PBS News Hour

News and Public Affairs Series / 9 Seasons

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Watch: S2025 E57

57m 46s

Fired inspectors general issue warning about oversight void

8m 30s

The Trump administration's first weeks saw a wave of firings, including more than 17 inspectors general, independent watchdogs overseeing government waste, fraud and abuse. These actions have already prompted a lawsuit challenging their legality and ongoing protests outside federal buildings. Laura Barrón-López speaks with two of the fired inspectors general, Christi Grimm and Robert Storch.

Judge in Eric Adams case asks DOJ why it's dropping charges

3m 21s

The federal judge overseeing the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams held a hearing Wednesday about the Trump Justice Department's sudden decision to drop the case. That reversal prompted seven federal prosecutors to resign in protest and has further plunged the mayor’s administration into turmoil. William Brangham was in the courtroom and reports on the developments.

Trump calls Zelenskyy a 'dictator' as he pressures Kyiv

2m 29s

President Donald Trump denounced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a dictator as he tried to pressure Kyiv to accept a deal to end the war. The U.S. is negotiating those terms directly with Russia. It comes a day after Trump falsely claimed Ukraine started the war. Ali Rogin reports.

News Wrap: Bolsonaro charged with attempting coup

6m 5s

In our news wrap Wednesday, former Brazilian President Bolsonaro has been formally charged with attempting a coup to stay in office after losing the 2022 election, the Trump administration is ordering New York City to stop its congestion pricing system, two small planes collide midair at an Arizona airport and Apple launched a new low-cost iPhone as it tries to kickstart its smartphone business.

Andrew Young on the political moment and his life of service

8m 28s

Andrew Young is a pivotal figure in the civil rights movement, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a two-term mayor of Atlanta. The nation last saw him as he delivered a heartfelt homily at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter. Geoff Bennett spoke with Young in Atlanta for his insights on the current political moment and his reflections on his extraordinary life of service.

Examining the truth about fighting fires in California

5m 58s

Last month’s wildfires in California destroyed thousands of homes, killed at least 29 people and will likely cost hundreds of billions of dollars. President Trump has claimed that state officials made the disaster worse by how they managed the state’s complex water system. William Brangham looks at those allegations and the realities of water management in the nation’s most populous state.

Toronto crash and FAA layoffs add to air safety concerns

6m 26s

Investigators are trying to determine what caused Delta Air Lines jet to flip over during landing at Toronto's Pearson Airport. All 80 passengers survived and 21 people were injured. Air traffic controllers warned pilots of high winds just before the plane attempted to land. It’s the latest in a string of significant accidents in less than a month. Amna Nawaz discussed more with David Shepardson.

Musk and DOGE face criticism for seeking access to IRS data

7m

Elon Musk’s "Department of Government Efficiency" group is seeking access to data systems within the IRS that house financial information about every taxpayer, business and nonprofit in the country. Geoff Bennett discussed the implications with Natasha Sarin, a professor at Yale Law School and School of Management and former Treasury Department counselor for tax policy and implementation.

Arizona AG discusses lawsuit challenging Musk's power

6m 49s

A federal judge ruled against a motion imposing a temporary restraining order on Elon Musk's so-called "Department of Government Efficiency." The ruling is in response to a suit brought by 14 attorneys general alleging President Trump violated the Constitution by granting Musk power. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, one of the plaintiffs in the suit.

News Wrap: New York governor weighs removing NYC mayor

5m 37s

In our news wrap Tuesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul met with political leaders in Manhattan to decide whether to remove NYC Mayor Adams from office, all living Israeli hostages set to be freed under phase one of the ceasefire deal in Gaza will be released by Hamas this weekend and the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees says Israeli forces raided and closed four of its schools in East Jerusalem.

U.S. and Russia meet to discuss ending Ukraine war

3m 24s

Russian and U.S. officials met in person for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine more than 1,000 days ago. They aimed to chart a path towards peace and raised the possibility of lifting sanctions they’ve aimed at each other. They also agreed to work toward restoring staffing at embassies. But there was one glaring omission: Ukrainian officials were not in the room. Geoff Bennett reports.

U.S. foreign policy experts analyze talks to end Ukraine war

7m 54s

In Saudi Arabia, U.S. officials met with Russian counterparts to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Missing from these talks were Ukrainian and European representatives. Geoff Bennett analyzed the notable absences with Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a former senior intelligence officer focused on Russia and Eurasia, and Paul Saunders, executive director of the Center for the National Interest.

Farmers are feeling the weight of Trump policies

8m 19s

In the last two presidential elections, farmers voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump, but now some are saying his efforts to cut the government are causing major financial pressure. William Brangham reports and speaks with Nick Levendofsky, executive director of the Kansas Farmers Union, for more perspective.

Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on Trump's expanding powers

7m 35s

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 President Donald Trump's expanding executive power nearly one month into his second term.

Doc exposes horrifying abuse of Native children in Canada

7m

An investigation at an Indian residential school in Canada is the focus of the documentary, “Sugarcane," named after a Native reservation in British Columbia. The film is up for an Academy Award, and has already made history: it's the first time an Indigenous director from North America has been nominated for an Oscar. Jeffrey Brown spoke to the filmmakers for our series, "CANVAS."

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.

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