Heightened drug abuse and opioid deaths are a significant consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beth Macy is the author of "Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company That Addicted America." Tackling the opioid crisis was an early pledge of President Trump's. But Macy believes Joe Biden may have a coherent plan to end the suffering, as she explains to Michel Martin.

France is in mourning after its second terrorist attack in two weeks. Three people were stabbed to death today in the Notre Dame Basilica in Nice, southern France. Nathalie Loiseau served on President Macron’s cabinet and is now a member of the European Parliament. She joins the show from Paris to give her reaction.

November 4 marks 25 years since the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, gunned down by an Israeli terrorist for signing a peace deal with the Palestinians. Veteran Israeli political observer and news anchor Yonit Levi joins the show to reflect on this solemn anniversary.

The first woman to hold the position of president and senior executive producer at CBS News, Susan Zirinsky is a seasoned veteran of political and election battles. She speaks with Walter Isaacson about the backstory on President Trump's infamous "60 Minutes" interview, and the challenges of covering this unique election.

One week from election day, record numbers of citizens are voting early. Could it be "third time lucky" for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden? Few have covered the candidate as intensely as Evan Osnos, who profiled the former vice president in his new book. He joins Christiane to discuss.

In her new book, "Men Who Hate Women," feminist writer Laura Bates takes audiences behind the curtain of gender warfare to expose communities of extreme misogyny, where men are taught to hate and punish women. Christiane speaks with Bates about her difficult, often disturbing findings.

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.