PBS News Hour full episode, August 20, 2026
Thursday on the News Hour, the Treasury secretary tries to calm markets amid concerns about the national debt that’s now passed $40 trillion. Russia launches another massive bombardment against Kyiv as Ukraine struggles with a shortage of defense missiles. Plus, Afghans who worked alongside the United States reflect on their lives under Taliban rule, five years after the American withdrawal.
WATCH TODAY’S SEGMENTS:
Why Treasury yields are at 20-year highs
https://youtu.be/T6yG7jp95DA
Indiana residents frustrated amid 10-day power outage
https://youtu.be/tvkSXsM26Y8
News Wrap: U.S. carrier heading home after long deployment
https://youtu.be/ibVOVk2yf_M
War crimes part of Russia’s strategy, ex-U.S. colonel says
https://youtu.be/ziuSKW15mWw
Ousted CIA officer warns politics undermining intelligence
https://youtu.be/U0sfGxetgyk
Can ‘right to race’ laws protect American tracks?
https://youtu.be/Dyk9lEXQv8M
Afghans who worked with U.S. reflect on life under Taliban
https://youtu.be/LmSYhkcFLVU
Watch PBS News for daily, breaking and live news, plus special coverage. We are home to PBS News Hour, ranked the most credible and objective TV news show.
Sign up for Here’s The Deal with Lisa Desjardins: https://to.pbs.org/41q6E8i
Subscribe for exclusive content in our newsletters: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/subscribe
PBS News podcasts: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts
Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG
Find more from PBS News at https://www.pbs.org/newshour
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6
Follow us:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pbsnews
X: http://www.twitter.com/newshour
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/newshour
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newshour/
00:00 – INTRO
02:26 – Borrowing Costs
09:41 – Extended Outage
12:05 – News Wrap
18:19 – Russian Invasion
24:48 – Speaking Out
34:21 – Five Years Later
44:09 – Poll Positions
49:40 – Right to Race
54:38 – Goodnight
