PBS News Hour

News and Public Affairs Series / 9 Seasons

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Watch Latest: S2025 E76

57m 46s

Who is Speaker Mike Johnson and what can he accomplish?

10m 55s

The House of Representatives has a new speaker after 22 days of leaderless, gridlocked chaos following the ouster of Kevin McCarthy. Mike Johnson of Louisiana won all 220 Republican votes cast on the House floor Wednesday. After emerging from the leadership vacuum, Speaker Johnson said Congress must win back Americans’ faith. Congressional Correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports from Capitol Hill.

Rethinking legacy admissions after end of affirmative action

8m 4s

The Supreme Court’s decision to limit the use of race in admissions was a game-changer for colleges. While the ruling's biggest impact is on the most selective schools, a survey found nearly a quarter of all colleges considered race to some degree before the pandemic. Special correspondent Hari Sreenivasan looks at how some schools are reevaluating admissions for our series, Rethinking College.

Michael Cohen testifies against Trump in civil fraud trial

6m 9s

Donald Trump is facing legal hurdles on several fronts, both civil and criminal, in state and federal courts. In New York, the $250 million civil fraud trial against Trump and his company is in its fourth week. Tuesday, Michael Cohen took the stand and put the blame squarely on Trump for inflating the value of his assets. Laura Barrón-López discussed the latest with Andrea Bernstein of NPR.

Ex-Republican strategist raises alarms about GOP in new book

6m 17s

Stuart Stevens has spent the majority of his decades-long career getting Republicans elected to political office. But his latest book is a warning to the country about the current state of the GOP and its threat to America’s democracy. Amna Nawas spoke with Stevens about the book titled, "The Conspiracy to End America: Five Ways My Old Party Is Driving Our Democracy to Autocracy."

States sue Meta accusing tech giant of harming mental health

6m 17s

More than 40 states and the District of Columbia have sued Meta, accusing the tech giant of building addictive features into its popular social media platforms that contribute to a youth mental health crisis. The states say Meta uses "powerful and unprecedented technologies" to engage young people. Stephanie Sy discussed the lawsuits with Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser.

GOP loses 3rd speaker nominee after Trump dooms Emmer’s bid

4m 58s

The House Republican Conference has lost another speaker nominee, its third this month. Pushback from former President Trump and his allies doomed Congressman Tom Emmer’s bid and he withdrew hours after getting the nomination. Lisa Desjardins has been following the chaotic infighting and reports from Capitol Hill.

Netanyahu adviser on hostages and risks of continued bombing

7m 44s

While Israel prepares for an expected ground invasion of Gaza, about 200 people are still being held there by Hamas. Amna Nawaz discussed the hostage situation with Mark Regev, a senior adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a former Israeli ambassador to the U.K.

Israel steps up raids and deadly strikes in West Bank

5m 2s

In the West Bank, tensions are also reaching a boiling point. Since the Hamas attack in southern Israel, 95 Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli troops, arrest raids and attacks by Jewish settlers. Another 1,250 Palestinians have been arrested as the Israeli government says it is going after militants. Special correspondent Leila Molana-Allen reports from Jenin.

Life inside Gaza amid airstrikes and humanitarian crisis

5m 14s

Israel intensified its bombing of Gaza, launching 400 airstrikes Tuesday across the Palestinian territory. Foreign ministers from around the world met at the United Nations urging a ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. With constant bombing and dwindling necessities, the crisis is only growing worse. Nick Schifrin reports on what life is like for the people facing the horrors of war.

Are Israel's military tactics abiding by the laws of war?

9m 41s

President Biden and the leaders of half a dozen European countries released a letter endorsing Israel’s right to defend itself but also called for Israel to adhere to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians. Nick Schifrin discussed those laws of war and whether they're being followed with Pnina Sharvit Baruch and Sari Bashi.

'Romney: A Reckoning' explores fraught relationship with GOP

5m 47s

It wasn’t that long ago that Mitt Romney was the Republican presidential nominee. But today, the GOP he once led is dominated by Donald Trump. Romney shared his thoughts about the changes within the party and his own actions over his decades-long political career with journalist McKay Coppins. Lisa Desjardins sat down with Coppins to discuss his new book, "Romney: A Reckoning."

Israel-Hamas war causes college campus debate and protests

8m 2s

The attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians two weeks ago and the subsequent bombardment of Gaza by Israel has roiled college and university campuses across the country. Jeffrey Brown reports on how protests, backlashes and debates around free speech are reverberating on campus.

Tamara Keith and Amy Walter the struggle to choose a speaker

7m 54s

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including the potential political fallout of the House speaker's race and how it could affect U.S. aid for Israel and Ukraine.

Who are the 9 Republicans making a run for House speaker?

3m 26s

Nine Republicans are running to serve as House speaker after several failed votes and a weeks-long stalemate over the future of the chamber. The candidates are pitching their plan to unite a divided House Republican Conference in a closed-door forum. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Leigh Ann Caldwell of The Washington Post.

Israeli bombardment of Gaza persists amid calls for a pause

12m 34s

Hamas freed two more hostages, a pair of Israeli women, out of the 220 people believed to be held captive. Meanwhile, Israel's bombardment of Gaza continues and the health ministry there says more than 5,000 Palestinians have been killed. Israel counts some 1,400 war dead. Leila Molana-Allen reports from Jerusalem. A warning: Images in this story are disturbing.

How faith groups are coming together during a time of war

7m 25s

The conflict in the Middle East has been a fraught subject for decades, including in the U.S., and especially within American Jewish and Muslim communities. And for almost as long, interfaith groups have sought to bring those communities together to find common ground. That doesn’t make witnessing and talking about the current war any easier. Ali Rogin reports.

What steps can be taken to secure U.S. elections

6m 28s

Last month, a group of election experts warned that American democracy is under great stress. Their report outlines 24 recommendations spanning law, media, politics and tech to protect American elections. Rick Hasen, the director of UCLA Law School's Safeguarding Democracy Project who convened the panel of experts that drafted that report, joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss.

A Brief But Spectacular take on Black women, sex and church

2m 57s

Deesha Philyaw is a writer whose debut short story collection, “The Secret Lives of Church Ladies,” was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award. Her works touch on themes of race, sex, gender and pop culture. Philyaw shares her Brief But Spectacular take on Black women, sex and the Black church.

Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon and Syria

4m 38s

Prospects of a widening conflict in the Middle East grew on Sunday as the geography of the now two-week-old war expanded. Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria. This as the death toll is mounting with nearly 4,700 Palestinians and more than 1,400 Israelis now killed. Leila Leila Molana-Allen reports from Tel-Aviv.

Swim safety advocates aim to undo historic racial inequities

4m 49s

Learning how to swim is a rite of passage for many, but a surprising number of American children can’t swim. Part of that comes down to access and restrictions rooted in racism that have kept generations of swimmers out of pools. Isabella Jibilian of Rhode Island PBS reports.

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