as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” age and mental competency are once again being talked about on the campaign trail. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has continually attacked Biden and former President Donald Trump over their age, while also proposing politicians over age 75 take a mental competency test. In this episode, we examine how older voters in South Carolina feel about age as a campaign issue ahead of the state’s Republican primary.  Guest: Kylie Atwood, CNN Correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite blockbuster jobs numbers, robust consumer spending, and easing inflation, many Americans do not feel good about the US economy. The negative feelings are especially strong amongst young people struggling to pay their bills. Meanwhile, many are finding it hard – if not impossible – to imagine they will ever own a home. In this episode, we examine how Gen Z is turning to TikTok for financial advice and whether these negative feelings could impact President Joe Biden’s reelection chances.  Guest: Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Business and Politics Correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In December, the Colorado Supreme Court shocked the political world when it removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot under the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist clause.” The US Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in the case this week following a fast-tracked appeals process. In this episode, we examine the untested legal theory, Trump’s defense, and how the justices’ decision could reverberate well beyond this year’s election.  Guest: Joan Biskupic, CNN Senior Supreme Court Analyst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, igniting a massive inferno which spewed poisonous chemicals in the air. In the days and weeks after, some residents who had evacuated wondered whether it would ever be safe enough to return to their homes. Nearly a year later, that sentiment remains along with anger pointed at the federal government and Norfolk Southern over what some see as an inadequate response. In this episode, we hear from affected residents and business owners about their uncertain futures.  Guest: Jason Carroll, CNN Correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After former President Donald Trump’s resounding win in Iowa, the Republican primary shifts to New Hampshire. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley are banking on undeclared voters to swing their way as Trump sharpens his attacks against the only two candidates left in the race. In this episode, we hear how those independents could change the dynamic of the race and why President Joe Biden’s campaign is quietly concerned about the Democratic primary in the state.  Guest: Kasie Hunt, CNN Chief National Affairs Analyst  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Iowa Republicans will gather this week to pick a nominee for president in the first party event of the 2024 primary. While former president Donald Trump holds a large lead in the polls, undecided voters have been weighing whether his multiple criminal indictments and efforts to overturn the last election mean it’s time to move on. In this episode, we hear from a group of Iowans about how they feel about the rest of the field and examine what to watch for on caucus night.  Guest: John King, CNN Chief National Correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Border crossings along the US-Mexico border reached a record high last month, overwhelming resources in border communities and adding urgency to immigration reform negotiations on Capitol Hill. While migrant encounters have dropped in recent days, the issue will remain a lively political issue as presidential primaries get underway and House Republicans begin impeachment proceedings against Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. In this episode, we examine the reality on the ground and hear how the impacts of policies in Texas are being felt in communities across the country.   Guest: Ed Lavandera, CNN Senior National Correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we enter 2024, all eyes will be on the Iowa caucuses later this month to see if Republican voters have any appetite for moving on from former President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, the Republican frontrunner continues to make statements on the campaign trail that experts say sound increasingly authoritarian. What should we make of the stark rhetoric? In this episode, we hear a conversation between CNN’s Audie Cornish and Kristen Holmes about what exactly Trump has planned for a possible second term.  Listen to “The Assignment with Audie Cornish” here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We do our best on this show to stay on top of the news – but even we couldn’t cover everything in 2023. In this episode, we hear from a group of CNN correspondents and reporters about what we missed - and what we should be looking out for in 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky came to Washington DC earlier this week to plead with Congress to come together on $61 billion in new aid for the country in its war against Russia. His visit comes amid a failed Ukrainian counteroffensive and improved Russian performance on the battlefield. In this episode, we hear how Ukrainian forces are adapting to waning Western support and why this is a moment Russian President Vladimir Putin may be able to seize on in Moscow.  Guest: Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Chief International Security Correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A high-profile criminal trial is underway in Atlanta that could have major implications for the music industry. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has alleged Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug is the cofounder of a criminal street gang responsible for violent acts and is pointing to his song lyrics as proof of the gang’s existence. In this episode, we examine the case and the controversy around the RICO statue used to charge it – the same law used to indict former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants in connection with their alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Guest: Ryan Young, CNN Correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices