April 15, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

Lawmakers Thursday continued to assemble their picture of what went wrong on January 6. An internal watchdog testified about his ongoing review of U.S. Capitol Police, and shared his initial conclusions about why their defense failed that day after a pro-trump mob stormed the building. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins has the report.

It’s the story of how a bartender’s son rose to become second in line to the presidency. Former House speaker John Boehner's new book, "On The House: A Washington Memoir," is a memoir brimming with expletives and unfiltered takes on today’s politics and politicians on both sides of the aisle. He joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the book, Joe Biden, and the state of the Republican party.

More than 30 million Americans have gone without health insurance in the last year. Other high-income nations cover their entire populations for a lot less money than the U.S. already spends. But does a universal health care system help save lives in a pandemic? For answers, William Brangham looks to our northern neighbor Canada and its single-payer system.

The latest selection for our “Now Read This” book club, Jessica Bruder’s “Nomadland,” documents a growing phenomenon in the country — a "wandering tribe" of seasonal workers. It has inspired a new movie of the same name. The film was the big winner at the British Academy Film Awards, and has multiple Oscar nominations. Jeffrey Brown has the latest for our ongoing arts and culture series, CANVAS.

In Afghanistan, President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw American forces reverberates across an exhausted and worried nation. A weakened Afghan government will soon face the Taliban with little international assistance. Senior national correspondent Amna Nawaz speaks with Roya Rahmani, the Afghan ambassador to the United States, about the withdrawal, and Afghanistan's plans to ensure peace.

The trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with murder in the death of George Floyd last May, is nearing its conclusion. The trial is being watched closely all around the country and internationally. The defense finished calling its witnesses Thursday, and Chauvin opted not to testify. Special correspondent Fred De Sam Lazaro has our latest update on the case.

In our news wrap Thursday, the CDC reported nearly half of all American adults have now had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and about 30 percent are fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, India recorded a staggering 200,000 new infections today, forcing lockdowns in New Delhi and Mumbai. And, former police officer Kim Potter had her first court appearance today for shooting motorist Daunte Wright.