June 17, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

In our news wrap Thursday, Russia's President Vladimir Putin was back in Moscow offering new praise for his Geneva summit with President Joe Biden. A compromise proposal by Senator Joe Manchin to rewrite federal elections law picked up support and opposition today. Police in Portland, Oregon, have quit a crowd control unit following months of social justice protests that often turned violent.

The U.S.'s largest lingerie brand, Victoria's Secret, built its reputation on creating a sexy yet accessible fantasy in its "Angel" models that critics say was targeted towards men. The company announced a sweeping rebrand Wednesday to better reflect the times — and what women want. Vanessa Friedman, The New York Times' fashion editor and chief fashion critic, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

As of this Friday, Juneteenth — the day marking the end of slavery — is a federal holiday. Typically observed on the 19th of June, most federal employees will be able to observe it a day early because it lands on a Saturday this year. After a decades-long effort by activists, President Joe Biden signed it into law Thursday, making it the first new federal holiday since 1983. Amna Nawaz reports.

The first five months of this year suggest it could be the worst year for mass shootings in decades. More than 8,000 people have been killed by gunfire, according to The Washington Post and Gun Violence Archive. The Post's ongoing analysis also found a sharp increase in deadly incidents involving children. Stephanie Sy reports the story of two such children linked by gun violence and loss.

While COVID-19 vaccination rates in some parts of the country are approaching nearly 70%, other areas are seeing rates flatten or even decline. As William Brangham reports, vaccinations in the southern U.S. have been especially slow, with no southern state having yet topped 40%. Dr. Joseph Kanter, an emergency physician in Louisiana, and the state's top medical official, joins us to explore why.

Seven years ago this month the Islamic State declared its caliphate, killing thousands in its years-long reign of terror in Iraq and Syria. The group may have lost its territory, but its fighters still plague Iraq. Special Correspondent Leila Molana-Allen and Videographer Adrian Hartrick provide an exclusive look at the Iraqi counter-terror teams fighting ISIS, and the civilians caught in between.