World Dec 19 Trump administration to withdraw military forces from Syria President Trump appears to have ordered an immediate withdrawal of troops from Syria, tweeting that the U.S. had “defeated ISIS” there. But the decision contradicts policy advocated by administration officials and lawmakers. Brookings Institution's Gen. John Allen and Amherst College's…
Economy Dec 19 Markets drop as Fed signals it's not done raising interest rates yet In a sign of confidence in economic growth, the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point, to its highest level in a decade. Fed chairman Jerome Powell said politics played "no role whatsoever" in the bank's…
Politics Dec 19 Congress scrambles to wrap up legislation before the holiday With the holidays and a deadline to avoid a government shutdown fast approaching, Senate Republicans are working on a short-term funding deal as a compromise on the president’s demand for border wall funding. But some wonder if the timing of…
Nation Dec 19 After policy reversal, hundreds of detained migrant children could be released Hundreds of migrant children could be released from government custody as the Trump administration relaxes requirements for the adults sponsoring them. The shift was followed by an Associated Press report that some shelters house more than 1,000 children. Michelle Brane…
Science Dec 19 Genetics, climate change and space highlight the year in science The year has been a major one for scientific milestones and research. As it comes to a close, we take a look back at some of the biggest science stories, for our weekly series the Leading Edge. Miles O’Brien and…
Episode Dec 18 December 18, 2018 - PBS NewsHour full episode Tuesday on the NewsHour, a federal judge postpones sentencing for Michael Flynn, while the Trump Foundation agrees to dissolve after numerous accusations of misconduct. Plus: the White House signals flexibility on border wall funding, Yemen clings to a fragile truce,…
World Dec 18 News Wrap: Russia blasts Senate conclusions on influence campaign In our Tuesday news wrap, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Senate findings that Russia tried to influence U.S. elections via a sweeping disinformation campaign, calling them “baseless.” Also, after losing to Sen.-Elect Kyrsten Sinema in November, Republican…
Politics Dec 18 Why a federal judge delayed Michael Flynn's sentencing A federal judge postponed Michael Flynn’s sentencing Tuesday to better enable him to cooperate with the special counsel’s investigation. The judge also told Flynn, "Arguably, you sold your country out." William Brangham asks former Department of Justice official Carrie Cordero…
Politics Dec 18 How Trump may have used his charitable foundation for personal and political gain As the New York attorney general investigates allegations of criminal misconduct by the Trump Foundation, the president announced he is shutting it down. The Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold has been reporting on scrutiny of the organization since before the 2016…
Politics Dec 18 What's next in the showdown over a government shutdown? In a reversal from its previous demands, the White House is signaling openness to a funding bill that would avoid a government shutdown, even if it doesn't include $5 billion for a border wall. Days before a partial shutdown would…