PBS News Hour

Hurricane Helene is in the Gulf of Mexico and headed toward Florida. Floridians have been filling sandbags, preparing to hunker down in the face of heavy rains, storm surge and floods. Current forecasts show that Helene will arrive as a dangerous Category 4 hurricane on Thursday. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center.

One of the global problems addressed at the U.N. General Assembly is the climate crisis. Multiple wars and other geopolitical tensions have cast a particularly sobering shadow over whether nations can meet meaningful pledges. The new book, "What If We Get It Right?" offers a more optimistic conversation about what individuals can do. Amna Nawaz spoke with author Ayana Elizabeth Johnson.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the United Nations that Russia is preparing to attack Ukraine's nuclear plants. At the same time, Iranian officials have repeatedly stated they are interested in resuming nuclear diplomacy. Nick Schifrin discussed more with Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The situation in Lebanon and northern Israel is tense after the second day in a row of major Israeli airstrikes. Israel said it killed a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut, while Hezbollah launched missiles at Israeli military and civilian sites. The U.S. is trying to de-escalate, including at the annual United Nations General Assembly, where President Biden spoke Tuesday. Nick Schifrin reports.

The U.S. Agency for International Development is engaged in many of the conflict zones around the world, supplying vital humanitarian assistance to millions in need. Amna Nawaz sat down with Samantha Power, the administrator of USAID, to discuss those efforts.

One of rock and roll’s greatest songwriters is out with a brand new album. It's Nick Lowe's first full-length effort in nearly a dozen years and debuted as number one on the Billboard charts in the Americana/folk category. Special correspondent Tom Casciato has the story for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

This week, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are touting their plans to boost the economy. Harris is also trying to keep some focus on abortion rights, an issue Democrats see as a winning one, with 41 days to go until Election Day. Geoff Bennett reports.

A survey commissioned by the nonpartisan Elizabeth Dole Foundation and conducted by the RAND Corporation found those caring for military members or veterans are an increasingly large group and stretched increasingly thin. It estimates more than 14 million Americans are caring for a service member and spend $9,000 a year out of pocket for care. Lisa Desjardins discussed more with Bob McDonald.

Ozempic and Wegovy are some of the most popular drugs in the country, driven by their remarkable success in treating diabetes and obesity. But the drugs are extremely expensive, and the drugmaker’s CEO appeared on Capitol Hill Tuesday to face questions about why those prices are so high. William Brangham reports.

Emmett Till's murder is one of the most harrowing events in American history. Till was 14 in 1955 when he was killed after a white woman accused him of making an advance toward her. Mississippi author Wright Thompson has a fresh account of the conspiring forces behind Till’s murder. Geoff Bennett sat down with Thompson to discuss his book, “The Barn: The Secret History of A Murder In Mississippi.”

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Jasmine Wright of NOTUS join Geoff Bennett to discuss the latest political news, including new developments in two key states that could affect the potential path to victory, if there will be a second debate between Trump and Harris, how Trump is softening his message to appeal to women voters and the Harris campaign gets a win in Nebraska.

Congress is returning to Washington with a nailbiter of an election hovering and an even more pressing task. Funding for most of the government is due to run out next week. Congressional leaders announced another short-term deal to punt more partisan fights over spending until after the election. Lisa Desjardins is tracking the movements on Capitol Hill.