PBS News Hour

News and Public Affairs Series / 9 Seasons

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Watch: S2025 E21

55m 47s

Escalating conflict in Congo fuels humanitarian crisis

7m 44s

Years of violence between factions vying for control in the Democratic Republic of Congo have internally displaced 5.7 million people, according to the United Nations. Since 1996, fighting in the region has led to about 6 million deaths. Ali Rogin speaks with Tjada D'Oyen McKenna, CEO of Mercy Corps, to learn more about the conflict and the humanitarian situation on the ground.

As temperatures rise, more schools struggle to beat the heat

5m 26s

Studies show that in more places in the United States, there are now more days hotter than 80 degrees during the school year than there were in 1970. Schools that can’t afford air conditioning are struggling with overheated classrooms, which researchers say pose both academic and health risks. John Yang speaks with Washington Post reporter Anna Phillips, who covers climate change, for more.

The hazards of wildfire smoke, even hundreds of miles away

5m 22s

Smoke from wildfires hundreds of miles away is still a health threat, contributing to nearly 16,000 deaths a year, according to a recent National Bureau of Economic Research analysis. Laura Kate Bender, who leads the Healthy Air campaign for the American Lung Association, joins John Yang to discuss what makes wildfire smoke so hazardous and how people can protect themselves.

The words of wisdom offered to the class of 2024

5m 27s

Despite heightened tensions on many university campuses this year, it is still graduation season, and that means politicians, actors and members of the NewsHour family have been doling sage advice and encouragement to graduates around the country. Here are some of the life lessons this year's commencement speakers passed on to the class of 2024.

Theater adapts classic play to address public health

8m 48s

Actors, experts and community members are turning to a classic play to address contemporary trauma and tensions from the pandemic. Jeffrey Brown has a look for our new series, Art in Action, exploring the intersection of art and democracy and for our ongoing arts and culture coverage, CANVAS.

Brooks and Capehart on Biden's border plan

11m 55s

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President Biden's executive order limiting who can seek asylum, Donald Trump's vice presidential search and Hunter Biden's federal trial.

Who's on Trump's running mate shortlist and what it tells us

7m 9s

Former President Donald Trump says he will choose a running mate in the next few weeks and will likely unveil his nominee at a major turning point in the campaign. Lisa Desjardins has been covering the Trump campaign and reports on what his decision will tell us.

Gen Z reverses decades-long decline in teen employment

5m 35s

The latest jobs report showed an unexpected surge in hiring. The leisure and hospitality sector has been growing at a steady clip and added over 42,000 jobs, an encouraging prospect for teenagers looking for a job this summer. After a decades-long decline in teen jobs, Gen Z is reversing the trend. Amna Nawaz discussed the rise in teenage employment with Alicia Sasser Modestino.

Veterans, world leaders gather for 80th anniversary of D-Day

8m 3s

World leaders visited Normandy, France, to mark 80 years since the D-Day landings ushered in the bloody final chapter of World War II. Both President Biden and French President Macron extolled the uncommon valor of ordinary men and women who accomplished the extraordinary that day. Malcolm Brabant reports.

Rhode Island artist explores why time dominates our lives

5m 17s

It has been said that public art is a reflection of how we see the world and the artist’s response to our time and place. Pamela Watts of Rhode Island PBS Weekly introduces us to an artist who has often combined those concepts literally. It's part of our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

'When the Sea Came Alive' provides oral history of D-Day

6m 41s

For most, the D-Day invasion of Normandy is an event in history. But a new book transports us back 80 years, hearing directly from those who helped liberate occupied Europe from Hitler’s Nazi forces. Amna Nawaz spoke with author Garrett Graff about “When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day."

Former neighbor disputes Alito's upside-down flag account

5m 7s

A former neighbor of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said, “at worst, he's just outright lying,” about his account of a neighborhood dispute that led to hoisting an upside-down American flag at his Virginia home. The inverted flag is associated with the effort to overturn President Biden's 2020 election win. Lisa Desjardins reports.

How Trump could upend the rule of law in a second term

6m 25s

For months, former President Trump and his allies have claimed, without evidence, that the Biden administration has weaponized the Department of Justice to pursue prosecutions against him for political reasons. But the presumptive Republican nominee has also suggested a second Trump term could see an escalation of those prosecutions. Laura Barrón-López discussed more with Ryan Goodman.

Israeli strike on UN school in Gaza kills dozens

5m 22s

Israeli missiles struck a U.N. school building that has served as a shelter for the displaced since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks. Israel says it killed Hamas militants sheltering there, but Palestinians in the building say the victims were mostly women and children. Nick Schifrin reports. A warning, some of the images in this piece are disturbing.

Negotiator reveals shadowy world of hostage rescue in book

8m 41s

For decades, families who have had loved ones kidnapped overseas have often had to work with consultants to get their relatives freed. Negotiating with kidnappers, terrorists and hostile countries is a murky and secretive world. One of the leading hostage negotiators has stepped into the limelight and written a book about it all. Nick Schifrin spoke with Mickey Bergman about "In the Shadows."

D-Day veterans reflect on 80th anniversary of invasion

7m 56s

Eighty years ago, the liberation of Europe from the horrors of the Nazis began with Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy. Nearly 200,000 thousand soldiers, principally Americans, Brits and Canadians, landed on June 6, 1944, across five beach sectors. Malcolm Brabant is in northern France and met some of the veterans of D-Day.

Current, former employees call for OpenAI transparency

5m 11s

A group of current and former OpenAI employees issued a public letter warning that the company and its rivals are building artificial intelligence with undue risk and without sufficient oversight. They're calling on leading AI companies to be more transparent with their research and provide stronger protections for whistleblowers. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Bobby Allyn of NPR.

Boeing's Starliner lifts off after delays and cost overruns

5m 54s

Boeing successfully launched its new Starliner space capsule carrying two astronauts to the International Space Station. The launch was smooth but came after several delays due to technical issues. It's also four years after rival SpaceX launched its first mission with astronauts into orbit. Science correspondent Miles O’Brien reports.

Democratic, GOP strategists on concerns of undecided voters

7m 32s

While President Biden and former President Trump earned enough delegates to win their respective party nominations months ago, the primary season is only now officially coming to a close. The two swept states that voted Tuesday, but both still saw opposition from some primary voters. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Democratic strategist Faiz Shakir and Republican strategist Kevin Madden.

Some universities return to standardized tests in admissions

9m 13s

Headlines around higher education this year have centered on protests, free speech and student safety. But some important changes on the academic and admissions front have gotten less attention, including some schools turning back to standardized testing after deciding they would no longer require it. Paul Solman reports for our series, Rethinking College.

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