PBS News Hour - Segments

Wildfires burning in western Canada are triggering poor air quality warnings in the upper Midwest, advising people with heart or lung disease, older adults and pregnant people to limit outdoor activities. Meteorologists say that the impact of the fires this weekend could reach Oklahoma, Tennessee and Arkansas. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Saturday, global reaction to a surprise tariff announcement from President Trump after he said Friday that was doubling levies on imported steel, Russia launched drone and missile attacks on Ukraine ahead of a fresh round of peace talks and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pressed Indo-Pacific allies to increase defense spending as tensions with China rise. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Voters in 24 states and the District of Columbia can bypass their legislatures by gathering signatures to get proposed laws or constitutional amendments on the ballot. But about 40 bills in roughly a dozen states are now being considered or have been signed into law to restrict this process. Dane Waters, head of the non-partisan Initiative and Referendum Institute, joins John Yang to discuss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

After decades of political and social progress, women’s rights are now the subject of renewed debate and policy change, amid a broader backlash on the goals of modern feminism. Atlantic staff writer and Pulitzer Prize finalist Sophie Gilbert joins Ali Rogin to discuss her new book, "Girl on Girl," which argues that pop culture of the 90s and early 2000s may have set back a generation of women. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A group of gray seals in Rhode Island are making a splash. They were rescued in March and April after becoming entangled in fishing gear and other debris near Block Island. Several were recently released after being rehabilitated. John Yang has the story. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Elon Musk’s time in the White House has officially come to an end. The world’s richest man was tapped to reshape the federal government and rein in spending. But as White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López reports, Musk’s impact remains unclear and some agency budgets actually grew. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Friday, the Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to strip the legal status of people from countries facing war and political turmoil, former President Biden gave his first public remarks since he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer and PBS is suing the Trump administration over an executive order that aims to cut all federal funding. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As Republicans in Congress negotiate the president’s policy agenda, states are preparing for the impacts on their healthcare programs and their budgets. That includes Mississippi, where nearly 700,000 residents are enrolled in Medicaid. Amna Nawaz discussed the Trump agenda and its impact on Mississippi with Republican Gov. Tate Reeves. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Trump administration’s fight with Harvard isn’t letting up. The White House has moved to strip more than $2 billion in federal grants, block international student enrollment and suspend student visa appointments. Some at Harvard are speaking out, including professor and cognitive scientist Steven Pinker. He joined Geoff Bennett to discuss his op-ed titled “Harvard Derangement Syndrome.” PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Lawmakers have been in their home districts this week answering tough questions about legislation making its way through Congress and about the Trump administration. Lisa Desjardins reports on the fired-up constituents they heard from at town halls. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders