August 4, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage across the U.S., the Trump administration and Congress are still discussing another economic aid package. But on Tuesday, the White House and leading Democratic lawmakers gave different accounts of how much progress is being made. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a central figure in those negotiations, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss where talks stand.

In our news wrap Tuesday, Tropical Storm Isaias sped up the East Coast of the U.S., leaving a trail of damage. The storm was downgraded after coming ashore as a hurricane in North Carolina but spun off a deadly tornado and caused flash flooding. Also, firefighters in Southern California spent another day battling a wildfire east of Los Angeles. Authorities said it was originally sparked by a car.

In Lebanon, a monstrous explosion shook Beirut, shattering much of the city’s port area. Video showed an enormous blast and shockwave that damaged buildings miles away. The health minister reported at least 70 people dead and more than 3,000 injured, while other officials said that 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate had detonated. Special correspondent Rebecca Collard joins Judy Woodruff from Beirut.

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s wife, Jill Biden, is among his closest advisors and an integral voice in his process of choosing a running mate. Her book “Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself,” first published in 2019, was issued in paperback Tuesday. Dr. Biden joins Judy Woodruff to discuss healing from heartbreak and why her husband would make a good president.

According to pro-democracy institutions, authoritarianism was on the rise globally even before the coronavirus pandemic hit. But experts say the distraction of the crisis has allowed some leaders to indulge their dictatorial impulses without attracting much attention from the people they govern. Nick Schifrin reports and talks to The Atlantic’s Anne Applebaum about this dangerous global dynamic.

U.S. colleges have struggled with how to conduct the upcoming academic year amid the coronavirus pandemic. With many schools deciding to offer only remote classes but still charging full tuition, the pandemic has added a new urgency to questions about the cost and value of higher education. Hari Sreenivasan reports on one school that is cutting tuition -- and planning to maintain the reduction.

President Trump held a press briefing at the White House on Tuesday evening, at which he discussed the massive explosions in Beirut and his objections to mail-in voting. Yamiche Alcindor was there, and she joins Judy Woodruff to discuss Trump’s unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud related to mail-in ballots.