PBS News Hour

News and Public Affairs Series / 9 Seasons

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Watch: S2025 E21

55m 47s

Ukrainian describes joining fight against Russian invasion

5m 58s

Ukraine finds itself in a bloody stalemate on the frozen plains of the country's east and south, now two years into Russia's full scale invasion. With forces taking immense losses throughout the war, many are answering calls to protect their nation, and joining up. Nick Schifrin and filmmaker Amanda Bailly in Kyiv introduce us to one of them. A warning, the images in this story are graphic.

State Dept. official: If Putin wins, tyrants will get hungry

7m 54s

The Biden administration unveiled a new set of sanctions against Russia to punish it further for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that it started two years ago. The sanctions are also meant to target Russia for the death of anti-corruption activist and politician Alexei Navalny. Geoff Bennett spoke with U.S. Undersecretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland about the state of the war.

Geneticist and singer study how music can improve health

9m 7s

Giants in their fields of music and science are merging their knowledge to propel advancements in body and mind. A recent international gathering of researchers, therapists and artists took stock of what is known and what is yet to be discovered. Jeffrey Brown reports for our ongoing arts and health coverage on CANVAS.

Family seeks answers after death of nonbinary teen in Okla.

5m 20s

There are new details about an Oklahoma teenager who died the day after a physical altercation in a school restroom. Nex Benedict, who was nonbinary, attended high school in Owasso, a suburb of Tulsa. Nex's death is raising concerns in LGBTQ+ communities and igniting fear in some families and students. Amna Nawaz discussed that with our communities correspondent based in Oklahoma, Adam Kemp.

Airstrikes flatten parts of Rafah amid cease-fire progress

4m

As the deadly bombing of Gaza continues, there is some progress towards a resumption of talks to release hostages held by Hamas and a cease-fire. Israel's Army Radio said the country's war cabinet approved sending emissaries to truce talks in Paris. But that slow progress toward a deal did nothing to stop the bombing and killing in Gaza. Geoff Bennett reports.

News Wrap: Navalny's mother says she has seen son's body

4m 44s

In our news wrap Thursday, the mother of Alexei Navalny says Russian authorities won't hand over his remains unless she agrees to a secret burial, a federal judge in California blocked a state law that targets guns designated as abnormally dangerous and a Texas judge ruled that a high school acted legally when it suspended a Black student over his hairstyle.

Spending fight pushes country closer to government shutdown

5m 16s

Even as Congress is out of town, bipartisan negotiators may reach a spending deal in the next few days. But that may not be soon enough to avert a partial government shutdown. This has been a familiar plotline in recent years, but as Capitol Hill correspondent Lisa Desjardins explains, this spending showdown has some unique features to it.

Analyzing state of Ukraine war 2 years into Russian invasion

11m 29s

Saturday marks two years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. With the conflict at a frozen and brutal stalemate, Nick Schifrin discussed where the war is, where it could go and U.S. policy toward Ukraine with Michael Kofman, John Mearsheimer and Rebeccah Heinrichs.

Study reveals depths of racial, ethnic bias in health care

6m 24s

We’ve long known about racial and ethnic bias in health care, but now we’re getting some first-hand knowledge of how pervasive it is through interviews with health care workers in the largest study of its kind. William Brangham breaks down the study’s findings with one of its co-authors Dr. Laurie Zepheryn. It's part of our ongoing coverage of Race Matters.

U.S. company lands private spacecraft on surface of the moon

5m 29s

It's the first U.S.-built spacecraft to land on the moon in more than 50 years, and the first ever by a private company. The Odysseus lander took off from Cape Canaveral last week and made it to the lunar surface on Thursday. The Houston-based company Intuitive Machines created the spacecraft and the trip is key to NASA's goal of returning to the moon with a manned mission.

Experts discuss future of UNRWA and allegations against it

9m 16s

The U.N. acknowledged aid deliveries into Gaza have dropped dramatically, threatening a population where hunger is spreading. That aid is delivered by UNRWA, an agency that Israel recently accused of acting “under the authorization” of Hamas. Nick Schifrin discussed the allegations with reserve Israeli Col. Grisha Yakubovich and Matthias Schmale, a former UNRWA director of operations in Gaza.

The potential dangers of AI tool creating realistic video

6m 3s

The realism of AI-generated video is one of the more remarkable, and potentially scary, developments we’ve seen so far with the technology. Oren Etzioni studies artificial intelligence and is the founder of truemedia.org, an organization that fights against AI-based disinformation. Etzioni joined William Brangham to discuss the future of AI.

App connects drivers to lawyers during traffic stops

8m 9s

The murder of George Floyd thrust Minnesota into the center of the debate over police misconduct. As Fred de Sam Lazaro reports, one effort coming out of that painful period hopes to make traffic stops safer. It’s part of the series, Agents for Change.

How an Alabama ruling that embryos are children impacts IVF

7m 20s

A decision from the Alabama Supreme Court has alarmed doctors, patients and reproductive rights advocates. The court ruled that frozen embryos, created through in vitro fertilization, are legally children and thus protected. The designation of personhood could have significant repercussions for reproductive rights. Stephanie Sy discussed the questions raised by this ruling with Mary Ziegler.

Ex-informant accused of lying and having ties to Russia

8m 22s

An ex-informant charged with lying to the FBI about President Biden recently told law enforcement he’s been in contact with Russian operatives. Prosecutors say the informant's story of a Ukrainian energy firm bribing President Biden and his son is a complete fabrication and is being used to interfere in U.S. elections. Laura Barrón-López discussed the developments with Ryan Goodman.

States challenge rule aimed at reducing drifting pollution

7m 10s

The Supreme Court heard arguments in a major environmental case over a rule that requires states to stop their air pollution from drifting over to neighboring states. Three states, led by Ohio, are claiming the rule is too costly and they’re asking the court to block the so-called “good neighbor” policy. William Brangham discussed the case with Coral Davenport of The New York Times.

Taiwan's top diplomat in the U.S. on tensions with China

8m 19s

Tensions in the Taiwan Strait increased this week following incidents near an island involving the Chinese and Taiwanese coast guards. It's happening at a sensitive moment, in between Taiwan's recent election and the upcoming inauguration of its new president. Nick Schifrin speaks to Taiwan’s new representative to the U.S., Alexander Tah-ray Yui, for his first broadcast interview.

Exhibit chronicles rich history of independent Black cinema

6m 43s

Film buffs will frequently cite "Citizen Kane" or "Gone with the Wind" as early classics. But a new exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts seeks to showcase lesser-known Black filmmakers and actors who have a rich history of their own. Jeffrey Brown has the story for our arts and culture series, "CANVAS."

Low demand for commercial office space fuels economic fears

8m 10s

Federal regulators in recent weeks have signaled concerns about commercial real estate, a financial sector that could spell economic trouble. A combination of decreased demand for office space and high interest rates have put pressure on lease holders and smaller banks in particular. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports from San Francisco.

A Minnesota shooting and the U.S. domestic violence problem

6m 25s

A shooting outside of Minneapolis over the weekend is putting the spotlight once again on domestic violence. Two police officers and a paramedic responding to a domestic-abuse call were killed. Rachel Louise Snyder, who covers domestic violence and is author of the memoir, “Women We Buried, Women We Burned,” joins William Brangham to discuss how the incident fits into a broader national picture.

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