June 29, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

The U.S. is in a far better place this summer than many other countries witnessing new COVID cases. But the delta variant of the virus — now expected to become the dominant strain in the U.S. — is posing serious dangers in areas with low vaccination rates. Its spread in many countries worldwide is triggering shutdowns and fears of more deaths. William Brangham reports.

To understand more about the threat to Americans from the delta variant of the novel coronavirus, including the need for vaccinated individuals to wear masks or require booster vaccines, Judy Woodruff turns to Dr. Anthony Fauci. Fauci is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, and the president's chief medical advisor.

There is fragile ceasefire in Northern Ethiopia's Tigray after Ethiopian and allied forces withdrew after an occupation late in 2020. It's a dramatic turn in conflict that has killed thousands, uprooted millions and featured atrocities the global community attributes to the government of a Nobel Prize winning prime minister. On Tuesday, Tigrayan rebels were claiming victory. Nick Schifrin reports.

Over the last month, the PBS NewsHour has brought you stories about how students and institutions have been upended by the pandemic. Tonight, we take a more hopeful look at students who have been inspired by the events of the last year and returned to school. Hari Sreenivasan has this report for our series, "Rethinking College."

2021 has seen Black women reach new heights in the halls of U.S. Government — from Kamala Harris as vice president, to a record-setting number of Black women in Congress and in mayor's offices. While many celebrate the increase in representation, many of these elected leaders also face harassment and threats. Amna Nawaz has their story as part of our "Race Matters" series.

Last year, the PBS NewsHour brought you stories of migrants traveling through one of the world's most lawless and dangerous places: the Darien Gap, a roadless jungle expanse along the border of Colombia and Panama. Special correspondent Nadja Drost, videographer Bruno Federico and producer Carlos Villalon traveled there under harrowing circumstances to report on people striving for better lives.

This summer, movie studios and box offices are clamoring for theater-goers to return as pandemic restrictions ease. And there's evidence that it's beginning to happen. The latest installment of the "Fast & Furious" franchise — "F9" — earned $70 million this past weekend, the biggest opening for a movie since the pandemic began. Jeffrey Brown reports for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.