October 17, 2023 - PBS NewsHour full episode

One of President Biden’s most pressing concerns on his trip to Israel is the fate of as many as 13 Americans being held hostage by Hamas. They are among some 200 hostages in Gaza. Nick Schifrin spoke to the American families of the missing about their anguish and what they want President Biden to do.

In the first round of balloting for the next House speaker, Rep. Jim Jordan got 200 votes from his GOP colleagues, short of the 217 he needed. But the Ohio congressman is closer to the gavel than he's ever been before. Lisa Desjardins has a look at his often controversial record in Congress.

A proposed settlement from the Biden administration would allow migrant families who were separated from their children at the southern border to stay in the U.S. for three years and apply for asylum while getting aid. If a judge accepts the settlement, it would also prevent the government from separating families for at least eight years. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Lee Gelernt of the ACLU.

Students who are starting to apply to colleges for the coming year are the first class to deal with the impact of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn affirmative action. For many high school students, this annual rite of passage is now trickier than ever to navigate. Special correspondent Hari Sreenivasan takes a look for our higher education series, Rethinking College.

Melinda French Gates envisions a world where women and their newborns remain healthy before, during and after childbirth. The Gates Foundation reported staggering numbers surrounding maternal mortality and offers several interventions that have the potential to save the lives of 2 million mothers and babies by 2030. She gives her Brief But Spectacular take on making birth safer.