September 14, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

In our news wrap Tuesday, Tropical Storm Nicholas crawled past Houston, Texas, knocking out power to more than half a million homes and businesses. COVID-19 numbers in the United States are now averaging 170,000 cases per day — their highest levels since early March. Four former Minneapolis police officers involved pleaded not guilty to federal civil rights charges in the death of George Floyd.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken was on Capitol Hill Tuesday, appearing again before a congressional oversight panel about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Blinken was peppered by both Democrats and Republicans about the Biden White House strategy and planning. Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, is a member of the Committee on Foreign Relations and joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

Over the past two decades, tens of thousands of Afghans rose to the occasion and took jobs in the public sector to help their country and their livelihoods. Now that the U.S. has pulled out, many feel abandoned. One particular group who say they feel let down — former police women — are now being targeted by the Taliban. Lindsey Hilsum of Independent Television News reports.

The Biden administration has said COVID-19 vaccine boosters may be available to eligible groups a week from now. But that timing is uncertain and scientific advisory committees still need to meet in the next several days. Lisa Desjardins spoke with CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky about the status of boosters and the spread of the virus as part of a special forum hosted by Research America.

Tonight, we begin a three-part look at the production — and devastating effects — of the drug fentanyl. Illicit use of the synthetic opioid painkiller has ravaged the United States, with Mexican drug cartels now seeing huge profits. With the support of the Pulitzer Center, from Sinaloa State, in Mexico, special correspondent Monica Villamizar and videographer Zach Fannin report.

With just hours left until voting ends in California in the recall election of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newson, Stephanie Sy provides us with an overview of the recall and we check in with Scott Shafer, politics and government editor for public media station KQED in San Francisco, about the latest in the race.