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 E310

57m 46s

Son of Jimmy Lai rallies U.S. support in fight for release

6m 16s

A group of U.S. lawmakers came together in a show of bipartisan support to call for the release of Hong Kong businessman Jimmy Lai. Lai, who owned the newspaper Apple Daily, is one of the hundreds of democracy activists, journalists and political leaders imprisoned as part of mainland China's ongoing crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong. Nick Schifrin discussed more with Lai's son and his lawyer.

Brooks and Capehart on a cultural shift away from negativity

11m 48s

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including the GOP facing a major scandal involving Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor in North Carolina, Donald Trump's latest comments about Jewish voters and Israel and if an electoral culture shift will benefit Kamala Harris.

Georgia election board to require hand count of ballots

4m 26s

The 2024 voting season is officially underway as polling stations opened Friday for early in-person voting in Minnesota, South Dakota and Virginia. Meantime, the state election board in Georgia passed a new vote-counting rule that has sparked heated debate. Stephanie Sy reports.

Hezbollah leader killed in 3rd Israel strike on group

2m 35s

Israel says it killed a top Hezbollah commander and other senior figures in the militant group. Lebanon's health ministry said at least 14 people died and dozens more were wounded in the Israeli airstrike. The attack comes days after beepers and walkie-talkies laced with explosives by Israel were detonated, killing 37 people and injuring thousands more across Lebanon. Nick Schifrin reports.

How Split-ticket voters could decide the election

5m 49s

Split-ticket voters, those who vote for candidates from different parties, are increasingly rare in modern American politics. But those who cross the aisle on their ballots this November may decide which party controls the Senate next year. Lisa Desjardins reports.

Hezbollah leader says Israel crossed a line and vows revenge

3m 25s

The leader of Hezbollah says they will exact revenge on Israel for two days of attacks that killed dozens and wounded thousands. The News Hour is told that Israeli officials notified their U.S. counterparts they planted explosives in the pagers and walkie-talkies that exploded this week. Now, Israel is bracing for retaliation. Nick Schifrin reports. A warning, images in this story are disturbing.

Harris campaigns with Oprah, Trump focuses on immigration

3m 29s

Both presidential candidates are on the trail firing up their supporters with Vice President Harris in Michigan and former President Trump in Washington. While touting his economic record Thursday, President Biden also gave a brief but clear statement of support for Harris and warned of the economic ramifications of a second Trump presidency. Amna Nawaz reports.

Maya Wiley chronicles activism and family legacy in memoir

7m 21s

Civil rights attorney Maya Wiley grew up in a household that prioritized activism. Her parents' influence set her on a path to a lifetime of advocacy work, but sometimes left her wondering how best to fulfill the family legacy on her own terms. Wiley sat down with Geoff Bennett to discuss her new memoir, “Remember, You Are a Wiley.”

Who are the undecided voters and what are they thinking

5m 44s

With the race for the White House as close as ever, the election could come down to a small number of undecided voters. But in a hyper partisan political climate, who are those people that are still unsure? NPR's Domenico Montanaro spoke to a handful of undecided voters who have responded to our regular PBS News/NPR/Marist poll and joined Amna Nawaz to discuss what they’re thinking.

Economists explain hidden downfalls of ending taxes on tips

8m 11s

Tax cuts and credits have been a popular theme during this campaign. Both candidates have also proposed several tax breaks and have not always explained how to pay for them. That's true of one idea former President Trump and Vice President Harris support: no taxes on tips. Economics correspondent Paul Solman looks at what's behind the proposal and some concerns around it.

Teamsters chief on why the union won't make an endorsement

7m 33s

One of the nation’s largest unions, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, says it won't make an endorsement in the 2024 presidential election. It’s the first time the union has skipped an endorsement in a presidential race since 1996, having supported the Democratic nominee in each election since. Geoff Bennett discussed the decision with Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien.

Papua New Guinea struggles to monitor deep-sea mining

11m 23s

The kind of deep-sea mining that we've examined this week is only legally permitted inside a country's territorial waters. The only country on earth to allow it so far is Papua New Guinea. Videographer Edward Kiernan and special correspondent Willem Marx report on how difficult it is for the impoverished Pacific nation to monitor deep-sea mining activities.

Lindsey Hilsum shares poetry inspired by the front lines

6m 7s

Lindsey Hilsum is an award-winning correspondent with Britain’s Channel 4 News who has contributed to the News Hour with reports from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and more. Her new book, "I Brought the War with Me," marries her life as a war correspondent with poetry. Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant discussed more with Hilsum for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

Congress scrambles to avert government shutdown

4m 42s

The election looms, but first, lawmakers face another deadline to keep the government open and funded. With just under two weeks to go, the House of Representatives is taking a risk by voting on a government funding patch with controversial election reform attached to the bill. That combination is expected to fail and for now, Republicans say they don’t have a backup plan. Lisa Desjardins reports.

Deep-sea mining raises concerns over impact on environment

10m 26s

The companies that create technology used on a daily basis often run into traditional cultures and the environment that sustains them. In a previous report, videographer Edward Kiernan and special correspondent Willem Marx introduced us to the new and potentially lucrative industry of deep-sea mining. They return to Papua New Guinea and report on locals fighting to save a vanishing way of life.

Campaigns face calls for civility in contentious election

3m 33s

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are pressing ahead with a very busy campaign schedule. For Trump, that included his first campaign appearance since the latest apparent assassination attempt against him. Lisa Desjardins reports on the increasing calls for civility in this contentious election season.

Lebanon rocked by 2nd wave of exploding devices

7m 37s

For the second time in as many days, there was an unprecedented attack on Hezbollah. Tuesday, pagers exploded. Wednesday, it was two-way radios. At least 20 more people died and hundreds injured on top of at least 12 killed and nearly 3,000 wounded on Tuesday. Israel is assumed to have infiltrated supply chains to implant explosives in the devices. Nick Schifrin discussed more with Hanin Ghaddar.

What the Fed's interest rate cut means for inflation

5m 52s

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the first time in four years with an aggressive move that lowers its benchmark rate by a half percentage point. The Fed also said it intended to lower interest rates by a full point before the year is out. Amna Nawaz discussed the decision and what it could mean, with David Wessel, director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy.

Report links Georgia's abortion ban to preventable deaths

7m 3s

We’re learning more about the effects of abortion restrictions enacted after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. ProPublica found at least two women in Georgia who died after being unable to get either a legal abortion or timely medical care. Committees examining pregnancy-related deaths concluded that both were preventable. John Yang discussed more with ProPublica's Kavitha Surana.

Dr. Francis Collins on his new book 'The Road to Wisdom'

7m 5s

Dr. Francis Collins has been at the forefront of the world’s most advanced biomedical research. He led the Human Genome Project and was the longest-serving director of the National Institutes of Health. He is drawing on his career to focus on what he sees as the core pillars of wisdom during a time of deep polarization. Geoff Bennett sat down with Collins to discuss his book, “The Road to Wisdom."

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