September 7, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan continues as the group announced leaders of a "caretaker" government Tuesday. Meanwhile, the U.S. secretaries of state and defense were in the Gulf region, in Qatar, where the American evacuation mission is headquartered, and the White House requested $6.4 billion for both the evacuation and resettlement of Afghan refugees. Yamiche Alcindor reports.

In our news wrap Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a measure banning all-night and drive-thru voting and limiting mail-in ballots, dismissing the lawsuits being filed. The U.S. COVID death toll reached 650,000 out of nearly 4.6 million worldwide. Mexico's Supreme Court ruled that imposing punishment for abortions is unconstitutional. California firefighters made gains against the Caldor fire.

While President Joe Biden visited New York and New Jersey, hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses in Louisiana, which he visited earlier last week, have remained without power, water or other basic needs for over a week. PBS NewsHour community correspondent Roby Chavez is in New Orleans and joins Judy Woodruff with an update.

It has been two decades since Sept. 11,2001 and we are still learning how the terror attacks shaped our politics, military and sense of national unity. Garrett Graff is the author of the book "The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11." He also hosts a new podcast called "Long Shadow" about lingering questions after the attacks, and joins Amna Nawaz to discuss its impact.

For many, summer is a time to enjoy the sea — beachcombing and serenity. Special correspondent Jared Bowen of GBH Boston guides us through a new exhibition that shows the powerful place oceans have played in American art with much more to explore on the horizon. The story is part of NewsHour’s arts and culture series, CANVAS.

Ali Rogin returns to Middletown, a New Jersey town where she grew up that was disproportionately affected by the 9/11 attacks in 2001, to see how residents and neighbors coped over the past two decades.

As western countries discuss the rollout of COVID vaccine boosters, millions around the world are still waiting for their first shot. COVID has killed 200,000 people across Africa, which has nearly 8 million confirmed cases. While South Africa is on track to have a majority vaccinated by the end of the year, many other sub-Saharan countries are lagging dangerously behind. William Brangham reports.