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.

This past week, a county judge in Ohio struck down the state’s near-total abortion ban, saying it violated a voter-approved constitutional amendment protecting reproductive rights. The ruling is likely to end up before the state Supreme Court, underscoring the importance of races on many state ballots that are flying under the radar this fall. John Yang reports.

In our news wrap Sunday, Harris and Trump and their running mates campaigned with just nine days to go until Election Day, Egypt proposed a two-day cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, satellite images showed damage to a secret Iranian military base after Israel’s retaliatory strike, and Georgia’s president said the country was the victim of a Russian “special operation” after Saturday’s election.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.