PBS News Hour

The association between bats and Halloween dates back thousands of years, based on the superstition that the flying mammals are omens of death. But for nearly two decades, North American bats have been facing a deadly threat themselves: a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome. Ali Rogin speaks with New York Times columnist Carl Zimmer for more.

Researchers at New York University have concluded that social media is not an accurate reflection of society, but more like a funhouse mirror distorted by a small but vocal minority of extreme outliers. It's a finding that has special resonance this election season. John Yang speaks with psychology professor Jay Van Bavel, one of the authors of the paper that reported the research, to learn more.

In our news wrap Wednesday, Boeing reported a $6 billion loss for the latest quarter as striking union workers vote on a new contract, American Airlines was fined $50 million for the carrier's mistreatment of disabled passengers and wheelchairs and freshman enrollment at college campuses declined this fall for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

For the first time, the U.S. government confirmed that North Korean forces are in Russia to help fight Ukraine. The U.S. said 3,000 troops have traveled so far in what it called a serious escalation. It also reveals North Korea is expanding its alliance with Russia to take on the U.S. and its allies. Nick Schifrin reports.

With less than two weeks until Election Day, former President Donald Trump is courting voters in Georgia. He's also facing blistering new criticism from his longest-serving chief of staff, John Kelly, who's sounding the alarm on Trump's fitness for office. It's something Vice President Harris pounced on. Lisa Desjardins reports.

Arizona became a hotbed of election conspiracies after former President Trump spread lies about the state’s handling of the 2020 vote count. Now, election officials in this key battleground are preparing for round two. White House Correspondent Laura Barrón-López reports from Phoenix.

A deadly E. coli outbreak linked to a popular McDonald’s menu item is the latest in a number of cases of dangerous foodborne illnesses within the last three months. It’s prompting questions over the safety of our food supply. Stephanie Sy discussed this case and ongoing concerns with Donald Schaffner.

Retired four-star General John Kelly, who was one of Donald Trump’s White House chiefs of staff, told the New York Times Trump would rule like a fascist if reelected. Kelly also spoke to The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg for a new piece which quotes Donald Trump as once having said "I need the kind of generals that Hitler had." Geoff Bennett discussed more with Goldberg.

With less than two weeks before the election, the U.S. intelligence community is warning that Russia, Iran and China will intensify their efforts to divide Americans and undermine confidence in the election. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Graham Brookie, The Atlantic Council’s vice president for technology programs and strategy and the founding director of the Digital Forensic Research Lab.

By many measures, advancements like seatbelts and airbags have made vehicles dramatically safer for drivers and passengers. But as our cars and trucks get larger and larger, what about the safety of those outside vehicles? Federal regulators are taking a look at pedestrian safety and whether new rules can help curb the rising number of people killed on our streets. Ali Rogin reports.

Toss-up races in two of the country’s bluest states could swing control of the House of Representatives. Lisa Desjardins explores the unusual dynamics playing out in New York.

The Israeli military said it killed the man set to succeed Hezbollah's longtime leader who was also assassinated in late September. As the war between Israel and Hezbollah expands, its toll on civilians in Lebanon is only worsening. Israeli airstrikes around Beirut have increasingly targeted healthcare facilities and healthcare workers. Leila Molana-Allen reports.