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 Latest: S2024 E359

26m 45s

Would a lower legal limit for drunk driving improve safety?

5m 38s

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, drunk driving crashes are as much as 40 percent higher between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day than the rest of the year. The legal blood alcohol limit in the U.S. is higher than around the world, and advocates say lowering it would reduce fatal car crashes. John Yang speaks with researcher James Fell to learn more.

Rebirth of Michigan Central a symbol of Detroit's comeback

7m 58s

A restoration of past glory, a renovation toward future growth and potential consequences and conflicts in the present. That’s the story of Michigan Central, a grand addition to Detroit’s economic and cultural life. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown reports for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

Brooks and Capehart on Biden's pardon and Trump's nominees

10m 41s

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including President Biden's pardon of his son has drawn scrutiny from both sides of the aisle, President-elect Trump's nominees continue to face heavy scrutiny on Capitol Hill and other issues shaping the transition.

Transgender lawmaker on backlash surrounding trans rights

6m 25s

Two years ago, Leigh Finke became the first trans person elected to the Minnesota state legislature. Even though she endured numerous threats, she leveraged her position, and a Democratic majority, to help pass legislation protecting other trans people in her state. Finke joined William Brangham to discuss the triumphs and the vitriol surrounding transgender rights in America.

Examining the changes RFK Jr. could make to food regulations

8m 15s

President-elect Trump’s nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services has raised a number of questions in the public health community about Kennedy’s long history of opposing vaccines. It’s also put a spotlight on a number of other comments he’s made, including about what millions of Americans eat and drink each day. William Brangham reports.

Romania election results tossed after interference fears

5m 36s

Romania’s constitutional court threw out the results of the election’s first round and delayed the second round. The sitting government says there was a vast influence effort by a foreign actor to boost the candidacy of a candidate dubbed as pro-Russian, anti-NATO and anti-semitic. Nick Schifrin reports.

News Wrap: Police say CEO gunman has fled New York

5m 46s

In our news wrap Friday, investigators believe the gunman who shot and killed a healthcare CEO has fled New York, Syrian rebels are seizing more territory and closing in on the country's third-largest city of Homs and the leader of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s own party now supports impeaching him.

Musk, Ramaswamy try to build support for slashing government

5m 21s

It was a busy day on Capitol Hill where Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy met with House and Senate Republicans. The two were recently appointed by President-elect Trump to lead a new commission that aims to reduce government spending. Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, continues to face an uphill climb on his path to confirmation. Lisa Desjardins reports.

Syrian rebels capture Hama, another blow to Assad government

3m 28s

Rebels dealt another blow to the Syrian government by capturing a city in the center of the country. Opposition forces took control of Hama, one of the few cities that remained largely under government control since the civil war started in 2011. The northern city of Aleppo fell earlier this week as the opposition launched a major operation against the regime of Bashar al-Assad. John Yang reports.

Family of Gaza chef killed in strike says he was targeted

9m 19s

In North Gaza, Mahmod Almadhoun, fed the famished. They called him Chef Mahmoud for running a soup kitchen for the most vulnerable. He opened a school with a sign on the roof in Hebrew and English reading, "Please don’t bomb." On the morning of Nov. 30, Almadhoun’s family says he was killed by an Israeli drone. Nick Schifrin discussed more with Almadhoun's brother, Hani Almadhoun.

News Wrap: Macron vows to stay in office after PM's ouster

4m 48s

In our news wrap Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to stay in office until the end of his term after his prime minister was ousted, the manhunt continues for the suspect who stalked and killed United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York and the Department of Justice found that Memphis Police routinely used excessive force and discriminated against Black residents.

Trump picks could radically shift intelligence agencies

6m 9s

Many of the people President-elect Trump has selected for his next administration have promised to shake up long-held norms. His picks to lead agencies that will oversee the nation’s national security, intelligence and law enforcement communities have repeatedly expressed contempt towards the agencies they are nominated to run. Laura Barrón-López discussed more with John Sipher.

Documentary explores migrant family separation policy

7m 10s

On a recent evening in Washington, moviegoers filled the lobby of a local theater to watch the D.C. premiere of a new film from a renowned documentarian that explores the first Trump administration’s family separation policy on the southern border. Geoff Bennett discussed "Separated" with executive producer Jacob Soboroff.

In 'Run, Hide, Fight,' students report on gun violence

3m 42s

Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens in the U.S., but much of the coverage about it is made by and for adults. Our Student Reporting Labs handed cameras to 14 young journalists and their work is part of the documentary, “Run, Hide, Fight: Growing Up Under the Gun." In this excerpt, Alexis and Brianna Schmidt talk to classmates about living through a mass shooting.

Hegseth visits Capitol Hill to salvage defense nomination

5m 51s

One of President-elect Trump's most embattled nominees, Defense Secretary-designate Pete Hegseth, met with Republican senators Wednesday on Capitol Hill. It comes as Trump revealed more of his picks key positions to assist him in his next term. Lisa Desjardins reports.

Supreme Court hears arguments in landmark trans rights case

9m 24s

The Supreme Court heard arguments in a landmark case on transgender rights. The justices are weighing whether a Tennessee law barring gender-affirming care for minors violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution. The decision will have major implications for young people who identify as transgender, their families and medical providers. Laura Barrón-López reports.

Chinese hackers infiltrate at least 8 U.S. telecom companies

4m 13s

The White House said that a broad Chinese hacking operation had infiltrated at least eight American telecommunications companies and that none of them have managed to remove the Chinese hackers from their systems. Nick Schifrin reports.

The bald eagle was never officially named the national bird

4m 17s

Despite centuries on the national seal and widespread assumption, the bald eagle has never officially been designated as the national bird. John Yang reports on the effort to change that and why it matters.

News Wrap: United Healthcare CEO killed in targeted attack

5m 38s

In our news wrap Wednesday, New York City police called the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson a brazen and targeted attack, opposition parties moved to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol a day after he ordered a brief, but chaotic, period of martial law and Palestinian officials say at least 21 people were killed in a nighttime Israeli strike on a tent camp in Gaza.

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