PBS News Hour

News and Public Affairs Series / 9 Seasons

Millions of Americans turn to PBS for the solid, reliable reporting that has made PBS News Hour one of the most trusted news programs in television.

Watch Latest: S2025 E61

24m 8s

Researchers race to answer questions about wind energy

8m 49s

The Biden administration just approved a wind farm project off the coast of Massachusetts. It's the eleventh commercial-scale wind project of its kind to get approval and comes at a key moment for the sector, as President-elect Trump, a frequent critic, prepares to take office. Miles O'Brien reports.

Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on Biden's moves, GOP's fissures

8m 27s

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join William Brangham to discuss the latest political news, including President Biden's big decisions with just weeks left in office and how a funding fight reveals potential cracks in the GOP as Republicans prepare to take power.

China's adoption ban leaves children and families in limbo

9m 22s

China’s announcement in September that it was ending international adoptions was a crushing blow for families awaiting the arrival of their adopted children. The policy change has now left more than 270 American families in limbo, unsure of where their adoption journey will lead. Stephanie Sy reports.

How to keep your package deliveries safe from porch pirates

6m 34s

With Christmas and the beginning of Hanukkah just days away, many online shoppers are having last-minute gifts delivered to their homes. While it can be more convenient than brick and mortar stores, it also offers an easy target for criminals. Ali Rogin speaks with safety reporter Rebecca Edwards about how you can protect the items on your wishlist this year.

The painful toll of family estrangement during the holidays

9m 37s

The picture-perfect image of happy families at holiday gatherings isn’t reality for everyone. According to a Harris poll conducted in November, about 18 percent of those surveyed said they had only limited interactions with their immediate family. Some of our viewers share their stories of alienation from family, and John Yang speaks with family therapist Whitney Goodman for advice.

Seasonal vendors bring Christmas trees to NYC sidewalks

5m 2s

Every year, the smell of spruce around New York City announces the arrival of as many as 200,000 Christmas trees. The seasonal workers who sell those trees often live in on-site trailers, vans and even plywood shacks. We hear from one group of Christmas tree sellers at their sidewalk market in Brooklyn.

Major takeaways from the chaotic funding deal in Congress

4m 52s

President Biden on Saturday signed the spending bill that prevented a government shutdown, ending days of chaos that saw President-elect Trump clashing with House members of his own party. Congressional approval of the bipartisan deal came just past the midnight deadline, with lawmakers refusing Trump’s core demand to raise the nation’s debt limit. John Yang speaks with Lisa Desjardins for more.

Middle East crisis leave millions of children in dire need

7m 3s

As the humanitarian crisis affecting children in Gaza continues to deepen, UNICEF says there’s also a great need in Lebanon and Syria. John Yang speaks with UNICEF spokesman James Elder about what he saw on a recent trip to the region.

Warming planet threatens tiny deer in the Florida Keys

4m

A type of white-tailed deer unique to the Florida Keys has been on the endangered species list for nearly 60 years. Only about 800 Key deer remain, and their habitat is under growing threat from rising sea levels. William Brangham reports for our series, “Saving Species.”

What to know about a surge of walking pneumonia in children

5m 38s

A rise in cases of a contagious lung infection across the United States is causing alarm, especially for parents of young children. Walking pneumonia usually sickens school-aged children and teens, but this year, toddlers are being hit the hardest. Ali Rogin speaks with Dr. Donald Dumford, infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic, to learn more.

Former ambassador on challenges to rebuilding Syria

7m 35s

American diplomats were in Syria for the first time since the U.S. shut its embassy in Damascus in 2012. They met with Syria's new ruler, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and announced the $10 million bounty the U.S. placed on him would be removed. For perspective on the latest developments, Geoff Bennett spoke with Theodore Kattouf, the U.S. ambassador to Syria during the George W. Bush administration.

House votes to avoid government shutdown, approves funding

7m 6s

Days of chaos and uncertainty on Capitol Hill appear to be winding down. A bill backed by President-elect Trump to keep the government open was rejected by the House Thursday night. But on Friday, an apparent breakthrough was announced by Speaker Mike Johnson. Lisa Desjardins is tracking it all on Capitol Hill.

Schweikert says Musk's political influence is 'wonderful'

6m 10s

The back-and-forth on the stopgap spending bill has created fault lines among House Republicans. Many were unsatisfied with the original text, but some also rejected the revised bill, which included President-elect Trump’s demands to suspend the debt limit. One of those members is Rep. David Schweikert of Arizona. He joined Geoff Bennett to discuss more.

How life in West Bank has become brutal and unpredictable

10m 15s

Overnight in the occupied West Bank, a mosque was vandalized and set on fire by Israeli settlers. Attacks against Palestinians there have increased greatly since the Oct. 7 terror attacks. Israel describes the West Bank as one of seven fronts it is fighting on, stoked by Iranian support of militants. Nick Schifrin reports from the Jenin refugee camp, the epicenter of much of the violence.

Brooks and Capehart on Trump's role in the funding battle

10m 27s

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including yet another chaotic, down-to-the-wire funding battle in Congress, how President-elect Trump will govern during his second term and the political influence of Elon Musk.

Court weighs who owns a 'vibe' after influencer sues another

5m 16s

Who owns a vibe? That question is at the heart of a lawsuit where one online influencer is suing another for copyright infringement. Sydney Gifford claims that Alyssa Sheill knowingly replicated Gifford’s aesthetic and her posts on social media. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Sandra E. Garcia, a reporter at The New York Times who has been covering this first-of-its-kind case.

What was in the rejected GOP proposal to avoid a shutdown

5m 52s

House Republicans are pushing a new proposal tonight to avoid a government shutdown in an effort to meet President-elect Trump’s last-minute spending demands. It's all unfolding after Trump rejected the original bill earlier this week with billionaire Elon Musk leading the charge against it online. Lisa Desjardins reports.

Rep. McHenry on Washington dysfunction as he leaves Congress

7m 17s

Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina is retiring after 20 years in Congress. He has the distinction of being the only person to serve as speaker pro tempore of the House, a job that was forced on him for three chaotic weeks after the ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy a year ago. Lisa Desjardins sat down with Rep. McHenry to discuss his time in office and the current state of Capitol Hill.

Willis disqualified from Trump's Georgia interference case

3m 58s

A Georgia appeals court has disqualified the top prosecutor overseeing an election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump and his allies, a decision that could upend the case. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was disqualified because she had a romantic relationship with an attorney she hired to help run the investigation. William Brangham reports.

A look at legal tactics Trump is using against media outlets

5m 58s

Donald Trump is following through on threats of legal action against the media. After ABC agreed to pay $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by Trump, his legal team filed a suit against Ann Selzer and the Des Moines Register for a poll showing Kamala Harris leading. Trump's suit called the poll “election-interfering fiction.” Geoff Bennett discussed more with Clay Calvert.

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