PBS NewsHour - Segments

In our news wrap Thursday, Gibraltar has released the Iranian tanker it seized in July under suspicion of transporting oil to Syria, a violation of international sanctions. Authorities allowed the tanker to leave despite a last-minute effort by the U.S. to claim possession--a move Iran called a "piracy attempt." Also, the gunman in an hours-long standoff with Philadelphia police is now in custody.

Israel says it will bar two U.S. congresswomen from entering the country. At President Trump's urging, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reversed his earlier decision to allow Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, both Muslims critical of Israeli policies, to visit. Amna Nawaz talks to Danny Ayalon, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., and Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif.

Chinese military exercises Thursday near the border with Hong Kong reiterated the country's waning patience with months of pro-democracy demonstrations, some turning violent. Beijing officials have referred to the protests as "terrorism," and even some Hong Kong residents have grown weary of them -- but more are planned for the upcoming weekend. Special correspondent Bruce Harrison reports.

The governance of Venezuela appears to be in a deadlock. Opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom the U.S. recognizes as president, has been unable to oust President Nicolas Maduro. The two sides were negotiating until recently, when Maduro, who is supported by the military, left discussions in protest of new U.S. sanctions. Amna Nawaz talks to Amb. Carlos Vecchio, who represents Guaido in Washington.

In Newark, New Jersey, worries and anger over contaminated drinking water are growing by the day. High lead levels have been found at many of Newark's homes, in a case echoing the 2014 water crisis in Flint, Michigan. City officials have distributed water filters, but now the EPA says they may not be enough. NJTV's Brenda Flanagan reports, and Lisa Desjardins talks to NJTV reporter Michael Hill.

In times of division, people often turn to faith leaders for guidance and support. Jeffrey Brown spoke to two such leaders, Rev. Mariann Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, and Richard Land, president of the Southern Evangelical Seminary, about navigating the current landscape of polarized national politics, what they think of President Trump's rhetoric and how to promote unity.

Raising a child is complicated and potentially confusing, with conflicting advice available everywhere a parent turns. Economist Emily Oster, a mother of two, dug into the data to help other parents make informed choices about managing their little ones -- and found some surprising results that challenge conventional parenting wisdom. Business and economics correspondent Paul Solman reports.

In our news wrap Wednesday, new reports allege the two guards tasked with monitoring accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein's jail cell fell asleep during their shift and later falsified records to cover up the failure to check on him regularly. Also, hundreds of child sex abuse lawsuits were filed in New York as the state opened a temporary window for adult victims to bring their cases to court.

Although Hong Kong's airport is back up and running, the city's political unrest is far from settled. Local police and the Chinese government both condemned protesters Wednesday, saying they had "crossed the line" and would be prosecuted accordingly. Beijing also blamed the U.S. for the pro-democracy demonstrations, as President Trump tried to maintain neutral ground. Amna Nawaz reports.

After two days of heightened violence, demonstrations in Hong Kong partially receded Wednesday, and the city's airport resumed operations. Now questions are surfacing about whether Hong Kong will prosecute protesters it arrested -- and whether China itself intervene. Amna Nawaz talks to former National Security Council staffer Ken Lieberthal and Minxin Pei of Claremont McKenna College.

Stocks went into a freefall Wednesday after the bond market stoked fresh fears of a recession. The Dow Jones plunged 800 points -- a sharp departure for a market that had very recently been hitting record highs. And the high level of volatility has investors on edge. Jeffrey Brown talks to Neil Irwin of The New York Times about how uncertainty is creating hesitation on the part of global business.

Coal ash is a particularly dangerous byproduct of our dependence on fossil fuels. In communities that have dealt with coal ash spills, the incidents sparked concerns about toxins potentially seeping into water. Utilities have been pushed to adopt tougher safety standards -- but activists say the companies are resisting rules necessary for public health. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports.

For years, scientists have warned that we need to stop the planet from warming an additional two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels to avoid catastrophic problems. But a new analysis by The Washington Post finds many major areas across the U.S. have already reached that mark. The Post's Chris Mooney joins Amna Nawaz to discuss why some parts of the country are affected more than others.

Newly unearthed audio from a 1971 phone call between Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon is raising new questions about Reagan's views on race. What additional context does the new audio offer to historians, as they continue to assess Reagan's record and legacy? Lisa Desjardins reports.

Master artists from around the world gather in Santa Fe, New Mexico, each summer for the International Folk Art Market. The world's largest folk art market, it aims to preserve cultural traditions and foster economic opportunity. But it holds special significance for Native American artists whose people lived on the surrounding land for generations. Special correspondent Kathleen McCleery reports.