PBS News Hour

News and Public Affairs Series / 8 Seasons

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Watch: S2024 E363

57m 46s

Russian system may have downed airliner, U.S. official says

9m 57s

There are early indications a Russian air defense system may have hit the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan, a U.S. official says. Some of the speculation focuses on damage to the plane's tail section that could have been caused by shrapnel from an exploding missile. Stephanie Sy reports and William Brangham discusses the crash with retired Army Col. Robert Hamilton.

Assad regime made billions producing, exporting party drugs

8m 31s

Now that the Assad regime in Syria has fallen, the full scale of that government’s production and distribution of illicit drugs is coming to light. Leila Molana-Allen reports from the drug factories in Syria.

News Wrap: 5 killed in Israeli airstrike on TV broadcast van

4m 38s

In our news wrap Thursday, five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a TV broadcast van, Israel escalated attacks on Houthi rebels in Yemen, authorities in Finland detained a ship with suspected Russian ties to investigate whether it damaged a major undersea power cable and Australia is facing some of its worst fire conditions in years.

Colleges advise students to return before Trump takes office

8m 10s

Most college students are on their winter break gathering with family and friends. But some from outside the United States may return to campus early this holiday season after several universities and colleges are advising them that the incoming Trump administration may make it more difficult for them to return later. Lisa Desjardins explains.

Investigation finds more deaths at Native boarding schools

6m 53s

More than 3,000 Native American children died in the custody of the U.S. government after being forced to attend so-called Indian boarding schools, according to an investigation by The Washington Post. That is three times the number of lives lost that the government documented in its own investigation released earlier this year. William Brangham discussed more with Dana Hedgpeth.

Claressa Shields on new film 'The Fire Inside'

7m 27s

One of the biggest names in women’s boxing, Claressa Shields, is getting the Hollywood treatment in a new biopic. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown discussed "The Fire Inside" with Shields and director Rachel Morrison for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

As Arctic warms, communities face dramatic changes

3m 57s

Since the 1980s, temperatures in the Arctic have risen at nearly triple the global rate. This past summer was the wettest on record, while a heatwave in August set records in northern Alaska and Canada. Digital producer Casey Kuhn explains how the warming affects those who call the Arctic home.

News Wrap: At least 38 dead after plane crash in Kazakhstan

4m 20s

In our news wrap Wednesday, at least 38 are dead after an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan, Ukraine says Russia launched an extensive missile and drone attack on the country’s energy and fuel infrastructure, disrupting heating services for 500,000 people and researchers in Siberia unearthed what may be the best-preserved body of a woolly mammoth ever found.

What makes Bethlehem's Moravian settlements so unique

4m 52s

The U.S. gained its 26th UNESCO World Heritage Site this summer. The Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Moravian settlement joined three other Moravian settlements in Germany, Denmark and Northern Ireland in becoming a World Heritage Site this year, tracing ideals and consistency found in Moravian city planning. Digital video producer Tim McPhillips went to Bethlehem to see what made Moravians so unique.

Boston Ballet offers a new look for 'The Nutcracker'

6m 4s

An annual tradition takes on a new look to transform how audiences see "The Nutcracker." Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown tells us how one ballet company is helping to make this long-awaited leap. It’s part of our Race Matters coverage and our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

PolitiFact's 'Lie of the Year' and impact on Ohio town

7m 2s

The 2024 campaign was unlike any in modern American history. But one thing united candidates across the political spectrum, they were all searching for messages that would resonate with voters. The team at the fact-checking organization PolitiFact investigated hundreds of claims to separate fact from fiction. As Ali Rogin reports, one comment stood out as PolitiFact’s 2024 Lie of the Year.

Newly discovered galaxy could offer clues on Milky Way

6m 43s

Scientists have found the beginnings of a young universe that may offer insights into the beginnings of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Geoff Bennett and Miles O'Brien discussed why scientists are excited by the discovery, one that has a little holiday sparkle of its own, so to speak.

Northern Israel residents hesitant about returning home

5m 7s

The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has brought relative calm in northern Israel, but the road to recovery is long. Tens of thousands have been displaced due to Hezbollah’s rocket attacks. Producer Karl Bostic traveled to Metula and Kiryat Shmona along the border with Lebanon to meet families who finally got to visit their homes after 14 months of war. Jeffery Brown has the story.

New Zealand's shift right brings protests from Māori people

7m 5s

New Zealand has long been known for its progressive policies, including efforts to correct and address historical wrongs against its indigenous Māori population. But as Ali Rogin reports, a new right-wing government has reversed many of those policies and triggered mass protests in the Pacific nation.

U.S. military services musicians perform 'Jingle Bells'

2m 54s

This Christmas Eve, we continue a tradition we started a few years ago with members of the U.S. military presenting a holiday song. This year, musicians from the military services perform the Christmas classic "Jingle Bells." This video was produced by the Pentagon's Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.

News Wrap: American Airlines temporarily grounds flights

6m 43s

In our news wrap Tuesday, American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical issue, a strike by Starbucks employees expanded to some 5,000 baristas, a man accused of setting a woman on fire in the New York City subway was charged with murder, famine conditions are spreading amid Sudan's civil war, and Bill Clinton has been discharged from a Washington, D.C. hospital.

Must-see Hollywood hits in 2024 and a few lesser-known gems

9m 9s

The holidays are a great time to catch up on the year’s best films, whether streaming at home or heading to the theater. To highlight some of the best movies of the year, Jeffrey Brown sat down with two film critics who shared their top picks. It’s part of our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

A look at the origins of NORAD's Santa tracker

3m 1s

During the Cold War, Air Force Col. Harry Shoup was one of the commanders in charge of an early warning radar system based in Colorado. It had been set up to detect a possible soviet missile attack on the United States. In this animated conversation from our colleagues at StoryCorps, three of Shoup's children recall a surprising phone call their dad received back in 1955.

Mass graves in Syria shed light on Assad regime's brutality

8m 35s

With the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the scale of his regime's mass killings and executions are coming to light more and more each day. The United Nations said this week the new Syrian government was receptive to receiving help gathering evidence and prosecuting individuals responsible for war crimes. Special correspondent Simona Foltyn reports.

Concerns swirl over impact of wind farms on fishing industry

8m 52s

With the growth of offshore wind farms there are many questions surrounding their impact. In the second of two stories about what researchers are finding, science correspondent Miles O'Brien takes us to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where local officials are trying to strike a balance between greener, renewable energy and a potential impact on the critical fishing industry in that region.

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