January 29, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

New vaccines created by Johnson & Johnson and Novavax are showing promising results in reducing illness caused by the coronavirus, though they were less effective than other vaccines and against some virus variants, which are causing growing concerns. White House correspondent Yamiche Alcindor reports.

The drive to get more coronavirus vaccines into more arms is gaining momentum, with two new COVID vaccines possibly accelerating the effort. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the NIH and a top adviser to President Biden on the pandemic, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the efficacy of the new vaccines and preparing for the virus variants.

The Biden administration wants a $1.9 trillion COVID aid plan passed by Congress as a way to address issues related to vaccine distribution, and President Biden indicated Friday he's willing to move forward without bipartisan support. Brian Deese, Biden's lead negotiator with Congress on the COVID deal and the director of the White House National Economic Council, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

Last August, special correspondents Nadja Drost and Bruno Federico brought us the extraordinary stories of people so desperate to improve their lives they headed through the Darien Gap, one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world. During their reporting, they met people from all over the world, which led to a recent chance encounter in New York City. Nick Schifrin has the story.

In her directorial debut, renowned actor Regina King's new film explores a 1960s gathering of four famous friends -- Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke, who debated their work and responsibilities as Black men. Jeffrey Brown takes a look at “One Night in Miami" as part of our ongoing arts and culture series, "CANVAS."

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including President Biden's use of executive actions, Biden's $1.9 trillion relief package, and the state of the Republican Party after former President Trump.

As the U.S. continues to grapple with new strains of the coronavirus, we take a moment to share the stories of five extraordinary individuals who have fallen victim to COVID-19 in this country.

Cicely Tyson, a towering and transformative actress, died Thursday at age 96. From her Harlem roots, she went on to appear in more than 100 film, television and stage roles. Jeffery Brown takes a look back at her life.