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 E22

57m 46s

Brittney Griner describes her life in Russian confinement

8m 48s

She went from being the center of attention on professional basketball courts to the center of a global power struggle. Two years after she was first detained in Russia, Brittney Griner is sharing new details about her time held captive and the fight to free her. Amna Nawaz met up with Griner to discuss that and her new book, “Coming Home.”

Colleges face protests after embracing activism in past

6m 53s

As protests over the war in Gaza continue on campuses, colleges are grappling with the balance of free speech, civil disobedience and concerns over student safety. We’ve heard some college officials argue arrests and crackdowns are necessary and overdue while protesters and some faculty say it’s been too harsh in some cases. Lisa Desjardins discussed more with Tyler Austin Harper of The Atlantic.

Former Trump employees detail payments at heart of trial

5m 5s

Two former employees of the Trump Organization were on the stand in New York. Jeffrey McConney and Deborah Tasaroff were involved in the payments that are at the center of the charges filed against the former president in his hush money trial. Donald Trump also received another fine and a tough warning from the judge. William Brangham discussed the latest with Ximena Bustillo of NPR.

Patrick Kennedy on ‘Profiles in Mental Health Courage’

6m 51s

For former congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, advocating for mental health care is part of his family’s legacy. His uncle, President John F. Kennedy, signed the bill that established the nation’s community-based mental health care system. Ali Rogin sat down with Patrick Kennedy to discuss his new book, which details the mental health struggles and triumphs of everyday Americans.

How some colleges reached agreements over anti-war protests

6m 20s

The prevailing images of college protests over the Israel-Hamas war in the past few weeks have been of escalating tensions, clashes with police and mass arrests. But students and administrators at several schools from Rhode Island to California have found common ground during negotiations. Erin Gretzinger, a reporting fellow at The Chronicle of Higher Education, joins John Yang to discuss.

What a shifting civil war means for the future of Myanmar

7m 10s

Myanmar is on the brink of becoming a failed state. For three years, the southeast Asian nation has been embroiled in an escalating civil war between the military junta and pro-democracy forces. Now, resistance groups have gained control of a significant part of the country after a long line of junta defeats. John Yang speaks with Burmese-American journalist Aye Min Thant about the situation.

What Biden’s HIPAA expansion means for abortion seekers

6m 25s

In late April, the Biden administration issued new rules designed to keep prosecutors from obtaining medical records of patients who seek legal abortions. The expansion of HIPAA prohibits the disclosure of health information to state officials as part of a criminal investigation. Carmel Shachar, head of the Health Law and Policy Clinic at Harvard University, joins John Yang to discuss.

Ukrainian family starts over in Minnesota after fleeing war

5m 40s

Since Russia invaded Ukraine more than two years ago, about 6.5 million Ukrainians have left the country. One of them is 10-year-old Artem Fedorenko, who lost part of his arm in a Russian bombing that killed his father and brother. Today, he and his mother Oksana are rebuilding their lives in suburban Minneapolis with help from the Minnesota-based Protez Foundation. MPR News brings us their story.

Security concerns rise as U.S. troops leave Chad and Niger

7m 15s

The African nations of Niger and Chad have both been key partners with the United States in combating terrorist groups in the region. But now that both countries are ruled by military regimes, that cooperation is in question. Ali Rogin speaks with J. Peter Pham, former U.S. ambassador and special envoy for the Sahel region, to learn more.

Vietnamese Americans honor communities in new art exhibit

7m 36s

The 2 million Vietnamese Americans in this country often find their stories still told through the lens of the Vietnam War. But at an art exhibit in Biloxi, Mississippi, a new generation is telling a different story about their lives today. William Brangham reports for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

News Wrap: Report shows interest rates slowing job growth

5m 31s

In our news wrap Friday, there are signs that high interest rates could finally be slowing U.S. job growth, Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife were arrested on federal charges of bribery and conspiracy, three people in Canada were charged with the murder of a Sikh leader in British Columbia and a Palestinian hospital reported at least seven people died in an Israeli strike on Rafah.

What Hope Hicks said on the stand in Trump hush money trial

4m 48s

One of former President Trump’s most senior aides took the stand during his trial in New York. Hope Hicks served as Trump’s press secretary during the 2016 campaign and was his White House communications director. She detailed how Trump handled revelations about alleged extramarital affairs and the payments made to bury those stories. William Brangham discussed more with Andrea Bernstein of NPR.

Google antitrust trial could change how we use the internet

5m 30s

A landmark antitrust trial between the Department of Justice and Google is coming to an end. The tech giant is accused of monopolizing the internet search market, sidelining competitors and harming consumers. The DOJ claims Google struck illegal deals, but the company argues it has the best search engine. Stephanie Sy discussed the case with Rebecca Allensworth of Vanderbilt Law School.

Gaza journalist fights to protect family while covering war

5m

On World Press Freedom Day, the Committee to Protect Journalists says some two dozen journalists have been killed so far this year, the vast majority of them dying in Gaza. At least 97 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza, Israel and Lebanon since the start of the war. Nick Schifrin has a look at the life of our journalist in Gaza, cameraman and producer Shams Odeh.

Prisons with ISIS members a radicalization breeding ground

9m 13s

It’s been five years since the Islamic State was defeated by a U.S.-led military campaign in Syria. But today some 10,000 ISIS fighters remain jailed inside Syrian detention centers. Human rights groups call conditions in the prisons abusive and local authorities warn they are a breeding ground for radicalization and an Islamic State revival. Special correspondent Leila Molana-Allen reports.

Brooks and Capehart on Trump's vision for a 2nd term

10m 26s

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join William Brangham to discuss the week in politics, including protests against the war in Gaza growing on college campuses and Donald Trump gives the clearest vision yet for what he would do with a second term.

Biden awards Medal of Freedom to 19 at White House

2m 24s

President Biden bestowed 19 individuals with the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The recipients hail from nearly all corners of American life, actors, astronauts, activists like Opal Lee and athletes like Katie Ledecky. At the White House, Biden called them all the "pinnacle of leadership in their fields."

Book explores how ordinary people can be heroes of democracy

8m 31s

Eddie Glaude Jr. has a call to action for everyday Americans to reclaim their political destinies from the heroes of our past and present. He argues it's needed to secure a just and democratic future for America and makes the case in his new book, “We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For." Glaude joined Amna Nawaz to discuss more.

How young Michigan voters feel about the upcoming election

9m 48s

Young people between the ages of 18 and 29 make up roughly 20 percent of eligible voters. A majority of them voted for President Biden in 2020 and are typically a reliable vote for Democrats. In Michigan, NewsHour sat down with four young voters to talk about the election. Most of them plan to vote in November but they aren’t enthusiastic about their options. Laura Barrón-López reports.

Analyzing the consequential Supreme Court term

7m 57s

The Supreme Court wrapped up oral arguments and has now turned to rolling out decisions in some of the most consequential cases of the year. Those decisions will shape policies nationwide on divisive issues like homelessness and reproductive rights, and some of them could affect the presidential election. John Yang discussed more with NewsHour Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle and Joan Biskupic.

Supported by