Hello everyone and welcome to Ammanpur. Here's what's coming up.

Republicans point fingers after a dismal election day, while Donald Trump makes new baseless

claims of rigging. The Atlantic's David Graham sounds the alarm on voting security in America.

And a harrowing report from Libya about the gangs who exploit

desperate migrants looking for a better life. Then the 11th hour, Salman Rushdie speaks with

Walter Isaacson about his latest work, an extraordinary exploration of life and death. Plus,

underwater journalism, climate reporter Raymond

Zhang tells me how he chased a story all the way to the depths of the ocean.

The Welcome to the program, everyone.

I'm Biana Goldrega, New York, sitting in for Christian Ammanpur.

It's a tense time in Washington as Republicans are still grappling with Tuesday's election losses,

while the government

enters the 37th day of the now record-breaking shutdown.

President Trump is throwing out all kinds of reasons to try to explain some of Tuesday's

results, including his go-to false claims of election rigging.

These attempts to sow distrust about the security of American elections would

be destructive enough on their own. But as a new cover story in the Atlantic examines, this

administration is also taking concrete actions that undermined that very security. The cybersecurity

and infrastructure security agency has seen its staffing cut around by a third, while millions of dollars have been cut from assistance to local officials.

As one expert told the Atlantic's David A. Graham, if you are not frightened, you are not paying attention.

And Graham joins the show now to discuss his reporting. David, it is good to see you. So as noted,

we're on day 37, record-breaking day now for the government shut down the first record set by

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