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 E27

57m 46s

What ancient ice from Antarctica tells us about the climate

2m 54s

Scientists say they have tapped into an extraordinary archive of the Earth’s climate in the ice deep beneath Antarctica. They hope it will help them understand both how the climate changed in the past, how it’s changing now and how it may change in the future. John Yang reports.

As recovering addicts age, many face health care struggles

6m 46s

The graying of America is being reflected in the nation’s drug crisis. Even as overdose deaths drop, millions of aging former drug users are living with long-term health challenges exacerbated by their previous substance use. We hear from a number of people in recovery about their experiences, and Ali Rogin speaks with Wall Street Journal health reporter Julie Wernau for more.

What to know about this winter’s surge of viral illnesses

5m

According to the CDC, the number of people going to doctors with illnesses the flu, RSV and COVID is surging. Epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina joins John Yang to discuss why this year’s sick season is hitting Americans hard and what to know about other viruses in the headlines right now.

Los Angeles area schools suffer damage, closures from fires

6m 12s

Firefighters are racing to contain the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area during a lull in the winds, which are set to strengthen again Sunday night. The Los Angeles Unified School District is the second-largest in the nation, with 500,000 students, and all of its campuses have been closed since Thursday. John Yang speaks with Alberto Carvalho, the district’s superintendent, for more.

Why vertical video series are taking off on mobile phones

6m 8s

Most of the video entertainment we watch these days isn’t at the movies, on TV or even on a computer — it’s on a smartphone. To cater to these changing habits, companies are turning out bite-sized soap operas for phone viewing. Ej Dickson, a senior writer at New York Magazine covering culture, joins Ali Rogin to discuss.

Formaldehyde is everywhere, but poses dangers to our health

5m 39s

The chemical formaldehyde is found just about everywhere, including in composite lumber, plastics, paints and glues used in many homes and offices. This past week, an EPA evaluation said it poses “an unreasonable risk” to human health. A ProPublica investigation found that it causes far more cancer than any other airborne pollutant. John Yang speaks with lead reporter Sharon Lerner for more.

News Wrap: Biden awards Pope Francis with Medal of Freedom

1m 54s

In our news wrap Saturday, Biden awarded Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction, special counsel Jack Smith resigned from the Justice Department, and singer Sam Moore of the 1960s duo Sam & Dave died at age 89 from complications following surgery.

How to protect your health from hazards of wildfire smoke

3m 35s

Vast plumes of smoke and ash from the California wildfires are threatening the health of people miles away, and has led both the Biden administration and Los Angeles County to declare public health emergencies. Ali Rogin speaks with Dr. Russell Buhr, assistant professor of medicine and health policy at UCLA, to learn more.

Residents reel from Los Angeles fires as death toll rises

6m 21s

The desperate battle between firefighters and wildfires in the Los Angeles area has entered its fifth day, with more evacuations underway as high winds threaten more lives and homes. Officials say 11 deaths from the fires have been confirmed so far and at least 13 people are missing. Stephanie Sy reports from Malibu.

Jake Sullivan reflects on Biden's foreign policy legacy

10m 8s

On Monday, President Biden will give a farewell speech at the State Department focused on his foreign policy legacy. Ahead of that address, Nick Schifrin sat down with one of the key architects of Biden's foreign policy, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, to discuss his time in the administration and where the U.S. stands on the world stage as Trump prepares to take office.

LA reflects wildfire destruction while looking to future

7m 43s

Firefighters are making some progress in the battle against a series of catastrophic wildfires in the Los Angeles area. More than 10,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed and at least 10 people have been killed. There's still danger ahead as winds are expected to pick up once again this weekend. Stephanie Sy reports.

Climate created 'perfect storm' for fires, researcher says

4m 58s

Prolonged drought and powerful Santa Ana winds set up extreme conditions that have fueled the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Those conditions were compounded by climate change. According to NOAA and NASA, the ten warmest years on record have all occurred in the past decade. Geoff Bennett and Daniel Schmidt of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies discussed the implications.

News Wrap: Maduro sworn after Venezuela's disputed election

5m 48s

In our news wrap Friday, Venezuelan President Maduro was sworn in for a third term following a disputed election, the White House extended protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans and El Salvadorans living in the U.S., the Israeli military struck targets in Yemen after Houthis launched drones at Israel and the Biden administration announced sanctions against Russia's energy sector.

How Trump avoided punishment for his felony convictions

5m 31s

President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced in New York, months after a jury found him guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business documents to cover up an extramarital affair. The judge granted Trump an unconditional discharge, a sentence that affirms he’s a convicted felon, but one where he will face no further penalties, fines or any time in jail. William Brangham reports.

TikTok's future now in hands of Supreme Court

7m

In a matter of days, one of the most popular social media apps in the country could pull the plug if the Supreme Court doesn’t grant it a legal reprieve. Concerns about TikTok's Chinese ownership led Congress to pass a law that would ban it in the United States unless its parent company sells it. John Yang discussed more with PBS News Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle and NPR's Bobby Allyn.

Brooks and Capehart on Trump's sentencing and his 2nd term

10m 14s

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including President-elect Trump's sentencing in New York, Trump's comments about claiming Greenland and the Panama Canal and the state funeral for President Carter.

Critics say not enough U.S. aid is reaching African farmers

11m 23s

One of the biggest challenges facing sub-Saharan African nations is how to help farmers withstand climate and economic headwinds and produce food for a growing population. Critics say most U.S. aid dollars are going to U.S.-based companies with little involvement by locally-led groups closest to the problem. Fred de Sam Lazaro looks at two food startups in Ghana for his series, Agents for Change.

LA faces apocalyptic devastation as wildfires still burn

9m 32s

Firefighters continue to battle multiple major fires in the Los Angeles area. At least 5 people have been killed, a number officials expect to rise, and 180,000 are under evacuation orders. The fires that started on Tuesday are now among the most destructive in California state history and thousands of buildings and structures have been destroyed already. Stephanie Sy reports.

A look at Southern California's fire response and resources

5m 38s

Many questions are being asked about the response to the deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Amna Nawaz discussed some of those concerns with Juliette Kayyem, a former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and faculty chair of the Homeland Security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School.

News Wrap: Venezuela's opposition leader arrested

5m 56s

In our news wrap Thursday, Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was arrested while leaving an anti-government protest in Caracas, Lebanon's parliament elected a new president, Gaza health officials say the death toll from the Israel-Hamas war has now topped 46,000 people and Defense Secretary Austin announced details of a $500 million aid package to Ukraine.

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