November 26, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

The cases of some of Louisiana’s longest-serving inmates are receiving renewed attention. A group of now-elderly men called the "10/6 lifers," who were promised parole after serving 10 years and six months. But the state reneged on these deals and many were never released. NewsHour’s Roby Chavez has been reporting on this from Louisiana as part of our series, "Searching for Justice."

A newly emerged variant of the coronavirus known as “omicron” is causing widespread concern. First discovered in South Africa, it's now been detected in multiple nations, including Europe and Israel. Many nations including the U.S. are considering travel bans to try and contain the variant. Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of Brown University's School of Public Health, joins William Brangham to discuss.

In our news wrap Friday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said intelligence services found Russia is involved in a plot to overthrow the government, the FDA reported Merck's experimental COVID-19 pill is effective, Russian rescuers found one survivor inside a Siberian coal mine ​after a deadly methane explosion and China condemns a U.S. congressional delegation for Taiwan visit.

The Colorado River is a critical resource for the western U.S. But a megadrought, one significantly exacerbated by climate change, is jeopardizing the river's future and threatening to upend how its water is used and longstanding agreements between states. Miles O'Brien reports as part of our coverage on how climate change is creating a "Tipping Point" for the U.S. and around the world.

One of the greats of Broadway musicals, Stephen Sondheim, died Friday at his home at the age of 91. He was a six-time Tony Award winner renowned for his words and music, starting in the 1950s. Ben Brantley, former co-chief theater critic of The New York Times and Eric Schaffer, the co-founder and former artistic director of Signature Theater in Virginia, join William Brangham to discuss.

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart join William Brangham to discuss the week in politics, including the new COVID- 19 variant, inflation, President Biden's leadership decisions at the Federal Reserve and the verdict in the death of Ahmaud Arbery.