September 10, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

For many Americans facing addiction, the pandemic has made life significantly harder. Across the country, overdoses have soared, with more than 40 states reporting increases in opioid-related mortality. But the coronavirus is also changing how addiction medicine can be provided, and some experts are saying that could be a silver lining in a devastating public health crisis. Stephanie Sy reports.

In our news wrap Thursday, a huge fire erupted at the port in Beirut, Lebanon, a month after a catastrophic explosion there that killed 190 people and injured 6,500. Black smoke billowed over the port’s ruins. The military said the blaze began at a warehouse full of tires, oil and other materials. Also, nearly all 12,000 refugees at the Moria migrant camp in Greece are now homeless due to fires.

Jane Fonda is a Hollywood icon, with her Academy Award-winning acting career spanning decades. But she is also famous for her political activism. In a new book, Fonda describes her passion and protests advocating for stronger action on climate change. She joins Judy Woodruff to discuss “What Can I Do? My Path from Climate Despair to Action” and how Americans can make a difference on the issue.

Congressional efforts to pass a new pandemic relief bill remain stalled, and a slimmed-down proposal from Senate Republicans failed to clear procedural vote Thursday. Democratic and Republican leaders both blamed the other side for the gridlock. Yamiche Alcindor joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the bill and why the prospects for passing legislation before Election Day are grim.

While the political fallout from President Trump’s coronavirus comments to Bob Woodward continues, what about the public health repercussions? Would America have fared better if Trump had treated the virus more seriously from the beginning? Ed Yong of The Atlantic, who has reported extensively on America's pandemic response, joins William Brangham to discuss.

U.S. elections continue to be a target of foreign interference. Microsoft announced Thursday that Russia, China and Iran are all trying to hack campaigns and officials. The news comes one day after a whistleblower from the Department of Homeland Security claimed he was urged to downplay the Russian threat and skew intelligence reports. Nick Schifrin and Amna Nawaz join Judy Woodruff to discuss.