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 E368

57m 46s

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.

Why Biden is pushing for more U.S. investment in Africa

8m 19s

President Biden is returning from the first presidential trip to Africa in more than a decade. Biden visited Angola to further U.S. investments on the continent. The Americans are playing a game of catchup with the Chinese who have spent decades, and billions, investing, extracting and, some say, exploiting developing countries. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Mvemba Phezo Dizolele.

Federal Reserve official on latest efforts to tame inflation

7m 21s

The Federal Reserve may cut interest rates later this month as officials weigh inflation and the broader economy. Inflation has been running above the Fed’s targeted rate and other economic indicators have remained strong, leaving some worried progress on reining in prices has stalled. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Mary Daly, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

Syrians describe living in crossfire of brutal civil war

7m 23s

Since Syria's “Arab Spring,” protests devolved into a decade-plus bloodletting. Fleeing civilians have been caught in the crossfire between the Assad regime, its Russian and Iranian allies and the various opposition groups that have fought against them. As the conflict reignites, special correspondent Leila Molana-Allen reports on the victims of this war and its survivors.

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