December 13, 2023 - PBS NewsHour full episode

Israeli troops met renewed and heavy resistance from Hamas militants across the Gaza Strip and civilians remain caught in the middle. The Gaza health ministry says nearly 19,000 people have been killed in the enclave since the Hamas terror attacks of Oct. 7. John Yang discussed the pressure on Israel to increase humanitarian aid and reduce civilian casualties with Natan Sachs.

The COP28 climate conference closed with more than 200 nations agreeing they should transition away from the fossil fuels that are warming the planet. They also pledged to triple the amount of renewable energy deployed by 2030 and curb the release of methane. But reaction to the agreement has been mixed. William Brangham discussed that with Manish Bapna of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The Federal Reserve opted to leave interest rates unchanged, but Fed Chairman Jerome Powell suggested there may be as many as three rate cuts next year. Powell said rate hikes appear to be over for now and the economy is well positioned for a so-called "soft landing." Stephanie Sy discussed more with economist Julia Coronado of MacroPolicy Perspectives.

With Congress deadlocked on whether to approve tens of billions of dollars in additional aid for Ukraine, that nation's domestic arms industry is becoming increasingly important. Perhaps the most vital weapons system it's producing is an army of drones. Nick Schifrin and videographer Eric O’Connor visited the frontline in southern Ukraine to understand how drones have transformed the war.

Tesla has recalled 2 million cars, nearly all of its vehicles sold in the U.S. since 2012, because of issues with its self-driving features. Safety regulators have investigated nearly a thousand crashes involving Tesla's autopilot system, which can fully take over steering, braking and acceleration. William Brangham discussed the recall with Faiz Siddiqui of The Washington Post.