PBS News Hour

News and Public Affairs Series / 8 Seasons

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Watch Latest: S2024 E322

26m 45s

Federal funding for free school meals for all ends

5m

During the pandemic, the federal government provided funds for free healthy school meals for students, but that program ended in 2022. Most states went back to the system they had before, but some will continue providing meals. NewsHour Communities Correspondents Gabrielle Hays in Missouri, Adam Kemp in Oklahoma and Frances Kai-Hwa Wang in Michigan joined Geoff Bennett to discuss the programs.

Amid grief and loss, Maui continues with wildfire recovery

9m 14s

Friday marks a month since the wildfires in Maui raged out of control, claiming too many victims and destroying a historic part of the island. Now, amid so much grief and loss, residents and businesses are trying to recover and eventually rebuild. One of them is former Top Chef contestant Lee Anne Wong. She spoke with Amna Nawaz about where things stand for her and her community.

U.S. ambassador to U.N. on concerns over genocide in Darfur

10m 10s

More than 5 million people in Sudan have been displaced by a power struggle between the military and an offshoot paramilitary group. More than 200,000 from the Darfur region have fled into Chad, where the U.N. is sending humanitarian assistance. Nick Schifrin spoke with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield about the humanitarian crisis and U.S. policy toward Sudan.

Tunisia's president tightens grip on power by jailing rivals

8m 24s

Democracy in Tunisia is under pressure. The North African country was long considered a trailblazer for democracy in the Arab world, but now its president has launched an authoritarian crackdown that has jailed political rivals, wrecked the economy and caused people to flee. Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports.

Hutchinson says Trump will lead GOP 'to disaster in 2024'

8m 28s

With recent polls indicating former President Donald Trump’s grip on GOP voters holding firm, several Republicans are hoping to chip away at that support and win their party’s 2024 presidential nomination. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is one of them. He joined Amna Nawaz to discuss his campaign.

Extreme heat forces some schools to cancel classes

6m 20s

With the new school year underway, high temperatures have led to schools either closing or dismissing early in at least nine states this week. That’s raised questions about old overheated buildings, the lack of air conditioning and bigger ventilation concerns tied to COVID. Stephanie Sy discussed more with Joseph Allen of the Healthy Buildings Program at Harvard’s Chan School of Public Health.

What's behind the rise in near-collisions of airplanes

5m 57s

There has been an alarming number of near-miss collisions between airplanes according to an investigation by The New York Times. In a review of FAA reports and a NASA database, the Times found there were at least 46 close calls involving commercial flights in July and runway incursions are 25 percent higher than a decade ago. Geoff Bennett discussed more with aviation correspondent Miles O’Brien.

Georgia prosecutors say Trump trial could last 4 months

6m 3s

For the first time, we are seeing inside the courtroom for a hearing about one of the indictments of Donald Trump. Prosecutors laid out a timeline for a potential trial, one they say could last four months and rely on more than 150 witnesses. Amna Nawaz discussed Wednesday's hearing with Stephen Fowler of Georgia Public Broadcasting

Music school increases access for students with disabilities

8m 17s

In a series of reports, Jeffrey Brown has looked at the intersection of arts and health. Recently, he traveled to the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education in Boston to see a program bringing music into the lives of people with disabilities. It's for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

Research uncovers new details on Indigenous boarding schools

5m 59s

For more than a century, hundreds of thousands of Native American children were forced to attend boarding schools. Those schools stripped children of their identities and cultures. Deaths are estimated to be in the thousands as they suffered abuse, neglect, beatings and forced labor. Stephanie Sy reports on new findings about the role churches and religious groups played.

Climate scientist on extreme weather and long-term trends

8m 6s

Extreme weather is hitting with catastrophic consequences. At least eight people died in Europe after severe storms, 31 people died from flooding in Brazil and more than 80 million Americans are living through blazing temperatures and yet another heat alert. It all comes as the planet reached an alarming milestone this summer. William Brangham discussed the impacts with Gavin Schmidt.

Lack of funding forces UN to cut food aid in Afghanistan

4m 28s

The United Nations World Food Programme has announced a lack of funding is forcing it to stop feeding some of the most vulnerable people in Afghanistan. The organization is scaling back just as hunger is rising to record levels with some 15 million Afghans, more than a third of the country, struggling to find their next meal. Nick Schifrin reports.

Federal court rejects Alabama's congressional map again

5m 51s

Delivering a harsh rebuke of Alabama’s lawmakers, federal judges again struck down the state’s congressional map. After being ordered to create a second majority Black district, Republicans in the state chose to defy the U.S. Supreme Court. Maps in Florida, Louisiana and Georgia have also been challenged for diluting the power of Black voters. Laura Barrón-López discussed more with Hansi Lo Wang.

Billie Jean King on fighting for equal pay in women's sports

8m 36s

Today, some women’s tennis players are among the highest-paid athletes in the world. But that wasn’t always the case. Equal pay was a long battle fought by the same women playing the game, including the legendary Billie Jean King. Amna Nawaz spoke with King at the U.S. Open as the tournament marked 50 years since it became the first U.S. sporting event to offer equal prize money for men and women.

'The Last Politician' examines Biden's first 2 years

8m

When Joe Biden stepped into the Oval Office as president on January 20th, 2021, he was possibly better prepared and more equipped to deal with the ways of Washington and his fellow world leaders than other presidents in recent history. The Atlantic's Franklin Foer examined Biden's first two years in office and joined Geoff Bennett to discuss his new book, "The Last Politician."

The accusations that led to Texas AG's impeachment trial

5m 30s

The Texas State Senate transformed into a court of impeachment for the first time in nearly 50 years. Suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton pleaded not guilty to 16 charges including bribery, obstruction of justice, conspiracy and abuse of the public’s trust. Amna Nawaz discussed the trial with Tony Plohetski of the Austin American-Statesman.

Questions remain as Saudi Arabia, Israel seek normalization

12m 4s

Israel and Saudi Arabia have never had diplomatic relations. But both countries’ leaders appear to want normalization, and the U.S. is actively negotiating its details. It would create a tectonic shift in the Middle East, but critics argue it could come at too high a price for not enough gain. Nick Schifrin discussed the possible deal with Robert Satloff, Bernard Haykel and Dalia Dassa Kaye.

Rise in far-right violence a top law enforcement concern

8m 7s

The Proud Boys played a critical part in carrying out the Jan. 6 attack, but the group is just one part of a trend of increased white supremacist and far-right violence. Top U.S. law enforcement officials say those extremist movements are the biggest domestic terrorism threat facing the country. Laura Barrón-López discussed the rise of far-right extremism with Kathleen Belew and Seamus Hughes.

Congress faces deadline to avoid government shutdown

4m 55s

The Senate is back to work in Washington after a month-long recess. The return sets up the start of a high-stakes showdown to prevent a government shutdown by the end of the month. That will be a tough task as the Democratic-led Senate and Republicans in the House don’t see eye to eye on spending priorities. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Leigh Ann Caldwell of The Washington Post.

Families scramble as schools face bus driver shortage

9m

This Labor Day comes as unions and workers are flexing their power. Writers and actors are on strike, auto workers may take to the picket line soon and UPS drivers ratified a historic contract this summer. But employees still face significant battles and employers are coping with worker shortages, including school districts across the country that face a lack of bus drivers. Ali Rogin reports.

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