The Taliban already have begun imposing harsh restrictions on Afghans not seen since 2001. One Taliban spokesperson told the New York Times that they still consider music forbidden in Islam. Dr. Ahmad Sarmast, founder of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music and his former student, Zarifa Adiba, who has conducted the school’s trailblazing all-female Zohra Orchestra join the show to discuss.

Author and retired naval commander Theodore Johnson argues that “racism is an existential threat to America,” though that isn’t to say that all is lost. In his new book, When the Stars Begin to Fall, Johnson lays out a blueprint for healing the nation, as he explains to Michel Martin.

To understand how the U.S. withdrawal could have been handled differently, and what needs to happen most urgently to improve the situation on the ground, Bianna speaks with retired General Joseph Votel, who as commander of U.S. Central Command oversaw the war from 2016 to 2019.

John Sopko has served as America’s Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction since 2012, and in a scathing new report he writes, “if the goal was to rebuild and leave behind a country that can sustain itself and pose little threat to U.S. national security interests, the overall picture is bleak.”

President Biden is facing a storm of criticism about the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan, particularly about America's lack of preparedness for the quick Taliban takeover. Eliot Cohen served as a counselor in the State Department under President George W. Bush and joins the show from Maryland.

Last weekend’s earthquake in Haiti killed more than 2,000 people and left the country “on its knees,” according to Prime Minister Ariel Henry. The country was already reeling from extreme poverty, COVID-19 and the recent assassination of its president. Margarett Lubin heads the Haiti branch of Community Organized Relief Effort and joins the show from Port-au-Prince.

The U.S. Census Bureau has released its first round of population data, setting in motion the redistricting process in states across the country. This is what author David Daley calls the “gerrymandering Olympics.” Daley, the author of "Unrigged," says redrawing boundaries is messing with the bedrock of American democracy.

With Afghanistan now in the hands of the Taliban, the question of how they will govern – and who will be in charge – is not a simple one. Michael Semple has personal experience meeting and negotiating with the Islamist group and has lived and worked in Afghanistan for many years. He joins the show to discuss what Afghanistan might look like under Taliban rule.

How did the Chinese government manage to turn a cover-up in Wuhan into a triumph for the Communist Party? The acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Nanfu Wang addresses this question in her new documentary "In the Same Breath," as she explains to Hari Sreenivasan.

Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins’s TV series "The Underground Railroad" has received seven Emmy nominations, including a nomination in the category of “Best Director of a Limited Series.” Based on Colin Whitehead's acclaimed 2016 novel of the same name, the series tells the story of a young girl who escapes a Georgia plantation through a network of secret routes. Jenkins joins the show.

More than 300,000 Afghan civilians have been associated with the U.S. mission over its two decades in the country, according to the International Rescue Committee. But how many can realistically be evacuated? IRC President and CEO David Miliband speaks with Christiane about how time could be running out.

The world is watching the outcome of Taliban talks with former government leaders. Has the Taliban attitude towards women and journalists really changed? Saad Mohseni is chief executive of Afghanistan’s largest media organization and joins the show to assess the situation on the ground.

Billie Jean King is both a tennis legend and a tireless social activist who refused to accept unequal treatment for women or people of color from the very start of her career. In her new memoir "All In," she writes, “Early on, what was most apparent to me was that the world I wanted didn’t exist yet. It would be up to my generation to create it.” She joins the show from New York to discuss.

Many are skeptical of the Taliban’s claims to protect the rights of women and girls. Violent and deplorable treatment is something that Malala Yousafzai has suffered through firsthand. The Nobel Peace Prize winner was just a teenager when the Pakistani Taliban shot her in the head for going to school. Since then she has founded the Malala Fund to advocate for girls’ education worldwide.

The Taliban laid on the charm offensive today, two days after taking control of Afghanistan, holding a press conference congratulating themselves and the nation for their victory and promising amnesty for their opponents. Mark Esper, who served as secretary of defense under President Trump, joins Christiane for an exclusive interview on the unfolding situation.

President Biden is facing an avalanche of criticism at the manner of the U.S. withdrawal. Where do the failures lie -- and what were the alternatives? Chuck Hagel was secretary of defense under President Obama and joins the show to assess what went wrong.

The Taliban has taken hold of the country they were driven out of two decades ago. Fear is spreading in Kabul as the Taliban install themselves in the presidential palace. The Taliban have vowed that they will form an inclusive new government and that Afghans have nothing to fear. To examine these claims, Christiane speaks with Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen.

The Taliban claims women will keep their rights in Afghanistan. But many fear that the claims are false and that history will repeat itself. Fawzia Koofi, a former lawmaker, was a member of the now fallen Afghan government’s negotiating team in peace talks with the Taliban. She joins the show from an undisclosed location in Afghanistan.

The U.K. government is scrambling to get its nationals -- and Afghans who worked with British forces -- out of Afghanistan. With chaos breaking out at Kabul's airport, U.K. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace – himself a former soldier – admitted that “some people won’t get back.” Tom Tugendhat is a U.K. Member of Parliament, chair of the foreign affairs committee, and previously served in Afghanistan.

In California, wildfires continue to scorch hundreds of thousands of acres of land, all fueled by blistering temperatures. Jessica served as a firefighter on a prison program and faced down similar such blazes – yet during that time, she earned just a few dollars an hour. She joins the program alongside "Breathing Fire" author Jaime Lowe.