The impact of COVID-19 has been hardest on the poor. The massive inequality gap is exemplified in the UK, where the government has opted not to extend a program for free school meals during the holidays, ensuring that children in need will go hungry. The government’s former homeless adviser Dame Louise Casey is warning that many families now face destitution if they don’t get help.

Doctors on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic are bracing for a particularly intense winter, even as many of them cope with the post-traumatic stress of the spring. Dr. Syra Madad knows all too well the toll the pandemic has taken on the medical community. She joins the program to discuss the trajectory of the disease in the coming weeks.

The pandemic has brought with it a season of emotional suffering: waves of grief, loss, and isolation. Dr. Richard A. Friedman argues that our anxiety is fueled by uncertainty over when -- or if -- life will return to normal. He speaks with Michel Martin about the importance of mental health as we navigate the pandemic and a tense election cycle.

Armies of lawyers are gathering in anticipation of intense post-election litigation, and Trevor Potter is on the front lines. As a former head of the Federal Election Commission and now the leader of the non-partisan Campaign Legal Center, his aim is to support voter access and challenge the influence of money in politics.

"The Trial of the Chicago 7" dramatizes the real-life case against seven anti-Vietnam War activists who were charged with conspiracy to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Frank Langella sits at the heart of the film in his role as Judge Julius Hoffman, and he joins the show to discuss the project's implications.

Bill Kristol served in the administrations of both Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. He now leads Defending Democracy Together, a coalition of anti-Trump Republicans. He speaks with Walter Isaacson about the possible cost to his former party, should its members continue to back this administration unconditionally.

The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh is a complicated and fraught one. To hear both sides, the program also invited the Azeri Foreign Minister onto the show, but he was unavailable. Instead, to provide wider geopolitical context to the story, Christiane speaks with former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder.

Early voting has racked up record numbers in the U.S. – more than 50 million so far – with national opinion polls clearly giving Joe Biden a lead over President Trump. But of course the electoral college decides the winner, which means just a few key states hold a lot of power. Strategist Sarah Longwell and Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman join Christiane to discuss.

Violence is flaring up between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The conflict centers around the tiny enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is officially part of Azerbaijan but also home to ethnic Armenians. Today, the foreign ministers of both countries met Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a bid to seal a ceasefire. Zohrab Mnatsakanyan joins the program to discuss.

In 2016, polls consistently showed Donald Trump trailing Hillary Clinton, so pundits were shocked at his victory. This time around, polls once again give the Democrats a comfortable lead, but are they any more reliable than last time? Sean Trende is a senior analyst for RealClearPolitics who has been tracking the 2020 polls. He tells Hari Sreenivasan his key takeaways.

A total of 38 people are reported dead in the course of two weeks of demonstrations by Nigerians against state violence. Activist and rapper Folarin Falana, better known by his stage name of Falz, helped lead one of the first protests two weeks ago and has been taking part ever since.

With Biden leading comfortably in polls, it seems the biggest obstacle President Trump faces is justifying his handling of the pandemic. At this 11th hour, can Trump turn it all around? Christiane speaks with the RNC’s national spokesperson about how the GOP hopes to win over the voters in the final days of the race.

Many of us are missing the joys of live performance: concerts, plays, clubs, rock bands, opera. Artists are suffering too, from the loss of jobs, livelihoods, and joy. But the pandemic has also sparked creative brilliance, as in the case of jazz singer Melody Gardot. She joins the show from Paris to talk about creativity during a pandemic.

What it means to be American, both in body and in soul, has been on Ayad Akhtar’s mind for years. His new book "Homeland Elegies" – partly a memoir, partly a novel--looks at the immigration experience through a son’s relationship with a father who supports Donald Trump. Akhtar discusses this fraught family situation with Hari Sreenivasan.

Some 32 million Latinx Americans are eligible to vote, and for the first time they are predicted to be the largest minority in a presidential election – something that is not lost on Biden or Trump. Vice correspondent Paola Ramos' new book Finding Latinx is a reflection on identity and why fewer than half in her community voted in 2016.

In an historic first for the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis has publicly endorsed same-sex civil unions. The pontiff made the comments in an interview for a new documentary, saying that “homosexual people have the right to be in a family." Christiane speaks with Father James Martin, who met with Pope Francis last year to discuss pastoral care for LGBT Catholics.

Black women form the backbone of the Democratic Party. In 2008 and 2012, they turned out in historic numbers to elect Obama. In 2016, fewer voted for Clinton – a warning to Biden that their vote cannot be taken for granted. To discuss their own political journey and the obstacles they still face, Christiane speaks with civil rights activist Xernona Clayton and historian Martha S. Jones.

Voting rights is Jessica Huseman’s beat, as lead reporter of ProPublica’s Electionland project – a coalition of newsrooms across America which investigates problems with ballot access, vote by mail, and misinformation. She speaks with Michel Martin about those challenges during this pandemic.

Amid the winner-take-all ruthlessness of American politics, Harvard professor Danielle Allen makes the case for unity. Allen is director of Harvard’s Center for Ethics and is spearheading its COVID-19 response initiative. She tells Walter Isaacson why rampant factionalism is a major roadblock to governance.

2020 is a critical census year, as each state gears up to apportion resources over the next ten years. In the last census, Republicans racked up major advantages in Congress and in the states. Now, Democratic activists are fighting back at the grassroots level. Christiane speaks with two activists leading the charge.