April 27, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

A massive underwater toxic waste site has long been suspected off the Southern California shore, since industrial companies used the ocean as a dumping ground until 1972. Now marine scientists have identified over 25,000 barrels they believe contain the toxic chemical "DDT" in the Pacific Ocean. Stephanie Sy talks to David Valentine, a UC Santa Barbara professor of microbiology, about the barrels.

The bugs are coming - billions of them. The periodical cicada emergence is just days away in many states. While their emergence occurs every 17 years and is no reason for fear, experts worry climate change is spurring them to mature faster. John Yang lays out what that means, and what you need to know to cope with the loud brood that's coming.

The CDC announced new guidance about wearing masks today, specifically when masks are no longer needed outside for vaccinated people. The latest recommendations maintain important warnings about masking indoors and in crowds outside. To understand more about this revised guidance and what's safe post-vaccination, Judy Woodruff speaks to Dr. Richard Besser, the former acting director of the CDC.

In our news wrap Tuesday, President Joe Biden promised India help, including supplying vaccines. The Biden administration also laid out new initiatives on immigration as numbers crossing the southern border hit records, and raised the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour for federal contractors. The FBI opened a civil rights investigation into the police killing of a Black man in North Carolina.

President Joe Biden will face a joint Congress and the nation Wednesday, laying out his vision to create jobs, combat COVID-19, and confront climate change. Behind the bold vision is a complex mix of funding, causing confusion at the state level. Congressional Correspondent Lisa Desjardins is here to help follow the money.

Misinformation falsely linking President Joe Biden to a call to dramatically limit red meat consumption in America has sparked conservative outrage. A British tabloid, the Daily Mail, claimed Biden’s climate plans could limit Americans to one hamburger a month. Amna Nawaz digs into how the misinformation spread and speaks to Martin Heller, a researcher whose study was quoted to make the claim.

There are many myths and much disinformation circulating online, including those related to the pandemic. Fox News host Tucker Carlson made headlines on Monday for his anti-mask stance that included false claims. To explain how and why similar falsehoods spread, Amna Nawaz is joined by Graham Brookie, the director of the Digital Forensic Research Lab at the Atlantic Council.