March 9, 2023 - PBS NewsHour full episode

It’s hard to miss that consumers are having to eat the cost of higher food bills. While overall inflation is down after hitting record highs last year, grocery prices were still 11.3 percent higher this January than in early 2022. NewsHour's Casey Kuhn put together some tips as well as a quiz to help shoppers make the most of their food budget. She joins Amna Nawaz to discuss what she learned.

Norfolk Southern’s CEO faced intense questioning from senators in the wake of last month’s toxic train derailment in Ohio amid scrutiny of the company’s safety practices. It’s prompted broader questions on railroad safety regulations and preventing future environmental disasters. Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, joins Geoff Bennett to discuss the investigation.

American Siamak Namaz, who has been detained in Iran since 2015, gave an unprecedented interview via phone from inside the notorious Evin Prison with CNN's Christiane Amanpour. Namazi is currently being held with two other Americans, environmentalist Morad Tahbaz, and businessman Emad Shargi. Shargi's sister, Neda Sharghi, and daughter, Hannah Shargi, join Amna Nawaz for an exclusive interview.

In our news wrap Thursday, Russia launched its biggest barrage in a month across Ukraine, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was hospitalized in Washington after a fall, the Senate confirmed President Biden's pick to lead the IRS, the FBI is investigating whether hackers accessed Congress members' data, and General Motors will offer buyouts to most of its white-collar workers in the U.S.

Lawmakers are making political and financial calculations Thursday after President Biden released his $6.9 trillion budget plan for 2024. The White House proposal calls for raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans to invest in the working class. NPR White House correspondent Tamara Keith joins Amna Nawaz to breakdown the highlights and make sense of it all.