Pbs Newshour - Politics

The U.S. Supreme Court handed down several high-profile decisions Thursday morning. One case blocked a controversial bankruptcy deal involving the opioid crisis, another reinstated access to abortions for those facing medical emergencies in Idaho and a third blocked an EPA rule regulating air pollution from taking effect. John Yang reports on the significance of the rulings. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Supreme Court ripped up a controversial bankruptcy deal that would have provided billions of dollars to states devastated by the opioid epidemic and shielded the controversial family accused of pushing pharmaceutical painkillers in search of profit. Amna Nawaz explored the details and impact of the Purdue Pharma case with Brian Mann. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

It's the biggest night of the 2024 presidential campaign so far. President Biden and former President Trump will square off in Atlanta for their first debate of the year. Laura Barrón-López is covering the Biden campaign and Lisa Desjardins is covering the Trump campaign. They joined Geoff Bennett for a preview. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The candidates are in Atlanta for CNN's Presidential Debate. To discuss the showdown between President Biden and former President Trump and what to expect, Amna Nawaz sat down with Amy Walter from The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, Republican strategist Kevin Madden and Democratic strategist Guy Cecil. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Supreme Court handed down two opinions Wednesday but left some of the most politically fraught cases for the final days of its term. One left undecided for now is focused on abortion and a ban in Idaho. But we may have clues about how the justices will decide the case after a document was mistakenly posted. John Yang reports on how the mistake happened and what it could mean for the court. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Biden announced pardons for former U.S. service members who were convicted under a military law, repealed in 2013, that banned gay sex. The move would potentially cover thousands of veterans who were forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Geoff Bennett discussed the decision with Lindsay Church, executive director of Minority Veterans of America. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Immigration has become a flashpoint this election cycle and is expected to be a key issue in Thursday's debate between President Biden and Donald Trump. Laura Barrón-López has on-the-ground perspectives of the situation at the southern border from Sheriff Mark Dannels of Cochise County, Arizona, and immigration attorney Jennifer Babaie, who works with asylum seekers in El Paso. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a brave whistleblower to his allies and a national security threat to his critics, is on the verge of being a free man. Assange is pleading guilty and will be sentenced to time served, allowing him to return to his native Australia. Nick Schifrin reports and has two views on the plea deal from Jamil Jaffer and Trevor Timm. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The presidential campaign has kicked into high gear as President Biden and Donald Trump prepare to meet for their first 2024 debate on Thursday. The two men have been locked in a tight race for months and no other candidates reached the required polling threshold to be on the stage. Lisa Desjardins takes a closer look at how polls work with our partners at the Marist Poll. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Decisions by two federal judges put key parts of President Biden's plans for easing student loan payments on hold and in doubt. The program offers a way to lower monthly payments and get some debt forgiveness. More than 8 million are enrolled but these rulings put those key features on pause. William Brangham discussed more with Danielle Douglas-Gabriel. It's for our series, Rethinking College. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

On the campaign trail, Donald Trump again vowed to shut down the Education Department and endorsed a Louisiana law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools. He has also pledged to cut funding to schools with vaccine requirements. Laura Barrón-López discussed that with Dr. Paul Offitt, a pediatrician and a professor of vaccinology at the University of Pennsylvania. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As voters head to the polls in three states Tuesday, the Israel-Hamas war has become a key issue in one New York congressional primary. It's a race that reflects the divide in the Democratic Party over U.S. support for Israel. Geoff Bennett reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and Francesca Chambers of USA Today join Geoff Bennett to discuss the latest political news, including a look ahead to this week's presidential debate between President Biden and Donald Trump, a preview of Democratic primaries races in New York and the political stakes of what has happened in the two years since Roe v. Wade was overturned. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Supreme Court handed down a major victory for gun control advocates, ruling that domestic abusers can be barred from owning guns. In an 8-1 decision, the court rejected a 2nd Amendment challenge to the federal law that makes it illegal for people with domestic violence restraining orders to possess firearms. William Brangham discussed the case with News Hour Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The 2024 campaign was already shaping up to be the most expensive election of all time, but now several high-profile billionaires are dumping massive amounts of money into the presidential race. Laura Barrón-López discussed where the money is coming from and where it's being spent with Anna Massoglia, the editorial and investigations manager at Open Secrets. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join William Brangham to discuss the week in politics, including a Supreme Court ruling over access to guns, President Biden's latest order protecting migrants and Donald Trump's mixed messages on immigration. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Louisiana will now require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom. Similar bills have been proposed in Texas, Oklahoma and Utah, raising questions about the constitutional separation of church and state. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Charles Haynes of the Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan foundation promoting First Amendment freedoms. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

It's been more than three years since baseless claims about the 2020 election inspired an attack on the Capitol, but the lies haven't stopped. With less than five months until November, Donald Trump is at it again with help from right-wing media. Laura Barrón-López discusses the conspiracy theories and their impact with David Becker of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Virginia, Georgia and Oklahoma held primary and runoff elections Tuesday night and the results in some key races could say a lot about the state of the Republican Party this election cycle. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Biden unveiled an executive action that offers protections to undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens. At a White House event marking the 12th anniversary of DACA, the Obama-era action that protects young undocumented immigrants, Biden laid out his plans. It comes after the president implemented a crackdown on migrants seeking asylum at the border. Laura Barrón-López reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders