PBS NewsHour - Segments

A Colorado deputy police chief and former SWAT member was on a law enforcement team outside Denver that responded to the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School. Two decades later, he teaches others, including his own daughter, who last year survived a gunman's deadly rampage, how to respond in mass shootings. John Ferrugia of Rocky Mountain PBS reports.

Even as Hurricane Dorian's track shifts north, Floridians hope for the best while preparing for the worst, reports NewsHour National Correspondent John Yang. He joins Hari Sreenivasan from Orlando to discuss how the state and its people are preparing for the hurricane.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including whether impeachment will have any momentum when Congress resumes, President Trump's performance at the G-7 summit, Joe Biden's stories, the rules governing eligibility for the 2020 Democratic debates and the candidates' latest poll numbers.

In our news wrap Thursday, the Justice Department's inspector general says former FBI Director James Comey mishandled memos of his conversations with President Trump. A report concluded Comey "set a dangerous example" by arranging for a journalist to see a memo. Also, British opposition to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of Parliament before the October 31 Brexit deadline is mounting.

After missing Puerto Rico, Hurricane Dorian veered toward the U.S. Virgin Islands, battering them with drenching rains and strong winds. The Category 1 storm now appears to be headed for Florida, but its path is difficult to predict. Still, Florida residents were stocking up on supplies and preparing for the worst. Judy Woodruff talks to Ken Graham, director of the National Hurricane Center.

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan is currently on a three-day trip to Central America to discuss migration and border security with leaders in El Salvador. Reporting from San Salvador, Amna Nawaz joins Judy Woodruff to talk about McAleenan's agenda, gang violence and whether the Trump administration's strategy to reduce Central American migration to the U.S. will succeed.

The Trump administration's latest move on immigration sparked outrage and confusion when it was announced, but Ken Cuccinelli, acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, says the reaction was unwarranted and that "all the same people still become citizens." Cuccinelli talks to Judy Woodruff about the motivation behind that change and other recent immigration policy updates

The war between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists is in its sixth year, with around 13,000 dead and no sign of resolution. The U.S. has provided financial support to Ukraine, but not soldiers. And although there is no U.S. troop presence anywhere near the fight, some American citizens have elected to join the battle on their own. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky shares one such story.

In an effort to boost production of oil and natural gas, the Trump administration is planning to relax rules regarding the release of methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas. William Brangham reports and talks to The Wall Street Journal's Timothy Puko about what higher levels of methane mean for the environment, how technology can prevent leaks of the gas and a "big divide" within the industry.

The U.S. government spends about 0.7 percent of GDP on scientific research and development, down from 2 percent in the 1960s. Less investment means fewer chances for breakthroughs like the weapon-seeking robots that saved thousands of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan -- and created a new consumer products category. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports on an effort to jump-start public R&D.

In our news wrap Wednesday, Facebook says it will enforce stricter rules on political advertising ahead of the 2020 elections, in response to revelations that Russians bought thousands of political ads in 2016. Organizations will have to prove they are both legitimate and based in the U.S. Also, union members in Hong Kong protested the firing of airline employees linked to pro-democracy activism.

Hurricane Dorian may be sparing Puerto Rico its very worst, but the territory's residents are still apprehensive about its "shaky" electrical grid and smaller, more vulnerable islands. The U.S. Virgin Islands, meanwhile, are taking a direct hit from Dorian. Judy Woodruff talks to Danica Coto of the Associated Press about a sense of relief in Puerto Rico and what the latest forecasts show.

President Trump has spent much of his term confronting other countries over trade practices. In particular, he is engaged in a bitter tariff war with China. But how do these tensions affect the U.S. economy? William Brangham talks to Iowa farmer Denny Friest and the National Retail Federation's David French about what they see in agriculture and retail -- two sectors caught in the crossfire.

In the United Kingdom, the countdown to Brexit is on, and Parliament is out. Prime Minister Boris Johnson moved Wednesday to suspend Parliament, sparking criticism that he is seeking to prevent lawmakers from debating a deal to leave the European Union, which is scheduled to happen by October 31. Lisa Desjardins talks to Robin Niblett of Chatham House for analysis of the tense situation.

Democrats appear headed for a one-night September presidential debate with 10 candidates. Wednesday marks the Democratic National Committee's deadline for candidates to meet stricter polling and fundraising criteria than for the first two debates -- prompting complaints from some of the field. Judy Woodruff talks to Howard Dean, former Vermont governor, presidential candidate and DNC chair.