PBS News Hour - Segments

In Geneva, negotiators from 175 nations are trying to hammer out the first-ever legally binding treaty on plastic pollution. The urgency of the talks was underscored this week by a new study published in The Lancet. It calls plastics a “grave, growing and under-recognized danger to human and planetary health.” John Yang speaks with Tracey Woodruff, one of the study’s authors, to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Gifford Fire in Southern California has reached “megafire” status, burning an area bigger than Atlanta. Megafires, which burn more than 100,000 acres, have become increasingly common in recent years. A new book, “When It All Burns: Fighting Fire in a Transformed World,” is the first-hand account of a season with a team of elite firefighters. John Yang speaks with author Jordan Thomas for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Saturday in Atlanta, Jen Pawol took the field as the first woman to umpire a regular-season game in Major League Baseball’s nearly 150-year history. She was on the bases this afternoon for both games of a doubleheader between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves. John Yang speaks with The Washington Post’s national baseball writer Chelsea Janes for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The black market trade in rhino horns is driving the species to near extinction. Now, scientists at a rhino orphanage in the Bushveld of South Africa are trying to protect them from poaching in a rather surprising way. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Israel’s security cabinet announced it plans to take control of Gaza City. The move comes nearly two years into a conflict that has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, leveled large parts of the territory and left starvation rampant across the strip. Israel's decision drew condemnation from the U.K., Saudi Arabia, Germany and others, and sparked protests inside Israel. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For perspective on the Israeli government's decision to launch a military takeover in Gaza City, Geoff Bennett spoke with Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a former State Department official. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Friday, thousands have been forced to flee the Canyon Fire in the mountains north of Los Angeles, the DOJ subpoenaed New York Attorney General Letitia James as investigators look into whether she violated President Trump's civil rights, Trump is removing IRS Commissioner Billy Long after less than two months on the job and Apollo 13 astronaut James Lovell has died. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump said he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska. Friday was Trump's initial deadline for Russia to agree to a peace deal with Ukraine or face new sanctions, including tariffs on nations that buy Russian oil. But it's still unclear how or whether Trump intends to follow through on his threat. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Thomas Graham. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Since taking office, President Trump has called for the elimination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, suggesting it could be dismantled as soon as December. Lately, his team has backed away from that idea, but there are still major changes underway and concerns that FEMA's response is at times politicized. Stephanie Sy looks at the changes and what they mean for disaster preparedness. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump’s call to exclude those without legal status from the census could reshape the country’s congressional districts. But opponents argue that it would violate the 14th Amendment’s requirement that the allocation of congressional seats be determined by “counting the whole number of persons in each state.” John Yang explores what Trump hopes to achieve with NPR's Hansi Lo Wang. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy