PBS NewsHour - World

We have an inside look into one of Ukraine's most rapidly evolving tools in its war with Russia. Small unmanned drones have come to dominate the frontlines, long-range strikes against power facilities and the waters of the Black Sea and Mediterranean. Special correspondent Volodymyr Solohub gained rare access to a military unit that's responsible for some of Ukraine's high-profile drone strikes. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Monday, Denmark is pushing back against President Trump's move naming Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as his special envoy to Greenland, Trump announced plans for what he called a new 'Trump class' of warships, a car bomb killed a senior Russian general in Moscow and Jim Beam is pausing production at its main distillery in Kentucky for all of next year. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For millions of Jews around the world, Hanukkah ended Monday evening at nightfall. A holiday centered on dedication and perseverance, the Festival of Lights is particularly special in Israel, and especially for survivors of Oct. 7, their families and the families of the lost. The News Hour's producer in Israel, Karl Bostic, sent this report from two kibbutzes shattered by terror, and now reviving. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Trump's pressure on Venezuelan President Maduro mounted Sunday as the Coast Guard went after another oil tanker that U.S. officials accused of helping Venezuela circumvent sanctions. Last week, Trump announced a "total and complete blockade of all sanctioned tankers heading to and from Venezuela." John Yang speaks with Reuters national security correspondent Idrees Ali for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

From twinkling Christmas markets across Europe to vibrant displays of poinsettia in Mexico City, the Christmas spirit takes many forms. John Yang takes a look at how Christians around the world are celebrating the season. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Saturday, Russian attacks on Ukraine continued amid U.S. efforts to negotiate a ceasefire, the Israeli army struck a school in Gaza that was sheltering displaced people, U.S. Central Command released video of Friday’s strikes in Syria, and an engineer from Germany became the first person who uses a wheelchair to go to space. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Trump administration has approved the largest single package of weapons sales to Taiwan in U.S. history. Many of the systems mirror those the United States has supplied to Ukraine. The move is part of a broader U.S. effort to help Taiwan deter, and if necessary, defend itself against China. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For weeks, the Trump administration has been escalating pressure on Venezuela and the government of Nicolás Maduro. Wednesday night, we heard from a critic of the approach. For a different perspective, Geoff Bennett spoke with Jimmy Story. He spent 25 years in the U.S. State Department and most recently served as the top U.S. diplomat to Venezuela. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Wednesday, the surviving suspect in the shooting at Australia's Bondi Beach has been charged with 15 counts of murder, former special counsel Jack Smith testified privately to lawmakers that investigators found proof that President Trump criminally conspired to overturn the 2020 election and Warner Bros. urged shareholders to reject Paramount's hostile takeover bid. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump continued his rhetorical campaign against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, as a large American Naval force sits in the waters off the coast. The U.S. will actively blockade and seize vessels it had already sanctioned, a move some critics have called an act of war. Nick Schifrin reports and Geoff Bennett discusses the latest with David Smilde. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Defense Secretary Hegseth rejected calls to release the full video of a boat strike the military carried out in September. That attack was the first of 25 acknowledged strikes that the administration says were operated by so-called "narcoterrorists." At the same time, the Senate is debating its largest annual bill to authorize the Defense Department. Nick Schifrin and Lisa Desjardins report. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Lebanese army is on a tight deadline to comply with an American demand to dismantle the military infrastructure of Hezbollah. Special correspondent Simona Foltyn and videographer Adrian Hartrick were given exclusive access to Hezbollah’s seized military installations and the army's efforts to retake territory long held by the militants. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The massacre at a Hanukkah gathering at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach killed 15 people this weekend. Two gunmen opened fire on celebrations for the first night of the Jewish Festival of Lights. Australian officials quickly labeled the assault an antisemitic act of terrorism. As Geoff Bennett reports, shock and grief were matched by anger and urgent questions. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Hong Kong's High Court found media mogul and pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai guilty of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and sedition. The case has become a symbol of Beijing’s crackdown on dissent. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Claire Lai, Jimmy Lai’s daughter. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Two gunmen opened fire Sunday evening on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, sending crowds fleeing for safety. At least 16 people are dead, including one alleged gunman and a 12-year-old child, and 38 others were wounded. Ali Rogin speaks with Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the nonprofit Jewish Council for Public Affairs, for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Sunday, Zelenskyy met with U.S. representatives for more talks on how to end the war in Ukraine, crowds gathered in Gaza for the funeral of a top Hamas commander killed by an Israeli strike, and the National Weather Service forecasts an arctic blast across the eastern U.S and Great Lakes. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

At a rehabilitation facility in Kyiv, some of Ukraine’s wounded warriors are working hard to learn how to use their new limbs. As John Yang reports, a very special dog named Lavr is giving them inspiration to persevere. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Saturday, Trump vowed to avenge the deaths of two U.S. soldiers and an American civilian interpreter ambushed in Syria, Belarus freed more than 100 prisoners after the U.S. said it would lift sanctions on the country’s potash exports, Russian strikes across Ukraine left more than 1 million people without power, and comedy icon Dick Van Dyke celebrated his 100th birthday. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

More than two months after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire. The United Nations estimates that 1.5 million people lack shelter. Ali Rogin speaks with UNICEF’s Jonathan Crickx about conditions on the ground in southern Gaza. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For more than 40 years, Beverly and Dereck Joubert have lived with, photographed and filmed African wildlife. Their images bear witness not just to the majesty of life on the continent, but also the host of threats that confront both the animals and the wilderness. John Yang speaks with the Jouberts about their new book, “Wild Eye: A Life in Photographs,” and their decades of work. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Nobel Peace Laureate Maria Corina Machado on Friday vowed to continue her political pursuit to create democracy in Venezuela. This week she braved an arduous journey to accept the peace prize in Oslo, Norway. Nick Schifrin speaks now with the man who helped her escape a Venezuelan government that's been hunting her for a year-and-a-half. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Israel's cabinet voted to extend legal status to 19 previously illegal settlements late last night, formalizing more control of land in the West Bank. Attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinian communities there have increased sharply since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel. As Leila Molana-Allen tells us, the settlers' violence continues with few apparent consequences. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday floated a possible compromise to a Russian demand that Kyiv give up territory in the eastern Donetsk region. Zelenskyy spoke after he met with senior administration officials and sent new edits to the document at the heart of the U.S. push to end the war in Ukraine. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The United States on Wednesday seized a tanker ship off the coast of Venezuela. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a social media post that a warrant was executed for the crude oil tanker that was once used to transport sanctioned oil from both Venezuela and Iran. Nick Schifrin joins Amna Nawaz with more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Assad family's oppressive half-century rule ended one year ago this week, as Bashar al-Assad fled for Russia amid an insurgent takeover after he spent more than 12 years slaughtering his own people. His flight was a moment of joy and reckoning for millions of Syrians who opposed him. Syrian filmmaker Waad Al-Kateab, an Oscar-nominated documentarian, brings a very personal look at going home. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In a move with major implications for national security and the race to dominate artificial intelligence, President Trump announced Monday that he will allow Nvidia to sell its H200 computer chip — an advanced chip used for developing A.I. — to China. Tufts University professor Chris Miller, author of “Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology," joins Geoff Bennett with more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The U.S. has been pursuing a solution to the war in Ukraine and recently highlighted those efforts as part of its new national security strategy. Heather Conley, former deputy assistant secretary of state for European affairs during the George W. Bush administration, and Dan Caldwell, an advisor to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, join Nick Schifrin for two perspectives on that strategy. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

White House envoys met again with Ukrainian officials on Saturday to discuss Trump’s proposed path to peace. The administration’s national security strategy released this week says ending the war in Ukraine is a “core” U.S. interest, reflecting a shift from the stance of previous administrations, including Trump’s first term. John Yang speaks with the Atlantic Council’s Matthew Kroenig for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Saturday, Arab leaders gathering in Qatar said it’s time to move forward on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, newly released 911 calls shed light on the desperation felt during July’s flash floods in Texas, the family of a National Guard member shot near the White House said they’re optimistic about his recovery, and the countdown to the Winter Olympics in Italy has begun. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

A new bipartisan divide has broken open after senior U.S. military officers showed Congress video of multiple strikes on a boat in the Caribbean in early September. Republicans backed the decision by a Special Operations commander to target survivors of the first strike, while Democrats accused the commander of targeting a shipwreck. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

A classified briefing on the Pentagon's strike of an alleged drug boat opened partisan divides over whether the act constituted war crimes. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Democratic Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee. He was among the members of Congress briefed by military leaders. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

A sprawling energy-sector scandal is rocking Ukraine. Last week, the country was shocked by the exit of President Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak. Ukraine's second most powerful man resigned after the state anti-corruption body raided his home. As Jack Hewson explains, it's a crisis striking at the heart of the government as the country fights for survival against Russia's invasion. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Ukrainian officials met with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff to continue negotiations over an American plan to end the war. Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier this week, where the Russian president said he endorsed only parts of the plan. Amna Nawaz discussed the latest with Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Wednesday, Israel received remains believed to be those of one of the last two hostages still in Gaza, President Trump proposed rolling back fuel efficiency standards set by the Biden administration and a dozen former FDA commissioners say they're "deeply concerned" about proposed changes that would create a far stricter process for vaccine approvals. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

One year ago, Lebanon and Israel signed a ceasefire that was supposed to end a war between the militant group Hezbollah and Israel, a war that left more than 4,000 Lebanese and more than 100 Israelis dead. But with near-daily Israeli attacks still taking place, life for civilians in Lebanon's south remains dangerous. Special Correspondent Simona Foltyn reports from that tense border. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The first attack in the Trump administration’s campaign in the Caribbean has become the most contentious. A U.S. official tells PBS News the military struck an alleged drug boat four times on September 2. President Trump and Pete Hegseth defended the attack, but also distanced themselves from the follow-on strike that targeted people who weren’t killed by the first strike. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Tuesday. They were there for the latest round of negotiations on a plan to end Russia's war with Ukraine. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The day before Thanksgiving was the real celebration for an American family living in the occupied West Bank. Mohammed Ibrahim was released after nearly 10 months in an Israeli prison. The 16-year-old was arrested in February for allegedly throwing stones at Israeli vehicles. His family was unable to speak with or see him for his entire detention. Amna Nawaz spoke with Mohammed and his father. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The White House confirmed that the military fired twice at a suspected drug boat during its campaign of airstrikes in the Caribbean. A source familiar with what happened tells PBS News that a second strike in early September came despite the military knowing there were survivors in the water. That has sparked bipartisan concern that strikes like these are illegal. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For perspective on the U.S. military strikes on suspected drug boats and the legal concerns, Geoff Bennett spoke with retired Maj. Gen. Steven Lepper. He served as the Air Force's Deputy Judge Advocate General, and as such, was the service's second-highest-ranking uniformed lawyer. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Communities across the globe commemorated World AIDS Day, reaffirming a commitment to end an epidemic that has killed more than 44 million. But this year, for the first time in decades, the U.S. government decided not to mark the occasion, and the Trump administration has reportedly barred agencies from commemorating or participating. William Brangham discussed more with Dr. Demetre Daskalakis. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

On his first international trip as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV is carrying a message of unity and peace to the Middle East. Sunday in Lebanon, he challenged leaders to be true peacemakers and set aside their differences. It’s a precarious time in the country, which faces deep domestic political divisions and regular Israeli strikes in the south. Special correspondent Simona Foltyn reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy