August 22, 2023 - PBS NewsHour full episode

The battle over floating barriers on the Rio Grande reached a courtroom Tuesday. A federal judge in Austin heard arguments from the state of Texas and the Justice Department over Gov. Greg Abbott’s use of giant buoys to deter migrants from crossing the river. The DOJ sued the state saying the barrier violates federal law and must be removed. Laura Barrón-López reports.

The first GOP presidential debate will play out in primetime as Donald Trump, the leading contender for the nomination, plans to be a no-show. How do you debate a frontrunner who doesn't show up? That's the question for the eight candidates taking the stage Wednesday in Milwaukee. Lisa Desjardins discussed more with Republican strategist Gail Gitcho, who's worked on many presidential campaigns.

Last year, a white gunman killed ten people in a racist shooting at a grocery store in a predominantly Black area of Buffalo, New York. The gunman, now serving a life sentence, drove 200 miles to target that community. Last week, 16 witnesses of the tragedy filed a lawsuit over the trauma they endured. Geoff Bennett discussed the case with Fragrance Harris Stanfield and attorney Eric Tirschwell.

The Constitution assigns to the Senate the power to approve the president's nominations of officers of the United States. This includes general and flag officers at the Defense Department. But this year, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville has held up all the promotions, including to some of the highest jobs in the military. Nick Schifrin discussed the hold with retired Admiral Mike Mullen.

Edward Hopper stands as a mythical figure in American art. As a new exhibition at the Cape Ann Museum reveals, the artist known for rendering the haunting isolation of urban life mastered his craft by spending summers by the sea. Special correspondent Jared Bowen of GBH Boston reports for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

Prachi Gupta's new memoir, “They Called Us Exceptional and Other Lies That Raised Us,” explores the model minority myth and its harmful effects on her Indian American family. Gupta joined Amna Nawaz to discuss the book.