PBS NewsHour - Segments

President Trump announced late Thursday that the 2020 Republican National Convention will no longer be held in Jacksonville, Florida, in August. While some local officials expressed appreciation for the decision, Democrats argued it came much later than it should have. Yamiche Alcindor joins Judy Woodruff to discuss Trump's alternative plans. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The summer surge in coronavirus cases is now fueling a corresponding spike in deaths, with over 1,000 recorded in just 24 hours for the first time in weeks. In California, which now has the most confirmed infections in the nation, officials are working to ensure additional hospital capacity. And Texas has an outbreak of more than 500 women at a federal prison in Fort Worth. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

More than 1,000 U.S. deaths from COVID-19 were reported Tuesday. As many states struggle with outbreaks, Dr. Tom Frieden, former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says the country desperately needs improved data collection to understand how the virus is spreading -- and to contain it. He joins Judy Woodruff to discuss critical metrics and how to obtain and learn from them. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Wednesday, President Trump will send federal agents to Chicago, Kansas City and Albuquerque to fight violent crime. They will be drawn from the FBI, the U.S. Marshals, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Department of Homeland Security. Also, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to remove a Capitol bust of Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Trump administration has ordered China to close its Houston consulate -- the latest action in an escalating fight between the two countries. The State Department cited concerns about espionage and intellectual property theft as justification for the move. Nick Schifrin reports and talks to Yale Law School's Susan Thornton, former acting assistant secretary of state, and author Gordon Chang. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The question of when a COVID-19 vaccine might be available is perhaps the most pressing in the world. There have been a number of recent headlines on this front, including early but encouraging results from trials. And on Wednesday, the Trump administration awarded a contract to Pfizer and a German biotech firm to potentially deliver doses this year. Miles O'Brien joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

According to preliminary data, drug overdoses killed nearly 72,000 Americans in 2019, a record high. Now, it appears that 2020 is on track to be even worse, as the U.S. has witnessed a startling rise in overdoses during the pandemic. William Brangham reports on how increased isolation, economic uncertainty and reduced access to care have exacerbated American addiction -- with deadly consequences. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

On Tuesday, President Trump signed a memo aiming to bar undocumented immigrants from being included in the census count that determines how many members of Congress are allocated to each state. The census is conducted once in a decade, but it shapes funding, policy and power for years. Lisa Desjardins reports and talks to Hansi Lo Wang of NPR about what this and the pandemic mean for the census. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Four years ago, the Chester Children's Chorus, a Pennsylvania group based near Philadelphia, recorded an original song called "I Still Can't Breathe." It was their response to the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and other Black Americans. Now teenagers and young adults, the former chorus members see their song as tragically relevant in the wake of George Floyd's death and Black Lives Matter. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Coronavirus infections and deaths are still climbing in much of the nation, and Florida has become the new national epicenter. With Congress back in session after recess, continuing COVID-19 increases are fueling urgent negotiations on an economic rescue package. But lawmakers are deeply divided about what the legislation should include. Lisa Desjardins reports and joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

With Congress back in session, lawmakers are considering another round of coronavirus relief. Two of the major sticking points are prolonging increased unemployment benefits and protecting against coronavirus-related lawsuits. What do Americans think about these two issues, as they grapple with the pandemic's economic fallout? We hear some of their opinions. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Senate Republicans are considering legislation to sustain a country struggling with the pandemic's economic fallout. The House passed its own proposal in May, but there is still dissent within the GOP about how much new money to allocate to the trillions that have already been approved. Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., joins Judy Woodruff to discuss that, virus testing, reopening schools and more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice charged that hackers working with China have targeted U.S. firms researching a vaccine for COVID-19. Two Chinese nationals were indicted as part of a broader scheme that also involved stealing weapon designs and drug information. Also, the European Union approved a $2.1 trillion plan to help member states through the pandemic recession. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As the coronavirus pandemic tears across the globe, the toll exacted in lives lost and ruined grows by the day. But for those already in need, especially the hungry and the starving, COVID-19 is accelerating their nightmares. David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program, joins Amna Nawaz to discuss the pandemic supply chain and how to keep 270 million people fed in a year of crisis. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

U.S. colleges and universities are scrambling to finalize their fall plans as coronavirus infections continue to rise in much of the country. While some students, faculty and staff are looking forward to returning to campus, others are raising serious health and safety concerns. Hari Sreenivasan reports on how schools are approaching the decision, as part of our Rethinking College series. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders