PBS News Hour

News and Public Affairs Series / 9 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: S2025 E29

57m 46s

Hostage affairs envoy on efforts to free detained Americans

6m 53s

While the United States was able to negotiate the release of detained Americans in Venezuela, there are at least four Americans in Russia and approximately seven held in Gaza. The U.S. government's point person working to get them all home is Roger Carstens, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. Amna Nawaz spoke with Carstens about those still held captive.

Why congregations are leaving the United Methodist Church

5m 9s

One of the dominant Christian denominations in the U.S., the United Methodist Church, is experiencing a major split. Since 2019, more than 7,000 congregations have received approval to leave the church. The factions have disagreements in theology, namely how the church considers LGBTQ+ ministers and congregants. Amna Nawaz discussed more with communities correspondent Adam Kemp in Oklahoma.

Israel shows no sign of slowing down strikes in Gaza

3m 17s

Israel's ground offensive in Gaza continues to expand. As the death toll rises, Gazans still desperately need basics to survive. Aid trucks roll in, but many Palestinians are starving or without water and Israel announced it will now consider United Nations employee visas on a case by case basis, instead of automatic admission. Amna Nawaz reports.

Critics name their favorite TV shows of 2023

8m 4s

In the age of streaming, there's never a lack of something to watch. With the choices nearly overwhelming, Jeffrey Brown spoke with critics Lorraine Ali of The Los Angeles Times and Jen Chaney of New York Magazine and Vulture about their favorite shows of 2023. It's part of our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

Israelis volunteer on farms to save agricultural supply

7m 15s

When Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel declared war, most foreign farm workers left the country and Palestinian workers were barred from entering Israel. Many Israelis were called to reserve duty, leaving the farming industry facing financial losses and in desperate need of workers. Jon Frankel reports.

How Long-term care planning is burdening the middle-class

7m 9s

Long-term care is already a huge problem in the United States, one that's growing as the baby boom population ages, and one with big financial costs. William Brangham explores the impact this is having on middle-class Americans and how they are having to rearrange their lives.

Teens reflect on how social media nearly ruined friendship

3m 8s

The addictive nature of social media doesn't just have parents, lawmakers and advocates worried. Last year, more than half of U.S. teens said it would be difficult to give up social media, including TikTok and YouTube. The latest episode of our Student Reporting Labs series "Moments of Truth" tells the story of one teen who faced this dilemma head-on with Instagram.

Meta accused of manipulating apps to make children addicted

7m 13s

Meta is the target of state lawsuits over allegations it has harmed the mental health of children and misled the public about safety. State attorneys general argue Facebook and Instagram deliberately manipulate their apps in ways that addict kids and failed to keep them off despite age limits. Stephanie Sy discussed the legal scrutiny of social media with Jeff Horwitz of The Wall Street Journal.

Egypt plan to end Gaza war meets resistance from both sides

7m 26s

The death toll in Gaza has crossed 20,000, according to Palestinian officials. Every day that the war goes on, more civilians are killed and the path to a real, political solution to end it seems far. Amna Nawaz discussed what this means for Palestinians trapped in Gaza with Palestinian political analyst Nour Odeh.

Palestinians flee central Gaza as Israel expands offensive

3m 15s

The Israeli military says it has expanded its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. Operations now include the densely populated urban refugee camps in the central part of the territory. That comes as the United Nations appoints a new coordinator for humanitarian aid to Gaza, where more than 2 million people are in a food crisis and the risk of famine grows each day. Amna Nawaz reports.

Maine's deaf community unites in wake of Lewiston shooting

7m 5s

It has been two months since a gunman opened fire on a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, Maine, killing 18 people and injuring 13 others. One community was especially hit hard by the attack. The shooting is believed to be the deadliest for deaf people ever in the U.S. Laura Barrón-López reports on how that community is rebuilding in the wake of tragedy.

How 'chatty benches' are combating loneliness in Britain

5m 50s

Mental health experts believe one of the long-term consequences of lockdowns during the COVID pandemic is an increase in loneliness. In Britain, communities are trying to combat people’s isolation by introducing so-called chatty benches and chatty cafes. Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports from Kent.

Paramedics face harrowing conditions in Israel-Hamas war

8m 47s

The Oct. 7 Hamas attack against Israel and Israel's attacks against Palestinians has taxed the medical communities on both sides of the conflict. The ambulance drivers and paramedics are on the front lines of the war. Special correspondent Martin Himel has a look at the life of two medics, one in Gaza and one in Israel.

Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on Haley's rise in the GOP polls

9m 30s

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join Geoff Bennett to discuss the latest political news, including Nikki Haley on the rise while another GOP campaign seems to be fading with just a few weeks until the first votes of the presidential campaign and a look toward the 2024 election.

Israeli airstrike kills more than 100 in Gaza refugee camp

3m 9s

The death toll in the Israel-Hamas war surged higher Monday as Israel ramped up its strikes on Gaza. Health officials there reported 250 Palestinians died and another 500 were injured in the last 24 hours alone. All this comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to intensify the fight. William Brangham reports.

A look inside the business of Christmas music

5m 53s

Christmas music is a big part of the music industry. John Yang speaks with Nate Sloan, an assistant professor of musicology at the USC Thornton School of Music and co-host of the podcast Switched On Pop, about what makes Christmas music so popular at this time of year and the staying power of these holiday hits.

‘Glory to the Heroes’ shows resilience amid war in Ukraine

8m 10s

With aid for Ukraine caught in a partisan fight on Capitol Hill, it can be easy to lose sight of the human toll of the war. In a new documentary “Glory to the Heroes,” director Bernard-Henri Lévy turns the focus back on those he calls the heroes, from the fighters on the front lines to the civilians who remain in Ukraine in an act of defiance. Ali Rogin speaks with Lévy about the film.

The ‘perfect storm’ causing a sharp rise in homelessness

6m 8s

The number of Americans experiencing homelessness is now at its highest since records started being kept in 2007, according to estimates in a new report from the federal government. 2023 saw a 12 percent increase in homelessness over the previous year, the biggest one-year jump on record. John Yang speaks with Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, to learn why.

News Wrap: Hundreds killed in airstrikes, combat in Gaza

3m 3s

In our news wrap Sunday, Gaza saw some of the most intense and bloodiest fighting of the war this weekend, the streets of Bethlehem stood empty of crowds and festivities on Christmas Eve as celebrations were canceled amid the Israel-Hamas war, Germany tightened security after a terror alert at Cologne Cathedral, and Christmas Day is expected to be unseasonably warm for much of the United States.

Supported by