August 21, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

On Thursday, Joe Biden formally accepted the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. He slammed President Trump for his response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying the U.S. economy is “in tatters” and characterizing the election as a battle for America's soul. Meanwhile, President Trump and the Republicans fired back criticism as they prepared for their own convention. Amna Nawaz reports.

It has been nearly three weeks since an enormous explosion at Beirut’s port tore through the city. With Lebanon already suffering from food scarcity, economic collapse and the coronavirus pandemic, the blast turned a grim situation to dire crisis. In the absence of a functioning government, residents are relying on each other's generosity to survive. Special correspondent Jane Ferguson reports.

Recent policy changes at the United States Postal Service, combined with President Trump’s false claims that fraud mars the integrity of voting by mail, have raised concerns over voting during the pandemic this fall. How can Americans be sure their votes will be received and counted? For our series “Ask us,” Amna Nawaz talks to David Becker of the Center for Election Innovation and Research.

Face masks have become part of our daily lives in a way few would have anticipated only months ago. Yet the coronavirus pandemic is not the first American crisis in which face coverings have played a central role. The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History is preserving artifacts from this pandemic -- and placing them in historical context. Jeffrey Brown reports.

n our news wrap Friday, the plague of wildfires across California has now claimed six lives and forced evacuation orders for more than 100,000 people. Some 12,000 firefighters are battling the blazes, pleading with residents to get out of harm’s way. Also, doctors in Russia agreed to let dissident Alexei Navalny, who is in a coma, be taken to Germany for treatment. Supporters say he was poisoned.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including reaction to the Democratic National Convention and Joe Biden’s acceptance speech, what to expect from President Trump at the Republican National Convention next week and concerns about delays in U.S. mail service ahead of the election.

As we are every Friday during this pandemic, we take a moment to honor individuals lost to the coronavirus. Here are stories of five more, including a 22-year-old musician and a 48-year-old Marine Corps reservist.