What does Donald Trump’s second acquittal by the Senate mean for American democracy and its reputation? Sir Peter Westmacott was the British Ambassador to the U.S. during the Obama years. He joins the show to discuss the impeachment trial, American democracy and a Biden foreign policy.

Out of 50 Republican senators, only seven dared to cross Trump and vote to convict the former president. One was Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy. The former doctor voted guilty on the charge of inciting an insurrection, knowing full well he will face the wrath of his constituents in his deeply conservative state. He tells Walter Isaacson why he's sticking to his guns.

A new documentary is bringing the mainstream spotlight to the “Free Britney” campaign, as a relatively small group of activists campaign in favor of Britney Spears’ legal fight to regain control of her personal affairs and finances. The film's director Samantha Stark discusses the rise and vilification of one of the world’s most successful pop singers and the ugly side to celebrity and fame.

Kosovo's young democracy has been tested repeatedly, and last November saw its president indicted for war crimes. Vjosa Osmani has been acting president since then, and hopes to keep the job when Kosovars head to the polls on Sunday.

During the pandemic, countries led by women have fared better in general than those led by men. Yet a woman's path to leadership remains littered with obstacles, from structural sexism to the challenges of childcare. Christiane discusses these issues with Julia Gillard, who was Australia's first female prime minister, and former Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Throughout the pandemic, cellist Patrick Dexter has been posting his performances on social media -- outside in the sun and the wind next to his charming cottage, with a stunningly beautiful backdrop and only his dog for company. The videos have been viewed millions of times. Dexter joins the show to talk about the joy of music, and to provide a special performance.

The second impeachment trial of former President Trump is causing some major soul-searching among traditional conservatives. Former solicitor general Ted Olson, a veteran Republican who worked in the Bush and Reagan administrations, was horrified by the Capitol riots on January 6. Olson tells Walter Isaacson why he believes senators who don't vote to impeach are complicit in Trump's wrongdoing.

The impeachment managers continue to make their case before the Senate, releasing new security camera footage from inside Congress that reveals just how close Trump’s extremist supporters came to the lawmakers they planned to attack. What is the effect of all this on the GOP senators who are serving as jurors? Former FBI special agent Asha Rangappa joins the show to discuss.

Stanley Tucci is best known for his standout performances in films like "The Devil Wears Prada" and "The Hunger Games." Tucci's next move is to turn his gaze upon his ancestral home in the new series "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy," with a focus on the nation’s most famous global export: food. Tucci joins Christiane to discuss this new venture.

Little attention has been paid to a video that was shown at the January 6 "March to Save America" rally in Washington, D.C. Jason Stanley, a scholar of fascist propaganda, claims that this video—shown immediately after Rudy Giuliani left the stage, prior to the attack on the Capitol—was full of themes and tactics that threaten liberal democracy. He joins the program to offer his analysis.

One of the most significant foreign policy changes with the Biden administration has been its policies in the Arabian peninsula. Arms sales to aid the Saudi Arabian offensive in Yemen have been suspended, and the U.S. has called upon the kingdom to release political prisoners. For a closer look at all this, Christiane speaks with Yemeni Nobel laureate Tawakkol Karman and journalist Robert Worth.

Conventional wisdom predicts Donald Trump won’t be convicted, but Heather Cox Richardson says: Not so fast. The historian and Boston College professor’s thoughtful daily digest, "Letters from an American," has become a hugely popular analysis of modern American politics. As she explains to Walter Isaacson, she believes simple math could help the Democrats win a conviction.

As the second impeachment trial of former President Trump begins, the charge he faces is “incitement of insurrection” with reference to the January 6 Capitol riots. The defense argues that the trial is unconstitutional and that Trump's rhetoric was protected by the First Amendment. Bob Corker served as a Republican senator until 2019 and was an early Trump critic. He joins the show to discuss.

The films and works of Mike Nichols have become era-defining cultural landmarks, from "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" to "Angels in America." Yet success wasn’t always assured for the young boy who fled the Nazis to find refuge in America. Author Mark Harris joins the show to discuss his new biography, which explores the extraordinary journey of Nichols from refugee to American cultural titan.

In the impeachment trial, a key element of the prosecution's case is a dramatic video taken at the Capitol during the insurrection. Who were the actual faces in the crowd? Ronan Farrow has profiled three different rioters to learn more about their backgrounds. All three have been arrested and now face criminal charges. Farrow joins Michel Martin to discuss the takeaways from his investigation.

On the second day of Trump’s impeachment trial, we learn that in Georgia prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into the former president’s attempts to overturn the state’s election results. Wise heads in the Senate say the trial results are pre-ordained, but there have been hints that Republicans could be swayed. Constitutional law scholar Noah Feldman joins the show to discuss.

Protesters are on the streets of Myanmar for the fifth day in a row following a military coup against their democracy. They are rallying around Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s pro-democracy icon turned controversial defender of the military’s brutal campaign against the Rohingya people. A former U.S. ambassador to Myanmar joins the show to analyze the situation.

With four Grammy nominations, Phoebe Bridgers is loved by critics and fans alike. In a gig that broke the internet on Saturday Night Live last weekend, her performance ended with the classic rock star move of smashing her guitar on an amp. Fresh from her SNL triumph, Phoebe speaks with Christiane about her music -- and what it’s like to release a hit album while in lockdown.

South Africa paused its rollout of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine due to a small study which suggests it offers minimal protection against mild and moderate cases of the so-called South Africa variant. To this situation and vaccine hesitancy in the region, Christiane speaks with UNICEF's Angus Thomson and Dr. Matshidiso Moet, the World Health Organization’s regional director for Africa.

Over the course of her 60 year career, Judy Collins has given concerts all over the globe with perhaps her most famous being her first solo appearance at The Town Hall in New York in 1964. Collins has now filmed a new concert from that same venue, which will be streamed later this week. She joins the show from her apartment to reflect on this latest step in her impressive career.