PBS News Hour

News and Public Affairs Series / 8 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: S2024 E324

57m 46s

Israeli woman describes how Hamas kidnapped her husband

7m 21s

One facet of Saturday's Hamas attacks in Israel never seen before on this scale is the taking of civilian hostages. Dozens of men, women, children and the elderly were reportedly kidnapped and forcibly taken to Gaza. Their locations within the densely packed enclave are unknown. Nick Schifrin spoke with two women now enduring the horror of missing loved ones.

News Wrap: Thousands killed in Afghanistan earthquake

5m 41s

In our news wrap Monday, people across western Afghanistan struggled for a third day to find survivors after a catastrophic earthquake, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy now says he'd serve in that post again if his fellow Republicans want him and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced he's ending his bid for the Democratic nomination and will run as an independent.

Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on pressure to elect new speaker

9m 14s

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including the lack of leadership in the House of Representatives and the pressure mounting on Republicans to elect a speaker amid calls for Ukraine and Israel aid.

Simone Biles cements status as greatest gymnast

6m 37s

Simone Biles has made history with an incredible comeback after a two-year hiatus, cementing her GOAT status by becoming the most decorated gymnast of all time. Biles competed in the World Artistic Gymnastic Championships in Belgium where she took home four gold medals bringing her to a total of 37. Geoff Bennett discussed Biles' return to competition with Christine Brennan of USA Today.

Deaths mount as Israeli military retaliates against Hamas

3m 16s

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to destroy the ability of Hamas and Islamic Jihad to govern and carry out attacks, an effort he warns will be long and difficult as the death toll continues to climb on both sides. John Yang has more on the latest developments in the escalating conflict.

Israeli ambassador to U.S. shares reaction to Hamas attack

5m 51s

Saturday’s unprecedented attack by Hamas militants had a devastating effect on Israel, Israeli citizens and their leaders. John Yang speaks with Michael Herzog, Israeli ambassador to the United States, for his perspective on what happened and Israel’s response.

What the Palestine-Israel crisis means for the Middle East

5m 47s

For more analysis on the war in Israel and the regional ramifications of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Middle East, John Yang speaks with Shibley Telhami, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Center for Middle East Policy and the Anwar Sadat professor for peace and development at the University of Maryland.

China’s role in the U.S. crackdown on global fentanyl trade

6m 38s

The Biden administration has made recent moves against China-based firms and executives blamed for supplying chemicals used to make fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin. It’s part of the U.S. government’s effort to disrupt the global illegal drug trade and stem the opioid epidemic. Brookings Institution senior fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown joins Ali Rogin to discuss.

Why medication to treat alcoholism is ‘vastly underutilized’

6m 24s

Nearly 30 million Americans struggle with alcohol addiction. Medication used to treat alcohol-use disorder have been on the market for decades, but is rarely prescribed. Dr. Sarah Wakeman, medical director of the Substance Use Disorder Initiative at Mass General Brigham, joins Ali Rogin to discuss medication’s potential for treating this disease and why it’s underused.

War erupts as Israel retaliates after surprise Hamas attack

6m 8s

In an unprecedented surprise attack, the militant Hamas rulers of Gaza sent dozens of fighters into Israel by land, sea and air. Hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians are reported dead between the attack and Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza cities. John Yang speaks with special correspondent Nurit Ben for the latest developments.

Advocates push for oversight to prevent chemical disasters

8m 47s

Eight months after a train derailed and spilled toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, people are still waiting for answers about long-term health and environmental consequences. What happened isn’t uncommon — on average, there’s a chemical incident in the U.S. every two days. John Yang reports from North Carolina, where one city is trying to move forward after a chemical disaster in 2022.

Brooks and Marcus on GOP's after McCarthy's ouster

10m 38s

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Ruth Marcus join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including the fallout of Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ouster and how it's reshaping the Republican Party.

Nobel winner Maria Ressa on A.I dangers and defending truth

6m 50s

Veteran journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa has a dire warning about the defense of truth in the digital age. She says we risk losing the information war to adversarial artificial intelligence and to authoritarian governments who can weaponize the tech. Geoff Bennett spoke with Ressa at the inaugural summit of the newly launched Institute of Global Politics at Columbia University.

Tourism in Maui sparks debate over community and economy

9m 19s

This weekend, tourists will be allowed back into areas of Maui not far from the site of the deadliest U.S. wildfires in more than a century. The reopening plan has sparked an uproar among some members of a community that’s still grieving but also weighing its long-term revival and survival. William Brangham reports.

Nobel Peace Prize bolsters activist's call for human rights

6m 52s

This year's Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to one of Iran’s most prominent, persecuted and persistent human rights activists. Nargis Mohammedi is in detention in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, for “spreading anti-state propaganda.” But Iranian efforts to silence her have only made her voice louder. Nick Schifrin discussed Mohammedi's message with Summer Lopez.

Immigration advocates blast Biden after border wall decision

7m 40s

The Biden administration is taking fire from some immigration advocates for a recent move to expedite the construction of a wall along the southern border. The president says the money for a wall was appropriated during the Trump administration and that his hands are tied. Laura Barrón-López discussed the latest with Nick Mirrof of The Washington Post.

Job growth defies expectations but economic questions remain

5m 43s

The strength of the jobs market stunned again with a report surpassing most expectations. Employers added 336,000 jobs in September while unemployment remained at 3.8 percent. We also learned that nearly 120,000 more jobs were created in July and August than originally reported. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports on the job market that continues to defy headwinds facing the economy.

Advocates concerned about wages of workers with disabilities

10m 18s

Even with the low unemployment rate in the United States, the situation for people with disabilities is much tougher. Only about 20% of them have a job and some who do are paid less than the federal minimum wage. After protests from disability advocates, the Department of Labor announced it would review the policy that makes this possible. Judy Woodruff reports for our series, Disability Reframed.

Biden asks Congress to provide more military aid for Ukraine

6m 42s

Thursday, President Biden convened his military and national security leaders for a briefing on the war in Ukraine. The conflict took a devastating turn overnight when Russian airstrikes killed more than 50 civilians, according to Ukrainian officials. It's the deadliest attack in months and comes at a moment when assistance from the U.S. is running out. Laura Barron-Lopez and Nick Schifrin report.

Army secretary on new recruiting plan after missing goals

7m 51s

The Army is unveiling new plans for how it will recruit soldiers. Over the past few decades, the service has struggled to meet its recruiting goals and the challenges have only increased thanks to COVID-19, a tight job market and highly publicized cases of sexual assault in the military. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth joined Nick Schifrin to discuss the proposed solutions.

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