PBS News Hour

Reproductive rights are front and center as the election enters its home stretch, more than two years after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Despite the state bans that followed the Supreme Court ruling, the number of abortions has actually gone up. At the same time, infant mortality has been on the rise. John Yang speaks with The 19th’s reproductive health reporter Shefali Luthra for more.

Final pre-election polls released Sunday show Trump and Harris deadlocked as the race goes down to the wire, but there are indications that some late deciders may be breaking for the Democratic nominee. Both candidates spent the weekend appealing to those who have yet to vote in the tight race, while 75 million Americans have already cast their ballots. Ali Rogin reports.

By one estimate, more than 40 million Americans with disabilities are eligible to vote in this election. But some say they feel excluded from the process by hurdles at polling places and candidates who don’t address their needs and concerns. As PBS Austin’s Blair Waltman-Alexin reports, one group is trying to boost both accessibility and visibility.

In our news wrap Sunday, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 31 Palestinians across Gaza amid Israel’s renewed offensive against Hamas, the U.S. State Department said an Iranian-American journalist is believed to have been detained in Iran for several months, angry crowds pelted Spain’s king with mud over the government’s response to deadly floods, and severe storms hit Oklahoma overnight.

Trump has long cultivated strong support among Christian conservatives. He got about 80 percent of the white evangelical Christian vote in 2016 and 2020, and appears to be on track for a similar result this year. In the closing days of the campaign, some of his supporters have characterized Harris with terms like “devil” and “Antichrist.” Historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez joins John Yang to discuss.

If you’ve watched TV this month, you’ve likely seen campaign ads supporting Donald Trump by attacking Kamala Harris over transgender issues. From Oct. 7 to Oct. 20, Trump’s campaign and pro-Trump groups spent an estimated $95 million on ads, more than 41 percent of which were anti-trans. Independent journalist and LGBTQ+ activist Erin Reed joins Laura Barrón-López to discuss.

In our news wrap Saturday, Trump and Harris spent the day in battleground states, Israel’s military says it captured a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon, Spain is sending 10,000 more responders to Valencia in the aftermath of deadly floods, a former Louisville officer was convicted of using excessive force in connection with Breonna Taylor’s death, and South Carolina executed Richard Moore.

Haitian immigrants have found themselves at the center of a political storm this fall, as former President Trump and his supporters repeatedly make unfounded claims about them. Most came to the United States to escape the humanitarian crisis in Haiti, brought on by wide-scale gang violence. Ali Rogin reports on how Haitian leaders are trying to restore the rule of law in their country.

On Friday, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump held dueling rallies just five miles apart in Wisconsin. Trump won the state in 2016 after it had gone for Democratic candidates for 28 years, and President Biden narrowly won it back in 2020. This year, it could help determine control of the White House, Senate and House of Representatives. John Yang speaks with PBS Wisconsin’s Zac Schultz for more.

Both presidential candidates brought their campaigns to the Southwest on Thursday. Donald Trump stopped in New Mexico, a detour from battleground territory, while Kamala Harris jetted off to Arizona. But before she left, Harris spoke with reporters about what's on the line with five days until Election Day. Laura Barrón-López reports.

Abortion is a closely watched issue in this year's election, and not just in the U.S. As president, Trump cut funding for international groups that offer and counsel on abortion services. With support from The Pulitzer Center, special correspondent Neha Wadekar reports from Kenya where advocates are watching for who wins. A warning, this story contains accounts of sexual and gender-based violence.

The presidential campaign trail ran through the Tar Heel State on Wednesday. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump both rallied in North Carolina, one of the crucial swing states that could secure a victory in next week’s election. Amna Nawaz reports.