January 11, 2023 - PBS NewsHour full episode

The nation's air travel system had another long, difficult day Wednesday. More than 1,100 flights were canceled and 7,700 were delayed when a critical system failed at the Federal Aviation Administration. The outage forced the FAA to call a nationwide halt to operations, wrecking travel plans for millions. Amna Nawaz and Miles O’Brien discuss the reliability and vulnerability of the system.

In our news wrap Wednesday, newly-elected GOP Congressman George Santos insisted he will not resign after Republican Party leaders in his New York district called for him to quit, the Supreme Court agreed to let New York state continue enforcing a gun ban in sensitive locations and Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was released from a Buffalo hospital and sent home to continue his recovery.

Scenes of Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters storming Brazil’s capital were eerily reminiscent of the Jan. 6 insurrection almost two years to the day. Both attacks were inspired by lies of election fraud, but the ties between the two are deeper. Former President Trump and the defeated Brazilian leader share allies and a playbook. Ruth Ben-Ghiat joined Laura Barrón-López to discuss.

As federal, state, and local leaders seek solutions along the southern border, the effects of the migrant crisis are being felt well within the nation’s interior. More than 4,000 migrants who crossed into the U.S. from Mexico arrived in Denver over the last month. Mayor Michael Hancock joined John Yang to discuss how his city and the state of Colorado are handling the situation.

U.S. emissions fell during the height of the pandemic as people were stuck at home, but that changed as the pandemic eased. Many researchers, scientists and lawmakers argue that Americans need to reduce their use of fossil fuels much sooner than they may have planned. Miles O'Brien reports on an alternative for home heating that could reduce the use and costs of fossil fuels.

While Republicans in the House were fighting over the vote for speaker, two states faced their own high-stakes tensions as they chose who to lead their statehouses. Karen Kasler of Ohio Public Radio and TV and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PA joined Geoff Bennett to discuss the political battles in their states.