October 2, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode

Friday on the News Hour, what a hiring slowdown signals about the state of the U.S. economy. A first-hand look at how overseas ballots are being verified and counted in this year's midterm elections. Plus, tennis legend Martina Navratilova on her rivalry with Chris Evert, her views on transgender athletes in women's sports and her own experience with cancer. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump wants artificial intelligence companies to police themselves, all in the name of winning the race with China. Are the U.S. and China on a path of unstoppable AI competition? Or should the world's AI leaders collaborate? Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses that with Dmitri Alperovitch, Chris McGuire, Samm Sacks and Melanie Sisson. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Over 55 million people worldwide are living with the devastating reality of dementia, but researchers have now identified some individuals who share a rare genetic predisposition to developing a type of this tragic disease. Could studying these families unlock new ways to predict, treat, or even prevent Alzheimer's and dementia? Horizons moderator William Brangham explores more with Robert Kolker. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Thursday on the News Hour, a Tennessee woman convicted of a 1995 murder survives a botched execution, renewing questions about the death penalty. Israel's prime minister says the pilot who tried to crash a plane flying to Israel underwent Islamic radicalization. Plus, a look at Pete Hegseth's latest effort to transform the military and the ties between the Pentagon and tech companies. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Wednesday on the News hour, an alleged attempt to intentionally crash a plane flying to Israel is thwarted. The last U.S. troops withdraw from Iraq more than two decades after the start of the American-led war. Plus, journalist Evan Gershkovich on his imprisonment in Russia and his recovery two years after his release. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For decades, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones has reported on race, inequality and the deep divisions in American education. In a new essay, she turns the lens on a choice she made for her own family: sending her daughter to a high-poverty, low-performing school in Brooklyn. Geoff Bennett spoke with Hannah-Jones about the decision on our PBS News podcast, "Settle In." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Monday on the News Hour, the Trump administration rolls back Biden-era fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks. High mortgage rates deal a blow to the housing market that's already unaffordable for many. Plus, how the Trump Justice Department is shattering the post-Watergate norm of the agency operating free from political interference. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Friday on the News Hour, the Supreme Court allows states to use a controversial federal database to verify voter eligibility. The Trump administration removes hundreds of thousands of people from the Affordable Care Act at a time of rising health care costs. Plus, Mexico's foreign minister talks about trade agreements with the U.S. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Key European leaders are sounding the alarm over Russian aggression, warning that Vladimir Putin is planning attacks aimed at testing NATO's security alliance. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses those concerns with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and two former U.S. ambassadors to NATO, Julianne Smith and Kurt Volker. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

We are all being watched in ways we never imagined, including vehicle tracking, facial recognition technology and data mining. What does all this digital surveillance mean for the right to privacy? And as a backlash over this monitoring grows, what can you do to protect yourself? Horizons moderator William Brangham explores the ethics of surveillance Byron Tau and Calli Schroeder. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy