January 2, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode

Last year, Barnes and Noble opened nearly 60 stores around the country and plans for 60 more to open in 2025. It’s the latest twist in a long-running saga for a company that’s been a bellwether for the book business. Jeffrey Brown continues our ongoing reporting on the book industry for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

For weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, 2024 was a big year. More patients are relying on them to manage their weight, treat diabetes, or prevent heart attacks and strokes. And while they are highly effective, they also come with some concerns. William Brangham reports on the rising demand for these drugs.

In the next decade, millions of manufacturing jobs will open up in the U.S. as workers retire. Meanwhile, the sector is also supposed to add more jobs with help from federal subsidies. But by some current estimates, only half of those jobs will be filled. So where will the needed workers come from? Economics correspondent Paul Solman visited a two-year college in search of answers.

President Biden’s five-decade-long tenure in public service comes to an end later this month. To examine the president’s time in office and his legacy, Amna Nawaz spoke with two reporters who have covered his career extensively, Dan Balz of The Washington Post and Annie Linskey of The Wall Street Journal.

In our news wrap Thursday, Gaza health officials say Israeli airstrikes killed at least 40 people with one strike hitting a tent camp that Israel had designated as a safe zone, South Korean investigators are carrying out a warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over last month's declaration of martial law and 10 people were hurt in a shooting outside a nightclub in New York.

Investigators identified the man driving the Cybertruck that exploded in front of the Trump hotel in Las Vegas as Matthew Livelsberger, an active-duty member of the Army’s elite special forces. Police said he shot himself before a device detonated a combination of fireworks, gas and camping fuel in the vehicle. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Joe Schoenmann of Nevada Public Radio.

Answers are beginning to trickle out in the deadly New Year's truck attack in New Orleans. Officials revised the death toll to 14 victims plus the suspect. They also gave more details about his activities in the hours before the attack. Laura Barrón-López reports from New Orleans.