PBS News Hour

News and Public Affairs Series / 9 Seasons

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Watch Latest: S2025 E111

56m 44s

European leaders scrambling as U.S. nears Russia talks

7m 49s

European leaders met in France on Monday as President Trump's delegation prepared for talks with Russia about how to end the war with Ukraine. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called it a "difficult situation" for Europe, and said that talks must produce a fair and sustainable peace. Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania’s former foreign minister, joins Nick Schifrin to discuss the latest.

How Trump’s second term looks like some autocracies

7m 20s

President Trump’s social media post over the weekend that implied he is above the law triggered alarm bells from experts who were already concerned about the legal and constitutional boundaries tested during his first few weeks in office. Kim Lane Scheppele, professor of sociology and international affairs at Princeton University, joins Amna Nawaz to discuss for our new series, "On Democracy."

News Wrap: Delta flight crashes in Toronto injuring 8 people

4m 30s

In our news wrap Monday, a Delta Airlines flight crashed while landing at Toronto's Pearson International Airport causing eight injuries, at least 12 people have died from severe weekend storms in the South, doctors are treating Pope Francis for an infection after he was admitted to the hospital with bronchitis and a rare artifact from the nation's first president is being put up for sale.

Trump's mass firings impact basic functions of government

8m 39s

The federal government is closed on Monday to celebrate Presidents Day, but the Trump administration's effort to permanently scale back the size and scope of the federal workforce continues in full force. As Laura Barrón-López reports, President Trump's actions in his first few weeks also fueled demonstrations on this holiday weekend.

Former U.S. envoy on why Trump is engaging with Russia

5m 13s

American officials are preparing for talks with Russia over ending the war in Ukraine, set to begin Monday in Saudi Arabia, with no clear indication yet that Kyiv will be involved. Meanwhile, European leaders are convening an emergency meeting in Paris in response to being shut out of early negotiations. Ali Rogin speaks with Kurt Volker, former U.S. special envoy to Ukraine, for more.

Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon uncertain as deadline looms

5m 40s

After Israel missed a previous deadline at the end of January, this Tuesday is the new deadline for Israeli troops to withdraw from southern Lebanon. Israel has indicated that its troops will remain in some strategic areas along the border, raising fears of a prolonged occupation. Special correspondent Simona Foltyn reports from southern Lebanon, where she embedded with U.N. forces.

What’s behind online romance scams and who is most at risk

5m 18s

It’s Valentine’s Day weekend and love is in the air. More and more these days, that first spark begins with connections made on digital devices — but not all online romances are real. Scammers use texts and fake profiles to win trust and fleece billions of dollars per year from Americans. Ali Rogin speaks with investigative reporter Cezary Podkul about how these scams work and who they target.

Canada will ‘never’ be a U.S. state, foreign minister says

4m 49s

The future of Ukraine took center stage at Munich’s security summit over the last few days. Before the U.S. announced it would meet with Russian officials, Nick Schifrin sat down in Germany with Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly to discuss Ukraine’s future, Trump’s economic threats against Canada, and tensions between the U.S. and its closest allies.

Explorer Tara Roberts on her memoir ‘Written in the Waters’

5m 47s

Between the 16th and 19th centuries, as many as a thousand slave ships carrying captive Africans sank while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. National Geographic explorer and writer Tara Roberts has been traveling the world documenting these wrecks, and tells these untold stories in her new memoir, “Written in the Waters.” Ali Rogin speaks with Roberts for our series, Race Matters.

Zelenskyy’s chief of staff on ‘new reality’ for security

5m 53s

The Trump administration’s lead Ukraine envoy said Saturday that there are no plans for Europeans to be included in any talks to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Earlier, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy suggested at the Munich Security Conference that the days of the U.S. defending Europe may be over. Nick Schifrin speaks with Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak for more.

The benefits and risks of swimming outdoors in the winter

4m 12s

It’s the middle of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and while it might not feel like the season for jumping in the water, more and more people are finding an icy plunge invigorating. William Brangham takes a look at the world of winter swimming and both its potential benefits and risks.

How work life has changed as more workers return to offices

4m 40s

The era of the remote worker is winding down. Before a mandate for federal workers to return to the office made national headlines, dozens of major private sector companies across the U.S. implemented hybrid policies. Ali Rogin speaks with Pamela Eyring, president of The Protocol School of Washington, about why back to the office may not immediately mean back to normal.

DOJ in upheaval over order to dismiss Adams corruption case

7m 49s

A wave of resignations is shaking up the Justice Department after the Trump administration gave orders to drop the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. William Brangham reports on the exodus that began Thursday with one of New York’s top federal prosecutors, and Amna Nawaz speaks with law professor and former federal prosecutor Jessica Roth for more.

Mass firings sweep federal agencies amid court challenges

2m 59s

Courtrooms across the country are hearing challenges to President Trump and Elon Musk’s efforts to shrink the federal government. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López joins Geoff Bennett to discuss the latest as the administration defends itself in five separate cases.

Brooks and Capehart on Trump’s challenge to the judiciary

9m 33s

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including the ongoing challenge to constitutional guardrails and the position of the United States on the global stage.

Vance lectures European allies on democracy at Munich summit

5m 2s

In Munich on Friday, Vice President Vance met with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and with German political leaders, including the head of the far-right AfD party. The latter meeting came after Vance critiqued America’s European allies at the Munich Security Conference, which is usually focused on Western adversaries. Nick Schifrin reports on the latest.

EU official on future of Ukraine amid shifting U.S. support

6m 12s

Europeans have been receiving mixed messages on Ukraine from the Trump administration all week. Ukraine’s defenders say Russia is not serious about peace, pointing to a Russian drone that hit a radiation shield protecting the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on Friday. Nick Schifrin speaks with Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, for more.

Constitutional scholar discusses Trump’s executive authority

7m 22s

The first weeks of the Trump administration have brought dramatic changes to the shape, scope and function of the federal government. Geoff Bennett speaks with constitutional scholar Ilya Shapiro about President Trump’s expanded view of executive authority for our new series, On Democracy.

Jane Austen fans honor novelist 250 years after her birth

7m 42s

This year, fans of the British romantic novelist Jane Austen are celebrating 250 years since her birth. In her homeland of England, residents are expecting a tourist boom. Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

Senegal group finds success in stopping genital mutilation

8m 38s

It's a taboo topic and an age-old practice across several countries and religious traditions in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. An estimated 230 million women and girls are subjected to genital mutilation. One group in Senegal has had success in getting thousands of communities to abandon the practice. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports. A warning, this story has references some may find disturbing.

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