August 11, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

Former Vice President Joe Biden has named California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate in the presidential election. The presumptive Democratic nominee announced his decision in an afternoon email to supporters. Lisa Desjardins joins Judy Woodruff with the latest on how Biden issued the invitation, what Harris brings to the ticket and how her selection represents several historical firsts.

It has been one week since an earth-shattering explosion ripped through Beirut, killing at least 220 and injuring thousands more. Since then, Lebanese have experienced sadness, rage and recrimination, with many blaming the blast on decades of government corruption and incompetence. Special correspondent Jane Ferguson returned to the city she lived in for many years to send this report.

For higher education, the pandemic has forced major questions about affordability and cost into the spotlight. Both students and parents are hesitant to spend tens of thousands of dollars on classes taken via video, and many feel that the loss of on-campus life upends the college value proposition entirely. Scott Galloway, a marketing professor at New York University, joins John Yang to discuss.

After former Vice President Joe Biden chose California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate, President Trump lost no time before attacking Harris. During an evening White House briefing, Trump repeatedly called Harris “nasty,” portraying her as a radical leftist. Yamiche Alcindor joins Judy Woodruff to discuss that, Harris’ political reputation and how she will hit the virtual campaign trail.

California Senator Kamala Harris solidified her national reputation during her campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. But for most of her career, she was a prosecutor. How have her personal background and professional trajectory led her to this moment, in which she becomes the first Black woman to join a major party presidential ticket? Lisa Desjardins reports.

The choice of Senator Kamala Harris as former Vice President Joe Biden’s running mate answers a question that has dominated the race for weeks. For analysis of what Harris will bring to the ticket, Judy Woodruff talks to Ian Sams, press secretary for Harris’ own presidential campaign, and Aimee Allison, founder of She the People, an organization that advocates for women of color in politics.

More than 2,000 people in Belarus have been detained in violent anti-government protests over Sunday’s disputed election. Amid the crackdown, the top opposition candidate said Tuesday she had fled the country -- and urged her supporters to stop the unrest. Nick Schifrin reports.

As the new academic year gets underway, college students, parents, administrators and faculty are deliberating over whether it will be safe to hold in-person classes and resume dorm life. And residents of the surrounding towns and cities worry about the risk that returning students could bring coronavirus back to campus with them. John Yang reports on one Massachusetts town's dilemma.