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 E310

57m 46s

Congress grills school leaders over antisemitic incidents

5m 10s

While most of the national attention around protests lately has been focused on much larger college campuses, there have been some problems in some high schools as well. It was the focus of another charged hearing on Capitol Hill as leaders of some of the nation's largest districts were grilled about the rise in antisemitism in their schools. Lisa Desjardins reports.

Democratic, GOP lawmakers react to hold on weapons to Israel

11m 19s

As the Biden administration puts a hold on sending thousands of bombs to Israel, we have perspectives from two members of Congress. Geoff Bennett spoke with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Amna Nawaz discussed the latest with Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Biden administration defends suspending weapons to Israel

4m 15s

Many Republicans and some Democrats are criticizing the Biden administration for suspending the delivery of thousands of bombs to Israel. At a Senate hearing, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin defended the move which comes as the White House also delayed a congressionally mandated report on Israeli military adherence to international humanitarian law. Nick Schifrin reports.

Biden condemns antisemitism in Holocaust remembrance speech

7m 32s

President Biden marked the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Annual Days of Remembrance, remembering the six million Jewish people who were killed. In his speech Tuesday, Biden affirmed America’s support for Jewish people, Israel and condemned antisemitism. Laura Barrón-López reports.

What Stormy Daniels revealed on the stand in Trump's trial

6m 10s

Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress at the center of the criminal hush money trial against Donald Trump, took the stand Tuesday in New York. In sometimes graphic detail, she described the sexual encounter she alleges she had with Trump and the payment she received from his lawyer to buy her silence. William Brangham discussed the volatile day in court with Andrea Bernstein of NPR.

Protests violate rights of other students, commentator says

7m 43s

Protests against the war in Gaza continue on college campuses across the country. Monday, we looked at the idea that colleges themselves fomented these demonstrations. Now, Lisa Desjardins speaks with New York Times opinion columnist David French who says colleges are not doing enough to crack down on protests.

Anita Hill discusses overturn of Weinstein's rape conviction

7m 56s

The recent ruling by New York’s highest court to overturn Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction has sent a wave of shock and disappointment through advocates of the #MeToo movement. Weinstein remains jailed for a rape conviction in Los Angeles, but the New York ruling still raises questions about justice for sexual assault survivors. Amna Nawaz discussed those concerns with Anita Hill.

Brittney Griner discusses day she was released from Russia

6m 47s

Monday, we spoke with basketball star Brittney Griner about what it was like being detained by Russian authorities for ten months. In the second part of our interview, Amna Nawaz talks with Griner about her release from Russian custody, readjusting to life back in the U.S. and her new book “Coming Home.”

How Israel's operation in Rafah affects aid for Palestinians

5m 40s

An Israeli delegation arrived in Cairo for crucial cease-fire talks a day after Hamas said it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari proposal. To explore what could happen next, Amna Nawaz spoke with Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

Israel seizes Gaza crossing as cease-fire hangs in balance

4m 25s

Delegations from Israel and Hamas returned to Cairo to resume fraught negotiations over a potential cease-fire and hostage deal. Meantime, Israeli tanks and troops seized the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, delaying aid shipments as 1.2 million Palestinians shelter in the city. Nick Schifrin reports.

Israel strikes Rafah, rejects Hamas cease-fire claim

11m 1s

It is a delicate and momentous day in the Middle East. The Israeli military says it has launched a new operation into parts of Rafah in southern Gaza. At the same time, the Israeli government says it's continuing negotiations to reach a cease-fire with Hamas in exchange for the release of hostages. William Brangham discusses the latest with Nick Schifrin and Aaron David Miller.

Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on Biden's jaded electorate

8m 46s

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join William Brangham to discuss the latest political news, including Republicans navigate the fallout from controversial remarks made by Donald Trump at a fundraising dinner over the weekend and President Biden continues to deal with a jaded electorate as he wrestles with the political ramifications of the war in Gaza.

Hormone replacement safe menopause treatment, study finds

6m 22s

It’s time to reconsider hormone therapy as a treatment for menopause, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This new review suggests that for women in early menopause, the benefits of hormone replacement therapy outweigh the risks. Stephanie Sy discussed more with Dr. Lauren Streicher.

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.

Supported by