July 31, 2019 - PBS NewsHour full episode

In our news wrap Wednesday, U.S. and Chinese officials have concluded their latest trade talks without visible signs of progress. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman called President Trump’s Tuesday accusations that China had reneged on trade promises “laughable.” Also, the U.S. Treasury Department announced financial sanctions against Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

During the first night of the Democratic debates in Detroit, the ideological rift within the crowded field was on full display. Moderates challenged progressives as being unrealistic, while the more liberal candidates said the party should embrace “big ideas.” Amna Nawaz talks to Stuart Rothenberg of Inside Elections, Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report and Karine Jean-Pierre of MoveOn.org.

Earlier this year, Gen. John Hyten was nominated by President Trump to become the next vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. But he's been accused of sexual assault by one of his former assistants, Col. Kathryn Spletstoser, who reiterated her allegations Tuesday after some members of the Senate Armed Services Committee had dismissed them. Judy Woodruff sits down with Spletstoser to discuss.

The global water supply is constantly and increasingly threatened by climate change, overconsumption and poor management, among other forces. In an effort to bolster it, scientists around the world are leveraging familiar scientific principles with modern technology to capture water from the moisture in fog. John Yang reports on these innovative efforts to address the worsening water crisis.

North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles Tuesday, marking its second such launch within a week. The action comes as talks between the U.S. and North Korea are at a standstill, with no visible progress since a June promise to restart the stalled dialogue. Nick Schifrin asks Gen. Vincent Brooks about what the recent missile testing means for nuclear talks between the two nations.

Broadway director and producer Harold Prince died Wednesday at age 91. Prince won an astonishing, record-breaking 21 Tony Awards with shows that became household names -- and whose popularity still endures decades later. Judy Woodruff reports on a theater legend who wasn’t satisfied with merely entertaining his audiences but aspired to “provoke conversation” even after the curtain fell.