The acclaimed documentary "Porcelain War" has reached the Oscar shortlist. It follows the Kharkiv-based artists Slava Leontyev and Anya Stasenko, who craft delicate porcelain figurines even amid the raging war Russia has inflicted on their homeland. Slava Leontyev — who co-directed the documentary — and filmmaker Brendan Bellomo discuss why they believe that art is vital to Ukrainian resistance.

There has been a lot of discussion over how Silicon Valley has gone all in for Trump 2.0, by contrast with the distancing maintained by tech entrepreneurs during Trump's first term. It's not just Elon Musk. Meta's Mark Zuckerberg also has made the pilgrimage and has announced an end to content checking on his platform. Joe Lonsdale, a billionaire Silicon Valley investor, joins the show to discuss.

Kai Bird is remembered for his Robert Oppenheimer biography, which was adapted into the Oscar-winning film "Oppenheimer." The author's Jimmy Carter biography, "The Outlier," follows the late President’s upbringing in the post-Civil War South and how it shaped his views on race and politics.

Sommelier Yannick Benjamin recently poured wine for the last time at his celebrated New York restaurant Contento. In an opinion piece for The New York Times, Benjamin describes how inflation and unaffordable private health insurance brought about the restaurant's closure. He speaks to Michel Martin about the many hospitality workers across the country facing a similar plight.

A recent spate of activity by ISIS has caused Bruce Hoffman, Council on Foreign Relations' Senior Fellow for Counterterrorism and Homeland Security, to call 2024 the year of ISIS's "resurrection." The FBI has now confirmed that the suspect in the New Year's Day attack in New Orleans was inspired by the terror group. Hoffman joins the show to discuss.

Today, as Trump's election victory is certified, the violent scenes that rocked Washington, D.C. four years ago still haunt many who defended the Capitol — and democracy — that day. These include former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, who is now a prominent political advocate. Dunn joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss Trump's return to the White House.

The influence of President-elect Donald Trump is already being felt in Washington, D.C. Charlie Warzel, a staff writer at The Atlantic, has covered the blockchain industry for years. Warzel believes that Trump's influence also is shaping the cryptocurrency arena. He joins the show to discuss the role of digital currency in an anti-establishment culture.

After 25 years of sharp and often indispensable commentary on major issues shaping America and the world, economist and Nobel laureate Paul Krugman joins the show to discuss his final column for The New York Times. Krugman says he sees an erosion of optimism due to a collapse in trust of elites and institutions. The columnist sits down with Michel Martin for a fascinating look back.

United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot dead in New York earlier this month. After a six-day manhunt a suspect, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, was taken into custody and was charged with murder as an act of terrorism. The internet has meanwhile been buzzing with divisive conversations about the murder and what it says about America’s healthcare system. Jia Tolentino joins the show to discuss.

Wisconsin is recovering from a school shooting that killed three people. Another issue on the rise is so-called “ghost guns,” homemade, untraceable guns without serial numbers. The NYPD is investigating the possible use of a ghost gun in the murder of the United Healthcare CEO. Kris Brown, President of the nonprofit Brady, lays out an argument for balancing Second Amendment rights with gun reform.

In the U.S., an incoming Trump administration raises concerns about the climate and clean energy. But Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is more optimistic. She joins the show to discuss significant advances under Biden, and how this progress might survive the transition of power.

With the approach of a new year, and the prospect of accelerating technological advancement, all eyes are on AI. The new best-selling book "Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope and the Human Spirit" is putting the new tech under the microscope, taking a good look at how it could help us, and how we might stop it from hurting us. Co-author and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt joins the show.

Artist Mohamad Hafez creates replicas of Damascus, capturing the beauty and spirit of the city in intricate 3D models. Having lived in the U.S. since 2003, Hafez has channeled his homesickness and anguish over Syria's devastating civil war into his work. Now, with Bashar Al-Assad gone, Hafez joins the show to share his hopes for this moment, and to talk about how his art has helped him to adjust.

This week the U.S. Supreme Court heard a case from Tennessee concerning medical care for transgender minors. Masha Gessen, opinion columnist for the New York Times, listened to the oral arguments. They talk with Michel Martin about the salient issues.

More than 75 Nobel laureates are urging Trump to ditch RFK Jr. as his choice for HHS Secretary. As Trump's picks get more pushback, his team has signaled that they are willing to go it alone and bypass the vetting process. Two former Counsels to the Senate Judiciary Committee -- Gregg Nunziata and Noah Bookbinder -- explain why the Senate confirmation process and FBI checks are essential.

Rebels swept into the capital city of Syria, at lightning speed and ended a half-century of oppressive rule by the Assad family. The Kremlin says Vladimir Putin has personally granted former dictator Bashar Assad safe haven in Russia. Rami Jarrah has reported for years on the human toll of violence in his country, often -- for his safety -- under a pseudonym. He joins Christiane today from Berlin.

It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern times. Some 20 years ago a massive tsunami in southern Asia, triggered by a 9.1 earthquake off the coast of Indonesia, killed more than 200,000 people in 14 countries. A new documentary, "Tsunami: Race Against Time,” looks back at that devastating day -- December 20, 2004 -- with never-before-seen footage.

It's the one thing we never leave home without. Could it be our smartphones are spying on us? After becoming a target of hacking himself, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ronan Farrow made it his mission to shine a light on the shadowy world of cyber surveillance. Farrow joins Michel Martin to discuss his new documentary "Surveilled" and the frightening reality of spyware.

With Trump's inauguration on the horizon, conversations continue about the impact of the President-elect's policies both at home and abroad. David Frum is a political commentator and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush. In his latest piece for The Atlantic, “America's Lonely Future," Frum warns that the U.S. could become a global bully. He joins Walter Isaacson to discuss.

South Korea is in turmoil after the president's shocking decision to declare martial law. Protests broke out in Seoul, the capital city. Kyung-wha Kang was South Korea's Foreign Minister and she joins from New York.