PBS News Hour

News and Public Affairs Series / 9 Seasons

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Watch: S2025 E148

57m 46s

University of the People offers affordable college education

8m 58s

The cost of a college education has been under scrutiny amid crippling levels of student debt. That's also true in some cases for online degrees of dubious quality and outcomes. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports on an effort to create an accessible, affordable and global university that's getting attention as an online alternative. It's part of our series, Rethinking College.

Calls grow for judges to control their security force

6m 45s

Ensuring the safety of federal judges falls to the U.S. Marshals Service, an agency within the Justice Department. But as President Trump increasingly lashes out at the courts, empowering judges to oversee their own dedicated security force is an idea that is gaining traction. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Jeremy Fogel of the Berkeley Judicial Institute at the UC Berkeley School of Law.

Catholic Relief Services faces uncertain future after cuts

6m 45s

One of the first major policy decisions of the second Trump administration was a significant change in spending on foreign aid. That eventually included effectively dissolving the U.S. Agency for International Development, the primary organization that distributed those funds. Deema Zein reports on how one major recipient of USAID funding is grappling with the impact.

News Wrap: Driver plows into crowd of people in Liverpool

6m 39s

In our news wrap Monday, police arrested a British man after he drove into a crowd of fans in Liverpool as they celebrated their team's Premier League championship, health officials in Gaza say the latest round of Israeli airstrikes killed at least 52 people and President Trump says he's pardoning a former Virginia sheriff who was convicted of federal bribery charges.

Russia escalates drone attacks on Ukraine

10m 2s

In the past week, 30 Ukrainians have died and more than 163 others injured as Russia escalated its bombing campaign amid U.S. efforts to end the war. It prompted President Trump to lash out at not only Russian President Putin, but also Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. Laura Barrón-López discussed more with retired Army Col. Robert Hamilton of the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Eurasia Program.

'Putin's Sledgehammer' reveals how Wagner Group gained power

9m 19s

A new book delves deep into the rise and fall of the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group and its close ties to Vladimir Putin. Nick Schifrin sat down with Candace Rondeaux, author of "Putin's Sledgehammer: The Wagner Group and Russia’s Collapse into Mercenary Chaos."

How young Democrats are pushing to redefine the party

3m 20s

Young Democratic candidates are launching primary bids for national office in hopes of charting a new path forward for a party in disarray. We hear from three of those candidates, Mallory McMorrow, Jake Rakov and Kat Abughazaleh, about what they think the Democratic Party needs to do to win.

Amy Walter and Jasmine Wright on Trump's big bill

11m 12s

Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and Jasmine Wright of NOTUS join Laura Barrón-López to discuss the latest political news, including lawmakers hearing from constituents about President Trump’s big domestic policy bill passed by House Republicans, the president's attacks on the judiciary and young Democrats running for office.

Japanese American WWII vet built bridges between cultures

8m 50s

On this Memorial Day, we turn to the life and legacy of Yukio Kawamoto. The Japanese-American World War II veteran served his country under almost unthinkable circumstances and then spent a lifetime building bridges between the two cultures he called his own. Amna Nawaz has the story for our ongoing series, Race Matters.

Endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh raises awareness for sharks

4m 20s

Sharks have been cast as the ultimate villain ever since the movie “Jaws” was released 50 years ago this summer. The film tells the story of a great white shark terrorizing beachgoers, but in reality, humans pose the greater threat to sharks. Ali Rogin speaks with endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh, who wants to get that message out by swimming around Martha’s Vineyard, where “Jaws” was filmed.

Tensions in the South China Sea mount amid recent clashes

6m 39s

Nearly a quarter of global maritime trade goes through the South China Sea. In recent years, it’s become the site of clashes between Chinese coast guard ships and Philippine vessels as Beijing tries to exert its claim to virtually the entire sea despite international law. John Yang speaks with Andrew Chubb, Asia Society fellow and senior lecturer at Lancaster University, for more.

The growing environmental impact of AI data centers

4m 56s

The EPA has reportedly drafted a plan to eliminate all limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, according to documents obtained by The New York Times. Now, with the rise of artificial intelligence technology, demand on power plants is increasing, in large part due to AI’s reliance on data centers. Ali Rogin speaks with Kenza Bryan, climate reporter for The Financial Times, for more.

News Wrap: Russia bombards Ukraine hours before 3rd POW swap

3m 17s

In our news wrap Sunday, Poland scrambled its air defenses as Russia conducted an aerial assault on neighboring Ukraine, Israel continued making deadly airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, Elon Musk signaled he may be easing out of his role in efforts to slash government spending under Trump, and Memorial Day preparations are underway at Arlington National Cemetery.

George Floyd’s uncle on the fight for justice 5 years later

4m 17s

Five years ago today, George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police. Video of the event sent shockwaves around the world and triggered an American reckoning with racial justice and police use of force. For our ongoing series “Race Matters,” John Yang speaks with Selwyn Jones, Floyd’s uncle and co-founder of Justice 929, about his family’s continued fight for civil rights and police reform.

Do soda taxes improve health? What some cities have found

9m 41s

Experts say drinking a lot of sweetened beverages can lead to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. This week, the federal government reversed decades of policy and allowed states to ban the use of food stamps to buy soda and other sweetened drinks. In addition, a handful of cities have put taxes on them over strong objections from the beverage industry. John Yang reports.

Link found between pre-teen social media use and depression

5m 5s

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco have found a link between use of social media by pre-teens and future depression. The study, published this week in the American Medical Association’s journal JAMA, said more time spent on social media “may contribute to increased depressive symptoms over time.” Ali Rogin speaks with lead researcher Dr. Jason Nagata to learn more.

News Wrap: Ukraine and Russia exchange hundreds of POWs

3m 9s

In our news wrap Saturday, Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners hours after a large-scale Russian attack on Kyiv, dozens of staff members have been removed from Trump’s National Security Council, the U.S. measles outbreak passed 1,000 confirmed cases, tennis star Novak Djokovic won his 100th career singles title, and a wildlife center is going to great lengths to help a bear cub.

How proposed Medicaid cuts could affect family caregivers

4m 59s

House Republicans narrowly passed the multitrillion-dollar bill advancing Trump’s domestic agenda, and Senate Republicans are preparing for the battles ahead when they consider the measure next month. One item that’s sure to be debated is the House bill’s massive cuts to Medicaid. Jason Resendez of the National Alliance for Caregiving joins John Yang to discuss what those cuts could mean.

Dawn Staley reflects on successes and challenges in new book

7m 42s

Dawn Staley is a woman of many titles: five-time WNBA all-star, Olympic gold medalist, head coach and now an author. In her first book, Staley reflects on the lessons that made her who she is today. Amna Nawaz spoke with Staley about her love of basketball and her new memoir, "Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and the Life Lessons I Learned from All Three."

Brooks and Capehart on Trump's legislative agenda

10m 39s

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including House Republicans pass President Trump's budget plan, the administration’s latest move against Harvard University and Trump's meeting with South Africa's president.

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