Sean Callebs

Sean Callebs

Sean Callebs has been a network reporter in four different decades. He comes to CGTN with more than 20 years experience at CNN, where he covered a wide array of stories. Sean was CNN’s point person based in New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Sean also put a face on the problem of poverty in the United States when he lived on food stamps for a month, and was nationally recognized for his work as the number of people dependent of food stamps surged from about 26 million to more than 32 million in the United States.

Sean has worked in a number of countries including China, Cuba, Guatemala, Afghanistan, Jordan, and Kuwait. He reported from Ground Zero in New York for weeks in the aftermath of the attacks on Sept. 11.

Sean anchored news programs on CNN and CNN Headline News, and was in the anchor chair the morning Saddam Hussein was captured in Iraq. He also got the only interview with Timothy McVeigh’s co-conspirator in the aftermath of the horrific attack on the federal building in Oklahoma City.

Sean has been widely recognized for his work. Among his awards is a National Emmy for his coverage in the aftermath of the Mississippi River flood in 1993. He received a Gold Medal at the New York Film Festival that same year for a documentary on Alaska three years after the Exxon Valdez Spill. He has won numerous awards for spot news reporting, including Hurricane Katrina and the Oklahoma City Bombing.

In 2011, Sean served as a diplomat in Afghanistan for the U.S. State Department, where he helped rebuild the country’s TV, radio, and film industries.

He is a distinguished alum from Marshall University, and delivered the commencement address at the University in 2010.

STORIES BY SEAN CALLEBS

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February 27, 2024

The Heat: Climate Change Crisis

The period from February 2023 to January 2024 was the hottest 12-month span ever recorded. Global average temperatures rose above 1.52 degrees Celsius, an important marker by climate scientists as global warming and the climate crisis continue to impact communities across the globe. Joining the […] Read More...
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February 26, 2024

The Heat: Global Economy

The International Monetary Fund upgraded its outlook for global economy for 2024, pointing to the better-than-expected performance of China and the United States last year. Meanwhile, Japan, the United Kingdom and Germany are dealing with recession.   Joining the discussion:  John Quelch is the Executive Vice […] Read More...
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February 23, 2024

The Heat: U.S. Presidential Election

In the race for the White House, the Republican Party is set to hold another primary on Saturday in South Carolina. The question is not so much whether Donald Trump will win, but will Nikki Haley stay in the contest. Joining the discussion: Eleanor Clift […] Read More...
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January 29, 2024

The Heat: China-France Relations

China and France mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties. France became the first Western country to normalize ties with China in 1964 and since then Sino-French relations have strengthened and expanded.  Today, France is China’s third-largest trading partner in the European Union, with bilateral […] Read More...
December 1, 2023

World reaction to the death of Dr. Henry Kissinger

  Henry Kissinger’s influence around the world is being remembered.  At home, almost always a controversial figure. But abroad, especially in China, the former U.S. Secretary of State is being remembered for his historic ties with China.  Read More...
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November 6, 2023

The Heat: Israel-Hamas Conflict

More than 10,000 people have died in Gaza since the start of the conflict, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Israel has rebuffed calls for a ceasefire, saying any deal would require the release of all hostages held by Hamas.  In the meantime, the humanitarian […] Read More...
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October 17, 2023

The Heat: Belt and Road Forum

The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation is underway in China. World leaders are gathered in Beijing for what’s being called China’s “most important diplomatic event” of the year. Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed his global guests, voicing enthusiasm for another ‘golden decade’ […] Read More...
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September 4, 2023

Washington D.C. celebrates Chinese culture

Despite the ongoing tension between the United States and China, the two nations came together in the heart of Washington, D.C.   The celebration was called the Washington Chinese Cultural Festival.   Food, song, dance, and perhaps most important – unity. CGTN’s Sean Callebs reports. Read More...
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