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: S2025 E38

57m 46s

How a NASA mission may help us understand life’s origins

2m 45s

The origins of life on our planet remains one of science’s great mysteries. Now, a NASA mission that brought a piece of an ancient asteroid back to Earth has revealed that the building blocks of life may have been scattered throughout the solar system billions of years ago. Ali Rogin reports.

News Wrap: Trump takes aim at Kennedy Center trustees

2m 39s

In our news wrap Saturday, Trump said he plans to name himself chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and fire members of its board of trustees, the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held through another round of hostage and prisoner exchanges, and crews are racing to recover the wreckage of a small commuter plane that crashed off the coast of western Alaska.

Fate of USAID in question as judge sets back Trump’s plans

5m 39s

A federal judge has paused until next Friday the Trump administration’s plan to place more than 2,000 employees at the U.S. Agency for International Development on paid leave. It’s a setback in Trump’s efforts to dismantle the global humanitarian agency and shrink the federal workforce. Randy Chester of the American Foreign Service Association joins Ali Rogin to discuss.

The history of diversity, equity and inclusion in America

7m 15s

Since President Trump returned to the White House, he’s issued executive orders that target diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, dismantling decades of federal anti-discrimination policy. This Black History Month, John Yang explores the origins of DEI in America for our “Hidden Histories” series and Ali Rogin speaks with Shaun Harper of the USC Race and Equity Center for more.

‘The Power Pause’ aims to rebrand stay-at-home motherhood

5m 27s

For some women, leaving the workforce to care for children or family is a choice. For others, it’s a necessity. But Neha Ruch, founder of Mother Untitled, doesn’t think a career pause means putting aside professional ambitions. Ali Rogin speaks with Ruch about what inspired her new book, “The Power Pause: How to Plan a Career Break After Kids — and Come Back Stronger Than Ever.”

Congress struggles to keep up as Trump reshapes government

8m 19s

Courts and Congress are struggling to keep up with the breakneck pace as the Trump administration dramatically reshapes the American government, national politics and international order. The president promised more cuts and further political payback, even as the courts stepped in to stand in the way of big changes he began days earlier. Lisa Desjardins reports.

News Wrap: Heavy rains in California trigger landslides

4m 59s

In our news wrap Friday, heavy rains in California trigger landslides and destroy homes, a small plane crashed in the middle of a busy road in Sao Paulo, Brazil, hundreds of people have been killed in Sudan as fighting escalates in the country's civil war and Swedish officials say they will work to tighten gun laws after the deadliest mass shooting in the country's history.

Displaced Gazans return to face uncertain future

3m 32s

President Trump said he is in “no rush to do anything” in Gaza. Earlier this week, he talked about the need for Palestinians to leave Gaza and for the United States to take over the area and develop it. Also this week, Hamas accused Israel of delaying the entry of hundreds of trucks carrying food and other humanitarian supplies agreed to in the ceasefire deal. Stephanie Sy reports.

Top UN humanitarian official on the situation in Gaza

5m 12s

One of the key United Nations agencies overseeing the provision of aid into Gaza is the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA. Its leader, Tom Fletcher, just visited Gaza and joined Geoff Bennett to discuss what he saw there.

Chicago Fed president on the new jobs report and economy

6m 37s

The new jobs report shows the pace of hiring slowed slightly in January with the economy adding 143,000 jobs. The report also revised down jobs numbers between April 2023 and March of 2024 by nearly 600,000, the largest annual revision in more than 15 years. To help make sense of it all, Amna Nawaz spoke with Austan Goolsbee, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Capehart and Continetti on Trump's executive power

10m 53s

Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart and Matthew Continetti from the American Enterprise Institute join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, President Trump and his allies making quick progress on their goal of "deconstructing the administrative state," Elon Musk gaining unprecedented access to information, Congress ceding power to the White House and the new DNC chair.

Study reveals financial impact of the sports betting boom

8m 31s

This Sunday in New Orleans, the Philadelphia Eagles will try to block the Kansas City Chiefs from taking home a historic third consecutive Super Bowl title. But there will also be a historic $1.4 billion riding on the game. Paul Solman reports on the snowballing and potentially perilous sports betting craze.

A Brief But Spectacular take on making each day opening day

3m 50s

Lawrence Chu is the heart and soul behind Chef Chu's, a beloved dining destination in the Bay Area for over five decades. Known for his culinary artistry and commitment to community, Lawrence reflects on the power food has to bring people together. Chef Chu shares his Brief But Spectacular take on treating each day like opening day.

Engineers turn to beavers for insights into managing water

7m 39s

Beavers and the dams they build are not always embraced in the areas where they do their work. But there's a growing recognition that they also are building a kind of natural infrastructure that helps with water management and the climate. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien went to see the beavers at work during their busy season and has the story for our ongoing coverage of Tipping Points.

GOP Sen. Schmitt says 'FBI ripe for real reform'

7m 8s

While many Trump nominees have been confirmed at a break-neck speed, FBI director nominee Kash Patel will have to wait. Democrats on the Judiciary Committee forced a delay over objections to Patel’s plans to further purge agents from the FBI who investigated Jan. 6 and President Trump’s handling of classified documents. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri.

Deadline for federal workers to resign delayed by judge

3m 32s

Multiple judges have temporarily blocked efforts by President Trump to dramatically gut the federal government, and more lawsuits are yet to come. Laura Barrón-López reports on the latest.

Trump working to dismantle efforts to fight climate change

5m 53s

Among the many big moves taken by the Trump administration, boosting fossil fuel development has been a priority. In a series of actions, President Trump is following through on his promise not just to ramp up oil and gas production, but to sharply curtail any effort to deal with climate change. William Brangham reports.

News Wrap: Panama's president rejects U.S. canal fee claim

4m 38s

In our news wrap Thursday, Panama's president is pushing back on U.S. claims that a deal over transit fees for the Panama Canal was reached, the NCAA updated its transgender policy to limit women's competition to athletes who were assigned as female at birth and there are growing concerns over the spread of bird flu after dairy cattle in Nevada became infected with a new variant of the disease.

Funding freeze impacts community health, Head Start programs

6m 35s

A broad federal funding freeze announced by the Trump administration last week, and blocked by a pair of judges, is destabilizing a wide range of programs despite the court interventions. Some Community Health and Head Start programs have sporadically been blocked from funding, forcing some to shut down. Political correspondent Lisa Desjardins has been investigating what’s happening and reports.

Democracy advocate examines Trump changes to government

7m 22s

The first two weeks of the Trump administration have brought dramatic proposals and unprecedented changes to the government. Our new series, On Democracy, is taking a step back to look at big questions about the changing laws, institutions and norms. For our first interview, Amna Nawaz spoke with Barton Gellman, a longtime journalist and senior adviser at the Brennan Center for Justice.

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