PBS News Hour

News and Public Affairs Series / 8 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: S2024 E363

57m 46s

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.

New FDA rules aim to redefine what's considered 'healthy'

5m 59s

The Food and Drug Administration has issued new rules for food labels for the first time in three decades, an update the agency says will help empower consumers to make healthier choices in the grocery store. Lindsey Smith Taillie, a nutrition epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, joins William Brangham to discuss the changes.

Candy Cane Lane lights up St. Louis

2m 37s

For more than 20 years, one street in St. Louis, Missouri gets transformed every holiday season into a show of lights. But behind the sparkle of Candy Cane Lane there is an underlying motivation, demonstrating what many believe is the true meaning of Christmas. New Hour's Community correspondent Gabrielle Hays explains.

Arturo Sandoval on falling in love with music

9m 33s

Famed musician Arturo Sandoval was among those celebrated at the 47th Kennedy Center honors in early December. But as a young boy in Cuba, Sandoval's rise to the top of the music world was inconceivable. He has now won 10 Grammy awards and performed the world over. Geoff Bennett met up with Sandoval to talk about a life filled with music. It's part of our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

News Wrap: Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty to CEO's murder

4m 26s

In our news wrap Monday, the man accused of gunning down the head of United Health Care pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of murder, former President Bill Clinton is hospitalized in Washington, D.C. after developing a fever, automakers Nissan and Honda announce plans for a merger, and a man is facing murder and arson charges for allegedly setting a woman on fire inside a subway train.

House report on Matt Gaetz alleges rampant illegalities

4m 25s

A highly-anticipated House Ethics Committee report details a litany of allegations against Matt Gaetz, the former Republican Florida representative. Prosecutors previously declined to charge him, but Gaetz’ former peers found evidence that he paid several young women for sex -- including an underage girl -– and partook in drug-fueled sex parties. Lisa Desjardins joins William Brangham to discuss.

Why Biden commuted the sentences of 37 people on death row

5m 29s

President Biden has commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 prisoners on federal death row who will stay in prison for life but will not be subject to executions. Biden's move is likely motivated by the incoming Trump administration's expected hard line policy shift on federal executions. Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, joins William Brangham to discuss.

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.

Supported by