August 8, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode

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.

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Jonathan Capehart of MSNBC join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including Israel's plans to exert more control over Gaza have been criticized by global leaders but the Trump administration's response has been muted, the Texas redistricting battle and Trump's makeover of the White House.

The iconic Mississippi River Delta is of enormous importance to the country, especially near the Gulf Coast. It's an economic engine and a key wildlife habitat. But it's shrinking considerably due to a variety of factors, including engineering done decades ago. Science Correspondent Miles O'Brien looks at those problems and efforts to prevent further loss.

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.

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.

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.