PBS NewsHour - Segments

Democrats in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday announced a sweeping government spending deal to fund some of President Joe Biden's top priorities. But it received a chilly reception from Republicans. Lisa Desjardins breaks down the budget deal, how it affects the infrastructure deal, and the road ahead to its passage. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Wednesday, COVID-19 cases in Tokyo are higher than any time since May -- nine days before it hosts the summer Olympics. In the U.S., federal figures show 93,000 overdose deaths in 2020 -- nearly 30% higher than 2019, with Fentanyl a major driver. The European Union unveiled sweeping plans to tackle climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions 55% from 1990 levels this decade. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In South Africa, rioting and looting rocked parts of the country again overnight. The trouble began last week after the country's former leader Jacob Zuma was jailed, and police say more than 70 people have been killed and 1,200 arrested. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Consumer Price Index rose 5.4% last month compared to a year ago -- the biggest monthly jump since 2008. During testimony on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell gave his assessment about the price surge and risks of inflation. David Wessel, the director of The Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The former top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General Scott Miller, transferred command Tuesday amid the withdrawal of American forces, and as the Taliban continues its re-conquest of much of the country. Young Afghans, especially women, who have grown up with freedoms never permitted by the Taliban are now worried about what comes next. Special correspondent Jane Ferguson reports from Kabul. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

After her explosive testimony last month, a hearing was held Wednesday to determine pop icon Britney Spears' fate in her battle to end her 13 year conservatorship. Yamiche Alcindor discusses her case with Ronan Farrow, an investigative reporter and contributing writer to The New Yorker, and Jonathan Martinis, senior director for law and policy at the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The lack of affordable child care is not just an issue in urban and suburban communities. In rural America, limited access also takes a toll on small town economies. Special correspondent Cat Wise and producer Kate McMahon traveled to Nebraska to see how two small towns there are working to solve their child care problems as part of our series, "Raising the Future: America's child care dilemma." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

On the one-year anniversary of George Floyd's death, Judy Woodruff and PBS NewsHour reporters will focus on what has changed, and what hasn't, since the outrage and protests of last summer, focusing on Minneapolis as well as several other communities around the country that have also seen protests, police killings and hate crimes. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

One year ago today, George Floyd's murder by former policeman Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis shocked the country, but those within the community, particularly Black residents, say it was inevitable. They point to a history of racist policies and political gridlock as reasons for the deaths of Black men like Floyd and Philando Castile. Amna Nawaz takes a closer look at the history and reform efforts. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

After Michael Brown Jr., an unarmed Black teen, was killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri, months of protests and calls for police reform followed. While no officer was charged in Brown's case, the city and surrounding cities like St. Louis, saw some reforms. Yamiche Alcindor examines the reforms and the trends from historical events, like the East St. Louis riots, that still haunt Missouri. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Louisville police killed Breonna Taylor during an execution of a "no-knock warrant" in her home. No one was charged for her death, but it changed the lives of the city's residents, spurring vast protests and calls to action. Despite some efforts, the city's Black residents are still awaiting systemic change. John Yang examines how segregation and historical redlining led to the current situation. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Judy Woodruff discusses the history and trends of policing in America -- and what reform should look like -- with DeRay Mckesson, co-founder of Campaign Zero, Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center and Georgetown University law Professor Rosa Brooks, who, five years ago, became a reserve police officer in Washington D.C. to better understand the profession. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Around the country Tuesday, Americans marked the anniversary of George Floyd's death. Members of Floyd's family met with President Joe Biden and other lawmakers privately to mark the day, and have taken a lead role in efforts towards police reform. Yamiche Alcindor recaps the last year, looks at how the country has responded, and what still needs to be done to bring systemic change. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Before speaking with President Joe Biden at the White House today, George Floyd's family met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and California Rep. Karen Bass. Bass is the House Democrats' lead negotiator on a police reform bill named after Floyd. The House passed it in March and it has been in the hands of the evenly-divided Senate ever since. Bass joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Voters in Minneapolis will be asked to approve a measure in November that could dismantle the police department, which is also the subject of an investigation by the Justice Department, and fold it into a department of public safety. But a spike in violent crime has led the city to seek assistance from state and federal law enforcement agencies. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders