August 14, 2019 - PBS NewsHour full episode

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.