September 17, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

A key advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration overwhelmingly rejected vaccine boosters for the general U.S. population for now, but it voted unanimously in favor of giving boosters to those 65 and older as well as high risk individuals.The recommendations mark a pivotal moment in the debate around boosters. William Brangham joins Amna Nawaz to discuss.

In our news wrap Friday, France is recalling its ambassadors from the U.S. and Australia in a fury over a submarine deal, more than 170 people including some Americans boarded a flight out of Afghanistan, Republican Rep. Anthony Gonzalez says he won't run again after voting to impeach former President Trump, and a U.N. report found greenhouse gas emissions are set to rise 16 percent by 2030.

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including immigration, President Biden’s job approval ratings, and tensions between the U.S. and France over a nuclear submarine deal.

Ken Burns' latest four-part documentary “Muhammad Ali” will premiere Sunday on PBS for four nights. Jeffrey Brown visited Burns at his studio for a behind-the-scenes look at how he makes his films, and the larger context and conflicts in telling America’s story in a time of racial reckoning. This report is part of our arts and culture series, “CANVAS.”

Russians on Friday began three days of voting to determine their next parliament, with the outcome largely expected to be preordained. But there was an unexpected development Friday, when Google and Apple blocked Russians from downloading the main opposition party’s app. As Nick Schifrin reports, it’s just the latest successful attempt by the Russian government to silence its rivals.

U.S. Capitol Police warned Friday there have been threats of violence ahead of this weekend's rally by Trump supporters. It's being staged to support more than 600 people charged in the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol, and Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger says it's unclear how many people will show up, or just how serious the threats could be. Lisa Desjardins joins Amna Nawaz to discuss.

Over the last several days a crowd of migrants awaiting U.S. processing outside a Texas border community has grown to more than 10,000. The migrants, mostly from Haiti, have been sheltering under a major bridge as the Biden administration tries to speed up processing. Washington Post reporter Arelis Hernández joins Amna Nawaz from Del Rio, Texas to discuss the scene.

The U.S. military on Friday acknowledged that a drone strike in Kabul they initially said killed an ISIS suicide bomber had in fact killed only civilians. The strike took place three weeks ago as the U.S. and allies were evacuating following the Taliban takeover. Nick Schifrin joins Amna Nawaz to discuss.