January 10, 2020

This week’s tragic disaster of the Ukrainian airliner highlights the urgent need for diplomacy that lowers the temperature. But what is America’s strategy towards Iran now? And what can be expected from Tehran? Christiane speaks with two experts: Sir Richard Dalton was the U.K.’s man in Tehran for years, while Barbara Slavin is the Atlantic Council’s top Iran expert.

The U.S. has a long and complicated history with Iran, dating back to before the Ayatollahs came to power in the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Ervand Abrahamian is an Iranian-Armenian historian whose book “The Coup” is the latest in his work unpacking U.S./Iranian relations. He tells Walter about the history of distrust and hostility between these two nations.

In a world filled with violence and polarization, new studies show that there are significant health benefits to even the smallest acts of kindness, like holding open a door or buying someone a coffee. Now UCLA has set up the world’s first institute to study kindness, and aims to research how it catches on. Christiane speaks with the institute’s inaugural director, anthropologist Daniel Fessler.