August 7, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

The White House and congressional Democrats have again failed to agree on a new pandemic relief package. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer met with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, but they were unable to find a middle ground. Lisa Desjardins and Yamiche Alcindor join Judy Woodruff to discuss.

Although the economy has regained some ground since the pandemic sent it reeling, millions of Americans are still jobless and struggling. Meanwhile, the coronavirus continues to spread across the country. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who recently tested positive on one test and then negative on a second, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss unemployment aid, virus testing and long-term lessons for the U.S.

The economy has recovered some of the jobs lost during the early weeks of the pandemic -- but that growth now seems to be slowing. Millions of Americans still don’t have work, with many now receiving less money in unemployment. To understand the detrimental impact of the pandemic on their lives and livelihoods, we asked our viewers to share their experiences. Here's some of what they told us.

In our news wrap Friday, the death toll from the massive Beirut port explosion reached 154, with more than 5,000 injured. As rescue teams combed the area in search of victims, Iranian-backed Hezbollah insisted it was not to blame. Also, an Air India Express plane crashed and broke in two while trying to land in heavy rain in southern India. At least 16 people were killed and more than 120 hurt.

Voters in Belarus will head to the polls this Sunday in the country’s most contested election in decades. Alexander Lukashenko has been called Europe’s last dictator, leading a regime accused of human rights abuses, stifling dissent and running sham elections. But this year, Lukashenko faces an unprecedented challenge in an opposition effort driven by women. Nick Schifrin reports.

After the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, it was another year before first-hand accounts emerged. Journalist John Hersey helped expose the bomb’s lasting damage, which the U.S. government tried to downplay. In a new book, “Fallout,” which coincides with the 75th anniversary of Hiroshima, author Lesley Blume examines Hersey’s critical work. Jeffrey Brown reports.

As another difficult week comes to a close, we want to take the time to remember some of the people who have lost their lives to the coronavirus. Judy Woodruff shares the stories of five victims, including a 29-year-old California nurse and a 48-year-old Texas sheriff.

A top U.S. intelligence official released a statement Friday that details the intelligence community’s current assessment of possible interference in the November elections. William Evanina raised concerns “about the ongoing and potential activity by China, Russia and Iran.” Yamiche Alcindor and Lisa Desjardins join Judy Woodruff to discuss the political reaction to the warning.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including a legislative stalemate over a new coronavirus relief package, the politics of the pandemic economy for President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, the value of party conventions and how they are coping with our national crisis.