PBS News Hour

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.

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.

In two weeks, the final votes of the election will be cast and the polls will close. Until then, the Trump and Harris campaigns are making their cases in battleground states across the country. Laura Barrón-López reports.

This November, voters in Montana will be deciding on two ballot measures that would fundamentally change voting in the state if they pass. If they pass, the state would have non-partisan primaries and a majority-winner requirement for future general elections. Stan Parker at Montana PBS reports.

A proposed rule from the Federal Trade Commission aims to let consumers easily cancel unwanted subscriptions. It would require getting out of those plans to be as easy as it was getting in. But many businesses argue the move is unnecessary meddling that will harm consumers. William Brangham discussed more with Erin Witte of the Consumer Federation of America and a supporter of this rule.

In our news wrap Tuesday, Secretary of State Blinken is on his 11th trip to Israel since the war with Hamas began, the FBI is investigating a leak of classified U.S. documents related to Israel's plans for a possible retaliatory strike on Iran and Vladimir Putin welcomed world leaders to Russia for a summit of the BRICs bloc of developing economies.

Ballot measures across the country could have profound effects on people's everyday lives from abortion access to criminal justice to the way they vote. Geoff Bennett explored the measures with Reid Wilson, founder and editor of Pluribus News, a digital media outlet tracking public policy in the states.

From JFK's assassination to the Son of Sam, Jimmy Breslin covered major events of the 20th century as a columnist for the New York Daily News. His plainspoken approach captured the country's attention, offering readers a poetic, and blunt, perspective on the issues that mattered most. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Richard Esposito, author of “Jimmy Breslin: The Man Who Told the Truth.”

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.

The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, is now a powerful mega donor for Donald Trump. Musk is using his vast resources to campaign for him in Pennsylvania and taking aggressive measures for Trump in other key battleground states. Some of those moves are raising major legal and ethical concerns as well. Geoff Bennett discussed more with New York Times investigative reporter David Fahrenthold.