Lang Lang, one of the world's most famous classical pianists, discovered his passion for piano while growing up alongside other musicians in China. Today, he stands as a globally acclaimed classical pianist whose extraordinary talent has led him to perform with diverse musical legends. He shares his Brief But Spectacular take on loving what you pla…

Artificial intelligence continued to redefine the tech landscape in 2024, driving change in a wide range of fields. AI has quickly become a part of everyday life, with AI-powered features integrated into everything from search engines and cell phones to hospital equipment and politics. Jeffrey Brown discussed the year's ups and downs in AI advancem…

Mark Rober discovered his passion for engineering as a kid, tinkering with gadgets and building creative contraptions. A former NASA engineer turned YouTube sensation, he now runs CrunchLabs, where he develops hands-on science kits to spark curiosity and innovation in young minds. Rober shares his Brief But Spectacular take on being amazed at the w…

It's the season for year-end lists and we've got you covered when it comes to the best books of 2024. Jeffrey Brown sat down with two of our regular literary critics, Maureen Corrigan and Gilbert Cruz, to highlight their favorites. It's for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders…

However you listened to music this year -- streaming on an app or the old-fashioned way on a radio -- 2024 saw breakthrough artists, chart-topping hits and a return of some top-tier legacy performers. Freelance music writer and critic Maura Johnston and The Root senior writer Candace McDuffie join Stephanie Sy to discuss the music that had us hitti…

As 2024 comes to a close, we take a look back at some of the year's biggest stories through the images of photojournalists. We spoke with four photographers who documented the presidential campaign, the protests over the war in Gaza, the Paris Olympics and much more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders…

One of the biggest names in women's boxing, Claressa Shields, is getting the Hollywood treatment in a new biopic. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown discussed "The Fire Inside" with Shields, director Rachel Morrison and actress Ryan Destiny for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/f…

An annual tradition takes on a new look to transform how audiences see "The Nutcracker." Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown tells us how one ballet company is helping to make this long-awaited leap. It's part of our Race Matters coverage and our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/fund…

The holidays are a great time to catch up on the year's best films, whether streaming at home or heading to the theater. To highlight some of the best movies of the year, Jeffrey Brown sat down with two film critics who shared their top picks. It's part of our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/…

During the Cold War, Air Force Col. Harry Shoup was one of the commanders in charge of an early warning radar system based in Colorado. It had been set up to detect a possible soviet missile attack on the United States. In this animated conversation from our colleagues at StoryCorps, three of Shoup's children recall a surprising phone call their da…

This Christmas Eve, we continue a tradition we started a few years ago with members of the U.S. military presenting a holiday song. This year, musicians from the military services perform the Christmas classic "Jingle Bells." This video was produced by the Pentagon's Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. PBS News is supported by - https:…

Famed musician Arturo Sandoval was among those celebrated at the 47th Kennedy Center honors in early December. But as a young boy in Cuba, Sandoval's rise to the top of the music world was inconceivable. He has now won 10 Grammy awards and performed the world over. Geoff Bennett met up with Sandoval to talk about a life filled with music. It's part…

The Library of Congress announced the 25 films that made it into this year's National Film Registry. The registry, started in 1989, now includes some 900 movies, chosen for their cultural, historic and aesthetic importance to preserving the nation's film heritage. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown has more for our arts and culture series, CAN…

The newest world chess champion is also the youngest ever to claim the title. Eighteen-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju, who defeated defending titleholder Ding Liren at the World Chess Championship in Singapore on Thursday, has had a meteoric rise amid a surge in the game's popularity in India. Author and content creator Levy Rozman, known online as Goth…

She has painted portraits of Michelle Obama and Breonna Taylor. But much of Amy Sherald's work is about filling in absent images of everyday Americans. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown talks with the artist and takes us to the first major exhibition covering her career for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https…

The animated PBS Kids series, "Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum," follows Xavier as he, his sister and friend meet historical figures portrayed as children. In a recent episode, they meet a person very dear to us, Gwen Ifill. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/fundersPor PBS News

Bryan Stevenson, the prominent lawyer and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, has blazed a trail representing the poor, wrongly convicted and those on death row. Geoff Bennett sat down with Stevenson to discuss his career and the re-release of his best-selling book, "Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption." PBS News is suppor…

Longtime court sketch artist Bill Hennessy, who captured history with his sketchbook for more than 40 years died on Monday at the age of 67.Hennessy took us where cameras could not. He offered the first draft of high-profile legal moments, from the Clinton impeachment, trials at Guantanamo Bay and arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court. PBS News is su…

Nikki Giovanni, a fierce and lyrical voice of the Black experience, has died. Giovanni's work illuminated love, liberation and the unyielding power of self-expression. Tributes are pouring in from across the country as admirers and friends mourn the passing of a literary legend. Geoff Bennett reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/…

A tried and true program in East L.A. helps former gang members, drug users and those leaving incarceration build a new life. Special correspondent Mike Cerre reports on the Homeboy Art Academy for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders…

In 1958, when John Cruitt's mother died, his third-grade teacher made a small gesture of kindness that meant a great deal to him. In this animated feature from our partners at StoryCorps, he sat down with Cecile Doyle decades later to tell her how that gesture changed his life -- and in the process made a difference in her life as well. PBS News is…

A restoration of past glory, a renovation toward future growth and potential consequences and conflicts in the present. That's the story of Michigan Central, a grand addition to Detroit's economic and cultural life. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown reports for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.or…

On a recent evening in Washington, moviegoers filled the lobby of a local theater to watch the D.C. premiere of a new film from a renowned documentarian that explores the first Trump administration's family separation policy on the southern border. Geoff Bennett discussed "Separated" with executive producer Jacob Soboroff. PBS News is supported by …

Over 125 people are killed by guns every day in the United States. To address that epidemic through art, the Gun Violence Memorial Project shares intimate details of some of those lost. Special correspondent Jared Bowen of GBH Boston reports for our Arts and Culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funde…

There are many ways we define American culture: the music, art and literature we produce, how our politics plays out, but also: the food we eat, and where we choose to eat it. In New York City in particular, each bite has chronicled that slice of America. But now, after countless restaurants and hundreds of reviews, Pete Wells is moving on from his…