PBS NewsHour - Segments

In our news wrap Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security says it wants to detain migrant families together until their cases are resolved. That goes against the 1997 Flores agreement that requires migrant children be held in the least restrictive setting for a limited period. Also, a powerful earthquake rocked Northern Japan, killing at least nine people.

It was another day of discord in the Supreme Court confirmation hearing of Brett Kavanaugh, as the release of some of Kavanaugh’s documents and emails from the George W. Bush administration sparked a heated exchange. Judy Woodruff gets analysis from Lisa Desjardins, Marcia Coyle of The National Law Journal, former solicitor general Paul Clement and former acting solicitor general Neal Katyal.

In Wisconsin, "Help Wanted" is on virtually every restaurant window, store front and city bus. With an aging population and few immigrants, the state could have a shortage of 45,000 workers by 2024, which could pose a threat to business. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports.

With his trademark grin and signature mustache, Burt Reynolds was one of Hollywood's biggest box office stars in the late 1970s and early '80s. While the critics rarely took him seriously, the actor made his mark in popular favorites, as well as Oscar-winning films. Reynolds died Thursday at age of 82. Jeffrey Brown reports.

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh faced hours of questioning in his second day of confirmation hearings, including on issues of gun rights, sexual harassment, abortion and presidential powers. Judy Woodruff gets analysis from Lisa Desjardins, Marcia Coyle of The National Law Journal, Jamil Jaffer, a former clerk to Justice Neil Gorsuch, and former acting solicitor general Neal Katyal.

President Trump is facing explosive claims from within his own ranks, in an anonymous New York Times opinion piece. The editorial claims that many top administration officials are “working diligently from within to frustrate parts of his agenda and his worst intentions." Yamiche Alcindor and Jeff Mason of Reuters join Judy Woodruff for more.

In our news wrap Wednesday, twin bombings in Afghanistan's capital left at least 20 people dead and 70 wounded. A suicide bomber blew himself up inside a training center for wrestlers, and a car bomb exploded minutes later. Also, Iran's currency is again in free fall, hitting new record lows against the dollar.

Twitter and Facebook, the world's largest social media giants, told the senators investigating Russia's tactics during the U.S. elections that they had improved their defenses, but some still lawmakers believe the companies need regulation. Meanwhile, the question of whether social media censors conservatives dominated a House hearing. Nick Schifrin reports.

In Florida, a toxic algae bloom that began last fall has killed dolphins, sea turtles, manatees, even a whale shark. And the toxins are not only devastating to wildlife, but difficult for humans and the economy as well. William Brangham reports from Sanibel Island on the slow-moving catastrophe.

It took just 10 seconds for the Brett Kavanaugh hearing to get contentious. One by one, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee derailed the plan for opening statements and demanded more time to review the judge's massive public record. Meanwhile, a barrage of protesters kept interrupting the proceedings. Lisa Desjardins joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the dramatic start.

Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearings opened Tuesday with an uproar. What was notable in opening remarks, and how did President Trump loom over the discussion? Judy Woodruff gets analysis from Marcia Coyle of The National Law Journal, former solicitor general Paul Clement, former acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal and Lisa Desjardins.

In our news wrap Tuesday, former Republican Sen. Jon Kyl will fill John McCain’s U.S. Senate seat in Arizona for now. Kyl says he will serve until January. Also, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are under states of emergency as the storm named Gordon comes ashore.

A new book about the Trump White House describes a "nervous breakdown" within the executive branch. In "Fear," award-winning Washington Post editor Bob Woodward chronicles episodes like a Cabinet member removing documents from the president's desk so he wouldn’t sign them, to the chief of staff saying, "We're in Crazytown." Judy Woodruff talks with Robert Costa of the Washington Post.

Brazil's National Museum once held thousands of years of heritage. Now all that's left of Latin America's largest natural history museum, once home to 20 million artifacts, is smoldering debris. Nick Schifrin reports how the tragedy has also drawn anger at the government.

Nike just launched a new advertising campaign featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who came to national prominence by protesting police brutality and racial injustice by kneeling during the national anthem before games. Nike’s move has reignited a national debate, stirred most famously by President Trump. William Brangham with John Feinstein, author of “Quarterback.”